Miette Progress

So, it's been a while. Like ages. January is gone, never to be seen again. I haven't stopped sewing or knitting but there never seems to be any time to photograph and blog about my makes. Baby Arthur and his social life is currently taking up most of my time - swimming lessons, sing and sign, baby groups, discovery play, ... I can't believe he's almost 9 months. But he's such a joy.

I have been managing to carve out some time for sewing, mostly in the evenings and lots and lots of knitting. Whilst I can't always find the energy to tackle a sewing project I can always manage to knit a few rows.

A knitting project that I started a while back is a Miette Cardigan in a lovely pink colour. Whilst I love this pattern by Andi Satterlund, its perhaps not my best choice for a beginners project. I have a bit of a history of starting knitting garments and not finishing them and unfortunately this has become one of these.

You see, I actually managed to knit about half of the cardigan. I knitted the main body and started on one of the set in sleeves. There was nothing wrong with my knitting- except the cardigan didn't fit. After trying it on I realised that it was minuscule on me- like child size!

So where did I go wrong? Turned out that despite knitting a tension square there were a few things wrong with this project. I struggled to get the correct tension with my chosen yarn Cascade 220- I had too many stitches and despite going up a size in the needles it wasn't right in the end. I also knitted the wrong size, I knitted the smallest size, a 32 inch chest, thinking that this would be okay with my small tension but in fact I needed a 36 inch chest for my post baby body.

I did decided to start again! I knitted another tension square using size 6 needles and magically got the right gauge. Hooray! This time I'm knitting the biggest size, a 36 inch chest and I can already see that it is a better fit.

At the moment though, I've shelved this project ... I kind of got a bit bored of it I think but I know I will come back to it at some point!!

Lots more knitting projects to share so watch this space!!

October and November

Where has the time gone? It's been ages since I have posted, although I have continued both sewing and knitting all be it at a slower pace. Previously, I used to have days or a week of frenzied sewing but these days I have to try and fit it around a small person. Little A is getting bigger and needs more entertaining these days so I cannot focus solely on sewing or knitting any more.  

We've finally moved into our new house. It was a bit surreal at first, having not lived in our own space since Uni (10 years ago!!) but I'm enjoying it immensely. We've decorated and I love living in a space which is so aesthetically pleasing to me. It turns out my tastes naturally tend to mid-century vintage - teak furniture, geometric prints and lots of teal, yellow and grey. Above is a picture of the dining area in our kitchen. I've had great fun unpacking all our belongings from storage, including our wedding presents. My favourite thing is our cutlery set - it's so bright and really cheers me up, I love using it.

Anyways, I thought very briefly about making my own curtains but soon realised this wasn't feasible with a baby and 7 pairs of curtains to create. So I bought ready-made, but the problem is our windows our not standard sizes (thanks to my architect husband) and so every single pair of curtains needs altering in some way. It's a nightmare!

So the reason I haven't been able to post is because I've been in curtain altering hell, which is not a great place to be. I've gone on strike currently and am planning to fit in some much needed projects for me. I have managed to get some time every evening with my knitting projects and will update on those soon!

Beginning Miette

I posted about my struggles with knitting in a post last week. I am again attempting to knit the Miette Cardigan by Andi Satterlund following on from my previous failed version.

My yarn arrived last Monday. This time I will be using Cascade 220 in Azala, which is the closest match to the recommended yarn for the pattern, Cascase Sierra, that I could find. This is a worsted weight yarn and so knits up differently to the DK I had previously been using.

The first thing I needed to do once my yarn had arrived, is wind the skeins into balls. I had previously read somewhere about the danger of knitting directly from a skein as it gets all tangled. I followed this handy tutorial by Not So Granny. It was easy to do but very time consuming, so I only wound the one skein- when I run out I'll wind another.

My mistake with my previous Miette was using the wrong yarn, which would have been glaringly obvious if I had knitted a swatch. Having truly learnt my lesson, my first step in this project was to knit a tension swatch. The pattern calls for 16 stitches and 22 rows across a 10 cm square, however Cascade 220 has a slightly larger tension of 18-20 stitches across 10 cm.

I cast on 30 stitches and continued until my swatch was about 12 cm in length. After measuring I found that I had 20 stitches and 26 rows in my 10 cm square - too big for the pattern and my cardigan would have been too big. After consulting with a knitting friend, she recommended knitting another tension square using a smaller needle. I used a 4.5 mm needle and made a smaller swatch, which measured 21 stitches - only slightly smaller. I decided it wasn't worth going down in the needle size and so am knitting the smallest version with a bust size of 32". Hopefully this should give me the correct fit,

So far, I have cast on and have completed the first 7 rows. I have pledged to myself that I will do a little bit of knitting every day, even if it is just 1 or 2 rows. My aim is to complete the cardigan ready for our holiday to Spain at the end of November.

Knitting Fail

My knitting projects take me a lot longer to complete than my sewing projects. I tend to start them and then pick up and put down my knitting when my mood takes me. I started knitting the Miette Cardigan by Andi Satterlund at the beginning of the year. The mood stuck me and so one day I grabbed the yarn and the pattern and got started.

The yarn was on its second incarnation, as I had previously started knitting the Simple Round Neck Sweater from Learn to Knit, Love to Knit by Anna Wilkinson. The problem is that this yarn just does not suit this knit. The yarn in question is Stylecraft Life DK in purple heather, which has a gauge of 22 sticthes to 30 rows for a 10cm square. The Miette pattern on the other hand, calls for a gauge of 16 stitches to 20 rows and recommends using Cascade Sierra. It was never going to work, so sadly I have had to ditch this project.

I have learnt a few things from this failed project: always, ALWAYS start with a tension square to check gauge and that I am able to knit a garment (or at least half). I actually managed to get most of the way down the bodice and so I am feeling confident that I am skilled enough to attempt this pattern now that I have mastered some of the techniques.

I have decided to try this knitting pattern again, however this time I will be using the correct yarn! Since Cascade Sierra is now discontinued, I will be using Cascade 220 in Azala. I've gone for a vibrant pink shade which I currently do not have in my rainbow collection of cardigans. I'm excited to get started and am just waiting for my yarn to be delivered - I will update on my progress in due course!   

Autumn and Winter Sewing Plans

The summer is coming to an end and soon we will be exchanging summer dresses and sandals for winter dresses and boots. I've been taking stock of my wardrobe, looking for gaps and deciding what garments I could add for the autumn and winter. Here's my current wishlist of garments I would like to make:

1. Black denim skirt

I received a copy of Simple Sew's Chelsea pattern collection with issue 29 of Love Sewing magazine. I love all the patterns in this collection, but what caught my eye is version A of the skirt. There is a lovely denim version in the magazine and I really want one in black denim. This would match a lot of my t-shirts and cardigans and would be great with tights and my tan closed-toe clogs. The magazine includes instructions for flatfelled seams, which would be a nice detail on this skirt and a new technique for me.

2. Collette Wren wrap dress

I've been on the search for dresses and tops suitable for breastfeeding and came across the Wren dress by Colette patterns. This wrap style dress features two types of skirts and comes with 4 different sleeve variations, so is a very versatile pattern. I have previously made Colette's Moneta dress (here and here) which have been worn many, many times and are now looking a bit tatty. I'm hoping the wren dress will also become a much loved part of my wardrobe.

3. Sewaholic Belcarra blouse

I currently don't have a go to pattern for a simple woven t-shirt. I've been lusting after Sewaholic's Belcarra blouse blouse for a very long time. I love all three variations, including the cute pocket and the pintuck sleeves. I think this would look great tucked into skirts or worn loose with skinny jeans. I'm thinking this will be great in some bold patterns or prints.

4. GBSB Breton T-shirt

My husband bought me the book from series 4 of the Great British Sewing Bee: From Stitch to Style by Wendy Gardiner, as a treat shortly after I had my baby. I was immediately drawn to the Breton t-shirt and would love to add a few to my wardrobe. In particular, I like the cap sleeves which are part of the body of the t-shirt.  I really like the red short sleeve version in the picture and plan to make my own version!

5. Tilly and the Buttons Bettine dress

I've sewn quite a few patterns from Tilly and the Buttons but wasn't immediately sold on the Bettine dress. I usually go for full or A line skirts, so the tulip skirt didn't appeal to me. However, I've recently purchased a ready-to-wear nursing dress in a similar shape with a scoop neck, tulip skirt and elasticated waist, which I love! This has made me re-think the Bettine dress. I love the pocket and cuff details and can see this in some lovely printed viscose.

6. Self drafted Modern Shirt Dress

It's probably obvious by now from my blog that I love a shirt dress. There are so many variations to shirt dresses that I never get bored. They can be dressed up or down, I can wear them to work and they are also breastfeeding appropriate. I love this modern version of the Shirt Dress which features in Issue 30 of Love Sewing magazine. It is a self-drafted pattern which intrigues me and I love the simple style. Again, I think this would be nice in a printed viscose or maybe some chambray.

7. Sew over it Tea Dresses

Tea dresses are another favourite of mine and I really like Sew Over It's patterns, although I have never made one. I love both the Doris Dress and the 1940's Tea Dress. Both dresses have a fitted bodice with vintage details and a plain skirt. I can't decide which pattern I prefer, but can envision them both in a floral ditsy print.

Starting from October, I plan to try and make a minimum of 1 garment a month. We are moving house at the end of this month so I won't have time for sewing at the moment as I am busy packing etc. I also have limited time for sewing, so this seems like a reasonable target.

What are your sewing plans for Autumn and Winter?  

Navy Heart Clemence Skirt

I can't believe it's the end of August. The summer seems to have gone so quickly. Usually I would be planning for my return to school but this year I will be able to enjoy the late summer. One of the glaring holes in my current wardrobe are skirts. It's been so hot, I needed something cool to wear. 

I'm currently saving all my pennies for moving house, so haven't been able to buy any fabric. One of the only pieces of fabric I had left was 1.5 metres of this navy blue heart print. I bought this fabric on my trip to Walthamstow last year and it was originally intended to be another Tilly and the Buttons Mimi Blouse from Love at First Stitch. I was trying to figure out what sort of fabric would make a good skirt when I remembered I had this fabric!

The pattern I have used is the self-drafted Clemence pattern from Love at first Stitch. It was the ideal pattern as I only had 1.5 meters of fabric and I wouldn't need to trace out a correct size pattern, making it an easy make. Since I'm short on time these days, this helped cut down the tine it took me to cut and construct this skirt - I finished it in 3 days.

This is my second Clemence skirt, so I was familiar with the construction. I used French seams for the skirt seams, which give a neat finish. I had to sew this skirt over several days, doing a bit at a time to fit around the baby. This time I used my invisible zip foot, which I had forgotten I had but found when I was looking for my regular zip foot. 

I'm pleased with the finished skirt. The construction of my garments seem to be getting neater, which is either due to experience or because I am having to take my time. The fit of the skirt is good, however the waist is slightly loose since I first made it. 

I've since worn this skirt a few times, including a camping trip. It is very comfortable to wear and I will also be good to wear in the autumn and winter with tights, boots and a cardi.

Nursing clothes

The baby is currently asleep on me, so I have a chance to write a post I've been meaning to for a while on ... nursing clothes.

Before I was pregnant I didn't really think what my post pregnancy wardrobe was going to look like. I naively thought that I would just slip back into my old clothes after a couple of weeks. In reality, my body is not the same- I am left with a rounded tummy and my waist/bust measurements are no longer the same. I guess I should try some combination of diet/exercise to slim back down but at the moment I just don't have the energy for all that. So my first problem is that none of my lovely me-made clothes fit.

My second problem is breastfeeding. My little boy is a proper milk monster and needs feeding regularly at all hours of the day. This means that I need access to my boobies and have found that most of my clothes either do not have boob access or don't fit at the moment. It was obvious that new clothes would be needed.

So there's the problem and to solve this I did what all normal people do ... I googled. Here's a summary of the solutions I found to my nursing clothes problem:

1. The two t-shirts trick

One of the most common solutions, is the two t-shirt trick: basically, you wear a strappy vest under a slightly bigger outer t-shirt or top. The idea is that when you want to feed the outer top goes up, the vest goes down to give boob access. The vest top manages to conserve your modesty and cover the mummy tummy. The benefit of this is that you can wear many of your current tops without having any extra expenditure. The downside is that this is hot- in the summer you don't really want to be wearing two layers, especially when you have a warm baby, a.k.a. a hot water bottle, attached to your front. I've tried this method, particularly with my Turquoise Tunic top and it just didn't really work for me.

2. Ready to wear nursing clothes

So I'm going to have to make a confession ... I had to buy some RTW clothes. If I had been less naive/ more organised I could have made nursing clothes before giving birth. However, this didn't happen so I ended up browsing online to buy some nursing clothes. From the high street shops, I highly recommend H&M for great quality basics, Asda also do a reasonably priced selection of nursing clothes and also New Look have a good range. Most of the ready made clothes have a double layer around the neckline/bust area, which means you can lower the front layer to nurse.

Clockwise, from top left: 1) Nursing Dress, H&M, 2) Black and white nursing t-shirts, H&M, 3) Two pack wrap nursing t-shirts, Asda and 4) Red Nursing t-shirt, Asda 

Obviously, for me the benefit of buying ready to wear clothes is that they are readily available and they are so much easier to breastfeed in discreetly when out and about. As someone who makes their own clothes obviously I don't feel that great about buying clothes and would prefer to make my own.

3. A cut out vest

I already have some tops and dresses that would be suitable for nursing, but I find they leave me a little too exposed for breastfeeding in public. Whilst browsing online, I discovered a tutorial for creating a no sew nursing top soluton that can be layered under other clothes. The idea is that you take a RTW vest (I had loads of old ones that I bought for £1 from primark) and cut two access circles around the boob area. 

These have been brilliant, meaning that I have been able to wear them under several of my existing tops/dresses, such as my navy tile print shirt dress and my two versions of a sleeveless shirt, to make them appropriate for nursing in.

4. Nursing Patterns

There are sewing patterns for nursing including the Amber Nursing dress/t-shirt by Megan Nielsen who also has a range of maternity patterns. There are also nursing/maternity patterns available by the big four pattern houses.

A good round up of indi nursing patterns and also hacks for non-nursing patterns is available on this blog. My issue with nursing patterns, is how much use will you get from a specific nursing sewing pattern? Although I suppose you could still wear the garment after you finish nursing I'm not sure that I would want to!

5. Non-nursing Patterns

My plan for sewing my own nursing wardrobe is to use sewing patterns that already have access for breastfeeding. Button down shirts or dresses, like  my navy tile print shirt dress, already have built in access. Another option are wrap tops or dresses. My favourites so far are the 1502 wrap top and dress by Threadcount Patterns and Colette's Wren wrap dress. The great thing about these patterns is that they would be suitable for nursing without any adaptations and I can still wear them after.  

So there we are! It's taken me several nap times to write this but hopefully someone will find this useful and I have found it helpful to document my.