A Twist In The Tail 2025 Part 10

 A Twist In The Tail 2025 Part 10

I am continuing with making the Fin.

Blue Continues

I have now started on one Side with a Blue Colour. I am Continuing with the Increases. When I have finished doing the Blue on this Side I will do the same on the Opposite.

Light Blue Marker

After the Blue I added another Red and a Light Blue. This Light Blue is a Marker. After this I will start Decreasing at the Outer Edge.

Annoying Stitches

I have noticed that  the Pattern I have created is leaving an Extra Stitch on the Returning Row. I find this Annoying so will have to see what I can do about it.

Sewn Over

I have Sewn over the Extra Stitches with Red Yarn. This not only has Covered Up the Stitches but has also helped Define the Edge.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 65

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 65

Eureka! This is the final blog for this project. It has taken me far longer than I thought due to ill health. I am so happy that now I can move on to other projects.

Press Stud Leaves

I Sewed the Leaves above the Pocket. It took a while to get them placed. I needed to Cover enough of the Rat without messing up the way I had arranged the Leaves to compliment the rest of the Bags Colours.

I have matched up the Press Studs Sewn on the Pocket with the Leaves and Sewn on the other Halves. This was far trickier. I needed to Sew them on firmly but without coming through the other side.

Hidden Rat

As you can see in the above photograph, I managed to avoid Sewing through the Leaves. To make it easier I had used Thread rather than Wool. Since it was underneath, I did not chop and change Colours but used a simple Beige Colour.

Finished Front

Voila! One Autumn Cape Bag Front Side completely Finished.

Finished Back

Here is the Back. I love the little Rat Tail tantalisingly poking out from underneath the Leaves. I took it out yesterday for a test run and it worked beautifully.

It was a very long project but I am very happy with the result.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 64

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 64

I finally feel like I am getting to see the light at the end of the Tunnel

Sew Pair

Naturally, all the Pins came out of the Leaves so I had to sort them all out again. Starting at one End I began to Sew a Pair of Leaves together. I did this by Partially Overlapping. I then Sewed with Yellow Wool down the Inner Edge of the Yellow Leaf.

All Sewn

As you can imagine it has taken quite a while to Sew All of the leaves together. I kept having to Swap Coloured Wool.

Curled Top

One of the main problems with Stocking Stitch is it tends to Curl. I am going to have to do something with the Top of the Pocket. It not only looks bad but also is slightly obscuring the Rat’s Ears.

Fold and Sew

I have Folded and Sewn the Top with a Backstitch. I am going to go across again with a Tacking Stitch to bring it together more.

Press Stud Pocket

I have a small collection of Press Studs. I selected the best size and Sewed them on to the Pocket. I put three on so as to spread the wear on the Top when Opening.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 57

 Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 57

Now I have Picked Up all the Stitches I can begin Knitting.

First Row

 

Knitting the First Row was difficult as the Stitches were very Tight. I found that sometimes I had to Tug to get the Needle through.

Loose Yarn

All that Tugging has loosened some of the Yarn that was Sewn in. If I do not sort this, first it is possible that it will Unravel.

Colour Rat

As I am Knitting, I am Colouring in the Rows on my Rat Chart. It does not really matter what Colour I use as long as I can see what I have already done.

Rat Bottom

In the above photograph, you can see how the Knitting Compares to the Bottom of the Rat Chart. In addition, if you look carefully you will observe a curious Fan Shape where I Picked Up. This is a problem I will have to sort out later.

Green Cut Out

After Checking my Knitting against the Chart, I have decided that as it stands the Pocket will be too High. Therefore, I am Cutting Out some Rows. I have highlighted this in Green.

Pig-Mailing On 2023 Part 2

 Pig-Mailing On 2023 Part 2

This is more fun. Creating the Tails.

Pin Tail on Slippers

 

I have Sewn the I-Cords into a Loop. They are big enough for me to put my Finger through. I Have Sewn them in Opposite Directions as they are going to Curve different ways. I then Pin them on to the Slippers at the Back using the Rear Seam as a Guide. 

Tail Curl

 

I Sewed the first Curl on the Seam. I didn’t Sew it all the way up as I wanted slight movability at the Top. I then Sewed about a Fingers Length of the Cord to the Right.

I then began to Curl the I-Cord into another Loop. I Pinned in Place then Sewed all the way around. Once Again I left some Cord Unsewn at the Top.

Three Little Curls

 

I Repeated this process until I had Three Little Curls in my Piggy Tail. I then Sewed along for another Finger Length before starting to Curve the Cord Upwards.

All Curled Round

 

Now apart from making the Tail to increase Piggyness I had an alternative motive for this Tail. The Size of the Slippers are actually a couple of Sizes too large for my boyfriend.

I am going to put some insoles into them but still thought they would be a bit too big. Therefore I am going to use the Tails as Straps. I Curve the Strap over the Ankle area in a Circle. Then I Weave the Cord through the Loops.

Pair of Curly Tails.

 

I now have a couple of Pigtail Slippers.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 53

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 53

I had left the Bottom of the Sidepiece unfinished. I am now going to continue.

Two Finger Gap

I have left a Two Finger Gap Unsewn. I trim off the Excess Material.

View from Side

In the above photograph, you can see the View from the Side. I had originally thought that I would Curve the Bottom but then decided against it. The Unsewn part is equal to the Width of the Material that I am adding.

Fold and Pin

I have Folded and Pinned the Hem so it does not move whilst Sewing.

Hem Across

 

This part has been Hemmed Across. I now need to repeat everything on the other Side.

Fraying

 

Drat! I have made another boo-boo. I Cut the Excess too close. Not only that since I had mislaid my Pinking Scissors I had been forced to use ordinary ones.

This has had the unfortunate effect of the Material to start Fraying. Fortunately, I have a solution.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 52

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 52

Here we are folks Part 52. That is a full year’s worth of blogging on this project and it is not over yet.

Blanket Stitch Side

After attaching it at the Top I Blanket Stitch along the Side of the Bag.

Difference in Stitching

The reason there is so many blogs on this project is due to the amount of mistakes I keep making. This time it is loose Stitching whilst Sewing whilst ill. This is going to have to be rectified.

Smaller Stitches

I have gone over the Loose Stitching again. I have Blanket Stitched in-between the ones already there. I will have to do this on the other Side too. However, I am going to Pin it first.

Pin to Side

I have Pinned the Insert to the Other Side of the Bag. If you notice in the photograph above, I have not Sewn all the way down. This is deliberate and will explain in next blog.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 50

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 50

The Toggles are finally dry and I am no longer getting ink on my fingers so are ready for use.

Extra Loop

 

I have Knitted another I-Cord and Sewn it to form a Loop. I have added the Extra Loop in the Centre of the others.

Mark with Pins

 

I need to match up the Toggles with the Loops. This is not as straightforward as the other side as the Material Length is slightly Wider. I have placed the Material and Marked with Pins where the Toggles should be Sewn

Three Toggles

 

I decided to use the Original Toggles first. I have Sewn them at the two ends and in the Centre.

Vertical Toggles

 

I have encountered a problem. I had been so concerned about making sure the Loops were Sewn on the thicker Material that I had not thought about the amount of space between.

Therefore, I have Sewn the new Toggles Vertically. Perhaps losing a Toggle and having to use Smaller ones has become an advantage.

Finished Toggles

 

I have Finished Sewing all the Toggles in place. Whilst not perfect I am satisfied with the End result.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 42

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 42

Once again, I have to apologise. I am still having problems with photographs.

Sorting Loops

 

I had made eight Loops in Total. For the moment, I only need four. When I made the Loops, I only used a rough guide therefore; they are slightly different in size. I am now Sorting them into groups.

Adding Loop

 

I Add two of the Loops to the Strengthener. I am using Finger Spacing as a guide to separate them. These are the Outside Pair. I have Added them roughly an Inch away from the Edge.

All Looped Up

 

I now have Added the Inside Pair of Loops. They are two Finger Spaces from the Outside Loops. This means that the gap in the centre is not exact. If I feel that it is needed I can always add another Loop later.

Sewn Through

 

I was not particularly bother about which Brown Wool that I used to Sew the Loops in place. I merely used any bit of Wool Scraps that I had handy.

Obviously to make sure the Loops were Secured properly I have Sewn Through. This means that the Stitches will have to be Covered.

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 26

Autumn Cape Bag 2022 Part 26

Okay am seriously bored now. How can something so technically simple take so long?

Pin to Sew

 

Once again, I am Pinning to Sew an End.

 End Backed

 

I have now Sewn the Backing End in place. However, I am not entirely sure that I have lined it up properly. I seriously cannot be bothered to Unpick and Redo. If it is a problem, I will sort it afterwards.

Nearly There

 

Finally, the End of this Section is in Sight.

 Grrr

 

OH COME ON! I measured this and if anything, it was over. I am really beginning to wish that I had never started this damned thing.

Finally Backed

 

Thank God, I have now Finally Backed the entire Strap. I wonder what can go wrong with the next part.