Grey Shorts

I had a very big piece of light grey French terry, which I had bought for a set of joggers and hoodie for husband. And as it happens often, when I cut big pieces of fabric, I am often left with large scraps and my hands itch to make something extra from the left overs. 

The first that came to mind was a pair of shorts for myself. Two years ago I sewed two pairs of shorts and I gifted them both to Gaby, as she wanted something to wear at home during the summer months. I don't know if she does wear them, but I decided that I want a pair for myself as well.

The pattern is the same Burda 118 from 06/2021 I used for the previous two pairs, but with a slight modification - I decided to replace the original in-seam pockets with pockets with a slanted opening.

 

Pattern: Burda #118 06/2021 + Burda easy # 5 01/2019

Size: 34

Fabric: cotton French Terry

Time to make: in the course of a week

The shorts came out well, they are light and comfy and go especially well with this green Henley blouse, as I used some fabric scraps from it to add color to the pocket openings.

However, again and again, I am struck by the realization, that this is not really my style of leg-wear and next time I have some shorts-worth scraps of fabric, I will definitely try a different pattern.

Manastirishte in June

I am so tired of this rain! It is Saturday today and it is raining, again. Last weekend the forecast was, of course, more rain, so we cancelled our plans for the preserved area above Pernik, where it was expected to be pouring (no idea if it actually did) and ventured a small hike to the nearby peak Manastirishte. 

The weather was actually fine, though with very high humidity in the air, and the fields around the village of Plana were like gardens, abundant with wild flowers.

Hike info:

Destination: peak Manastirishte (1338 m)

Mountain: Plana

Total length: 7.5 km

Elevation gain: 160 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 2 h 30 min

Average difficulty: 1 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Knipmode cargo pants

I: lingerie, Sabrina Slims I, raglan Burda blouse, hoodie

One of the three species of wild orchids we saw along the tracks:

:The peak

 

:We had our picnic here, on the grass, with a view to the gentle curves of Plana. Rila is far in the distance, hidden in the summer haze

Bistritza - Zeleznitza 2023

Although Bulgaria is not a tropical country and rainy season is not a thing here, it is this year. The forecasts for over two months now feature rain and thunderstorms almost every day and hinder our plans for high mountain hikes. So last Saturday we decided to play it safe again and do the Bistritza - Zeleznitza trail and back - a very popular and easy 12 km trail in the low parts of Vitosha.

On summer weekends this trail is usually more densely packed than an alley in a central park, with tourists, bikes and even prams, but due to the rainy weather this Saturday it was almost empty, which made a hu-u-ge difference in our hiking experience. 

As promised, the rain came, but it was only a drizzle, so it was not that much of a hassle. The brunt of the rain coincided with our lunch break in a roofed gazebo, so all in all it was a great exercise, with amazing air freshness.

Hike info:

Destination: low altitude circuit trail Bistritza - Zeleznitza

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 12 km

Elevation gain: 80 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 3 hours

Average difficulty: 2 / 10

 

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Knipmode cargo pants, grey Raglan shirt

I: lingerie, flared leggings, hoodie

Light Jack Joggers

I made another pair of Jack Joggers by Viki Sews, my fourth of this pattern and second for husband. 

When I bought the pattern some time ago, my husband was about 12-13 kg heavier and I bought the 44 size. However, he's been on the path to getting in shape and now he needs a smaller size joggers. I didn't feel like buying the next size, printing and gluing lots of pages, so I simply took off 2 cm width-wise from the front and the back pattern pieces and it worked like a charm.

Pattern: Jack by Vikisews

Size: 42 (M) Height: 178-184 cm

Fabric: cotton French terry

Time to make: 3 days 

The pattern is simple to follow and produces nicely proportioned joggers, which husband liked. The only frivolity I added is the yellow stripe at the pockets. I bought quite a piece of this light grey French terry and I plan a hoodie to go with it as well, with some yellow interest, added to the pockets and the hood there too.

Husband is such a sport for posing for my blog! Here he's trying to be funny :)

Flared Leggings IV

A few photos of a new pair of flared leggings I made for Gaby. I have two pairs of these for myself and I wear them all the time, they are my most favourite bottoms to wear at home. Last year I made one for Gaby out of wide rib knit and she loved them, so this year, when I came upon a good quality wide rib knit I decided to make her another pair.

The pattern is one from Knip Mode magazine, which I managed miraculously to modify to perfection.  I shortened the crotch part by 6 cm and the length by another 6 cm - I am definitely not your average Scandinavian woman :) and I also made the flare much more modest, to be proportionate to the shorter length of the legs.

Pattern: Flared leggings N4 KnipMode 10 / 2021

Size: S, shortened and modified

Fabric: rib knit

Time to make:  4 days

The only new element I introduced this time were the back pockets. I had some pieces of the fabric left, after I cut the leggings, and I thought that pockets would be a good way to utilize them. My first idea was to take the pattern of the back pockets from the Sabrina Slims (a Love Notions design). I added them properly and sewed away the leggings, only to find in the end, that these pockets were too big for the leggings and were lying too low on my behind. So I removed them and added a new pair of pockets, using the pocket pattern in my latest Burda calf-length jeans. These I find fit the leggings much better and I am quite happy with them.

I showed Gaby the pictures we took of the leggings yesterday and she eagerly approved them, now it remains to plan how to give them to her. I'll probably continue to sew for her and give her the bunch when she visits later in the summer.

Boyana Waterfall

This is probably the most rainy of springs in recent years. Every weekend we peruse over the weather forecast and try to come up with a plan where it would be worth it to risk to go hiking, given that rain is forecast everywhere. And because Vitosha is closest with an abundance of tracks, we've been hiking there for a whole month now, staying in waiting for the good and sunny weather to finally arrive and to risk it farther from home.

However, despite the promised rain, last Saturday the trail to Boyana waterfalls remained dry and almost empty of tourists. I know, it is so egoistical of me, but i can't help it but love it, when we have the forest for ourselves.

Hike info:

Destination: Boyana Waterfalls

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 15 km

Elevation gain: 400 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 5 hours

Average difficulty: 4.5 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxer shorts, cargo pants

I: lingerie, knitted cardigan, Sabrina Slims III

:Boyana lake

:All the rivers are so full watered after all the rain and snow melting, that it looked like in a tropical forest

:Boyana Waterfall, the highest on Vitosha (25 m)

 :This time we decided to have out lunch not at the foot of the waterfall, but on Borova skala, with a view to the Kopitoto tower and Sofia

:And back along the same track - Boyana lake. We went around it, because - why not :)

:Dragalevski Monastery - just a quick stroll around it as well