My first socks

Up until now I have avoided knitting socks, mainly because I don't like knitting with dpns, and I couldn't find any beginner's patterns written for magic loop.
Ebay to the rescue yet again! I found these 11" circular needles on ebay and thought I'd give them a go.
I used Silver's Sock Class, adapted the numbers for the Lincraft Hot Socks yarn and size 3 needles (the smallest I could find in the 11" circulars). They turned out cute! I wish it was cool enough to road test them, to find out if they're under foot scrunchers, or if they're droopers, and I need some hat elastic under a turned down cuff. Remember that? I always had welts from hat elastic under my knees. Elastane has sure changed the knee sock world.
I have now bought size 0, 1 and 2 addi turbo 12" needles on ebay so I can make socks with teeny stitches.

Wool Knit (not thick knit) TripFit

Tripfit #2 - another black knit skirt, but this one is in a lighter wool knit (I think it is wool; I got it from the Vietnamese lady on Smith St, and she didn't know what it was made of. I did a burn test and it smelt like burning hair and wouldn't keep a flame, so I think it is wool).

This is a super easy pattern - three pieces (one front, two backs) with a nice fishtail effect. It's meant to be cut on the bias, but I didn't because it was knit. It has an elastic waistband, but not one of those bunchy ones - it is nice and smooth. It is McCalls 3296, now out of print

Being black, it doesn't photograph well, but here is the best pic I could get of the back.

I like it. I might go back during the week and get some more of this to make a wrap top-jacket thing as this has a nice drape. For $3/m, I'm even happier!

Elvis lives, er, knits!

This is getting a little repetitive

Made a green one.
I rushed out and bought a loop turner at Spotlight after Moggy told me of their existence. Saved me many a curse word turning those thin straps.

Wanted!

Have you seen this beret?

Looks like a mug shot, no?

Yup. Made a grey one.

Same as the black one, went up a needle size so it's a bit slouchier. Cleckheaton country 12 ply, my Denise Interchangeable needles size 9 for the ribbing, size 10 for the stockinette and magic loop to finish.

Look, I knit a beret

Free pattern available from Knit and Tonic. It's called Le slouch, although mine didn't slouch very much. I'm not going to gauge swatch for a beret; I'm rebellious that way. I like it like this, and maybe I'll make a grey one and go up a needle size so it is more slouchy.

It's only a matter of time...

...before I start posting photos of myself in my smalls on the internet. I nearly did with this slip I made today, because it has given me faith that I can sew a flattering silk slip.
I looked through all my slip patterns (ie 4) and they were all cut on the straight grain. What the...?
This pattern sternly warns it is for "Knit Fabrics Only!" , but cutting view 1 on the bias did the trick. The magic of bias wins the day.
It's mauve 100% silk from Rathdowne Remnants in Melbourne, again. I think I'll make a green one too.

Wool jersey disco frock

So I had some time off this afternoon, and I have been thinking about a long sleeved wool jersey frock. So I made one.
I used this pattern again, view B, and added the blouse sleeves from this pattern, which I took in a little as they were a bit, well, blousy.
It looks a bit plain without the belt, and a bit studio 54 with it!
Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Slip up

I made this slip from some gorgeous silk I bought in Melbourne, at Rathdowne Remnants. I used Simplicity 4352, a 1940s pattern, view 1.
It's not cut on the bias, but the instructions said a side opening was 'optional'. I was happy to find I could get it on without an opening. Unfortunately I had to unpick the side to get out of it, so I ended up having to put an invisible zip in. I can live with that.
The problem is, it's extremely unflattering on me. Perhaps due to not being cut on the bias, it clings rather than skims and is quite a horrible shape on. I persevered thinking that some stretch lace might make it prettier.
Ugh, all the lace did was make the sides gape horribly under the arms.
Sigh. It didn't take long to make, thankfully, and I have about 2.5 metres of the pretty green silk left, so if I can find a better slip pattern I will try again. Anybody have any tried and true bias cut slip patterns to recommend?

Schoolmarm sassy

I made the blouse yesterday, from Butterick 4985, in cotton with little apples on it from Spotlight. I changed the sleeves, as I always seem to do. I didn't want the fluttery sleeves or the big puff sleeves. Today I made another pull on knit skirt, this time in lovely schoolmarm grey. Is 'marm' a word on its own? Or does it only go with 'school'? Hmm, might have to look that one up.

LBD

When I was in Melbourne last week, my friend S showed me an adorable little black dress she has. We hatched a plot to copy it. This is what I came up with, and - yay for the first project for my new sewing machine.

I used this pattern, view A, using a french thierry, which is like a very thick cotton jersey, almost trakky daks material. I left the zip out as it is stretch fabric and didn't need it. I left the back darts in by accident, but it turned out I needed them to give the 60s shift a little shape. I had to take the dress in quite a lot to get the fit I wanted. I also added little sleeves from another pattern. I changed the neckline gathers to four pleats, as per the inspiration dress.

I made the collar as the pattern dictated, but the close up shows it pinned to make an approximation of the bow thingy which is on the inspiration frock. I'm still deciding whether to tack it down like that permanently.

Sewist!

Someone got a new sewing machine for Christmas!
It was delivered today yay!
Here is a little photo essay of her arrival and, first one-step buttonhole! (and look! I made a styrofoam stonehenge!)