Knitting and sewing

Mercy cardigan by Drops Design

There has been quite a lot of knitting since my last post here. I have been working on this cardigan. So far I have finished the body, worked from the neck down on circular needles with some waist shaping which is rather fascinating. The first sleeve is now under way and I have started the decreasing - this is also started from the top down. I do like unusual construction methods like this. With the different lace designs it really does make for an interesting knit.

It is just as well that I have been getting on with this project since I have been asked to knit a couple of jumpers. One is for my daughter and the other for my granddaughter. Funnily enough, both were found in the same magazine that contains the Mercy cardigan shown above. The Knitter Magazine, issue 115.

I had a lovely time going into my local knitting shop this afternoon to source the yarns needed. The owner is really helpful and found the best solutions very quickly for me. Just as well, since one of the colours I needed to find was yellow. Apparently there isn't much yellow yarn around at the moment.

Tiger by Martin Storey

The first is a delightful jumper by one of my favourite knit designers, Martin Storey. The main colour will be olive green with a daffodil yellow tiger. The back is plain with the tiger motif appearing on the front. The yarn is Stylecraft Life DK, a lovely soft acrylic/wool mix which I used many times before. A practical yarn for a young child.

Buttonside sweater by Jennifer Dassau

This is the jumper which my daughter wants me to knit for her. She wanted charcoal. You will have noticed that the same yarn has appeared yet again - the Stylecraft Life DK. It has such a very useful range of colours to choose from. The charcoal has a lovely marl in the yarn which will make for rather nice textural interest. Reading the pattern, this seems to have a rather interesting construction. It is lucky that I have a few good lamps to choose from since knitting at night with such a dark colour will not be easy with the winter months coming up rather quickly.

The other day, I treated myself to the next issue of The Knitter (116), but I have a feeling it will be some time before I get to knit any of the projects in that edition. There are three more projects I would really like to knit in issue 115 - a pair of socks, shawl and a rather nice short sleeved lace top. Ah well, I can always admire the photos and dream about the colours I would choose.

Yes, I did get started with some sewing this week, but this had to be abandoned when visitors arrived, coming to stay for a few days. So, a few craft free days were enjoyed. It is so nice to be with family, especially when they live some distance away.

I have some plans to get some dyeing done this week as soon as my dye stuff and the fabric arrive. I need to prepare these for a nuno felt workshop which is coming up in ten days time. It is the "Seamless Nuno Felt sleeveless top" workshop with Vivienne Morpeth. A two day workshop. I keep checking the equipment list to make sure that I have got everything ready. I am rather excited and not a little nervous....

Keep calm and ....... sew.......knit. I have a feeling this week will be full of both, as well as some gardening projects which really ought to be started. However, the weather will decide which projects get done. The dyeing too. But that will have to wait until the postman appears with the parcels.

It's been a strange week.

It has been a rather strange week. I have managed to start a challenge piece for the MEG group. This rather dull looking piece is the start of something which I hope will become rather more interesting. I found some yarn in Aldi which I hope to make into a much needed cardigan before the end of the year. It is an acrylic yarn which feels really nice. I still haven't found a suitable pattern, but have only just started looking. I'm hoping for something a bit more fitted than the box shaped cardigans and jumpers I tend to knit for myself.

I managed to get to my first Friday Felters meeting of the year. We were making name badges. Mine has turned out rather dark and muddled, being somewhat difficult to read. I shall attempt to make another one before the next meeting. We were needle felting onto a piece of pre-made felt supplied at the meeting. I embroidered mine as well as needle-felting it. 

At Pinfold last week we were knitting teddies for the Teddies for Tragedies charity. I have finished knitting four teddies and made four bags for them. The bears still need sewing together and stuffing before adding faces. I will need to get hold of some more toy stuffing before being able to continue this project.

But what was so strange about the last few days? It was trying to fit everything in around helping my husband shift a pile of wood. The other difficulty being working between the heavy showers we have been having lately, whilst making sure the wood was sorted and covered with tarpaulins. It all took three days to accomplish. Aldi was brilliant yet again, supplying the tarpaulins we used. The dogs got rather bored with the whole process.

The only unfortunate thing was that I got a bit stuck with the ribbing for the fingerless mittens I need to complete by the end of next week. The technique was one I had not tried before, so I found myself searching the internet for a youtube video. The technique is called  "2 x 2 Tubular Cast On".  I found a video by Very Pink Knits which was really helpful.

As you can see, I really haven't got very far with these mittens and must get a move on. The MEG challenge piece needs to be finished by the end of next week too. Which reminds me, those teddies need to be completed by next Wednesday. I think the ironing pile will just have to wait.

Making progress - but slowly

Found this beautifully marked feather in the garden this week. I just had to rescue it. It looks to have come from the partial albino Blackbird which visits the garden from time to time.

Free machine embroidery under way.

Front view

 The free machine quilting has continued this week with the third of my four pieces now under way. This one is bigger than the previous two being 16" wide by 19" long (40.5cm by 48cm). A useful size, I haven't quite decided what to use it for.

At the moment it looks rather distorted since I haven't added all the stitching yet, as you can see in this photo of the reverse side.

Current back view

The knitting is continuing. I have almost finished the body and am now on the ribbing at the bottom edge.



 The colours make more sense when you see Ella's colouring. I chose her as the inspiration for the colours I used.

Crazy patchwork challenge

My crazy patchwork piece now just needs the edges tidying up and a border added. The cat buttons have been in my collection for rather a long time so it was nice to be able them here.

Sketchbook challenge - MEG

 I have also been adding bits and pieces to my Ideas Book. This was started as a challenge for the MEG group. I really need to get back into feltmaking again, so I added a series of sheep cartoons. I have samples of wool from each of these breeds ready to felt. Since I hadn't got much idea what these breeds looked like, I decided to find out and develop cartoons to help me recognise them. There are many more breeds of sheep than are shown here. This is a project where I still have rather a lot to do, even before I get started with the felting.

Not much sewing going on, but plenty of knitting.

The sketchbook with possible fabric cover materials.

For one of the textile groups I go to there is a sketchbook challenge. My book has been hanging around for some weeks now. The fabrics beneath may become the cover.

The front page 

Some dyed kitchen paper has been stuck onto the front page ready for a caption. This can wait until I really understand what I will be using this sketchbook for. The challenge is going to be an interesting one since I don't normally work from a sketchbook. I sometimes draw things out first, but then it is usually only elements rather than the whole design.

The first stage of our challenge is to start the sketchbook before our next meeting. Then we will learn from Debbie, one of the members, who will be leading us through this topic. After the front page I have used some of the more interesting pieces of Orizomegami, placing a large sheet under some holes cut in a page.

"Portholes" showing part of the following page.

The portholes page was inspired by a comment made in a Blog I read last week, I just loved the idea of cutting holes in one of the pages to show part of a design on the following page. It might be something worth pursuing in fabric at some stage. So far my sketchbook seems to be a collection of ideas which might be used at some time.

Pear blossom

The garden seems to be very busy at the moment with a lot of blossom on all the fruit trees. It will be interesting to see whether any of this turns into fruit later in the year.

Apple blossom

Sadly, the local weather forecast seems to be predicting frost. Ah well, I can enjoy the blossom while ti lasts.

Plum tree 

The little garden building down at the bottom corner still hasn't got it's windows. Perhaps this will happen at some stage this year.

Test knitting under way

The knitting has continued during the week with the first sleeve to be started later this evening. It has knit on circular needles. The stitches for the sleeve are currently waiting on the same circular needle. The jumper has been knitted from the top down. I'll let you know when the pattern will be available. I really love the design around the shoulders. This size is age two years, so is only small. Quite an enjoyable knit.

Messing around

Messing around with 5 inch squares

 It has been rather a while since last posting here. Unfortunately, a heavy cold put paid to most of my textile related activities for some days.

More playing around with squares of quilting cotton

Since I haven't been fit enough to concentrate, I have been playing around with a five inch square challenge. There are two sets of squares involved here. One is basically cream and red. The twenty squares in this collection has now turned into a quilted cushion. I'll have to post photos here another time since my camera has decided it needs to have a battery charge.

Inside showing the quilting

The next collection is basically twenty five inch squares in a cream and blue colour scheme. This is turning into a drum shaped fabric bin. Far from finished at the moment, some squares have been quilted for the main shape of the bin and some have been turned into little triangles for decoration. Just a bit of fun.

A lot still to do

It needs some form of stiffening and a lot of pins need to be removed.

Camellia

The garden has been drawing us outside since the weather has been really Springlike here. A chilly wind, but lots of sunshine has drawn out the bees who really love our baby weeping willow. It is covered in pollen at the moment.

Weeping Willow

I must get back to finish some sewing. I have been spending rather a lot of time outside enjoying the weather, and playing frisbee with the dogs.

Completing UFOs, making plans and plodding along

Daffodils in the garden

Everything seems to have started growing in the garden. It is lovely to see some bright colour outside.

Crocuses

Work has continued over the past few days on the weaving theme. You will see a sample of a woven pocket in the next photo. The sketchbook belongs to the challenge starting soon for the MEG group. I am looking forward to getting this one started. I don't normally use a sketchbook, preferring to jot things down in my notebook, so it will be interesting to get some guidance on how to put one together and then begin to use it.

I treated myself to a sewing magazine this morning, so will probably end up tempted to make something else. Unfortunately, my list of things to sew seems to be getting longer. I have now cut out the lining pieces for my Cocoon coat, but it has got no nearer to completion. I keep getting tempted to do a bit more with the weaving project. The first draft of the instructions has been written. It remains to be seen whether the directions and illustrations make any sense. 

The pdf pattern belongs to this design from "Sew Now" issue 3. I need to find some nice denim or fine corduroy to make this. Years ago I had a pair of dungarees which I really loved wearing. This is a more practical item of clothing for me these days. I just love those pockets.

Pinafore design in issue 3 of "Sew Now".

I did mention finishing UFOs in my title. Last time I mentioned a piece of embroidery but didn't show it. 

This is it. I only have the scissor keeper to embroider now, then I will be able to get the whole thing assembled. It has only been in my UFO pile for a few years. Embarrassingly I cannot now remember exactly how many years it has been languishing. The finished size of the closed Etui will be 3.5 inches square, so it really is rather small to have lain unfinished for so long. The brown felt shown behind the embroidered pieces will be used for the lining and the needlecase pages.

The designer, Sue Hawkins is a very talented and her work is really colourful. I couldn't resist it when I saw this little kit, which is why I am getting on with it now. There will be a needle case inside, and somewhere to stash a small pair of scissors inside the back cover, also a neat little thimble case which is to be attached to the scissors on a long cord. A rather useful item for my hand-stitching projects. I just need to find a nice sharp pair of embroidery scissors to keep inside it. 

My idea this year, is to get on with the rather large number of unfinished projects which have been lying around. Some may end up being drastically redesigned. My interests have changed rather a lot over the years. I'd like to use up at least some of the yarn I have collected, and then there is my rather too large stash of fabric.............. I must check to see if I already have something I could use up for that pinafore dress.......... Now that really would be sensible.

Do have fun with your own projects.

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. 

Still dreaming and stitching

Solar dyeing kits outside my workroom

I eventually got the solar dyeing kits under way. I wrote about my dyeing experiences on that day here. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to the fabrics. I've used silk fabric, silk thread, cotton organdie, butter muslin and wool slub.

Solar kit labels

You can see the colours I should be able achieve on the packaging shown above. Do get in touch with Helen Melvin if you find yourselves in North Wales. She is an inspirational dyer.

A gift from Japan

My dear husband met up with a Japanese gentleman recently. They worked together on a project in Japan some years ago. He came home with some little gifts for me. I love the little fabric horned sheep. It has a scented sachet inside a slit in the back.

More gifts from Japan

If you look closely, the little scented sachets are tied with little sheep. So sweet.

Woven quilt top under way

There has been sewing. I have been steadily working on this quilt top. It will eventually be a quilt for a cotbed. A first quilt for a new baby. There are borders to add now that I know the size I need to work to.

Lily in the sunshine

It has been so warm lately that getting to work in my workroom has been left until the cooler hours. It leaves me time to daydream amongst the flowers in the garden. I just love the juxtaposition of the colours. How many of us would actually put pink and orange together and yet it works.

Garden flowers

I find myself deciding what projects I need to do and organise the sequence when I daydream these days. I just can't stop my brain working on ideas even when I am physically doing nothing. You've already seen a couple of the projects I fully intend to finish before too long. I showed these in my last post. More hours in each day would certainly be useful.