Listen to her.
Before she takes matters into her own hands.
What a gorgeous set! Textured dress, coat and hat. Just perfect! I wonder if I could get this made before either of my girls is a teenager.
Thank goodness that when a sewing machine isn’t available the crochet hook is! This little cardigan is Short and Sweet, from The Happy Hooker. It has been made by hundreds of people on Ravelry, and I see why.
The yarn is Lincraft Bamboozle, which is a cotton/bamboo blend. I’ve used it in a number of projects now, and I really like it. The lacy pattern keeps it interesting to crochet, although I did have to pay attention and re-do a few parts.
One of the most difficult things with this pattern was working out what size to make. The jumps between sizes are fairly significant. Yarn substitution also has its hazards. I eventually decided to make a medium, with the armhole depth in size large.
And apologies – I threw it on to have photos taken and didn’t realise it’s inside out! See, we all make mistakes. But this photo gives you an idea of the fit.
The sleeves are crocheted onto the body once the fronts and backs are joined and being worked together (it’s a seamless cardigan). I added a few rows to the body length to make sure it would come down to my waist. And now for another shot of it on me, no makeup and hair not done. I’m not vain!
As you can see, the fronts are very narrow. It’s not meant to do up, Mum! Next time I make it I will do more repeats across the front and see if I can make a cardigan that does do up, but I think it may take some thought. Anyway, I started this at the beginning of January and managed to finish it by the end, so I’m happy! It’s my first crocheted adult garment. And I’m learning all the time.
Wasn’t Australia Day about two days ago? I spent the long weekend sitting here, crochet hook in hand:
watching the kids in here:
when I wasn’t in swimming myself! A beautiful Australia Day weekend by the river, but in a magnificent house built in 1902, modernised with air-conditioning and swimming pool. Great company, lovely food, very nice wine, all the kids had friends to play with. Pretty much perfect! So, what day is it now?
A few more vintage sheet fat quarters made it into my stash recently.
I am still trying to work out what exactly they will become – I have a decent amount now thanks to last year’s Vintage Sheet Swap. I plan on making a quilt, but there are so many potential styles of quilt that would be suitable that I’m a little overwhelmed! Thanks Tamara for hosting Sunday Stash and thanks Jodie for the fat quarters!
Okay, at first glance you might think “hmmmmm”. But ignore the styling and think again. Maybe a little shorter, as a top over something fitted and long-sleeved? As a vest? Or, if you’re feeling brave, just as it is? The lacy skirt is very pretty, and a V-neck is flattering to most of us. And I’m always keen on an empire waistline. Although I do think it would fit a little better with a bra underneath.
My special cousin Freya had a birthday last week. Here is her gift – a lap quilt, pieced from vintage chenille squares and assorted print squares from my stash, backed with part of a vintage chenille bedspread recently given to me from a thoughtful friend, with cotton batting inbetween and the quilt tied with embroidery floss at all the intersection of squares.
Freya is the mother of three boys – and so she has the girliest bedroom ever as a counterbalance! Although this quilt is only lap sized, it looks lovely on the end of her bed.
The printed squares are courtesy of clever Jodie. I added a little embroidery so Freya wouldn’t forget who made it!
Although I’ve made lots of these pieced blankets as baby gifts in the past, I’ve never considered them to be quilts. But this one actually is – because there is batting in the middle and it’s been hand-tied. I’m feeling quite pleased with myself!
And best of all, Freya really, really likes it!
Last week I bought a fantastic hat pattern and despite having more than one crochet WIP I whipped out some remnant half-balls of yarn and my hooks and made a start. My yarn wasn’t the one recommended in the pattern, but it was a similar weight, so I gave it a go. I was making it to fit Clare but it seemed a bit small, so I did a few extra increase rows and a few extra for depth, then did the adult size for the visor. I think I mucked it up.
Not too bad from this angle, but that is after LOTS of stretching to get it on her head. And from another angle…
It’s all a bit rasta really, and she even has a bun in there. So I went back to my hook and yarn stash, and picked up a ball of thicker yarn (Patons Jet, a wool/alpaca blend) and decided that this time I would follow the pattern and do the child size again.
The proportions are better, but this time it fits Stella. There is NO WAY it would go anywhere near a six-year-old head!
It’s even a bit firm on a 19-month-old head. So WHAT am I doing wrong? I know that yarn substitution has its hazards, but I didn’t think that I crocheted so tightly I’d be so way off gauge. Maybe I’ll try the adult size next and hope that it fits Clare….
I have made this top before, but this time I used some lovely Libery tana lawn that had been given to me by a very good friend (any friend who gives away Liberty fabrics must be a very good friend indeed).
Stella wasn’t going to leave me alone to have this one photographed! When I made this almost a year ago I was a little trimmer, but it is a very forgiving fit. I am actually quite a fan of “maternity-esque” styles that are loose around the waist and tummy, because those are my problem areas. I don’t care if people wonder if there is more to my tummy (there isn’t – it’s just fat), I find them much more comfortable than more fitted styles. That said, if tops are too loose they make me look much bigger than I am, so there is definitely a happy middle ground.
Those centre tucks are a nice design detail and provide plenty of ease for the boobs. The bias binding armhole finish is simple and keeps the edges looking nice and clean.
I think that it looks better on me than on the hanger.
Other than being full of fabric (interspersed with trims, yarn, buttons and patterns) my sewing room contains a fairly significant number of projects that have been planned but are either not finished or not even started. So I have been wondering when a planned project shifts onto my to-do list or when it is a WIP (work in progress) or UFO (unfinished object). What deliniates each category?
There are the planned projects that have patterns matched up to fabrics and all trims are in readiness in nice little piles. But these can sit for weeks/months/years waiting to be started.
There are projects that are on my to-do list. These usually have some sort of a deadline, which may or may not be flexible. They might have patterns matched up to fabrics or they might just be a word on the list.
There are projects that have been started – maybe cut out, maybe even a seam or two – but have then sat idle. Some of them need to be sewn up before the intended owners outgrow them!
And there are projects that are works in progress. Some of them are finished in a day or two, and others take ages but that is part of the process (such as the crochet afghans). But they are WIPs because there is still something happening to them and they’re not stagnating. They’re not UFOs. But at what point could they transition across to being a UFO?
My sewing goals for 2009? This year I plan to sort out all my UFOs and planned projects. I’m going to try to finish of a UFO per month until they’re out of the way, possibly alternating them with something new. The planned projects will be evaluated to see if they are ever likely to come to fruition. If they’re not, fabric will be returned to the general fabric pile, and the pattern to the drawer. I’m going to have another look at my to-do list as well.
This year I want to learn how to quilt. I want to improve adjusting clothing to fit me when I’m sewing. I have loads of beautiful clothes given to me by my cousin that need to be adjusted to fit me properly – so that’s a goal for this year as well.
And I’m going to enjoy the process of the slow WIPs. One of the great things about crocheting the CAL afghan in 2008 was learning to enjoy the making, the gradual unfolding, rather than the quick fix. Of course, I’ll intersperse quick projects as well for a bit of instant gratification (for example, last night I crocheted Clare a hat) but I do want to slow down. I’m planning a patchwork quilt or two and some more crocheted rugs, but none of these will have dramatic deadlines. The plan is to break these big projects down into manageable chunks and finish them off bit by bit.
So I need to write some new “to-do” lists. One for sewing, one for quilting, one for crochet. And knowing me and my penchant for lists, I reckon I’ll come up with some other ones as well.
Because I don’t like a photo-less post, here are some fabrics I’ve been working with over the past week in a project I’ll reveal in a few days time.
Other than the two green-based fat quarters, the rest are left-overs from other projects. From left to right: Clare’s dress, fat quarter, another one of Clare’s dresses, gifted scraps, yet another of Clare’s dresses, Clare’s skirt and a pillow, Stella’s dress, another of Stella’s dresses, yet another of Clare’s dresses, fat quarter, Clare’s ballerina bag, Clare’s dress/bag linings/various other projects. Oh wow – I certainly have sewn loads of dresses for the girls!
View More