a joint input skirt

This skirt has to be the easiest skirt ever :) I used a pattern to make it, but next time I think that I'll just wing it ... it's a circular skirt with shop bought ribbing for the waist.

My sister

went on an op shopping trip, and bought me back this awesome new Hobbylock overlocker (thanks sis!). Being as it was pre threaded with black cotton, I searched around for something to try it out on ... I found the white and black fabric that my daughter no longer wanted, along with her circular skirt pattern.

An instant, joint input project, that resulted in a really cool, easiest ever skirt :)

Too cute!

... yay! ... we're going to have another grandbaby (a little cousin for the little man), and this time it's a girl :) ... (sooo excited!!). So of course, having just found out her gender, I went straight to Spotlight to buy some little dress fabric, and ... came home with nine different ones! (it was just too hard to choose!). Later I was surfing whilst drooling over the fabric, and found the Elsie Marley blog. Perfect timing, as she is organising the '2010 Kids Clothes Week Challenge' starting tomorrow on the 20th September. It's a really cool concept ... just join a few hundred other crafters working on making kid's clothes for one hour a day for a week ... simple, love it, and can't wait to get started :)

But in the meantime today, whilst planning my weeks sewing, I made these cute as, Baby Janes with some stash Sugar'n Cream cotton (The pattern is by Valerie Johnson and can be found on Ravelry) ... thanks Valerie :)

From Enid to Ikea

I love, love, LOVE Ikea fabric :)

I found an off-cut in the remnant bin of my local Ikea, measuring 1.05m, for $7.50 and thought that it would make a really cool skirt. When I laid it out at home, it looked like I might be able to just squeeze a dress out of it instead, so, out came my trusty Enid Gilchrist books and one bodice and one skirt pattern later, I have my new Enid/Ikea dress :)

I used the patterns from my copy of 'Junior Teens and Smaller Women' ... the sleeveless bodice from the basic dress pattern on page 30, and the softly pleated skirt from page 16. The bodice was cut on the bias, because I knew that it would be a snug fit, and I figured that cutting it this way would give me more room to move, and the skirt was just made from the remaining fabric cut on the straight of grain. (It used a lot more fabric in the bodice this way, but it was so worth it)

Now I think that either dress and skirt waists used to be worn higher, or my waist is in the wrong place (:D) ... so, I added a small 'waistband' to lengthen the bodice to make the dress feel like it was sitting on my waist :)

I love Ikea ... and I love Enid ... and I love my new dress :)

That 70's Skirt

Browsing through some old sewing patterns at the op shop, I found a little book dating from about the 70's, containing heaps of miniature dressmaking patterns. Not knowing what it was, I did a quick Google search, and discovered the world of Lutterloh :) It seems like such a cool, clever idea ... you take just two body measurements (bust and hips), and using the Lutterloh measuring scale, draft out the patterns from the miniature schematics. The book I bought was Supplement number 135, and didn't come with the scale ... however, I ordered the current Lutterloh complete system(which includes the patterns, instructions and more importantly, the scale tape) :)....so here we have skirt pattern number 105 (from supplement 135)... the illustration was a bit vague so I wasn't totally sure how it would look (or whether it would fit!), but unbelievably, using only my hip measurement, it turned out great and was really easy to draft :) I can't wait to make more!

Just using what I've got ...

...seriously, I need to stop buying yarn and fabric! I do know that I have tried this before, but this time I'm going to try really, really hard!! I have got so much stuff that it's gonna take me forever to use it! I'm on a definite mission to drastically de-stash - use what I've got as far as possible without going to the shops. I guess the only exception will be to buy buttons and things to finish off items, but I will try my hardest to make do :-) (I'm slightly worried that Big W will do one of their annual yarn sell-offs soon to make room for the summer stock, and if that is the case, I'm not sure that I can resist buying 50c balls of yarn!!!... but, we will see) :-D


...so, to start me off, I made a couple of things from my stash :-) The sweater actually started off as a Bad Penny, but after wearing my other one for a while, realised that I didn't like the wool so close to my neck ... too itchy, so I frogged and used the yarn to make this basic top down, scooped out neck version instead (this time I just made the pattern up as I went along). I still love the Bad Penny pattern, but just not with the Sean Sheep Armytage that I was using. I thought that I only had 5 balls of yarn, so I just knitted down until I ran out (I then found another ball in my stash, after it was finished, but by then, I couldn't be bothered to lengthen it. I just tend to tug at it now if it rides up :-D) The bag was made with some fabric oddments that I got from a local sheeting seconds outlet (Talking Textiles at Christie's Beach) ... at the time, I think I got 10 various sized pieces for $1. Not bad, a bag for $2! The free pattern is here. The only thing I will change on it next time, will be to place the internal pockets nearer to the bottom of the bag. Other than that, it's perfect ... comfy to carry, great size, especially since South Australia banned all plastic check out bags from supermarkets. My everyday bag now has to be big enough to fit in my small shopping bags and my Woolworths roll up ones ... oh, and I quite often have a nappy, bottle and dummy to carry as well :-D

Lincraft Blossom (Blossom Tee)

...so here's the way that it usually goes...I see discounted yarn and buy as much as I can afford, or carry, or both!!! (but of course, that's just a given for all yarnies, right?). My next step is usually to take it home, drool over it, plan a million things to make with it, and then put it into storage bins for future use (:-D)...but, this time I was on a mission to use what I bought straight away :-)

Lincraft had a discount bin next to the check-out with their own brand Blossom for 24 cents a ball (24c!!). By the time that I spotted it, there was a very lonely, sad looking, 3 balls left. A trip back there a couple of days later found another 2 balls :-)
I didn't know if it would make a full length top, or whether I would have to stop at cropped, but making it top down, meant that I could just keep going until the yarn ran out.
I made it to fit a woman's size 34" at a gauge of 13sts to 22 rows over 4", on size 5mm needles.



BODY
Starting from the top, cast on 42 stitches
Knit 1 row
Purl row, placing stitch markers after stitch 1, 11, 31 and 41
Knit row, increasing (knit into front and back of stitch) both sides of the markers
Purl row
Continue the last 2 rows until there are 15 stitches for each front, 38 stitches for each sleeve, and 48 stitches for the back, ending with a purl row
Increase into 1st stitch, knit to marker, place sleeve stitches on spare needle, knit to next marker, put sleeve stitches onto another spare needle, knit to end, increasing into last stitch (place stitch markers at both underarm seams)
Work 8 rows, increasing 1 stitch at both ends of every row
Start to knit in rounds starting at centre front - knit to first marker (use this marker as your beginning of round)
Knit 9 rounds
Knit round, knitting 2 together at each side of markers (decrease round)
Knit 3 rounds
Decrease round
Repeat last 4 rounds 4 times more (72 sts)
Knit 15 rounds
Knit round, increasing at each side of markers (increase round)
Knit 3 rounds
Repeat last 4 rounds 4 times
Changing to size 4.5mm needles, knit 1 purl 1 rib for about 12 rounds
Cast off

SLEEVES
Place sleeve stitches back on a size 4.5mm needle and pick up 2 stitches at the underarm (40 sts) place a marker in the middle of the 2 extra stitches
Knit 1 row
Rib 3 rows
Cast off

NECK
Starting at one of the back raglan placements, pick up and knit 102 stitches evenly around neck opening
Rib 3 rows
Cast off



Ta-Da!! ... straight from Lincraft to my wardrobe, without having a stop-over at my stash pile...!!

Nappy Bags

This is the most awesome nappy bag pattern :-) It's from 'Crafts for Baby' by Alison Jenkins, and it really is worth buying the book just for this pattern alone ... (I'm sure the other patterns are equally as good, it's just that we haven't gotten around to trying them yet). I say 'we' as the book is actually my daughter's (she bought it for $10..what a bargain!). After seeing how good her nappy bag turned out, I had to have one of my own ;-D (Her's is the blue one, mine is the green)With the fabric I had left over, I made a matching shopping bag from this free pattern at Uhandbag ... the fabric worked great for bags as it was block out curtaining from Spotlight. The thermal coating gave it just the right amount of stability without having interfacing. I need to get back down to Spotlight soon to get some more...Here in South Aus, all supermarket plastic bags are being banned from January next year, and my local Woolies has started to get rid of them already... so ... I'll be in need of a boot full of eco friendliness to carry my food home :-)

Inspired to Sew

Now that I'm back home again after my few weeks in the UK, I've got a mad urge (yep, even madder than usual!) to get into my knitting and sewing :-) My instant gratification came in the form of this apron, which, according to the pattern is supposed to be a top (just thought that my girls would give me absolute heaps if I wore this out in public as a top!!)....hence, it will definately be worn as a pinny. As far as I can tell, the only thing making it a top, is the fact that the skirt part goes all around at the back as well as the front.
The pattern was one of my op shop buys for 20c...a McCalls 2 hour sampler wrap top/dress from 1983. I love the finished look of it (although I did have to put a couple of darts in the top, to prevent a drapey neck), and I love that fact that it did take less than 2 hours :-D

Just a few days before my hols, I had an another awesome find in the op shop (another 20c bargain!). I found a really old, coverless copy of Enid Gilchrist's Play Clothes. I'd never even heard of her before, and was really surprised at how many sewing patterns and information were in one book. Of course, as soon as I got home, I googled Enid's name, and couldn't believe how many things she had published, for both adults and kids. I got straight onto ebay and bid on a whole heap of her books. They were all here at home waiting for me when I returned from overseas....sooo....I had a few days of awesome jetlagged reading :-D
When I was searching for info on her, I found this amazing blog called Inspired by Enid. I was really happy to find another Enid fan, and even more so when I realised that the blog belonged to Tracy from Madquilter, one of my favourite crafty bloggers :-D (Tracy, I've got a couple of doubles that I don't think you have..Suits and Dresses 5 to 12 years and the New Idea special publication Baby Book...if you don't already have them, let me know and you're more than welcome to these :-))
I'm not sure yet, what I'll be sewing next, but I'm having great fun trying to decide ;-D

Playing catch-up!

I've got heaps of stuff to blog about....
Having been overseas for the last few weeks....
I guess I don't really know where to start ;-D

Here's a peek at my crafty happenings of late, in picture form...there'll be more details to follow :-D
(it really is good to be home!)

Book goodies!

...so...not a lot of blogging has been happening these last few weeks due to my rapidly failing camera...but I'm back, armed and ready with my new Fuji Finepix Z5, which (oh yeah!) has a blog ready photo setting :-) What to photograph first?...aaah my new book goodies :-D
I took a trip to Dymocks to see what new craft books they had...just browsing you understand ;-D (apart from these two, which just looked too good not to buy!).
To be honest, the Sew What! Fleece book wouldn't usually have gotten a look, but because it was in the same format as the Sew What! Skirts book, and knowing how awesome that book is, I flicked through it. If you look past the fact that everything is made of fleece (!!), there are some really nice, basic patterns (like the skirt book, they are based on your own measurements and marked directly onto the fabric). I was hoping that there would be a pants, tops, sleepwear edition in the Sew What books, but really, this book has a pattern for all of them :-)
now...off to find some pants fabric...more piccies to follow

How excited am I...!?

...bargain shopping time! :-D Big W are doing the same as last year, and selling off their entire stock of Sean Sheep yarn for 50c a ball (could be 20c within a few days though!)...this time, even their kits of 3 or 4 balls are 50c!










After reading this Sew What! Skirts book from the library, I was inspired to look for fabric in household linen shops...there's a great skirt to be made from a tablecloth, so I looked in the manchester section of Best and Less...the tablecloths weren't the best, but then I spotted the euro sized pillowcases going out for $1.20 each...there is just THE perfect amount of fabric for a basic A-line skirt...so of course, I bought one or two (;-D) !! I also bought a roll of zips for the skirts...?...I didn't know there was such a thing, but how cool is it?!...you just measure the size you want, then zig-zag on the machine, and cut through :-)
Not much progress has been on my blanket (too much time spent shopping!), but I'm really happy with how the flower petals have turned out (and how easy they are).
Thanks very much Leonie and 2paw, for your help with Torchwood (gggrrrrr channel 10!)...a friend helped us out, so we are all sorted now :-) ...again, thanks!
Suzy, congratulations on the birth of Lucie :-) she looks soooo cozy in her new leg warmers!
Penny, I have been knitting as long as I can remember :-) When I was in primary school, we were allowed to take games and toys to play with on the last day of term...hmmmm...you guessed it, I was the one sitting there knitting :-D...(you can imagine how many 'old granny' jokes I used to get....come to think of it, I still do!!!)

Retro Knitting

This is the first time that I've used my Bond knitting machine in about 20 years... (can't believe that it's still in perfect working order!). I figured that an easy camisole/singlet would be a good way to ease back into using it...and so far, so good :-) It's probably a bit longer than I wanted, but once the i-cord straps on, it should be good. One of the problems I had with the Bond before, was trying to find good patterns to make on it, but now that I don't need specific patterns (thanks to my free Knitware program :-D), finding something to knit is as easy as! ... and it is so, so , SO quick :-)

That didn't stop me however, buying this hardback copy of Square Knits by Angela King and Caroline Baker, from the Op Shop!...I remember drooling over this book when it first came out in 1985 (!), but at ten pounds, it was way beyond my budget ... I was more than happy to pay a dollar fifty for it this week though... and with all of the retro fashions in the shops right now, it doesn't even look that out-dated :-)

My Tube Top from Fitted Knits is really easy, and nice to work on...the centre panel has a Rusted Root look about it, but the pattern is a whole lot easier to follow :-) I'm going to add straps to it, not only because I think it'll look better, but also to help keep it up...it's turning out bigger than I imagined, but as I was planning on wearing something underneath it anyway, it shouldn't really matter..(my fingers are crossed!)
*edit* I've just realised that the singlet picture is too dark to see...I'll try taking some better shots this afternoon, now that the sun is out :-)

Dollar skirt!

I tested out my new Bonfit skirt patterner yesterday...All I wanted was a basic, A-line(ish) skirt, with as little detail as poss, and something quick that could be worn today...so here it is!..my VERY basic skirt, made from one metre of fabric that I bought from the Op Shop for a dollar. The fabric had the added bonus of being slightly stretchy, which eliminated the need for any kind of fastening...it has two side seams and a hem at the top and the bottom. I made the waist measurement bigger, so that it would go on easier, and so that once it was on, it would settle more on my hips than waist (fitted waists always make me feel uncomfy, like I've been chopped in half!)
It took less than an hour to make, and fits and feels great :-)
I bought about $20 worth of fifty cent/one dollar fabric whilst I was op shopping ... most of it will have to wait for the summer, but I'm really pleased that there were a few pieces that I can use to make more winter skirts :-)

Lounging in style!

....so this has gotta be my best op shop purchase EVER!...I'd never heard of Bonfit patterners before, but as soon as I saw it propped up in the craft section with the template of the pants piece on the front..I knew it was going to be good :-) So of course, I grabbed it quick, paid my $12.50 (yep! $12.50!!) and pretty much ran out of the shop to my car.... ....Yes it's good!..how have I never heard of these before?!
I'm guessing that it must have been sold originally in Aus, because the video plays fine, and has a PAL compatability sticker on it. I'm on the look out for the bodice and the skirt versions now (don't suppose it will be as easy as walking into the op shop again though!) I thought I would test it out on some lounge/pj pants...I used a piece of sheeting that I had in my stash (originally going to be a quilt backing), and followed the patterner guide for palazzo pants...the result? - a perfect (and stylish ;-D) alternative to my old trackydaks :-) Love it, love it, love it!!
(and the best bit is, there's no annoying paper pattern to fight with...I drew the pattern straight onto the fabric)