More Sewing

 

I spent some time last week preparing a project for the craft group in a retirement home that I run. The idea is to make patchwork shopping bags, sewing the patches together by hand and then attaching them to a machine-sewn lining. First I made a sample. Then I sewed 10 linings. It took me way longer than I estimated, but the job was done in time for Friday's meeting. It's quite a big project, so we didn't finish and will continue next week. The good thing about that is that I don't have any preparation to do this week!

On Saturday afternoon my little sewing pupil arrived with fabric and ideas for an elaborate bag, with gussets (3D was his term), secret pockets, two sets of handles.... We got it done, except for a zip at the top, but it took us four hours. 

Mango Chutney

 I've continued knitting in the evenings and sewing during the day, but I've finished the soap bag order and the jewelry bag order, so now I have a chance to make mango chutney.

The mangoes are bubbling in the pot now with onions, garlic and spices. The mixture will need to cook for an hour, with a stir now and then, before bottling. 

Evening Knitting

 

Progress on my cardigan has slowed down because I've only been knitting in the evenings. During the day I've been sewing little bags for a friend who makes soap.

I've just finished sewing the 50th bag, so that's the sewing done. I still have to thread drawstrings through. The string I had planned to use turns out to be too stiff and difficult to knot, so I will have to make a plan B. I have an order for 30 bags for Anne the silversmith to sew next, so it'll be a while before I can do much knitting. 

Progress

 

I"m making progress on my cardigan. I like lace knitting. At our knit'n'natter session on Friday, everyone said it looked complicated, but it's an easy pattern and the many repeats mean that any mistakes are quickly apparent.  It's usually it's a missed yarn over, which is easily rectified. Thankfully. I wouldn't want to have to tink a whole row. 

I Did It

 

This is a first for me, unravelling a newly knitted cardigan! Thanks to everyone who commented on my  previous post about the cardigan. There is a backstory to the decision to undo it. Early in 2023 I knitted myself a cardigan to wear as my every day, at home, winter warmer. You can see it here. It became very shapeless, falling off my shoulders all the time. I blame my self because I didn't get the hang of the yoke pattern and fudged it. But I really don't want to spend another winter tugging at a cardigan that doesn't hang properly and keeps falling off my shoulders. 

Before I undid the mauve cardigan I found another pattern that worked to the right gauge. It's also a Drops Design pattern,  Rows of Lavender, but it has set in sleeves rather than raglan. I'm hoping that  means it will stay put. I've made a start:

Bead Knitting Revisited

 

I've been meaning to have another go at beaded knitting. In 2019 I learnt a lot, preparing to make a beaded bag for a competition, but I haven't done any beaded knitting since. My first step was to read my own instructions - there's a link on the side bar of this page, so that was easy. I used part of the cross stitch pattern that I've used before. You can read all about it here.  I like it. I may do more beaded knitting. 

Not Sure

 

I've finished knitting my cardigan, Early May by Drops Design. I'm not sure. I like the sleeves and the lace pattern on them. But I should have made a bigger size and yesterday the fronts hung so badly that I thought I should just unravel the whole thing and use a different pattern. Today I tried it on again and made an effort to position the shoulders correctly and it didn't seem so bad. I have a friend who regularly unravels things and reknits them. Should I take a leaf out of Dorie's book?