Projects on the go now

Yep, been busy. Searching for a new rental place, making xmas gifts, sewing my own projects, seeing friends, packing for the holidays and packing up things where we are now. It's kind of fun in a way but really tiring. Thankfully I have plenty of time to get this stuff all done :) I don't know how people cope being so busy all the time. No space to breathe!

Lately these have been my projects:

Mitten blank all dry and ready to knit!

Close up detail, and yes it is really that bright. No problem with kinks in the yarn when knitted up, they dissapeared fine. Quite nice to knit from a piece of fabric rather than a ball.

This is my lace chevron crochet vest. It really needed something to bring the fronts together, the neckline would never sit right. This lace ribbon was the perfect solution, looks awesome and makes it into a wearable garment now. Thinking it might be a bit too long, so I might shorten it a bit.

A wrap around top, pattern designed by me. Fabric is from the fabric sale in june, when washed it leaked a lot of dye, so I'm glad I hand washed it. Made this for the xmas holidays, I'm sure the north island will be warm enough to warrant such a drapey, light shirt.

First mitten finished! Woo! I was so much fun to knit, and I never knit such fine wool... The combination of surprise colour changes and the unique constrcution technique made it fly by. Second mitt is on it's way and many more will follow. Brillant pattern : Circle mitts

Beautiful calendula flowers, drying these to make soothing moisturizers and lip balm.

A random patchwork project, part of the cover I'm making for my knitting machine. Should look great when it's done! Making squares into 3x3 blocks and sewing them together. Trying not to let any of the same fabrics sit next to each other.

So that's all this week, perhaps I will be back next week with some of these projects finished!

In progress:

• Circle mitts
• Knitting machine cover
• Xmas gifts

Finished this week:

• Batik wrap top
• Friend's baby quilt
• Niece's xmas present
• Mitt number one

Blanks

Been working on dyed blanks for a pair of mittens:

Knitting the blank on the knitting machine.. I've worked out how to use it properly now, just needed to figure some little tricks to make the process smoother. This is worked with a e-wrap cast on 50 stitches wide, tension 9 with a 4ply yarn. It's actually a really good machine and I'm enjoying using it.

This is the second blank I dyed, a combination of food dyes and the yellow is tumeric. Very messy, got dye everywhere really but the finished effect is definitely worth it.

First blank steaming away to set the dye... the colours mixed a bit but I'm very happy that it didn't just turn into a big muddy brown. Such vibrant colours!

I'm going to turn them into this pair of mitts: Circle mitts
After trying this technique I'm so excited to try making more for other knitting projects like shawls and socks and maybe even vests and jumpers! Having a knitting machine is so very useful :) All thanks to me dear Oscar for giving it to me for my birthday. I must knit him some socks on it.

In progress this week:

• Indonesian musician batik tunic
• xmas presents....
• lava flow cowl - about 90% at this stage now
• Summit shawl - Pattern

Finished this week:

• Kittyville hat
• Mitten blanks

Another baby blanket!

 

So one of my friends is having a baby in January and I decided the perfect gift would be a nice cosy warm woollen blanket. This one is made completely from scraps of fabric, leftover from old projects. Twas so very satisfying to chop through these squares...

Started it on Saturday and the top is nearly complete, just 4 more strips of squares to add now.
If you look closely you can see individual crosses with contrasting centres, almost like flowers. Going to use the self biding technique from here: Milkybeer for the edges, instead of bias like I usualy do. After this one is done, I should really do some xmas presents..

Busy busy busy! Picture heavy post

So I've been sick and busy with organising life (mainly renting for next year - ugh!) But feeling better and things are looking more positive now. Not much sewing going on these days, can't seem to get back into it :/ But I might as well post pictures of the Macbeth costumes!

It was great fun to be involved in this project and the people were a joy to work with, you guys rock!
Thanks to Sophie Macduff for helping out when I needed it and getting me into this project in the first place!
This is the first time I have made costumes for a play and it was amazing to see them worn onstage by the actors.

All pictures and designs (C) Nina Duke Howard 2013

Hecate's dress, by far the most fun to make! The pointy bits are held up by feathers which are threaded through the bias binding. Designed to have the look of a corset but with much more room to breathe.

2nd witches costume, badger witch! Had fun making the fur sit wildly on the shoulders and adding a sleeve to one side.

1st witches costume, Wild cat witch. Drafted from scratch this one had a completely different style. The shiny fabric on the sleeves and claw like additions on the neck really caught the light on stage.

3rd witches costume, Owl witch. This one was done last and suitably rushed a fair bit, it got changed a lot at the last minute and looks quite different now. Better actually!

It has feather stems in the shoulders to help hold them up, a bit like wings.

And now onstage! Yay! The headress was an impressive addition to the dress, really brought Hecate's goddess like character alive :) The dress fit her perfectly.

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Dry ice cauldron/keg looked very convincing on the night, everything was blue light creating a sinister atmosphere. (media speak coming through here)

The photos that I was allowed to take on dress rehearsal night turned out very dark indeed, not sure if they show the costumes to their full potential, but that's what the witches scenes were meant to be like.

Ah you witches were fantastic, such sly cackling you did!

Macbeth and the witches with projection in the background.

 Hope to do more costume work with the Globe in the future! What fun it was, and good practice for my dressmaking skills. The most satisfying part was taking people's measurements and creating clothing that fit them, without fittings, but having them fit perfectly anyway. I didn't know I could do that before :)

Off to bake some bread and play accordion, then I have a whole evening to do crafty stuff, sewing and knitting again!

In progress this week:

• Kittyville hat - for watching adventure time in, need a cute hat for that. Rav link
• Lava flow cowl (nearly finished I think)
• Knitting machine - teaching myself how to do different techniques and having less problems i.e knitting coming off the machine and unravelling itself. Can now do a proper non-raveling hem and cast off.
• Accordion - teaching myself Amelie songs, two half learned now meaning that I know how to play them, but my technique isn't up to speed yet. Here's a link of a talented accordionist playing this beautiful music: La Valse d'amelie
• Sewing............ anybody there? Actually a quilted knitting machine cover made with this quilt: Flower hexagon quilt

Finished this week:

• Nada. Life has taken over but I am still doing creative things, how else does one stay sane?