Paula's Projects

I seem to be in a phase of accumulating projects, rather than finishing them. The second sleeve on my Ysolda Teague Chickadee cardigan (with my own modifications) took ages. Anyway, now I'm on the body and it should be fairly swift from now on. I anticipate finishing it in two months' time. 

During one particularly challenging day at work, I headed to the haven of John Lewis haberdashery dept at lunchtime. It usually does the trick. Mostly I just browse, looking for new fabric I might like for future projects, or new wool or pattern ideas. I came across this knicker making kit, and, it being something I thought I'd like to have another go at I decided to just buy the (extortionately priced) kit.

Polka dots aren't my thing at all, and I'm fairly sure the fabric isn't 100% cotton, but anyway, I decided to press ahead and use it as a tester. The construction is easy, though lining up the front, back and gusset to sew showed me they weren't all the same length (I think they're meant to be?). Perhaps I'll understand better once I've sewn the elastic on. The instructions have revealed to me what I did wrong all those years ago when I made knickers before (without a pattern or instructions - I traced round an existing pair as a pattern). When sewing on the elastic a zigzag stitch is used, instead of straight stitch! This is (now obvious and) revolutionary! Of course.

While browsing the VERY DANGEROUS website M is for Make, I came across this material and before I knew it my online basket was full and I was pressing the 'buy now' button. I'm thinking it will make a good Amy Butler A-line skirt, knee length. 

Then on A Million Dresses' Instagram I saw THIS material made into her Emery Dress. Oh, I just love it. It has the same pull for me as the synchronised swimmers. So I searched the internet and found a company that sells it online and bought it. Hoping to receive it on Monday in the post. I'm thinking a Megan dress. Not sure. Definitely a dress. 

Then my husband came home from a work trip to Japan and brought me THIS. The top material will be for pyjama shorts, the bottom two materials are thicker and will make knee length A-line skirts. I love that he went to the effort to get me material. And the reason he chose the bottom two because the apple trees reminded him of our cider-making activities every year, and the daisies reminded him of how our garden looked (before the chickens turned it into a mud bath). (We are working on restoring our garden to its former glory now the chickens are back to their original hen house.)

The accumulation continued after I wore my blue snowflake cardigan for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I loved it so much and felt so proud of what I'd knitted, I went straight online and ordered more of the same Wendy Ramsdale DK from Loveknitting. I haven't even finished the purple trees cardigan yet (top photo) and I'm already lining up the next one. I've been thinking of what I could use as the motif on this red cardigan (the wool is a deeper red than the photo shows - it was taken on a bright sunny day in the car). I thought perhaps white wool but can't decide on the motif itself. And then I wondered if I should knit a straightforward red cardigan with no motif. ??? There's time to decide! I think this will be my winter knitting project for this year.

Managed to re-stock my pyjama elastic. I always like to have some ready!

The last couple of weeks we've been watching our neighbours' cat, and looking after the chickens too. Cherry Pops (as I call her) is an absolute sweetheart. She loves hanging out with people (and the chickens - they're not so keen on her) and accompanies me morning and night to let the chickens out and put them to bed again. And she follows me on daily walks as well. And she comes when I call her. She's very fluffy and is a smart wee thing.

I've taken a few days holiday over the course of April. It's been lovely being at home with my husband and animal friends, especially my favourite animal friend, Meg. She is high maintenance (very demanding and vocal) but of course totally worth it. I love her. She's a great wee friend.

And finally, introducing Kelsie Sylvia, my great-niece. She was born on the 19th March. I cried all day when my sister told me my nephew and his partner had called her after my mum and even now it still makes me cry. My mum would have been DELIGHTED to have her great granddaughter named after her. I love that she's covered in knitwear in this photo. It bodes well. Perhaps I'll get a little knitting buddy in a few years' time. 

So, the moral of this post is - STOP BUYING WOOL AND FABRIC! and use all the wool and fabric I already have to make stuff. 

Yes.

Simple Sewing

I decided to make more napkins. I am addicted to the online fabric shop M is for Make. They have such fun material. I could buy LOTS of it. And I've been taking simple pleasure from using the napkins I already made. Very silly. But I find colour particularly sparks my imagination and makes me feel happy. As does colour combinations. The blue dots with occasional orange - I love that. It transfixes me. 

The napkins have found a home in this transparent-lidded tin. 

On Valentine's Day I made heart-shaped scones.

Along with lemon curd, made with eggs from Bubbles and Tiger. Home-made lemon curd is amazing. I could eat the whole jar just by itself, though my scones are also great. I make them with skimmed milk and plain flour with raising agents, and somehow they turn out light and tasty.

It was Hagos's 40th birthday at the end of February. We had a great couple of days. As well as our local friends, three of Hagos's touring friends also came across/up. Mike from Northern Ireland, and Simon and his girlfriend Oktober, and Roger and his wife Bee from the south of England. It was so nice for me to properly meet Simon and Oktober, and we were delighted to see Roger and Bee again. Bee is another textile person so I find her really interesting to talk to in a nerdy way. Roger's present to Hagos, which he made everyone vote for Hagos to put on straight away, was an England Rugby Shirt. About the best worst present Hagos could get. Very funny.

I bought this material on a whim, thinking I'd make summer pyjamas - pyjama shorts and a top based on the top part of the Bettine pattern. I think I'll still make the pyjama shorts, but I'm not sure about the top. Would it be comfortable to wear? Also thought of making my great-niece Lucy a skirt as well. I love the coloured eggs.

Silly Saturday Satisfaction

I woke up feeling out of sorts this morning. I don't remember why now. But after Weetabix and coffee at the kitchen table (my favourite start to a day off) the first good thing to happen was this!

Polar Bear fabric from M is for Make. I ordered it yesterday. I'm supposed to be not buying any more fabric (until, you know, I make stuff out of all the fabric and patterns I already have) but I liked this so much. I can see it as another Simplicity 3835 top, or, possibly an Esme top from the Lotta Jansdotter book (which, er, I'd have to buy). 

The next good thing to happen was my husband suggested we go for a walk, which turned into, "Shall we take the sledge?" We had four runs on the sledge together. It was so much fun. Totally exhilarating and silly.

This is us at the bottom.

We then came back inside, had homemade soup for lunch, with whole SPROUTS in, my favourite vegetable, then parted ways for a couple of hours.

I really felt like sewing, but didn't want to get involved in a big project. Plus, I am between sizes at the moment, and until my body settles there's no point making anything fitted (I want to make the Moneta dress, and the Megan dress). I noticed we were down to one paper napkin in the holder and remembered some fabric bicycle napkins I'd made a couple of years ago, and had never really used. I found them in the drawer, and thought it would be fun to make more, and perhaps dispense with paper napkins altogether? I made three - the skaters, the feathers (fabric I'd forgotten I had) and the geese. I love them all. I thought I could make occasional napkins out of leftover fabric, and only ever make one, so I end up with lots of different napkins.

At the same time I cut out rectangles for my patchwork quilt. I'm cutting two rectangles from each piece of leftover fabric. I don't have many yet, so the quilt won't get made for (probably) years. But that's okay.

This evening we had eggs, beans and chips for tea! Our new Saturday favourite meal, and are just about to watch the second new Star Trek film.

Meg is on my lap. The fire is lit. My husband is home. It's been a great day.

Down the Rabbit Hole

So I am plummeting through January. Even at weekends I barely touch the sides before being whisked into Monday again. Time. I have calculated that if I can make it to July I can use my annual leave to work three days a week until the end of the year. I think I prefer that to taking a week or two at a time. IF I can make it...

I am on the second sleeve of my Devil's Beeftub Chickadee cardigan. I had a few lunchtime trips to John Lewis and these purple wooden buttons were the ones that were calling to me the most. So I bought them.

But in the meantime these blue on blue mittens were also calling me. Usually I go for high contrast colours, but I think these are really effective, and I'm enjoying knitting mittens again.

When I photographed them by the window today Marlena, one of our chickens, jumped up hoping I was going to throw food out. This is one of the things I want to get round to soon - moving the chickens back to their original hen house so we can get the garden back to looking good. We are taking tiny steps in that direction.

My visits to my Dad have dropped to every second week now. I wish he lived five minutes away, but he lives an hour and forty minutes away. And though I love the drive and the landscape, I find it incredibly tiring after a busy week at work. It's the concentration, and the sheer time it takes out of my week. Keeping on top of housework, and clean clothes, and even just washing the dishes sometimes is a mammoth task. And then there's socialising with friends, and what I'm left with is - usually not even the time to read a book! Knitting I do when watching TV in the evening (I usually watch something with my husband for an hour). There are other things I want to achieve. So I will have to keep working on time distribution to all the tasks that need my attention. The balance has to be better. 

Last Friday (a home day) I had the urge to go sledging first thing in the morning. So I went off by myself and did three runs. It was exhilarating. I love being outside. I love the countryside and fresh air and any sign of birds or animals. This felt far away from people and was just FUN.

I love crashing through the long grasses to stop when I reach the bottom.

We have been getting a slight increase in egg production recently so I made a batch of meringues dipped in Green and Blacks dark cooking chocolate to take to our friends' house for Sausage Sunday. They went down very well.

One thing I've realised I enjoy recently is taking group selfies. It's a similar thing to my Kitchen Table Microcosm photos. A snapshot of everyone together. This was in Wagamama's when two Mikes were in town. We haven't seen our London friend Mike for ages. We spent some time trying to persuade him to move to Edinburgh, which is where his new-ish girlfriend is from. I think we are halfway there. 

And today my great-niece and great-nephew visited with my sister and brother-in-law. They are great kids. I've come to the conclusion that all kids these days exude crumbs and are constantly covered in mud. And never stop talking. I don't remember being like that when I was a kid. I remember reading books and playing cleanly outside. :)

A quiet day

Pattern: Ysolda Teague's Chickadee cardigan
Yarn: Wendy Ramsdale 100% DK wool

So this is my third Chickadee cardigan, though again I've drafted a new motif for the yoke. They are Christmas trees, as well as the motif and colours mainly being in homage to a regular route I drive through the Devil's Beef Tub, just north of Moffat, as I visit my family. There is a particular part of the road that is lined with Fir trees (I think), and the colours of the landscape are just breathtaking - muted purples and blues and greens. I absolutely love the scenery. It is a fairly quick knit for me now. I'm already on the first sleeve (I had taken a break to knit a Christmas present, below). It has become an easy-to-knit-while-watching-TV pattern.    

Pattern: Simplicity 3835
Material: Waterland Geese (from The Village Haberdashery)

I just love this pattern. It is flattering and easy. And it can be worn with jeans and a cardigan and the material makes it more interesting. I think I have five now. And I wear them all the time. 

Patterns: 55 Christmas Balls to Knit

I finally bought the book by Arne & Carlos. I had to, though I could get by with what other people had published on the internet. Still, there are so many Christmas balls I want to knit. The Pig, and The Sledger (in red and white, above). And The Snowman! 

These balls form part of my Make-it-Yourself Secret Santa present for my work colleague. Every year we do Secret Santa but we all have to make the present. It's something I used to do in my previous job, but my current colleagues have all embraced the idea with gusto and the reveal is such a great part of our Christmas night out. The second part of my MIY SS I wrapped before taking a photo. I sewed six double-sided Christmas coasters. The material on one side is the Makower ice skaters, and on the other is Makower cars laden with Christmas presents. I'll try to remember to take a photo after she's unwrapped them.

Yesterday and today have been much-needed quiet days. Where I keep the doors shut and light the fire early. I went to bed at 9.30pm last night and was finally woken up by my cat at 9.30am this morning. I feel like I have a bit of a cold, but it's also a desire to hole-up and take a break from the world. I have a busy week ahead, and I can't be bothered. It includes the Christmas work party. And working four days this week. And then on the weekend feeling like I should drive to visit my mother-in-law so that my husband doesn't have to the day after he gets home from working away for five weeks. Any one of the things I have to do, by themselves, would be fine, but all together it makes me want to keep the door closed and read and drink hot tea.

Chickadee Snowflake cardigan

Pattern: Ysolda Teague's Chickadee Cardigan
Yarn: Wendy Ramsdale DK

I can't stop knitting this cardigan. I love the construction so much, and as 100% woollen garments go, it is cost-effective. Around £35 all in, which I think is great. 

I substituted the bird motif for snowflakes, which I self-drafted and really love the effect. I have already started Chickadee cardigan #3 in a gorgeous heathery-purple with a vibrant green Christmas tree motif (understated, of course). 

Photos soon.

Too many sewing patterns, not enough free afternoons

These are the patterns I would make, if only I had the time.

The Linden Sweatshirt. I have seen so many great versions online. And who wouldn't find it useful to have a few Autumnal/Winter Lindens to hand?

The Colette Moneta dress. Again, so many great online versions. The main photo on the front of the pattern doesn't do it justice. I like the long-sleeved, collarless versions. I have some navy blue T-shirt fabric that would be great for this project.

The Bettine dress. It has an elasticated waist, and pockets. That's all you need when you're cruising through middle age. I'm not sure how this would translate into a winter garment, but perhaps if it was layered with woolly tights/leggings and a cardigan it would be fine.

The Coco. Again, so many amazing online versions. I would do the dress version with the collar and pockets. A great, slouchy, home-day dress. I might even substitute the patch pockets with a pouch pocket. Good for keeping hands warm too.

Simplicity 3835

Pattern: Simplicity 3835
Fabric: Nani Iro Pocho double gauze

I've been wearing my flamingo Simplicity 3835 top almost constantly recently, so when I felt in need of a quick fix sewing project I decided to make another. I had originally bought the Nani Iro fabric to make a Tilly and the Buttons Delphine skirt, but when I laid out the pattern pieces on the material I just didn't have enough! (I think I had only bought a metre.)

It took a bit of jiggling to get this pattern out of the material. I thought I was going to have to do patchwork sleeves again, but I just managed it, though the grainline had to be slightly off to make it happen.

It was only when I had cut out the fabric that I remembered and realised what 'double gauze' means. I've never worked with it before. Two pieces of light fabric stuck together. I love the end result. The tops are so easy to sew, as well as being a quick project.

Fabric: Cloud9 Water Land Geese

Oh, I love this fabric! I've looked at it, and looked at it, and put it in my online basket MANY times. And on Friday I finally decided to make another Simplicity 3835 top out of it and so put one and a half metres in my online basket and then completed the buying process as quickly as I could before I changed my mind. I had previously thought of making a dress, and as it's £15 a metre, and a dress would require two and a half metres, it was turning out to be too expensive. But a metre and a half? I think I can afford that.   

Ysolda's Chickadee cardigan

Pattern: Ysolda Teague's Chickadee

Yarn: Wendy Ramsdale DK

Buttons: from John Lewis

I have to say I love this pattern. It involved a new construction process for me, but it is so much more satisfying than knitting a cardigan in separate parts and then sewing them together (my least favourite part of knitting anything). This pattern begins at the neck and finishes with the entire rib edging. There is NO sewing together, so when you finish knitting the garment is also finished. The only final thing to do is sew on the buttons.

The only part of the pattern I tripped up on was the sizing. I somehow missed the line of information that said there was zero ease at the bust (I think this was on page 4!). The patterns I usually follow has this built in. So, I usually knit a size 34" and it fits me fine. This does fit me, but it is snug, and I can't wear long sleeves underneath the cardigan sleeves. I have a few Boden dresses that are short-sleeved cord, and so I will be able to wear it and enjoy it. I also plan to lose another stone in weight so hopefully this will also help!

I was so impressed with the pattern, and so keen to have more cardigans, I immediately cast on the next one. I changed the bird motif for snowflakes, which I drafted myself. I also decided to make it simpler: no border or multiple colours. I won't use contrast yarn for the cast off either. And I am knitting a 38" size!

What I also like is that Ysolda tells you what yardage of yarn the cardigan will take, rather than how many balls of a specific make. I worked out, from the yardage, that the first cardigan would need 8 balls, but actually I have two balls left. For the 38" cardigan I ordered 9 balls, again of the Wendy Ramsdale, but I anticipate having a couple of balls left over from that too.

I love all of the Wendy Ramsdale DK shades, and at £3.59 a ball that works out at a very cost-effective cardigan! I have become fed up of extortionately-priced wools. I used to be a Rowan devotee for years, and I still buy their wool, but it is becoming prohibitively expensive to do so, and recently I've only bought it for smaller projects - a hat or socks. 

This is Pebble (a bantam hen) and Grape (a bantam cockerel). They are a very sweet pair. Pebble is particularly beautiful. Grape, for now, is an acceptable cockerel. We've had some horrendous ones in the past. 

The weather has been beautiful for the past few weeks. I love cold, bright, Autumnal days.

September has been difficult for us as a family this year. My mum died on September 4th. It is a profoundly sad thing and we are all still adjusting. 

By Hand London - Anna dress

So I finally finished my By Hand London Anna dress. I've loved so many versions online, I wanted to make my own. The material was from Edinburgh Fabrics, £6.50 a metre and I bought 2 metres. It's the most fitted and advanced garment I've ever made. 

I think I'm happy with it. I lowered the bust darts but otherwise made no alterations. I was incredibly impressed with my invisible zip insertion. It's the longest I've ever sewn. Thanks to Tilly and the Buttons I am now adept at this technique, which eluded me for so long. Somehow, though, the back waist panels didn't line up when I was finished, even though I'd checked them before sewing the second side of the zip. I expect no one will notice except me.

There is a bagginess about the top that I'll have to get used to. I can see the same with other online versions, and if I make it again I'll take a couple of chunks out of the pattern.

I decided not to line it after all, because when I went to cut out the lining I didn't have enough material. I'm not sure if the weight of the lining would have given it stability, or caused it to be over-fussy.

My head isn't in the photos because I was having an unwashed hair day, not because I'm trying to protect my identity. :)

Sewing, mostly.

I have almost finished knitting my cardigan Ysolda's Chikadee. I just have to knit the rib, which trims the entire garment, and it's finished. For someone who hates sewing knitted items together, this design has been a dream. It's knitted in one piece. No front, back and sleeves. It starts at the neck and finishes at the rib, and it's ready to wear! I think I'll choose buttons to colour-match the birds. I intend starting straight away on the next cardigan, though I think I'll replace the birds motif with a snowflake/Norwegian star design. 

This is my Lucy Liu dress. It started life as a Simplicity 3835 top. I love that pattern, in dress and top form. It's so easy to cut and sew together. Anyway, as I was hemming the top I started visualising it as a dress with pockets. So I bought the 'hospital' blue material and turned it into a dress. I like it. It's difficult to see the pockets in this photo but they are just patch pockets that came with the pattern. It's the first time I've done pockets and I learned a few things, particularly to sew as close to the edge as possible! That would've made it look better, though it's fine. I called it after Lucy Liu as we watched a programme with her in it and she wore some great shift-type dresses.  

This is the top version of Simplicity 3835. This flamingo material, which I bought from Edinburgh Fabrics for £6.50 a metre (I bought 2 metres) really suits this top. I gave it to my friend Fiona for her birthday. 

I almost had enough material to make a second flamingo top, but not quite! So I found the peacock feather (what I call my Turkey feather material) leftover material I had from my Amy Butler A-line skirt and made patchwork-sleeves. I also didn't have enough peacock feather material to make a whole sleeve. Still, I also love this version, which I kept for myself, and have worn it A LOT.

The sleeve detail.

I have no idea why the above photo is so bad! It's my By Hand London Anna dress. I LOVE the pattern, and have seen so many great versions in Blogland. I had intended making it for my friends' wedding in June, and I would've been able to finish it if I hadn't decided it would be better lined. I just didn't have time to make the lining and put it all together. So, the wedding came, I wore a Fatface dress that I also like, and my Anna dress has been hanging there ever since. The lining material is covering the piano, and I'm not sure when I'll get it finished now. It'll happen suddenly.

I also took part in the Oh Comely Perfect Strangers swap. Oh, I love this concept. You put your name forward to the organisers, they pair you with a stranger, and then you put together a parcel of presents for your stranger. It was such a lovely thing to do. These are the presents I sent off. I was teamed up with a woman in Ghent, Kentucky. She sent me some lovely things also, and knitted me a beautiful wash cloth as well.

We have had a dreadful time with our chickens recently. We have lost chickens to foxes before, but never on this scale. Chickens were disappearing one every day or every other day. The remaining girls were completely freaked out and spooked, and instead of going about their peaceful chicken business of scratching and meandering around the place, visiting the allotment boys, going for a walk on the lawns, an afternoon sleep in the shade of the trees, they took to hiding beside bushes near the henhouse and were on high alert the whole time. No one was having any fun. The final straw came one Thursday I returned home from work to find three chickens missing. One had been eaten (I found the feathers), one was halfway down a wild wooded area that goes towards the river, and one - my little friend Tiger, a bantam - was way down at the river's edge and ON THE OTHER SIDE! Poor wee thing had been scared/chased far from home. So I had to drive over the bridge, rescue her, put her in a box and drive home again. So, we moved the remaining chickens - 8 hens and 2 chicks - into our back garden. They soon returned to normal chicken behaviour and it has been a relief to break the fox cycle. 

And so the eggs are to eventually replenish the chicken stock, and to add some colour to our eating eggs. My neighbours found a company called The Rainbow Egg company. Great idea. Some great colours.

Keeping chickens I expect and accept we will lose a couple of chickens a year to foxes. We actually had a good year just before the two week slaughter, where we didn't lose any girls to the fox. 

 

Meg has been a great friend to me while Hagos has been on tour. She keeps me company every single day, and chats to me and gives me cuddles. She is a true friend and I love her.