Some time ago I wanted a light weight wool cardigan. I made a lovely one and carelessly left it behind on an aeroplane. I made another, which I love but it’s “too good” to wear around the house. I made a pretty red one which I haven’t written up yet, but I’d also like to keep nice for at least a while. So I have made yet another deliberately for wearing while doing rather than with particular sartorial aims. I decided to make one dyed similarly to this skivvi .
Take an inexpensive length of soft teal wool knit fabric. Cut a baggy cardigan based on a tshirt pattern. Sew it up enough to put all the pieces together but without hems or other finishing. Torture it with pony beads and elastic bands.
Soak it for a short while in warm vinegared water. Using food dye set up in hot water so the dye takes fast, dye one side red and the other yellow/green. Fail to take pictures of this stage. Decide this result is nice but not yet interesting enough. Bundle the whole thing up kind of roughly pleated so only bits are exposed and dye that whole bundle black. Start taking the elastic bands off and finally remember to take a picture.
Finish taking the elastics off and impatiently wait for it to dry.
Decide there isn’t enough black and add extra donuts with a fabric ink felt tip. Sew the hems and the front bands. Find some leftover handspun that will make nice button loops.
Find some nice buttons, make the loops with the handspun plaited up. Sew all those on.
Here she is in all her messy glory
On me. I am pleased with it and I think this one I really will be willing to wear around the house while working on stuff, even somewhat mucky stuff. By happy accident it goes really well with this skirt.
From the back. Seeing as I was drawing things on it, there was no reason not to have a trefoil