Apparel: January 2012 Archives

A good cardi is always a pleasure to knit but I hated the buttonholes. "Too much math" I would to mumble when seriously considering another cardigan with delicate buttons. I hated knitting the button band because inevitability I would get the buttonholes wrong. By the time you figure out that your placement or buttonhole size is wrong you have worked two whole rows of knitting. However with this great tutorial, from Knitting Daily, for a one row button hole my knitting world became bright and sunny again. Once I had this handy technique under my belt I was planning cardigans left and right. I knew that I would only have work one buttonhole to determine if my sizing was correct and I would only need to work one row to see if my placement was right. It was amazing and very encouraging.

While the technical drawings included with the tutorial are nice, they don't follow all the steps and sometimes just seeing it worked in actual yarn as you go can really help master a new method.

I recommend practicing this method in your favorite yarn to learn and then adding it onto your swatches when you work it up before your project. This will help you plan sizing before you have 100 sts to work and will also help you visualize your buttons with your stitch pattern. Trying your buttonholes in your swatch can also help you work out how to incorporate your stitch pattern into your one row buttonhole row. You can practice how the bind off and cast on stitches in the buttonhole will affect your stitch pattern and how to work around it for the best finish. 

A good, warm layering piece is vital to any winter wardrobe, and the latest free Hot Patterns download has you covered -- literally. This vest is easy-peasy, with just enough tapering at the waist to give a slightly feminine line and a shoulder drape that offers more coverage (read: warmth!) than your standard vest. The bias-finished edge is the perfect opportunity to play with pops of color. It's two pattern pieces plus a pocket piece, so cutting it takes mere minutes.

My first go at this one was done in a zebra minky. (I know, I know, my tastes are a little predictable!) In hindsight, minky isn't the optimal choice for this one. It's soft as can be, which is why I can't resist its siren song, but it doesn't have the ideal drape for this vest. A fur or knit with more weight, drape or cling would be fab -- that's probably why those are the fabric suggestions on the pattern!



I like the zebra version better with a belt, but if you're going the belt route, you might want to move the pocket placement down from the suggested spot or forgo them altogether. (Mine are sitting a little crooked on purpose -- I wanted to play with different levels to see which I preferred. Lower is better for me.)



I decided to make a second version out of a charcoal fleece, and I have to say, this is a seriously cozy garment, and is super cute with a belt. I am going to keep it at my desk at work for those days when the office is cold, because it will layer over almost anything I might wear.




As with many Hot Patterns downloads before it, the Baby It's Cold Outside vest gets high versatility ratings. Make it out of a floaty, light fabric and add a ribbon tie for a perfect poolside wrap. Elongate the hem and the sleeves, make a simple belt, and it's an easy light robe. Because the cut is so uncomplicated, this would be a great project to add embellishment to for a one-of-a-kind look -- I keep thinking of a repeating embroidered motif down the front edge. Print this one out and keep it handy, because you can use it again and again!

When winter's crazy weather gets you down, what do you do? Hibernate? Zone out on the couch? This winter, to overcome the cold-weather doldrums, I am making ridiculous hats that keep me warm AND make me smile. I like to run in my hats, so I make skull-cap style fleece headgear that I then add ears and other details to. This ensures a snug fit that stays put when I'm in motion. Here's the how-to:

First, you need a salad plate to make your pattern. Mine is 8" in diameter. I trace half of the plate, ending at the widest part of the circle.

Then, extend the line from the semi-circle down 2" on either side from the widest point, and connect the two resulting dots. This is the pattern for the sides of your hat. Cut two so the fabric stretches along the straight bottom edge.

You'll also need to cut a strip 5" wide by 15.75" long, so the fabric stretches across the 5" width.

The assembly is quick! Just use the long strip to join the two curved side pieces together with a 1/2" seam allowance. Try it on to check for any needed adjustments and to see how deep you want your hem. I just use a simple fold-up hem, and stretch the fleece very slightly while I sew to give it a little stretch.

You now a basic skull cap.

If you're not into whimsical animal hats, you can call it done. (I have about a dozen of these plain hats rolling around my house, for the record.) But come on! You want animal fun!

I like to just start cutting animal ears freehand,

but if you want some help with shapes, check out our Halloween ears and tails post for a few sample ear patterns. Unlike some of the patterns made for headband use, you want to leave the bottom edge of the ears open for this project.

Once your ears are cut and assembled (just a matter of stitching them together right sides together and then turn them right side out), you may want to shape them a little and baste any folds into place before you stitch them into your hat.

To place your ears, put your hat on (or on your model) and see where you like your ears. I like to mark mine with a small dot or two using a permanent marker.

Once the hat is off your model or self, use the width of your animal ear at its base to mark out a cutting line.

Snip your hat open along the line, then make the same cut on the opposite side.

Insert each ear into its opening and stitch it into place. Make sure to taper the edges of your seam into the curve of the hat, and check your stitching to make sure your ear is securely in place.

Flip your hat right side out, and get ready to model your toasty, cozy animal side!

This is a very, very simple hat, which means it's great for experimenting. Add eyes and a nose if you want a full animal face on your hat. Make a dozen different animals so you have one to match any outfit. This version is for a medium-sized adult head, but this method of making a hat is so simple that you could easily scale it down for a child. Just start with a smaller semi-circle, and measure your resulting side pieces to determine the length of your center strip. You'll also want to adjust the width of the center strip for smaller heads.

Here are a few samples of variations on this hat:

Kermit, just for giggles.

And the zebra I was threatening at the end of the Halloween ears and tails post. I used minky for this one, and while it's not as warm as fleece, it's still pretty darned cozy.

This last example is a hat I made a while back to mimic a character from a video game. It's a little more involved, but it's all fairly simple applique.

Recreating your favorite animal is as simple as looking at pictures to determine the right ear shape, and then experimenting with your scissors and your creativity. Have at it! It's cold outside!

 

 

When I watch my favorite TV shows lately I have noticed that the trend is leaning towards blousley tunics in geometric designs in a 2 color patterns. Whether it is green/white, black/ white or any other combination I was filled with desire to make my own.
                                                        

I picked out Joel Dewberry's Heirloom collection for my go at a bold pattern tunic because it had the bold geometric pattern I was looking for, the scale was right but it had 3 colors (purple, white and pink) where I wanted 2. I figured 2 out of 3 on my list wasn't bad and went ahead with my plan. I used Heather Ross' Summer Shirt Pattern from Weekend Sewing as my pattern because it had the silhouette I was looking for: long, loose and flowy.

I made the medium but ended up taking it in 1 in. on the sides and arm as well as adding a 3 in. band of linen to the bottom because the pattern was shorter than I wanted (the pattern hits at the top of the hip and I wanted mid hip). This last part turned out better than I imagined because the linen adds a nice contrast to the pattern and really mellows is out. The tunic ended up being too bright and bold so I decided to try a new bleach technique I discovered in Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts and it turned out great! It was nerve wrenching but fun and well worth the results. I started with a too bold print with 3 colors and ended with a mellower 2 color version. I added the linen hem after the bleaching.

I also made the bottom of the shirt straight from the underarms to the hem instead of the flare in the pattern and omitted the curved hem and made it straight.

You don't have to wait for spring to create and wear this look, these tunics are easily paired with a cardigan and leggings or belted jacket and riding boots. I love to wear my tunic with a skinny belt, huge scarf/cowl, jeans and flats on really chilly days. For a more romantic look, try micro floral patterns and really light weight fabric with lots of drape. For a more structure (hide your butt or hips) looks, try a crisper fabric such as medium weight linen or quilting cotton.  

UPDATED:

Here is my pic of my tunic straight off the sewing machine before I modified it at all. The sleeves are 5 in. too long and you can see that the tunic has come alive with the spirit of the 1970's. I must apologize for the bad lighting but I could not leave the tunic as is long enough to wait for daylight and a better picture. 

This is one of those patterns that elicited an excited "ooooooooooh!" from me the first time I saw it. It's a darling knit affair, and because it's pieced in an interesting way, it provides almost infinite design options. If you love color blocking, this may be your soul mate pattern.

I have a couple of New Year's resolutions this year that involve running, and I really, really like to make original running gear. One of the ways I try to keep things interesting is by adapting knit patterns intended for day wear into active wear. I used this pattern to make three tops (so far): one for my normal day-to-day wardrobe, and two for running.

For the first top, I opted for a sparkly jersey knit in green. I love how soft and lightweight this fabric is, and the subtle shimmer gives it a visual depth that takes it beyond the tee shirt realm. The shoulder and center back of the crossover neckline option took me a little time to figure out, but once I started really looking at the instructions and the pieces of fabric in my hands, it all fell into place. I think subsequent efforts would go much more quickly. Now to decide which knits to use!



For the second version of the shirt, I went with a color-blocked top using stretch nylon jersey, which is perfect for running attire. This version goes together in a snap, and when I wore it for a 5k, two different people asked me where I bought it and then looked dejected when I told them I made it. (At moments like this, I always take the opportunity to urge people to learn to sew. We need more seamstresses in the world!)



My third effort at this pattern is my favorite, probably because it's the one I took the most liberties with. I opted to skip the collar entirely and just do a foldover edge at the neck. If you're wondering where I found that Disney princess fabric, here's a fun tip: It's a lycra bookcover I cut apart! You can find them in abundance during back-to-school time at all your big box stores, and they feature a wide array of characters and designs. I usually hit every store I can in the week after school starts, and stockpile all the cute designs I find for projects just like this.



To make my mini pockets, I cut an overlay for the triangle sections out of the princess print fabric, then used a stretch stitch to finish the top edges, which have 1/4" elastic folded into them. The pockets are small, but they securely carry an energy bar and my keys, and I can clip my iPod shuffle to the top edge. Functional and cute -- that makes me a very happy girl.




This is definitely not the last of my projects with this pattern, because I adoooooooore it. I want to make a version of it with ITY, and I will probably make at least three more for running -- which will no doubt help me keep those running resolutions!

And there's no telling what other versions I'll think of while I'm whipping those out. How about you?

I am taking the Notional definition #3: indulging in or influenced by fancy. Fiskars' Circle Cutter is an indulgence in fancy but also a smart buy. I loved this from the first try. One of my biggest pet peeves is cutting circle and patterns that call for circle cutting. Why? Because it usually involves a random search all over one's house looking for any and all objects round that will create the size circle that is needed/called for. Plus, I can't cut circles out with my rotary cutter very well, somewhere around the hand switch I either bump the pattern object or I don't put enough pressure on the rotary cutter and all goes awry! These days are over and a new circle cutting era has dawned in my sewing studio- a glorious era of circles of all sizes (1in. to 8 in. that is) living in harmony with me.

                                                                Locking Wheel

Eventually my eyes cleared of stars and I was able to get down to business and put this circle cutter through its paces.

1. This cutter is designed for paper. Well, I say "pshaw" to that. You can use it to cut lightweight fabrics easily. Get yourself some freezer paper (I bought mine at Wal-Mart) and iron it, shiny side down onto your fabric. Now cut your circles out with the paper side up. Also keep some pressure on the paper/fabric with pattern weights. This will keep the paper/fabric from shifting when the cutter is moving.
2. You can also cut lighter weight Home dec fabrics but you will need to press a little harder.
3. This circle cutter does not cut felt. The felt is too thick and the blade is not long enough, plus the felt is loftier than a woven so when you press down on the gripper foot it raises the area around the blade making it difficult to cut. I was a bit disappointed by this but cutting circles from felt is not as bad as a woven for me.
4. When you are choosing your circle size, line up the ruler with the center of the shaft. This will give you an accurate size (the instructions don't mention this).
5. You can pop out a dull blade with the tip of a knitting needle or a turning tool. The slot is small so you can't use a finger and you might need more pressure than a seam ripper can give without breaking.
6. Best on quilting cottons, shirting, apparel fabrics including bottom weight, lightweight Home dec (linen, light wovens, silks, drapery).

 

 

 

My failed attempt at cutting felt

Shirt from j.crew

dress from nordstroms

To recreate these slimming and comfy knit pants, use a pj pants pattern but cut it one size smaller. Make sure it is straight from the knee down. Try using a thicker interlock rather than the jersey this pair is made from. The thicker interlock will wear better, won't be see through and will hold its shape better than a t-shirt jersey. I love our Organic Interlocks especially in the purple. It is very close to navy and dark enough to be slimming and not too purple. Go for a deep hem (2-3 in.) at the cuff to allow your pants to sit on the foot like the inspiration pant. 
 
pants from landsend

I know it may be chilly out, but in my world, a good layering piece has no season. Such is the case with the super cute free pattern download Flutter-By Tank. It's flirty, it's girly, and it whips together in a flash. This is a great pattern to make in multiple colors to fill out your wardrobe with options that can go casual with jeans or a little more professional with a blazer.

For my version, I used ITY, and it was a breeze to work with -- I didn't need to edge finish my ruffles! I opted to use the knit for both the body of the tank and the ruffle accents.

I found that the armscye on this pattern runs a hair tight for my taste. It may be perfect for you -- it's great in that you get full coverage, and you won't fall victim to gaposis or risk exposing your undergarments, but I am a wiggler and I like a little more space at for my flailing at points of articulation. In the interest of full disclosure, my upper arms are not exactly svelte. Even so, it's super easy to trim the armscye just a little wider and augment the length of the binding to match, and I want to stress that this is a personal preference issue.

I altered the neck ruffle on my version as well. Because I used my knit for this detail, the weight of the fabric seemed to pull the ruffle fairly flat initially, so I added a bit of pleating.


One of the best things about this pattern is its versatility, which really encourages creativity. You can extend the neck ruffle to go all the way around the neckline. You can play with with contrasting colors for the accent pieces. You can make it in novelty knits as a pretty-as-can-be pajama top, or splurge on a luxurious Liberty of London interlock to make a really special garment. It could be a dramatic black-and-white statement piece, or a neutral everyday favorite. The correct way to make it up is any way you can think of!