Sewing, knitting and lists

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing jumper - showing work in progress sewing in ends

Do you use lists? I seem to be pursued by them. I have a weekly list which details the things I really ought to be working on. This test knit was one. I needed to get it finished for the 17th July since the designer needed my report by then. I managed to complete it a few days ago, earlier than planned since there was going to be rather a lot of ends to sew in. You can see some at the top. These alone took three days since I really cannot stand having to complete more than around 30 at a time. 

Completed jumper

The other deadline on the jumper was getting it ready for handing over at a family gathering on Saturday. It has been much admired, but the recipient hasn't yet worn it. It was far too warm a day.

Next Free Machined project

The main reason to have a weekly list is because I really do tend to prevaricate and could easily run over time on some of the deadlines which are coming up. The FME projects I have been stitching lately don't really need to be completed until the middle of November. However, if they don't get started now I really don't see that the stitching will be completed and the resulting pieces made into anything by then. I completed the blue one shown last time, and have now started the yellow/blue one above. For this one I have added a water soluble fabric over the top with a grid drawn over it to keep the overall design to a reasonable size. I got started with this at a sewing group meeting during the week in Chester. I must remember to find a trolley to hold my sewing machine. It is so heavy to carry anywhere.

Making books

 Another deadline was getting these small book covers completed ready for a NWCQ session on Thursday. In the end I added another three complete books and added stitched pages into the five shown above. They were needed as a fundraiser for the Contemporary Quilt stand at Festival of Quilts. It was nice to be able to hand over eight completed books at the end of the meeting. These are all scraps of my printing experiments bondawebbed to corrugated card which had protected some knitting needles I had ordered online. The pages inside were scrap paper - envelopes for the most part. It is nice to be able to use up items which would otherwise become waste.

New test knit project

This new test knit will be a jumper for me. Knitted from the top down it has a lace yoke which you can see more clearly in the photo underneath. Another deadline, but this one doesn't need to be completed until the middle of September. I still can't afford to let it sit since the yarn is 4ply! It is a much bigger project than the children's jumpers I have been knitting so far.

Showing detail of the lace yoke

I managed to get the deadline muddled on the next piece - the Pinfold Challenge. The Crazy Patchwork piece should have been completed for the August meeting. Most people seem to be making larger quilts making more than one block. One was enough for me. The easel is a miniature one since the quilt is only 6.25 inches across (16cm) and 6.5 inches high (16.5cm).

Completed Crazy Patchwork challenge

I managed to complete the Stowe bag which has been hanging around my workroom for what seems like ages. The bias binding edge was some lovely printed bias I bought a long time ago and never got around to using. Such a useful bag it has now been given to my daughter. It is made in a rather nice denim - a mid weight fabric, not too heavy.

Completed bag

Speaking of bags, I came across this printout in my collection of patterns a few days ago. My circular needles had been getting into rather a mess since I had had to put my fixed needles into another folder which was already full. I used the left over pieces of denim for the main body of the bag and found a pretty blue print for the contrast sections and bias binding. I must remember to take a photo of the finished folder. It is already helping me to make my knitting needles somewhat tidier. Hopefully it will make finding the right size easier too.

New holder for my fixed circular needles

During the week I had a small delivery from Thermofax Screens. Two mini screens of a robin and a bee. I used them to decorate these two shopping bags ready to hold gifts for the family gathering on Saturday. I sprayed the bags first using the acrylic sprays I bought from Lidl some months ago. The motifs were printed using black screen printing ink. Yes, I did remember to put plastic sheet inside the bags as I sprayed and printed them.

Present carrier bags

Earlier this week I travelled to Blakemere for lunch and a wander around. I picked up these items - a vintage pattern from 1976 for my collection, and two large wooden printing blocks. Sadly these haven't photographed very well. I must print with them and show their designs that way.

Lucky find - pattern from 1976

Two new-to-me print blocks

Speaking of lists, I have already written the list for this coming week. So far there are just eleven items listed. This does feel rather too short a list since I started with twenty last time. At the NWCQ meeting I ended up chatting about lists to a friend sitting on the same table. She tends to prioritise hers. I hadn't the heart to own up to having most of the elements on my last list as priorities which had to completed during that week. In the end, I managed to complete nine of them - the ones needed for the family gathering and a couple of other items needed by other people. I'm hoping I might complete the ones I need for myself this week. However, there are some repairs to costumes which must be completed first. Wish me luck.

New project and challenges

Completed 5 inch squares project

Well, the first thing completed this week is this drum bin which I have been working on for quite a while. It has languished mostly because I couldn't work out how to attach the base or which way up the thing ought to be. It is part of the 5 inch square challenge from Pinfold which I started some time ago. As usual it has only been finished now because the deadline is tomorrow....... Always the last minute! You will find my other project for this challenge in this post.

The bin will probably be used in my workroom to house bits and pieces for whichever project is in hand. It will stop the elements disappearing in all directions just when I need them the most. The worst culprits seem to be the cotton reels which tend to roll off my table once the sewing machine is in full motion and get stuck under the set of drawers. It stands 8.5 inches tall (21.5cm). A useful size for the larger projects I have in mind.

Stowe bag

This is one project which I would like to complete sometime soon. I need to organise a present for the organiser of one of a music group I belong to. I intend to print some suitable fabric. However, before printing the fabric I need to try the pattern out. I bought a kit from Minerva Crafts to make a single version of this bag.

Colibri jumper now completed

Yes, this is the same photo as last time. I can report that the pattern is now available from Ravelry. My own version is now with my granddaughter.

Knitted patchwork blocks - version 1

Last week found me in the Lake District without a knitting project. Daft, but this doesn't happen very often. I'd taken along a few pattern ideas and a collection of 4ply yarn left over from previous projects. After discarding all the patterns I'd taken with me, I started messing around and this is the result. I'm still not entirely sure what I shall do with it. Blanket? Cushion cover?

Knitted patchwork blocks - version 2

The idea is also to make something without seams. The only stitching required for the Colibri jumper was to sew in the ends since it was knitted from the top down. Hence my own experiment. This is why you can see so many live stitches protected by stitch holders. I haven't decided whether the two pairs of squares which have already been joined should be turned into a square or become part of an edging of sorts to go round a centre which I haven't designed yet....... Still thinking about that.

Just recently I have joined "The Foldline". It is an interesting forum for anyone who sews. It seems set up mostly for anyone interested in making clothes. I am not sure whether the forum will have a place for someone like me who makes textile related stuff. I do make clothes too. Ah well, we shall see.

Experiments in printing and dyeing.

Printed calico bag - inverted

I've been busy since I last wrote. Firstly, I was involved in a delightful printing workshop. This was such fun. We were printing bags ready for the Festival of Quilts. They were donated to the Tombola which raises funds for The Quilters' Guild of The British Isles of which I am a member.

Printed bamboo bag - correct orientation

Printed black calico bag - correct orientation

We could each buy three different bags - two were calico, one being black. The third was a little more unusual, being made of bamboo. I must admit to having preferred the calico bags. I brought six extra bags home with me to print as presents. The three shown will be, by now, with their new owners since I donated all three bags which were completed on the day. The photos were taken as they dried on a washing line.

Last Friday I was really lucky and went to an Introduction to natural dyeing with the Frodsham Friday Felters group. We travelled to North Wales and visited Helen Melvin in her fascinating Blaen Wern Dye Garden.

Rhubarb root (Rheum sp)

The photos you see here are the wet samples of the different dyes we tried as they waited on the draining board in my kitchen. I shall post photos of the rinsed and dried samples in my next post.

Japanese Indigo (Persicaria tinctoria)

Persian berries (Rhamus sp with rusty nails)

Helen's dyed wool - fermented Alder Buckthorn

Alder Buckthornm (Frangula alnus)

Cochineal (Dactylopius Coccus)

Logwood

Dyers Greenwood (Genista tinctoria)

Madder (Rubia tinctoria)

It was really interesting to walk around Helen's garden with her commentary on what each plant was and the colours that could be achieved using different mordants. Different parts of the plants were used - dried berries or roots, or fresh leaves (Japanese Indigo). All dyebaths, bar the Japanese Indigo, were prepared by Helen before we arrived so that we could make the best use of our time with her. I was able to help collect the leaves and liquidise them ready for use. Since I had forgotten to wear gloves, my nails were a rather nice shade of turquoise by the time I had finished.

The last photo shows the bodice I have been making. I am intending to print and paint the dress while it is in two pieces - the as yet uncompleted bodice and the skirt. The skirt has still to be assembled.

The almost finished bodice

You may have seen the pattern photograph in my last post. You can see it here.

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.

Work in progress

Work has finally started on a quilt I planned to do in January! This is being made using my overlocker (serger), rather than piecing it using my sewing machine as usual.

The idea for this came about as a result of a serge-a-long organised by the Serger group on My Sewing Circle.

All of the blocks are being made from fabric out of my over-sized stash. I am not using wadding simply because the backing is fleece, again from stash. Some blocks will have the yellow as a backing, the rest will have a chocolate brown. This last piece of fleece had been intended for mum's quilt, but proved to be too dark. It is hiding away in the top photograph.

Other projects under way at present are the February Journal Quilt for the Contemporary Quilt group, the next section of the Stitching Sisters Sampler for Norma, and a bag I need to get around to rebuilding. Yes, I am woefully behindhand with some projects. I get sidetracked easily...................

I completed the first of the bags some time ago, but forgot to post about it here. This is what it now looks like:

As is usual for me, all four sides are different:

One of the ladies in my local library really loved it when she saw it.

I had had to completely take the bag to pieces since the only good fabric left was that used to make the handles and also the lining I had made to prolong the life of my bag. The sides now have wadding as a backing to stiffen them a little so that the bag can stand up.

I'm not sure exactly what my next bag will look like. It is a pile of fabric pieces and a box of buttons, ribbon and iron-on motifs at present.