Manastirishte February 2026

What a glorious day was today, after months of grey skies, rain, snow and cold. Finally some real sunny day, real comfortable temperatures and almost no cold wind, even on the mountain ridge - pure bliss!

A day like that deserved a hike along a favourite trail in the open - so it was Manastirishte again.

The latest snow in the city is almost gone, on Plana it was still present in scattered patches, but most of it had melted and the ground was very wet and muddy.

Hike info:

Date: 27 February 2026

Destination: peak Manastirishte (1338 m)

Mountain: Plana

Total length: 9 km

Elevation gain: 160 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours 20 minutes

Average difficulty: 2 / 10 

 

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, knitted socks, Burda Cargo pants, Burda blouse, Burda hoodie

I: lingerie, knitted hat, knitted socks, Monte Rosa cardigan

The small lake - I'm almost certain, that this lake was just a puddle when we started hiking here ten years ago.

A lonely early crocus - in two-three weeks the fields under the peak will be covered in purple crocuses, spring is on the way!

Another puddle, which the spring melting has promoted into a lake

This time we opted to try a new approach to the peak - a took a roundabout trail, which lead us to a steep path, climbing to the ridge of the hill at a ridiculously abrupt angle. The slope must have been near 40 degrees, it was a short, but vigorous exercise.

The snow covered ridge of the mountain

There were almost no tourists today, for the entire duration of the hike we met only two other hikers.

My whole essence in a photo - the sun is shining, the gorgeous peaks of Rila are standing tall behind me and my soul is singing :)

We had our delicious lunch on the southern slopes of the peak, with a view to the village of Plana and the chain of snow covered peaks of Rila.

And back along the alternative trail, to close the circle. Very, very pleasant hike! I'm so happy the cold and dark winter is at its end and the sunny hiking days are awaiting us.

New Hoodie for Gaby's Boyfriend

I am being a "good girl" this year and continuing with my Make Nine pledge through the second month of the year! 

My newest make is a hoodie for Gaby’s boyfriend (Fabrics #2 and #3). The pattern is the tried-and-true Brad hoodie by Vikisews. I’ve already made this for him twice—once in green and once in blue sweatshirt knit.

I made a few modifications to the pattern; some are my usual tweaks, while others are new. We’ll see how they influence the final fit when Vali tries it on. As for the usual mods, I added a total of 4 cm to the width of the body. Although Vali is quite athletic and slim, he prefers his hoodies on the looser end of the spectrum. I also swapped in a different hood pattern from Burda, as the original Vikisews hood is a bit too large.

Pattern:  Hoodie Brad by Vikisews

Size: 178-184 cm; 40; modified

Fabric: sweatshirt knit, rib knit, cotton jersey

Time to make: five days

The Brad hoodie comes without a pocket, so I added a kangaroo pocket that I designed specifically for this pattern the first time I made it for Vali about three years ago.

I also adjusted the length again. The first version was a bit too short, and the second was a bit too long; I’m hoping this "middle ground" is the charm!

To finish the inside, I covered the neckline seam with twill tape to give the garment a sleeker, more professional look.

Winter was back in town this weekend. The weather was miserable, so we decided to skip our weekly hike. However, the temperatures for the coming week look promising — I’m hoping for a warm, sunny weekend and a satisfying hike soon!

Dupevitza 2026

Yesterday was a rare day of sunshine in Sofia, at least in the morning.  For our weekly hike, we set our sights on Lulin mountain, hoping for solid trails and a bit of Vitamin D.

The trail to the peak, starting from Bonsovi Polyani, was easy and fairly dry, the sun shone shyly and the air was warmish, we quickly stripped off our jackets.

Hike info:

Date: 14 February 2026

Destination: round trail to peak Dupevitza

Mountain: Lulin

Total length: 10.5 km

Elevation gain: 320 m

Total duration (plus picnic): 3 hours

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

About an hour in, we reached the summit. The jackets came right back on, plus everything else in our packs! The wind on the ridge was strong, cold, and frankly brutal. Still, we braved the chill for a picnic at the tables, overlooking the Sofia valley and the stunning, snow-covered ridges of Vitosha standing tall across from us.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, socks, green Burda longsleeve, blue longsleeve, cargo pants

I: lingerie, Sinclair Lotte sweater, rib knit homemade hat, socks

After Dupevitza we continued west along the ridge. This section was a bit of a slog; the trails were "mighty muddy" and scarred by patches of snow. It was disappointing to see how much the ground had been disturbed by motorbikes and ATVs, despite the strict driving ban in the area. Deciding to bypass our usual route to peak Dobrinina Skala, we opted for an alternative track. It was a great call.

The track was in much better condition than the alternative towards Dobrinina skala, almost untouched by motor tires, and  and led us through beautiful stands of birch and pine, a refreshing change of scenery from the usual forests on Lulin.

It's clear that spring is taking its time this year, or rather it is not as early as in previous years, which is no surprise. Winter is still holding its ground with cold snaps, rain, and lingering snow.

By lunch, the sun had abandoned us, but the temperatures stayed comfortable enough. Despite the graying skies, the hike felt incredibly refreshing and invigorating.

I didn't fall; I just had a close contact with the terrain :)

Bonus Blue Hoodie for Gaby

Inspired by the hoodie I made from plush and polar fleece remnants, I dove into my bag of heavyweight brushed fleece scraps. I selected several large pieces that complemented each other and seemed sufficient for a woman's hoodie. The light blue is from Vali's hoodie that I made last year and the navy blue is leftovers from my husband's hoodie and an earlier project for Gaby.

This patchwork involved again a lot of planning, drafting and rearranging of pattern pieces, until I finally managed to fit everything onto the scraps.

Unlike my previous "Page" hoodies, this one is slightly longer, featuring rib-knit cuffs and a hem. I even added a kangaroo pocket. While most of the pieces follow the original Burda pattern, the pocket and hood incorporate elements from a Grasser pattern and another Burda design. It goes to show that the more you sew and the more patterns you collect, the more the process evolves from simple construction into co-designing.

Because fabric for the hood was scarce, I decided to make it from three pieces. This is a fantastic fabric-saving hack, and three-part hoods often offer a better fit. For the lining, I used the blue polyester hood lining I had originally cut for the previous project but ultimately rejected.

Pattern: Burda #103 01/2017

Size: 36, modified

Fabric: sweatshirt fleece

Time to make: 4 days

The finished hood is warm and deep enough without overwhelming the head or pulling backward - an issue I've had with other sweaters.

The side panels are made out of a single piece, eliminating the side seam.

I am thrilled with how this "bonus" hoodie turned out. I had not listed these fabrics in my Make Nine pledge, but this project is a classic stash-buster. No new materials were purchased; every single notion, even the hood string, was something I already had, left over, or salvaged. The end result is an absolute win!

Plush Loungewear Set

I made myself a new set of loungewear and I am quite happy about it. It is another part of my 2026 Make Nine pledge, featuring Fabric 11 (asphalt-colored plush) and the remnants of Fabric 12 (brick-colored fleece). I sewed the heck out of these fabrics: two zippered jackets, one pair of joggers, and one hoodie, all from just 3.5m of fabric!

The pants use the same pattern - Burda #135 (11/2012) - that I made earlier this year for Gaby, but I opted for a larger size 36. I made some major modifications: I elongated the crotch by 3 cm from the top (including seam allowance) and the legs by 11 cm from the bottom. I also straightened the leg below the knee to get a nice straight-leg fit .I am thrilled with the result; the fit is much, much better than Burda #117 from 06/2021, which I’ve sewn a few times before. This is now my go-to pattern for straight joggers!

Pattern: # 135 Burda 11 / 2012

Size: 36, elongated

Fabric: plush fleece

Time to make: 4 days

My only regret with this set is making the jogger pockets entirely out of the main fabric. I had planned everything carefully, intending to cut one pocket piece from plush and the other from a thin black cotton knit. However, it was late in the evening after work when I started sewing, and I accidentally attached the plush piece to the front instead of the lining.

I only noticed the mistake after the pocket was fully assembled. I made a calculated choice: instead of undoing the seams—a nightmare since this plush frays like crazy and hates being unstitched—I decided to just cut two more fleece pieces. It’s not a dealbreaker, but the pockets are a bit thicker than I’d like. Next time, I’ll remember: the best combination for fleece or plush is one piece of main fabric and one piece of thin lining. Trust me, I know from experience!

After the joggers and jackets, I still had some large remnants left, so I decided to make a matching hoodie. This little project took so much effort - measuring, browsing patterns, and Googling colorblock inspiration. I’d wake up with one image in my head only to scrap it and replace it with another!  In the end the choice fell on Burda #103 (01/2017), which I've already made once for myself, out of sweatshirt fleece remnants.

Pattern: Burda #103 01/2017

Size: 36, modified

Fabric: plush fleece, polar fleece

Time to make: actual sewing - two days

I chose the pattern, as raglan sweaters suit color blocking exceptionally well. Besides I know the pattern and my "Page" hoodie, with its relaxed fit, is still one of my most favourite winter wears. 

The hoodie is hemmed with a mirror piece of fabric on the inside; the polar fleece front is hemmed with polar, and the plush back with plush. Yes, I am that pedantic!

For the hood lining, I originally cut a blue polyester piece left over from my zippered jacket. However, I realized I preferred the feel of the brick-colored fleece against my skin. I gathered all my scraps and played a little "fabric Tetris" - one side of the hood lining is made of two pieces, and the other of three! The seams are hidden inside, the look is consistent, and I am so proud of myself for pulling it off. (And don't worry, the blue lining was used in my next project, so nothing went to waste!)

My overall impression - I am so glad I made this hoodie happen, never underestimate the potential of fabric scraps - you just might find an entire hoodie in there:)