Apologies for my feet. Have to download some photo editing software!
So, after making sure I set aside at least 20 minutes a day to do some sewing, I’ve finally made decent headway on my bra project, and have something that looks like a bra. Actually, it looks even more like a bra than in the picture, as I’ve now attached the bottom band elastic and the top elastic on one side. And that’s why I’ve now stalled. After the nightmare of sewing the centre front seam on the powernet I thought it would now be plain sailing, but I managed to totally bollox up the side elastic. Admittedly, having all those layers of the double nursing cups wasn’t helping. And then I had a moment of madness and trimmed the excess wire casing so it was out of the way. But I trimmed too much, so now it doesn’t reach the top on that side. Gah!
This isn’t really too much of a problem as this bra won’t have underwires, so the casing is there more to neaten things up than serve a structural function, but still, I was discouraged by having done something so reckless and decided to put the project aside for a little while so I can come back to it with a fresh, positive mindset. Continue reading “Friday update: Bra-making shenanigans”
I’m starting off a series of (hopefully) regular weekly posts featuring news about what I’ve been up to with a particular slant on the sewing (more general updates will be over on my writer blog, should you wish to follow those). This would normally be on a Friday, but hey, I accidentally deleted half the post I wrote yesterday, and so here it is today with slightly different (improved?) wording 🙂
This week I’ve been making use of my Any.Do “to do list” app and scheduling myself 20 mins sewing time each day. It seems to be making a real difference. Instead of crossing off all the dull stuff first, I find myself racing to the sewing room to get going every morning. And yes, it’s a task down when I’ve finished! I think it’s important to make that time for my own interests, which can easily be sidelined in all the hustle and bustle of running the house and caring for a baby (along with a nine-year-old and a grown man). I’ve also been making use of tiny chunks of time to get sewing projects prepped, so that when I get my 20 minutes I’m sewing the whole time rather than getting things together. It’s made a real difference to my productivity.
Despite this I haven’t finished anything for myself, but I did get a cushion made for my mum’s birthday (now almost a month late, but who’s counting?!). It features an old embroidery she started when I was little, and that I finished off for her. I’ll do a full post on it sometime soon, but for now a sumptuous piccy:
So, I haven’t posted for a while simply because it’s so hard to find time to sit at the computer when there’s a new baby to look after. It didn’t help that Gabriel had to go into hospital for a hernia operation (all healed and he’s perfectly well, but I’m sure I have a few new grey hairs as a result). It’s also been really hard for me to get into my sewing room–and not only because the clothes airer now resides in there, hogging most of the available floor space.
I’ve made most progress in knitting and crochet, and have actually managed to complete a couple of projects: the Short and Sweet Bolero and some Gruffalo Booties for Gabriel. I’ll be blogging about those shortly, I promise!
Here, then, are the projects I’m currently working on:
Bra (Kwik Sew 3594)
This is the first time I’ve ever attempted a bra and it’s a steep learning curve, but I have the fabulous Beverly Johnson to hold my hand in her online Craftsy Class: Sewing Bras: Construction and Fit. I’m making a Kwik Sew pattern in plain black cotton which I’m adapting for nursing use by adding clips and a second cup layer with peephole detail (!). Here’s hoping all those extra layers of interlock fabric don’t cause problems when attaching the cups to the cradle…
No picture yet, as I’ve only managed to partially assemble the cups so far.
Tank top for Daisy
This is my first go at knitting in the round with my fancy Knit Pro circular needles, using some cotton yarn I’ve had in my stash for yonks. It’s a summery, lavender yarn and I can’t decide whether it’s a boucle or slub. It’s uneven, anyway, and it starts to make my fingers feel rough after handling it for a while. This is one of those mindless stockinette projects I can work on autopilot. I’m using a free pattern as a jumping off point, and adapting it as I go. You can see my progress on Ravelry.
Cabled Turban
I love Stitch Diva patterns and appreciate their complexity as a chance to advance my skills. I have made quite a few of their crochet projects, but this is my first knit one by them from the Timeless Knitted Hats patterns. It is also my first time knitting cables and to be honest, I think I should have picked an easier project and yarn to begin with. It’s all getting complicated and this is going to be one of those projects I don’t finish for months on end, I can tell. You can see my latest progress on my Ravelry page.
Cardigan for Gabriel
This is a project from the possibly misnamed pattern book: One-Skein Wonders. I’ve used three skeins already so I think some of the authors cheated by using giant balls of yarn. However, it’s a great stashbuster as I’m using some yarn I originally bought to make a baby cardie for Daisy. And she’s nine now. Yeah, I’m speedy like that. You can check my progress on Ravelry.
There will be a separate post about all my UFOs to follow, as I’ve been through the sewing room and chucked out everything from the mending and UFO baskets that I have no intention of finishing in the next year or so. Life is too short to have them all hanging around, making me feel guilty! Plus I have to move house in two weeks (sigh). Not much sewing on the horizon, methinks, but perhaps I can finish that bra before I have to pack up the sewing room…
