Abandon SHIP!

image via eBay

Same ol' blog, brand new address.

Yep, I've switched platforms, and from now on will be blogging from over here:

www.poppykettle.com

If you follow me via bloglovin', then you don't have to do a thing - technology is a fancy thing and I'll have you all switched over in a jiffy! If you use a different reader, you'll need to update accordingly :)

What's in it for you, I hear you say? A brand new finished item, is what...

See you on the other side!

Your knowledge will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

Awesome Star Trek references aside, on Saturday I learnt how to knit - from one seriously talented knitter whose work I've admired from afar for a long, loooong time.

Yeah, I totally know you can jump on youtube and have someone, somewhere show you the basics and even the complexes. But I like learning on demand from real live people, plus the chance to chat to humans of the same sex as me in real time! I don't get to do that enough. Throw in the ability to support a new, Melbourne based creative initiative - the Handmaker's Factory? I'm there.

Jorth!, JuliaBobbin and Nikkishell

I've been buying skeins of gorgeously coloured wool every now and again, but they've just been shamefully accumulating in a box. Then I keep seeing creations like this:

Jorth's green knitted dress - amazing!

and then this...

Jorth's Isabel Cabel and little branch dress

and then I started following Kate Davies Designs (oh, how I love posts seen through the eyes of Bruce! This one is my favourite) and the jealousy just got too much.

This knitting thing was a skill I simply had to acquire - by force, if necessary. And who better to learn from than the very person who inspired my covetous jealousy in the first place? Thankyou, Jorth.

I can now cast on, knit, purl, increase and decrease, decipher the obscure hieroglyphics that make up a knitting pattern and cast off, all without swearing and having to make reference to instructions. Go me.

Having moved down the beginners sewing learning curve already, I am vaguely aware that I'm not going to be able to produce the magnificence shown above straight away.

JuliaBobbin and I get busy knitting

But just you wait.

In the mean time, I've succumbed and signed up to Ravelry. I envisage plenty of cold winter nights comfy on the couch with a cup of tea and some clack-clack-clacking. See you in knitting land!

Turn of Cloth and a WIP

Its been a little quiet on the sewing front here recently... but that's soon to change. I've been working away at turning the disaster that was McCalls 4993 into something I'd actually like to wear, and in the process had the chance to try a few new sewing things!

I've read about the impact of turn of cloth many times, but I've only come across a pattern that actually accounts for it once (Vogue 8333, which has a separate upper and lower collar piece). When I sewed up my first Marfy pattern - F2465 - I was sort of expecting to see the facing pattern pieces be slightly smaller than the outside pattern pieces, having read much about their superior drafting.

Seam line on the fold of Marfy 2645

This was not the case, and whilst I suppose it could be considered a personal preference on whether or not the seam lines sit along the fold, or are sneakily hidden underneath, I'd prefer them to be hidden from view.

So with my current Work-In-Progress, I've 'drafted' (sheesh, that makes it sound like something really difficult!) a facing pattern piece for the dress strap, which is slightly smaller than the actual strap pattern piece - by 4mm. That 4mm then got added back onto the strap piece that will be on show, so it will still end up being roughly the same size. I say roughly because my fabric is thin and drapey - the thicker your fabric, the more allowance for turn of cloth is required.

The 'under strap' pattern piece sitting on top of the 'over strap'

It makes it a wee bit more challenging to iron before turning out (yep, I'm still a pressinatrix), but by such a marginal amount I can't even believe I've just written a whole sentence about it.

If you'd like more info on determining how much to allow for different types of fabric, then there's a really good Threads article on this topic here. Otherwise, I'll leave you to go about your business :)

The First Annual SewcieTea!

What a wonderful afternoon we had today! My only gripe was that 2 hours felt like 15 minutes and was all over in the flash! We had 26 lovely ladies come along... so lets see some pictures!

Siobhan, Winifred, Tracy, Kathleen, Liz, Anna, Lara, Rachel and Leith

Deb, Judy, Emily, Paula, Jenny, Claire, Erin and Sasky

Kat, Sarah, Belinda, Julia, Mindy, Oanh, Rachel and Belle

Not only was there a delicious high tea to enjoy... but some seriously lovely sartorial creations, by both some well-known faces and many new ones too. In fact, there was almost an equal 'civilian' to blogger ratio! Plus quite a few bloggers I'd yet to meet whose pennings (and whose abilities with the english language are far beyond my own) I love to read - like Jenny and Emily.

Sewing Society in attendance - I would say in no particular order, but actually it was the order of RSVPing because that's the order of my list ;)

Rachel from MyMessings
Kat from All the Whimsical Things
Belle from Bella's Collectanea
Sarah from Sew Squirrel
Julia from Julia Bobbin
Rachel from Boo Dog and Me
Leith from Sew Brunswick
Oahn from Unique Schmuck
Anna from Blogless Anna
Jenny from Rennous Oh Glennous
Siobhan
Kathleen
Erin
Claire
Paula
Deb
Belinda from Turquoise Polkadots
Lara from Thornberry
Judy
Tracy
Emily from This is Emily Kate
Winifred
Liz from Busy Lizzy in Brissie
Mindy
Sasky
...and Me!

Tracy, Emily, Jenny and Belle

Mindy

Mingle-ing!

Belinda and Julia

Rachel, Kat, Liz and Rachel

Leith, Moi, Lara and Deb

Sarah

Belle and I

It was so, so lovely to meet so many new people (apologies from TJ and Tricia who couldn't make it) and have a good ol' fashioned oogle some gorgeous frocks. 

Kat, all the way from NZ!

In spirit, we also have Kat from the Engineer's Other Life - we went to uni together but these days she lives across the pond in New Zealand. And I think her Vogue 1159 is a great example of how the 'right' pattern can make you look amazing!! I'd totally wolf whistle you on here if I could, Kat!

There was even a little up-skirting... but only because we all love a tulle crinoline!

So... See you all again at the 2014 SewcieTea? ;)

And if you can't wait that long, or were unable to make it this time around - we're organising 'Frocktails' later in the year - lock September 7th in your diaries!

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