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.

Red Jersey Sundress

I've had this red jersey in my stash from some time now... I can't remember where I bought it, and that means it is been too long in my stash... I have to be more rational about buying fabric and then not doing nothing with it... Anyways, its day finally arrived. 

I've been wanting a jersey sundress with an elasticated waist for some time... not ideal for my figure, but it this kind of dresses look amazing on petite women I've encountered on the beach, so I did not want to feel excluded, haha...

I used a BurdaStyle magazine pattern without any alteration or hackering. Well, I just shortened it 10 cm or so and placed the elastic higher than it was marked in the pattern, because I wanted it to sit on my waist-waist, no in my low waist as in the picture.

It is a pretty simple pattern to make and the result is good.

Leather Pouf

This is something I planned to do this summer and... mission accomplished!
We have this Ikea pouf we love and use a lot. Some years back I made a cover with faux leather that was totally worn-out, so I had to make another.
This time I decided to use real leather, so I bought a couple of goat bombed skins online.
I simply dismantled the old cover and used it as a pattern.
My Bernina and its walking foot worked perfectly well to assemble and stitch the pieces together... but for the top-stitching on top, where the bulky leather has to be put under the needle, I needed a professional sewing machine for leather. Fortunately, my neighbour has one and she allows me to use it when I need it. Thank you, Delfina!
The pouf looks gorgeous and strong for a bunch of years to come if we are lucky!

Fabric and Yarn Shopping in Sweden

I can't say what I like the most: travelling or sewing...?
But definetely buying fabric when I travel is one of my favourite passtimes, I swear!
This summer we visited Sweden and we lived there pretending we were cool Swedes for 15 days. It was awsome. Al I want now is Swedish Hasbeens and Volvos. Really.

Seamstress' shop in SOFO, Stockholm

Frivolities apart, I had to buy emergency linen yard in Stockholm, the first morning after my arrival. I visited three shops, but I totally fell in love with Litet Nystan. All that Nordic Sweaters, FTLOG!!!

Litet Nystan

 I inmediately found a linen-cotton-viscose that was perfect for the skirt I wanted to make. I did not bring my yarn from home, because it was a last-day surprise to find out that in top-down knitted sweters you start the sleeves attached to the bodice, so I could not take a sleeve for my travels. I was very happy knitting around the parks and boats in Stockholm, as I was in the beach some weeks later.

Inspiration...

...in Stokholm

 Going to the yarn shop I discovered that Sankt Paulsgatan was in fact the fabric and yarn district. 

2 cotton jerseys bought at Tygverget

 I bought some fabric in Tygberket, a very well supplied shop at good price, in Swedish terms.
Then we went to live for some days to a cabin in the woods, in the lake. I was happy knitting in that cabin!

Awesome yarn shop in Goteborg city centre.

When we arrived at Goteborg, I did a little research with my magic phone and I told my love we had to take a bus 10 minutes out of the city to go to Stoff & Stil.  

4 items bought for a total of 60 Eur. (yeah!!!)

It was SO WORTH IT! I hit the summer sale and everything was 50 % off!!! I checked everything out, but quickly... only selecting those items I could NOT leave behind: organic velvet, blue/white gingham, dark blue and dust pink corduroy.

Stoff & Stil in Goteborg

  I did not have space in my suitcase! What a wonderful, well equiped and stashed shop!

Stoff & Stil, yarn section

 Stainless steel counters, they had computers reading the label of a fabric and producing a sticker with all the product data, inlcuding the washing directions. AWESOME.
Very happy with my Swedish shopping!
Now, let's sew!

Inspiration in Prague, summer 2018

Organic Sweatshirt Jacket For Men + Zip Pocket Tutorial

 This is a jacket for my love.
I used a BurdaStyle pattern, which again was perfect, I did not have to alter a thing. Again, Burda delivers. Yes, the instructions of the magazine are so schematic, one has to be an expert sewist to be able to follow... but the accuracy of the pattern and the good fitting one usually gets are the best.
I bought the fabric online in Ecological Textiles. Wonderful fabric to work with and even better to wear. Very warm and comfy, but also breathable, perfect for a sporty jacket with zips and all. In fact, I decided to make it after I wore my own a couple of times. This was the masculine version in the same magazine. So, it is a very similar pattern, i the same fabric.
The most interesting feature during construction was the front and back facing, which I made following the instructions. And also the pockets, which I made my way:

I cut the two pieces of the pocket bag together, and 5 cm longer for the pocket facing included.

I marked the placing of the pocket in both sides and applied some fusible interlining.
I placed the pocket bag on top of the the jacket front (right sides together) and fixed it with pins.

I stitched a rectangle 1 cm wide and 15 cm long, with small stitches at the corners.

Then, we proceed to cut the pocket with a long straight line and four small diagonal ones at corners.

We turn the bag toward the inside of the jacket, baste the opening and press.

Put the zip underneath, secure with pins and machine stitch it with the zip foot, all around.

In the inside, fold the two halves of the pocket together and zigzag it all around with the walking foot on.

Finish sewing by hand the part above the zip, catching it too.
Secure it to the jacket facing if you like, or leave it flapping around.
Done.