Better late than never

It has been a really busy few weeks since I last posted here on the block. I have completed two pairs of socks - this orange and browny-purple pair and another pair in shades of grey and white. There are two projects on my needles at present. The first is a knitting kit picked up in a charity shop.

Although it looks blue in this photo, the yarn is actually a rather silky off white with brown flecks. The kit only cost me £1 which is amazing. It is the Winter Jumper kit from Aldi which was available from the stores earlier this year. I must admit that this project has been stalled over the past few days since I found the most delicious silk and merino yarn from the Sheep on Mars  stand at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate. I bought three yarns and just had to start knitting with the first of these once I had completed my grey pair.

I have knitted this same pattern which was free with the XXL sock yarn I bought some years ago. It is a very simple design which is perfect to showcase these patterned yarns. This time I have used a ridged heel instead of using the stocking stitch heel from the pattern.

These are the other two yarns I bought. I really just couldn't walk away and leave one of them......

Also purchased at the show - some gorgeous lining fabrics. I fancy making a new jacket at some stage over the next few months.

My haul of needles and general bits and pieces from the show.

This was my collection from the Cone Exchange which had a stand. The fabric is furnishing weight and will be used for some cushion covers I need to make.

After the Show I went round some charity shops with my sisters. Silk fabric and silk tops along with more buttons and some books to read. The book at the back is about Heath Robinson. I just love his illustrations.

Whilst in Harrogate we were lucky enough to find a Vintage Fair in a rather beautiful Methodist Chapel. This was my haul. The magazine dates from 1952. I couldn't resist the vintage patterns and the cotton fabric inside the vintage paper bag was quite a find too. I think I will frame the bag rather than discard it. The cotton fabric is a rather useful cotton lawn. I don't think it was ever taken out of the bag. Just £4 for the lot. I picked up some leaflets about future events.

These two fabrics - the peony and crane design and the stripe are both jerseys. The floral design seems to be a ponte roma with a lovely sheen whilst the stripe definitely feels like cotton. I found these on a charity stall at one of the textile groups I attend. There is enough to make tops with both these fabrics.

The green jumper I mentioned last time is complete and now sits waiting in my wardrobe.

At the start of this post I mentioned that I have been busy. One of the groups I attend regularly is the Moulton Sewing Group. In December the group will have a stand at the Craft Fair in the village. I have been busy making items for the stand.

There have been mug rugs - shown above; pot holders; heat packs (microwaveable fabric bags holding pearl barley) and also a couple of cushion covers. The cushion covers and mug rugs are now complete and the last of the heat packs need some hand stitching to finish them off. I just have another six of the pot holders to complete and then three table runners that were added to my list last week......... I'd better get going since I only have until the 7th December to complete this lot. I do have other things which I should be sewing for other challenges, Secret Santa and so on. Why does everything need to be completed at around the same time?
Ah well, I am off to grab a cup of tea and then get an hour or two of sewing before the dogs demand their tea and an evening walk.

Knitting and stitching show

Fabric purchases 

I spent a wonderful long weekend at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate last weekend. I went along with my two sisters. The fabrics above are a mixture of silk (the light coloured plain fabrics) and quilting cottons for a project I really must complete after I finish writing this piece.

vintage lace pieces and broken bracelet - charity shop finds

We visited my favourite charity shop which sells craft bits and pieces. It was here that I found one of my two pieces of silk in the photo shown above. Then I was lucky enough to find two rather interesting pieces of vintage lace and some gorgeous bits from a broken bracelet.

Show purchases

A vintage pattern, water soluble fabric, and other bits and pieces from the show. The single ball of wool is actually one of ten which I got in a large bag from the Black Sheep stand. I haven't yet decided on the pattern to be used for this yarn. It feels wonderful and is a mix of 20% alpaca with acrylic.

Collection of Wonderfil embroidery threads

I added to my stash of Wonderfil threads whilst at the show. The Aurifil stand was selling bags of 50 threads for an amazing £30. I just had to bring a bag home with me. The collection of colours has really helped to develop the range I have ready to use.

Sewing a quilted bag

I have started a new project which I really must get finished quickly since it is a present I must hand over tomorrow evening. It is a quilted bag. I shall post photos and explain more about it next time.

Whoops! Been busy......

Old print cover for my small print board

I finally got round to replacing the cover on my small print board last week. This is the rather nice accidental patterning the old cover had. Rest assured I shall not be discarding this. I'm not entirely sure what I will do with it since I really don't want to cut it. Well, not yet.

All three print boards ready to go

You can see the small board with it's new cover sitting in front of my two larger boards. All ready to go. I just need a bit of time to settle down and enjoy a few hours printing.

My garden this morning

It really is autumnal outside now. The leaves were down on the grass this morning, making quite a colourful show.

Yarnbombing?

I spent last weekend in Harrogate with my sister. We went to the Knitting and Stitching Show. It was great fun. Walking around the town on Saturday we saw that the statues on top of the shopping centre were sporting knitted scarves and hats. Delightful.

Reprinted vintage patterns

I bought quite a lot of things at the show, taking a shopping list with me to make sure I didn't forget anything. My list was quite a long one this time since I haven't visited this show in a couple of years, but I still managed to buy some things which I really didn't need. These three patterns, for example. I really couldn't resist. The skirt pattern reminds me of a skirt I loved to wear years ago. It was such a comfy design. I lost that skirt long before I knew anything about making patterns to copy existing favourites. I'd been planning to buy the top pattern, but never got round to it. The 1930s evening dress I really fancy making, but cannot think where I would ever be able to wear it................ It is such an interesting design.

Indie patterns

Then I saw these patterns on this stand. The reversible pinny is such a popular design amongst so many people I meet. I just had to try it for myself. The coat will be really useful, but I think I shall make it with full length sleeves.

Samples for felting experiments

More samples for felting

I really couldn't leave these wool samples. The top collection was found on the International Feltmakers stand at the show. The lower set were collected from this stand. We had a really interesting chat to the man selling the yarn and the different fibres. I intend working on the International Feltmakers CiFT foundation course, and these will give me the impetus to get started. As a course, it is intended to give feltmakers the experience of trying a variety of different wools and other fibres amidst different techniques.

More purchases

These few purchases were to add to my collection of clips, knitting books and also the printing/dyeing stuffs I have at home. One thing I plan to do is work with thickened procian dyes, so the powders will help with that.

Vintage patterns

I really can't resist vintage patterns, so added more to my collection from the stand of Judith Mansfield books. Sadly they don't do mail order and don't have a website. The Vogue pattern dates from 1953, while the two Simplicity patterns date from 1972 and 1975. The last pattern is undated, but is such a lovely simple design and is possibly from the 1940s.

After leaving the show we were ready to just collapse in a heap, so retreated to the B&B we were staying in. Luckily it was a quick walk up the hill away from the show. 

The following day we went round my favourite charity shops in Harrogate. More vintage patterns:

Trouser patterns - clockwise - patterns dated 1986, 1996, 2001

 Some lovely bits and pieces I really couldn't leave behind:

Linen tray cloths, silk hankies and buttons

A rather interesting book which might just get me started in using my knitting machine:

My bags were extremely heavy by the end of our stay.

What else have I been doing? Well, I gave a couple of talks, put up an exhibition, completed some dressmaking projects too. The last of these is a pair of culottes which should be finished later today. I made the classic error of cutting them out without adding any seam allowance........... It would have been disastrous had it not been for the deep dart on the back and the large pleat at the front of the legs. A bit of tinkering about and I think they should fit well. An interesting problem, and one mistake I really shouldn't have made. 

A weekend in Harrogate

My collection of purchases

My husband and I were away from home last weekend, heading off to Harrogate for a few days. Harrogate is a really interesting place to visit, and we chose to go because not one, but two shows were on. I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show, whilst my husband headed off to the Woodworking and machine tools Show. We both had a great time.

Vintage patterns

Stencils, wooden blocks for printing, sheer fabrics and a mat for making lino prints.

Goodies found in a rummage box.

As you can see from the range of my purchases, I am planning to do more printing and dressmaking. The vintage patterns are an indulgence since I just love the style. I have been looking for a nice culottes pattern for some time, so was delighted to find this one.

I think I shall make the skirt too.

Almost two yards of Linen and Viscose mix fabric.

Going round the charity shops I found these two lengths of fabric. The linen/viscose mix will make a delightful blouse, whilst the other length will make a lovely summer dress.

Four and a half yards of light cotton batik.

The battered book you also see in the pile of purchases was found in a charity shop too,

I also indulged myself with the purchase of a light box. This will be so useful.

A light box!