A Month of Self-Stitched Clothes

I've enjoyed my first web challenge immensely, and though not having to think so carefully of what to wear, and how to make some family member (in the end I had to beg and bribe :) to take a photo of me, I feel a bit of emptiness too.
So, what did I gain from this challenge (apart from a huge amount of pictures of myself). I found some articles in my wardrobe, which I had discarded as old and uninteresting, I got to wear more of my self-made clothes than I would have, or at least other than the two or three, that I would have worn. But most importantly, now I know that I've done it all wrong this past year. Summer sweaters may look nice, but are unpractical, while summer cardigans are needed all the time. I also need one or two practical hooded winter cardigans and more 3/4 sleeved and long sleeved bamboo, cotton and wool sweaters. I might also try a crocheted cotton skirt next year.
Then I want to try my hand at sewing again, I need more summer dresses and skirts.
At least I know what I want for my upcoming birthday - a new sewing machine :)
A kaleidoscope of the sss'11:

sss'11 - Final Days

Days 25 to 30

Day 25: This I didn't upload to Flickr, as my daughter thought I'd embarrass myself, showing a house shawl, that I've been using for many many years, as opposed to the haute couture outfits other participants displayed. I kind of think she was right. But this is what I donned on Sunday - a triangular shawl, knit by me in my high school girl years. I did knit some not bad items then, but this is the only one in use, so I believe this makes it the oldest ever item in my wardrobe still in use:


Day 26: The cashmere-bamboo sweater. I love everything about this item and I do wear it a lot:


Day 27: Three or maybe four years ago while on vacation in Turkey I used to wear this combination of linen top and orange cardigan a lot and I loved it. So for this day I thought I'd try it again, in combination with my knitted beaded purse. Well, I think I shouldn't wear waist cut tops any longer :(


Day 28: This was the day with the night photo challenge. I uploaded the picture from the parking lot, and this is the one we took in the shop, and I think it's more lively. I thought this cardigan was the tops when I made it last year, but now - isn't it kind of simple?


Day 29: Back to Breeze. I think the color becomes me, so I've bought a few more skeins of the yarn and I'm planning on knitting Kim Hargreaves's Anaiis with it:


Day 30: Ironic. I hoped to be able at least to finish the month with a new item. No go. I've been in a ditch for the whole summer, so for the last day of September (still comfortably warm, hurray) I resurrected this cotton top (Verena pattern) I knit some time ago. It's a nice pattern though, probably I might do it again, a bit differently?

SSS'11 - Autumn is Coming

Days 19 to 24

Day 19: If it weren't for SSS'11, this is one of the two items I would have worn all summer long. Soft, comfy and though I am not very fond of gray colors, I should admit, that they are so easy to combine:


Day 20: Cold and rain all day, a bit of a shock wave after the hot weeks. I love these warm autumn colors, this combination of tunic and skirt seems promising for the autumn (that is, if I can make myself wear skirts and not jeans :)


Day 21: The refashioned top quickly became a permanent in my wardrobe. And cross-stitching - I feel the urge to go back to it, but knitting is still occupying most of my free time, and I plan on sewing too ... If only days were longer ...


Day 22: The notorious Vogue Capecho by Norah Gaughan. I wonder where I went wrong with this bolero, would a different yarn (cotton-viscose or cotton-acrylic comes to mind immediately) been more suitable? But I LOVE the color:


Day 23: Fun day, I blogged about it earlier. Frenchy is just the sweater for such fun activities:


Day 24: The linen shrug. Yes, this is the second item I could wear to death, so versatile and comfy. Last year this was almost the only thing I wore all summer long :)

SSS'11 - Hot September Days

Days 13 to 18

Day 13: The Old Gold Crocheted Top from Lion Brand Yarn free patterns.
I should really wear this top more often, I don't know why I didn't take it to Greece, it seems quite appropriate for seaside walks:


Day 14: I sew this top for the evening after the wedding of my best friend Elly (that's 15 years ago), sort of in a hurry and the sewing work is not very neat. The buttons, however, were a lucky inspiration - the bosom of the top (Burda pattern) turned too big for me and I decided to make a small inside pleat with buttons in front. I like it like that and as I find tailored blouses to be my favorite, I wear it a lot. The pants are Italian Motivi, sadly a bit too tight and almost never worn, I believe next summer they'll be my daughter's:


Day 15: The first day of the school year - a kind of holiday for parents all over Bulgaria. Both of our children this year study at the Sofia High School of Mathematics, one of the most prestigious schools in the country. I'm so proud of them both! For the morning I put on my Quanun cardigan, but I had to take it off during the opening ceremony, as the day turned out quite hot:


Day 16: Kim Hargreaves and Simply Red - a comfortable everyday sweater, probably a tiny bit too simple:


Day 17: Kim Hargreaves again and Arielle - this one I love more:


Day 18: My oldest self-sewn dress - made some 18 years ago and worn quite a lot. I still like it as a house dress, as I find it flattering :)

SSS'11 - The Greek Days

Day 7 to Day 12

For our vacation in Greece I packed only a few knit items - Gaby's Joy, three of my cardigans, my Arielle sweater and the black hat. The weather was hot, for the greater part of our time we bathed in the sun and wore our cardigans extensively in the evenings.

Self Stitched September '11

Days 1 to 6

Day 1 was the day for climbing Cherny Vrah:
Me - shirt - sewn by me (some end of the century Burda pattern).
Daughter - BPT cardigan (Knitty 2003)
Son - generic ribbed cardigan, my own design

Day 2
On my way to do some errands downtown
Self stitched - Vine Yoke Cardigan by Ysolda Teague


Day 3
Wearing the Bordeaux top


Day 4
My favorite linen shrug


Day 5
A bit unusual - dug out this self-sewn and once beloved dress.


Day 6
Refashioned black combat trousers and Breeze (my replica of Green Gables):



I'm feeling too tired to elaborate on my choices for the SSS'11 challenge, as I'm only half way through preparing the luggage for our sea vacation in Greece. We are staring early tomorrow and I'll continue to wear self-made clothes and take pictures, but whether and when I'll be able to post - we'll see :)