Back on the wagon: WIP Wednesday

I can't remember if I've shared any photos of the latest stocking project, but I have been slowly plodding away at it since the end of last year.  I'm finding it a bit difficult at time taking what I have finished and where the gaps that need to be filled in are, so I'm currently doing some of the backstitch as I go. That way I know that if it's backstitched then I have checked that all the gaps are meant to be there!

More sewing (and a bit of knitting)

I have been sewing some more over the last week, and actually come out with something wearable. I redrafted the top front piece of the Lekala top pattern, and ended up with this:


The fit is much better (and the fabric is also nicer). There is still room for improvement, in that the shape of the seam at between the top and bottom front pieces is a little off, and the pleats need to move towards the sides a little more, but overall I'm pretty happy with it.

I also experimented with another bra, from a heavy woven linen. The end result isn't really wearable, but it has highlighted issues I had with the fit (which were also present in the first one, but somewhat hidden by the nature of the knit fabrics). Overall I think I need the front to be wider, but with a smaller band size. My next plan is to use the same pattern for the cup, use the next sister size up (up a band size, down a cup size so the cup fits in) for the cradle, and then tweak the back band so that it fits as the next band size down would. I have no idea what fabrics I will use, I will see what I have on hand that seems appropriate and keep stealing hardware off old bras.

I have also been knitting away on my shawl for the Ravelry Worldwide Shawl Exchange, and am now about 2/3rds done. I have just finished the second chart, just the last section to go (around 40 long, long, rows). I have now reached the stage where I am oscillating between being excited to see how it will turn out, and being bored with the long rows - pretty normal for me when it comes to triangular shawls!

Swift

The swift is done!


(The colours are much more accurate in this photo than in the last block)

I think this went together more smoothly than last time, although it is a little wonky on one edge. I'm happy to fudge that if/when required in piecing the birds together, whatever I end up doing with them. I didn't bother starching, and still had less trouble with the fabrics not being particularly firm, so I'm assuming that having some idea about that going in made a bit of a difference. I definitely got better at judging where to put the pieces of fabric to get them to cover their allocated area properly. And I only sewed one piece in wrong-side out!

I did end up with a couple of places where I misjudged and ended up with a little bit of selvedge showing, but I'm not too worried about it, and am willing to call it a learning experience. (Or, I didn't have the heart to undo more seams...)

I ran out of bobbin thread on the second to last seam, so I just grabbed a darker blue that I had handy, which seems to have worked out okay. I need to do some other sewing before I start on the next block, but I'm not sure what will be up next. At least I have an empty bobbin if I choose something I don't already have thread wound for.

One thing I'm not quite sure about with this paper piecing is when I should be removing the paper. I haven't taken any out, and I'm thinking it will probably be okay to leave in until the whatever-it-is is assembled. I think with the twill fabrics having the paper in for stability for as long as possible is probably a good plan. Does anyone out there have any advice for me on that?

Experimenting with knits

A few months ago I was introduced to Lekala patterns.  I like the concept of made-to-measure patterns, so thought I'd see what they were actually like to use.  For a trial run I looked through their free patterns and picked out a knit top (8004) to see how it would work for me.

I did ignore some of the assembly instructions, mainly regarding finishing the neckline.  I was a little unclear on what they actually meant in a couple of places too, but had enough sewing experience to make it up as I went along.  The fabric I used was some cheap stretch mystery fabric I got from Kutwells some number of years ago.  It wouldn't be my first choice now, but perfectly adequate for a pattern test!

I couldn't find my clear elastic this morning so I stabilised the neckline with bias binding.  I suspect there are many better options, but this was easy and I had it on hand. I still need to finish trimming the neck hem.

The pattern could fit a little better - there isn't really enough room vertically through the bust, so the underbust seam rides up, or if I tug it down the neckline is quite low.  The front pleats are also not placed right for me (but I accept that I may have done something weird there).  I have just read some reviews that indicate that this is a known issue, although I may have guessed wrong on some of the optional adjustment measurements. I don't feel particularly inclined to get a new version of the pattern to test that theory though, I will just think about altering what I have. I don't know if I will make it again, although I am thinking it may adapt nicely into a light summer dress. I also have a bunch of merino knit that I got ridiculously cheap from Fabric Vision last year...

Cat hat

The monkey has a cat hat that has gone astray at preschool a couple of times (but has been found each time so far), but after the last time he commented that I should make a cat hat for the changeling too.  Conveniently (or inconveniently, depending on your viewpoint) I have recently lost the helicopter hat that he had been wearing.  It never quite fitted right, so I redrafted the pattern.  I only had enough of the cat fabric for 3 panels, so I alternated it with a light brown cotton, which I also used for the lining. 

The shape is still not quite right, and he is nearly ready to move up to the next size anyway, but this was a nice quick project to whip up and feel like I'd made something useful!
I still need to attach elastic, and a button on the top, but it is at least wearable in the back yard at the moment. I guess I will try to get it properly finished in time for him to wear it to playcentre on Thursday.

First patchwork

Well, I have learnt a few things about paper piecing, and probably patchwork in general! I have now successfully constructed my first block, although I did have to unpick the occasional seam because I failed to position my piece of fabric correctly (or up the right way a couple of times...). I'm happy with the end result for a first attempt.



My fabric choice wasn't the best for novice paper piecing, the background is a sateen and the foreground is a fine wool blend houndstooth. I think using a tabby weave for both would have made things easier. I will continue with another block with the same fabrics, but I may try giving them a liberal dose of starch first.

New project required? Really?

Ever since I first came across her work, I have loved Juliet's patterns for paper pieced quilt blocks. I have never done any paper piecing, or even really any patchwork, but I have finally given in and decided to jump in with both feet on her latest project - the In Flight Quilt-Along. I have admired her native birds from afar, but something about the birds in flight was just too tempting.

Before deciding to go for it I did at least check my fabric pile, and decided that I have plenty of options of fabric that I'm willing to use in the stash. The background is going to be a dark blue sateen that I originally bought with the idea of eventually using it for an unpieced quilt. I'm not sure yet whether the birds will all be one colour (either a white/grey wool blend, or an old pale blue sheet), or a mix of colours. At the moment I'm leaning towards starting with the wool.

I would have given in to the temptation to start already, but I need to get some more ink for the printer first. Also, I really should finish the two shirts that are currently sitting next to the machine partially done...

New year, new place

And so we are back in the land of summer. A bit of a change, but I think two days in Singapore definitely helped with the transition. Sleep is now pretty much normal, enough so that we put the bunks up in the weekend and Mr. 3 slept in the top bunk last night, which went surprisingly smoothly.

I have picked up where I left off with cataloguing our book collection, which is much easier now that the changeling will play independently while I work on it, at least for one or two boxes at a time. I think there are only 10 boxes left to go, plus finding any new kids books that have been missed.

I am taking part in the Ravelry Worldwide Shawl Exchange again, I think it has been over two years since the last one I did. Partners have just been assigned, now comes the fun of deciding on what to make. My partner doesn't like blue, and prefers not to have pure wool, which rules out most of my stash! (I didn't realise how much blue wool I had - I think I tend to pick greens more, but then I will also knit the greens first).

I have also decided this is the year of sewing, or at least some of it. My wardrobe has been getting pretty sad, I took pretty much everything I had that fitted and wasn't falling apart to Prague, and a lot of that is now dying. I brought it back, but only because otherwise I really would have nothing to wear! I have a few garments I want to recreate, or at least be inspired by. The first sewing of the year is a bra which is mostly finished now, just some finishing details left. I will write another post about that when it is done, including a few pattern notes. I have also started making two new summer shirts for the monkey (size 2, he is a skinny boy). Next in line is a new skirt for me, and after that I haven't decided. If I can get rid of all the clothing I have that is in terrible condition because it has been replaced with something better I will be incredibly happy.

And so it begins

Tomorrow the homeward journey commences, possibly amidst snow. I must say I'm not really looking forward to it. (The snow is fine, but would be much better if we could just sit and enjoy it instead of driving).

Nearly everything is packed now, which was not as painful as I thought it could have been. I think we will be pretty close to our weight limit on luggage though, so there may be a few books being replaced later...

We will be on the other side of the world in less than a week now!

A knitting design interview - with Jennifer Dassau

For the past month I have been involved with the Ihttp://www.ravelry.com/groups/indie-design-gift-a-longndie Design Gift-a-Long over on Ravelry, which is basically a huge bunch of independent knit and crochet pattern designers working together to run a huge knit-and-crochet along. There is lots of chat, games and fun, along with plenty of prizes for all sorts of things. A fun part of the Gift-a-Long (for me, at least) is getting to know some of the other designers a little better. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer Dassau, of The Knitting Vortex.

Jennifer currently has 99 patterns listed on ravelry, and there is a good mix of garments and accessories. I am always a sucker for great shawls, and I love the colours and shaping in Swirligig:


The interview follows - my questions are in bold, and I have added personal notes in italics.
1. Do you have a favourite amongst your designs? Any that you personally love that just aren't as popular as you think they deserve to be?
My latest design is always my favorite! At the moment, it's my two-color asymmetric shawl Vary, which is a riff on my popular Sundry shawl, with expanded slipstitch patterning.

2. Do you have any particular source of design inspiration, or do your ideas come from anywhere and everywhere?
Inspiration can come from anything; I live in a beautiful place where there are always color and shapes in nature to draw from. I like to make things that I want in my own wardrobe, or items that explore different techniques - I'm always looking for unusual constructions.
I think the edging on Venomous Tentacula is fun and creative. It looks not too complicated to knit, but incredibly effective.


3. What are your favourite yarns to work with (or just fondle) - either content, weight, or brand (or all of the above)?
I like worsted weight wools for garments, and soft wool blend fingering weight for shawls. Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted was my first "nice" yarn, and is still one of my favorites for all sorts of items, especially accessories. I love String Theory Caper Sock, which is a hand-dyed mcn; I also really like the drape and hand of fingering weight singles like madelinetosh tml.

4. What sort of thing do you most like knitting/creating?
That depends, too. My standbys are sweaters and modern shawls, but with winter coming soon, I'm feeling the love for warm accessories. I have a hat and long cowl in development now, and they'll be released soon.
For some reason sweaters always feel like a lot of knitting to me, even after I worked out that I'll quite happily knit more stitches in a shawl, but I am trying to push myself to make a few! I like the sleeves on Shadow Dial, and have added to my list of possible patterns to make when I feel up to braving another garment - bonus is that it's lace weight, so maybe it won't feel so heavy to me as I'm knitting.


5. I am currently facing the prospect of my first ever winter Christmas, do you have any favourite winter Christmas traditions?
On Black Friday, the day after the US celebrates Thanksgiving, we go to the tree farm to get our christmas tree. There have been years when it's been a balmy tee-shirt weather day, or a snowstorm, but we always go. Then we decorate for the holiday (and maybe do a bit of cyber shopping).

Thank you for answering my questions, Jennifer!
All photos are copyrighted by Jennifer Dassau