Progress report (of sorts)

I finishedthe blouse I blogged about:

Here I'm wearing it, tucked into a skirt as it should be worn.

Doesn't look quite so good flat though!

It has lovely gathers over the shoulders

And a dart at the collar.

I made a test of it because it's a vintage pattern and I wanted to check the fit. I know that in times past different amounts of ease have been used for patterns, so to make a work suitable blouse I needed to check it was going to fit how I wanted. I also wanted to make an entire test piece to check some of the construction techniques. It's a pattern from the late 40s or early 50s and I know that what was considered easy and simple in the past is not necessarily the case now, and I didn't want to invest in some lovely blouse fabric and mess it up by not knowing what I was doing. However saying that, this test piece is entirely wearable as it is. The only thing I might change is the buttons. I used self covered buttons and I think they're too heavy for the fabric.

I have also made a decimal, speaking of fit issues. I swatched (several times), washed the swatches. Measured the swatches. Started knitting it. Ripped it out and went up a whole needle size. Knitted it. It doesn't fit. It fits Kathryn perfectly (well, the sleeves are a bit long for her). She loves it.

It's a good thing I've got so much of this yarn. Decimal, take 2. I may  have to undo some of the first version to finish the second, but since the sleeves are so long on the first one I don't think it's a problem.

I started these socks to take into hospital when I had my operation. I still need to finish the second toe.

I'm spinning for a Wingspan. Three ply, made up of random fibre. The first two were from samples I got, and the last ply (the one I'm still spinning) is I think something I picked up after a class somewhere. No idea exactly what it is, but I'm guessing wool and silk in some proportion. The spun plies are a mix of wool, silk, alpaca and other luxury fibres. Should be lovely when it's all done.

And my final progress item? A swatch I'm partway through for a warm jumper. I am hoping this will also be a work suitable top when it's done.

Slightly longer than anticipated

Hello!

That was a slightly longer break than I intended.

My foot is all healed up now, thanks for your good wishes. I had a lovely mummy bandage for a while and then a very silly sandal thing.

I can now wear heels, and if I chose carefully you can't see the scar!

I have been knitting, but I'm most excited about this blouse I'm sewing:

I'm making a test item out of an old duvet cover, and I love the pleats at the back - which are referred to as "dart tucks".

I just have to set the sleeves in and make the button holes (and sew the buttons on). It's short sleeved, so I am not likely to wear it until the weather warms up, but I really wanted to check the fit of the blouse. Once I know it fits properly I'll make some proper ones up, with the long sleeves.

I'm starting a new job on Monday, another maternity cover job, and hopefully it will be less intense than the last one - it's closer so the travel time should be less.

So, how's everyone been while I've been away from blogland?

Long time no post

I'm going to be having an operation on my foot next week and it's taking up a lot of time.

Afterwards I might even get back to blogging regularly, but it's not likely while I'm still commuting. I can't believe how much time that takes up out of my day!

I will be back, I'm still alive (in pain, but alive) and after next Friday will be around for a few weeks.

K is for...

Well, K is for lots of things.

For starters, K is for Knitters. Who are not all nice and fluffy people, despite the stereotypes of knitters being sweet old ladies.

See the plagiarism.

See the terrible business practices of A Certain Magazine publisher. If you're on Ravelry, might I suggest you look at this thread, and the linked threads at the top of the page. Gentle warning. It's in the Rubberneckers group, and they don't pull their punches.

K is also for Kindness, and the unexpected kindness of strangers - just before Christmas I slipped and fell on my bum just outside a family's house. I walk past this house every day on my way home from work. When I slipped, they came rushing out, all worried, offering to drive me home, very concerned. They were sweet, and really kind. And every time I walk past their house now, they wave at me. They've got kids. I'm going to stick a basket with chocolate Easter eggs on their step (if I can do it without being seen and waved at that is) just before Easter. Kindness needs to be rewarded!

And of course K is for Kathryn. It's hardly believable to me that at the end of next week it will be 7 years since I started my maternity leave, and that she'll be 7 a few weeks later. 7 seems both far too big a number for how long my little girl has been been around, and not big enough. She's my smartie, funny, silly, lovely little girl.

J is for...

Just in time for my blog post - FOs!

My Annis Shawl, which I'm very pleased with. So's Kathryn who instantly said it must be for her, as she's small and so is the shawl. So ok then...

This is my Clothkits Big Birdie skirt. I'm immensely pleased with this, partly because it matches Kathryn's Birdie skirt (see below). This is the front, with just a big birdie and flower on. Loganberry and lime colourway, and I love the purple this is in real life.

This is the back, with another birdie and lots more flowers.

And the inside detail. Facing and lining. And the lining is hand sewn to the zip. Looks and feels lovely!

And this is Kathryn's Birdie Easy Peasy Skirt... which she made! Her very first proper FO!

Here she is sewing it up, as Blogger won't let me switch the position of this and the next picture...

And here she is cutting out the fabric...

The back, and you can see that she too has flowers on her bum!
Detail from the inside. Love Clothkits, they have the most lovely details.
My current WIP, a baby blanket for a friend who is expecting her first baby shortly. So I need to get on with it!

Slightly cheaty, but I couldn't think of anything else that started with a "J"! Can you?

I is for...

Invisible!

Invisible zips are about the only zip I can sew in, thanks to the amazingly helpful instructions in this book, with the lovely concealed zipper foot for my sewing machine.

Other invisible things? Invisible increases and decreases in knitting. They never are though! If anyone can point me towards an actual invisible inc or dec that really is invisible, I'd be grateful:)

Also I is for Internet. I love:

Knitty

Burda

Ravelry

Bookmooch

Pattern Review

What about you?

H is for...

Hems.

How do you hem, and for what purposes? I have two hem types I usually use: By hand, which looks like this:

Or by pressing and turning up the raw edge twice, and machine sewing over the edge.

I have tried a bound hem, on this:

Which I should do more often, as it was easy and looks great:) The ribbon bound the raw edge in between the ribbon and the main fabric, and Kathryn still loves this skirt, even though it's now slightly too small for her!

However I am thinking of trying different types of hemming. There's rolled hems, blind stitch hems (which my machine does, but I never have and I want to try), facings and raw edge no hems. Presumably with an overlocker you can also add overlocked edges as well.

So, what hems do you like to use, and for what purposes?