Keeping Warm: Knitting Projects

It's been a good winter for knitting, and I've finished several items in the past month or two. First off, a scarf/shawlette in the Wingspan pattern (free on Ravelry).

The yarn is Noro Silk Garden. The "wings" are created using short rows. It's a very easy knit that's adaptable to many gauges of yarn. I chose to pin it together at the ends, but it can be worn multiple ways. It adds a good dose of color to the dark gray top I made in December.

Next up, a funky cowl knit originally for myself, but given to my beautiful sister in a moment of weakness.

Those are I-cords knit on large needles. The yarn is luscious Malabrigo Rasta, and the pattern is Ropes Cowl (on Ravelry). This was a fun and quick knit. I love how well the buttons from Sawyer Brook match the hand dyed yarn. The cowl can be worn very neat and tidy, off-kilter like in this photo, or really messy.

Why did I give it away? It seemed a bit out of proportion for me, like the ropes needed to be a bit longer. And Melanie loved it. My local yarn shop still has the yarn on hand, so I might buy more and make another one to keep.

Last, but not least, are a cowl and mittens. And they're mine! 

I purchased this soft wool yarn at the Classic Elite outlet store a couple of years ago. The colors are a tad softer than in the photo. I love the black marl throughout, and the gradual color changes. The mittens were made using The Grand Plan for Mittens from Interweave magazine. The cowl was self-designed, using instructions from Entrelac by Rosemary Drysdale. It's my first entrelac project, and I'm not pleased with the bumpy edges, but I'm satisfied enough to wear it. The cowl and the mittens kept me very warm in today's single digit temperatures.

I love, love, love how well the buttons - from Sawyer Brook, of course - match the yarn. They were destined to be together!

One more project, a cowl, is waiting for photos, while several projects are in the finishing stages, so there will be more to come!

Felted Spirals Tote

Studio time in late November and early December was spent on designing and sewing a tote for myself. I knew I wanted it to be durable, roomy, and arty. Here's  the result of my efforts:

Yes, I got to play with the needlefelting machine I purchased last July. It's made by Simplicity, and is functional but not particularly well designed. For the money ($140 on sale), it was worth buying. It is easy to use and I could spend hours playing with it. I'm not sure how much I'll use it, but it's good to have it available when the felting urge hits.

The base fabric is wool melton from Sawyer Brook. The roving I used for felting was hand dyed by a friend who has a small yarn dying business. I pulled roving from two colorways that had lots of orange in them. No orange here, though. That's the beauty of working with roving; you can pull it apart to leave out bits you might not want in a particular project. After laying down the roving, weaving it where the stripes met, and felting it over and over, I felted some yarns in spiral shapes, and sewed on a multicolored nylon tape yarn and short rows of beads.

I love the colors of roving, and how they blend from one shade to the next. It adds a lot of dimension and depth to the design. I'm not much for glitz, but I really like the glimmer the beads add. Not wanting to overdo the design, I went with a smaller arty element on the back of the bag.

The chartreuse color is less vibrant in real life. It coordinates with the silk faille lining. I love a light colored lining because it allows me to see my stuff. There's nothing worse than searching through a dark lined bag!

That's a divided double pocket for my glasses and phone, plus a zippered pocket for keys. I inserted a piece of stable cardboard in the bottom and held it in place with black nickel-colored feet. (Sorry no pic.)

For durability and protection, I encased the bottom of the bag in leather. This was leftover from a vest a coworker made for a client. Janee was gracious to give it to me, and it's been languishing in my stash for a couple of years. I was glad to have it, as it protects the bottom of the bag from getting dirty. I also used it for the handles. It's super soft, yet strong, and feels really nice in my hands. This was my first experience with leather, and it sewed very easily. I tried a leather needle but found a denim needle worked better. I had no trouble feeding it evenly through my sewing machine, probably because I used my Pfaff's built in walking foot.

I used an old out of print bag pattern as a starting point, but I redrafted nearly all of it. It looks quite different from the original pattern photo.

The top of the bag is closed with a zipper. I had a waterproof one on hand from JoAnn's, and it looks great. Not that I needed it to be waterproof. But the tape on the waterproof style is very satiny, and the slide moves very smoothly. It was the perfect finish for this bag that was very fun to make and gives me a smile when I carry it!

Swoopy Vest and Cardigan

Needing a couple of quick makes for winter layers, I headed to Butterick 5528 for some assistance. I started with the vest, view C.

This is made with a lightweight poly/rayon ponte from Marcy Tilton. I had purchased it with plans of making a tunic, but after washing it discovered it was too scratchy (!) for my sensitive skin. I tested it for wool, but there was none. It was just little fibers that were sticking out of the fabric surface. Marcy offered to take it back, but I loved the color and the weight, and chose to keep it. I'm glad I did, as it suits this purpose perfectly.

The pattern is cut rather generously, in my opinion. I made the 24-26, which would normally fit me, but it was very loose under the arms. I took it apart and pared a good 4" off each side. It was a very easy make. I cheated a little on the edges, which are supposed to be narrow hemmed. Since the fabric wouldn't ravel, I simply turned under 5/8" and topstitched.

Once made, I wondered what tops in my closet would look good with it. I thought the charcoal one I made in December would, but the depth of color is too close to the purple and it just looks *blah*. I was very pleased to see how good the teal top I made a year ago looks, and how a silk scarf tied it all together.

I'm not sure if this pointed lower edge style is on trend any more, or passe. I don't see it much in RTW, and it feels a bit old to me. I may decided to even out the hem at some time in the future.

The feature I like best in the design is the line of the raglan sleeve, a little more easily seen here (especially if you click on the photo to enlarge it).

There's a nice curve to the seam which echoes the curve of the hem. This cardigan is made with a sumptuous ponte from St. John - nothing to sneeze at, for sure. We had it at Sawyer Brook, and it was just so lovely I had to have it. I seldom think of lovely and ponte as words that go together, but in this case, it's true. The weight and drape are just perfect. I'm not crazy about the color on me - rather dull - but I can give it extra pop with the tops I wear with it.

However, this cardigan reminded me of the problem I have with raglan sleeves. My shoulders are quite round and sit slightly forward. So, the shoulder seam on raglan styles is not aligned with the center of my shoulder. Here's a shot showing the seam and the "ball" of my shoulder, which is more than an inch forward.

I'm not sure, but this might contribute to the extra folds of fabric on the front of my upper arm. I could try adjusting this if I make the pattern again, but I'm not thinking I will. I like the jacket ok, but not enough to make it again and tweak this area.

And then there's the angled, pointed hemline, which just. feels. tired. I don't regret making this vest and jacket, but I have to say I don't *love* them. I'm in the mood for jackets that fit a little more closely and have a bit more construction to them. And perhaps I should stay away from raglan sleeves.

Thoughts, anyone?

Four Tops

I went on a top-sewing binge in December, and completed four long sleeved ones. Photography sessions with me wearing each of them haven't materialized, so I snapped some photos on a hanger so I could show them here.

I used an out-of-print Simplicity pattern, 3634. It's one of those wardrobe patterns, and the top has either a high scoop neck or a scooped cowl collar. I used the size 28, and added bust darts from the side seams. I'm really pleased with the fit, especially through the bust, shoulders and upper arms - those areas that can be challenging to get just right. One drawback is the sleeves are set in. I've inserted them in the flat instead, but I used double ease stitching on the cap to get a good fit. Having to do that is a pain, but it does create a better fitting sleeve.

The top shown above is made from a lofty rayon jersey from Marcy Tilton. It is quite light in weight, and almost a sweater knit. The fabric is marled, using black and blue yarns. The knit is on a slight diagonal. It couldn't be straightened without skewing the vertical grain of the fabric. I've chosen to accept the fact that the fabric was simply knit this way, and embraced its off-kilter look.

I used the plain neckline, and I love how it looks with the Trillian wrap I finished last year. I've just begun working on a black vest which I plan to wear with this top.

Needing a basic color tee, I purchased some of Marcy's Harvard Gray rayon/lycra jersey. This fabric is a dream to sew and wear! I drafted a higher, almost crew neckline for this one.

It's not a particularly exciting top, but a great basic for layering.

The third top is made from a beefy cotton/lycra from Marcy. You know I couldn't make 4 tops without one of them being purple!

On this style, I used my drafted crew neckline and added the twisted turtleneck from Marcy's Vogue 8582, which appears to be out of print. I used this collar on a top a year ago, and really like it. It's a tall tube, and one edge is machine stitched to the neck edge. Then the other edge is hand sewn at the seam line, but the key is to move the inner edge sideways about 4 inches. This creates the soft folds you see in this photo. I find it very comfortable on my neck, and it adds a bit of interest where there would be little.

I used this same turtleneck on my fourth top, this wild printed rayon/lycra jersey from Sawyer Brook.

This print is very large, which is not a problem with my size. But I was concerned about the warm tones in it (orange and nearly olive). The black, gray and fuchsia are the standout colors, though, and I'm glad I jumped out of my comfort zone with this fabric. It feels flattering to me.

I wear this with a gray ponte cardigan recently made (blog post to come soon!), and black pants. I get lots of compliments on the combination. It will also look great with the black crepe vest that's on my design table now.

So there you have it - three solids and a print to round out my top-making for 2012. There is one more to show, made from a different pattern, but I'm waiting for the black vest to complete the look. All told, I sewed 15 tops in 2012, bulking my wardrobe up so that I no longer wear any RTW tops out in public. Since I can't find RTW that fits well, I'm thrilled with the TNT top patterns I've tweaked in the past year. Yay!

...Not Even a Mouse

Not much stirring around the blog lately, kinda like that classic Christmas tale. My sewing and knitting mojo have been running full force, but I've got a wicked case of blogger's block. I have several projects to show you, from bags to cardigans to tops, and will hopefully get posting soon.

Wishing all of my blogosphere (and physical world) friends a very happy holiday season, all of the best in the coming year, and, most of all, Peace.

Artistry in Indiana

Early this month, my husband and I drove to Bloomington, Indiana to visit family for a week. My two sisters live there, and my brother drove my parents out from upstate New York, so it was a family get together of sorts. It had been a couple of years since we were all in the same place at one time, and my parents are getting on in years (mid-80s), so having a few days together was very special.

We've visited Bloomington many times in the past 20 years, but this stay was unique because of a very special event, plus some impromptu artsy outings. I came home feeling very blessed to have experienced all of it.

The big event was a private concert with Sylvia McNair, a singer extraordinaire who has two Grammys from her years with the Metropolitan Opera. She now sings cabaret and show tunes, and her clear, strong voice is a delight to hear. If you like this style of music, I highly recommend checking her out on YouTube. Then imagine what it was like to hear her sing in a large dining room, with just 16 others. Very intimate, very special.



Sylvia had donated this mini-concert to a fundraiser for a local charity, and my sister was the winning bidder. The entire affair was a gift from my sister to each of us, but especially to my parents, who thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Sylvia is friends with my sister and several others in attendance, and it was a wonderful party.

I love seeing a person doing what s/he was born to do. No doubt about it; Sylvia is here to sing. In talking with her after her performance, she told me the most rewarding aspect of singing is seeing it bring people together. During one song, she noticed my mother reach over and take my father's hand. She said that is the greatest compliment she can receive, that recognition that what she does is bringing people closer. She's an extraordinary person!

The next day, we met and spent a couple of hours with John Bender, a well-known Bloomington native and businessman. Many decades ago, he helped two brothers start a little pizza company that went big: Pizza Hut. With many other entrepreneurial pursuits under his belt, he now owns a lumber company, where his sons work with him. Well into his seventies, he enjoys bicycling and has a passion for flying. (Rhonda, do you know him?) We met him at his large double hangar at the local airport to see his two airplanes, antique bicycle collection, and antique motorcycle and car collection. It was fun to walk down the automobile memory lane with my parents, who had driven some of the same models back when they were young. His collections aside, John's entrepreneurial spirit is inspiring.

Another day, my sisters, my mom and I stopped in at Bella Bella, the studio of artist Lara Moore. My sister was there to order a custom mirror for one of her bathrooms. She recently purchased a coffee table that is simply gorgeous. Lara gave us a quick tour and we were able to see a new piece in the works. Literally hundreds of layers of tissue paper are glued to a particleboard surface to create the designs. Liquid acrylic is then poured over the piece, layer by layer, until a thick, very smooth protective coating is achieved. It's a process developed by Lara, and she's been very successful with it. If you frequent arty boutiques and shops or art fairs, you may have seen some of her work.

We also went to Textillery Weavers, a local maker of woven throws. In addition to perusing the goods in their outlet store, we were able to watch weavers at work on both hand- and machine-operated looms. The 30+ year old business is owned and run by a wife/husband team. She designs the throws and is the creative force in the venture, while he runs the business end of things. They sell to stores across the country, so you may have seen their goods in shops. I came away with a steal of a deal, this chenille throw, woven on a jacquard loom.

Photo from Textillery Weavers Web Site

Our stay ended with a fun evening at a local pub, listening to a fabulous band called the Vallures. What could be more fun than five women and a man playing and singing 60's music?! With lots of girl group tunes, matching dresses and retro hairdos, they were a blast!

On our return trip, we spent a night with my parents in Ithaca. Since we were there, how could I resist visiting my favorite independent fabric store, Homespun Boutique? I tried to be selective, and bought only what I would use for handbags, plus one garment for myself.

Beautiful ribbons from Renaissance Ribbon. So colorful! I can't wait to use them in bag linings.

Pleated silk, silk faille, linen and rayon jacquard, and silk stripe for bags.

A gorgeous purple cotton matelasse, which I hope to make into a long vest for myself. Scraps will be great for handbags.

And buttons! These are handmade from Fimo clay, then painted. I love the tiny script on them.

So ended our creative week away from home. Traveling through six northeastern states in early October was a visual delight. The foliage colors were spectacular! I returned with new-found vigor to make handbags, inspired by all of the creative people I met while away, and the beautiful scenery along the way. In my next post, I'll show you what I've been up to for the past two weeks!

September, a Month of Bags

Photo by Lisa Walker

Some of you must wonder where I've been for the past month. I've been up to my ears in handbags! After years of considering it, I've decided to design a line of bags to sell. A pipe dream? Perhaps in the long run it will be. But in the short term, it's a success. Let me explain.

This flurry of bag sewing was determined by a potential meeting with a boutique owner in Bloomington, Indiana. My husband and I drove there in late September for a family gathering of sorts. Two of my sisters live there, and my brother drove my parents there from New York, for a week long stay. It's not often my entire family can spend time together, so it was a really special week. It turned out to be an artistic vacation of sorts, which I'll write about in another post.

Back to the boutique. It's called Relish, and the vibe is urban chic. They sell home goods, including furniture, art objects, women's clothing and shoes, jewelry, etc. One of my sisters is a good customer there, and knows the owner, Sharon, well. She contacted her ahead of our visit to see if she would meet with me about my new handbag venture. Sharon agreed, and we met at the store one rainy afternoon. She was a wealth of information as far as retailing my bags is concerned, and we quickly agreed that trunk shows would be a good way to start. I wasn't totally familiar with the nuts and bolts of trunk shows, but basically, the artist shows up with the goods, while the store owner invites her best customers and creates a party atmosphere. It's a low risk situation, where the shop owner can see how well a craft person's work will sell, without making an investment in the merchandise. The shop owner takes a small percentage of the sales, so the profit for the artist is typically far more than selling at wholesale prices.

Sharon liked my bags, suggested ideas for other designs, and offered to hold a trunk show in her store! I wasn't expecting that, so I was thrilled. It was such a positive affirmation of the work I've been doing for the past three months.

My goal for the winter is to design and make at least 50 bags to show in the spring. Sharon gave me some leads for boutiques in the greater Boston area, so I'll be pursuing that as well. Normally I wouldn't travel as far as Indiana, at least, not at the start. But this is a great opening opportunity, given that many of my sister's friends shop at Relish. It could be a fantastic party! Sharon recommended a boutique in Indianapolis, so I'll pursue that in hopes that I can do two shows in one trip.

Relish's vibe is very gray and muted, so I entered our meeting with a bit of a concern because of my love of using bright colors in my bags. Sharon was able to set color aside, and see the potential my bags have. I showed her the two I made in July and August, as well as these three:

This double bag is from Vogue 8590, by Marcy Tilton. I love the versatility this bag offers. It is two bags in one, and others could be switched in and out, creating infinite possibilities. I love the shape, and the hidden pocket beneath the front flap.

I also love the combination of fabrics I found from my stash and at Sawyer Brook.

The unique feature of the bags I'll design is painting. Sometimes the elements will be large, and sometimes small, such as the flourish on this flap. I often add paint to a solid lining, and to inner pockets. I added inner pockets to each of these bags, but they're difficult to see because the top opening of the bag is small.

I love this double bag idea, and plan to stretch it out into a clutch shape, so that I can use one for my wallet items. By adding slots for credit cards and cash, and a zippered pocket for change, it can be a small bag that I carry inside a tote bag. And I can make coordinating second clutches to carry with it when going out. Fun!

Photo by Lisa Walker

This design and the next are self-drafted. I wanted a small-ish bag that would hold essentials and be fun to carry to social events. The faux suede was a cinch to paint. I couldn't believe how easy it was to work with, and how well it took the paint.

Imagine my horror when, after many hours of designing and sewing, I mis-cut the slits for the magnetic snap! There was my bag, my first prototype, with 1/4 holes where they didn't belong. They were only a quarter of an inch off, but the snap itself wasn't large enough to cover the slits. Thankfully, I had just received a silk screen of my name (ordered from Marcy Tilton), and I was able to make a long label to cover the holes. This time, I put the snap in the right place!

The next bag is a slight variation on the same design. I refined the side panels a bit, and gave it double handles.

Photo by Lisa Walker

The colors of this bag were inspired by the lining fabric, a gorgeous rayon/poly jacquard from France. I fused a light interfacing to it, to give it stability.

While I was making this bag, I kept thinking of my sister's friend, Angela. She loves orange, and has an extensive handbag collection. I showed her the bag and a gathering, and the moment she set eyes on it, she claimed it as hers. I sold it to her on the spot, for a really good price. Another success!

So, why did this take a month? Because I'm not showing you the design that is still in the works, and two others that are near completion. And because of structure. I like a bag that has stiffness to it, so it doesn't stretch and bulge and whatnot when loaded. Craftex is the perfect product for stiffening the bag, but it can't be turned inside out easily. Consequently, sewing the linings into the bags has to be done by hand. Then, there's the edge stitching, which can be difficult to do through stiff fabric and interfacing layers. Much of my time has been spent just figuring out how to put the bags together. I expect that to continue with each design I make, but I hope it will all come more easily the deeper into it I get.

There's no telling where this venture will take me, but as long as I'm having fun doing it, that's ok with me. I'll be posting bags here as I make them, as well as garments I have in mind for myself. It's going to be a busy autumn and winter in the studio!

P.S. Who is Lisa Walker, and why did she take photos of my bags? She's my talented photographer sister. I wanted photos of Angela's bag before leaving it behind, so we did a photo shoot of bags.  Her work can be found at Lisa Walker Photography and on SmugMug.