Monday dress

I don't often write about my sewing projects but this project was so lovely I just have to share it with you.

What: Monday dress / Kässäkerho Pom Pom
How: Serger and sewing machine
From: Kässäkerho Pom Pom's linen fabrics

The lovely Finnish LYS, Kässäkerho Pom Pom, has nicely started to offer sewing stuff in addition to yarn. They have beautiful linen fabrics and Merchant & Mills patterns. And at the craft fair last November, they released the very first own pattern, the Monday dress. I ran to their booth as soon as the doors opened so I wouldn't miss it.

In addition to the pattern, I bought light blue linen with their own print, Iltapäivä. I pondered for a while should I take this or the pink one. I had seen their own version on Instagram which had a color block at the  hem and I had just the perfect match at home - a silver colored linen.

The dress was super easy to sew. The pattern had exactly two pieces - front and back. And there were only a few seams to sew. The neckline and sleeves were first sewn with a serger and then stitched into place.

I wanted to copy the color block hem so that was one extra seam to sew. I wanted to modify the dress to have pockets as well. I could've just inserted pockets at the side seams but the color block hem was screaming hidden pockets.

I wondered for a while if it could really be this simple and easy and thought this way might lead into some puckering but it turned out so neat! I cut the pattern at the hem and cut the hem from the other fabric. For the front, I added pockets to both the top and the hem (15 x 19 cm). Next time I'll make them a bit bigger and a bit closer to the sides.

All I did to make the pockets was to seam the front top and hem together following the pocket shapes. A bit of ironing made them look neat and finished - and they really are well hidden unless you're like me and hold your hands in them all the time. I shortened the hem a bit and also made the fold bigger than in the instructions to get a good length for myself.

I just love the dress. It's loose and comfy, yet it drapes beautifully and looks flattering on my body. And the best part was how easy it was to make.

Caravan tote

This little knitter has been succumbed by sewing frenzy. It seems that to balance work and free time I need another hobby besides knitting as knitting has become party a job. But since I'm a certified masochist knitter, I don't tend to do free time the easiest way. So I've gone and got addicted to sewing bags.

What: Caravan tote / Noodlehead

How: Sewing machine, Brother PS 53

From: Main fabrics are canvas from Spoonflower and wool, lining is cotton and cotton linen mix, a zipper, leather, metal parts, interface etc.

It all started with this weekend bag. It was such a mindblowing sewing experience that I had to make another one for my mom. Then this fall, I spotted a great backpack on Instagram and made one for myself - and in the process seemed to get half of the Finnish knit scene to make them as well. And since then, I've made three more. But those are Christmas presents so you'll have to wait to see the pics. I also bought another back pattern from the same designer, this Caravan tote which is a tote bag designed especially for knitters.

The annoying thing about sewing is that the prepartions take more time than the actual sewing. I spent half a day cutting the fabrics and ironing interface into place. And then I finally sat infront of my sewing machine ready to start... expect that I needed to change the needle and while taking the old one off I managed to drop it deep inside the machine. So much for sewing. Luckily this has now been fixed, as you can probably tell by the pics with the bag.

Caravan tote is a bag designed for knitters. It has one snap pocket on the outside and one pocket on the inside with eyelets so you can pull your yarn through them. But the coolest thing of all is a zipper pocket hidden on the outside of the bag with a needle pocket inside it. There's also plenty of room for printed patterns and notions.

The bag is huge and can easily accommodate a couple projects. The bag is otherwise oopen but it has a magnetic lock in the middle. I bought such powerful magnetic locks that the hardest part about fastening them was to separate the pieces to begin with. For the handles I used leather I found at a craft fair. There were plenty of leather shops selling excess bits from shoe industry.

The caravan tote was a nice sewing project. There weren't any particularly difficult parts and the result is adorable - not to mention handy! The most difficult part of the project was choosing the fabrics. I was hoping to use left over cottons from my stash but it turned out that especially the zipper pocket needed quite a bit of fabric. This is not a project for the smallest pieces of left over fabrics but I did manage to whip this up with my fabric stash. I only bought the metal parts, the leather and interface. Oh yes, the second most annoying thing about sewing is that you always run out of interface.

The pattern also included instructions for this cutest little project bag to match the tote bag. It is so sweet and just the perfect size for a sock project. It didn't quite fit two skeins but who could blame me for trying.

Knitter's rucksack

How come? Because this backpack can easilly accomodate a huge knitted dress in progress as well as half a blanket's worth of yarn. Not that I bought half a blanket's wort of yarn. Nope, not me. Nu-uh...

What: Range backpack / Noodlehead

How: Sewing machine

From: Linen-cotton from Almandiini + canvas and wool from Eurokangas, metal parts from Kangaskapina

Even though I'm sewing all the time, I've wanted to keep this blog as a knitting blog. But every once in a while I do happen to sew something especially well suited for a knitter - like this backpack.

The whole thing started when I spotted on Instagram that the knitwear designer Joji Locatelli had made this backpack. Right away, I had to find out who designed the pattern for the bag. It didn't take long till I had purchased the pattern not only for the backpack but also for a handbag / project bag, and at the same time I was already adding the metal parts needed to my shopping basket at another web shop. First thing Monday morning I went to my local fabric store to get the lining and canvas, and Tuesday evening, I had my backpack finished. That escalated quickly.

So I spotted a really cute backpack and I knew from experience (I've made a weekend back before) that I can manage this. I knew from my previous bag project where I could buy all the metal parts and fusible interface. I followed the pattern otherwise but just kind of winged it with the interface pieces trying to make them work from scraps. And because of that, I accidentally used the thickest interface for the front of the bag and not the back piece which would have needed it the most. Oh well. And, since I clearly learned nothing from the first bag I made, I repeated my mistake of buying thick fabrics and still adding thick interface to them. My sewing machine was crying a bit but did manage to pull through. Luckily the messiest stitches could be hid inside the bag.

The backpack has a fun cylinder shape. The bottom is sturdy canvas and the main fabric is lovely japanise linen-cotton mix from Almandiini. Because this was a fall project, I definitely wanted to have wool lining. It was a bit too sturdy for easy sewing but helps the backpack keep its shape. The lining fabric was also used for the straps. There's a folded zipper pocket in the front and a small open pocket inside. I was thinking of adding a laptop pocket inside but didn't want to try mods so soon into the project. Hubby ordered a backpack of his own and of course wants a padded laptop pocket - so I will get to make that modification after all.

I really like the shape of the backpack. The cylinder shape makes it possible to fold at different heights - depending on how much stuff you have inside, and the D-link closure is very pretty. The backpack seems much roomier than those store bought ones. Yesterday at the knit night of my LYS, the bag fitted nicely 600 grams knitted dress, two magazines and half a blanket's worth of yarn. Someone might ask if it's sensible to be starting a new blanket when my Beekeeper's quilt has been waiting two years for me to thread in the ends. That someone is politely asked to keep quiet and let me cast on for my new blanket.

I just wanted to add that the pattern was excellent. It had good clear sketches of every stage and I feel the sewing was quite easy. That's good, since I already have two more bags to make for Christmas.

Too cute to bear

I managed to sew something so sweet I can't take it.

What: Alice pleated dress / Bella sunshine designs
How: On a sewing machine
From: Leftover cotton fabrics

I heard my goddaughter has recently been smitten with light colored flower dresses. So I didn't have to think too hard what I could make her for her nameday.

The internet is full of sewing patterns, each one cuter than the other. With knitting, it's obvious that you can find the best ones on Ravelry but when it comes to sewing, I don't really know where to look. Therefore, I decided to go for a designer I've been happy with before. I've made one dress by Bella Sunshine patterns and I really enjoyed the thorough instructions.

I went through all their dress patterns and went with this cutesy Peter Pan collar dress. And this turned out to be the best dress I've made in ages. The pattern was excellent as before, but the sewing worked out perfect as well.

The dress has a fitted top with tiny cap sleeves and a peter pan collar. The pattern has instructions for a pleated hem but as I was working with leftover fabrics, I went with a gathered hem. With the gathered hem all I needed to know was that I had a wider piece than the top of the dress. As a little something extra, I added a lace ribbon.

To top it all off, the dress has pockets! I say, all dresses should have pockets! (If you are interested in the sexist history of pockets, you can read here about the lack of pockets in womens clothing) I am so smitten with this dress that I must make something for my self with a peter pan collar, it's so cute.

One last thing I'm super proud about is the zipper in the back. I can't remember when I last (if ever) managed to get both sides of the top to align so straight next to the zipper. I hope the present fits and gets a lot of wear.