Trying out some free pdf jersey patterns.

I have been sewing up some comfy makes last week with the onset of cooler, wilder weather.  The first one was the Mandy boat tee from Tessuti.  I have been wanting to do this one for a while as I really liked the Fave Top that I had made back in the summer.  It is a simple design of front, back and sleeves, the upper part of the sleeve being part of the body and a slash neckline.  I used this bright blue jersey which is really beautiful with 8% elastane so lovely and stretchy. Any of the fabrics I have purchased from Tessuti have been really lovely quality and wash well and keep a good shape.

It's a lovely pattern and I particularly like the slash neckline which is finished with a nice stitch detail at either side of the neck.

A bit of a batwing effect going on there.

The other pattern I tried was the Hemlock tee by Jen at Grainline which is actually very similar, just a couple of differences. The neckline is a bound crew neck and the sleeve joins further up the arm to the front and back pieces.

I was inspired by this lovely version by Miss P which was featured on the Grainline website and decided to do the dress version. (Miss P used the back pieces for both the back and front and achieved more of a slash neckline)

This lovely jersey is from +Minerva crafts and was in their clearance at £5.99 per metre and as it took less than 2 metres to make, I would call that a bargain.  It is also a good weight, very soft and looks more expensive than it cost. (I think) I added 10 inches on to the front and back pieces to make the dress. I used an enclosed binding on the neckline and just hemmed the cuffs and hem using a twin needle.  I took the sides in about 1 cm each side. Overall it was a very quick make taking a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon. I wore it yesterday and it was very comfy and cosy.  I will definitely be making a couple more of these.

Jen's versions were made with beautiful tissue weight jerseys but I am pleased to say that this thicker type jersey worked fine too.

So overall I am very pleased with these two free patterns and will definitely be using both again.  With so many different types of jersey and knit fabrics out there it would be easy to get quite different looks from them. They are both pretty casual, but I think they can be dressed up a bit too.

I see Tessuti has just released a new pattern the Lola Tee. (not a freebie) Will have to remember that one for next summer.

Purplish.

Just to continue on my autumn of berry shades, I have now finished my little waistcoat.

This was the project I had bought in July as a possible 'en vacance' project.  Thankfully the weather was way too hot to even think about knitting, so it only got started in September.  As it was meant for a 'knit on holiday' it was a very simple knit.  There was no shaping, no cables or other fancy stitches, all knit in stocking stitch.  I chose to knit the cropped version and it is quite a good length for cropped. (I have a long back).  The thing I like most is, of course, the pockets .... highly useful.

Overall I am pretty pleased and I think it will get some wear on those 'at home' kind of days, very cosy and will go with quite a few of my tops.

Pattern : Sirdar cropped cardigan 9662
Yarn : Sirdar Folksong Chunky shade 384 Paisley.

Now I can concentrate on finishing the Winthrop cardigan from Kelbourne Woolens that I started probably about March time and abandoned:
1.  Because spring came (it's a heavy yarn) and
2.  I had got to the 'yoke shaping' bit and as this was my first entire circular knit garment, I thought I would dwell on it a while.  Oops.
It is nearly finished so I should really just focus on it.

In the garden, still on the purplish theme, we now have these

I think most of what I grew this year was purple, so not only do they look pretty good, I think, but they have more nutrients. (All purple veg have anthocyanins and carotenoids to protect your cells and heal the body, sorry but I am a nutrional advisor)

These are 'Rubine' brussels sprouts, seed purchased from +Sarah Raven.

We are nearly at the end of autumn, so maybe a subtle change of colour scheme is in the offing.

Avocado Hoodie, boys have to get new stuff too!

So, having made the navy fleece for the husband and previously knit a hoodie for my youngest son, son number one was feeling rather deprived.  So, I thought I would make him a cosy hoodie for the winter months. This came in the form of the Avocado Hoodie from Disparate Disciplines..  This is a pdf pattern and although I have used quite a few of these now, I found the pages on this one a bit tricky to match up exactly... maybe it was the way it printed out on my printer, but I had to do a bit of freehand drawing to get the outlines to patch.  Not sure why this happened, but I got it sorted eventually.

The fabric I used was one from organiccotton.biz. As described it has a soft brushed back with a knitted front, quite substantial in weight and very cosy. Mine was the grey marl, but they also do a darker grey and a couple of natural colours.  It was a really lovely fabric to work with.

I chose to make the size 40 for him, with the crossover neckline, front pockets and the thumbholes in the cuffs.

Again on making this hoodie, it was very straightforward, with great instructions, the only thing was that some of the notches did not seem to be in quite the right place.  Not sure why, maybe my printer, just had to rely on some common sense.

The overall result is great and this a really good basic to have, especially if you have teenage offspring who seem to like this standard 'uniform'.  There is also a female version, which no doubt, I will be trying sometime.

My son hasn't really taken it off very much since I finished it last Friday, so it must be ok.

Now, I had better go and make a plan for my christmas knits, the rest of my own winter sewing (haven't really even got started properly yet) and those socks!  Maybe slightly optimistic.  Oh well.

These also arrived, Crazy Zauberball, beautifully soft.  One is planned for funky-grandpa cardigan as the contrast yarn, haven't decided on the main colours or yarns.  Think I might go down the pink colour scheme as probably by the time I get it knit it will be spring!  The other is for my first attempt at 'proper' socks.

I also see that Liesl Gibson has released four new patterns under Liesl & Co patterns seen here.. Her Lisette patterns were some of the first items I made and they were great patterns, namely the Portfolio and the Market dress, so I have great hopes for these new patterns too. Definitely, got to make that plan!

An Airelle blouse and other works in progress.

This week has been a week of dipping in and out of a few different projects.  I completed a DeerandDoe Airelle blouse.  The pattern was purchased ages ago, with a view to making it for the summer, but I am only getting round to it now.

I purchased the fabric at a local fabric shop, Craftswoman, and it is a cotton poplin.  It is lovely and crisp and sewed up easily.  The fabric I used for the collar and cuff is a cotton chambray, which in retrospect probably wasn't the best choice, as it is very soft and almost seemed to stretch slightly. Either that or my interfacing wasn't quite right, as there is a bit of bubbling.

I also had a bit of trouble with the neck facing, it just seemed too bulky and just wound not sit right, so I ended up taking it off and finishing it with bias binding which worked fine.  I also stitched the side seams as french seams, as I don't have a serger I thought it would give it a bit more longevity.

Overall I like it, I don't tend to wear a lot of blouses, but I think this one is good as it can be made in a more dressy fabric and also can look quite casual with jeans.  I would definitely make it again and add a little more length next time.

Pattern: http://boutique.deer-and-doe.fr/1-tops-airelle-blouse.html
Fabric:  Check Cotton poplin and cotton chambray.

Other works in progress this week have been the http://disparatedisciplines.com/product/avocado-mens-hoodie-6401/ which I am making for my eldest son.  It is basically a hoodie but has the option of back pockets for his and hers enveloped hand warming..... how cute.  However, as he is only 15 and not wanting to encourage such shenanigans, I am omitting this bit.  Haha.

My other project this week is a sleeveless cardigan for myself, namely http://www.sirdar.co.uk/designs/womens/cardigansWomens/9662.I usually bring a nice easy knitting project with me on holidays and this was it this year.  The weather where we were in France and travelling back through England was, of course, brilliant this year and way too hot for knitting, so it only got started in September.

My Addi circular needles just arrived today, so all I have to do is pick up the stitches around the sides and neckline and knit the border.... nearly there.

I have also received my first sock knitting book from englishyarns, and have a couple of skeins of sock yarns on order too, so I don't think I will be bored.

http://www.englishyarns.co.uk/rowan-rachel-coopey-a-knitted-sock-society.html

Anyone know how to turn a heel, don't you love a learning experience!

More autumn berry shades.

A while ago I was tempted to purchase one of the Japanese Stylish Dress books, of course, after seeing some beautiful versions on blogs.  In my sewing naivety, it hadn't quite dawned on me that I may not have the ideal shape for this type of style. The book is the Stylish Dress Book: Wear With Freedom by Yoshiko Tsukiori.

Having flicked through the photos of the pretty, young petite models which, of course, all looked beautiful in the dresses, I wasn't too sure if they were for me.  However, I was quite taken with the neckline of Dress 'T'

The style is meant to be loose, but I decided to modify it slightly!

I know, maybe I spoilt it, but I just didn't think the gathers were going to work for me, but I do really like the curved neckline.  The main fabric is an organic cotton crossweave in night red colour and the contrast is a red herringbone fabric, both from +Organiccotton Uk . The crossweave is literally that, a mixture of a red and black threads and the herringbone has a tweedy look.  It would probably make a lovely skirt too.

So overall I am quite pleased and I was able to get boots that match almost exactly from Whitestuff, so not a bad addition to my autumn wardrobe.

Now, I think I will get back to some knitting, it is getting to that time of the year after all.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

This morning when I looked out, the normal view of the hills had vanished, everything enveloped in a thick fog.  I guess it comes with the season, the good thing about this time being, of course, the harvest.
This is the first year since I seriously started to grow our own vegetables that nearly everything sewn and planted has done well.  I am chuffed!  Now what to do with it all, namely the courgettes and squash.  It's amazing how many courgettes are produced by one plant once they get going.

Maybe it is autumn and all the lovely burgundies appearing in the garden, but my autumn attire is reflecting this slightly.

Not exactly burgundy, more a fuchsia pink and blue.  I made this April Rhodes Staple Dress late August, it's great the weather is so mild as I can get a bit more wear out of it.  This pattern is lovely, a pdf download with very easy to follow instructions.  I got to use elastic thread for the first time, very well explained in the pattern, although I don't think it is at the right level exactly. I will modify when I make another one.  Overall very easy to wear, can be casual or more dressed up and, more importantly, can be winterized, by wearing a long sleeved sweater underneath.  I would say it is a good all rounder.
Looking forward to an autumnal Date night dress now.

Pattern: April Rhodes, The Staple Dress.

An anniversary walk at Glenariff

Today, it was the 22nd wedding anniversary. Hubbie took a day off (woo, hoo!).  There was talk of a shopping day, but it did'nt really entice me.  Anyway, we decided to go to Glenariff Forest Park, which is where we went 22 years ago, the day after our wedding. The weather was great, however, a lot of the forest trails were closed due to either snow damage from April or the disease which hit a lot of trees this year.  Anyway, we managed to do one trail and see one waterfall..... it is beautiful and only a few mile up the road.

Almost as good as 22 years ago, of course, we both have a few extra ponds on us.  Anyway, today was the perfect day for wearing my Jamie Christina Sol Hoodie.  This is a great pattern and I will definitely be making it again, it was a pdf pattern which I really like.  Sort of goes against the grain because they use up quite a bit of paper to print out (not very 'eco') but I love the fact that you have it there and can make multiple sizes if you so desire.

I made it in blue fleece from dragonflyfabrics.com, which was a bit more pricey for fleece, but it is gorgeous, very cosy and great quality.  I wasn't too sure about the cuffs with their little thumb holes but the other morning they were great when there was a nip in the air (but really too early for glove-wearing(

I also trimmed it with Amy Butler ribbon, which really was an indulgence.  I thought it might have been a bit 'twee', but I actually really like it. When you consider that functional, sporty fleeces average about £100, and mine cost approximately £25, I think I did quite well.

Hubbie also had his fleece on today that I made a while ago. His was a Kwik Sew pattern 3817, the fleece was from @ukfabricsonline, a navy fleece (a little bit cheaper than mine but very warm) and the pattern was a quick make.  Overall he is very pleased.

There you go..... all fleeced up on our anniversary!  Shucks.