Otherwise known as thesane...

orbfa @ 2009-07-17T11:44:00

2009-07-16T23:47:31Z

Fabric washed and semi-ironed. It's currently draped over the upstairs hallway rail.

Pattern kind of worked out (at least enough to get the shape of the first section of embroidery).

Tonight I plan to fully iron a small section (at least) and set it up for embroidering. And then tomorrow morning I get to wave various thread options at it and see what I like best. I think my choices at the moment are two types of silk and DMC cotton. It probably mostly depends what looks like the best colour match.

Slow progress

2009-07-13T21:12:17Z

Did a bit of patterning last night. Not exactly the best weather for it though, it hasn't exactly been warm the past few days.

Found some potentially nice embroidery patterns too, so I may be able to make a start on that sometime soon.

Only problem at the moment is that I'm not sure whether I want to wash my silk or not - it softens it a bit, and there's possibly a tiny amount of shrinkage. But I don't want to crumple it, and ironing it will take forever. I will want to wash anything that has been embroidered though, so I probably should.

orbfa @ 2009-07-03T09:08:00

2009-07-02T21:10:35Z

After wibbling over whether I actually like the shape of the corset, I think I will try and run with it. The line at the top is a bit harsh at the moment, but I think it might be okay once I've got the binding on (and possibly replaced a couple of bits of boning with shorter pieces...).

And then it will be patterning time again, leading up to embroidery time.

Nearly done!

2009-06-01T21:24:23Z

Corset has nearly all boning now (still need to add one more channel on each side), and is about 1/4 flossed. I'm hoping that the short bust pieces aren't too long - not quite sure of how they're sitting at the moment (although I can probably fiddle the binding a bit if I need to).

Started some patterning too, looks like my plan should work (and probably better if I actually made the pleated section wide enough...)

orbfa @ 2009-05-28T08:09:00

2009-05-27T20:12:40Z

Corset is just about done (at least to a wearable point). Got the boning fitted in the weekend - of course nearly all of it had to be cut down to length (sigh).

I plan to start some dress patterning this weekend, even if the corset isn't actually finished. Should be able to make up something approximate anyway, which will then allow me to work out how much fabric I will require. Maybe even on Friday night, if I'm feeling really enthusiastic...

Progress

2009-04-29T19:50:58Z

Outer layer is also cut out now, and gusset corners are finished. Back pieces have gussets pinned in. Need to get some thread the right colour before I do anything more though, which will probably happen on Saturday.

Sewing again

2009-04-28T01:40:15Z

New project collection. Step the first: Corset.

Made alterations to the pattern last night, and cut the lining to tack together and check the fit. So far the hip gores are in.

Made a few modifications from the pattern - front hip gore slightly narrower, bust gores starting higher and back of corset lower. With any luck it'll work...

The end of monthly sewing goals

2009-04-19T19:40:48Z

Trying to sew something each month has served its purpose - I've actually been getting some sewing done. As such, I'm not going to bother trying to find things that I can finish within a month any more. (Still have some hemming to do from February, but the merino t-shirt I made for March is all done).

I have now come up with some actual projects with time frames (longer than a month), so they will take over. If I'm lucky I'll still manage to get some bits and pieces done, but we'll see.

More later (probably as things get done...)

Where has the month gone?

2009-03-29T20:17:30Z

Again, I have been slack. I now have two bits of sewing that are almost complete (both just requiring hemming). And two days left to get them done. Oops.

I haven't been entirely slack though, I have been working on some other bits and pieces but they're still a while away from being done.

Sewing failure

2009-02-23T22:11:14Z

There will be no sewing completed this month. This is entirely due to my failure to remember one critical step in the process of the dress I was trying to get finished - hanging. I am aiming to get the dress done apart from the hem, but then I want to hang it for at least a week (and that's obviously not going to be finished in 4 days time). If I'm doing really well I'll get the lacing cord finished by the end of the month, but I don't have any real expectation of that (not helped by the fact that I'm not sure what I've done with the right coloured thread).

Still have to do the front seam (both sewing and finishing) and finishing the top of the bodice and straps. Should be doable (I hope).

Next month I want to get the dress hemmed, and make something else too. Not sure what it is that will be lined up to go on with, still tossing up between a few different things.

January Sewing

2009-02-02T18:43:17Z

I managed to achieve my goal for this month. I finished my sewing project on the 30th, one day ahead of what I was expecting. It's not particularly exciting, but it was a nice quick project to get back into it.

Half circle skirt:

With pocket!

Seams are all pseudo-french seams (turned in and hand stitched), zip is an invisible zip (also hand sewn in). Took about 5 days from start to finish doing a little bit each day.

It's a tiny bit longer than knee length, which fulfills my need for skirts of that length. You can't really tell from the photo, but the print does have gold on it. I'm not sure how long I should expect that to last, but I think I'll still like it when it wears off.

Not sure what I plan to make for February...

Wow! A post!

2009-01-18T19:23:56Z

I have been sadly remiss in sewing recently. This really hit home when I was running around yesterday looking for something to take to a sewing day, and couldn't find anything that needed finishing. It's not that I lack incomplete items, just that they have mostly been packed away and I couldn't find all the required bits. (In the end I dug out my embroidered pillow that I started nearly four years ago, and don't expect to finish this year, even if I put some effort in). And I've now ordered some more red silk, so when that arrives I can go on an outlining rampage...

My plan to remedy this sad state is to push myself to try and make one thing every month. (For this purpose, finishing something that is half done is perfectly acceptable and will count as a whole item). Possibly not this month, since it's nearly over, but I might manage it if I count hemming some wickelbander which will take hardly any time at all (and really needs to be done)...

I guess I should probably try to post more too...

And there are napkins!

2008-08-11T20:14:41Z

Well, nearly. Still need washing and hemming, but then they'll actually be done.

It appears that 4 = 6.

orbfa @ 2008-08-07T08:00:00

2008-08-06T20:02:21Z

3 down, 1 to go. And for silliness, I've just been linked to this (weaving silliness).

Now may be the time to buy more yarn (more! More! MORE!)

orbfa @ 2008-08-04T08:17:00

2008-08-03T22:00:06Z

I'd just like to say that it's amazing how much faster weaving gets done when you actually sit down and work on it...

And in other news, I have about half a sock and half a hat.

Also, scarf arrived safely at it's destination, and was well recieved (Hurrah!)

orbfa @ 2008-08-01T07:54:00

2008-07-31T19:55:06Z

Finished second long seam of tent last night. And I'm over halfway through the foot of my new sock.

That is all.

orbfa @ 2008-07-28T09:31:00

2008-07-27T21:36:37Z

Scarf done and gone, along with various bits and pieces.

Socks currently in progress are not working, I think I need finer needles to get them to actually work. Therefore they are looking like they'll turn into completely different socks (maybe keeping the same toe though).

Work embroidery is still progressing slowly, still hoping to get it done by the end of August (that'll make it about 6 months total, max 120 hours)

Still hoping to get a new dress made by September, I guess I'll have to start thinking about it sometime...

Progress on some things.

2008-07-13T20:46:21Z

Tent has had the second long seam stitched, only done a little bit of the finishing though.

Socks are done (except for finishing off the ends, I need to hunt out my needle for that).

Garden has been rebuilt.

Scarf has not been finished.

Embroidery has been accidentally left at home. Oops.

And done!

2008-06-29T22:27:49Z

Nalbound socks completed and given away (only just finished them in time). Of course, I completely failed to take any photos. Oops. Happily, they fitted, and are apparently comfortable and warm.

Picked up other socks again now, just turned the heel on sock one.

Embroidery is also progressing nicely. I think I shall have to work out which colours I still need sometime soon so I can fill in the gaps.

Still no tenting. Maybe sometime this week...

Socks!

2008-06-26T19:33:40Z

This subject line appears to be becoming rather common. Anyway, this time the socks are ones I've been supposed to be doing for the last couple of years. If I get enough done by tonight before I run out of wool then I should be able to get them done by Saturday evening. No idea if the wool I've got will get me far enough though. Currently done about a foot and a half (pre-heel). I'd like to get the other half done at least, and ideally some of the heelstraps built up. Much TV in my near future perhaps...

The other current socks are about halfway through the foot on the first sock.

Shiny hands

2008-06-16T19:44:43Z

My wrist was being particularly grumpy (I should probably blame the weekend baking, it was doing interesting clicky things mixing the biscuit dough) so I decided I would make a nice (small) wrist warmer specifically designed to keep the problem areas warm and not cover up my entire palm with something bulky and annoying. And thus, the black and shiny wrist warmer was born. Outer is black nylon lycra (because really, fluffiness is suboptimal), lining is some grey microfleece that I had made up into a quick and nasty wristwarmer a few years ago. And it has three big white buttons down the back of the wrist (would have been brass buttons, but I couldn't find them at the time). There may be photos eventually.

And it has the added advantage that I can cover my wrist with anti-flamme and then hold it all in without having to worry about washability of woollen wrist warmers.

Really, this is probably an indication that I should do more light sewing, since sewing doesn't seem to bother my wrists unless it's something heavy like a tent.

I think I want to work out a knitted pattern for something similar, since fluffy is probably fine when not trying to do things like baking.

Maybe I've worked out what my sister can have for Christmas...

Socks!

2008-06-15T21:56:10Z

Finished my socks in the weekend. Very warm and snuggly. Photos here.

Also got some of the hemstitching done on the napkins, and worked out a bit more of what I'm doing with them. Just need to actually do it now...

Queen's Birthday

2008-06-02T19:37:56Z

Lindisfarne!

Managed to get my boots made in time - were wearable on Saturday, and on Sunday morning I got the laces done so they were actually finished. Now I think I need to make some stockings or leg wrappings - by the end of Sunday they felt like the leather-skin contact was rubbing a little bit (not badly, just enough to notice).

Got the scarf proto-blocked. It's not very good blocking, but I plan to do some more bits and pieces and then block it again anyway, and then I can put more effort into making the edges straight.

Got maybe 1/6th of the pair of socks I was nalbinding done in the weekend, and probably 2/3rds of the sock I'm knitting is now done (will be warm and snuggly, but is a bit time consuming since it's all slip stitching)

A fairly productive long weekend.

Done stuff!

2008-05-29T20:26:38Z

Boots are now wearable. Don't have lacing yet, but they won't fall off so if that doesn't get done it's not the end of the world.

Scarf is now in one piece - still needs to be blocked, and then I need to work out what I'm doing with it next.

Sock is tested, it will fit over my heel. Nearly finished the leg, then need to work out heel method.

I might have shoes by Saturday...

2008-05-28T20:26:16Z

As of the end of Monday I had one boot minus lacing (it stays on anyway, so it's not horribly important...), and I now have half of the second one. It actually seems possible that I might have them done by the weekend. Even if they do look disturbingly like ug boots.

And I have started knitting some pretty pretty socks. Which should be nice and warm and snuggly because they're stranded and slip stitched and stuff so they're thick. When I get to the end of the leg I might have to thread them onto a cord so I can check whether they'll actually go over my heel...