There is something quite exciting when you realise that you can create something for yourself, and seeing it grow and develop is enormously exciting. There is of course that element of jeopardy, when you have finished, when all the ends are sewn in, when if being very, very disciplined you have blocked your creation, you put it on…and…it fits.
With every make there is a little gamble. If it has turned out well – you have got your sizing right, your tension right and the idea in your mind matches what you see before you in the mirror – what a win! However, if it doesn’t go well then all the investment of yarn and time seems like a cruel disappointment.
To ensure you don’t make catastrophic mistakes there are a few top hints and tips I would proffer. Firstly, take some accurate measurements – forget the sizes Small, Medium, Large, X Large – nobody cares. Certainly, nobody needs to know. Make the pattern in the size you need. The categories can change depending on the magazine, the country of origin or the designer. Ideally do the ‘good crafter’ thing and make a swatch – a small sample of stitching in the main pattern of the garment. You then compare your stitch and row count with the numbers quoted by the designer in the pattern. A large number of mistakes can be avoided if you take this extra step. I have short arms. It took years before the penny dropped. With every bought jumper and handmade creation, I always seem to have to roll up the cuff. For heaven’s sake, Emma… Just make the sleeve and inch shorter! It is after all as bespoke item of clothing.
Well one way I can avoid this issue is by making waistcoat! No arms and all the body warmth. Over the past few years I have found tank tops and waistcoats to be a ….literal boon! There can be no finer accolade in my mind. I have now finished my Pelica Waistcoat and it is a thing of beauty. I had the pretty pink yarn in the stash. As the colour as faded from my hair, pink is perhaps one of the better colours for my complexion. When I am dithering about which yarn to choose, its a safe bet that I will enjoy wearing the finished item.
In the last week, on a short break I nearly lived in the vest. So cosy and excellent in the early morning padding around in pyjamas. It occurred to me it might be a lovely project to make version for my son. He liked the look, but said. ‘Can I have sleeves…please?’ Yes, yes you can… but now I really need to measure them. The colour choice is not pink this time – but a rather tweedy forest green. Not my first choice of hue. (Unless I am making an amigurumi plant). But the customer is always right and sat in the sunshine, knitting outside I felt quite at home in my surroundings. Will it be finished by Easter? I am not sure. There is quite a lot of knitting stitch difference between a mini-mummy vest with no sleeves and a huge young man’s cardigan with sleeves. Better get those needles clacking. Happy Sunday x
The Pelica vest is by the designer Rosa Pomar. Both the vest and the cardigan are made using Drops Soft Tweed. The white shirt is a gorgeous cotton from Community Clothing and the Scarf is by Scarlet bought from Still Life, Stockport (well worth a visit).