Today I’m sharing my third and fourth Blackwood Cardigans. This pattern has become a real TNT (Tried N True) pattern for me. I wear cardigans almost every day (all about the layers for me) and my Blackwood Cardigans have been in frequent rotation. Because I wear my first two sweaters all the time, I knew that I'd wear these a lot too. And I already had fabric in the stash so it was a no-brainer to add them to my Winter 2018 sewing list.
I had a small sewing hiatus when I moved house last month and by the time I was ready to get started again, my ongoing mental list of what I wanted to sew had somehow disappeared. I usually have four to five things in my mental queue at all times so it was odd to have nothing come to mind. I went back and looked at my 2017 Make Nine list and even though I have 4 things left to sew, I decided to make a new list for the winter season.
Living in Los Angeles, we don’t get the classic seasons. The months all kind of blend together in endless days of sunshine. There are occasional heat waves in November (records were broken this Thanksgiving!). The biggest change is the amount of daylight during the day and it gets really cold, really fast at night. My winter wardrobe is pretty much pants, boots, cardigans and scarves–things that can be layered and un-layered as needed for the variable temperatures. (In case you missed it, check out my inspiration post here.)
I selected these patterns because they are things that I can wear everyday and/or will be fun to make. I've really enjoyed following Elena's Maker Capsule Wardrobe and while I would not call this plan a capsule wardrobe I do hope that it will mix and match with my existing pieces and be frequently worn. Plus I'm really excited to try a few new patterns and silhouettes because that's just one of the fun parts of sewing clothes.
1) Lander Pants by True Bias
There are so many things to love about this queue jumper – the high waist, the exposed button fly. On my last trip to The Fabric Store I picked up some of this dark denim that I think will be perfect for these pants. (Disclosure: I have an ongoing partnership with The Fabric Store. They give me fabric to play with and post about. However all opinions are my own and I can honestly say that I love their store.)
2) Kalle Shirt Dress by Closet Case Patterns
I bought this pattern along with the sleeve expansion during the recent sale. I love the loose fit, drop shoulder and exaggerated curved hem. I was also thinking about doing an Archer/Alder mashup but it seemed like more work. So a new pattern it is! I have two plaid fabrics, also from The Fabric Store that are the perfect weight for a shirt or shirtdress.
3) Rosa Shirt by Tilly Buttons
The Rosa Shirt is from my Make Nine list and I've had the pattern printed for months. Again, I have a fabric from The Fabric Store that would make the perfect western style button down.
4) Simplicity 3966 (OOP)
Before our latest heat wave it was really cold (for LA) and I somehow got it in my head that I should make a coat. I've had Simplicity 3966 in my stash since it was released in 2006. I love the oversized style and I think making a coat could be fun. The only tricky thing is that I'm allergic to wool and it's really hard to find wool-free coating fabric. I ordered this boucle from Joanns. It arrived this week and I love it but I didn't realize that it has stretch in it and I think it may not work for a coat.
5) Blackwood Cardigan by Helen’s Closet
I've made this cardigan three times (including the fair isle fabric shown above) before and I love it. It's totally a TNT. Perfect for that extra layer of warmth I always need. For the fair isle sweater knit, I made a long split hem variation (tutorial here).
Of course, I'd love to finish sewing all these things in December but realistically it will likely be around February when I actually finish. If ever. Haha! Sometimes the best part is the planning.
About three years ago, I received an email from Caroline Fairbanks-Critchfield of the bog Sew Can She asking me to contribute a small sewing project to a book she was working on. I was so honored to be asked to contribute. After waiting literally for years, today I’m thrilled to announce that the book, Crafty Little Things to Sew, is now available for sale. The book is absolutely gorgeous and the projects in it are really fun and useful. So many of them would make great holiday gifts too. It’s not too early to start planning holiday sewing, right? Plus, all the projects use scraps and fat quarters so they’re great stash busters too!
My project is the Divide & Conquer Drawstring Bag (shown above and page 9 in the book). It’s a circle bottom bag with a divider in the middle and a clear vinyl zippered pocket on the front. When I’m away from my sewing machine, I entertain myself with a small travel-friendly knitting project, like socks or a hat and this bag is the perfect size. It keeps everything organized, prevents the project from getting tangled or mixed up with other things in my bag. I'm really excited that I can finally share this project with you.
The photos in this book are beautiful and there are so many projects that I'd love to make. The instructions are really in-depth and I think there are a lot of techniques you can learn from these projects. Caroline very kindly sent me two copies of the book which means that I get to give one away to one of you! To enter is comment below and tell me your favorite small thing to sew (or just tell me your favorite sewing tool or your favorite color). Make sure you leave your email address or some way to contact in case you’re the lucky winner. This is open world wide and comments will be closed in one week, at midnight Pacific time, Tuesday, October 24, 2017. If you want more chances to win a copy, visit the other blogs in the links below to enter their giveaways. Good luck and happy sewing!
P.S. If you don't luck out, you can buy the book on Amazon right here (affiliate link).
