Wednesday 28 June 2017

Dress IS

Dress IS

Photos not great sorry,  but it is pouring down outside and I can't seem to coordinate time and sunshine at the moment. Anyway, the dress pattern is an old favourite which is a combination of two dresses from the Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori- dresses I and S.
My previous ones are here and here if you want to take a peek, both linen.

Dress IS

This time I made the pattern up slightly looser initially because the last one pulled a bit sometimes across the back. I then got the usually direct but often helpful feedback from child number one, who said it was a bit "sack-like"!! She was right I think, and I decided the best option, (not to mention the easiest one due to not having to take out the zip) was to try a couple of rows of shearing elastic across the back..

Dress IS

This is a technique I learnt while make a Washi Dress- seen here - which is another favourite. The Washi Dress has 6 rows of shearing and the stretchiness of it makes it super comfortable.

The fabric, mentioned in my last post, is Indigo Pond Life bought from Merchant and Mills. It is such a soft cotton and drapes well. I used a double thickness to line the bodice and a plain muslin to line the skirt.

Dress IS

All in all it has worked out ok which is a good job because the black one has finally worn out.
xx

Sunday 18 June 2017

Sunshine and stars

WIP

The ripple blanket is growing slowly, ideal for carrying round for a sneaky bit of hooky while waiting to pick up various people from various places, you know how it is.

WIP

The colours are still a bit of "make it up as you go along" but I find the regular bits of grey help to tie it all together. I didn't used to like grey that much as a colour to work with but maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have a slowly increasing number of grey hairs that I am trying to embrace!!

Apatched knee

This was just a very quick project finished out of necessity. My favourite jeans developed a hole and it may be stylish for the kids to have ripped jeans but I felt a bit of a pillock. I have been looking at some sewing ideas on Pinterest here, and here, and thought I could try a bit out on the offending hole.


New fabric

This beauty arrived all wonderfully packaged from Merchant and Mills a couple of weeks ago and I have finally decided it will be a dress. The fabric is Indigo Pond Life and is a really soft cotton. More to come on that one.

WIP

Why is it when you are trying to get a picture that there often seems to be a slight gust of wind just at the wrong moment..

WIP

That's better. Five little stars, another work in progress. Using linen recycled from a shirt and some Tilda fabric kindly bought for me for my birthday. Thanks Mum and Dad.

Antirrhinums

And finally just had to mention these lovelies- last years antirrhinums which survived over winter and are just flowering their hearts out and making me smile.
xx

Sunday 4 June 2017

Tunic and a cheat!

Dress E
 
Just finished a new tunic.
The pattern was taken from the "Stylish Dress Book" by Yoshiko Tsukiori. I love the Japanese pattern books and spend hours looking at the pictures, trying to imagine the patterns made up in different fabrics. The blog "Make Something" written by Karyn is really helpful because she has made up a number of the patterns which she kindly shares. The dresses can look so different depending on the fabric and length chosen and Karyn has made things I wouldn't have tried from the book, but that end up looking completely different. 
This is Dress E, made without sleeves,  just binding the arm hole edges with bias strips cut from the dress fabric. The pleated front panel and gathers along the back make it a super comfy dress or tunic. And it's got pockets too, my Nan would have approved!
It's a very light weight and soft cotton, indigo dyed I think.
 
I have made the pattern before in a linen cotton mix, with sleeves. Just to compare here it is ..
 
Blue linen dress
 
and here is a view of the back...

Blue linen dress

On to other things...

Cushion detail

This cushion was made using left over Moorland Blanket (more here) yarn
and it is already in use on the sofa. It's a bit of a cheat if I am honest as I just sort of appliqued it on top of the old cushion front that had seen better days, reusing the back with a zippered opening.
Super quick and very lazy of me but sometimes a bit of a cheat is ok I think.
 
Cushion and start of a new ripple blanket
  
In the basket is my next crochet project, a new ripple blanket using two shades of grey and other leftovers from various projects. It's a "make it up as you go" project because my leftovers basket was starting to overflow. 

Blabket detail
 
xx