2024 Mid-March to end April

Spring is stuttering in, and I've washed and put away all the coldest-weather clothing. Layers of mid-weight will do for a while.

Slowing down on the knitting, but enjoyed working with the Manx loaghtan wool (rare breed undyed) as the hat grew in odd short spurts. Two concerns: Playing yarn chicken. Would there be enough to finish? And is it big enough? I checked tension and the pattern suggests it should stretch to fit. First wear before it was blocked, and it crept upwards. Better after wet blocking. 

Unusually, my train-journey bag has crochet for two community arts projects. Poppies for a Remembrance Day exhibition, commemorating service folk and civilians. And granny squares raising awareness for maternity provision - or lack of it - worldwide. I'll use all my red black and pink yarn leftovers for these projects, and get back to selfish knitting and baby hats later in the year. 

Sewing. Last month's plum self-drafted skirt has had a surprising number of wears, as an extra layer over pj's in the early morning or late evening. As a personal preference, I get on better with a hoodie rather than a big-sleeved dressing gown while doing first- and last-thing jobs. The trial skirt isn't brilliant fabric, but it is keeping my legs warmer. 

A shirt for H had reached the head of the queue last blog post. V1 Simplicity 9210 in old sheeting had to wait for a wear test (Spoiler: it passed with very few changes). 

Whilst waiting I adapted ancient News of the World NS258, made successfully in linen last year, for stretch ponte (antique gold from Marshside), cut out and accepted up to the waistband. Since I need a curved or darted front waist at that height, I wanted to check how my pattern lines up with the darts before finishing. 

Then H came back from her trip. V1 trial shirt needed small tweaks to sleeve length etc, but drapes beautifully around her neck and shoulders. Cut out V2 Simplicity 9210 in constellation print cotton poplin from Croft Mill.(UK readers, H studied a while at Jodrell Bank observatory, so you'll understand why this fabric was for her.) Finished, tested, and pattern changes made. She is really happy with the finished shirt. 

The antique gold ponte pants NS258 have their hem and waistband. Yes, the top of the band does indeed need to be 3" smaller than the base an inch below. Had to take them in, cos the trousers were Toulouse, as the old joke goes. Kidding apart, I'm pretty pleased with them as secret pyjamas. The bonus is that they go well with the duck-print jacket that I wear to technical meetings in summer. 

Repairs done. 

H's dark floral shirt, shorten at hemline to 23" below high shoulder point.

Plum skirt, take in an inch at waist. Then another! 

White floral shirt - shorten sleeves 3" or 3.5", taper to original cuffs, so lose 1" wrist circumference. Added 1" darts front and back. Added shoulder darts, taking in 1". Repair frayed buttonhole. Hmm, maybe it would be quicker to make a new one, however I learned better fitting and a new-to-me cuff placket. 

Replace drawstring and toggle on grey/turquoise backpack. 

Bra extender added to old but barely-used reserve white rtw - stitched on to survive washing machine. (The good bras are handwashed.) 

Some household repairs too, principally fixing a partially blocked drain before it became completely blocked. 

Chose not to do:

Take out excess below front waistband neon cycle shorts.  

I've added a discards section to my diary. Hoping items will mostly be worn out after many wears, rather than shopping mistakes. The 2014-ish navy and white raincoat must have had hundreds of wears and a couple of reproofing runs before finally biting the dust when the zip broke. Not worth unpicking when cuffs etc are almost worn through. 

The other category I'm happy to discard is wildcard buys from charity shops*. If the peasant style top with dark peach and dark sage flowers had worked out with my mature figure... I'd been unsure whether the style was too young, but the actual issue was that lower-cut backs fall off my sloping shoulders. For a couple of quid to a good cause, and better understanding, I'm not unhappy to discard i.e. donate it unaltered to another charity shop nearer me. 

* Very few fitting rooms nowadays, and in this case there's a rail journey to take the top back. 

Candidates for next time? Maybe see if I can get a skirt from the leftovers antique gold ponte. 

I want to restart the woven shirt/top. I have some adorable chicken print poplin and a trial top fitting from last year, though hadn't decided on sleeve and neckline to showcase the print. 

Depending on my non-crafty commitments, I'd also like to think about top and underlayers. Fit a sleeveless top to double as a cami, and maybe a cardi that fastens at centre front. UK summers are as unpredictable as our springs. 

The Rolls-Royce item, a raincoat that fits me, is still in daydreaming stage rather than planning. 

    

2024 February and early March

So, what's been happening chez mouselet in the last month and a half? 

Hooks and needles still turning out small things for donation. The last of the lilac 4ply was crocheted into a baby hat, ribbed with a dark rose, and there was just enough lilac for a shell edging. With purple dk made fingerless mitts (thumb holes but not thumb extensions, blue skies and dragonflies pattern) to match last month's socks. And the very last of the purple dk, supplemened with white ribbing, became a 6-month hat that matches mitts and socks. 

A present for K on her allotment, a beanie in kingfisher colours, Teddy Navajo Aran. 

And prepping the next handbag size project, I've chosen needles and pattern - yes after knitting a tension square - to use the gorgeous undyed Manx loaghtan (rare breed sheep) 4ply that I brought home from the island last autumn. 

A little sewing... 

2024 v1 from ancestor pattern So Zo cami, in reused dark blotchy print. Reusing a somewhat altered pattern from a couple of years ago and what I've learned since then. Interesting, I added a horizontal dart at lower shoulder blade, and it fits well now, is very comfy, but wants an extra quarter inch coverage for my winter bras. And just a little more length for waistline warmt. 

Also for me, v1 of a self drafted knit underskirt with a little bit of flare, made from bargain box plum jersey. The front waistband needed a bit more 'curvature' to stay up well, a consequence of my sway back. However, I am happy enough with fit now that I'm ready to lengthen the pattern an inch, and cut better fabric for a spring skirt. 

And started a more complicated sewing project, prepped a shirt pattern for H. It's mid-nineties Simplicity 9210, design your own shirt. So old they have reused the pattern number. V1 is made up in a worn-out sheet. First fitting and a recent try on look pretty good, but she hasn't done a proper wear test yet for those last quarter inch adjustments. 

Repairs? fixed popped seams and loose buttons. Took in stretched elastic, clipped wide elastic on pj's to clear my hip bone. Added a strip to office chair seat cover to stop it working loose. 

I think you can guess the plans for the rest of March. Into April, maybe I'll tempt fate by replacing summer clothes - lost sunhat, outgrown dress etc. 

    

2024 January roundup

January projects, on the whole, were handbag sized knitting and crochet for donation. Mostly booties, with one pair of sleep socks for a toddler. Theme was different styles - sole first, toe first, top down Not in photo, a bonus pair of toe up crochet preemie booties, already donated. Haven't seen a pattern for crochet top down yet, and there are still crossover and granny square designs to try. 

I'd wanted to see whether I still enjoy crochet (I do, though it's harder on my eyes than knitting.) Also, to have a go at knitting both classic heel methods, before I choose yarn and pattern for a grown-up size later in the year. 

I'm also pondering hybrid travel slippers for myself - crochet sole in chunky or doubled yarn for insulation, knit uppers for packing, and because I prefer knitted rib. There are always more projects to try. 

The only sewing project was another pair of cycle shorts, in inherited neon jersey  whichbreathes a little. No, not as exercise wear - for me a bike is transport - but as  an underlayer. I had a week away from home, variable temperatures, and the extra layer worked when going from snow to shirtsleeves. I'm also happy to add my much altered https://www.patternsforpirates.com/product/peg-legs/ pattern to the T&T* list. The bad news? Now I want to buy fabric for leggings, to try the gusset versions, to try colour blocking, loads of options. 

* T&T - tried and tested, tried and trusted, tried and true. A pattern you have made your fit adjustments to, and need to mostly think about fabric behaviour when you make up.. 

2023 review, 2024 plan

Every year I aspire to complete items from the queue, polish my techniques, improve my fitting, and learn lots of new things. These are not SMART goals, but saying them out loud helps me choose projects that will take me in the right direction.

So how did I get on? 

Using up, adapting or finishing off:

The Finchdale set-in sleeve jumper was finally finished. Much better fit than Rtw, but will do less scoop at neck and a wider lower edge another time. 

The Hermia v-neck raglan cardigan used not quite enough charity shop merino yarn. Fits well, but with v-neck and cropped length, it'll work from late spring. 

Legwarmers for J, for September birthday girl, and for me, all from leftover/reused materials. Pattern is good for the future. 

Tech knitter's scrappy tam, mostly wool, from the hip section of a long-abandoned jumper. A bit loose in the band, but so cosy. Worn very often, will be repeated.

Wristwarmers from leftover sock yarn, and reknitted uncomfy too-wide mittens. A few more rows added to my old legwarmers and wristwarmers. 

There were more knit baby hats for donation, either my leftovers or grab bags of part balls from charity shops. 

Trying crochet after a long gap, a top down hat in sock yarn with knitted rib worked. (I pulled out the round-the-post crochet as too busy-looking in this colourway and perhaps too bulky) Not sure the crochet booties in DK are suitable for tinies, whether the hook holes are going to be trouble for delicate toes. I want to try booties again with finer yarn and a smaller hook. Or make 6-9 month size for not-quite walking kids. 

The fitting project 

Tee from ancestor pattern Tilly and the Buttons Freya. Lots more trial and tweaks - think the balance between movement ease and appearance is now about right. In any case, I have plenty of good enough tees and pj tops for 2024.

Woven trousers from ancestor News of the World NS258. One good pair made in Sage linen. The many trial pairs became summer pj pants. 

Joggers from ancestor pattern Successful Sewing 8. My version of SS8 is good now with grain lines, and fits at thigh, high and low hip. Still needs more adaptation at elastic waist for my abrupt curves. 

Not done

Fitting a skirt using what I've learned from trousers. Attempts from recycled materials failed, one because the fabric was more damaged than I'd realised, the second hadn't enough fabric as I prefer A-line to columns on my figure. I did confirm my preferred length below knee but not below calf. Might try again once it's warm enough for bare legs. 

Finish summer handbag from 2021 course. 

Refashioning? Tried to make something of the event badged polo-shirts, but they weren't the right shape for me. One has been kept as sleepwear,with a patch over the logo, the rest donated. 

Woven shirt fitting. I was almost ready to cut into good fabric after more trials in reclaimed gingham. Using Burda 8957, fitting help from Mrs Mole, and mashed up with the Betty Foster master for long sleeves. Then my non-crafty project arrived, and the colder weather. Try again in the summer. 

Planning. 

Did some thinking about needs using themes of Function, Fitting, Finishing and Fun. My wardrobe holes, in no particular order are (some still) 

Formal-ish dress to replace 2019 double jersey Freya (now tight)

Another pair warm office trousers. There are some nice inherited suiting lengths waiting. 

Woven shirt, from cheerful prints or the gingham that goes with the sage linen.

A denim skirt or pinafore - the fabric piece is not quite long enough for jeans.

More cycling shorts as undertrousers, maybe wear them under the denim skirt. 

Another camisole or two or three. 

Pattern test and make up the mouse quilting fabric waistcoat. 

I'm using more busy trains, and my old masks are scruffy.

Replace summer pair of tired joggers.

Gifts - top and dress for H in 2023. She has chosen fabric for next summer.

This lot, plus any repairs, should keep me occupied in 2024!

October to December 2023 roundup

Happy New Year! As I thought, my non-crafting project is taking much of my time and energy. (It's going well, though). So the sewing machine is only coming out occasionally. Betty (the Betty Foster master pattern mashed up with Burda 8957) has been put away till I can give it proper attention. 

The somewhat tested Successful Sewing 8 SS8 joggers pattern was tweaked again and make up in red fleece as Tai chi spares.The test wear was a success, the pattern retraced, and they have been worn often. So comfy in these winter evenings. To be made again in better fabric in the spring. 

Quite a lot of knitting, as it can come out and about with me. Bigger projects come out in the evenings, and at knit and natter. Small handbag size projects are for trains, lunch breaks, whenever I have a few spare minutes sitting. 

Teal Hermia summer cardi. Couldn't get a yarn order with the same colour, instead added more of the light stripes. Used every inch and it's still shorter than my preference. But it's done, my best fit at shoulders yet, and will be lovely with dresses next summer. 

Finchdale jumper. This wasn't as far from finished as I'd thought . Cuffs and 2.5" hip ribbing with side slit were (re)done this quarter. Also reknit neck ribbing with fewer stitches and smaller needles.  Have set the sleeves in and sewed in all the ends this afternoon, so it counts as a 2023 finish, right? As usual, it's way better at waist, high hip and over bust on me than anything I can buy, but I can quibble with neckline, shoulder width and lower ribbing width. Only quibbling - I'm looking forward to wearing it. 

Lots of small portable projects. I'm finally confident to use real wool for me, for family and for close friends who will care about the difference...

Blue merino legwarmers for a September birthday.

Kandinsky sock wool wristwarmers - for me. 

Reknit rainbow sock yarn mittens with less ease - for me.

Cherry tam for me. Ancient stash yarn, high percentage of wool. So cosy. As a bonus J gave me a Robin brooch, which perches beautifully on the fold line. 

Matching cherry legwarmers - needed to add green stripes  to eke out the length. By chance, H gave me a cowl a few months ago which goes well with hat and legs. 

Attempted tiny wristbands  with the last of  pale blue merino. Bother, they kept coming off with coat or jumper, so unpicked them and used the yarn to extend similar-coloured wristwarmers - for me. 

And for donation, mostly acrylic ...

Blue baby hat. 

Coffee and white preemie hat. 

Playfood egg salad - an unexpected group project at knit and natter. A thank you to the lovely cafe owners who plan a teddy bear picnic display. 

Crochet baby booties in pink/salmon/purple. 2 classic pairs done, and one toe up. Purple pair started, classic construction but some details which are new-to-me. Another rabbit hole to fall down while I see which construction works best - for me making them and my best guess at good for the baby and parent. 

Rainbow  crochet baby hat made with rainbow mitten leftovers. This was sock yarn, unlikely to felt, so I've risked donating it to the baby bank. 

Repairs 

2021 green joggers needed cuffs or similar. These had shrunk about 2" in length, and were a little draughty to start with. They're so  much warmer now. Comfier to sleep in too, because they don't creep up to my knees. Bonus, the green and blue trial tee, Freya v5, looks and feels good with this. 

2023 Petrol blue cords - taken in a bit more.

My shrunken rainbow legwarmers, 2018?, have had a few rounds added in Terracotta chunky wool. Bother, one hid in a trouser leg and got tumble dried. The Terracotta is necessarily the ankle end now. 

Fixed popped seams on cycle shorts (worn as an under layer in this weather) 

My non-crafty project probably goes on till Easter. So, while I fully intend to keep making things, I probably won't blog about them for ages. 

All the best for 2024,

Mouselet.

    

September 2023 roundup - fitting and knitting

We had two family trips away in September, the first to the Midlands, the second to Scotland. Which took me away from my sewing machine, but did encourage me to knit something portable. 

The legwarmers weren't quite finished by the end of the month, but were nearly there. It's getting cool in the evenings now (despite the unseasonable 30° earlier in the month) so these will soon be appreciated. 

No progress on the Teal Hermia summer cardigan. I didn't want to make an Internet yarn order till we came back, none of the physical shops visited carry that brand of merino. And now we're home, that colour seems to be sold out on the UK sites. Guess it will be unpicking time - serves me right for dithering so long. 

Sewing, I carried on with the Betty Foster toile (muslin). Three interesting things I've learned:

It hadn't occurred to me before to measure overbust when sitting. It's much bigger than when standing.

This design had a horizontal and a vertical bust dart. Given the flare in my ribcage (or is it the front of a swayback) I didn't need to stitch the vertical one. That explains why I can get away with about a 1" horizontal dart despite my C cup fitting. 

The shell has a very high neckline, elegant when tunic length. I was surprised it was quite comfy. Only need to drop front neck an eighth or a quarter inch. In practice, I'll probably go a bit lower and wear a scarf in the colder months. 

Non-sewing

A project arrived, which will take much of my time and my  space for a couple of months. So the good fabric has been put away till new year.

Repairs

Restored the  unpicked topstitching on new-to-me blue/black waistcoat (not quite enough fabric at hips to be worth taking up at shoulders) before donating. 

2023 Petrol blue cords, new-to-me, taken in at waist and back rise shortened. After a couple of of wears it seems I'll need to take another half inch in both places. 

Two tees let out at overbust height. This year's Freya v1, and 1995 black tee. All my long sleeved tees now have enough movement ease to sit and type without becoming painful at the underarm. Note to self. They had already been let out at the back of the sleeve cap. I need both adjustments. 

P4P White tulip tee (2021?). Used the last scraps of thick white jersey to replace the neckband. Much more stable and comfy now. It stays on my shoulders again. 

2023 August roundup. More tees and some learning.

Knitting

Teal Hermia summer cardigan. I have only enough yarn left for about 3 rib rows and I need 6-8. Three options involve lots of unpicking, curses, alternatively buy more yarn, probably online. 

Another blue baby hat finished, one more knitted from crown to rib. Trying a broken rib this time, but it's difficult for me to see to read the previous row. Would try the stitch pattern again knitted in the flat. 

Have had another request for legwarmers for a September birthday. Unlikely they'll be finished in time, but I have sorted out yarn, needles, and a plan (a combination of patterns) 

Sewing

Freya 2023 v5 from green French terry and blue floral leftovers. A can't spoil um project. It's just the right length and weight in this grey British summer, though a tad tight at the upper arm. The fabrics are ok together, the solid is a close match for the leaves. But the colour combination doesn't go with any of my trousers. Chosen often if I get changed once I get home. 

Freya 2023 v6 from duck print and white jersey leftovers. Not yet perfect, but definitely wearable in public. I still enjoy the duck print, so I'm glad it succeeded. 

Spent some time with scrap materials (from a damaged nightie) adapting the NS258 trousers to a simple skirt.  However, the intended wearable reclaimed fabric (from a black maxi skirt) was too narrow for any flare at all. And so near to the end of warm-ish weather, I decided not to make the pattern up in decent fabric this year. The flat pattern will feed the hip area of a woven top. 

Started fitting the woven top again. Remembering a long-ago comfy bodice, I dug out the Betty Foster master pattern. Any UK readers remember her from the seventies? It has narrower shoulders than 'usual' and a rounded shoulder alternative with the same 1.5" adjustment I need. So little change for me to the armscyes and above. Decades after I first tried this, I now have a better idea how to fit my high-hip area. So far, I've been playing with old damaged sheeting, and have a reasonable fit. Must remember I need more ease than standard at underarm, even if it looks loose when standing - I measured overbust when sitting and got a shock. Still to decide on initial style for neckline and cuffs, uncluttered for a busy chicken print poplin, compatible with some of my current warm layers, and ok to wear with scarves.  Then the plan is to merge the pattern with my intended Burda 8957 and make again in one of two plainer fabrics. 

Repairs and alterations

2023 fish scarf, added a button, less bulky than tying it. 

Added a lace modesty/sunburn panel for striped lawn overshirt.

Popped seams on green joggers and paisley stretch trousers. Ah, same place on both, so more thigh circumference another time. 

Popped seam on original duck print tee. Stress point at front armscoop. Again. 

Two pairs of new-to-me trousers shortened. 

Attempted refit of a new-to-me waistcoat abandoned, not enough fabric at high hip, so will stitch back on original lines and donate. 

Household repairs

Fixed damaged paintwork from leak in the winter and from maintenance work in winter/spring. Various small odd jobs, e.g. draught-proofing outer door, are finally off the list. 

Other sewing related

Wardrobe architect. I have reread this series, now on the Seamwork web site, and have redone the 2014 worksheets. Also looked at other planning capsule and SWAP resources, before summarising my preferences. An interesting exercise, which will inform future makes. 

Thinking about waistbands (after reading several articles about TDCO Top Down Centre Out trouser fitting). I've already used the idea of keeping a suitable band (reclaimed) for the skirt fitting, as well as putting some preference notes in my diary.

Experimented with horizontal seams in stretch fabrics, how to avoid overstretching. Partly I should 'let the feed dogs do the work', and partly the feed dogs can't work with too narrow seam allowances. I can use a more stable fabric direction on the underneath section, and if necessary use an additional stabiliser of some kind.