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:)

Kopitoto 2026

While Friday and Saturday were rainy, Sunday promised pleasant winter temperatures and even a bit of sunshine. For our hike this week we chose the circular route from Zlatnite mostove to Kopitoto and then back along an alternative trail by Boyanska river and Momina skala.

We also tried a new transportation strategy for getting to Zlatnite Mostove on a winter weekend: we left the car in a parking lot in Boyana and took the bus the rest of the way. The plan worked perfectly, and we already have other ideas for hiking this part of the mountain using public transport.

Contrary to our expectations of sunshine and hiking above the clouds, the mid-altitude trails on Vitosha weren't quite high enough; the sun remained hidden behind the cloud cover for the entire duration of our hike. 

The bus to Zlatnite was full of tourists and plenty of young families with children, enjoying some sledding on the slopes of the meadows nearby.

Hike info:

Date: 08 February 2026 

Destination: peak Kopitoto (1345 m)

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 9.5 km

Elevation gain: 140 m

Total duration (plus picnic): about 2 and a half hours

Average difficulty: 3 / 10

The trail to Kopitoto is fairly easy, with ups and downs altitude-wise, but the soft snow and patches of ice turned the hike into a substantial work out for our legs.

A view to Lulin mountain across the way:

Kopitoto TV tower

While some parts of Sofia enjoyed partially sunny weather, the clouds clung to the mountain

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

 

Husband: men's boxers, socks, dark grey longsleeve, blue longsleeve, Burda grey hoodie, cargo pants

I: lingerie, Sinclair Lotte sweater, brown hat, socks

On peak Kopitoto

We had our traditional tortillas and hot herbal tea on "our" meadow with a view to Sofia. During our short picnic the cloud cover thickened even further.

The Boyanska river

I tried my new gloves with conductive fingertips for the first time on this hike - they worked just fine and i was able to take photos on my phone without taking the gloves off. The weather was mild and the gloves were warm enough. For colder weather, however, I'll need my much more solid winter gloves.

The section of the forest between Momina skala and Zlatnite  has been recently updated with bird feeders — some of which were quite ingenious!

All in all, we are very satisfied with our hike and the combination of private and public transport for access to the higher mountain and will definitely use this method again, especially in winter.