In the Folds Wrap Skirt, Times Two

Without any preamble: I made the free/pay-what-you-want, creatively named Wrap Skirt designed by In the Folds for Peppermint Magazine. I made one in the fabric leftover from the Jones Trousers and another in a cartoony eye-print canvas. I had to ignore the most of the instructions. You're instructed to finish the raw edges with French seams, which I elected not to do in favor of serging. Both fabrics are too bulky for French seams. Both skirts have side-seam pockets and the yellow skirt has a lining, and both elements conflict with the order of assembly. So until the last two or so steps (the waistband and the hem) I only consulted the instructions to confirm the seam allowances.

Ann Tilley Magic Pants + Peppermint Wide Leg Pants: The Sequels

Hey, guess who got over her fatigue immediately after expressing she was tired of making pants? This gal! And I didn't even choose an exciting new pattern, nope, it's the Peppermint Pants and Magic Pants again. Now with a minimal but nonzero number of adjustments, which I felt were useful to list and elaborate upon. And so I will.

Peppermint Magazine Wide Leg Pants, but Jeans

It's everybody's favorite pay-what-you-want pattern from Peppermint Magazine, their Wide Leg Pants, remixed into the bluest of jeans. As a recent convert to wide leg pants,I have to say I understand why people like this pattern so much, independent of its variable price. They're quite basic which understandably makes them easy to adjust and adapt. And because they're so no-frills, the design elements it does have are emphasized in their necessity. The curved and/or pieced waistband and pockets with stays, for example, make for a better fitting and wearing experience. There's none of that lower back gaping or pocket bags shifting around uncomfortably. Everything stays in place with just a few small design choices. In short, I appreciate that the pattern is designed thoughtfully in spite of (or maybe because of?) its simplicity.

Small project dump

No time to waste! Been keeping busy with some simple projects so I'll just go ahead and get into them.

In the stars

Confession: I made a (admittedly noncommittal) new year's resolution to wear less black and, as you can see, it appears I've failed only three months into the year. Old habits die hard, don't they? But, but! It's glitter! Glitter should count as a separate color altogether. Yes, this is how I'll cheat the arbitrary rule I've set for myself.

3 free patterns + 1 for fun

Mood Fabric's free pattern archive is impressively large and I thought I'd test a few out! I'm in the opinion that you get what you pay for, and you should expect to do some extra work if the cost is nothing, but I was willing to take the plunge. I'm real bad at drafting with negative ease in mind. Giving up and relying on a professional to do it for me would yield better results, I figured. Simple tanks and tees should be impossible for someone to screw up, given that they aren't me.

(All following garments were constructed using an overlocker, all hems were zig-zagged and all bindings were topstitched on a regular sewing machine).

Mom's birthday hoodie

June is not the month a person would want to wear wool in my corner of the Earth, but it is the month in which my mother was born and she has shown to appreciate knitwear, so... a sweater she gets! The chilly season isn't that far away.

Instant Classic

    

There must be something going on with me to go through a creative block and then frantically tackle a feat as laborious as knitting a sweater. Something simple and small to ease me back in? Nah.

It took me just over three weeks, without breaking for a single day (save for blocking and drying). That's just what happens when I see a potential closet staple: I want to get it done as fast as possible in order to maximize the chances I'll get to wear it. 

Fedorable

Yet another knitting project where I could not force myself to get away from plain stockinette stitch... but I'm not even sure this registers as knitting on most people's radars. The bulk of its creation was all things I'd never done before. Millinery is a whole other animal.

Gift post

Two quick, instant gratification knitting projects and an appropriately quick post. The cardigan is for my cousin's baby and the beret is a birthday gift for my eclectically fashionable brother.

Christmas 2020 gift roundup

I made some things for my brother and my parents, and I think I freakin nailed it. I don't like receiving gifts much, but I sure do take pride in being a good gifter.

I'm happy to say that my handmade gifts were finished before actual Christmas, with minimal amounts of panicked rushing! ...Actually, the last seam was sewn at around 3am on the 25th, but I can still consider that Christmas Eve. And let's not address me foolishly thinking everything would be ready by my original self-imposed deadline of the 15th when I started on the 2nd. Nope.