Mildly Crafty

Friday, July 10, 2009

Like watching paint dry

The slab for our house was poured today ... and the concreters are still there, waiting for it to dry more so they can trowel it really smooth ... and there were a few drops of rain as we left! Eeek. If it rains a lot it'll be too wet for them to trowel smooth and the raindrops can leave pits in the surface. We're not going to grind it back so it's really important that the finish is really good. Fingers crossed!!

Amy waiting for the slab to dry

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Chiffon gathers

Hmm, Just found this dress which is by Maggy London the same designer as the pattern I'm using and is very similar to the pattern I'm using, the midriff part is just thinner.

But how did they get the gathers so small!! Mine are kinda chunky :(

My first method, used on the neckline, was to sew two rows of stitching, both inside the 1.5cm seam allowance and then pull the top threads to create the gathers. But on the midriff I sewed the lines of stitching either side of the seam line (and then pulled out the threads after sewing the seams) and this produced a better result but still not as tiny as these gathers ... poo.

Anyone know?

Dressmaking

I don't know why but I agreed to make a bridesmaid's dress for my brother-in-law's girlfriend. I think it was probably pride :) Don't want to admit that it's beyond me.

So, I took Tina shopping and we chose Butterick pattern 5134. Only to discover that it's been discontinued! Argh! It was the only pattern we even remotely liked so I called around and tracked down a copy at The Cloth Shop.

Then I put together a muslin of just the lining part to see if it was the right size.

It was almost right, just a bit snug around the waist so I added four centimetres and started on a full-scale test version.

It took 4 hours to put the bodice together yesterday! Blimey! The pattern is rated as "easy" but I would think that'd mean a beginner could make it and this definitely isn't beginner. I guess it's not that hard, but cutting out the flimsy fabric and doing the gathers was kinda fiddly.

So I'm really pleased with the way this has turned out so far. The gathers on the bodice aren't great but I did them a little differently on the sides of the midriff bit and they look much neater. I also learnt that it's a bit dumb to use white overlocker thread under black chiffon, it's totally visible - dammit.

Anyway, tomorrow I've got to add the skirt so Tina can try it on again on Wednesday. And then I have to do it all over again in the real fabric. Phew!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

FOs

I finally finished my cloche and blocked it on the weekend. I'm happy with how it turned out except for the fact that it's a bit too big, I made it in the large size instead of medium because the pattern was a bit confusing. I realised what I'd done but didn't want to rip back the work that I'd done. That'll teach me! I've felted it but it only shrank a little. It might be OK, I'll wear it and see how it goes.

Stats:

Pattern: Matilda (ravelry)
Yarn: 2 balls Jo Sharp Aran Tweed in black
Needles: 4mm DPNs and 40cm circular

Cloche

I also whipped up this leaf scarf/necklace last week.

Stats:

Pattern: Leaf Scarf (ravelry)
Yarn: Scraps of Jo Sharp 8ply Pure DK wool
Needles: 6mm

Knitted leaves necklace

Handknitter's Guild Wool and Craft Fair

On Saturday I went to the Handknitter's Guild's Wool and Craft Fair at the Brunswick town hall. It was really good, like a mini Bendigo Sheep and Wool show (and without the sheep).

There were lots of wool and fiber producers there

Dairing who have a knitwear shop in Richmond and stock Habu yarns. I'd heard about them but never seen them until now, very unusual!
Andyle who had lovely coloured wool grown on their farm in Tarneit Victoria.
Shiloh Wool who have coloured fleeces and combed wool for spinners from Bellaraine Victoria.
Lara Downs who have angora goat and lots of other luxury fibers and are from Balliang Victoria and they've also opened a new retail outlet called Precious Purl at 397 Bruswick St Fitzroy. I can't find a website for them but their card says they're open Wed-Sat 11-4 phone 0423 514 668.
Ixchel angora bunnies! They have other fibers too but I love the bunnies!

And there were more of course but I didn't get their business cards.

I bought some 14 ply wool from Shiloh and wound it into a ball using my brand new ball winder and swift from Morris & Sons. It was so fun to wind it, my husband, sister and dad all watched the process with interest too :) I'm going to try dying it myself, eep! (yeah probably should've left it in the skein but I couldn't resist trying out the ball winder)