Textile experiments, dressmaking and MME

Samples made at Anne Davies' "Stitch, melt,distress" workshop.

I was lucky enough to be able to attend a workshop with Anne Davies at Wilmslow Guild on Saturday. It was great fun to play with Tyvek, Lutrador and Kunin felt, soldering irons, irons and heat guns.

I have started to pair my samples with previously printed fabric samples. This sample above was first printed using one of my own designed themofax screens onto a rust dyed piece. I am still considering what processes to use next with this one. This distressed sample was made from two pieces of painted Tyvek free machine embroidery added before the distressing process. I've used an iron and then heat gun so far.

I'm experimenting with this thread for my T-shirt project. At present I have got as far as fastening the back and front together at the shoulder and will be starting to add the neckband next. There have been a lot of other projects getting in the way since my last post. I managed to complete two out of three pages for the Pinfold book challenge. The third is under way, but will have to wait for the t-shirt to be completed. I have cut out a pair of trousers which will be next on the list. A warm pair of trousers will be needed very soon, especially when walking the dogs.

The test knitting has been started, ripped back and started again. This is the neck and shoulder section. Yes, that neck section does fit over my head and around my neck. The next section will find me splitting the body from the armholes. I rather like the effect of the neckline on this design.

 During the week, I found this piece of faux slubbed silk. It seems to be some kind of synthetic, but I can't yet name it. The fabric is shown just as it was waiting to be rinsed out after washing. I plan to use it as the backing for some more cushion covers I need to get on with for the Moulton Sewing Group. These will end up being sold on their Craft Stall in December.

The embroidered designs which will become the centre pieces for the cushions.

The fabrics shown above are all furnishing weight fabrics from my stash which will become covers for the cushions. I am now on the lookout for suitable piping and edgings.

 The Me Made Everyday continues. I haven't bored you with the details of the past week. Suffice it to say that I have now taken the heavier weight clothing out of the loft ready for the cooler weather to come. I find myself wearing more trousers than skirts or pinafores so far. However, I do think that the trousers I currently have available are going to be rather too thin for the winter weather to come. Hence my mention of the pair of trousers I have cut out and have standing by ready to sew. These are going to be made from the lovely needlecord I showed on my Blog last week. I really do need to organise my time a little better so that I can get around to making these rather more quickly than seems to be my lot so far this month. Ah well, as one friend put it some years ago, "Life gets in the way sometimes".

Elements from my wardrobe worn for MME (Me Made Everyday) this past week: all three pairs of my Hot Patterns Weekender Cargo Pants, warm grey culottes from a Burda Style pattern, three polo neck tops, a sweatshirt, my Cocoon Jacket from Sew Different, both Breton tops, a knitted waistcoat and a thick blue knitted cardigan. Having useful layers has been helpful this past week with the weather being so changeable.

Challenges and other projects

Recent makes have included this double sided apron. This was a challenge from the recently formed Moulton Sewing Group. The main fabric and pattern were provided, each member of the group just had to make and decorate their aprons. This was mine. The side I consider the "front" is grey and has crows appliqued to the pockets and a label stating the name of the group. The second side is blue.

As you can see, the pockets have a black feather printed using one of my thermofax screens. The main label is exactly the same as that on the "front". I drew out the original design and then copied and printed them onto cotton before stitching them in place. The apron is the Artisan Apron by Janet Clare. It has a crossover back which means that once put on it does not shift position. Rather a useful design.

I eventually got around to altering the sleeves on my silk blouse found in a charity shop. This has now been washed and is waiting to be ironed ready to wear. I have kept the inner layer of the sleeve for now, and will decide later whether or not to cut this away. The original sleeve had a double layer which was impossible to iron. It obviously had been intended to be a puffy sleeve, but the construction meant this was impossible to achieve once the blouse was washed. I'm happier with this design, but may need to adapt the cuff still further since I am not certain whether it is going to be tight enough around my arm.

Another thing I am working on at the moment is a pair of cushion covers. The machine embroidered pieces were discarded by their owner at the Sewing Group last week since she had merely used the pieces as an experiment. I felt they were too nice to throw away, so claimed them and used furnishing fabric from my stash to turn them into these cushion covers. The Group will be having a stall at a Craft Fair in a couple of months time, so they should find a new home quite easily.

The first cover is almost finished. It just needs the cord applying around the edges. This second one is pinned ready to sew together. The piping around the images uses some silky lining fabric I had in my stash which happened to be a useful match. The thread, furnishing fabric and cords all came from my various stashes.

The cord I will use is slightly darker than the furnishing fabric, but has a gorgeous sheen which should look good when I finish applying it. This will be attached by hand. I just hope that the person who discarded these pieces likes them once I take them to the Sewing Group's next meeting on Wednesday.

As usual I am prevaricating. I really should be getting on with a pair of trousers which I cut out last week. A light blue denim, I really could do with getting these made since I am rather short of decent trousers. I really need to get on with making another toile for the fitting course I am doing. This one should be finished in time for my next meeting with Eilene. Then there is the challenge from MEG. I really need to get on with making a quilt block for our next meeting later this month. It is a traditional block and I know I am putting this off because I really don't fancy making a traditional quilt....... There are ideas beginning to form in my head turning this first block into a more contemporary style without changing the design. It will be interesting to see if I can make that work. I know I would feel happier if I can.

Its been a while - trying something new

Workshop packs - showing the booklet

This last fortnight has seen me developing a workshop pack for the paper and fabric weaving samples I have been working on. It has taken far longer than I thought it would in terms of the time spent thinking about how to do this. Putting the packs together is also a little time consuming, but has been an interesting process. I'd not had to consider how much such a pack would cost before, so had to spend rather more time than I thought in working out what exactly was going to be added to the pack. It is important to cost everything carefully since it would be rather silly to give lots of materials, paper and fabric, away. It could cost rather a lot to replace everything, especially if the workshop does happen and I need to repeat it.

Materials enclosed in the pack are bondawebbed fabric; pieces of plain calico (muslin); paper; all cut to various sizes. There are a couple of pieces of fabric which have been bonded to another fabric making it double sided. There is also a booklet which I have designed and printed myself. Yes, more costs to consider. I just hope I have managed to include everything.

I now need to get my family involved in testing the packs and my instructions to see if they do make sense and if this is a doable workshop. The one thing that bothers me is that it might all be too complicated. Do let me know what you think. I do have alternative ideas for the workshop, but this is my favourite for the moment. I also need to discuss a pack and some samples with one of the group who have invited me to give a talk and workshop. I need to know whether this type of workshop will work for them.

Don't worry, I have been playing around with something more creative. I can't say I was too impressed with the results, but I can see myself trying this again with fabric dyes and fabric. They might just make for interesting backgrounds.

Samples of Orizomegami

The samples are various papers which have been folded and then Indian Ink has been applied to the edges using a paintbrush. I forget where I found this idea, but you can see some of the work made by experts here. Do look the word up for yourself, there are some very interesting photos to be found as well as instruction. Mine are extremely basic and nothing to be proud of. I'm glad I had a quick try though and will have another go. Personally speaking, I am far more interested in the effects which might be achievable with fabric than I am with paper.

Quilted cushion - 5" square challenge

Here are photos of the 5" square fabric challenge cushion which I told you about last time. I used all the 5"squares in making the blocks for the top and also the piping for the edge of the cushion cover.

Cushion showing piping

 The remainder of the fabrics used all came from stash. The buttons were also in my button collection. I'd bought them some time ago with no project in mind - always a big mistake I make time and again. I have some gorgeous buttons which I just can't part with, but have no plans for....... at the moment.

The buttons fastening the back of the cushion

I finished my last knitting project some time ago and was feeling withdrawal symptoms. I didn't have another project planned, so took up the offer of a Test Knitting project.

Yarn waiting to be used

 These lovely yarns are going to be used for my project. It is a jumper knitted from the top down with a gorgeous hummingbird pattern around the shoulders. The size is age two years. I just couldn't resist.

The first stage of this top down jumper

The colours used are a light greeny-blue shade with the panel in french navy onto cream. I'll probably have to wait to show you the design when it is finished. However, the deadline for the tests is quite soon, so hopefully once all the test knitters have finished, the design will be available for sale. 

Spending some creative time with my sewing machine and other projects.

Where have the past few days gone? It has been really busy here - a new print board has been put together, four cushion covers, a simple top, some zipped bag/purses and a new print board have all been finished and I have nearly completed a new linen dress for myself. I haven't bought any new fabric, just a couple of zips. Everything has been constructed out of my rather large stash of fabrics, threads and general "stuff". I wish I could say that my cupboards and shelves are less full as a result, but I really cannot see a difference just yet.

the felt layers of the new print board

 I decided to make a third print board since I shall be giving a print workshop in August and my two current boards will not be sufficient. I can improvise some extra space, but the third board will just make everything so much easier for everyone.

All three boards together

It was so lucky that I had plenty of acrylic felt and enough of an old cotton sheet in my stash to be able to complete this project. The board had seen occasional use as a drawing board, but will be so much more useful to me as an additional printing surface.

I'd completely forgotten, until I sorted through my photos, that I'd also been to a dyeing session. This time I followed some advice I found on the Kemshall's website about preparing fabric for dyeing. The resulting colours have been so much better, I shall definitely do this again. The advice gave specific quantities for the washing soda used in preparing the fabric for procian dyeing. I now have a solution in a sealed pot ready in the garden shed for when we next have some good weather and I can prepare some more cotton. I hadn't realised that the solution could be kept and used again and again.

 These cushions were not started by me. They were handed in at the last Pinfold meeting and I volunteered to construct the cushion covers. They are now ready for the cushion tombola which will be part of the group's exhibition later this year. The covers have been hand embroidered and look so beautiful. Each cushion is just twelve inches square. I hope that the embroiderer will be pleased when she sees them again.

Speaking of tombolas. This collection of zipped purses have been made for The Quilters' Guild tombola at Festival of Quilts in August. So far I have made nine, but I have a couple more which have been cut out ready to sew together.

Yet another cushion for the Pinfold tombola. This one started life as a miniature quilt block challenge which has been stuck in my unfinished pile for a very long time. It is twenty inches across.

the dress waiting to be finished

 The dressmaking patterns were found in a recent edition of Ottobre magazine. The dress still has to have the armhole facings stitched into place and also the hems completed. I really need to iron it too. It has been fully lined.

a completed top

The top is going to be rather useful in the warmer weather. It was made from a piece of crepe de chine I had in my stash.

So apologies for not having posted here for a few days. I have been rather busy. I still haven't started those cotbed quilts.........

Not much sewing this week.....

Ella in the summerhouse

I've been rather busy helping with the construction of a summerhouse down at the bottom of the garden. Ella is acting as organiser ensuring her meals are on time.

Papers and dyecatchers for bookmaking

One of the textile groups I go to is having a session working on altered books in November. Since I really cannot bear the thought of damaging or working into a printed book I decided to make my own instead. I have brought out all my dyecatchers and dyed papers to see what I can do. Since there has been no time this week to start anything,  it has remained in a heap. I'm looking forward to seeing what shape of book I end up with. The papers were dyed since they were used to wipe excess dye from boxes I had been cleaning out after a dyeing session. They were far too interesting to be consigned to the bin.

The growing crochet cushion cover

The crochet cover continues to grow. It is surprising just how much work can continue on a portable project like this.

Rowan knitting patterns by Martin Storey

My elder daughter and her husband were up this weekend and a jumper was requested. I brought out my latest knitting magazines and books and the pattern chosen was "Hearth" from the Rowan "Pioneer" collection. Knitted in a Super Chunky yarn, it really shouldn't take too long to make. However, it is always dangerous for me to pick up the knitting needles again. I know I shall start planning other knitting projects........ This is such an interesting book with some very nice patterns.....

The chosen pattern

 Yes, I did get some stitching done, but only some handstitching. I took this piece along to another group and worked quite happily on it before going back to get some of the crocheted cushion hexagons completed.

Hand stitched sampler destined to become a cushion cover

Another of the groups I go to will be having a cushion tombola in 2016. I thought I would get a head start and use some of my samplers up, turning them into the tops for cushion covers. This first one doesn't feel finished yet, But this next one is almost ready.

A hand stitched sampler - another future cushion cover