Monday 27 June 2016

A new course ....

Hi everyone, I hope you are all enjoying the season whatever it is your side.

I recently saw a beginners crochet course offered locally. My late Mother & grandmother were dab hands at crocheting but I took little interest & so never learnt to crochet. It always seems so social & relaxing with people chatting while they work away ...

I was relieved to find all at the course to be complete beginners, like I was because we were all starting from the same uncertain place.  I was pleased with my first effort - not too uneven at all.


The second lesson proved to be a bit more challenging with granny squares. It look a while to get my head around the pattern & how many stitches for each section etc. I admit to quite a lot of pulling out on this section.



On a Friday night, us three cousins were really rock 'n roll - sitting round crocheting granny squares so that I could get my homework done. They have both had a little lay off from crocheting but were now fired up again... 


I was quite pleased that mine were a uniform size & shape. I did not change colours on these because I was doing them while chatting ... 


Our final lesson was sewing our squares together with various methods to find which we preferred. 


 I was looking forward to learning to do this pattern in our last lessons once we had stitched up our granny squares.  I love the freshness of this pattern ... 


 For the practice, I used darker colours - it was quite tricky but we all managed with lots of help.


Not quite as bright or as pretty as the example but time was limited & so it was a small section to get our heads around the pattern.

After 3 lessons, I am happier about crocheting but realise that I still have a long way to go to be proficient at the techniques & being able to do it without pulling out too much. Like any new skill, it is all about practicing it & learning the terms associated with the stitches & patterns. 

Perhaps in time, it will become a more natural action .... 

What needlework skills do you have? Tell all,  
Dee ~♥~

Saturday 25 June 2016

Using vintage fabrics to make some gifts ....

Thank you to all the regulars who pop by even if I have been distracted by visitors & a demanding workload lately & have not managed to update my blog.

I have had visiting cousins that I have not seen since primary school & we have had a lot of fun catching up on years of news. 

My regular readers know that I am a great life-long-learner & so have done a crochet course.  While looking for some thread in my sewing box, I came across a vintage sewing / knitting bag from my hubbies grandmother - Ethel Maud. 


The cousins were quite taken by it, but one was travelling onwards, so Rue & I decided to surprise her with a gift of a bag after we found some handles in the craft shop.


We looked through my fabric stash (everyone has a fabric stash don't they) and found fabric we thought would be suitable. She favoured a vintage embroidered fabric & I chose a colourful one for Linda.


Having never made a knitting / crochet bag, we made it up as we went along. We selected vintage buttons & some robust ribbon to attach the handles then we were ready to sew.  This is the choice for Ruellen's bag.


Hot cups of tea helped with the planning - don't you love the fabric choices? 


Linda's bag, pinned & ready for sewing ....


The lining pinned in for stitching - carefully matched up & ready for stitching ...


It took some time to decide how to attach the handles to the bag but we decided on crossgrain ribbon & vintage buttons to match.  Rueben did the hand stitching while I was at work & it was a labour of love because of the layers of fabric ...


How gorgeous is this - one finished off ....


 The vintage buttons were just perfectly matched ...


 The second one went much quicker & the fabric is just as lovely. Rue selected large vintage buttons to complete it too with a paler crossgrain ribbon ...




The two bags - side by side - beautifully finished & ready to use. One was posted to Linda's next UK stop as a surprise gift; the other will be going home with Ruellen.


While the sewing machine was out & the buttons were being sewed on, I decided to make Rue a needlebook to hold her needles ... I have made several so it did not take long because I had everything I needed. 


The felt inside pages to keep needles safe ...


Good projects done together ... 

Thank you for stopping by & taking the time to comment & read. 
Dee ~♥~