Tag: sewing

A pile of minutes

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Here is my first attempt at Junko Okamoto’s Teru pattern. I finished it some time ago, and I’ve worn it a bunch. It’s massive and cozy, and, I think, beautiful.

It was my first attempt at color work, as well. I think it went alright.

Truly, it’s difficult to overstate the largeness of this garment. It could be a dress. In the cold of winter, it is such a wonderful sweater to own. Highly recommend.

Yet another 3 Min. dress. Perhaps you’re wondering if I intend to turn every bit of fabric I own into one. I wonder that, too. I’ve done, um, six? I think? They’re just the easiest thing to grab and wear.

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In progress:

A cardigan for fall.

Finished:

This tunic/dress thing. Completely hand-stitched. Couldn’t resist a couple tiny, red details.

I pieced together most of my remaining bits of this fabric to get another garment out of it. I’ve already done two other dresses. I love the print.

During Long Days

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The accumulation of acrylic yarn wasn’t mindless, there were reasons, but wow I have more than I wish I had.

I don’t like acrylic yarn. Two things about it I appreciate, though: it wears like iron and it brings the kitsch like nothing else can.

So the cat has a new blanket. He needed one, and we’re both happy.

I love crocheting granny squares so much. Just the most basic ones. Same motion, over and over, seemingly infinitely. It is so soothing. I already have another I’m working on.

Today’s temperature was 95 degrees when I ventured outside, and this steamy, Mid-Atlantic air feels like soup. It’s comically uncomfortable. Every year, I know it’s coming, but it’s hard to remember just how funny and terrible it is until I’m feeling it.

I made another of these dresses from double gauze. It’s the perfect garment if you live in soup, as I do.

It’s so easy and fast to make, one of those one-size patterns, and it’s mostly made of rectanglish shapes.

The double gauze is so good in the hot weather, although really I wear it all winter, too, because it’s my favorite thing.

Slump

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These winter months are somehow so tiring. I guess most of us feel that way.

I am proud of myself for managing anything. Have I filed some papers? Good work, me! Made dinner? I have now exceeded expectations!

It’s nice to sit and work on quiet projects. I have a shawl-wrap thing in progress. I nose through my stashes of fabric and yarn, thread and other small things, making plans. It’s a good time to look through what I’ve already made and enjoy it.

I’ve been wearing this sweater constantly. It was a second version of Junko Okamoto’s wonderful Teru pattern. I didn’t do the color work in the pattern, instead adding bits of color as I wanted to here and there.

The day I took this photo I wore it with one of a bunch of tunic tops I’ve made, I think they’re from the pattern book Adult Couture Dress & Smock Blouse by Ryoko Tsukiori. I did them years ago and I can’t remember for sure. Some of my books have very similar patterns so it gets confusing sometimes.

March is the time for blue poppies to bloom in the greenhouse at Longwood Gardens. My son and I took a detour one day to visit them, and that felt really nice.

This week, I summoned the courage to use the last of this favorite printed fabric. Gabrielle, in this photo, was not convinced it was a good idea. That’s okay, because it’s not her fabric.

Making the cuts with scissors is a commitment. I’m making a Nani Iro pattern, this one-size tunic-dress.

The one-size garment patterns from Japanese designers are very compelling, I think, and I find myself reaching for those garments the most lately. They’re comfortable without being gym clothes, the lines are interesting and I love the details.

Small, from Felt

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Even though I’m not hiding from the world anymore, I don’t think I’ll stop making tiny mice.

Here’s one of the three I did.

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The skilled and talented Ann Wood provided a free pattern for them, in case you want to try to make some. Here’s a link: link.

I sent the other two to live with my mother-in-law, a true lover of mice.

I gave all three mice scarves to wear, because it’s cold.

The mice are an easy and fun project. They use small scraps of felt and fabric, and I stuffed mine with the snippets of felt left from cutting out mouse parts, yarn ends I cut from my knitting and crochet, frayed scraps of fabric, that kind of thing.

One more angle:

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I hope you’re having a good Friday.