What's the deal with you and rainbows?

Now, no one has ever asked me this question, but I'm sure someone is thinking it every time I post another rainbow creation.  The thing is that there is no simple answer to this question.

I love colour.  I like rainbows. I get all the colours all in one place for my visual delight.

I was a child in the seventies.  One of my all time favourite shirts had an iron-on with a unicorn and a rainbow.  I remember going in the shop and picking it out.  It was the kind of place that you picked your shirt and then you got to pick the iron-on.  Would I wear that shirt now?  Uhm, probably not, but if it was lurking around my mom's house, I'd give it to Mollie to wear.

Rainbows are big in Steiner (Waldorf) schools.  My daughter goes to a Steiner school, and my son will be starting there next year.  Mollie doesn't have a school uniform, but is not allowed to wear black to school.  Clothing that is made of beautiful colours is encouraged.  You will notice that I don't tend to sew for my children in dark, drab colours.  This is one reason for that.  

So why am I waffling about rainbows?  I've made a few rainbow redondos...
If you don't know by now, I am huge fan of the Redondo skirt designed by Fledge/Studio Tantrum.  This skirt is so much fun! 

If you're lucky, you might be able to snag one if you come visit me at the Lorien Markets.  I am not listed as a stall holder because I am part of the playgroup parents stall.  So that little blurb about meeting playgroup parents, well, I'd be one of them.  If you happen to be out in the Hills area on Saturday drop by and say hello.  Maybe even do a bit of holiday shopping.

Sensational Silk

I love to dye silk.  There is something about how silk takes up the dye that makes it truly enjoyable to work with.  Then there is the beautiful lustre of the fabric when you are done.  There is nothing else like it.

A friend of mine recently had a baby girl, and I just had to make her a silk/flannel blanket.  In my haste to give it to her I forgot to take a photo. Baby Zara's blanket has a 16 point flower mandala with a purple flannel backing.  While I was making Zara's blanket, I also made one for a request on Etsy.  An 8 point star mandala is dyed onto silk.  The backing is a mottled orange flannel.



I thought I'd write a bit more about some of my favourite notions.  Working with silk made me buy some nice glass head pins.  I have these super sharp and thin pins from Clover.  I love them.  Although I don't love them when I stab myself with them.  I even stepped on one the other night. OUCH!



A walking foot is useful too when sewing silk.  It helps to keep the fabrics from slipping.


And using the right needle is important too.
This is my collection of needles. I use microtex needles for sewing silk. I also like microtex for sewing wovens. I use them when top stitching redondo skirts. In my collection I have sharps, denim, stretch, ball point, top stitching, metafil, heavy duty 100/16's.  I think I have some universal in there, but don't use them very often.  Maybe something else is hiding in there too.  My special needles for the cover stitch machine live with the cover stitch accessories, and my needles for machine embroidery are with my embroidery supplies.

I could be ironing

but I thought I'd write this post instead.  A while back, I was asked if I could copy a top.  SJ had this fabric, and wanted a top like this one which she already owned.


And this is what I made


I also made a top for her daughter with a simpler ruffle

So while I am showing off this bit of handiwork, I thought I would also take the opportunity to talk about some of the things that I used to make the top.

I think it would be obvious that I used a ruffler foot.  I used it to do all the ruffling and gathering.  The pleated ruffle was done by altering the settings on the foot to pleat every six stitches.  If you are are considering a ruffler or have one, but don't know what to do with it, I highly recommend CarlaC's The Ruffler Unruffled. 


To construct the top the body was cut a few centimetres down from the neck edge.  The longer under ruffle is inserted into this seam.


To stabilise the bottom piece of the front I used Vilene Formband along the curve. I also use Formband to stabilise shoulder seams.


To attach the pleated ruffle I used Wash Away Wonder Tape. Wonder tape is incredibly useful. I used it to stick things on where I don't want to be fiddling with pins. Wonder tape worked particularly well to attach the ruffle because it also acted a bit of a stabiliser as it doesn't stretch. I use Wonder Tape to stick down my labels or put bits of ribbon in a seam.


I have some more favourites which I will share in another post. I fear this one might get too long if I keep waffling.

A little house update

I know I've been a bit quiet on the house developments.  That was because not much has been happening.  It took a bit longer to have the frames manufactured than the builder thought it would take.  

Here are the kids at the back of the house.  You can see the bearers and joists are done.


Will watching the frames being delivered.


Frames laid out ready for putting up.


Frames up! From this view you can see my kitchen window on the left and the places for the two sliding doors. The builder did ask us if we wanted to change it to concertina doors, but we get mozzies. I know you can get a screen which you roll across the opening, but then that feels like it defeats the purpose of having these doors that totally fold back. The kitchen window will actually be slightly lower than it looks on the frame.


Trusses were delivered today. I think we will have some more exciting photos by the end of next week.

Stripes

Stripes was the first R rated movie that I saw in the theater. (somehow I don't think it would R rated these days!) Tonight I was happily folding and tying redondo pieces in preparation for dyeing. I watched two episodes of Weeds and figured when they were done, I would stop tying and get ready for bed. Then a movie came on. Colin only heard the intro and said, "It's Stripes," and he was right! I can't help it. I've had to watch it. So that is what I am sitting here doing.

Since I'm talking stripes here are some rainbow stripes or strips or whatever. Rainbow pieced Antonia top from hand dyed organic cotton/spandex. One for Mollie, one for her friend, and a couple that are going to be for sale.

Happy Feet!

Our new slippers courtesy of Sunshadow Slippers!


Mollie also has a pair that matches mine. She wears slippers like these at school, so she needs a pair for school and a pair for home. Will is inheriting an older pair of Mollie's that have dolphins to use as his 'home' ones.

Thank you so much Tracey! We LOVE them!

Antonia-a-rama

Here are the tops I made with the embroideries from the other day. I've used the Farbenmix Antonia pattern. I think this is a great little summer top. The cap sleeves are great to just cover the shoulders.

The bodies of the shirts are my favourite Stella, cotton/spandex knit. The sleeves are European knits from Hilco as are some of the neckbindings.

size 3/4 (excuse the wonky looking shirt...it isn't. It just can't hang properly on those hangers because they are too big for the shirt.)


size 5/6
front

back


size 7/8


size 9/10
front


back


Moo sized...from the beginning I thought that this top would never leave the house. I loved it and Moo loved it, and well, the neckline isn't quite perfect.


back


And a closeup of the neck binding. I used my binder attachment on the Coverpro to do the neck. I wasn't happy with the result. It's ok, but not perfect enough. I had a hard time adjusting where the stitching would fall and in places it varies how far it is from the edge. If you look at the keyhole you can see what it looks like when I do it on my sewing machine. I wasn't going to attempt something with that sort of curve with the binder. Am I being too pedantic about the neckline?



I also find the binder attachment is finicky about the type of knit that you use. It's not really fond of cotton/spandex jersey, or maybe I just haven't figured out the best settings.