Fall/Winter Wardrobe 2013 + the COOPER!

 Last month I enjoyed the lovely Mat. Emily's Autumn wardrobe blog post.  It inspired me to share an edited but accurate reflection of my current fall favorites.  I'm  fairly raggedy (think: Ann and Andy) by nature, which comes as a result of my love for comfort and quirk.  Hey, I'm an Oregonian, can you blame me?  :)

Flannel, cotton, linen-- I love the Tova tunic pattern!  Seriously, it couldn't be easier to construct.  I've made two more; another plaid flannel that isn't pictured, and a pretty fuschia cotton Tova that I just gave to a friend for her trip to India.  The gingham one above is my "Swedish" Tova, and I augmented it by omitting the collar and adding two yellow buttons. 

J. Crew "Matchstick" dark jeans. 

 Slender/boyfriend fit... which is sort of a nice median for weirdos like me who can't get on the full-on "skinny jean" train. I scored these at Goodwill, and they're great!  This photo is proof, though, that I either have extra-long femurs, or really, really pointy knees.  I always get holes in my jeans right at the knee, and you can see the fabric stretched to a pooch right at the knees here.  I don't get it, I really don't. 

Simple, flared cotton skirts, self-made.  

 I LOVE these skirts!  And yes, I consider "cotton" to be multi-seasonal :)    These are great for church.  The pattern calls for a lot of fabric, but when I wear them, the fabric drapes beautifully.  Another easy-to-make pattern.  I'm starting to realize that the simplest patterns are often the most elegant.  

Sideways Beignet skirts.  Still enjoying these skirts!

     Still enjoying these skirts! I like to wear tights and boots with them, along with a cozy sweater... not that I have many cozy sweaters anymore *sniff* :)

One of my only go-to sweaters so far this season (read my laments here about the sad state of my sweaterlessness).  I commissioned my friend to knit this wool-blend Shalom (with sleeves added) for me back in 2011.  I thought I ruined it after washing it incorrectly.  It did shrink a bit... so it lay, exiled, in a corner of my closet, for a year and a half.  But now that I can FINALLY fit into it again, I'm really enjoying it's warmth.  

I have three of these Lands End Canvas long-sleeved tees.  They get tons of wear, I love'em!

This is what I look like most days.  If I'm not wearing jeans, I'm wearing ill-fitting black leggings, a too-big elastic-waist skirt, and a long-sleeved shirt or Tova.  Those green Halflinger clogs are basically a part of me.  Can you tell I like green much? 

LL Bean Deerfield Boots

 I got these for Christmas last year, and my search for THE PERFECT DRESS BOOTS was finally OVERRR!!!!  Yeah! 

Here is a terrrible picture of me wearing my wonderful "Minoru" coat that I made last year.  It's not super warm, but it is multi-seasonal, and it helps me feel somewhat stylish when I don't feel like donning a dang parka. 

                           Hangin' with the Colette Cooper:

And hey everyone, guess what?  I have a new bag to use this season :)

 I had the awesome opportunity to be a pattern tester for the Colette Patterns newly released "Cooper" Bag!  This is a great pattern with three different variations; messenger bag, backpack or satchel.  I made the backpack version, since I was already in the market for a cute backpack to cart all of my "mom" stuff in.  The pictures have picked up some of my own errors, but it really is an awesome pattern and a great bag!  I'm so excited to use the backpack now that the pattern has been officially released. 

I was able to use some sturdy cotton (black canvas leftovers from a previous project, plus material from a sturdy organic cotton table cloth I found at G-dub). 

Super Cooper

Neighborhood watch.  Trooper Cooper.

Back

Voila!  Already trashed!  :D 

Clean (for now) interior.  Spill-averting, water-resistant nylon ripstop. 

Lotsa pockets. on the exterior, too!  

The pattern is a "Beginner" pattern.   When I made the bag, I really wanted to take my time and do it right.  I spent a few hours each evening for one week working on it.  While the pattern is not necessarily difficult, I would recommend you not rush through it-- take your time, have fun :)  I think Coopers would make great gifts for those special people in your life (who appreciate hand-made gifts, of course!). 



 And for the little ones...

Anna Maria Horner's "BABY IN THE HOOD!" jacket-- a work in progress.  I'm almost done, I just need to add the button placket.  I started this after I realized my knitting project for Masha was, indeed, an irredeemable disaster.  Ahhh.... sewing... so... much... faster....!!  I used leftover yellow ripstop fabric for the hood, plus some water-resistant pink rubbery fabric (meant for making cloth diaper covers with!  Ha!).  The jacket is lined with the softest, cutest fleece you've ever seen.  I can't wait to put it on my Mirabelle!  Pattern from "Handmade Beginnings"  -- a book I never seem to tire of!

This blog post brought to you by grape kombucha.  MMM.  I don't know what I enjoy more, the fizzy, grape-soda-y flavor or getting carded when I buy it.   

My helpful assistant, Jerry*. 

Jerry takes a bow.  Thank you, Jerry. 

Who is this guy? 

 If any of my real-life friends are reading this:  Does this belong to your kid?  We found it and can't figure out how it got here. 



*Not his real name, but it's a weird nickname I can't help but call him lately, almost like some weird tic I can't control.  I'm eager for this tic to run it's course and be over with.  Jerry...