December 2011 – THORNBERRY

adult's clothing, sewing

missoni-esque maxi

I hadn’t worn maxi dresses since I was about 8 years old (oh, the seventies!) but after making this one and wearing it on Boxing Day there will definitely be another one (or two) in my future.

The pattern is Simplicity 2219, in view D and the fabric a missoni-esque knit from Spotlight (still current stock). It’s smooth and slippery and swirls beautifully around my legs when I walk. I made a straight size 12, other than the length. I shortened the skirt around five inches in total at three equally spaced points rather than just chopping it off at the bottom in order to keep width at the hem. I left the hem edge raw.

The bodice is fully lined, and there is a full back which works well with a racerback or cross back bra, although I did have a problem with bra exposure at the armhole in the front. You can see the edge of my bra at the point where the front yokes and bodice sides meet. I did try on the lining before constructing the outer bodice and it seemed okay, but once it was all made and I tried on the finished dress I knew that I would have to be careful with my choice of bra. I haven’t found this mentioned as a problem in any of the reviews I have read; maybe it’s more to do with my choice of underwear as I am getting older (ie big underwear that hopefully covers and smooths – rather than skimpy and/or lacy)!

This dress wasn’t difficult or particularly time consuming to construct, although there was a fair bit of gathering with the front side bodice pieces and the centre of the front and back skirts. It slips on over my head and feels lovely to wear. And I feel fashionable in it. Hooray!

Friday, 30 December, 2011 by thornberry

2012 BAMCAL, crochet, work in progress, yarn stash

BAMCAL!

Back in 2008 and 2009 I crocheted two squares each month thanks to the Ravelry block-a-month crochet-a-long (BAMCAL). At the end of the year all the squares were joined together, and I now have two crocheted blankets that are in fairly constant use. I had time out from BAMCAL-ing in 2010 and 2011, but in 2012 I’ll be back with a vengeance!

I have the yarn, now I just need the January block patterns to be posted! I suppose that I should wait until January for that. The yarn is all 8 ply Classic (machine washable wool) from Bendigo Woollen Mills. I’m mixing things up a bit this time around and rather than using just one colour of yarn per square, I’m planning on using at least four different colours in each one. Lots more ends to weave in, but quite a different effect to my previous two blankets. If you look closely at this photo you might be able to make out the names of each colour.

They are Chilli, Raffia, Feijoa, Guava, Lichen, Mid Green and Mulga. This yarn is readily available from BWM, so I won’t be doing what I unfortunately do far too often and playing yarn chicken and losing. If I run out of a colour that I need, I’ll easily be able to buy another ball.

You can join the Ravelry group for the 2012 BAMCAL here. Links to the free patterns for each month’s square are posted to the group at the beginning of each month, and you can ask questions, get clarification, and show off your finished squares. It’s a great way to learn new stitches and new techniques and end up with a very handy heirloom item.

Thursday, 29 December, 2011 by thornberry

adult's clothing, children's clothing, family, kids clothing, sewing

and so that was Christmas

And so that was Christmas. Lots of lovely food, conversations, driving, games, gifts, cuddles and kisses. Also some thunderstorms and rain as well as sunshine and mild sunburn. But you know what my favourite part of Christmas is? The days after it is over. The rest, relaxation and release.

Here’s a photo of Clare in her Christmas Day dress (which fitted her perfectly):

and Stella in hers (also just right):

and our whole little family:

(I made my Christmas Day dress too!)

Today the adults of the house were both back at work while the kidlets played at Grandma and Pa’s house. But now I’m on holidays for weeks – hooray! I still have lots of finished objects to blog, so shall hopefully get to doing that sooner rather than later. I hope that you enjoy this lovely bit of time between Christmas and New Year as much as I will!

Wednesday, 28 December, 2011 by thornberry

family, miscellaneous, musings

Merry Christmas

So we’re off to the country for our Christmas celebrations. Spending time with family, both immediate and extended, visiting friends, watching the girls enjoy their gifts, and celebrating the true meaning behind Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ. I’ll leave you with some photos taken in the past few weeks that are very Melbourne in December for me.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

Saturday, 24 December, 2011 by thornberry

children's clothing, kids clothing, sewing

New Look 6972

It seems as though I have made Stella another Christmas day dress! How did that happen? And how will she choose? This is New Look 6972, view C.

Both fabrics are quilting cottons. There are some pretty details on this dress too. I really like the sweet gathered half-sleeves (much like the ones on the other dress actually!) and I chose to bind them in the contrast fabric rather than just hem them. The armholes are finished with bias binding as well.

That little curve in the front yoke is so sweet! I used an invisible zip in the back.

Since I’d made plenty of bias binding, I used it on the hem as well. And there is even a matching reversible headband! Which the pattern had me cut on the bias for some reason – it means it’s a bit ripply. If I made it again I’d cut it on the straight grain. Anyway, which dress do you think she’ll choose to wear on Christmas Day? This one or the other?

Vintage Crochet Friday is taking a little break for a few weeks, but should be back some time in the new year! Especially if I have success in the oppys…

Friday, 23 December, 2011 by thornberry

children's clothing, kids clothing, sewing

family reunion dress

This year Clare has chosen the Oliver + s Family Reunion dress as her Christmas day dress. Appropriate really, since we will be spending Christmas day with my extended family!

I made the size 8 for Clare. She’ll be 9 in a couple of weeks, and appeared to measure at around size 6 in this pattern, but in my experience the Oliver + S patterns run more on the smaller side than the larger, so I took a punt size wise and it will be interesting to see how it fits. I’d rather it be a bit big than a bit small. Once again, the pattern was beautifully drafted and included lots of special touches. The back closes with a row of buttons.

The hem is faced and has six rows of topstitching. I did all the stitching in red for this dress, which can be risky on a lighter fabric, but has worked nicely. If you look hard you can see it in this photo. The back buttons were from Spotlight – at almost $2 per button.

I searched through stash for the decorative buttons to go on the front. These are vintage, and I cannot remember where I got them. I love the touch of gold. The dress fabric is a Spotlight poplin (not current stock) that was originally meant for a shirt for Mr Thornberry, and I used linen for the neckline facing. There are tucks on the front and back, and the short sleeves have gentle gathering at the top. Beautiful details!

Clare loves it and I can’t wait to see it on her on Christmas day!

Thursday, 22 December, 2011 by thornberry

bags, sewing

David’s slouch bag

A few years ago I made my then teenaged nephew Mikey a slouch bag for Christmas. It was a huge hit – so I made his younger brother David one for his 18th birthday (which was actually back in March…it’s now December….oh well).

This is practically a copy of the bag I made for Clare’s teacher last year. Ikea fabric outer, Ikea lining, and this one has an interior pocket made of Curlypops fabric.

How do you successfully photograph the inside of bags? There is a zippered inside pocket on the other side, and a key leash. Lots of heavy duty plastic hardware and black webbing strap really makes the bag a little more masculine.

I have made loads of Large Slouch bags now – it’s such a versatile pattern and suitable for men and women. And it holds a tonne! According to the boys it easily holds a six-pack and whatever change of clothes they need when they go out for the evening or a laptop and textbooks for uni. And it’s great on the bike as the strap adjusts to fit comfortably across the body when riding.

Pattern from Nicole Mallalieu Design – check her website for stockists now that she is going wholesale and you’ll be able to buy the pattern somewhere near you (or still online)!

And yes, despite it’s lateness, David LOVES his bag! Hooray! By the way, my two girls adore their “big boy cousins”. Clare made them a little present.

These two young men are amazing in the way they play with my girls and indulge their every whim. They are incredibly tolerant and loving, and are such mature, intelligent and personable young adults. It is so heartening to see!

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011 by thornberry

medallion quilt-a-long, patchwork, quilting

medallion quiltalong – round 3: applique

Round 3 for the medallion quiltalong was applique. Applique is not usually my scene. It involves detailed design work and precision, not just sewing bits of fabric together according to another clever person’s pattern. So I decided on simple, large, bold, raw edge applique. Except I’ve only fused it in place and haven’t appliqued it yet. That will take my mother’s fancy schmancy sewing machine during the January holidays.

Birds! As you can see, this quilt is getting big. Fast. Those eight inch blocks will do that. Anyway, the applique round was for November, so I am up to date. Sort of – the December theme is circles. And I don’t have enough fabric left to do them justice, so I’m going to sit out December. But I’m loving how this is coming along!

Tuesday, 20 December, 2011 by thornberry

craft

presents for the teachers

I’m a bit of a softie. We give presents to all of Clare’s teachers – not only her classroom teacher, but the helper, the library lady, the office staff, the Italian teacher, the art teacher, the music teacher, the after-school-care lady, the keyboard teacher, the school principal, and to Stella’s dance and swimming teachers. And to the school cleaner and gardening volunteer. Whew! It’s usually something little, but I like to have something concrete that lets them know how much they are appreciated. Because they definitely are! And maybe because I was once a teacher I know how much they do for not as much recognition as they deserve.

This year the women all get necklaces made from alpaca/wool tubing and felt balls. They were super easy to make and I think that they are super effective. Some of my sophisticated book group friends kindly modelled them for me when we were away for the weekend. There is white tubing:

There is brownish coloured tubing:

There is bluish-grey tubing:

and it is completely up to you as to what felt ball colours or styles go inside. Alternatively you could thread the tubing through beads, or alternate putting beads/balls inside the tubing with threading it through. You could fill up the tubing completely or space out the balls/beads or only use them as a feature as I have done. There is lots of creative potential to be had with this!

And the male teachers/staff? They get tins of biscuits this year. Store-bought. Except for the classroom teacher, who will get a “bloke bag”. If I get it finished before Thursday….

Monday, 19 December, 2011 by thornberry

bags, craft, sewing

bagging it

Sometimes it is the simple things that are the most exciting. After having had Nicole Mallalieu‘s book You Sew Girl for a few months, and after watching my husband rifling through his travel bag looking for missing items one time too often, I finally made a super simple zipped pouch.

I honestly don’t know why it took me so long to do this! It is the EASIEST project and produces the BEST results. This little pouch is fully lined in the grooviest way. I chose a contrast lining.

These pouches can be customised to be made in whatever size you like. All of my husband’s tech items (chargers, cables, cords etc) fit nicely into it. And now rather than losing individual items in his luggage, he is just losing the entire pouch.

The little drawstring pouch above is a Kris Kringle present for one of my cousin’s children. I’ll fill it with lolly snakes for a huge sugar hit. This one is for Lily.

And the green one above is for Oliver! You can find the tutorial here. All the pouches were made with smallish bits of fabric that were floating around in stash.

Sunday, 18 December, 2011 by thornberry

Month: December 2011