Skull Minidress

Another "Coco" for my collection! I think this is the 4th short sleeved mini dress I've made with this pattern and it is not going to be the last. It is comfortable, becoming to my figure and very practical. 

I bought this fabric in Goteborg, and I thought it would be done in an afternoon. Then at the first fitting I realized I had cut it with the skulls upside down! It took a whole week to take the fabric off the wrong skirt part and sew them together to the new skirt, matching the lines included.

 I had to make four triangles and assemble them at the sides of the new skirt. I had no more fabric to do it otherwise. My fabric was so sparse I had to leave the sleeves upside down.

But it is lovely at the end, so all the work was worth it. 




 

Knitted Skirt

What an adventure it was to knit this skirt!
I did not plan it to be my holiday travels ongoing project, but the day before parting to Sweden by plane, I realized I could not take a sleeve of the jumper I was making with me, because it was a top-down project, and you knit the sleeves attached to the bodice on those (I didn't know that!). 

So, it was luggage packing day and I decided I'd knit a skirt pattern I had in my Katia magazine. I took a picture of the pattern with my phone and left.
The day after we arrived to Stockholm I had my saint of a boyfriend trotting beside me looking for yarn shops.

 I found a very similar linen/viscose/cotton yarn for the same needle number and some circular needles. Next day I was going to start when I realized my pattern picture was blurred! I wrote to Katia explaining my live and death situation and they sent me a copy of the pattern to my phone straight away. Hooray for technology and good people on the planet!

Now, I had to do some serious calculations! The original Katia yarn was 16 sts to 10cm and this was 20. 
I was knitting happily in Stockholm, in Grimnäs, in Goteborg, in Prague, Trutnov and Calella de Palafrugell. I continued working on it in my place during my other holiday month at home. I finished just in time to wear it the first day of class and for an important family reunion. 

I love it.

It has a problem though. After all day sitting on it, the stitches under my behind look flat and open. I can be solved tucking it length wise or washing, but the second time I wore it I tried to sit less on it, if it was possible. Pity. Not perfect. But gorgeous.
See the technical data in my Ravelry.

 

Organic Black Cotton Jersey Short-Sleeved Coco Dress

A very simple make that results in a basic piece in my wardrobe. The ultimate Little Black Dress!

Using this wonderful organic interlock I bought in London (The Village Haberdashery) in my last trip. 

I love the hang and touch of this fabric, which combined with the "coco" pattern (my version), results in a perfect dress: comfortable, becoming and versatile.

 I do not understand how could I live with one until now, hehe..

The Gingham Menorca Dress

 In the first project after my travels this summer, I used the blue gingham I bought in Stoff & Stil, Goteborg. 
I decided to use the same pattern I made for my Menorca dress, which I love and wear a lot in summer, but with some hackering at the back. I made the Menorca dress using the rub-off method with and old dress I made 20 years ago. 

The skirt is cut in the bias and has only one seam at the centre back, where we can put a zipper. In this case, I decided to leave 10 cm open and no zipper. 

The bodice pieces are cut twice to make the facings complete and conceal thus all seams, sewing the bottom interior seam closed by hand. I made an enlargement of the two back pieces to construct the knot or bow at the back. 

As an afterthought, or rather as an adjustment after wearing it one day, I applied an elastic band under the bust, just on top of the imperial waist line, topstitching a line with the machine 0.6 cm over the imperial waist seam, introducing the elastic with a safety pin and securing it by hand. 

Now, it is perfect.