little elephant apron

I wanted to make my niece something practical for her birthday this year so decided on an apron as both her and her parents love to bake!

I had the awesome elephant print linen fabric from Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally last year from the great and wonderful Eternal Maker so decided to use that with some pink polka dots cotton left over from another project and green polka dot light flannel for the ties!

It’s so cute and she loved it!!!!!

monsters for poang

My fabric arrived this weekend and after flying my Robert Kaufman Monster fabric around the living room trying to figure out how to use it, it landed on Poang the Ikea rocking chair and gave me the best idea!!

My own ikea hack!!

A Monster cover for Poang!!

I only ordered a yard so I searched and searched for a UK based seller who still has some in stock and thankfully eventually found Plush Addict

A meter more is on its way to me!
Can’t wait to get sewing this one!!!!

Made By Loumms

Unfortunately me and Emmms have been a bit quiet over at our Etsy shop’s Made By Loumms and Loumms Makes More for a while due to other (not so crafty and fun) duties however we have re-listed a bunch of stock!!!!!

At Made By Loumms we have some really cute Socky Wristers,

Our sturdy and dependable Sock Perfect Button bags,

And a lone Sweater Perfect Button bag,

We have also re-listed our Apron Bags at Loumms Makes More with 25% discount!!

Once the new year begins we hope to have a lot more time to spend on making loads of new stock for both shops!!!!

animals and caravans

I just wanted to share some of the fabric which is really doing it for me right now!!

Retro Lobsters by Blend Fabric
(dreaming of making oven gloves with this)

Penguins by Nancy Wolff for Kokka

Out ‘n’ About by Caleb Gray

Little Fishes also by Caleb Gray
(needs to become a shirt for a friend who loves fishes)

Urban Zoologie Turtles by Ann Kelle for Michael Miller

And this awesome lion fabric which I have completely forgotten everything about!
I’ll try and remember and edit this later!!

However this is my ultimate favourite,

Foxes by Monaluna Anika which was the inspiration for our ‘We Love Foxes’ post
(the fabric me and Emmms had has now been shared in half and my part is the front of a cushion in my spare room!)

giant red patchwork ball

Wow it’s 15th February already???

I thought at one point that January would never end. It seemed to go so slow but now, looking back, it went so quick!!

Ive been so busy with multiple projects and time just runs away a lot these days!

My main January project was my nieces first birthday present.
I can’t believe it has been over a year since my niece was born and I was posting about meeting her for the first time!

I went to visit her for her first birthday at the end of Jan with her homemade gift (my sister wanted us to make our presents as she was so spoilt at Xmas!)

I’m really into patchwork at the moment (see Emmms future post on the hand washing bag I made her for Xmas) so I decided to hand sew a patchwork ball for my niece to play with.
However instead of normal sized I did a giant red ball with patchwork numbers sewn into each section and stuffed with teddy bear stuffing!

Giant Patchwork Ball

To make the ball, I set about cutting the 12 individual pentagons, using red felt, with each side measuring 7 inches.
I then cut smaller pieces, 6 inches, out of a sturdy interfacing fabric.

I pinned the two pieces together by folding the larger sides over the smaller sides

I then measured and cut out my numbers using scrap fabrics I had lying around.

I tried to use different textures, colours and prints to give it variety.

And I attached the numbers to the pentagons using different hand sewing methods

a cross stitch,

whip stitch

and a back stitch

Once I had all of my pieces, I joined them together.

I split the pentagons into two lots of 6 then using one pentagon as the centre, joined another five by placing the wrong sides together and using a whip stitch over the top to secure.

These two giant pentagons were now joined together in the same way and stuffed with teddy stuffing.

She absolutely loved it!!

the knitting finishing goddess

Anyone who knows me also knows that I hate sewing up my larger knitted garments.

It is strange considering how much I love actual sewing but sewing up the seams of say a sweater always fills me with dread!
I finish my knitting, block my knitting then sit there looking at the pieces of fabric hoping they will just magically join together.

I think it’s mainly because I’m not very good at it. I always lose where I am, I get impatient with the fabric, I try to do it right but I always end up with a seam that looks like a 4 year old has sewn it!

I do plan to take a class in finishing at some point but I’m always too late whenever I spot one and they are often booked up. Does this mean that others have the same problem???

For the meantime until I get myself into a class I will be using this fab little machine.

It was given to me by a work friend who is aware of my woes of knitting sewing (she often sews things for me!)

Its about 25 years old, has no brand name and my friend can’t remember where she got it so I’m very interested if anyone can shed some light on the history of these things!

I’ve searched the web and can’t seem to find anything about it or if there are modern versions available (which I’m sure there must be!)

You place your two pieces of knitted fabric together, insert them into the little pins around the edge,

thread the needle with your yarn

and turn the wheel.

The magic machine does the hard work for you!!

I can wait to put it to use so will be starting a new sweater next week knowing that I will be sewing seams with ease!!

cute baby goodies!!!

Well now that the baby is here I have all the excuses to sew up some adorable baby accessories!!!
So today I started making some bits to send up to my sister. If she likes them and they come in handy I might make some more for loummsmakesmore!!!!

I decided to start with re useable baby wipes in a mixture of different fabrics so she can see which works the best

I did cotton lined with cotton,

Cotton lined with a fleecy fabric

And fleecy fabric lined with a soft corduroy

I also made up a set of wipes

Burp bib,

 

And drawstring bag!!

Tomorrow I am on to the disposable wipes cover!!!

I really hope she likes them!!!

just fashion

Among a pile of great reference books I received from my love at christmas was a huge book looking at fashion over the years in sketches! It contains little text just a brief breakdown of the decade in question and biographies on popular designers. At the end of each decade there are smaller sketches with descriptions of the colour and type of fabric used.

The Complete Fashion Sourcebook – John Peacock

Beginning with the 1920′s, it shows a year by year progression in clothing styles for both men and women up to the 1980′s in evening wear, nightware, sports wear and more.

I have spent many hours since, looking through, taking in the similarities, differences and how fashion changed due to culture and society. Me and Emmms actually spent a great deal of our NYE celebration with cocktail in hand flicking through the pages trying to pick our favourite style.

Everytime I see it on the shelf it makes me want to sew clothing! The sketches are so simple, but detailed enough to become a base for some great clothes patterns I just wish I had enough time in the week to get stuck into it and obviously a hell of a lot more talent and knowledge to create something worth wearing but hey practice makes perfect!!!

Among my favourites to be used as future dress making projects are:

Beginning with the 1980′s my absolute favourite decade for fashion, this Gold Lame Evening dress from 1989 is just superb, with a fitted bodice and ground length skirt I think this one better wait until my skills have drastically improved!!

Also from 1989 is this Red and White Rayon Crepe Dress, so spectacually 80′s with its broad structured shoulders

From earlier on in the decade is a Royal Blue Polyester Crepe 3 piece Evening Suit

Moving on to the 1970′s.

 I just love tank tops over shirts (and I do believe they came rushing back into fashion in the 1990′s!) It reminds me I need to work on my knitted 70′s neon vest!!

Jumping to the 1960′s these three dresses are just gorgeous and look pretty simple to fashion (ask me again once I start making them!!!) From 1966 a Cream Terylene-crepe evening dress, a Yellow Silk-crepe Mini Dress and a Mint Green Silk-chiffon Dress with full length skirt and ruffle of silk flowers

And what may become my first project, from 1964 a very cute Navy Blue Rayon Dress

From 1952 this Pink Silk-satin dress with its fantastic collar, rouched detail and structured hips is a big hit!

But this Blue and White Cotton Holiday dress is a bit more like a task I can undertake

This 1946 Lilac-grey silk-jersey House Coat makes me think of Judy Garland

 

My absolute favourite in this book is the 1937 Wedding Dress, in Pale Pink Silk-taffeta the colour would be something I would change but wow, the detail,  the shoulders and the flow of the dress and to me just perfect.

I have always wanted to make a 1930′s swim suit just like this one

and finally from 1926 this Pale green Chemis and Knicker set is too sweet not to include!!

So, there it is, my dreams of dressmaking throughout the century.

I will never get bored of looking through this book, there is always something new jumping out and so many interesting ideas to be had!!!

a new year’s resolutions

1. Plan our wedding.
   So far so good!! Since 1 January we’ve put up our bans, got our date in June confirmed, dress-hunting dates are in the works, lace shawl patterns are being sorted and we WOULD have had our parents meet for the very first time last weekend, but Mum woke up with a headcold and the future in-laws had only got in at 3 that morning, so we’ve rescheduled to this weekend coming at our reception venue, eep!
2. Keep knitting through my Dream Sweater List.
   Last year I finished my Lace Yoke Pullover and Matthew’s Cobblestone (if not decent pictures of either of them), both on schedule. Sometime between Christmas and New Year I cast on Welt and Rib Raglan by Shayna Zelko, from Interweave Knits, Winter 2008.

   

   I’m using the glorious, GLORIOUS Devon Fine Fibres Bowmont DK from my stash, which I just adore working with. I had originally wanted to finish it before the start of term, but working on my thesis got in the way (a good thing, methinks). I reckon if I can have it blocking by 31 Jan, I’ll be SORTED for the rest of the year.

3. Post to Loumms at least once a week.
   Er… So, I’ve failed on this one so far, but if I make it up with another three posts this week, that counts, doesn’t it?
4. The Great Big Garden Project.
   I totally slid on the garden front over the summer last year and I am desparate to bring my garden back to form. It looks so sad and weedy right now. Poor neglected beast. I’ve got a schedule for seeding in place and it’s looking promising. Oooh, one of my catch-up posts this week should be this schedule. Then I’ll HAVE to stick to it. The Internet will know I if I haven’t.
5. Bake a loaf of bread a week.
   Already started! I love my own bread so much more than store-bought, but since I started working in-house again — even though it’s only two days a week, combine it with working on my thesis and teaching one day a week, trying to plan a wedding, maintaining some semblance of sanity — I’ve spent my weekends collapsed in a heap. Nonetheless, I really do love my own bread. I feel better when I make it and better still when I eat it and I’m determined to keep up with this. I should really post again in a few months’ time to see if I’m sticking to it.
6. Exercise.
   I’ve always been fairly sporty. I did loads of competitive sports when I was in school, yoga for years, lifeguarded for even more years; I cycle/walk everywhere and go running regularly. HOWEVER, in spite of having grown up in Canada, I am a TOTAL WUSSFACE and cannot bear cycling/running in the cold. I’ll happily walk wherever you need me to go, but my little hands get cold when I cycle! And I get cramp! And my face starts hurting! I know it’s not -40C outside, like in some places, but I still wimp out. Every time I even look at my type pump or dig out my trainers. Thus, I’ve join a gym. Yep. I have turned into one of those. A gym-goer. I never thought it possible, but there you are. And you know I actually enjoy running on a treadmill? I certainly never thought THAT would be possible! The gym at my uni has a great schedule of yoga and pilates classes that seems to be maintainable, so here’s hoping my enthusiasm keeps up!! (At least till June!)
7. Publish my patterns, dammit.
   Lou and I have Big Heap Plans on this front. We’ve been working on a men’s sock pattern collection, including the Sloe Gin pattern, which we’re hoping to release fairly soon. Hopefully this will be a brans new year of socks!
8. Get sewing!
   I miss sewing. I’ve hardly spent any time sewing in the last few months and I miss it. We moved out of our studio a couple of weeks ago because our own schedules have just been too crazy to do the space justice (it kind of sucks when you’ve only got an hour to spare and that translates into a mere 20 minutes actual sewing time once you get to your machine). But in moving out of the studio, we rediscovered a whole whack of amazing fabric!!! We have the BEST fabric stash ever. Seriously!!
9. Dinner parties. Lots of dinner parties.
   Another one already under way. Our first was this past Friday — I made Broccoli and (Veggie) Sausage Pasta, with Super Garlicky Garlic Bread and a fresh green salad. It was delicious, the company was divine and the wine utterly delightful. I must remember to post the recipes I use when we have these shindigs (and this one will definitely make it into a catch-up post! It’s too good not to share!). The next one is in two weeks. I can’t wait!

I do have more that I want to achieve this year, but I rather think a list of 9 is just about supportable. Anyone else making resolutions this year? I kind of feel a bit passe, but goals are good, right? Happy 2011!

nifty napkins and perfect picnic

Last Wednesday me and emmms finally managed to get a few hours out of our insanely busy lives to meet up, do a photo shoot and enjoy a bit of a picnic!!!! (although I cant believe it has now been a week since then, where does the time go??)

The weather was on our side and after a trip to sainsburys for some picnic goodies we set up camp in my newly tidied garden. (thankfully I managed to get out there for a good tidy the saturday before!)

It felt like so long since we both got together to photograph our loumms stock and it was starting to get to both of us. One of the things we both love about making our bags and aprons etc is the time we get to spend cooing over them before we bag them up and ship them out, the whole photo soot process is also a love of ours but this one imparticular was very special as we were photographing brand new stock!!!

Once again emmms great eye for photo stlye proved priceless as that, mixed with some juicy strawberries, a wicker basket and freshly baked bread, gave us what I think are our best shop photos yet!!

Our Lunch Box/Picnic/Party/Baby/Every Day Double-Sided Earth-Friendly Cloth Napkins have been floating around in our ‘to sew’ pile for ages but now have their place in our (almost) new etsy shop loummsmakesmore

alongside some more of our Handy All-Purpose Gardening/Market/Kitchen/Craft aprons

Thankfully I know its not going to be too long till I see emmms again as we are off to The Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace this Saturday, see you all there hopfully!!!!!