Hoodie (Craftsy Sewing with Knits Class first pattern)

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(Phew what a week we've had! - luckily as I am so far behind on the blog I don't need to tell you about it, but in summary, 2 days in A&E, 2 hospitals, 3 wards, and ITU. Mum's fine though, mostly precautionary and she's now home and resting well)

So to backtrack a little. I recently noticed that Craftsy had some sewing classes on sale. (They often have sales, they are worth hanging out for).

I signed up for the Sewing with Knits class (*ahem among others but we'll come back to them)

The reason I liked the look of this class was that it seemed quite "complete" in that I would receive a number of patterns for different weight knits and be talked through sewing each of them. Now I should add at this point that I've only got through the first garment, because mother seems to have other ideas! (See above!) but here is my review of the first few lessons.

The introduction and summary of knit fabrics is quite interesting and worth watching one evening when there is nothing better on the TV, or while you are cutting out your pattern pieces, but personally I dived straight into the hoodie lesson ;) (impatient? Moi?) The lesson was super easy to follow and I had managed to cut out all the pattern pieces before settling down. The idea of patterns in PDF form for you to print and re-print is genius! (I know many people do this now) To be able to print off another size next year or make a pattern for someone else without re-buying it is such an amazing idea.  It did take me an hour or so to print it out and tape it together but in some ways it was good as I learnt a bit more about the construction of the pattern because I needed more concentration that to just hack my way through a tissue pattern.

The Hoodie is a very simple construction, only 5 pieces. Front, back, 2 x sleeves and the hood.  The video walks you through the order of construction and you are given an idea of what stitch and setting to use (given that you would likely be making the hoodie out of a fleece type material)

My only criticism of the course is that a little more could be explained about zig zag stitches and how they should look and what might encourage you to change stitch width or length. As it happens the stitches suggested seemed to work fine with my fleece, but I'm not sure I really had a handle on how to adjust them if I hadn't had enough stretch or if it puckered or some such.  Maybe by the time I have finished the other lessons I will have grasped the fundamentals a little better, or maybe they anticipate someone having a little more sewing experience than I do (Which would be practically none)

Anyway, in only two hours I had transformed a pile of fleece into this:

I'm thrilled with it.  In fact I was so thrilled I made another ;)

The next pattern is a round neck and then v-neck tee shirt. I'm really looking forward to making them, although I'm not quite sure when that's going to fit into the schedule. I have some knit fabric which i originally bought for a pair of trousers for mum but isn't really suitable.  It'll work well as a tee shirt or two though ;)


Craftsy's BIG Summer Sale: Save Up to 50% On All Online Classes!

Baby Quilt - Finished!

Oh my, ! I have just finished this, and now realised how much I'm going to miss doing it!  It's lasted a while, not bad entertainment value it must be said!

Now on to the nitty gritty:

The fabric is a pack of 10 Fat Quarters "Fresh 2" by Kaffe Fasset, bought from Remnant House

I cut the FQ's down into 5" squares, and first made 9 patch blocks.  I used the traditional layout for the outer 8 patches, in that they were 2 designs alternated round the outside, and then used a different square in the middle - this was mostly to get the least wastage out of the FQ's. I then cut each9 patch block in 4 to make disappearing 9 patch (also called a whole host of other names but this was the first name I heard for them so it's what I'm sticking with)  I then put them all together randomly.  The random bit was necessary because of the number of different fabrics. I couldn't quite make a proper pattern, and in the end just loved the sunshiny way that the randomness worked.

Once the top was finished, I basted it with 2oz poly wadding (it's for a baby, it needs to be washable!) and backed it with lemon fleece. The reason for the fleece backing was so that it can be used as a garden/picnic quilt, and will be water resistant if the ground is damp.

I quilted all the large patches with stitch in the ditch first. Mostly because the fleece backing had made the quilt quite thick and a bit unwieldy, so I wanted to do something to hold it together a bit better than safety pins!  Once I'd done that I free-motioned all over, starting in the middle, with a large stippling type effect.  I had wanted to do a kind of travelling daisy, but it turned out too hard on this thickness of quilt.

Then made the binding out of the scraps. Was one length short but had a batik jelly roll with a bright orange that I thought would work ok, and although I can tell it's different, I think it works ok.

So, you wanna see photos???

Really?



Ok then!

 (They're not the best actually, cos it's so sunny, you either get my shadow or slightly washed out photos, but here's the best of the bunch!)

I have to say I have totally loved making this, and I think another will be on the cards very soon. There's a tiny part of me doesn't want to give it away. (It looks awesome on my new deck) But I'm sure baby and mother will love it and it will see many happy days.

Quick round up

We went to the beach and Spot got beach hair.




I finished the quilt top but am waiting for the fleece to arrive for the backing:-



I started my April challenge socks.... Completed one... Then frogged it cos I didn't like it. Have now nearly finished the replacement:- (needles conveniently cropped from photo). I like these much better.





Saw my first spring ducklings while on my run last weekend




And am now on week4 of my raceforlife training ( where it all begins to get a bit serious as you hear me wheezing from the next county! )

So there you have it! What you been up to?

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Blog is getting a little bit neglected!

As always seems to happen in the spring and summer the blog is beginning to get neglected as sunny days take me outside to the garden.

See!!! - We've tidied up the back corner of the garden and put a lovely big deck area in for evening sun.  it's 4.5m across the back, and 3.7m front to back, and makes the garden suddenly seem huge! - We've got to put some new fence panels up at the side as my poor neighbours fence is a little dilapidated, but that's ok, and I think I will also use some of that nice bamboo screening (or willow, or brushwood maybe) .  I feel it's just crying out for bright floor cushions and quilts though, don't you? It's a lovely place to sit in the evening already, even just in this chilly spring sun. Once i get the chiminea up there, or the firepit - I may never come in! ;)

I've also bought a little bit of new yarn, and more importantly (or rather more unusally) some FQ's to make a quilt for a friend who is having a baby,

Here it is all layed out cut into 5" squares. I've changed the layout quite a lot though, cos ...... well I wanted to! and also because it's going to be a disappearing 9 patch (or whatever else you want to call it, there seem to be a lot of names) So I changed some of those red middle squares as I didn't want all  the tiny squares to be red - I want it to be "scrappier" than that! And when I cut the 9-patch-block into 4, I'm then going to mix it all up again...... so really the above photo is absolutely nothing like what it will look like! LOL


In other news, the F1 season has started, so that's all good fun! And British Summer Time has begun today, which is playing havoc with my tummy - I have no idea when to eat! ;)

Right I'll try to blog as often as I can, but if I'm not, you'll know I'm snoozing in the garden instead!

February is for Finished Objects!

Already the month is halfway through, but at least I have something to show for it. 2 finished objects!

The first is my lovely CanCans as previewed in the last post (and yeah all you funny people commenting on how cold my toes will be! ;) - it's a Sock YARN challenge! - but you did make me laugh )

I really like this pattern. The arms are nice and long as is the hand part, not quite over the knuckles, but long enough to actually keep you warm, which strangely not all mitts are!

My second FO is my 2nd window quilt, and Oh My, am I happy with this one. I am pleased that I did learn lessons from the first one, and that my sewing and confidence have grown.

With this one I did all the quilting free-motion. Starting in the centre panel and outlining parts of the illustration (but leaving the sky for a soft, sunny, billowing effect!), and then moving on to the border.

The pale green border fabric actually has little leaf stems on it, so I used these as a very rough template for the free motion quilting - wanting to make that border a little less lofty and thereby allowing the centre panel to take more attention. - It worked well. And I'm pleased with how my first free motion went.

I still have plenty to learn, and can improve a hundred fold - but isn't that always the way with crafting, - there are always lessons to be learnt and that's why we love it so.

It's fairy time

My first window quilt is complete. It has taken ages, and i've learnt many lessons along the way - but isn't that always the way with crafting, there's never a time when you don't think "I could've done that better" or "next time......." but that's part of the fun. I 'm really happy with the way this looks despite there being areas for improvement, so all is good.

I have two more to complete. And when they're done they will be hung, during the winter, in my conservatory to keep the drafts out, and the heat in!

I'm bad aren't I

It just feels like nothing much is happening to blog about lately. Of course that's not strictly true, I've started knitting Woolly Wormhead's Mystery Hat Knitalong which I obviously can't tell you much about cos it's a mystery! (well I can tell you that I have started it in Cherry Merino Plus from Yarnaddict yarns! and the brim so far looks like this

I can also tell you that I've nearly finished my sweater dress - except I think I will need more yarn, so that's kind of on hold at the moment. I've done the body though.  it's this pattern Here and I'm knitting it in dark grey fabel.

I've also popped some silkie eggs under Mother hen this morning. She's broody (again!) and I thought it would be a good opportunity to try to think about a replacement for her as she's getting on now. It's too late in the year really, so I'm not totally expecting anything to happen, but as she's broody we may as well have a go.

I've also finished the front panel for the third window quilt.  I haven't taken a photo yet tho' as it's been too dark. Now I just need to quilt them all!

So there you have it, a bit of a catchup.  ;o)

Latest crafting accomplishments

A quick roundup of my latest creations

Firstly 2 of the 3 window quilts I need to make for my conservatory.. These are only the front panels, they need to be actually quilted yet - but as I'm new to sewing I'm pretty chuffed with these so am showing them off now (before I ruin them by getting the quilting wrong!  I've tried to edit that bra out of the background but Photobucket is having none of the cropping today (it may miraculously crop at some point of it's own accord because the original has been) But I'm saying that I did it on purpose as my final salute to Breast Awareness Month, and you'll never know whether I'm telling the truth or not!)

And my Girasole Blanket. Pattern by BrooklynTweed, (available here under home and accessories)
This is the aran version (as I guess you can see by the size) and it's glorious. Just what you need on an autumn night to keep the chills at bay. The little gap at the bottom is where I ran out of yarn (*doh*) I was seriously considering undoing the border and the last pattern repeat and then reknitting the border - but it was 2 weeks worth of knitting all told, and in the end my common sense prevailed - It's a blanket!!! No-one will ever know when they're snuggled up in it.

It was knitted in Forsell Touch of Silk, 1 cone in colour Basalt, on 6.5mm needles (I think, I've taken them apart now as I used interchangeables, but I think that's what they were) and it's already one repeat short of the final pattern chart, so if anyone else is making it in that - beware!!

All in all i've been quite productive of late. ;-)

Sooo much to tell you....

I had so much to tell you, and then my internet connection went westward! Isn't that always the way!!  So starting with the most recent and working backwards here is a quick summary of what's been happening in the last couple of weeks.

Last week we went to hayling Island. It was a bit of a last minute decision (sorry Lin, I know I need to bring down those bookeeping files for you, but we'll be there again soon) But it was such a beautiful sunny day and the tide was out at a good time. I went to the huge Tescos just before you get on the island too, and also bought a sack of potatoes from a farm shop I go to on the island, so a very productive day all round.

The Sunday before that I went to see the Fantabulous Sheepwash Playboys at the Preston Cross hotel in Bookham. They have jazz there most Sunday lunchtimes, but I can't afford to go every week (shame!) but I can never pass up the opportunity to see the Bennett Brothers in action. They just lift your spirits and make you smile your biggest smile. Fantastic fun, and flippin good music to boot!



Then, the week before that I went to Ally Pally for the Knitting and Stitching show. Now up until this year I have only ever been interested in the knitting part of the affair. But this year there seemed to be a bit more patchwork and fabric about, and I got lulled into a false sense of security ambling along looing at all the pretties....... and then BAM!

I'd bought a sewing machine!!! - obviously then I had to go back around and buy fabric (oopsie) and now I have a whole new obsession!  Here are my other Ally Pally purchases:

A subscription to The Knitter and Simply Knitting (purely for the free gifts - one of which was the Cath Kidson sewing book on the left) A pack of Rowan Wool Tweed from Black Sheep and three bundles of fabric - 2 packs of 5 x Fat Quarters, and one roll of 5 x 1/2 metres.

The weekend before that had been my Grandma'a 90th birthday party! A surprise party of 100 or so guests (and I was related to every last one of them - WOW!), pie n mash for lunch, and a jazz band led by the inimitable Gentleman Jim Mcintosh. Mama (my Grandma) led the dancing pretty much all afternoon.... she is an incredible lady. There was an umbrella paradefor the kids too (a jazz tradition, I have no idea why but maybe someone will tell me?), and Mum had bought special little umbrellas for them all, and the mothers had feather boas (so the kids didn't have to do it alone!), and our final dance/song was a big round circle holding hands and singing "When the Saints" (sooo many childhood memories in that)

Lastly, and by no means least, When I had just returned from Scotland, I went to see Stephen Fry at the Royal Albert Hall.  He took questions from twitter and made a whole evening of story-telling around them. A true raconteur in the same way as Peter Ustinov used to be, complete with voices and jokes. Very, very funny and a little serious too, A very generous man, by which I mean that he shared his lifetime stories with a "no-holds barred" attitude. A lovely evening.

So there we are about up to date. I  have completed Girasole too, and started sewing my window quilts that I bought last year, but I'll pop photos of those up tomorrow or sometime this week. I really must get on with my work now! ;)

Today I ..........

Patchworked (is patchwork a verb??) and Quilted!!!

 

It was a kit bought a year or so ago from an EBay shop - Material Pleasures.  I haven't really done it total justice, as I have discovered I don't really have the patience for patchworking.!! so there are a few crooked lines. But it'll make a lovely cushion cover, and it's all quilted too so will be extra comfy!

It's funny really, I have no patience issues with knitting, I will knit jumpers and long coats with no problems whatsoever, but once I get a sewing machine out I expect to have a finished object in 2 hours or less!!! Ah well it's good to know these things about ourselves I guess.

  

Look Mum.... A Collar!!

OK there are plenty of mistakes - and "could-be-better"s but it's mine and I made it and I'm Proud!!!

In other news I got a birthday present today from my Great Aunt! - It's a fab Willow trug and a Arbutus Unedo

Lookie what does fit in the trug!!! (and yes there is more upstairs!!!! *blushes*) Well that makes a pretty picture til we get some summer and I can use it to bring in my veggies (if they ever grow!) In fact the way the girls are going - I could use it to bring in the eggs!!!! ;)

Ah well best go tidy up now - all this sewing doesn't 'alf make a mess!!!

I did it - and it's OK!

Well here we are (Please do excuse the state of the mirror and the room it is reflecting! - the mirror was rescued from "behind everything" which shows!)

It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be - although I wish they wrote the patten instructions for people that would be using them! - I mean I expect if you're a seasoned sewer then you'd never use the instructions as it would all seem obvious, so why not write them for beginners ! - even Ikea instructions are easier to follow!!! Still it's finished and it's wearable so that's ok! - There are mistakes but that was the point of buying cheap fabric so I am happy enough....... in fact I might even make something else today !!! (well the weather is pants so I sure as heck won't be venturing outside!!