The Second Measure: Sewing, Yarnwork, and other Needlework

[Aslanisthebest]

I don't know about Zelda, either, but those are really nice! Do you hand-sew them, or use a machine? The second is my favourite.

I've been into knitting sweaters lately. I'd like to learn how to make larger sweaters as I've never gotten the courage to do that, so I thought it would be good practice to knit baby sweaters.

Here's the one I finishes. The pattern is "Heirloom Cables Cardigan" from Lion Brand.



The picture quality is ugh, but whatever. I'm really pleased with how it came out!

[IloveFauns]

@atb It is a bit of both the first and the last are hand sewn(for cross stitch and buttons) the the second one is machine sewn.

Anyway you have done a good job of the jacket, I can not knit at all.

[Ozymandias]

WARNING: THIS POST IS IMAGE HEAVY.



Ahhhh, sewing, my favorite subject. >:D

OK, so I got into sewing through cosplay, and now sew items both for myself to wear and to sell. Here are a few examples of stuff I like to sew.

EXHIBIT 1: 1950's inspired cotton skirt (and yes, I made the mannequin with duct tape, don't be hating! )




Exhibit 2: Summer floral shorts



Exhibit 3: Beach cover-up/dress



Exhibit 4: Chinese-inspired tanktop dress as modeled by moi. This one was for myself, the rest are for sale.



So yeah, I sew and my sister crochets. Someday I'll have to get her on here so she can show you guys her stuff.

Anyways, if this is too image-heavy, let me know and I'll switch these to URL links instead.

[Aslanisthebest]

Thanks, ILF! Well, I can't sew, so I guess we're even.

Wow, Ozymandias, your work is beautiful! You're really good. I've been wanting to get a sewing machine and learn how to make dresses, so your post just inspired me even more.
The duct tape mannequin is great. That's really creative. I think the skirt is my favourite, though the pattern on the shorts is really cute. Thanks for sharing those pictures! I'd definitely love to see more of your work!

[IloveFauns]

I really like the Chinese style dress and the skirt is very nice to. I can't sew clothes very well, I was going to take a class or something. What would you suggest starting with? for someone who has only made a pair of sweat pants and boxer shorts.

I will post up more of my quilt as soon as possible.(in my case that may be 3 weeks).

[Ozymandias]

@ Aslanisthebest: Thank you! Glad I got to inspire somebody! Yeah, I actually learned how to make the duct-tape mannequin off of Youtube. If you wanted to, you could also make a few paper-mache copies with the duct-taped mannequin as the base so as to display clothes better, but I'm just satisfied with the duct tape because I'm lazy. XD I might put up a couple of copies of some of my other stuff a bit later.

I really like the Chinese style dress and the skirt is very nice to. I can't sew clothes very well, I was going to take a class or something. What would you suggest starting with? for someone who has only made a pair of sweat pants and boxer shorts.

Hmm, well, if you still have the pattern for it the boxors are a good practice piece, but if you're up to a little pattern drafting the circle skirt is pretty basic. All you need are two pins, two pencils, a cloth measuring tape and some pieces of paper taped together. (I use drafting paper but hey, whatever works. )

This video will show you how to do it (and pretty much all of SecretLifeofaBioNerd's videos are very VERY good for people who are first learning to sew, especially her pattern drafting videos): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_NwglpFbAM&list=PL0D0483BB2662179D&index=2

Just a bit of a heads up, I serge EVERYTHING so I'm not entirely sure how this would work with a sewing machine.

Oh, and one more thing, GiannyL is pretty good for figuring out how to sew stuff without a pattern as well: https://www.youtube.com/user/GiannyL She does use stretchy knit though, so her method won't work well on non-stretch fabrics (which is primarily what I work with).

Hope this helps!

[wild rose]

oh dear, I've meant to come here for such a long time well, at least I am here now

PP, I cross stich too, and I really love your work, the afghan is lovely, I LOVE the Narnia ABCs!!!! It's a work of genuis!!! the bear and the elephants are wonderful too

Bella, your knitting left me speechless!!! I'm still in the long process of learning to knit. I love the sweater

ILF, I don't know anything about Zelda, but I do love your work the buttens in particular are really cool

Ozymandias I am speechless!!! You have wonderful work, I love your chinese dress and the skirt and the shorts and the dress and are lovely.

[IloveFauns]

I have spare material so i might try the skirt.

[wild rose]

no one has been here for a loooooong while. I've been meaning to come, but other things kept me away. I've been teaching myself to crochet and loving every minute. Recently, I finished my first baby blanket. It didn't come out exactly as I had wanted it too, but for a starter, I'm proud of it. (actually, I completed it sometime in April, but it came out really bad and was just filled with mistakes, so I took the whole thing apart and redid it completely. I'm much happier with my second result. Here's a picture (not the best of quality, sorry about that.)


also, I was working on this beading project. I had hoped for a more delicate finished project, but because I didn't have a patteren and did the whole thing completely from the top of my head and from leftover beads, I suppose it's okay for what it is. When you look at it from far away, it actually looks pretty nice (so walk away from your screen and look at it from a distance lol just kidding ).

I need to frame it, but I haven't got a frame the correct size, I'll get around to it (someday )

[ValiantArcher]

Wow, wild rose, that baby blanket looks great! And you're teaching yourself to crochet? Wow. I am very impressed. Some friends taught me how to crochet, and I still have an unfinished (and much simpler) baby blanket I started years ago.
I think your beading project also turned out really well, especially for creating your own pattern! Are the light purple beads that you used for the shoes larger than the others, or is that just an illusion?

[Meltintalle]

The bead picture is very cute, wild rose. How (why?) did you decide to do ballet slippers?

[johobbit]

May I just say again that I am awed by the talent in here: Bella, IlF, Ozymandias, wild rose, others on the previous pages ...

I will post up more of my quilt as soon as possible.(in my case that may be 3 weeks).

Any pics ready?

[wild rose]

thank you so much everyone Valia, yes, the beads for the shoes are larger, I have a friend who gave me a whole box filled with beads of all colors and sizes and some of the beads were bigger than others
Mel, I just saw a picture of the ballet shoes and I thought it was really pretty and decided to make a beaded picture just like it. I copied the picture and sorted out my beads and then put it all together

I recently started making amigurimi animals. I've made a little family of a rooster, a chicken and three chicks, pictures will come soon

[SnowAngel]

Cool projects, wildrose!

Well, I hadn't really thought about buying a sewing machine yet, but my big sister was looking at several online and found one like my Mom's (which is a great machine, it has to be to survive our lifestyle). So, I bought a Janome Memory Craft 4000 last week. It hasn't arrived yet, but when it does I will post some pictures. I am super excited!

I have several projects cut and ready to sew when the machine arrives, unfortunately none of it is for me. There is a purse/bag that I want to make, I am hoping maybe this weekend I can finally make it.

SnowAngel

[Aslanisthebest]

Bella, your knitting left me speechless!!! I'm still in the long process of learning to knit. I love the sweater

Thank-you, Wrose!!

That baby blanket is very cute! It looks cozy and warm. And the beaded ballet shoes... That's gorgeous. How long did it take?

Ooh, I'd love to see photos of the amigurumi!! I enjoy making those, as well.

May I just say again that I am awed by the talent in here: Bella, IlF, Ozymandias, wild rose, others on the previous pages ...

Thank-you, Jo!

I've been knitting and crocheting a lot this summer, in preparation for any upcoming sales. I am also working on a sweater (my first adult-sized one) for my grandmother, and that is going pretty well.
For the sale, I've knitted three or four hats and a handful of amigurumi toys so far. CSLN has been working on redesigning the patterns we use, and she's doing a good job of that.
I also started doing Fair Isle Knitting again, and I borrowed this lovely book on Norwegian mittens. (The lady mentioned shoddy mills where they take knitted waste and turn it into stuffing, rugs, or salvage yarn or the design for socks and such if it is not too worn. That's such a good idea; I wish it was more wide-spread.) I'd love to make some. The technique is breathtaking and complex. So far, though, I'm just doing a generic snowflake on a hat. It's simple but looks very classic.

[wild rose]

Hooray for a new sewing machine SnowAngel. I also recently got a sewing machine, a friend gave me her old one, but there is one catch, it doesn't have a pedal, so I'll have to try and find one. It's just an old machine so I don't know if parts for it will still be sold

And the beaded ballet shoes... That's gorgeous. How long did it take?

Thank you so much. It took about five days to make (that's not counting the time when I was half way through the project and ran out of white beads and was searching the area for beads the same color and size. In the end I found them, but they were a slightly different tint, if you look at the picture closely, you'll see )

Ooh, I'd love to see photos of the amigurumi!! I enjoy making those, as well.

They're not all that good, caues it was my first attempt at amigurimi and for a long time I just couldn't get the hang of it (I'm not all that bright at times )
so here's the little family:

I made them for my niece and she just loved them. She was 'helping' me make them, which meant she held the buttens that I used for the eyes and she kept dropping them and we'd crawl all over the floor looking for them
I also made this little blankie lovie for my niece. It was supposed to be a rabbit, but she decided that it was a kitten and there was just no changing her mind . I made it out of the srcaps of yarn I had and didn't know what to do with

I also recently finished a cross stitch project that I had been wanting to do for a long while, but couldn't get around to


Good luck with all your knitting and crocheting projects Bella. I've run out of yarn so I'm a bit on hold for know with crocheting. I'm concentrating on cross stitching for now but I hope to get back into crocheting and teaching myself how to knit when I get some more yarn