Life is moving along and I'm still stitchin'

Haven't posted in a while.  Things around my way are doing pretty well.  The dogs went to the vet yesterday and are doing fine.  Hawkeye Cat as well.  Yes, it's quite a production when we go to the vet.  Three dogs on multi length leashes arranged so they go diagonally across from shoulder to opposite hip on down to the dog(s), and a cat in arms, also on a leash.  The dogs enjoy the vet visits, especially since once in a while I'll take them over for nothing more than to just sit in the lobby for a while until they calm down, then take them back home.  None of them seem to mind getting shots, and all love kissing and being petted by the vet and office staff.  Even our newest guy, Chip aka Chipper.  (He used to be Charlie, but this fits him better.)  He isn't nearly as afraid of new people now, and is much faster to warm up and want to be petted.  I've been practicing doing baby talk to him since he growled at one of the ladies on staff one day when she had baby talked to him.  I felt terrible about that, since it had never occurred to me that might be a problem.  It was very clear that while he was unsure already, any sort of baby talking he took as a signal that Something Very Bad was about to happen to him.

I do wonder what he went through before he was rescued.  However, now he seems to take that in stride, along with feet touching him.  That also used to freak him out.  He was in fear for his life the first time I happened to raise my foot up at him to scratch his chest.  It took a couple of weeks, but now he's happy to be petted with feet, or see a human do some strange gyrations that include feet of the ground.

Cadee is no longer the extremely shy dog we rescued years ago.  She is still cautious, but she is also a very happy, cheerful dog.  She's happy to go with you anywhere, always dances with joy when it's time for a walk or to do something.  It was a turning point for her when she finally snapped at Chip when he was too intense and chasing her one day.  So many times before that she had this look like she wanted to, but didn't think she was allowed to defend herself.  When I saw her whirl and snap at the air in his direction, the doggy version of 'get out of my space!' I praised her and told her that she was wonderful, didn't have to put up with his stuff.  From that day on she has increased in confidence.  Now she'll even play with him sometimes, even though he tends to be much higher energy than she is comfortable being around.

Cadee no longer flops onto her back whenever someone wants to pet her, and sometimes she'll even take and eat a treat.  For quite a while she would take a treat if it was offered, but would then drop it and not eat it.  Now she'll even eat it.  And she'll come over for petting, sitting or even standing up for it.  Such a major change in her behavior.

On other notes I've continued to do some work on my linen things.  I have now hemmed 4 of the nice big violet handkerchief linen towels.  I use them all the time and they are fantastic for drying my hair.  I've finished one of the medium weight purple linen kitchen towels as well.  It is getting regular use as well.  I've started to hem the second of these and am alternating work on it with work on handkerchiefs.

I have 5 of the 100% linen hankies yet to hem, 3 of the smallest size and 2 of the medium size.  I also cut out some of the linen blend for hankies.  Six per width, so 12 total.  In the last couple of days during travel and meetings I have nearly finished hemming the first one.  I decided to make up some of the blend before going back to the 100% linen.  Interestingly the blend is whiter than the 100% linen.  While it is white, it is slightly more of a cream color. Perhaps there are optical whiteners on the other, not sure.  In any case the blend is a tiny bit softer and slightly more flexible.  That probably will change since linen just gets nicer and nicer, softer and more sheen, as it is used.  Regardless, the fabrics are quite nice, very easy to work with and make beautiful hankies.

I am also glad to report that the linen sheets and pillow cases are continuing to get daily use and are holding up very well.  It is nice to see something that one has planned out then made get that much good use and appreciation.

Recently I've been tempted to make myself a nice knitted coat or vest.  Something mid-thigh or even knee length for warmth when walking outside in the colder weather.  I'm still considering designs and yarns, but am leaning towards something like Meg Swanson's long rendition of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Rib Warmer as is shown in this newsletter.  I'm nearly certain I've got directions for it in either a Spun Out or one of the many books I've already got.  Not sure if I'll go for unspun Icelandic, Sheepsdown, or something else.  Who knows, I may decide to do both a vest and a coat.  I know I'd use them both.

Sidetracked by pillowcases

I continued to make progress on the embroidered caftan until this week.  With the heat we are getting so early this spring I decided that it is a higher priority to make my husband a linen pillowcase to go with his linen sheet.  One of my sons has taken over the table I use for my sewing machine, so I decided that I'd just hand stitch the pillow case since that would also allow me to work on it during the drive to and from work.  I cut it out at home a couple evenings ago, using an old pillowcase as my 'pattern'.  All the rest of the work has been done in the car.

First I evened up the edge of the fabric that had been cut unevenly in the originally purchased fabric.  The cutters at the fabric store don't seem to care so much about such things.  I prefer to have square edges, so I pulled any threads that didn't go entirely across the end.  Then I finger pressed about 1/2 inch to turn under the make the doubled open edge facing, enclosing the cut edge.  Folded that over so there was a nice, maybe 4 inches, doubled area, pinned it in place and started stitching.

I did a running lock stitch across the folded side, not enough to be top stitched, but very close to the fold.  Once that facing had been finished I pinned the raw edges wrong sides together, so I can make a sort of thickish French seam enclosing the cut edges.  I didn't bother to cut off the selvedge, so I am making the stitching line about 1/2 inch from the edge, so as not to stitch in the selvedge.  After the edges are stitched together I'll finger press the seam, fold it inside out, repin and stitch the final seam.  Another day or so should finish it.

It would be much faster if I was doing this on the machine, or when not in a moving car, but that's OK.  I'm making great progress and finishing something that I wouldn't even have really started if not for the decision to make it by hand.

Progress is slow but continuing

I continue to make progress on my embroidered linen caftan.  I'm probably getting close to half way done with the outside hem.  Not sure whether I'll hand or machine stitch the side seams.  That probably depends on whether I'm at home when it's time to start them!

Pockets may be something to add to the caftans, either on the front in the 'usual' sorts of place, or I'm considering putting some in the area outside the side seams.  Simple patch pockets would go on the black linen quite well.  On the embroidered linen it may be a bit more of a challenge to not disturb the embroidery.

I happened to stop back at Hancock Fabrics last week and picked up the last yard of the embroidered linen.  It is so lovely and I think it will make a really nice bag, especially lined with the black linen with an interior pocket or so.  I may even consider adding a zipper to close it up completely instead of the simple open top on the black one.  I'm still doing imagination design trying to figure out what I want to do.  When I figure it out I expect it will whip up pretty fast, with the possible exception of the zipper, since I've not put zippers into anything in a while.  I know I've got some zipper tape around someplace.

More Caftans and other fun things to do with linen

I finished the black linen caftan the day after my last post.  I was too impatient to wait till the next week to stitch the side seams by hand on my rides to work, so I just whipped it up on my machine.  Wore it that evening, and quite often since.  It is very comfortable

Both other linen fabrics, the black with turquoise embroidery and the lovely blue, were washed and dried several times.  I have started on the embroidered one.  This time I used the full width of the fabric and I made the overall length longer, ankle length.  I'll have to pick the bottom up when I use the stairs, which I don't have to do with the shorter black one.  Because the length is longer I found that the outside edges ("sleeves") dragged the ground, so I cut the bottom hemline at a much greater curve on each side.  I'll see how I like this longer length after it is made, knowing that I may need to shorten it.

Like the plain black, I am hand stitching the hem while I ride to and from work.  First I did the neckline.  I cut this a bit differently than the plain black, a bit more of a curve in the front with a shorter slit.  As with the black I used a narrow, 1/8 inch hem.  I wanted this to be done first because the loose threads of the neckline were subject to rubbing around as I moved the fabric to hem the outside edge.  Taking the fabric out of the bag I'm keeping it in in order to hem it, and moving/folding it back to put it back away could result in too much fraying.

It took me a day and a half or so of riding to/from work to finish the neckline.  Once the neckline was hemmed I started hemming the outside edge several inches above the bottom curve on one side, moving across the bottom using the same 1/4 inch hem that I used on the black.  I found that I needed to pick the embroidery out if it was right next to the hem, otherwise the fabric and embroidery together were too thick to turn and stitch down for the hem.  Because the embroidery motifs are large and spaced apart I only needed to do this a couple of times.  I have finished one bottom edge and am currently moving along quite well up the next side.

Last weekend I decided that the extra fabric that I hadn't needed to make the black caftan would make a nice, simple carry bag.  This didn't take very long at all, stitching it up on the machine.  It probably took me longer to decide what size to make it and then cut it out than it did to stitch it up.  Finished size is 15 1/4 inches tall by 15 inches wide.  The folded top hem is 3/4 inch.  The 2 straps are 1 inch wide, made from 1 1/2 inch strips turned into tubes.  Each strap is 32 1/2 inches over all length, including the attachment, making the finished strap length 31 inches.  This is long enough I can hang it over my shoulder and still easily get things into and out of it.

I'm thinking that I'll make another, similar bag, out of a similar size of the embroidered linen.  My idea for this one is to line it with the plain black and put a small side pocket or so inside it.  I may make this one with a zipper or other closure, too.  It will be more substantial with the lining and look a lot fancier with the pretty embroidery.

Earlier this week I decided to stop back by Hancock Fabrics again.  I decided that I would make my husband a linen sheet.  He gets hot easily, and linen is so nice at keeping one cool and dry.  I've thought about this several times, but he always said no.  This time I decided I wouldn't ask, I'd just do it.  So I did! I came home with several yards of a very light weight linen in a pretty dark sort of rose red.  I don't even have a good word for the color.  It's not brick, but it's not rose, either.  He likes red, and it is dark enough not to stain easily, and it is a color I'm happy with so with the limited options I took it.

Usually I prewash all fabric before making anything from it, but this time I didn't see any reason to bother.  I got 5 yards, which is enough to make 2 sheets large enough for his use.  Pulled threads to make sure the fabric was true to the grain on the ends and also for the cutting line, then stitched a simple 1/4 inch hem.  Washed and dried after the hemming.  I didn't stitch the selvedges, just left them. If they start to fray at all I'll trim and stitch them as well, but this allowed me to get him something done very quickly.

Jumps Research - Recreating Cries of London 'Strawberries, Scarlet Strawberries'

One of the pictures we found in our jumps research is a Cries of London Mezzotint called 'Strawberries, Scarlet Strawberries'. We poured over this, looking at the details, trying to figure out what is she wearing?

She appears to be wearing a shift, as one would expect from that time, even though it is not always visible. In this case we can see the sleeves. We can see she is wearing a white modesty piece/kerchief over the shift, made of what appears to be a very thin, light weight fabric, tucked into the upper-body brown garment.

We can see that the garment does not cover the bust. It appears to stop below it, and possibly curve around it. We cannot see how the Strawberry seller's garment is attached, nor whether it goes over the shoulders. Could these be jumps?

Going on the fact that a tight fitted garment that is not boned won't stay up, we decided to assume that there is some sort of shoulder aspect to the garment. We created a pattern that is like a tight-fitted vest that instead of covering the bust, goes under it, like the garment in this picture, supporting the bust some on the sides. What basically happens is that the shift is held in place by this garment, the shift then holding and providing support to the bust.

I created a garment from this pattern, did a number of adjustments to the fit, and finally got something I was happy with. It is possible the original laces or hooks behind. For my ease the garment I made laces up the front with a hook and eye at the very top. I need to be able to dress myself, and hooks or lacing behind requires help.

Here is a picture of the final result, noting that the fabrics and colors are nothing like the original, and of couse I'm much older as well. We didn't get the right angle, but I think this photo shows how the jumps fit the body along the sides. The bust edge of the jumps are covered by the blue modesty piece. The shoulder straps curve around where the arm attaches to the shoulder, giving freedom of the movement through the shoulders that is needed to work.

Results: I've found jumps to be extremely comfortable for low-impact work. Just the sorts of work one would expect to be doing most of the time. In fact, they are more comfortable than many modern bras.