Making Miscellany 3:3
Easy wins
Hello, hello!
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
How are you doing on this last day of March? I’ve run into the above Charles Dickens quip— from Great Expectations, the internet tells me — several times this month, and it’s stayed with me: what an accurate description it is. I began the day huddled in a thick woolly jumper walking down the canal, with only the exhuberant twittering of the birds reminding me that it was, in fact, spring. By this afternoon, I sat, sweating a little in the same wool jumper, knitting happily in the sun at my daughter’s sports lesson.
March is such a transitional month, and my crafting too, has felt a bit transitional; lots of ideas and plans, but no big new projects, no unifying focus. But there have been some easy wins … and that’s always a good thing!
First win. I finished a Love Note for my biggest wee one, which she chose to put straight on for school the next day (I tried to play it cool). Then I immediately cast on another Love Note for my littler wee one, using some lovely stashed yarns. Finished and accepted hand knit, reusing a pattern, making use of stash yarn: win, win, win.
Now that the lace is done on this chlorophyll Love Note, my needles are full of endless stockinette … perfect for picking up and putting down at lessons, playgrounds and catch up with friends. On the go knitting: win!
Those little grey socks are some ruffly shorties from Summer Lee Knits, using another deeeeeep stash (we’re talking 10+ years old) yarn. I love the little tweed flecks, and I’m hoping to have the pair done ahead of Woolly Good Edinburgh this weekend (because obviously, a great wool festival calls for great new socks).
And speaking of Woolly Good, the looming excitement of the festival inspired me to do some garment sewing … my next easy win, transforming a linen dress I found myself no longer reaching for into a skirt. I really liked the length of the skirt once I removed the bodice and decided that, rather than trying to piece together a waistband, I’d use some visible waistband elastic. It’s not as tidy looking as a fabric waistband, but it’s functional and comfortable — win, win! (If you’re curious what the dress looked like, you can take a trip back in time and see.)
And them, I used some fabric from the bodice in new blocks for my my slowly growing scrappy quilt, win!
I also got around to cutting and sewing a Nikko Top I’ve been thinking about for several months. I wouldn’t say the cutting was easy, or a win — the slinky rib fabric asked questions of me for which I had no answer. I nearly left off making the top, but in the end, decided a slightly skew-with top was better than no top at all, crossing my fingers that the stretchy rib would be a bit forgiving. I’m delighted to say my gamble paid off. And the lettuce hem on the cuff and body is the easiest of wins on today’s list. Minimal effort, maximum pleasingness, all done on the overlocker with no twin needle drama or other hemming knits shenanigans to contend with (iykyk). All wins!
And since it now seems that my sewing motivation is completely tied with trips or occasions, I am contemplating a quick (I laugh — sewing is never quick for me!) pair of trousers before our trip north of the border this weekend. I’m tossing up between a reliable easy win — tried and true Bob Pants — or trying out another elastic waist trouser pant in my pattern collection. With the perhaps misplaced confidence of someone with a few wins under her proverbial belt (because in actual fact, I don’t currently have a belt … it’s on my “to make” list!), I’m leaning toward trying something new. What could go wrong? Tune in next month to find out!
What have your wins, hard fought or easy, been this month? I’d love to hear in the comments.
Til April!
Katherine