I don’t know how many readers are interested in a summary of my year in stitches, but it is a useful exercise for me, so here goes.
Shopping
You will recall my vow to give up shop-bought clothes. This has gone pretty well. My only purchases in 2013 were:
- one black jersey skirt (Inis online sale, last January)
- one second-hand plaid shirt
- one Seasalt cardigan
- one Llynfi cardigan
- one Seasalt rainproof coat
All of these items are worn regularly, except the black skirt, which is reserved for funerals. Sadly, we have had a few of those this past year.
The plaid shirt is one of my favourite things. It is just so cheerful and relaxed and makes me think of Ysolda :)
If my garment-knitting had been more successful, I wouldn’t have needed those cardigans…
The coat was essential. My attempt at making a 1970’s pattern raincoat was an unhappy experience and I recently landfilled the evidence.
Sewing
I was surprised when I listed this year’s sewing output.
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| Camber dress |
I thought of this as the Year of The Dress, but tops were my most prolific make:
Dresses: 5
Skirts: 5
Tops: 14
Trousers: none
Jackets / coats: none
However, when I go back and look at how often I wore the things I made in 2013, there were some duds among those tops.
I realised I was not comfortable in my Airelle blouse: the sleeves were too bulky and the neck facing refused to stay inside. It has gone to a charity shop.
I have never worn my silver striped Drafting Top – because I never “go out”. I am keeping it for an unknown future social life. You never know!
And there was the comedic 70’s smock which I re-made into a Datura top… sleeveless, so worn maybe once. I will keep it for a sunny day.
The big successes were my Renfrews which are worn and washed on repeat, and my tops from a vintage 1960’s pattern, Simplicity 6238. That pattern also provided the sleeves for my two Camber Dresses.
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| Simplicity 6238 |
Ah yes – the Camber Dresses! HUGE success!!! I have worn these more often than almost any other thing I have ever made, pro rata! (My dark denim Kelly skirt is the other main contender.)
I made 3 Chardon skirts this year and wore the linen ones a lot in the summer. The brown wool version is still very new and hasn’t quite found its place in my life – mainly because I reach for a Camber dress 3 working days out of 5. Uh huh. And when the Cambers are having a rest, I have turned to my Marimekko-trimmed dress, even though it is a wee bit short for work. That explains why I think of this as the Year of The Dress!
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| Marimekko-trimmed dress |
And finally…
Knitting
Completed items:
Socks: 13 pairs, of which 10 used Rachel Coopey patterns (woo hoo!)
Garments: 2 cardigans
Scarves / shawls: 5
Hats: 5
Mitts: 4 pairs
Other: 2 tea cosies
Still in progress are my Kex Blanket (resting at the half-way point) and my Advent Scarf (I am on Day 5). I will continue to work on both of these.
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| Day 3 of the Advent Scarf – attempt 3. Oh dear. |
My biggest disappointment this year has been the lack of happy full-sized knitted garments. Both cardigans (Shalder, and the Learn to Knit cropped bobble-tastic number) were a lot of work and neither fits me properly. I really want to address this issue in 2014.
I am a fairly standard size, so this should not be a problem.
I just need to make better choices.
With Ravelry at my fingertips, there is no shortage of information on yarns, patterns, gauge and fit.
2014? The Year of The Cardigan That Fits!