Various bags, some of which are free

Ugh, why is everyone, me included, so desperate to get our hands on fancy bags to store our knitting?  I've become really disillusioned with this; I'm happy that independent human beings who are making things are able to drum up so much business that we are lemmings for the literal second that the items are posted online...but I hate being the lemming that didn't get the bag, month after month.

I tried to make my own.
(In truth my Ida bag, here, is going strong! I really should just make more big Ida bags.)  

Bag one is a wee drawstring number.

The drawstring isn't done properly because I only had one strand, and you are supposed to use two strands, one exiting on each side.  As long as I remember that and only pull the one side I can shut it just fine.  This project really mattered to me because it's made from scraps leftover after I made my first, failed metamorphic dress. I really love this fabric so I was happy to make the bag and at least get a little bit of the fabric in use.  Now, two years after the fact, I've finally harvested that fabric into a Sorbetto top so all is good in the end!

Here is bag 2, the Summer Madras Tote.  Here is the link.

This took forever to make because I am allergic to cutting out big squares.  It got trapped in moving mess. I had to buy extra solid interfacing for it...I pulled it out and then the idea of making my own bias binding stopped me.  Finally I got annoyed at having it sitting around.  This one is more of a grocery type bag.  All of that interfacing was Really thick!  I didn't have a problem sewing it, but it is a stiff bag, at least now before it gets broken in.

And then there is, of course, the Stowe bag.  I had the pattern away in my luggage in Australia but I couldn't wait *2 MORE MONTHS* and so I bought the pdf as well.  Sigh.  I experimented with some Stowe bags, made a bunch, got kind of irritated with them, and on my final version, bagging the lining so that it would be cleanly finished on the inside.  I store my knitting in it.  Haven't made the large size yet.  It seems bizarrely huge! 

This white one is the first one that I made, following the pattern, no lining, and I got a kit from A Verb for Keeping Warm (here are the kits, which are sold out) and did the sashiko stitching (my first!)  This kit consists of fabrics grown and woven in California.  The blue and striped one is the only other one I kept after I dispensed them among friends - it is two layers with no pockets.

Tamarack Time at last!

I've been about to make a Tamarack Jacket for about 4 years!  Seriously!  I bought the pattern as soon as a snap front option was available.  I cut it out once.  And then I just didn't believe it would fit.  I couldn't find good binding.  I left it behind and never came back to it.  Then I cut it out again another time.  I decided that fabric was a terrible idea and I ditched the plan. (true, it was neoprene, it would have been horrible.)

I think it is actually too bad I didn't make this back the first time I was prepping it, because I struggled for ages with jackets due to trouble fitting my shoulders. The drop shoulder in this pattern is a lot more forgiving than other patterns coming out a few years ago, and it might have inspired me in different ways at the time.  Anyway now we have so many drop shoulder options, it's no longer an issue!

Third time was the charm.
Fabric is pre-quilted Nani Iro from Miss Matabi.
Size 4.
Binding is linen from The Fabric Store.
I added patch pockets because I still did not TRUST this pattern to fit me, for some reason. I wasn't willing to commit to welts.

To my surprise it was so easy to make.  I sewed the bias tape to the inside first and then to the outside, because I have zero faith in doing it the other way.  I was annoyed by the instructions, hoping there was going to be some really cool method for mitring the bias tape, but in fact the way it has you sew the bias down is pretty cool and definitely effective.

I have a wild idea for a dramatic modification and I've been thinking about it and collecting the bits for months, so there's an underlying plan going on here.  I'm already thinking of another (third) Tamarack, with the welts, maybe even in quilted silk (I have some really precious bits of silk around and it's annoying that I haven't found a use for them yet.)  But my Prym snap kit is not up for the task so then I start thinking about how I need a proper snap setter.  Hm...

Anyway, I'm really happy I finally did it and made a Tamarack! 

Two layer silk Grainline Willow

This was one of the super precious projects that I thought up in my final month or so in Arizona, the first time I was in Arizona, when I was still pretending I'd have time to sew prior to moving.  I cut it out and then have carried it with me and it made the trip mainly by dint of being few pieces and being really small flat pieces.

The outer fabric is silk-cotton from Ramieandlinen on etsy.  I used it here for the lining of a Stylearc jacket, and it was terrible lining fabric because it's basically sheer and far too lightweight for such an application.  So the second layer is plain white silk, which I did gelatin prior to cutting out.  Comparing the two layers, the gelatin seems to have done well as the silk layer isn't too grossly different shaped than the top layer.

I used the same size (4) as on my first successful Willow, with the same extra cm added to the centre back.

The method for attaching was the burrito method -
Sew shoulders
attach the neck seams, understitch and cut
burrito and sew the armholes
pull through shoulders
sew side seams continuously

I then thought I would hand sew the bottom because the key feature I'd thought up for this was to do a shy amount of embroidery over it along the hem lines.  I reckoned this would hide the seams which you can see through the fabric, it would keep the neck and sleeves more stable, and it would make the hem more interesting.  I thought it would wrinkle if I did a machine hem.

Because of all this thinking, of course nothing got done, so here we are two years later.  I gave it all a good iron, picked out some thread and set a long stitch length.  I'll embroider some other project, some other day!

Also you can see how my Dawn Jeans are wearing in - not quite a perfect fit but totally wearable and they definitely impress everyone.  This is a totally me-made outfit!  My sandals are from the Shoe Camaraderie workshop last April. 

Grainline Hemlock binge

Welcome to the Grainline Hemlock!  I didn't like this pattern at all when I first made it.  Since then styles have changed, as they do, and I don't know what sounds better than a drop sleeved oversized curved hem top.  This pattern is free and it's one size fits all.  It is better suited to lightweight, drapey fabrics.  Don't be like me and make it out of a stiff sweatshirting weight jersey (here.)

It took a few modifications to perfectly achieve my vision.

Version 1 is shortened 4 inches - this is the original pattern I used a few years ago.  In a drapey silk viscose knit it's fantastic.  I used about 2 inches of the sleeve.  I love this shirt and I think I was insane not to love it before.  If I keep rediscovering my own patterns, I'll never need to buy more!

(Yes those are my new Papercut Palisade pants.  I recycled pictures!)

Version 2 used the short version as the side seam length, and then lengthened (the back) and shortened (the front) using the curve from the Megan Nielsen Briar tee.  I also inspected the sleeve and changed the curve of the body, slightly like the Strata top body-sleeve area, so that it would not bunch up in my armpit as much.  (Interestingly this is the same design feature that I complained about on my first Strata top.  I reserve the right to contradict myself freely.)

Version 3 is the version of my dreams.  I lowered the front curve a bit, and also extended the shoulder seam down one inch.

This is merino blend from Otara in Auckland, land of cheap fabrics.  There may be a lot of blend in there because it's quite lightweight and doesn't feel like merino. 

And then on version 4 so I wouldn't have too many TOTALLY IDENTICAL items in my wardrobe, I added cuffs, but the shoulder seam is back in the previous location, same as the grey one.  This merino is from The Fabric Store, and it feels quite a bit denser than the stuff from Otara.  The challenge is on: is $40 merino better than $10 dollar merino?

I'm done with this now!

Grainline Farrow review

Well, hello Farrow - a dress with built in pockets and a cute triangle shape.  I bought this pattern in Seattle and carried it around for a bit, waiting for the right fabric to spring it to the top of my queue.

Fiinally, I cut this dress in a size 4 out of some heavyweight designer fabric with sparkle in it.  I always get excited over this type of sparkly fabric at The Fabric Store and then it sits around when I realise I won't ever wear anything made of that.  Ugh.  So this was planned to be for a friend of mine who appreciates all the shiny clothes. Plus it is great to make practice versions of things - when I get around to making the thing for me, I get even better results!  (Amazing, right?)

It's quite a fun sew, with just enough origami to keep you paying attention. I forgot to leave the keyhole in the back neck, but could still get it on so I wasn't fussed.  I tried the dress on right before applying the fake facings*.....AND it was about 15 cm too big from just below the bust.  I mean, it was ridiculous.  And very long.  Downright sacklike.  Maybe in the lightest of silk something this massive would fall and drape, but because my fabric had loads of body that was never gonna happen.

*Fake facings YESSSS these are cut out like facings but you tuck in the underside and sew them all the way down, so no flopping about.  Hurrah!  Such a plus.

It looks so cute and innocuous!  But NO it is massive.

I thought about it for a short while and realised the solution was sitting in front of me: my sewing friend Tessa!  She is only slightly bigger than me on the top but has bigger hips.  She was planning to make the Grainline Maritime shorts and I think a size 10 muslin was too small, just so you have some scale.  I made a 6 in those shorts, I believe.  (here).

Tessa tried on the dress and it looked magical on her so I finished up those facings.

She was kind enough to send me a bunch of pictures!

It left me a bit conflicted as to whether I should try again but my interest was whetted as I really like lots of the elements of the dress.  So I managed to get size 0 out of the pattern pieces - only one piece where I had to guess, and I created new facings by copying the line of the neck pieces.  I used a lovely piece of raw silk from Drygoods Design in Seattle (I have had many plans for this) and was very worried it would end up sticking to me and needing a slip which I have not yet made but will soon.  (Probably.)

I also shortened the pattern by 3 inches (!!) at the shorten lines.  When I am shortening things at these lines, I always wonder, am I supposed to be removing fabric above or below the lines?  It's like they were made for lengthening only; it's clear you lengthen between the lines.

This time I kept the back keyhole as I thought I might need extra room in the back.  I am really really enjoying my fantastic new overlocker, and putting extra time and effort into each project.  However it means nothing is a fast sew anymore, between the first version fails, pattern adjusting, and topstitching and overlocking.  

I would have liked to scoop out about 1.5 cm from the armhole, but I didn't want to make new facings.  So I increased the SA as I went down the armhole and shaved a few mm off.  I don't think it was quite enough.  On another version of this I would use bias tape since it's functionally exactly the same, and would give me more leeway to adjust the armscye.

Finally - the size 0 is a touch tight across the bust, but manageable.  This is a sack dress.  I honestly didn't get it at first, why has this been so popular?  Also, 3 inches seems like a lot but it was about right.  (I could have shortened 2 inches, that would have been ok in the front, but left the back too long.)  I was annoyed by the tight armholes.  And then I wore it to work and forgot about all of that!

The pockets are heavy, which hold down the front of the dress, so unlike Everything Else, it doesn't crawl up tights very much.  It was super comfortable at work and the pockets are great.  I am actually considering making another one, which really surprised me!  Also, I can still get it on without the back keyhole so I would just sew that shut in the future - it doesn't add anything as far as I'm concerned.

In case you are curious, not only was it very cold, it was also very windy!

Size 0 measurements on the pattern envelope:   32-25-35.
My measurements: 33-27-37.

The only measurement of any relevance to this pattern is the bust, so my recommendation is to pick the size as close to your bust size as possible - I think size 2 would have been optimal, but the size 4 just had too much fabric in it.  Fabrics with a lot of body are better if you have big hips, but on me the size 4 in a heavy textured fabric - looked ridiculous.

I find that I struggle to pick the right size with Grainline patterns.  I'm not sure if I make wrong judgment about what to cut, or if something else is involved.  I recall the Morris fitting me perfectly, but I made so very many Scout tops before I was satisfied with the fit.  The Tamarack jacket was a ludicrous loss and also for some reason I tend to get Grainline patterns on paper so I haven't been able to try another size of the Tamarack since my pattern is somewhere else.  I see other people making really beautiful Tamaracks!