Juggling

Oh gracious! I seem to have started rather a lot of things lately. Some you know about, others have sort of started without me quite realising ...

I'm not too bad at juggling a couple of projects, but six? Nope. Too many. Especially with all the kids home for six weeks of summer holidays. I've got to finish a couple of things, and quick. 

Let me tell you where I'm at.

A while ago I started a sleeveless Washi top in black & white fabric, but it was put to one side when it seemed summer would never start. After enjoying my recent sewing I pulled it out again and resolved to finish it and put it together with something from my stash for a second bonus outfit (I've also resolved that all "bonus outfits" can be made only from fabric and yarn in my stash).

The snag is that I can't seem to find the rest of the black & white fabric to make binding for the sleeves ... goodness knows where it's gone. So instead, I've decided to make bias binding from the pumpkin coloured cotton in the picture. It was originally cream but I dyed it, along with the burnt orange denim underneath. Do you recognise the denim? It's the remainder of the fabric I used for my trousers in outfit 2. I'm rather in love with the rich shade it's turned with this recent dye job.

My plan is to make a short denim skirt to go with my top. Initially, I thought I'd use a pattern for my skirt - I've had my eye on the Moss Mini skirt from Grainline Studio, but I'm toying with the idea of copying a pattern from a skirt I've already got. 

So, there's a bonus outfit to finish. The top should be quick, but the skirt ... hmmm.

I am desperate to get my poncho for outfit 6 done. It was great learning how to do the crochet stitches and follow the pattern, but now I'm more than ready to block it, sew it up and not crochet another stitch of it. 

Look how small my ball of yarn is. Really, I should just sit down and crochet until it's done.

I'm loving spinning the bluefaced Leicester and it's going pretty quickly. But, I'm planning to buy more fibre this weekend and would rather like it off my wheel pronto so I can get the luscious new stuff on.

I'm sounding impatient aren't I? I'm sure it's a case of the old "so much to do, so little time". Anyway, there's more:

There's a part of me that's regretting taking this project on. It's my party dress for outfit 6 and I'm using an old pattern that comes in only one size and it's much too big for me.

I started by cutting out a muslin in my trusty lime cotton and basting it together to get a feel for how big the dress would be. I thought I'd adjust the muslin, transfer my changes to the pattern and all would be good. Oh, how wrong I was!

Basically, the muslin is massive. There's just too much to change and aside from the fact I've not done something like this before, it's super hard making those sorts of adjustments on yourself. Mr Myrtle and the kids wouldn't be much help in that department and I haven't got a sewing dummy. So, my new plan is to alter the paper pattern, then make another muslin and then fitting that. Sound doable? I'm crossing my fingers I'll be fine, when I muster the enthusiasm to tackle it. 

(What I'd really like is a fantastic sewer at my elbow to talk me through it.  Anyone keen?)

Mr Myrtle's new socks are coming along nicely. They're a perfect project to take places, great for "chatting knitting" and they're looking great. I'm nearly at the toe on one and about halfway down the foot on the other. Soooo close and I'm tempted to get these off the needles first because I'm enjoying knitting them.

And finally, something that's making my brain buzz. I've started writing up and grading my tank pattern. I'm including some changes to the design and am going to knit up another in this lovely blue yarn.

If I'm honest, this is all I really want to do. All the time. I am absolutely loving figuring it out and I'm learning so much. But, I can't do it all the time, especially during the school holidays! I expect it will be done in fits and starts and probably be ready to release just in time for winter!  Remember, I released a winter hat just in time for spring? Hopeless! 

So, there you have it. All my "living" works in progress (WIP's). All six of them. Six that will hopefully become three pretty quickly, if I get the socks, poncho and spinning done ...

How's your juggling?