Best Of - Scout Tee

My first four Scout Tees

Yesterday's post was headed with an image of a Scout Tee but I'm so excited about this top I just had to run with it today also. Today's Best Of is the Scout Tee that came out of Grainline Studio a few years ago. We ran a workshop on this tee at our September 2014 Retreat - always a pretty good indication of my love of something - but this has to be one of my all time favourite grownup patterns. I have four in my wardrobe that are everyday clothes for me, and there are now hundreds of versions of it on the web for you to peruse for inspiration*. They are now my goto top, as an alternative to the knit t-shirts of my younger years. 

As always - let's talk about why I have such a deep love for it.

But quickly before we do let's have a quick chat about today's photos. Please be aware these shirts are not shown in their best "light" - I just don't want to put you off. It was a last minute decision to talk about them today, mainly because I am so excited by my new one. The light was fading. I haven't ironed them. I asked my partner to quickly take the photos, as they were tricky for me to capture with my normal mirror tricks. He was cooking dinner at the time and did a small amount of c@#^#$@ing. The Nani Iro blue/green stripe one is caught on the singlet I have underneath, and is stuck on the left boob giving it a weird shape but I couldn't get another photo. I did my best under the circumstances ;).

Nani Iro Size 6 (so 10 Aus). 

Grey check from Tessuti I think in a Size 8 (so 12 Aus).

Flattering to nearly everyone.

I have seen this made up by people of many different shapes and sizes and it seems to suit most people. It fits really well around the shoulders - if you get the sizing right - and has a slight a-line flare to it that skims over your middle without swamping and it covers the I've-had-three-babies-squishyness. I love the shape. 

Sizing is forgiving

The Nani Iro stripes on the left is a size 6 (so 10 Aus) and the grey is a size 8 (so 12 Aus). While the grey one is actually too big across the shoulders, it still fits and looks great, I think in part because the fabric is very light, but also because of the forgiving nature of the pattern. I now make a 6. 

Comes together quickly and easily

There are no darts or buttons or zips or anything tricky at all really. A front, back and two sleeves. Sew the front to the back, put binding around the neck, insert the sleeves, hem the sleeves and hem the bottom. I can make one in a couple of hours and get years of joy. What is not to love.

Great for beginners

Due to the "comes together quickly and easily" point, it is great for beginners. Jen has put up a wonderful tutorial on her site about how to do the neck binding that I recommend for any binding anywhere. Understitching is the ace-est bit of sewing you may ever do. This is the method I now use when making the Wiksten Tank for the neck and the sleeves. No rolling and perfectly flat. If you are a beginner just remember to tuck the raw edge all the way to the seam line. This gives you an even binding all the way around the neck. 

Inside out to show you the spectacular binding.

Finished beautifully

Due to the binding. And you can easily french seam the sides if you want to. 

Easily modifiable.

I now modify mine to suit my personal preferences. I like a slightly less square neckline which means that I move the neckline at the shoulder seam about a cm or so towards the arm. A very simple adjustment. I then measure the extra bias I would need by measuring the existing neckline and my new neckline and calculating the difference. The bias for my altered version is normally about 2cm more. 

On the last one I made I made it a tad shorter after seeing Belinda's (beautiful Nani Iro) version at The Craft Sessions. I chopped about 1inch off the bottom which seems to work better on me as I am only 5' 4.75" tall. And longer sleeves using Jen's tutorial. I am totally loving this sleeve length. It looks "modern" :). 

Awkward pose to show you how nice the sleeve cap is.

My liberty version was different again as I made a longer dress-length one that has a scooped back hemline and I also did the full back adjustment on it. I think it makes it a little too full (in dress form) and less flattering (and more sack like) but we live and learn. It is super comfy and the fabric means it is pretty regardless. It isn't ironed in the photos below and looks worse that it looks in real life (I hope!) My lovely friend Christine made a super pretty one with a full back so go have a look at that instead.

Looking a bit like an unironed sack.

It does look a bit better in real life I think :).

It also looks great with a different back. My Nani Iro one is backed with linen as I only had a tiny piece which was enough for the front and sleeve fabric. There are also some posts on Grainline about making a knit version of the Scout Tee if that takes your fancy. 

Incredibly wearable

This pattern is the perfect everyday staple, especially my linen one and the grey one. I'm now thinking I might make a half sleeve chambray one next. Maybe with a pocket, or some random stitching a-la-boro style around the neck, or maybe stitching on the pocket….ooooh that sound pretty. That said, the pattern's simplicity also lends itself to a super loud print. 

So go make one. You know you want to. 

And a big shout out to the wonderful Jen from Grainline for coming up with the goods. Grainline is a pattern range that is full of patterns that are incredibly well written and thoughtful. Her website is a treasure trove of sewing tutorials, pattern tutorials and all manner of helpful info. The woman has style.

Felicia x

*I couldn't get the link for some reason but you should do your own google images search for the Scout Tee to see many many more.

Best Of: Gee's Bend - The Architecture of the Quilt

Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt

I mentioned this book briefly in my Around the Traps post about quilting the other week but it deserved further attention. Gee's Bend: The Architecture of a Quilt, has been on my dining room table for over two weeks now, and I can't stop looking at it. At breakfast. At lunch. When I'm having a cuppa. And I know this is a big call but I want to say that this is by far the best craft book I have ever purchased. No matter what type of crafter you are - you will find inspiration in here.

I'm going to let my (slightly dodgy) pictures do the talking but I think but I need to say that these pictures do not do the quilts justice. There is a subtlety to the fabric choices and colour and wear is just incredible, and which you can only see by looking at the real images. And that these are only a small smattering of what is in there (I haven't even included my favourite). AND then there are the stories about the quilts and about the lives of the women who made them ,which just makes the whole book so much richer. 

I am totally in love and know this book will inspire me for many years to come. 

You can buy it from the usual places and you should. Or if you are joining me for #stash_less then I'd suggest you ask for it for Christmas ;)!

I'd love to hear your comments if you have it or have seen it or would like to see it.

Felicia x

Best Of - City Gym Shorts

So I was supposed to be writing about something else today but I made shorts yesterday and I am so excited about them I had to post. These shorts. Wow. No I know what you are thinking….they are just shorts but seriously. How. Cute. Are. They. 

These shorts are the possibly the biggest bang for your buck sewing project I have ever made. And here is why….they are;

• Free - the pattern is free and you can find it here on the ever inspiring Purl Bee. They are called the City Gym Shorts and it is a free pattern for kids size 2 right through to womens size 46 hip. Who doesn't love The Purl Bee?
• Fast - super fast. I think they took me about an hour per pair.
• Cheap - They can be made from scraps as they need tiny amounts of fabric and look great in two fabrics so you only need a small amount of each one.
• Long lasting - what I mean by this is that you can make them two sizes too big (which I love doing for small people as they grow so damn fast!) and they still look ace. They would look better obviously if they fit her but they still look super cute. The photos show size 8/9 on a 6yo who is nearly 7. 
• Beautifully finished - for how truly simple these are, and for how easy and fast they are to put together, you get a beautifully finished garment.
• Cute - I mean come on! Kid legs in floral liberty gym shorts are possibly the sweetest thing ever.

So a couple of quick notes.

1. Part of why these flew together was that I don't pin at all - right up until attaching the waist band! You do need to pin the waistband. If you are an advanced beginner then give not pinning a try. Even the binding. Just go slow around the corners and you will be fine. The worst that can happen is that you need to unpick a bit. With a bit of practice, less pinning will make you very happy and very fast. Note that not pinning will not work as a sewing strategy on slippery fabric, or things like armholes. Or gathers. Maybe I need to write an actual post on things I do to speed up sewing?
2. When preparing the waistband and ironing the edges towards the centre crease (this will make sense when you see the pattern) I make a small change. I ironed one side perfectly to the middle, as directed, but then ironed the second side about 1 or 2mm back from the centre. This means that this second side is slightly wider than the first. When you initially attach the right side of the waistband to the inside of the shorts, attach the side that was ironed exactly to the middle, so the skinnier side. This simple change means that when you flip the waistband over it easily covers the stitch line. I wish I had taken a photo for you! This is a really simple change that makes things much easier and neater.

I talk about my favourite shorts for small boys in this post about Happy Homemade V2 (apologies for the gender streaming!) but I've included a picture of them below to whet your appetite. They are a fantastic project. 

So City Gym shorts - one of my favourite sewing projects ever! Are you a fan?

Felicia x

Best Of - Small Girl Cardigans

So small girl cardigans are something I know a little about. Over the years I would have made at least….hold on a sec….I just went to Ravelry and counted….at least 30 of them. I have actually made more than 30 as I am sometimes too lazy to post them on Ravelry, or don't get around to taking photos of them before a child mucks them up. There are so many patterns to choose from and yet at the moment, I keep coming back to the same one. Knit after knit after knit. 

The pattern in question is Granny's Favourite by Georgie Hallam, who you all know is one of our teachers. She released it last September* and at last count I had made four. Five soon as I have just been asked to make another by my daughter, as her original has been worn so much it is starting to look a little too well worn (read: stained) and small. You may remember that version from last year as we used her cardigan on our postcard.

So what do I love about it.

1. The fit.

The yoke has a beautiful shape that both emphasises the beautiful lacework and their shoulders at the same time. It only has three buttons which gives a lovely swing shape which is great over frocks. Plus at the start of the pattern Georgie gives you great advice on how to get a good fit, rather than just suggesting that you knit for age. 

The cardigan in the photo at the top of the post (Rav details here) was actually knitted for my niece, who is two years younger than the girl in the photos. But it still fits and that is one of the things I love about it - it's longevity. Due to the circular yoke hugging the shoulders, and the fact that as she grows the sleeves just move from full length to 3/4, then you have a garment that looks good on a range of ages. Often a cardigan that is too big just looks too big - this doesn't.

2. How fun it is to knit

I love how quick and simple the yoke is once you get going. And when you have made it a few times you can knit the yoke in your sleep. Quick and addictive. Then, once the yoke is complete you don't want to stop, because you want to see a finished knit because the yoke is so pretty. 

3. The details 

Two things in particular here. The first is the slip stitch edge which means that the button bands don't curl. This technique is so clever and simple and yet I hadn't come across it until I made this pattern. 

I mean look at that - this is the inside and that little seam means no flipping button bands - Georgie is a genius.

The second is the technique that Georgie suggests when you start knitting the body and sleeves top-down from the yoke. Normally this results in a hole that you have to darn up at the end. This technique means that there are absolutely no holes and a beautiful join. I now use this technique everywhere.

You can just see the join on the left hand side facing us.

4. The yoke!

I mean - c'mon! Timeless and beautiful. Old fashioned - but not in a lumpy way. It has a refined heirloom feel to it. Pretty without being fussy. 

The last one I made - there is a photo on instagram here - was the newborn size. Super quick and super super sweet.  

Now I know this post started by saying small girl cardiganS with an "s" and I have only given you one. So here is a couple of others I love ….

For babies - my all time favourite, would knit it over and over again even though it is a bit of a bugger to start the yoke, would have to be Maile. It is just a beautiful pattern. Read other people's notes on Rav. They will help. I have three versions of it on my project page if you fancy a look at some others. Not for beginners though (a suggestion for beginners in a minute!) as the join may make you want to give up knitting altogether. And that is never good for the soul.

For small girls an absolute favourite is Little Buds. I have only knitted this once. And we managed to lose it (I blame the child!) but for garter squishiness which looks fabulous on small girls I love this. I do plan on doing it again at some stage. In real life I spend a lot of time squeezing this child, but with this cardy on she was practically irresistible. She may have got a little impatient with me. I may have ignored her impatience due to the irresistibility of the garter.

For slightly older girls another favourite is Go Buffalo. I have actually made two of these (only one on Rav) and plan on making more. I love how it sits on her shoulders and the tomboyness of the V. Super cute. I made a few alterations to the neckline to make the V a bit deeper so check those out if you like what you see. I also used garter stitch for the button bands and gathered cuffs. Modification can be addictive….even with a great pattern.

And finally for beginners - I would try In Threes. I have never made one but have started a few friends off with them, as they make the move from scarves to garment knitting. The combination of the worsted weight yarn and the simple sleeveless shape means they race through them, to a very satisfying result.

I'd love to hear about your favourites if you have one. I'm always on the lookout for something new to try….

Felicia x

* Georgie released an update which is a bit more concise than the first iteration so make sure you have the latest version.

Best Of - Small Girl Frocks

I would estimate that over the last six or so years I have made at least 40 small girl frocks. Some thrown together, and some laboured over with intense amounts of love, patience and ultimately joy. So today I wanted to talk about the one that has truly become my absolute favourite and why it is I keep making it over and over again.

To set the scene I'll tell you what I need from a girls dress. I want something

• That is comfortable.
• They will get a few years out of - in other words that i can make two sizes too big without it looking odd.
• That covers their shoulders - due to the super harsh Australian sun.
• That is flowy and cool. 
• That is not precious or fussy.
• That layers well.
• That goes together quickly but is finished beautifully.
• That can handle the rough and tumble of being worn by a small person*.

And out of all the patterns I have tried over the years there is really only one that fits the bill. Drum roll please….

Her favourite version - the bear dress!

The Geranium Dress

So first the details. It is made by the super clever Made By Rae as a downloadable pattern with two versions - Version 1 has sizes from newborn to size 5 and then Version 2 has sizes from 6-12.  This pattern is so worth the few dollars. Like all of Rae's patterns there are a heap of different variations written into the pattern. Have a look here at the flickr group to get a good idea of just what can be made. 

I make a single variation but it also comes with a different neckline, with ruffles at the shoulders or with a more traditional tank shaping. Being lazy in many ways, I tend to just pick a version and stick with it so I don't have to redraft it. That said, when a version is this pretty why bother with others?

So what is to love about it. As well as being all that I mentioned above, I think my real love comes from the ease with which it comes together (even if you are a beginner!) AND the beautiful finish of the dress. If you were to french seam the side seams of the skirt then there are no exposed seams. There is absolutely nothing fiddly about this frock.

The next thing I love is the fit. It is really comfortable. There is nothing constraining about it. It doesn't pull. It covers the shoulders but doesn't restrict their movement. And then whether you are teeny baby or 8yo then this frock works so beautifully. It isn't fussy. It is sweet, but made with a slightly sturdy fabric is perfectly suitable for climbing trees - tucked into your undies of course!

I've realised as I have been posting these photos that actually I really really love the back view of the frock. Pretty buttons make it!

Perfect dress in the extreme heat of the tropics.

And for the beach.

My middle one came up today - the first hot day we have had in weeks - and said "mama I need my flowy dress to get the air through (pointing at the armholes). It's my favourite mum!" Almost made my heart hurt with the sincerity.

Not much else to say. Try it if you were looking for a small girl frock. You won't regret it.

Oh - before I go. I just found another pattern I love the look of and really want to try. It doesn't seem quite as comfy as the Geranium as it is a bit more fitted. Nor does it have the shoulder coverage. But it is so so very sweet to look at. You can find it here.

Felicia x

* which I've also realised is a reason that I don't use solids as much as I would like….see the first photo as an example.