A Crafting Weekend

The only good thing about being so sick you don't think you can move, is when you have your knitting in hand and a blanket in your lap as you sit on the lounge watching movies.  This weekend was one such weekend.

As I am once again sick, and stocked up on Codral Cough Cold and Flu tablets, yesterday I was so tired I didn't get out of my pj's until late afternoon, and I just sat on the lounge, with my knitting in hand, and then after lunch I decided I would finish sewing up Nessa's second dress.  It was a very lazy weekend, but a much needed one!

After I made the first little dress for Nessa, I realised that she won't be able to wear it for a while as it's still a little chilly outside.  So, I went on a hunt on Ravelry for a shrug or bolero that she could wear over the top of this dress, and the green one which I was planning on making.  I came across this Leafy Shrug (which comes in a range of sizes! best $5 spent ever!) and decided to make this in a dark teal, so it would go with both dresses.  It took no time at all to make, especially as she is only 3 and it was made with 8ply and 5mm needles!  I was quite happy as I even got to knit up stitches (yes, I am strange like that! haha!)

After I finished this shrug, I jumped onto the sewing machine to sew up the next little dress.  This one was green with a pink hem and buttons and I thought I would mix it up a little by sewing the hem with green stitching.  This one seemed to go more smoothly than the first, but I think that's because I knew what I was doing.  I decided to try something different and iron the interfacing onto the fabric and then cut the fabric around the shape of the interfacing, however that didn't quite work out as it seemed to shrink a lot more than it did the first time around.

The dress didn't take long to sew up at all, so I was at a bit of a loss as of what to do at that point.  So, I pulled out my Brothers Socks that I started to make for his birthday (back in July!! lol! but that is a whole other story.)  They are almost finished now.  I completed the food section, and tonight all I need to do is the toe, which will take no more than half an hour and it will be all finished and I will be able to give it to him (to go with the sock he already has!) and get it out of my queue.

I also really need to block out my Maluka as that has just been sitting there, waiting to be blocked.  I really want to get that off my WIP list too and to take some nice photos of it.  Hopefully tonight I can get both done.

Complete: Little Dress

Last night I finished the little dress!! I did my first button holes and i even managed to do the curved hem - a little tricky, but doable!

I have even started cutting out the pattern again to make another one!  So I must have enjoyed making it really! haha!! no, I really loved making it.

Anyway, I have a photo of the finished dress, and one of Nessa holding it up this morning (before we had dressed her or brushed her hair lol!)  She is so excited about wearing it! I was hoping that it might be warm enough tomorrow for her to be able to wear it, but I'm not liking my chances.

 

My first little dress!

Not only is it my first little dress, it is also the first item of clothing I have sewn... ever!

Now, it's not finished yet, but it will be tonight.  I just need to figure out how to sew a curved hem - which I have found a tutorial here - Burda Style: Curved Hems and I also need to do the buttonholes (something else new!! I didn't want to play around with these last night when I was tired as I didn't want to make a mistake). 

The interfacing part was quite easy.  I would have to say the hardest part of this project was sewing the interfacing section to the top of the dress to reinforce it.  It was so curvy and a little hard to navigate the sewing machine around, but I got there!  Even if one of the straps does look a little dodgy haha!!

So, at this stage, this is what the dress looks like.  Can't wait to finish it!!  I have to say I am feeling very proud of myself and I don't think it looks too shabby at all!

Shopping...

Whoops!!! Went to Spotlight yesterday and spent over $70 on fabric!! haha!!  Looks like I have gotten the sewing bug!

I wanted to pick up some wadding, backing and bias binding for the Sock monkey blanket, but I also found this cute little dress on a dummy that I wanted to make for Nessa.  However, it turns out that one of the employees there "made up" the dress, so I couldn't make it!! bah!!  Carrie and I spent the next hour or so trying to find similar patterns in the book.  We found these two that we liked (after finding quite a lot that weren't available!! lol)

I have decided to make the top one first.  I will make it quite basic with just the 2 tones of fabric and buttons, no other embellishments.  Because Spotlight had the buy one get one free deal, I bought the second pattern for when I am a bit more confident.  Nessa has already pointed out the pink one with the white sash (the one I had picked out too) as the one that she wants for that one.

I meant to take a photo of the fabrics I bought, they are so bright and fun!!  I will have a look at making them (I bought enough fabric to make 2 dresses of the first pattern).  There is a pink material with orange, green and blue spots, a lime green material with purple and pink printed pattern and then I also got some nice fuchsia pink as the colour for the hem.  It probably sounds a little out there (and I know B isn't so sure lol!) but Carrie has an amazing eye for colour and I think they will turn out well... or at least I hope they do and that Nessa likes them!  I also had to buy some interfacing - something new and very different for me! I have never used it before, so I think I will be you-tubing a fair bit!! lol  I'm actually wondering if it would be worthwhile doing some sewing lessons to learn how I should be doing things lol.

Anyway, back to the Sock Monkey Blanket.  Last night I added the backing  and wadding to the front part that I made over the weekend.  It was quite tricky to try and get it all to line up and not gather.  Which I made it most of the way around, and managed to get a bit of a gather in one of the corners.... I was not happy!!  However, I am just not sure how I should have done it to avoid the gather.  I joined them all together using a zig-zag stitch (very exciting for me as I couldn't use the different stitches on my old sewing machine!! it's the small things! lol), and I am hoping that having this will help make sewing the bias binding to the edge a bit easier.  Oh yeah, I got a dark blue backing and some red bias binding.  If possible I might try to pin the bias binding on tonight and sew it all in, which will mean that it will be finished.  I hope it looks ok!!

I started a quilt!

Because I got a new sewing machine a few weeks ago, I thought I would test it out well and truely by making my very first quilt!!

I went to spotlight with Carrie on Saturday morning before Stitch and Bitch and found a 5 pack of fat quarters on special for $11 in a Sock Monkey pattern.  Once I got these home, I have them an iron, and cut each piece into quarters to that I would have some squares.  As I had never done anything like this, I kept my seam allowance quite large so that I wouldnt make any mistakes, or at least nothing too huge! 

I am surprised by how quickly I was able to sew it all up!  I have to admit I really love the instant gratification of sewing!!  An entire baby blanket in under 6 hours! (or atleast the quilted top part lol!!)

I'll have to make another trip to spolight now to grab some batting, backing and bias binding to finish it all off.  

I also want to get a book on basic quilting/sewing to get me started - any ideas as to which one would be a good one?

How could I forget?!

When I was writing about the Alluring Sorceress last night, I meant to tell you all about my wonderful new toy which my darling BF bought me on Saturday (after much discussion about whether or not he should get it for me)!  So, I am now the proud owner of an Elna 1000!!!!

I don't have a photo of it, but I did manage to pull this one off the web.  I had to test it out, so I made a curtain for the flat (I now need to make the matching one lol!) and can i just say, I love it!!!!  It is so smooth and easy to use (I'll pop a pick up of my very old one later) and the bobbin winds with no issues at all!!!!

So, now I need to sew more... I'm sure B doesn't mind that I may be adding fabric to the yarn stash... :D

Getting the blog up and running

Well, I thought it was probably a good idea to start a little bit of a blog about my knitting exploits.

I'm currently surfing Ravelry one of the best sites I have been introduced to in a long time! Althought at this stage I seem to be finding more things to make, rather than actually knitting...

But then that could have something to do with the weather too!! I always seem to get really into the knitting over summer... You would think that the 35 degree heat would really put me off!!

Anyway, I suppose I should put a bit about me in here!

I am 24, although don't let me age fool you. Not to sound conceited, but there isn't a pattern I can't do! I have been knitting since my mother taught me at age 6 - and I haven't stopped! I have entered craft competitions and come out as "Champion"... sounds a bit like I'm blowing my own horn doesn't it!!

Well, anyway, I have taught a few of my friends how to knit (among other things) and I love having our little 'crafty' days :)

Anyway, I started out making the usual things that a child makes... tea cosies!! lol I then started making bags, mittens, oddly shaped dolls and then when I hit about 14 I discovered Jean Greenhowe and began knitting dolls like crazy!! After a while I realised that I had no idea what to do with all the dolls as they were building up and decided to start knitting more 'practical' things... such as clothes... for babies, children and adults!

So here I am, surrounded by wool, needles, patterns and many ideas!

What to do next!