I Made This - Carolanne Graham

I Made This is a weekly blog series that features makers from around the world and aims to talk about the things we are proud of; of the objects we make that have meaning to us and the journey we take to make them.

So many of you will remember the I Was Totally Wrong About Patchwork series. I've come a long way since then - I've come as far as making my own patchwork queen size quilt after years of whole cloth work. And part of why I've come as far as I've come is because of someone I met on instagram - Carolanne Graham.

Some work from Carolanne's instagram feed. 

I first found her through the feed of Lindsay Stead (who is one of the feature quilters in the patchwork post). Lindsay and Carolanne both work at the amazing Workroom in Canada. Anyway down the instagram wormhole I went and it happily lead me to Carolanne's insta feed. The work in her feed seems to have such intention and the space to become what it wants to become. I've never met her but her work really inspired me. I obsessively made my star as a direct result of seeing the star Lindsay made while taking Carolanne's star class. By obsessively, I mean the kind of making where you feed your kids toast for dinner just so you can keep making the thing. And then give them a Sparkle Story rather than reading them books. Anyway….a long intro to say that because I don't get to meet her in person, and because I don't get to go to one of her classes, I asked her to share something about her making here. And I love what she wrote. Thanks Carolanne. x

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I Made This - Carolanne Graham

I initially described my whole cloth star as “accidentally wonderful” like so many creative endeavors. I never intended to make it as a sample, but I’ve been bringing it to classes for years and I’m delighted to know that this quilt has inspired many dyeing and whole cloth projects. It also makes a guest appearance every year under a tiny Christmas tree on my sewing table.

The cloth was dyed in the summer of 2009 in the workroom’s first natural dyeing class. I tried to stay very busy back then. Having recently finished graduate school I was dreading stagnation and questioning the copious changes I had recently made in my life.

I arrived for class late and unprepared (again). It was indigo week and I had no plan for my shibori. The week before, our instructor Julie Sinden showed us a star that she had made in art school so I told her I wanted a star too – like I had planned it all along. My classmates were tactfully impressed. But I was so disappointed that I hadn’t put thought into my piece. There were no grades to assign yet, when I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted – I had no idea what to do. I had wanted to work with natural dyes for years and when I finally had the chance, I didn’t really show up.  

In the winter of 2011, I had bought my first home since the dye class and homeownership left me feeling perpetually nervous and preoccupied; like I was constantly moving, but never in the right place. I returned home from teaching an intro to handwork class, sat down to work on a project and I realized that I had left my rotary cutter and my scissors at the shop. I tried to salvage the evening by reorganizing my fabric and that’s when I found my star.    

Photo by Karyn Valino.

The decision to make a whole cloth was easy because it was the only sort of sewing I was going to do that night. My star became the sort of project that you start on autopilot; when you need to sew something to get out of your own head.  I marked and basted it quickly and after a few rounds of stitching, this underwhelming, flat piece of pale blue vibrated with life. Though it started in the midst of creative struggle, I added the best part of it when I was too tired to question my instinct.

I made this; out of two circumstances when I was exhausted from trying so hard.  I no longer reproach myself for the shibori pattern. You make for many reasons in your life. There are times when you can’t contain your brilliance and others when it’s been nearly depleted. Taking inspiration doesn’t mean the work isn’t your own. Sometimes what you add is your love and commitment and I promise you – that’s more than enough. 

How to knit a simple neckline

I took part in the #LilaKAL that is going on at the moment. On My Making List 2015 was a warm sweater for me and I decided that this would be a quick way of getting it done. I held two yarns together - a strand of Pear Tree 8ply seconds and a strand of Isager Tvinni. It gave me a gauge of 16 stitches rather than 19 which meant I got to knit the smallest size and still get a 36" sweater. I used my bottom up/top down technique to get the fit how I wanted it. The result is simple, warm and fast. 

As I made Lila last year in orange and wear it all the time I didn't want an identical sweater. And then soon after my orange Lila I made a blue Maeve (also by Carrie and also with a lot of garter) and so was a bit gartered out. So I decided to go garter-less for the bottom and the sleeves.

Ribbing was the obvious answer - I did four or five rows of ribbing on the bottom and then did 20 rows of ribbing on the sleeves.  

Blurry iphone photos are where it is at at the moment! This was meant to be a shot of the ribbing.

Simple, rustic and warm.

But then what to do with the neck?? I wrote on the bottom of my instagram post that #thirdtimesacharm but it actually took about six tries to make the neck worked. I tried a ribbed neck, which looked untidy and wonky as 1x1 ribbing has a tendency to do. I also didn't like the way it pulled in and then flared out. Dodgy. 

Next up I decided to try the garter. I've seen many a mixed sweater with some garter bands and some rib in my time and quite like them. But with the thick wool it looked terrible. I went down a needle size and tried again. Still ghastly. I then decided to try just with the 8ply to see if thinning it down would work. Too skinny which just looked weird.

Try number 4! Ghastly is the only word.

And this is where I got to the stage where I nearly ripped the whole thing out. Discouraged and annoyed I nnnnneeaarrrly just pulled it off the needles and pulled it out in a child-like fit of annoyance. This whole process had taken a few days. Try and try again. And patience isn't something that comes very naturally to me. However, what I have learnt in my years of knitting is that if I take the time to get it how I will really like it, then I have the joy in the longterm.

So enough rambling.

James I - where I had quite a lot of rolling.

James II - which had no rolling.

The art of knitting a simple neckline.

I've now used this a few times and it is one of my favourite ways to finish a sweater. I first came across something similar in a children's pattern Little Ancolie before seeing it again in a different form on James. There are a few little tricks to getting it right. 

A couple of quick notes;

1. Don't be tempted to leave the stitches on the needle at the end of knitting pieces of your sweater. You must have the stability of a castoff neckline for this to work well.
2. This is as much an art as a science and may take some patience to get it right each time. It depends on the type of yarn you are using and how tightly you knit. You will need to tweak it (unless you are a neckline savant) and that will probably involve ripping. I used in on James in both instances as you can see above. On the first one I didn't redo it - and it rolled. On my second James and I redid it 5 times (with two glasses of wine and my friend Jenn keeping me company through my swearing) to get it right. Practice patience. Hastag #rippingforjoy is what you need to remember.

Steps to do the neckline.

Step 1: Pick up and knit the stitches around the neckline at a ratio of 1:1. The exception to this is if the front neckline dips (which it normally does!) in which case skip the odd stitch here and there as you go down the slight angle on either side of the neck. I always drop a needle size but this may depend on you, your knitting and the yarn. For Lila above I switched from a 6mm to a 5.5mm for the neck.

It is totally critical that you pick up the stitches from the holes in the middle of the Vs of your cast off edge. This what give it it's lovely looking simplicity - it looks like you haven't knitted on a neckband - but you have! You clever thing you! 

Look at the pictures below if you aren't sure what I mean OR go back and read The Secret to Becoming A Great Knitter - Part 1 to learn about the Vs.

The left side of the V is sitting right next to my thumb nail just below the cast on edge.

I roll back the cast on edge a little with my thumb to make sure my needle tip can easily slide into the hole of the next V.

Each picked up stitch comes out of a V.

A clearer view of how each picked up stitch has a row of Vs under it.

Step 2: Knit between 1 and 3 rounds. This will depend on the sweater. For James which has a gauge of 25 stitches then the neckline requires 3 rounds of knitting. For the neckline of Lila above, which has a gauge of 16 stitches I only did a single round of knitting.  You should decide based on how it looks. I think a general rule would be that thicker yarn needs less rounds?

Step 3: Simply cast off - at the right tension - knitwise.
So the art of this neckline is all about the at the right tension. Too loose and it will roll. Too tight and it will be inelastic and pull the whole neckline in making it smaller. You might need to do part of the neckline more tightly than another - for example the back of the neck slightly tighter than the scoop of the front. You may need to experiment! 

Based on the fact that the wool for Lila was thick and that I only did a single round of knitting (for step 2) then I simply cast off loosely and it worked perfectly. However, the castoff was the part I did 5 times for my last James as I kept getting it not quite right. By casting off more tightly/more loosely I was using 20cm more/less yarn when I was casting off for James. In the end I cast off tightly across the back of the neck (so I didn't get rolling) and more loosely around the curve of the front. At one stage I tried casting off with a bigger needle for part of the neck and a smaller needle for the rest. In the end it didn't work for me but it might for you. 

A final piece of advice - as is often the case with tricky parts of knitting - they are often done best with a glass of wine and a friend. Enjoy!

Let me know how you get on if you use it! Or ask any questions if I haven't explained it clearly. It's late and I'm still having a little trouble with that wisdom tooth so I'm not sure clarity is my thing tonight ;).

Felicia x

Simple Sewing 101 - Part 2 - For Beginners

Quite a few of you pinged me on social media after my post earlier on this week telling me that you were just starting on your handmade wardrobe journey AND you really really wanted to sew more of your clothes. As I said in the last Sewing 101 post, I've observed a couple of good friends start the journey towards a handmade wardrobe over the last few years, and there have been a couple of common "mistakes are how you learn" type moments. So to save you guys a little time here are my top four important pieces of advice before you start.

As always - these are just my suggestions. They may not work for you or you may think they are a load of rubbish. Feel free to comment!

1. Fabrics are the key to making beautiful things with simple sewing.

The reason that all those tops are so lovely and I love them, is that all of them are made from lovely fabric. Simple clothes only work if the fabric is lovely, as it is all about the shape, the drape and the print.

Take the time to find fabric that is a good weight for clothes. Feel the fabric of your favourite tops in your wardrobe - this will give you an idea of what you like. For tops I generally use 100% cotton or 100% linen or a blend. Depending on what you are making look for something a little lighter than a quilting cotton. 

Here is the mistake that often gets made - Your fabric doesn't need to be expensive, but it does need to not be a quilting cotton. A common mistake is to look at all the pretty quilting fabric on the shelves and decide they will be just the thing for your first project. Quilting cottons are lovely but they are made for quilting not clothes. When you are quilting you don't want the fabric to move; you want it to be stable. With clothes you are often looking for drape and movement. Not always but often and generally that is true of tops. 

I buy Liberty Tana Lawn sometimes and for those of you going "it's lovely but sooo expensive just remember that for a Wiksten Tank made from Liberty you need to spend about $30. $30 and then you have a Liberty tank. You can't argue with those maths. 

Fabrics that are good to start with include any kind of lightish cotton - a voile, a lawn, some kind of shirting fabric, a light chambray can be lovely, or even a double gauze. Cotton is good because it is relatively stable (unlike linen) but it isn't slippery (like silk). 

Fabrics from L to R: 100% cotton, homespun cotton, light cotton, light cotton, double gauze with a linen back, linen, double gauze, Liberty lawn, double gauze, Liberty Lawn.

2. Good seam allowances are the train to happiness!

I talked about this in detail in Step 1 of the first Sewing 101.  But this really is the key so take your time to work out how to do this. 

3. Buy patterns from good INDEPENDENT companies

I wrote a post last year that talked a little about how we used to be surrounded by people that made. That making was part of life for many people. And that there were people around us that had skills we could call on. Which meant that pattern companies didn't need to put as much info into their patterns. Many old school pattern companies still write patterns like this. They assume that you know what you are doing. Which is fine when you do, but not so fine when you don't. 

Independent pattern designers have changed the game in terms of how patterns are written. They are writing patterns that are well written and teach you things as you make. They generally also have lots of diagrams. 

Some suggestions for independent pattern companies include Collette, Grainline, Tessuti, Wiksten, By Hand London, Made By Rae,  Liesel & Co, Megan Nielsen - all of these companies are thoughtful about how they put together a pattern and go through it step by step.

There are many other new independent designers popping up but as I haven't used them I don't want to recommend their patterns. I know you guys will have more (that you have tested) so please add them in the comments and I'll update the post with your suggestions.

And then there are the Japanese pattern books. However, while I love them and use them regularly for kidswear, they assume a lot of knowledge and are probably better after you have built up your confidence a bit.

4. Little things make a big difference

So now for some simple tips that will make your life happier - newbie or not. 

1. Trim your threads as you go. This one is a little life changing if this isn't something you already do! I keep a little bowl right next to my machine to put them in.
2. Iron your seams as directed. This makes a big difference to your outcome.
3. Use a new needle for each (major) project.

Another tip (that is a little tricky to explain) is to think about flow. Read ahead in your pattern and figure out whether you can gather your steps together. Pin as many pieces together as you can when you are pinning, so you then have a pile of things to sew when you sit at the machine. Sew them all before heading to the ironing board. Do your ironing all in one go and then do your next load of pinning. For me, this makes the whole process feels more focused and simpler, rather than the up down up down up down of following the pattern instructions. 

Modeste made a couple of good suggestions in the comments of the last post -

1. Ignore all the 2/3hr thing. It will take as long as it takes - so true!
2. Do a muslin in a fabric that has a similar drape to the fabric you plan on using - I totally agree but I don't do it very often. For any given pattern, my first muslin is often my first wearable version. I just make it in a fabric that is not a favourite.

Next up in sewing 101, I'll start talking alterations. In the mean time - do you have any advice for newbies?

Felicia x

Simple Sewing 101 - Part 1 - Tops

So here it is – a way of achieving a simple handmade wardrobe while improving your skills one by one. As I've been writing the post I've had more and more thoughts about stuff I want to tell you, so I think there will be more posts. Definitely one/a few on how I (super simply) alter these patterns to fit my body, another with some more advice for beginners and maybe ……well we will see where we get to. 

For those of you that already make your clothes then this may not be so useful but for those of you that are beginning hopefully it provides some tips that help you on your way. Making these tops in order will build on your skills one by one!

The alterations post/s will detail how to do simple alterations that can customise these patterns for a better fit but for now I will simply list the alterations I make at the bottom of each step.

All the photos today have been ripped off my phone so apologies for the quality. 

A collarless Wiksten Tova.

Step 1 – Advice for beginners about seams 

This possibly seems obvious but I’ve watched a few people learn to sew over the last few years and I think that not enough time is spent learning this. A perfect (or even a good) seam allowance is the key to sewing. What does this mean in practice? It means that the two raw edges you are sewing together are in line AND that you are using the seam guide on your machine to ensure the seam is exactly the right distance from the raw edges.  

Learning to do this is part practice/part science. If you are new then please pin your edges – a lot. Pin either end of your seam, then in the middle and then in the middle of those pins. Don’t start at one end and go to the other. 

Use two light hands as you sew - a bit like how Jamie Oliver dresses a salad - nice and light.

Your left hand should be flatish and out wide, resting lightly on the fabric, not pushing or pulling. Guiding the fabric is how you should think about your hands. Your right hand should be controlling the raw edges. This can mean a few things. Sometimes you end up with extra fabric on the top which you can gently nudge under the foot as you sew. Other times you will need to make sure your edges are matching and hold them together as you sew in between the pins. Practice is the key here. And pinning. 

You need to find a balance in your sewing speed. Fast enough that you are able to manipulate the fabric under the foot to go around a corner but not so fast you aren’t accurate.

When you hit a large angle you need to stop with your needle in and pivot, making sure after you have turned it that you are the right distance away from the new raw edge. I still get this wrong sometimes and need to turn back, do an extra stitch and then pivot again. We are always learning, aren't we? 

When you are going around a sharp curve you may not just be able to guide the fabric – rather you may have to pivot three or four or eight times with a tiny movement each pivot. It may be the case you pivot, sew two stitches, pivot again etc.

Put your pins in sideways – so perpendicular to the raw edge with the pin tip on the outside. The reason you do this is so it is easy to remove with your right hand when the pin is about to go under the foot. Don't drive over your pins. 

Practice all this stuff on scraps; go around corners and follow some squiggles (just draw them on the fabric) and lots of straight lines….. Get this right and you are on the train to being a great sewer! And joy!

Patterns to try: Pillowcases are always a good one. I love the Purl Bee one here. 

step 2 - A woven Hemlock Tee by Grainline

You will learn: Straight stitch and zigzag. And a bias edge for the courageous (you can do it!!).

I made this for the first time a few weeks ago and I am totally in love with it. This is my new favourite top! And as a sewer I would say that it is simply the-biggest-bang-for-your-sewing-buck you can get. It took about 2hrs from start to finish and this was only because of how I did the neck. It could have been quicker! 

This pattern is perfect for beginners - it is about as simple as sewing gets! Every seam is a straight seam until you hit the neck. I finished every seam with a simple zig zag but if you knew what you were doing and wanted to get fancy you could easily French seam it. You do need to do a simple pivot at the underarm when you are sewing the side seams (leave the needle in the fabric, lift the feet and turn 90degrees) but other than that it is all plain sailing.

So the neck. I'm going to talk about two methods. Both equally valid. 

Jaime and Amber from Fancy Tiger talk about their versions here. They state that they fold the raw edge over and stitch it down. How I would suggest you do this is to use my hemming trick. First sew a basting stitch around the neckline 1cm away from the raw edge. Next finish the raw edges with a zigzag. Fold the edge over at the basting line, iron and pin. Stitch down neck edge by doing a straight stitch about 8mm from the edge.

I did it a little differently - using a double folded bias. For those of you that don’t know how to do a bias edge have a look at Grainline’s amazing bias tutorial (Grainline is one of the best sites on the internet for incredibly well written patterns and tutorials. Yay Jenn!)

That said I did it in an even lazier way that Jenn's tutorial. I cut a 3cm strip of fabric on the bias. I folded it in half with the wrong sides together and ironed it. I then pinned it to the neckline with the bias raw edge pinned to the right side of the fabric. Sew them together with a 6mm seam. I understitched (as in the tutorial)the seam allowance to the bias and then simply ironed it over and top-stitched it down from the right side. Grainline’s is tidier – mine is still lovely and quicker.  

I know the Hemlock is a one size pattern with a finished bust of 42". If you are outside this size then skip to step 3 on the list, or if you are more advanced then adding a couple of cm to the body and sleeves would be easy peasy.  

Alterations to consider: French seams, proper bias, swing top, increased sleeve width, bigger sizes and the shirt tail hem.
Other similar patterns to try: Purl Soho Boxy Tee which does the bias in the same way as I mentioned above. However I understitched it as in the Grainline tutorial AND I don't topstitch the bias down at 1/4" but rather a make the seam allowance a little larger to make sure I have caught all the raw edges inside the bias.

My favourite (modified) Wiksten tank which I will tell you about in a future post. 

Step 3 - Wiksten Tank by Wikstenmade

You will learn: French Seams and beautiful bias edge.

The way this pattern is written gives you a beautifully finished top. It will make you feel like a total champion to have made something so well. It does take some time - for such a simple garment - but it is so well worth it. It is well written and you get to learn how to do French seams. Who doesn’t love those?

Follow the pattern exactly as it is written - the only change I make is to use the bias tutorial from Grainline I linked to above to do the understitching. It just makes the finish that little bit more professional. AND follow my hemming trick for the hem using the extra trick I've added at the bottom of the post for a shirt tail hem. 

Make your first one a muslin out of a nice light fabric – but not a favourite fabric as I’ve found I needed to play with the fit a little to get it just right for me.

Alterations: Raise the neck if you don’t fancy having your boobs on show. Alter the length. Fix the width of the back.
Other similar patterns to try: Grainline Tiny Pocket Tank, Tessuti Ruby, Sorbetto by Colette

My favourite (modified) Scout Tee with long sleeves

Step 4 - Scout Tee by Grainline

You will learn: a set-in sleeve.

I have made many of them, wear them all the time and have written a post about how much I love it. This is the perfect replacement to dagging around in a tshirt. It has a lovely shape.

Normally I just do straight seams and finish them with a simple zig zag. I use my hemming trick for the hem and the sleeve hem.

So the new skill – the set-in sleeve. This pattern has great pictures and shows you step by step how to do this.

The only thing I would add to Step 14 for first timers doing a set-in sleeve is that you need to pin first - pin your underarm seams, pin at the notches - before then pulling the basting threads. When pulling the basting threads make sure you are pulling the two threads attached to the wrong side of the basting lines. Then smooth the gather out with your fingers to make sure that at a ½” from the raw edge the fabric is flat. Sew the seam with the sleeve on top to make sure you don’t catch any of the fabric. And unpick it if you do. 

Alterations: scoop the neck, add the wiksten tank curve to the bottom, lengthen the sleeve.
Other similar patterns to try: The Lou Box Top is new from Sew DIY and it is even simpler than the Scout as it doesn't have a set-in sleeve. But it ends up looking a bit similar. I am totally obsessed with this version of it. 

Step 5 - Alice Top/Dress by Tessuti

You will learn: Gathers, and to pay attention to what the pattern says about seam allowances.

This pattern is also new to me. I've made it twice now - and I love it! The construction is interesting and rather fun. While you are making it the first time it can feel a little slow but then it comes together beautifully and super fast at the end. Such a winner. 

There are two things you need to know about this pattern!

1. You need to pay attention to the seam allowance as it changes three times as you go through the pattern. It is clearly detailed in the instructions. There is a really sensible reason for it (that in some places in a garment you want wider seams from a construction point of view than others) but for the beginner it is something to watch out for. 
2. The sizing is a little wacky. I made an XS and it fitted well. Normally I am a S or a M. Read people's review on the internet before giving this pattern a crack. 

So the gather - it is not much of a step up – you can easily do this! You ran a basting line for the set in sleeve for the Scout Tee – gathering is the same.  

This is how I do a gather – and I ignore any pattern that tells me otherwise.

Run your basting lines 5mm either side of what you seam allowance is (I understand I am changing from inches to cm. Please forgive me - I use both). So if you have a ½” seam allowance run your basting lines at 3/8” and 5/8”. Don’t pull the basting threads yet – pin first. Divide the two pieces you are going to sew together into 4 sections (or 8 for a larger seam). Pin the raw edges together connecting the four pins. THEN pull the basting threads together. Smooth the gather out so that it sits flat between the pins and so that the gather looks even between the two basting lines. When the two pieces of fabric are the same length and flat add more pins. I put them in about every inch. Again sew from the side of the gather.

I get perfect gathers doing this!

Alterations: Length, leaving out the arm facing. 
Other similar patterns to try: Ruby by Made By Rae, Valerie by Tessuti

My first Tova was a complete copy of one I saw on the Tessuti blog. 

Step 6 - Wiksten Tova by Wikstenmade

You will learn: To sew a placket and to sew in a bib.

I love this pattern - it is well written and finished beautifully (as is usual for Jenny's patterns). So gorgeous and so wearable. You only need follow it as written to get a great garment. There are hundreds of gorgeous versions of this under google images so go take a look for some inspiration.

You have all the skills to do this! A gather, a set-in sleeve and some straight sewing is all you need except for one slightly trickier bit. 

The tricky bit is attaching the front of the garment to the bib. Take your time, pin a lot and be willing to unpick if you get stuck. * I'll update this when I find ace tutorial someone did. 

Alterations: The dress requires an arse adjustment for people shaped like me (and Jenn xx), no collar, sleeve alteration.  

Jenn's gorgeous Tova with her improvised sleeve. I love it so much. 

So there you have it. My favourite wear-everyday tops - with not a button or a zip among them - as a sewing 101 for tops. They are so simple that most of them only have a couple of pattern pieces!

Ask me your questions and I will try to help. Or tell me more about what you want to know. 

Happy simple sewing.

Felicia x

PS. If you decide to make any of these tops and are posting to instagram then include the hashtag #simplesewing101 so I can see what you are up too! 

Getting it a little wrong….

So late last year I decided I should change the blog format. I was thinking that I would post twice a week as I have done for a long while, and then I would have an I Made This post once a week. While I have some amazing I Made This posts coming to you very soon, I'm not able to organise them once a week. I forget and they forget and it takes a bit of doing…..

In the meantime I've been trying to fill in the gaps and post all three days…..and I just want to admit that that was crazy talk. I can only post twice a week and enjoy it, and normally I really enjoy it. Three times a week feels too much….. 

So….I've now tried a couple of different formats - none of which have worked with my real life. And so this is what I'm gonna do - go back to Tuesday and Friday as it always was. Apologies for all the chopping and changing. 

So the first Simple Sewing 101 post will be up next week - in the meantime enjoy your weekend. I'm off to bed - see you Tuesday xx