Thursday 17 October 2013

'Jamaica Inn'

Great excitement here in my local town. The market square is being used as a film set for a production of 'Jamaica Inn'. The details about the production are here if you are interested, but below are some shots I took yesterday during a rehearsal - there seemed to be a lot of standing around going on! I think they are also filming around the church and by our famous little bridge 'Devil's Bridge' as well.

It was great to be able to get up close to the set, these fabric stalls are just in the background but I loved all the detail.
This one below is selling lace and ribbon
It was cold and overcast yesterday, so the horses had their blankets on until everything started
Just waiting......

Then action ..... as a rehearsal with the cameras started (hope they take the TV aerials out!)
I must re-read the book now.

Tuesday 15 October 2013

Reconstructed cloth

Well, really it is a reconstructed T shirt. When our eldest daughter M was home a few weeks ago she asked if I could help her to alter a T shirt. She wanted to be able to turn a mans T shirt into something that would fit her, as she often prefers the designs on mens shirts to women's. So we had a look on the internet and found a tutorial and on the spur of the moment had a go!

We used her dads old red T shirt to practice on - and it turned out pretty well......

Following the tutorial, we first laid a shirt of M's on top of the red one using it as a pattern and matched up the necklines and shoulder seams then pinned the two shirts together so they wouldn't slip. Then cut the sleeves from the red shirt to use later.
We drew around the black shirt allowing for the side seams and for a turn up at the bottom.
We also marked a seam allowance where the sleeve will fit .....
...... and it was ready to be cut out.
Then we took the red sleeves, which we had cut off earlier, and pinned the black T shirt onto them matching the already hemmed sleeve edges, and again marked around the sleeves adding a seam allowance and cut them out.
So now we had all the pieces cut out.
Next, we opened out the T shirt body and pinned the sleeves into each armhole with right sides facing and sewed around the sleeve using the stretch stitch on the machine.
Once both sleeves were in place, with the shirt still inside out, we matched the sleeve and side seams and started sewing from the sleeve edge all the way to the bottom of the shirt on each side. Then turned up the bottom hem and stitched. 

The ta-dah moment! - fits pretty well! 

She was very please with the way it went together, and feels confident enough to try again - but will  practice again with an old T shirt to get the fit just right. 

I think my old sewing machine may have a lovely new home soon!

Saturday 12 October 2013

Finished

Finally finished, this knit seems to have been on the go all summer...


.... just in time for the colder weather to keep my feet warm when walking the dog!
Made using Wendy Roam Fusion 4ply wool. I was given a free pattern with the wool, but adapted it a bit to make the leg longer. 
Starting at the cuffs, I thought I had managed to match the wool for the second sock - oh well never mind!

Friday 11 October 2013

I went to Yarndale!

I went to Yarndale - Yarndale is all true and not just a dream! The Yarndale team did a magnificent job and deserve all the praise and kind words that have been written on many many blogs.  I had a fantastic day.  I had a day out on my own, but everyone was so willing to chat and the stall holders were so free with their time and expertise that I really just got caught up in the moment! I know there are lots of photographs of Yarndale, but I wanted to record my own as well.







I did take time in the middle of the day to walk across the park and into town. It was such a lovely sunny afternoon, and I enjoyed my stroll looking at the yarn bombing in the park. I made my way along the canal and went to visit 'The Studio', and met lovely Tracy from Patchwork Chickens and saw the studio that she shares with Lucy from Attic 24







I did purchase a few goodies - I was very good as I could have bought far more :-) I went for this lovely hand dyed marino 4ply and some needles and hope to be making this lovely jumper - but not for a while as I have another on my to do list first. The lady on the stand was great and gave me some good advice as she had knitted the same jumper!

A grand day out!

Thursday 3 October 2013

View from my window - September

September, a busy month for me. Lots going on with birthdays and celebrations! Outside, however, things are slowing down a little, there is a change to the season with autumnal colours just beginning to creep in. Although the photos below don't really show it very well, there are splashes of red from the berries on the hawthorne bushes, and the wood is beginning to show some yellow/orange leaves.



Towards the end of the month we have had some strong, but warm, winds blowing down from the fell which has bought down quite a lot of leaves and a few branches in the garden. It has left everywhere looking a bit dried out and shrivelled.