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Messages - Ann

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31
Current Projects / Re: Christmas Craft 2023
« on: July 19, 2023, 12:57:29 PM »
I am in. I have mad some gift bags and need to make more. Here are the ones I made.


I have more to make with one having Bah Humbug on it and a large bottle of hot sauce in it. It will be a wine bottle in size. The other one will be more square and I will put a bottle of wine in it. A joke for DS. The other ones will be larger in size also.

I have to make paw shaped Christmas stockings for DD's pets. Hopefully I can make them next month. Not sure after that but I need to get busy as I start sending Christmas gifts across Canada in October. I'm hoping to do three projects using the Cricut for DD and DSIL which they have approved but don't know if I will make them or not. I have everything for them.

I do some baking for Christmas. Ginger cookies and butter tarts. Maybe sausage rolls for Christmas Day lunch as DS likes those. I can't have any sweets due to trying to keep pre-diabetes at bay. I have items to buy for family here as they don't use what I make them. They love them too much to use. DD and DSIL are the ones who uses everything I make for her so I tend to do more for them.

32
Dolls and Toys / Re: Sewing For Dolls
« on: July 03, 2023, 11:35:36 AM »
@WendyW, isn't it frustrating when you buy a pattern and it has horrid instructions. I have not tested for this lady when I did testing through Pixie Faire. She must have her own private group of testers. I looked up the pattern on Pixie Faire and she got some poor reviews on the instructions and fit. She did get some good reviews also. I have a couple of her patterns which will be red flagged when I go to make them.

You did an amazing job using difficult fabrics and a poorly executed pattern.

33
Dolls and Toys / Re: Sewing For Dolls
« on: June 20, 2023, 13:59:27 PM »
@WendyW, I use the Plain Jane shoe pattern from Pixie Faire. I watched her video on YouTube for ideas but follow the instructions in the pattern as I like them better. I have found that taking my time to make them is the key element to having nice looking shoes.

34
Dolls and Toys / Re: Sewing For Dolls
« on: June 20, 2023, 11:23:55 AM »
I finally got another doll's outfit sewn. This one took forever to make due to yard work. I also didn't feel well for a few days as I think I need a medication change. I will find out on Saturday.

The doll's outfit is suppose to be close to what a young lady would wear in the 1930's. I did quite a bit of research to make sure I was close. The fabrics are not 1930's but fun fabric I loved. The jacket is suppose to be a more modern design but it has both a Victorian/Edwardian and 1930's vibe to me.


The shoes are from the pattern I always make. They fit the dolls well and fit any era.


The wristlet is 1930's and is small. But so cute.


I add bee buttons for fun. In all I am happy with each pattern I used to make this outfit and will be using them again in different outfits. My next outfit is going to be a summery modern top and skirt. I now need to dig into the stash to find fabrics I want to use for them.

35
A Good Yarn / Re: WINTER SOCK KNIT ALONG. 2022
« on: March 23, 2023, 09:29:24 AM »
@Acorn, I don't but have seen wooden sock blockers that are used to block them. My family likes them unblocked so why do the extra step when it isn't necessary. If I was putting them into a competition I would block them.

My mom had a set or two of wire sock stretchers (as she called them) and she use to stretch my dad's wool socks on them after washing them. I wish she hadn't got rid of them as they would be collector's items today.

36
A Good Yarn / Re: Knitting For The Dolls
« on: March 04, 2023, 12:14:47 PM »
I got another sweater knit for the dolls. This is another test pattern. A quick knit with a delightful pattern at the yoke and hem.


I have half a tam knit but wait and see if I need to redo it on larger needles. The designer of the tam pattern is a loose knitter and I struggle with tension on some of her patterns, especially the hats.

37
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: TSP's Official Stashbusting Thread for 2023
« on: March 01, 2023, 12:12:13 PM »
It is the end of the month and I sewed 6.575 meters (give or take that .075meter). I have sewn a total of 10.825 meters in total. But, I fell off the wagon yesterday and bought 8.2 meters for projects that must be sewn this month. I also got the interfacing and batting for those projects. I know it will be almost all gone when I get done sewing 5 bags for DD. I have the fabric for 3 of them and will need to get the fabric for the other 2. Some of the fabric I bought yesterday is for a small quilt for the cat and some walker bags I will donate to a long term care home. With spring still a long way off (snow for the next 3 days) I will be busy in the sewing room having fun.

38
A Good Yarn / Re: WINTER SOCK KNIT ALONG. 2022
« on: February 24, 2023, 20:22:24 PM »
@Ohsewsimple, I have knit 6 or 7 pairs following the designers formula and patterns or plain knitting or simple ribbing. This is the first time I took a pattern and added 8 extra stitches and figured out how to set up the design on my own. I did do some work on a sheet of paper before starting them and was worried until I realized that I had got it right. Then I relaxed and enjoyed knitting them.

39
A Good Yarn / Re: WINTER SOCK KNIT ALONG. 2022
« on: February 24, 2023, 11:39:05 AM »
I finished the socks last night. They were a delight to knit and I'm proud that I am now finally able to take a sock pattern and adapt it to my favourite method of knitting socks.


I will be starting another pair towards the end of March. New pattern is chosen with hopes that I can adapt it to my favourite method of knitting socks.

40
A Good Yarn / Re: WINTER SOCK KNIT ALONG. 2022
« on: February 23, 2023, 11:59:46 AM »
Thank you @coffeeandcake.

I got the first sock done yesterday. I was tired from physio as I worked hard at physio yesterday. Knitting kept me awake.


I haven't taken out the row markers but can now that I am ready to knit the toe on the 2nd sock. I am hoping to be done them tonight as I have to test a pattern for a designer. I want to start it this weekend.

41
A Good Yarn / Re: WINTER SOCK KNIT ALONG. 2022
« on: February 18, 2023, 12:03:16 PM »
The heels are turned and gusset stitches picked up. I did get one sock gusset done and ready to start on sock #2.



42
Dolls and Toys / Re: Sewing For Dolls
« on: February 17, 2023, 10:28:10 AM »
I made another dress for one of the Gotz dolls I adopted. She got a lilac and white batik cotton dress which I added lace trim to the skirt.


43
A Good Yarn / Re: WINTER SOCK KNIT ALONG. 2022
« on: February 14, 2023, 13:10:25 PM »
The socks are growing. The first sock has the heel flap completed.


The second sock has 10/42 rows done. I am having fun with these socks and love the lace pattern. The next socks will have a different pattern as I want to try out a few new patterns this year using the formula I have had success with.

44
A Good Yarn / Re: Tension tension
« on: February 14, 2023, 13:00:24 PM »
When I knit, I do a swatch if

  • it is new yarn
  • it is a new designer

I have found that my tension is a pain in the a$$. Most designers I test for I have to go up one needle size. Yarn can be the same too. Hence why I do a swatch when knitting with new yarn or designer.

Don't be afraid to do a swatch or several swatches. One way is to start off with the correct needle size, knit the number of rows to match the needle size (size 4 = 4 rows of garter stitch). Do your swatch and if not correct, go up or down a size doing the number of rows in garter stitch to match your needle size (a pain if you are in metric which is why I keep track in a book). Repeat until you have the correct tension.

Another thing I found is that the more I knit, the better my tension becomes. I knit most nights and find my tension is consistent. It went off when I put down my knitting for several months but came back when I had knit consistently for a week. It is a memory thing.

Have fun with your knitting.

45
Sewalongs and Competitions / Re: TSP's Official Stashbusting Thread for 2023
« on: February 13, 2023, 10:33:15 AM »
Wahoo to all the stash busters. I'm plugging away at mine very slowly. I worked on a wall hanging and never turned on the machine for nearly 3 weeks. It was cut and fuse the pieces. When I added the borders it was the first time I had machine sewn. I have it ready to quilt and it is sitting waiting for me to decide if I will pay someone to do it or learn how. When done, 2.9 meters of fabric will have been used from the kit and the stash. I'm counting it as this has been in the stash for 15 years.

I have since made a gift bag that I did the embroidery on the day I started the wall hanging. I enjoyed the project very much even if it only used .25 meter of fabric.


I made DD piping and got almost 3 meters of it out of .25 meters of fabric.

With knitting, I have knit 280 gr of yarn and am working my way through another 150 grams knitting a pair of socks.

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