Monthly Archives: September 2011

summer knitting

Well, I think we’re a little bit past summer, but I also seem to be a little behind! Right now I’m working on sewing costumes for a show in Haugesund, which means long days of working and unfortunately, not being able to share any of it! For the time being at least – I can’t wait to show it after the premiere later in October. Until then, hush hush!

But I do want to show what I was working on this summer!

Before I took off on my cross-country and back road trip at the beginning of June, I had grand plans for all the knitting I was going to get done. After all, 9000 miles and countless hours in a car – surely that is prime knitting-time? Um, no. Between taking in the views, reading maps, and just being there, the knitting definitely took a back-seat (ah, no pun intended… though I had a totebag of yarn, patterns, and needles in a designated spot in the back-seat! Nestled in between a pair of hiking shoes, and two bikes).

I didn’t actually finish anything until arriving back in Norway, but I finally have something to show of my road-trip knitting!

From New Mexico to Maine

I found out right before I left that a dear teacher and friend is having her first baby this fall, and I immediately thought of what I could make her. The yellow yarn was left-over from my Bayview Street cardigan, and the light grey is from the Émilien I made for my dad. I think the graphic stripes will suit her well – she’s really bold and fun and quirky. I made up the pattern with a top-down, raglan increase method, and just knit until it looked right. I don’t know the first thing about baby sizes, so I do hope it will fit!

From Maine to Norway

I got to meet one of the youngest in my boyfriends family this summer, a little 1 and a half-year old. She is just adorable, and I’d been eyeing the “Little sister’s dress” on ravelry for a while, so it was time to make it! The construction is quite simple, but so effectful! And since it works as a dress, or a tunic/top, it has a bit longer of a life-span, which is nice.

From Chicago to…..

And finally… The February Fitted Sweater. I’ve attempted several different projects with this Sisu yarn, and I think this is the right way to go. I started it almost a year ago (!), and after it took a long break while I was working on my collection knits, I was convinced I would finish it during our road-trip. I think it got a total of 3 hours of attention (2 of which spent knitting something I had to undo), and it’s really not gotten further at all. It needs a little more attention than a scarf or a small baby-sweater, since it has shaping and sleeves and different things going on. Maybe by Christmas I’ll have it done! I will be moving into an apartment with a woodstove in a couple of weeks, how cozy does that sound? A deep chair by a roaring fire, a cup of tea, and some knitting!

fall and winter sewing plans

Well, the blogs are buzzing with talks of fall sewing plans! I technically have an incredible amount of sewing ahead of me, working with the costumes for a show at Haugesund Teater called “Amanda“! But that’s not for me, and after seeing what people are sharing of their plans, I was inspired to make a moodboard of my own!

See my the rest of my Fall Palette Challenge board over on Pintrest, as well as the links. (I joined the bandwagon!)

Sarai over at Collette Patterns has led a couple of sewing challenges, with moodboards and palettes and matching plans with patterns. While I won’t be officially joining the challenge, which is to set some sewing goals and complete them within 8 weeks, it was a good encouragement to think about what sewing projects I have planned, and want to prioritize this fall and winter!

I posted about these fabrics that were gifted to me over the summer, and they are definitely part of my plans. The solid pink (which really is more magenta-purpley in real life) is destined to become a pencil skirt – what a bold statement! And the Liberty-print is a wool that I think would be great in a fairly simple boat-neck dress, like the Colette Peony pattern actually.

And that subtle dark grey pinstripe is going to become a tailored, fitted blazer. I’ve wanted to make another one for a long time, and this time I’d like to share the process here! I think it could be interesting, and maybe even helpful to those attempting a go at a tailored jacket? I’m planning on using all the techniques I learned while making the previous one; pad-stiched horsehair, twill-tape on the lapels, bound buttonholes… all of that good stuff!

It might seem like my perfect pants project has completely gone by the wayside, and that wouldn’t be entirely incorrect. I haven’t abandoned it though! I’m slowly working on tracing the pattern from a pair that fits, and I have the fabric all ready to go. I’d like to use Peter’s Jeans sew-along – he had some really good info there!

Finally, I’d love to try some more jersey projects, and I think a loose-fitting racerback tank-top would be a great staple in my wardrobe… Well, I think all of my projects will be! A challenge for me is actually to get more patterned stuff into my sewing – and my wardrobe – so hopefully I can add some cute patterned blouses or full skirts into my fall and winter sewing too!

Any sewing plans? Colors that are must-haves now that fall is upon us? I’d love to hear – and see!