My First Knitted Jumper!!

 

After knitting a beanie and a cowl, I was up for serious action and I decided to knit a jumper. It took me 1.5 years to finish it, but I do not knit as often as I sew, not by far. The think hooked me though, and I can't wait to knit me another one.

I used Katia's Merino 100% grey and black wool and 4.5 mm straight and circular needles.

For the pattern, I copied an old jumper of mine, and I'd like to record here all the measures and process. 

First, I knitted a 10 square cm swatch to get the measurements. I knitted the back and the front till the armpits where they were to be attached to the sleeves. Then I knitted both sleeves to the armpit, all of it with straight needles, garter stitch (knit all the rows) at the base and stockinette stitch (knit even rows, purl odd rows).

Using 4.5 mm straight needles, I knitted the back and then the front till the armpits. I drew the star at the computer and printed it. I then drew the star in a gridded paper that resembles my gauche, and followed the pattern row by row).I knitted then the two sleeves, using also straight needles.

At this point The Knitters Handy Book for Sweater Patterns became really handy! With the help of my knitting teacher, we came up with a scheme for the raglan sleeves.

For the star, we follow the pattern in the grid, only this time we have to drag both yarns to the other side of the triangle. This part of the star has a different texture, becoming a little bit bulky, but I like this!

When I arrrvied at the neck opening, I also followed the instructions form the Handy book.

At this point I realized my neck opening was too big, so I knitted a couple of rows more decreasing the raglans and closing more points. The neck was still a bit too big, so I closed all the points working with my yarn really tight. 

I knitted the neck band apart to squeeze as much neck opening as possible when I hand sewed it to the jumper with a back stitch. It worked. Next time, I have to have more control on that neck opening though.

For my first jumper, I am super happy with the result, and I will wear it a lot, I find it super cool!

You can see the exact pattern instrucitons in my Ravelry.

Linton Wool Couture Jacket

Hello!
This is my second cardigan couture jacket, Chanel style. 
I just wanted a black one to go with everything. And it does, I would wear it everyday.

I used the same pattern and method of construction than for my first one, which was a total success. Let's review some of the steps. 

Patterns do no include seam allowances and are transferred to the fabric (folded, so we get two of each) by tailor tucks.

We interline the front panels and sleeve bottoms (I use fusible interlining to make my life easier).The lining pieces are quilted into the fabric pieces of bodice and sleeves with the machine.

We assemble the pieces together basting them first. 
Then we machine stitch all the seams, we remove the basting thread and press seams open. I applied some silk strips in the shoulder seams to hold their shape.

Sleeves are sewn to the bodice by hand, using a backstitch, after gathering the cap tops with basting thread, ironing them round and basting them to the bodice.
 Bottom hems are handsewn to the jacket.
The lining pieces are handsewn together, I use a ruler under the sewing to avoid catching the fabric underneath. 

I even copied the trimmings, this time using some velvet ribbon in the middle of a wool unpicked strip. This is made by cutting a strip of the same fabric as the jacket and removing the woven threads all along it, leaving only a solid cm at the middle, on top of which we sew the ribbon. It is then applied to the jacket by hand.

 

I applied a plastic silvel zipper at the front and two at the sleeves bottoms, surrounded also by trimming.

This time I used real wool from Linton (1.5m), which I selected from some swatches they sent me. It is absolutely perfect, soft, heavy, with great structure. I used black silk for the lining.

 

Pockets are lined also in silk, and handsewn to the front of the jacket. They are so practical for keys, card, some change... to rush out and survive, as Coco herlself imagined.

And that is a perfect Chanel jacket!

Fabric Shopping in London

Last spring holidays we traveled to London for five days, mainly to concerts and fabric hunting. With the excuse of fabric shopping, we toured the British capital under its typical bad weather (it even hailed!) and we enjoyed it big time! In the above picture you can see the whole bounty, 10 fabrics in total.

 

Our first stop was at Liberty's. It was a very nice feeling to be able to touch all that tana lawn I knew by heart from the internet! Carlos was the sweetest of husbands and he not only came with me to ALL the shops, but he took pictures, helped me choose, carried the heavy backpack, and even paid for some of my fabrics as a present. LOVE!

 
After Liberty we hit the Soho and its multiple shops. I found luxurious silks, brocades, wool suiting, shirting, organic. I fell into expensive temptation and bought silk fabric for a dress I had not planned, I could not resist the silk allure! I also bought gorgeous black silk jersey, one of the few reasons I think I could play the lottery one day.

Next day it was saturday, so we travelled to Walthamstow market. I found the famous MAN OUTSIDE SAINBURY'S, and he did not let me down! He has a wonderful stall full of treasures. He was very busy taking care of his customers, to whom he knew by name. He was honest and helpful with me, telling me the real composition of fabrics, even though their touch had tricked my senses. "It seems wool -he said- but it is 100% polyester" Very very nice shop! If I lived in London, he would be one of my main sources of fabric! Finally I bought almost 4 m of black thick cotton (3 pounds the metre) and two metres of wonderful blue silk for a dress. 

In the street of the market there are a handful of fabric shops, some specialized in African, Indian textiles. It was wonderful only to see. Saeed's might be the biggest and better provided shop. Here I bought some pink cotton stretch jersey for a summer dress. Carlos picked that one. 

I regret not taking pictures of Ray Stitch in Islington, but I took some pictures of the neighbourhood I liked best in this visit. It is a hipster place packed with interesting restaurants, shops and bars. I bought some organic cotton sweat jersey and some stretch cotton. Prices there are too expensive, tough. I saw how they were sewing downstairs, 90 pounds for a course of t-shirt making, it is a thriving business and I am glad.

Pity we could not make it to The Village Haberdashery, I kept it for the last day, and I quited when we found our tube station closed. We'd rather do not risk it, and thanks to that sensitive decision we did not loose our plane in the most difficult trip to an airport ever. London transport system is not reliable at all, I am afraid, as it is its weather. But fabric shops... WOW! After such a productive journey and we leave with more places to visit in the future. That is a good sign. London and the UK are heading the sewing hobby, it is popular and fashionable over there. Good for them!

Leather Shorts

It happened again. Just when I was so glad I was three days from doing a trip and not madly sewing, it occurred to me I just needed leather shorts to go to the Prong concert in London. I had the pattern (my own), I had leather left form my leather dress, so I started sewing. 

I know the procedure to make some trousers by heart, so I cut the leather, I first did the fly and the pockets, and went on from there. I applied surgical tape next to the seams that can stretch, I hammered my seams open and then topstitched, I glued seams, all the procedure to sew leather is special. 

My Bernina sometimes breaks or unravels the thread, specially if the needle goes near the surgical tape. Avoid that and problem solver. Sometimes the machine skips stitches when there are too much layers, and that is a real problem and a small disappointment in my VERY expensive machine.

In spite of trying on the pants during construction, it is when we finish them that we really see if the are the right size. They have to be tight without pulling, and these were a little loose on the bum part, so I had to undo the waist band, enter the centre back seam 3 cm each side, and finish the waistband again. 

I used some organic cotton as lining, hanging form the waistband.

The result is almost perfect, oh yeah!

Black Wool Short Coco

Another of the fabrics I bought from Stone Fabrics this winter is this black viscose/wool. It is almost perfect, a bit itchy, but not to the point of being uncomfortable.

I decided to make a short Coco out of it, to test the wearability of the desing. It is perfect for jeans, but the wide bottom does not go well with A-shaped skirts.

This is my third Coco, and the pattern, as I explained in my first, is my own drawing. 
I still have some remaining fabric, so I ordered some more to make a dress out of it.

The Butterfly Controversy Dress

 Hello!
This is one of the fabrics I bought in Stone Fabrics last month. They have wonderful fabrics at very good prices, pity that the shipping costs to Catalonia are SO expensive. I am realizing the UK is fabric shopping paradise these days...

Well, I had a date with a friend of mine, I had just finished my new jacket a la Chanel (minus the embellishments, more on that later) and I wanted to wear it but I did not know what to match it with (when theoretically it a jacket to match everthing!). 

You know, the crazy seamstress that we have inside got really active and started sewing the previous day after dinner. I sewed the very day in my lunch break, and sewed all afternoon until it was finished, I cut all the threads and flew to the city to meet my friend. I do not know what is wrong with me and the totally crazy deadlines, me sewing like it was the end of the world and I have nothing to wear, me knowing this is crazy, me completely unable to put some sense and stop the madness!

 Well, the outfit was nice , I think, although the dress was too wide and needed major adjustments that I did the following day, with the hangover.

My man says it is an ugly dress that does not favour my figure. He does not like it at all. My friend said it was very nice, she was lying through her nose (I can tell, Marta :-*), but it was prior-repair. My students say they liked it, but they are six year olds and in love with their teacher, as it should be. The thing is I like it! When I found the pattern in my pattern collection (from Burda magazine) I was thrilled to have found just what I was looking for (which launched me into crazy seamstress madness), and the fabric pattern is a little bit loud, but my boyfriend says he likes the butterflies and little hearts, and that is not the problem. So, anyone, give me your sincere opinion, please?

Yeah?
Nope?

My Sewing Nest

We have been living in this house for seven years now, and gradually we have been repairing, renovating and decorating it. It is situated in a small rural village inland Catalonia, where I also work as a primary school teacher. With the addition of some cupboards just last week, we can almost conclude the repairs of all this floor, my sewing nest included.
This room has also my walking machine, which I use every day in winter, a big freezer for food and a big cupboard for tools and other gadgets.

It is a small room, but it has a big window (to my small patio) and it is very pleasant to my senses. Being it so small, I like to have it neat and proper between sessions, since we all know haw chaotic we can be when sewing. Most of the furniture has two states, folded and spread out.
In the black cupboard, I have my patterns, magazine and sewing book collection, fabric stash and all my tools and notions.

I only put the ironing board when really need it, because the space is tight then. I use the small sleeve ironing board on the table for in-construction pressings often. Sometimes I only set the table and chair to hand sew, I set my laptop with some series on the table then. If I have to use the sewing machine, I listen to radio podcasts or music from my ipod.
I am really glad I bought my mannequin (The Shop Company), I use it in most of my projects, and I have not still learned how to drape yet, although it is a future project of mine.
The white cupboard in the left is for my shoe collection, and the white cupboard on the right is for general tools, paints, bits and pieces for house maintenance.