Cold weather fashions

After spending a month knitting up Elvira and worrying that I won't be able to wear it this summer, I've decided to start doing what I've been taught to do in school - and that's to work and think one season ahead. So rather than work on garments for the current season, I should be working on stuff for the next season. I spent how much money on school? You'd think I would exercise what I've learned in those 5 years!

So with that said, I'm probably the only person in the Northern Hemisphere to be thinking about winter clothes in the middle of summer, during the record-breaking heat wave. As I was unpacking my clothes when I moved into our current home, I realized that my wardrobe is severely lacking in all aspects. Either things don't fit properly anymore (thanks pregnancy!) or I feel like the style no longer fits my new "Mommy image". Not to say that Moms should dress boring or anything, it's just that my bar star days are far, far, far behind me now and some of my clothes seem too young for where I'm at in life. Which has me seriously re-thinking my wardrobe and the desire to build a new one that is full of classics, so that I only have to buy a few trendy pieces each season. I guess you could say I'm trying to figure out what my "style" is - what is my signature look.

For Fall/Winter I'm envisioning myself in lots of dresses and boots (I don't wear enough of either), and dark denim with cozy handmade sweaters. I don't know how much clothes sewing I'll be able to do, seeing how my sewing time only comes in 10-15 minute spurts lately. But the cozy handmade sweaters, that, I can do. Here's a few photos of what's on my knit list that I'm hoping to knit up for this winter:

Images via Interweave Knitscene

Ok, so the one on the right is a cape...but still cozy. It's not that high on my list, I think I have at least 10-11 projects ahead of it, so I'm not going to be heartbroken if it doesn't get made. The 2 sweaters though, are very high on that list. I haven't decided which one to knit up after the Tilted Duster is finished.

Image via Berroco

I absolutely LOVE these 2 designs from Berroco's new yarn collection, Blackstone Tweed. The yarn is absolutely gorgeous and apparently gets softer with each wash, but is a bit too pricey for my liking. I had ordered some yarn from Knit Picks that I'm hoping will look just as good. I read the instructions for the dress, which appears to be an easy knit - it's just the knitting up of the length that is going to be the cruncher.

Image via Needled

I forget how I came across this design, most likely from perusing the patterns on Ravelry. I think it's über cute and best part of all, it's knit from the neck down on circulars and requires very little seaming. Now that's my kind of knitting!

I'm trying to be realistic about how many garments I can actually knit up, seeing how Elvira took me a month to knit! And so far the Tilted Duster is taking just as long, and I'm using bulky yarn too! If only I knew how to knit continental instead of English, maybe I'd be a faster knitter! I guess this means I have to really prioritize my knit list...and re-think my visions of a handmade Christmas...

In the meantime, I leave you with a vision of winter:

Cruel, I'm sorry! I took the above photo and the one at the beginning of this post in Jyväskylä, Finland. My friend Trevor was living in Finland the same time I was and I had the opportunity to visit him. While he was in class I took the chance to do some sightseeing of the area and took these photos on a completely frozen over lake, where a lot of people were skating, skiing, and snowshoeing around. It doesn't get anywhere near like this in Victoria (yay!), but the photos are inspiring me to get my butt into gear.

Are you thinking of winter wears yet?

Either way, happy knitting!