Snow!

I woke up this morning to a street covered in a thin film of white – not the soft fluffy deep snow of last year but a damp slippery-looking layer of slush. Still, it is white and it is the first of the year. Snow always makes me feel like a kid and the excitement is always there. Same thing with rainbows.

Anyway, the excitement of the snow got to me and I thought I'd make a snowy treasury in Etsy. Here it is . . .

Enjoy!

New listing – at last!

I've not posted anything for a while so thought I'd share the fact that I've finally gotten around to listing the item that left me unable to create anything for ages. Here it is, the neck cosy . . .

It's crocheted in a random arrangement of rows of double and treble crochet (UK versions) and edged in lots and lots (and lots) of trebles to create ruffles. I really enjoyed making this because the flat pattern is so simple, yet, when buttoned and all scrunched up it looks pretty sumptuous and dramatic.

The goose is getting fat . . .

Okay, it is still November but Christmas is creeping up fast!

I'm not so sure I like this time of year – the weather is getting cold and wet without the crispness of a real cold snap and the shops are full of Christmas items while I'm still trying to adjust to the fact it's not summer any more. To top it off this morning I received an e-mail from Caring Christmas Trees encouraging me to order my Christmas tree!


So, why should I buy a tree from them?

"ALL profits made from the tree sales go to support great local charities working with local people."

Every year for the last five or six we have ordered our tree from this organisation. In Edinburgh the money goes to The Bethany Trust which is a Christian organisation which helps the homeless. Regardless of any religious connections I can't help but feel that using the profits to provide a warm bed and food for a homeless person in the middle of the winter is a worthwhile thing to do (especially when so many tree sellers are out for the quick buck). The trees are fantastic quality so there is no compromise there at all. It's a win/win – I get a beautiful tree and make a contribution to charity at the same time.

Okay, tree ordered!

No doubt there are other organisations like this around the world and, let's face it, it's a great way to give a little something to those less fortunate.

P.S. I know I've not posted about projects for a while but something will be coming soon!

Remember, remember . . .

November is upon us and with it have come bonfires and fireworks and the approach of nightfall sometime during the afternoon! The clocks have changed to GMT and by the end of the month it'll be dark when the family leaves in the morning and dark by the time they get back.

The temperature has dropped and it's definitely a month for wrapping up warm.

It's not just November though, it's MOVEMBER!

Since its humble beginnings in Melbourne Australia, Movember has grown to become a truly global movement inspiring more than 1.1 Million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to participate, with formal campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and Ireland. In addition, Movember is aware of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas supporting the campaign and men’s health cause right across the globe, from Russia to Dubai, Hong Kong to Antarctica, Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai, and everywhere in between.

No matter the country or city, Movember will continue to work to change established habits and attitudes men have about their health, to educate men about the health risks they face, getting them to act on that knowledge thereby increasing the chances of early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment. 

In 2010, over 112,000 UK Mo Bros and Mo Sistas got on board, raising £11.7 million.

Big steps have been taken towards changing attitudes and habits relating to men’s health around the world but there is still much to be done to catch up with the women’s health movement. Via the moustache, Movember aims to fulfill its vision of having an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health, by continuing to spark conversation and spread awareness of men’s health each year. 

– uk.movember.com

Last year my daughter and I were in a local shopping centre when two police people strolled past – a woman, attired as you would expect, and a man sporting a fantastically outrageous handlebar moustache. Even Lothian and Borders Police were taking on the Movember challenge!

Normal services (almost) have been resumed

At last the anti-inflammatory drugs have kicked in and I'm able to be a bit more productive.
There are certain things that I'll be wary of for a while but (yippee!!) I can make things again!

Dull, dull, dull . . .

. . . on oh so many levels!

Yes, the met office was right and we're back to rubbish weather but that's not the biggest source of misery.

I have given myself a crochet injury (that's right, crochet!) and am typing with my left hand while waiting for my diclofenac to kick in. So, a week of much pain and almost nothing else. The doctor says rest – easy for him to say when I know that, at the very least, I have to cook and keep the kids in clean school clothes (try lifting a full pot with your weak arm or hanging a washing with only one hand).

Major frustration has set in since my head is full of new projects I should be progressing!

Gloom, gloom, doom and gloom . . .

Edinburgh heat wave!

All that talk of winter woolens and the temperature in Edinburgh has soared!
25ºC yesterday – I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the hottest days of the year (yes, this summer has been that bad).

I'm not complaining. It is bliss!

The Met Office reckons on Sunday we'll be back to 13ºC so I'm just going to enjoy it while I can.

Autumn has arrived . . .

It's the end of September (where has this year gone?!?), the sunlight is weak and watery and there is a definite sense that the seasons are changing.

What does this mean for me? Well, I won't go out without a scarf for a start. I don't like being cold and last week's slight chill in the air has got me thinking about autumn/winter woolies. (Strangely enough it's warm today.)

I've dug out the crochet hooks and knitting needles that have lain dormant for the summer and am working on some super-dooper, super-cosy woolens. No pics of those here though because I allowed myself to be distracted (again?).To work with the chunky wool I had in mind I needed some new crochet hooks. So, having treated myself to a couple of beautiful new hooks I tried to put them in my knitting needle roll only to find I had no space. Oh dear, I'll have to make one just for the hooks!

. . . here's a little tutorial on the outcome.

Finished canvas corset

I still don't have any photos of the corded canvas corset on my client but I thought, as a filler, I'd let you see the final article . . .

Front showing the cording in place and the pocket on the left hand side

Back with cording next to the lacing panels and with floating lacing protector

The sandwich method of construction creates a really neat inside without having to line

Close up of the cording at the back with the binding in place.

More cording

The most recent canvas corset I've been working on has cording panels at the front and diagonal cording at the back, running from the waist to the top edge.

The diagonal cording was created once the panels were sewn together. I marked up the angle I wanted and top stitched five channels 4mm wide. Odd numbers always seem to look best – I think it's one of those things that mimics nature.

To insert the cording I used an awl to ease open the weave and inserted a loop turner with a nice small head (the stitching lines running parallel to the edge are for the boning for the lacing panels, grommets still to be inserted).

The cording was then hooked onto the loop turner, pulled through and left with a tail at both ends.

Wrong side, showing 'tails' of cording

Right side, showing tails at edge and external boning channel

Once I had checked I was happy with the cording the cord ends were trimmed. I put a few stitches through each for extra stability but they probably don't need it. Once the top edges are stitched and bound the cord can't escape!

The trimmed cords and stabilising stitches

The cording panels for the front were created separately before cutting. This ensured the panels were accurately sized (cording distorts the size and shape of the fabric so, when cording a larger area, some size is lost).

Only the top of the front panels was to be corded so the panels were sewn to the rest of the front using a flat felled seam.

Cording panels in place, showing exterior boning channels and watch pocket on the left

The inside

I love the effect of cording and it's relatively simple to do (even if time consuming). No doubt it will appear again soon!

A sight for sore eyes . . .

I decided to make a waspie/riding corset to my standard pattern (same as this white one but without the cording or black fanlacing) using a nice red and white woven stripe cotton I bought a wee while ago.

At the time I bought the cotton I'd been thinking about circuses and I suppose that leads indirectly to the idea of burlesque and showgirls . . .

So, no vertical stripes for me, I envisaged diagonals so that was what it had to be! The stripe on the fabric is woven so runs with the grain, making the pattern pieces run off the grain when cut as diagonals and therefore a bit stretchy. I knew this would happen so the cotton was flatlined to coutil before making up.

I used a bit of advice from Foundations Revealed (the trace the fabric pattern onto your paper pattern trick – although my pattern is considerably easier to match than the example in the article!) and it worked an absolute treat. It does take a shocking amount of time and pernickety-ness (is that a word?) to get it all working well but the sense of achievement when the diagonals work is fantastic, even if it does make your vision swim!

I thought it was particularly cute seeing the inside seams all trimmed and full of arrows.

So, much, much later this is how it looks. Cute?

Gratuitous pretty flower . . . 

It's been a wee while since I last posted a pretty flower pic and this flower is one that is currently brightening up my kitchen windowsill. It's a type of lily I was gifted by a friend and for the last two years it has just been a pot of leaves. I have no idea what it is but it certainly qualifies as pretty.

Etsy Finds

My steampunk canvas corset has made it into the Etsy Finds e-mail today. Very exciting!

This comes at a time when I have spent a day sewing and hand-basting pieces for my clients 'steampunk corset' – with watch pocket, cording (yes, I was allowed to put some in) and some exterior boning channels. Should be finished tomorrow and hopefully she'll let me take and post some pictures soon.

Sneak preview: corded panels ready for insertion into front panels. The one on the left has one cord more at the top but that's okay because it disappears into the seam allowance anyway!

If you look at the sample cording there really wasn't enough definition to make it work. Here I've used a stiffer backing fabric and, instead of sewing the channels and then threading the cord, placed the cord between the layers, run my nail along the side of it to create a crease and then used a piping foot to stitch hard against the cord (I didn't take any pictures). This means that the curve of the cord shows on the front fabric and the backing is almost totally flat. I don't know how other people do cording but I think the effect is pretty dramatic.

Now I have to work out how to cope with the bulk, especially for binding.

It's been a challenge, trying out new ideas, but good fun so far!

Utility in drab

I've been working out the next stage of my client's 'steampunk' inspired corset. She likes the 'drab' of the explorer and a fairly utilitarian style so I've been putting together a sample cloth with some options.

We discussed adding some external boning channels, for visual interest, but keeping the bulk of the bones hidden from view. We also discussed the possibility of some cording detail and some useful straps and 'd' rings.

I did get a bit carried away and added some flossing – just to show what a little simple embellishment would look like. I've got some coarse weave linen which I tried out as exterior boning channels for a fairly rustic effect and the main fabric is a distressed tea-stained canvas.

This has been a really good way to work through ideas and has illustrated what is and is not effective. i.e. cording on a heavy duty canvas isn't totally successful – the fabric is a bit too stiff to form a nice shape and shading (depends on how the light hits it) but the use of top stitching to suggest cording could still be pretty nice! 

Too much pondering . . .

When I finished making the deckchair bag I wasn't entirely happy with it (hence it didn't make it to Etsy). I felt that more space was needed around the handle so I decided that I'd do a bit of 'chop and change' and rehash it into something more usable.

I made a flap, chopped off the bits at either side of the handle space, did a bit of quilting, applied some binding, covered a button, put it all together and here it is . . .

I'm happy with the finished result and, as it's my first attempt at quilting, restructuring has been a good opportunity to develop new skills. Now to master the deckchair bag with wooden handle!

Vintage Eye Candy

Elaine's Vintage Clothing

This week I revisited a fabulous vintage clothes shop on St Stephen's Street in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. The last time I was there was about 20 years ago (!) and, honestly, I can't think why it's taken me so long to go back.

Back then I was looking for something to wear to a graduation ball, something that would keep me comfortable in my own skin and not feel like I was competing with the frilly strapless numbers on offer on the high street. At that time St Stephen's Street was full of vintage shops, vying with one another to provide wonderful items for the savvy (and stylish) shopper. Slowly they disappeared to be replaced with nail salons and 'art' shops but Elaine's has survived. It was in Elaine's that I found a floor length, handmade, forest green velvet evening gown which was simple and yet so special (it still hangs in my wardrobe and, although it no longer fits, I can't bear to part with it).

In store just now are beautiful swimming costumes (the ones with shirring on the back, low legs, little skirts and shaped bodices with collar details), ball gowns, velvet capes, luxurious quilted satin bed jackets, a white linen romper suit, a bullet bra (glorious in black satin, unworn and with original original tag still attached!) and endless lovelies from throughout the first three-quarters of the twentieth century.*

As if that's not enough the owner is incredibly friendly, helpful and very obviously knows and loves her items and who, I think, has opened the mind of daughter no 2 – who was with me on this visit but is a confirmed high street shopper and liker of things 'fashionable' – to the joys of vintage.

Elaine's Vintage Clothing doesn't have a website (that I can find) but if you are in Edinburgh it is well worth a visit: Elaine's Vintage Clothing, 55 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh. Open Tues to Sat from 1-6pm.

A new vintage shop has just opened on the street too so the future is looking good!

If you do make it to St Stephen's Street don't miss out on the opportunity to check out the authentic Italian coffee at Sprio or the eclectic mix of bars and restaurants dotted along the street.


* Please note that 80s is NOT vintage. I lived through the horrors of 80s fashion first time round – it was not good, even then – and I refuse to believe that I am old enough for those styles to be vintage!

Deckchair part II

Okay, so I decided to sew the sides to the gusset and then bind with some more stripes. The binding is cut on the grain (no corners to manipulate so bias wasn't really necessary and I didn't really like the idea of spiraling stripes on the edges – too fussy) and pressed using a binding maker.

Binding makers are one of those gadgets that, yes, you can live without but once you have one you'll never look back. I used to make my bias binding by hand folding and pressing and got pretty good at it too but I think this gadget allows for more productive use of my time – I can still make all my own binding but in a fraction of the time.

I wanted the stitches to look nice on both sides and the thing kept slipping since there were so many layers in each seam by this time. I put in some extra time and tacked the binding in place.

I'd been reading Bridges on the Body and saw this presser foot being used as a seam guide so thought I'd give it a go. Wow – great idea! I've not used this foot before but will definitely keep it handy now. The slots allow fabric to be lined up for edge to edge sewing or for edge top stitching. Those layers I mentioned earlier . . .  yes, that's right, made the bag edge too thick to feed through the slots! There is very little clearance when the foot is raised so I imagine this foot really isn't intended to sew binding onto bags. It didn't mind too much.

The top of the bag was folded and pressed at each side of the handle curve and sewn in place. Sorry, I forgot to take pics. 

The dowel rod was cut to size and inserted and here is the finished article . . . 

For future reference I'd add more space below the handles. This works fine as is but a bit more space would be good.

The verdict: a pretty snazzy deckchair bag. Super stripy and ready for a day at the beach! (Or anywhere else!)Overall I like this project but I'm not totally happy with it. It needs more space around the handle so that needs worked into the pattern for future versions. I suspect this bag will be reworked for my (or daughter's) personal use!

And finally . . .

Another pretty flower picture. This is a native one – common knapweed. Not a very pretty name considering how lovely it looks!

Deckchairs and sunshine

If I am making something for the first time I try to work out the most logical method for construction. As I make the item it often becomes apparent that my method needs tweeking so here goes . . .

Since the beginning of summer I've been wanting to make a colourful, deckchair-inspired bag. In my recent haul of stripy cottons I knew I had the perfect fabric –medium weight cotton in a fabulous combination of orange, green, beige, red and sky blue. I have the same colourway in both a narrow and wide stripe and decided that I'd have some fun and combine the two – narrow for the outside and wide for the gusset and inside pockets. All it would need to finish the deckchair look is some wooden dowelling.

I'm very guilty of just marking lines on the fabric and cutting if I know roughly what size I want my finished item to be and think it's a simple shape. This time I thought I'd be good and create a pattern even though the final shape is to be all straight lines.

I cut the fabric and pinned it to be flatlined to a water-resistant polycotton lining.

As the shape of the bag relies on having smooth sides I decided to insert gusseted pockets on one side, to avoid potential bulges, and a flat 'magazine pocket' on the other. The pockets were edge stitched to give a sharp edge.  I like the crisp finish edge stitching gives. A zipper foot can be useful for edge stitching but can sometimes result in an uneven feed on my machine so for this project I used a standard all-purpose foot and just stitched carefully!

The outside pieces of the bag were placed right side to right side and the handle curves sewn, trimmed, notched, turned right side out and edge stitched. I've still to decide on the finish for the outside – binding or french seams. I'm sure as I go along the method will suggest itself.

The gusseted pocket was stitched to the lining while the flat pocket was pinned to be sewn in with the attachment of the gusset to the sides.

The gusset of the bag was interlined with a second layer of polycotton to add structure and strength. I decided to add a webbing strap to give flexibility in use and as the webbing is so thick and bulky I gave it a few stitches to hold the folds in place with the raw edges tucked in ready for machine sewing. I like the criss-cross pattern used to apply webbing straps so I marked it out and stitched the strap to the gusset. So that's it – all the bits ready to be put together.







Gratuitous pretty pic

The sun has disappeared from Edinburgh again this week so to make me feel more summery here is a photo of a beautiful flower taken on sunlit walk on the banks of Loch Semple in Lochwinnoch.

This isn't a plant I'm familiar with so I looked it up. It is Himalayan Balsam: 'Because of its shape this flower is also known as Policeman's Helmet. It is not a native of Britain having been brought here during the nineteenth century as a greenhouse plant. It escaped and spread uncontrollably due to its seed dispersal method where exploding seed pods blast showers of seed huge distances.' – www.wildflowersofstrathclydepark.org.uk

It's a shame it isn't indigenous but it's very pretty all the same.

Plate spinning . . .

It's been a funny kind of week.

The schools are on holiday but we have had thunderstorms and torrential rain (more rain in one week than we usually suffer in a month). Don't get me wrong – I'm Scottish and no namby-pamby when it comes to the weather – but it's JULY!

Anyway, I'm trying to do a bit of everything – trying to fit in some work with kids at home and trying to do some fun things too.

In the limited time I've have for work I've been making some adjustments to a custom pattern for an underbust and making a revise toile. Generally the first draft was a good shape and fit but I'd underestimated for top edge squish. It's fixed now. I've agreed with the customer on the overall shaping but fabric and details are still up for grabs. She is a steampunk enthusiast so we'll have to wait and see . . .

While out and about I was mugged by some more fab fabric. I know it's getting late in the season to still be thinking summer stripes but I'm a stripe-a-holic and any season is good for me! I'm thinking circus and deckchairs. Happy!

Beginnings

Hi, this is my first ever blog, hence 'beginnings' so please bear with me while I figure out what I'm doing.

I'm hoping that this will be a bit of a crafty blog, sharing some details of what I make and how I make it. I've not been taking photos as I make yet so for a first posting here's a little bit of what I've been doing this week so far . . .

I've been experimenting with cording and fan-lacing and decided to just jump in at the deep end and use both on one corset. It's a cute little self-patterned corset waist in crisp white coutil with black lacing (pure drama). I've not managed to get great photos yet but here are some sneak previews.

During the making of this corset I was distracted by this fabulous pom pom flower fabric. I had to have it! Here it is all washed, pressed and ready to go.

Later . . .

I managed to persuade daughter no. 2 to put it over her shoulder while I took a quick snapshot. The style is a variation on an existing pattern I have and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Proper pics tomorrow and off to Etsy with it!



Bye for now.