I just can’t seem to warm up these past few weeks so it’s no surprise that I’m mildly obsessed with warm cosy layering right now. Having made my first Linden it’s pretty clear from how much I’m wearing it that my wardrobe would benefit from a few more! Seriously crushing on the idea of a Linden in this Cotton Nicky Velour in Blackberry from Dragonfly fabrics. Like, SERIOUS love. I’m thinking view B as opposed to view A though; to stop it looking a bit too Juicy Couture, or maybe using it as a contrast texture along with a standard sweatshirting….that could work right?
I also have a length of this French Terry in Heather Grey from Girl Charlee in my stash. It’s actually quite lightweight. More like a thicker jersey as opposed to a sweatshirt fabric. So I’m thinking another Hemlock (just can’t go wrong with a Hemlock) but cuffing the sleeves so they can roll back and show off the contrasting loopy underside for a bit of textural contrast. Maybe adding a huge patch pocket….
I’ve been pondering the Lark Tee. I mean as a layering basic it’s a no brainer right? I worry a little that it might be too fitted for my liking though. Any of you made it? Any thoughts or feedback on that element? I can’t help but think it would be a versatile underlayer in something like this thick olive jersey. It comes in a range of colours but this one is a rarity.  I REALLY love olive green and it’s a colour I really really really want to incorporate into my wardrobe more. (I have zero me mades in this colour right now!) But for some reason there just doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of it about, as a colour, in any type of fabric. Am I alone in my olive green love? Is there a proliferation of olive green fabrics out there that I am just missing?
If you prefer a set in sleeve to a raglan on your sweatshirts then there’s always Sewaholic’s more sporty offering, the Fraser. When these images first popped up in my feed I really liked the quilted fabric. I’m loving quilted sweatshirts right now (been pinning them like mad; more on that tomorrow) but quilting on that tiny scale is beyond the limits of my patience to do myself. But the fabric in the right hand pic bears more than a passing resemblance though, right!?
The Fraser also has some rather interesting contrast elements included using punched pleather . This is another element I’ve been pondering. Using small amounts of leather /pleather trim. I even thrifted a leatherette jacket from the charity shop that I have since cut up to harvest the fabric. So something “pleather” (that word makes me chuckle.) related will be happening here soon! I  also stumbled on this (identical?) leatherette from Remnant Kings while I was having a mooch on their site. Spooky right?!
Cardi’s are another favourite of mine. Do love a nice cardi! Wendy’s Longley Cardi and  Brightside Shrug is a super fast and easy makes. I keep thinking I should try a pattern hack on the shrug and have the back section extend right down to the back of the knees in a kind of oversized cocoon stylee. That would work right? I haven’t sat down and worked out what that would look like  as a pattern piece yet.  If anyone does that hack before I get round to it….or if you’ve already done it…let me know pleeeease!!
I am intrigued by this maxi cardi pattern by Jaimie Christine.  I can picture a maxi cardi in this stripe knit from Fabric Godmother. Looks supersoft right. If you hop over to Josie’s blog you can see the kimono cardi she made from it. Nice right? If you don’t have a pattern and need a tutorial to make your own...try this 😉
So where are we up to now? 3 layers? Lol! Tee, sweatshirt, cardi, ha ha! I’m STILL cold! Trouble is with layering up…it’s usually tricky to get your coat over?! On some school runs I have literally looked like the michelin man, ha ha! I’m not normally a cape kind of gal….and yes, I know Sewaholic’s cape pattern is kinda meant for sportswear. And yes, I know it’s meant to be like, a showerproof type fabric. Lightweight and all that. But for some reason I can really see it adapted for everyday wear in  an indigo corduroy (deep inky blues are really floating my boat right now.) or even a wool.  With a silky lining. I do get random ideas from time to time and sometimes they are so off the wall they are unworkable. But that could work couldn’t it??
I’m kind of a bit of a print and colour phobe. But every now and then I surprise myself by REALLY liking a colourful print. And this Liberty print is a case in point. There’s no obvious rhyme or reason to it, apart from maybe, that growing obsession with deep inky blue….and the fact that the print is the right side of quirky. But hey….it would make a GREAT Rigel Bomber right??
Why oh why oh why are pattern envelope images so naff?? This is not the worst offender by far, lol! But that camo fabric?? But looking past that, to the shape of View A of Simplicity 1281…how PERFECT would that be for chucking on over multiple layers? In a camel wool?!! Â It’s actually a really lovely, modern, on trend shape (shame about the camo) and would look amazing in felted or boiled wool. I may actually have to purchase this pattern….
I have plans to make a coat! Â I don’t think my skill level is quite up to Heather’s gorgeous Clare Coat, (my plans are a tad more simple) but one can lust right? Again, unusually bold for me, but really liking the thought of a coat like this in a bold monochrome pattern like this tweed…
Everything above is available from my lovely sponsors. Whilst this post is designed to support those sponsors, I do genuinely sit there and work out my own wishlist. Keep an eye out for some of these ideas appearing here at some point. Also keep an eye on the sponsor banners in the side bar. Any special offers/discounts will be in there. And last but not least, mustn’t forget the lovely Clare from Swedish Tracing Paper.
If you follow me on IG you’ll know that I have been having a massive fitting marathon (sway back, forward shoulder, fba sigh…) on a Colette Laurel. And that stuff is sooooo useful for toiles and pattern adjustment. Especially folding out darts! There’ll be a post (or two) giving you the lowdown on my fitting traumas/ victories(!) next week some time. So if you have similar fitting woes….look out for that!
But for now…layer up….stay warm…it’s BITTER out there today!