Pin Pin Pin that Thing!

Taking a little detour from the world of crochet. Hello pinning things to the manequin!

 

It's about time I tried out some of the new techniques I learnt at the V& A pattern cutting course. I am lazy. But for some reason, when I do finally get myself going, I get a little over excited and over ambitious. This is one of those examples.

 

I cobbled together the halter neck top from a vintage pattern I had and adjusted it to my size. That turned out nice and simple. Did I stay with nice and simple? Obviously not. With my new found confidence in making up patterns, I thought I could manage this:

 

I just picked up a scrap of fabric I had been using to make the fluted skirt (disaster) and started pinning that thing onto the manequin. And got a bit OCD about it. But the question is, am I ever going to be able to translate this into a pattern and actually make it properly? That is going to take some serious motivation and patience. Anyone want to volunteer??

I wanted to get a bit of a 'ray of sunshine' effect on the back with all the darts, and was going to do a mirror image on the other side, and then realised that where the darts ended, it just so happened to 'puff up' a bit and look like a cap sleeve.....so I had to re adjust all the darts at the front to match:

 



After which this happened. I really really really like it, and think this would look so cute as a little capelet to wear with the top next summer (or that indian summer I keep praying we might get). I am rather determined to make this a complete outfit, and might have to do something similar with the skirt 2.0 as the last one didn't turn out well AT ALL.

 



Once I'd taken the pictures I took all the pins back out. Thank goodness the pins just so happened to leave ruddy great big black marks where I had placed them because idiotic me forgot the most important part of pattern cutting....actually drawing the lines onto the fabric of where the darts had to go. Very big d'oh indeed.

I'm going to put this project on the back burner for the moment. I think this is going to have to wait until some time off work and house sitting duties so that I can get some time to work this one out properly.

However, should anyone fancy doing that task for me......haha...if only! Tips however would be very much appreciated!

Much love from Brighton,

L.J.
xxx 

Vintage Pattern Cutting at the V&A

Back in February, Mum and I attended a pattern cutting course up at the V&A. 3 days packed full of vintage fashion heaven! We got to take a tour around the exhibitons they were holding at the time to seek some inspiration, including the Queen's Coronation Dress. Amazing. Highly recommend it, even if it is a bit pricey. They run regular pattern cutting classes so go check out their website to see when the next one is being held. (Plus if you book it quite close to the date, like we did, you may be able to wangle a rather nice discount if they haven't filled the class yet....shhhhh!)

 

As I've been exceedingly lazy and gammy handed, I haven't posted up about it yet, and it's taken me 6 months to get around to it. Bad me indeed. But I shall make amends now by showing you some of the test pieces I worked on. Just a quick round up:

 

Here's number one. I cut the top on a fold over the bust, and was playing around with opening up darts in different places and making the bust fuller to gather it into the lower part. The V shape doesn't go all the way to the side, so that the top's front can be made out of just one piece. Might try and do a mirror version sans gathers for the back and see if I can work it so it's made from just the one piece of fabric. Loved having 3 days of just experimenting and playing around with fabric :)

 

The sleeve should have been cut on the bias but I forgot. Kind of like how it went a bit more rigid in the end and had more structure in it than the cowl effect I'd intended. 

 

For the back I decided to give the cowl another attempt. This time cut on the bias, but I think I was using the wrong material. Did make a second one of jersey-like fabric and it looked so much better. It's a learning process after all.

I'd never attempted to make up my own patterns properly by working everything out and using blocks. It was absolutely fascinating and has opened up a world of possibilities. I am so itching to put these to the test with crochet. Technically, if I work out the shape of the garment I want to make, I just have to make pieces into the same shape as the pattern pieces! That's what I'm hoping anyway ;)

 

Much Love from Brighton,

 

and don't forget to take part in my current Give-Away competition!

 

L.J.

xxx

Experiments in Vintage Crochet - Part 4

I have just discovered the heaven that is www.freevintagecrochet.com/

Finally, vintage patterns, at no cost!!! They have hundreds to choose from, collars, trims, homeware, and full outfits for the whole family! I have my eye on several of the patterrns for future patterns, including a few christmas present ideas!!

Project number 1 from this lovely site was meant to look something like this:

If you want to have a go for yourself, you can find the FREE pattern right here!

My version? Well I went a little freestyle...I just kept going and going until I realized it was longer than the picture above, and decided to turn it into...yes....another cardi! hehe I see a bit of a pattern coming on here!

This was another super duper easy pattern to follow. I have to admit, I don't really understand why I avoided crochet for so many years, in particular following patterns. I guess the last project I did before many years away from crochet was so complicated for a 14 yr old that it just totally put me off patterns. But I'm very glad to have found this site on a bored night searching through google.

It's another very repetitve pattern, which makes it perfect for doing in front of the box, because once you've got started, you don't really have to keep refering back to the pattern. You start with the collar first, then once you've finished that part you continue on to make the 'mesh' part. This simply involves making chain's of increasing length over and over again, joining them with a single crochet through the loop of the previous row, and working from side to side until you reach the desired length! I stopped increasing after I got to chains of 12 stitches long, so the gaps wouldn't be so big I could fit my hand through them.

Super easy and very beginner friendly!

And here is the result:

I used left over yarn from a different project which never got finished to make this up; the cheapy cream wool you find in most charity shops, and some more luxury left over alpaka yarn in dark turquoise. I used this to make a baby blanket for a friend, now I have a cardi to match! Took so little time and such little wool, I know what to do with my leftover's in future, next time, not as long.

Then added some cute little pink bow buttons I picked up from a little old lady at the Ardingly Classic Car Show last month. Stash busting indeed. Love these. Wish I had more!

 

My judgement? Pretty but not practical. Doesn't keep warm at all, as you may have guessed, heh. But it's great as a little accesory or for an evening dress. I've worn this with a strapless 50's summer dress and the colours go together perfectly, I'll have to get the Mister to take some snaps next time!

 

Much Love from Brighton,

 

L.J.

xxx

Experiments in Vintage Crochet - Part 3

After the first attempt to produce this 1940's Crochet Bolero came out a little larger than expected, here is attempt number 2!

This time I decided to use a much chunkier wool, in bright purple, and a lot less stitches than advised in the instructions! The last one came out far bigger than I thought it would, so having learnt my lesson, I nearly halved the stitches (bigger wool also equals bigger stitches!) and pretty much just made it roughly the width of my shoulders plus an inch or two either side.

This was a super fast project, taking only 2 evenings watching the box to complete. Instead of using the double crochet like in the last one, I used triple crochet, with a chain between each stitch, making it even faster, and in my opinion easier, to complete. Very much recommend this for anyone taking up a crochet project for the first time. Results in next to no time!

Again, too lazy to make up the pom pom's as I liked it as was, but perhaps attempt 3 with a nicer yarn will involve copius amounts of pom pom action ;)

And here are the results:



I especially like the over-turned collar that stands up much better with the chunkier wool than in the last one. Might start making more things chunky!

So has anyone else been crocheting away or otherwise crafty things? Link back some projects :) I've had internet issues of late, so no chance to catch up on some blog reading!

Much love from Brighton,

L.J.

xxx

Experiments in Vintage Crochet - Part 1

I call this part one, as I expect I'll be experimenting a little more in future after this first attempt.

I've recently purchased some scanned vintage crochet patterns from a few sellers on Etsy, the first of which I mentioned in my previous post on my quest to improve my chrochet skills HERE was from Jenny at KinsieWoolShop, and also purchased a handful from 2ndLookVintage using this pattern:

Original Here

I didn't quite manage to follow the pattern exactly, and again, didn't even realise until I was doen with side 1! When it came to finishing the repeating part of it, and then lengthening the bottom, I really couldn't understand why it wasn't looking like the picture, and why my stitch count didn't match the instructions.

This one was a bit more tricky than the cardi, but once you got the first few lines done, it's just a matter of repeating until you get to the right size. Confusingly, you start with the vertical lines in the centre top that look like they're holding the folds of the bag, and then work out the zigzags from there. It's my very first attempt at crocheting a handbag, and I used chunkier, cheaper wool to have a play first, before I try my second attempt.

But, after pinning it on to my manequin, it took the perfect shape to form part of a bodice! I do love a happy accident!

I can't really figure out how to go from here though. I could either crochet a 2nd side and sew them together to make my own version of the bag, or I could try and make this into a top of some sort. But to crochet, or use fabric?

What would you suggest?

Much Love from Brighton,

L.J.

xxx

1940's Crochet Bolero Project

Finally finished my crochet bolero! It took just over 2 weeks to finish (I still have to limit any activity involving my hands....so nearly everything...to under an hour an evening, stupid hands). I made the silly silly mistake of getting carried away and not actually measuring the piece like the pattern told me, repeatedly, to do. So after following the pattern, but using a larger hook, I ended up with a finished piece about 8" too big. So it will now be a slouchy cardi, still serves its purpose :) next time it will be more accurate! heh I have learnt my lesson now!

This is what it should have looked like:

If you want to have a go at this, and create a more fitted version, with pom-pom's, head over to Kinsie Wool Shop on Etsy. I've purchased a handful of these patterns from them, and can't wait to work my way through them. Thoroughly recommend for you fellow crocheters!

I found the pattern really straight forward, and once you'd finished the first 2 rows, it was just a pattern of repeating the same stitches. Definitely a good one for either beginners or someone wanting a project to get back into crocheting without too much thought ;)

And this is how mine turned out, sans pom-poms:

This is my first piece of crochet clothing I've completed since I was about 14, but now have the confidence to start trying to make more complicated pieces, as long as I have a supply of tape measures, chocolate, and a very patient boyfriend who doesn't mind becoming a 'widower' while I'm antisocial and counting away at my crochet.

Much love from Brighton,

L.J.

xxx