Recent makes and sewing plans for July

Hi!

So, as you all know by now, my blog posts can be a little sporadic. I'm not a fan of posting for the sake of it and prefer to wait until I have something to show you or have a specific topic I'd like to blog about. Today's post, as the title suggests, is all about what I've been making recently and my ever growing list of sewing plans.... becasue I'm kind, I've wittled this list down to just a couple of items :)

Here's what I've been making.........

Unfortunately, I totally forgot to take nicer photos before I posted this little critter to my niece, Nancy, but here is a little picture of the amigurumi I made a couple of weeks ago.


                                   

Believe me, he looks a lot better up close. My sister has sent a few messages telling me how many compliments this little fella has received and has been asked if I sell my handmade items. The answer to the question, for now at least, is no. It feels great to know that so many people have been impressed by my handmade gift. They genuinely thought it had been bought from a shop.... high praise indeed, I guess...? :)

Next up.......

My hand knit tunic. This was a pattern I made up myself. Well, I adapted it from a very basic pattern that was posted on Kollabora. The original pattern was for the same style top except that it had been knit in two pieces that were later sewn together. I'm not a big fan of sewing seams...at all! And why do it when you can just knit in the round..?!

This knit was pretty straight forward and would make a great first project for those venturing into the world of knitting in the round. I shall be typing up the pattern details and posting them here soon, for those of you that fancy having a go. In the meantime, here is my finished tunic.......

Boatneck neckline works really nicely on this simple tunic

Finishing the contrast panel with a crocheted edge to help stop the fabric rolling. Simple finishing touches can make all the difference to the overall look. 

Next.......

I finally got round to finishing off the Mossa stitch cushion cover I'd be working on. Buttons have been sewn on and the cushion is now on the sofa with my other crocheted creations. I do love a crocheted cushion cover! :)

Sewing, sewing and..... a bit more sewing!

So, as you might probably have guessed, I've been doing a bit of sewing recently :)

My grand plans have been a bit hampered by my migraine episodes but, being the stubborn woman that I am, I haven't let this stop me planning for the days when I feel up to a bit of making. I've spent many an hour scouring the internet for patterns and design inspiration and have purchased some beautiful books. My most prized purchase has to be the Tomoko Nakamichi pattern books I gifted myself - Pattern Magic and Pattern Magic Stretch Fabrics.

                                

I can't remember how I discovered these books but I'm so glad I did. The designs are absolutely stunning. I realise they may not be to everyone's taste but I am a HUGE fan. I am so enjoying reading these books and would love to make everything in them but think I will have to wait until I've developed my skills a bit more. Some of the designs look quite challenging but well worth the effort.

Here is the first pattern I've attempted.....

This pattern for this piece is fairly straight forward. It works on the principle of using two long pieces of fabric that are sewn together to create a long rectangle with two short side seams for the bottom and one seam at the top to create a loop that you can tie anyway you want. The book provides a few pictures for inspiration but I had fun making up my own alternatives :)

Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for pictures of me wearing the finished item. I didn't want to post a picture of myself posing in front of the mirror so I'm waiting until a friend can help me out :)

Until then, here's a sneak peek at the jersey fabric I used for the pattern. 

Sewing plans for July.....

I shall definitely be continuing to work my way through the Pattern magic books. I've also just bought myself the Madeleine skirt pattern from Victory Patterns. For this I need to buy some more denim fabric.

I also have to use this lovely lot of fabric.........

I'm thinking of using the floral fabric (a bargain find at a local fabric stash sale) for a pattern I found on the Kollabora website. It's called the Lobelia tee, which you can find here. 

The bumble bee fabric was purchased to make the Sophia top from Simple Sew's Sophia 2 in 1 pattern. I was going to make the whole outfit for a christening but unfortunately, due to feeling pants, I haven't been able to. 

                                      

Definitely going to have a go at this though. I had bought some denim fabric for the skirt but may end up making the whole thing in a totally different fabric altogether :) 

Right, I think it's time for a brew. Thanks for stopping by to read my blog :) 

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy week.

Until next time,

KnittyNora xx

Sewing, sewing and .....a bit more sewing

As you may have already guessed, I have spent most of this week sewing. Trying out something a little different this time and posting a quick review of two pattern kits I had in my 'stash'. Not something I've done before but thought it might come in handy if, like me, you've never bought a prepacked sewing kit before.

Here goes......

After being a very sensible girl and reading the user manual, I was eager to get sewing with my new machine - a Singer Confidence. Cue a mad half hour of trying out all 50 stitches on a scrap of fabric and filling my bobbins ready to sew.

With my machine fully set up, I made a start on a pattern kit I bought for myself in the sales last year - the Sewing Bee sewing apron.

The pattern

The pattern is graded at intermediate level. On the whole, I thought the pattern was pretty straight forward. There was no need for any fancy stitches (everything was sewn in a straight line) and the pattern pieces were printed on one large piece of fabric that you had to cut out (again, in straight lines). So, if you can sew and cut in a straight line, you're OK 😃

The instruction booklet was very user friendly. The instructions were easy to read and follow and I was able to sew the whole thing up fairly quickly. This was a really nice project to do over an hour or so. I started one evening by ironing and cutting out my pattern pieces whilst I had a bit of time to spare. I came back to the project the next day and did all of the sewing in about an hour (although I probably took a bit longer when I factor in my tea break :) ) 

The only fiddly bit was threading the waist tie through the small channel at the top of the apron. I used a large safety pin that is fitted with a safety cap so that it wouldn't come open and stab me in the finger and/or get caught halfway (I initially used a normal safety pin.....which resulted in both of the above happening......oops!)

Pictures

                       

Final thoughts

This pattern kit was really easy to follow and I actually found it quite relaxing. The fabric pieces are nicely printed and the contemporary colour palette and pattern used are fun yet grown up. 

I really enjoyed this pattern and am really happy with the finished article. I would definitely recommend it (if they can still be purchased!) and would happily buy another Sewing Bee pattern kit again.

Pattern review...  2

The second pattern kit I tried out this week was from the people at The Makery. This kit, for a oversized purse, was given to me as a birthday present. The packaging, as you might expect from The Makery, was very contemporary, brightly coloured and made you want to open it immediately. The contents were beautifully wrapped and included everything I needed to make the purse, apart from a pair of scissors, some fabric glue, a pair of pliers (needed right at the end) and, of course, a sewing machine (although this wasn't really needed since everything could be hand sewn). 

Thoughts on the kit....

This pattern kit was...... well, a bit fiddly. The instructions weren't always the clearest and, if like me you like to think outside the box and try and be clever, you could easily find yourself having to back track and undo some of your hard work. There were one or two points in the pattern where I had to reread it several times to make sure I had got it right. Occasionally, you find that the written instructions don't give you all the detail you need and therefore you have to work out what to do next by looking at the drawings and hoping you haven't missed anything. Now, it may just have been me being a bit slow on this particular day but... I do think the instructions could do with a rethink.

The final few steps require a bit of patience, some glue and something pointy to squish (yes, that's a technical term!) the fabric into the purse clasp. Be careful not to put too much glue in the clasp channel. Even if you think you've only used a small amount, it soon spreads and can leave a bit of a sticky mess on the clasp. Nothing you can't clean up with a baby wipe....provided you've used the recommended fabric glue. 

The finished article....

The purse actually came out really well. Apparently, it looks 'really professional'...!! (Thanks husband, dearest). Obviously, I was quite chuffed with such a review. 

I must admit that I prefer a purse with places to put things like bank cards and somewhere to keep my clubcard safe (other store cards available!) but this purse would be great for a night out. It looks great, has plenty of room for your lippy and some loose change and, I'm sure, will get you lots of compliments.

Would I recommend it as a gift idea....? Yes, i think I would. Just make sure the person you're buying it for is good at following instructions, has plenty of patience and a few hours to spare :)

Final thoughts on sewing kits....

If you know someone who likes sewing, I would definitely recommend a sewing kit as a gift idea. I received two this year and both are for items that I will use and have fun making. So, be brave and try something new. And, whilst you're at it, why not buy one for yourself?! :) 

So, that's my first pattern review post done. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this as a possible future feature. 

I'm still busy with knitting and crocheting but looking to expand my sewing repertoire as I continue on my quest to be able to make all of my own clothes. It has long been an ambition of mine to be totally self sufficient where fashion is concerned and, with regards to knitwear, have stuck to this over the last few years. My improving sewing skills give me the oppurtunity to branch out into much fancier and ambitious outfits and is a new avenue for creative development which I am very excited to pursue.

Well, that's all from me for now. I am already plotting and planning my next blog post and looking forward to showing you what I'm making right now.

Come back soon to see what I've been up to!

Much love,

KnittyNora xx

What I've been making

Hello! 

Finally finding the time to sit down and finish a blog post I started last week. I have been busy resting and enjoying the sunshine. 

I thought I'd start this post with a few pics of the projects/ideas I'm currently working on and developing. 

Current projects....

I'm also working on a gift for my middle niece, who is soon to be two, and a knitted dress for myself called the Yoshimi dress. A rough outline for the dress was posted on the Kollabora website, of which I am a HUGE fan. Being me, I decided to develop the pattern and am currently in the process of writing up the instructions so that I can share them here, via my blog, and with the lovely people over at Kollabora.

I'm really enjoying the process of writing and developing patterns and am already working on some of my own, which I hope to be able to share with you at some point in the future. Much of what I've designed is specifically written for me and therefore my very specific measurements. Armed with various books on pattern design, I'm hopeful that I shall, at some point in the future, have the time (and patience) to begin developing my patterns for a range of sizes. Stayed tuned!

Other developments of a crafty kind...

After much umming and ahhing, I finally got round to buying myself a new sewing machine. I am absolutely rubbish at buying things for myself. I have spent weeks looking at machines online and searching Ebay for a bargain (none to be found!). I mentioned that I was looking at machines on a well known supermarket website a couple of weeks ago. By the time I'd convinced myself to buy one, the one I had in mind was out of stock. Cue much annoyance with myself. 

After a little sulk, I requested stock updates for the two sewing machines I was most interested in and tried to forget about it (easier said than done). A couple of weeks later (including several hours spent on Ebay), I received a very pleasing email from said supermarket chain. Cue a frantic 5 minutes of me logging into my online account, buying my new sewing machine and booking a delivery date. Two days later and my new arrival was here. I was one very happy lady :) 

And here it is........

I've yet to use my new purchase. I've decided to be a very good girl and read the user manual very carefully before embarking on my first project (those of you that know me well will know how difficult I will find this :) ). I have several patterns that I'd love to have a go at, including a couple from the new Sewing Bee book.

I am absolutely in love with the pallazzo pants pattern featured in the book and ever so slightly tempted to make myself a jumpsuit (also featured in the book), if only to wear around the house :) 

Come and find me on twitter....please.

For those of you that didn't know, I have a twitter account :) I'm now using this to share photos of the projects I'm working on and to share my thoughts on the making process and what inspires me to make in the first place.

I would love to hear from you and hope you'll pop over and follow me. My twitter tag is @LittleMrsCrafty.

That's enough from me for now. I'm off to make myself a cuppa and to work on my Yoshimi dress. 

Wishing you all a very happy Sunday,

KnittyNora xx

Spring cleaning my craft room

Oh, I do love a good spring clean.

Making the most of some help from my husband, I've been reorganising of my little house. After some much needed storage was added to our livingroom, we began making our way through the clutter in our spare room (also known as my craft room). We moved into our house 5 years ago and, during this time, a lot has happened. What remains are boxes full of teaching resources, books we no longer read and a collection of random odds and ends that we have no use for. Cue a major declutter of shelves and cupboards, a trip to the tip and a rather generous donation to our local charity shops.

Whilst I had to leave the heavy lifting to P, I was able to dust and clean the shelves before putting back a much reduced and reorganised book collection. I'm finally able to put my boxes full of yarn on the shelves and love how clear and organised everything is.

We still have a few bits to organise and spare furniture to dismantle before putting in the loft, but it feels like we're on our way to having the room finished.....finally!

My ever growing collection of Mollie Makes magazine
(in numerical order... obviously ! 😃)

Just a couple of crochet books so far

A few of my knitting books.....yet to be put into some kind of order 😃

I'm currently trying to make up my mind about a very important purchase......a new sewing machine! I've narrowed it down to the Singer Confidence range (after seeing some good reviews and because I'm going to use my Tesco vouchers to purchase it). I was originally looking at the 7465 but since this is currently out of stock, I've been looking at the 7470. It comes with some great features but I'm still not sure which to get. Do I wait for the more basic version or go for the upgrade which should then last me a very long time as I develop my sewing repertoire....?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Have any of you ever used or owned either of the Singer Confidence models? Any tips?

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday and hoping that, wherever you may be, you get to enjoy a little sunshine.

Best wishes

KnittyNora xx

Hello Spring!

I'm very glad to say that the sun has actually been shining in my garden......yes, it occasionally makes an appearance up North :)  This has given me the perfect excuse to get out into the sunshine and to be inspired by the colours and scenic changes that happen as Spring arrives.

Not strictly 'my garden' but a view I am very lucky to enjoy :)

I really do love seeing the first Spring lambs and all the energy and life they have. It never fails to put a smile on my face. I'm very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country.

What have I been up to?

On the making front, I've been continuing with some baby makes for my sister's little one (due at the end of June). I know my sister loves vintage style clothing and is specifically researching 'old fashioned' baby names - Millicent, Ada, .....the list goes on :) I'm sure she'd be grateful if any of you fancied posting some names suggestions below. I've sent her a few. The chosen name will only be revealed on the day the baby is born.

Here's a little picture of the vintage inspired cardigan I'm making for the little one.

Almost finished!

Making mission

I made a plan this year to make all the gifts I give to my nieces and nephews and thought - why not extend this to everyone I give gifts to? With that in mind, I've been busy researching patterns and gift ideas for friends and family. It's a very special friend's birthday soon and I'm hoping I can make something equally as special for her....... she'll also be able to read this .......no pressure! :)


I'd love to hear what you lovely people have been up and to and if you have any projects in mind. It's so much easier to think about making and creating when the weather brightens up.

Until next blog, take care :)

Best wishes,

KnittyNora xx



*All pictures included on this blog are property of Allyouneediscraft and KnittyNora. Please seek permission if you wish to use any of them.

As time goes by..........

And so......another month has gone by since my last post. Unfortunately this is because of poor health rather my being too busy to post :(

Another trip to the specialist resulted with me spending another week in hospital...... I think I may need to start another blog for just my hospital visits! :) Thankfully, it seems that they may be closer to solving my health issues since the new team I've seen seem to know what's wrong......somewhat of a relief!

With feeling poorly much of the time I haven't had much energy for making. I have, however, done my very best to fit in some making when I can. This has mainly taken the shape of some baby bits and bobs for my friends who have recently had their first child. He is so sweet. I really love making things for other people.


Here is a little snap of one of the items:

Super cute little baby hat

With the weather changing here and there I've been making the most of sunny days by sitting in the garden and getting some help from my husband to plant some seeds and new plants. He is great at carrying pots and compost and I have the patience to sit and watch the plants grow....perfect combo :)
(I posted some pics of my plants in my last post....)

Unfortunately, some very naughty slugs and snails have decided that my little plants are so tasty they have decided to eat most of them :(

Anyone got any tips for keeping my veggies safe??!!



Speaking of projects....

Here's what I did with an old pair of cord trousers that were too big......

Cutting off the legs.........

Opening and restitching the seams around the bottom area

As you can see, I've chopped them up and made a low waisted skirt. Perfect for any season and great with a chunky belt. Just need to finish the hem :)

Not much to do now......

and so........off I go to pin the hem of my new skirt.....

hope you're all enjoying the sunshine :)

KnittyNora xx



P.s. The hat was made using a pattern from Debbie Bliss's 'The knitter's year'. The pattern is called 'Striped baby hat'.

A birthday, some new toys and a little inspiration.

Goodness me, it's been over two weeks since my last post.......... Ooops!

As many of you may already know, I have been rather poorly over the last few months and still have to juggle the good days (when pain is low) and the bad days (when all I can do is sleep). Since I'm unable to work at the moment I have been making the most of my time by reading craft blogs and seeking out inspiration from other makers and some beautiful new books I have recently acquired.


Yesterday was my birthday - happy birthday me!

I'm absolutely rubbish at asking for things so this year my husband got me to save weblinks to anything I liked in a special folder on the computer so that he knew what to get and could help friends and family decide what to get me too - GREAT idea! I don't feel awkward for asking and I know that people will be able to get me something that means a lot to me - in my case that's knitting books!

This year I also added a sewing machine to the list and a fantastic sewing book that I came across thanks to Kollabora (I LOVE that site). I didn't want anything too fancy since I am basically a beginner.

My tick list consisted of these main points:

• Cheap
• Suitable for a beginner - easy to use!
• Fairly lightweight so that I can move it on my own. 
• Basic range of stitches covered.

Thanks to my husband and Beldray, we found just that.......................

As a little treat on my birthday my husband took me to a fabric shop so that I could find some delicious fabric for my first official make on the new sewing machine. I found some beautiful material on sale - £5 a metre!

To start though, I thought I'd start with some fabric my husband's great aunt (Auntie Pat) gave me to play with.........so that I could practice my stitches and measuring skills :)

Pinning my seams

Beautiful floral fabric from Auntie Pat

Neat little side seam

Here is a link to the skirt I'm going to make:


http://www.kollabora.com/community/sewing/projects/one-hour-skirt

I'm so glad to have my hobby to keep me company whilst I'm at home. I'd love to hear if any of you have a new projects on the go.....??


I'll be back soon with some updates on the skirt :)

Love and best,
KnittyNora xx

Hello....remember me?

Well hello there, my lovely followers....

.....I am back! :)


With the beginning of a new half-term and various outings to the climbing wall, I've been super busy. I have some not so good news.......I badly sprained my ankle on Saturday. I fell from a climbing wall and spent my Saturday evening in casualty. I was so relieved when they told me it wasn't broken. That would not have been good.


So, this gives me a good excuse to rest my poor ankle when I'm not at work. Perfect for making and creating!

I made (with the help of my lovely friend 'S') a beautiful bag last week. I've been meaning to sort out the sewing machine I was given by my mum-in-law for ages. I thought that I was just being silly but after comparing it with with friend's machine I realised that a) I can sew(!) and b) older machines can be a bit fiddly.

Thanks to S I managed to finish a project I'd had in mind for a while. It was lovely to sit and natter with a glass of wine and a tasty bowl of spicy bacon and lentil soup (homemade by S) whilst dreaming up lots of lovely projects.

Here is a photo of my bag.......

and also the necklace I managed to complete whilst resting my foot and watching my friends climb.........

Nice little close up :)

I'm still busy making my lovely jumper. Not quite finished the front panel yet but hoping to make some progress with that this week whilst the husband is out playing mountain goat.

Stay tuned for some more of my creations and some beautiful outdoor pics :)

KnittyNora xxx

p.s. here's a little peek at the tasty gluten free flapjack I made last week.....nom!