Quilting, knitting and enjoying the countryside

Completed shawl neck cabled jumper

Well, since my last post there has been a completed project - this cabled jumper. The pattern dates from 1989 and the yarn has languished in my stash for rather too long. There wasn't quite enough, hence the decision to add the brown for the shawl collar. The two yarns are the same make and vintage, luckily. The jumper is really cosy to wear too.

Taking up an abandoned project

I started this one back in 2011, so it has been hiding away in my knitting bag for far too long. I had completed the back and half of one front when I got bored with it. Now I am half way up the second front. It will be a sleeveless waistcoat. The pattern is from the Rowan Classic 4ply designs for men and women. The designs are by Martin Storey and the yarn used is no longer available - it is Rowan's Cashsoft 4ply. An unusual purchase for me since I very rarely buy the wool suggested by a knitting pattern. The colours chosen are my own and not that used in the original pattern. The design is called Rosamund.

Close up of some of the pattern

I've also been out walking too. My long suffering dog Ella by my side.She loves the walks, but hates the idea of being the subject of photographs.

Walkies

Hence the look on her furry face.

My long suffering companion

We had stopped by the river, opposite the weir shown in the photo above. It is a lovely spot with a bench. Perfect for a short stop to sit and admire the scenery.

I have no photos of the quilting as yet. Not any that I can share. The project is the result of a challenge and it needs to be completed before being shared with the NWCQ group. I wrote about it here.

Here's hoping for more sewing this week!

Ella, wearing her back pack.

Well, I haven't managed to get any sewing done over the past two weeks. Once the costumes were finished it was time for play week. A brief weekend away and I am itching to get on with some stitching of my own. I've managed to fit in a couple of mending tasks - a tear in a trouser leg, repairing the hem of another pair. Nothing very exciting and not really what I want to be doing.

Bluebells in the local woods.

If nothing else, I did manage to fit in a daily walk with Ella. Being a Husky/Akita cross, she really does need a couple of good walks a day. My morning walks tend to be at least 3 miles in length, with the route changing each morning. We are very lucky to have some wonderful walking tracks around here. All are walking distance from my front door as well!

The Bluebells have been magnificent this Spring. A delicate bluey-purple haze. Sadly, they have all but finished for this year. However, I did manage to get some photos.

Just in case you are wondering, Ella is carrying her own water bottles and a collapsible water bowl in her "back pack". She does get rather thirsty when the mornings are warm as they have been recently.
I did have a lovely visit with a friend yesterday afternoon - we talked textiles. A really enjoyable chat. It really got me excited about the idea of getting back to playing with textiles once more. The soldering iron and heat gun I had ordered recently arrived in the post today ready for some experimentation. I am going to be playing with the effect of heat on fabrics, as well as getting some printing done. I ordered some new woodblocks for blockprinting, as well as restocking my collection of fabric paints. These have now arrived.... lots of fun to be had!
Bye for now.

A busy time - sewing and such

Frosted ground from my garden.

It was quite a shock to realise that a month had passed since I last posted anything on my Blog. It has been really busy here. I organised the Contemporary Quilt stand at the recent Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts Show at Event City in Manchester. That was really enjoyable, especially being able to chat to others interested in textiles.

"Contrast" - for Sky's the Limit group

I have also been sewing - this is the piece I made for the February theme from the Sky's the Limit group. The design was taken from some work I did on Notan whilst on a workshop back in September 2011. I couldn't see how to use the ideas at the time. It does take me rather a long time to work out how to use something. Do go and have a look at all the other pieces shown on the group's Blog.

January journal quilt - Journeys 1 Walking boot.

This is the finished journal quilt. I had shown the beginnings of it in my last post. I added sheer fabric and net under the drawing of the boot just to add a bit of colour. The boot has been hand stitched.

February journal quilt - Journeys 2 Walking with Ella. 

Again, I showed you the start of this piece last time too. The background fabric is a collection of dye catchers sewn together with a free machine stitched map drawn over the top. This shows a  little of the area where I go for walks with Ella. The landscape round here has a number of these electricity pylons looking as if they are striding across the land like giants.

The salt mine, River Weaver.

The river was so still this morning and there was such a bright blue sky, I really just had to record this image. This is a pile of salt stockpiled ready for next winter.

Tree felled by the recent bad weather.

Sadly, we have lost a number of trees round here due to the very high winds. This particular tree fell across one of the paths through a copse. For a few days I found myself having to clamber round the fallen tree. Now the tree has been chopped into pieces. I just loved the colours of the wood inside the bark.

Spring is on the way - new lambs.

Another sight on my way home with Ella. Two newborn lambs snuggling together and enjoying the sunshine.

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.

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. 

Dressmaking again

Back garden - bird feeders.

It is hard to keep focussed with the weather being fine outside and a dog wanting attention. We have got into quite a pleasant routine here. Each morning, Ella goes for a walk before the weather gets too warm. She goes out with either my husband or myself, or quite often both. We then all enjoy breakfast before Ella has a rest blocking a doorway. She loves to be close to us. Coco seems to have settled and developed a taste for dog food. It has proved rather difficult to take a photo of Ella watching her food being eaten by Coco who has pushed in front. Ella is very patient and lets Coco eat before claiming the rest of her meal.

In the evening, when it become much cooler outside, we all go out for another walk, returning to find Coco waiting for us by the front gate. Once back inside the house both animals have their meal and we all settle down for the evening. It is nice that Coco generally comes for a cuddle while Ella flops down and has another snooze.

Ella - having just woken up.

I've started making a new dress for myself. It is intended for a wedding I shall be going to at the beginning of August. There is a second pattern and fabric waiting just in case this dress doesn't quite seem right.

Quilters cotton fabric.

I couldn't resist this fabric when I saw it. It is really a quilters cotton fabric, but is once of those soft cottons which can also be used for dressmaking.  The pattern I am using is one I used some time back. I had intended to make the open neck version with short sleeves, but hadn't noticed that the design really only works in one direction. As a result I am making the version shown on the package once again. 

Using A as shown.

I've loved wearing the first dress I made, so will be happy to have the same design again.