Fish Skirt

Forgive the terrible photo above. I made this skirt from the same pattern (New Look pattern 6271) that I used for trousers last year. I really believe in getting value from a pattern, but am probably not going to move on to the shorts option.

I love the batik fish fabric (which was bought in Bude), but decided it had to be lined. Spent more online buying a navy cotton fabric for the lining, but it had to be done. I added pockets using the same tutorial Soften Studio, on how to sew a french seam pocket that I used on the trousers. It is really good way to add pockets and keep everything french seamed and neat. I love a pocket. 

This was the last of several attempts to photograph it. I just seem to shut my eyes in photos, look very self-conscious, or just angry. So although I look a mess, this is fairly realistic, and at least I am not in my usual wellington boots.

There is going to be another sewing post soon, as I have just discovered downloadable patterns, and am midway through a blouse.

More Trousers

I wrote last month about some trousers that I had made for myself, from New Look pattern 6271 - my Hippy Chick trousers. My daughter was very keen to wear them, but I managed to hang on to them. But I have made her two pairs of trousers from the same pattern. 

 

I felt I had to sew carefully, as she is a fashion student. We are calling them her intern trousers, as she is in the process of looking for an internship for some of next year. So I am imagining them swishing around some trendy studio in London, with the stitching being admired.

For the first pair she bought some lightweight denim, and the changes I made for the pattern were the run and fell seams down the outside of the legs, and the top-stitched patch pockets. About 20 years ago I did a City and Guild Fashion course, so had to get out my old file of notes and samples for these.

The second pair is a lovely silky striped pattern, and for these I added some in seam pockets on each side. I found a fantastic on line video from Soften Studio, on how to sew a french seam pocket. There is also a link to download a free pattern piece, and the explanation is so clear and the end result so neat and pleasing, I would highly recommend this.

So getting my value from this pattern, I am now thinking about fabric for the skirt option.

Hippy Chick Trousers

At this time of year, when The Great British Sewing Bee is on, I suddenly remember that sewing is something I can do.

So this year I decided to make my some trousers, with this lovely piece of Africa waxed cotton, that I bought from a charity shop for £6. The pattern I used is New Look 6271. It also contains a pattern for skirts and shorts, so thought it was good value. My one worry with it was would that the waist look too elasticated. I am usually a jeans girl, and avoid elasticated waists when buying trousers. This waist has a combination of elastic in a channel, and a functioning tie, which confused me a bit at first. But I am really happy with the end result. The thing I really like about this pattern is the width of the legs. They are quite wide, but not silly wide.

 

My daughter was here in Cornwall when I finished the trousers, and also liked them so much, that she tried to persuade me to let her wear them to work. Before I had even worn them out myself! I pretended to be annoyed, but was actually quite flattered that she liked them so much. So they are still my trousers, but I now have two more pieces of fabric to make some for her. Pleased about this, as I love to get more than one garment out of a pattern.

 

After that I am planning to make, in the style of The Sewing Bee, a blouse out of an old embroidered table cloth. I have a few of these to use, but if anyone can suggest a fairly simple pattern, without gathers so the embroidery will lie flat, I would love to hear from you.

Icelandic Pullover

At last my husband has got his Christmas present, this Icelandic pullover. He has been very patient, and for once I think it is actually something he will wear. 

The pattern I found on ravelry, and it is called the Anniversary Sweater and designed by Védís Jónsdóttir. The pattern was free, and comes in lots of sizes, but I knitted in XL, I also ordered the recommended wool, Lopi Lettlopi, which came from Iceland. It was not cheap, but is really beautiful wool, and I wanted to try and make as authentic an Icelandic pullover as I could. He picked the colours, and although I was a bit worried it was all too brown, and think it looks really good.

Knitted on circular needles, for me this was unusual, as I tend to like to knit flat and seamed. But I found it okay, and enjoyed making the patterned sections.

My husband was a slightly reluctant model. The first picture was at the beach at Widemouth Bay, but then we went for a few action shots by the wood pile. 

We had to have several ash trees cut down near the road. It makes me sad when I see ash trees dying, and for us this was expensive, as the road had to have traffic control while the tree surgeons were working. But on the plus side we now have a lot of wood for the wood burners, with which we can keep the heating bills down for quite a few years. I would also really like to do something creative with the wood, and would welcome any ideas.

Christmas Cardigan

I have a bit of catching up to do, and can finally show the project that I have been working on for some time. I had some light grey wool left over from my son's cardigan, which I made last year, so decided to knit a very similar cardigan for my husband. So I bought some more darker grey Aran-weight Drops Alaska, and here he is modelling his present. He is standing outside our rather ramshackle, but very beautiful barn.

The pattern I used was call "The Boyfriend Cardigan" by Erica Knight, bought from John Lewis. It is actually a woman's cardigan pattern, but I reversed the bands. I kniited one size bigger than the cardigan made for my son. 

But I now have a bit of the dark grey left over. Should I use that for stripes on another cardigan. This could just go on and on ..... 

Just a reminder that there is still a little bit of time left to join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for January. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.

Cardigan ... Finished at Last

I thought about calling this post "The Reluctant Model", as you can probably tell that my son was not over keen to have me take his photograph. Although he has said I can post them on my blog. (Mind you, I am usually not very keen on having my own photograph taken, so I do know how he feels.)

I prefer the photographs taken above, even though they don't show the cardigan very well. I knew if I started faffing about the cardigan I might lose my model completely, so here are some taken outside, which show the garment off better. 

I'm rather pleased with my improvised stripes on the sleeves, although in the end I had wool left over. So I didn't need to do them, but I think they have added something to the garment - the college preppy look.

The pattern I used was call "The Boyfriend Cardigan" by Erica Knight, bought from John Lewis. It is actually a woman's cardigan pattern, but I reversed the bands. It fits my son very well, as he is tall but very skinny. The grey Aran-weight wool is Drops Alaska and was bought online from Wool Warehouse. It seemed good value for 100% wool at £1.80 for a 50g ball, and by clicking about a bit I managed to find a discount code. (I bought 18 balls, but have 2 left over.) 

I was tempted into buying some sock wool, as spending over £30 put me into free postage. So expect some more family knitting here soon.  

I'm also rather pleased with how the toggles look, instead of buttons, bought from Fabricland.

I know this is not great, but it did capture the feel of most of the photos that I took but haven't used.

Just a reminder that there is still plenty of time join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for January. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month