Crafty Projects

Recently I have been completing some knitting and sewing projects.  While I have finished quite a few projects, I still haven't finished my quilt (2 years running) and it is almost getting too hot to quilt with all those layers on my lap.  These photos aren't the best (they were just taken on my iPhone) but here are my most recent finished projects.

Knitting

I have only picked up my knitting needles again about 2 months ago after years of not knitting and being dis-heartened with my projects that I never finished.  This time around, I've been knitting cowls on circular needles while trying out a few different stitches and seem to be able to turn them around quite quickly (which equals sense of accomplishment).  I have also been spurred on by a friend who lent me the wonderful book by Jenny Lord, 'Purls of Wisdom'. 

1. Black woolen necklace knitted on giant circular needles; 2. Black cowl; 3&4. Grey and moss cowl knitted with some baby cables and regular cables.

Sewing

My sewing adventures started again about a month ago with an awesome Victory pattern I found via Paunnet (images of the dress at my tumblr here and here).  It was a brief and challenging foray into sewing followed by weeks and weeks of  ... nothing (but study and work). So, last weekend, I dedicated a couple of hours to 'hobby-time' to help keep me sane and this is what I did.

 1&3. Blue/Grey Linen/Nylon blend dress made from the Wiksten Tank pattern. I made this dress last and I think I was tired as I cut out the fabric pieces back-to-front (ie i mixed up the fold and the selvedge sides).  I remedied this by fixing up the neckline/arm hole and then adding an extra piece to the hem so it still went long in the middle and shorter at the sides; 2&3. My sparkly jacket.  This has been sitting, cut and pinned, on my mannequin for almost 2 years.  I got the fabric as a cheap off-cut, cut up a quick pattern and then it sat, un-touched.  I think I was worried about sewing through the sequins and also the fine fabric (it pulls REALLY easily).  I ended up overlocking the whole thing which made everything better.  I also started work on my Halloween costume for this Saturday's party and think this jacket will fit in really well.  I'm going as a star, mainly because I want to cover everything in glitter; 4-6.  This was my favourite piece for the weekend.  The pattern was the same Wiksten Tank pattern that I used on the other dress but it worked out much better.  The fabric was a little thicker and holds it shape much better. I then teamed it with my favourite belt (from Nelson Molloy) and my new favourite necklace from Kate Miss and wore it to work on Monday.   Sewing seems to be a hobby of extremes for me.  It is either very successful  or fails miserably and I never wear it, so it was good to have a win this weekend!

Finally, my other sewing projects which I completed this weekend (but were already pretty much done).  Thanks to a wonderful friend, I learned the joys of overlocking on the weekend and was able to finish both of these skirts so the insides weren't frayed to the point I couldn't wear them anymore (yes, I've been wearing unfinished projects).

1&2. Skirt I made based on another skirt I owned that I loved to death (it literally fell apart).  Made from fabric I purchased from Nelson Molloy; 3.  Marie Tulip skirt pattern from Burda Style (it's free), made with a cotton/elastane 'ink blots' print.  I love this pattern so much and have used it many times but this print is by far my favourite use of the pattern.  My only criticism of the pattern is that it ends up too big and I have to adjust it.

Weekly Web Round-up

Well, it's not really weekly but  I couldn't resist the alliteration.

Warning: This is quite an eclectic mix of things.

• First up are two kitten websites for those so inclined; Lola is Beauty and dreamcats.  The first does a wonderful series on bloggers and their cats which makes me more inclined to include my two on this blog.  I know I can get a little cat crazy so do try to keep the crazy in check when interacting with others.  Dreamcats is a tumblr site filled with many pictures of kitties.  If you do like cats I would also recommend the Catorialist which I have mentioned here before.

• Eddie Vedder Portrait
  Can't believe it has taken me so long to post about this one - the portrait has actually been done now.  Read here about the 85 day project to lobby Eddie Vedder to take his portrait.

• DIY Children's Book
  
  
  Check out this awesome book this couple created for their nephew for his first birthday.  It's given me inspiration to create something for twins for their 4th birthday this year - I love being an aunty! (at The Indigo Bunting)
  
• steedicons
  
  
  
  
  Steedicons is a pack of hand drawn icons for purchase for use on business cards and websites and the like.  The general design of the website makes me want to buy them and I really like the twitter/facebook icons.  Encourages me to do more of this kind of drawing. (via A Cup of Jo)
  
• Elephant - a book of opposites by Pittau & Gervais
  
  
  
  My lovely sister Katie showed me this site of a few stills from the book Elephant.  Not your typical kids book but it definitely made me laugh.  Thought is might be hard to find but you can get it on Amazon.com and it looks like there are a few other tittles as well such as 'That's Disgusting" and "That's Dangerous".
  
• Camera Lenses for your iPhone
  
  
  
  Photojojo sell Fisheye, Macro and Wide Angle lenses that magnetically attach to your iPhone (or other camera phone).  Don't know how well they work in person but I would love to try them!
  
  
• Pattern from Wikstenmade
  
  
  
  Haven't done any sewing this year but am eager to finish my quilt as it's getting colder here.  I love Wikstenmade and an easy tank pattern might be enough to get me in the mood for more sewing :)
  
• Wedding Quilt
  
  
  
  Speaking of sewing check out this beautiful quilt.  Thinking I might make it my next project (if I can ever finish the current ones). (at The Purl Bee)

• Colouring Book
  
  
  
  from Thirddrawdown
  
  
• Cloud Jewellry
  
  
  
  from sofiaclementine on etsy.com
  
  

• Art
  
  I've been thinking a lot recently about starting to invest in some art pieces and am checking out what's available locally as well as on the net.
  
  
  
  This is a piece called Sweetheart by tastesorangey.
  
  Also looking at other sites like Art Park and 20x200.

Well that's it for now. :)

Sewing Weekender

So this weekend I will be sewing.  I've already made two great jersey dresses this year (a black and a grey) but have other really simple projects that I've been thinking about that I just need to do soon before my course that started this week takes over all my sewing time.  So this weekend I will make:

• black linen pinafore
• black zipper skirt to replace one that I had bought and subsequently ripped and that I loved so much that I need another one ASAP
• black cotton easy dress

Yep, I wear a lot of black, what can I say.  Also, it would be super neat if I could do just one square of my quilt.  Just super.

Wiksten-made

Wiksten-made has posted about this wonderful knitted hat and scarf set that I want to make so badly.  I can knit, it's more that it takes me a million hours to do a tiny square.  I tried to set it up so my knitting bag would be in the lounge so I would knit every time I watch TV but I ended up just watching TV.  Maybe I should give it another go.  I am so excited for winter, rouging up in warm wools but realistically it is still Feb in Brisbane and It will be hot and humid for another couple of months.  I can't even bring myself to put on a pair of jeans.  Maybe this will give me time to knit, before it gets cold??

Wiksten-made post here.

Quick Quilt Update

Found a very similar scrap log cabin at oh, fransson courtesy of 25 reasons.  It looks good and doesn't require me having to go buy some more interfacing.  We'll see which one I do, today's project is the easiest, cushions for the lounge.

Sewing in 2010

So I finally got around to the last of the unpacking/sorting/cleaning up bit from our move.  This would be all my sewing stuff.  Finished cleaning out all our files and archive boxes during the week and steve took quite a few piles to our local op shop and all that was left was my sewing.  Well I got rid of the 2 packing boxes and actually found a home for everything in them as well as freeing up some cupboard room for the masses of music related items we have.  More excitedly I have sorted out my immediate sewing goals for the year.

1. Finish the quilt I started last year.  It's just a basic patchwork quilt top at the moment but even though I laid out everything before I started sewing it has finished looking a lot pinker than I wanted.  Thought about unpicking it all and starting again (it is the size of a queen bed made up of  ~12cm squares so, no), then thought about just getting rid of it (but it is a lot of fabric and some of it I really like).  So I've decided to finish it but make it smaller by separating the quilt top into 2 bits making a top and a bottom as a sort of lap rug type thing.  I still don't really like it.


2. Make a quilt I actually like and will use.  Will be using this scrap log cabin pattern from melly and me, see their example below.

Apart from all the material scraps I have been saving for this project I also have these lovely fabrics to add.  They've been in my material box now for too long without knowing what to do with them and now they have a purpose.

3.  Make some cushions for our outdoor set bench seats.  I already have this great heavy duty blue and white stripped canvas so I just need to pick up some foam for the inside.

4. More cushions, I'm getting sick of our lounge ones.  I have this great anchor fabric which I really really love for one side and a red spotty fabric for the other.  Sick of zips, I'm going to use these lovely red/translucent buttons as well.

5. My last one for the moment is to have another go at making a black dress similar to the one used at The Uniform Project (p.s. it's an awesome project).  i have been watching this site from the get go and had a try at making the dress last year (but sleeveless for our Australian weather).  It turned out OK but wasn't quite 'finished' right because I developed the pattern as I went along but now I have some more of this great black cotton/linen blend material I'm going to have another, proper crack at it.  I saw on the website that the dress will be available to buy in the near future and think I'll try and nab myself one.  The dress is reversible, buttons on one side and a pleat on the other.

6. I have this lovely cream & sequin material that I've been dying to make a bolero out of.  No time like the present.


Here I go...

The Nerd Within

This is the last fall range from APC.  I keep dallying with the idea of red hair but still unconvinced I could pull it off.  Loving these nerdy clothes though.