Pixie blueberry baby hat

 

Well I have wanted to knit this for years!

I made this as a gift for a friend's baby and since I am not going to post a photo of the baby wearing this its just a few pics of the hat itself. I found this pattern free on Ravelry probably about 10 years ago and I always wanted to knit it for someone so given the chance I just had to make this. Its just so cute!

This is the link to the free pattern from Ravelry.  The pattern author tells you how to make a bigger version by adding blocks of 8 stitches and I have to say I am so tempted to make an adult version of this!.

Its aran yarn not baby yarn - I used some I already have and made a blueberry. 

The top has a "stalk" which is an I-cord, which if you do not know what that is do not worry the author tells you exactly how to make that and also there are loads of Youtube videos and its very easy.

So, I have made this for my friend who is having a winter baby and have no one to model it. Though the baby will not be born for a couple of months yet and they do not know what gender it is but hopefully my friend will like this. Because her baby will not be anywhere on social media/ the internet I will not be able to get a photo of her baby with this on so hopefully you can see it well enough in the photos.

I really love how you get a 3D leaf shape at the top. 

This is also very easy and fast to knit so I must recommend this free pattern if you fancy making one, because this is well worth the effort. I think even a beginner knitter could make this. The bottom edge is just stocking stitch which gives it that rolled edge and so has no ribbing. This also makes it adjustable size-wise so it should fit for a while. Being a winter baby will mean this hat will keep the baby warm.

And of course this fits really well with my Faerie theme. Though if made in bright orange instead of purple would work as a pumpkin hat too - the author shows one in orange and one in lilac. This baby is due just before Christmas so Halloween will be well over by then. There are loads of other examples of this pattern on the internet though because its been around for years. I particularly like the strawberry ones but if the baby turns out to be a boy that would be less wearable so I stuck with basic purple and green.

Its also really good for me, because in the last few months I simply have not been able to get motivated at all with knitting. Now perhaps I will because I really liked knitting this little hat.

Thanks for popping by my blog

Bracken

Red star print dress

 

This is made from a free pattern which Minerva Fabrics were giving away. Its the McCalls M7969.

I really should have made this a month ago when we had 40 degC weather, because the weather has cooled since then. This is a perfect lightweight summer dress.

Because my fabric was a bit limited I just did a pretty straight skirt and cut it at a slant - so Asymetrically - because that was how much fabric I had available. I also missed out the frills on the sleeves. Thats really though because I am not keen on over frilly clothing. I would have missed off the sleeve frills if I had loads of fabric to play with.

 

 There are several different views you can make with this pattern and its turned out very nice.

I do not usually go for the wrap top look (unless its actually a wrap top which I am fond of) but because the pattern was free I tried it out and I am surprised how much I really like this dress.

I was a bit worried about wearing the wrap type of front with no camisole under it to hide my undies. But as you can see it doesn't gape even when I move around which did worry me. It stays in place really well so I am very comfortable and will be confident wearing this out and about- though I will need to iron this being as its 100% cotton and you can see it creases. It was actually ironed as I made it but I need to iron again before wear by the looks of these photos. Thats the downside of cotton though.

Despite all my spinning around its still not gaping so thats really good.

I really made this because the pattern was a freebie and I had the fabric already. The fabric was an impulse buy - I cannot even remember what year! So this was a great way to finally use this fabric. I expect to make another version though because I like this and I think it should work with thick tights and boots for autumn as well. It would also work in a wool type of fabric.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the last few days of summer ( or winter if you are the opposite side of the globe). 

Thanks for visiting my blog, 

Bracken

Green longer length ribbed T shirt dress

Its not really my usual style being a longer length but I saw something similar in H&M and loved it so I decided to make my own version. 

I also had another try at mock coverstitch and this worked much better than my previous attempt on my yellow top. Maybe its down to the type of fabric rather than my overlocker?

 

You can just about see it on the raglan seams on this photo.

 Its a kind of decorative stitch you can make with an overlocker. With hindsight I should have just sewn the raglan seams with it but I actually sewed the entire dress with it so that could yet turn out to be a mistake. Its not after 3 wearings so far falling appart anyway.

Well yes its a sack dress really, but its cool enough to wear in September when its occassionally still hot but warm and covered up enough to also work in the wind and rain as the weather changes.

The pattern is the Peppermint Jersey dress that I used for my glitter sweatshirt dress and my blue dresses. I also made a few velvet dresses from this pattern but all the previous versions have hoods and they are all shorter. This time though I lengthened to 35 inches or about 90cm. There is no particular reason for this length other than it used up most of the rest of this fabric meaning my stash is smaller. And ofcourse this is actually inspired by a RTW dress in H&M and that was long.

I never tried on the H&M version so no idea if its the same length but it is a longer length baggy Tshirt style though it had short sleeves. I made these 3/4 length because thats what was left in my fabric bits. The sleeves and neck have a band to finish them off. Hem is single needle sticthes down each side split and then the bottom is twin needle stitched - though I cocked that up. I did the side splits first. I think probably normally you should do the side splits second and hem first and you would get a neater finish.  Still thats for my next version. I am fancying a black one of these for winter.

This will be a nice transitional Autumn/ Fall dress though that will work for warmer days with sandals and nasty colder days too. I reckon thick tights and boots will also work with this.

This dress is made from synthetic ribbing which I used years ago to make this raglan top.

This rather ordinary top turned out to be one of my all time favourite makes. That was back in 2016 so its very old now. And also very worn out. I am currently using it for decorating, gardening etc. Anyway the body is the same green fabric used for this dress which will just about use the rest of this up - which is good because its taking up quite a lot of room! 

I am actually being quite successful this year reducing the size of my fabric stash and am managing to eliminate lots of these half used bits of fabric I have left from the start of my sewing journey when I basically bought large amounts of anything that was cheap. This year so far I bought 2m of fabric back in March and nothing else all year so the stash is really actually going down at last. Its been hard though and I keep seeing such lovely fabric, but I have been strong! 

Probably ths will also look good with a belt.

These days I am far more choosey than when I bought this green piece of fabric - at least usually - though I still get that occassional moment when some shiny fabric just ends up being bought regardless of how useful it will probably really be. 

Like that yellow velvet I recently made some shorts from. I would really like to clear the rest of that out, but winter is coming now and I am not so sure I can handle that brighness in winter. Its hard to handle in summer!

This green fabric is lovely and silky and has a really good drape. Its not actually shiny but does have a sheen from the amount of lycra it contains. Its a kind of olive green rather than khaki in colour. I usually tend more towards khaki but I do love these shades of greens. They are so easy to wear. And being olive green kind of work with my Faerie theme which had been this years clothing look / aim. Recently I have gone a bit off target with the Faerie idea. I think this kind of brings Faerie back in for winter 2022.Especially when I start accessorising with hats and scarves as it gets colder.

 I have no idea of the fibre content of this fabric but it is a very soft, silky, two way stretch so could even have been used to make swimwear. I think this dress will be a nice medium weight addition to my autumn/fall wardrobe because there should still be quite a few warmer days to come yet and this should be perfect and it will not matter when the evening does get a bit chilly due to a combination of the longer length and the three quarter sleeves - I did not have enough to make longer ones but never mind. It works.

Though I definitely want to make a black version of this. Maybe with a bit of lace? I have to see what fabric I have that will work for that because I am still not buying just using up what I already have. Thats a lot of months now with no fabric purchases and it makes me feel very happy not to be continually building up a huge stash we really do not have space to store. Mind you having a stash does mean you can always sew even if you find yourself broke so I do not really want to totally deplete my stash. Just control it.

Have a great weekend and see you soon

Bracken

Blue twist back vest

 

 

I have been meaning to make this design for years. Well I have been meaning to make several knot or twist designs for years but this is the first one I have actually got round to attempting.

   

Its not quite perfect ( see join in knot strap which should not be visible) but I have already cut out the dress version of this, so should perfect the design when I make that one. For a first attempt I am not unhappy and have already worn it several times.

 I decided it was me not Burda who messed up here. I somehow must have traced it weirdly or moved it or something because my neck is off centre ( see above). Its hard to see and most people will probably never know but I do.

 

I made it high low because I happened to misjudge the front cut line for the top!

Still I like high lows.

Its actually my pattern piece that is wrong though ( both back and front pieces - must have been having a bad day the day I traced this one!)

So for the dress version I cut next, I have had to retrace the neck. Strangely when I placed the tracing on top of the pattern sheet the rest of the dress or top is spot on so I must have slipped or something when actually tracing. 

Anyway this is surprisingly easy to make so I will quite probably make a few. Or assuming the weather stays hot I will because the "knot" on the back may not feel so good as a layer in winter but I love the simplicity of this vest top.

I am hoping the dress version will work a bit more symetrically round the neck. Once I get round to finishing it I will show you. Fingers crossed it works.

The fabric was a £1 a metre from Pound Fabrics and is a kind of football shirt fabric so perfect for summer or sport. I had though to make this to go camping because it will be really easy to wash and dry in very basic hand wash conditions, but with the price of fuel now we decided we really had best just stay at home this year. Its not a year for touring in a camper van that is certain.

Pattern is Burda Style magazine style 116 ( dress is 117) from the 05/2016 issue. 

Thanks for visiting,

Bracken