Tag Archives: idea log

Idea Log: The pre-Spring sweater

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Idea Log: The pre-Spring sweater

Of all my Yarns in Waiting, the one grunting at me most impolitely from the shelf is that skein of bright green Andorra from late last year, and as it happens, I’m also in the mood for some color — especially all of the greens — as we head toward Spring. I was originally thinking this one might become an old-school, oversized, V-neck sweater vest with wide ribbing at the neck and armholes. I still really like that idea, but somewhere along the line — probably due to the mohair content of the yarn — a slightly retro little pullover wandered into my thinking. I have in mind that my next pair of toddler pants will be made with the more tailored fit of my camo pair combined with a slightly straighter, narrower, longer leg. And I like the idea of these two shapes together, especially with flat boots for transitional weather. The shape of the sweater is not entirely unlike my lopi version, but more fitted and much lighter fabric, which I would be hoping is enough to offset the warmth of the mohair.

It popped back into my mind again last week after I posted that insane Sacai sweater/dress mashup. I was studying the sweater part of it thinking I wannnnt that … and wondering if maybe my little green mohair sweater needs some cables. And then along came Francis in the comments, saying it reminded her of Julie Hoover’s Hatcher pattern, which I’d somehow completely forgotten about, even though I’ve tried it on! So now I’m picturing something in between all of these things …

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PREVIOUSLY in Idea Log: Cocoon cardigan

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Idea Log: Cocoon cardigan

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Idea Log: Cocoon cardigan

In addition to everything I talked about yesterday, there’s one more idea rolling around in my head that won’t let go. I have this wool coat I got at Elizabeth Suzann’s sample sale a couple years ago (no longer available; you can see it on me here), and it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever owned. It just slides right on over everything, with its cocoon shape and dolman sleeves. So cozy and easy, and makes you look fabulous no matter what you throw it over. I actually wore it all summer at Fringe HQ (before we got control of our climate, finally!) and I find myself wanting a sweater version to snuggle up in through the winter. I even already have a swatch! What I’m envisioning is sort of in between the ES coat and something like Cirilia Rose’s Gezell Coat — less long and maybe slightly less voluminous than my coat, but with the stand-up collar and dolman sleeves. And pockets. But of course I still also want the sweater that swatch was originally envisioned as. Actually, I want about four sweaters with that yarn, but I think this idea might ultimately be the winner.

I haven’t searched for patterns, but it wouldn’t be hard to make up. If you happen to know of a similar pattern, though, let me know!

(Fashionary sketch templates from Fringe Supply Co.)

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PREVIOUSLY in Idea Log: Big pleated top

Idea Log: Big pleated top

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Idea Log: Big pleated top

With that back-to-school feeling in the air, I’m full of ideas about what I want to make for fall! As I said the other day, I really am trying not to get ahead of myself, but there’s a shirt in my head that I want to record so maybe it’ll leave me alone for a quick minute — but which I think will be the workhorse of the season for me. It’s weirdly and tangentially inspired by a lot of things: Studio Nicholson‘s way with volume, the fall Zara men’s lookbook, the ghosts of garments past. It’s sleeveless, mandarin-collared, a bit oversized on top and voluminous on bottom, perfect on its own or layered under all sorts of things. And while if it works out, there will be more than one, the first will be in that navy-ivory menswear striped remnant bundle I’ve been mulling for two years now.

My plan is to simply modify Grainline’s Alder shirtdress pattern — shortening it and straightening the hemline, leaving off the collar, using Acher’s big pockets, and trading in the gathers for wide pleats. All the more motivation to finish up my Archer.

p.s. I’m pretty sure those are also my army-green pants for SoB 3

(Fashionary sketch templates from Fringe Supply Co.)

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PREVIOUSLY in Idea Log: Side pocket pants

Idea Log: Side pocket pants

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Idea Log: Side pocket pants

I’m fixating on an idea that might not even be a good idea, I don’t know, but I can’t stop running scenarios in my brain. The final pick for my third Summer of Basics Make-along piece remains undecided. I still want it to be some kind of simple pants, but can’t quite decide what exactly. And of course I’m complicating matters by dreaming and scheming something that would require pattern work on my part, rather than just picking a pattern from the thousands out there. But the idea I’m locked onto at the moment is a pants version of Purl Soho’s Gathered Skirt for All Ages. (Which I’ve made twice unsuccessfully, in different ways — here and here— through no real fault of the pattern.) As we head into fall, my top sartorial priority is figuring out the cool-weather version of my black linen pants I’ve been wearing nonstop since April, so that’s what I want: easy, wide-legged, elastic-waist pants, but in a nice flannel or melton. (I have a lot of charcoal melton at my disposal.) And I love the pockets on that skirt. So I’m trying to work out how to pattern that. This is all slightly complicated by the fact that I’ve never sewn pants so don’t have any reservoir of knowledge or experience to draw on as far as pattern modification. But here’s what I’m thinking:

Couldn’t I take a really simple elastic-waist pants pattern — such as Sonya Philip’s Pants No. 1 — join the front and back pieces into one big flat wraparound piece, and from there work out how to carve out the center strip for the side panel/pocket? Or maybe those pants are square enough, straight-sided enough, that it would be even more straightforward than that to figure it out.

The real question is whether I have enough time for this little project to be part of my SoB 3 … I still have a lot to do on my fisherman and my Archer.

UPDATE: Savvy commenter @jddietrich has pointed to the Tofino Pants from Sewaholic that look like they could be the perfect starting point for this.

(Fashionary sketch templates from Fringe Supply Co.)

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PREVIOUSLY in Idea Log: Indigo kimono jacket

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Idea Log: Indigo kimono jacket

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Idea Log: Indigo kimono jacket

Two years ago, at the late-lamented Stitches South, I bought a piece of African indigo cloth from Veronika of YOTH. I posted a pic of it on Instagram, and got an incredible range of suggestions for what to do with it (including making a window shade, which would be amazing), but I’ve always pictured it as a kimono. A few weeks earlier, I had seen this photo of Ariele Alasko in an indigo kimono, followed shortly by a reference to this older tutorial for a quickie kimono, and the universe seemed to be trying to tell me something. I studied the dimensions in the tutorial and my fabric, did some diagramming and adjusting, and came within inches of cutting it … but my scissors literally hung in the air above the fabric, my brain unable to convince my hand to clamp the blades down on it. That “pattern” is the sort of thing where you just sew two pieces of fabric together halfway up the back, and the slit becomes the back of neck. It would be a fun and defensible thing to do with a less precious piece of fabric, but I knew I’d regret doing it with this. I wanted a proper garment. And was pondering pockets, of course. Always with the pockets. So I decided to wait, and think on it, and see if the desire would fade.

Meanwhile, it’s mostly been draped over the daybed in my living room, where Darla has enjoyed shedding on it liberally. Thankfully, it washes up beautifully!

The whole plan sprung back into my head in the past few days due to encountering two images on the web, again in close proximity: One being Liesl Gibson’s new Butterick B6464 kimono pattern; the second being this quilted linen kimono jacket by 7115 that is really just too good for words. (I mean: Quilted. Linen. With those pockets? Must have.) So now I’m fantasizing about tinkering with Liesl’s pattern a tiny bit, drafting some big pockets, and finally turning this bit of cloth into the kimono I’ve been dreaming of. Just need to figure out if there’s enough of it … and if I remember how to sew.

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PREVIOUSLY in Idea Log: Cowichan-style cardigan, take two

Idea Log: Cowichan-style cardigan, take two

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Idea Log: Cowichan-style cardigan, take two

Speaking of colorwork and my desire to do it more regularly, there’s a sweater idea I want to put a(nother) pin in for 2017 — a cardigan I’m pretty much never not thinking about. It’s partially the J.Crew sweater from my last Idea Log of 2015, which has been taped up next to my closet door ever since, and part Andrea’s vest from the Cowichan KAL, and part this sweater seen on Nashville leather-goods maker Annie Williams (photo by my friend Melody who shares space with Annie). Over time they’ve mashed up in my head into the sketch above. It was one of my many concept sketches for the Top-Down Knitalong, but it seemed wrong to do another Cowichan-inspired sweater for that. (And I’m so happy with the direction I went!) But like I said, this one is always on my mind. Hopefully some version of it will be on my needles before the year is out.

(Fashionary sketch templates from Fringe Supply Co.)

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PREVIOUSLY in Idea Log: Three easy (Kayne-style) pieces

Idea Log: Three easy (Kayne-style) pieces

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Idea Log: Three easy (Kayne-style) pieces

Among my pile of prettily bundled shirting remnants I bought last summer is one bigger, heavier-weight roll of striped cotton duck. When Seamwork released their Moji pants pattern last year, I began fantasizing about sewing up a pair in this fabric, with a widened lower leg. I haven’t done it yet because A) I don’t sew pants, and B) I’ve heard conflicting reviews of that pattern. But ever since I saw these pics from Jenni Kayne’s Resort 2017 collection — the striped pants with matching sleeveless tunic and raglan pullover sweater — I haven’t been able to get any of it out of my head. I have no idea what the top of the Jenni Kayne pants looks like (probably not drawstring and patch pockets, who knows) and I’m guessing they’re silk or some such (not like my utility fabric) but regardless when I saw the photo my first thought was “my striped pants!”

The tunic is a lot like the modified Wiksten tanks I made last summer — in which I had raised the neckline, lengthened the body and made it more A-line — only pushed just that much further. The upper part looks to me a lot like Grainline’s new Willow Tank, and if you were to graft that onto the lower half of Liesl’s Gallery Tunic (or, again, a wide tunic-length placement of the Wiksten hemline) you’d have this very top. Granted, my fabric might be too heavy for it.

And then there’s that navy tunic-length sweater. It’s the simplest, most basic of raglans and one could easily improvise it from the top. Just make sure you start out with an odd number of stitches for the back and the sleeve tops, put 5 or 7 stitches in each raglan seam, and work the whole thing in 1×1 rib (or fisherman’s rib, if you’re feeling fancy).

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PREVIOUSLY in Idea Log: The cinched shift, take two