Layer Cake Mitts - Fingerless Mittens

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	Start #1: 12/20/2020; Start #2: 2/10/2021
Completed	Finish #1: 1/17/2021; Finish #2: 4/9/2022
Pattern Name	Layer Cake Mitts
Designer	Susan B. Anderson
Yarn	1 skein Madeline Tosh Light // Liquid Gold
Needles	2.5mm, 40" circular

NOTES

I started off making these fingerless mittens according to the pattern. This is my second time making a Susan B Anderson pattern. After knitting four rows, I knew that I would need to alter this pattern for fit.

MODIFICATIONS

• I made gauge with my yarn.

• The smallest number of stitches for cast on was too big for my hands. Proportionally, I do have small hands. I kept the needle size - 2.5mm - but reduced the number of stitches to cast on to 40. This produced a close fitting fingerless glove (with negative ease).

• I am always on the search for the perfect cast on and bind offs. Lately, it has become an obsession. I decided to use a tubular cast on by combining two youtube tutorials. As I use the two-at-a-time method to knit pairs - I simply love this method - it was a bit finicky at first to adapt the two-at-a-time method. It required putting the first crochet cast on, using 1/2 the stitches and the second mitt with 1/4 crochet cast on stitches.

• I reduced the number of thumb gussets to correspond to the reduction in the cast of stitches and to fit my thumb.

• I removed the bobble before each thumb during the gusset portion, so that the bobble placement (slightly different on each side of the thumb) didn’t bother me.

  • I was slightly annoyed that the bobbles were not symmetric on the thumb gusset. One bobble is right beside the thumb gusset and the second bobble (on the underside of the hand) is four stitches past the thumb gusset increases.

RESOURCES

• 2x2 Tubular Cast On [in the round] // (1) Sockmatician Youtube tutorial // (2) Suzanne Bryan Youtube tutorial

• No Holes at the thumb gusset // Suzanne Bryan // Youtube Tutorial [It’s for sweaters, but works well for mittens and gloves too.]

Final Thoughts

• Now the I have the blueprint for my hand specifications related to this pattern, it may be worth asking if bobbles on the palm are realistic - for my lifestyle - given how these mitts will be worn. Only time - and an opportunity to wear these mitts out - will tell.

Simplicity 8514: Pants // View B // Amazing Fit Collection

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	August 4, 2021
Finished	March 28, 2022
Pattern Name	Simplicty 8514
Designer / Company	Simplicity
Size	14
Fabric	Mystery Fabric, Poly Twill; 2.5 yds.
Notions	Thread, 90/14 universal needle
Machines	Sewing, Serger

NOTES

I decided to add a pair of pants to my work capsule wardrobe. However, I knew that first I would need to spend some time on a muslin. I had hoped that these pants would be a wearable muslin, but that’s not the case. After setting these aside, I think I will revisit whether I need to size down, while keeping some of my original adjustments as a guide for fit.

Resources Used

• How to Measure Your Body & Pattern… // Lifting Pins and Needles // Youtube Tutorial

• How to Alter the Back Crotch Rise // Sure Fit Designs // Youtube Tutorial

Modifications

Back Pants Pattern Pieces

• 1/4” waist adjustment side back pieces

• scooped out back crotch curve

• need to add 1 1/8” full seat adjustment to back and side back pieces

• need to wedge back waist band by 1/8” each side for (1/4”) adjustment

Front Pants Pattern Pieces

• shortened crotch curve by 1 5/8” (front crotch piece)

• widen inseam (by 1/4”) at top of thigh and blend into seam line

• take out 1/4” each front and side front pieces (1” total)

• need to wedge front waist band by 1/4” each side for (1/2”) adjustment

• knock knee adjustment front crotch piece adjustment only (1st try)

  • Method: Singer: Sewing Pants that Fit

    • Slide pattern piece along knee line perpendicular to grainline;

    • move pattern piece towards inseam

    • adjust front and back an equal amount (first try: 1” adjustment)

Overall

• used 5/8” side seam versus 1” side seams

FINAL THOUGHTS

• This was good try at a wearable muslin, and I look forward to revisiting this pattern. I learned a lot and had fun, so this will not be my last attempt at making pants with the goal of perfecting the fit.

Cashmerette Concord T-Shirt // View A - B ish // Short Sleeve

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	October 2021
Finished	March 27,2022
Pattern Name	Concord T-Shirt
Designer / Company	Cashmerette
Size	2 E/F cup
Fabric	Rayon/Polyester Knit Fabric; lest than 1 yd.
Notions	Thread, Twin Needle
Machines	Sewing, Serger

NOTES

I originally made this t-shirt as a muslin, but it ended up being far more wearable than I expected. After rediscovering this almost fully made t-shirt in my discarded muslin pile, I decided to finish up the loose ends and to add it to my wardrobe.

Resources Used

• Concord T-shirt Sewalong // Cashmerette // Website

• Grading Between Sizes // Cashmerette // Website

Modifications

• I decided to make the cropped version, but to extend the length so that the shirt sits just above my hipbone.

• I graded down slightly for the waist and then out a bit for the hips. After this wearable muslin; however, I ended up removing the flare outwards towards my hips and making the seam line straight

FINAL THOUGHTS

• This was a super simple top, and now that I have fine tuned it, I expect that I will be making more of these simple tops soon. I also look forward to experimenting with the different sleeve variations.

Simplicity 9267 // ViewC // Button Skirt

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	October 17, 2021
Finished	March 23, 2022
Pattern Name	Simplicty 9267
Designer / Company	Simplicity
Size	Sz. 12

NOTES

Materials / Notions

• Fabric (Remnants - est. 2yds): Polyester Twill, Thrift Store

• 6 LaMode 3/4” (19mm) Wooden Buttons (Made in Haiti), JoAnn

• Thrift Store Blue Serger Thread

• For Buttons: SimFlex Sewing Gauge; Fray Check, Button Punch & Button Pad

Machines

• Sewing Machine - construction, buttons

• Serger - seam finish

---

Resources Used

• How to Understitch // Tilly and the Buttons // Youtube Tutorial

• How to Stitch in the Ditch - Sewing Machine // Howcast // Youtube Tutorial

• The Hows and Whys of Underlining Fabric // ClosetCore Patterns // Website Article

• How to Sew a Curved Hem // Professor Pincushion // Youtube Tutorial

• How to Use An Automatic Buttonhole Foot // Sewing Parts Online // Youtube Tutorial

---

Modifications

• Omitted the pleats at the waist due to the heavier weight of my fabric, I did not want extra bulk at the waist.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I like this pattern a lot. The curved waistband was an added bonus.

"Soldotna Crop" Sweater // Boyland Knitworks

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Finished
Started	1/2/2022
Completed	1/24/2022
Pattern Name	Soldotna
Designer	Boyland Knitworks // Caitlin Hunter
Yarn	Spun Right Round Tweed (Kit) // Ink (CC1), Moondance (CC2), Call Me Ale (CC3), Bone (CC4)	6 balls, 231 yds. each
Needles	US 3 (3.25mm), US 5 (3.75mm), US 6 (4.0mm) - colorwork only	32" & 40" Circulars
Size	2	To Fit: 35" Bust

NOTES

I really like the colorwork pattern. It is graphic and unique; however, I had some trouble with a couple of areas with this sweater.

• The Neckline: A lot of Ravelers talked about how the neckline - as written in the pattern - lends itself to a funnel neck. I found this to be very true. Also, the neckline is very close to the neck without any modifications.

• Colorwork Joins: The pattern is written so that the start / end of the color work is center back. Some of the colorwork patterns can leave a noticeable jog if a strategy is not used to avoid it.

• I knit a size 2, but at various times I found myself flitting between the directions for Size 1 (for the number of short rows) and larger sizes (for the neckband).

MODIFICATIONS

• The Gauge: I ended up using US 4 needles (for the collar, the hem, and the sleeve bands); US 6 for the neckline body; US 7 for the colorwork portion.

• The Neckline: I cast on a 120 stitches to try to widen the neckline. I used other Ravelry users to guide me along for this. It requires adding a column of colorwork stitches that are barely noticeable.

• I did the short row back (switching to German short rows) for the smallest size, Size 1.

• The Sizing: I had to do some math to get from a 120 stitches at the neckline start back to a size 2. I increased on plain color rows until I hit the number of stitches needed for Size 2.

• I used 1x1 tubular cast on for the collar and hem. I did not use it for the sleeves due to limited yarn. For the hem, this meant I modified the colorwork pattern to be a 1x1 versus a 2x2 color pattern.

RESOURCES

• Helpful Notes on Ravelry /

  • WoollyBear99’s Soldotna Crop Notes

    The colorwork chart modification for a larger neckband is brilliant.

  • Larochelle’s Soldotna Crop Notes

    These notes were useful and led to other helpful notes - a true breadcrumb trail of helpfulness.

  • Diveblue’s Soldotna Crop Notes

    Helpful for understanding the pattern repeat numbers for different colorwork sections, which allows you to have more freedom in modifying the pattern to accommodate any changes you’d like to make.

• The Perfect and Easy Knit Jogless Stripes - no jog stripe color work knitting // Marly Bird // Youtube Tutorial

• How To Knit: German Short Row // Brooklyn Tweed // Youtube

• Tubular CO in the Round (1x1 Ribbing) // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube

• Tubular Bind Off in the Round // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube

Final Thoughts

• KIT COLORS

  Overall, I like the colors for the kit.

  C1 Ink; C2 Moonbeam; C3 Call Me Ale; C4 Bone

  For the lice pattern on the body, C4 does not have enough contrast with the main body color C2, so if I could do it again I would only use C3 for the lice pattern.

  For C2, I alternated skeins for the body. I had some left over of C2, C4 (the most), C3, but not much of C1.

  Played a bit of yarn chicken with (C1) ink, though I did do a bit of modification to the pattern (not much).

Barbie Dream House Pink "Oslo Hat"

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	1/31/2022
Completed	3/21/2022
Pattern Name	Oslo Hat
Designer	Petite Knits
Yarn	Spun Right Round // Classic Sock // Tizzy & Knit Picks // Aloft // Pennyroyal	1 skein // good bit left over
Needles	US 4 (3.5mm)	40" Circular

NOTES

I love this hat. I got gauge combining a fingering weight and lace weight yarn.

RESOURCES

None used this time.

Final Thoughts

• TNT for sure.

Tulle Skirt // Emily Hallman Designs

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	February 26, 2022
Finished	March 20, 2022
Pattern Name	Pink Tulle Skirt
Designer / Company	Emily Hallman
Size	N/A

NOTES

I am glad that I came across Emily’s blog post. I would say that I needed to find more resources to explain the more detailed bits around drafting, lining a skirt, zipper placement / techniques, and zipper allowance (I ended up using 5/8”).

Notions:

• 9” Bright Pink Zipper

• 3 Hook & Eyes

Fabric:

• 54” Bright Pink Tulle - 100% Nylon (Joann Fabric & Crafts)

• 4 yds. Bright Pink Kona Quilting Cotton - 100% Cotton (Joann Fabric & Crafts)

• 4 yds. Pink and Peach Thrifted Fabric - Content Unknown (Goodwill)
  

---

Resources Used

• Emily Hallman Designs // How To: The Tulle Skirt // Blog Post

• Emily Hallman Designs // How To: Draft a Circle Skirt Pattern // Blog Post

• How to Pattern Any Kind of Flared Skirt // Mariah Pattie // Youtube Tutorial

• How To/How I: Drafting a Curved Waistband // Kittenish Behavior // Youtube Tutorial

• Circle Skirt Pattern Making [full skirt @ 9:23] // Sew It With Brit // Youtube Tutorial

• Zippers Made Easy // New Mexico State, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES // Website

• DIY Half Circle Skirt // Paige Handmade // Youtube Tutorial

• How to Sew a Zipper In a Skirt // Professor Pincushion // Youtube Tutorial

---

Modifications

• I added the waistband from S 9267.

• I had to amend the waist size due to not measuring the height of the waistband correctly.

• I used the 54” Tulle, I am 5’4” so I did not think I needed the 108” Tulle (and I saved some dough)

FINAL THOUGHTS

• I’m not completely satisfied with my version, but it is wearable.

• Next time I would:

  • use a circle skirt pattern I already own

  • use shiny fabric for the waistband

  • ensure a tight fit at my natural waist

  • work on ensuring that the closure works - I didn’t completely love the zipper and hook and eye construction I used

Speckled "Overbury" Mitts // Pom Pom Mag & Lydia Gluck

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	1/17/2022
Completed	2/24/2022
Pattern Name	Overbury
Designer	Lydia Gluck // PomPom Magazine Issue 1
Yarn	Spun Right Round // Haze	1 skein // for two-at-a-time knitting
Needles	US 2 (2.75mm)	40" Circular

NOTES

An extremely useful knit (especially for driving) that I should make more of. I made this second pair to replace a set that I’ve worn through.

• Knit size 1

• Knit two-at-a-time on one circular needle (except for flip tops)

• Used a lace size crochet hook to make 9 loops that I used to create the loop for the button with the yarn tail (versus braiding yarn separately and creating a loop that is sewn into the top)

• LaMode 3/8” buttons, Gold, Made in France (Left over from dress S 2212 project)

• Used Suzanne Byron’s Youtube tutorial to avoid holes at the thumb

RESOURCES

• Suzanne’s Method of Avoiding Underarm Holes in Knitting | Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube Tutorial

Final Thoughts

• Love this pattern. Definitely a TNT.

Simply Soft B&W Marled "Flax" Sweater

PROJECT DETAILS

Status	Completed
Started	12/22/2021
Completed	1/1/2022
Pattern Name	Flax
Designer	Tin Can Knits
Yarn	Caron Simply Soft Marled // Gray Heather Marl	3 skeins // good bit left over
Needles	US 6 (4.0mm) and US 8 (5.0mm)	40" Circular

NOTES

I really love the detail of Tin Can Knits’ knitting patterns and their large catalog of free patterns.

• Knit size S

• Knit collar double and folded over

• Used 1x1 tubular bind off for sleeves and hem

• Knit short sleeves

• Knit sweater longer than crop length to hit right above my hipbone (I have a short torso, so I did not have to use a lot of yarn to get a bit more length.

RESOURCES

• Tin Can Knits Sweater Tutorial // Learn How to Knit a Sweater

• Tubular Bind Off in the Round | Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Tubular Bind Off in the Round

• Suzanne’s Method of Avoiding Underarm Holes in Knitting | Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube Tutorial

Final Thoughts

• Love this pattern. I will definitely knit this again (or perhaps the flax light again).