NIKKI-SHELL

Surprise on the machine

 

It's a little wonky and it's only big enough to fit a dolly but i knit my first ever garment on the knitting machine with like short rows and everything!

The pattern is the Surprise Jacket which has been adapted for the machine from Elizabeth Zimmermans pattern. It is meant for a bulky machine but it was just what i needed to test out my machine and figure things out.  With this pattern i've learned to cast on, add and decrease stitches, short rows, holding needles, unravelling rows (expert at this one!) and casting off.  I've also learned to knit with a punchcard in tuck and slip stitch with two yarns as i showed in my earlier post.

I'm amazed at the things that can be done and i've only just scratched the surface.  Now i need a new project, any suggestions?  Luckily I work with Brianna (machine knitter extraordinaire) who is going to teach me a thing or two, i can't wait! 

Tessuti Awards 2011

It's that time again!  I soooooo wish i could enter myself but i'm not allowed to.  I could do with a trip to New York too (and the sewing machine!), better keep saving what i can instead.

For more details on how to enter this year's Tessuti Awards, go to www.tessutiawards.com.au.

Birthdays and the dark side

Yesterday was my 33rd birthday and my blogs 6th!  6 years i've been rattling on here, i can't quite believe it's been that long.  Of course i love it and you keep coming to read me rattle on so i must be doing something right.  I worked yesterday so although i got presents and cake yesterday i've sort of had my birthday today instead.  

My idea of a good birthday?  To stay in bed until after 10am (which i did no matter what my girls tried to get me up!), have breakfast brunch made for me (bacon sarnies and coffee), stay in my pj's all day (which i almost did, just had to put on clothes to go to the shop) and spend the day playing with my new knitting machine!  Oh yes that Suzie has turned me to the dark side and i love it!  Sorry Jodie.

 

It took a little while to figure things out and a lot of scraps of yarn at my feet but eventually i got the thing knitting using a punch card no less!  Card No:3 A in Tuck actually.

This is how it turned out on the right side....

And of course i got a little cocky and tried out Slip Stitching in colours....

(card No:18 A)

Check me out!  Now i need to work out how to knit a garment.

Oh and i cooked tonight, Squid Sambal.  I found the recipe in The Age yesterday and it was pretty darn yummy, the girls polished off their plates and went back for more.  A big win and the recipe has been added to our list of favourites.

Time to head to bed and read my new book 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen and prepare myself for more knitting tomorrow, although i think i may need to leave the house at some point for some fresh air ;)

Drape drape 1-dress 3

I've had my eye on this dress from 'Drape Drape' for some time.  I nabbed a wool jersey remnant from work before it had a chance to hit the remnant table a month or so ago and it was destined for this pattern.

One pattern piece cut on the fold, using up only half of my remnant (approximately 1.1m), a few hours of sewing last Wednesday night and i was wearing my new dress to work the next day.  I did sew one side of the invisible zipper back to front (duh) and spent the best part of 40 minutes unpicking the bitch stretch stitch before sewing it in the correct way only to discover this....

Dino spine!  I steam pressed the hell out of it which seemed to help a bit but Jorthy confirmed my fears the next day when i whipped off my jacket to reveal my latest creation by telling me to "lose the zip Nikkishell!".  I then wore my cardi for the rest of the day in fear of pointing customers.  

Another problem arose while reaching up to grab a roll of fabric from the top shelf...

rrrrrrrrip!  On both sides! sigh.  Obviously a few adjustments were needed, first i cut out the zipper and sewed up the seam.  It pulls on over my head so why it calls for a zip is any ones guess.  To fix the ripped armhole i used scraps of the wool jersey to create a binding.  I did need to make the armhole bigger due to the rip but it worked out ok.

Due to cutting out the zipper it's now a tad tight across the bust but not too bad.  Hey i have enough of that remnant left over, i may just make another!

Details

Pattern: Drape Drape book 1-dress 3
Fabric: 1.2m Wool jersey remnant from Tessuti 
Alterations: Needed no zip, armholes needed binding to strengthen, lengthened by and inch and a half.
Notes: Easy.  One pattern piece,  uses up a small amount of fabric, sews up quickly and fits well.  Other than the alterations made above to strengthen and omit the unnecessary this dress fit me perfectly as it is.  A downside is the wool jersey picks up fluff and there's plenty of that going around in a fabric store especially when a student brings over the GIANT roll of white faux fur and asks for a 10cm strip.

This is my 'go to' little black dress this winter.  A great pattern, simple style, comfortable.  Love it.

Neighbourhood art

New graffiti artwork in my neighbourhood.  I love how they just seem to appear from nowhere.

7

Mia turned 7 on Tuesday!  I can't quite believe i'm the mother of a 7 year old (or should i say 7 going on 17).

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I made her a rock 'n' roll tutu using this tutorial.  I spent 3 evenings ruffling what seemed like miles and miles of tulle, the bloody stuff was everywhere!  She had no idea i was making it and her face was a picture when i pulled it out of my wardrobe and suggested i might wear it myself for the day.  She wore it out to the shopping centre and received many admiring glances ;)  There was a whole lot of twirling going on and Heidi has insisted i make her one too, i think it may be a scaled down version though, not sure i could ruffle that much tulle again so soon.

Details

Pattern-Full and fluffy pettiskirt.
Fabric- 4m black nylon tulle and 20cm of a black cotton/elastane with a sheen.
Notions-1m red ribbon and 30cm elastic from the stash.

I did break my fabric diet for this, nylon tulle is not something i keep stock of in my stash.

The Barbie cake!  She tasted pretty good.

That's her Tiny Tealeaves she's wearing too, i'll post more detailed photos of that soon.

Mothers Day

My favourite three creations!  Even if they are as daft as their Dad.

Happy Mothers Day!

Got it covered

Do you have one of those bags?  You know the kind, like the one Mary Poppins has (bottomless and full of stuff)?  Yep, me too.  My iPhone was swimming around in there getting scratched and needed a cover.  I had thought of knitting one but decided over the weekend that sewing one would be much quicker.

A scrap of leather (from a garbage bag full i acquired at a Sunday market for $5 aaages ago) and a snap and it was done.  Very easy, practically free and it looks great. Win!

 

(I've noticed there's quite a lot of red happening around these parts lately)

The socks that took 3 years to complete

Finally finished!  They only took 3 years to complete ;)

Details

Pattern: A mixture of a few but i couldn't really tell you which ones since i made the first sock 3 years ago then ran out of yarn, couldn't find more for aaaages then lost my pattern notes when i came to finishing the second sock.  The second sock is slightly different to the first but you'd only know if you were scrutinising Justine's feet!

Yarn: White-Patonyle 4ply, 1 ball. Red-Shepherd Baby Wool Merino 4 ply 1 1/4 balls.

Very glad to have finished and given these to Justine, she's waited ever so patiently and now has warm feet.