M a d e l i n e T o s h

Needles and Thread Oh My!!

OK, so this sewing thing is getting a little addicting. I have never been a big fan of sewing. I guess I had to cut out too many really bad patterns out of polyester for my grandmother with pinking shears. That said, I bought an olfa cutter for shreading fabrics awhile back in order to spin them. I got a cheap 2 for 1 type deal where you get the cutter and a board for ya know 19.99.

So... I bought a few patterns.... hey they where half off.

I cut out my first pattern on a table sized olfa board I snagged last week along with some other ingenious little sewing gadgets (clover's rotary refillable chalk thingy). Between the rotary cutter, cutting board and the like, this sewing thing is a hell of a lot more enjoyable than it used to be.

Not to mention the fact that patterns have taken a great leap forward, The Built by Wendy patts being at least on the curve instead of floundering 10 years behind it.

There are some pretty inspirational sites out there detailing some really creative and simple, yet beautiful construction.

Since I am a granola mom, I am also really interested in using the new fibers/fabrics like Bamboo, Modal, Tencel etc...

I stumbled upon the Wardrobe Refashion site last night and just loved the idea of it. You commit to not buying new clothes for 2, 4 or 6 months, instead making or refashioning your existing or vintage clothing finds.

I think I will sign up for the 4 month commitment. Anyone else want to jump in with me? Come on ya know ya wanna be a joiner!

Oh yeah, and here is my first refashioning effort. More techie info at the new site!

Introducing...

Yea!! The Madelinetosh site is up! Go visit and say hello.www.madelinetosh.com

Silky, silky now

Playing around with silk. Dying, spinning etc... Goodness this stuff is dreamy. Well it is finally Spring around here. The forsythia bush is bursting with blossums and many of the birds are returning. I have yet to see my little wren yet. The wee one keeps pressing his nose against the glass and saying bird! Hopefully the wren will return soon for wee to see.

A Spring Manifesto

I will listen to Garrison Keillor much more often and laugh shamelessly, out loud at the jokes.

I will lay in the grass with my wee one and take the extra time to look up at the stars each night.

I will drink more pink lemonade, just for the mere fact that it is pink.

I will go horse back riding more often and visit the Botanical Gardens at least once a week (OK maybe a month)

I will knit more items for charity, rather than myself.

I will tell more people I love you

I will buy more freshcut flowers from the local farmers market on days that are not holidays.

I will leave the screen door ajar more often on breezy days and dry my sheets on the clothes line.

Le Slouch Fini

Pattern technicalities:

Pattern: Le Slouch by Knit and Tonic

Yarn: 2 skeins of Terra by The Fibre Company in the Butternut Colorway

Mods: I only worked the crown for 4 and a half inches instead of six and worked half an inch for the ribbing.  I really want to knit up another following the pattern completely and adding the full on slouch effect.

This yarn is a dream to work with. It's a single ply, worsted weight yarn that is made up of Alpaca, Silk and Wool which equals crazy softness.

I am loving this beret, oh la la, and I now feel very much like Maureen darlings.

Goodness it's late but i am awake

Here is a hazy picture of a project I am working on. It's hazy because if I want to change something a bit on the dress you will not notice too much!!

I am altering a vintage wool dress by adding handknit fabric elements. It has really been a joy to rip into the seams and deconstruct the dress. I found it hanging on a rack and it softly screamed my name - "Madtosh I can be fabulous if you would only take the freakin time!" OK, maybe not, but it sounded like it.

Anyways, so this is my first attempt at designing knitwear, so bear with me. I purchased a copy, upon a good recommendation, of Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book. It actually has fabulous info on how to set in sleeves, make puff sleeves and even create three different kinds of pleats.

I started a flickr group called Knitspiration as well, to let people show off their design attempts and projects as well as inspirational pieces from the newest knitwear designers. (The catwalks are dripping with fabulous ideas for fall.)

I am looking at snatching up a few other books but I am wanting a bit of input from those in the know. Speak up if you are one of them!!

I am looking at Barbara Walker's, Knitting from the Top and Deborah Newton's Designing Knitwear. They both seem great but take very different approaches to constructing a garmet. Dressmaker vs. knitting in the round so it seems.

As for the new shop:

These pretty little things will be available!! Fabulous, if I do say so myself (as I am keeping one ) new knitting bags. There are a gazillion other things I want to post but cannot as I am waiting to throw them up on the new site. Grrr hard to wait, I am not a very patient person to say the least.

Last night I viewed one of the final drafts for the site, beautiful, beautiful! Now I will just have to read a little bit of Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette until I crash out in bed. Hopefully that will be soon.

Fall Collections

I am really loving all of the knitwear designers have incorporated into their Fall shows this season. Looks from top to bottom are:

Collette Dinnigan - loving all of the sweater mini dresses and the mossy tweed used to create them.

Pringle of Scotland - The ballon skirt banded by a seed stich swath of knitting - gorgeous.

Miu Miu - All models walked in knee socks - i love the twinset over the sheer skirt which we all know will only be semi-sheer once it hits the rack.

images courtesy of Style.com

These looks are so inspiring they have really pushed me to come up with a few ideas of my own. I think I will debut the first on the new site. Here is wishing me luck on that one.

Marie Antoinette

If you haven't seen the movie yet, just save the money you would spend on renting the movie and buy it already, oh yeah and the soundtrack too.

This movie was so stunning and well shot that it inspired me to craft this:

OK and one more view for fun.

This handspun really has a purpose, which is to become fabric, to make something of which I started on tonight. More pics later.

The Quiet Man

I have always loved this movie, The Quiet Man that is. Maureen O'Hara is just splendid in the role and being a fair redhead myself I have always desired to look a bit like her, so pretty she is.

So here is the dealio. I am trying to find the traditional Irish pattern for a shawl she wore in the movie. You can see a pic here.

Also floating around in my brain are some great images from Pringle of Scotland.The way they combined a subtle shimmer fabric with dense moss/seed stitch trim is great. I must do this somehow, maybe when i find more time hidden in the closet somewhere...

And the pic of the Beth coat below designed by Kim Hargreaves is gorgeous as well. I love the leggings and hat with that huge, slobbery dog!

For fun:

Check out these crochet hooks. Great ergonomic design in these.

Swallow casin needles are now at kpixie. I have ordered a pair to give em a try.

I am also crushing on the Harvey and Patti patterns in the new Rowan Studio One book. Amelia has picked it up and I am waiting to see what she does with it.

xoxo,

Amy