New Teaching Venue

From this Wednesday 13th January 2016, I am now teaching Dressmaking and Machine Sewing from Crofton Academy, Wakefield.  The classes are still 6pm to 9pm, £12.00 per session with free tea and coffee. Anyone interested can contact me at claire.jakins@gmail.com.

This is great for me as I am venturing out on my own.  I can't wait, will let you know how I am getting on.

Love in a box

Yesterday my latest purchase arrived.  

From the money I have earned teaching dressmaking I have treated myself to a sewing machine I can take to classes.  Also as a spare one when my computerised Bernina has to go in for servicing (of which it desperately needs).

I have no excuses now to delay any of my sewing or to get my computerised one serviced.

I've been busy, but not sew you would know!

Over the summer I have been unable to sew.

This is the reason why

Her name is Neve and she is a German Shepherd.  She belongs to our local police force and we are fostering her until May/June next year.

With a puppy around I was unable to lay out any material, or sit still for any length of time.  But she is growing fast, just take a look:-

This is her during a camping trip to Wales in July, aged 2 months

Enjoying playing with our dog Red, aged 3 months

Getting her to sit still for a couple of minutes

At 5 months she is growing fast

She has now calmed down enough for me to do some sewing, and will gladly go to sleep under my sewing table with Red.  Well, actually, I think she is sleeping, but she is pinching things and chewing them - like cotton reels, shuttles and I even caught her with a pair of scissors!

But we are persevering and last week I completed 2 items of clothing.  I will post these soon.

Bloomin Steps Scrappy Blue Quilt

Today I finished the scrappy quilt I have been making for the last couple of years.

Over the last couple of months I have been working hard at getting it finished, hence no postings on this blog.

I can't believe this is now over, I feel both elated but sad at the same time.  Now it is finished it doesn't show the amount of work that has gone into it, because (even if I say so myself), it has gone together so well, you can only see the whole and not the individual squares that have gone into it. 

The blues are mainly scraps, from my own garment and quilt making, or shirts bought from charity shops with the odd fat quarter thrown in.  The white squares are scraps, bought white shirts or packs of fat quarters with a wide backing fabric bought for the border and the back.

The pattern is from "Cut the scraps" by Joan Ford.  In total 1328 squares went into making it, 1008 2" squares (yes 2"!) and 320 3.5" squares and the final quilt measures 75" x 87", just big enough to throw over a king size bed for a topping.  

You could say that I have scrap quilts out of my system now! But what to do with all my other scraps!

A Perfect Day

Do you ever get the feeling of total satisfaction and a sense of peace?  Yesterday I did, it was ten past eight in the evening and I was feeling relaxed, fulfilled and at peace with myself.  So I got to thinking about what had made my day like that.

As usual my day started with walking my dog, Red is his name.  Always happy to see you and eager to go out for a walk.  The ground was damp from overnight rain making everything look new and washed.  The spring flowers, including the late daffodils in my front garden, were nodding their heads in the breeze.  The air was fresh and clean and with no traffic noise I could almost believe I was on holiday.

My morning coffee tasted especially good, warm and full and satisfying.  It's deep rich aroma filling my nostrils with memories of eating breakfast with my friend in Germany.  Breakfast in Germany being a leisurely affair, with fresh baked bread and tantalising cheeses and succulent cold meats.  Laughter filled the air as we talked of things done and dreams to fulfil.

Once my breakfast had settled, it was time to get down to things more serious.  The laundry was sorted and started whilst I got on my exercise bike.  With a body tingling and feeling alive I showered and let my hair dry naturally.  

Time for my mid morning coffee.

Knitting was my next past time and I duly sat down, with my coffee at my side and started my next mammoth knitting project.  It is a coat by Kate Davies called Westering Home.  I am making it in a teal blue and now can't wait to finish it.  But for now I have made a start and the cable pattern is now set.

The postman arrived with my 72 plug plants, and in the beautiful sunshine I potted them up.  Red laid on the decking in his usual spot to sunbathe.

The laundry now washed and dried it was time for some more knitting.

As it was Wednesday I was teaching in the evening.  A lovely, lively class of 11 women all learning to dress make.  I set off one of my students on drafting a skirt pattern and then one by one taught four of them how to put in zips.  The pleasure on their faces, when they performed the simple task of opening and closing a zip that had been sewn in correctly, never ceases to surprise me.  Until teaching, I hadn't realised that putting in zips was so daunting to so many people and that when taught correctly, how relaxed people became.  It was at this time (8:10pm), that I vowed to get myself a bottle of wine and when I got home, finish of my perfect day with a crisp cold glass of white wine.

Perfect.

Lace Shawl

Although my sewing has slowed to a snail's pace, my knitting is going at break neck speeds.  Funny how we crafters love to have more than one item on the go at any one time.

This is the lace shawl I have just finished:

Made with 100% 2ply Lambswool from Texere Yarns it is the Rachel Lace Shawl by Evelyn A Clark.

Things I have made since last writing

I know I've been quiet on here, but I have been busy elsewhere.

I have been knitting a lace shawl (now finished and will get photos to you soon), but whilst knitting it I got bored, so made a pair of socks:-

Socks I always knit two at a time and these were super quick to knit taking me only two weeks to knit.  That is two weeks when I am not working or teaching or walking the dog etc. Since then I have finished my lace shawl and all I need to do is wash and block it and I will post some pictures.

The Bloomin' Steps Scrappy quilt now has a border and the back is cut out to size, just waiting for a suitable day to pin it all together.  But whilst the sun is out I have been out in the garden.

In a couple of weeks it is my mum's birthday and she said she wanted some bunting for her summer house, so I have made her some of that and here it is:-

I have even been cheeking and put a "Made by Claire" label on it.  She is having a birthday party next week and I shall be taking it to her then, just hope she likes it.

On Saturday 16th May 2015 I will be teaching how to sew a slip dress.  The pattern I have chosen is McCalls M6102 and it is a flattering A line with or without a dart.

I made the view with the darts and the shorter length, the pattern is unlined but I have lined mine with some fine muslin.  The material is part of the Makower Lime-twist collection and even though I say so myself, it is very flattering and has a 1960's look to it. The pattern says it is a 1 hour construction, but including cutting out the pattern and lining it, I took 4 hours.  Not bad for an Easter weekend.

For details on the course go to www.ohsewsweetshop.co.uk and look up it up in the course section.