Category: sewing

Sunday Sewing

Posted on Posted in finished objects, sewingTagged , , 12 Comments

I made a shirt today. I wanted a high (but not tight) neckline, 3/4 sleeves, short length (to go with high waisted pants) and a loose comfortable fit. And I wanted to get in on the floral trend. I modified the Ace pattern.

I found this knit fabric on sale, presumably because it is an autumn floral. I love the more subdued colors, but it is still a lot of color for me.

I tried to get a good shot without asking for photography help. This was the best I could do. It’s a little blurry, but you get the idea.

A Week in One Day

Posted on Posted in finished objects, knitting, sewing, Works in Progress (WIPs), yarnTagged , , , , 13 Comments

Sock it to me Monday

I started a sock! I decided if I don’t like knitting socks and everyone else does, then I’m probably not doing it right! I cast on a Blogville favorite, Hermione’s Everyday Socks. I am using some gorgeous Arrowhead Fibers Basic Sock from my stash, in Wintergreen. I started on two circulars as the pattern suggested, but switched to Magic Loop, which is slightly less stressful. There’s still a lot of needle flopping going on, but compared to stitch dropping on double points, maybe it’s ok? I’m knitting short socks for clogs and modified the ribbing. Keep me in your socky thoughts and knitty prayers.

Wednesday WIPs

I received the Chinook Fleece Artist in Jewel, my main color for Whit’s Foursquare Cowl. I cast on! This yarn is so soft and I think the colorways are perfect together. The variegated is my Celtic Colours yarn. This is a comforting and simple knit.

I cast on my Farmhouse Cardi in Black Welsh Mountain. This yarn has some VM in it. (That’s vegetable matter to us laymen.) I don’t mind picking it out. It reminds me this yarn is not far from the farm. It’s nice and squishy.

Still knitting on this Shetland Tweed Throw when I need something simple and chunky.

Friday FO

Oh yes I did! I finished my Seamwork Billie. It looks like PJs. It feels like PJs! It was a fun make. Next time I’ll pick a fabric that doesn’t make me wish I had a little red cowboy hat on.

Spooky Knitalong

Quiteayarnblog and mildlygranola are starting a knitalong for the Arachne sweater next month. I’m intrigued (or have FOMO) and if I frog and forget about The Oa, I could use this Cascade Sport. I could make a purple Arachne with green web, or a gray Arachne with charcoal web. I’m leaning toward gray because I’m boring that way. I have just under the needed yardage, so I’m not positive I’ll do it. I still love The Oa, but if I were going to knit it, wouldn’t I be further along by now?

Yes, there is purple in my hair.

February! Wow!

Posted on Posted in sewing, The Just Craft, yarn11 Comments

First off, check out this Ace I made out of a remnant:

img_7809

I am wearing this to Kenya, and I told my Mom I will wear the funnel neck over my nose and mouth instead of a mask, to protect me against coronavirus.

Second, I did swatch my Black Welsh Mountain yarn:

img_7806

Finally, check out the newest episode of The Just Craft and my interview with Jay Jasper of The Alchemist’s Studio!

If I can blog from Kenya, I will!

Cheating for the Win

Posted on Posted in knitting, sewing16 Comments

I’ve had a rough couple of weeks. The harder I try to fix things, the more complicated I make them. Suffice it to say, things have not been going my way. (Although they certainly could be worse!)

Today I cleaned up my craft corner, but I was afraid to give either one of my new machines a go. I didn’t have the patience to learn something new or the tolerance for any more frustration. But… I was itching to sew, to try something!

Then I remembered someone – maybe my friend Sara, my fount of sewing wisdom – told me about tying the ends of the serger threads to the ones that were already threaded on the machine and running them through. I did it, and it worked! The satisfaction of serging over my wonky zigzag seams on the Billie jumpsuit could not have felt more gratifying.

I also went for the Black Welsh Mountain yarn. I talked to Bob about it, and we worked out a financial solution for me to get the yarn I really wanted. Luckily it was $100 less than I thought it was going to be. This is going to be my Farmhouse Cardigan yarn, with Katrinkles bamboo arrow buttons. This yarn is deep black but has a brown tint, which I like. It’s a very earthy black.

Books: I’m reading both “Bonkers” by Jennifer Saunders and “Dear Fatty” by Dawn French. I’m listening to “Circe” by Madeline Miller. They are all very good.

Knitting: I started Hans’ Tread hat. After this I have another skein of the yarn (Woolfolk Far) in gold. I may make one for myself, to match my eyes. I think I have picked out another pattern for my skein of Hogsmeade, the While Waiting cowl. It’s a sweet story, and a good fit for the yarn.

Tomorrow I would like to spend some time knitting and listening to “Circe.” I’m also hoping to get a hike in, but that will depend on the weather. Looks like snow is expected. That’s the perfect hiking weather! I hope we do go because I’ve had no exercise since before Thanksgiving.

Friday Eve

Posted on Posted in knitting, sewing, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , , 14 Comments

Work has been crazy busy, but I found time on Sunday to start my Billie Jumpsuit.

The bottom is looking and feeling very like kid PJs. About 12 years ago, I was sewing a lot and selling my wares at craft shows, and a friend suggested I should design children’s clothing. Maybe she was right?

I am hoping once I get the top on, it will look more like something a grown up would wear in public. If it doesn’t, I’ll add some feet and own it!

My sewing machine is giving me tension trouble. I thought I had fixed it with the use of the correct bobbins, but I was too optimistic. My old Singer has the same problem.

I think I’ll go ahead and get a new sewing machine and a serger. I’ll test them out on Saturday to make sure I like the Jukis I’ve heard so much about. I don’t want to damage my expensive fabric on a cheap machine. It isn’t worth it! Plus it’s frustrating and sucks all the joy out of my sewing time. Maybe I will find someplace to donate my old machines.

On the knitting front, I’m finishing up another Tread. I will start my Jessica Jones cowl before my trip so I can knit on the plane. I heard we struck wool in Kenya, and was told to bring my needles! I’m excited!

All the Updates

Posted on Posted in knitting, sewing, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , , 6 Comments

Hello!

I thought you might enjoy seeing the pattern I picked out for my plaid flannel fabric.

Eh?

I’m pretty excited about it. If I like it for winter in plaid flannel, I’ll make a linen one for summer.

Will I try to match the plaid, or will I funkily mismatch it? Probably the latter but I’ll have to see how it looks.

My orchid is blooming again. Apparently I’m good at orchids now. Who knew? Maybe I’ll try ferns again this summer. I have been a notorious fern killer.

I’m in a bit of a dither with knitting and not sure what to do next. I was going to knit a hat out of recycled t-shirt yarn as a sample for our artisan partners in Kenya, but it sounds like they will be banning the import of used clothing soon. Good on you, Kenya! We’ll figure out products that will support their textile economy. They are having a wool renaissance like we are, so maybe that will work out.

Maybe I’ll finish up the two remaining Tread hats, and then start Winter’s Fern. What knitting will I take with me to Kenya? Maybe the Jessica Jones cowl?

I adjusted my meds so I am now back on a low dose of one med (instead of two) that I take at night. It was good to get off them completely to see what my baseline is and readjust, and better for me physically. The side effects were killing me.

This pic is for my Mom. Hi Mom! I got my hair cut recently and I asked them to take my photo. They took me back to a little studio area where they do glamour shots. I started looking around for props. I would’ve taken someone down for a feather boa!

I’m Obsessed

Posted on Posted in fiber love, knitting, life, sewing, Works in Progress (WIPs), yarnTagged , , , , , 9 Comments

A friend shared these videos with me on Facebook. I am casting them to my TV and watching them on repeat.

I have no desire to make something like this myself. But I am enjoying the magic.

Twilight Toujours is slowly getting finished. We are in transition crunch time at work, which is stressful, but it will be so good when it’s done. I may not get out of my PJs this weekend, though.

I found my coat pattern!

yates coat

(photo credit Grainline Studio)

This is the Yates Coat. It is appropriate for my wool fabric, and it looks like it will be a good choice for my first coat. Not easy, but easy for a coat.

Sarah is making an Oxbow Cardigan this year and wants me to sign on for a Thanksgiving knitalong again. I’m game, even though it’s not on my list (yet)!

I want to make a black cardigan. My wardrobe needs this. I want to choose yarn from an heirloom breed. I found some Black Welsh Mountain yarn and the farm is participating in Shave’Em to Save’Em. I calculated my totals for the Oxbow Cardigan. $450! (insert flabbergasted emoji here)

I know the yarn is worth it, and we need to support our farmers and heirloom breeds. But I simply feel like I cannot afford that. I mean, I’m holding off on buying a new serger and a better sewing machine. That cardigan yarn would be 2/3 of the way to a new machine.

So, I’m going to hold off on any black bulky yarn purchasing for now, but with the full intention of adding Oxbow Cardigan to my list this year.

And maybe if I am very very very good and do not spend any of my crafting allowance on other things and save it up, I could buy the yarn I really want? That’s still a lot of fed mouths. But it could be a sweater that lasts the rest of my life, so maybe a good investment? And I would feel good about the yarn I purchased. I will have a long think on it.

Check out my beautiful son wearing the hat I made him (which makes me happy) but giving me snark.

img_7447

Gotta go. He is introducing me to 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

20 in 2020

Posted on Posted in fiber love, inspiration, knitting, sewing, shawls and haps, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , , , 17 Comments

I hear there’s a “20 in 2020” thing going around. 20 what? I don’t know, but I’ve decided for me, it will be things to make. Here is my list.

Knitting

  1. Twilight Toujours (95% there!) I am loving how my gradient dyeing turned out and it is exciting whenever I switch to a new cake of yarn. Charis Walker of Tarheelbilly Farm is in the latest issue of Vogue Knitting! Sometimes I want to call this Tunis Toujours. It is so soft! And sometimes I call it Hollis, which is the sheep’s name.img_7432
  2. Celtic Myths (90% there!)
  3. Shetland Tweed Throw
  4. Farmhouse Cardigan
  5. The Oa
  6. Peerie Flooers
  7. Arranmore Staghorn
  8. Midnight Merino Raglan
  9. Bousta Beanie
  10. Winter Ferns Hat in Gryffindor colors
  11. Toe Up Socks (I think I am going to frog it and start over with a more exciting yarn from my stash, especially since I really don’t want to make the same pair of socks twice)
  12. Jessica Jones Cowl from my Hogsmeade Forbidden Fibers (because it brings out my hair and my eyes!)

Only 4 sweaters! That’s progress!

Sewing

  1. Billie Jumpsuit (pattern is pieced and cut, fabric is washed)
  2. Ace (I picked up a remnant for this at Sew to Speak)
  3. Jill Coat in Black Roses Bonded Knit
  4. Rachel blouse
  5. I want to make a tailored coat out of my navy wool flannel, but I haven’t found a pattern yet.
  6. Something out of this amazing cotton flannel I picked up on sale at Sew to Speak. img_7431I think I would like to make a jacket, but again, I haven’t seen a pattern that is quite right. Since I accidentally automatically got resubscribed to Ottobre, maybe there will be a jacket pattern in one of their magazines I like.

I guess I like jackets as much as I like sweaters!

Fiber Art

I am part of a group show in November, so I will need to figure out my pieces for that. I will probably continue with the wet and needle felted paintings. I do not have a subject yet. Even though I will probably make 2-4 pieces, I will count this as one make.

Weaving

I’m going to weave a couple of placemats out of my turmeric dyed Cotswold. That’s 20!

Oh Hi Bloggy

Posted on Posted in life, sewing, yarnTagged , , 10 Comments

Why yes I did spend all afternoon putting my yarn stash on Ravelry and I’m only halfway through. Yikes! I didn’t think I had that much.

Check out the fabric I got for my Billie jumpsuit. What do you think? Awesome hipster ravens and twig trees? Or… little kid western PJ vibe? Or both? It can be both, right? I’m going for it. I can always wear the jumpsuit as PJs.

Back to cataloguing my yarns.

Fabric Flubs

Posted on Posted in sewing, UncategorizedTagged , 12 Comments

Look at this gorgeous fabric I ordered. Unfortunately it weighs a ton. It is bonded! If I made a jumpsuit out of it, I’d feel like I was wearing a carpet. I think it will make a nice coat, though. So I’ll look for a coat pattern on Seamwork. I think my last issue of Ottobre has a coat too.

In the meantime, maybe I’ll try to make the jumper out of some knit fabric I purchased for a dress but never made. Then I can put it on hold until spring.

Whenever I get any new fabric or yarn, I take it to my studio. Then I think, why? I’m moving out of here in less than a month! I’m sad about giving up my studio, but I know it’s the right thing to do.

I don’t know if I will be able to sew after I move out. I’m guessing most of my things will go to the basement. I think I will keep my studio membership which allows me to use the sewing machine and sergers there. There is also a local sewing business where you can go and rent the use of a machine for $10 an hour. The problem is I need to be alone when I sew. I don’t have the ability to sew and chat, unfortunately.

Are you a community sewist or a solo sewist?