I found time for a refashion…

Since I already had my sewing machine out I thought I’d grab something off the Easy Refashion pile.

This jumper dress is from Zara kids and was originally intended for a 14 year old! Anyway, it’s 60 % wool and somewhere in its past someone has washed it badly and it has stretched widthways – so much so that it’s too big for me. Well, there is a quick way to fix that!

Turn it inside-out and pin, pin, pin! I needed to take in about 2 inches either side to stop it looking like a sack!

I sewed the new seams, trimmed off the excess and zig-zagged all round to give it a chance at not fraying.

All done and looking far more slinky, it honestly isn’t as lumpy as it looks in the photo! I know it’s not the most dramatic or complicated refashion in the world but it’s all I have time for these days, and if it gets one more thing off the pile and into my wardrobe I’m happy!

I’ve got two more weeks until Open Studios and then I can relax for a bit – I got some lovely kidsilk haze for my birthday and the new Rowan pattern book that demand my attention! Also that refashion pile… and a serious amount of WIPs…

Beccy

I finished my Open Studios jumper in time…

Just! I was sewing it up at 1am the night before and knitting on the neckband two hours before we opened to the public. I think it turned out great considering my rushedness:

A rare photo of me actually wearing something I’ve made…

A close-up of the stitches – so pretty!

I used cheap Cygnet Wool Rich 4ply because the Rowan wools recommended are discontinued and the replacements, though lovely, are far too expensive for my limited budget. Despite the price it was really nice to knit, with good stitch definition as promised.

I’m pleased with the way it turned out and the colours are very close to the original pattern. I need a new knitting project and I have got a few birthdays coming up…

Beccy

Knitting for Open Studios…

Did I tell you I’m doing York Open Studios this year? I think I might have mentioned it! Anyway, I’ve got it into my head that despite all the work I have to do to fill my workshop with interesting (and hopefully well made) ceramics, I also want to knit myself a new jumper for the event.

I have chosen Alouette, a lovely feather and fan short sleeved 40’s style jumper from the Sarah Dallas book ‘Vintage Knits’. Knitted in 4ply it’s pretty slow going. I started just over a week ago and after knitting for about four hours every evening (bar one) I’ve just finished the back and started the ribbing for the front.

So far I love it, and as a bonus I’m not bored of the pattern yet either!

The recommended yarn is discontinued (and expensive anyway) so I’ve substituted with Cygnet wool rich 4ply which has good stitch definition, is hardwearing and allegedly can be washed in the machine – I have too many things that have to be hand-washed and really that means they rarely get worn.

So, I have two weeks(ish) to finish it and all my other work. It’s a good job I don’t have a life!

Beccy

Stripy McStripe

I’ve finished the back, front and half a sleeve of mum’s birthday/Christmas jumper (Bay by Rowan). Phew, it’s a lovely jumper and easy to knit but boy, is it boring! I could have knit a hundred scarves by now.
It’s taken so long that my Ravelry queue is getting pretty long and my planned Christmas knitting is going to get way behind… do you find that sometimes you itch to move to a new project before you’ve finished the current one? Maybe it’s true what they say about attention spans these days…
Anyway, I digress, and this jumper really is beautiful and mum’s wanted me to knit it for her for ages so I’m sure she’s going to love it whether I finish it in time for her birthday (the 8th December!) or Christmas.
Beccy

Finished WIP – November sweater…

Yay me, I finished something!
This is Allergic to Wool’s November sweater that I started just over a month ago (according to my Ravelry page)


I love this pattern, it’s a simple shape but the lace pattern makes it interesting (to knit and to look at). It took ages to make because I had so little free time – the front took a few days but I was only doing a few pattern repeats a night for the back. But, it’s done! And I’m on a hunt for another pattern to keep my idle evening hands busy…
Beccy

I finally knitted something…

Ok, so you know I mentioned the mountain of wool gathering bunnies under my bed? Well, I dusted some off, dug out Wenlan Chia and brandished my new circulars in a menacing way.
Well. Sort of. I um’d and ah’d a bit about what to knit, I have loads of beautiful knitting books, but in the end I needed something with speedy-satisfaction-happiness potential and only Big City Knits’ Balthazar vest would do!

I’m not one for using the recommended yarn, so rather than using Twinkle, I used Sirdar Bigga instead (I’m poor!). I had to use smaller needles and knit the biggest size in the book but it fits fine and it’s very warm.

It only took one day and and evening to knit, sew and block and the colour is more like the top picture, kinda mossy. I like the little details like these k2tog, yarn over moments and the short-row shaping in the sleeves. If you had time for boredom, those little details would stop it.

In the end, I got my speedy-satisfaction-happiness and a snuggly jumper, but I might add something to it – a bit of applique or some patch pockets? I dunno, maybe I’ve been spending too much time flicking through the pages of Knitknit and Knitprovisation, both books I highly recommend for alternative knitty thinking.
Beccy