Time to stitch!

Well, its been a most enjoyable week. It has been half term holiday from school this week, so I have been able to enjoy myself in my new sewing space.


In sorting out my stash of fabrics I found fabric I had forgotten I had, things I should have mended ages ago, two skirts that needed altering, and some items I thought I had lost. The mending has finally been completed and I have the two skirts hanging in my wardrobe ready to be worn. The knitting has come on well too.


A rather busy, but very enjoyable week.


The first photos show the progress with my two jumpers. First, the Elizabeth's Year project. As you can see, I have got quite a way towards completing the decreases to the collar. I am not sure whether I shall get this completed by the end of the month. The group will be knitting Elizabeth Zimmermann's Moccasin socks in November. The yarn I have left over from this jumper project will be used for the socks.

The next project is the Notre Dame de Grace pullover. As you can see, I have nearly got to the end of the increases on the second sleeve. The buttons on the sleeve are those I am auditioning for the placket button. This is purely decorative, but needs a rather special button to set it off. I found these gorgeous buttons in a craft shop and couldn't choose between them.




The last photo shows the progress with my bright throw which I started last weekend. The pieced section on the left is the foundation pieced section I showed you last time. The lower section with the rooftops is a piece I found when tidying. I made it some time ago for the Round Robin I was involved in with Cranford Quilters. It was a duplicate made for a friend's quilt since I wasn't sure which of two colourways would be best. Her topic was Architecture - a fascinating choice for a quilt. This section fits rather nicely with the rest of the throw. The third piece of fabric is one I came across this week. I hadn't been intending to buy any more fabric. Honest! However, the Knots and Needles Ps and Qs which I go to had been given some fabric. We all looked intently into the collection. I bought a number of pieces, including some pink silk. This particular piece, a design which uses all the colours I had chosen for the throw just shouted at me. All the monies from the sale of the fabric goes to the local Hospice, so I refuse to feel too guilty.

Workspace.

At long last I have somewhere to work. Well, somewhere to spread my sewing and various projects out so that I can see what I am doing. I am not a tidy worker.

This is the start of a new project. Its just going to be a throw to cover the spare bed which shares my workspace. I wanted something bright and cheerful. This will end up as a sampler of different techniques - foundation pieceing, applique, etc. The backing will be the acrylic blanket it currently sits on. It will feel cosy as well as being colourful. The cats will love it.............

I haven't got so far with the Elizabeth's Year project this week - the sleeves have now been added to the body, I now need to take a deep breath and get the sleeves and opening sorted out.......

I have been doing a lot more work with this project. The Notre Dame de Grace Pullover by Veronik Avery, from the Summer 2007 "Interweave Knits" magazine. The front and back are both finished. So is the first sleeve. I got into a bit of a panic yesterday when I realised that I just did not have enough wool to complete the project. I rang and ordered some more, since I could not spare the time to travel to the shop (Stash in Chester). The wool arrived with the postman this morning! The dyelot is the same............ Knitters will understand my joy and contentment. To say nothing of the relief...........

The next photos were taken around the village where I live. I went for a walk on Sunday morning taking the camera with me since the colours around me were so gorgeous. It had been a cold night and the mist had not fully lifted. Autumn has really arrived.

This is the farm lane I was walking down. Its also a public footpath. When I turned round this was what I saw.

The field to my left still had some of the frost lying on the grass.

I am so lucky to live here..............

More knitting.

As you can see I have been making good progress with the Elizabeth's Year project, I have now reached the underarm stage and am working on the first of the two sleeves. The second cuff is already done and ready to be knitted up to match the first sleeve. I did toy with the idea of trying out the magic loop method, but chickened out of trying it since I had already cast on both cuffs and knitted them to the right depth.

Magic Loop is something I really would like to try out, but will leave it until I have rather more time and not so many projects to concentrate on.

You may have noticed the addition of three extra colours. I found myself getting rather bored knitting the plain orange, so got the other colours this weekend. The plan is to add a broad stripe around the lower armhole area rising to the neck edge.







There has been some progress with the Notre Dame do Grace jumper. Not as much as I had intended, but then I find myself concentrating more on the Elizabeth's Year project at the moment. This one tends to get worked on when I need thinking time to sort out the instructions in the Knitter's Almanac.

Knitting and sewing.

Its been quite a busy week. The trees have all started changing colour and the hanging baskets have just about finished flowering. These amazing little flowers give a startling burst of colour to add to the visual din.

I managed to finish the machine embroidery on my jeans, though I do have a feeling that a few beads would add an interesting bit of sparkle....

During the week, I also finished the back of one jumper - the Notre Dame de Grace I started last weekend. I've now got started on the front..........

I did start my jumper for the Elizabeth's Year October project. However, I wasn't happy with the first version - I'd decided to try having a hem. It looked far too bulky, so I ripped it back. Then I started again, this time ribbing the edge. It kept getting twisted on the needles, so that got ripped back. I have started once more..... Hopefully this time it will work well.

I haven't yet started the sock yarn - I've been far too busy. On top of everything else, I was asked to help with cutting a couple of inches off the bottom of a pair of ready-made lined curtains. Rather a nice task that I've almost finished.

Last night my elder daughter asked if I could repair a pair of trousers for her....... not much, just a damaged seam and turn-ups that need a few stitches to reinforce. Oh and could I take up another pair of trousers for her? The legs are two inches too long...........

Why do I find myself saying "yes"?