NIKKI-SHELL

Vintage pinafore

 
Yet another unfinished project finished.  This one has been hanging around since craft camp last May. Yep, a whole year (hanging head in shame).  And all that was needed was some sort of closure at the back.  A minute with a hammer and a snap (it was quicker than a button) and it was finished.

Details

• Pattern: Vintage Simplicity 6468-size 1
• Fabric: Japanese seersucker for the outer and a red cotton for the lining, both from Tessuti and long gone since i took so long to get around to finishing and posting this.

Scraggy hair models own.

Model has an ear infection but it still pretty chirpy, except in that first photo! 

Piccolo Milo

For baby A.  

Details

Pattern: Milo vest-size 6months
Yarn:Jo Sharp Alpaca Kid Lustre in the colour Piccolo-1.5 balls from Morris & Sons

Quick and easy! 

Zin 60's

I picked up this Japanese book from work some time last year but only got around to making something from it recently.

I fell in love with this linen/viscose when it came in a few months ago and thought it would be perfect for Dress A.

As soon as i pulled out the pattern sheets i realised there was a problem.  All the patterns are only available in one size! luckily they seem to be in my size or close to it.

Details

• Pattern: 'Fashion from Vintage'- Dress A
• Fabric: 1.3m of Zin Green Mix (linen/viscose) from Tessuti Fabrics
• Size: One size.  The pattern was luckily in my size although i did let the side seams out slightly around the hips. 
• As well as letting out the side seams i also shortened it quite a bit so next time wouldn't need so much fabric.  If i make it again i'll bring in the neckline at the shoulders, it's a little too wide and tends to show my bra straps.

I'd like to make a few other patterns from this book

this one (top I)..

...which i could make from the stash (bonus!)

this one (dress N)...

...which i'd like to make from Liberty fabrics but it takes about 8 metres of fabric in total and would cost around $350 so i may have to rethink that one!

I'd also like to make the dress on the cover but due to the one size patterns and the fit issues i had with dress A i will check the fit of each one by making muslin's (well maybe not the one that needs 8 metres of fabric!)

Be gone salmon pink!

Last year at Craft Camp i acquired some 'Alafoss Lopi' wool which i think had been given by Leslie to Suzie to bring along to offer as de-stash.

I'm guessing the reason for destashing may have been the colour, salmon pink.  Certainly not my favourite so i decided to dye it.  A phone call to Suzie taught me all i needed to know about dyeing with food colours and a microwave.  

The yarn was wound into very long skeins using two kitchen chairs.  I was concerned about pooling and Suzie explained the longer the skein the less likely it would happen, hopefully it works out that way.  The yarn was soaked in vinegar (the house now stinks!) laid out on some plastic bags and the colour squeezed and pressed into it.  Due to the pinkness of the yarn reds, purples, darker pinks, grey or black were my options.  I popped into Cake Deco on my lunch break last week and picked up a large bottle of 'Americolor soft gel paste' in the colour 'Royal Purple' for $10, a 45oz bottle coloured 400g of yarn.  

It was pretty dark when i first put it on and i thought it might end up a grey/purple but once i cooked it in the microwave (for 5 minutes, cool then 5 minutes more) it turned a bright vivid purple with some speckles of blue, red and pink.

I then rinsed it in tepid water and it's now drying on the clothes horse.  

I plan to knit this pattern with it for Esme once i've finished Mia's Tiny Tealeaves, only a sleeve and the button bands to go.  Also need to pick up a 6.5mm 80cm circular needle and find a yarn similar to Cash Iroha (hopefully in my stash) for the crochet edges.

Another old UFO finally finished

While tidying my sewing room last week i sorted through my yarn stash and found an almost finished baby vest at the bottom of the box.  Really, it was 'this close' to being finished, only the side seams and the armhole ribbing.  Why didn't i ever finish it?!

I looked back through my blog archives to see when i originally started it and i'm ashamed to say that it was March 2006, yep 5 years ago.  It was intended for this gorgeous boy but something tells me it won't fit him now. :/

So I spent a few nights this past week sewing up the side seams,  adding the ribbing and a little felt brooch (made by Green Olive) to make it more girly.  

Now the smallest is warm and toasty!

Details

Started: March 2006
Finished: April 2011
Pattern: Tank top from 'The Baby Knits Book' by Debbie Bliss
Size: 24-36 months
Yarn:3 balls of Debbie Bliss wool/cotton

Another thing crossed off the list! How very satisfying ;)

 

Refashioned and New Fave Tops

Remember this top?  Yep, the Tessuti 'Fave Top'.  Well, the fabric i chose just wasn't doing it for me, it was too thick and heavy so i decided to refashion it into something else.

I used this pattern from Burda Style which is not for stretch but i just omitted the zip and took it in at the side seams.

Of course cutting up my 'fave top' meant i no longer had a 'fave top'!  So i made a new one.

This time i shortened the pattern and took it in at the side seams a little.  I used a great jersey from Tessuti, there was only enough on the roll for myself and our regular customer Kate (lucky for us, unlucky for everyone else!).  I've noticed the neck has stretched a little so i'm going to sew a strip of cotton twill tape to the back to stop it from stretching more.

You can download the Tessuti 'Fave Top' from the Tessuti blog.  Just click on the pic of Lisa in her stripy version in the sidebar.

Tiny Tealeaves progress

I started this back in September before summer kicked in but then put it aside because it wasn't really cardigan weather and i had other things to do.  It's time to finish it now that the weather is turning chilly.

Only the sleeves and the button band to go and Mia will be toasty warm. Then i must knit something for the other two smalls, can't make for one and not the others!  

Black Burda Pants

Along with discovering the silly amount of UFO's and planned projects in my sewing room at the weekend i also discovered how many finished garments i've not blogged about.

I took photos of these pants on a number of occasions but couldn't manage to show them at their best due to the black fabric.  Leisl kindly took a few more of me today outside work.  

Details

• Made back in December!
• #105 from Burda Style Magazine 06/2010
• Like Leisl i lengthened the leg and straightened the hem (I used her pattern pieces!).
• I also moved my zip from the side to the back seam, well actually i forgot to add it to the side seam so ended up putting it there instead.
• I used a viscose fabric from Tessuti.  It's super comfy, barely creases and washes well. 
• I'd make them again but i'd add a little more room in the ass area (mine's not as small as Jorths!).

 

The to do list

I've taken a leaf from Suzie's book blog and have written up a 'to do' list.  It should be a good way of encouraging myself to get things finished.  I do love to cross things off a list!  I'll add things to this list along the way i'm sure.

SEWING UFO'S

• Duffle coat for Esme (sew in lining, need toggle buttons)
• Fitted jacket for me (need lining & buttons)
• Swimsuits x 4 
• Silk top for me 
• Black culottes for me 
• Pink shorts for Mia 
• B&W quilt (quilting) 
• Single girl quilt (need main fabric) 
• Finish Esme's purple dress (straps) 
• Finish Esme's green winter dress (neck binding and snap)
• Add button to Heidi's top/dress

KNITTING UFO'S

• Tiny Tealeaves for Mia (sleeves and buttonband)
• Block socks for Jus
• Mittens for me (one to go)
• Blue vest (seam sides and ribbing)
• Fix hourglass sweater ( sleeves stretched and neckline too wide)

THINGS I WANT TO SEW & HAVE SUPPLIES FOR

• Hot water bottle covers- asap 
• Vogue 8604 jacket (need buttons) 
• Trench coat (need lining & buttons) 
• Coat for Mia (need lining and buttons)

THINGS I WANT TO KNIT & HAVE SUPPLIES FOR

• Jack & Jill cardi for Esme (dye wool) 
• Socks for Kev 
• Hat's for girls
• Socks for girls
• Slippers
• Fiery Bolero

  THINGS I'D LIKE TO KNIT (NEED SUPPLIES) 

• Neighbourly vest (Heidi) 
• Abalone for me 
• Mara for me 
• Quintet for me

It's diet time

On Sunday i spent the day tidying my sewing room, the.whole.day.  You see i've not been working in there much this past month due Kev getting me addicted to The Shield and us spending most nights sitting on the sofa.  Of course i have been keeping my hands busy with some knitting, a baby gift and finishing some very overdue socks.  You're thinking my sewing room should be tidy if i've not been in there right? WRONG!

I'm messy.  I have piles of stuff all over.  My kids like to 'sew' and add to the mess.  I find things that don't belong to me on that table too, toys, cd's, papers, clothes, twigs etc.

The ironing board had become a dumping place too.  Ahem.  I'm pretty disgusted with how messy it became, i'm a messy person by nature, i just can't help it but i rarely let it get this messy (i'm blaming Kev and The Shield).  I'm more disgusted with myself about the amount of projects on the go, projects planned (with fabric or yarn ready) and supplies i found.  Anyone need a dress zip?  I've got about a thousand of the buggers.

So, i sorted though my stash, put things in their place and have put myself on a fabric and yarn diet.  Oh yeah!  No more fabric or yarn purchases unless they are to finish a project i've started from the stash, things like lining, threads, interfacings etc.

I'm going to finish the UFO's, work through the mending pile and use up some of the fabric/yarn/supplies/patterns i have stashed.  I'll keep a list of what i'm working on, what's in the queue and what i want to make in the future.  It's going to be tough, every day at work is going to be a temptation (keep me straight girls please) but a must is a must.  I need to save some dollars and i have plenty to keep me going.

The knitting machine i bought on Ebay the other night doesn't count though right?