Slinky shrug - from ˝hot patterns˝

I found this wonderful free downloadable pattern for a shrug. I was so curious to make it because I wanted to see if it was going to be as perfect as it looked. I've used black knit (I think it's 100% acrylic, even though it feels like wool) for the shrug and a black jersey (viscose) for the ribbing. I made a size 18 even though I'm probably a size 12, but I wanted something more slouchy. It turned out OK. I made an alteration, I added 20 cm piece to the top ribbing because it seemed to me that it will be too tight.

                                                                 slinky shrug download

Next time I would/ will probably make it a bit smaller, so not a size 18, because it is a bit big for me. All in all, it is a good feeling to have something warm over your shoulders.

By the way, I love hot patterns, so far I've found quite a lot of their free downloadable patterns on the internet.

Polka dots peplum shirt - I love it

I got an idea to make a peplum shirt out of jersey. I choose this wonderful polka dots fabric. I made a strange combination of my own pattern for the top part and as always a wonderful Burda pattern - Burda 8/ 2012, mod. 113/114. I wanted to simplify the Burda pattern because I used a stretch fabric I could afford to make pieces without the zipper and ˝Abnaher˝. I made my life difficult because I had, again, less fabric then I needed. I had only 1 m of this fabric and now I see that I would probably need at least 1,20 m. Because the top parts are cut in 1 piece.

I did some weird cuts on the sleeves. I didn't even have enough fabric for the neckline or the sleeve's cuffs but never mind, I used some black jersey. I love the pattern - I love the back tail, the fact that it's longer at the back than at the front. The peplum - lttle skirt - just sits perfectly. I also love the batwing sleeves - it's my new obssession. So, the peplum is taken from Burda magazine but the top part was traced around one of my knitted sweaters and it was adjusted to these specific pattern. Can't wait to do more in different colours and patterns.
I hope I will manage to publish the pattern on-line - well, only the top part because I'm probably not allowed to publish the bottom part (it's a Burda pattern), it's not my own design. And it's only in size 38/40. Be ready to make your own adjustments if it doesn't fit you.

                                                                       The Batwing shirt download

That's what my pattern looks like

Burda's patterns

Completed garment

Masquerade

This year I managed to make a costume from this cute fabric I bought a year ago. By the way I bought it in a huge fabric shop near Ljubljana - Svet metraže.Svet metraže They have an on-line shop, as well. They're not exactly cheap but the shop is really big so you can always find something affordable if you just search long enough.
Anyway, I managed to prepare for the annual festival (Fasching - German) that we celebrate in Slovenia. The reason was that we had holidays from school so I had some time to fool around.

First I made the hat for my daughter and I liked it so much that I quickly made one for myself as well. I got the inspiration from Sew Kawaii! by Choly Knight but I drew the pattern myself. I measured our heads and drew the pattern. I made the hats by trial and error. So I had to do the top part for my daughter's hat twice. The first one was too small and even the second one was not exactly great. I had to make some corrections.

I'm publishing the patterns but use it carefully and make your own adjustments.

Lady bird hat adult download
Lady bird hat child download

I also made my daughter a cute tunic. I used a pattern from Burda magazine: Burda 12/ 2005; mod. 136; size: 86/92. Originally it was a top part of pyjamas but it works well as a tunic.

White-or-black-coffee dress + mum's knitted coat

White-or-black-coffee dress

I had this unusual patterned fabric for several years and I just couldn't decide what to do with it. I've finally done this dress from Burda magazine - 11/ 2012; modell 101, size 38. The material is of course jersey. I changed the bottom hem & sleeve cuffs. I used a dark brown jersey left from other project. Basically I simplified the dress for several reasons: because I didn't have enough material, because the original thing was a bit more complicated and because it turned out just fine in the end. The pattern is not difficult. Nowadays I always choose patterns that are quickly done because I don't have the time or energy. After I'm done with my job and my baby girl I'm sometimes too tired to do anything. I associate this pattern with white coffee, black coffee and cappuccino. I have no idea why. Probably because of the brown colours and the winding pattern.

Mum's knitted coat

That's the other thing that I really wanted to show off. It's not my work. It was made (knitted) by my mum when I was in high school - a long time ago. It was a full-length coat but I didn't like that and I had never worn it. But then I suggested to my mum if she could shorten it to a knee-length. Now it's absolutely wonderful. It's very warm because it's woollen and this year's winter is just perfect for it. It's unusually warm without any snow in Slovenia which suits me fine. I'm not a big fan of winter.

Xtra Big Cardigan

I had this wonderful material for a couple of years and I didn't know what to do with it. I forgot how many metres I bought and how much it cost me. Finally I've decided to make this wonderful extra big cardigan from Burda magazine 7/2013, model no. 109. I chose size 36, even though I wear a bigger size. But because the pattern is a bit oversized & baggy I thought it would be fine. It turned out great. It's a bit colourful for a cardigan, now I see that cardigans & jackets should be in darker tones and in monochrome so that you can wear something colourful underneath. Now I have to be careful not to look garish or gaudy. It goes well with jeans.

monochrome- in shades of only one colour, especially shades of greygarish- very brightly coloured in a way that is unpleasant to look atgaudy-clothes, colours etc that are gaudy are too bright and look cheap (Longman dictionary) 

The best bit is that I had only 1.5 m and the pattern needed over 2m of fabric. So I had to make a cut at the bottom, it's still the same lenght as the original, it was just not cut in one piece but two pieces. It doesn't look bad, especially because it's so colourful that you don't even notice the extra seam.

A Big Baby Towel

Before me and my husband got a baby we were entitled to a welfare packet for a newborn (a benefit that was given to every newborn baby (not just the poor) but unfortunately it no longer exists in Slovenia). Anyway, there was this huge towel (96cm x 96 cm) in the packet which I found very useful - it's good to have a big towel and I noticed it was very easy to make it. So I measured it and so far I have made two of the same towels. As you can see from the following pictures it is made of two pieces.

Crocheted Snowflake

I've found this wonderful book about crocheting & knitting  in a local library (it's even in English) - 150 Blocks to Knit & Crochet ( The anything-but-the-square collection) by Heather Lodinsky and it's really great. What I always look for in books and magazins for crocheting are the sketches because I don't like reading the description in words, I just want a quick look at the sketches and I quickly see if there is something I can make.

Petite Lace Snowflake

This pattern is called Petite Lace Snowflake and it's so easy to make it. It's made of chain stitch, double crochet and slip stich. I think I will make some of this year's Christmas cards by using this snowflake. I've decided that this year's cards have to be super easy to make because I just don't have enough time to do anything.