Altitude shawlette

I have finished the first shawl for the 4 ply shawl club.  It is the Altitude shawlette by Brenda Green, here on ravelry.  This is such a pretty pattern and was quite quick too once I became familiar with the pattern.  The yarn is so soft which is perfect against my neck and face.  It is a 50% merino and 50% silk mix, hand dyed by Happy-go-knitty and the colour is Midwinter night.  I have worn it quite a bit already so that shows I love it!

Some lovely things:

My first lovely thing is the pleasure that flowers bring.  I am enjoying the last of our iceberg roses before they have their winter prune.

My second lovely thing is my coffee table.  It is an old oak table that belonged to my grandmother and I inherited it many years ago.  It has been in a sad state all that time, with a very dark stain and lots of marks and blemishes.  Paul recently finished sanding it back and has given it three coats of oil.  Although some of the blemishes still show it now has a golden glow and I think it is quite beautiful.

Wishing you all a wonderful week with time to do what you love, Wendy xx

Lark and Flutter

Over at The Monthly Stitch it is Indie Pattern month with weekly challenges and prizes.  This week it is all about separates and I have completed a Lark maxi cardigan and a Flutter Tunic, both patterns were already in my stash and on my to-do list.

The Lark maxi cardigan is a Jamie Christina pattern and I thought it would be a versatile piece to add to my wardrobe working just as well over a dress.  The fabric I used is a cotton knit with a ribbed pattern.  I made the Medium size, view A and made it exactly to the pattern.  It was the first time I used fusible hemming tape and it certainly made the hems easier to manage.  This was a great pattern to use.

The top I made is the Flutter tunic by Papercut patterns.  I had bought the fabric in February with the intention to make a blouse and finally decided on this design.  It is a sheer polyester I bought from The Fabric Store for $15.96.  I had seen this tunic was worn quite baggy which doesn't suit me so I decided to make it a size smaller than my usual and made a muslin to check the fitting.  I ended up making the small size in the shoulders and sleeves and the medium size for the darts and side seams and shortened the tunic length slightly.  I have a favourite purchased top that is a similar shape and it has ties so I decided to copy that feature.  I simply made long ties and then sewed them to the back seam, sewing a cross for extra strength.  I really love this tunic and I have worn it quite a lot already, layering a merino top under it on the cold days, of which there have been many lately!

Thank you for stopping by here and for your comments, I always appreciate them, Wendy xx

Myrtle and Mary Rebecca

 

Let me introduce the two latest additions to my handmade wardrobe: Myrtle and Mary Rebecca.

Firstly, Myrtle is a Colette Patterns design for knit fabrics.  I have had this pattern in my stash since it was released in July last year so I am pleased to have finally used it.  The fabric I used is a rayon knit bought on impulse at a Spotlight sale for only $22.48!  I am so pleased I got the fabric, it was easy to work with and has such a nice drape.  I made the medium size and added a couple of inches to the length of the skirt.  I didn't manage to match the stripes on the bodice side seams very well but I am so pleased with the matching on the skirt side and back seams.
The only alteration I made was to omit the elasticated waist.  The way the casing for the elastic is made takes length from the skirt and I just didn't want it any shorter plus I wasn't sure the elasticated waistband would suit me.  So my dress is more shapeless than the pattern picture but I like it with a belt.
This was a quick and easy make, taking only about 2-3 hours and the instructions were very easy to follow as Colette Patterns always are.  I would definitely recommend it.

Second is my Mary Rebecca cardigan.  This was a quick make too, taking just over 3 weeks, helped by the 10 ply yarn and 5 mm needles.  The yarn is 100% wool by Quince and Co. bought from Holland Road Yarn company.  It was lovely to knit with and is so warm to wear.  I made it exactly as the pattern apart from lengthening the arms by 2.5".  I stabilized the button bands with gingham ribbon by using this tutorial here.  Mary Rebecca is another pattern I would recommend, nice to knit and I love the look and fit.

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend, Wendy xx