A festival of hoodies
So, yea, I've been sewing a lot of knits lately. A) I heart the quick ease they bring (I mean talk about self gratification) and B) one of us is in need of basics. As a rule, I do my damndest to keep my fabric on two shelves of a bookshelf and to keep the yardage bought to what I need. Well, with with knits I like to see scraps pile up (as I'm making knickers) and I'm known to get creative with sculpting tees and what not.
On that note, hoodies abound with a generational passing glee. Seriously, young and old wear them. Before my Gram passed in 2000 she wore mine from time to time. I kid you not. If she was alive now she'd certainly have some of these as she liked the open fronts the best. So, in that regard when you think about fashion and its evolution one that stands firm my generation did was bringing knits into a sense of everyday glory. Yea, Coco Chanel brought jersey in for women's daily wear. But, knits have become something we wear from day to night.
In that regard, I posted a few months ago about my first me made hoodie. I will say that that expensive trim, that my Dad still shakes his head at it but admitted he liked my hoodie, makes that hoodie pretty special. Though, as much as I wear that one I still wanted two more. One to wear with a dress or skirt to be precise. Almost like a sweater. Ya know, an eloquent hoodie if you must. So, a charcoal grey knit mixed with some leftover zebra strip vicose knit I had last summer for some added flair from the Sol Hoodie pattern (again).
Yes, that's double your pleasure and double your fun. One is for Tanfer. She knows already.
And then . . . more fabric from Mood. This time the Thakoon Cotton in Muted Coral. I wanted the black. It was sold out. Really wanted the Charcoal. It was sold out. I really, really, wanted to make the Lola, but yea in coral it would not float with me. I'm mostly a dark, black gal. A spot of color, like this coral, serves well from time to time. Of course, right now in the middle of this blustery white and grey winter it is a spot of sunshine relief. Even more so right now, it serves as comfort as we are partially thaw in the auspice of another arctic vortex coming next week. Save me already.
Though, for all you people who got my moody black and charcoal Thakoon cotton . . . I would seriously buy two yards from you. I am serious. Dead serious.
Pretty nifty, huh? Of course I made a Renfrew. No surprise there.
Serger porn! And, FYI, I wasn't about to buy four spools of serger thread in a muted coral color. So, I bought two spools of coral colored thread, filled some bobbins, and threaded my serger. FYI, threads 1 and 2 use the most so if you do the serger with bobbins money saver use your full spools for threads one and two. It will save you some re-threading time. I did everything except the top stitch on the pockets and inserting the zipper via the serger. I should note that Santa gave me all of the feet to my serger, but . . . I have some honest plans this late spring and summer to sit and do the tricks on my serger. Of course, that will be with true practice zippers and fabric as, well, I'm not keen on practicing something new on expensive fabric.
I hand picked the thumb openings. Another FYI, if you are like me be prepared to do them twice. Why? You need to make the stitches on thumb openings a little bit looser as you tug and pull at those throughout the day. This is a thicker fabric, so looser stitches on thumb holes are something I've committed to the learned sewing memory.
And look at that gorgeous twill tape? I mean how can you not love it?
I bought that last summer, with intentions for use on a pair of cargs (up on que for next week) and for a hoodie. I really love it here. And, as this was my fourth one it is no surprise that my stitches are near perfect. ;)
The ones for Tanfer and me . . . I see her in April in Amsterdam and The Hague (we are running a workshop for a swanky international conference). I will certainly get a photo of her in hers at some interesting visual spot.
If you look close you can see that I lined our pockets with zebra love. It wasn't necessary, but it certainly is cute.
Black twill and a label. She's got the "fait avec amour" label too.
Other changes: I shorted the sleeves on T and mine by two inches. While I am larger in girth than her, the rest is the same. I sewed mine on half inch seams time (via the serger) as my first one is a little loose. I wanted that sleek look after all. My sleeves are slightly larger than T's, but other than that . . . This is one of those bang, bang gotta dead patterns.
I will say, while the Sol Hoodie is now a TNT pattern for me I won't be making another hoodie for sometime. Why? I have three me made. Three, plus three Stony Brook ones and the one my sister gave . . . not to mention two from my parents (Dad makes sure there's a hoodie every Christmas . . . Mom makes sure there are socks) . . . oh and don't forget my white Avacado. Yea, I have more than enough hoodies.
Trying to get the Dude to take some photos . . . shit. I'm springing for a tripod this month. Seriously.
The weather outside has been shitty, and I am sure you are tired of seeing odd vantage points of my apartment. We tried for hallway shots. Tried.
My arms are so long. LOL.
Among the shadows you can see the fit. It is, well, superb.
A non shadowy front view . . . Oh, my snow boots died so I've resorted to using my rain boots until Spring arrives. They keep the toes dry, but I will say it is a full cardio workout to not fall on the snow and ice. Snow boots, need. They have grippers.
Though, that brings me to my next point. The image of my body is never one I am comfortable with . . . though, taking photos of clothing one's made can act as an assault or comfort. The fat kid still lurks within, the one that got harassed so brutally in eighth grade. Case in point . . . I heart the hoodie. My Juniper Pants I posted on Instagram last week for Valentine's. . .
They are technically my plaid pornos, but yea . . . they are easy to make, a quick make . . . but, the style does little for me. Sad, very sad. The blur of the photo pretty much does my mood these days . . . I have twenty pounds to loose from when I quit smoking. Shit. Between the weather, Lupus beating me up, and having a hellaciously busy schedule I've had little time to really hone my body into some kind of submission.
I've been back on the plaquenil for a month now, and shit man . . . I really do feel better. I'll never feel 100 percent, but hells bells I feel pretty damned spryish. I also gave up all beverages with aspartame almost two months ago. Dude, that did my body aches wonders. In short, the Lupus bitch still lives within me but she's quelling some . . . The jeans I bought in Turkey, in October, are looser now (not loose enough to call them too big), and I can shimmy into my size 12s. So, yea, things aren't all bad. But, there are days, months, and prolonged moments when your body image assaults you, making you cringe, and bringing near tears to your eyes. Most days I am comfortable enough with myself. This week I am not.
Though, I can now say that a couple of key things are off my list, completed this week. So, come hell or high water my mile run is becoming three. I leave for Ecuador on the 14th, and between now and then I'm running everyday. Why? I refuse to make Thurlows in a bigger size. Dead serious. FYI, I quit smoking last June . . . right when I made my purple plaid and black plaid ones.
The porno factor:
I had a smidge left from some Thurlows I trashed last summer (I gnashed a huge hole in them) . . . So, here it is.
On other happier notes, Gotham has been an amass of white.
That Wooly Valentine. Yup.
The park with some pretty glow.
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