Tag Archives: datura

A wearable blanket

November 13, 2013 Peneloping

sweater: self-made, pattern here // top: blogged here, pattern here // pants: Paige // boots: Clarks

To me, cold weather means snuggling up in front of a fireplace with a mug of a tea and stack of favorite books. I don’t have a fireplace but if I did I’d be snuggling the shit out of this sweater in front of it.

I wanted it to be really drapey and soft so I used Berroco* Ultra Alpaca and got exactly the effect I wanted. I ended up making** another one for my sister’s birthday present. It really is a totally effortless pattern. The instructions are super easy to follow and aside from the ribbing on the edge, it’s all stockinette. The only effort-ful thing about it is getting yourself to sit through hours and hours of mindless stockinette. I made this a while ago but I’m pretty sure I didn’t make any adjustments, except possibly adding an inch to the length. You can check out my Ravelry page for yarn details and amounts.

And actually, I just bought a couple skeins of navy wool to make another one. :]

*Does anyone else spell Berroco wrong every damn time? I swear I am constantly thinking “Ok, I remember this time. Two C’s and one R.” But nope.

**Took me two years and I made her finish the sleeves. I am a bad sister.

Datura #6

August 30, 2013 Peneloping

I was perfectly serious when I said I’d made six Daturas. This is the latest one (I don’t think I’ve shared #’s 3 or 4 yet) and it might be my new favorite.

I have absolutely no idea what this fabric is. It’s cottony and flowy like a rayon challis but the weave is a little more open. It’s just as soft though, and so comfy to wear. I tried pairing it with a paper bag skirt, hoping the ruffling around the waist would help with the awkward tucked-in-ness. I’m not totally convinced.

Happy Friday everyone!

7 Comments outfit blouse - datura - navy - outfit - red

Datura #2

August 19, 2013 Peneloping

top: self-made, pattern here // jeans: AE // shoes: Seychelles // glasses: Bon Look

I’m finding it slightly entertaining that it takes me way longer to get around photographing/blogging about my Daturas than it did to make them. In fact, I may have made yet another one today. (This is not it.) Does anyone know if Eléonore is planning on hosting a Daturas Anonymous?

Anyway, meet my second Datura. I hadn’t planned on making one with triangle cutouts but I decided that I had to try at least one. Basically, I love it. I’d drooled over this fabric for over a year but didn’t buy it because I couldn’t decide what to make with it. When this pattern came out, it seemed perfect! Sadly, I still haven’t found the right buttons for it so there are currently some boring light blue flat buttons sewn to the back just so it’s wearable. It’s also a little shorter than the others because I for some reason decided that just rolling the hem over twice would be a good idea. Note: I don’t recommend this. I only did it because learning how to make bias tape properly seemed too much for lazy Ping.*

*It’s not. It’s actually ridiculously easy and 100% worth it.**

**Don’t use store-bought bias tape. It’s awful. After four failed attempts with crunchy store-bought bias tape I wanted to throw the whole thing in the corner and toss my sewing machine off a cliff (ok, that’s a bit dramatic) and it still only looked mediocre. When I went to work on my next one using bias tape I’d made, it came together easy peasy in like ten minutes.

Out of curiosity, does anyone who’s made a Datura ever wear theirs tucked into a skirt? I’ve made six now, of varying fabric thicknesses and I have yet to make one look good with a skirt. I keep trying but something about the back buttons or the silhouette itself makes it look like I’m forcing it. Maybe with a cardigan over it when it gets cooler? Thoughts?

In other news, new glasses! I <3 BonLook so hard.

Totally unrelated, but for any Whovians out there looking for a new show, Seester told me about a show called Broadchurch. It’s got the Tenth Doctor (albeit a dark and brooding Scottish version), Rory Williams, the lady whose body Prisoner Zero takes over, and Argus Filch, and it’s about the murder of an eleven-year-old boy in a small gorgeous beach town in England. There are only eight episodes in the first season and I may have watched them all in one sitting..! (Also apparently they’re going to remake a US version? Why do they always do that?? Yargh..)

PS No, I have no idea why I only decided to cuff one pant leg.

pinterest-4f211

21 Comments finished sewing project bonlook - butterflies - datura - outfit - sewing - top

Datura #1

August 14, 2013 Peneloping

Datura #1

Datura #1
top: self-made, pattern by Deer and Doe // pants: Gap // shoes: Minnetonka

We’re going to ignore my real first attempt at a Datura because I was having a bad day and accidentally ruined one of my favorite fabrics that I’d been saving. Denial ftw.

Anyway, this was my first successful Datura! I used rayon challis in navy and white and I absolutely love how flowy and comfy it is. It’s SO soft. I had some issues with the shoulders but it was mostly because I’d never done a lining this way and I just sort of skimmed the directions. I went with what I thought was the correct method and ended up with an inside out circle that was physically impossible to turn right side out. I gave up pretty quickly and ended up with a top that has one beautiful entirely enclosed shoulder and one slightly wonky one with an awkward french seam. Oh well.

I found these cute little silver heart buttons and sewed them on as non-functional buttons (lazy Ping is lazy). While they’re super cute, it’s kind of annoying sitting in this top because they constantly dig into my back. Not exactly comfy. Oh well, Peter Pan collar + tiny heart buttons > comfort, I guess.

Photo cred goes to Seester, who has not updated her blog in years.

(I finally have one set of photos of me not taken awkwardly with a remote! And with detail shots! Whee!)

PS My blog layout is going to look pretty heinous for at least a few more days while Google teaches me the inner workings of basic coding (or until I give up and buy a theme). Please don’t judge me.

(And please feel free to link any helpful tutorials!)

13 Comments outfit datura - deer and doe - outfit - rayon challis - sewing - top

Datura #5

July 15, 2013 Peneloping

top: self-made // shorts: Roxy (thrifted) // shoes: Minnetonka

I’ve made five Daturas in the last two weeks. FIVE. Definitely did not intend for that to happen. Definitely still have two or three in my head that I want to make. Whoops.

I think this one is my favorite though.

When I first saw the pattern, I knew I’d end up buying it because of the peter pan collar. The cut-outs seemed cool but not really me, and I actually didn’t even bother cutting out that pattern piece. Except then I saw other people’s cut-out Daturas and suddenly I needed one. And then three more. Somehow of the five I’ve made, only one of them actually has the peter pan collar.

Anyways, this pattern is awesome. And slightly complicated but SO quick once you get the hang of the shouldery inside-out thing. Which is totally genius and makes the entire garment so neat and tidy. I wanted to experiment with a bit of a racerback on this one and I really like how it turned out. Easy peasy, too.

Andd now I’m off to molest the Laurel pattern I bought today.. tehe. In my defense, I’m testing it out to see if it’ll work for my Clara dress copycat!

And yes, I will be posting the other Daturas when I have time to take photos on a day when it isn’t 1092382 degrees. hee.

PS I’m SO excited that so many of you are interested in participating in the Copycat Challenge. I have some fun posts planned, and I’ll be posting my progress on my copycat projects soon, so look out for that!

27 Comments finished sewing project datura - deer and doe - outfit - pattern - sewing - top