Putting the P.L.A.N. into action ...

I've been having a devil of a time with this blog.  For months, MONTHS, I couldn't upload pictures which is why this post from January is now being posted in April.  But I'm posting it anyway because it wasn't a case of neglect; just a case of writing stuff and then not being able to post it.  Pah ... more to follow shortly.

I hope that all of you are having a very good 2013 so far.  This is a picture of the Play-doh exploits of my nephews at New Year.  As you can see, the year got off to a good and creative start.  The squashed figure lying down is, apparently, Batman and the other thing is a tortoise.  My niece wasn't keen on me having any to play with so the piglet in the background is what I could muster with the blob I was given.  It's a bit pathetic I know but I did enjoy having a muck about with the stuff. 

Aside from the usual new year issues – boilers breaking down, car lights going kaput etc - Project New Year is fully underway and I’m determined to get an Etsy store up and running.

Last week I sat down and made a list of all the things I’ve got to do to fulfil my resolutions.  I do love a list.  A plan makes me feel like I’m taking charge rather than lurking vaguely in the way of opportunities, hoping that they find me. 

The plan includes the usual type of things – modernise the blog, take better pictures and start getting more thorough with images of the things I make (e.g. tutorials etc).  I’ve got to overcome my fear of technology and embrace the idea of getting photographs off my camera to edit them instead of using them as is from the Blackberry.  Finally I’ve got to make some stock to sell on Etsy.

With that in mind I drew a template of a purse yesterday and then had a bash at making it.  As you can see this one is too long (or other options are: (i) the bottom hasn’t been made fat enough or (ii) if it was longer it could be a retro glasses case) but I think it’s on the right track and it’s fixable.  There are a few things I’ll do differently next time – start sewing further up the sides at the outset to neaten up the outside edges for example, either make it bigger or smaller so it's either a cosmetic bag or a coin purse  – but it’s a decent start.

I’m also working on a design for a knitted hat/headband/turban style whatnot; and finishing off the hand quilting on a baby quilt - this is made of organic wool felt blanketing for the back (on which I'm hand quilting) and then brushed cotton fleece from the Village Haberdashery. 

Front of the quilt

The hand quilting on the back

In due course, the Etsy shop will take shape.  Although probably not for the next few months.  At the moment, I'm stuck on names.  Do I stick with Modern Margo or think of something else?  Lots of things to ponder before I get stuck in but I will get there slowly...

Hooray for overlocking

I bought an overlocker before Christmas.  Nothing says thrift like buying presents for oneself.  I went to John Lewis and hey presto I had a lovely little Janome 9200D overlocker clutched in my happy paws.  It's an entry level model so great for someone new to overlocking.  My concern is that, a bit like my Janome 525s, which is a fantastic machine, I may outgrow the overlocker before it has come to the end of its natural life.  Anyway, that's what eBay is for and then I have the joy of looking into a new machine in due course, and preferably one with a long-arm option for quilting because I'm rather limited with the size of my quilts at the moment. 

Anyway, that's hardly the point.  John Lewis offers a 45 minute lesson into threading the blasted thing.  I would say 45 minutes of furrowed brow thinking - those machines are NOT easy to thread.  Even with the apparently colour coded guide, all of a sudden another threading point would loom out or, worse, be crucial but be tucked inside the belly of the machine.  I suddenly could understand why the kit came with tweezers (the sort you normally have for cake making or, I imagine, removing sutures from a resected aorta or similar).  Those looming bits, they weren't always colour coded. 

After two attempts it was threaded and actually while it is initially perplexing, once you've done it a couple of times it does make sense.  The end result is so neat and lovely that it's totally worth it.

Also, is it wrong to be slightly in love with a storage solution.  Or a "so wrong it's right" sort of love?  How amazing are these and they're in the sale.  Too too lovely. 

New Look for Christmas



Picture from speak-fashion.de

As always, I apologise for the quality of my photographs but I realised that a) I hadn’t blogged for ages (the end of October – where did that bloody well go) and b) I hadn’t posted about any of the things that I’ve made.

There are a couple of reasons for that.  Life has got very busy with bobble hat production.  I am a one woman production line.  Here’s my train line knitting  kit – it, or an approximation of it (varying only in terms of the colour of wool in the bag), has been in my bag for the last several weeks. 

Christmas is a trying time for knitters because of time pressure to produce gifts people want.  Trouble is, these things are rarely the most interesting things to make.  I’m currently on number four of six bobble hats.  I have worn away the skin on the top of my thumb so it really hurts to tighten up the first stitch at the beginning of each of the four DPNs I’m using.  There is a high zinc tape usage at home.  The jumper I had planned to make for me to luxuriate in over Christmas, aglow with the compliments of non-knitters has been languishing by the sofa waiting for me to down the bobble hats and take up the proper knitting again.

So I decided to make a dress instead as a bit of a “fast fashion” fix and it was great fun.  It was the simplest of simple patterns – the Merchant & Mills trapeze dress pattern made in fabric from Cloth Spot.  It took a couple of hours to cut out on Sunday, then another couple to sew together on Tuesday night, and an hour last night to finish the hem and sleeves.  I’ve worn it to work today with a wide belt and purple suede boots and feel super glam as if I’m rocking Dior’s original idea of the New Look.  Even though it’s massively unstructured, I still feel very feminine.  My only observation is that the fabric is itchy as all hell so I’m wearing a white long sleeve vest underneath the top half (which also means I won’t have to wash the dress after wear one) but that makes me look slightly less New Look and slightly more Art Teacher.  The other thing about the itchiness is the occasional leg spasms where a fibre pokes into you.  After the joy of Wovember I now know more about why this is – the length of the staples that make up the fibre – and actually it confirms that it is at least wool which is a Very Good Thing.  But you know what, I don’t mind any of the drawbacks – I made it and that makes it very special.  I’m ordering a nice raspberry coloured woollen boucle to make another – I think raspberry will be marginally less monkish/utilitarian, although I don’t dislike that aesthetic; or at least it certainly has its place.

The other nice thing about making the dress was that I haven’t been in front of my sewing machine for ages and was starting to forget how much I’ve learnt.  It’s a really simple pattern but the instructions do rely on a base level of knowledge.  Two years ago I would not have known that the double notch would mean it was the back of the sleeve.  I might not even have known to cut the notches.  This was the first time I marked out the pattern with chalk and I’m a total convert because it meant I got to do some tweaking with the shape afterwards.  It was like a very chalky, itchy woolly  crime scene.  I’ve ordered more of the brown woolly fabric to make Sewaholic Cordova Jacket which I think will look rather well in this material, and plan to make the dress again albeit with a few variations to the shape and probably in a bold print of some kind for casual rather than work wear.

Waking up at 7am on Saturday 22^nd December to my neighbours slamming their front door no fewer than six times in the space of fifteen minutes as they packed their car to head home for Christmas (I’m over it now though, can you tell) I lay restless in bed listening  to Husband happily snoring away before realising that sleep was not going to happen again for me that day.  A couple of days before this, Santa had delivered to me some 100% wool felt and some lovely cotton fleece.  At 7.30 that morning, unable to get back to sleep and grumbling away, I set to work and have rustled up two baby quilts.  The wool felt should be sturdy enough to go on the floor, and the cotton fleece soft enough for babies to lie comfortably on.  I did very simple straight line quilting to create an inner square where I’ve hand quilted/embroidered a Scandinavian style bird.  I did try some free motion quilting on the machine which completed ruined what I had done so far; unfortunately this relegates this one to “prototype” status and therefore means my niece will get it once I’ve done a bit of fixing up.  I really do need to get a handle on the free motion quilting thing – it’s so handy and would save hours.  My thumb is now locked in quite a painful “thumbs up” style posture from the knitting and sewing I’ve been doing.  Some would say “excessive knitting and sewing” but I never would. 

The feathery fleece

The embroidered bird

The contrast fleeces

The woolly back of the quilt

The invisible embroidered bird (sort of)

Looking at the embroidery again it was obviously fairly unbalanced (aside from the quality issues) so I went back to it and added some more of the pale greeny/blue that I used on the neck feathers and tried to balance the shape a bit more across the bird.  As soon as I’d stitched the back, batting and front together I came up with the idea of doing a central piece of embroidery and of course by then, the thought of ripping back sufficient of a seam to do embroidery was just too painful but it’s a good lesson.  Embroidery before you put your pieces together; which of course I know but these are the perils of doing things at Darkness O’clock in the morning while fuming about being woken by noisy (though very nice) neighbours.

I was explaining to Husband that I needed to get on with some of the baby things for our various couple friends who are all having children soon and he replied “don’t put yourself under pressure.”  I tried to explain that it wasn’t making things that put me under pressure, it was not having the time to make the things I wanted that made me feel pressured.  Not making things at all would be a hundred times worse.  He didn’t get it, but then people who don’t make things rarely do and my feelings of pressure definitely seem back-to-front to him.  They’re not though and those of us that stitch know that really.

I’m now pondering New Year’s Resolutions.  Would it be possible do you think to wear only clothes one already owns, recycled and upcycled, or to only make new clothes during the year?  Could I last twelve months without buying myself something new?  I wonder if I’m up to the challenge – I’m tempted and daunted all at the same time.  Any views on whether it’s a challenge worth setting oneself up for?  Would three months be better or is that just wimping out?

This year I am also determined to make a few things to try and sell on Etsy.  That seems like a possible good resolution too.  Scary but possible?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year – 2013 will be a great year for stitching, I can already tell ...

Knitting, Christmas, mittens and weddings



Debbie Dean, Festive Wreath (from Pinterest)



A friend is getting married a few weeks after we are and I got the invitation last week.  One of the lovely things about other people’s weddings is seeing all the lovely little details they include to make their day special.  As they are getting married close to Christmas, they’ve asked guests to bring a tree decoration with them for the tree at the venue.  The plan is for the decorations to be keepsakes to remind them of their wedding day each Christmas.  It’s such a wonderful idea; a very touching way of including everyone in the day and their future life together. 

I got this book last Christmas and have been dying to try something from it.  Over the course of the weekend I made three baubles – one got ripped back, the other still looks a bit limp as I’d tried to get too clever with mixing and matching the motifs, then lost interest which got piqued again when I changed needle size (the things that pique one's interest).  This is the one that ended up getting blocked and stuffed.  I plan to have a go at designing my own motif too.  So they’ll be getting a hand knit bauble which may or may not be this one.  Very fun book too ...

Love + Christmas = my favourite time of year

Last night I cast on Kate Davies Peerie Flooers mittens.  I’ve used a crochet provisional cast on before, but this time thought I’d try something new (why not).  It looked a total bobbins for the first couple of rounds but then suddenly came together.  Is that other people’s experience of provisional cast on?  Do you just have to hold your breath and persevere and then suddenly voila, it looks beautiful?  It’s a waste yarn technique from YouTube. 

I had looked in The Principles of Knitting but got myself in a muddle, came over all modern and decided to hop online – very unlike me.  Now I don’t know if it’s possible to have a crush on a book but if it is, then I do.  I’ve had it for a little over a week and have already thumbed my way through several of the techniques.  The writer has a thorough, academic approach to the techniques but a real warmth demonstrating her passion for the subject.  It appeals to my Teutonic knitterly self. 

The only problem I had with my provisional cast on is that one of the stitches... disappeared.  I had 52 stitches on the needles at the end of the casting on, and then I had 51 at the end of the first round and none appeared to have dropped off.  The little rascal.  I did an M1 on the second round which was fine, and will figure it out when I come to pick those stitches up again to fix the lining to the inside of the outside (so to speak) of the cuff of the mitten.  As it will be inside the glove, am less worried.  I’ve got thumb holes and acres of Fair Isle to worry about so it’s down the list really.  Oh yes, and a wedding in tee minus ten days.  Eek. 

Back in the blogosphere (do people still call it that?)

I’ve been extremely remiss in my blogging responsibilities.  I allowed myself to get distracted by so many other things and before I knew it months had passed.  Giving myself a metaphorical shake by the shoulders, I realised that I don’t need to write the (crafting) Odyssey every time I go online.  I could just comment on what I’m working on at the moment. 

Since I’ve last blogged, a lot has been going on mind you.  Aside from knitting and quilting, I spent two weeks at the Royal School of Needlework completing the Jacobean Crewelwork module of the Certificate in Technical Hand Embroidery.  One of the most physically demanding two weeks I’ve ever had, it was also probably one of the most enriching and exciting things I’ve ever done.  I found a home away from home and am planning (if I can wangle some more unpaid leave next year) to continue to pursue my certificate.



Two weeks hard labour - my baby!



I have also been on a Rowan two day colour techniques workshop up at the Mill.  It’s a glorious part of the country – one of those places that twinkled in the autumn sunshine on Saturday, and whose colours glowed in the rain on Sunday.  I was a little alarmed by some of the “elbows out” behaviour of some of the other attendees – hey, we all love cheap yarn and books but let’s be civilised about it people – but it was a really fun weekend.  Every now and then a cow or a horse would hove into view and all would feel right with the world.  It’s the most amazing insulating bubble to be in and returning to the real world a fairly hefty bump.  Sarah Hazell, who taught the class, is also a bit of a legend – she’s one of the nicest, funniest people and I learnt so much about the techniques and ways of working.  Am a fan – not at all possible to spot that is it. 

The other thing I’ve been doing – and conscious my attempt at brevity being rapidly undermined – is starting a journal of “things I’ve made so far”.  At the moment it’s rubbish print outs of snaps from the blackberry but it’s a useful catalogue of how things have progressed from my first attempts at knitting, embroidery etc to becoming more proficient and all the revelations that went with it.   One such revelation is just trusting myself to be quick – I met someone who’d got most of the way through the leg of a sock in an afternoon.  It brought it home to me how much I procrastinate.  Since then I’ve been flying through projects – most of a sock on the drive home from Cornwall on the last bank holiday weekend for example or whipping up a lovely Milo top for my niece’s forthcoming birthday.  These are small revelations but revelations nonetheless. 



The Milo so far




Close up of the cable



My teaching has slightly stalled as the class I had prepared has several people on the waiting list but none available for those dates.  Hopefully there’ll be something before Christmas.  I hope that will take off in 2013.  In the meantime, it’s all go on wedding planning for now – a mere three weekends to go.  Think it’s nearly planned so am fairly relaxed but don’t want to speak too soon – once the stationery is printed then I can relax.  Final fitting this weekend so my rather late attempts to tone up are futile now but, really, isn’t that why we wear long dresses to weddings; to save ourselves the hassle of getting skinny?