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Luxury in silk and alpaca for €19 – the Frederic sweater from kolibri by Johanna
The question of whether a hand-knitted item can compete in terms of price with a store-bought item of similar quality is usually answered with a “no” for me after a quick calculation of the knitting pattern and yarn costs. That’s why this feather-light project, created from fewer than four balls of Drops Brushed Alpaca Silk in Dark Navy (col. 42), was so exciting. Together with the pattern from Ravelry, I spent less than €20 on this project, a real bargain considering that the sweater is knitted from natural materials, alpaca and silk. This sweater was meant to fill a gap in my wardrobe and be something I could quickly throw…
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Leather tassel made from scraps: A simple project for in between
Through my Etsy store, for which I sew genuine leather charms, I have a lot of leather scraps that I’ve been looking for a use for. Most of the leather I use is calfskin in metallic colors, and it looks beautiful even in simple shapes. I quickly found a tutorial for this 10-minute tassel, and I’m already starting to cut! The instructions call for leather glue to be used for the hanging loop. However, since I’m aiming for maximum durability, I’m also sewing the loop in place with a few stitches using my sewing machine. The tassel is rolled up and reattached with glue. I also secure the end with…
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Kaffe Fassett’s “Jack’s Back Stripe” Blouson Jacket
What a project! I first heard of Kaffee Fassett when I was looking for beautiful fabrics for a quilt project. I really liked the designer’s colorful fabrics and knitwear. After knitting rather understated basics for myself for several years, I was overcome with the desire for something unusual and colorful, and I came across Fassett’s book “Glorious Knits” online, a pattern book from 1985. The book was quickly ordered on eBay and the model was decided: Jacks Back Stripe, a blouson jacket with a relaxed fit and a gauge of 14 stitches per 10cm, so bulky weight. What makes this jacket special is the elaborate colorwork, created using 24 different…
