Fabulous Falda

It's been a few years, I've been playing over on Instagram as maciniccreates and my hair is definitely longer.

I had to make a special post here for my latest jacket, as the Falda is so very blog worthy.

Pattern Fantastique have a small, well curated, selection of patterns, that until recently, I've admired, but not sewn. Lets just say that I get the hype now. 

They're very professionally drafted, with small details like the sizes inside notches, that are really helpful. And they're interesting. Perfectly distinctive and so very wearable, especially in linen or a statement fabric.
(and I have some amazing designer dead stock statement fabrics in stash)

The Falda pattern is amazing, the attention to detail is appreciated and the finished jacket is worth the effort and extra time taken to think about several steps & relook at the illustrations with fresh eyes - they’re correct, and not initially instinctive.

I sewed the size 10 Falda jacket with no modifications, apart from the limitations of my fabric choice. I did try to extend the length at the final hem stages (and by cutting my facings longer to fit). Next time I'll make it longer before cutting out.

I first saw this fabric a very long time ago (it’s Nicholas from around 2015) and pictured it with the dramatic design of the Falda, but it took time to realise that it wasn’t such a strange idea.

Yes, keen eyes will notice I cut 2 pockets, not a mirrored pair

The fabric is very designer, clearly printed for a particular figure hugging dress, with abrupt colour changes and lines. Laying out the incredibly unique pattern pieces was an exercise in puzzle solving and trust and I’m rather chuffed that I interpreted the seams & folds as well as I did. 

Yes, I look forward to a solid version for winter and buying the rest of the #patternfantastique Collection

All errors are mine, and/or the unforgiving nature of the fabric - it doesn’t like ironing or unpicking and layers tended to shift annoyingly when top stitching.

It’s bonkers, and I love it.

Dairing at the Dressmakers Do

2016 Dressmakers Do : Party time in Melbourne town

Lace LBD

Machine knit Dairing 2/3/Four

Listening to the fabric : felted grey wool jacket

Another occasion to frock up and celebrate all things made by hand with some very talented sewists, this time at the #DressmakersDo organised by the lovely Nichola of the Handmaker's Factory and Leisl of Jorth.
I went for a textural, black and grey outfit; three separates that I know will get plenty of wear in my Melbourne wardrobe.

First up is my classic black lace sheath dress - some may recall that I made and wore this to the very first Frocktails in 2013. Yes, it's the same lace dress, and I still adore it. It has it's very own blog post here: Everyone needs an LBD 09/2013

still haunted by that flash, but what a delightful introduction it was to some lovely and talented sewing friends!

To add some warmth for my travels, I made a grey coat with the most fabulous felted wool - it will have it's own post soon.
For some interest, I thought an avant-garde top knitted in stainless steel, silk and cotton might be just the thing.
Meet Theresa Dair's Dairing top 2/3/Four.

As an overlay (also great with a black tank)

I really like Teresa Dair's design aesthetic. Textural pieces, often knitted with non-traditional threads, in non-traditional gauges, which can be worn in a multitude of ways. It's very similar to my favourite Japanese pattern designers and when made in shades of black, perfectly me ;)
And from the back in its shawl cardigan view:

Crafting friends really are the best.

I found the Dairing 2/3/Four kit in a Raveller's destash, mentioned on Instagram that I was contemplating dabbling in machine knitting to make it and received the most generous offer of a loan of a knitting machine. (thank you again x)

gratuitous dachshund shot. Yes, he 'helped'...

The hand knitters guild market gave me an opportunity to observe and meet some machine knitters, as well as to meet the talented Teresa Dair herself and get some hints on converting the pattern to being machine knit.
The machine knitters guild (MKAV) in the form of the lovely Christine encouraged and guided me through the skills required and I set to work.

For anyone who, like me, has never dabbled before, it's both as easy, and much more time consuming than I had imagined. The actual processing of each row is very quick. The set up, double e-wrap cast on, troubleshooting and eventual cast off was a steep learning curve.

My swatch - used to determine the amount of stitches to cast on, and how many rows to knit.
I underestimated my sleeve length.

The machine is not unlike my overlocker - adorable when behaving but a bugger to rethread and troubleshoot - I don't 'know' it intimately enough yet, so troubleshooting has been a lot of retracing of my steps and cursing.

After 187 rows, the 2nd sleeve was done! So was the cone of thread....

I then used my sewing machine to attach the 4 pieces (Four pieces is a direct reflection of it's name 2/3/Four. I also have Two/3/4 in the same yarn/threads).
I finished it and wasn't sure if I liked it.

I then had to unpick the left sleeve, you may see it's tight in the photo. This was painful.  It was necessary as my 'loose' cast off was still far too tight, exacerbated by the fact that I'd inserted it upside down. I couldn't move my left arm. The cuff on the left now stretches out horribly after 10min of wear, despite blocking ;( I might add a flared cuff extension to both arms, maybe...

new friends and old ;)

Updated newsflash: I do like it ;) It's missing in most of my DressmakersDo photographs as the venue was warm, and as lightweight as it is, the silk & stainless steel is warm as well. What struck me by surprise is how very soft the fabric is! I really was anticipating it being more sculptural, however it's a delightful soft top.

Project page on Ravelry is here

Photowall props for the Win!

Named Saunio

Such an unassuming blog post title for such a little workhorse of a cardigan.

Named Patterns released the Saunio cardigan in their SS14 All Things Nice Collection well over a year ago. I've seen it made up, by the always on-trend and stylish Kirsty of Top Notch, three times, however I never really noticed it, until now. Her third version, and Blogless Anna's, combined with Named's discount code for The Monthly Stitch's separates competition, tipped me over the edge, I wanted one, and I wanted it now.