Take two: lined bedroom curtains

Its been barely 18 months since I excitedly blogged about finishing my lovely lined bedroom curtains. Who would have guessed that I would get less than one year's benefit from them?!  The last six months has seen me move to London, meaning my blood, sweat and money has remained hanging, albeit prettily, on two windows over 200 miles away in my parent's house. 

And so I'm left with a feeling of déjà vu as I put the finishing touches to another pair of bedroom curtains after four days of back breaking work and a couple of evening sessions.  This time, I only have one pair to show you, I consider myself lucky to have a decent sized bedroom window in this city!  

Making only one pair sped up the process, as did using curtain tape rather than making the heading myself.  

I decided to make standard window ledge length curtains using hand stitching techniques and followed my four blog posts which turned out to be decent reminders.  

Getting the curtain tape in place

The new technique of applying curtain tape was passed onto me from my mum who opted to finish her bedroom curtains this way.  After lying the curtain flat on the floor I measured 156cm (the finished length of the curtains) from the hem, and folded and pinned the top seam allowance down, so that it sat on top of the lining.  I tacked this in place and then cut a length of curtain tape to 5cm wider than the curtain.  At one end I tied off the cords (the end that will be in the centre of the window) and at the other I made sure they were loose (the end that will be nearest the finial).  I used the extra length so that I could turn 2.5cm of the tape under the hem of the curtain at either side.  Once this was in place I tacked the tape down only a few millimetres from the folded edge of the curtain. 

Cord bags

The final step before sewing was to add a small bag for the cords to live in once they have been gathered.  To make the bags I cut two strips of fabric 12 inches long x 2.25 inches wide. Fold each strip in half length ways right sides together and invert the fold by 2.25 inches. Then sew the side seams using a 0.25 inch seam allowance, before snipping the corners and turning right side out.  I placed one bag under the bottom edge of the header tape, just inside the lining side seam, on the end that will be nearest the finial.  

Sewing the heading tape

I was then ready to take the curtains to the machine for the final sewing part.  To sew the header tape down, start at the bottom edge of the tape, near the edge that has had the cords tied.  Sew a small amount there, then sew the width of the tape and then turn again to sew the long top length. Continue to sew the other side and come back on yourself so that you cover the part with the cord bag.  Then stop and turn the curtain the other way so that you start at the same point as the first line of sewing, only this time you're going in the opposite direction (albeit the same direction that the top edge of the header tape was stitched).  This little diagram illustrates what I mean:

Now all that's left is to try and stay in this flat for at least one year to get my monies worth!

Cost

Bedroom curtains:  February - March 2017
Item	Supplier	Quantity	£
Snowfall leaf fabric	Abakhan	6.5m @ £5.98 per metre	38.87
Crease resistant cream lining	Abakhan	6m @ £4.94 per metre	29.62
Curtain weights	Abakhan	6 @ £0.16 each	0.96
Steel curtain hooks	Abakhan	Bag of 30	0.9
Thread	Any haberdashery - already had
3 inch rufflett regis pencil pleat tape	netcurtain2curtains	6m @ £2.50 per metre	15.45
Curtain pole	B&Q	1	27
		TOTAL	£112.80

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone

My post on the Knitting and Stitching Show 2016 had a massive omission in it which is this - I completed the crochet kit bought at last year's show and surprised my mum with it today.

And whilst we're nearing the end of the year, I thought I'd take a look back at the cross stitch projects I managed to fit in around everything else (ok, two of my planned things didn't even get started)!

There was the cat coasters for a belated house warming present for my friend, which led to her creating an even more charming feline ginger ball for her kitchen wall.  Then there was the wedding card for another friend, who had a fantastic day,  And a few bits for myself; a message board for the kitchen in my flat along with one (out of a planned six) Christmas coaster by my favourite designer, Emily Peacock. 

But there's no crafts to be done today; I've got some trifle and Christmas cake calling me. 

Merry Christmas.

Knitting and Stitching Show, Harrogate 2016

How quickly the year has flown since the last Knitting and Stitching show;  I can't help reading my blog about it and thinking I've achieved a fair amount more than I was expecting.

After the workshop for beginners on crocheting granny squares, I blogged about my learn to crochet course in Ramsbottom, which I finished in March.  Since then crochet definitely became my thing for 2016.  From my Easter wreath and chick, to my pumpkin at Halloween, I crocheted something for every holiday this year, and lots in between.  I haven't yet started on a granny square quilt, but it's on the cards.  And all of this whilst moving my life to London in September; those long train journeys are responsible for about 10 coasters! 

But of course we finish the year with Christmas and I love this free Christmas lights pattern from my trusted teacher at Cotton Pod.   In a bid to not spend any more money I decided to make a set using the shades of wool I already have; so behold my pastel fairy lights.

Apart from developing my crochet skills I also made good progress with my other investments from last year.  The batik has been professionally framed and hangs in my kitchen, some of the fat quarters were used to make a Japanese patchwork bag present for Mother's Day and my mini seascape cushion sits on my sewing chair to remind me of warmer days.

The other fat quarters were all chopped up and are well underway to resembling a quilt which I have aptly named 'The quilt with no name'.  This is going to be my big project for 2017, let's see if it's finished before the next Knitting and Stitching show comes around.

I completed my factory dress from Merchant and Mills, and to get more value out of the pattern, and also because I love the finished dress, at this year's show I bought some nice navy floral cotton from one of the exhibitors to make it again, this time for the summer months.  

The only disappointment is my efforts with my patterns from Sew La Di Da which have unfortunately not escaped their envelopes. Unfortunately I was unable to return to my sewing classes due to my London move and I've not yet found any courses near my new place.  I suppose there's a slight mental barrier to starting them because of this; I've always associated dressmaking with my chatty class and it just doesn't feel right to plough through on my own.  But I do miss my dressmaking very much, so first thing in January I will be enrolling on a course and making these patterns my priority.

That's a lot in one year (the centre picture was after the 2015 show)

So, having looked back on last year, here's this year’s purchases!

My purchases - Harrogate 2016

There's a wedding sampler for my brother and his fiancé, which needs to be done for August 2018.  I’m so excited to be a bridesmaid for the first time, I wonder if that will bring extra sewing tasks my way... There's also another cross stitch, this one will be for my parents, and perhaps it will be a mother/father's day present. Both were bought from Trudy Ann Designs, available online here. 

For me I've got a lovely crochet scarf to work on from Janie Crow, available online here.  It's incredibly soft with alpaca wool and I can't wait to make it over the Christmas break (that's the plan at least).  I went for the grey colour, isn't it pretty?

I needed two new crochet hooks as well and now my airport liquids bag is looking like a shabby excuse for these hooks.  

And to round it off, here are some of my photos from the day of things I liked or that I found inspiring.  

A simple Christmas wreath, a cheap and quick alternative to a real green one

Ceramics and homeware by www.margaretlglackin.co.uk

Vileseline Christmas star decoration - free instructions were available

As always Harrogate delivered a fantastic arrangement of stalls, inspiration and variety.  Until November 2017, I've got a lot to get through!

The quilt that has no name - part 1

This is the pattern of the quilt, from the book Fast Quilts from Fat Quarters

After the Knitting and Stitching Show last year I blogged about a quilt I wanted to make which, terribly, remains nameless.  I bought  all of my fabric at last year's show and in an effort to be super effective I immediately pre-treated it.  But as this is my first quilt, I decided to ease myself in gently by attempting the Japanese patchwork bag fist. I was glad I did, as it helped me with using a rotary cutter to cut layers of fabric accurately, which requires miles more pressure being placed on the ruler than I imagined. Or maybe I'm just getting weaker. 









Anyway, before I could even start cutting I spent a few hours making a full size cutting plan in mount board and covering it in sticky back plastic.  The book did helpfully suggest this as a useful tool, and it certainly kept me from destroying lots of fabric during the many, many hours of crossed eyes cutting that made up my month of March. 

The book calls for the cutting plan to be made to scale

There are over 1000 pieces in this quilt!

April and May were consumed with starting the construction process.  Playing around with different combinations of blocks is fun whilst also slightly frustrating to my inner OCD tendencies - when I can't quite get a perfectly balanced and pleasing spread of fabric shades, patterns and scales of pattern.

The centre star

Experimenting with block combinations

And since then the quilt has, again shamefully, not been given the priority it deserves.  The second half of 2016 has been so busy with relocating for a new job that the sewing machine desperately needs dusting down.  I'm determined this quilt will be finished by November 2017 - two years on from buying the fabric.  I'll need to write all of these new year's sewing plans down at this rate to keep track of my arbitrary deadlines!

Halloween 2016

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

I was planning on a patch, but I'll settle with these two. One of which is now soup. So just one crocheted pumpkin this Halloween, but how cute is it?!

I used a kit from Cotton Pod which I impulse bought on a trip to Stitch in Ramsbottom for some wool supplies (I'm making more coasters again)!  The pattern was very easy to follow and the pumpkin was complete in two evenings.  I can't wait to make more of these next year.

Yum!

Now it's time to plan the Christmas crochet makes...four weeks to go until the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching show!

Summer vibes, by the seaside

It feels good to be back behind my sewing machine!

Finished cushion with the kit image

I thought I'd reminisce about the glorious Nha Trang beach in Vietnam with a little 10 inch square seascape cushion.  I picked this up as a kit for a mere £7 at the Knitting and Stitch show last winter from Sally Holman and I managed to complete it in one weekend of evening sewing.   

It's simple yet effective, I particularly love the applique images as I got to mess around with decorative stitches on the machine.  The instructions for making the cushion front are very good; the only thing missing from the kit is instructions for making the cushion up and some more stranded cotton for the embroidery (I ran out very quickly)! 

I really enjoyed this project and hope to see Sally's other designs at the show this year. 

The only thing left to decide on is where to put it...

'Seascape'

The seams are hidden between the interfacing and decorative fabric which is folded and pleated to add texture

Lighthouse with machine zig zag stitch

Seagull with free form feather stitch

Beach hut

Sail boat with blanket stitch, by hand

I managed to finish my crochet daisy headband whilst on holiday!  Here it is...

I used a cream top stitch thread to finish off the inner seam of the outer border

The Factory Dress

Ten sewing evenings later the simple and sleek Factory Dress is finished.  

The pattern from Merchant and Mills creates an oversize dress and combined with the heavy wool fabric it looks like a 1940s dress a woman would have donned for work during the war.  I'd give the pattern a impressive 10/10 for design and style; its effectiveness lies in it's simplicity. 

It features a v neck pull over front, bust darts, two types of pockets, collar, sleeves and front pleats

It has handy side pockets which you can only see properly from the back as they're set back from the side seam

Collar finished with black topstitch thread

Collar layering was particularly important with this heavy fabric

The collar has a full facing

Turned up sleeves really create that factory feel

The dress is not lined so keeping the inside tidy was quite important (I even darned in the overlocking thread ends)

Where this pattern is lacking is in the finer details of how to construct the dress, with some instructions simply being missing (how deep should the hem be?)  

After a while I also found myself getting frustrated with the diagrams which are quite simple and they use lots of cross hatching. I felt they were quite confusing as I'm used to precise and technical drawings from the leading brands.  I was also surprised when I came to attach the skirt to the bodice that there was no notch on the skirt front to line up with the bodice centre seam.  I ended up improvising by measuring the centre of the distance between the two sets of pleats and lining this point up with the seam to ensure the front was sewn accurately. 

Thankfully I've learnt from experience to not just take instructions at face value. However I did think this was a real shame for beginners; the pattern should be suitable for them but first it needs some improvements.  

All in all the £13 price tag is steep for the quality of the instructions but the finished design is really impressive.  With only two meters of fabric used (@£14 a metre), two spools of thread and some interfacing (which I already had) this dress has cost a total of £45.  I think it's going to be a winner at work.