What I Did on My Winter Vacation

I was fortunate enough to have some time off over the holidays and was able to spend a good bit of time playing in the Sewing Cave. I was able to finish several sewing projects and a crochet one as well.

My first project is the third twin set I've made using the Loes Hinse Sweater Set pattern. It's another older one of her patterns that's still on the Casual Elegance site.

A fast make, and I loved how this set came out. This version was made with 2 yards of a rayon blend sweater knit I bought from Casual Elegance last winter. I couldn't resist the chunky knit print on the fine gauge knit fabric!

The sewing was pretty straight forward, following Loes' techniques. I used a combination of a narrow zigzag and serging for assembly, with only a few hand stitches at the hem of the cardigan (as instructed by the guide sheet) and at the center front neckline (not on the guide sheet). I added an additional button and buttonhole to the front placket since my chosen buttons were smaller than the recommended size.

My next project used the OOP Kwik Sew 2565, which I can always count on for a good T-shirt.

I've made a bunch of these over the years, but when you've got a well fitting basic, why re-create the wheel? My most current version was traced off in 2012. It's a combination of sizes, the neckline has been dropped a bit, and I've adjusted the fit due to weight fluctuations (sigh). I like that the pattern has curved side seams and even has bust ease built in, as well as a high cap for the sleeve.

I originally planned to make this T when the weather is warmer since the fabric is a printed knit lace. However, I noticed there was a big pull in the fabric that had resulted in a hole when I was getting ready to put it away. I didn't want to risk any additional damage, so I cut out the T and sewed it without even washing the yardage first. I have better control using the sewing machine when sewing delicate knits like this, so I used a narrow zigzag for assembly, and a wider zigzag for the hems.

The fabric came from Casual Elegance, but since I had this sitting on the cutting table for a couple of weeks before putting it away, I can't say if the fabric was flawed or if kitty paws were responsible. I've always had a good experience when purchasing from them in the past, so I suspect that Smudge is to blame.

I made a couple more pairs of pajama pants from cottons in my stash. These two I bought from the estate of a sewing friend. I have enough of the black print left over to make another project. For the pattern, I used the McCall's 2476 pattern that I've used many times before.

This particular pattern is probably out of print, but the major pattern companies seem to always have a few sleepwear patterns in their catalogs. I've found that most of the pants are very similar to each other. I do prefer a Miss pattern to Unisex ones because I don't need as many adjustments that way.

The last two projects didn't require patterns since they're scarves! The plaid one came from a remnant that a friend of mine gave me, so I'm not sure of the exact fiber content. One side is a plain weave and the other is brushed. I really like it, and it's already seen a lot of wear. The crochet one is just double crochet and is made from reflective yarn from Red Heart. I wear it when DH and I go on our early morning walks. It's warm and since the yarn is bright and reflective, it also adds a bit of safety.

The plaid scarf was originally a large square with fringe on all sides, but I was unhappy with the way it looked. So I re-cut it into a narrow strip, saving some fringe on either end. The long edges are machine sewn.

A close up of the crochet scarf shows the reflective qualities of the yarn a little better. I went with with double crochet throughout and improvised as I went. It's simple and utilitarian, but that's what I was going for.