New Year Sewing plans - delayed by one month oops

Well just managed to get this in before the end of January (unless you are based in Australia or nearby).  My plan sounded achievable at the beginning of the year, and it is, if I hadn't got sidetracked by knitting so I have decided that rather than trying to play catch up I will just move everything round a month - sneaky huh.  So this month - by that I now mean February my sewing plans are to make two tops.

Easy.

Well I started with inspiration from Ruche which do modern vintage and normally have some cute stuff.  For February my two designs are below.

Inspiration from Ruche

I do not intend to make something identical to these, this is just my starting point.   Looking at the white top I choose to make it using Grainline's Scout pattern, but as yet do not have a pattern that is similar to the second top - ideally it will be from an independent designer.  If you know of a pattern please let me know.

I've not made this pattern before so will make a simple toile first to check the size and become used to the pattern- that said from what I have read it is not a difficult pattern.  

I also want to become more familiar with different fabrics as my knowledge is extremely limited at present.  My toile will be made in good old polycotton  So now I've written about it I have no excuse but to get on and make it.

If you have any suggestions for a pattern for the second make please leave a comment below.

Knitting update - Promise more on sewing soon

Yes I know this sewing blog has been taken over by knitting.  Normal service will be resumed soon.  Well the good news is that I have completed my January plans and have made both a hat and scarf.  The scarf was made with double knit wool and involved 20 stitches cast on and then knit until I felt it was long enough then cast off.  Very easy and a great starting point to get confidence up.   I like the stripes that just knitting gave the scarf. The hat was a success in that it is indeed a hat but I don't think I will be wearing it. It also included more skills so cast on knit decrease and cast off but also sewing together to form the shape.

The knitting for February is a flower and a childs cardigan.  This seems like quite a leap but I will may close attention to the wool I buy as I think that the hat was less successful as this was odd ball of wool from the back of the cupboard so I'm not really sure what it was maybe too stretchy.

Well with the weather getting colder here at least my neck will stay warm.

New Year Knitting Schedule January

source

New year and new challenges.  Having seen some beautiful cardigans and hats recently,especially LLadybirds and Tasia's Owls I have decided that it would be good to be able to knit, especially as I love to be warm and wear cardigans almost everyday.  So having been given a knitting book by my Mum aimed at beginners - yep thats me I'm a complete beginner - I have decided upon a rather ambitious schedule.  All the designs come from the book, which has perfectly placed them in order of difficulty.  There are a few designs that I will not be making either because I do not need them (baby booties) or I'm not keen (ZigZag scarf) but there are many that I can see myself not only making, but wearing.

So the schedule (January -April) is as follows and I will try to keep up with it.  Each month has two projects.

January Scarf and Hat

February Flower and Childs Cardigan

March Cable stitch project bag (to keep my knitting in) and lace wrap

April Mittens and Wrist warmers

I will post up as soon as I have completed each make - Not much of January left so need to get a wriggle on wish me luck.

Review of 2013 The wearable scrapbook

Well when I think that at the start of 2013 I could not sew (I did own two sewing machines though - another story) I feel very proud of how far I came and also of every item I made. That's not to say they were all good but each one reminds of the time I made it and its like a wearable scrapbook.

 So it all began from a Google search and a longing to be creative and ended with a really cool hobby and a daily addiction to reading sewing blogs.

  So first there was Alma - which taught me I don't like peter pan collars and that chiffon sari scarf fabric is not the easiest first sew fabric. I also fell in love with independent patterns and invisible zippers.Then there was Ginger which taught me that with single sided fabric it is really important to fold the fabric wrong sides out before cutting - My coudroy Ginger was actually cut to have the coudroy on the inside and required some - ahem bodging- to get it to work but it is wearable although kicks out a bit in a strange /un ginger like way. It also introduced me to Colette patterns which I fell for big time.

 There was two Laurels - one knit and one strange sparkly sari blue. The knit I've worn lots and lots. I also entered into a competition with these

There was a really wearable Mathilde - which also ended up being my most read post of last year after Tilly retweeted the photo I sent her - Thanks Tilly This I've worn to several friends birthdays and also my trip to London to buy fabric.


  There was a beautiful Hawthorn - in plaid that kinda matches up that i wore to my daughters 2nd birthday

 A made-by-rae buttercup bag - think i need the bigger pattern though as I like to carry a lot of stuff

 There was a Staple dress that I wore to see Matilda the musical with my mum and other daughters 8th birthday. This i always wear with a chunky belt so it may need more elastic next time - shirring is so much fun

 Then there was my last project of the year Victoria Blazer - which I loved making but think I need a more tailored - less eighties style pattern and that i need to have more adventurous fabric choice - it was a bit dull. I had hoped to make an avocado hoodie but that is still to be made and will probably have more adventurous fabric as the choice I had in mind was a bit dull - see learning from my blazer mistake.  What I really love about all these is that I remember not only where I have worn them but also when I made them and what we were doing at the time. Some clothes remind me of the film that I watched whilst sticking the printed pattern together or the music I was listening to whilst assembling it   I have learnt so much in a year and wonder what I will have achieved by this time next year. Next post I will tell you about my plans for 2014 until then thanks for reading

eek!!! that was a rather long time, sorry

Hello Happy new year, Merry Christmas, Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Halloween. Well that's me up to date now. Sorry for disappearing on you all, but I am safe and well just took some time off. Well I think after making the Victoria Blazer, I realised how much I still needed to make to reach my challenge and well gave up. Now the coast is clear and the year is over I can start sewing again. I still plan to only sew independent patterns though as I love them. Anyway, My next post will be a reflection of last years sewing