sewing, bread & the creative process

the moon isn’t the only thing with huge craters

Originally this post was titled “whaddya do when the bread don’t rise” but the writing wasn’t ‘rising’ either, so I put photos and post aside.

Serendipitously, whilst chatting with long distance sewing pal Jen the post came to mind again and she persuaded me to fix and post it. So here it is.

progress in slow sewing process

cutting out the shorts

There’s been a bit of progress – I can share a large unlined bag (below), made from leftover red & white cotton for the knee high shorts that are almost done. Plus the green & gold hat I’ve been crocheting is ready to be stitched up & pompommed.

Yeah! Progress in both the sewing and crocheting processes.

Creating something is a process, and I tend to forget sometimes that sharing the steps of that process in a post can be as interesting as a post written upon completion.

Whether it’s baking bread or sewing, the creator gets to choose what to pay attention to and what to work around and what to ignore. And those can be the interesting and valuable bits of the process, the things to share with others in our wonderful sewing community.

Friend Jen and I made a bargain: I’d revisit my belaboured post and she’d write about the latest bits in her process. (I hope she lists those patterns!)

Which reminds me… over the weekend I finally faced up to a black duster I started last summer. You know, the one that’s been lying on my cutting table for at least 6 weeks. I just don’t like the cotton gauze fabric. There’s not a thing wrong with it, I simply decided at some point that it was not “me.” E-vah!

So I’ve given myself permission to Let It Go. Even though it’s almost done. What a relief ! ! ! And you’ll never guess: Jen knows someone who might like it for a project.

What about that bread? I kept it. That weird end piece was eaten in bits with bites of cheese. The normal part I sliced, toasted and enjoyed.

Realisation? Most parts of the creative process are useful, but sometimes later rather than sooner. Plus, its’ value can extend beyond just yourself.

What you think isn’t worth writing about might be just the spark a Lovely Reader needs to move their own process forward.

most of the crater’s edges chopped off for snacking

finished bag – no lining or pockets but can always add if necessary. already been used & washed!

the silver lining in a hot summer: PEACHES!

the toasting loaf

hand embroidered by moi aeons ago

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oh, dear, summer’s here

And I’m feeling so behind with writing – not to mention sewing! So will just make a start …

Scale of barkcloth’s print

sample from Britex

Yes, the high humidity 90℉ days have begun to appear with more regularity, and I have but one comment: UGH!

Work progresses slowly on fitting a couple of new patterns, preparatory to using two of the above three fabrics.

The one that’s cut was a small sample of Dutch wax cloth that I bought from Britex. (Treasure those few companies that send free swatches!) I was not impressed and won’t order. I found the photo colours to be quite different, from what I could tell from the relatively tiny swatch versus the HUGE patterns involved.

I’ve started crocheting a throw using James C. Brett yarn, as recommended by my dear  Midlands friend, Samantha. Two huge balls (200g each) arrived very quickly, and didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Will be ordering more of this from Wool Warehouse!

LOVE these colours!

chunky yarn that looks different when crocheted – comes out in stripes!

packaging is ALL recycleable!

Whoops – time’s up so better hit that “Publish” button!

Happy Sewing, Lovelies!

life’s been happening . . .

just keeping a hand in . . . uh, i mean hook!

Hi there, Lovely Readers!   There’s been a bit of sewing and crocheting going on despite distractions, and have managed to mostly keep up with reading everyone’s posts. There’s been little or no commenting and for that I apologise.

Sometimes life just gets in the way, drat it! So here’s an attempt to catch you up. Hope you’ll grab a favourite cuppa and have a read. . .

really low yarn stash & nothing in sight to fill it with, but oh, wool warehouse is tempting if it wasn’t so far awa-a-a-y

Decided to go through what’s left of my mostly-Chicago-acquired yarn stash and discovered bits & pieces.

Although I tried, twice, to find something tempting at a local chain store it was futile. I wound up getting 2 more soft cotton yarns for yet more mug mats (see the pile above). Plus a third cotton that might become a hat.

renfrew on top of hemlock

Here are a couple more tees – a renfrew and my first hemlock. I took a photo of the renfrew in front of the hemlock just to see what the differences were.

The hemlock’s much too long but the sleeve is short. It will work for layering underneath my solid green. I like the higher neck on the hemlock.

The renfrew is a better fit and I have room to hem sleeves & body as I didn’t want to add the bands. (Although now I see how much the fabric is curling just might change my mind.)

Also, I did something different with this v-neck and rather like the effect. I got tired of the problems I have trying to follow the pattern for a perfect centred v. (It’s me, not the pattern.) This was so much easier! If I could only remember where I read it or saw it I’d direct you, but I don’t.  My apologies . . . 😟

I simply cut my own width & length for the neck band, allowing an extra 4″ in length. I wanted at least 2″ extra of length to play with. Also wanted it wider.  I pin-eased the bodice onto the neck band, working from several inches above the v on one side, then the other, leaving the v pieces dangling. Then I sewed up  one side, then the other, meeting at centre back. (I’d read somewhere that helps to combat extra stretching of the bias-cut neckline – again, don’t remember where.)

 

Then I pinned the left dangly bit, then the right into place, with the pieces crossing somewhere in the vicinity of the centre and sewed. Honestly, the pattern of the fabric is so wonky, I didn’t much care if I got it spot on. Hope it doesn’t show! If the sewing polis come and get me you’ll know I did wrong. Otherwise, it’s our secret.  he-he-he!

Thanks for hanging out with me!  Hope to be back again soonish. Meanwhile, Happy SEWING!!!

not quite friday’s crochet & natter

Hodge, the bookstore cat, is ba-a-ack

We’ve been having another spell of coolness and I’ve been luxuriating in it and not getting much done besides crochet.

But my scarf got finished last night whilst watching some of the Oscars, mostly with the sound off so I could just look at the gowns.

Here’s a quick batch of piccies … click any one to read everything (looong captions), as hovering won’t work. Sorry!

completed silk/wool scarf, still to be washed & blocked

Saturday it was 44″ with still a few to go…

a goody from Vogue so it’s been ageing in stash for a few years. But what to do with this gorgeous, shimmery poly? Not about to wear it in this humidity…. suggestions most welcome!

been having a “thing” for stuffed pitas – fruit, veg, and meat (whatever’s in the fridge at the time).

what’s with Jacob’s??? Last 3 packets have all been minus at least half an inch of crackers, with several in bits adding to my dismay. Will be checking with the grocer!

And lastly, my former bookstore owner & friend, Keith Peterson, sent me a copy of Hodge’s latest book last week, which I instantly devoured.

In case you’ve not heard about Chicago’s most famous bookstore cat, you can read more about his vibrant secret life here and here.

friday’s knit & natter

What’s been happening since last Friday? Lots, as it turns out, including enjoying the quietude of a foggy Wednesday.

Unfortunately, it turned quite hot after the fog, so not much progress since. But enough to entertain, I hope. 😉

With several good suggestions last Friday (thank you all!) I spent last weekend trying them all out, as well as having a go with Wild Daffodil’s squirrel pattern.

trying out that squirrel pattern ~ click to go to Sandra’s far better example!

She’s put up lots more photos which I need to go back to as I got stuck about the 4th row. Am delighted that she has several other crocheters also working on squirrels, as I’m a real beginner with this sort of pattern.

scarf progress
First I checked my crochet book (amazon listing in US & UK) for treble and double treble stitches in case I needed to translate. Below are Righetti’s Crocheting in Plain English directions along with my samples.

treble crochet sample

double treble (US) treble treble (UK) from Righetti’s book

double treble (US) example

Had to try out Attic 24’s Woodland blanket pattern as well, so went to several other colours & yarns to give that a go. And decided it wouldn’t work for my scarf as I have those gorgeous autumnal colours too firmly in mind to settle for just mustard.

I also discovered that the dye lots are very different. This current huge ball seems to have only the faintest hint of purple, whereas the small leftover I was using last week is quite purpley. I think I’ll just use up the large ball. Good thing I discovered that now!

good ol’ double crochet (US) with super large hook

practising shell stitch

guess where I stopped counting… and frogged back to fix

practicing bit of attic 24’s woodland throw

fogged back & counting this time!

Working the treble stitch was not too cumbersome, and I did several rows to try to get used to the stitch, but a different thought kept coming to mind. More on that below.

Also did several rounds with a double treble and that really threw me “for a loop.” Too many loops – they kept falling off in the middle of every part of a stitch. Way too frustrating! Have put that aside for future, more limited use.

Then tried my idea: A large hook (K/10.5) and plain US double crochet (UK treble). The bigger hook was the thought that kept coming to me whilst I was doing the other trials.

So I’m taking the easy way – considering the heat – and haven’t looked back. As you can see, I should have. But I was good, froggied back and started counting consistently.

This weekend will continue almost to 80, so have little planned but staying cool. Reprieve comes nest next week – yeah!