Ongoing projects - plenty of sewing and even a little knitting

Back pocket

Well, I had a bit of a disaster after my last post. I was well on my way to completing my cargo pants - see pattern photo below - when I ran out of thread!!! Well, that shouldn't have been too much of a problem had it not been for the fact that I was doing rather a lot of top stitching and even a slight change of thread colour would have been obvious. None of the local suppliers had this colour in stock - Gutermann 208.

Well, I had a long think about things and placed an order with Minerva. I had bought the fabric and thread from them some time ago to make a rather different pair of trousers. I bought some extra thread for the blue pair of cargo pants I intend to make next. Whilst waiting for the order to arrive, I set about making up the blue floral fabric I showed here. Making a second Elani tunic. I forgot to take photos of this once I'd made it and so now, of course, it is in the wash. Such a useful top.

I also made this blouse:

This really loose fitting blouse comes from this vintage Butterick pattern - 6301. If you recall, I made a toile after grading the pattern to fit me. It might not be the most flattering of styles, but is so comfy to wear in the hot weather we are having at the moment. I started cutting this out and sewing it together at a new sewing group which has started up in the village where I live. It was so useful to have access to a large flat table whilst chatting away to like minded new and familiar faces.

My order arrived on Thursday bringing with it some fabrics which I had ordered for the Marci and Katherine Tilton Craftsy course "The Artful T-Shirt". I can't wait to get started on this one. The fabrics are all medium weight jerseys.

Yes, there are four different fabrics here. All are based on a navy and ivory colourway. The pattern we will be using is the one shown below.

View D is the design we will be tackling for the course. I have just watched all the classes for the first time, but know that I will have to view the first three again at least once before cutting into a toile let alone the fabric shown above. I'm hoping the experience will make me brave enough to tackle a Marci Tilton jacket which has been in my possession for quite a few years now.

I really fancy making the long sleeved version on the left.

I also stitched one of the pieces made at one of the NWCQ meetings earlier this year. It needs a bit more work to make the whole thing more stable, but this is a start. I just need to get the second piece to this same stage before venturing further.

I'm also working on another test knit. This time for Maria Socha. An adult version of this lacy beanie. The colour I have chosen is a deep jade.

Northwich, Cheshire, my local town, is in the middle of an Arts Festival which will last all month. Last month we had an interesting Literary Festival. Part of the events is this Art Trail. It is well worth a walk around the shops seeing all the different pieces of work.

On Saturday it was Northwich Art Shop's Grand Day Out. This was a very interesting event with plenty to see, interesting demonstrations too. I hope it is repeated next year.

Such a range of techniques - from needle felt to acrylics, woven pieces to woodturning. It was so good to see three textile artists involved too. The hall was full of visitors when I came along. It was lovely to see a group of children having a wonderful time using alcohol inks.

Have you ever done this?

Have you ever walked down the street and found yourself thinking, "Now that would be perfect for ......" I found myself doing just this yesterday, whilst walking down the main shopping street in Northwich. I had just seen a man's shirt walking towards me (the man, not the shirt), and knew that it would have solved my current problems with the Indian fabric quilt I have been working on.

I'd better start from the beginning. I showed the start of the Indian Cotton Quilt, working name "Rosie's Quilt", last time. Laying it out, Rosie and I felt it needed a couple more bright areas to balance one already in place.

(My helper, Felix with the completed blocks.)

On Thursday, I had treated myself to a morning spent with Dot's UFO group - a social Quilting group which meets to sew and chat. I took my new sewing machine along and sat beside some really interesting people. During the course of the morning, I actually managed to wind a bobbin first time - I had been having difficulty getting this right whilst at home on my own. The nice thiong about chatting to other quilters is the variety of ideas which are exchanged. It was suggested that I used quilt-as-you-fo to complete this one. I must admit I hadn't got as far as considering how to proceed with Rosie's Quilt. However, what a good idea. Now I need to decide what to use for the backs of each block.

One of the downsides of going to this group is the amount of wonderful fabrics which Dot brings to sell. (Sadly, her shop is not online.) She had brought a large collection of sale fabrics along. There were some beautiful new fabrics too, but it was the sale fabrics that became my undoing. I bought these:

The smaller pieces - all fat quarters.

And these:

Some metre length pieces. I wondered about using the dark grey for the back of Rosie's quilt using this as a contrast to another paler fabric, perhaps making a chequerboard style of colour arrangement.

Alongside these fabrics I found one cotton suitable for Rosie's quilt. Bright and just what I need to balance the lighter, duller squares. Sadly there was no second colourway to go with it. Which was why I found myself searching around Northwich for material on Saturday.

After a search of the market, I started going into the local Charity shops. In the first shop, I found this.

It was originally a nice little tunic top - too small for me to wear, the fabric was just right and so the tunic was cut up.

Well I am now off to get some serious sewing done. Have fun!