Tuesday Project Roundup: The Annual Vest

I liked the green fuzzy vest I made last year from a PetiteKnit pattern so much, I made a red fuzzy vest from a PetiteKnit pattern this year:

My camera’s having a hard time picking up how RED it is. And it’s even fuzzier than last year’s version (more mohair in the yarn)!

When you can’t wear wool but like the look of mohair, vests are really where it’s at.

Details:

Tuesday Project Roundup: Think Green

I sewed up the souvenir fabric I (finally) found at Stonemountain right away–mostly because I’m, uh, out of fabric storage space but also because I wanted a lighter layer as we inch towards spring.

This is the Marlo Sweater from True Bias, last made in 2021 (and modeled in the hallway mirror back then, too):

The fabric was a find in the Stonemountain sale attic, an organic cotton deadstock from Amour Vert. It’s beautiful quality but there was a running flaw about 2/3 across the width, so I got an extra half yard and cut around it.

I know the green and white could read “Christmas elf” to a lot of people but to me, it’s giving “Bermuda tennis club awning.” If only we had weather to match that vibe.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Road Tested Backpack

Finally, a project post for the travel backpack that consumed my life for a month. I posted about my self-induced struggles with it when it was done, but now I’ve taken it on a trip so I can give a full report.

We’ve seen this shot before but I wanted to show off the stripe webbing and accent zips again:

 

And here she is packed within an inch of her life. When I installed the recommended #10 zipper for the main compartment, I thought it was overkill–but I’m glad I listened to the instructions in this case, because I’m not sure a #5 zip would have made it:

 

The pattern suggested a way to make the backpack straps detachable so you could stow them behind the back panel; I didn’t use the silk clips as suggested because I had G-hooks in my stash. They worked pretty well (no accidental detaching so far):

And here they are stashed. The pattern left the back panel design pretty open to interpretation–it gave construction info but no pattern pieces, just inspiration photos. I ended up drafting a piece with curved sides that could also be a sleeve for a rolling luggage handle. (You can see how the whole thing sits crooked in this angle; yes that’s going to bother me forever.)

 

Other than being bothered by my construction mistakes, was it functional? Yes, overall! I had a moment where I thought a 32L would be TOO big, so I sized the pattern down 10% when I printed it and ended up with a 29-ishL size. Honestly, I could have used that extra 10% and I think it still would have fit under the airline seat.

The pockets were everything I wanted, though, and the fact they didn’t share volume with the main compartment really helped with packing. The front panel pocket fit the carry-on toiletries and the back laptop pocket fit my tech stuff and knitting. I ended up padding the laptop pocket with 2mm EVA foamĀ  (on the back panel) and some Soft and Stable (on the inside panel).

 

I added interior pockets, too, but I didn’t really use them. You can barely see the inside lid mesh pocket in this picture but that was fun to add. (You can also see the hinge about an inch off-center in this interior shot.)

 

Am I proud of this, despite my errors? Yes. I was at a Cotopaxi store after I finished this and looked at their bags–and while they weren’t sewn crooked, the stitch quality and fabric weights just weren’t as nice as mine. My bag fit a weekend’s worth of clothes and in-flight entertainment and was comfortable to wear through airports, which were exactly my goals.

The details:

  • Pattern: Prickly Gorse/MYOG Tutorials “TRVL 32L: Travel Backpack
  • Outer canvas: 600 Denier Magnatuff Plus Polyester from The Rain Shed
  • Inner lining: Nylon Taffeta from The Rain Shed
  • Mesh for inside lid pocket: KoolKnit Mesh from The Rain Shed
  • Stretch mesh for side pocket: Brown Power Net from The Rain Shed
  • #10 zippers for main compartment: The Zipper Lady
  • #5 zippers for pockets: Wawak
  • Gucci stripe webbing: Sewtopia (the link is to 1.5″ but they had 1″ in store, which is what I used)
  • Back panel spacer mesh: in stash, originally from Salt Lake Sewciety
  • 2mm EVA foam for straps and back panel: in stash, originally from Amazon
  • Grosgrain binding in stash, originally from Wawak (huge rolls!)
  • Assorted foldover elastics and hardware from stash

 

Wednesday Project Roundup: Travel Case

After I finished my backpack, I ended up making one more thing for my extremely short trip –a “tech pouch” to hold my Kindle and glasses and charging cords.

I had leftover stripe webbing and red zippers from the backpack, so I used snakeskin print denim scraps (from a pair of jeans I never posted) and went for a “MYOGucci” look:

I had everything in my stash–ripstop lining, interior zipper, grosgrain binding, and even the wide elastic for a pen loop.

After the struggles with my backpack, this went together really quickly, even if I broke my own rule and used another pattern from the Learn MYOG guy (something I said I’d never do after the fiasco with his other pack pattern). This “Tech Pouch” pattern is a new one from him and it’s definitely better (real marking points on the pattern, actual illustrations, and only $10 vs. $30).

This was pretty handy to have on the plane and I can even see using it instead of a purse for errands, since I’m quickly approaching the point I need my glasses for reading anything, not just screens.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Arts & Crafts For Christmas

I kept it pretty low-key for handmade gifts this year–I’m finally learning that December is full of government clients wanting to wrap up projects, plus two birthdays and regular holiday insanity, so maybe I shouldn’t plan the ultra-ambitious projects for gifts.

But a little valet tray to hold a traditional gift of car wash tokens for my Sunday Night Conversations friend? That took an evening and it’s always fun to play with cardboard and glue. I know he loves intalgios so when I saw this new paper from Parvum Opus, I had to use it. (And now he wants to carry the paper in his store, success!)

 

For my dad, I wanted something to go with a vintage tiki mug I found him. This is a wild swerve away from plaid flannel; the Hawaiian print flannel (from Joann) might be a little much for an old cowboy, but the thing about handmade gifts for a parent is they have to use them, if only when you come to visit. And it’s warm.

And finally, I sewed a little pouch to hold a Stonemountain gift card for the friend I’m going to the East Bay next month. Of course, theĀ leftover fabric I wanted to use wasn’t heavy enough on its own, so I quilted it with leftover batting and more stash fabric on the inside. I even had a matching zipper and tiny D-ring!

I rushed the seam binding on the inside since I was working on this the Sunday before Christmas, but it’s sturdy and I don’t think anyone’s going to turn it inside out and inspect it too closely.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Catzilla Birthday Shirt

Doc got his traditional birthday shirt, the trusty M6044, in perhaps the best print ever this year:

Giant cats causing city-wide havoc! I found this at Miss Matatabi in the late summer and didn’t even have to think twice about buying it. It’s a nice shirt weight, too–almost an oxford.

I was able to pattern match the pockets but not the placket, but I think that’s OK. Everyone will be too busy seeing what the giant cats are doing to pay attention to the placket anyway.

Wednesday Project Roundup: Pattern Testing Pics

I got some more pictures of the pattern I tested, which is releasing today: The Monty Pant from Daughter Judy.

Since testing, the designer has made the fit a little smaller overall and refined the zipper placket instructions, so you shouldn’t have any of the issues I did. Like I said before, I don’t think I would have picked this shape but I really love it. It helps that there’s an elastic-back waist and lots of room in the hip, but I also just like the vibes: a little 80s, a little modern I kind of want a corduroy pair now.

I just don’t wear office clothes any more so I styled these the way I’d actually wear them, but I think they’d really work with ankle boots and a button up, too.

Anyway, pattern testing was fun! Expanding my style horizons and getting to provide written opinions, what’s not to love?

Tuesday Project Roundup: Camo Pants

I bought some cotton ripstop camo back in the summer when I was going through my nouveau prep/Magnum PI moment. As much as I was tempted to make tiny shorts, I went with pants–I’d had this image from J. Crew saved since maybe 2010. (It feels very 2010, right? Pattern mixing, heels with everything…thanks for the bunions, J. Crew.)

I used the Daughter Judy Brier Pants again, except in a straight size 12 (no grading at the waist) and with about half an inch taken off the rise.

I do love how the Daughter Judy block fits me–other than the rise, these are exactly as drafted. I even did some pattern mixing for my outfit (but am firmly at the “soft flat shoe” age).

Tuesday Project Roundup: Last Of The Block Prints

It’s been an unseasonably warm fall so these summery block prints still feel appropriate. This is the last cut of the three I ordered and it was destined to be a shirt for Doc (so I could wear my blue tiger dress with it and we could attract comment, if we go out somewhere).

This is the staple aloha shirt pattern I use for him, New Look 6197. I mixed things up and used the Daughter Judy Genra Shirt instructions for the facings, which involve sewing them into the shoulder seam first for a really clean finish–a vast improvement over the New Look instructions.

This was a fast, straightforward project. It’s fun to work with these prints–look at all the fierce tigers staring at you!

Tuesday Project Roundup: Kaftan!

Reader, fabric choice makes such a difference: The Bonnet Shirt/Dress in a shirting was stuffy and nightshirty. The Bonnet in a tiger block print? Desert Aunt Kaftan Time!

I don’t usually make a pattern three times in a row but apparently I really like this one. The sleeve details are nice and the band collar makes it fast (the collar/placket reminds me of a J. Peterman linen shirt I had in high school; I’ll try to dig up a picture).

 

I was a little worried about making a dress, since I haven’t worn one in years but because this is a KAFTAN it’s easy to just throw on and walk around in.