My last two projects have been extra fiddly and, in the case of the pants, not even that wearable. Clearly, it was time for some craft glue.
It’s a coin purse! Except I think I need to adjust the size of any future purses because it seems a little big for coins but a little small for anything else. (I made my own pattern for the purse frames from this tutorial, where you can also find frames.)
The sewing and turning are finished in an episode of Saint Paul Sunday, and then there’s just waiting for the glue to dry. Fun with glue, fun with contrasting colors. Maybe I need to order more purse frames?
Tuesday Project Roundup
Tuesday (Wednesday) Project Roundup: PITA Skirt
This skirt was a royal pain in the you-know-what. It was the Burda pattern I’ve been making all year but the wool–a nice heavy tweed from B and J Fabrics–just fought me. Herringbone stretches in weird directions! Thick, weirdly stretchy wool needs to be stabilized around the zipper and the waistband! An invisible zipper is not the best choice for a heavy wool! Tweed frays so much you have to finish all the edges before even sewing the pieces together!
BUT–it’s done (thank god; I thought it would never end), it looks fine (on the outside), and I got lots of compliments on it Monday, so it’s not a failure.
However, I think this project taught me an important lesson: I really don’t want to make a coat after all.
Tuesday Project Roundup: I Knit Things For Grownups, Too
Hey, remember this project that I started in January? I finally finished it!
The yarn is really lovely–a merino from a farm in Michigan. It’s very soft and got nice and fluffy in the final wash. I used this pattern but I kept the silhouette more boxy than fitted, for easy layering. That worked well everywhere except the sleeves, which turned out way too wide. (I might have to rip those back and re-knit them on smaller needles.)
But overall, I’m not going to complain too much. Because it’s DONE.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Repeat Of A Sellout
Look, more baby stuff!
This is for a co-worker who adopted a baby boy after waiting a long time. I wanted to do something a little more than a hat or booties to mark the occasion, so another owl sweater it was.
This time I used superwash wool instead of wool-cotton, because the baby is in Park City instead of sunny Asheville, and I didn’t impose my love of color on the recipient quite as much. (I did get some contrasting blue eyes in, though.)
Who? who? Baby owls!
Tuesday Project Roundup: Pants. Meh.
In the five years that I’ve really been sewing for myself, I’ve tried to make real pants (not lounge pants but outerwear) only once or twice, and neither time was a success. So in that respect, this pair of wearable pants is a big deal:
But so are the legs. The bottom opening is really wide. I don’t know what part of me thought “26 inches? That’s a normal leg opening.” Because it’s not, unless you’re a clown or a sailor.
I used this out-of-print pattern:
but I think if I try pants again, I’ll use the more vintage pattern I talked about in May. Although why make “meh” pants when there are dresses in crazy prints to sew?
Tuesday Project Roundup: If You Don’t Own A Horse…
…you can always wear one. That’s right, the hippy dress strikes again!
Here’s a better idea of the real fabric color (thanks, camera):
And here’s the pattern drawing so you can get a better idea of the shape, such as it is:
The fabric is an Alexander Henry quilting cotton that I got to make a wearable muslin (test garment) for second hippy dress pattern from France. The quilting cotton isn’t the best apparel fabric and there are a few tweaks I’ll make before I sew it in fancy corduroy, but it’s wearable and it has horses on it. Therefore, it’s a success.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Tiny Little "o rly?"
Finally, I can share the cuteness that is the avian-inspired baby shower gift for a friend:
The owls do have button eyes, but they’re small.
When I heard that one of my few and therefore special girlfriends was having a baby, I knew I had to make something just as special. I wanted to knit and sew, and when I found the owl and bird flannel (from here) everything just clicked: I would make a tiny “Owls” sweater from this pattern (like my big one) and then two simple blankets (just squares sewn together with rick-rack on the edge). I was done with this about six weeks before the baby shower last Saturday–which turned out to be owl-themed! That was a crazy coincidence, ya rly.
Tuesday Project Roundup: Should I?
I’m thinking about making a winter coat. I thought about it last year and then just bought one, but this year I’ve discovered blogs that walk you through tailoring techniques and provide source info for things like hymo interfacing and hair canvas.
What coat would I make? Well, like 90% of women on the planet, I’ve always loved the orange one from Breakfast at Tiffany’s:
I could track down a vintage pattern that’s similar and learn how to make bound buttonholes, but I have a better idea. Remember this coat from a few years ago?
If I make the longer length, leave off the shoulder capes, and then cinch it with a belt instead of buttons, I think I’d have a modern take on the Audrey coat. Plus, I’d know how it fits and how it goes together, making it easy to add fancy tailoring steps.
Of course, J. Crew has something similar this season, too–but I don’t want to enable J. Crew any more than I have. (And it’s $325. Not everyone is a high roller, J. Crew.)
So that’s what I’ve been thinking about. I’ve even ordered swatches, so I think I may have answered the question of “Should I?” and moved on to “When can I get this project going?”
Tuesday Project Roundup: Fair Report
I finally made it to the fair Friday to check out my entries. Check out first place in the not-so-competitive “Blouse” category:
And check out fourth place in the much more competitive “Cable Sweater” category:
I was a little bummed about fourth (and about the fact that they had put my sweater on a hanger and stretched it all out of shape), but then I saw third place, which was exponentially more elaborate than mine and only got third:
This year I looked at exhibits in the 4-H building and the Creative Arts building, which I usually skip, an it was really heartening to see all the nice work from the young kids in 4-H. And we can all heed the advice of this sign:
I know being a “cool” person and liking the state fair is supposed to be ironic, but I think the fair is great. You think farming is disappearing or becoming totally industrialized, and then you see the eight-year-olds showing sheep or the lucky, lucky teenage girls* riding their horses and you realize that it’s closer than you think.
Maybe that’s why I like the fair: If I win a ribbon for sewing, I can imagine that someday I might win a ribbon for an egg from my chickens, or even be one of the people who drive in from their ranch and show their animals. Someday, I guess. Until then, I can enter things in the fair.
*Teenage girls, I hope you realize how lucky you are to have your horses. Some people are still longing for one at thirty. I’m just saying.
Tuesday Project Roundup: In Which My Inner Hippy Is Victorious
Introducing the hippy dress to rule all hippy dresses:
(Yes, Toby has his space heater out already.)
Pattern: Hippy dress from France, modified a lot–I took about seven inches of fullness out of the back and adjusted the sleeve pieces in order to raise the neckline.
Fabric: Liberty of London “My Little Star“
Verdict: Awesome. I haven’t been worn stars and comets on my clothing since a Rainbow Brite t-shirt in 1985.