Brown gingham dress

Having done no knitting or sewing over the summer, I started sewing this dress over the bank holiday weekend and finished it yesterday afternoon.  I came across this pattern while noodling around Instagram and seeing a version which someone else had made and deciding that I wanted to sew it too.

 

The fabric is cotton gingham from Fabworks and it was lovely to sew with.  I cut out the medium size and made a couple of changes - the sleeves are from view B / C / D but lengthened by 6" and with the edge binding from view A.  While I like the look of these voluminous sleeves I know that I would end up catching them on something, so decided on a compromise and am pleased with how they've turned out.  The second change I made was to the length.  I wanted a slightly below mid-calf finished length so used the maxi skirt piece but shortened it by 10+" and then did a 4" hem.  I also added pockets in the side seams of the skirt - I used pattern pieces from the Felicia dress because those are what I happened to have to hand. 

I'll probably make another version of this because I like how it's turned out, and maybe cut the skirt pieces full length and then do some pin tucks to end up with a wearable length.

This dress will be great in summer when all you want is a loose cover-up, but I'll also wear it in winter with a polo-neck jumper underneath and boots, so it'll get plenty of wear.

Cloud Illusions x 2

My sister asked me to knit her a scarf for Christmas, and even though she chose the wool and the pattern, and knew she was getting it, I've held off publishing this post until after she's received it.

Before and after - the magic of blocking

So, this one is for her, knitted in Malabrigo sock which she chose from my stash.

Front view

Back view

And this one is mine, knitted in Skein Queen Wisp which I bought five and half years ago at Unravel and just haven't got around to knitting up until now.  It's lovely yarn, like wearing a soft, fluffy cloud.

 As this is skinnier than the Mal sock I knitted it on smaller needles (3mm and 3.5mm as opposed to the 4mm and 4.5mm for the purple one) and decided to knit it straight after the purple one while the rhythm of the pattern was still fresh in my head.

Neither of them took very long to knit - I do like this pattern, I've made it five times now!

Ember cardigan

This cardigan was inspired by a photo posted on Emmydesign Sweden's Instagram account - I loved the colour combinations - there are currently more photos on their website here (Autumn/Winter 2018).

Photo screencapped from EmmyDesign Sweden's Instagram account

This was my first time knitting with this wool (Cascade 220 Fingering) and I bought it specifically for this project (I already have quite a bit stashed for future fairisle projects though).  I knew I wanted to put some cables in, but not across the whole of the cardigan otherwise it would have taken me too long to knit - I wanted to wear it this year!

I bought the buttons from Birmingham indoor market during this year's SewBrum trip.

I'm really pleased with how it's turned out - I'm actually wearing it as I write this post and it goes really well with my mustard denim skirt.

Judy in Disguise cardigan

I'd been wanting to knit an interpretation of Laura Chau's Lucy in the Sky pattern for quite some time (aka years) however, it's written for aran wool, which is thicker than I prefer to knit with.  (I've just checked, only 10% of my 80 most recent projects have been with aran, the rest have all been with thinner wool.)  So the plan had been waiting patiently in the wings until I found sufficient impetus to get on with working out the sums for a 4-ply version.

And this is it. The name is from a 1967 song Judy in Disguise (with glasses) which is a mondegreen of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by The Beatles, and the stitch pattern is called Diamond Brocade and is from Barbara Walker’s First Treasury book.

I bought the buttons at Edinburgh Yarn Festival a couple of years ago with no thought of what I would do with them - I just liked them.  Fortuitously they are a great match for all the colours in this dress!

The wool I used (Fyberspates Vivacious 4-ply in Copper Tones colourway) turned my fingers grey as I knitted with it, and the cardigan felt a bit ‘greasy’ as I was knitting.  I put it in the washing machine on a wool wash with a couple of colour catcher sheets once it was finished, and it’s been fine ever since - no greasy feel, and no dye transfer - result!

Chocolate Rose Petals top

This is knitted from a vintage pattern which I bought from Lucy's Etsy pattern shop.  There are a few which she has knitted on her Instagram account, and she's written about it on her blog here.

Pattern is called 'Greta'

I used two skeins of Skein Queen Lustrous BFL Heavy Lace for this in colourways Chocolate Roses and Rose Petals (hence the name of the top) and 3mm needles.

This was lovely yarn to knit with and a bit of a leap of faith that the top would fit (it did) since it's quite skinny yarn.  I modified the neckline as I'm not a fan of high 1940s necklines with buttons, I'd rather just knit the neckband in the round and have it large enough to be able to pull over my head than have to faff about with buttons.

The top is very light (and stretchy) and yet still warm, and I have some 4-ply pale pink wool which I bought from a destash that I intend to knit up as a cardigan to go with this - hopefully next Spring.

 

Audrey in the attic

I've been meaning to knit this pattern for a while and finally I've got around to it!  I followed it more or less exactly, except I did full length sleeves and one-row button holes.  It's a well written pattern and easy to follow.

The twisted rib took what seemed like forever, but I do like how it looks.  I actually knitted this up pretty quickly - I had three return train journeys last month, one to Birmingham, one to York and one to Edinburgh, plus some overnight hotel stays so I had more than usual amounts of knitting time to get this done.

The yarn is absolutely gorgeous to knit with and is lovely and soft - the colourway is Attic Room, hence the name of the cardigan.  One skein was slightly lighter than the others, don't know how I didn't notice this at the time I bought them (or maybe I did and I've just forgotten...), so I used that for the lace portion of the two fronts, the button and buttonhole bands, the neckline and cuffs.

Difference in colour isn't as noticeable as it looks in the photo...

It came from Loop and I've got one more jumper quantity in my stash which I'd like to knit up quite soon, just for the pleasure of knitting it!  Not sure what it will become yet though.

The buttons are some vintage ones which I think came from Hammersmith vintage fair.  I've already worn this a fair bit, it's a very useful addition to my wardrobe. Now I must away - I have a jumper to finish and the delights of applied i-cord await.

Autumn and winter knitting plans

Originally this was going to be one post together with the sewing plans but I decided to split it into two shorter rather than one loooong post so, here are my knitting plans.


I've got some baby knitting on the go at the moment - a cardigan - and then I have two hats planned and also a cuddly toy, but haven't decided what to make after that - but I will be using the yarns below in various combinations.

The toy will be a lion and I've bought a pompom maker for the tail - I'm now wondering what else I can make pompoms for...

Drops Baby Merino

For myself I really want to knit the Icon dress.  I love this and bought the pattern and yarn at Unravel in February 2013 after having seen the dress on the Purl Alpaca stand  and tried it on.  I started knitting this last autumn but ground to a halt because of a hemming construction issue, but I think if I start soon I should be able to get it finished in time for Unravel next year.  Since it's knitted from the bottom up the most time consuming knitting will be at the start and then it should, theoretically at least, get quicker.  And no sleeves, yay!  I don't like knitting sleeves, for me it's the worst part of cardigan knitting.

Purl Alpaca Icon dress and Purl Alpaca yarn

However, I do want to knit several cardigans, but realistically am unlikely to make more than a couple simply because there aren't enough evening and weekend hours to get through all the knitting and sewing I want to do.  In my head I can knit much faster than I can in reality.  So, I'd like to make one or more of the following  Paulie, Love Potion and Funky Grandpa

Paulie, Love Potion and Funky Grandpa

and I've sorted out the following yarn combinations as possibilities...

Handmaiden Casbah

Malabrigo Sock

Handmaiden Casbah again

Then I'd also like to make Audrey in Unst in some lovely mushroom coloured wool which I bought in Loop,

Audrey in Unst and The Uncommon Thread BFL light DK yarn

I'd also like to make a green cardigan and a grey cardigan in the wools below, I have ideas in my head for how I want them to turn out, I just need to work them out on paper.

Madelinetosh sock in Grasshopper and Drops baby merino grey yarn

I just need to pick a final stitch pattern for each one from one or other of these books - they are a great resource, which would be even better if the lace patterns were charted - although it doesn't usually take me long to write out a chart it would be nice if I didn't have to!

Barbara Walker Treasuries

And finally on the cardigan front, I bought the mini-skeins below at Unwind in Brighton back in July, and would also like to use these in combination with probably either some grey (again) or maybe navy wool for cardigans too.  Although not all the same cardigan.  They may end up being used for one of the stripey patterns above...

Madelinetosh Unicorn tails and fivemoons mini skeins

Then finally finally, I also really want to knit this jumper in Excelana Land Army Green, but with long sleeves.  I can't see the point of a short sleeved jumper for me, my arms would get cold and I've got enough wool for long sleeves so I just need to work out the shaping and away I go (yeah right - loads of enthusiasm too many other calls on my time at the moment!)

Pattern in A Stitch in Time Vol 1 and Excelana yarn from Susan Crawford

 
I'm also kinda missing lace knitting, so a shawl or two may end up on the needles as well...

And just like the sewing plans I know that this is a hopelessly over-ambitious list...