Merchant & Mills Union Dress

Once I saw this Union Dress pattern from Merchant & Mills, I knew it would be the perfect project for the dotted chambray I got during the fall Bolt sale. The pattern was not available at any local shops, so I purchased it online from The Workroom. I've made a couple of other Merchant & Mills patterns and really find that their directions are very easy to follow, though intermediate skills are required for this particular project. Similar to the Factory Dress, this dress is another nod to traditional workwear. It has a straight silhouette with a Henley-style neck and button placket and long straight sleeves. My favorite details are the four pockets!–side seam and front in-seam–and the side slits. I made no modifications to the pattern and made the smallest size, which fits perfectly. I had a hard time selecting buttons and ended up choosing some clear ones.  It would be fun to use a contrasting fabric for the top or bottom for a unique look. You could also hack the pattern by leaving off the skirt and then you'd have just a Henley-style shirt that included the front pockets. Fun project!

Double-Knit Wool Shift

I forgot to post this sewing project when I finished it last week on Christmas Eve. This fabric is the double-knit wool that I bought back in October at a Bolt sale. Originally, I was going to make a bolero from the Pretty Straight Sewing Japanese pattern book, but after sewing up a muslin version, I knew that I was not a bolero-wearing gal. Instead, I opted for a shift pattern from the same book since I love shifts. I adapted the measurements a tiny bit to fit the piece of fabric and I like how it turned out. The only seams are at the underarms as the fabric was folded in half at the shoulders. I serged the seams on the off-white side of the fabric and prefer the look of that face with the subtle ribbing and heathering. The darker khaki/grey side has a smoother face. It's reversible and I love the contrast that the rolled up sleeves provide. I also like the raw cut edges at the neckline and hem. It's super warm!

Chunky Cable Hat

I needed a quick knitting project over the weekend and settled on this Purl Bee hat pattern, which I knew would knit up quickly with chunky yarn. I used some of the gifted wool I received during the summer and doubled it to meet gauge. This hat is super thick and toasty warm! I'm ready for snow and freezing temperatures.

Cypress Vest

I'm a sucker for a good vest and this one is already a favorite. I love the fabric that was created with the textured stitch pattern and the thick ribbing at the hem, neck and sleeves. The pattern was well-written and easy to follow. I did do a tubular cast-on for the front and the back, but did a regular cast-off for the sleeve and neck ribbing. I'd definitely recommend this project for an intermediate knitter. I made no modifications to the sweater and it fits perfectly!

Bray Cabled Pullover is Complete!

I spent this afternoon seaming together the Bray pullover. It came together quickly and there weren't many ends to weave in. I'm really happy with how this sweater turned out! The last sweater I knit was back in February, so this was a satisfying project. It was a fun knit and I love the cable and lace pattern, as well as the slightly fitted shape (very flattering) and the saddle shoulders. My modifications: I lengthened the sweater by a couple of inches and mistakenly seamed the sleeves with the stockinette stitch on the right side instead of the reverse stockinette as called for in the directions. I wasn't paying attention when I began seaming the sleeves to the front and back and didn't notice that I had placed them incorrectly until after one sleeve was already done. Luckily, there isn't really a right or wrong side to the sleeves and I think the sweater looks fine. In fact, I rather like being able to see the decrease detailing on the shoulders. Thumbs up for this pattern!

PS There are so many different color variations of the yarn in these photos, but it's a bright army green best represented in the first photo below.

A Bit of This and a Bit of That

I got back into knitting full force once September hit and the weather was a little cooler. I'm working on the Brooklyn Tweed Bray cabled pullover. I'm just about finished with the front and then I can block all the pieces. Bolt is having their sale this weekend and I headed in on Friday and came away with an awesome score of floral silk from Theory, dot chambray, APC flannel and double-faced wool knit (cream on the other side). I have the latest Machiko Kayaki pattern book, One Piece Dress, and will choose some things to sew up and trace out those projects.

Huge Yarn Sale This Saturday, Sept. 13!

I was gifted a bunch of yarn and am going to sell most of it this Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1:30 p.m. See the Craigslist posting here for details. The yarn is mostly wool, but there are also some cottons and novelty ones too. Come check it out!

Back-To-School Sewing: Scout Tee

Melissa gifted me this fantastic Nani Iro Mountain Views fabric and I knew immediately that I wanted to make a Scout Tee. I had downloaded this pattern a while back, so it was taped together, cut out and ready to go. I didn't realize the fabric was double gauze until I started cutting out the pattern pieces. I just thought it was a woven cotton. And you probably can't tell in the photos, but the pattern on the fabric is metallic, which I love. With only four pattern pieces, this project was quick. The directions were clear and thorough and would be perfect for a beginner sewist. No modifications were necessary for this pattern and I love how it turned out, especially with this particular fabric.