The Knitting and Stitching Show - Alexandra Palace

About this time every year Twisted Thread and Upper Street Events host the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace. 
So this time last week off I went with some of my London knitting friends up the hill to Ally Pally.

It's been a few years since I went to this show, so wasn't entirely sure what to expect.  Alexandra Palace is such a lovely building.

I didn't really need any knitting or fabric stash but when has that stopped me or any other crafter?  The stalls were filled with lots of pretty things and people would stop oggle over them.  We went quite early and that was a good idea as it was busy.

I noticed this quilted bag on a stall, in the end I did buy some fabric.  

Some time ago I bought the t-shirt in the photo below.  It was made by Merchant and Mills for Uniqlo and I ended up buying fabric from Merchant and Mills.

Here it is and I intend to make another Belcarra Blouse number four.

It's always nice to be able to see products in person and more importantly spend time with friends.

A week of sewing

After sewing another summer dress last week, I got the sewing bug.  I had bought a Sewaholic pattern called Belcarra from Guthrie and Ghani my local independent haberdashery over a year ago.  It was about time I used the pattern.

I looked through my fabric stash and found that I still had some of the lovely fabric from my original summer dress.  So off I went. 

Here is the finished top and I loved making it.

Amy Butler fabric from House of Fraser

I loved it so much that I made another one.  The pattern didn't have many parts to it and the instructions were relatively easy to follow.   I did struggle with the cuffs but found a great page on a Sewaholic sew-along page. 

Sewing this week hasn't aggravated my primary raynauds.  I have cut out a third top and hope to finish it soon. 

The pattern can be purchased at many places in the UK and online

• Sewbox
• Fabric Godmother
• Sewaholic Patterns (This is a PDF download)
• Guthrie & Ghani

A Summer (dress) Revisited

After an unsuccessful shopping trip in 2008 I decided I wanted to learn how to sew and use commercial patterns.  I signed up for an adult education class.

One of the first things I ever made was a New Look pattern. The number is 6890 but is now discontinued. 

I made this summer dress and it has worn really well.  I still get positive comments about it.

We have had some lovely weather in the UK in the last few weeks so I have been wearing my orange summer dress. 

I thought I would I would make another dress from the same pattern.   This time I wanted short sleeves.

I thought about pattern matching this fabric, in the end I didn't bother. 

I pressed my hems in place before sewing them.

 

Attaching the sleeves was pretty easy especially when I referred to my other dress. 

I covered a button with some scraps and I also made a scrunchie.

Apart from the bottom hem I managed to complete the dress in one evening.  I was really pleased with that as I have been struggling with my energy levels. 

I loved making this dress and will make more in time. 

What things are you making? 

Sewing and crochet

Once upon a time I tried to make a dpn (double pointed needle) case, which is in the photo below.   It wasn't my best piece of sewing by any stretch of my abilities.

So whilst I have been recovering from surgery I have been crocheting.  But I keep losing my hooks and no matter how many 4mm hooks I buy it keeps happening.  So I thought some up-cycling was in order.

I removed the flap and replaced the internal fabric for something nicer.  I then made each compartment fit my hooks better.

 I have made some matching bias binding to secure the roll and I am happy with the completed roll. 

Thank you for reading and looking at my photos.

My first ever bunting attempt.

After a passing comment at my day job about getting out the bunting I realised I have never made any bunting.
Then I was chatting at Saturday knits about fabric as well as quilting.  So I looked at what I already had and this was the outcome.

What do you think?

The fabric and bias binding was purchased from Guthrie & Ghani in Moseley.

Catch up

How many times do you hear "We must catch up?" and then you don't.  Quite a few I reckon, well since my last blog entry I have been kinda busy.


Near the beginning of June I officiated a tri-nations wheelchair basketball tournament. Then straight after I held my first creative networking event.  After listening to Rebecca from The Creative Careers Coach, it was so exciting to see people mingling and talking.  I can't thank Rebecca enough and everyone who came.  I will be holding another one but once my London 2012 commitments are over.


I have also been busy taking pictures of poppies as I have decided to update the website with some images.  One of my dearest friends got married and I got the chance to see some friends and old work colleagues I haven't seen in ages. 

I've also been sewing and knitting, I am now known to be knitting when I get downtime at Basketball tournaments.  So I thought I would try and get organised and made a case for my interchangeable knitting needles, I am really pleased with the final case.  I didn't follow a pattern but a knitting friend gave me some great advice and I followed it.

I have been knitting but as a lot of knitters will know I have lots of WIP's (Work In Progress) so no pictures at the moment.  I have made some new items for the website but I have not been happy with the photos so watch out for updates.

A colourful year - Part 2

At the beginning of last month I wrote about a colour challenge.  Below is my April project a yellow cushion cover.  I didn't use a pattern, just used my creativity and made it up.

I am really happy with the finished item and it's really comfortable.  

As it's Bank holiday Monday I have been inspired to start May's colour challenge, which is lime green.

I have decided to cover some beads with fabric.  The fabric was given to me by my mum who goes to sewing classes and when I asked for scraps this was amongst them.

Then after having a Twitter conversation with a friend I found a tutorial on how to cover beads.

I have cut my strips and managed to cover one bead so far, only nine more to go.

A colourful year

Three weeks ago I read another blog entitled Mellow Yellow by a really nice lady who designs beautiful sock patterns.  As I replied to Coop knit's tweet I never imagined how important colour would become this year. 

Some of the nice people who I knit with came up with the idea of "The year of colour".  Originally it was supposed to be just the craft of knitting but has now become multi crafts where each month a new handmade item will be created in that month's colour.

April's colour is yellow and some lovely yellow yarn has been purchased and cast on.  Wanting to be different I decided to make a sewn item or a piece of jewellery, then a light bulb came on in my head. I looked through my stash of yarn, beads & material and remembered the mass of yellow material I bought over ten years ago and just can't throw away.  This purse has a small amount of my yellow material to line it.

Saol Photography

I had already started piecing together some Amy Butler material squares that I had won on Ebay.

The idea was to frame the squares with yellow material and then cut another piece to then make a cushion.  Tonight I have managed to get the first half of the April yellow cushion put together.

I will blog once the cushion is finished and hopefully I will be able to share that talents of the people who spend their time with me. As I yawn and think about going to sleep I remember my sexy vesty tank top.  This was the first adult garment I ever finished knitting & it fits me.

A Different Weekend

During September and May of every year for more years than I can remember I would spend my weekends officiating Basketball games.  This has led to me being selected to officiate at the Paralympics in my home town of London, I am so honoured, excited and nervous.  So when I get asked what I am doing at the weekend my answer is usually "Basketball".


Not this weekend, I was lucky enough to win two tickets to the Fashion Embroidery & Stitch, Hobbycrafts, and Sewing for Pleasure shows at the NEC courtesy of Making Magazine on Facebook.

I posted on my Facebook page if anyone wanted to come with me & the lovely PaisleyImmy came back first. After tweeting our excitement off we went to the NEC.


These shows are like a crafters sweetshop and the two of us were extremely excited big kids.  After attending a Business Development Workshop at the Birmingham Small Business Centre, I got organised and wrote a list of the stands I wanted to visit and specific items I needed. Some of my friends and creative peers will be proud to know I stuck to my lists.


I got some lovely fabric and beads and have already made a pair of earrings and a necklace.

I have made this necklace for myself and the earrings are for a friend.  I will be getting some more of these beads as I think they are pretty and each one is not the exactly the same.

The fabric is for some project bags

 

The Russian dolls fabric wasn't from the shows but from Fibre Flurry in Hall Green.  As the weather this weekend has been glorious I thought I would get outside to top up my vitamin D and take some photos of my show stash.

I Went to the Peace Gardens

I hopefully took some good pictures as a fantastic photographer told me lighting is so important.  The Peace Gardens are a little haven in the middle of Birmingham and have given me some lovely backdrops to capture my creativity.