Plus Size Pattern Pyramid – 4 for 4 REMINDER CLOSE DATE APPROACHING

Plus Size Pattern Pyramid – 4 for 4.

Limbering Up …

The one in the middle of the right hand pattern … that’s the one for me!

…..to make Butterick 5524 chosen from the Plus Size Pattern Pyramid.

Thought if I put it here in type right now then I can’t make any excuses to myself to not have it made for Christmas Day!

The style looks so comfortable and me being Mrs Leggins, the middle design is perfect for me. I have 2 jersey knits to choose from. A rather ‘busy’ paisley type that I love and a charcoal knit that is slightly heavier.

Do you know what???? I am going to live dangerously, I am going to start cutting the paper pattern whilst on the phone to my friend of 44 years and when we are done (sometime in the coming days) I shall dive in, make a choice and just do it!!  Yep I know, I know how to live aye!

More news here tomorrow in that case as I couldn’t bear to have my MUCH looked forward to Skype with Dellis of curlsnskirls tomorrow night and have nothing to report. She is my wise sage who I thank God for having met this year via a sewing swap…. you know that already as I always bang on about it BUT I just can’t believe how I lucked out….. truly I thought by my late 40’s all my firm friendships had been made. Note to self, never make daft assumptions a new friend may be just around the next corner or blog 😉 

UPDATE 19.17 …. paper pattern cut now time for fabric procrastination 😉

Plus Size Pattern Pyramid – 4 for 4

As the ‘winner’ of plus size pattern pyramid I yesterday took reciept of the wonderous pattern package, it finally got through the chaos of Christmas post and deite it having been clearly kicked round the sorting office, all 19 patterns were there. Guess the postal workers don’t make from scratch like us talented folk 😉

Thank you Bea for sending all this loveliness my way x

There are some really great patterns in here, I have chosen 4 that I feel I cannot live without and replaced with what I hope will appeal to coming recipients of the package. Remember, this is for us curvier ladies so patterns are a more generous sizing to fit our femininity in to!

So heres how it works …… Comment on this post indicating your wanting to take part, at the end of the alloted period of time all names are entered into a random selection programme, the name that is thrown out at me is the next recipient!!!   Easy peasy huh!?

This is NOT exclusive to the UK so please feel free where ever you are on the planet, give it a go ….. I will keep the list open until midnight on 31st December 2013 and draw the next ‘winner’ on New Years day.

Please, Please, Please REBLOG so other enthusiastic crafters get a chance at entering.

Merry Craftmas 🙂

3 was the original intention but then the hat/scarf felt too good to pass on having never seen a pattern like this before

My 4 offerings

Simply classic and timeless, all go up to a UK 20 and 22

A couple of different shape dresses but all are gorgeous I think, fortunately I have duplicates 😉

Pattern Pyramid

…will be blogged in detail tomorrow but for now to prove I haven’t been totally lazy here are a few pictures of recent creations ….. One of which you can see is too big! She does have a biggish head but I think I got a bit carried away 😉 Keeping my hand in until I can make enough time to sew the top I have been threatening for several weeks now. Happy createmas! X

Many thanks to Totally Yarnsome for sharing the minion crochet pattern. Am delighted with result even if it is a tad big, if there is a next time will do the teen NOT adult size.

Judge, he suffers from Ghettoapathy

Well not only are we Brits turning a blind eye to affluent abuse of the system …. Found this fascinating albeit annoying at the continued inequity in legal systems

Slack Alice Returns ……

Usual dramas ensue in my home which has kept me away from my blog for longer than I would have wanted BUT a few tales to tell of my continuing creative journey to becoming either a domestic goddess OR next Richard Branson of the sewing world!

At this point may I suggest you don’t hold your breath on either 😉

As an enduring agoraphobic my rare jaunts out into the real world are carefully crafted and dictated by lists so I don’t forget anything in my haste to get home. It really does help if one remembers to take said list with one! Hence, I have gaffed and faffed about for about 2 weeks now but finally got sewing machine to the shop for servicing and a dark red acrylic yarn I have been hankering for so that I could practice some crochet stitches. I consider myself a novice in this area albeit a keen one!

In my head it was set, fingerless mitts. New, bamboo crochet hooks at the ready …. Dear reader you know all too well how frequently I don’t have the right size needle or hook. Rectified, a whole selection are now in my possession. Lack of vital list led to a GAWJUS coloured yarn being purchased, only on return home did it dawn I needed DK or simply soft not chunky. Well hey ho! How much can that matter ….. Becoming a bit of a theme that there saying.

DD2 had been my companion on shopping trip and although 19 I clearly am still the bank of mum ….. Bright yellow yarn also purchased, one of her fav colours, but more of the yellow yarn road another time.

I found amongst the MANY free online crochet patterns, one for mitts that came real close to what I had in my head so I extend thanks to Julee A Reeves for the inspiration the pattern gave and although a novice I have had a punt at jigging it about for my short, shall we say robust (chunky) hands PLUS of course the faux pas with yarn. All in all I am pretty happy with the outcome. You will see from the pictures that one is slightly more ‘baggy’ at the fingers where I added in some newly learnt shells. I rectified (almost) on the second hand but this pattern goes together so fantastically quickly in a chunky I will make more but on a smaller hook. This time I used a 6mm but I will drop a whole size to a 5mm for the next ones as I now know what EVERYONE is getting for Christmas 🙂 and my friends all have more slender hands that I !

With my chunky yarn and size 6mm hook I cast a chain of 29, it seemed from original pattern an odd number was required. Then jumped straight in on the pattern with my own amendments as

Hope my pictures help make some sense of my first pattern attempt. Initial problems with the first mitt I tried to iron out with some slight amendments. Nearly there!

Base of V visible enough to easily count how many rows you have done

Slightly different as my work in progress … My right hand is the second to be made and a MUCH better fit

Not doing the colour justice but am thinking of trimming with a couple of pretty buttons

Either way, a great pattern. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Cast 29 chain (V stitch dc, ch1, dc)
dc into 6th ch from hook.
ch1, dc into the same space as previous dc. *skip 2ch, V stitch into next ch. repeat from * to end. ch3 and turn work.

Row 2 to end
V into each ch1 space across (i identified this as being the top centre of each V stitch on previous row thus keeping all V’s in a neat line).

Please note, at the end of every even row I finish on a V, at the end of every odd row I end with a dc only.

For me I needed to work 14 rows and found it easy to count the rows as the base of each V is so visible.

Having looked at the web last night I now consider myself a shell stitch expert (sort of) so was keen to trim with shell.

ch1, sc into 2nd ch then create shell in a multiple of 6 dc into the space presenting at the top of a V stitch, skip 1ch, sc into next …….. Repeat to end.

My initial math did not work out so on the second mitt I worked by eye and it came out so much better, I finished up with 4 complete shells this time.

Finishing was super easy as I sew …. Yee ha! There is something I do with some competence 😉

Right side together, whip stitch with yarn and darning needle remembering to leave an opening for your thumb. This opening will vary depending on the size of your hands of course. Tie off, darn loose end into work and voila! Time to turn through to reveal the finished item!

Not a perfect pattern yet but as I am a real novice I feel sure any beginner could make a darn good go of it!

A quick Christmas shout out before the closet that must not be opened is opened by muggin’s here tomorrow for the sort out of the century.

Rachel you’ve been a doll, with all my craziness this year you have stood firmly by my side, thank you. Dellis…. Well who would have thought a cyber space friendship could be a real thing!!?? IT IS and I am so blessed to have ‘met’ you this year, thank you too for your kindness, guidance and support.

Merry Christmas to all and for your delight and delectation here is my christmas tree offering for 2013 ……. It near on resulted in the men with the special white jacket coming to collect me but victory was mine in the end ….. Only with the intervention of HH and DD2, nevertheless its up with strict instructions to all who enter. DO NOT TOUCH THE TREE!

The tree that nearly finished me!

50 Creative Ways to Repurpose, Reuse and Upcycle Old Things

For those of you who may not have yet grasped the whole UPCYCLE thing that I love, what with my using genuine vintage fabrics to create something new and usable, check this blog out. AWESOME upcycling skills. In fact Gold medal effort I would say 😉

TwistedSifter

 

If you’re like me, you probably have a lot of old stuff just lying around your house. It’s not doing anything but taking up space, but you’re either too busy (or lazy), sentimental or just have more important things to deal with. Well if you’re looking for a little inspiration or a new DIY project, here are 50 creative ways to repurpose, reues and upcycle old things.

There’s a pretty broad range in this list but hopefully a handful jump out and spark an idea for you and your home!

 

 

1. Reuse Toilet Paper Rolls to Organize Cables and Chords

 

 

 

 

2. Turn Old Credit Cards Into Guitar Picks

 

 

 

 

3. Create a Window Cover Using Old Picture Slides

 

 

 

 

4. Upcycle Old Light Bulbs Into Candles

 

 

 

 

5. Repurpose Old CD Holders Into Bagel…

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