It’s a day late due to an infernal ear infection but Episode 3 of the Mrs M’s Curiosity Cabinet podcast is now live.
The podcasts is also available on iTunes or PlayerFM.
In today’s instalment I provide a short update on my all-natural sock experiment. This includes sharing your suggestions for possible yarns, including Cuthbert’s Sock Yarn from Whistlebare, and your musings on the Craft of Use when it comes to socks.
In Lessons from the Sewing Room I talk about some hard-learnt lessons about muslin making, design selection and pattern modifications. I share why the lovely, casual Factory Dress (pattern by Merchant & Mills) will not become a wardrobe but why the Coco Dress (pattern by Tilly and The Buttons), made in classic black jersey from the Organic Textile Company, will.
I talk at some length about the typical modifications I need to make to dresses. One such tweak is moving the bust dart, a tutorial of which can be found here. I also mention the Françoise Dress (also a Tilly and The Buttons pattern).
In comfort knittings I ponder the minimalist mantra “Experiences, not stuff” in the context of a recent comfort knit and some comfort knitting. In particular, I talk about finishing the Strokkur sweater (design by Ysolda Teague, knit in Icelandic Lett-Lopi wool, and working on the Talavera top (design by Amanda B Collins), knit in Uradale organic Shetland wool, naturally dyed by Woollenflower.
Finally, I share my explorations of another ancient fibre art, paper making. In the context of London Craft Week I had the opportunity to attend a paper making workshop organised by the Institute of Making and run by paper artist Mandy Brannan. I also talk about Alexander Monro’s The Paper Trail, An Unexpected History of a Revolutionary Invention (2014, Penguin). In this section I also mention the Institute of Making’s annual Festival of Stuff and Blenheim Forge, a London-based forge that specialises in making chef knives.
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Music: Springish by Gillicuddy on FreeMusicArchive and shared under Creative Commons Attribution license.
I was really enjoy this episode, until 20:43 when the sound disappeared… I’ve re-tried a few times so am assuming it’s not me, though technology and I are not best of friends.