productive pause

Amid a predictably busy summer at work, I was given a tough suggestion to deal with the stress: temporarily give up all my hobbies except one. Sure, I was terror-stricken at the thought, but it only took me half a second to choose which one I would keep. It's the one that slows my mind down and helps me breathe deeply. It's tactile and full of possibilities and has taught me the wonders of patience. So while everything else is put aside, my knitting needles will keep me company.

What's amazing is how much knitting has happened since that decision one week ago. I finished these legwarmers - something I had started months ago after a failed attempt at a Citron Shawl using this purple Koigu wool. The pattern is Some Cloudy Day by Tiny Owl Knits and I love the simple lace effect, which was a really easy set of stitches to memorize. I may try a modified version (basically a smaller multiple of 6 stitches) in a worsted or aran weight to get chunkier pair for really cold weather. Or perhaps a tinier version for Sadie because it's possible that wearing legwarmers is more appropriate for 6 year olds anyway? (Though the same could be said for wearing bright red Mary Jane shoes, but that has never stopped me before - thank you Trove for having such an excellent summer sale!)

And as Milo napped Friday afternoon I also started the Golden Wheat Cardigan using my all-time favourite wool Debbie Bliss' Luxury Donegal Tweed, in the very same colourway as the Mara Shawl I knit last year (it's just that awesome a colourway). It's a top-down, seamless pattern and I'm already 3 inches into the body. Clearly this focusing on one hobby has productivity going for it...not that I should be focused on being productive (actually, that's exactly the opposite of the intention) but it's been a pleasant outcome so far. I am still reading though, because I think reading is more like breathing and eating, and not really a hobby at all. Although it's not in the photo, I finished up The Girl Who Fell from the Sky. It was swift, haunting and thoroughly engaging. I haven't been able to finish The Illumination (sorry Ragdoll!) but it does boast an amazing premise and an awesome cover too.

For more stories of knitting and reading loveliness, check out this week's Yarn Along.

knitting, for real

Lately there has been very little knitting represented here. Now, no one is really holding me to showing only knitting, but perhaps it's time I change my little description off to the right. Clearly my addictions are not limited to wool and I no longer sew things from wool blankets. But this would involve writing a new description which takes...time. And thought. When instead I could be sewing and knitting some more. For now I'll add figure-out-what-my-blog-is-for-and-if-it-needs-a-facelift to my to do list. At least today I have a knitted vest to show.

It feels a bit like cheating to use my own pattern, but here's the sad part: I had to print myself a copy and I also had to restart the vest twice because I goofed up. Using my own pattern. Hmm. But I still love making this wee thing and I used Cascade Superwash to make things easier on the new mommy. It's been a while since I've had a baby gift to make and it was such a perfect reason to get knitting (and get me out of my knitting funk which involved three separate attempts at adult-sized sweaters - so much wasted time!)

I worked on this vest while while we stayed at a cottage two weeks ago in Prince Edward County (we stayed there a few summers ago as well). Before leaving I wanted to order some new books for the vacation, but I struggled for a moment trying to figure out what to pick. Then I remembered small things' Yarn Along. This is the beauty of community that the internet allows: in this case, those of us who count knitting and reading as favourite pastimes have a place where we can ooh and ahh over lovely photos of yarn and books while also getting reading recommendations from similarly minded people. Amazon will never peg my "likes" as easily as this group of knitters. So here is my first knitting-with-novel photo, taken on the cottage deck when I was about halfway through Annabel by Kathleen Winter. I haven't reviewed novels in a while, but other than the abrupt ending, I loved the world this story inhabited and the characters I met along the way. And now a trip to Newfoundland has moved to the top of my wish list. It happened to start on a wintery scene, but it was a lovely, engaging summer read.

Happy knitting.

little black dress

More Sadie-shot photographs, more me looking like the world's most awkward model. But I think this dress turned out really well, so they will have to do. I picked up a DKNY Vogue pattern (V1179) in the spring even though I've had bad luck with commercial patterns over the last few years. At this point I can't even remember why I started cutting out the tissue pieces. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I did. Other than the fiddly pleats (I mean, imagine trying to get pleats in knit jersey to be spaced evenly - it's pure torture) the dress was really easy to make and the resulting shape is comfortable and cute. It has the shape of the Mociun tie-front dress, minus the whole tie feature of course, but I like dress shapes that are snug where you are small (for me = bust) and roomy where you are...less small (ahem). So, great pattern and highly recommended. As for fabric, a lightweight jersey with drape would be perfect - my cowl is a bit heavy because I used a t-shirt weight knit but it's totally passable.

(Note to self for the next photo shoot: stand in front of the dimmer switch.)

the boy's version

Still loving this pattern for shorts - quick to make, and so cute on kids. I used leftover jersey for Milo's pair and put elastic around the whole waist (as opposed to Sadie's more stylish, flat front shorts). The green trim is the very last of a t-shirt I cut up and I just love the colour combo. Who knew Milo would have the perfect t-shirt to match?

It's also possible he thought our photo shoot was for the toy bus though. Oops.

apron skirt

A while back when I cut up an old maternity dress to make a tank top, I still had plenty of fabric left over from the skirt. The happy accident that led to this skirt's design was when I stepped into the bottom portion of the cut up dress and tightened the fabric around my waist just to see what shape skirt I could make. It turned out that I liked the shape when I tightened it; it was A-line, it flared nicely at the back, and it was pretty much the right length too. So I decided to go with it. I have always loved big, unnecessarily wide (or long) ties and that's pretty much all I had to add to it. In my ongoing clothing strategy known as "operation: hide belly" there is just no better feeling than tying fabric tightly around your waist. The jiggly parts all get held in place - awesome. The chambray is 100% cotton, but it has just enough stretch to make the wrap over parts fall nicely. I have tried to remake this with two other less flexible cottons and it just doesn't fall the same. But I like the skirt so much I'll continue to hunt for another fabric that will work (as if I need reasons to shop for fabric). Now that I look at the skirt in photos, it really reminds me of a cafe apron I made a few years back for Tie One On. I should have realized ages ago that a skirt could follow that design!

Sadie took these photos, so I may have figured out a new system for documenting the clothes I'm making for myself (I swear there is knitting happening too, but since I got the basement studio set up I can't seem to stop sewing). They aren't totally in focus yet - the camera is a bit heavy for her 38lb body - but she seemed to enjoy being a photographer. As long as she can choose what shoes I wear, that is.

And totally unrelated to sewing, but so worth exploring for all the inspiring images this designer has collected in one place, visit Stuff Avery Likes. I'm smitten with her "Cool Dwellings" category right now.

fat quarter shorts

I love these shorts, I mean LOVE them. I drafted the pattern from a pair we picked up at Value Village last summer and I've already scaled it down so that Milo has his own pattern (and a sewn pair too - I just need to get him to sit still for some photos). Not that they are super unique, but the bias tape edges curving up at the side seams remind me of the shorts I wore as a kid, and I'm a sucker for nostalgia. But the really great part is that I only need a fat quarter's worth of fabric to make them. It's such a small piece of fabric that I end up making more daring choices when I purchase them - which explains how I ended up with the fabric above. I wasn't sure if Sadie would go for it but when I held the square of fabric up she was smitten. The bias tape is the chocolate jersey I've been using which is a nice, soft edge to the heavier cotton. I only put elastic on the back so that the front lays flat, but that's only for Sadie's "girl" version (Milo's pattern uses elastic all the way around the waist). I've got an Amy Butler fat quarter and some gingham bias tape lined up for Sadie's second pair.

Not that she needs more shorts. I'll admit it - sewing clothes for my kids is mostly an anti-laundry tactic. An avid washerwoman I am not.

comfy clothes

Sadly, the Fabricland across the street from where I work is closing. No more emergency sewing needs easily solved, no more lunch hour sprees on t-shirt jersey ends. But as I mourned this loss, I stocked up on their more expensive fabrics since everything was 50% off. Mainly activewear terry/jersey that would usually be $29/metre.

The fabric washed up wonderfully. It drapes well because it's heavier than t-shirt jersey so I decided to make a skirt. I used an old American Apparel skirt I have as a guide, but I put a 5" waistband on it that I can wear either up or folded over (so far, I've only been wearing it up). Then I took my boatneck pattern from Wendy Mullin's Sew U Home Stretch to make a tank top. I finished the armholes but left the hem and neckline raw because the fabric curls nicely, and I had already left the skirt hem raw too. All in all, both garments took under 90 minutes to make and I've pretty much had them on ever since. In hot weather they are super comfortable, though as I looked through the photos Sadie took of me (we're testing out Sadie with the camera) I'm not sure that they're very flattering. Not that I care much - comfort is way more important in this weather and chocolate brown is a nice break from the usual black.

the reds

There is one problem I have when sewing for myself: I get stuck at the picture-taking phase. Luckily my friend Catherine has let me off the hook - she claims that photos of the garments by themselves are completely acceptable. So here is another tank and a sundress using the same pattern I've been using for a few months now. Although adjusting the strap style changes each piece a little bit, I may be nearing the end of using this pattern - I still have two other garments to share...so that's 6 in total from one basic shape. Probably enough.

The tank is made from chambray I bought last year to make the tie-front style Mociun dress from, but it never really worked. I think the tank will get much more use, plus I had enough fabric to also make a wrap skirt (again, not photographed yet). The sundress is from a second batch of Anna Maria Horner's voile I bought. I love the pattern, but boy, it's expensive fabric. And so far, I haven't even worn the dress. It's almost too lightweight for me, but I haven't figured out what else to do with it. Now that I think of it, I should have tried the Mociun style dress out of this fabric, it's exactly the right weight.

Oh well.

hoot hoot

With thanks to some instructions from here and a certain six year old who took care of 100% of the decorating, Milo got owl cupcakes for his birthday. I'm not sure that they really look like owls - maybe that has to do with peach slice eyes (hey, we improvised with what we had) - but Sadie told Milo they were owls and then all he kept saying was "owul, owul, owul!"

Sounds like success to me.

the boy loves owls

Hilariously, when I went looking for inspiration to make a stuffed owl I came across Meg's post from 2007 that jokes you aren't officially a craft blog until you've made a stuffed owl. Clearly I'm incredibly behind the times on this one and had no idea that owls were such a craft staple. And since my blog has a personality disorder already (is it for knitting? for sewing? random musings on my boring life?) I'm totally okay with the lack of official status. So that being said, back to owls.

Milo has a real love affair with owls. He spots them in every book, loves saying "hoot, hoot, hoot" and asks Jay to watch videos of real owls on the computer (videos which kinda freak me out - barn owls are surprisingly alien-like). With his birthday coming up, I figured making him his own stuffed owl was a slam-dunk. So over one nap this weekend, I used some fleece scraps and made this funny guy (using this image as a guide). It's not the best looking owl, but Jay assures me that Milo will love it regardless. It's soft and squishy and I'm trying my best not to start all over again.

Hoot, hoot.