Try Outs

I'm loving my Singer 15.  The motor is so quite - all I can hear is the whir of the gears.  I've been getting used to the feel of it by sewing together crumbs from Stained Kites.  I stitched enough together to cut out another 20 hexies.  I switched over to my other old Singer to sew on the backing/binding, since all my colored thread is already wound on those bobbins.  It was interesting to feel the difference between the two machines.

Next project is something new:  a bias tape Celtic knot.  I made this lilac dress five years ago and felt that it needed a little something.  I decided a some green would be nice (probably when looking for something to wear on St. Patrick's Day).  I've been meaning to do this a year or two, bought bias tape makers this spring and finally started working on it.

Dress, pattern, auditioning greens

Good grief, I don't know what I'm doing.  I discovered that Googling "Irish knot" brings up better examples than "Celtic knot."  Really?  I found a pattern that I liked - but only after I turned it inside-out.  I swear I can't do anything the easy way.

I made a couple of short pieces of bias tape to see how it worked and looked.  I really liked the 1/2", but struggled to get keep it flat with the sharp turns of the pattern.  I ended up cutting it down to make 1/4" bias.  It is working better but I'm not confident I can keep the raw edges tucked in.  I need to transfer the pattern onto the dress and start to iron and pin the tape to the dress.  I'm not sure I can accomplish this.  I knew it would be a lot of work, but I underestimated the complexity.  It would be great to have done for Friday's dance.  We'll see!