Procrastination central

I know. This blog has languished neglected of late. My apologies, but looking after a household of invalids while rehearsing a variety concert is enough to keep anyone busy.

Recently: I learnt to make jam in the microwave, and made a small batch of strawberry jam by myself and assisted with a large batch of mulberry. Blueberry jam may be just around the corner.

6 mice are finished and another two are WIPs.

I plan to make a diagonally striped top very soon - I've figured out the alterations needed to the pattern and hopefully can get it one this week. It's a Kwik-sew pattern but I can't remember the number just now.

I also made mulberry muffins using a variant on the blueberry muffin recipe I worked out last year. Nice!

Mice and Food

Firstly, the room that contains both the computer and the sewing machine has been undergoing a Major Reorganisation, hence both the lack of updates here and the lack of dressmaking lately. All is now (hopefully) back in place, and certainly there is much more available light in the room, so I think we might have got it right!

Now on to what I have actually been doing:

The mice progress. Lizzie and Darcy mice are basically complete. Jane mouse is finished except her arms aren't attached yet (sorry Jane!) because I'm waiting until I've done Bingley mouse so they can be doing something cute and couple-y like having linked arms. Bingley mouse isn't even started yet - although I had very good intentions in that line, but I was sabotaged by having chosen a yarn for his breeches that SAID it was DK but actually knitted up Much Much Smaller.

Take note: Lincraft brand DK acrylic is a thin DK.

However, I was able to use the too-small Bingley-breeches for the Artful Dodger (irritating, as I had been going to try out the child mouse pattern for him, but oh well) and he's coming up quite nicely. Fagin is also underway - my eyes were watering a bit whenever I looked at the colours I had picked for him, but he doesn't look too clash-y now.

Oh yes! I downloaded the Dickensian Party Mice pattern from Alan Dart's website - it's a companion piece to the Dickensian Mice Sirdar booklet and has indoor clothes rather than outdoor, so includes things like frills for the ladies skirts and necklines, and gentlemens' frock coats. Very useful!

In the cooking line, I made strawberry tarts to this recipe for Fathers' Day afternoon tea - very nice flavour but mine came out much too big - I only got 6 where the recipe says it makes 8. Also I used my old faithful pastry recipe, but for once it wasn't a great success. :-( Next time I'll try the honey/spice version and see how that goes.

I've also done some experiments lately in jellied fruit, by which I mean fruit in jelly. Mulberries (courtesy of the M-I-L-E) in Blackcurrant Jelly and Strawberries (from the farm stall down the road) in Purple Grape Jelly. I regret not getting photos of either of these, because they were very attractive, but they vanished before I could. I think that means they were a success!

I also made apple, pecan and cinnamon mini-muffins yesterday - the first batch were slightly overcooked but very tasty - second batch were fine.

Now I'm off to try to get the pink shirt finished. I fear I may have left it too late though - the weather is rapidly warming...

Pride and Prejumice

I've had a head cold which I am now very nearly over. It really knocked me sideways though, so I haven't been getting much done the last couple of weeks.

I have, however, started on a project to make Alan Dart mice to a Pride and Prejudice theme. Lizzy, Darcy and Jane are all underway and going well - I'm a bit puzzled about what to use for Bingley though. The patterns I'm using are:

Darcy - Mostly the Ringmaster from Cirque de Souris, but using hose legs rather than trouser legs, plus a neckband from Harvest Mice and an improvised cravat. He actually stands up rather well - much better than most of my other male mice.

Lizzy - Basic dress body but with the waist level raised two rows and a two-row garter stitch edging. I used the bonnet from Dickensian Mice, the skirt frill from the May Queen in May Day Mice, and the arms are based on Jill's from Nursery Rhyme Mice. Improvised reticule.

Jane - Dress same as Lizzy's. I used Little Bo-Peep's bonnet from Nursery Rhyme Mice and arms based on the May Queen in May Day Mice.

After that I'm planning on a couple of Oliver Twist mice - Fagin and the Artful Dodger. And a few ideas for an Hercule Poirot mouse have been floating around recently...

Other projects? Stuff that, I'm making mice.

Defining 'stash'

I have a very small yarn stash.

Those of you who have seen my yarn stash are probably thinking I need some psychiatric help about now. Or maybe glasses.

The thing is, although I do have some quite a bit of lots of yarn, not all of it is Stash.

Herewith are presented my rules for stash definition:

1. Any yarn bought for a specific project is not in the stash. This applies even if I have since decided not to make the project. Sooner or later the yarn will find another project.

2. Any yarn bought without a specific project in mind but with a definite intention of using it to make one is not in the stash.

3. Partially used balls from a previous project are not stash. They are leftovers. The only exception to this is if there are also spare balls of the same yarn. Spare balls are counted as stash.

4. Any yarn which would ordinarily be counted as stash, but is too expensive/rare/attractive to be stash, is not stash.

You get the idea.

A Penelope day

Remember Penelope, from Greek mythology? She was Odysseus' wife, left behind while he went off to Troy and was away for twenty years. She was under quite a lot of pressure to re-marry, as Odysseus was 'presumed dead', but Penelope was a cunning lady herself and managed to play for time. Her strategy was to announce that she would choose another husband only after she had finished weaving a shroud in memory of Odysseus, and every day she worked on her loom. And then every night she unpicked her day's work.

I was reminded of Penelope when I spent all last evening crocheting a hat, only to realise when I finished it that I had made a mistake in the second round, thus completely ruining the stitch count and size, and so had to unravel the entire. darn. thing.

Commercial break*

Hear ye, dressmakers of Australia.

I know many of you don't like Spotlight very much. A lot of the time I agree with you. It's certainly no substitute for the many Little Fabric Shops that have gone under from financial pressures.

But I'm here to tell you, they have the BEST product I have ever found for dressmaking toiles: Trace and Toile Interfacing.

You trace the pattern on to the interfacing. Then you cut out the pattern pieces in the interfacing, and sew up the garment in the interfacing (using a good big stitch). Try it on. If you need adjustments, you mark it on the toile - which means you are marking it directly on the pattern! Unpick the seams at the end, and voila, you have a pattern already altered to fit.

I found it pins and sews beautifully, without tearing or stretching, and isn't too stiff when fitting it on the body. This is definitely one product I'll be keeping around.

*This is a completely gratuitous recommendation of a product. Spotlight have not given me any incentives to write this entry. However if they would like to send me free stuff or filthy lucre they are welcome to.

Look up in the sky! It's a UFO! It's a WIP! It's... way too many projects

WIPs:
- Knitted Alpaca scarf - Still about halfway.
- Crocheted Scarf for Mum - A quarter of the way.
- About to begin tracing off shirt patterns for Mum and me, as we are both in DESPERATE NEED of tops. This has taken Total Priority over any other projects atm. Functional clothing is needed.
- Blue/green top - finished all sewing, but one side of the neck came out longer than the other, so a gathering thread needs to be put in.
- Navy skirt - still needs waistband finishing
- Light blue blouse - fronts and back cut out but not sleeves

 
Recently finished:
- Blue/green crochet hat - Made from Cleckheatons California 8 ply in Ocean.
- Grape wristwarmers - Made from the leftovers of the grape hat.


 
UFOs, temporarily abandoned while I think about the direction these projects are taking:
- Doll's Kimono - Made from Bendigo Classic 5 ply wool, in Butternut (a sort of apricot colour). Back and fronts done, tried on two dolls and it has come out way way WAY too long, also the wrong shape... yeah, stuff it.
- Slip-rib tunic - Decided to start over with a different pattern, as I like everything except the shape, which is, y'know, a pretty big problem.
- Navy jacket, White shirt, Wool skirt - all temporarily put aside.

Current activities

 In a rush, so just a quick run-down of what the current projects are:

Knitting:
- Alpaca scarf - Made from 3 balls of an alpaca boucle that's been floating around for a while, in a 3 by 3 rib stitch. About halfway.
- Doll's Kimono - Made from Bendigo Classic 5 ply wool, in Butternut (a sort of apricot colour). Back done and half one front.
- Doll's Welsh outfit - done
- Slip-rib tunic - UFO

Crochet:
- Scarf for Mum - Made from Bendigo Classic 2 ply wool in Cherry Red. About... 5 inches done.
- Doll's Welsh hat - done
- Blue/green hat - yet to start

Dressmaking:
- Navy skirt - still needs waistband finishing
- Navy jacket - cut out but not sewn
- Light blue blouse - fronts and back cut out but not sleeves
- White shirt - stuck at the collar which doesn't seem to fit the neck
- Blue/green top - cut out, marked and pinned
- Blue green skirt - done
- Wool skirt - still figuring out how to do the yoke

Recent baking:
- Butterscotch brownies
- Survival bikkies
- Lemon curd

And the 2013 Abbey Medieval Festival is now over

The costume:

Dress made from cotton jersey, original colour Natural, dyed Navy blue. Pattern a mixture of sources - half-circle skirt from hip-seam, t-shirt style bodice and upper sleeves - KwikSew 2619, lower sleeve from Vogue pattern - now out of print but any similar ones could be used.

Hem and sleeve edgings made from quilting cotton - patterns made by using the edges of the original patterns and adding seam/hem allowances.

Sleeve linings made from quilting cotton.

Dull gold braid was sewn around neck and matching cord was sewn around sleeve edges.

Undersleeves are cotton rib - they were actual sleeves cut off a purchased top and I added elastic to hold them above the elbow.

Headdress is a sheer white scarf wrapped around head and neck, pinned, and tucked in at the neckline of the dress. A plain straw hat on top.

I found the belt at an op-shop. The bag has been rattling around the house for years (and was completely inauthentic, but did the job).

For next year I may do a new costume, or I may touch up this one a bit more (the accessories, particularly, need work). But we'll see when we get there. In any case, I really need to get into some practical dressmaking for a while.

Normal service will resume next week

The medieval costume is nearly done!

Ok, so the braid decorations for the upper sleeves didn't work and were removed. The brown 'mudguard' on the hem looks GREAT though, as do the sleeve linings and edgings and cord trim.

I'm using a pair of old cut-off sleeves as the undersleeves - cut off a long-sleeved top because they were getting little holes in and so I turned the top into a short-sleeved one. They are knit, hence non-authentic, but on the other hand they will be quick to finish. All I need to do is sew elastic around the tops to keep them in place above the elbow. (The question of sewing them to the dress was explored and rejected. It's hard enough getting in and out of this costume without adding yet another layer of difficulty!)

The main thing I hadn't anticipated was the sheep weight of this costume - especially the sleeves. I can't even imagine how the original medieval ladies would have managed with several more layers as well. I suppose at least it would have helped to keep them warm.

Some updates

Some quick updates on the medieval costume:

1. I started re-attaching last year's braid neck-trim... and it looked awful. One quick trip to Spotlight later and I have new braid. (Discounted and discontinued, so I got extra.) It is a dull gold. I also got some cord to match.

2. The sleeve linings are sewn but not attached to the dress yet. They are a vivid rust colour. They look good.

3. I am about to cut out the edgings for sleeves and hem. They will take time and energy and may not work. They are a boring brown. They will look... authentic. Also, due to the weather forecast, the hem edging may actually have to be functional in keeping the mud off, so I have to make it deeper.

4. This is turning into a very busy week. I have no idea how much time will be available for doing this costume.

5. There are a few spots on the dress where the dye blotched. I probably don't have time to do anything about this. Unfortunately, it's in a rather visible area. Well... visible from certain angles, anyway.

Preparing to go Medieval

So the costume for this year's Abbey Medieval Festival is UNDERWAY!

Not a costume I'll be able to enter in their costume competition, since it involves knit fabric and a serious lack of authenticity, but on the other hand I will be able to finish it in time, which is a very definite plus.

It is, in fact, last year's costume with alterations. The costume was originally made for a costume party I went to as Eowyn from The Two Towers - the white dress she wears when we first see her at Edoras. For the Eowyn version, the dress had a gold hip-belt, gold ribbon/cord down centre front, gold/jewel braid around the neckline and cord binding the upper sleeves. Worn with white shoes and a gold band across the forehead, it was pretty effective (the only real problem was the lack of long golden hair. Ah well).

Then for last year's Abbey I removed all the trimmings except for the neck-braid and pinned my hair up under a sheer white scarf draped across the front neck to look like a veil/wimple. I forget what shoes I wore, but I also had a wide-brimmed straw hat to keep the sun off.

This year I started by removing the braid trim, and then used Dylon Machine Dye in Navy to dye the dress. I tumble-dried it, which I was a bit worried about (being cotton) but it seems to have been ok. It's come out a nice dusty blue with just a hint of green - the original fabric was 'natural' rather than pure white, so had just a touch of yellow in. Colour-mixing rules apply to dyeing as per usual. I had suspected this would be the case, which was why I didn't dye it green in the first place - yellow-green not being my best colour, I didn't want to take the risk!

The plan now is to re-attach the braid around the neck, line the hanging parts of the sleeves (I'd hoped to do this last year but it didn't happen. Those visible seams really bugged me!) and edge the sleeves and hem with a contrasting fabric - partly for a historically accurate look, and partly because the white polycotton thread didn't dye and is rather obvious on those hems. I also want to make a pair of undersleeves so my arms aren't just showing everywhere in the hanging sleeves, as ladies of the time would most certainly have had another garment on under the outer dress.

Then there's the question of shoes, hat/head-dress, belt, accessories... and at least some of these will undoubtedly have to wait for another year, since I only have 10 days to do all of this!

Updates

So. Damn. Cold.

I know it's winter here, but still, it's supposed to be the sub-tropics. It just shouldn't be this cold, is all.

Wall-hangings for the twins are proceeding apace - i.e. they are done apart from the actual calligraphy. All dressmaking is on hold until I get them done - I need all the daylight I can get!

Doll costumes continue - the Welsh doll outfit is taking more time than expected because I've redone the shawl at least 3 times already. Still, I think I've got it figured out now.

An unexpected crochet hat happened the other day. I blame the yarn fumes. California 8ply 100% wool in colour 'Storm' (which is green and purple, go figure). From the stash, though, so it was stashbusting, not startitis. (It's important to keep these things straight.) And I'm thinking of doing a pair of wristwarmers in the leftovers.

It's ideal weather for baking, so chocolate biscuits might be happening sometime soon. No more muffins just yet though - we still have quite a few in the freezer.

Rain, rain, go away

At the moment:

Some things I want to do I can't do because the light is too bad and I can't see.

Some things I want to do I can't do because they wouldn't dry in this weather.

Some things I want to do I can't do because they can't be done until I have other things done first, which I can't do because either I can't see or they wouldn't dry.

And I did all the other things yesterday.

Also, the Abbey Medieval Festival has just announced it's having a costume competition this year - announced with LESS THAN A MONTH to go - emphasizing historical accuracy and skill/techniques - and somehow I still think I would have a chance of getting something done. No.

Recovering

I've been taking things pretty easily for the last week, on account of not wanting to precipitate another bout of RSI (one was most definitely enough!). Also, I seem to be on a doll-clothes kick as far as knitting goes, and doing a lot of work with fine yarn and needles really doesn't help wrist tension. I've being trying to use ergonomic techniques for knitting - like using different hand positions for knit rows and purl rows - which work pretty well until you get to a rib section, and then you're basically stuffed. But basically, I'm recovered, and am trying to create a Welsh costume based on the patterns in the old Patons booklet I got the Russian doll costume out of: "Dolls Clothes Around the World".

I'm a bit annoyed with the dressmaking at the moment, as I've been trying out the patterns from the Surefit pattern making kits, and have made a pair of trousers that still don't fit despite having followed instructions. However, I've now got some interfacing that can apparently also be used for toile fitting - BEST idea ever if it works! - and will try again. I'm also going to try the blouse from the same kits and see if it fits any better.

Meanwhile my baby twin cousins are rapidly approaching their 2nd birthday, and of course I need to make their presents. These are going to be co-ordinated wall-hangings featuring their names and some nursery-rhymes, in the same style as the ones I did for my other little cousins when they were babies - made from cardboard and ribbons, the name is on one side and the nursery rhyme on the other. Hopefully I'll have enough time to get these done!

You can't knit forever...

After spending hours knitting on the one day, I had a slight ache in my right wrist, which by the next morning had developed into a full-blown case of RSI. Resting and recovering now, and it's feeling a lot better today, but I'm avoiding the knitting/crochet for a bit, and using the computer isn't too comfortable either.

Re-use, re-cycle... and dye!

Firstly, I am in the black hole of skirts. Seriously, I have not touched a skirt since... oh right, since before making 25 skirts for the theatre group. Hmm. That could have something to do with it...

On to the main business of the day. The navy dye I bought to dye the medieval dress has been re-purposed and used to dye an old jacket that was looking pretty shabby. It started out as a nice black corduroy number, but over the years developed some nasty rubbing on the edges and folds of the fabric, which sent it grey/white in places. Not good. But it still fits really well, so I didn't want to throw it out. I thought of binding the edges, but decided to try dyeing it first to see how that went.

A note. I deliberately did NOT use black dye to re-dye this jacket. Black dye is notoriously difficult and frequently needs 2 packets where any other colour needs only one, and I didn't want to go through all this just to find I'd dyed the edges a slightly different shade of grey!

Dye used: Dylon machine dye, colour Navy, 1 packet.
Buttons were removed from jacket before dyeing, and the jacket was turned inside out as per washing instructions on label.
Used front-load washing machine on 40C Delicates cycle as per packet instructions.

I am really pleased with the look of the jacket since dyeing it. The colour, while remaining black, has gained depth and richness, and the blue is only visible as a sort of sheen - similar to how black fur/hair sometimes has blue highlights. Very good result!

(Photo will follow - you probably guessed that by now, though, didn't you?)

Weekend road trip

There's a new Lincraft store opened only 10-15mins away from me, and I had a list of stuff I needed to get - YES I really did need all of it, sheesh! - so Mum and Nanna and I hopped in the car and went on an AWESOME THOUGH VERY SHORT CRAFTY ROAD TRIP.

I managed to get almost everything I needed (yay!), which was:

1. 2 x 35mm buttons to finish Rainy Days Vest. Check.
2. 1/2m of black ribbing to make a new yoke for a wool skirt I picked up secondhand. Check.
3. 3.5m black binding for hem of wool skirt. Unfortunately they didn't have this in black in the right width.
4. 4 small red buttons for Dolls' Russian Dress. Check.
5. Millinery wire to stiffen edge of Dolls' Russian headdress. Check. (I hope - I'm not quite sure what millinery wire is.)
6. Black round elastic for waist of Dolls' dress and tights. Check.
7. Dark blue dye to modify last year's Medieval costume - it's cream and I'd like it to get less filthy this year. Check.
8. Cord to make a drawstring for some pyjama pants that had lost their elasticity. Check.
9. Um... something I can't remember. Check.

So it was a very productive trip. The vest buttons have now been sewn on, the pyjamas have a new drawstring and the elastic is in the dolls tights. Next up should be the wool skirt.

Never knit when you're tense

I know. Sounds counter-intuitive, doesn't it?

Maybe I should rephrase, however.

Never begin knitting the second sleeve when you are more tense than when you knitted the first sleeve. Because you are likely to find yourself more tightly, and then when you measure it turns out you're getting a much firmer tension than you got on sleeve 1 (20 stitches to 4 inches as opposed to 18 stitches), and you are then going to need to pull out everything you've done on the second sleeve.

Yeah. Ask me how I know.

RL is not good just now...

...so I don't know how regularly I'll be able to update. I seem to be attending a lot of funerals just now.

However, the silver and gold skirts are done and sent off, so they're out of the way.

The vest is done and blocking, and I've started knitting the Slip-Rib Tunic from Patons 1210. Yarn is Zhivago in deep red colour.

Hope you are all well.