Brandy Melville Inspired Miniskirt

While shopping at Brandy Melville my older daughter learned that one size doesn't always fit all especially when it comes to skirts. She asked me to make her "the same skirt": plaid flannel, short, with 2 pleats in the front. I decided to use a Vogue Very Easy skirt pattern as a template and change it into what she wanted. I used the pattern for waistline sizing and basic shape but made the skirt more A-line. I figured out how much to expand the front piece to include 2 pleats. I went shopping for fabric and when the girl at Mood said a miniskirt in that fabric was very "Gossip Girl" I knew L would like it. I made a muslin before I cut the fabric and then I was ready to go. The best part was when I do a project for her there's a hard deadline. She needed it for Monday so I sewed a lot of Sunday and got it done in time for high school on Monday.

Knitting for the Polar Vortex

I finished my magenta Gretel hat and knit up another as a Christmas present.

Turns out my daughter feels it's too loose so she's generously allowed me to share it with her for the time being. And just in time for the Polar Vortex! I've been wearing lots of things I've knit including 2 mohair sweaters from the Stitch and Bitch book that may be kind of loose and baggy but they are warm as anything and in beautiful colors. The dark pink one was knit after the lavender one and has a little more shaping in the waist (could have gone further with that...). Also the sleeves are still too long, but hey I was very warm and it's been nice to notice that so much of what I was wearing I made.

Knitting
Currently working on a complicated (for me!) hat called Gretel by Ysolda.
I found it on Ravelry and loved the shape and the cables.
I've had to learn techniques to complete it, but the directions are excellent and youtube videos have picked up the slack when I really didn't know how to do something.
This magenta one is for my youngest daughter. After I'll knit it up in moss green for me.

This summer we had a short but perfect vacation on the North Fork and nothing was more relaxing than sitting in the garden knitting or having breakfast or dinner- watching the dog enjoy his fenced-in freedom and watching actual bunny rabbits hop around.
The white scarf is the Broken Rib Scarf from a box of patterns Knitting to Go by Kris Percival
I had forgotton how wonderful it is to just do a mindless/easy knitting pattern. So happy I chose to make it in a cream color that I'm now wearing with everything. Also the supersoft Merino wool feels very nice.

I can't stop making shirt dresses
This Simplicity Lisette pattern 2246 is my uniform
Cotton ikat style fabric from Mood in a in brown, red, and tan
Very easy to make except for a lot of buttonholes and buttons

Simplicity Lisette pattern 2211

From the Summer of 2013- unlined skirt
Free fabric from Brooklyn Sewing Club fabric swap- royal purple crepe

My Hazel Dresses

Trying to think about my Spring wardrobe and creating the dresses I'm going to want to wear around town.  The pattern is Colette's Hazel pattern. I made a plaid cotton one. The next one is a stretch poplin in a dark plum purple. I love stretch wovens. For the purple one I swapped out the skirt part and substituted it with a circle skirt.

Spiffy Shirt Dress

I am in love with my new shirt dress. I love the black cotton with white pinstripes. I love the fit. It's a great uniform for me to run around in. I didn't have to alter the pattern in any way and the directions were super clear (Lisette Simplicity pattern 2246). Even the button hole gizmo on my machine didn't act up. I can't wait to make a couple more in great menswear shirting from Mood or maybe also in a floral.