A Handknit Aesthetic

I have a tendency to choose darker colors for my Winter appropriate clothing (as most people do).

But it's always nice to have a few pastel knits in the collection.  And since I love just about any shade of purple, lavendar was an obvious choice for my next knitting project.

I was really not aware of it at the time, but I have been on a bit of a Victorian inspired clothing journey, along with a penchant for a good neck/shoulder ruffle.

This particular design is knit with circular needles.  I definitely prefer to piece my knits, mostly because it can start to get a bit cumbersome when the sweater really starts to come together.

But this one isn't too bulky since it sits just below the waist, and my chosen yarn was quite lightweight.

As with many of my hand knits, this project was put aside (although not for very long).  I just wasn't sure how to attack the ruffle portion.

But as with most contemporary knit patterns, it makes so much more sense to me once I have needles and yarn in hand.  I can picture how to put most sewing patterns together in my head, but a page full of knitting abbreviations doesn't do the same for me.

I am, once again, extremely behind in my blog posting.  And if this week's weather is anything to go, it's time to store the long sleeved wool knits away.

But I am trying to post things as I finish them and photograph them, so here we are.

As for this knit project, I will say that it was quite successful.  

I even managed to wear it a few times this Winter, which doesn't always happen with my knit projects.  Maybe I need to get over my disinclination to work with top-down sweaters that are worked in one piece!  

Sweater:  Made by me, Fabel Knitwear
Skirt:  Made by me, Vogue 2902
Shoes:  American Duchess "Ginger"

Tweeds Paired with Plaids

This year has been incredibly rainy (by California standards, at least), and on rainy days, I have a really difficult time figuring out what to put on my body before leaving the house.  This is most likely due to a lack of practice.  And I suspect that the large number of dreary and wet days in the last few months has contributed to the number of easy to wear sweaters that have appeared in my wardrobe in those same months.

Don't feel like getting out of bed?  or even dressed?  Just throw on a sweater and skirt!

At least, that's what I've been doing. 

Turtlenecks have also become a very popular choice for me.  Not only have I been making quite a few of these cozy wardrobe stables, but I also have been pulling out all of the purchased turtlenecks that I own to wear on a frequent basis.

At this point do I have enough pinky, purple, and maroon toned knits to last a lifetime?  Probably.  But I keep making more.

I should probably take a good look at my existing skirts and take inventory of other possible colors that would be fun to add to the mix, but it seems that every time I purchase yarn, it's inevitably the purple and pink tones that are added to my cart.

Or maybe it's just a sign that I know what I like . . .

But however I got here, I am very pleased with the way this knitting project turned out.

And I would not be surprised if I decided to make another version of this pattern.  A black turtleneck would definitely be a welcome addition to my Winter wardrobe . . . but for now, I am very excited about diving into more Spring or Summer related sewing and/or knitting.  And hopefully that will bring on the warmer temperatures that I keep expecting to manifest out of the cold, windy, and rainy days.  I see polka dots in my future, and if that doesn't bring on the sunshine, I don't know what will!

Sweater:  Made by me, "Quiet Reflection" from Encyclopedia of Knitting
Skirt:  Made by me, Vogue 2902
Shoes:  Via Spiga "Unit"
Earrings:  Nicky Butler

A Very Plaid Christmas

Last year, I finally decided what to do with this heavy plaid wool coating - make a skirt.  And so I did just that.  

Turns out, it feels like wearing a super warm and cozy blanket.

And while is was not possible to match the plaid at the side seams (a huge repeat like this just takes way too much fabric), I am extremely pleased with the outcome.

The thing weighs a ton, but it is so very comfy and warm to wear.

I wore this for Christmas 2017, and the after dinner walk we always take in the brisk weather was no match for the wooly skirt.

I have also decided that I need more plaid in my life. 

It can be aggravating to cut out and match, but the finished look is well worth the effort.

And even in a situation such as this one where matching is an impossibility, the finished effect is really lovely.

And let's be honest  . . . this skirt is going to get a whole lot more wear as a skirt than as a coat, seeing as most of my dresses are prints and would clash terribly with such a textile.  

So all's well that ends well!

Skirt:  Made by me, Vogue 2902
Earrings:  Vintage
Shoes:  Kristin Cavallari "Copertina"

Playing with Plaid

This is my Christmas skirt.  I finally found a use for this heavy duty wool coating that has been taking up a ton of space in my fabric bureau, and I figured that the red and green color combo was suitably festive.

Once I knew that I wanted to make a circle skirt, I pulled out Vogue 2902.  I know it seems silly, but having a pattern to work off of is so much easier for me than taking measurements and trying to figure out if I have enough fabric.  The dress pattern uses a circle skirt, so I just borrow that pattern piece.

After figuring out the best way to deal with the very large pattern repeat (I didn't have quite enough to match side seams), I cut out a shaped waistband.

I added pieces of boning to the waistband lining to keep the wide waistband from collapsing during wear.

After the plaid matching attempt, the waistband was probably the most time consuming part of the project.

Once that was complete, I inserted a zipper by hand at the center back.

And I absolutely bound those raw edges with rayon seam binding!

Before hand stitching the waistband lining in place, I added ribbon hangers to each side of the skirt.  I do this for most of my skirts, but I knew this would be absolutely necessary with this heavy fabric - there is no way one of those flimsy clip skirt hangers could handle this baby!

I often forget to add the ribbons until I am halfway through my hand stitching, but this time I managed to pull out my box of satin ribbon before pinning the waistband into place!

And then on to hemming . . .  The hem dropped significantly along the bias, and I am really surprised at how much it did.  I anticipated that the weight of the fabric would make it stable.  It does drape nicely, however, which I suspect is why it was necessary to even things out.

And then there was a bit more hand sewing.

I just love a good catch-stitch!  And the hem means this lady is finished!

Out of Season

Today's unseasonable and very soggy weather reminded me of this outfit.  I was almost tempted to throw on a wool sweater in the middle of April.  What is going on?!?

And what the heck happened to our beautiful Spring weather?  I am really getting tired of the gray skies and the rain.

This garment will be getting a whole lot of wear towards the end of the year, but for now, I am much more interested in light colors and fabrics (even if the weather is not playing fair).

I sure do love a circle skirt, though!  If I can find a suitable mid-weight wool in a beautiful color, I may just have to make myself another for next Winter.

The most irritating part was, you guessed it, evening out that darn hem.  Even thick wool coating is not immune to the dreaded bias droop.

The sweater was a quick knit when I was in need of a portable project that would not require a lot of fuss, and one that I would be comfortable stopping and starting at a moment's notice.

It served its purpose quite well, and I may want to make another in a warm weather appropriate fiber.  If the rainfall keeps up, I may finish my current knitting project soon and do just that!

Sweater:  Made by me, “Jumper with a Boat Neckline” 

Skirt:  Made by me, Vogue 2902

Shoes:  Royal Vintage “Marilyn”