Aiken Jumper (plus bonus pencil skirt)

Today I want to share with you another successful knitting project from an Andi Satterlund pattern. This pattern is the Aiken and went completely smoothly and was a very quick knit. In all honesty, it took less time to knit the jumper than it did for me to get around to writing this post after taking photos *looks ashamed*

A testament to the speed of the knit, is that I knit my guage swatch and cast on on Christmas Day, and I'm not sure exactly when I finished the jumper, but it was sometime early February. So speedy!!

 

I didn't make any alterations except for adding some extra rows of ribbing around the waist. Ideally I would have made it a smidge longer still, but this was how much yarn I had and I was too lazy to go buy some more.

I find that the jumpers I have with a high neckline like this don't get worn much, but this jumper has proved to be an exception to that, especially since I adore the lace detail.

The yarn I've used is a merino yarn so is lovely to wear and snuggly warm.

 

Also, the skirt I'm wearing in these photos hasn't been blogged before. It's another Jenny Skirt, and the reason it hadn't been blogged is that when I originally made it (which was who knows how long ago) it was too small. I could get it on but couldn't really move, and certainly couldn't sit down; I'd forgotten to account for this fabric having no stretch.

Anyway, I've managed to lose a little weight this year and now the skirt fits through the hips! Hurrah! However, the waist was too big, so I unpicked the zip and took it in at the centre back to make the waist fit better.

The skirt fabric is a silk suiting that I got from the fabric store. It was interesting to work with. It's very soft and decadent, but fray terribly and holds creases like nobody's business. I wouldn't sew with it again!

Anyway, an incredibly successful jumper and a salvaged skirt. And hopefully my next post won't come at quite such a big delay after my last one.

Another Jenny for a fantastic afternoon!

Here are some pics of me wearing the skirt that I made for the bloggers meetup yesterday - it's (yet) another Jenny skirt.

 

This one hits just above the knee, and has a 2 inch waistband. It's super comfy!

It was inspired, way back in April, by this dress from Pepperberry:

The general consensus when I asked about dress vs separates was to go for separates as it'd be more flexible, so that's what I've done!

That's not quite the last of the sateen, but I probably shouldn't make anymore garments out of it, given as well as this skirt I used it for my Cambie dress and it's quite distinctive!

And to finish, for no other reason than it was pretty and I was playing with my new camera...

Re-made Jenny

If you've been reading for a while you might remember the first Jenny skirt that I made last April:

  

At the time the skirt was a little big, but I have lost some weight since then (including about 2 inches from both my waist and hips) so it had shifted from a little big to very big, exhibited below (and I'm not pulling the skirt tight in the photos below either):

  

Too big in the waist and hips, plus a bit long

Rather than let it languish in my wardrobe I decided to take it in, however after thinking about how to do that I decided that it would actually be easier to essentially re-make the skirt rather than faff around with it all. I unpicked the waistband, centre-back seam (and zip) and hem, but left in the darts. I then remade the skirt, taking in the side seams and shortening it, and as with the version I made for Claire, I made a 1 inch waistband rather than a wide one.

 

Huzzah! A new skirt that didn't cost me any extra $$

Skills trade - Part 2 - Claire's Jenny Skirt

Yesterday I showed you the amazing wrist warmers that Claire knitted me, today I can show you the skirt that I made her as my half of the "skills trade".

I used the "Jenny" pattern that I've used a couple of times before, but instead of making a wide waistband I made one 1 inch wide to give it a more standard pencil skirt look.

(Please excuse the crumples/creases - these photos were taken after a delicious and leisurely brunch)

 

For the first time with this pattern I lined the skirt, with the lining the same as the skirt but hemmed an inch shorter. This has led to a small problem that the lining is visible in the back behind the slit (see above photo). I was hoping someone might have some wisdom of what I did wrong, or what I could do to solve this problem?

Jenny, I love you still!

I didn't think it was possible, but I'm even more in love with the Jenny pattern! I made another skirt, this time with a couple of alterations on the last version.

The black version I've made is a little big so I stitched this one up with a 2cm seam allowance on the side seams (rather than 1.5cm) and now the fit is perfect. I also kept the skirt the length from the original pattern, rather than the lengthened version from last time. This has given a more flattering length, but has also meant that the slit in the back is approaching a little indecent so I am planning on stitching the centre back seam down a little more to make it a bit more modest!

I wore it to work today and it was SO comfy (and is also why it's so creased in the photo, although not too bad after 13 hours of wearing, most of which was sitting down). I have concluded that I'm a huge fan of these high waisted skirts. Once you have one on it just doesn't go anywhere (assuming it fits of course). It doesn't ride up, it doesn't fall down, it doesn't even twist that much , it's great!!

The fabric I got was (I think) a double weave cotton from the fabric store, which means it's the really nice textured grey on the outside, but is plain black on the inside. It's pretty neat for the skirt as it's that bit thicker while still having the advantages of being a cotton, but also it kind of gives it the appearance of being lined if the inside of the skirt is visible at any point.

So in summary, a great success even more so than the first one... I just need to kick the desire to make fifty more of these, as I don't need a wardrobe full of (almost) the same skirt... although I think I'd like to do one more in an interesting colour and with something added for some interest, be it on the waistband or the skirt. For example, I really like Gertie's "Emma" version of the Jenny.

Jenny, I love you!

Yesterday was a super productive day. After a mini field trip to Clegs to buy a zip I finished off my blue Sencha and black Jenny Skirt.

I have to say, I agree with Gertie entirely; the Sencha and Jenny are a match made in heaven!

Despite my initial misgivings, now I've made it up I'm in love with the Jenny Skirt. I decided to buy some cheap black stretch suiting during my trip to Spotlight earlier this week (when I bought the fabric for my trousers) to make a wearable muslin/test garment to check whether the skirt suits me.

After being honest with myself and taking accurate measurements I cut out the skirt pattern... I then measured how long it is and cut at the upper lengthen/shorten line and added 2 inches (although I think I'll take 1 inch back out again for any future versions). As with Gertie and Zoe, I made my own waistband piece rather than following the slightly bizarre instructions of cutting a piece on the bias and stretching it to fit. I just cut a straight strip and used the side and centre back seams to shape it to my body nicely.

I was very under-whelmed by the instructions for the pattern and ended up completely ignoring them and making it up how I felt like it. The instructions also don't really detail what you need to buy, which is why I had to go and buy a zip today as the one I had bought was too short, and also why the skirt isn't lined.

The order of construction of the skirt also didn't really make much sense to me, so rather than follow the instructions I did the following:

- Sew the darts, sew skirt front to skirt back, press side seams open

- Sew the front and back waistband pieces together (x2) and press seams open

- Sew the skirt to one of the waistbands, matching side seams

- Sew the other waistband to the first waistband, understitch and press.

- Sew the back seam between the markings, pressing slit open

- Sew with an invisible hem around the bottom and up the slit

- (Go out and buy correct length zip)

- Add the zipper up the back (matching waistband seam)

- Invisibly stitch waistband lining down along waistband seam and by zip

As I said, VERY happy, my only problem now is to decide what colour to make it in next! Suggestions?