Short Lace

As much as I've been enjoying making things for myself lately, I really haven't been doing enough textile experiments. I've been meaning to revisit needle/tape lace for a while, I wasn't really satisfied with any of the project I did with it. So just to get back into it, I did a little sampler to play around with stitches. I just laid down some twill tape and basted it to a thick piece of wool to stabilize it.

 It came out a little rumpled. Part of it was that I didn't put paper behind it, so I caught a fair amount of wool in the stitching. The other part was that I didn't put it in a hoop. I thought the wool would be stiff enough to not warp, but that wasn't the case.

 I like the finer meshes, and the 'woven' effect on the big square. You can also see I changed threads--the more off-white thread was softer and I think made for better-looking stitches.

 I've been really intrigued by all the loose, drapey pants and shorts I've been seeing around lately, but have had a difficult time figuring out how to make them work for me--any gathering around the waist is super unflattering because of the size of my legs. Starting with a bunch of images, these two (Comme des Garcons and Rick Owens) included, and an $1.50 pair of very large old-lady linen pants, I think I'm on to something.

I cut off the bottoms of the legs, and opened up the seams on the sides and crotch. I used the excess leg fabric to make a melon-shaped 'crotch gusset.' Unfortunately, due to limited fabric, I had to put a seam in the middle, which I think affects the drape a bit weirdly. If I make another pair, I'll make sure not to do that. I then pinned the sides up, put them on and carefully took in the side seams and added front pleats. 

I didn't have enough left over for pockets either, so the butt looks a little naked to me. I like the cuffs at the bottom though, gives it a little more structure.

Now here's the problem...I can't quite figure out what to wear them with? Loose top? Tight top? Tucked in? Or not? Most people seem to wear them with big drapey layers, but that's not really something I have much of...

 Trying things out. I think I need a looser tank top to make it work. I think the fact they are off-white is also a little hard to match up. I'd really like to remake them in either an olive linen or blue chambray.

I did pick up on my Dear Jane blocks. I had to take down the design wall, so it's harder to pick colors without seeing the previous rows. I have them charted out, but it's not the same. Row I, Blocks 3-6.

In a Groove

Sometimes I'm just feeling one process more than another. This week, I was really into the tiny hand piecing of my Dear Jane blocks and knocked out a whole bunch of them. I'm finally feeling like the end is in sight--I've got 5 rows left of blocks, and then it's on to sashing, borders, and triangles. Debating whether to hand sew all the sashings, or take the easy way out and use a machine. I'm leaning towards machine, if only because I know I'll have to hand quilt it, and doing both by hand is the way to madness.

Can't quite remember where I left off last time, so here's most of Row H. Circle-and-bowties was a tremendous pain, but most of the others were pretty okay. I don't think I'll ever want to applique another tiny melon/diamond shape though. My corners are pretty much the worst. 

End of Row H, I-1 and I-2.  Felt like a break, such an easy bunch! Even the applique one was not as bad, at least the pieces were bigger. Peeking ahead there's some multi-piece monsters coming up. 

Also got back on a quick knitting trip since it's getting cold. The scarf I finished last year, but just never got around to blocking. It look so much better now that it lies flat. It feels softer too! I also knocked out a quick hat, but like all hats I make, I get impatient like an inch too soon and start doing decreases, so it's a little small on my head. I swear next time around I'm going to make the biggest, floppiest hat to try and avoid it. 

Finishing Touches!

Where have I been?! My computer's been very on-the-fritz, I think the battery is starting to go--so I've been using my shiny new smartphone more, and I think it distracted me a bit from posting on here. The computer's still broken, but the novelty has begun to wear off on the phone, so hopefully I keep up here more.

As the seasons are changing over I've been going through my shelves and realizing there were a lot of projects that were almost-but-not-quite finished, so I went through and  hemmed all the bottoms, bought snaps and jean post-buttons and attached them.

Added buttons to a bunch of things! I had just been wearing the shorts with a belt. So far I've also done the button hole on the floral shorts. 

Finally got pearl snap on my floral western shirt. I was stuck between seafoam green and purple, I think I made the right pick. 

And I did actually wear this today--finally!

Also used up some fabric that had been lying around--you saw a bit of this vest in the first picture:

Playing around with patterns to make a shawl collar. I think the collar actually came out well, but I'm not as pleased about the fit around the armholes/shoulder. Still wearable and comfy though. 

Also did my first welt pockets, not as scary as I thought. Much more confident to try them in the future. Used a really lovely, but smallish piece of wool crepe I had lying around to line it. This guy still needs buttonholes though. 

Also made another pair of pants to follow up my camo ones. No picture of them on yet, I need to iron them. I *did* however put a button and buttonhole on these! I didn't have quiteeee enough of the plaid to make a full pair of pants, so I supplemented with some denim. 

I like the effect visually, but as you can probably see here, there was some rippling going on, I think because of the difference in weight between the two fabrics. 

Did a few more Dear Jane Blocks. I accidentally skipped a page, so my Row G hasn't gone in order. That top one was a pain with all those curves. 

Begun sketching out some ideas for a varsity-style jacket to use up some wools. I wanted to do a reverse applique motif on the chest and back, not sure exactly what the imagery will be yet. 

Testing out the reverse applique, I think I like the backstitched style better than the basted-than-buttonhole stitched. It also saves me a step. These are the fabrics for the finished jacket, a thick, felted/boiled wool in dark teal, and a very fuzzy, brushed wool that might be mohair? I need to find a lining fabric for this, as well as figure out what I want to use for the cuffs, waistband and collar. 

Teaching Time

I'm a bit wrapped up in Summer Institute, if that helps to explain why I've haven't posted in a while. But thought I'd update everyone on a few projects.

After a very, very hot, soapy washing, all of those old bathing suits I bought were chopped up into 2.5" squares. I starched and ironed them as best as I could, but the spandex/lycra they are made of was very tricky to cut accurately. It loves to shift and curl up as you're working with it. 

Then I went into school a bit early before class to steal some time on the serger. I do think a serger/coverstitcher is in my near-future, but the purchase has been pushed back a bit after a rather large vet bill for my dumb cat. Anyway, I made some nine-patches, and I was happy to see the stretch really remained. I was worried that all the seams from piecing would make it rigid, but it didn't. Some sort of horrible athletic wear is going to come from this, I promise. 

Fairisle hat is continuing to come together. I knitted the top with guidance from a pattern for a 'flat top' hat, but it made the top more hexagonal than circular, and it's a bit lumpy looking. Oh well! Crochet edging now along the bottom edge and face-hole. I did block it, but it's rolling up again, so I guess I'll block it again once I'm done. A big old pom-pom's going on top too, don't worry. 

And just one lonely Dear Jane Block. But it is the start of a new row! Here's my H-1, and what a refreshingly easy little block after a lot of row G being very fidgety.

I've also done a lot of drawing in the past couple weeks, when I get a chance I'll scan some of that in. I also just started last night a pair of camo pants for myself, and I think I've finally gotten my pants pattern just about right, so keep an eye out for them!

Gathering Mode

I'm back in that gathering mood. Back to scouring the thrift stores for big chunks of certain things with only a vague idea of what they'll eventually become.

Blue bathing suit bits? Watching too much wrestling has gotten me into a mood to work with spandex and garish patterns. Not that I can really do much without a serger/coverstitcher, but these things might be in my future, I think, and I'm getting supplies ready. 

And for my class, terrible thrift store garments to transform. The theme this years seems to be 'terrible patterns and embellishments.'

Been knitting away at what I think will be a hat, if I've planned right. I'm sort of making a pattern up on the fly--I couldn't find a flat-topped flapped hat design that I liked, so we'll see how this goes. 

Close up. Loving the fair isle so far, should really work more with it, I enjoy the process a lot. Maybe time to break out my graph paper book and work out some designs. These were mostly just chosen at random from a book. 

And what post would be complete without a couple Dear Jane blocks? G-6 through G-10. Nothing too tricky in this batch. Don't know why people find y-seams tricky, I never have a tough time with them. Then again, after doing an enormous bit of hexagon patchwork by hand, I've got lots of practice with them. The pink and blue one here was probably the worst, but it was just tedious, not difficult. 

Keeping it Together

Or at least trying to.

It's been a very difficult week. Seamus has been in the hospital since Monday with some major pancreas problems. It's tearing me up to see him so weak and so out of it.  I've been visiting him as much as I can, but it's a half an hour walk each way, and we're now in 90+ degree heat. Plus the electricity partially went out (taking the A/C with it) at work earlier in the week, so I'm running on fumes, both physically and emotionally.     Understandably, I'm not exactly in the mood to be working on things, but I did get some things done before all this went down, and I've been drawing a little bit too.

Dear Jane G-5 and G-6. Two particularly fussy little blocks. I tried to do the right one as full patchwork first and it was a mess, it worked better as a partial applique. The tiny, tiny star in the middle of the star block was also tough, especially since I'm not paper piecing. 

I did also do some more work on the braid coat, but one un-attached strip of braids looks pretty much like another, so no picture there. However, I am getting back to sketching the finished product a little bit. I'm now thinking it's going to have a kimono-like collar of braid that is wool on both sides, but I'm going to have to make a sample and see if it gets too thick. 

I also did a little bit of knitting this week. When I bought all those double-pointed needles for my Lenore Tawney project, I also bought a chunk of Knit Pick's Palette yarn to get to free shipping, and I've been sitting on it ever since. I decided to finally bust it out a swatch some fair isle. I think I'm going to make a hat, I'm coming up with a shape right now. 

Which got me thinking about hats, and so doodled out this very embarrassing and not at all stylish hat for Sal. To keep his horns warm? Somehow I don't think they get cold. But it's a nice sentiment. 

And a last little drawing, this one's pretty old. Just trying out a more cartoony, thicker lined style. Still not drawing as much as I ought to though. 

Back to Braids

After a long hiatus, I'm back on the braid coat. The amount of time sunk into this one is getting ridiculous, and I need to finish it to move on, so I'm trying to buckle down. 

Progress has been made, a side has been joined together, and it no longer quite looks like just an odd flat rectangle with long bits attached. I'm liking how it curves away a bit in the front. 

And the inside, looking good, just gotta keep on it. It's not the most exciting project, and progress moves very slowly on it, which is why I think I've been dragging my feet getting back to it. 

More Dear Jane Blocks this week. These, on the other hand are just super fun to make, even if the quilt as a whole will take forever to finish. G-1,2,3 and 4. G-3 is really pretty lopsided, my applique is never going to be all the great, I think.

It's been a while since I posted the entire thing so far. I'm nearly half way through the blocks. I'm thinking now I'd like to sash them with chocolate brown. I know I don't want to use black or white, but I'm between a medium gray and a brown. I think a brown will give it a bit of a 70's feel. 

Chain Quilting

Posting has been slowed because I was back on a slow grind again. I kept putting off hand quilting my Irish Chain quilt, but it's getting warmer out, and I need a light weight blanket for my bed, so I had to really buckle down.

I had to get it *usable* if not finished so I got all the diagonals quilted, and did the circles in the center of each gray block, then did the binding. I'll do the motifs in the center of each circle as I get the chance, but at least I can put it on my bed now and get rid of the heavy comforter.

It's very big, which is good, my boyfriend is very tall, and it needs to cover both of us!

Drawing out the center wreath motif. 

My very sophisticated templates--the top of a cookie container and a piece of posterboard. 

I did manage to get one motif quilted, just to see how it looks. I'll keep plugging away at them! I realized you can't really see the binding in any of these shots, but I just pulled the backing around to the front.  

In other updates, did a few more Dear Jane blocks, they always cheer me up. F-8 through F-13. Nearly halfway through the main blocks. At this rate it should be finished in, oh, 2016 or so. 

And a super quick project, I've begun jogging a bit and needed something to hold my iPod, so I made a little  arm band. In making this, I measured around my bicep--11 inches now! It was about 9" when I started working out, so hurray for that. I've also nearly got abs--nice to see positive results. 

Renew the Pledge

First of all, hooray for 200 posts! But that it took so long reminds me that I need to post more. And to post more, I need to work more! But between the cat, and work, and my new interest in exercising, my time seems to slip away.

At the beginning of every new season, when we're getting new shoes in the store, I vow to make lots of wonderful things to wear, and maybe make a couple things and then fall by the wayside. I'm not saying this spring will be any different, but I've begun making the effort again. I think part of the problem is that I really only use recycled fabric, so it's a bit of a grab bag as to whether I can find something appropriate for what I want to make.

Anyhoo, at the thrift store last week I did pick up two fabrics, one of which has already become this lovely pair of shorts.

The fabric was meant for home decor, I think. It's some kind of polished cotton, but it's quite heavy. It sewed up really nicely though. I fudged the fly zip a little, can you tell? Every time I go back and do pants, I forget how to do the pockets and fly, and have to relearn them. 

Back view, got the pockets on pretty nicely this time around. 

And on! They are shorter than what I've worn in the past, but now that I'm getting into shape I'm more comfortable with that. But I'm happy with the fit, just have to put the button on the waistband. 

This is the other fabric I picked up, it's some kind of synthetic crepe. I was hoping it was silk so I could make a shirt out of it (it's very Stella McCartney from a few seasons back) but since it's not, I'm actually thinking about making it into a pair of work-out shorts, just have to trace out a quick pattern from the pair I have. 

Whenever I'm feeling a little lost in my own studio, making Dear Jane blocks helps me get back into focus. These are from earlier this week, it's E-10-13 and F-1 and 2. I think they got me back in the groove a bit. 

In sillier news, Seamus always gets a personalized valentine from me--last year featured his favorite pokemon (Trubbish) This year's got his favorite up-and-coming pro wrestlers, The Shield. 

And, like I promised in the last post, for post #200, I've got a little giveaway! Comment with your email address and I will randomly pick a winner to receive my silly floral lucha mask, as well as some other odds and ends.