Conor Thackray - living with it

This week has been a mixture of highs and lows, the most recent low? Getting absolutely sodden walking lil knit wit to nursery today (he had enough sense to request his pram and rain cover) the most recent high? 

One of my very good friends is releasing his own album! And I had the pleasure of doing the album artwork! 

Conor is a very talented guitarist who I've known since.... Well a long dammed time! He also really likes wolves hence the artwork. 

I had great fun doing this for him , mainly because he didn't really know what he wanted , and do this idea immediately popped into my head! 

I'm a huge fan of the self release of albums, I think it's a great way for musicians to get their music heard. Speaking of which if you'd like to have a little listen to the rough drafts of his SELF WRITTEN (oh yeah, he writes himself, even one direction don't do that) songs then you can find them here : https://soundcloud.com/conor-thackray

Although if you want the super duper spiffy versions you'll need to buy the album at a very reasonably priced £3! 

And you can also find him on Facebook Conor 1N Thackray 

Can't really put into words how proud of him I am 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

Everything I touch withers and dies...

Okay so I've been patch working (by hand) and knitting furiously but it never fails to surprise me just how long these things take by hand! Although saying that I did manage to crack out 30 rows on my blanket whilst starting to watch pretty little liars on Netflix. I was genuinely gutted when call the midwife ended, I think I could have watched it forever! I mean it's one born every minute crossed with downtown abbey what's not to love. 

But anyhow, summer is most definitely here (my nose is blocked, stupid hay fever) and I've been treated to a new haircut! 

I love the part after the haircut where your hairs all soft and goddessy, no matter what I do the next time I wash it it's never quite as soft or swishy! But yes I have a new wig and I'm soooooo glad! I missed my fringe so much! 

In other news I've been starting a little garden, on my windowsill, because when I plant things they die.

This was my first plant, it's a Venus fly trap that I brought from home base for 20p because it was dying, and I made it grow! I saved a plants life! And I called him vinny. 

I've only seen him eat one bug though, maybe he's broken. 

This was my second plant, terry the tomato plant (please stop judging me for naming them) I also brought this one part grown, and for some reason he always looks droopy. 

Then I pushed the boat out and actually planted something! (There was mud and everything)

And some of the sweetpeas are starting to poke through! 

My strawberry plant however has not been very successful

Two weeks and it's still just a pot of mud. 

I think I killed it! 

But anyway here's my blanket so far, I'm having to do a block of solids in the middle because of a yarn shortage, but I think it's a pretty cool effect. 

Much love

Frankie

X

Lazy patchwork summer days

I don't have much to report to be honest, my patchwork hexagon project is growing steadily. 

And so far I'm loving how it looks, it's got some of my favourite fabrics in it. 

Last scraps of this floral

Some silky fabric left over from an old school project

Suede from a dress I made a little while ago

Some of the fabric I used on my first lilou dress! 

And a little bit of the brodiere anglaise fabric from my second Megan blouse! 

I love patchwork it's perfect for using up little bits of fabric left over from dressmaking projects! 

Although I do hate it when this happens! 

I did consider unpicking it, but I don't think it bothers me that much? At least I hope it won't! I'm definitely keeping at as a hexagon shape, I think it'll be quite nice as an unusual shape! 

In other news, little KnitWit is back at nursery and will be doing a full day this week! I'm absolutely wetting myself! I haven't been alone all day in a long time

Much love

Frankie

Xx

English paper piecing

I'm currently English paper piecing or EPP as the blog going world sometimes calls it, is the first type of patchwork I was ever taught. Back then I used my momma bears method but since then I've tweaked it to suit my lazy ways ! 

Note : please don't see this as a tutorial, it's more just a "this is how I find it easiest" sort of thing! 

First of all you need your supplies, needle and thread, pin, fabric square and your shape (I'm using hexagons). I make my shapes from card or thick paper, because I think they last longer and give a crisper edge. As you can tell I've cut up ukips pamphlet here..... Ahem says everything really. 

Pin shape to fabric square (your fabric should be bigger than your shape, I tend to go for 1cm as a rule but have been known to go smaller for really nice fabric scraps!

Fold your first two sides in! 

And secure with a couple of stitches. Do NOT sew through the card! 

Fold your next edge, and do a quick running stitch to it then secure with a few stitches. 

Keep going and voila! 

This method differs from how I was taught because we used to see through the card, however the beauty of this method is that you can reuse you card shapes, and leave you tacking stitches in because they are not visible from the front. 

Then typically I like to stick them up in groups

Here I've opted for a three colours and a white one sort of pattern. 

Then I slot them in and whip stick them in place. 

I'm blaming my sister for this new project, she kept posting photos of her EPP on Instagram and it made my fingers itch! 

I'm not sure what size it's going to be yet , but I do like the idea of going for an unusual shape! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

The £4 suit, because I'm super classy and stuff!

Okay so I'll start by saying that I found this wool for £4 in a charity shop! There was roughly two metres so I immediately snapped it up. And yes it's proper wool, I did a burn test when I got home and stunk the kitchen out! 

(Please excuse, the terrible posing, bad lighting, grumpy face and crazy hair day I'm having! 

The pattern for the suit jacket came from simplicity k1699 , or at least I think it did? I'm pretty certain? And the skirt pattern came from the second great British sewing bee book, but I added the waistband from my clemence skirt from love at first stitch. 

Okay so let's start with the jacket, the back centre seam has a slight curve for fit (that or I cut it super wonky) and the sleeve has a cute tuck/pleat detail that I couldn't get my head around so I made it up! But it still works so bonus! 

The style is a meet in the middle type jacket? But I always tend to think of them as Chanel jackets! 

I didn't line the jacket (from what I can remember the instructions don't call for it) but I did draft my own facing for the front neck/front/collar area (yeah, drafted my own, LIKE.A.BOSS) and I top stitched my seams down to stop them fraying. I'm not sure if this is an actual method of finishing your seams or a made up Frankie method, but it works so I like it! 

I love the jacket the only change I'd make in the future is to narrow the shoulders , I've been told before that I have no shoulders (yeah I was surprised too, I mean I'm sure my arms hang from something) but I think making the shoulders more narrow should help. 

Next the skirt, as I've already said its a gbsb pencil skirt and I'm gonna say it! Hands down the BEST fitting item I have ever made! EVER! To the point where I wish the zip had an extra inch because the noises I make when I shimmy into this bad boy are not attractive at all! (Note to self: reusing zips, not always the best option) 

Please excuse the crease, I'm taking a break from ironing this week/month/year/life. I also top stitched these seams and lined the waistband with a pretty floral cotton, I skipped the interfacing because the wool was pretty bulky as is. 

It's also a wee bit shorter than other skirts I've made due to lack of fabric, that also explains my complete disregard for pattern matching and I skipped the back vent because I still can get my head around it and life's too short! 

So do I love it? 

YES! I made a £4 suit! I mean seriously! The jackets great , I made a wearable jacket! A jacket I can wear outside! And the skirt is just amazing fit wise! (Strange noises aside) I love the entire look together and as separates! But as a suit it definitely makes me feel like one of those saucy secretary's from the 1950s! I feel like i should have a martini and seduce the boss! 

"Any paper work need doing today?"

Much love

Frankie

Xxx

Home and away!

Okay so I finally pressed my finished dress. 

Yes it's another Megan dress from love at first stitch! But this time it's in a polycotton tartan print from Minerva fabrics. 

Looks a lil like this don't ya think? 

Yep those are the school uniforms from home and away! Good job I opted against drafting my own collar huh! 

But anyway back to the dress, can you see my pattern matching error at the waist? I can. Everytime I see it, it makes me sad, when I saw what had happened I nearly cried. 

I am pretty pleased about the matching across the sleeve though. And my top stitching on the neckline. 

The belt hides my pattern mistake! 

That's a proper invisible zip right there! Treated myself to a new foot! And you wouldn't even know it was there if I had got the print lined up! I mean it's like 5mm out! 

This dress had been a real dammed test, I love the pattern , I love the fabric, then I hated the fabric (note to self : pattern matching in two directions is hard work!) then I hated the zip! Then I hated the matching across the back!

But all in all I'm pleased , the hills aren't alive with the sound of music, but it is a pretty wearable dress, and I've learnt a lot from the experience! 

Much love

Frankie

X

But I'm bored!

Mr knitwit has a whole week off! His Rita now works so that every third week he has a huge chunk of time off! It's lovely, and also really bloody annoying. It's kind of like having a child during the summer holidays "I'm bored" , "there's nothing on TV", "what shall we do today?", "I'm hungry" so yes it's lovely spending time together but it's also like having two children! 

It's also means I haven't had much time for sewing, I've got a jacket half made but I've decided to finish it differently so that's waiting. And I've got a dress to blog about I just need to find the motivation to iron it and photograph it! 

My knittings been pretty slow going as well, I'm starting to regret those extra 50 stitches! 

In other news! I went out for a lovely dinner with lil knitwit my parents, my sister and her husband! I actually tried something different on the menu (I'm notoriously  stuck in my ways) and lil knitwit tried, mayonnaise, brown sauce and mustard. He was NOT a fan of the mustard. 

And my sister took this lovely photo of us together 

Whilst my mother opted to capture these moments. 

And then she decided to post them to Facebook

My street cred is in tatters.....

She did manage to capture this sleep though so I might forgive her! 

"Mummy look it's a hand!"

Much love

A very uncrafty

For the moment at least 

Frankie

Xxx

Oh what a wonderful morning!

Good morning sunshine! Can we just take a moment to appreciate the glorious weather we are having here in England! I mean seriously I didn't even take a coat out yesterday! 

Although we didn't stay out for long due to me having a very unfortunate headache, luckily after some fresh air in the garden it went away! Oh yeah folks I did gardening! Well actually mainly I just whined about gardening but still! And we even sorted out the shed and got rid of loads of crap, "what's this metal pole for?" 

"I dunno?"

"Shall we keep it?"

"Nah bin it, if we haven't needed it for three years we won't need it now" 

And we put some carpet down for the bunny rabbit! Yep that's right, CARPET! It's mainly so he doesn't wreck the shed floor or get too cold in winter! 

In other news I received these beauties last week! 

Copies of both of hybrid.9 albums! Which I did the cover art for! On both of them (insert proud face) 

This is the first album

But this is the best bit! 

IM ON THE THANKYOUS! 

And here's album number two! 

I love the lil tiny devil on the inside! 

I'm thinking about putting them up on the wall at some point, especially as there should be two more from other artists to add soon! 

Lil knitwit wanted in on the action! 

The band hybrid.9 can be found here https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hybrid9/134324729920507

They really are excellent, I know I'm biased but it's true! 

Right I'm off the recover from yesterday's run because we might be going for a bike ride later.... Oh you saw me slip that in there did you? I ran, LET THE WORLD KNOW I RAN! I do sometimes feel like if I don't let everyone know then it might not have happened, sort of like the tree falling in the woods thing? 

Anyway, my big sister, who is older than me and basically a medical marvel ran 10k which made me realise that if the zombie apocalypse comes  she'll be able to run faster, further and for longer than me. 

And I'd much rather they ate her first.

Anyway it's given me the boot up my arse to actually take care of my self and not to just consider my body to be a chocolate hole. Or pizza hole, or doughnut hole........

Anyway if you haven't gathered, I'm stupidly proud of her especially since she was super poorly about three weeks before as well. She's such a star! 

Much love

Frankie

Xxx