Finding the missing pieces

When I reach the end of a project be it knitting or sewing, I start thinking of the next one. It gees me up to finish the current project.  I was scouring the net looking for material and was overwelmed. Got sidetracked like I do, and got onto a blog about how we would be happier with less choices in our wardrobe.  Well I may agree to differ, but if I remember right  she said to take everything out of your wardrobe and route through it, and keep x amount of pieces.

So the next day I took everything out, sieved through the clothes  filled a charity bag then sorted the remainder into piles and observed.

It was an interesting experiment, I discovered

A. I don't need any summer clothes. But that won't stop me.

B. I do not need any more white tops at present I have seven. 

C. I need lots of winter clothing. I'm drawn to summer clothing because of the bright colours and patterns, but winter clothing doesn't have to look dreary and dark.

D. I do not have any casual jackets or a waterproof  raincoat.

I noticed I wear a lot of  strong contrasts. Bright colours, no muted colours  and hardly any black in my wardrobe

 As you can see limited space, so pieces have to work twice as hard.

There sorted. So now I know what is !missing and what to sew next and what fabric to look for.
A white summer skirt
A waterproof coat/jacket
Winter skirts or trousers.
A casual jacket.

Knitting Project Bag

Well sadly I didn't get the job. There were 3 other people  being interviewed, it seemed to go well, but obviously not well enough! You see I have a record where every job I have had an interview for I have been fortunate to be offered the job. Now that bubble has burst. I have to say I was gutted. A for my record being broken and B for not securing the job. I would have enjoyed it, but it wasn't to be. Never mind Onward  and Upward.  

This weekend it has been so wet here.  But I decided to pop into town and do a bit of shopping.  I managed to come home with a fat quarter of fabric and pondered what to do with it.  So today I made this

A project bag to store my knitting.  Its ideal as I tend to knit small objects, i.e. socks, gloves, hats, which I carry around with me in my  bag.

I simply lined it with some available  fabric. I didnt put anything in between the two layers, as I wanted to keep it light and soft.

Now I am a big fan of  circular and sets of 4 knitting, in fact it could be responsible for re kindling my love of knitting.  I love the Knit Pro range (I may have told you this before)  So with the remainder of the fabric I was able to make an organiser to store all my new needles

I love the concept, even if it is all a little fussy.  But Im not wearing it so it doesnt really matter. It was a great way to us the vintage panel squares. Ideally I would have used another colour fabric with it, but white is all I had.  Its also quite compact when folded up.

Ive so enjoyed knitting and crocheting with the cold nights these last few months.  Thankfully the nights are slowly getting lighter, I love to observe how light its becoming on a daily basis, and how later in the day I am closing the curtains on an evening. Roll on 

lighter and warmer days.

I have to confess I havent been inspired to dressmake, I keep looking at the patterns but nothing has excited me, until I spotted this dress pattern in Vogues Spring collection  Vogue 1381.    Im smitten, so in love with it.  I cannot wait for them to stock it in the UK so I can get my discount from my magazine subsciption. Talking of which,  just take a look at what is on the front of my magazine which was delivered this Saturday 

Just look at that quilting/stitching detail isnt it heavenly. I did say I was in love with it.

I cant wait

A good start

What a productive couple of days I have had. Its amazing what affect a New Year can have on my spirits.  I have finally  finished the hitchhiker scarf. I realised looking at my blog that I started it on 1st December, so I set myself a challenge to finish it before the end of the year, which I did.   Its very warm and I like it, though you wouldnt think it looking at the serious expression on my face!

Ive also started crocheting a  blanket.  I took advantage of the Drops Alpaca sale with 25% off, and topped up my stash of alpaca.

Love this wool, Love the colours, yummy. 

Im doing this pattern and these are my colours. A bright centre, light middle section, just using one colour (wasnt sure how that would work) and the blue/grey outer. Its a nice pattern, but I am finding it awkward joining the pieces as you go, its handling the weight of the blanket as I work it pulls on my crochet hook.

 Ive started already, thought I would make up a small group to see if the colours worked etc. Im happy with it, but its going to be along time in the making.    

 Ive worked out to make a blanket the size I want, I will need 11 more of these blocks of 24 squares, equalling  288 squares. 1 block like the above a month to finish in time for next Christmas, thats quite a commitment, hope I can achieve it.  Ive been doing my sums to find out if Ive enough wool, as I wast using the same ply wool as the pattern. Its so complicated working out the amount, there must be easy way. Its the main blue that I am most bothered about, I need to have all the same dyelots.  Ive weighed what Ivd used and I think I will need another 2 balls.

On the sewing front Ive shortened a pair of trousers, for a friend, that had been sitting around since before Christmas.  One of those projects the longer you leave it the more you dont want to do it. I also altered the 2 garments I wasnt happy with from my 2013 makes (pictures to follow)  So yes a good start to 2014.  Now I need a portable knitting project to carry around in my handbag something simple and small.  I must pop over to Ravelry.  

Cheerio   

 

2013 Recap

Well I hope you have all had a good Christmas, and now we are fast approaching the New Year.  When I look back over the year at my blog ,  Ive had some creative hits and misses.  its interesting to see what has become part of my everyday wardrobe and whats got buried to the bottom of my drawers. So here is recap at what has worked and what didnt for 2013

FIRST - THE MISSES

MAY Still havent altered this dress yet.  Feel like a granny in this one.

MARCH   I  wear this dress on hot days, when Im pottering around, not for anywhere special.  Its so cool being 100% cotton.  I wouldn't  make this  pattern again though, the little cardi has hardly been worn also.

Its funny, I love white especially in the summer and when I started making this top I was convinced I would get loads of wear from it, but I have only worn this blouse once. Its not that I dont like its just the cotton  is quite firm, (it was a sheet I used)  its hard to wear anything over it.  I think the answer is to shorten the sleeves, to make it more wearable.

Now  my SUCCESSES

  Such an intricate pattern but Ive had such a lot of wear from this dress, will make this again.

JULY   Quilt for my daughter she loves this and its getting lots of use, which makes it all worthwhile

AUGUST I love this skirt, fabric does all the work so just a simple straight skirt pattern.  Cant wait to wear it again.

SEPTEMBER  These tops are so easy to wear and go with such a lot of things in my wardrobe

DECEMBER Christmas socks.  The Family love them (wish I could knit quicker, started making them in May)

TOTAL MAKES 17 items

3 pairs of hand knitted socks
1 bag and 1 Bag liner
1 hat
1 pair of men's trousers
2 tops
1 blouse
3 skirts
3 dresses
1 patchwork quilt. 
And one wadder that I wont mention.

Ive double checked, but I could have sworn Ive made more, but I havent. I was incapacitated after my spell in hospital, but that was only a short while.  Looking at the list, I would like to make  more in 2014.

Im pleased to say I like and wear most of the things Ive made, which is alot better than making loads of things and only wearing a few.   How about you, have you had a good creative year?

Fuzzy Socks

Hello all, the 1st December here at No. 23 means Christmas advent decorations.  So the calendar is up and a few the other decorations adorn the room for the countdown to Christmas

Santa's waiting patiently  to make his journey down the chimney

The advent candle's waiting to be lit...
But as I look outside, the sun is out and the sky is blue, all is calm its a beautiful day. 
   

Looking outside Its hard to imagine we are approaching Christmas and Milly is running around the garden like a spring lamb

Now I couldnt have achieved these photos with my old camera, Milly is a fast mover.

The fire was lit and  DH and myself  made homemade bread. For a change my mixture was spot on, the bread was soft and fluffy, however  DHs mixture didnt turn out as good. Normally he makes excellent bread. I ordered some presents on the internet, and a did abit of knitting.

The Christmas bed socks for DD are completed. Oh how I wish there was a way you could all touch these lovely socks, they truly are incredibly soft and fuzzy. The wool was bought in a local charity shop, vintage Jaegar Angora Spun.

The pattern which is on Ravelry had a lacy panel but I couldnt see it because of the pile, so I left them plain. I didnt find this pattern easy to follow, too little information, I do like it when a pattern states how many stitches you should have left after decreasing,  just minor points like that, that were omitted.

So onto the scarf. After knitting such soft wool this sock wool feels like rope, I assure you it isnt. It is a great little pattern easy to knit. Im so enjoying knitting this scarf, its so different, and the colours in the wool are not disappointing me. Ive completed 15 points, the pattern says I should be able to make 40 with my 100gms.  I had to go onto 3.25mm needles as my tension was too tight, it will be interesting to see how many I get from my ball.

 As the day closes, the candle is lit,  and the knitting beckons.  

Hope you had an enjoyable Sunday

Rethinking about patterns

Ive been doing alot of thinking about patterns of late especially with the change of seasons.  Im slowly coming to the conclusion that there isnt much choice out there in new patterns. 
Dont get me wrong there are few fantastic patterns that I have my eye on.  Just waiting for the offers to come up here in the UK.  For example some of the Vogue designer patterns are very clever, I always seem to be drawn to the ones that look like they would be tricky to sew.  Something different and challenging.

Vogue 3161

        

Vogue 1362

Vogue 1360 very similar to a pattern I made.  tricky but rewarding.

 But when you get looking at the other pattern they are very deja vu  The photos are good, here is a good example.  This shirt looks intricate but its all in the fabric choice.  Take another look at the illustration.  You will see that it its just a simple straight shirt pattern. Now surely we all have one of those in our patterns.

Here we have a basic long sleeved top that is made from 2 pieces of fabrics that makes it appear different.

A  jacket  cut across the waist, puts a different twist on this style

I look at the illustrations and think "Well thats like this pattern I already have but with........"  With a little skill and imagination we do not have to buy lots of patterns but just think different. Unless of course you like doing that.

Here in the UK patterns are not cheap especially  the Vogue, which are  ridiculously expensive, but for me its not just about saving a few £££ its more about being creative.