Wardrobe Making and Plans That Will Probably Change

I need work clothes.  I've been wearing the same two pairs of black polyesters pants, black socks, black loafers with various tops for so long!  I'm sick of it.  My original plan to make some dirndl skirts backfired so I pushed it out of my mind and continued to wear my boring old work clothes. 

 

Recently, I came across a blog article by Made by Rae titled Planning a Handmade Wardrobe.  This cool article led me to the Collete Wardrobe Architect series and then to Christine Haynes' articles titled 2016 Wardrobe Architect Project.  I'm still reading my way through them but I'm getting interested in building my own work clothes again.

 

I've been interested in Sonya Phillips and her 100 Acts of Sewing Patterns for awhile.  I listened to her interview on While She Naps and was really motivated to try to make my own work uniform.

 

These articles inspired me to try making my clothes again but with a different strategy.  Instead of dirndl skirts as the backbone, I decided to try Tunic Dresses that I can wear with leggings.  This led me to focus on three things to build my new work wardrobe:  Tunic Dresses, Wraps (cardigans, kimono wraps, any jacket type thing) and Shoes.

 

So I created some Pinterest boards as you do.

 

Tunic Dress

 

This pic from the blog Sugarbeans pretty much sums up what I'm going for with the Tunic look:  dress, leggings, cute shoes.  This is the Dottie Angel pattern, Simplicity 1080, that I have and hope to try soon.

 

 

 

 

Wraps

 

I want something to cover my arm meat. 

I've been dying to try this kimono jacket from Sew Caroline for awhile.  Not sure how it will look with a tunic but I'll give it a shot.

 

 

 

Shoes

 

While reading over the Collette Wardrobe Architect worksheet, I began to take a look at the things I like best about my wardrobe and when it comes to shoes it's my Converse.  They are just the coolest.  I also really love the vintage looking Swedish Hasbeens shoes and I had a pair of moccasins in junior high and I loved them!  Hopefully I can get some more.

 

 

I need to think more about color but right now I'm just sewing up what I have in my stash and then I'll be more purposeful in my fabric buying.

 

I'm going to start with this pattern.

 

I made the dress last June and it's a little loud but fits well.  I wanna start with something that I know fits because I really hate getting bogged down in pattern fitting.  It's depressing mainly because I don't really know what I'm doing. 

 

I might try the jacket with Simplicity 1620 but I don't really like the cut of the front.  For a casual wrap, I don't think it needs to come in towards the center.  I think it will fall weird on my front parts.  I prefer the straight line on the front of the Sew Caroline kimono instead.

 

I pulled some patterns from my stash and separated them into potential Tunic and Wrap options.

 

 



 

 

I'm not quite sure if I'll use any of them.  I don't wanna get too excited about it when I've had some really bummer sewing fails.  So I'm trying to remain optimistic but I'm a realist so I know there is potential for failure LOL.

 

Here's some funnies to lighten the mood.

 

 

8 More Baby Hats

So I finished 8 more hats.  I was tempted to hang on to them and dole them out so I could stay on the 4 hat a week skedge but I decided to send them on to their new homes.  I've now completed 20 hats so I'm halfway there!  Yeah!!!

 

I combined two strands on the hat in the top left of the pic below.  I learned that if both yarns are of the same weight then it doesn't turn out very well and it made for a very heavy and stiff hat!  Also, I didn't get the cool color blend that I got when I was made the Sarah's Slouch.

 

 

The purl rows look better in this batch.  I made them three rows apart instead of 4 so the top purl row doesn't get distorted when I start reducing.  That neon pink totally blows out the camera LOL.

 

 

I've been working on some sewing projects so hopefully some finished projects pics coming up.  My silly cat is obsessed with that strawberry pincushion.  She's constantly stalking it when my back is turned!  Maybe I should buy her some toys lol

 

 

Mark's Apron and 4 More Baby Hats

I finished Mark's apron.  I had an idea in my mind of how it would go together and I'm glad it worked out.

I wanted it to be lined.  I used another apron from work for the pattern of the apron body and an apron pattern from home for the ties and neck thing.  I cut two for the body.  One from the pepper fabric and one from some off-white cotton that I had.  My plan was to sandwich the ties and neck strap between the front and back of the apron.

 

 

 

It worked great!  The sandwich method conceals all the tie and strap ends and makes the edges look neat and tidy and the extra layer of cotton fabric on the back gives it the heavy duty feel that I wanted.  I topstitched along the edges and it looks wonky in places but I'm not too worried about it.  It's just dude apron and it's gonna get dirty. 

I added a pocket for fun and also to help secure the back to the front but I kinda like it better without the pocket.  Either way I'm happy with how it turned out and will probably use this method if I make another apron in the future.

 

I experimented a bit with this week's baby hats.  I decided to add three purl rows to the hat on the top left.  It's ok.  I think I spaced them out a bit too much.  I'll try again with less space between the rows.  How boring is that light pink hat.  Oh well, maybe some of the kids will like it.

 

 

No Pokey or Ripley pics today.  Just a positive affirmation from my guru, Tina Belcher.

 

 

 

The 40 Baby Hat Challenge

Remember when I made those baby hats for the Storytime Baby Dolls at work?  Well, I've been asked to make more for the Storytime Baby Dolls at the other library branches.  That's 10 branches times 4 dolls each!  So I'll be making 40 hats!  My plan is to make 4 a week.  I made 4 this week and 4 last week so if I stay on track I should be done by July 16th!  I'm taking a sock knitting class in June so that might slow me down a bit but we'll see.

I'm using Magic Loop and it is the best!  I'm never making baby hats with DPN's again.  ML is so fast and easy.

I've combined my stash of acrylic which I'll probably never use and 3 pastel skeins from work.  I'm not sure if it will be enough.  I doubt I will use the black.  Kind of dour for a baby doll.

Right now I'm using 2 patterns.  The Baby Bear Hat (without the ears) and the LCD Basic Hat Free.  I might change it up if I get super bored but I don't really wanna do anything to that might extend my project estimate.  

Below is the first set of hats that I made last week.  I really love the I Love This Yarn Stonewash line.  On the doll is the Mint Lace color.  I also have the other colors available: Coraline, Deep Violet and Denim.  They knit up so pretty and look a bit fancier then the solid color acrylic, I think.  Almost like hand-dyed yarn :)

The neon was really reflecting the light so I had to take a separate pic for fun lol.

These are the hats I made this week.  I'm sticking with my fave colors so far but I guess I better start knitting up the pastels (yuck).  

Here's Pokey at Gran's yesterday.  He really wanted her attention!  That sad stare!  LOL

I Am A Teenage Mutant Hat, Antler Toque and other FO's

I finished the orange Antler Toque for my friend Ian!  I like the way it turned out even tho it's super bright!  I made the largest size and cast on 106 stitches but I only did the cable pattern for 8 rounds instead of the recommended 9.  I think it looks better and will fit better.  I love this pattern and will probably make it again as a go to gift hat.

 

 

 

We got this amazing book at the library!

 

I immediately copied the patterns for the hats I Was A Teenage Mutant and Suture.  I used some beautiful yarn.  Malabrigo Rios in English Rose and it knits like a dream!

 

 

I've finished with the body but I need to finish the closure in kitchener stitch and I'm super worried that I'm going to screw it up!

 

I started this cute Owl Beanie while I was waiting for a flat to be fixed.  It's a free pattern on Ravelry.  It's made with Malabrigo Arroyo in Arco Iris.  

 

 

I love the little owls!  I immediately cast on 30 extra stitches because I knew 90 wouldn't be enough in a DK weight for my big ole head.  I worked the pattern till I finished the owls because I couldn't resist!  I could tell tho that it was still too small so after two false starts with 150 and 140 I settled on 130 and I'm just gonna keep going until it's done!  I think it'll fit me ok.  It sucks with a 10 stitch repeat because there isn't much room to add or subtract stitches.

 

 

I also finally finished my cousins Christian's Hats and sent them to their new homes.  The black one is extra big because my cousin Matthew claims he has an abnormally large head.  I didn't get a chance to fit it but I'm pretty confident that it will work for him.  The green one is for my Cuz Reagan.  Just in time for summer LOL.

 

I want to try and make a few coke cozys with the basketweave pattern.  I love the texture of it and I'm kind of done with Cascade 220.  It feels so coarse now after knitting with Malabrigo.  It will be a good way to use up my last few bits.

 

Here's Old Poke at the Mother's Day dinner at my Gran's.  The little kids really love him.  Some are more gentle then others.  This little boy wanted to pet him sweetly.  The other boy wanted to slap him LOL.

 

Making myself sew and finished Antler Toque and Sara's Slouch

Well, I tried to make a dirndl skirt and it looked like crap.  One pocket was a half inch too high and when I tried it on I realized that this style is not for me at all!!  I looked like Ma Joad from Grapes of Wrath.

 

So then I was like now what?  Dirndl skirts were supposed to be the foundation of my new summer wardrobe.  Why did I just spend $100 on fabric?  What does it all mean?!

I decided to go through my stash and maybe I could find some direction and/or inspiration.

 

Out of 7 boxes I kept only 2.  I wanted to take them to Goodwill that day but I was lazy and decided to wait until I could borrow a dolly from work to haul them down to my truck.  Glad I did because I remembered some scraps that I wanted to keep so I could add pockets to my green and yellow muumuus.  I'm actually really surprised that I haven't reclaimed more.  It's a sad lesson on how I tend to buy stuff spontaneously without a project in mind.  Definitely want to stop doing that.  I'm hoping to sew up my stash and then only buy enough fabric for one project at a time.  Like Diana Rupp says in her book Sew Everything Workshop.

I sorted my keepers by color.  It's all cotton.  Man fabric is it's own category LOL

Then I worked on an easy project. Curtain doors for my apartment! 

 

I'm in a really dated 80's apartment with bi-fold doors on the closets and they don't shut!  So, I finally got sick of it and watched a Youtube video on how to remove them without tearing them up, stored them in the porch storage space and made some cute curtains.  I really like them.  Brightens up the place a bunch!

 

This one is in the kitchen.

 

Entry way coat closet and bedroom closet.  Look at the pattern on the bedroom closet curtain.  It got off grain when I was squaring the ends :(  Looks like it's sliding downhill.  Easy fix but still annoying.

 

I really enjoyed sewing them up and seeing basically instant results!  I need to remember that when planning future projects.

Finished the Sara's Slouch by Wooly Wormhead and I love it!  First time knitting with two strands so that was cool.  The pattern isn't very specific about how tall to make it for a slouchy look so I decreased too soon and ended up with a beanie lol.  I still really like it.  I used Malabrigo Rios (worsted) in Ivy and Arroyo (DK) in Reflecting Pool.  It made a really dense, warm hat.  I'm not sure if I used the right combo of yarn weights. I might try a DK and fingering weight together next time. This was my first time using Malabrigo and I love it!! Cascade 220 worsted feels like twine now in comparison! LOL.

I love love love the Antler Toque by Tin Can Knits.  It was my first try at knitting cables!  This one went to my mom.  She loves brown lol.

A friend requested an orange hat so I'm working on that.  It looks a bit like a carrot but that's what he wants :/

Here's Ole Pokey lovin' some cuddles <3

My knitting fails and some easy mitts

I've been in a bit of a knitting slump.  I tried the Barley hat from Tin Can Knits and it just didn't turn out like I'd hoped.  I used some Cascade 220 that I already had and it was too fine of a gauge because the hat brim was REAL small and I made the biggest size!  I finished it but soon ripped it out.  It looked like poo poo.

 

Then I decided to make the Miss Marple Scarf.  It was a fun pattern and I really like the gold color of the yarn but I finished it and the ends were curling really bad and it super bugged me!  I tried to block it but in the end I wasn't happy so I took a pic and ripped it out!  Looking at it now, it doesn't look so bad and I feel kinda dumb for ripping it out so fast lol.

 

 

After those two fails I was feeling bummed.  So, I decided to make a super simple scarf and mitts.  The scarf is just CO 31 on size 7 needles in garter stitch but I really love it!  All the previous scarves that I made were for other people so it was nice to make a scarf just for me!  The gold yarn is so soft and I love the pop of Flamingo Cascade 220 on the ends.  Now I just have to wait for winter to come back around to wear it lol.

 

 

 

The mitts are a super easy pattern from a deck of project cards that I bought at the library used book shelf.  Hat, Mittens, and Scarves Deck: 25 Cool and Cozy Projects has lots of projects to browse and these mitts were a really cool, easy project to help me get my knitting mojo back.  They need to be blocked because the yarn that I took from the Miss Marple Scarf was a bit wavy but I really don't care.  The main thing I like about this mitt pattern is there is no thumb gusset.  So it fits my crooked thumb really well and no fingers means that my nubbin isn't floating in a too long glove :)

 

 

Right now, I'm working on Sara's Slouch by Wooly Wormhead.  It is very fun and easy and I love how the two yarns look together.  I made the largest size and used size 7 and 9 needles like the pattern recommends but I'm worried that it may be a bit too tight but if the FO is good I think I'll be making several of these.

 

 

I want to start sewing this spring after a long dry spell. Hopefully, I'll have some projects to share in a few weeks!

 

Here's Ripley all cozy on my lap.

 

 

 

And here she is on the back of the couch giving me her best resting bitch face LOL!