Lace is a key aspect of the wedding dress I am making for my friend Zoe as it covers the entire dress, sewn into the bodice but hanging as a separate layer for the full length skirt.… Read more
There were a lot of things I’d always wondered about the practical task of pattern cutting: How do you draw a smooth armhole curve? How do you make a straight hem? How do you add… Read more
The next phase of Zoe’s wedding dress was to take the and trace it as pattern pieces, add seam allowance, cut it in calico and sew it into a toile. Calico is used because of… Read more
I’m not one to go in for expensive knitting accessories when cheap, home-made alternatives are perfectly good. When it comes to stitch markers, loops of left-over yarn in a contrasting shade normally suite me perfectly… Read more
I’ve almost forgotten the anguish of now that the sweater-dress is finished and worn. Once I’d found the motivation, it didn’t take too long to re-knit the sleeves and finish it off. I made a… Read more
With the detailed set of measurements I took in day one of Custom Pattern Cutting and Fitting, day two was spent drafting a bodice block from those measurements. The block is a representation of the… Read more
A few months ago I did something I’d been meaning to do for a really long time; I took one of London College of Fashion‘s short courses, in Custom Pattern Cutting and Fitting. I’ve got… Read more
Sometimes, just occasionally, it’s nice to partake in crafts that don’t involve wool, or even fabric, so I was delighted to be invited round to my friend Sofie’s house to learn how to do lino… Read more
Yesterday I suffered the most traumatic experience of my knitting life. So traumatic in fact that even non-knitting friends empathised with my distress. Read more
Mooncalf has declared 1 April official Flash Your Stash Day, so here are my highlights: Read more
The last time I saw any of my work in print I was about 7 years old, a poem I wrote was published in the South Cambridgeshire Education Bulletin. Sadly that was the end of… Read more
Why Kool Aid? If you’re new to dyeing, there is no quicker, easier, safer or more reliable introduction than immersion dyeing wool with Kool Aid. Kool Aid is technically a food stuff (although you wont… Read more