Saturday, January 31, 2015

Love Sewing


Hello,
well as promised a post on sewing. I am getting more sewing done at the moment and I have several little projects that I have made in the last few weeks and I was going to show you. Then last Sunday as we were wandering around the local supermarket I spotted a new sewing magazine, Love Sewing. Now I have pretty much stopped buying magazines, however I decided that I could justify it with the free pattern that it had attached. It was all sealed but I hurriedly opened it and started reading it in the car on the way home ( no I wasn't driving).
There are lots of good ideas for projects but also lots of fabric inspirations which is always nice to be pointed in the right direction of nice fabrics.
One of the patterns inside was a little tartan skirt, it really caught my eye as I have lots of fabric in stash that would make gorgeous little skirts, I would only need a zip and some bias binding, I stocked up in the week.

The fabric that first came to mind was a herringbone that I picked up in our local Oxfam Shop about 12 years ago for £2.50. I know, right, a bargain! I actually have enough for a couple of skirts but the first one was for E. She got back from uni last night and I confirmed she liked it. It being the pattern and the fabric. Would she wear it? Yes, on the proviso that it was made shorter.



Of course you can't do anything in this house without Cat help. Molly and Percy thought it was all fascinating. Within a couple of minutes Percy had stuck his teeth through the pattern.



They had both had a little sleep on the fabric whilst I re-traced the bottom skirt panel onto greaseproof paper I took about 3 inches off of the bottom.





and then with the help of Percy and Molly I and cut it all out.





Molly gave up at this point, but Percy helped me until the end.



The pattern was super easy to follow and I love the tip about using bias binding on the hem, it certainly made it easier than the usual bias hem.



I think the whole thing took me less than 5 hours, so not bad for an evening's work ( of course I would probably have been a lot slower without my helpers).



The skirt's yoke and hem is hand-sewn as are the buttons onto the faux pockets. and the rest is done on the machine. The buttons came from Mamie's button box so I am fairly certain the whole thing cost less than a tenner. Which let's face it is a bargain!


Both E and I are pretty chuffed at how it turned out although I think the patterns sizing is pretty generous which means that an inch off all the way around would definitely have made for a more fitted skirt.But I think this one will get lots of wear and I am already planning the next ones.



So that is me for now.

Happy Crafting
A xx




Thursday, January 22, 2015

Fickle


Hello,
how has your January been so far? Mine has been a bit odd on some fronts but I am hopeful it is all going to settle down now. On the craft front, I have been busy! Busy, but a little bit fickle judging by all that I have to show you I can't seem to really settle to anyone thing. I have been knitting and sewing planning and plotting but I decided to just show you the yarn based activities in this post.

On Monday on Ravelry 20 weeks CAL. I bought a Lucy Pack of style craft when I was at Yarndale earlier in the year. I always go a bit crazy at the shows and come home with stuff I will probably never use. I pretty much never use acrylic my only exception being the Red Heart Soft that I have picked up in Canada which feels soft and not unlike the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. The Stylecraft is a different story I have to say I don't really like the yarn. It has the dreaded squeak and it feels rough to work with however it does redeem itself by having pretty colours and being cheap! This is clue one and two which were released together.



M's tank top is still on the needles. I was faithful to it all through December but I am definitely starting to lose momentum. I reached the armholes last night and up until today had thought I would steek it but honestly I don't think I can face the extra stitches. Lazy huh? M keeps asking why it is taking so long but I think considering the size of it it is not too badly paced.




Whether I will stay motivated for another 19 weeks remains to be seen, but I am looking forward to doing the next bit on Sunday.


I got this little bracelet as a kit for a Christmas pressie from my friend Monica. I have been burying it in piles since then, thinking yes I will get around to that at some point. Yesterday as I was about to move it again I thought why not cast on. I was a bit apprehensive at the idea of getting the beads placed correctly but it turns out that wherever you put them, they look good.

Then as I wandered around Ravelry I found a beautiful sweater called Snowflowers I love it and I kept going back to it. It is not often that I really love something but there is a problem. I decided for my New Years Resolution not to make anything straight from a knitting pattern. Which left me in a bit of a dilemma with regards to Snowflowers. So I decided to chart out the flowers and make the sweater up from the pictures of other peoples' projects. I have only done a couple of rows but I am pleased with it so far. I really do love working with the Drops Nepal it is so cosy and warm. I am hoping it will work otherwise I will just have to weaken and buy the pattern.

Till next time

A x

Saturday, January 03, 2015

So near....

Hello and a happy new year to you all. 
As you can see I have been fairly busy. This is my wartime farm sleeveless pullover otherwise known as a tank top :) I picked up the yarn about a year ago at Harrogate, but wasn't quite happy with the colour choice ( it never seems to work too well if other people help you does it?) So it ended up frogged a couple of times.
Then M decided he was getting fit and it came off the needles again and was cast on again at the beginning of December in a smaller size . I am still making a 46 inch chest with extra length which on a 3mm needle  which really is a labour of love! I had hoped to be divided for the armholes by now but I have two more repeats to go, luckily I am really enjoying watching the patterns emerge.
I just wish I had thought to do a jogless join. I am hoping when it has been washed and blocked that you won't notice the jog.Anyway until my next instalment happy knitting!
A xx

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