Our five-day Thanksgiving break has been wonderful! We’ve enjoyed the downtime immensely – almost surprisingly so. I mean, we didn’t realize how much we needed the break. The kids – mostly Mikah – are tackling the big job of organizing the Legos. (More on that when the project is finished.) I’ve been taking it easy with the cooking, even on Thanksgiving. Our Thanksgiving dinner was simple, nourishing, warming and good.
Jeff has been asking for me to work on his skull cap and this seemed to be the weekend to do that. It helps that he’s been home and accessible for try-ons and input. I tried once or twice last winter to get a good hat for him, and they were close, but not quite. He’s my pickiest customer. 
He is wearing hat #4 in these pictures, and we are calling it good! I made it with 100% merino wool interlock from the Nature’s Fabrics co-op, dyed black. The fabric is a dream. The pattern is the same as for Luke Pepper’s skull cap (U2-2 band member’s custom hat), but I use the merino wool interlock instead of ribbed cotton. The crown of the hat is 4 pieces, which are serged together and then coverstitched down for a faux flatlock. This makes the seams look soooo nice. Then the band is added, again serged and coverstitched down. As a side note, I continue to get orders for the custom cotton skull caps, a bit surprising!
I also sewed Jeff two mid-layer wool shirts out of a lighter-weight 100% merino wool jersey in chocolate brown (mentioned in the first paragraph of that link). He is wearing one of them in those pictures up there. We’ve decided that from now on we’ll use the fold-over elastic for all his necklines (that link takes you to a picture). We really like how it works and looks.
Have you been doing any sewing lately? This coming week, I’d like to make wool pj pants for me and the kids. Haniya has outgrown her wool shirts from last year, so it is time to make her some more.
YAY! I can’t wait for mine to be done!
Thank you, Mom!
Haniya
Wardeh,
I have been wondering if you have been doing any sewing with everything else you have going on.
I bought some flannel about 2 weeks ago and haven’t even started on it yet. I need to get some pattern paper. I was thinking about buying the paper they put on the exam tables in doctors offices. Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Love the skull cap!
Tiffany
From what I’ve seen, Jeff likes to keep his hair short so I’m sure he’ll enjoy your cap as the weather gets cold.
I like sewing but haven’t had any projects going other than hemming hubby’s overalls.
Tiffany – that is the best stuff! Once I got a roll from my doctor, but she switched to non-disposable, washable exam table cloths, so that wasn’t reliable. My next roll I got from the medical supply company in town. I can’t think of anything better for patterns. Have fun with that flannel!
Marg – you know, hemming is very important!
I was wondering with all your wonderful wool projects if you felt the wool – or do you just wash it in cold and it stays the same size??
I bought some lovely wool jersey knit and thought I HAD to prefelt it but now it is soooo different than I had expected it to be!
I too and hoping to make some wool base layers for my family as I am not too keen on my little one always being wrapped up in synthetic all winter and my hubby’s sysnthetics tend to get STINKY!
Zoe,
When I get the fabric (whether wool jersey or wool interlock), I wash it on hot twice and dry it twice on high. It felts nicely – so soft! The interlock changes greatly, the jersey not so much.
Then I create my garment and/or dye it.
After that, I wash on the handwash/wool cycle and lay flat to dry. It will keep shrinking over time with heat and agitation, so I am very careful with washing.
Hope this helps! Enjoy!