hello knitters! sorry for the unexplained blog break. but check it out, Streets and YOs has a new look, and more posts are to come... you will be fully updated on the crafty projects. To start with, a new project:

Lars seems to have lost the fine hat I made him last year. Apparently it was misplaced in some Bat Mitzvah debauchery last March and hasn't been seen since. There are reports that it is in Arizona... which really doesn't help anyone in Brooklyn. So he needs a new one.

Lars is serious about hats not being itchy. I still think it should be warm, so the idea is: Manos wool on the outside, with a inner headband-type lining of non-itchy material.

With the help of Yahaira and Jared, both very knowledgeable about yarns, I selected a silk/merino blend for the lining.

Its going to be a very basic stockinette hat. Stitch count yet to be determined.

In the past few months, I've really gotten into sewing, exclusively using the Built by Wendy sewing patterns. The styles are cute and modern, plus I like the idea of sewing basic wardrobe pieces.

I worked both from her book, Sew U, and from the Simplicity patterns, and much prefer the Simplicity patterns. They have more detailed instructions that helped me as a beginning sewer. For example, in Sew U, it talks all about pant pocket placement and how important this is, but the pant pattern doesn't provide a baseline to work from.. The Simplicity pant pattern however, outlines exactly where the pockets should go.

Almost complete is a wool coat from the coat/jacket pattern.

The exterior is basic navy wool felt coating and the interior is a fun yellow/navy plaid, also wool. I went with traditional peacoat buttons, the ones with anchors on them. The only things left to do are tacking down the lining seams and hand sewing the lining hem.

I didn't mention I am working on the Urban Aran cardigan. When the weather got cold in September, I started the sleeves of this sweater. due to the thick yarn, the sleeves are knit on a couple stitches less than the smallest pattern size.

The body is knit all in one piece, splitting at the armholes. Followed the pattern stitch count, just dropping the appropriate stitches at the (non)seams. it seemed to take a long time.

When I first started this sweater, maybe it was a sleeve, it was while watching Cinderella Man. Now even just looking at the grey cable pattern I am reminded of the movie.

In this photo, it is blocking, but in real life I've started the collar and purchased a zipper. The collar seems large, so it may need to be done over.

The yarn is gjestal naturgarn from elann that waited many months for an appropriate sweater pattern, suffering a couple trials and errors in the process. the funny thing is, I just started knitting this one. no big pattern contemplation or anything. for me, that is a benefit to not blogging.. less planning, no accountability, knitting is just knitting.

ps. wore the built by wendy coat this weekend with great success! its a little big, but I just pretend it is a swing coat and that helps. perhaps a modeled shot this week.

As requested, here's the Built by Wendy coat in action.

Specs:
Pattern: Simplicity 3966
Fabric: Wool coating from Mood. Note: because wool felt is not woven, I could have gotten away with less than the pattern requires.. like 2 1/2 yards rather than 2 7/8.
Lining: Woven wool plaid from Alfred's Fabrics.
Buttons: Basic peacoat anchor buttons

A couple things I'd change if sewing this pattern again: Cut a smaller size and maybe move the pockets forward. The pockets are in the side seams, but feel like they are further back. The coat is big on me; it could go down a size or two. It has no shaping, but it could be a good pattern to try out added shaping.

Sewing this was pretty straightforward, but the thick fabric was tough for my lightweight sewing machine. I broke 2-3 needles in the process.. all on sections where sewing through many layers.

The Urban Aran collar took a couple tries.

I wanted the top of the collar to be fitted and straight, so it could be zipped up into a decent-looking turtleneck. The pattern as written tends to yeild a looser collar. I modified it a bit to get these results..

I picked up less stitches. My collar was worked over 84 stitches total on the smaller needle size: k3, p1 selvedge on each edge, and k2 p2 rib in between. This is about eight stitches less than called for in the pattern.

Also, I decreased right before casting off. On the WS row before casting off, I worked all the k2s as k2togs. These are the purl stitches on the RS, so the decreases aren't very visisible. Then I just did a normal cast off. Without this step, even with the reduced stitch count, the collar tended to flare out.

perhaps this will help future knitters of the urban aran..