More about those summer fabrics and alterations of new clothes

Alright, here's a better image of the orange-yellow seersucker, it's actually got cerise in it as well, which is clearly visible in this shot. It's still cheerful and I think it'd be great turned into a skirt, shorts or pantaloons.

A better representation of the flower-sun turquoise batik. I'd like to find something suitable for this that makes use of the flower-suns that is still clothing-tied. I just had the idea of putting it on the back of a waistcoat and maybe highlighting the pattern with selective machine stitching... hmm.

As to the turquoise seersucker, it's washed, it's dried and the colour value hasn't changed to any noticeable degree. Course, I did wash it in cold water instead of 30C temps.

Below are two new items that arrived today from Nepal and elsewhere via the USA. The first one is an A-line skirt and I'd hate to see what their smaller sizes are like because the XL is more like an XS. I'm going to have to unpick the stitching at either side of the hips, remove the useless elastic and install two tapes at the waistband and then sew the side seams into Y rather than sewing them together because there's no way I can get the skirt over my hips. Pity, it's a lovely and very colourful and playful skirt. It's also very long, if I could get it over my hips, it's nearly floor length.

The patchwork wrap-around skirt (not pictured) arrived with it and fits just fine, it's almost ankle-length and I'm looking forward to wearing it.

Below is the shawl that came with it and has the lovely machine-embroidery with cup sequins add sparkle to it. I bought the shawl with the intent to use it for belly dance or general clothing spruce up. Most shawls you can use for a neck scarf, but this one? It'd be a shame to hide the wonderful decoration on it, so, shawl or hip scarf will be its destiny.

Summer cottons are like candy...

Carrying on from my previous post... here are better images of the fabrics (shot with a dSLR and near an open window)... though I failed again because I forgot the flower-sun turquoise batik fabric and the orange seersucker that is an almost exact weave of the turquoise seersucker below (it's in the wash... because I wash all my cotton fabrics before use).

First up, the spicy red stripe on the left and the complimenting(?) poplin on the right. I am thinking of using these two together in a tiered skirt. What do you think? I have about four metres of each and want to retain or use the vertical/warp stripe to best advantage. Both fabrics are lightweight and soft handle.

The turquoise and cream seersucker: destined to go into a pair of Simplicity shorts as there's only two metres of this one. The orange version is four metres orange and yellow with cerise (a fancy name for pink that's kinda reddish) and might go into a tiered skirt or shorts... haven't yet decided, but I am open to suggestions. Sadly, the orange seersucker clashes with the pink of the stripe above or I'd have used it in that project. I haven't yet washed the turquoise, so it might alter in value a little after washing. This one is light-light-to-medium weight.

I'm wanting to call this 'Monet' for some reason but opted to label it as 'watercolour' because that's what it reminds me of and it's a tie-dye cotton fabric of turquoise, purple, fuschia; it came off the bolt this way... well, after I washed and dried it, this is what it looks like. I have about five or six metres of this one and I'm aiming for a circle skirt with it. However, I'm open to suggestions. It's somewhat heavier than many of the others and is light-to-medium weight.

This one is a lime-sage-beige with a gold lurex stripe in it, it's all cotton except for the lurex, it's kinda stiff and naturally crinkles up like this. It's more like a scratchy gauze. I dare not tumble dry it due to the lurex or I would to see if that'd have softened it up. Currently designated for some trousers as there's about four metres of this fabric. Other option if I can source a suitable green or cream-beige cotton jersey is for that Burda boob-skirt. It's beautiful to look at. It's lightweight yet a little stiff; I don't know if ironing it would help relax it any and I don't want to melt the lurex.

This one just makes me think of candy and Colombia and fruit; it's very cheerful to me. 100% cotton seersucker and I think I have about four metres of this one. It has red, pink, green-brown, green, lime, mint... It's relatively soft and lightweight. Options are a pair of pantaloons for belly dance class as I think I have four metres of this one.

Dressmaking... which fabric?

So this summer at John Lewis, there were lots of lovely seersucker cottons and batik prints. Today I came in and found lots of those more expensive cottons on sale for half price. This works for me. I also found a Burda 'Young' pattern, #7228 that appeals to me.

Yes, the colours are off, it's what I get for taking the pictures on my phone instead of using my decent camera and waiting for sunshine.

Anyway, the skirt pattern has a jersey 'waistband' that doubles as a boob-top so you can go from skirt to dress just by pulling up the waistband and straightening it out to cover one's breasts. Dual purpose, huzzah.

I also have a Simplicity pattern #2414 for a short-short 2-tiered skirt and an almost-as-short 3-tiered skirt as well as some long shorts, capris and nearly ankle-length trousers.

The turquoise seersucker warp-stripe, I'm pretty settled on using for a pair of the #2414 shorts.

The turquoise batik flower-suns is a slightly heavier cotton so I'm not sure if it's suitable for the Burda boob-skirt due to how thick it is and because the pattern picture suggests very lightweight cottons. The instructions on back just say 'cotton fabrics'.

I know I've placed the orange seersucker with the Simplicity pattern, but I admit, I'm just as tempted to use it for the Burda boob-skirt because it's a lightweight fabric. I only have 2 metres of the orange so I have to decide, one or the other.

Related to the Simplicity pattern, I picked up this lovely warm red-yellow warp-stripe cotton that is also lightweight as well as some un-pictured red (which works (coordinates?) with the red-yellow stripe fabric) cotton poplin that is very close in weight to the stripe. I am thinking of using these for the tiered skirt. Whether I do the 2-tier or 3-tier, I haven't yet decided... the 2-tier is only 15" or so in length and that won't cover my arse never mind act as a proper skirt if I wear it on my waist. It's definitely a 'shove it down to the hips if you want to go out in public and not get arrested for indecency' skirt. I'll probably end up with the 3-tier so that I'm not flashing everyone... that or I'm wearing leggings with said 2-tier. 

Yeah, I know summer's pretty much over with, but I'll at least have some skirts to wear if I find myself someplace warm between now and next May. I am learning that the size 18 is often just a little too large, so hurrah, I might be able to squeeze into the 16, which is a lot closer to my off the peg clothing size of UK14-16.

New project

Yes, it's been a while.

New steampunk project in the works as I'm finally taking a dressmaking course to assist me.

The hat:


The blouse:


The jacket:


The cloak pin:


The cape:


The trousers:


My intent is to create a gender-mixed, slightly military-flavoured outfit. My use of the red wool and green lining will remove confusion with any known military unit. The cape will end at buttocks. I intend to wear my All Saints Damisi boots. I'm going with 'antique gold' for buttons for the shell jacket. I'll have to look at creating some fingerless gloves.

You'll be correct in noting there are no mentions of gears or goggles. I do think I will do some Irish-style crochet for possibly the hat or the shell jacket collar, I haven't yet decided.

Suggestions, comments and whatever are appreciated.

Freeforming

I've been thinking and thinking and thinking and not doing freeform crochet. Until now, below are my second and third attempts. I've decided it's time to delve into all my wonderfully coloured Yeoman Cotton Cannele 4ply (US 'fingering') and play. I love spirals and I have to use a book to get them going, but after a certain point, I started going my own direction.



Another type of spiral, using instructions to begin with then going my own way past the directions point.



Currently, my intent is to build a shirt or tunic, we'll see how far I get.

Happy Colours Scarf - Rowan yarns

I've been wanting to do some weaving again and have been trying to decide on colours, textures and yarn weights.

I did have an idea, out of many, this one using only Rowan yarns, so I could take it to the Woolly Women meetings at John Lewis, Bluewater, since it was sorta started by the Rowan rep, I try to keep to Rowan items to show (not always, though... ok, rarely!).

Another idea was to use two balls of Rowan Cashcotton that didn't really 'go' with the other Cashcotton colours I have... but they do go together with each other. Great, two things to combine...

Then there was the thought of 'warp-dominant' or 'weft-dominant'. I've been asking on the weaving groups about this. Amongst my questions and reading other posts and looking at what others have been doing, I decided to give the warp-dominant a try.

Now, I thought I'd go with a weft-dominant first, but that didn't happen.

And yes, I will get to the point here soon enough...



10dpi reed, Ashford RH loom, Rowan Cotton Glace for the weft, Rowan Cashcotton DK for the warp. The blue is much more turquoise and bright; the orange is more pink-orange. The weft is a mid-light green (not too light, not too dark). Combining these together has altered the colours of each yarn and... I like the effect.

Out of the Cashcotton, there's probably 10m or so left of each, bit less of the blue. The green was burned up, but I think I still have 1/3rd of a ball left.

I'll have more to say about this piece once it's finished being washed and has a chance to dry. Then I'll see how much it bloomed, though with the cotton content being the highest, might not bloom greatly.

And I forgot to measure before washing. Oops! I will say, this is my widest piece so far. (94 threads across)

It's a... scarf? No, just my first practice piece.

I just finished my first RH loom project, it came out ok, but I have a lot of improvement to look forward to.

If you want to see pictures, I will be putting them up on my picturetrail shortly and also in my projects in Ravelry.

A picture...



It needs 'finishing'... ends tied off, stray bits on the side where yarns were introduced need tying off or weaving in. And then washed, to get the yarn manufacturer's sizing and whatever out and allow the yarn to be what it is naturally.