Winter Warmers

It's winter ...and I'm loving the layering opportunities that winter provides.  Too much is never enough, I say.

 

Sock yarn from Spotlight for $4 a (big) ball inspired a bit of machine knittery.  

 

 

There was then a mad dash back to Spotlight when there wasn't enough yarn purchased to make the sleeves....

 

Enter black merino, also on sale for $4 a (small) ball. 

 

Those natty suits that the character Bel swanned about in in The Hour inspired a deconstructed version of the little belted cardi. 

 

 

...forgetting, of course, that I am not a statuesque, hourglass-figured beauty in impossibly high heels. 

 

 My belted cardi is better-suited to comfy-womfy studio wear than to glamourous swanning about.

 

In this yarn, I like the reverse side of the stockingette stitch better, so I seamed it from the knit side and it's now reversible... and very deconstructed. 

 

And it can be beltless.. pinless.... whatever it wants to be.

It's basically 4 rectangles with a little bit of simple shaping (casting off a stitch per row) on the shoulder seams of the front and back pieces.

The pattern was made up on the fly at the machine and (you'd think I'd learn) no notes were taken about stitch or row count, or tension... or anything.  The sleeves are a tad long, but add to the comfy-womfy factor.  The rest of the fit is fine. 

I'll never be able to repeat it.

Ho hum.

In other wintery news, I've spent the last week revamping my beret and kids beret patterns as downloadable pdfs. 

Each pattern has 3 head sizes, with 3 crown depths for each size.  That's actually 9 beret patterns per pattern. 



 You can see the original blog posts (with much younger me and much wee-er wee girl) here and here. 

Hope you're keeping cosy if you're in these wintery parts.... or enjoying summer elsewhere!

Variation(s) on a theme (or two)

It's winter... not really beach-going weather (not that I saw anything vaguely beach-like during the Summer...). However, I made a Beach Bag last week....
In mock-croc pvc from Rathdowne Remnants with antique brass o-rings in the straps. Perfect for winter. My last-minute decision to add a twist-lock was a small stroke of bag-making genius. It MAKES the bag!

Large antique brass purse feet protect the bottom....

And world map (I believe from a Wizard of Oz range of fabrics) lining gives the bag that go-anywhere-seasoned-world-traveller kind of feel.... The Tulip Dress pattern got a wintery makeover, as well. I used a kind of stretch terry-towelling/fleece hybrid (?!) fabric (a remnant from Rathdowne Remnants), and cut the bodice with both centre-front and centre-back on the fold.

I extended the sleeve length and topstitched the neck facing down. I overlocked the top edge of the skirt, pleated it and topstitched it to the outside of the bodice.... sort of deconstructionist style... The wee girl loves that it's comfy-wumfy and withstands all manner of hopping and jumping and general 5-year-old backyard activity.

And it was made in the obligitory 2-sizes-too-big... just the way she likes it!

*****
EDITED TO ADD: I used my industrial machine for the bag and then decided to try the Bernina 440 with a walking foot for the straps. It sewed through those layers of PVC as if they were butter. I could have sewn the whole bag with the Bernina.

The lining fabric was bought from the Theme From Jak garage sale.
***

Stay tuned, folks! There are more variations on other themes in the works as we speak.

Rainy Days and Mondays...

Well, I don't actually mind them that much.
This is the view from my studio window on Saturday. I love looking out at rain from my sewing cave. I feel all snug and comfy, somehow.... almost better than lying in bed listening to rain on the roof.

I love my studio. It's an old classroom on the third level of what used to be a High School Building, and has windows the full length of the room on both the North and South walls. I have LOADS OF NATURAL LIGHT and a clear view over the rooftops of Brunswick (ok, so it's not really picturesque... but I like the sense of space). I watch the city change colour (and sometimes disappear) with the changing weather. I even like looking out at cold, grey, Melbourne winter days.

This was supposed to be a temporary stop-gap studio about three and a half years ago.... Ooops! I forgot to MOVE OUT!! (Would YOU??)