Purl and Seam

handmade in Lancashire

DIY Print Sweater – Helen’s Closet Elliot Sweater V3.0

Please excuse slightly grainy pictures. Lancashire is gloomy at the moment. We need some crisp bright days, please!

My love affair with the Helen’s Closet Elliot Sweater continues.

My blue and black striped sweaters are in almost constant rotation as the weather is so much cooler here. So when I saw this beautiful printed ponte di roma on the Patterns and Plains website, it was a given that it would be another Elliot Sweater.

This pattern is a firm favourite on my list of TNT patterns. I love how it is comfortingly reassuring to wear, yet looks different in each iteration. I sewed this up during the worst of the presidential election. The part when it looked like Trump was about to get a second term. It was soothing to sew something where I didn’t have to work out what the instructions were trying to tell me (looking at you Hot Patterns). And the blue seemed eminently hopeful.

This fabric is just lovely. It’s very cosy and soft to the touch and has great drape. It would also make a gorgeous winter dress or cardigan.

I love how it’s also a versatile colour. I wore it with jeans, as seen in these photos, for a dash around the supermarket this morning, and then with black linen trousers for a hospital appointment in the afternoon. Both looked good. Both felt like secret pyjamas (particularly the linen trousers).

Patterns and Plains is a new to me online store and this was my first purchase from them. Amanda has hit a very sweet spot for me. Her store is a nicely curated selection of plains, stripes and not too loud patterns. The sort of stuff you wear all the time. Especially at the moment when we’re all at home so much so.

As Amanda herself says:

We believe that in order to make a ready to wear type garment, you need to start with a ready to wear type of fabric.. Take a look in the garment stores – a large percentage of garments are in fact made of plain fabric in either classic or the latest on trend colours. There is a smaller percentage of patterned garments but in very specific patterns

Patterns and Plains

The delivery was prompt and nicely packaged. I’ll definitely shop with her again.

This Elliot is the same as the blue striped one except I wanted a slightly longer sleeve again. Unlike the black, I didn’t have enough fabric to cut the full amount of extra length, so I improvised.

I added 1″ to the length of the sleeve pattern, chalked straight onto the fabric. Then I cut 2 rectangles the width of the hem of the sleeve wide (plus a seam allowance) x 4″. I joined them into a circle and folded in half (wrong sides together). Then I just overlocked them onto the end of the sleeve. The resulting bracelet length is just perfect. And I like the additional detail, which makes this Elliot slightly different again from my other two.

I have to say I’m loving using TNTs at the moment. I’m almost ready to drop down a size in this pattern as I’m slowly losing weight. I love being able to just pull a pattern out of the drawer, cut it out and know that it’s guaranteed to fit. You might need to make a few adjustments because of the different hand and stretch in a fabric, but it’s not a full on orgiamifest to make it work.

It’s not to say that I don’t want to just stick to TNT patterns, but after the year we’ve had, I don’t have the headspace for too much technicallity in my knitting and sewing. So this is working for me.

I’ve also sorted a lovely pile of winter worthy fabrics from my stash, and these are a nice mix of TNT patterns and new. With a TNT I can clear the stash more quickly. The new patterns are a bit meatier but not urgent. I’m hopeful that once fitted they’ll also become TNTs but it feels a nice balance.

Hopefully I’ll be back soon with something off that fabric pile. There is a fabric ban in place until this little lot is sewn. That’s a great motivator too!

DIY Hand Knit Socks

It seems a while since I put a pair of hand knit socks up here. I’ve just checked back through the blog and find that it was actually August of last year! Don’t tell Dave. He’s been bemoaning the lack of new socks this year. It seems he has a point!

This pair run true to form for stripes and boldness. And they are probably the only pair he’ll get this year!

For the life of me I cannot capture the correct colour of them. The light here is so grey and flat at the moment. But the top picture is the nearest to reality.

The matching stripe pattern makes me happy. I do so love a good matching stripe!

The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 ply from their Winwick Mum range.

The sock is my usual Regia sock pattern, and it was perfect knitting as we watched the world spiral in the run up to the American election, and the impending second Coronavirus lockdown here in the UK.

I am a bear of such very little brain at the moment. Life for all of us has been so incredibly stressful this year. The global pandemic, and the loss it has wrought, has been beyond the comprehension of all of us.

The American election and the ramifications of it are heartbreaking, even this side of the pond. Sickness, injury, unemployment and the loss of our little business have taken their toll on our little family. So simple knitting and sewing have been a lifesaver.

I am aware that I have significant privilege in the face of these challenges. Dave has secured a new job. The consultant is hopeful for my knee not needing surgery. Although we had a many conversations about selling the house and downsizing during the summer, we were never in the position where we might be homeless. I’ve always been able to put a proper meal on the table.

This has not been the same for every family. And I have other friends who have lost their businesses to Covid. We’ve been lucky.

Most importantly we still have each other.

So these little socks, as well as every project that I’ve completed this summer, seem like little emblems of hope. Hope for wellness and security. For creativity and peace. For a little piece of normality in a very abnormal world.

And hope that whatever is happening in your world, you have an equivalent touchstone. Today feels gloomy both in the UK and the USA, but we have come this far, folks. We can make it!

DIY Cocoon T-shirt – Hot Patterns Blouse-Back Tee

I’ve had the Blouse-Back Tee from Hot Patterns in my stash for sooooooo long and never got around to making it. When I made the Blackwood Cardigans for Beth and myself, I had some of the lovely jersey left over. It seemed a good idea to use that up to trial this pattern.

I’ve spoken recently about trying new styles, and this definitely falls into that category. I have never in my life worn a cocoon style but the financial investment here was so low, again it felt like nothing to lose.

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DIY Sweater and Shorts : Confetti and Vogue V9008

Before I start talking about Confetti and V9008, I just wanted to have a bit of a ramble about style and sewing and shopping. If that’s of no interest, then please just scroll down to the pictures and the reviews. I won’t be offended.

Sometimes I find it really useful to park thoughts and ideas here. Mainly for me, but also because you never know who might be having the same stuff rattling around in their noggin.

My sewing is so hit and miss at the moment. The difference between the Crystal Cove and Ogden Camis in recent posts only serves to highlight that.

I’ve been pondering on this topic this week. I think there are a couple of factors at play. Grab a cuppa, I have thoughts!

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Style Arc Fifi Woven Pant

2020 is the year that just keeps on giving!

Not long after my last post I slipped on a wet floor and took a nasty fall. I broke a big toe and have done something quite unpleasant to my knee. I was in bed for several days, followed by time on crutches. It’s only this week that I’ve been able to get an actual shoe onto my foot. The toe is still buddy taped and the knee is still strapped, and I may need surgery.

But today…..I can wear a shoe and take blog photos. And the sun is shining. So let’s go for it!

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