Thursday 15 September 2022

Just more Jutlands

Those camouflage cargo pants I made for P with the stretch drill from Drapers Fabrics and the Thread Theory Jutland pattern went down a treat!

He was very happy for me to suggest an immediate repeat using the other colourway of the fabric.

It's the same size 30 pattern with elastic added to the waistband from the under the front belt loops.

Only this time we raised the cargo pockets up the leg by 2" - they do seem quite knee high even on the pattern model. Although this kid can pretty much touch his knees without bending (monkey arms!) that seemed awkwardly low even for him.


The other change was just to add 1" length at the hem. Not because the others are short on him, but just because it would be nice to have trousers fit for more than a month or two before they come ankle grazers.


The zipper was from my stash via Jimmy's Buttons and a navy button of the right size was easily found. They're not a quick sew with all the pockets and finishing, but they're super satisfying and look so great when finished.


With two new pairs of long pants that fit, I lopped the legs of these, older camo pants to turn them into shorts for summer. But he was still short on shorts. Ha!

Why not use this pattern that was fitting so well and just make some shorts with it?!


I decided shorts should be a bit roomier than the pants, so I split the front pattern piece vertically and added 1" width. Then, at the waist line, near the front pocket I took that width up in a 1/2" pleat.


I eyeballed the length and folded the pattern tissue up to where the knee patch reinforcing is usually placed and cut there. But I didn't get it very square and my inner front leg and inner back leg were not the same length. Once the shorts were constructed I just squared off the hem and so I'm not sure exactly where the length ended up, but it's perfect.

The fabric is a light to midweight stretch cotton drill from the stash and I was given free rein to do whatever I liked, so I chose a light, mustard yellow for the topstitching.


Both of us are really delighted with how well these shorts turned out.


Details:
Pattern: Thread Theory Jutland pants (View B)
Fabrics: Drapers Fabrics stretch drill camouflage and stashed cotton drill 9supercheap?)
Size: 30
Alterations: Added waistband elastic, raised cargo pockets and added length. Shorted and added front pleats width for shorts.


Saturday 3 September 2022

Slip Stitch Party

When I'd finished the Scout Shawl and then the Elvan Shawl, I was casting around (ha!) for what to do next and a cycling/knitting friend suggested she was going to knit the Slip Stich Party shawl during the Tour de France.

I saw the pattern and was excited to start it straight away, so I knitted along to the Criterium du Dauphine in June instead! I gifted it to my mum at the end of June and just managed to visit this week to get some photos.


I used the Knitting for Olive fingering merino that I had so much leftover from the Scout Shawl. All I needed to purchase was one other colour to use with the Marzipan for the main part of the shawl, and chose Olive. I bought two balls and used maybe one and a third.


The technique was much easier than the colourwork of the Scout Shawl, although it took a bit of swatching and concentration to be sure I'd have even tension across the different stitch patterns.


The other question was which colour to use as the dominant colour...
This photo was sent to my mum for her input, and is dated May 1st, so maybe it was Giro d'Italia knit after all.


I was loving the Oliver and Marzipan, and once the other colours came into play I started to wonder if it was too much? They are: Camel, Oatmeal, Dark Cognac and Dark Moose


I've since discovered that photographing pretty much any knitting on my living room rug makes it look great and is an immediate confidence booster.


Finished and blocked on 9th June (Just a few days before the end of the Dauphine Libere race) and delivered that weekend. My mum wore it straight out to lunch the next day and it looked great but no time for photos.

But this week spring had sprung and it was lovely to visit and insist on some pictures in the garden.




Pattern: SSP (Slip Stitch Party) Shawl by Isabel Kraemer
Yarn: Knitting for Oliver merino
Needle size: