Preparing for Autumn ~ part III

I think it's safe to say that Summer is my least favourite season.  That's not to say that I dislike it; in fact there is a lot about Summer that I love - sunshine, monsoon-like storms, berry-picking, picnics, being able to wear little more than a flimsy dress... it's just that the novelty of Summer wears off pretty quickly for me.  Like a too-hot Spring gone on too long.

So, needless to say, after a hot and very unproductive July, I was practically counting down the days to be back home, back in my studio, preparing for and looking forward to my absolute favourite season: Autumn.

When it comes to the colder months, I find it's the simple luxuries that make all the difference - and a cosy pair of felted cashmere slippers is just about as luxurious as it gets... For this project I followed (and adapted in the case of Papa's not so pointy slippers) a tutorial from Maya*Made, one of my daily blog stops.

Mama Elf

I prepped the cashmere back in July, felting it by putting it through a high-spin hot wash to shrink it, creating a denser knit.  I decided to use some thin camel suede for the soles to make the slippers more durable, and for my pair I used the last scraps of a delicious metallic paisley printed leather left over from my first collection of shoes back in 2008.

Little Elf & Papa-not-so-pointy Elf

What makes a great pattern or project, I think, is the potential for adaptation.  Something quick, simple and a pleasure to make, that can be tweaked/embellished/adapted/personalised until you end up with a whole series of different variations of the same thing.  Jingle bells on Little Elf's pointy tips, glistening soles for Mama Elf and rustic simplicity for Papa.  And I don't think I'll stop at just three pairs...

Preparing for Autumn ~ part I

Amidst all the Summer sewing I've been doing recently, my evenings are starting to be spent preparing for the colder months to come... 

the beginnings of my Go Vest from Pickles

These days I like to get a bit of a head-start on a season.  That way I can really take my time with a project and enjoy the process, especially the big or ambitious ones, spending long evenings taking care over my stitching, and actually getting to enjoy my finished piece for longer.  I learned this the hard way - casting on for a jumper or blanket in the depth of Winter, only to run out of steam halfway through as the days began to warm up.  In fact, I can think of two such jumpers and one such blanket still incomplete hibernating somewhere at the bottom of one stash or another.  So this year I have put my list-making mania to good use and settled on a handful of wintry projects that have been on my mind for a while, which I now seem to have suddenly gathered the perfect materials for.

1.  Go Vest - pattern from Pickles, one of my all-time favourite knitting blogs.  These guys make me want to move to Norway.  For this cardi I'm using the cherry red baby Alpaca yarn I bought from Loop at Jane Brocket's book launch.  

2.  Herringbone Stitch Cowl - pattern from Purlbee, my other all-time favourite crafting blog.  This is something I've wanted to make for ages, but it calls for a lot of yarn...  Then the other day my lovely neighbour friend (Prom Dress Jess) gave me a Maxmara cardi she was throwing out - horrible shape but delicious yarn - so now I'm in the process of unravelling it...

the unwanted Maxmara cardi...

unravelling...

3.  Three pairs of Elfin Slippers - tutorial from Maya*Made.  So far I have picked out the colours for the uppers and linings from some old cut up cashmere jumpers to make a minty-green pair for the little boy, a navy pair for the Papa, and a red pair for me, la Mama.  These have been washed and shrunk to create a denser and sturdier fabric which will be easy to cut and sew, and will be a lot more durable than an un-shrunk cashmere jumper.  Now I need to have a rummage through my leathers to find some soft suede for the soles.

4.  A Swing Jacket - Butterick 5222 vintage pattern.  I've been wanting to make this jacket for years, and being an unprinted pattern, the only thing stopping me before was my lack of sewing confidence.  I am now raring to go with this, and I am also very happy to be slicing up and giving a new lease of life to my very old, very loved, and now very decrepit bordeaux wool cape.  For added yum, I plan to line this with the same nude silk crepe I used for my Silk Sorbetto... oh, YES.

my cape, soon to be swing

5.  As the days start getting colder - two pairs of Snowy Mittens - pattern still to develop.  Using some Debbie Bliss Como I bought last winter, in duck egg blue and stone, I'm planning to make some adult sized mittens with a simple fairisle cuff.  If I'm happy with the pattern, I will of course publish it here!

There.  So I reckon I have plenty to keep busy with, and no doubt some other things will manage to sneak themselves into my lists... They always do.