Hand stitching a hem

Yesterday (Saturday) I got a little time for sewing and spent time finishing the black pinafore dress that I started back in November. For once I followed the pattern exactly and this caused a lot of swearing when I got to putting the zip in. In the end I ignored the pattern and did the zip the way I normally do. It went in very neatly and quickly. That left the final finishing for today - the hem, neaten the seam by the zip and the hook and eye at the neck above the zip. The pattern said to machine stitch the hem but I much prefer to hand stitch as it always looks much neater. This is the pattern I'm using to make the pinafore.

I added some trim to the pockets and as you can see the hem isn't fully stitched.

Kathy challenged us to take a photo of our hand whilst stitching. This was a little difficult trying to manipulate the camera with my left hand and hold a needle with my right. Of course it could have been the glass of wine I'd just finished that was making it difficult! Anyway here I am stitching the hem - OK so I was pretending to stitch.

Then it was time to sit and relax in front of a film with my cross stitch. This week I'm concentrating on the next square on the millennium sampler. This one is about the Battle of Hastings in 1066 when William the Conqueror defeated Harold. So far I've got most of the horse completed and a little of the knight. This should be finished by the end of the week.

This morning I spent some time looking at a hardanger pattern. I had started the pattern some time ago but couldn't make it work properly and so had dumped it at the back of a drawer.  It took me a little while to work out what I'd been doing wrong but I finally got there.

The pattern is from this book which has 8 coaster and 8 place mat patterns. It also has patterns for napkin rings and table runners. It was one of the place mats that I'd started but I had managed to totally misread the pattern including getting the wrong size piece of fabric. It would have been too small and I would have been cross had I got quite far with it only to discover the fabric wasn't big enough. Soon I'm going to get some more fabric and start the piece again. In the meantime I will use the fabric I've got to make some coasters.

I've spent some time this week going over why I've stopped making particular projecst. I've realised that often it is because something goes wrong. When I've gone back to it, sometimes years later, I find I've misread what I'm supposed to do, mis-measured something or just feel I can't do it. This was the case with the millennium sampler as it has a lot of fractional stitches and I found these difficult and tedious to do. I told myself I couldn't do it and it would end up looking a mess. Now having come back to it after a few years I'm enjoying stitching it and the fractional stitches present no problem. In fact I like the way they help to make the piece more detailed. Maybe as I've got older I've acquired more patience with things. Anyway whatever the reason I am slowly sorting out all those projects that have been left and I'm enjoying doing it.

Do you put projects away when you run up against something you find difficult? I hope today your slow stitching has been enjoyable with no problems. I'm linking this post with Kathy' Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday

Lyndsey

Moving at Warp Speed

Saturday was a good sewing day. To start the day i decided to cut out the pattern pieces for the green jacket. I use the dining table for my sewing at present and cutting out dressmaking patterns is quite difficult because it's oval so part of the fabric falls over the edges at the ends. I always lay the pattern pieces out and pin it roughly in place just to check it all fits as the cutting layout shows. Then I go back and check the grainline is correct and the pins aren't puckering the fabric.

I haven't done any dressmaking for a while and it was very strange using scissors for cutting out. When I first started using the rotary cutter for quilting I didn't think I would get used to it but it is so much quicker and more accurate than scissors.

Even using scissors I soon had a pile of pattern pieces cut and ready for me to do the tailor tacks to mark the darts. I cut the notches on the pattern (used to line up the pattern pieces accurately) so they stick out as it makes it easier to  match them. I still have to cut the interfacing and the lining. To be truthful i actually need to buy the lining as the fabric shop didn't have anything suitable. I'll look tomorrow as I'm going to Reading for work and there is a fabric shop there. Oh I also need to remember buttons.

Whilst the house was being rewired my machine has sat under the stairs. This area used to be a cupboard but is currently open as we are remodelling it. When I pulled the machine out the case was covered in dust but thankfully the machine was clean inside. The case has now been cleaned and all the dust is gone. I'm hoping that having the new kitchen fitted next week won't make too much dust and mess.

Rather than start the sewing on the jacket I decided I would add the sashing to the Star Trek quilt. All the blocks were made but I needed to cut and add sashing and a border. My fancy quilting calculator gave me the answer to how many sashing strips to cut with just a couple of keystrokes. I had to give my cutting board a good clean before I could start. I've been meaning to do this for a while but it's another of those jobs that gets put off. The sashing went together very quickly with the machine running at warp speed. This quilt has 9 blocks each 24inches square which meant all the seams were straight and long. The block with the enterprises flying off is the centre block. Unfortunately I didn't get the top square on my bed to take the photo but you get the idea.. 

Having added the sashing I decided to put the machine away for the day and catch up on my emails and other little jobs. I also needed to do some thinking as I've been asked to make a tactile quilt for a two year old boy who can make out colours and large shapes but not a lot else. This should be a fun project to do.

It was great fun playing on my machine again. I hope you've had time for some sewing this weekend.

Lyndsey