Wednesday, December 23, 2009

no coat. two light jackets.

I have decided NOT to sew any new coat for this winter in September to make my life simpler.

I love to sew coats, but at the same time, I also hate to sew them very much! I have this mixed strange feeling in it. Making coats is very exciting & fruitful, and the results always make me feel accomplished and so great. However, I am also very nervous throughout its whole process of both cutting and sewing. Especially in every aspect of dealing with the fabrics. Most of the time, the fabrics for coats are great indeed and I love to look at them at all, but they are also simply more expensive and more precious, practically not available any more than once, larger to handle, easier to fray, too fluffier, unwillingly messier, seriously more delicate and disappointingly less iron-friendly than the fabrics for other items. I am most likely to feel running away when I myself decide to make a wintry nice coat, imagining of all troubles and accidents on my fabric before getting the coat.

I think I can describe it like this too, "I adore gorgeous fabrics too much, especially for those that are used for coats. Because I love them so much, I feel ill with the idea of ruining them in my hands."

I know it sounds way too silly. I wish I had a skill to describe it less stupid.

Anyway, without any plan for new coat, my autumn and winter this year is so relaxing and peaceful. I'm feeling more productive and sewing small things happily. Here I have pictures of two jackets that I made recently.

091217
091118victoria

One of them is actually a cardigan, but I used a jersey with less elasticity to make it look more jacket-y.
(The fabric is the leftover of this cape, as you may find.)

7victoria

I found so much use of it in my everyday life. LOOOVE IT. It's nothing special, but it's perfect. Warm, cosy, pretty and white.

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pattern: 7victoria (cardigan, PDF) from anneeduex*
size 38
body shortened (-3cm)
sleeve lengthened (+2cm)

wool/polyester blend, jersey
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Other is a jacket with an interesting shape.

091221Hilda7
Hilda

The pattern is from miho's shop, and I think it's so hers.
It has a pair of dolman sleeves, but the shape of them are slightly different from you would imagine with the word of "dolman". I recommend you to refer her photographs & technical drawings if you would like to know how the sleeves originally shape, since you wouldn't see their specialness in my pictures with my arms down (sorry!).

The jacket is very pretty, and it's special! I think the combination of the color of pale beige and this interesting shape suits me very well. And, it gives me every chance to show off my lovely pairs of hand warmers too. What do I need more.

091221Hilda3

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pattern: Hilda (jacket, PDF) from TAMANEGI-KOBO

one size (free size)

fashion fabric: plain woven wool/acryl blend, 142cm x 2.5m
lining fabric
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Have a happy holiday!
-yoshimi

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

hand warmers

I am just telling you that I love them and need them everyday! (in winter of course, but they can be protecting our arms from the sunshine in summer as well)
Get a free pattern from BurdaStyle.

Pattern page: yoshimi hand warmer

handwarmers-SP5
handwamer-W2
handwamer-mint3
handwarmers-SP2

material notes
one white thin woolen turtle neck that made my neck itchy to death (deep corner in my closet)
one very tired cardigan which is made of colorful spotted woolen jersey (thrift shop)
one peppermint-colored cotton vest with glitter beads on the surface (thrift shop)
made 5(!) pairs of hand warmers.