Wardrobe Wednesday - Second Slow Fashion October Edition

Happy (late) Wednesday, everyone! In keeping with my promise last Wednesday, here's my second outfit of the month that I have actually worn, utilizing parts of my handmade wardrobe.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that both items I made in this outfit are two that definitely fall into the "well worn" and "much loved" #slowfashion description categories. The cardigan is my version of the Nichols Cardigan from Leather, Lace, Grit & Grace; the cowl design is also from the same publication, the WASPs cowl. I have worn these two particular items a lot since I've made them. In fact, the cowl is the one that hangs right inside my front door, so it's my go-to cowl in most situations, and it is starting to show it around the edges. 

I am planning on making a second version of this cowl design for my own personal use, and I may make another of the cardigan. I wore this with a pale pink cami, and I actually would like another cardi in a different color so I can mix things up. This is a perfect time to invoke Sonya Philip's influence - while I am not necessarily looking for a uniform of sorts, if you look at her wardrobe photos, you'll see that she's made the same basic patterns (her own sewing patterns), over and over and over in multiple colors and textiles. She's found what works for her, it's definitely not boring (!), and she's sticking with it. I love these two pieces, they get worn ... so why not make a few more versions for myself? 

 

 

Long-Worn (and Used) Meets Handmade

Nichols Cardigan in NFC's
Studio Worsted

For those who love all things fiber, this is the weekend of the fall season - The New York Sheep and Wool Festival, otherwise known as Rhinebeck (where it's held)  - is happening. For many knitters and crocheters, it's an annual event. For others (like moi), we aspire to make it to Mecca one of these years very soon.

While I personally will not be in attendance, I am happy to report a few of my designs will be courtesy of Neighborhood Fiber Co. If you are anywhere near Rhinebeck Building C, booth 40 this weekend, not only will you get to pet some awesomely hand-dyed fiber, but you can also check out my Nichols Cardigan as well as the Lace Decadence Shawl.

Of some note, this year New York Sheep and Wool is hosting a used equipment auction in addition to a wool sweater upcycling class for kids (old wool sweaters are felted and then used by kids to craft plushies and other things). I have found the knit and crochet community to be extremely good about recycling, upcycling, mending, and just generally squeezing every ounce of wear out of their respective handmade (and commercially purchased) items. 

For me personally, it's been a more mixed bag in this regard. Growing up, we didn't get many new wardrobe items, but we absolutely adhered to the hand-me-down and mended theory of wardrobe management. Of course, through middle school that also made me an instant stand-out in the poor/working-class person's fashion parade, which was not the superlative to which I aspired. Once I hit high school and started making my own money, I cheerfully waived good-bye to hand-me-downs and ditched my meager mending kit. I cheerfully (and fairly mindlessly) breezed my way through the next few decades purchasing what I wanted, whenever I wanted as my budget allowed. 

Lace Decadence Shawl worked up in NFC's
Rustic Fingering Gradient Kit in Shades of Umber

It was not until the last decade or so that I have started to be more mindful of clothing - and designing for myself the last five years has shifted my mindful wardrobe gear into overdrive. It has not ever been a question of knowing the simple monetary value of my wardrobe - I have always paid for my own clothing - but gaining insight into and valuing all the other aspects of clothing has opened my eyes. From design, to materials, to production (including the all-important labor), waste management, and then upkeep - I have experienced nothing short of a slow fashion conversion. If I can crochet or knit it, I will (and no, there is NO sewing machine in my future). I have not made any real ready-wear clothing purchases in the last oh, at least, three years. Since I have no jeans (really, not one pair), I will need to make a few well-placed buys very soon, and they will be new, as opposed to used. I have no per se issue with used clothing - for others. Admittedly, this former hand-me-down kid will almost always choose new or handmade. I am not the vintage or used pied piper - every person is entitled to source their wardrobe in their own way based on their own rationale. Clothing is just too personal to expect anything less.

Despite my thin wardrobe depth, I am not-so-secretly jealous of those with wardrobe depth that demand a separate room in the house. One, to me, that seems to demand just such a room has to be Sonya Phillip of 100 Acts of Sewing. Her wardrobe, as well as her energy to sew, knit and otherwise create it, seems to be boundless. I may not want to sew, but I do covet Sonya's daily wardrobe choice possibilities.

All this gets me to my final point - I am not certain, if one is being mindful, that there is such a thing as "too much" in the context of a handmade wardrobe. Similar to thoughts expressed in Sonya's project statement, if one is fully conversant with the process of personal clothes making, and actively engages in that process, then what they produce is perfect for them. The last thing the DIY community needs is the consumption or politically correct police. Anyone with nominally imaginative powers can see exactly where that well-intentioned path will lead. If a person wants 10 skirts in 10 different colors, and is mindful about sourcing and acquiring said 10 skirts, then more power to him/her. Personally, I'm working on New Wave Skirt #2 for myself - and if I want 8 more, I will darn well make them.

Enough from me on this for now. 

Wardrobe Wednesday: I Love a Versatile Cardigan

A lovely motif next to
good karma.

Happy Wednesday – and time (albeit late in the day) for another wardrobe installment. It’s been raining most of the day, so I couldn’t take the photos I needed until the end  of daylight. Oh well.

My focus centers around two designs from Leather, Lace, Grit & Grace – my Nichols Cardigan and WASPs Cowl..

I cannot tell you how much I love this cardi. I took a little extra time when making it to ensure I achieved a fit that was right for me (which included rethinking the neckline a bit), and it was so worth it. I’ve worn this with a short black skirt during the end of summer, but since we have a very temperate climate here in the PNW, I

should be able to wear this wool + cotton blend sweater through three seasons. 

So, with that in mind, after rejecting an all-brown foundation (fairly boring, actually), I pulled out some rather utilitarian gray slacks, opted for a well-worn teal cami, and added a simple necklace in the same color, my blue version of the WASPs cowl, added my favorite pair of Mary Janes, et viola! I am extremely pleased with how the teal looks underneath the cream cardi, and the white piping on the shoes echoes the sweater. I can see how some might view this palette as also a little boring, but the blue has a lot more life in real life.

And about those shoes: I have had them for several years, and I’ve worn them in the past a fair bit. They’ve been to the cobbler for work on the heels and the last time, I had the cobbler add those great ying/yang shank buttons I found (the straps are functional, so they are attached with elastic, but I usually don’t ever unbutton them). I call them my karma Mary Janes, and I absolutely love them with this outfit.

Good karma. Oh yeah!

A Huge Thank You

Happy Monday, everyone! Since I was blogging all of last week for the 6th Annual Knitting & Crochet Blog Week, I did not get an opportunity to wrap up the Leather, Lace, Grit & Grace bloggy tour.

Motifs in process on my own
Nichols Cardigan

First and foremost, I want to thank each blog tour host individually for a great week of posts: the wonderful people over at Dream in Color Yarn, Gwen Blakley-Kinsler of Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings fame, Sarah Anderson at January Yarns, Karida and Kristen over at Neighborhood Fiber Co., Andrea Morrison and the whole menagerie at Wonder Why Alpaca Farm, LLC, and (last but not least!) Stefanie at Wooly Cakes and Wooden Spoons. Each of these people/entities has provided wonderful support and exposure for the book and its designs. I am truly grateful.

Additionally, each person who commented throughout the entire blog tour has now been entered into my give-away at the end of May. I've also announced the winners of the e-books given away during the tour here in my Ravelry group, but in case you missed it, here they are again:

1. From the Dream in Color blog comments, Jenni (Rav id: Jollylamb);
2. From the Neighborhood Fiber Co. blog posts, Julie (Rav id: knitwit23);
3. From the January Yarns’ blog comments, Jennifer (Rav id: Ironicalknitter); and
4. From the Wisdom Begins in Wonder blog comments, (Rav id: jenlynheb).

There's still time to do any one of nine different things (!) to gain additional entries into the end-of-May giveaway (all of them described in the Rav group linky above or here on the blog). Anyone can have multiple entries, so get pinning or knitting or crocheting or joining while the getting is good. Do you know that the grand prize includes all the yarn needed to make your very own Cochran Puffy V Shoulder Warmer  as well as a scenic seaplane tour of the Puget Sound for two? (and of course, you'll have to get your awesome self to the Puget Sound to take advantage of the seaplane tour, but c'mon, you know if you do it'll be ahhh-mazing).

In the meantime, I'm going to continue finishing several projects I have in process as part of the Spring Flingy Thingy. I just might have a few finished things to show at week's end.

Have a great week, and I'll see you on Friday.

Well, It's a Fiber Arts Friday Post ...

... on Saturday. That's just the way yesterday went for me. 

Nevertheless, this is an update on Voie de Vie's Spring Flingy Thingy, in progress through the end of May (and OhMyBob, it's already May!!!!). I've definitely been elbow deep in fiber, and have many WIPs to show for it, although no additional finished projects just yet.

Progress on my Frosted Espresso Cardigan

In my two public tests, here's where I'm at with both projects:

(1) On my Frosted Espresso Cardigan, I'm almost half way through the shrug, but I now need to wait for additional LB Collection Silk Mohair to make its way to me, since I can only purchase it online through the Lion Brand website (since I'm not in Gotham City). I'm loving both the yarn choice and working up this lace cardi - the main lace pattern is easily memorized so it makes for great night time crocheting - at least until I get to the front portion, but that's a little way off.

(2) I am super thrilled with my progress on my test version of the Autumn Leaf Shawl. Not only am I enjoying seeing the post stitch "veins" of the leaf work up, but people in the test are using such wonderful yarn - so far, Fyberspates Gleem Lace and Madelinetosh Lace - both in yummy colorways. I'm also thrilled with the fact that I get to use up lovely yarn from stash. Oh yeah.

The summer leaf version of my Autumn Leaf shawl design - aren't
those leaf "veins" great?

Now on to the main event of the spring flingy thingy - the Leather, Lace, Grit & Grace a-long. Since I started on two cardigans (yikes!) from the book's collection it's going, but slow and steady. Initially, I am now on the back of my own Definitely in Africa Cardigan. This also is an easily memorized lace pattern, and since it's worked in pieces, this will now become my travel project. In fact, I took it with me to my eye exam last week. Do you know how difficult it is to work on a crochet project when one is waiting for the eye pupil dialating drops to kick in? Ask me how I know. :) Nevertheless, I am farther along on the back piece than is showing in this photograph. I also switched up my edging yarn to something that is far more subtle than the cream I originally had chosen. This is turning into a cardi with a distinctly fall feel.

My current version of the Definitely in Africa cardigan. I don't know if
you can read the notations, but the first front piece is on the bottom of
the pile (notated at top left), the first sleeve is front and center (notation
mid-left) and the beginning of the back piece is at top right.

See the two different cream yarns
playing together nicely

My Nichols Cardigan is working up creamy good. I've got more motifs done than in this photo, and the shrug is also about half done. Initially I thought this project would take longer than the Definitely In Africa cardigan, but nope. I am whipping right through these pieces. I'll be thrilled once I make the strips for the lower portion of it and start the final construction. I'm definitely aiming to wear this sooner rather than later.

Speaking of these cardigans and Leather, Lace Grit & Grace, don't forget that its bloggy tour is set to start this coming Monday, May 4th. (Go here to see all the stops.) Several bloggers on the tour have been spending time and energy on their respective reviews, and I really appreciate the effort. This book is a little (ok, well maybe a lot!) like my child - I have put so much effort and heart and soul into it. The fact that these bloggers are taking such a considered approach to its review is a gesture I appreciate far more than I can convey in mere words. I hope everyone will take the time to visit each blog stop and give these amazingly talented bloggers some time as well. I will also tell you that the first stop - Dream in Color's blog - got a little help from me, since they are in the midst of a major move. I hope you all enjoy the design anecdote I share, which you'll only read there. On Monday. 

And don't forget, everyone who leaves comments on along the bloggy tour route will be entered into my give-away at the end of the Spring Flingy Thingy for a chance to win yarn, books, and even a Scenic Tour Flight of the Puget Sound in a seaplane! How amazing is that? (And of course, disclaimer: you'll need to get your awesome self to the Puget Sound on your own if you're not local in order to take advantage of this prize so, like, what are you waiting for?)

Ok, is that enough update for one blog post?