This latest version takes the number of Thread Theory Finlayson sweaters that I’ve made so far to four.  Finlaysons are fantastic!  The first one is here.  The second one is here.  The third one was for my dad – it was never blogged and I only have one snap of that to show you.

Dad’s was made in size Small, with shortened sleeves, in a knit from Darn Cheap Fabrics. The fourth one was made last week for my husband.

This one is the Medium. As with the last couple I made him, I think that the sleeves are too long, but he disagrees so I have been forbidden to remove any length. The fabric is a proper rugby knit form Rathdowne Fabrics. The first two I made have been on high rotation and haven’t washed very well. I have higher hopes for this one.

Those bold stripes did require some thought in regards to placement and stripe matching. I’m quite pleased with the result. I used knit fusible interfacing in the collar, which has given it lovely shape and structure. I’m rather pleased with my efforts!

Most construction was on the overlocker. I used plenty of pins to help keep the stripes aligned. Didn’t feel the inclination to baste. They are mostly spot on. I only used the sewing machine for the collar (although I still overlocked the edges once the collar was attached).

And guess what? There is another one cut out, although this time in a jumper knit that is going to be much more challenging to sew. I think that I’ve been avoiding it….

(and how many people get why I loved writing that blog post title so much?)

This is definitely an autumn/winter of simple sewing.  Straightforward patterns that let the prints and the colours shine.  And that take me very little time to sew (but surely that isn’t my primary motivator)!

You saw my first version of the Grainline Linden pattern here.  Since then I’ve made two more.  Each time I made size 10, and removed length from the sleeves but folding out a bit over an inch from the pattern piece in two places, both above the elbow and below.  This shortened the sleeves around 5-6 cm in total.

This first one was a happy meeting of remnants. The abstract print used for the sleeves and bands came from The Cloth Shop in Ivanhoe. Yes, it was a small piece, but I was certain that it would find something to pair with at some stage. It didn’t take long before I came across another remnant,this time from Darn Cheap Fabrics. When I laid eyes on the slightly textured, jacquard knit in their remnant bin I knew exactly what it was destined for.

These are softer, lighter weight fabrics than the one that I used for my first Linden. This makes the sweater much more drapey, with a looser and more relaxed fit. The crocheted scarf I am wearing in the first photo is the Boteh scarf – pattern available here. It’s one of my favourites.

You can see the texture of the solid knit more in that photo. I used the bottom band instead of the shorter curved hemline because I was feeling too lazy to rethread the machine or to get out the fusible hemming tape. It was much faster and easier to simply add the bottom band, and it provided me with the opportunity to add that little bit more contrast.

The next was an impulse sew. I called in to Spotlight to buy some fake fur to make Clare a vest, and while I was there I spotted a printed fleece with a plush backing. Oh, the softness – that was going to be be against my skin! I succumbed, bought the fabric, and cut it out that night.

This used exactly the same pattern pieces as the last one, but the fabric choice has changed the fit substantially. It is much more like a windcheater. I managed to attach the neckband with the seam at centre front, so spent some quality time with the unpicker before reattaching it the correct way around. That possibly took longer than the rest of the construction process.

The plush backing of the fabric made it a bit shifty when there were a few layers together. I had to use more pins than usual! I originally planned to leave the hem band off this one and do the curved front hem, but forgot until after the hem band was attached and the top pretty much finished.

That’s probably it for the Linden pattern for me – for now. I have a feeling that it may re-emerge with the shorter sleeves and length once we get to spring – but that is a long, long way away!

When I bought the vintage wool that I used for my jacket in the previous post I also bought a length of vintage wool boucle knit.  I believe that these vintage fabrics, now available at Rathdowne Fabrics, originally came from Job Warehouse that used to be in the city.  I always used to think that was the weirdest name for a business.  Job warehouse?  How could you warehouse jobs?  Was it like an employment office?  I had no idea that it meant “job lot” and was in reference to fabric, where large amounts of excess fabrics were available for purchase.  This is despite noticing the large numbers of haphazardly placed fabric bolts in the window (among dead flies and many layers of dust).  Well duh.

This boucle has a metallic thread woven into it as well. I decided to use the rougher boucle side as the right side, not the smoother knit side that showed more sparkle. And I paired it with Simplicity 1366.

And this is what I ended up with! I made size 12, and lengthened the sleeves while retaining the width. The finished length was actually pretty random. At first I considered shortening them, but in the end I left them as they are. They’re a good length to wear, as they show off a contrasting layer underneath and are short enough that the width of the sleeve doesn’t get in the way.

Most construction was on the overlocker. Hems were turned to the inside and secured with a zig-zag, which mostly vanished into the weave. I failed to stabilise the neckline before turning it, which was a mistake. Luckily because the fabric was wool I was able to steam it back into shape without too much difficulty. I’m quite enjoying the shorter length of this jumper.  A little bit cropped, and rather boxy. There is no way that I’ll be wearing a fitted cropped jumper like the Astoria, but this is a great alternative for me and my style. I need to play with it a little more, but overall I like it.

And this is how I’m wearing it today – with a Style Arc Fay skirt in ponte, purchased top underneath, and a crocheted cowl and fingerless mittens.  I feel great in this outfit!

One of Style Arc’s recent offerings was the Mason jacket.  From the pattern page:

MASON KNIT JACKET: This knee length Ponte knit jacket is given a fresh look with an interesting shawl collar, and large patch pockets , braid or bind the edges or just leave them raw. A truly staple piece for your wardrobe.

FABRIC SUGGESTION & DESCRIPTION: Ponte, boiled wool

I didn’t use ponte. As one of the suggested fabrics was boiled wool, I figured that this vintage woven wool would possibly work out alright. It came from Rathdowne Fabrics. I adore the colour and the weave. It’s suit weight rather than coat weight.

I sewed size 12 without alteration. Most seams were sewn on the overlocker. I flat felled the centre back neck seam, as it is exposed when the collar is turned back. Sadly my photographer failed to tell me that my collar was wonky for these pictures.

I bound the edges with linen ribbon from Darn Cheap Fabrics. I folded it in half lengthwise and ironed it flat, then encased the edge of the fabric in it and topstitched it in place. I had to fiddle a bit to get the corners neat, but it has all worked out okay. After consultation with Instagram I left off the pockets that are part of the design.  And yes, the wool wrinkles.  I had been wearing the jacket for a few hours before these photos were taken.

I wore it with a silk scarf that I “made” from a remnant I discovered in the Darn Cheap Fabrics remnant bin. All I did was pull a couple of threads from selvage to selvage to make sure that the edges were straight, then allowed them to fray a little. No sewing involved – the perfect lazy project. And silk feels so nice next to the skin – and it is surprisingly warm!

I’ve been sewing Jalie 2918 for my husband again.

Except this time I’ve sewn it with long sleeves.

And in different prints.

Although they are still from the same range of cotton jersey knits from Darn Cheap Fabrics.

I wasn’t paying attention when I sewed that neckband. But in the end I patiently unpicked it and then sewed it back on the correct way around. I knew it would drive me nuts if I didn’t.

All pattern and construction details are the same as in my previous post. And I’ve got another one cut out in the fishy fabric.

I’m trying out a few knit top styles at the moment.  I’ve had the Style Arc Molly knit top pattern in stash for a little while, and thought it would be a good one for work.  From the Style Arc website: The clever front detail along with the new banded neck gives this top a new twist on the stylish drape neck that has been a favourite for the past season. Easy to make and wear.

I used the same knit that I recently used for my Darn Cheap Fabrics seasonal challenge.  It sewed up very quickly and easily, with all construction being done on the overlocker.  As per usual hems were stabilised with double sided adhesive tape then top-stitched with a twin needle on the sewing machine.

Sadly I only have photos of it on Ada at the moment. I decided to leave off the little front pleat/twist thing. Suspected that all it would do would be to encourage the fabric to stick to my rolls instead of skim over them. I made size 12, my usual Style Arc top size, and chose the full length sleeve option.

I have worn this top, and was pleased with the fit. Not too loose, not too tight, and I always like a v-shaped neckline on me. The neckline is a cowl, but with a band to finish the edge instead of a facing. It seemed to work okay, with the band providing enough weight for it to drape nicely.  You can just glimpse the top in this outfit I wore to work.

This pattern will definitely get another outing or two.