A sweater for my mother

There's a charming children's book called A Chair for My Mother, which details how a family saves up to buy a new chair after they lose everything in a fire.  My kids all had to read it for a book report in lower grammar, and it is delightful.  The book sprang to mind when I was trying to come up with a title for this post. 

Sometime in mid-October, when I was hip-deep in quilt-making for St. Nicholas Day and Christmas presents, I decided I didn't have nearly enough to do, so I might as well make a sweater for my mom's birthday.  Which falls on January 9.  Two days after our Christmas.  And the pattern I chose was fingering gauge with a lace yoke.  So, no pressure or anything.  Ha! 

I knew my mom would understand if the gift was late.  I had made her a little table runner and pot holder from scraps from her quilt, so it wasn't like she had nothing to open on the day.  There have been late knitted birthday gifts in previous years.  But I was quite determined to get this finished in time.  I put aside everything else and knitted away.  Despite the small gauge, it went relatively fast, particularly considering the amount of time I had for knitting this fall.  I had started the first sleeve by November 12 (I know this, because I had to get a 9" circular needle in the correct size), and finished the second sleeve sometime in mid-December.  

I added length to the body of the sweater after I sneakily measured a few of my mom's current sweaters when I visited in November, so that added a bit more time, but I started the lace charts during the winter break, during which time we all got covid (again) and the kids were home an extra three days because so many teachers were sick when we were supposed to go back.  Thankfully this round of the virus was much milder than the first, and much shorter-lived, so I didn't lose too much time to it.

I finished the sweater just before dinnertime on January 5, soaked it quick-like, and put it on the blocks in the warmest room I could find so it would dry overnight and I could get it in the mail first thing on January 6.  The postal service being what it is, I had scant hope it would arrive on Saturday, but my mom was happy to get it on Monday instead!

My making notes are on my ravelry page, including the short row mod for the back neck, so I won't repeat that here, but I will say it was an extremely enjoyable knit.  I'm not generally a leave-it-to-the-last-minute kind of person (that is probably the understatement of the century), but I'm glad I made it, despite all the obstacles!

More wool gathering

 

с Рождеством! С праздником!  

 

Since Friday, we have celebrated Christmas, Piglet's birthday, our parish yolka (ёлка), and my husband's namesday, and there are still more celebrations to come this month!  The weather has also turned quite cold (yay!) and we had snow on Friday for Christmas, so that was fun.  

It will be February before I know it, so I want to get caught up on projects from late 2021.  I mentioned that I found an extra wide yard of Melton wool in a fantastic peacock color in my previous wool skirt post.  It's really meant for things like coating, but I figured it would work for a structured straight skirt as well.

This is probably the closest, as it tends more to the green, but it is still much more saturated than this.

(It was extremely difficult to get an accurate color read in the pictures.  It is much bolder and saturated in real life). 

The boiled wool is significantly heavier than the pink, and more tightly woven, so I made some modifications to my Free Range Skirt hack to accommodate the fabric.  The first was to use rayon seam tape on the pocket edges and hand sew it down, as the thickness of the wool did not play nicely with visible seams. 

I also hand sewed the pocket back as well, for the same reason.
 

I lined the skirt with rayon bemberg, but dithered about whether to face the waistband with the wool or the bemberg. 

I had done wool on the pink and bemberg on my plaid flannel, and I like both. I decided in the end to go with wool as I feared the bemberg might not play nicely with the Melton, particularly since I'd have to hand-stitch the thing down.

As with the wool and flannel skirts, I shortened the ban-rol elastic--this one to 26".  It was more of frugality than anything, as I had a 26" length left and didn't want to waste it. 

The elastic has relaxed slightly since I've worn the skirt a few times, and while it is snug getting up over my hips, I can make it.  I think the shorter length balances the bulk.  

I also used lace hem tape on the hem and hand sewed it down.  I really like all the finishes on this skirt, and I like the straight silhouette I got in the heavier fabric.  

I used the same adjusted seam allowances as with my green flannel skirt.  It is slim without feeling restrictive, and the waistband is very comfortable.  I'm quite pleased with the finishes too.  All in all, a successful winter skirt!

A Year of New Things

Nothing like leaving a year in review to last minute, eh?  I scrolled through all my posts this year to see what I had made and wrote about, and it was a Year of New Things.  I tried a bunch of new-to-me patterns, knitting techniques, and silhouettes, and had some great successes.  

I fell in love with stranded knitting (colorwork), got more confident with lace charts (open work), and found that I like working with sport or fingering weight yarn best, even if it takes longer to complete.  I found a few well-fitting basic sweater patterns that I can modify or adapt going forward.  Pullovers are still my happy place.  

Sew House 7 topped my list of great pattern companies after I made the Remy Raglan and the Elemental skirt in the spring.  It took me a while to get the sizing right on the former, and the fit right on the latter, but I loved wearing both once I did.  

My summer was again a horror of heat, humidity and feeling crazy in my clothes, but I guess I went into it knowing that, so it wasn't as bad, perhaps?  I made the Free Range slacks in the early fall, but decided I liked the pattern better as a skirt and have happily made several in different weights.

I revisited the Coco dress pattern after writing it off years ago, and discovered it makes a great knit shirt.  Hot flashes and tucked-in shirts are not a great combination, but it is hard to find tops that look good untucked on me, so having a go-to pattern that works for my short torso is fantastic.  

I frankenpatterned a woven top that I like very much (and can also wear untucked).  I got better at inside finishes and did a lot more handwork, including some embroidery to fancy up a linen skirt from 2020. 

 

I made some dresses: the Sorrel, Terrace, and a Frankenpatterned knit dress pattern that were fine.  I used my bodice block and Anne Adams skirt bottom to make a flannel dress this fall.

 

In unselfish sewing, I did a lot more than in years past.  In September, I became a godmother again and made the baptism ensemble.  My Weekender sweater worked out well for Ponchik last winter and she wears it constantly right now.  I made my dad a linen shirt for his birthday.

I made a lot of simple panel lap quilts for family and my kids and enjoyed the process of quilting very much, although perhaps not the self-imposed deadlines. I made myself use up almost all the scraps from the quilts on pillowcases or zipper pouches or tote bags, so that was useful. Panel quilts are very straightforward, so I'm not sure pieced quilts are in my future, but I have in mind to make some kind of crazy quilt with my scraps. 

Making my first bra was a fun project, but I'm unsure about making all my own going forward.  I'll probably have a mix of me-made and RTW in that department for a while.   

I had several outright fails and some alterations, but overall, I had a lot of successes, and ended up pieces I wear a lot, so it has been a good year of making! 

So long, farewell, до свидания to 2021!

Wool Gathering

The past couple of winters, I've been wearing a quartet of thrifted wool pencil skirts from Sag Harbor, probably dated from the early 1990s.  Maybe late '80s.  They fit me well, had a bit of elastic at the back waist, and were just the thing in cold weather. 

Well.  One of the skirts doesn't fit at all right (it was borderline tight to begin with and I always struggled to pair it with other things in my closet).  The other three still fit fine (although are very slim-fitting) but the polyester lining on them drives me crazy with static, so I've long thought to replace it with something less static-prone like bemberg.  Even though I generally try to make things I already have work, I found the skirts a bit uncomfortable, and decided to shelve the lining idea for the moment.  A project for another day.

 

In the meantime, however, I wanted to have at least a couple of easy skirts that were warmer than the Brussels linen or flannel or corduroy.  I found an end-of-bolt yard of Melton wool at Fabric.com that looked like a bright emerald green on the monitor, but turned out to be the most gorgeous shade of peacock teal you could ever want (even better!), and a light pink mystery wool blend in a looser weave. 

The pink wool has tweedy little flecks of teal, green, yellow, and red in the weave, so it is a lot more interesting than a plain pink would be. I decided to line it with the leftover white bemberg from my Sorrel dress, so I had to piece the lining a bit and the hem is a bit wonky, but given the simple shape of the skirt, it worked out fine.  No one sees the hem lining but me, so it doesn't matter.  Even better: I used up all but a 6" square of that bemberg!

A few things to note about making the Free Range Skirt hack in this heavier fabric (probably applies if making the pants in the heavier fabric too).  I originally sewed it all according to the packet instructions (which have you top stitch the waistband and hem), but decided I didn't like how that looked:

 

Too boxy, bulky, and puckery.  So I went back and redid the hem with lace hem tape stitched down by hand and also hand stitched the waistband facing to the skirt.  I think it looks much better that way.  The pockets I left alone.  Because I omitted the front center seam but left part of the seam allowance (just a smidge), I believe I sewed all the seams at 5/8" as directed.

The main change I made to this make was in the elastic length at the waist.  I discovered quite by accident that the elastic needs to be several inches shorter in a heavier fabric.  For my Elemental skirts, 29 1/2" with a 1/2" overlap is perfect, and that length also worked well for the Brussels linen and silky noil skirts. In this heavier fabric, 27" with no lap (just butting the edges) is perfect.  I'm also using Ban-rol elastic, which has a different sort of stretch to the hard elastics found in most sewing supply places.  For reference, my waist is around 32-33". 

 

I'm not really sure why, but shortening the elastic made a huge difference to the fit and feel of the skirt (so much so that I went back to my plaid flannel skirt and shortened the elastic there as well--much better!) 

As per my now-usual, I applied the waistband facing as directed, at a 5/8" seam allowance, and then divided the waistband and elastic into fourths, and zig-zagged into place on the seam allowance so that the gathers are evenly distributed (as opposed to inserting the elastic into a channel and sewing the ends together). 

I think what I like so much about this pattern is that it is a slim skirt (that actually feels slim to me while I'm wearing it) but it is still flattering and easy.  The pink isn't in my usual palette, at least not for a bottom weight, but I've worn it a ton, and it goes with much more of my wardrobe than I would have thought!  I love it with this teal top, and it goes nicely with my Evendoon and Stripes! sweaters (both of them!) 

What Lies Beneath, Part 2

At the risk of inviting close scrutiny of my chest as well as a cascade of TMI, I think it time to talk about that which most women cannot do without in the modern era: the brassiere.  

In 2016, I made a shift and stays.  The stays were an interesting foray into historical undergarments, and while I learned a lot of new-to-me construction techniques, I also learned a lot about historical visual cultural norms and how undergarments are used to conform to them (or not).  

Two summers ago, I started making my own underwear.  Admittedly, it started in a fit of rage sewing, but I've never regretted the journey, and am completely happy with that part of my wardrobe.  It is amazing to me how much things like well-fitting underwear and bras can make a difference to one's days.

Around the same time, I started thinking about bra making, as it seems that a lot of sewists get around to making them sooner or later, and RTW bras give me fits.  I've never really had one that fit well, and as I've gotten older, the problems just multiply. 

For a bit of TMI, here's part of the issue.  Almost every bra on the market is sloped from a single model from the 1970s who had high perky breasts that were a full C-cup.  Anyone whose anatomy differs from that (which is like, almost everyone) is going to have a hard time finding a good-fitting bra without selling a kidney to afford it.  Then there is the issue of bra-fitters who try to sell you bras that don't, you know, fit.  I've been fitted several times in nicer bra shops, and never once walked out with a bra that fit really well.

After nursing four babies, I have deflated water balloons, droopy hound dog ears, call it what you want, but I've never been perky, nor have I ever been a C-cup except while nursing.  I'm between an A and a B cup, but I've never yet met an A or B cup that fit me right.  I usually end up in a 36B to split the difference but it's still not great.  It's almost impossible to find a 36A or 38A.  I also can't stand underwires because most of them don't fit me right or dig into the tissue at the sides such that I end up with hormone issues from the pressure.  I've been doing research on bra construction and fitting, and it was interesting to read that wires can come in different shapes and widths.  I have damage on one side of my right breast from a massive infection that was improperly treated when Piglet was newborn and it still bothers me at times.

 

Last summer, I tried a Pepper bra.  It was more expensive than my usual, but I figured if it fit, it would be worth it.  The company specializes in smaller cup sizes relative to band width, and while it fit pretty well, I wouldn't say it is the best thing I ever wore.  They do carry that rare beast, the 38A bra, with an A cup that is actually an A, so the fit is better than many.  I took the underwires out, which helped a lot.  But the whole thing is synthetic, which is not ideal in our summer climate.

For the past two years or so, I've been wearing Kalon bralettes, which are...okay, but are made of nylon so they don't wear well.  The foam pads inside get funny with washing and the overall shape isn't super wonderful.  They aren't very cool in the heat/humidity.  Before the Kalons, there was a long procession of ill-fitting wired and wireless jobbies.  (I had a couple wired ones that actually squeaked with movement.  Just, no.)  The Kalons like the best bad option at this point.  I'm constantly adjusting the dumb things. In my opinion, like underwear, a good bra shouldn't remind me of its existence.

So I'm trying a bunch of different ready-to-wears to see what will give a better silhouette but not drive me bananas.  I'm experimenting with smaller bands with larger cups (like 32 D or 34 C).  For reference, my underbust is 33, full bust is 37.5 and upper bust 35.5.  Going by "standard" bra sizing, I should fit a 36B just fine (it doesn't) but a 32D might also work.  I'm skeptical, but keeping an open mind.

I also made a Jordy bralette using a kit from Emerald Erin.  She has an etsy shop and an independent website with the same offerings.  I am totally impressed with her patterns and great customer service!  I wanted something that was mostly natural fibers in the cups, and had a less structured fit given my underwire woes.  Making it was an interesting experience, and a lot easier than I expected.  I used some leftover Laguna jersey and thin cotton batting, although I might try a thin bra foam on a future iteration. 

I don't have the fit right yet--I need to adjust the sides of the cups so they don't gape and shorten the band-- but it is very comfortable and was a good entrée into bra-making.  I have findings for two more, so I can tweak the fit some too.  There are so many pattern options out there, it is hard to choose, but I'm looking at some kits on etsy since buying ala carte is overwhelming to me right now.  The Cloth Habit has a lot of great information about bra construction and fitting and I've learned a lot from reading her blog posts.   

I'm trying to have an open mind about materials and styles, because you never know what is going to end up fitting and feeling great. 

Winter embrace

Flannel is a beautifully warm and cozy cold weather fabric.  It lacks the warmth of wool (unless the flannel in question is wool, but that is a rare beast in the wild).  In cotton, however, flannel is a close second.  Oddly, most of the ready-to-wear garments in flannel are pajamas or made in plaid (or both!) so it can also be a challenge to match fabric to day wear pattern.  Never stopped me before, so I figured I might as well just march into the unknown.

I mentioned that I accidentally picked up a couple skirt lengths of cotton flannel at Joann when I visited my parents at the end of November.  (Honestly!  I went in for thread and sewing needles.  But when the perfect shade of green in cotton flannel is on sale, well...)

I dare you to walk by that fabric and not swoon at the perfection of the shade.

I'm usually a one or two-trick pony when it comes to sewing for myself.  I find something I like and make a lot of versions of it.  What can I say?  I likes what I likes.  (Although I'm getting into sewing undergarments and seeing the value of trying different patterns).

So it goes with my Free Range skirt hack.  It's funny--this skirt comes out differently every time I make it, depending on the fiber substrate.  In Brussels linen or silky noil, it has a swish and drape to it that more structured fabrics don't have, but each fabric type I've tried, I appreciate different aspects of the finished garment, to say nothing of the comfortable waistband!

It's a thing to realize I've been squishing myself into hard waistbands all these years when I could have been enjoying style and comfort.  It's not that the hard waistband skirts don't fit right--they do--but my waist changes a LOT during the day (thank you, gastroparesis).  What feels great in the morning often doesn't by suppertime or has rolled in unflattering ways due to my exceptionally short waist.  It's nice to feel good in my clothes all day long.  

So, not much to note about this skirt but for two things.  The three panel construction means there are several places to let out or take in, depending on the type of fit I'm looking for, and the 5/8" seam allowance means there is plenty of room to change the fit.  In drapey fabrics, a straight size 12, with all the seams sewn at 5/8" is perfect.  In more structured fabrics, I'm finding a bit more finesse is needed. 

Take one.

I originally sewed this one exactly like the Brussels linen and silky noil, but when I wore it, it felt and looked too tight across the hips.  Sausage-like even.  (See pics with pink sweater).  

The waist and sweep were fine, however, so I decided to curve out the seam allowance on the back seam of the side panel and the center back from 5/8" at the waist to about 3/8" and then curve back in to 5/8" at the hem.

Smiling with irony because I can't take a normal stride!

Worked a treat!  I'm totally happy with the fit now, and find it exceeding comfortable and cozy. 

 

I've also found that doing the waistband construction like the Elemental skirt doesn't exactly work, especially in heavier fabrics.  After some trial and error, my preferred method of attaching the elastic is to sew the waistband facing at the stated 5/8" seam allowance, then divide the waistband into quarters with pins, sew the elastic into a circle, divide into quarters, and attach to the edge of the seam allowance with a wide zig-zag.  The first time I tried it, I ended up with visible stitching on the facing inside, but I've fixed that so it doesn't show at all once the facing is attached at the bottom.

Making this skirt also informed how I approached some skirts I've yet to share here, but will as I'm able.  My kids are on winter break now, so my time is not my own at the moment.  Hopefully I won't get too backlogged!