Tag Archives: clothing

Two-Part Nappies Revisited: Part 1

Posted on August 8, 2014 by | Comments Off on Two-Part Nappies Revisited: Part 1
This post covers lessons learned in making diaper covers at home.  In cloth diapering, the outer cover is a waterproof barrier that prevents leakage.  These can also be used over regular disposables to prevent leaks, or just because they're really cute.


After a few mishaps and lots of leaks, re-purposing PUL, and studying more cloth diapers, I think I've found a few types of cloth diaper systems that work for the little dude.  This particular diaper cover is a homemade version of Motherease's diaper cover the Air Flow.  It works really well with the diaper inserts I make at home (more on that later).  These are not easy to come by here in Germany, so to me it's worth the effort of making more of them.

What I've learned so far:
FOE - fold over elastic goes on a LOT easier if you use a triple zig-zag stitch.  This video was key.
detailed photo of the inner wing of the diaper cover


KAM snaps - these snaps make a better seal with the Eco-PUL I bought from Diaper Sewing Supplies when there are 3 layers, and it's been exposed to warmth (i.e. it's been through a 60* wash and tumble dry).  That's it!  That is what was missing last time.  I didn't wash/dry the cover before trying out the snaps, and it was too thin.  Now I'm kind of sad I chopped up the grey & yellow cover before washing/drying.  It may have been salvageable.  Oh well.


With my latest effort, I went with a retro color combination!  Aesthetics aside, they work really well.  No leaks or poo-splosions yet!


As for the diaper inserts (the absorbing inner part of these two-part systems), I've drafted a pattern for anyone who wanted to try it on their own!  You can download it from the Google-Drive link here.

Come back this weekend to see the photo-tutorial on making your own diaper inserts!

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Just in time!

Posted on July 24, 2014 by | Comments Off on Just in time!
"Indian Elephant" from Ottobre 06/2014

Yikes!  This baby really is growing fast!  I finished the all-in-one pattern "Indian Elephant" from Ottobre 06/2014 just in time for the little dude to wear it.  It only took me two weeks to make it, but now I know that may be too slow!  Whoah!


This baby is making me a much faster sewist.  Even a week can be too slow in the world of baby growth.  I'm going to have to plan projects for the far future to keep up!  The pattern "Indian Elephant" is pretty straightforward.  It's actually a lot easier than the onesie pattern "Warmly Wrapped" that I finished last week.



The toughest part is applying the binding and, once again, the snaps!!  What in the world is up with these ring snaps and why don't they install correctly!?  This is with the special pliers, too.  The prongs often don't align with the center of the snap and then stick out... possibly with the end result of scratching baby. Not nice.


If he's in hefty stuff-in cloth diapers like today, the crotch gusset is a bit revealing shall we say, but if he's in a trimmer model diaper, it'll fit just fine.  I may still add two more snaps.  Maybe.


Pattern: Indian Elephant, Ottobre 06/2014
Fabric: organic cotton jersey from Lillestoff in "Pirates" print
Notions: fine ribbing in red, a bunch of snaps, stretchy interfacing G785 from Vlieseline/Vilene, and Vliesofix (two-sided fusible interfacing)
Special Tools: twin needle, snap pliers, walking foot, stretch needle

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Onesies! It’s a wrap!

Posted on July 16, 2014 by | Comments Off on Onesies! It’s a wrap!
After two months with a baby, you start to prefer some types of clothing over others.  At this point, I prefer the kimono wrap-type onesies because they fit over the baby's head a lot easier.  In fact, you avoid pulling something over the baby's head altogether! Hee hee.  Inspired by this preference, I thought to make several onesies and an all-in-one in 2 sizes bigger than my baby's then-current size.  But, after lots of starts and stops, and a baby-growth spurt in between, I finally finished the sewing of the onesies, and they are actually his current size, and just slightly larger.  ((Insert "they grow up so fast" sentiments here))  I still have yet to install all the snaps, but alas, I've run out of them and am on the look-out for 8mm ring snap variety.  What's with me and the snaps, eh?

That one with the pirate fabric and red ribbing is my favorite so far!
Pattern: Warmly Wrapped from Ottobre 6/2014
Fabric: Organic Cotton jersey from Lillestoff in "Pirates" print
Notions: fine ribbing in red, a gazillion snaps, and stretchy interfacing G785 from Vlieseline/Vilene

Here's the all-in-one in progress...

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My First Mabel

Posted on July 11, 2014 by | Comments Off on My First Mabel
Sewing for two new shapes (baby + me) has been interesting!  My figure has definitely become fuller after having the baby, and it continues to change even now that I'm two months postpartum.  I'm not getting too attached to my new bust-line because I've heard everything shifts and changes after having a baby, but in the meantime...

Knits!  I've been sewing a lot with jersey in order to give me a little flexibility with this changing body of mine, and that adorable and speedily growing baby in my life.

The first project I tackled was a super fast pattern that I heartily recommend to those with little time to sew: Colette Patterns' Mabel.


I made a slightly more A-line adjustment to the pattern and added a lining to diffuse some unexpected bulges, but other from that,  it's straight from the pattern sheet.

Pattern: Mabel from Colette Patterns
Fabric: single jersey

For baby, I've been working with knit hemp and knit terrycloth in order to make some cloth diaper inserts.  I've since tested them, and they work really well! They're trim and really absorbent. I'll share the pattern as soon as I trace it digitally  ((we'll see when that happens! Hah!)).



Project: Baby's cloth diaper inserts
Pattern: self-drafted
Fabric: hemp knit, cotton terrycloth

And, those failed diaper covers were converted into breast shields.  Yep.  I just cut 'em up and sandwiched some soft interlock on both sides of the PUL fabric.  So sad to see all those snaps go to waste.  Oh well.

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Review: Viking Knits & Ancient Ornaments

Posted on July 10, 2014 by | Comments Off on Review: Viking Knits & Ancient Ornaments

Review: Viking Knits & Ancient Ornaments post image

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First, the facts:

Title: Viking Knits & Ancient Ornaments: Interlace patterns from around the world in modern knitwear

Author: Elsebeth Lavold

Published by: Trafalgar Square, 2014

Pages: 189

Type: Patterns and history

Chapters:

1. Follow the Threads
2. Read This Before You Knit
3. Loops
4. Rings & Chains
5. Little Knot and Fourknot
6. Threeknot
7. Overhand Knot
8. S-Hook
9. Braiding

KS: Viking Knits 2

The In-Depth Look:

I don’t know how it’s possible that I haven’t reviewed an Elsebeth Lavold book yet–especially her original Viking Knits, which has had an honored place on my bookcase for years. So, when I heard there was another Viking book coming out, well … I preordered my copy ages ago.

The author writes in the introduction, “Throughout my adult life, my love for needles and yarn, and their potential to expand our common ornamental heritage, has been the motivating factor to dig deeper into the technical aspects of knitting. Through the work of myself and others, Viking age decorative traditions are still relevant today, and are becoming ‘public domain’ in a similar manner as their Celtic ‘cousins.’ In the book, I analyze a great number of patterns and motifs; some from the Vikings, some Irish, and yet some from other parts of the world. I hope and believe that the simple but versatile technique I developed to create Viking Knits will extend into other ornamental traditions, making new designs possible, and inspiring people to develop their own patterns.”

What comes next as she “follows the threads,” is a wonderful interplay of history and art and knitting. She discusses basic ornamental designs and where they come from. There are photos and sketches of actual relics or ornamentation from books and stonework. All of these are accompanied by knitted reproductions, along with charts on how to make them. The depth of detail is fantastic. I’ve always loved Scandinavian designs (and Celtic ones, too), and the idea of taking their intricate carvings and turning them into something I can knit?

I love this book as much as her original.

The book is more than just the history, though. Along with great details about historical inspiration, we get patterns–sweaters mostly, but also vests, hats, scarves, bags, pillows. (I’m kind of in love with the cover sweater pattern, too.) Clearly I’ve been a fan for years, but I’m happy to say that I haven’t been disappointed. This book is just as rich in detail and inspiration as the first one.

You can get this book at Amazon.com or at your local shops

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

My Gush: So many gorgeous cables. (sigh)

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MV T’s …

Posted on April 26, 2014 by | Comments Off on MV T’s …

Since I mentioned t-shirts in my last post I thought I’d carry the subject through to this post.  Almost all of us collect t-shirts and I’m no different except that almost all of mine are from the Vineyard.  They’re a good way to not only have memories of places but have new clothing as well….. when it comes time to have to get rid of them I sometimes take pictures of the ones I know I can’t replace.

 

These three are from events that I went to.Illumination Night in Oak Bluffs which takes place this year on Wed, Aug 20, 2014. The Harry Connick Jr/Carly Simon concert at the Tabernacle on Sep 16, 1990. And also at the Tabernacle, the Boston Pops on Aug 4, 2001.

This grouping is of places on MV. The Flying Horses in Oak Bluffs.Espresso Love in Edgartown. Midnight Farm store in Vineyard Haven. The old Tivoli building in Oak Bluffs.
100_6715  Black Dog t-shirts are very popular of course  but this red BD shirt is from around 1987, which is before the well known image of the BD appeared.

 

Miscellaneous shirts including the Vineyardosaurus.  A Chappy shirt because our dog is named Chappy. The “It’s A Vineyard Thing” shirt because well, with me everything becomes a Vineyard thing.

100_6301 I like the MV map with all the towns shown on it.   The black one because of the design and the word ‘Vineyard’ at the very end of the spiral.

As for the orange one… anyone know what the *a  stands for ?  For a long time you had to be in the ‘know’ to know it?  Care to venture a guess ! :)

Unlike the above mentioned t-shirts, this t-shirt has a story. Okay, some of the others have stories too… but not quite like this one !

CLICK HEREto find out what is so eerie about this shirt !!!!!!

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Relax On The Vineyard …

Posted on April 23, 2014 by | Comments Off on Relax On The Vineyard …

I saw this shirt in a window on Martha’s Vineyard… it says  …

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… and this where I’d love to be doing that right now.

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Bring something that you like doing to relax and come join me.

 


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Unwinding

Posted on February 10, 2014 by | Comments Off on Unwinding
Sometimes you unsew, sometimes you unknit.  This weekend it was time to unknit and unwind... literally.


The project:
Avril in April was a contiguous method hand-knit top completed last year, but worn only once.  The sleeves and neckline were a bit too unflattering for me.  The neckline came down too low, and the sleeves were weird and poofy. Cool contiguous technique though!  The yarn used is a beautiful, bubble-gum/pepto/play-doh pink cashmere blend yarn.  So, I didn't want to just trash or donate it.  Despite the slightly pop-princess color, I truly love the yarn.  I also have some in play-doh yellow which I used for the stripes. I think it could be something else that I'd wear more often.  Yes.  Time to unwind!




Unwinding takes time!!


Every knitted stitch that was picked up needed to be unwound by hand with a hook or tapestry needle.  That took some patience, but in the end there's this!



 A bunch of little pink balls and one big hank.  So, how do you re-use the yarn once it's all kinked up from knitting?  Well, next, I'll secure the yarn off the winder.  Then, I'll soak it and hang it to dry with a knitting machine weight on one end.  When it's dry, I'll re-wind it into a yarn cake and knit it up!

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Knit Now: Ammersee Top and Wind & Storm

Posted on January 9, 2014 by | Comments Off on Knit Now: Ammersee Top and Wind & Storm
When you design and submit patterns to publications, you never know what will strike an editor's fancy.  In this latest issue of Knit Now, Issue #30, you'll find that my knitting pattern, Ammersee Top, is on the cover!  Had she not told me ahead of time, I'd have scared the neighbors with my squealing for joy.  This is the first time I've ever had one of my designs on the cover of any publication, and it was a very exciting surprise I'm so glad to share with you all.

Ammersee Top, photo by  Dan Walmsley, (c) Practical Publishing

Ammersee Top is an alpine-inspired short-sleeved top featuring stranded colorwork, and hand-embroidery to finish the look.  The sample was knit over a speed knitting session of two weeks or so in the fall.  You may recall a bit of a hint when I revealed the button placket in this post here.

Ammersee Top, photo by  Dan Walmsley, (c) Practical Publishing
Also,  in this issue is a favorite pattern of mine which I've been trying to get published since I imagined it.  It's called Wind & Storm, and was inspired by last year's interminable winter (although it could totally fit with the U.S.'s current frosty situation).  The pattern remained in sketch form for a while, so I was so happy to work with Knit Now and Blacker Yarns in order to make it a reality.  The yarn is really cool - I used specifically Blacker Yarns Pure Organic Wool Corriedale with Black Welsh Mountain - it's a real working yarn with body, but softens after washing.  It has this lovely marled look, but still allows for great stitch definition.  I spit-spliced all the yarn ends so I had no ends to weave in when I was done knitting.  Also, because of the quick turnaround, I had help from a friend to knit the sleeves on this beauty... Thanks, Emma!!

Wind & Storm, photo by  Dan Walmsley, (c) Practical Publishing

Wind & Storm, photo by  Dan Walmsley, (c) Practical Publishing

Wind & Storm, photo by  Dan Walmsley, (c) Practical Publishing

Issue #30 of Knit Now can be found here: http://www.moremags.com/knitting/knit-now/knit-now-30-565

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Words To Shop By …

Posted on June 15, 2013 by | Comments Off on Words To Shop By …

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- by Joan -


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