Purl and Seam

Oh Suzanna…you’re back again. FO 28/2012

November 4, 2012

Here’s Button in another Oh Suzanna smock.

This was once one of The Husband’s shirts, so looks super cute with the button placket up the front.

Hey…it’s not only the top that’s cute!

I also changed up the sleeve a little. The pattern calls for elastic or to use the cuff from a long sleeved shirt. I decided to play with the existing turn up and stitch a little inverted pleat into each sleeve.

All in all it’s another adorable little top. Button couldn’t wait to show it off to her Grandma today, which I’m taking as a good sign.

The knitted dress is almost done…just the serger tails to sew in.

And the jeans are on the table.

I’m sewing these production style, so hopefully they’ll come together really quickly. I’ve got an impatient client!

PS…you may have noticed the light is grim here today

…but I really wanted to share!

A whole lot of nothing except a cute cardi!

October 24, 2012

The thing about having nothing that you have to do, is that the temptation to do nothing is rife.

As there’s only a whole load of sofa surfing going on, I thought I’d share the most recent Made by Ma, which, of course, features cables.

What can I say…I’m a sucker for cables!

Cute. No?

The Small Print

Pattern Book: Patons Play Days Book 4

Design: Harriet

Yarn: Patons Cotton Tropicano DK

I will get my butt into gear soon. Maybe.

W is for Washi – FO 27/2012

October 21, 2012

Following the exam fiasco and the operation-that-wasn’t, this week has been decidedly quiet. And I’ve spent much of it doing not very much except taking a breath and relaxing.

I did however find the energy to finish the hems and binding on my first Washi top.

I love it!

I know it makes the girls look ridiculously humongous…but, what can I say, I’ve got boobs…nothing’s going to change that!

Anyway…moving on…this is a great pattern. The downloaded pattern pages match up really well, making taping them together remarkably painless. Rae has written such clear and comprehensive instructions that you’ll have no trouble putting this together.

My only alterations were to add a bit to the length and a FBA. I was glad of the additional length when I carried out an impromptu burn test with my iron that confirmed that this fabric is, indeed, polyester!

The fabric is from Ma’s stash. It’s one of those that comes under the category of “what was I thinking” as this isn’t the best colour for either of us. But it just about works and it’s a very wearable muslin.

The Husband thinks its a lovely top…I can’t imagine why. I’m planning to make the dress version with another piece in my stash, but the next one will have the sleeves variation that Rae is teasing us with at the moment.

And then there’s the black cotton that would make a fabulous maxi…

I may have Washi fever!

The small print:

Pattern: Washi from Made by Rae. $16

Fabric: Polyester print from Ma’s stash. £0

Notions: Thread, interfacing and shirring elastic from stash. £0.

Total cost: $16

kcwc – days 6 & 7 – FO 25 & 26

October 14, 2012

Phew…made it! I actually finished the outfit.

But before I share can I just say thank you for all the kind comments on my last post. You are all just so very kind.

For my first kcwc I was planning to make one of Heidi and Finn’s Cowl Neck Jumper Dress

image courtsey of heidi and finn

and Stitch and Whimsey’s Oh Suzanna Smock.

image courtesy of stitch and whimsy

Both patterns were in my pattern library and I planned to upcycle one of The Husband’s shirts for the smock and a dress donated by Ma SIL.

However, this plan changed at the beginning of the week when Button was invited to a birthday party today at a children’s play centre. She needed something new, but not a frock. I wanted her to be able to run and play and have fun without being encumbered or losing her modesty.

Muuuuuuuum! Let me go and play!

So I went with the Oh Suzanna Smock and Peek-a-Boo skinny jeans.

As the top was made from new fabric rather than an upcycled shirt I went with the elasticated sleeve:

Button loves the pockets:

Speaking of pockets…I lined the jeans pockets with the same fabric:

It’s these little details that make me love sewing clothes.

There are cute little back pockets too:

These are just begging for embellishment! Maybe on the next pair…

I used a triple stitch and good old Gutermann thread to do the topstitching:

It’s the first time I’ve used this technique and I’m really rather pleased with the result.

As is Button. She got to run and climb and slide and jump in complete comfort, with room for cake. Which, in my book, makes my first attempt at kcwc a success.

These two patterns are going to get some use over the next few weeks. I’m planning to upcycle those shirts, and I have a pair of Daddy’s jeans to use too…she has outgrown her current pair of denims so these are a priority.

But, I still owe her that little knitted dress, so tonight I downloaded and taped the pattern:

This should be a quick make. I think I might be on a roll.

kcwc -days 4 & 5 – no sewing but a great result

October 12, 2012

Lawks a lordy…still no flipping pictures of sewing progress, but yesterday I did make it to the sewing loft. My progress is thus:

Oh Suzanna smock – sewn but awaiting elastic at the neck and sleeves to finish it.
Lilac jeans – I have the back yoke attached and topstitched. I have the front pockets almost finished.

When you write it down it doesn’t seem like much but I did spend several hours in the sewing loft yesterday. I think it will all come together tomorrow.

Today…well…today was a very different sort of day. I’ll tell you about it but if you’re only here for the sewing do feel free to duck out now and come back tomorrow for a kcwc update.

Between parent/teacher meetings at school and hospital appointments that ran way over time I didn’t make it to the machine today. And we’ve had a bit of news at the hospital that has me feeling faintly exhausted, so tonight I’m not sewing…just a few gentle rows of knitting and a movie.

You may have noticed from pictures of him that The Boy has divergent squints in both eyes. This means that both eyes tend to turn out towards the side of his head.

Another little gem of a sweater Made by Ma!
Edited thanks to Ma to say this is Pattern 2338 from Jolly Beachcomber Knits (a great book), knitted in mystery Aran weight donated by my lovely friend Liz.

As well as this he has little to no binocular vision. So he has very limited 3D perception, which affects things like walking up and down steps, catching a ball, even walking from a carpeted floor to a tiled floor can make him pause whilst he works it out.

He has amazed us with his ability to develop splendid coping strategies… so much so that unless you knew he has a problem, you wouldn’t be able to tell.

So the surgery that we thought was today, but wasn’t, is a small operation to straighten his squints.

Today we met with his surgeon who noticed that he had a bit of an eye infection. This is nothing new. He gets them all the time. Turns out he has a problem with a blocked tear duct.

At this point I threw in a perfectly innocent question about whether this would have any connection to recurring problems he has with runny and blocked noses. Problems that we’ve spent 2 years trying to get someone to take seriously and tell me something other than “he’ll grow out of it”.

Yeah…he might…but in the meantime he’s miserable every time he gets a cold.

The surgeon promptly decided that when she operates to sort out the blocked tear duct, she’ll have an ear, nose and throat surgeon in theatre with her, who will check out that side of things and do any treatment necessary.

It took less than 10 minutes for her to decide this. I cannot tell you how grateful and relieved we are.

So, the upshot is that before Christmas our little man will have a surgery to resolve his issues with his continually sore eye and his problematic, if exceptionally cute, nose.

His squints will then be fixed at a later date.

It means another surgery, which I’m anything but thrilled about.

But I am thrilled that finally someone has listened to us and is prepared to help The Boy.

So I’m drained because a two year struggle to be heard is over…and I’m not sewing…and I’m OK with that.

PS…apologies for crappy iPhone pictures.

kcwc – day 3

October 11, 2012

Bought more fabric…lilac needlecord for the skinny jeans. Actually, Ma bought it…thanks Ma. Button is thrilled.

But not as thrilled as she is with the new hightops that Ma and I bought her to go with this outfit.

They are from Next and Button nearly exploded when she saw them! I may have to get her the pink ones too…and make her a pink outfit to match.

However some progress was made. I taped together the jeans pattern and cut out the fabric. But it was so dark in sewing loft last night I couldn’t get a decent picture for love nor money.

Today, however, I’m actually sewing. The Oh Suzanna smock is coming together nicely. It’s a delightfully simple sew.

And we found out today The Boy isn’t having surgery tomorrow so we all feel a little lighter…for now.

Back to the loft. Pictures soon I promise.

kcwc – day 2 – not much to report

October 9, 2012

I started the day with the best intentions. I knew I had some things that needed doing that weren’t remotely related to sewing lovely clothes for the kids, but hadn’t banked on the afternoon being lost too.

It was in a good cause…having the windows measured for eventual replacement.

But it means I’ve still got nothing to show for day 2 of kcwc.

That said…I’ve taped together the Oh Suzanna Smock pattern and cut it out from the fabric I bought on Monday.

It’s the most delicious cotton lawn.

I’ve also purchased and downloaded Peek-a-Boo’s skinny jeans pattern.

What’s not to love. Skinny jeans for boys or girls. A bajillion sizes. I’m really looking forward to using this pattern as both my kids look adorable in skinnies and I have at least 4 pairs of adults trousers in the sewing loft ready for re-purposing for them.

I see quite a few iterations of this pattern in my future.

And whilst I was on the Peek-a-Boo site I also downloaded this pattern which is available free of charge.

So flipping cute.

This won’t be made during kcwc, but I’m envisaging this in the lovely “fauxbury” plaid I recently bought, trimmed with black, possibly velvet.

So no completed garments yet, but definite progress. And I’ve allocated more than the requisite hour to sewing related activities both yesterday and today…which is more that I’ve done for quite some time.

Hopefully the top will be sewn tomorrow.

My new baby

October 9, 2012

I know lots of lovely bloggy ladies are expecting at the moment…but don’t get your hopes up. I’d be thrilled but have more chance of winning the lottery! Without a ticket! 😉

And no…we haven’t got another fur baby either. Alice-who-is-a-cat is getting increasingly ancient so we are letting her see out her days in peace without being tormented by a larger fur-ball than she.

No…for some time now I’ve been dreaming of having a second regular sewing machine. A lovely older one, with a super straight stitch. Obviously when I renovate the sewing loft (which will probably be in about 10 years!) I’ll get the Jones treadle machine up and running for quilting.

But until then I’ve just been dreaming. I’m mean, I already have 6 sewing machines. For goodness sake, I’m turning into Peter! 😉

On Sunday we had planned to go to a local vintage fair as the kids were away with the grandparents and we had the day to ourselves.

But neither of us felt like it.

So we ended up at a bric-a-brac sale at one of our local charity venues.

It seems the Sewing Gods had other plans for me on Sunday.

There is hardly a mark on her. She sews like a dream.

Look at that stitch…it’s just perfect.

So The Husband, being the absolute ~~enabler~~ sweetie that he is offered to buy it for me as a treat for getting through the exams.

He’s the best.

And no fool when it comes to an absolute bargain.

I’m a very happy, very lucky lady!

kcwc 1 – Kitty – FO 24/2012

October 8, 2012

Ok…so strictly speaking this has been finished for a week or so, but I’ve not had the opportunity to share it with you yet.

And it’s a really cute way to kick off my first ever kcwc.

Pattern: Kitty from Donna Higgins at Heirloom Stitches

Yarn: Araucania Sock Yarn -it’s a mystery which one!

I love this pattern and I love this yarn.

The colours are even more saturated in real life, but because of the variegation of the yarn, it’s not too bold.

Unlike my daughter, who, quite frankly, is ‘bold’ personified!

New knits for small people – Made by Ma!

October 1, 2012

Ma has been mighty busy with her needles.

Lovely new knits for the small peeps in our household have been turning up with delightful regularity.

I, on the other hand, have been a very lax blogger and all round bad parent by not photographing these lovelies in a timely fashion so I can share them with you.

So, in the time honoured fashion of buses, here they all are at once.

Pattern: Sirdar 2358

Yarn: Sirdar Aran

I love cables. You might have noticed that cables pop up on this blog a lot.

I love our children in cables.

Add a red hood and Miss Cutie Button and it’s a perfect storm of knitterly delight.

And you can rock “Minxy” just as well as “Cute”!

Pah! Says The Boy.

I can do “cool dude” just as well as you do “Cute”!

Pattern: Sirdar Jolly Beachcomber Knits pattern number 2335

Yarn: Mystery yarn donated by my friend Liz.

Me…I think he looks like he should have a smallholding, with sheep and rare breed pigs.

Sigh…isn’t that perfect?

And this shot is just to remind myself that they’re not always beating the c**p out of each other!

More cabled loveliness for The Boy!

Pattern: Baby Bamboo Too Pattern G

Yarn: Patons Tropicana Cotton DK

He looks far too preppy and grown up in this one. And it also evidences the recent growth spurt between the front and back being knitted and checked against him and the sleeves being knitted! Thankfully it’s not too short, but we’ll be making future knits just a bit longer.

Big thanks go out to Ma for such sterling work with the needles.

Edited:

Especially as she’s going to add some length to the navy sweater.

She’s the best!

And I’ve still a couple more knits to share with you, one by Ma and one that I’ve done. I’ll share these this week and then we’ll be up to date with all our recent makes just in time for KCWC!

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