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Needlework in 2025

 This time last year, my blog reflected back on the needlecraft projects that I managed to complete in 2024. All of the projects were knitting and sewing  - I have done some crochet and embroidery in the past, but I have really settled on knitting and machine sewing  as my preference. As in 2024, I have kept up my routine of knitting a little every evening while watching TV, and on the weekends I try to make time for the sewing projects. 

My ottoman started the year quite full of fabrics and yarns to get me started, but the stash was topped up a couple of times during the year - Arthur Bales' annual sale being one of the main culprits! I am really not keen on making garments for myself. I find that, by the time I have completed a jersey I am tired of the colour - lovely to see on somebody else, but not on myself. The problem with sewing for oneself is that it is difficult to fit the garment, unless you have a friend or family member with the skills. This year was different - I started the year with a jersey in my wardrobe's default colour of grey, and have worn it many times.

A mid-grey jersey for myself
Later in the year I used the same pattern to knit one with variegated yarn in shades of brown - for those of you familiar with my posts that show the interior of my flat, you will recognise this as my other default colour palette. At least I could be sure that the investment of my time would be rewarded with much wear, and in the process, I seem to have broken the spell of resisting making garments for myself.
Another jersey in a variegated yarn

For my birthday, one of my closest friends gave me a voucher for Arthur Bales, which I cashed in at their sale on a beautiful piece of Liberty cotton. I used a Vogue pattern that I had bought 30 years ago to make a dress for my brother's wedding. Either my taste is firmly located in the "timeless", or Vogue never truly goes out of vogue, but the pattern was ideal. I had been invited to a workshop in the UK in the spring, and this would be the perfect item, finished off with wooden buttons to complete the look..

Vogue and Liberty - a match to die for
I have become a firm supporter of high-quality fabric, especially this year. In the past I would make do with much less expensive material - fine for growing children, as they will outgrow everything in one season, and I know from my younger sister that endless pass-downs can become dispiriting. However, when making clothes for adults, providing their taste is not for the latest fashion, I have found it worth the expense to make something that not only lasts and lasts, but still looks great several years down the line, the opposite of "fast fashion" which I rant about regularly.

My big discovery in 2025 was Liberty lawn fabric. This is 100% cotton, but of very long fibres, creating a very lightweight material with a slight sheen which hangs and drapes beautifully. At the Arthur Bales sale, we found a remnant which was from the end of the run, so the colours were discontinuous. As this was selling at a crazy price, we decided to give it a try, knowing that it would be a real test of my cutting out skills to work around the white lines through the pattern.

Dodging the white lines on this remnant
We chose a pattern that has several small pieces for the top, knowing that we would need to make a modified skirt pattern. The result was quite successful, although I have promised to make some minor alterations to the skirt to make it hang better. The fabric was a delight to work with, so I broke down and got some of the Liberty Heritage design for a dress for my sister. 
Another great Vogue and Liberty combination 
Whenever a family member is going to the UK, there is a flurry of activity for my knitting and sewing needles to make gifts for the relatives. This year I made a couple of dresses for my nephew's daughter, and table settings for my nephew and niece, all with fabric remaining from careful cutting of other garments.
Table mats and napkins
My other marathons this year all seemed to gravitate around jerseys for newborns. I think I made a total of four, two of them at extreme speed. The one was for a baby living in the UK, where we only decided on the jersey while I was already there, so an evening occupation after the day's work learning the rudiments of stained glass making. The second was also quite spontaneous - I had been invited to a baptism but only decided to go when my sister was here and was keen to share the 450km drive. That left me with just over a week to make the jersey - the rest of my family must have wondered about this new obsession, as I was knitting every spare moment.
A baptism gift for the youngest member of my extended family
These were just the highlights of the year - now that I can confidently watch TV while I am knitting (providing it is not too complex) I have found a new level of productivity and feel quite confident with the adult sizes. 

I finished the year with some Christmas projects which I will share next year, but in the festive spirit, I made another Christmas stocking for Kuma, the newest addition to our cat family.

Matching stockings for all eight cats







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