Burdastyle 7/16 #114 Woven top, and Hardanger finish

I was waiting very impatiently for the July issue of the Burda magazine to appear in the shops here.  Finally mid-October it came in the shops.  There are so many patterns in this issue that I want to make, but I especially had my eye on this woven plastron top.

 I wasn't sure how the woven part would work, so didn't want to get expensive fabric in case it went horribly wrong.  I'd already picked up some striped shirting fabric from the Hospice shop for $5 with this top in mind.
Here is my version.

The pattern calls for soluble stabiliser to be used and the woven plastron strips to be sewn to this before attaching to the shirt.  The only sort I could find in Spotlight was some plasticy type stuff.  I was a bit worried that it would move too much, and I was right.  The plastron shape got horribly distorted and I had to pin and tape like crazy and then mark the plastron tape from my original traced templated onto the woven strips.  However it came together well in the end.  I found out later that there is a soluble stabiliser that looks more like interfacing.   This would have worked better, or even possibly tear away stabiliser.

The only change I made was to increase the number of buttons from 6 to 7.  The pattern markings are for size 36 and it tells you to alter the top placement according to your size and to leave the bottom button placement where it is, then evenly space the other buttons between the top and bottom.  As I made size 42, if I evenly spaced the remaining buttons there would be 3 7/8" apart which I felt was too wide.  When I increased it to 7 buttons, the space reduced to 3 1/4".

The other issue with the buttons is to do with size.  The pattern says to use small buttons, you really need to use the smallest you can find.  As the buttons are underneath the band, the buttons have to fit within the stitched seam lines,  One of my buttonholes was ever so slightly to the side, which in normal buttonholes wouldn't have mattered, however trying to put the button in is very fiddly as the edges of the button are right up against the stitched line.  If I make it again I would be tempted to make ordinary buttonholes, apart from that one wonky buttonhole, the buttons are fiddly for fastening.

I like the outcome of this top.  I plan to make the dress version in a floral poplin with plain contrasting colours for the plastron.

On to other things.  I actually finished this Hardanger piece a couple of months ago, but forgot to post.  About a year in the making.  The base fabric is a light purple, I wish I could remember what fabric I used and the count.  If I remember I'll add to this post.

StyleArc Barb pants and cross stitch Spirit of Winter framed, visit to quilt show

One clothing finish this week.  A pair of Style Arc Barb pants.  These are made from bengaline, the colour is called petrol and is a greeny blue.  Fabric was from Spotlight, unfortunately I forgot to record how much this was and how much fabric I had. I think around $20.

I got Spirit of Winter back from the framers this week.

 I've moved my cross stitch pictures around in my living room. I'm not so keen on some of the older pieces now.  The more recent ones I've done are so much more like paintings I really prefer these so want them to have pride of place.  This is the main wall behind my couch.

I also visited a quilters show put on by the Western Quilters circle.  There were some beautiful quilts there.

I'm quite keen on trying to make a quilt for my bed.  I've discovered a design called the Northumberland Star.  Being originally from the North East of England this seems an obvious choice for me to try.   I've found this tutorial here at Quilters Cache.
I'm practicing first by doing 3 blocks which I'll make into a table runner for my dining table.  If I'm any good at it and if I think I'll enjoy it, then I'll get some fabric to make a quilt.  I've pieced 2 blocks so far but no photos yet.

Culottes, 2 tops and Spirit of Winter is finished!!!

After 4 1/2 years of stitching, Spirit of Winter is finished.

Now she just needs to be framed.
The stats:  Started 1 September 2011.  Finished 9 February 2016.  1173 stitching hours, 152,600 stitches.  Stitched over one on 22ct Hardanger.

Next up is a Golden Kite design, Gossips by artist Daniel Ridgway Knight.  The chart is available in blended colours or solid colours.  I am doing the solid colours version.  This design is even bigger than Spirit, at 400x 502 stitches wide, that's 200,800 stitches and on 22ct Hardanger the finished size will be 18.2" x 22.8". It has 185 colours, that's a lot of thread.  Fortunately I have such a huge stash of thread I've only needed to buy a small quantity.  I am busy kitting this up now.








Daniel Ridgway Knight was an American artist (1839-1924) who lived in France from 1872.  His work focused mainly on the French peasants.  He had a rather idyllic view of them, painting leisurely scenes rather than the reality of the hard lives they faced.

My sewing over the last couple of weeks has been repeat sewing.  I made some more BurdaStyle culottes from 8/15 #131.

I stupidly made the invisible side zip far too long, its almost down to my knees instead of just past the bottom of the pocket. This creates a bit of bulk on the left side seam.  These are made of rayon from Spotlight $24.89 for 2mx148cm.

I made 2 more Colette Sorbetto top.  This one is made from leftover material, voile, rayon and gingham.  There wasn't enough material to do a front pleat, so I ignored the pleat part on the pattern and put fold of fabric on inner pleat line.  Cost $0

This one is made from poplin from Spotlight.  I had 2 metres of this and still have .9metres left over.  $10.12

Maxi, Tshirt, Spirit of Winter and fabric haul

I made another maxi dress last week.  This was a combination of the Maria Denmark Kimono T and the So Sew Easy wrap dress, lengthened to a maxi version.

In my last post I thought I may have enough of the dark blue polka dot left over to make a skirt.  Once I had the pattern assembled and checked against the fabric, there wasn't enough for a skirt.  There was however enough for another Maria Denmark T shirt.



I finished another page on Spirit of Winter.  Only 3 pages to go.

Last week I got my usual catalogue from Spotlight showing their reductions.  Included was a $40 discount voucher to be used when total spend (including discounted items) was over $100.   In fact I ended up with 3 of these vouchers.  In the catalogue was one for me, one for a friend (me), and as I've also signed up online, I received an email with another $40 voucher.  The only catch, if you can call it that, is you can only use one voucher per day.  Not a problem if you are like me and have trouble staying out of the store.   So today I went to Spotlight.  For 2 hours!   I was armed with a shopping list for items from BurdaStyle magazine that I want to try out.

 Their special table has lots of discounted fabric, in addition there was an extra 50% of their super cheap discounted material.  However after much searching, I could only find this on the discount table.

There was no label to identify the fabric but I think it is a polyester.  After all the discounts this was $2.85.  I have in mind to make this from BurdaStyle August 2015, 115a. 





 I also bought this poplin fabric, again with that above top in mind.  Not sure if the poplin may be too stiff as it is a drapey top.  This poplin was $10.12 after discounts



I bought this pretty voile.  I really wanted something with small flowers but couldn't find anything.  This was $22.59 after discounts.

I'm thinking of using this voile for BurdaStyle July 2015 115:

I got this gorgeous seersucker for $17.08 after discounts.



Of all my buys this is the one I'm probably most thrilled with as it was exactly what I wanted for BurdaStyle July2015 109

I also got this broadcloth for $11.38 after discounts.

This is to make some culottes from BurdaStyle August 15 131

I was carefully adding up my purchases and these came to $98.  $2 short of qualifying for the $40 discount, so I bought an invisible zip.  I couldn't remember if the dress needed one or not, but it will get used at some stage.

All in all a good days shopping



Simplicity 1699 and Spirit of Winter

Over the last couple of weeks I've managed another couple of finishes.
As I'm trying to stretch myself and learn new techniques, the first was a dress from Simplicity 1699.  The new techniques were princess seams and inserting a zipper.  While I've inserted zippers into bags and purses, I've not done it in dressmaking.

 The photo makes the fabric appear blue, its not. Actually it is purple.

 In the photo it appears the fabric is blue, its actually purple.  The fabric was on special at Spotlight and is a double crepe.  The cost of fabric was $17.50 and I have enough left over to make a top.  I'm thinking of making the Colette Sorbetto which is a free design.

I will make this dress again.  Next time I will lengthen it as its a bit on the short side for me and I'll use something with a slight stretch in it like a cotton sateen.

My next task was to make something with a lining.  Again using Simplicity 1699 I made the jacket.

This is a pale purple linen and is a good match for my polka dot dress.  The fabric was from Centrepoint and cost just $7.

In an online class at Craftsy the tutor said to interface linen to stop it creasing.  Thinking that was a good idea, I cut out the pieces and then fused interfacing to it.  Disaster!  When fusing the interfacing, even though I pressed rather than ironed, it distorted the fabric.  The two front pieces in particular were baaaad.  When I put the pattern against them, in some places it was off by as much as 2 inches.  The back wasn't too bad, and the sleeves were a bit distorted but again not too bad.  Fortunately I had just enough fabric left over to re cut the front pieces.  This time I fused the interfacing before cutting out the pattern.  However I did notice that the grainline was altered significantly.  While it looks reasonable, the proof will be when I come to wear it.  As the grainline was off so much on the front and sleeves the jacket may end up twisting when I wear it.

Apart from the interfacing disaster, it sewed up very quickly and the lining was very easy to do.

I'll definitely do this jacket again, but probably not in a linen.  Or if I use linen, I won't interface it.

I finished page 20 of Spirit of Winter by Heaven and Earth designs

I can see the end in sight now as I'm about to start the last row.  After 5 years on her, only around another 6 months to go.

New shirt and Spirit of Winter update

I finished another shirt.   Last year I bought a solid red fabric and a small red check fabric. I combined these on the new shirt.  This is another of the New Look 6963.

Its been a long time since I finished a page on Spirit of Winter.  Finally page 19 is complete.

This weeks (week 8) TAST stitch was chain stitch.  These were my examples of its use.

First is part of a combination seam on a crazy quilt block.

 And used as a filling stitch in a goldwork piece.

This week I'm aiming to make another tunic to wear with leggings.

March update

I started a new Jacobean embroidery in March from Hazel Blomkamps book.  I've not taken any photos yet.  Finished this month was my Autumn theme block for CQJP, with autumn leaves as the theme.

 

I did a beaded oak leaf

 

Also a couple of acorns and a hardanger featuring oak leaves and acorns.  Photo below shows one of the acorns and  the hardanger.

 

 

On the side of the block is a wheelbarrow that has tipped over and spilled its leaves, with a hedgehog heading for the pile of leaves.

 

 

Completed another page of Spirit of Winter.

 



 

 

Unfortunately I've sprained the ligament at the base of my thumb.  This means I can't do any craft work at the moment which is hugely frustrating.   I start physio on Thursday so hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll be able to restart some projects.