Tester Call
Hello!👋
Hope you have been keeping well!
What a week in the snow it has been!
We got a sledge since they closed the school on Thursday and it has been non stop since then.
I have a few more bruises on me because I think I am still 20 years old. 😂
From going to parks and sliding down hills to dropping and picking up the kids at school (Friday) which includes me pulling both my girls on for a 2 mile round trip.
It has been a workout week! 💪
We need to take it all in before the snow melts away since we don’t know how much longer it will stay or when we will get more like this next.
Because of this, I didn’t get much sewing done.
I worked on creating a new sample for the Roma Necessaire in some navy fabric that I had lying around from previous projects.
Not sure I am completely happy with having chosen all navy fabrics. The squares sort of blend in and I feel I can’t see them clearly.
I do love the contrast handles though! 😍
I think they match really well with the hints of pink and red on the navy fabric and make them stand out a little more.
If you are interested in helping me test this pattern, please fill out the tester call application via the link below:
https://forms.gle/6e5VX4ft5jkfk7m98
I got an exciting delivery this week, and I got a little more excited than I think I should have for this. 😂
I got some square rulers and a seam roller to aid my quilting journey!
I wanted the square rulers to make squaring up quilt blocks easier than just using a straight ruler and the seam roller to avoid getting up so many times to press seams open with an iron.
I am also excited that I got given a large haul from a newsletter subscriber!🥳
One of my newsletter subscribers emailed me a few days ago saying she had lots of scraps to give away if I wanted them. She said they would be ideal for quilting and bag making and since that is my jam lately, I thought I could put them to good use, so I went to pick them up!
When I arrived, not only were there 4 bin bags of fabric ready for me to take, there was 1.2kg of Hobbii yarn and a Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0 that she was giving away! 😱
This is such a fantastic haul and this will definitely keep me busy for a long while! 😀
For the fabric scraps, the plan is to organise them by colour, feel inspired by what I see and create something from there!
I have rummaged in the bags a bit already and there are lots of exciting colours and some very good lengths of fabric too. 😀
I will probably even take a few bits to add to the swap table on my Sew & Bond sewing socials!
Thank you so much Lynn for thinking of me and sharing all this with me! ♥️
I finally finished my silver beaded sweater! 🎉
I am happy it is done (apart from weaving in a few ends)! It took me exactly 6 weeks to complete, but it feels like it took a lot longer.
As you may know already because I mentioned it in a previous newsletter, I went rogue on the sleeves and neckline since I found the instructions of the pattern I was following a little hard.
I have knit quite a few sweaters now and felt comfortable to just give it go. I think it has turned out quite good!
I finished all the ribbing with a tubular bind off because I felt like a normal cast off wouldn’t give me the stretch I needed with the amount of stitches I had on the needles.
It does take a little longer to do, but it has the perfect amount of stretch. All that is left to do is block it which I hope to get to next week.
I haven’t satisfied myself though with this beaded sweater and I plan to make another sometime this year. I want to get my hands on some large rainbow beads and I have a vision of knitting them with a cream or off white yarn. 😍
I decided not to add any more beads on the ribbing of my blue sweater at the neck and sleeve cuffs because I have a test knit I need to complete, another sweater, and the due date is the 24th of January! So in 12 days time! 😱
I must add, this is not the owner of the pattern who has put this time pressure, only me.
This pattern test started weeks ago, but only last week I saw she was missing a few testers in a size I could make for myself, so thought I would help out.
So to try and keep up with the test and testers, I have just under 2 weeks to knit this whole sweater. 😵
I raided my stash and pulled out nearly half of it because I wanted to make each square in a different colour.
The problem is that this was taking me too long to decide on colour placement, so I packed them all away again and went with my original plan. I can do more colourwork next time.
I chose a black and a rainbow coloured yarn, mostly because they are the only ones with which I could meet gauge and have enough of.
I managed to cast on for this Ellie Sweater over the weekend and got some done, but I hope the next time I write to you, I have at least the whole bodice finished. 😂
Thank you so much to Wool Warehouse for sending me the Yarnsmiths Merino Dk Superwash yarn to complete my beaded sweater! ♥️
😎Confidence Corner:
If you can dream it, you can do it - Walt Disney
Every great achievement starts as a dream.
If it’s a personal goal, a career aspiration, or a vision for a better future, the first step is daring to imagine it. Having dreams gives us direction, but taking action turns those dreams into reality.
It’s not just about wishful thinking, it's about believing in your abilities and taking meaningful steps forward. Along the way, there will be challenges, but those hurdles shape us, teach us, and make the journey worthwhile.
No dream is too big when approached with courage, creativity, and commitment. 💪
What’s the dream you’ve been holding onto? Today could be the perfect day to start turning it into reality.
🧵This Week's Tip:
The Importance of Pre-Washing Fabric Before Dressmaking
If you've ever had a garment shrink or warp after its first wash, you know why pre-washing fabric is essential. This is what you need to know about this important step:
Why Pre-Wash?
- Prevent Shrinkage: Many fabrics, especially natural fibers like cotton, linen, or wool, can shrink significantly when washed. Pre-washing makes sure your garment won’t change size after it's made.
- Remove Chemicals: Fabrics are often treated with starch or other chemicals during production to improve their appearance or handling. Pre-washing removes these, making the fabric softer and safer for skin contact.
- Reveal True Texture: Fabrics like denim or knits might slightly change their texture after washing, helping you better understand how they’ll behave in your finished garment.
- Set Colours: Pre-washing can help reduce the risk of colors bleeding later, especially for vibrant or dark fabrics.
How to Pre-Wash Fabric
- Treat your fabric the same way you plan to treat the finished garment. If it’s machine washable, wash it on the same cycle.
- Prevent fraying by serging or zigzagging raw edges before washing, especially for loosely woven fabrics.
- Wash with a gentle detergent and avoid fabric softeners, which can affect the fabric’s finish.
- Dry the fabric as you would the final garment—tumble dry, air dry, or hang dry.
Tips for Specific Fabrics
- Cotton and Linen: Wash in warm water and tumble dry to account for maximum shrinkage.
- Wool: Hand-wash or dry clean only to avoid felting or distortion.
- Silks: Hand-wash in cool water with a delicate detergent, or dry clean.
- Denim: Wash separately in cold water to prevent dye transfer. Avoid using a dryer to maintain the fabric's stiffness.
By pre-washing, you set yourself up for success, ensuring your beautifully handmade garment looks and fits just as planned. A little preparation goes a long way!
⭐My Favourite Things This Week:
- Receiving so many goodies from a subscriber! ♥️
- Finishing my silver beaded sweater!
- Putting out a tester call for my first sewing pattern - Roma Necessaire
- Settling on the yarn for the test knit and casting on - Ellie Sweater.
- Sledging with my kids.
🗓️Upcoming Plans
- Speed knit the Ellie Sweater. Test knit by Rita Made This
- Block my silver beaded beaded sweater.
- Finish the navy Roma Necessaire sample.
- Work on the details of my second bag pattern - Palma Pouch.
- Make one quilt block.
🎉Upcoming Events
18th of January 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event - in Gatley Hill House, South Manchester, 11:45h - 17:15h
Email bianca@beesilva.co.uk and quote reference: SEWBOND013
For more information: https://www.beesilva.co.uk/sewbond013/
More 2025 Dates!
23rd of February 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event
22nd of March 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event
26th of April 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event
Question of the Week:
What sewing-related New Year's resolutions do you have for this year?
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Thank you so much for reading it! And if you enjoyed it, please tell a friend about it to allow me to reach more people. 🥰
Bye for now,
B! xx
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