Yarn fun... Francis Revisted, Dory and more...

I have rediscovered my love of yarn craft.  I have always loved crochet and did knit a little (badly) when younger.  Now with the advent of youtube and Craftsy I am improving my knitting and doing more crochet as well.

These are some items I have been making over the last few months.  My biggest project so far ... my purple sweater.  This was started in July of this year and finished in September... just in time for the warm weather!  I have been waiting for the day the stars aligned correctly that I had a photographer and a cool enough day to pose in it.

 

Details of the jumper are on my Ravelry page - here.

My other two projects were chosen for simplicity so I could work on them while travelling.  First up is the Dory Scarf which is crocheted in cotton.

Ravelry page - here.

And last but not least, my teapot cosy... details here.

Anyone else getting into yarn?

MIA

I have been MIA from my blog for awhile as sadly my DMIL passed away recently after her last battle with the strange illness that has been dominating her life for the last four years.  It has been a hard time for the family but the funeral was lovely with over 100 people attending.  So in this time not much sewing has been happening.  

While I waited at hospitals and traveled to the funeral I did manage to finish a crocheted market bag.  My husband affectionately calls this a dilly bag and if you want more detail on the pattern you can find it on my ravelry page here.

I did start a pair of trousers in this time, but they have languished in the sewing studio for most of the month, but now that things are returning to normal I have spent today finishing the alterations they needed and hemming them.

I do need to wash them before I can photograph them properly as I think Lulu may have been using them for a bed while I wasn't looking.  So a little teaser until I can get photographs of the finished trousers... 

Ciao kittens!

Playing with yarn...

Since the holiday to Kingfisher Bay Resort my sewing mojo has really flown out the window.  I did get all enthused and made up a little wardrobe capsule plan to move my wardrobe into the cooler weather, but have only managed one piece from it so far (which still requires some work). 

I loved my little capsule of clothes I made for the holiday and loved how everything coordinated so well together, so I do think the capsule idea is worth pursuing.  I will show you my capsule plan here, but please don't expect to see all these pieces turn up any time too soon :)

What have I been doing instead of sewing... playing with yarn.  During our holiday it rained a bit, so I had one afternoon and a ferry boat ride to start crocheting...

This is a Jenny King pattern - the marigold bolero and the pattern is really well written ... up until the last round.  I think JK ran out of steam at the point, but I put a question up on a forum on Ravelry and got a reply the next morning from Jenny herself.  You can't ask for better service than that!

I must have had a brain snap with crocheting on holidays and my motifs came out too small (when I thought I had measured them) so once again my bolero looks a little smaller than the one on the pattern, but after some steam blocking I am happy enough with the fit.

I am on ravelry as quiltsewsewsue so please friend me there if you use this great site.

Since then I have got bitten by the knitting bug.  I have left many comments on people's posts about their knitting, wishing I could knit the great garments they make and have decided that now is the time.  The Internet is a great resource and via YouTube and craftsy's class Knit Lab I am making progress on the knitting front also.  I highly recommend this class if anyone is looking to learn to knit BTW.

Pictures of my knitting next time... Ciao!

Tangerine Chic

I have finished some crochet to show you - the pattern is City Chic designed by Jenny King.  For those who are on Ravelry.com, you can find the project details here.

As usual, with JK Designs, I found that my item is much smaller than the ones pictured in the pattern.  Jenny King crochets very, very loosely so please take this into account if you are making her patterns up.  However, saying all that, I am not disappointed and still love my little poncho.  It was perfect to wear on a cool, showery day and kept me comfortable.

I like the buttons that hold it together on one shoulder - they add a nice touch.

You may be wondering what is the purple haze in the background of these shots.  The pictures are taken on my back deck overlooking the Jacaranda tree in the back yard.  I think I fell in love with this house as I wanted the tree! 

After the rain, purple flowers blanket everything below the tree...

My blogging is slow at the moment as I am not making heaps of clothes at the moment.  I have got into a scrap quilt project and it is consuming my sewing time at the moment.  

Ciao...

It sure has been cowled!

I have been preparing clothes for Winter and recently made a top from Ottobre - Romantic Notes.  A lovely top to wear but a bit open at the neck for a really cold day (like we have been having lately).  I decided it was time to  crochet a cowl that I had seen on Ravelry and made the 'Baby it's cowled outside' cowl.  This is a free pattern and I am quite happy with how it came out.  

I used 2 balls of Patons Classic Bluebell.  This is 5 ply or sport weight so was a bit heavier than intended for this pattern.  It looked like it was going to be very stiff, so when I finished it I put it through a rinse with some vinegar and it softened it quite a bit.  (If you are on Ravelry.com, you can friend me there.  I am Quiltsewsewsue on Ravelry too.)

For the sewists, this is how I wore the whole outfit...

The Ottobre Romantic Notes top as mentioned earlier and my Burda 04-2011-117 pants - made here.

With a RTW dark brown cardigan I was ready for a cool day!

Plenty of sewing has been happening too. I have made 2 skirts, one turtleneck top and a vest for my son.  When photos happen I will show you the results!... Ciao!

2012... when did that start?

My blogging has been more and more infrequent lately, so I thank you readers who have stuck with me through these breaks.  I don't think I will be doing a 2011 recap as I still have some 2011 sewing to show you.  

These are some shots of my finished McCalls 6116, which I showed you last post.

McCalls 6116

Photos were taken in December when we went to Brisbane for a night away and entertained ourselves by visiting the Matisse exhibition in the Art Gallery.

On the Brisbane River

The dress made in linen wore very well on a warm summer day and I am extremely pleased with the fit.  I had hoped to show you a back shot to show my broad back alteration, but the photographer did not quite understand my request and the photo is mainly of the back of my head and shoulders - not exactly what I wanted - you will just have to take my word for it that it worked really well.

Other sewing from last year I have not blogged about is the Strawberry bag from the Burdastyle website.I made these as some little gifts for some of the women in my family.  I recommend this pattern if you you are looking for something like this.  The best thing is I used all fabrics I had in my stash.  Quilting cottons for the strawberry and a poly-cotton for the main bag  (not shown open - sorry!)  The only thing I had to purchase was the toggles.  They have been very attractively photographed here by my photographer in our strawberry patch.

Strawberry bag

Also in 2011, I crocheted an amineko cat.  I bought the pattern in Lincraft but the pattern is available for free on Ravelry.  Don't know why I crocheted this cat - but I love it!

Animeko

I also love my Lulubelle - pictured here, stalking the garden on Xmas Day.

Lulubelle

I have one more dress to show you that I made in 2011.  Hope to get back to you soon... Ciao!

Butterick 5566 - denim skirt.

I am trying to begin some sewing for the change of seasons.  We are officially in Spring now and the days are slowly warming up.  I am so over my winter outfit which always included pants, that I had to sew for my first piece, a new skirt.  I made Butterick 5566.

I made View E as a few other sewing bloggers have done in a denim.  This denim was bought at the Fabric Collection at Sumner Park.

My most favorite part of this skirt is the facing (only a sewist would say that!).  I used a scrap of Japanese quilting cotton.  I did not have a large piece of denim and thought it would be too thick anyway, so used this quilting fabric which I fused with a lightweight interfacing.  I finished the edge of the yoke with rayon binding tape and added my tab on the inside at the zipper to avoid using a hook and eye at the top of the zip.

From the back...

These photos are taken at the end of the work day, but I think the skirt stood up pretty well.  It wasn't the warmest day that day so I paired it with my Burdastyle Turtleneck top in black bamboo (so soft and comfy!) and my Phoebe Jane vest.  

Full disclosure here in the interests of Self-Stitched September.  I am not an official participant but I do enjoy seeing what others are wearing and I do try  and wear something I have made myself, most days.  This day I got the full deck of cards! :)

Some photos of finished projects...

 I have made a couple of more things I have not reviewed and do not intend to review.  However I did get some photos last time my camera man was available.  

The top is a Marcy Tilton pattern 8636.    This pattern was gifted by a mate - thanks Lynn!   I made it with a knitwit mesh called Italian Animal Fantasy Mesh ( no 4 in this link.)  I backed the main body pieces in a chocolate brown jersey I bought on sale once and wondered how I would use.  I like this top - Have not been able to wear it yet, with the cold weather but look forward to the chance! :)

The skirt is a lovely black matt rayon jersey bought from Gorgeous Fabrics. The pattern is from Style Arc - the Fay pattern.  Very simple - easy to make, could be a little shorter for me - maybe next time.  It has an interesting 'bag-out' hem - fabric doubled over to create the hem.  This works as it means you can make the skirt from a light weight fabric as it is doubled over.

 Then crochet - a beanie made for my Dad... ravelry link here.

And another beret - this time for my Mum in an alpaca blend...

Ciao for now - next up skirts for Spring...

Kwik sew 3693 - instant gratification in a cardi!

I have been really feeling the cold lately. We are having a cold Winter and our house is particularly cold while our renovation is happening. Instant warmth in a cardigan is available in Kwik sew 3693. I bought this pattern at the Knitwit roadshow as I was impressed with the sample they had on show. I have been looking for a suitable fabric to make it up in and, wonder of wonders, I found one in my stash when I sorted my fabric out into the new sewing studio.

I made View A in a lovely suede jersey I bought from Gorgeous Fabrics. This is a great fabric for this pattern. It has the right weight for the cardigan but still soft enough to drape nicely.


It is a brown colour and coordinates well with other pieces I have made recently.

The style of this jacket is probably a little boxy for my taste but this is out-weighed for me, by the ease and speed of making this cardigan. Sooper easy and satisfying...


My only other slight gripe is that like some other Kwik sew patterns, it is drafted with a slightly dropped shoulder. I like a nice crisp shoulder line - but I can live with it.


It is a good enough pattern that I am planning to make View B with the hood and pockets in a polar fleece hanging out in the stash cupboard. Review here for those interested.

While the reno has been happening I have been re-inspired to start crocheting again. At the Art Textiles show I bought a pattern for a beret and some lovely purple mink/merino/silk wool to make it up. I had a heap of trouble getting it going, so frogged it and started again in some left-over DK wool from the Phoebe Jane vest.

It was sooo easy to make in this wool and I knocked it up in one night!


So I went back and tried again and got my purple beret...


My only changes where to use a crochet hook heaps bigger than recommended. I love the Jenny King designs but I am a bit disappointed that they are written for people who crochet extremely loosely... anyway, now I know...

More cold weather sewing happening... when the photos happen, the blog posts will happen.. Ciao!

Sewing room ...woo-hoo!

Well, the renovations are not over yet but we have had a lull where we have been able to move into some of the new spaces. DH & I are installed in our new bedroom, which means the old bedroom is now known as my Sewing Studio (or Sanity Studio). It is a work in progress, but this is it as it stands so far....


The room needs painting desperately but for now it is clean and I am moved in - Woo-hoo!

My sewing spirit has had a huge resurgence and I am having trouble controlling myself to not start too many projects at once. Now I have my clothes installed in a new spacious wardrobe (dressing room really) and the weather has become really cold here, it has really highlighted where I have holes in my wardrobe. Namely cold weather clothes. My staple at the moment is pants, long sleeved tees worn with a cardi or jacket and then dressed up with a scarf or a big chunky necklace.

So as part of filling this need for tops, I have tried the Turtleneck top from Burda 09-2010-121.

This is my 'trial'. The fabric is from Gorgeous Fabrics - a lovely quality jersey, but the pattern is not really doing it for me. Perfect to trial this first cut.

It is a great pattern as everyone says on Pattern Review. The sleeves are long but I like that, the neck is high and not my best look but necessary in this cold. I will cut the sleeve cap down a bit for my next version, but apart from that nothing to dislike about this pattern. There are some great reviews written already, so I am not sure if I need to review it.

I have also trialled Burda 04-2011-117. I used a stretch woven cheapie bought from Gardams probably 2 years ago. Even though it was inexpensive it is quite a nice fabric and I think will get worn a bit. Only a hanger shot at the moment, but I will try and get better photos.


The waistband is made form Petersham ribbon. I only had black or white in my stash, so I tea-dyed the white Petersham to take the edge of the brightness. These pants will have tops over the top of the waistband (not tucked in) and I didn't want the white waistband to show through my clothes. I am really happy with these and have a piece of stretch wool twill cut to make a second pair (from Gorgeous Fabrics).

And while my sewing machine was unavailable I did finish some crochet...

The Frilly Enchante scarf - on Ravelry here. So pleased to have a project finished and somehow I have managed to pick up two more crochet projects to take it's place (why do I do that??)

Well I haven't blogged much lately and still haven't shown you my McCalls 6974 dress in a 'proper' photo-shoot but I hope life will start settling back to a more normal pace soon, so regular blogging can resume. However we still have the kitchen and old bathroom to go... *sigh*

Big day out

Friday week ago (the 25th of March) I travelled to Brisbane to visit the Craft Expo with some great sewing buddies. We had a brilliant day out!

The expo itself was OK (not great) with only one real display which was the Qld Quilters Challenge Quilts. Other than that it was mainly stalls but at least some of the good ones you want to see were there.

This is part of my bounty. A kit to crochet a rug from the most gorgeous alpaca wool and some pretty roses trim.


This is the rug pattern by Prudence Mapstone for those crocheters reading this:


A point of interest was that there was not much parking available as a lot of the carparks are still out of action since the Brisbane River flooded. The Exhibition centre is located at Southbank a precinct just next to the river. This must have impacted on the number of visitors to the Expo.

After the morning at the Expo we had lunch at West End at a great Greek Restaraunt and really enjoyed the dips, pita bread and meze plate... yum!

These are my companions for the day... Anna, Lynn and Ros. Sadly Lynn has left to return to the USA and then onto new adventures. I hope we get the chance to get together again sometime.



On our way home we stopped at the Fabric Collection at Sumner Park, where we got a very warm welcome and some great buys!

L to R. denim (for another little skirt - I wear my denim skirt all the time), top-weight linen in green and tangerine (already washed, but not ironed yet), Cotton sateen (with some stretch for pants probably the Jalie classic trouser) and a beautiful olive jersey which I am going to make into the No 1 pattern as voted in the top 10 on pattern Review for 2010...


I have made 5 out of the top 10 patterns and own 3 more of the patterns. I am considering purchasing the other two patterns and setting myself the challenge of having an item out of all top 10 patterns in my wardrobe!

Plenty of sewing has been happening, if not much blogging! When I get photos I will start a round of posts to catch up with the things I have made (including swimmers!)

Happy sewing...

Phoebe Jane Vest - Crochet project

I have finished another crochet project - cause for celebration as this is the first garment item I can remember crocheting. It is the Phoebe Jane Vest from Jenny King Designs. If you are a Ravelry member you can find it here, or scroll down this page if you are not.



I had to frog my first effort and start again with a much larger hook size and it still looks smaller than the one in the pattern picture. To get it this well shaped, I washed it, rinsed in vinegar and then left it to dry on my dressmaking dummy. I put a garbage bag on the dummy first as she is bright red and I could just see the red running onto the damp vest. This worked really well and I suspect it will maybe stretch out a little more in time.



I am very happy with it but as I used wool it is too warm to wear now. Up until the day I finished it, the weather was cool enough to wear it, but too hot and sticky now! I am going to try and finish some other projects before I start a new one (hopeful, aren't I?) I have some wool left and am thinking a little hat would be good.

All the best to everyone for 2011 and this is my last official project for 2010 to blog about. I started a skirt last year which I hope to finish today, so I am counting it toward my 2011 quota of finished items.