Summer Shorts

I seem to be on a shorts-making kick.

These are shorts #110 from the June, 2016 issue of Burdastyle.

Burdastyle 06-2016-#110

The pattern includes a cute tie-waist feature, which I omitted. I don't usually wear my tops tucked in when it's shorts weather and I thought the tie would poke out below my shirt, spoiling my smooth lines.

Omitting those tie bands turned out to be more complicated than I had blithely assumed. There's a lot of folding and pleating that goes on with that waistband. I ended up moving the zip to the back, just so I wouldn't have to figure out which markings were all about the integrated ties and which were about the fly.

I'm sure I made those changes more complicated than they needed to be. I ended up having to recut the waistband to get it to fit the top of the shorts. Twice. And then I took the waist in about 1.5 inches after the shorts were finished; otherwise I could pull them off without unzipping.

They're still riding a little lower than I thought they would, though in reviewing the photoshoot in the magazine, it does look like you can see the model's bellybutton. Sometimes Burda will tell you in the pattern instructions where the waist will end up; sits 3 cm above waist, and so on. This pattern was silent on that issue.

The magazine shows them in two lengths, Bermudas or Short-shorts. As a senior citizen, short shorts are not in my repertoire. And as a short person, neither are Bermudas. So I aimed for a length someplace in-between.

Rear view. Looks like I could use a flat butt adjustment, huh?

I used a Kaufman cotton with a bit of texture to it. Maybe it's a cotton jacquard? It's a dark brown with tiny little raised diamonds that are a more golden color. I had lusted after it for months and finally cracked and bought the last 2 yards at a recent Hart's flash sale.

All in all, I think these shorts are edging close to a fail. I wish the waist were a little higher, and I wish the pleats draped a little more. Most of this (if not all of it) is my fault. As far as I used it, the pattern was nice. I do still like the pleats, even though they're a little "Roman gladiator" in this weight fabric. The shorts are comfy as all get out, and the width at the hem means they're cool and breezy to wear.

I think I'll end up enjoying them when our real hot weather hits. Would I make them again? Maybe. Though I have my eye on another shorts pattern from the July Burdastyle.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

in the Pink

Gosh, I finished another knitted object!

This is Pink, from Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard. It's just about the most straightforward sweater you can imagine knitting. Top down raglan with a V-neck; a wardrobe staple.

Front view. No shoes again,  how embarrassing.

It's knit from some cotton yarn I got ages ago at one of my favorite knitting stores in Grass Valley. The store is no longer there. Very sad.

I had started another sweater with this yarn and then set it aside for, oh gee, maybe 8 years or so. I found it while tossing the stash in preparation for a knitting retreat last fall. I decided I didn't like the original project much, so I ripped it out and looked for something else I could do with 600 yards of cotton yarn.

Back view

Why do I always buy 600 yards? Why do I think that's enough to make much of anything? That's why I have so many sleeveless sweaters.  Which is OK, I guess, considering I live on the Central Coast, where long sleeves are rarely required.

Well, 600 yards wasn't quite enough to finish up this sweater. I ended up needing to buy another hank of cotton to add the ribbing and finish the neck. I took the daring step of getting a contrasting color. Actually, I had to be daring because there was no way on God's green earth that I was going to be able to find another skein of my original yarn. Especially since I hadn't kept the ball bands, so I have no idea who made it or what it's called.

As it turns out, I like the contrasting navy bands, so all is well.

I would happily recommend this pattern to a new knitter. The gauge is 4.5 stitches to the inch, so it moves along pretty fast, and it doesn't ask for any tricky stitches or techniques. Plus you can do the whole "try on as you go" thing that top-down knitting allows.

I'm thinking of casting on Beatnik to take on the train with me to Washington State in August. Kind of a big leap in complexity, huh? I'll let you know how it comes along...

Rectangle Tee

Even Burdastyle lovers will complain when they try to pass off a couple of rectangles seamed together as a pattern. I'm a hard core Burdastyle fan, but I've got to admit that BS 06-2016-#101 (Oversized Sleeve Shirt) looks like you could draw it up yourself with a straightedge in 5 minutes. But, gosh darn it, when you look at them, these are really nicely drafted rectangles!

BS 06-2016-#101

See how there's just a bit of curve at the sides, right by the arm pit? And again across the bust at the front?

Somehow that gives this top just enough shape to escape the gravitational pull of Planet Boxy.

Yet it's still a super-easy sew. Four pieces, finish the neckline and you're done.

Rear view

I used a hunk of black knit that had been in stash for several years. It feels like a cotton/poly mix and it has a texture kind of like Izod polo shirts; you know, with little holes in it and enough weight to kind of hold its shape. Not much stretch either, but since one of the fabrics Burdastyle recommends for this pattern is sweat shirting, I figured I could get away with it.

Side-ish view

I want to try this top again with a drapier fabric. Burda shows it in stripes, with the stripes on the sleeves running horizontally and the stripes on the body running vertically. I have a piece of jersey with teal and white stripes and I'm determined to to get this top out of it.  I think I'll have to shorten the sleeves quite a bit to make it work; those cut-on sleeves use up more fabric than you might suppose.

I wore my new top with a knit pencil skirt (from Gertie Sews Vintage Casual) to my friend Lisa's birthday/retirement party and felt just a bit gussied up but still comfortable enough to eat massive quantities of chips and dip.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

City Gym Shorts

Here's a quick summer project:

Business in the front

These are the City Gym Shorts, a free pattern from Pearl Soho. They describe the pattern thusly: 

Designed with a classic tulip hem and an easy elastic waist, these shorts have all the comfort and ease of traditional exercise gear but with way more style! 

Party in the back!

I wouldn't call them hard-core exercise gear. No pockets, for one thing. What's a girl to do with her keys? 

They are straightforward to put together, though, and they come out looking fairly stylish. I think that's partly because  they have a lower rise. My earlier version of simple elastic waist shorts (Burdastyle 06/2014 116a) came up to my true waist, where the elastic created a fairly bulky, crumpled paper bag effect. The City Gym Shorts sit about 3 inches below my waist, or about 1.5 inches below my belly button.

Straightforward doesn't mean trouble free. The waistband was a bit of a fiddle, but I think it comes out looking pretty RTW. You end up with the one-inch elastic plus 5 layers of fabric wrapped around the top. In a lightweight woven, this finish feels nice and substantial. It could be a nightmare in a heavier fabric.

The tulip hem is cute and gives you a nice range of motion. The instructions have you finish the hems with bias tape, which was the most technically demanding part of the whole process for me. But I did like the way it looks, once I got 'er done. 

The pattern is intended for lightweight wovens, which means you can have fun sifting through your scraps. I used the remnants from my Wave Dress.  

I think the pattern delivers a pretty close fit. I made the size suggested for 35-37 inch hip, and they feel good, but if they were any snugger, I'd have to shimmy to get them on. I'd suggest measuring the flat pattern before you commit to your size.

I don't think I'll be wearing them for running, but for an easy bike ride, or a trip to the gym to lift weights, they'll be just the ticket. I can also report they work well for lounging around the yard, sipping a cooling beverage.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

Cabaret Raglan

And now, for something completely different, a knitted FO:

This is the Cabaret Raglan, by Norah Gaughan. Looks like it was originally published in Interweave Knits back in summer of 2004. Apparently, I don't like to jump right on a knitting pattern when it first comes out. I like to let it marinate for a bit; let a few hundred other people work out the kinks for me.

This is Norah's version from back in the day

I have always liked this pattern though, so a few months ago I decided to dive in. A recent tossing of the yarn stash has reminded me that I have a few sweater-length lots of yarn that I really like and it would be swell to convert them into something useful.

I used some Rowan All Seasons Cotton that I got at the Yarn Dogs closing sale many moons ago. It's nice and soft and sweat-shirty; just right for this top, I think.

I made the smallest size (36.5 bust), which just about used up my 650 yards. The yarn was just a little bit beefier than worsted weight. Does that translate to aran? Anyways, it produced the 17 stitches to 4 inches that the pattern called for.

This was my first time knitting a bottom up raglan. I deviated from the instructions by knitting the body in one piece up to the arms, then dividing and knitting the front and back. I went ahead and knitted the sleeves flat though; I think I'd rather seam than fiddle with two circulars or magic loop or whatnot for  those two stinking little tubes. I've been converted by a recent Mason Dixon Knitting post. I also added a little bit of waist shaping.

Here's a closer look at the pattern on the front. I kind of like it. There's a bit of yarn-overing and a few tiny traveling cables. Enough to liven up the stocking stitch a bit. I was worried that the lacy bits would be low enough to put my bra on display, but it sits just high enough to save me from that embarrassment.

This was a pretty quick knit. It's a straightforward pattern at a pretty large gauge. If you're looking to bang out a sweater, or if you want to give a first try to a bit of cables or lace, I recommend it!

Two Piece Dressing

Regular readers may remember that I had an experience with Shopping Under the Influence several months ago at Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove. One of my buys was three yards of fish fabric.

Fish fabric with background octopus

I'm kind of a sucker for fish patterned fabric. Well, fish patterned anything, really. I used to keep aquariums when I was younger. I had a Geophagus jurupari who would swim up to the glass and wag his tail at me, asking for worms, which he would eat from my fingers. The green fish in this fabric kind of reminded me of him. And when I saw the octopus in the background, I was a goner. I just finished reading The Soul of an Octopus, and I'm now half-way in love with octopuses.

I thought three yards would be plenty of fabric to make a dress, but it turned out to be more challenging than I'd expected. For one thing, the print is large and directional. For another, the fabric was 45 inches wide. Plus, how often do I really need to be wearing a fish dress? But a fish top and a fish skirt, now that would give me some options.

Front view, casually styled with no shoes

I wanted to avoid slicing sea creatures into bits unless absolutely necessary, so I hunted for patterns with a minimum of construction details.

For the top, I ended up using one of the views of McCall's 8050, which claims it offers "9 Great Looks, 1 Easy Pattern." I used View F; cut on sleeves and no darts. Then I whacked my remaining fabric into two equal lengths and fiddled around with pleats to come up with a matching skirt. 

Back view

I like them pretty well together, even though it does look like a lot of fish.

Side view

Plus, I can wear the top with jeans or what have you.

And the skirt with other tops. Though I'll have to do some thinking to come up with tops that go with schools of fish, backed up with octopuses.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

And here is a bonus picture of Eartha, currently my only fish. She's a very personable little soul. She blows kisses at the surface when she wants her breakfast. We've had her for about four years now. I'm hoping she says with us as long as Snapper, her predecessor. We had him for 16 years before he died. Possibly from boredom, which is why I have a rotating series of plates I set up for Eartha for intellectual stimulation.

Eleonore Jeans, Take Two

I made my first pair of Eleonore jeans in February. I've worn those pants quite a lot. They're so easy to hop into, and they have such a high comfort factor. Bike riding, hiking, mopping floors, gardening or slouching in the recliner; they hit the sweet spot. Their only real downside is that the stretch twill suiting I used is a total dog hair magnet. The Great Pyrenees fuzz literally flies up off the carpet to cling to them.

Worn here with a Kirsten kimono tee and a Honey cowl

So I hauled out my precious piece of stretch denim and pumped out Eleonore #2. And I like them even more than Eleonore #1.

Back view, with hand in functional pocket

This fabric is a tad heavier and snappier than the previous pair, and the surface is much less attractive to fluff and fuzz.

Side view

This time I left off the faux front pockets. Sewing those two opposing curves together was a little more trouble than I was willing to go to for non-functional pockets. I did keep the faux front fly, though. It's so easy to do that little bit of topstitching, and it makes it clear that these are Jeans, dag nab it, not yoga pants. Even though you could totally do yoga while wearing them.

My friend, Lucy, made some Elonores with some stretch denim from Emmaonesock that she says is the bomb. I just ordered a whack of the mocha color, because I need me another pair of these pants.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.