Bandana to Swing Skirt

Hi, Knitters,

First, I randomly selected three book winners from the previous post. pamk (rav id) won the Kaffe Fassett quilting book, kathyg (rav id) won The Spinner's Book of Yarn Design, and smithmks (rav id) won the Art, Doodle, Love book. Congratulations to all and thanks to everyone for entering. Next week I'll have another big double giveaway so stay tuned.

Now for today, I pulled up some older photos from a post gone by. This is TC in 2010 wearing the Alabama Chanin bandana stitched up from a kit I purchased from Purl Soho. You can read the entire post by clicking here. 

Here are a few more photos of TC and the process of making the bandana.

I loved making this little hand-stitched project. It was fast, very fun and new to me. Skip ahead a few years and see what kind of stitching is happening now.

I started a new project, and a much bigger project. It is the Swing Skirt from Natalie Chanin's, Alabama Stitch Book. Actually, the bandana instructions are in this book as well. I ordered and received the skirt kit a short while back but had to finish a few work projects before I could begin. 

I have been eyeing the skirt since I got the book in 2008 so you can imagine my excitement to start pinning, stitching and cutting my new skirt! What I do to make sure I take a few stitches throughout the day is to leave the skirt out on my kitchen table on my fabric cutting board. Every time I walk by I stitch around one or two or three of the stencils. When we need the table for meals and other things I just pick up the board and set it aside. Simple. It really helps to have your projects out so you can quickly work on them during the day.

In the photo above I have finished stitching around the stencils. The second layer of fabric is now attached underneath waiting to be exposed when I cut out the centers of the stencils. This is called reverse applique. I took Natalie's online class on Creativebug about reverse applique. Click here to see all about her class. It's such a good class. She has other classes on there as well if interested.

The outer layer is black, the stencils are gray, and the second layer is brown. I love the dark colors for a skirt. I'll be able to wear it with so many things. The kit comes with the painted stencil pattern already on the fabric for you.

The color of the skirt is truest in the photo above. The skirt comes in four panels so now I have three more to go. 

The entire skirt is hand-stitched, even the seaming. The kit comes with a black elastic for the waistband. The thread is included in the kit, as well.

I am getting the second panel lined up and basted so I can start the stitching again.

(photo from Alabama Stitch Book)

Here is a photo of the swing skirt from the book. I love it in red, too. Maybe someday I'll get to make another one in a different color or maybe one of the t-shirts. 

(Cover of Alabama Stitch Book)

There are three books from Natalie Chanin. I have the first two and would love to get the third one. 

Click here to see all of Natalie's books.

Click here for the Alabama Chanin website. You can order kits and fabric and the books directly from this site if you are interested.

I'll keep you posted on the swing skirt progress. It is really a fun project!

I stitched down the hem on my Sipsey's Folly sweater. You leave the hem stitches live on the needle, turn the sweater inside out, fold the hem up at the cast on edge, and then stitch by stitch attach it to the purl bumps on the wrong side. This took me forever. I had to take it out a couple of times because if you get off by a row or two the hem will pull or torque the bottom edge. No one wants that. I think I got it right and it looks smooth and actually pretty great.

I have my double-points lined up and ready to zip through a couple of simple sleeves. Then comes the fun part of attaching the sleeves to the body and starting the yoke filled with colorwork leaves, squirrels and acorns. I can't wait.

I'll be back soon with my complete teaching schedule coming up over the next few months and beyond. Lots going on!

best, susie