teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Previously On This Week: 30 July


A few links back to posts from the same week in previous years that are still relevant or might be fun to revisit.

Just click on an image to take you to the original post:


Saturday, 4 August 2012

Wherever I Lay My Hat - Surprise Project I Revealed




Saturday, 4 August 2012

An Actor's Life For Me - Surprise Project II Revealed




Sunday, 5 August 2012

Liberated Log Cabin - My August Bee Block






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Monday, 28 July 2014

Handknit With Love


Remember this hat?


It's for my Grandson-to-be, Oliver, due in September and I posted about making the hat here.

This last weekend I finished up making a jumper to go with the hat.  

 

 It's from this book by Debbie Bliss - design it, knit it babies


Spoilt for choice I decided to make this simple square necked jumper.


I've used Adriafil Knitcol trends, superwash merino wool, colourway 57 - Botticelli Fancy again for the main - you might remember I bought this at Atelier Yarns on my last visit to San Francisco (you can read my post here) and the contrast is a leftover wool from my stash, Patons UK Double Knitting in light cream (no longer available). 


I'm still super in love with how the Adriafil Knitcol works up in a project - the Fair Isle/Jacquard style patterning created by the colour changes in the wool are fab and it's such fun to see how they work into the piece as you're creating the pattern.  I admit to starting both sleeves at the same point in the wool so the patterning is practically the same on each.

I've also given the jumper a go in the washing machine - yep that Merino wool is machine washable at 40 degrees and it came out looking and feeling just perfect, in fact all the pics in this post are taken post washing :D

Here's some pics of the details:


Side seam and my small label.


The back and that small label again.  I like the small details on this knit - the garter rib left unseamed is a great touch.


The square neckline is very easy to work and, as always, Debbie Bliss gives great instructions in a written pattern (I've always worked from written patterns not from charts as seems to be the trend these days).


Square neckline detail, with my large label and monkey buttons (also purchased on my last trip to San Fran at Britex Fabrics, you can read that post here).

I didn't think my pics were doing the jumper justice so, in the absence of yet-to-be Oliver I had to find another model.   Tatty and Watson are exactly the right size and, as you can see below, well up for the task but I thought better of it 


and went in search of another of my nest flown daughter, Flicky's, teddy bears.  

Having used Bedwyn Bear in two previous photo shoots,

here 

and here

I needed a much smaller bear this time around.


Step forward ... oh dear, I have to admit to not having a clue what this bear's called, but he performed admirably and I'm sure Flicky will be proud.


I think he looks pretty cute in his oversized jumper!


Some time in the Spring I'll be able to update this post with a pic of Oliver sporting his very own jumper and hat, and the thought of that makes me very happy.

These are for you Oliver, handknit with love by Grandma xxx


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Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Previously On This Week: 23 July


A few links back to posts from the same week in previous years that are still relevant or might be fun to revisit.

Just click on an image to take you to the original post:


Thursday, 19 July 2012

Liberty, London




Friday, 26 July 2013

Connecting The Dots







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Friday, 18 July 2014

The Thrill Of Coming Home

"The thrill of coming home has never changed."
Guy Pearce


For just over two weeks I've been in England and it has been wonderful to wake to this view from my hotel room window every morning.

As I pack to fly back to the States this evening, here's a handful of pics.

English Paper Piecing on the plane.

Knitting on the plane.

My hotel room view by night.

Two fat quarter bundles from John Lewis.

 Four lots of three metre lengths of Liberty fabric from Shaukat on Old Brompton Road (the best place to buy Liberty!).

Some more small pieces of Liberty from Shaukat.

Oh and I squeezed in a visit to this wonderful city too - doesn't everyone love Paris?




 
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Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Previously On This Week: 16 July


A few links back to posts from the same week in previous years that are still relevant or might be fun to revisit.

Just click on an image to take you to the original post:


Thursday, 18 July 2013

A QAYG Method That's Not Grid Based & Strip Joined - Now Isn't That Worth Reading About?




Sunday, 21 July 2013

What Do You Think Of My Mini Adventure?

 





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Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Previously On This Week: 9 July


A few links back to posts from the same week in previous years that are still relevant or might be fun to revisit.

Just click on an image to take you to the original post:

Saturday, 7 July 2012

Triangles Galore Saturday




Sunday, 8 July 2012

Tutorial: Personalising Your Blogger Comment Message




Thursday, 11 July 2013

Maya Chaimovich's 'Travel Log' Exhibition




Friday, 12 July 2013

Introducing Fab People & Places

 



Monday, 15 July 2013

A Girl, A Bear, A Dog And A Unicorn - You Couldn't Make It Up!

 





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Wednesday, 2 July 2014

Previously On This Week: 2 July

This week it seems appropriate to start this post with a huge thank you to everyone who responded so positively to a post I wrote last Wednesday, What Type Of Follower Are You?.  I won't repeat it all again here, if you'd like to read the post and comments here's the link.  I wrote the post not for one moment suggesting people should follow me, rather I was curious to know just what it is about this 'Previously On...' weekly post that evidently turns some people off.

Your replies amazed me, there were responses from people who I had no idea were ever following me and it was heartening to read every comment, thank you to everyone for your support it is very much appreciated.

One reader gave me a really good insight into how my posts look via other devices, which I promptly checked out and was horrified to discover she was right (do you know Feedly removes all formatting from posts, left justifies everything, sets it all on a white background, can't manage size and layout of icon links and removes all links to Bloglovin'? - a whole other topic in itself but very interesting though I have discovered there are other ways to view via Feedly and I've responded with info on the original post).


So, without further digression, here is this week's 'Previously On...' post.


A few links back to posts from the same week in previous years that are still relevant or might be fun to revisit.

Just click on an image to take you to the original post:


Friday, 29 June 2012

Tutorial: The Dreaded Comment 'Word Verification' And How To Remove It





Monday, 2 July 2012

My Very First Ever Quilt




Sunday, 7 July 2013

Shattered Chevrons & Broken Arrow Blocks







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