Lately...

I've been having so much fun crafting over the past month there has been no time to write about it! So here is a little summary of how I've been spending my evenings off.

Carpino jumper 

(taken this evening in very poor light!)

I started this jumper at the end of January and have been happily knitting a few rows every evening. The yarn is 4ply and I'm knitting with 2 strands held together to give the knit a better structure. It's not too thick though so should be good for spring when the weather perks up a bit. I think I'm about half way through and hoping it will be finished by next month in time for a little holiday!

Delphine skirt

I took the pattern for this skirt from the sewing book 'Love at First Stitch' by Great British Sewing Bee contestant Tilly Walnes. I can highly recommend this book having made about half of the patterns. Tilly's book has wonderful illustrations and very detailed step-by-step guides on how to make each of the 8 patterns included in the book. 

Last week I found this lovely wool remnant in my local fabric store just as I was looking for fabric for a new warm work skirt. I've been lacking skirts with suitable pockets and this skirt goes with everything AND has pockets....a winning combination! I now have 4 Delphine skirts including 2 polka dot cotton versions :-) 

Back with invisible zip. you can see a peak of pocket too!

Front view, with handstitched waistband and hem.

A mustard Delphine with belt tabs alongside one of the polka dot Delphines!

The Beekeeper Hat

Amidst all the sub zero weather we had at the end of January during a knitting retreat to the Lake District I cast on this cosy little hat. I was sold on making this when I saw the name! Also by the fact I love anything and everything yellow/mustard/golden coloured. Maybe that's related to my love of Autumn and the pretty colours the leaves turn. Anyway, here is my beekeeper hat to keep my head warm for the rest of the cold spell.

And here is a photo of pretty leaves in the Forest of Dean! 

Finally this is one of the sewing projects I'm working on at the moment, I've not really followed a single pattern but had an off-cut of this pretty cotton that I thought would look nice as a dress. I've put an invisible zip in the side seam, princess seams at the front and used the skirt pieces from the Delphine skirt above. The neckline and armholes are finished with bias binding and all that is left is to hem it. The insides are all finished with my overlocker, and as the fabric was slightly transparent I underlined it with a soft drapy fabric (I haven't got a clue what it is made of!) 

I'm also working on another (!) Carme blouse in a crisp white cotton fabric with a delicate floral design. No photos of what I've done so far yet, but I do have a work in progress photo at the sewing machine:

I think that's enough for one post! I'll save a few other things I'm working on for another day :-)