Projects in Progress - Sew Grateful

Two images, 1. The dress I'm making for this challenge, as well as the Sew Weekly Burda week.  2.  A knitted bolero/shrug to go with it - I'll be making this piece over the Christmas Holiday period when I have a week of holiday.

Sew Grateful

I've decided that my latest Sew Weekly Challenge can be incorporated into 'Sew Grateful', which is being hosted by Debi at My Happy Sewing Place.  I'm a bit late with the challenge because I'm so busy at the moment finishing up the presentation of my current knitting module.

I'm using a Burda sewing pattern which I was sent as part of a worldwide pattern swap organised by Kat from the Sew Weekly Sewing Circle. Barbara from Croatia sent it to me - it's a lovely full skirted dress with a fitted bodice.  I'm making it in a red, satiny fabric which I found at a nearby fabric store for just £4.99 per metre (and I only need 3!).  I'm always glad to find fabric here because I'm supporting an independent business and Maureen, the lady that runs the store, is so helpful, in that she's been a sewer herself for many years.  The shop is called, The Sew Inn and it's located in Downham Market, Norfolk (picture to follow).

I hope to wear the dress at Christmas and in the New Year for an outing to the Strictly Come Dancing tour at Nottingham Arena.  I'm going with a train travelling friend and it's something twinkly and sparkly to look forward to in the winter months.

Some photographs to follow, though I just wanted to list some of the reasons why I am Sew Grateful - for friendship and a wonderfully absorbing and inspiring hobby.  

Needlebook and Pincushion Giveaway

As I've now exceeded 5,000 blog viewings - and blogging is something I never intended to do! - I'm giving away, (as a thank you for all the interest shown), this little card needlebook in the shape of a basket of Marguerites, together with a hand stitched pincushion, made by my friend Caroline during our weekly craft club at work.  The 5,000 total was mostly bumped up by an interest in, 'How to Make a Chevron Skirt', which reached up to 300 viewings a day in its heyday.

Anyway, all you have to do is say you'd like the giveaway and tell me which of my posts you like the best so far - just one rule - you should be, or become a blog follower - I'll pick an answer at random at the beginning of December.

These could be yours ...

Remembering ...

Still on the theme of sheep and flowers, these are poppies I knitted for sale in aid of The Poppy Appeal.

Found - Sheep artist

Did an internet trawl and found that it's by Ted Roocroft, 1986, done as a competition entry for a work of art inspired by 'Peace'.  It's now part of the Manchester City Art Gallery collection and can be seen in its home outdoors.

Baaaaaa

I forgot to mention about these fellas in my post about MOSI.  They are in a little park, more or less opposite.  I'm sorry but I can't remember the name of the sculptor now (and I can't quite read the plaque at the base from the photo)!  If anyone knows, I'd be grateful.

Only a Rose ...

I love roses and the 'Spanish Harlem' theme at Sew Weekly gave me the opportunity to use up a feltmaking kit I've had for a while.  I ought to have done a tutorial on this really, it was an involved process and took over my kitchen table for a whole afternoon!  There's a lot of rolling and soaking in alternate baths of hot and cold water.  I love the end result though and it seemed that the messier I was, the better things seemed to turn out.  Felt is something I've wanted to try for ages.  I did my Polytechnic thesis on the Felt Hat Industry of my old home town of Denton in Manchester - there's a copy of it in Stockport Hatworks Museum, if anyone is interested!



The kit was by 'Gillian Gladrags'



Shell Island

If you really want to get away from everything, then I totally recommend here.  It's just off the North Wales coast.  You need to be aware of tides and drive across a causeway to get there, but it's worth the hassle.  Well, I think so anyway ... You can drive or walk around the dunes, wander up the beach and collect all manner of shells - not just common or garden ones, but curly shaped and beautifully coloured ones.  I came away with two buckets full.  I think some of them are destined to be stuck round an old picture frame for a bathroom mirror.

It's just nice to go and relax ...

Tartan Tote

I managed to get this made from the bits of tartan I had left over from my 'plaid week' disaster.  I've teamed it with some curly pile chocolate brown fun fur to make a strong base and handles.  There was a lot of pulling and stretching and tugging involved with the tartan - it had distorted in the washing machine, which is why I had such a hard time of it making a skirt.  Anyway, I managed to get two rectangles of it back in shape and voila!  I made the bag design up myself, working around the pieces I had left and lined it with some deep brown cotton sheeting, adding an internal pocket for phone, keys etc.  This is up for sale in my Folksy shop now ... fingers crossed ... someone has listed it as a 'favourite'!





Portmeirion

I've always wanted to go here and I got my wish on holiday in Wales a few weeks ago.  It's the 'folly' of an Italianate village built by the architect Clough Williams-Ellis and made famous by the filming of the cult TV series, 'The Prisoner' in the 1960's.  The colours and shapes are amazing and on the day I went, the weather was strangely overcast which made for some interesting effects on photographs.