Tales from the sewing room

Re-directing mail!

2009-04-01T23:14:00.004+01:00

I've noticed that some Blogger blogs won't let me post comments under a Wordpress ID, so if you've pitched up here because I commented on your blog or a blog you read, this is just to let you know that you haven't been abandoned in cyber-space and you can still find me for real at my wordpress blog linked below. One day I'll get round to redirecting this straight there - but in the meantime, just one more click.

Strands of Life

ps: just edited to add that, despite the date, this is completely genuine! The lone post with a 1st April date looked rather odd :D

I've moved

2007-06-12T16:07:00.000+01:00

I decided to move home - all the posts below and everything following can now be found at
http://fibrefairy.wordpress.com/ see you there :-)

2007-03-16T13:19:00.001Z

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

another quiz!

2007-02-23T11:48:00.000Z

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Merino Wool.You are very easygoing and sweet. People like to keep you close because you are so softhearted. You love to be comfortable and warm from your head to your toes.
Take this quiz!

well it wasn't novelty fun fur!! thankfully ;-)

and this was what Ruthy, DD1 came out as... pretty spot on, though the cashmere option was always a possibility!

You are Shetland Wool. You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a little on the harsh side. Though you look delicate you are tough as nails and prone to intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are widely respected and even revered.

Ooh get me!!

2007-02-23T08:55:00.000Z

they didn't have a section for Knitting Anarchists though which would probably fit the bill better, i don't think I've ever followed a pattern to the letter ever !!!

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting and do it all the time. While finishing a piece is the plan, you still love the process, and can't imagine a day going by without giving some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation involves leaving ample space for the stash and supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn ends and you begin.
Take this quiz!

" Spring Rainbow"

2007-02-17T08:43:00.001Z

" Spring Rainbow"
Originally uploaded by fibre~fairy.

I dyed this laceweight to send as part of a "Spring time Secret Santa" exchange, I loved how the colours turned out. I started intending it to be purples and blues and just ended up mixing up a rainbow as I went.

this is it in process

and this was the silk & cord needleroll I made to go with it - designed for DPNs circs & hooks.

embellished with a felt & stitched motif

"Heart breakingly Cute Baby Kimono"

2007-02-17T08:39:00.001Z

"Heart breakingly Cute Baby Kimono"

I've finally got this made for a friend's baby - I just hope she hasn't grown toooo much!!
it's a gorgeous pattern - I added the eyelets at the bottom to match the YO increases and then added the ribbon too. Very cute ( BTW the title is the name of the pattern, not me bragging!)
It's knit in a fabulous natural colour DK wool from Coldharbour Mills in Devon, it was very twisty to knit but blocked beautifully.

Calorimetry

2007-02-17T08:13:00.001Z

Calorimetry

I've got lots of catching up to do here - but for now here's a pic of the perfect " hat" for me & my hair! It's hard to fit your spare pencil under a normal hat.
For those logging these details, I CO 88 on 5mm in Noro Silk Garden, and it's plenty big enough for my larger than average head ( regular off the shelf hats tend to be on the small size for me..) so there you are.
I'm just starting one for tiny headed DD1, CO 88 but in a DK ish yarn and 4.5mm

here's another pic

Nutty!

2007-01-31T13:44:00.000Z

I'm allergic to nuts - tomorrow, finally, the children are being tested to see if they are too - and therefore if I can stop being quite so paranoid about what they eat at parties etc.
To say they are unreasonably excited is understating it! They do know it's going to involve needles, and a lot of boring waiting around - they also know that they might be unlucky like me...
I found this message on the kitchen whiteboard this morning!

Great post day 2

2007-01-31T13:01:00.001Z

I got this vintage knitting bag from a member of a list I'm on ( thanks Penny!) it's utterly gorgeous! It belonged to her granny who died the year I was born, ( probably shouldn't use the word vintage, huh?! ) fab bag!!

Great post day 1

2007-01-31T12:55:00.001Z

I got this last week on Ebay - it's a book I had as a child, I think I made practically everything in it at one time or other, it certainly taught me loads - mum always says I was one for teaching myself stuff from books rather than " being told" !! I think I know someone else a bit like that now too ;-)

this page took me right back...

It's all just spin...

2007-01-27T22:16:00.001Z

this afternoon's little bit of work, turquoise merino single, being set with a can of pears!
sadly I managed to break my spindle too, so this was it for now!!

and all wound up

2007-01-26T16:08:00.001Z

still beautiful :-) I could sit & look at it all day!!
( but I won't... onwards & forwards... it's Friday after school you know!! )

Soft posh & scrummy

2007-01-26T16:06:00.001Z

just how yummy is this?
8ply aran weight cashmere.mmmmmmmm
sadly not enough to roll around in;-)

Beanie Beanie!

2007-01-16T14:51:00.000Z

It's wet & cold and I'm not feeling well but I've uploaded the Ribbed Beanie pattern after lots of requests - you'll find it HERE
Bear in mind that I knit it originally freehand and if I've made a mistake on the numbers in the pattern it was in the transferring from brain to "paper". Please forgive me - and let me know!!

I'm in the process of knitting it up again from the pattern, but other stuff keeps getting in the way.
Have fun, and may your ears stay warm.

How could I forget....

2007-01-01T17:05:00.000Z

this chap....
I made him & his twin for Ben & his cyber mate! He's looking a bit lumpy here cos he's been chucked about & pulled all over - but he's much loved

Tired

2007-01-01T16:16:00.000Z

Can I go to bed yet please?
How come I stay up till past 12 on a regular basis getting stuff done and I'm fine, but sure as eggs are ovoid shaped pale brown things, come Jan 1st I'm shattered!!
This morning I actually felt quite energised, the sun was shining and it was a lovely bright crisp morning as we drove back from the friends with whom we spent last night - but now it's cold dark wet & windy and I don't feel so enthusiastic!! I've just gone round putting all the lights on and cranking up the heating and it feels a bit more cheerful, so..

Anyway - talking of eggs _ i'm off to make eggy bread for the children's tea and persuade Dh we can get a Chinese to eat in front of the Vicar of Dibley later!

Happy New 2007 to you anyway - hope you enjoy what it brings!

ipod socks

2007-01-01T15:34:00.001Z

I made these the other evening as NY presents for some friends - fairly fast knit though my making up could have been better - I hate that bit :-(
I do like the dinky little earphone pocket!

They were based pretty much on these
with some changes ( I didn't do a folded over top rib cos I thought it would be bulky and as you can see I did the thick-thin stripes instead of the solid cuff. I reckon I could come down another needle size for the cuff to make it a bit tighter at the top)
I'll have a play with one for me, smaller this time for my Zen Micro (pictured!)

Christmas PJ bottoms

2007-01-01T14:56:00.001Z

Christmas Pjs for the older 3- we teamed them with co ordinating plain T shirts ( time ran out as per usual!) CW from top Left, Ruthy's, Kate's & Charlie's

Christmas PJs

2007-01-01T14:52:00.001Z

Baby's Christmas PJs

These ones were for Ben, a sock monkey flannel top with stretch ribbing, and a pair of Babyology wool longies dyed lime green - and a very good match they were too!!

On the Second Day of Christmas...

2006-12-26T22:56:00.000Z

or is it the third? does Christmas Eve count as the first?... anyway...
I finally get to post my Christmassy makes & stuff ( always a risk some lucky recipient will stumble upon a picture of their present before the Big day ( though judging by comments on bloggers by my dad & brother today they wouldn't be reading " self obsessed, self publicists" I think was the phrase they used ;-)

It's been a good Advent, I usually lurch along, swinging between being Little Donkey ( plodding onwards with my heavy load...)and the Alternative Shepherds (washing socks) and somehow manage to concentrate only on what is being prepared for rather than the act of preparation. For no known reason this year has been much less stressy, and actually a really lovely run up to Christmas. I can thoroughly recommend this book for a thought provoking read, my older 2 and I have really enjoyed reading it.

so, back to the fibres :-)
I made a couple of Knitty Knecklaces for my mum & my SIL,
Mum's was done in Debbie Bliss's Pure Silk and beaded too ( my addition) threading on the zillion of beads to start with was a bit of a pain, but the results were worth it.

SILs version was in Twilleys Freedom Spirit in a colourway whose name now escapes me!
checking here I see it's "Energy"

Two ribbed hats to my own pattern were for my brothers - ably modelled by one of them here!
They're again in Twilleys Freedom Spirit "Force" and "Earth" They were knit double stranded and were extremely well received - apparently they are nice and long over the ears ( a rare thing in a hat I was told!)

I'd also done a 1 Hour scarf for MIL but I didn't get a picture of that - nice colours though :-)

Ruthy has the knitting bug again having got a book and some more yarn for Christmas:-) she's doing really well following someone else's instructions too! much better than me trying to show her sometimes.
I was saying to my mum yesterday that I can't remember learning to knit - so I assume I was pretty young, whether it was mum or Granny or someone else who taught me I have NO idea! Knowing me it was a book & self teaching - Ruthy is so like me sometimes!

I did a bit of sewing in December too - PJs mostly, I need to get pictures of those, so watch this space.

It's time for bed said Zebedee...

First Day

2006-09-11T09:30:00.000+01:00

He's been waiting (impatiently I have to say) for months now for today - and here it finally is... can we say EXCITED?!
He went in without a backward glance, so I was a very brave mummy too :-0 I'm going to miss his cheeky face this morning though.

Random Musings on flooring...

2006-09-10T22:57:00.000+01:00

It's Sunday , its late, the ironing's done, I'm doing this as displacement cos my baby starts school tomorrow ( yes, not *the* baby Obviously... ( durr...as the girls would say) but he's still my baby..) anyway I thought I'd treat you to the random thoughts I had this week about floors.
You know how people say that hard floors are " less work" than carpets? well I think that's rubbish personally ( and I speak as a hard floor keeper) With carpets you hoover and you're done, unless someone spills something especially nasty on it.. ugh, then every what? 6 mths? a year? 4 mths? I have NO idea... you get the carpet cleaners in and they get rid of the build up.
Now if you have a hard floor you hoover, or you brush, and then you wash it, if you don't do the washing part, that build up of muck ( the stuff the carpet cleaners deal with) well it builds up, and hard floors don't hang onto it like carpet does, so *you* have to do the work.. often....
ask me how I know, I have a crawling baby ( yes *the* baby) the other week I was busy, the floor didn't get mopped for 2 days, - just hoovered, the floors looked ok, but he crawled round and he was filthy, yuckity yuck...
Just think though -if I had carpet, all that dirt ( & more ) would still be there, just unseen...bleurgh... I mean it's not as if you suddenly have less dirt just cos you have carpets is it? so it has to be there ...somewhere...lurking...think I'd rather have the mopping to do :-) so, inconclusion, ( if you're still awake..) hard floors - unforgiving but So much nicer... don't you think?!

Normal service will now be resumed.

Serendipitous shopping

2006-09-07T20:37:00.000+01:00

Planning ahead slightly (only about 2 weeks ahead actually but it's better than nothing )
I bought these trousers for the boys in H&M , partly cos they need something to wear for a Christening we're off to, and partly cos look what I had in my stash waiting to be something!
Serendipity or what? stripey T shirts are the order of the day I think, and what would you know - I had unbleached ribbing hiding here too:-)

Pirates Ahoy

2006-09-06T22:08:00.000+01:00

We went to a party last weekend, all of us, Kate's Godmother's husband's 40th ... you following this? pay attention or I'll make you walk the plank...
Anyway, it was Pirates & Princesses. Mr Fibre-Fairy was going to go as a Princess, but our little Princesses vetoed that as "too embarrassing daddy" so we went with Pirates. in actual fact Kate went as Elizabeth Swann.. she had her eye on a costume in Woolies so we went shopping. My sewing pride was hurt, but honestly.. it was £15, came with a fan & a hat, was not at all badly made and most importantly looked good - I did go & roughly cost up gold satiny stuff in what has to be the cheapest fabric shop south of Birmingham, and it would have cost me probably £20 just for the stuff... and time was short! Then I discovered a £5 woolies card thingy and the deal was sealed! I have to say though that the Jack Sparrow costume was pants.
Back at the sewing machines I made not one, but 4 Darcy-esque piratey shirts, for Ruthy, Charlie and Ben and one for me... oh the flash back caused by wearing a voluminous white cotton 18C style shirt -Where are you now Adam Ant?! For these shirts I drew on my 1980s sewing experince of making such shirts to original 18C instructions thanks to a friend who worked at the V&A... these were a bit simplified (no underarm or collar gussets for speed,)
A few piratical accessories and we were done - ( MrFF slightly bottled out at this point and wore a striped T shirt - but someone had to go into the offy on the way there looking vaguely normal I suppose.
Here are the boys ( no pictures exist of the rest of us... odd that..)

2006-09-04T22:42:00.000+01:00

I love this extract... I love the autumn :-) - well except the Back To Skool thing... ( that was today as it happens :-(

September has come, it is hers
Whose vitality leaps in the autumn,
Whose nature prefers
Trees without leaves and a fire in the fireplace.
So I give her this month and the next
Though the whole of my year should be hers who has rendered already
So many of its days intolerable or perplexed
But so many more so happy.
Who has left a scent on my life, and left my walls
Dancing over and over with her shadow
Whose hair is twined in all my waterfalls
And all of London littered with remembered kisses.

--Louis MacNeice - Autumn Journal -1939

kind of cool...!

2006-08-24T14:36:00.000+01:00

What kind of a freaky mother are you?

You're a punk rock mommy! DIY is probably your motto, because you're a punk mama at heart. Your kids are getting your independent spirit and guts, and learning to solve problems themselves. You love it when they show their independence, even when it's breaking your heart.

Take this quiz!

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Time Travel

2006-08-15T21:38:00.000+01:00

not backwards, but forwards... half way through the school summer holidays..umm how?!
Ben turned 1, nooo that can't be right can it? and even occasionally sleeps in the evenings these days so I've been getting a bit of sewing done.
I have some pics to sort out and some catching up to do, but for now, here're my new PJ bottoms, just in time for the nights drawing in and the cooler weather ( I'm not kidding, that duvet'll be back on soon) yummy Amy Butler flannel that has been maturing for... ooh, a while. Pattern by Ottobre, you'd think there was nothing to choose from in a simple 4 part elastic waist trouser pattern wouldn't you... but you'd be wrong - these are a great shape both in looks & comfort.
Best do something for the children now I spose.... :-)

My first chocolate

2006-04-17T19:00:00.000+01:00

He had to have my 70% cocoa stuff with no dairy.... but do you think he liked it?!

green gorgeousness

2006-04-17T18:21:00.000+01:00

I think ths might be destined for a bag for ME!
Hand dyed wool roving and some scrummy-lumptious eyelashy stuff and some spring green Freedom
mmmmm:-)

They think it's all over...

2006-04-17T17:40:00.000+01:00

Whoosh! looks like it came & went! School holidays began March 31st and they go back tomorrow! Wahhhhh why do they go so fast!
I spent the first weekend meeting up with some friends at the Sewing exhibition at NEC, very inspirational but not too spendy this year! More sock yarn, a little fabric, honest, I was really good!! That first week of the holidays was tainted by illness though -all the big three at one point or other -blah!
We had a few days at Granny's in between ick, then suddenly it was last weekend and now it's the end of this one!
So what have we done? The girls as you can see started knitting ( nearly typed knotting which might not be an altogether inappropriate typo, but actually they're doing very well!) We've seen some friends, been to the zoo, chilled out a bit, done tons of craft stuff... usual kind of thing.

Only a year late!

2006-04-17T17:36:00.000+01:00

I finally got this finished for a friend's birthday present - I'd given her a "promise" for it last year...and finally ta da! I can be really slow sometimes!!!

my time stamp

2006-03-26T15:48:00.000+01:00

whatever the change to BST seems to have done to the nation's body clocks it seems to have fixed my time stamp... I think

Mothering Sunday

2006-03-26T13:31:00.000+01:00

If you give it its proper name, at the very least it avoids the "where does the apostrophe go" dilemma!! Nice link about its origins here.
So, while the carrots cook for lunch, my day so far...
Breakfast cooked for me, (not in bed though, we're running out of room for everyone to be eating in our bed these days ;-)
and a huge haul of lovely stuff that they've all made for me - that's what's in the picture! Keyrings, candles, bookmarks, cards, loads of lovely bits, hand made truffles, flowers...mmm yummy. Then off to church for the Mothering Sunday service, Ruthy was singing which was lovely, and back to do lunch. Mr Fibre~fairy peeled the veg while I had a peaceful G&T and I'm just finishing off lunch now (cooking I mean not finishing eating!) ThenI think I might knit a bit, or finish the zip in the bag I made myself on Friday. More later, possibly :-)

Chablis & Kettle Chips

2006-03-21T21:45:00.000Z

that's my supper.. oh yessssss.... the KC are saltless, if that wins me any points
I'm enjoying an uncharacteristic interlude in which all four children are asleep, now what I *should* be doing is finishing Ruthy's costume for her school play. Thankfully she's only a villager. What do I mean *only* -she's a vital villager with lots to say - kind of Shop Floor Manager type villager, but I mean " only" in the sense that it doesn't involve a great palaver of a costume... I quote, " croppped trousers and a plain T shirt" Just the thing for a sojourn in Sherwood Forest wouldn't you say? No mention of colour. ( she's getting dirty brown with artistically space dyed green grassstain-a-like blobs, didn't think purple embroidered quite cut the mustard)
Can you tell that none of these teachers have children?! Parents have to be psychic these days...
The great thing about villagers' trousers is they don't need hemming... :-) No, really... there were no coverhemmer machines in 13C Nottinghamshire.
Did I mention this play was something to do with Robin Hood?

Mr Fibre~fairy is back in the country! Where's he been this time? Oh yes, Switzerland, he's not too chuffed with being called Mr Fibre~fairy though, no more than I would with being called Mrs Petrol Head or something similar, but there you go!

~~~~
brief interlude ended - Ben woke up and took 15 mins to settle again, I finished R's trousers and hope they past muster with the teachers! and now I really ought to go to bed... tomorrow, as the great Mizz Scarlett said, is another day.
There's something wrong with my time stamp and I can't fix it... it's showing an hour earlier than real life.. I'm not that sad as to go to bed an hour ago.. honest...

Reading the papers

2006-03-19T16:38:00.000Z

I managed one section anyhow!

he doesn't get it!

she does

Anyone would think it was spring...

2006-03-19T16:16:00.000Z

oh yeah, it's supposed to be isn't it..
It's turned a bit warmer here today ( you know, like it's not snowing!) and the sun's out, so the children have been playing outside on their bikes, I got called to watch..brrr not exactly tropical, but Kate was happily running round in a strappy top. Mr Fibre~fairy has taken them all to the shop to buy cake for tea, so it's gone all quiet round here! I s'pose I ought to unpack my boxes from yesterday and start taking pictures but then again...

Craft Fair

2006-03-18T17:19:00.000Z

Back from the Craft fair today - managed to get a reasonable table of stock together! Last minute as ever... it was a good day - sold a little, not vast quantites, but pleasing!! I made some progress on the little bag I was knitting too, and lots of comments about knitting on 5 10mm DPNs! I had intended to start my long awaited Booga Bag from Black Sheep bags as my reward for getting done for today but I went for " work" knitting instead. Hey ho...

no sewing or knitting tonight... supper with friends and beaucoup de vin :-)

and another...

2006-03-08T22:30:00.000Z

catching up here.. in my dreams haha...
this one is a wee bag - second picture shows truer colours but is pre blocking, the first (flash lit) shows the shape much better.

finished product

2006-03-08T22:24:00.000Z

so here it is, knitted up & felted and ready to sell -hopefully along with some friends! I'm doing a craft fair on the 18th -eek ! what was it Douglas Adams said about deadlines? - something about loving them because of the whooshing sound they made as they rushed passed..
anyway onwards and knitwards... and I need to sew some too :-)

2006-01-27T21:29:00.000Z

this tangle of colour is 400g of wool dyed with KoolAid - a drink powder from America that has a double use as a dye for animal fibres ( inicluding human hair should you fancy a new look!) I've been playing around with it for a while now, and took the plunge to dye a whole load! I used 5 sachets on this lot - pink lemonade which gave the pale candyfloss shade, black cherry - the deeper pink, blue lemonade the pale aqua and blue berry the turquoise, and grape for the purple.

and here it is de tangled, balled as a WIP. I'm quite pleased with how this turned out, nice soft spring colours, the knitting up is pretty fast so the next stage ought to be posted soon enough;-)

How come it's October?

2005-10-02T15:02:00.000+01:00

Every year I get to October and wonder what on earth happened! This one is no exception, and more so, for reason shown above! Last post was just after Valentines day for heaven's sake and here it is almost our wedding anniversary! ( Oct 21st in case you're interested! 10 years this year)
Baby number 4 was born in July (and there, you were just thinking I was a bit fat in that New year photo! own up;-) ) He's 9 weeks old today and oddly I've sewn more since he was born that I have all year -not all for him either.
It's all in fits & starts though at the moment, often with him in a sling, and I haven't mastered NAS (Nursing at the serger) and probaby won't!
My biggest goal at the moment is to tidy up my sewingroom, honestly you wouldn't believe the mess! and to get stuck in on my tracing & sewing list - we all need new stuff having variously grown shrunk, changed shape or been born recently.
DH showed an astounding lack of faith ( or should that be astounding astuteness) by visiting Marks and Spencer one lunchtime .... I keep threatening to make him some jeans, he just goes shopping...wise man. Right,I'm off to change a certain young man's nappy and then I'll do some picture updating here.

Chinese silk brocade bag

2005-02-19T17:59:00.000Z

I've fancied a bag like this for a while
now, and so I tracked down some fabric and embarked on drafting the pattern
(not too hard ;-)!) and constructing my own with pockets to suit *me*!
The only thing I'd change is to maybe do a zipped
inner pocket (the large inside pocket (on the front wall) is fastened with a
magnetic snap.)I've had a bit of a sewing slump recently so this has been my
reward in between getting back into work sewing!

I'm rather pleased with myself and this bag I have to say!

30cm x 25cm appx, own pattern

close up of inside pockets and key tie

adjustable strap detail

piping close up - I kind of cheated and used ready made bias strip to make the piping -the original idea had been to make my own with the lining fabric -but actually the navy looks really nice and I saved myself a lot of work - though it was enough as it was!

Happy New Year!

2005-01-02T11:30:00.000Z

Suffering from total & utter lack of sleep here! Got to bed at around 2am yesterday, but we have small children remember... yawn! It would have been fine if there had been a decent " curl up under a blanket with a box of chocs" film on in the afternoon... but there wasn't :-(
Sleeplessness compounded by being up with one of the aforementioned small children screaming with earache for most of last night :-( poor lamb (her not me...really!)

Anyway -back to sewing, it's an appalling picture, but believe you me, the low level "taken by a 7 year old" ones were worse! This was my End of Year sew for me.

This started off as Jalie 2005 -but as you can see has changed a lot along the way! I lengthened the sleeves and made them bell ended, lengthened the whole top to tunic length, adding in ease & shaping over the hips & bum! curved the bottom hem and gave it tennis tails. I redrafted the neckline totally to make the curved notch look -and it fits!. I mad ethis up in cotton interlock -kind of medium weight -and then dyed it made up.
Neckline close up

Off for a bath...

2004-12-26T21:39:00.000Z

me, in a moment !
It's been a good two days, 12 rellies on Saturday and 10 today, and I think I deserve a long soak! DH has been a star with all the washing up & drinks serving, and the children have behaved wonderfully, despite late night on Friday and needless to say a fairly early start on Saturday morning -not to mention the chocolate fueled excitement later on!!
The PJs were a great success - Ds kept saying " mine blue...SNOWW"
and the proof of the pudding was in the wearing as far as the girls' dresses went! They've worn them 2 days solid now :-)

The Nephews like their stuff too... well #2 Neph is only 10 mnoths so his mum did the liking for him! #1 Neph was very chuffed with his Thomas/James hoodie and left wearing it... I foresaw problems getting it off him later!

The bath awaits...
Merry Christmas

ps to avoid the leftover turkey tyranny.. cook Chicken! smaller , nicer and barely any leftovers! (leaves more fridge space too!) Goose for NYE...

2004-12-23T23:20:00.000Z

Christmas Dress #1 for DD1, just finished and in need of a good press and sleeves hemming (she's asleep!) but it's done!! Whoo hoo only 2 lots of sleeve hems to do in the morning and then I can get on with tidying & wrapping :-) Not bad when you consider how behind I was at the weekend.
This one is PRR bias plaid from last year, dyed dylon hand violet.
the plaid matching on the back took an age - it's not a totally even print.. but here's as good as I got it

Christmas dress #1

2004-12-23T17:30:00.001Z

yes it's the 23rd and yes this in only the first Christmas dress! but it's done -all but the sleeve hems -but DD2's not here so I can't measure them right now -my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!
PRR honeycomb cord, dyed raspberry procion, a tad deeper colour IRL.
and apart from the woeful pattern matching (I forgot LOL!) I was rather proud of how well this zip went in -first time and flat :-)

2004-12-23T17:30:00.000Z

3 Pairs of Christmas Pjs -all in snowflake PRR knit :-)
They're a mix of KS and Ott patterns, bottoms all converted to no side seams, nice loose ribbing to edge... yummy... I want a pair but I only got 4yds!
They're dyed with Dylon CW - no soda ash to give a slightly faded look which I like, 1 tin per pair, purple vine, french navy & ultra violet L-R

2004-12-23T17:29:00.001Z

Nephew #2's Christmas Sweat pants - PRR dino dyed Dylon CW moon blue -I've done him 2 pairs in two different sizes cos he'll probably grrrooooowwww soon!

2004-12-23T17:29:00.000Z

nephew #1's Christmas hoodie -yummy royal blue sherpa and TTTE embroidery, he's a bit of a Thomas nut....! and here's a close up of James

Almost there...

2004-12-17T13:30:00.000Z

I'm not very good at this blog thing...! I'm either too busy to update or it's too boring to document!!

How did it suddenly get to be a week to Christmas? I'm had a bit of a sewing drought this autumn, mainly doing bags and catching up on custom orders.. nice to be busy :-)

I'm in the thick of pre Christmas sewing at the mo though... Just completed the Nephews' Christmas presents, and am doing my children's Christmas PJs now, and then it's time for their CD outfits... a stocking to sew up for a friend, and then if that leaves any time I was going to redo stockings for my 3..... just lost a week though due to them all being ill.. and now I have a cold (sympathy please) Term ends today -so do I gain the time I normally spend on the school run, or lose time cos they're all in my hair! When I was teaching I couldn't break up early enough -now I wonder why they can't keep them till Christmas Eve... no I don't really but it's tempting!!

Dh is taking the older 2 to the cinema on Monday.. I shall be doing my own Mrs Incredible impression at home. In the mean time... cards to write (failed miserably last year and no one got one at all, they probably all think we've fallen down a drain or got buried in the foundations of the extension -mind you they wouldn't have known we were having that done as there were no cards....) things to plan, stuff to sew....

Oh and we have to get the tree this week too, the children are beginning to ask where it is?!
If I had my way it would wait till the 24th, but needless to say I'm outvoted on that one, and to be honest there's more than enough going on on the 24th anyway! Good enough that we never do it before the end of term :-)

right I'd better get on...

Yes, I'm catching up!!

2004-10-17T21:33:00.000+01:00

These wild trousers were made this weekend for my nephew -a rather belated birthday present, they're lined in flannel which I dyed to match the turquoise fabric, so they're yummy and warm... you can get away with this sort of thing when you're 3! They'd just make my bum look huge. That said my brother (not the little lad's dad... t'other brother!) fancies a pair of chefs' trousers in this fabric... maybe no flannel lining for him though...kitchens get rather hot!

STOP PRESS!!!
I just won an embroidery machine on Ebay!!! WHOOOOOOO:-)
a Janome 5700 for those who know these things... watch this space!!

Sew much fabric Sew little time

2004-10-17T21:31:00.000+01:00

I haven't actually been feeling very productive lately, but here's some trousers I made for DS... they're very cute with little dinos on them, but he does keep peeing in them!!! Still, I know they wash well ;-) I have a list as long as your arm (or maybe longer if you have particularly short arms!) of stuff that needs doing! all the children need more clothes (clothes that fit would be good!) I feel so much better when I get some sewing done... so all it needs is a little more time in the day! I bought some cool goodies on Ebay last week.. a walking foot and an adaptor thingy so I can use cheaper accessories with my Bernina machine..yeyyy! so much fun for only $30!!! Oh and I got 25 bobbins... so I can stop wasting time unwinding the wrong colour from one of the three I have that actually fit!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2004-10-17T21:29:00.000+01:00

For October I'm making special bags to sell in aid of Cancer charities -this is just my little bit to help and to say " more power to you" to the friends of mine who are battling with this horrible disease.

This is one such Pink Ribbon bag more to come!

90 years old!!

2004-09-15T16:42:00.000+01:00

no not me, though I do feel it this week! I just took delivery of this baby which I won on ebay last week...for the grand sum of 99p!!
She is in need of a little TLC but so far everything that should move does move (and a few things that shouldn't move , do!) I've been suffering sewing machine envy this week as so many of my sewing friends have been getting various new machines! so this one goes a little way to help!! she was made in the Singer Clydebank factory in 1914 and I wish she could talk! I imagine all sorts have been sewn on her. the original (tiny!) manual is still with the machine! but it's soaked in oil!! Fascinating though:-)

Ah well.. off to sew more stuff to sell so I can treat me to a shiny new embroidery machine!!

SOLD!

2004-09-12T17:30:00.000+01:00

Pink cord & hippy print bag
I sold this one this weekend in my other guise as a bag lady! (website very much under construction!) I think it's rather groovy - it's very theraputic making them (well any kind of sewing..) I was feeling very stressed when I sat down to get that done the other day - I do find it hard to balance sewing to sell and sewing to wear though, there just aren't enough hours in the day!!

and here it is...

2004-09-12T17:03:00.000+01:00

Ribbing T shirt with cord PRR sleeves
not a terribly good picture ... was in a tearing hurry yesterday!
The body is natural ribbing machine dyed with CW dye (Riviera Blue) and the cord dyed the same -except that that had already been dyed & stripped once -so started a pale peach colour (not terribly boyish!!) Top stitching is in burnt orange Guterman

How to bore the pants off people.. (and then sew more!)

2004-09-12T16:45:00.000+01:00

Instead of ( as well as?!) displaying my sewing projects on a plain jane website I thought I'd ramble on here about the hows & whys... If you're here I guess you're either interminably nosey or you're a fellow sewing list compatriot so you'll know what I'm wittering on about..
naturally I'm sure some other stuff will creep in, sometimes life just gets in the way ;-)

It's Sunday afternoon, it's P -ing downing with rain and we're reaching the end of a disgustingly busy weekend... mainly involving being a taxi service to the children. I did manage to sew a t shirt yesterday so that DD2 could give it to a friend for his birthday... no feedback as yet. There shoudl be a picture nearabouts;-)