Experimenting With Silk

This experiment could go either way.  It is either the beginning of a Great Sewing Adventure, or it could end up as a couple of luxury needle cases.

Yesterday I had a rummage and pulled out some old offcuts of silk.  For days I have been contemplating free motion quilting on silk.  Now that I have tried it I can tell you that it is a slippery business.  I had to ditch the gloves because I found I could get a better grip with my bare hands.

This small patch of dupion silk in a non-descript colour was the easiest to grip.  All those slubs gave my fingertips something to lock on to.  Perhaps rubber thimbles might help.

Also, with silk being so thin the work felt very flimsy.  I was using a scrap of calico as backing, so I know that next time I should use something a little more substantial. 

Has anyone got any tips for me, please?

A Dress for Next Summer

Nice and cheerful for a summer dress, which probably won't be worn until next year.  It is a cotton poplin, chosen by my daughter, who has a weakness for tropical designs.  She wants a fitted, straight-skirted dress.  Easier said than done, especially when she tells me "I want a zip."  If she knew how much psychological damage those four words have caused me, especially when thinking up a dress with lining.  I am a zipphobic and have decided to conquer the many-toothed demon.

Work so far has consisted of making a rough cut dress from an old duvet cover to get the size and position of the darts, then making a toile from calico to get a good fit.  I only stuck pins in my daughter twice.  No blood.  She accused me of direct voodoo, with no doll.  Then I unpicked the toile, ironed the pieces and laid them on tissue paper to draw the paper pattern.

The whole process has taken days, but the aim is to have a perfectly fitting dress for her so I can make another when she isn't here.  Had I used a commercial pattern I would have had to spend an age making adjustments, so I decided to draft my own.

Will I have the dress made before she goes back to university for the autumn term?  Probably not.

Cars and Planes

Having acquired a brand new great nephew this month,  I decided to buy some boyish material and steer myself away from all the pretty stuff.  These fat little aeroplanes are quite sweet.

The same can't be said of these rather brash cars, complete with speed stripes, some of which are flying past upside down.

I can feel a new series coming on - cot quilts just for boys!

Now All I Have to Do is Start Sewing...

I have had a little splurge recently and bought some striped Oakshott cottons.

Here is the whole selection, half a metre of each.  There were two reasons for snapping them up.  

Firstly, they are being discontinued, and there is very little left.  They are hand woven in India, and the colours are too beautiful for words.

I kept wondering what this one reminded me of, and then I realised it was the field round the corner. Shame the sun wasn't out.

Secondly, I am at the advanced planning stage for a big quilt.  Advanced planning is the grandiose term for having finished it in my head but not actually started it yet.  I know exactly what I am going to do, which colours I am going to use, and I even bought some backing material and wadding today, so things are getting serious.  

Linking up with Connie's blog Freemotion by the River For Linky Tuesday
and Barbara's blog Cat Patches for the September NewFO Linky

How to Wrap a Present for a Quilter

Why use paper?  It will only end up in the bin.

Just have a quick rummage in your stash, and make sure that if you need to do a seam that the stitches are giant sized so they can be unpicked in a trice.

Stick the present into a cloth envelope, and tie it up with a strip fished out of the sewing room rubbish.  The ribbon is the only clue as to what is inside.  The brown cottons were oddments bought in Liverpool about 35 years ago.  I can just about cope with the roses, but the one on the right is particularly hideous.  Yet in the hands of a scrappy quilter, these brown horrors could find their way into something marvellous.

Let's just hope she likes what is inside...

Making Another Summer Top

My old gardening shirt  has been transformed into a pattern, and this pretty cotton print was the best choice of all the lengths I had stashed away in my cupboard.

For the decorative double rows of stitching I am using a variegated quilting thread which goes perfectly with the colours of the design.  I don't know why I have never used a variegated thread before.

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A Summer Top in Oakshott Cotton

Last week I finished not only the batik top, but also this rather smart version in pale blue.  It is made from one metre of Oakshott Calluna Herringbone in harebell blue.  The only differences between this top and the batik top are firstly that I cut the armholes a fraction lower for extra comfort - somehow the finished batik top felt a little tighter than the test in calico, probably because the finished armholes were bound - and secondly I had a little more fabric to use so I could take the pleats right to the centre front.

This was the first time I had used the Calluna Herringbone, so I was interested to see what it would be like to work with.  Before cutting out I washed and ironed it.  There was a tiny bit of shrinkage and no dye run to speak of.

The herringbone weave gives a real vintage look, and choosing the buttons and narrow ribbon for trimming was serious business.  I spent a ridiculous length of time in the shop, but it was time well spent.  The check ribbon is really delightful, and the way the buttons reflect the light gives them a two-tone appearance which goes well with the ribbon.

Because the herringbone is a twill weave, there is a definite right side and wrong side.  The paler blue warp threads give a slightly ridged effect, emphasising the paler colour on the right side.  The darker blue weft threads predominate on the wrong side, and the surface is flatter. 

Having a stripe in the weave gives all the same advantages as working with an obvious two colour stripe.  It saved time when finding the straight grain of the fabric for cutting, for folding the front overlap, for lining up the buttons and buttonholes, and even measuring the width of the pleats.  

Here is the inside, with not a raw edge in sight.

After putting in the darts, the first seams I did were the felled seams at the shoulders...

... followed by French seams at the sides.

To finish the neck and armhole edges I used narrow bias binding...

... and the seam attaching the pleated frill was finished in broader bias binding in the same shade of blue.

For all the machine stitching I used the 1949 Singer 15K hand machine, except for the buttonholes, where I used the 1936 Singer 201K treadle and the unidentified buttonholer.

The quality of this cotton is quite exceptional.  It is soft to the touch, and is a medium weight, so cool for the summer, but with sufficient texture to give a good insulating layer in winter.  From the feel of it before cutting out I knew that it would drape and gather well, so I decided to test how well it would hold a crease.  Nothing short of perfect, as you can see.

Finally, here is my in-house model very sportingly wearing a colour that doesn't really suit her.  It looks far better on her old mum - not that the colours on this photo are accurate anyway.  The joys of taking photos in natural light indoors in cloudy weather.  

Every time she moved the neckline went out of shape on her because the shoulder seams were adjusted at the calico stage to fit me exactly.  

Also there was a fair amount of Muv and Daught banter going on.  I pay her her modelling fees in cake, and she was angling for macaroons.  Not the cheap and cheerful English sort made of coconut with a glace cherry on top, no the posh French sort.  She has expensive tastes.  At her age I would have been more than happy with a sticky great slab of lardy cake.

Linking up today with Connie's blog Freemotion by the River for Linky Tuesday

A Batik Top for my Birthday

No, I'm not saying how old I am today.  Quite a few years older than my daughter, so she models the top.

This is the batik that I found in a charity shop recently - a great find.  I still have enough left to make another summer top.

The pattern was made with the help of the instructions in the book The Pictorial Guide to Modern Home Dressmaking.  All I needed to do was to draw a bodice pattern to fit me, cut it off at waist level, and add a pleated frill at the bottom.  The frill is a feature I tried out in the 1940s blouse that I made for the Sew for Victory Sewalong.  It is easy to do, but measuring and ironing in the pleats took a while.

Even though the colour and style really suit my daughter, and we are fairly close to each other in size, the top didn't sit quite right on her shoulders because the pattern was adjusted to fit me.
  
The great challenge in using the batik was to get the pattern to match on both sides of the front, and to make the best use of the border print.  

These buttons were the best match that I could find, very close in colour to the bright pink flower, and sufficiently bold to stand out against the intricate pattern.  

The box pleated frill from the waist didn't need hemming because it was cut from the border print along the selvedge.

Printed into the design is the phone number of the workshop where the batik was printed.  I must remember to ring up and see if they've got some more.

Linking up to Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday

Batik from a Charity Shop

This lovely cotton batik was sitting in a charity shop waiting for me to buy it.  It is a couple of yards long, mostly printed with the design shown in the first picture...

... with two bands incorporating this narrow border...

... with this wider border set between them.

It is a sarong print.  Swanning around on hot beaches looking exotic really isn't my style, so there is no room in my wardrobe for a sarong.  Perhaps a dress, or a top and a skirt that I can wear separately.  Either way, making the best use of the border design might take some working out.

A Dress for Meg - 1

On the 30th May my god-daughter Meg will be three, and I have promised her a new dress for her birthday.  The plan is to post progress pictures so big sister Lily and their mum Hannah can watch the dress take shape.

First I had to raid my cupboard for a nice cotton print in colours to suit Meg.  This one fitted the bill. I'm sure Lily and Hannah will like it, whereas Meg might be rather more interested in the 20 pence.

I am going to use the home-made pattern I made a few weeks ago, but have made a few adjustments so Meg has room to grow.  Children often have growth spurts in the summer, and I don't want to make a dress that she will have grown out of by September.

So here is the progress so far.  I have cut out the back and front bodice pieces and the sleeves. I can cut out the skirt later - no rush, it will just be rectangular pieces - and I intend to draft a pattern piece for a collar once I have done the shoulder seams.

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Tweed Offcuts

This collection of pure wool tweed offcuts arrived in the post for me a few days ago, direct from the manufacturers in the north of England - a trip of nearly 200 miles.  (Americans take note - this is a small country, and that is a long way).  I didn't know what colours to expect, I took pot luck and asked for five dark colours and five lighter or bright colours.  

As soon as I had time I washed them all, so I know they are pre-shrunk when I use them, and also to ensure there is no loose dye.  After an initial very warm dunk in a bucket, I washed them all together in the machine at 30 degrees.  No nasty running dye - a fantastic result.  I didn't know it was possible to have so much fun with a washing machine.

They vary in weight - the plaids would be suitable for skirts, whereas the plain colours would be ideal for a thick winter coat.  I love the pink...

... and the herringbones are very jolly.  My husband liked the dark green in the top picture and immediately wanted a jacket in it.  No chance, I haven't even got enough to make half a sleeve, so I have promised him a cushion instead.

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The Great British Sewing Bee has Started!

My favourite programme has started.  For the next couple of months Tuesday nights are special, spaghetti bolognese in front of the telly to watch the Great British Sewing Bee!  This year there is a great bunch of contestants all working in a beautiful sewing room in a converted warehouse beside the Thames.

So what has the close-up of the scrappy cot quilt got to do with the Great British Sewing Bee? Well, it's all about Cliff, the first contestant to leave - not because he was eliminated, but because he wasn't well.  Such a shame, because he clearly has talent, just look at his shirt!  I recognised those strawberries instantly.  The pink of the strawberries stands out beautifully against the navy background, and the little blueberries in the design add a splash of blue. Colourful, in a sober sort of way.  It is a lovely smooth cotton poplin, so Cliff knew it was not only striking, but comfortable, nice to wear, and easy to wash and iron.  Top marks to Cliff.

A Quick Cheesy Snack - Spot the Cheddar!

Just a little selection of English cheeses lined up on a plate... (I scoffed them while cooking Sunday dinner and ever so slightly spoilt my appetite)

cut from these packets that I raided from the local supermarket before Christmas...

and now laid out on the fabrics with the result of the Boxing Day Quiz.

Number 1 is the colour of smoked salmon, so quite plainly a red herring.

Number 2 is a creamy buttermilk colour.  I could just have easily grabbed a block of Lancashire or Cheshire, but I fancied some Wensleydale, which is perhaps a tiny touch pale for the fabric, but I was thinking primarily of my stomach at the time.

Number 3 - I have lost count of the number of times I have seen this colour on American blogs or websites referred to as cheddar, and I have been sitting here yelling, " No, it's Red Leicester!"

Number 4 - yes, here it is, the real thing.  Living in Somerset, with Cheddar less than fifteen miles away, we are very particular about our Cheddar.  We always buy Farmhouse Cheddar, and my husband likes it extra mature, so it has little chalky calcium bits in it.  I prefer it a bit younger myself.

Number 5 - the same routine as number 3, but in this case I will be yelling "Double Gloucester!"

Number 6 in real life is a nice biscuity colour like home made cheese crackers, but my camera couldn't cope with the poor light so it has turned out the colour of dirty pastry that has been rolled out on the floor by a six year old.

Well done Gavin, breezing in first with the right answer! Note the confidence in his answer - no doubt or hesitation.  He knows that we would have no problem finding our way round each other's fridges.

Motherdragon's Australian cheddar hit the mark, and Beth Strand realised there was something up my sleeve.  Alcea Rosea just missed it, but getting subtle shades of yellow right on computer screens is a hit and miss affair... her cheese and number 2 on her screen may well have been a perfect match.

So if you are feeling a bit peckish by now, feast your eyes on more lovely cheese here, or just make a dash for the fridge.

Boxing Day Quiz

The Boxing Day soup will be ready this evening.  It smells delicious already.  Sewing is fading into the background for the moment.  Cooking is the order of the day.  Is it possible to combine the two and expend as little energy as possible?  Yes, with the Boxing Day Quiz!

Take a long hard stare at the photo above, showing various shades of yellow, with a couple of shades of not really yellow at all thrown in for good measure.  Bear in mind that the camera can't cope very well with the poor midwinter daylight, and I have done my best adjusting the colour with the pictures editor to try and get the shades as close to real life as possible.

Now it is time to dash to the kitchen and get yourself a plate of cheese and crackers, settle down again and look at the picture, and tell me...

Which of these fabrics is the colour of Cheddar?

No prizes, I'm afraid, but a good excuse for a sneaky quick snack.

The answer will be posted next week.  In the meantime I will be very busy relaxing.

The Stash

This picture is a bit embarrassing.  The cupboard is overflowing and I can no longer shut the doors. There is enough pretty cotton poplin to make dresses for 36 toddlers, oddments and plain colours for 103 tea cosies, and plain colours and backing materials for an indeterminate acreage of quilts. Also I have a carrier bag full of my poshest colours, which I am now digging into for a new quilt.

Planning and organisation are not my strongest points, so I have decided to be bold and write down the list that has until now been stored between my ears.  Said and done is not my motto, but if I write something down, then I consider myself obliged to do what I have said I would do. The kick for this decisive action has come from Barbara at Cat Patches with the 2014 NewFO Challenge.  So here is my plan of action, nebulous as it is:-

1.  Use up some of the nursery print fat quarters for a cot quilt, and see if I can then churn out a        few more cot quilts and pram quilts.

2.  Devise a baby dress made from fat quarters.

3.  Make a quilted jacket.

4.  Do a small free motion quilted landscape.

5.  Make a dress for my daughter using her parcel tape alter ego.

6.  Start a wall hanging and make it good enough to enter into an exhibition the year after next.   This is something that has lived for so long in my head and reached such fantabulous proportions that I haven't even put pen to paper to sketch the plans, for fear that the reality will fall too far short of the fantasy.  It is time to get a grip.

Well that is six months taken care of, not necessarily in that order, and not necessarily consecutive. How is that for a get-out clause?  We shall see...

Another Charity Shop Find

This interesting length of fabric was bundled up in the corner of a charity shop.  Here it is slung over the clothes rack.  It is 58 inches wide and the pattern is huge.  The large flower is eight and a half inches across.  It has a beautiful silky flow to it, and my first thought was that it was a length of vintage rayon.  The pattern is on a scale that would be ideal on curtains in a large room, but this is definitely material for dressmaking or shawls.  It drapes beautifully.

I haven't washed or ironed it yet.  Fortunately the whole length was clean and unfaded, so I can live with the creases for the time being.

At first sight these are not my favourite colours, but the sheen and drape is so beautiful that the colours become quite fascinating.  The lime green in the leaves and buds really brings it to life.

The only use I can think for it would be to make shawls, but it almost seems a shame to cut into it.  

In the Cupboard for Over 30 Years

This pretty floral print has been with me a long time.  I bought it in Liverpool in about 1980 and have only ever used it in backings on small items.  For some reason it has never gone well with other fabrics that I have used and has never made it onto a quilt top.  Yet again it is on the back of a quilt, which will soon be stuffed into an envelope to wing its way to Utah to Pattilou.  The front of the quilt is a secret until Pattilou receives it...

I am slightly at a loss as to why this print never quite goes with anything else.  I would understand if it were sludgy colours, or just plain ugly, but it is a really sweet design.  Just another of life's mysteries.

Charity Shop Finds

Yesterday I ended up in a charity shop and had a very productive rummage through a drawer full of fabric.  This lightweight cotton is at least three yards long.  I bought it thinking it would be a handy fabric for backing or joining strips on a quilt as you go project.  After I had washed it and was ironing it dry I realised that it would be ideal to try out a 1940s blouse.  The pound coin is in the picture for scale and also to show how much this piece of material cost me.

Also for a pound I got this vibrant African print with a narrow border.  It is in fact a skirt, but for some reason had been bundled up in the drawer with the fabrics.  Perhaps because it was so shapeless. After seeing how much dye came out of it it was plain that it had never been washed before.  It might take me a while to decide what to use this for.

Welcome to Rachel Cold, the latest follower - thank you for joining!

Boring Picture, Tedious Sewing, Exciting News

Well it's not that boring, it's rather pretty - a close-up of the material I am using to make a hanging strip.  I bought yards of this stuff, a nice fresh furnishing cotton, in a sale a couple of years ago.  It is ideal for the hanging strip that I have to sew to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Quilt.  I am not looking forward to all that hand sewing.  Dull as ditch water. 

What I am looking forward to is a nice drive to Worcestershire on 13th May to deliver the quilt to the Three Counties Showground for the Malvern Quilt Show.  I've never entered a quilt in a show before. It's a bit scary really.

A Present and a Find

A couple of months ago I received a fat quarter in the post from Canada.  It was sent by QuiltE, one of the members on the Quilting Board Forum.  The fabric is from the True Friends collection by Nancy Halvorsen for Benartex.  

QuiltE had sent out lots of these, with a note saying we should make whatever we like using this fabric so we can all post pictures on the forum.  What a brilliant idea!  It took me about eight and a half seconds to decide what to make.  I should get started later today.  I have a funny feeling that the note suggested we have them finished by 1st April, but the note is buried somewhere...

This colourful floral print is a Rose and Hubble fabric that I got from a charity shop.  It is in fact a skirt with an elasticated waist.  Awful as a skirt.  It doesn't hang well and is an example of the sack of spuds school of couture.  Perfect for the stash.

How often do you see pictures online of fabrics for sale that give you no idea of the scale of the print?  Or more irritating, with a coin, but to you it's foreign so you have no idea how big it is?  Or even if it is your own country, the coin is heads side up so you don't know which coin it is?  Just for larks I am going to let my compatriots guess whether it is a 5p or 10p coin in the pictures and whether it is the same coin in each picture.