Stuff n Sew

Just to top it off a good renaissance costume needs a muffin cap.

2011-12-31T22:24:00.000+11:00

This is an out of print pattern I have in my collection McCall's 4806 medieval and renaissance hats. I made view D the muffin cap and added some bling with silver and black gimp braid, brown velvet ribbon and an ostrich feather. You can curl feathers using the back of closed scissors and running the blade long the feather's spine.

This hat has a band and a large circle of fabric to form the crown. I had to piece the crown together using to semi circles as I wanted to use up scraps of materials left over the skirt. I made a small pocket in the trim to hold the feathers and stitched the pocket closed to hold the feathers in place.

Renaissance project finished this year!

2011-12-31T21:44:00.000+11:00

I never thought I would finish this project just in time to see in the new year.

Well this is how it turned out. I know that my patience ran out at a few stages during construction may be resulting in a less than perfect finish. However, what are you going to do when you have university deadlines, planning for Christmas and organizing a social club? Do the best you can with the time you've got. To a costumer, there are a couple of things that you keep in mind when making a project. Do you want it wearable? Do you want it perfect? Do you have enough time to make it to the standard you want? If you don't have enough time you have to sacrifice construction standards and make it so that it is presentable and wearable. So that's what I've had to settle for with this project. Although most people liked it who have seen it are not sewers and may be only have experience in sewing on a button. But I am greatful for the encouragement. I must add that all of the trim had to be sewn on by hand as there is no machine foot that I know of that will sew gimp braid to satin or brocade. When making up the skirt I used a wide zig zag stitch and some 12 gage embroidery cotton with a cording foot to make gathering a one step operation. Leave a long tale on the embroidery thread and wind around a pin and start stitching with a back stitch. Then as you stitch just inside the seam allowance feed the embroidery/upholstery thread through the cording foot's guide. End once again by back stitching and leave a long tail on the upholstery thread. Pull the long thread tails and adjust the size of the waist band and the gathers. Secure the thread tails and attach the waist band. This way is so much easier than doing a double row of 5mm stitches and trying gather by pulling the bobbin threads. This skirt does differ from the pattern because of the box pleat in the brocade panel. This was necessary because the brocade was thick and difficult to gather. I also used a trouser closure bars on the waist band instead of the standard eyelets and lacing because this skirt is quite heavy. To make sure the skirt placket stays closed I used a press closure so that no surprises happened while dancing and feasting.

New sewing project gets me excited.

2011-10-13T20:51:00.003+11:00

It's time to make the matching renaissance skirt for the black velvet and silver brocade bodice. I have just finished copying the pattern pieces onto poly trace to make a toile for fitting. The fabrics chosen for this skirt is black satin and the silver brocade.

Here is a line drawing of McCalls M4090 and it's view C that's being made. Opposite it a photo of my calico I have made of view C with the trim pinned on as an experiment in placement. I hope to have this finished over the Christmas period.

Sydney Fabric Shopping

2011-09-10T19:19:00.000+10:00

One of the walls of trims at Pitt Trading.

I was in Sydney today and was able to visit one of my favourite outlet stores. Pitt Trading in Ramsgate source their stock by buying fabric over runs from designers and manufacturers. They have the greatest range of trims in Sydney. I was so glad that I went there today as I picked up some lovely lace yardage for an under blouse for a Titanic tea gown project for next year. Also I bought some lovely black medium weight satin to make a skirt for my renaissance bodice that is just about complete. I do so love creating matching outfits and it's certainly challenging to get the project under budget and cut down my fabric stash. So when I go to Sydney the prices there are readily better than what I find in Canberra. As we only have 3 fabric stores here and the prices can be disappointing when creating on a budget.

Renaissance & Fantasy bodice just about finished.

2011-09-10T19:09:00.001+10:00

As mentioned in my last post I had begun assembling a renaissance & fantasy bodice for a vacation sewing project in June. I am glad to say that after nearly 3 months snatching time in between studying that it may be finished in October 2011. All of the silver and black gimp braid has been applied to the silver brocade and black velvet bodice. The trim gives it such a nice sparkle and lifts it out of the ordinary.

I am very new to working with fitted garments and have decided to work with a dressmaker to get my measurements and fitting formula fine tuned for future projects. So check back every now and then to see what I have learned.

Oh it's June and where has my sewing time gone?

2011-06-02T17:20:00.000+10:00

I am finally on university vacation! This means I get to sew again! How I love to sew. Having a break from something I love really makes me appreciate it. I've decided to go into my stash and do a stash busting project. I collect fabric cut offs from different shops when I go on holidays. As my part of the world is sooooo limited as to choice places to buy fabric. I am sure I get charged an arm and a leg because there are very few fabric stores here.

So I have decided to make McCall's M4994. This pattern is out of print but I bought a copy a long time ago when I was a dress size larger. The first thing was to find out how to grade the pattern a size smaller to a 12. For a quick way to grade a pattern up or down I recommend this site: http://blog.megannielsen.com/2009/04/easy-pattern-grading/ I found this method really easy and no cutting and taping pieces together. I am now up to sewing the calico to work out the fit before I do the real one in velvet and silver vine brocade.

JAFA Time and adventures in lace.

2011-04-01T13:23:00.000+11:00

No this post is not about the little orange candy coated chocolate balls called JAFFAS! Rather, it is Jane Austen Festival Australia time in Canberra. This year's contribution to the festival by yours truly is a torchon lace demonstration and taster session. This year my students have a discussion about lace in the regency era. While the festival concentrates mainly on English fashions, we shouldn't forget that goods were also being imported/smuggled in too. Then we will have a go at making a simple piece of torchon lace. The project is a very simple one; as I do not know if any of the students have made lace before.

The lucky participants in my demonstration will be able to work a cloth lace book worm with beaded eyes. There will be four pillows for students to learn how to do cloth stitch. I hope my students will enjoy themselves.

Demonstration Day: Friday, 15th of March 2011
Time: 11am - 12:15pm
Where: Jane Austen Festival of Australia - Canberra.

March 2011 round up.

2011-03-22T17:51:00.000+11:00

Well it may be a little early to write up March but I thought I would like to share this with you.
The National Library of Australia celebrated the digitisation of 50 years of the Australian Women's Weekly. The Weekly as it is affectionately called by the readers was the first magazine published especially for Australian women. The NLA held a vintage afternoon tea and yours truly snatched a ticket to the launch of the online archive see: http://www.trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result?q=Australian+Women%27s+Weekly It is truly a snapshot of fifty years of food, fashion, social commentary and trends. For those of you who love fashion imagine looking at photos/line art of a dress from 1956 in full colour. The ABC News team was in attendance and made a report of all the vintage loveliness for the 7pm news. See: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/03/02/3153464.htm I hope you enjoyed looking at vintage Australian fashion and on TV. See you after the Jane Austen Festival. See: Jane Austen Festival Australia

Tudor Smock is Finished

2011-02-23T20:19:00.004+11:00

Hello to all my costuming friends,
I am so glad to have this project just finished and only needing the ties for the cuffs and collar.
I will buy some cordage to use as ties for the cuffs and collar. Once the pattern draft was made into a working pattern it was very quick to construct.

This smock has the under arm gore set in to the side gores. It gives a nice line and the over all fit is good. Thank you to Diamond for suggesting this design modification.

The lace on the cuffs and collar is hand made using bobbin lace techniques. The lace pattern is copied from a portrait of Lady Drake and was reinterpreted by Gill Dye. See my previous post on this lace: http://rosiesstuffnsew.blogspot.com/2008/06/elizabethan-ruff-lace.html

The embroidery on the cuffs and collar was done on my sewing machine with a polyester stabiliser. I found that using quilting gloves helped me have extra grip on the linen and the stabiliser layers while doing the machine embroidery.

I am really happy with my first attempt at a self drafted Tudor smock. I think my next one will be even better.

What's next? I guess at some stage I will make a Tudor kirtle to go over the top of my smock. I think I have some peach pink, yellow and blue linen in my stash. I will have to investigate that at some other stage.

Tudor Smock Muslin

2011-02-04T20:20:00.004+11:00

Here is my muslin of the Tudor smock that is the current project. I've made it using my measurements. Ease has been changed from 8" in the book to 4". As I am a small person.

There are only a few changes to make. 1. Make it longer about 145cm in total length. 2. Change the sleeve length to take into account the extra 2" added to the arm syke. So that the cuff will sit on my wrist.
3. Make the gores longer to allow for the sleeve length.

This is my second foray into custom measured pattern making. I am learning a lot through making mistakes and reading good reference books on construction. Hopefully I will be able to make a little more complicated project from scratch when university goes on break again.

Enjoy your costuming it improves your mind.

Until next time.

Tudor Smock going slow.

2011-01-22T21:37:00.002+11:00

The Tudor smock's construction has hit a snag. I have to redraft the pattern to take out most of the ease as it is too big for me. This won't be happening until February when summer session for university finishes. I will be so glad to pick up a needle and thread again!

Tudor Smock

2011-01-01T21:28:00.003+11:00

Finally after 12 months, I have been able to make a start on making the toil for this smock. It took so long as I was learning pattern making and doing embroidery for the black work. I decided I would go one step further and make an authentic style of bobbin lace as well. So maybe I will get it finished this month.

To see what the lace looks like click on the link below:
http://rosiesstuffnsew.blogspot.com/2008/06/elizabethan-ruff-lace.html

This will take you to the original post about the lace.

Victorian Inspiration - a beautiful way with trim

2010-12-03T20:54:00.009+11:00

You can achieve beautiful effects with trimmings with time and patience of course.

The trimming I chose to work with was silver Russian braid. This braid needs to be hand sewn on to your item if you choose to do a complicate pattern. The pattern is based on an braiding pattern from an 1860's ladies journal.

I had to change the dimensions a little to fit with the skirt's dimensions. Every centimeter of braid was hand sewn on the bottom hem side of the skirt. However, the skirt band was a different matter. I found that you can sew loops on using a machine providing the top edge of the loops has a semi-straight edge. As you sew use a bamboo skewer to push the braid under the sewing machine foot as you go. Each loops tail was pinned and sewn using the same technique.

While sewing on to the black felted wool I chose two different types of threads. The garden pattern was back stitched on with a very light gray thread cotton thread. While the loops on the skirt band was machine stitched on with clear nylon thread.

Click here to see skirt: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs472.ash2/74529_1724402675604_1404485804_31899814_4885380_n.jpg

Elizabethan Ruff Lace

2010-10-09T20:00:00.002+11:00

The bobbin lace is off my pillow and has been for a while. The smock is the next project. However, I have to finish a black wool straight skirt with a silver russian braid pattern. I have 3 pattern elements to go and then to sew up the skirt. If you can be patient you may get to see the smock finished in January 2011.

Let me know if you would like close ups of the bobbin lace.

A project in a weekend.

2010-10-04T19:49:00.008+11:00

Believe it or not it is possible to complete a historical sewing project in a weekend. A small half circle caplet is the ticket to adding icing to your out fit.

I based my caplet on a extent one from a friend's collection. The soutache [russian] braid design is based on this photos from Fashion History dot com. http://www.fashion-era.com/images/ALLSMALLPICS/1897capebands400x55a_small1.jpg

I wanted to use soutache braid on my caplet. It's one of the authentic ways of trimming your caplet. However, there is one rule when using this braid. Always sew your braid on before you piece your garment together. So careful making out with chalk or water soluble pen of your design is essential. Usually this trim is applied by hand but if you are time strapped there is a way around it. However, you must accept that the trim design can only be simple.

Yes, you can sew this trim on by machine! I can hear you saying how?? Please tell me! My satin stitch foot enabled me to feed the soutache braid and sew it to the fabric. You must line up the farrow of the braid with the center of your foot and have your needle position also in the center.
There is one more adjustment you need to make. Change the amount of downward force exerted on your pressure foot. I decreased the setting to the lowest my machine had. This is to decrease drag on the fabric as you sew. Set your stitch length for usual stitch you use to do straight stitching. I suggest you take a scrap of fabric and braid and have a practice run before you start sewing on your lovely wool. This will help you adjust the settings on your machine to get the best possible result.

Okay this is great but how about those sharp corners? You can do sharp corners with this technique too. You need to fold the braid over itself and push the braid in front of the needle as you turn your fabric; while lifting your pressure foot. Position your braid and fabric in the direction of sewing and start sewing again.

Well my caplet has a leaf design on the corners and at the base of the neck. These were hand sewn using back stitching. Like I said if you want a complicated design you have to hand sew on all that trimming. Well this way you still get something nice but faster.

Well I guess I won't be visiting the 1890's for a while. As the undergarments, outer garments, dinner bodice and caplet finish this decade. I have gloves, parasol and two hats to choose from as accessories.

However, there still is my black skirt with silver trimming to finish. I won't even think about my Elizabethan smock until the skirt is done. Well that is something to look forward too.

Thanks for reading.

Working with Soutache Braid

2010-09-16T21:51:00.004+10:00

Soutache braid was a common trim during Victorian times used to decorate items of apparel. I thought I would try it out on a medium black felted wool fabric panel. The easiest way to trace the pattern on was to print it out. Place the traced pattern, then the tailor's chalk paper and pinned all this on to the fabric. Use a clover tracing wheel to trace the complete pattern. Afterwards I used a quilter's pencil to fill in the lightest traced lines.

The pattern I am using is adapted from an 1860's ladies home journal. These popular ladies magazines brought the latest fashions to ladies engaged in home duties at the time. Off the peg clothing was not available at it is today. So every piece of clothing except for those with a large pocket book had to sew every piece of wardrobe themselves. So the more adept you are with needle skills the more decorative your clothes would be.

This particular braid is made from mylar woven around two cotton cores. It is fiddly to work with and you have to crease it under or over itself to get sharp corners. The motif is pinned before being placed in a hoop lap framed. Then the motif is stitched down with small back stitches.

This is the back panel from a black felted wool skirt. I washed the black wool fabric and then tumbled dried it on low to get it to shrink and felt up. This panel is 1/2 finished.

New Pattern Acquisitions Today

2010-08-19T19:20:00.012+10:00

I am an opportunist when it comes to pattern sales. I have found sometimes that it is cheaper and easier to buy pattern direct by passing local and interstate retailers. Especially when Club BMV have internet sales on current patterns or close outs on discontinued lines.

Today's new acquisitions for the pattern stash are:

My tailor often oohs and aahs at the patterns I bring her. She says to me that is $X.XX in the shops how do you get it at a good price.

A couple of tips I have for people out there. Join the Big Four's {Vogue, Butterick,McCAlls and Simplicity} email lists. You will get notified when they are having crazy sales, discontinued pattern close outs or just want to get rid of low stocks. Here from Australia our dollar is good against the green back. Keep a wish list of the pattern numbers you are interested in. So when you get notified of a sale buy 3 patterns at a time. You spread your cost of the postage between the 3 patterns. The most I have paid per pattern is about AUS$ 16 per pattern. So far I have over 50 patterns in my stash. Some of them are mundane clothes others are costumes.

Another tip to share. When you come to make up a pattern get some Kwik Trace or Poly Trace. If you buy your Poly Trace from a quilt store get sewing weight not paper weight. This way you can make your adjustments and sew up the copy. Your original paper pattern is intact and you can sell it off on Ebay, Etsy or Oznation. If you have other tips to share about pattern collecting please leave a comment at the end of this post.

Knitting blue silk stockings update.

2010-07-23T15:02:00.002+10:00

One finished and another one to go. Currently I am knitting the cuff. Since I understand the pattern better this one should knit up faster.

1893 Jacket is complete

2010-07-23T14:43:00.005+10:00

Dear Readers,
My 1893 jacket is finished. I am happy because I can now draft items from reprints of costume books and alter them to fit me! Well I know this jacket will fit me. As for anyone else that will be a new pattern draft.

The jacket is lined with bemsilk for comfort and was patiently stitched together over a 3 week period.

The ribbon trim is done with a pleating foot for my singer machine and the vine trim is stitched on top. It's a two stage operation and you need to watch where each piece of trim is being stitched.

I've made may own name label with the alphabet stitching option and pinked it. So now it looks as good as something bought from a shop. This jacket goes with this skirt and looks lovely if I say so myself.

Update on the knitted Silk Hose

2010-07-20T14:48:00.005+10:00

I have just finished knitting a silk hose sock. Now this is just one of a pair. I have started to knit the cuff on the second hose sock. I will be glad when I have a pair. Alas though they probably won't be worn until next winter with my new wool skirt.

A take on 40's hats.

2010-07-08T20:22:00.004+10:00

Here is my take on a 40's felt hat from France. It's inspired by the Jalou Gallery

It's made from a wool felt cone blocked into shape and decorated with stiffened organdy and artificial flowers. I hope you enjoy it.

Vacations and Costuming - learning while you are on holiday

2010-07-08T20:18:00.002+10:00

Recently I returned from Melbourne. I was fortunate enough to see the http://www.johnstoncollection.org/. It is a Victorian Era House museum in the heart of Melbourne. It's has various lectures and the antique display of furniture and collectibles changes every 3 months. It made me realize that we live in bigger houses now and much more stuff! I saw two lovely regency portraits featuring a married couple in appropriate attire. I'll just have to remember the pelisse the lady wore as it's similar to what I would like to make.

I also had the privilege of attending HATS OFF MELBOURNE for 3 days to learn from professional milliners. Things I learned were making silk flowers two ways, felting, attended a historical trimmings class and hastily made a stuffed bird. I really loved the Dyeing to meet you class to learn about different dyes and how to use them. My favorite class was Richart Naylor's Fabulous Feathers, learning how to manipulate feathers into the shape you want. He had so much to tell us and my hand cramped up taking so many notes.

So down to earth now but my head is full of ideas and it wants to explode. I'll just have to buy a artist's journal to draw everything! But learning to draw is another story.

Recreating Victorian Fashion.

2010-06-12T21:05:00.006+10:00

My current costuming project has been resizing a original Victorian Jacket design with a Spanish flair.

The tissue mock up is finished and I've just got to do the calico of it.

You can see a copy of the jacket I am making at this url:

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs575.snc3/31341_1493523703774_1404485804_31354236_1955047_s.jpg

A photo of the pattern is here:

The heal has been turned and NOW for the foot.

2010-06-11T10:15:00.002+10:00

That's right folks, I completed the heal panel and picked up the stitches along the edges. Now I am knitting my foot. This is just on sock. I'll have to knit the other sock to have a pair.

Knitting blue silk stockings

2010-05-27T11:31:00.004+10:00

I tend to switch from lace making to knitting during the winter months of the year. This year's sock project is silk stockings.

I can't think of something more satisfying to wear than hand knitted socks. I wish I had more pairs of them for winter. I've gone off commercially knitted fine wool socks as they just rub away at the heals and you can't fix them. So each winter I will knit socks. I've decided to try knitting a lace panel down the back of the stocking like in this photo:

Since it's my first go it won't be perfect but I would be happy with it any way.

Knitting with silk sock yarn. What a crazy idea! I had some in my wool stash as it was a present to myself - didn't spend all my india trip money.

It makes up in to crisp stitches and is a bit slippery to work with. I prefer to knit on bamboo double knitting pins as my hands don't get so tired working the pattern. I've used steel double knitting pins before and my hands get tired quickly.

Right now I am around the ankle getting ready to turn the heal. I started this sock around Anzac Day. Fingers crossed I will have them finished before summer.

Textile Fibre Forum Article Published.

2010-05-18T20:09:00.004+10:00

Don't miss your copy of this months Textile Fibre Forum - Vol. 2 No 98, May 2010.

My article covers my experiences traveling through Gujurat. Visiting various tribes, artisans and museums.

"Textiles of Gujurat". Get your own copy of Textile Fibre Forum Vol.2 No. 98 - May 2010. See: http://www.tafta.org.au/ or buy your copy from your good newsagent.

Next trip leaves in Jan 2010.

Jane Austen Festival Australia over for another year.

2010-04-24T19:18:00.005+10:00

Well JAFA for this year is over. I had a good time over all. It was nice to see other members of The Australian Costumers Guild. Time to have a bit of a break from the regency era. But that won't stop me from doing research though. Anyone have information on silk ribbon embroidery in the regency era? I want to make a green spencer with ribbon embroidery embelishment. If anyone can help please pop a comment in the comment box.

I taught my regency day cap workshop. All enjoyed it and thought the notes I wrote were thorough in detail. The festival event organizer, Mrs Aylwen Garden said I was a dream to work with.

If you would like a copy of the notes for the regency day cap. Please email me, they will be available for a small donation. As a Electronic copy in PDF format. This doesn't include the pattern but gives the required conversions to draft one yourself. The notes include photos and instructions on how to construct it using period techniques.

Don't miss the next issue of Textile Fibre Forum Magazine

2010-03-23T11:08:00.003+11:00

If you would like to see I and Barbara Mullin's article on our trip to India last year. Don't forget to pick up the May 2010 issue of the Textile Fibre Forum Magazine. Sold in all good newsagents. I have the pre pub proofs and I am so excited about sharing my Indian Tour with you.

http://www.tafta.org.au/subscriptions.html

Uncovered hair a sign of ill breeding?

2010-03-20T19:48:00.004+11:00

We leave the house today and go where ever we please. Mostly it's without any sort of head covering at all. We would have been considered hussies in the Regency period! Women wore caps in the house and out of doors under their bonnets.

I am presenting a late regency era bonnet cap at the 2010 JAFA festival in Canberra. For those who don't know JAFA is the Jane Austen Festival of Australia. It's held the weekend after easter every year.

I have 12 lucky participants who are going to make there own. The photo above show's you what they are making on the day.

Experiments in dyeing flat felt sheeting.

2010-02-26T15:10:00.003+11:00

I bought some beige industrial felt last year to make some hats out of. I decided I didn't want all my hats to be beige. So I got out the Idye colour remover and some domestos bleach. I gave the large swatch 2 treatments with the colour remover and 1 with the bleach. It became lighter coloured than the tan it was. So I had some Idye Torquise in my stash and decided to experiement with it.

I decided I would try to get some stripes into the felt. So I pleated it and tied it tightly with cotton kitchen twine. I dumped it into the dye bath as per packet directions and adjitated the felt around for about 20 mins. To make sure the felt picked up as much as the dye as possible. I thought I would show you what happened.

It went a greeny blue with some light stripes where the folds were. I think it will be a nice colour for a forties felt hat. I won't have time to make it now though. It's festival season and I am busy preparing for a class.

5 repeats of lace left.

2010-02-15T22:17:00.005+11:00

Yes, my elizabethan lace is finally, nearly, close to being finished. However, this is amidst of a making a regency bonnet cap from scratch along with writing instructions. Not to mention getting an exhibit together for the Photoaccess Postcard show. The Postcard show will run until the 21st of February. See www.photoaccess.org.au for exhibition details. Also I recently started a Italian flat pattern making course at the fashion school. So talk about busy, busy busy.

2 Metres of Lace

2010-02-01T17:11:00.003+11:00

I am almost at the end of making my Elizabethan lace. I have 2 metres nicely tied with a ribbon and only 3o cms more to make. I don't know when I will get to the smock as I am starting a pattern making course for beginners this month.

End of the month round up.

2010-01-23T20:49:00.003+11:00

Okay, most of the hats I've started are done. Except for the felts. I don't have time to look at finishing them yet and I am still researching styles from the 1940's for the lilac hood. I may do something whimsical for the red hood.

I am still working on my Elizabethan Lace. I've completed 1.8 mts and only have another 60cm to make. This will go on the smock I am making for an merchant character from the Tudor Tailor. I've got the linen for the kirtle it's peach. I am still looking into a wool for the gown. I am thinking a green. I've looked into buying wool in Australia vs importing it from the US. Sadly the wool will be cheaper imported.

Some how all this sewing will get done in between making a regency bonnet cap and doing a beginner's pattern drafting course.

Ciao,
Rosie

Naah it can't be a new year?

2010-01-04T20:38:00.003+11:00

Where would I be without a new year. I certainly would not be here. Where is here? Somewhere between Ingleburn and Bowral. Exactly where I'll keep to myself.

However, I can tell you what I am doing. I am spending a whole week learning to make hats. Mostly from sinamay and maybe crinoline. Let's just see how many I get finished. I have a wonderful tutor and venue to work and stay in. I don't think I've been to a better artist's convention yet. The convenors really know how to do this convention well.

On the blocks to day, that is hat blocks; I was show how to block the sinamay in a brim block and crown block. However, not using a collar block though. The blocks were covered with sandwich wrap, dampened and the sinmay stretched and pinned flat around the blocks to get a smooth surface. All pieces were stretched on the bias. That is the really important thing to remember though.

Just because a brim block has a flat oval in the middle doesn't mean you have to put the crown in the centre all the time. When you slip the brim off the block you can use a steam iron to smooth out the flat section using a shoulder roll or a similar implement to make that round. Then you can put your crown off centre if you want to.

Well that's all for now. I going to call it a night. You will have to wait for pictures of the creations made this week. Sorry... I packed everthing else but a camera.

Cheers,
Rosie

Back on the trail of my early henrician smock.

2009-12-08T12:09:00.003+11:00

I've looked at a couple of photos and I've decided to do an early henrician smock and kirtle. I wish I had the time for a over gown but at this stage...... I don't think it is possible. With the Jane Austen Prep to be done and my costume guild promo event at the Craft and Stitches fair. I think I would be biting off more than I could chew.

Anyway here is what I have been thinking of making:

Textile Tour to India

2009-12-01T22:28:00.005+11:00

I have just returned from a textile to India. I visited lots of crafts people in Gujarat. Their main areas of work were, block printing, embroidery, weaving, copper bell making and fabric dyeing. I got some gorgeous needlework samples and saris. Drool! I would go there again with World Expeditions this company really looks after it's travelers on their trips.

On a sad note though. Some of the skills and knowledge of the crafts people is slowly disappearing. As less young people take up their family's traditional occupations the crafts will die out. This is happening in some tribal groups all ready with village heads banning young women making dowry items. Other tribes are giving up on the nomadic way of life. With it the originality and quality of their arts and crafts slowly declining. Money is a strong influence on the crafts people to do less complex craft pieces. We went to a textiles collectors house to see his collection. He showed us some pieces made 20 years ago. These were compared to items made this century. We could clearly see a difference between the two.

My advice get to see traditional crafts in their home country before it disappears.

Native Rasberry Bushes.

2009-11-28T19:04:00.001+11:00

Yes, there are such a thing. Perhaps I may able to get a plant soon. I Just think that they may grow better in the local conditions that I have.

1890's Evening Bodice

2009-10-01T22:31:00.002+10:00

I can't believe it I finished this project in 6 days! This is the fastest finishing time for any project I've ever undertaken. Truly Victorian patterns are wonderful! Not many alterations are required after you find out what size panels to cut out. I made the TV490 Evening Bodice in dusky pink satin and trimmed with floral lace and bow.

If you can sew princess seams and have made a few dresses. You shouldn't have much trouble constructing this project.

Lace Collar finished.

2009-09-10T20:10:00.006+10:00

Historically speaking shirt waists was fairly boring. So the late Victorian lady being fashion minded also made collars to fancy up their blouse fronts.

I chose to make a Butterick Pattern B4698. I read the instructions and found that creating the pleats for the collar tails a bit of a mystery. I tried several ways until I got my collar looking like the one on the Butterick site. Although it looks easy to make up, it's is the pleating that stumped me for a few attempts. Otherwise, if you were in a real serious sewing mood you could finish it in a day.

I only used one special foot to make this up. I replaced the decorative cord with 5mm wide sating stitching. So an satin stitch foot is a must if you wish to make this change in pattern construction. I bought my lace from the www.worldoflace.com.au. They have very good prices on 10mtr lengths of lace.

Pattern availablity: Currently Butterick has this one on sale in the clearance section for $3.00 [US]. [Checked 10/9/09]

1890's Day Ensemble Underway!

2009-09-07T21:51:00.001+10:00

Hi,
I have been busy sewing while tending to a sick relative. It gives me something to think of other than how sick this person is.

I made the skirt from a Truly Victorian pattern TV 292 Bell Skirt. The base fabric is a gray colonial strip quilting cotton. The trim is 10 mts of light pink double faced satin ribbon and a beautiful grey vine jacquard ribbon.
The underskirt is gray bemsilk andl olive cotton drill for the hem ruffle.
Unseen is the 3 lengths of button tape. The button tape will hitch up the train when dancing at a ball. Save me from tripping over it and land on my ***.

Although this pattern assumes you have an intermediate level of sewing skills. I found after searching the TV Forum archive that making up was easy.

To make up this skirt a 1/4" rolled hemming, blind stitch and a ruffler foot will make light work of all the gathering and hem finishing.

The shirt waist is Butterick B4418 which is out of print. My friend @ Tee Ann Designs made my shirt waist for me.

1890's Petticoat

2009-08-21T22:18:00.005+10:00

This is my interpretation of of the TV 170 petticoat view D. I made it out of poplin and it has three lines of white machine embroidery on the last tier. Each line of white work took 1 hour of sewing time.

Did I like the pattern?
Yes, it was easy to put together. After you have sewn a few skirts together, so making up this pattern was intuitive.

Would I make it again?
Yes, using a different view for another Victorian decade.

Did you use any special feet?
Yes, a snap on ruffler and a snap on satin stitch foot.

Can you buy this pattern?
Yes.
http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/170.html

Z strut wire frame method

2009-07-24T18:19:00.003+10:00

I have been doing a little more experimenting with making wire hat frames. This second method of using "Z" struts is neater and takes less time than the traditional way. I read about how to do it from a How2Hats publication - Making wire framed hats. I'm going to stick with this method when I present my workshop on the 1890's Victorian Torque. Now I am covering the fram with a blue/grey velvet ribbon. A completed photo of the finished hat will follow after the workshop.

Make sure you sign up for the Victorian Festival of Dance and Costume at this website to attend my workshop.

http://groups.google.com.au/group/dance-news/web/vef2009.pdf?_done=%2Fgroup%2Fdance-news%3F

See you there!

Giving wire framed hats ago.

2009-07-11T21:05:00.004+10:00

I've just started on another smaller project before seeing more fabric shops to scouwer for a Victorian ensamble.

The wire frame is created from 3 round wire tear shapes with supporting lighter gage ribbon wire struts. Extra support to the struts is given by wrapping 28 gage black wire around the joins.

I found it very hard wrapping all those ends in wire. The way this prototype is made is in the tradional way. An update of this method is to use "s" shaped joiners to strengthen the main wire shapes. May be this will be a quicker way than my first attempt.

Second major project finished for 2009

2009-07-04T18:33:00.009+10:00

Hi Everyone,
Well, I finished my McCall's Medieval Angel Sleeve Dress. [4490]. As in the previous post the costume was made from linen. However, I could only buy white and red linen. So I dyed the white linen with Jacard Dye Idye colour Royal Blue. It I filled the washing machine tub with 1cup of salt, 2 Idye packets and hot water. Then added the white linen and agitated the fabric for about 20 minutes. Wullah! Blue fabric but you need to rinse your washing machine really well afterwards. To make sure that any sump water is totally expelled before you do your washing again.

What did I like about the pattern?

It was easy to put together. But I had my frustrations which were my fault. I am mastering how to sew princess seams better which makes me happy. It was easy to hem the costume using my blind hemming foot and corressponding stitch.

What I love about the finished dress?

The trimming! Simply put if you have made a regency gown out of sari fabric save you left overs. Use the boarders from the remaining fabric to trim your medieval costumes. There is no where where you can buy this wide metalic trim from unless you weave it yourself. That would take a long time for you to do so.

What I find hardest?

I always have trouble with metal grommets and haven't learnt about doing the eyelets by hand. Does anyone want to post a link about it?

Would I sew it again?

Yes but probably in a veiw different and colour from D which I used.

Is this pattern available to buy?

This pattern is currently in print as of 4/7/2009.

ACCESSORIES

Turret Hat - McCalls 4806 View B (see photo inset).

This one was a stash buster. Everything I used to make the hat was in my stash. The pewter silk, buckram, wire and trimmings.

Did I like the pattern?

Easy enough to put together but I made one change. I redrafted the crown top to be an egg shape. Since my head is really an oval and not a true sphere. I realise that when McCall's drafts the hat patterns. That they are making the patterns for the customer with little millinery experience. However, if some of the patterns for the hats were drafted in an oval; the overall finished fit would be better.

Pattern availability:

This pattern is currently out of print. Limited quantities are available from the McCall's website.

Tapestry pouch

This one was a real sinch to put together. I freqently send for fabric samples before I buy meterage for a project. These were 3 furniture fabric samples I bought about a year ago and made a little flip pouch and the closure is a wooden toggle. The shoulder strap is just some more of the white and gold funiture trimming from my stash.

If you can sew straight lines you can make this pouch. It's just two squares sewn together with a third square for a lid.

Stomacher - McCall's 4492

Once again reaching into my stash I pulled out some of the left over sari fabric to use as the feature of this accessory. The red linen came in handy to stiffen and line it.

What did I like/not like about the pattern?

It wasn't that complicated to put together. However, it is hard to tell which way is up when I finished it. May be it was something I did or didn't do.

Would I sew it again?

Only if I needed another stomacher for some reason.

Pattern availability:

This pattern is currently out of print and only limited quantities available from the McCall's website. Checked 4/7/07.

Historical inspirations for this medieval costume set come from the 12-13th Centuries. The men's hats are based on a pattern date from c.1315 to 1440, while turret hat can be dated as early as the mid-13th century Macjieowski Bible.

While the pendant sleeve dress is based upon a gown that replaced the bliaut in the second half of the 12th-13th century and was made popular through out the courts of England and France by ladies such as Queen Eleanor and her daughter Marie de France.

Pendant Sleeve Tunic

2009-06-15T18:25:00.005+10:00

Winterfest is coming again. So this year I thought I should make a new Tunic to take. I have used McCalls 4490 as my inspiration. I dyed white lined blue using some Idye packets of Jacquard dyes. Worked like magic but I had to really rinse my washing machine out. Hopefully I will get the sleeves on this week and be able to work on the hat and stomacher.

As I am a costumer and not a re-enactor it doesn't bother me about the princess seams as I am only wanting the look. Other people may see differently on this but since I don't have a historical persona it doesn't upset me that much.

The URL for Winterfest is: http://www.winterfest.com.au/

Winter hats

2009-05-19T10:02:00.005+10:00

As it is currently getting very close to winter here. I am giving the spring/summer type hats a break. So now it is time for knitting! But knitting hats ofcourse! So far I have knitted a cable bennie and now gowing for a french beret with black lace trim. I am just past the ribbed band and on to the white stocking stitch crown.

The pattern is from:

Stitch Style Hats: 20 fashion knit and crochet patterns.
Published by C&B Crafts {Anova Books}
Available from Booktopia.com.au

Compairing knitting with wool to cotton; I like knitting with with wool more and since the style of the pattern is so nice I will finish this hat.

Jane Austen Ball

2009-05-11T16:27:00.002+10:00

For those who missed the festival it was quite and event. A well cater
-ed historically accurate dinner and fine dancing was had by all. The newspaper certainly caught up with all the action sending a reporter and a photographer to capture the action. Mr Hertzog and I made it to page three on the local broadsheet along with an interview of our wonderful festival director Aylwen.

If you're ever in Canberra come and join in the fun of a pre 20th century dance.
We'd love to have you.

Married Lady's Cap - Regency Style

2009-03-26T20:03:00.004+11:00

I have recently finished a married lady's cap. All ladies who were married during the regency/neo-classical period wore caps. Widows also wore caps but with widow's peak.
A photo of my cap will follow shortly.

Now for a.......nother Hat!

2009-03-02T19:37:00.002+11:00

Yes, the dress is finished and now for the regency turban. Turbans were worn in the evenings to balls and dinners etc. This is my take on a regency turban.

Hats cast a magic spell.

2009-01-30T13:16:00.003+11:00

Ah vacations, sometimes you finally get one and then think what shall I do with it?

As I thought about my January vacation I realised - Hats! I had been stuck in the buckram groove for so long I just wanted to break out.

I took the opportunity to do two hat themed workshops and one of them was making a flat felt hat. This technique is a real dying art until my tutor Jan Wutkowski from the USA happened to get a hold of some notes etc from an old milliner no longer making hats. Jan taught us to make our hats from scratch - creating a concept design, cutting and sewing and the let the class loose to create their own.

French Regency dress.

2009-01-13T11:53:00.004+11:00

I am starting to prepare my sari and satin fabrics for cutting. I am making this dress with a jewel neckline in stead of the standard silouette. Would love to hear from any other regency dress fans.

On the right is the interpretation I have made of the sketch. I completed the ball dress on the 23/2/09 for the Jane Austen Festival being held in April.

Brocade Tablet Weaving

2008-12-05T20:28:00.002+11:00

I have been experimenting with an excellent book by Nancy Spies. It's called a Thousand Years of Brocade Tablet Weaving.

I thought I would have a go at doing an easy pattern - No. 27.

It's woven in DMC 8 Cotton Pearle in white for the background with the brocade experiements done in Gold and Copper Embroidery threads; also by DMC.

Civil War Corset

2008-12-05T20:21:00.002+11:00

Here's my first corset. I am happy with it. It was a new learning experience putting together a three layer corset. It's from the McCall's Costume range of patterns. Thanks too Lynn my sewing teacher at the Sewing Bug for teaching me how to put all the layers together.

All the fabric is from my stash and I ordered the Busk, eyelets and awl from aussiecorsetsupplies.com.au.

Cheers

Pink

Melbourne Cup Day Challenge Hat

2008-11-04T16:27:00.003+11:00

It's that time of year again - the Melbourne Cup? Instead of putting a fiver on a horse, I had a hat bet with myself. Could I complete a hat in one weekend?

You betcha I did! It even has some horsy flavour to it - colourful just like a jockey's cap!

It's made from silk scraps and velveteen.

Pink

Bandeau Tutorial Pt.2

2008-09-18T21:16:00.007+10:00

Bandeau Tutorial

2008-09-18T21:16:00.005+10:00

Please find a series of photos explaining how to construction techniques, attaching and trimming your tea hat.

IT'S FLORIADE TIME AGAIN

2008-09-18T21:16:00.002+10:00

For those of you who wonder about spring in Canberra. This is what its like for the city, warm with clear skies. It is also time for our major gardening festival - Floriade at Commonwealth Park on the shores of Lake Burliegh Griffin.

This photo is copyrighted by me. Please contact me to obtain copyright permission. No rights are assigned for free copying, storage on digital media, printing or editing without permission.

Edwardian Tea Hat

2008-09-13T16:01:00.002+10:00

Hi there to all my ACG mates. I am 3/4 through making my edwardian tea hat in lavender satin. It will be trimmed with a big bow, feathers and flowers.

Pink

Pickies follow later.

I have finished my walking skirt.

2008-09-13T15:59:00.002+10:00

Great joy - earlier this month I finished my lavender walking skirt with pansy catwork on the 3 front panels.!

Ready to begin Cutwork on Edwardian Skirt

2008-07-26T22:31:00.003+10:00

Hi There,
I am just about to begin another sewing adventure. It's a walking skirt from 1910, street length in a lavender hanky weight linen.

The cut work is a pansy design and it will be on all three panels.

Pink

My first Vogue Pattern

2008-07-18T17:40:00.001+10:00

Hi,
I have made my first knit jersey dress using Vogue 8181. Some people have commented that Vogue patterns are very hard. Although this is a simple design adding the details etc. was a little bit tricky. Knit jersey does slip around a bit if you don't pin before you sew. How ever, with the addition of a walking foot and a jersey needle on my machine. It wasn't that hard to get panels to match up as close as possible.

Pink

Just finished my first pattern repeat.

2008-07-18T17:39:00.000+10:00

Hi There,
I have just finished my first pattern repeat of the Lady Drake's Lace.

Pink

Elizabethan Ruff Lace

2008-06-09T16:36:00.001+10:00

Hi There,
I have just wound my bobbins again and started off on another lacing adventure. This bobbin lace pattern recreates lace from Lady Drake's portrait from 1585.

If you want to make some yourself for a elizabethan ruff. You can get a copy of it via inter library loan from the local municipal library.

The reference is:

Design Points - Lady Drake's Lace/Gillian Dye/Lace no.125, pp. 12-13.

I've highlighted the finished lace in blue so you can see it better.

Here it is on Lady Drake's Gown:

Portrait of Elizabeth Sydenham, Lady Drake, circa 1585 ">

Pink
ACT Aust. Costume Guild Contact.

ACT Aust. Costume Guild Activity W'end lots of fun.

2008-05-21T10:27:00.000+10:00

Well all that hard effort of making a regency dress paid off. I wore it to our activity at the Gone with the Wind ball at St. John's Hall. The Friday night dinner was great! We had a wonderful dinner at Gus's Cafe and chatted amongst ourselves about costuming. I'll look forward to seeing the group again possibly in October for a regency event.

Finished Regency Dress

2008-04-17T17:35:00.000+10:00

Now that I had the under pinnings done. I started work on the regency dress. The fabric was bought from Fabric Reproductions dot com and pattern from Sense and Sensibility dot com. The pattern requires a toil to be made; so that any adjustments, are done before cutting fashion fabric.

I trimmed the underskirt with torchon lace in box pleats. To give it the look of a petticoat underneath.

Finished Regency Underthings.

2008-04-17T17:29:00.000+10:00

Since this was my first outing into corsetry I thought that I did an ok job. I will certainly understand how all the layers are put together when I do a full corset. I can now do gussets too! Such a simple achievement for me since I am a novice at sewing.

Regency Underthings

2008-01-26T14:45:00.000+11:00

I have started making my Regency Underthings set. The pattern is from:

http://www.sensibility.com/pattern/regency.htm

Finished today will be the chemise in white lawn with ribbon draw string neck line.

Pink.

The Waistcoat is finished!

2008-01-26T14:43:00.000+11:00

I have finished my royal blue waistcoat and will wear to work and social occaions.

Pink

2008-01-03T15:54:00.000+11:00

I have already made a start on my royal blue waist coat. I have found some useful stitches on my machine which are specifically for stretch fabric. Since the blue jacquard has a bit of give in it, I have chosen to sew it together with these stretch fabric stitches.

To make sure that the waist coat was going to fit me. I made a toil (fabric shell cut from the orignal pattern) and made the adjustments on it. Next I cut the fashion fabric using the toil as my template.

Currently I am up to sewing the edge of each pattern piece of the fashion fabric to stop it from freying.

Click on this link to see my current project's paper pattern from Butterick.

http://www.butterick.com/item/B4815.htm?tab=coats_jackets_vests&page=3

Pink

My silk creation!

2007-12-27T17:49:00.000+11:00

The break between Christmas and New Year is being good to me. I am finally starting and finishing some of those sewing projects I have in my sewing cupboard. Thus making room for more fabric purchases later in the new year.

This hat is made of silk with buckram and heavy gauge iron on fabric backing. I inserted milliner's wire around the rim in the bias tape channel so it would keep it's shape better. The lace is hand made bobbin lace made in Anchor 8 - Hawaii and DMC 8 - 891 (I think). The pattern for the lace came from: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/serpent.htm

This pattern wasn't very difficult for a millinery beginner like me. I recomend it to those who want to try to make their own matching hat for an outfit from left over fabric.

Pink

Public Wikis

2007-12-19T15:33:00.000+11:00

Wikis are certainly community orientated and are designed to be shared. Sharing information about a topic is good - the wiki you create can be as broad or as narrow about a subject as you want to make it. They (wikis) are easy to edit and use. However, the accuracy of the information is limited to a person's understanding of the subject and his/her bias towards the subject.

The largest known wiki is Wikipeadia. I have used Wikipeadia once or twice while researching needlework projects like blackwork samplers. I prefer to use more indepth and knowledable sources on a topic like this. For example, a books by Jack Robinson on blackwork and Rosmary Shepard on Lace topics.

IMHO, wikis are only as good as thier authors.

Library 1.0 VS Library 2.0/Web 2.0

2007-12-19T11:17:00.000+11:00

Gone are the days when your library clients were expected to come to the information resource centre. We as library professionals had the monopoly on clients seeking us out and expecting us to do the research for them.

The internet has changed many things.... Library clients now have other options for accessing information at a time that suits them. As the world turns increasingly 24/7 clients no longer have the time to physcially visit the library. Instead, library services must be available to be flexible enough to meet the clients requirements when they need to access them.

No longer are we buying items for a just in case collection. Rather Libraries are carefully scruitinising material and moving to a just in time acquisition policy. As budgets are getting tighter libraries who have not moved to this model of buying new stock will adopt this policy.

Many users now are learning to search and critque resources for themselves. We can either make resources available that are authoriative and easy to use or the clients will turn else where to fill thier information requirements.

The internet has gone one step further with the concept of sharing resouces. New developments in web software are now allowing internet sites to become a place of social interaction. Libraries can do this too by creating blogs and getting client feedback on annoucements, changes, fees and charges and collection management. Thus allowing users to have input in formulating the local library service policies and what new materials are purchased.

Web 2.0 are here to stay, we need to adapt and become more interactive and availabe to clients. Or as a profession we will slowly become irrelevant to society.

Learning 2.0 Thing 14

2007-12-18T11:17:00.000+11:00

I have bee slowly working through my Canberra Learning 2.0. I would encourage other people to learn about the new internet tools by doing a similar program.

There are a few differences when searching Technorati by Tag or posts. A post search is just like searching a chapter heading in a book. A tag post is like searching the index of the book for a specified topic.

A blog search looks at the overall subject of the blogs and not just the posts. For instance it acts like a Library of Congress subject heading for a whole book.

I hope that this helps you to understand a little about blogs.

Rosie

Historical Hats!

2007-12-05T15:23:00.000+11:00

Want a pattern and instructions for historical bonnets and hats?

Check this site out:

http://www.timelytresses.com/index.html

Rosie

More Vintage Pattern Resources!

2007-11-24T17:27:00.000+11:00

This site is huge! Patterns start at about 1870 on wards! A lot of these patterns would be for an advanced sewer as very early patterns usually do not come with instructions. Also some pattern companies assume you are wearing a corset. The VPLL sells laser reproductions of these vintage patterns.

http://www.vpll.org/catalog/index.php

You will need to sign up for an account. A relatively painless process.

Rosie

Vintage Pattern Resources!

2007-11-24T17:09:00.000+11:00

Hi,
Here is a great vintage costume resource and it is free!

http://vintagesewing.info/index.html

Cheers.

Rosie

Delicious Site - Social Bookmarking

2007-11-24T10:48:00.000+11:00

While I liked the idea of social bookmarking - finding bookmarks (BMs) others have made. I am not quite sure that being "stalked" because of my list of BMs is okay. Stalking on the internet is a known phenonem and can being a problem.

I'll just keep my bookmarks to myself and share those of interest on the Aust. Costumer's Guild Links.

Rosie

RSS Feeds

2007-11-20T15:19:00.000+11:00

I was having a look at sites like Syndic8.com and feedster today. I think they are good if you want to just read lots of feeds in the general area of a specific topic. However, for really specific information on a topic RSS feeds aren't really all that useful. I found more information on how to make a hat by searching Youtube.com.

One of my upcoming projects is to make a big fluffy edwardian hat. I have bought the pattern and am awaiting it to come in the mail.

Rosie

RSS Feeds and readers

2007-11-19T17:00:00.000+11:00

I have just been reading about RSS feeders and how to use them. I think they are a good idea, but I've got enough to read already with all my emails. Also, I've bookmarked all the sites I am interested in.

So at this point in time, I don't think I'll set up a bloglines account.

Rosie

Tape Lace

2007-11-17T20:19:00.001+11:00

You may have seen the discussion on the ACG BB about events in the ACT for 2008.

This is a variation of torchon bobbin lace that you can make with a little bit of knowledge with basic stitches. The lace is held by twists of the thread and by covering your pins with half or full stitches. The pattern of lace is dependent on the placement of pins and the type of stitches used.

I have completed about 40cm of the serpent lace.

Here is where you can find the sample pricking.

http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/lace/serpent.htm

I am prepared to teach two or three people the basics as a Guild activity next year.

Please register your interest on the ACG BB under ACT Events Suggestions for 2008.

Cheers.

Rosie

Finished blackwork sampler

2007-11-17T20:03:00.000+11:00

Hi,
Here is my finished blackwork sampler. It was a real challenge to work out how to go around the corners.
Thank goodness for learning lace making it really helped me to see a solution.

Rosie

Fabric Shopping and Technology

2007-11-16T11:44:00.000+11:00

Hi ya'll,
Being in such a small town is no longer such a pain. The internet has revolutionised how you can shop for fabric. Gone are the days when you are stuck with the current season's choices. Recently I wanted to make a dress in jacquard fabric. Could'nt find a single stitch anywhere in the town where I live.

Instead of giving up I looked in some of my favourite sewing magazines for some store adds. [Sometimes I just buy the magazines for the adds eg Threads / Australian Sewing.] A lot of the stores had online photos and you could order some swatches. I ordered swatches from a store in the US. They came in about 10 days. I settled on the jacquard I wanted and paid for the order via an intermediary service. Then about `10 days after that my order came in the post.

I also now use an online button store. Just so many more delicious buttons to choose from than my regular fabric places.

So far I have not had an order go astray.

Rosie

Blackwork Balmy

2007-10-25T15:51:00.000+10:00

Just completed my first black work sampler today! I had tried using the method in the New Anchor Book of Black work - Just didn't make all that much sense. Instead I found Lesley Willkins' two books most helpful - starting from the middle of the aida cloth and working out. Much better success rate with this method than the previous. An this is what I came up with:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16112685@N02/1740541422/

Cheers

Rosie (pink35)

The new Web 2.0

2007-10-16T15:43:00.000+10:00

Hi,
I am doing the 23 things exercise in Canberra. Through the Life Long Learning tutorial, I learnt that I am resposible for my own learning experience. Learning doesn't have to be in a formal setting like a University, College or School. But can take place anywhere, in a library, craft group, church, through books, television or radio. You can learn any where, on a bus or train by using wireless internet on your laptop, audio players such as mp3s or portable dvd players.

Rosie in Canberra.