Things I chose not to do this June

Sometimes it's interesting to think about what projects and tasks you choose not to do, as well the ones you tackled. Some are turned down when your materials aren't quite right (no crochet cuffs in a lightly twisted yarn). Some you realise why they don't need fixing (unusually long sleeves on a woven pj top can stay, for warmth because I sleep with arms crossed ).

There were some chunky challenges I fancied doing this month, but settled for a fraction of each. 

Me Made May 2023. Considered doing this with the same theme as last year (let's assess). I was still in the cool weather clothing till the end of May, though. And when the sun arrived in June,  I realised that the verdicts would be much the same as last year. The smaller thing worth doing was a summer sort. I got rid of a handful of items, including (sadly) the two peach and white raindrop print tees which were Very Regularly worn. And I've put something in my detailed notes about the odd new item. 

Sew What You Need in June 2023. This challenge sounds like the perfect follow up to Me Made May. But bother, I have too many things in progress* to take it on. I am, though, working on basic necessaries: woven trousers that fit when standing, walking and sitting, fussily I want comfort all the time; a basic tee with the right amount of movement ease for me; and a semi-fitted woven long sleeved top. The trousers and tee are at the confirmation test stage, maybe needing 1/8" tweaks. The woven top will need at least one more toile (muslin) before I use good fabric.

* You'll have to wait for month roundup to find out how I got on. 

Great British Sewing Bee. I've often fancied taking on the construction challenges as a skill builder. Not in front of the cameras, and not under that time pressure. In my fantasy, these fit H who is petite but needs few other fitting changes. I did manage a boxy top for her, reading the instructions and taking no short cuts. The trial garment would have been good enough if it hadn't been made of worn-out sheeting. She was happy with the real thing (seabird print quilting cotton, K6217). Success! 

Is anyone else tempted by month long challenges? Do you ever try to do something even when you choose not to do the whole thing? Do you count it as a small success? 

2023 May roundup

Managed to stay in my own nest a bit more this month. That means less knitting and more sewing. 

The main project has been many toiles (muslins) in prep for some summer trousers. Two of the five have been good enough for pyjamas. The final one is also fit for pj's, and is close enough to transfer final changes to the flat pattern and make a good tracing. 

The Teal Hermia summer cardigan has moved slowly. I didn't have enough yarn after all, but the contrast stripes look good on the sleeves. One cuff, one quarter sleeve, and the lower quarter bodice to go. 

The cheerful Teddy was finished, and is looking for a home. A baby hat just needs casting off, when I dig out an odd bigger needle to do so. 

Repairs. 

Removed the wobbly patch from the event shirt, it needs a firmer fabric anyway. 

Stitched down the sleeve ties on a rtw dress, they'll never stay in place otherwise. 

Adapted the old sofa throw for the new sofa, which of course is a slightly different shape. 

In the household, yet again I cleared out all the small stuff from my living room/work area whilst a job was done. But this time I'm not allowing myself to bring anything back until it has been assessed, cleaned, and has a proper place to live. There are still a dozen shoe boxes to check, however the task is mostly done. 

A tale of many toiles (muslins)

Fitting a rump is hard! For comfort, the trousers have to fit both standing (without sagging) and sitting (needing extra ease). 

Two tips I wish I'd known earlier. Put a temporary button and loop on, rather than trying to always pin in a consistent place. And stitch unadjusted seams with a toning thread, but put changes on with a contrast thread - so that I can undo the change, or bring it forward to the next version. 

Version 1 and 2 happened in April - starting with a skirt, adding leg extensions, and refining. Version 3 was cut calf length, blue ex-duvet cover leftovers. It sagged and bagged, but has been worn comfortably as pjs. Version 4, leftovers from the island dress, is less baggy and has been worn once comfortably as pjs. Both of these are only calf length, due to limited fabric, but are long enough to test with bended knees. 

Most of the changes were additions to the rump and upper inseam, then removing excess from the outseam. 

I prepped a new pattern from v4 for version 5, but have obviously missed something. Made it up full length, from a slightly damaged mint sheet. I made a quarter inch fisheye dart at the front waist, and added a little more width at lower cb rump. 

As at 31 May, I'm switching between removing 1/4"x2 from the cb seam at the waist, or the same amount split between the side seams. Also considering how much to lift at back waist, and across what width. Think there might be an adjustment at inner knee, too. 

The front is fairly good, the back I feel I'm just moving fabric from one wrong place to another. I hope D comes to knitting club tomorrow - she has a good eye for these things.

Edit 29 June. 

D made a couple of good suggestions. 

Here's photos of v3, v4 and v5

2023 March and April

It didn't feel like I'd done much in March and April. But looking through the diary, I've tackled quite a number of projects in an hour here, an hour there...

What has happened? 

Finished J's second legwarmers in early March, though I haven't yet seen her to deliver them

Blue gingham shirt, much modified Burda 8957. Finished, worn, and let out a bit at the sleeve cap and armscye. I want to make one more of these with so-so fabric before using the two lengths of good stuff (chicken print and sage gingham).

Some Teal merino is becoming a summer cardi. It's based on the top part of the Hermia v-neck raglan from Knitty. Seven balls found in a charity shop, and I'm working top down, sleeves first, to get every possible inch of body length. Just started ball 6, and still think I can reach high hip.

Since I wanted to improve my short row technique, there are two new Baby hats from small leftovers. I failed with German short rows. (Probably user error. I don't learn well from video). I was successful with Tech Knitter's Japanese short rows (good diagrams), so will use that on my next raglan cardi. 

Needed a quick and cheerful travel knit in April, so a simple Teddy is almost finished. Grey yarn, red jumper, yellow trousers. Only one paw left to knit (April 30th). Not sure who will receive this, but I'm sure he'll find a home. 

Experiments. 

Trial draped skirt from worn out man's shirt. Notes in my diary for March. Got a better fit than rtw, although there wasn't quite enough or good enough fabric, so it'd never be wearable. I patterned the yoke shaping, and confirmed my preferred length of 26", worn with top untucked. 

Draped yoke/skirt into shorts. Version one just used cb and cf seams and patched on a suitable inseam extension as a feasibility test. Version 2 was from a two foot strip of old sheeting. It was patterned/collaged from V1, from an ancient pleated trouser pattern News of the World NS258, and from last year's attempt at joggers. As at April 30th, after adding width in various places and changing the leg angle even more, I have a slightly tight and short test garment. I can sit and read comfortably but the tummy seam is likely to pop if I reach forward for a cuppa. The further adapted flat pattern now has front pleats to give me that ease. I'm almost ready to cut Version 3, just need to capture the front waistband shaping as a flat pattern.

What hasn't happened? 

Finchdale jumper is being neglected, again. 

Last year's Talvi Knits Teal jumper has stretched and needs the shoulders and neck reknitting. I have a little yarn left. 

A Tablet cover, though planned, was bought instead when DD borrowed the gadget for a conference in March. 

Me Made March for winter clothes didn't happen - though I did do a sort out, diary entry and blog post, plus a load of repairs and tweaks based on what I found out. 

Repairs and alterations.

Hacked DH's damaged Burgundy Rugby shirt for myself. Took a horizontal seam to cut out the burned area, and shortened the sleeves 4". The rejig at the shoulders much improved the front view, but downrated the back, so I won't bother again. It's warm and now good enough for around the house or for working outdoors. 

2022 green gingham shirt. Widened the sleeve cap and stole a quarter inch from the bodice between yoke and scye base, front and back. Much comfier. 

2023 higher necked Freya had the same treatment. That was better, too. 

Reattached press studs on green French terry top. Again.

Visible mending on old P4P Tulip tee, white long sleeves. I'm OK with this, but not right struck on it. 

Let down shrunken blue grey wool silk trousers. 

Let out Nineties black rtw tee at back armscye. 

Freya 2023 v2 sleeve cap and armscye let out. Flat pattern - kept original cap height, increased width by 1 size front and back. Pattern ready for retest.   

Scooped burgundy joggers (bleach stain, so demoted to pj's). Better, though ankle bands are tight for sleeping in. 

Laela Jeyne Mica tee, tightened V on neckband. 

Llama pyjamas - let out shrunken cuff bands. 

Abandoned plan for Spring skirt from two men's event polo shirts. Bother, can't remove stain from one. There wasn't even enough good fabric to make long sleeves for the unstained one. So just covered the logo with a patch, and will wear over a plain long sleeved tee. 

Couldn't let out tweed jacket at hips, not enough trim, so it'll go back to a charity shop. Shame.

Fixed jammed printer which had fed too many sheets

Rigged temporary support for sofa with broken castor. 

 

    

Attempt at visible mending

A much loved Patterns 4 Pirates Tulip Tee (2021? white long sleeves). Is looking sad. 

The round neck had stretched out, and there are a couple of stains I can't remove. Ah well, I don't particularly embrace visible mending, but will give it a go as a can't spoil um project. 

Cut off the neckband just above the decorative topstitching, to use as applique. (Yes, I did have a couple of scraps leftover, but they are now brighter and thicker than the much-washed tee)

Cut neckband into step pyramids, one large and central-ish over a few small stains, one small over a stray spill. Glue stick to hold temporarily, then machine darned to hold in place and to add texture*. 

I want to turn the neckline over. However there are a couple of neckband millimetres trapped in the top stitching, and I think they might literally come out in the wash. So do that later. 

I'm OK with this experiment - rustic rather than grungy - but it feels a bit young in style for me. Nevertheless, I'd rather wear this than something that looked unwashed. 

* Did I say that this year I'm leaning towards more texture than pattern or plain. Especially in the 'dribble zone'. 

Not 2023 Me Made March.

Although I told myself last summer that I'd do a sort of Me Made March, 'pledging' to wear the cold weather clothing and assess it,  that just isn't going to happen. However on the last day of the month, I did a pre-run on the warm weather changeover. On the fly, trimmed various loose threads, assigned a few garments for recycling, put aside a couple of items for stain treatment (now done). Grabbed some easy alteration candidates, namely a pair of trousers to lengthen, a long-sleeved tee which rubs at front underarm, and an unlined jacket which I can probably let out at high hip. 

I didn't try on anything this run, but did take group photos whilst everything was out, to remind me what I have (after various acquisitions and discards last year), and as a memory jogger for what I think can easily be improved. 

I have worn the winter clothes at least once, all except one formal jacket (liked, but a wardrobe orphan) and the ice spike overshoes (luckily not needed). The everyday items are in regular rotation, chosen according to weather and activities for the day. 

Yet again, the summary is:

You have plenty of winter clothes, my mouselet, but they don't necessarily work with each other. 

There are no too-small items, and little winter formal wear. Excellent! 

Some items which don't suit me or fit me well have nevertheless been worn a lot. What they have in common is warmth, movement ease and sitting ease.

Too many old favourites are looking grey, pilled or otherwise tired. Some can still be enjoyed secretly as underlayers or pyjamas.

I need to think what can be given a new lease of life, and get rid of anything really unsalvageable. 

2023 February roundup

February has also been a quiet month, craftwise.

The second revised TATB Freya (slightly lower neck, a 5/8" neckband) is finished and in regular wear. I would like to make more of these, but also want to revisit a drop shoulder tee and/or try a v-neck version. Decisions, decisions. 

I returned to the woven shirt pattern, a much altered Burda 8957, which I'd used for Mrs Mole's fit-a-long. This time in blue gingham salvaged from a man's large shirt - and so only the lower sleeves were finagled rather cut out properly. A much smoother process and an even better result. I'm still tweaking, those last eighth-and quarter-inch changes, to balance a more fitted look and enough movement ease. Almost ready to finish the hem before a day's test wear. 

Not much knitting done. The final legwarmer is in my daybag but not getting much attention. 

DD and I made paper chickens together. Crepe paper and cardboard, from an Ann Wood pattern. A lovely afternoon. 

Repairs and alterations? Fixed a torn placket on a rugby shirt, a couple of popped seams and  missing buttons. Added a tiny key pocket to an unpocketed pair of joggers. Added a triangular gusset to the neckline of a rarely worn tee - it's friction at the underarm again - but haven't done an all-day test wear yet. 

Next month there are some non-crafty projects, so I have left out materials for hopefully quick and easy makes.