Sewing and knitting.

The skirt before adding the waistband.

 This week has been busy. I managed to finish my skirt. Sadly, I haven't yet been able to take any really good pictures of the finished skirt. These were taken while the skirt was in the process of having the narrow waistband added. The skirt is being worn by my dress makers dummy, Aggie.

Skirt back showing faux pocket and lined front pocket.

I was so pleased that I took the time to add a full lining to the skirt and also added a lining to the pockets. The fabric is a wool mix which could be a little itchy to wear without a full lining. Ending on the knee, the skirt is a little shorter than I usually wear, but is extremely comfortable to wear. I like the large pockets too.

Right front pocket showing concealed zip behind pocket opening.

The concealed zip was a bit of an adventure. I have never managed to use one of these zips before. After searching my sewing machine manual, I found that my usual zipper foot will also sew in a concealed zip. My next concern had been how to actually sew it in place. I just could not get my head around the instructions in the Burda Style magazine. Luckily, I have a copy of "The Colette Sewing Handbook". There, on page 23 is a beautifully illustrated "How to" set of instructions. Just what I needed. Thanks Sarai Mitnick!

Apologies too - I hadn't taken out all the tailor's tacks before taking the photos. I assure you that they have all disappeared now. Oh, I forgot to add that I added an edge of bias binding and a fancy stitch around the front pockets rather than just the top stitching indicated in the pattern.

My cosy cowl.

Another item finished this week was this cowl. It is really cosy and will be so useful for those windy wintry mornings. It was a really quick knit too. I have now started another hat to keep my ears warm.

Trying to get some sewing done

A cold morning

Most mornings start the same way now that Ella has come to live with us. A brisk walk for around an hour and a half, taking in the local countryside. I'm lucky to live in a place where there are so many interesting places to walk. All this exercise is making me fitter too.

Teasels

I think I love the inspiration I get from being outside most of all. I saw these teasels against a cold wintry sky. They look so architectural.

Jersey fabric

But I need to be sewing. I have such a collection of projects that I really should be getting on with. This jersey fabric is destined for a long sleeved top which I had originally planned to make for Christmas. It still hasn't even been cut out. The pattern is ready and waiting. It is one from a Burda Style Magazine. Not that I could ever look like the model in the magazine.

At present I am making a skirt which is a bit of a challenge with it's curved seams. Still, I am hoping to get it finished before too long. At the moment it is all pins and I'm still trying to understand the instructions!  Again, this is from a Burda Style magazine. It is one of two skirt patterns I am testing out for myself. I might b making one of these for my daughter.

Knitting project

The only project that seems to be running quickly is this one. I only have around an inch or so to get to the end. I made of these for myself a couple of years ago, but one of my daughter liked the look of it and then it became hers.

Has anyone got any ideas for time management? I have far more projects I would like to be working on than I have the time in which to make them.

Sewing, stitching, knitting and taking the dog for a walk.

Ella wearing her new backpack.

Ella has a new backpack which we took out on her walk this morning. She is just getting used to wearing it. 

Ella.

The nice thing was that it really didn't seem to trouble her at all. There is nothing bar a few plastic bags in these pockets. I won't be adding any weights until she is quite happy with wearing this backpack. She will only carry about ten percent of her own bodyweight - this will be around 5lbs at most. The intention is to use this for long walks where she can carry some water and a collapsible dog bowl. I'm getting a backpack of my own for a flask, snacks and my camera.  

A frosty puddle.

Frosted leaves.

A chilly morning, it was lovely to see the patterns made by the overnight frost.

Small pot holder.

Collection of pot holders nearing completion.

Yes, there has been some sewing completed. I am playing around with pot holders at the moment since I managed to find some insulated wadding a while back. Oven gloves are really not all that useful at times and I have always wanted something a little smaller. The square ones didn't have a pattern, however you can find the pattern for the oval shaped ones here: http://www.lovella.ca/2011/03/fintgertip-pot-holders.html

A new pair of socks.

This pair of socks is being knitted from a pattern I go to regularly. It is Wise Hilda's Basic Ribbed Socks. You can find the link to the pattern on Ravelry.

The Etui pattern.

Lastly, I am working on this delightful kit by Sue Hawkins. It really is lovely to work on during the evening, especially since I have a really powerful little lamp I can use to light up the area where I am working.

Happy New Year!

Silly hat - front

The last few weeks have been a mad rush to get a waistcoat finished for my daughter as well as getting some bags done as gifts. In all the rush I forgot to take photos! Maddening.

One of the felt flowers

This silly hat was put together quite quickly to go to a New Years Eve party which was also held to celebrate the 50th birthday of one of our neighbours.

Silly hat - back

The invitation read "entry wearing a silly hat", so I attacked my collection of bits of felt. The hat was a bought one, I must admit. A bright purple top hat.

Some more of the flowers.

The buttons were in my button collection. I didn't need to buy anything. The buttons held the pieces of each flower together with a few stitches fastening them in place. The completed flowers were then attached to the hat with double sided sticky tape. It was great fun to make, just messing around with a sharp pair of fabric scissors. I ended up with second prize too!

I do hope that you had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year and that 2014 will be a healthy, creative and enjoyable time for you all.

Having fun with dyes and making bags again.

Dyed applied over strips of masking tape, More dye applied after tape removed.

 The following collection of photos show the fabric dyed at the Textiles without limits workshop. I have annotated the photos to explain the various processes I tried out.

Dye applied using scrunched up kitchen paper.

The kitchen paper I used when dabbing on dye for the above fabric, I have saved these pieces for use too.

Fabric folded and held with clips before dyeing.

Fabric folded and tied with brown thread - this has also dyed the fabric in places.

Fabric taken out of dye to show clips and plastic disks in place.

Fabric opened out and ironed - see the previous photo.

Fabric held with bulldog clip during dyeing.

The resulting fabric. I shall probably over dye or print this piece. Perhaps both?

 At the moment I am getting on with some Christmas sewing - some fabric bags for the presents. I last did this a couple of years ago and the bags were very popular. In fact I had a request for one, so everyone will get one this year. Each bag has two pockets - one is zipped and other open. So far, I have completed three with just another three to finish off. All the fabric is cut to size and the zips and their tags are ready it is just a matter of finishing them off today. Then I must get on with the waistcoat which my elder daughter wants as her present this year.

Natural colours and having fun with dyes

Colours around my garden

I really should have written this post a couple of weeks ago, but I found myself far too busy to post anything here. These photos were taken on the 17th November, they day after I had been on a dyeing day with the Weekend group. This group is really called "Textiles without limits" and they have a blog which can be found here.

Walking around the village

Going for a walk with Ella - just look at those legs!

Colours around my garden

The dyeing session was huge fun. Many of the other members of the group had been to a previous session where they had been doing some shibori - preparing fabric ready for dyeing.

My collection of freshly dyed fabrics

I hadn't been able to go to that meeting, but I was able to try out some of the ideas since Leah had given us a link to an amazing blog called "And then we set it on fire". I copied some of the ideas there to try out with my own fabrics. As you can see I did get through rather a lot of fabric, to say nothing of bulldog clips, those clips used to clip on freezer bags, string and washers. I had a lot of fun and will share the before and after photos in my next Blog post. 

Still sewing

It has been an interesting week. I have been continuing the sewing for the Drama Group production, but have not been able to do any of the other projects I really should be getting on with. Ah well, the rehearsal this evening is a costume check, so I should see the end of the sewing for this production. Today will see me adding buttons to a jacket which seems to have lost all the buttons it originally had. I'm only going to add the buttons on the epaulettes since they look distinctly odd with none. The there is just the fastenings to be added to the last pair of dungarees. Then end is in sight.
I do have some knitting on the go. The hat I mentioned last time is now finished and is so cosy to wear. I have started a second hat and hope that this will be finished soon so I can have one hat in the wash and one ready to wear. I intend to knit another pair of the fingerless mittens to match this new hat.
There are a couple of other projects which really need my attention now - a textile book which really should be completed before the next Beading Group meeting. This is the book which will hold all the Chinese Whispers pieces; an A3 quilt which I promised for the end of this month and has still not been started; my piece for the Sky's the limit November theme; my journal quilts which are woefully behind. All four remaining quilts need to be finished by the end of December. Did I really say "a couple" of projects?
I'd better get on with the Drama Group bits and pieces and then set about designing the book and the A3 quilt. Hopefully everything will get done in time....... wish me luck.