One old and one new

Hi there, going to share the first project I made with my sister’s fabric today =) AND I’ll finally give you *the* project, my favourite selfmade garment so far. But before we come to that, I feel I have to elaborate on the grey-blue jumper and the skirt from last post a bit more. Seems I was too lazy when I originally wrote it.

About the jumper: I was asked again how I managed to do cables in my very first knitting piece. My answer: There are no cables. The pattern alternates between 6 knits and two purls, creating the illusion of cables. And btw: Cables really are easy peasy, too =) Didn’t want to believe so myself, but by now I’ve tried and know for myself.

About the skirt: Thank you for the compliments, Carol and Christae!! =) I love the pattern, but the alterations aren’t finished yet. The side seams are perpendicular to the floor, but too far back. Gotta adjust the back part for my fat bottom Besides, it truly only is a muslin since the fabric I used isn’t suitable for garments. Just was what I had lying around.

On to more interesting stuff! Like the blazer I sewed back in – oops – may. Took me quite some time to show you, eh? I was looking for something a bit more formal yet not too … prim. To wear on occasions such as exhibit openings, conferences and the like. The pattern I settled on is from Burda Fashion,  july issue 2008, number 103 view A. I think it looks modern, young and sportive. The fabric I chose to enhance it’s elegance is a black shot silver-grey dupion silk. I intensified the young and sportive air by adding black decorative seams (e.g. left and right to the center back) and using a bold black one-way zipper (the pattern called for a two-way zipper, but I don’t like those). The blazer is unlined – great for summer – but since I used silk, I put dress-shields in. Gotta admit, if I make it again, I’d probably line it completely.

Sorry, don’t have any good photo of the back view.

Now, I wanted to make an easy first project with the fabric I got from my sister (she liked the bag btw) to be quickly able to show her results. There were two coordinating cotton fabrics in her parcel. They really called for patchwork, but I am not into that. Instead, I chose to try out Amy Butler’s apron pattern from her book In Stitches. It’s very lovely and looks rather cute made from this retro-ish fabric. Especially the pleats on the ties make me go whoo! On the down side, it’s too long (for me), yet the pocket is far too small. I generally like the idea of the loop for a dish towel, but don’t think I’d ever use it myself. The apron will probably go to a friend whose birthday is in november and who’ll have to bake a lot of christmas cookies for her little daughter then.

Will show you more projects asap – until soon!

 

knit 2, sew 2

Feeling really autumny here and that means HAPPY =)

I know, long blog absence again *sighs*. There were so many things I wanted to blog about. So many posts were written in my head! But when I get to my comp in the evenings, I don’t feel like it anymore. Just wanna relax reading other peoples’ blogs.

Well, the past few weeks/months, I finished a bunch of projects. Though not all I meant to finish, but that’s just normal, isn’t it? Typically I was either too lazy to take photos or they didn’t turn out alright. I totally suck at taking photos, sorry. Nontheless, I thought I had to show you something, if not all, yet.

First, the grey blue jumper – my first jumper! – I had blogged about here and here. It’s even wearable in public, I believe. Maybe not to work, though. The pattern is interrupted at the side seams, although I *did* pay attention to this problem while knitting. I guess I’ll learn *sigh*

Secondly, the second jumper *g* Rather simple design this time. Turtleneck with three quarter sleeves. There merely is a purled stitch at the center front, no other decorations or embellishments. I like it quite a lot, but it is far too short for my taste. Might add some length to it later. I’m still pondering if it worth the trouble, because I only have one ball of the yarn left and that might not do the trick anyway. By now, I am working on a pullover.

On to some sewing projects. I am dying to show you something I finished loooong ago, but don’t have a decent photo yet =( So all you are getting today is kinda boring. The first is  – not even a skirt, but only a muslin of a skirt. I used the pattern Simplicity 4881, View A. View D is what I truly wanna make, but I had to test out the necessary alterations for my waist/hip difference.

Next (and last for tonight) I quickly sewed up a bag for one of my sisters on the weekend. She had sent me a huge parcel full of fabric. TEN different fabrics and not just scraps!! Large pieces for garments! I’ll have fun just deciding what to make of them for weeks =) And that was the whole point really. Still unemployed, I began to get bored. Can’t really spent much money on crafting supplies now. Ergo the parcel.

I had wanted to make the Phoebe Bag for some while now and this was the perfect occasion to try it. (Tutorial here – pdf file.) The lining fabric I still had lying around, for the outer fabric I recycled a friend’s mum’s old skirt (with her permission, of course) I made it with two inner pockets instead of just one, but took no photo of that. Hope my sister will like and maybe even use the bag.

That’s it. I do *hope* to update more now. No promises, though. Working on an apron with two coordinating fabrics my sis sent. And there is all the stuff I made during summer. If only I managed to take some decent photos…