Cats with Mustard - Mmmm!

Today you get a 2-for-1 post! I know blog posts have been a bit slow from Needles HQ recently, but it's not for lack of any production, just life getting in the way. Anyway, today I present to you the Disdainful Cats skirt with a hand knitted 1960's tie-neck sweater:

Let's start with the skirt - it's basically the same design as the one I used for my December Minerva project, which involved taking a piece from Burda 122 and sticking it on to the back of a self drafted pencil skirt:

Apologies for creasing...

Close up of back frill

The fabric is a medium weight cotton I picked up at Fancy Silks in Birmingham while on the SewBrum meet-up. It actually came from the furnishing fabrics department - I suppose it's intended for curtains, cushion covers, etc. The cats have a bit of a snooty air about them, so I couldn't imagine having a room decked out in them. Imagine all that judgement gazing down at you. But I liked the colour and feel of the fabric enough to ignore their bullying and make this skirt.

Here's some details-

As with the previous version, I avoided side seams by overlapping the front and back pieces at the side and cutting it all as one, with just a centre back seam. As if by some miracle, the pattern matched up nearly perfectly at the back seam:

Almost perfect matching - take that cats! 

I put in a hand picked zip, and finished off the waistband with a little black button from my stash:

The skirt is fully lined, with the hem finished with bias made from the lining:

Lining where the frill meets the skirt

Detail of the hem

Mr needles was kind enough to be my photographer for the day, but as we started to take the photos an unexpected storm started to build up:

It started raining about 30 mins after this photo was taken!

But it gave me an opportunity to get some action shots of the frill:

Now the sweater-

I love knitting, but I'm less experienced with it as compared to sewing, and I'm often less than pleased with the results. So I stick to socks and scarves, and little things that don't require much fitting. 

But this pattern, from a 1960's 'Woman and Home' booklet caught my eye as something I could actually do well:

I used a 4ply wool and polyester mix by Drops, which I ordered from Loveknitting (It's only £1.50 per ball!) And even though I consider it an 'ugly' colour, I chose mustard because it seemed era-appropriate and I secretly really like it. The only drawback is that the wool is a little itchy, but after washing it seems to be softening up.

The whole jumper is knitted in plain stocking stitch, and other than shaping and a little bit of detail at the hems it was pretty boring to knit. 

Here it is:

I think it's pretty close to the original!

Some details:

Close up of hem

The hem of the body and the sleeves all have this picot stitch worked about 11 rows after casting on. After it's worked, you fold the hem under, resulting in this pretty edging.

Inside view of the hem turned up

Here's a close up of the neck tie:

It's just a long strip with pointed ends that's sewn around the neck and threaded through a little knitted loop on the left.

And that's pretty much it - see you soon!

Can't Stop Knitting

Sewing's my first love, but I always have some knitting on the go. I'm far less successful with it, but I keep trying!

I just finished this jumper, the pattern of which was in the Knitter magazine:

 Here's my slightly baggy version:

I followed the directions diligently, but after a few wears it seems to have grown around the middle:

Oh well...... it's not going to stop me wearing it. It's lovely and soft (I used Artesano extra fine wool) and I love the lacy panels:

Not to be put off, I've jumped straight in to 2 more knitting projects, both from the 60's, and both cardigans (Can't ever have enough cardigans). Here's the first one:

I'm knitting the piece on the left, out of navy blue Millamia double knitting (that's worsted, for the benefit of North American readers). I seem to be racing through this, and have already finished the back piece:

Close up of the lace panel

I'm not good at waiting to finish a project before starting a new one, so I've gone ahead and started this cardigan:

I'm making the crew neck version on the left. Pretty boring, you say? No! I'm jazzing it up by  knitting the ribbing in scraps of metallic thread and the body in Debbie Bliss Rialto 4-ply. Here's the start of the back:

Sparkly ribbing!

As I said before, I'm not as successful with knitting, and this project illustrates that beautifully. I started this some time ago:

It was going quite well, except for the fact that it was way too small! I'd made some adjustments that I thought would make it work, but there was no way it was going to fit. The only thing for it was to admit defeat and start something new, and so we have the start of the lurex rib cardi.

Let's hope these ones's work out - see you soon!

Fever Induced Knitting and Sewing

The last 2 weeks of my life have mostly consisted of this:

Get me, mixing my medications - living on the edge!

 Yup, as is so often the case at this time of year, I have succumbed to flu, like 90% of the rest of the nation. Hacking cough, aches and pains, exhaustion, sweating alternating with shivering - the whole gamut of general illness. I've generally felt like this:

Resting on my deathbed...

Besides watching re-runs of 'Poirot' and 'Murder She Wrote', the only thing I've been able to manage is knitting. I've started on this project from an American copy of The Vogue Knitting Book from Autumn/Winter 1951:

With all this time on my hands recuperating, I've wizzed through this - only the sleeves left to do!

I've also started this:

Le-Roy Pattern, early 1970's (I think...)

 
I've always loved the 1940's via the 1970's - I love the way they've styled it with wedges and a hair snood. And the black and pink floral cotton sateen I pulled out of my stash is just perfect for view B.

Anyway, I think the worst of my illness has gone, so normal service is about to be resumed!

It's Not Always Me, Me, Me

Baby Eve wearing Nicole Needles!

I love having a blog, and have learnt so much since starting it and made contact with some great people, but I always have the niggling feeling that it's an ultimately narcissistic hobby. I'm always conscious of not wanting to sound all 'Look at me! Look at how clever I am!'. But then I've never been very good at receiving complements - I'm one of those 'Oh, this old thing' people who gets all embarrassed and starts tripping over their words.

With that in mind, today's project features a cardigan worn by little Eve Noyce, my husband's second cousin. I've never wanted to make clothes, etc, for a living, but I love surprising people with something now and then. Plus childrenswear is great to make - it's really small, so quick to make up. I was actually able to make this cardigan with leftovers from another project. And babies don't generally have an opinion on fashion, so they're pleased with everything they receive!

Here's the original pattern I used, from 'Knitting Illustrated',  by Margaret Murray and Jane Koster, published by Odhams Press, 1949:

I made it minus the embroidery - I just couldn't get it to look right...

This project also brings up another subject I've been interested in - Odhams Press, in particular their sewing and knitting books.

I came across my first one about 20 years ago, and since then have collected a total of 6. If you see one in a charity shop, jumble sale, etc, I thoroughly recommend you snap it up. Even if you don't sew or knit, they're packed full of brilliant images and graphics from the 30's and 40's, and give an insight into life before chain stores and fast fashion. I particularly like the wartime/ rationing editions, with tips on how to re-knit items, or even how to make men's shirts into aprons and undies:

 Here are some examples of the great graphic design from the inside covers:

And this one even supplied the Nicole Needles' logo:

 Sadly, Odhams Press no loger exists, the result of being bought up and merged into another group in the 1960's. But you can still find their books on Ebay and Amazon. For now, I'll leave you with a few more images:

1939

1939

1949

The Coats Not Done, but I've Been Busy

I trust everyone had a lovely Christmas! Personally, I had a great time, but I'm a bit sick of meat, chocolate, and gravy, and feel a real need to de-tox.

Anyway...

A little while ago I did a post about starting this coat:

Pauline Trigere for McCalls, 1956

Well, it's about halfway done! Here's how it looks so far:

 

The basic outer shell is complete, but the lining still has to be attached, then the hems need to be stitched and the little capelet made. Maybe another week - or 2 - and you'll all be able to see the finished results!

But I haven't been idle - what with Christmas parties to make dresses for (see my Sid Vicious dress here) and various Secret Santa's to knit gloves for, my sewing machine and knitting needles have been humming and clicking away. I also found time to knit a few woolly bits for myself.

First, I made this hat from a 1940's pattern, using Debbie Bliss cashmerino:

 

This is the original. I know - it was meant for a young girl, but kids dressed like old ladies back then, so it didn't look so 'young' on me:      

Close up of finished hat

 Then, I made these fingerless gloves to match:

Finally, I had a bit of yarn left over, so I made another hat:

A beret!

And this was the pattern I used (bottom right). (Don't you think these ladies look a bit like a slightly off Pans People?)

I'm off to do some more work on my coat, and I'll see you all in the New Year!