handmade wardrobe: behind the scenes for forage: volume 2 and arenite hack
i’m getting ready to release the next forage collection, and recently did the photoshoot for the three new patterns i’ll be releasing alongside new interviews for from field to skin with custom woolen mills, live textiles, tin forest farm, and alberta yarn project next month. while last year i had knit all the samples well in advance of my trip to upper canada fibreshed and we shot them on location, this time my interviews didn’t coincide so smoothly, so we went instead to my uncle’s property (the hamlet) up in winnipeg beach and i got to use his collection of antiques for a very old-school prairie style. my mum kept willow entertained with playing fetch while i set up in front of an old shed for the majority of the photos, then scooting around to other spots that my uncle pointed out. we left with an armful of goldenrod and amaranth for my dye pots and a solid collection of photos to share over the coming weeks once i’m back on social media!
i sewed myself a second pair of arenite pants (my first pair have since been turned into ultra-comfy shorts after the lightweight cotton i used resulted in holes too large to mend after mending a couple of times), and i’m absolutely in love with them. they look killer with a pair of stilettos, which eventually i’ll photograph for you, but in the meantime they also look adorable with boots and layers of silk and wool. i used a medium weight twill that my dear friend tessa gifted to me after she made a couple of other lovely projects with it (it was a fantastic thrift store find, so i’m not 100% sure what the fabric content is), and i have enough scraps left over from the 2 metres she gave me to make some good details on a bag i think. here are the sewing details:
i sewed a size 14 like last time
added 3” to the rise on the front panel, back panel, and pocket pieces to create a higher-waisted pant
opted for a simple hemmed cuff after i found that the elasticized cuff on my last pair pulled more on the fabric than i liked, plus i have wider calves which i think added to that fact
removed about 2” from the side panel and pocket facing to reduce the amount of drape in the pockets since i was using a more structured fabric this time around
tightened the waist by just reducing the amount of elastic used because my natural waist is so much smaller than my high hip
the shirt is also a gift from tessa, and it’s my absolute favourite article of clothing these days. it’s also secondhand, pure silk, and gets hand washed every few days because i wear it so often. i think it’ll end up in my dye pots eventually (i’m amazed i haven’t managed to ruin it yet considering it’s a creamy white), but it is the most perfect pairing with these pants. it has so many sweet vintage details without being twee, and i keep trying to figure out how i could hack some duplicates despite all the extra details. i love the buttoned back, and the little fastening that pulls it in at the small of the back, and the ruffles that aren’t too ruffle-y, and the sheerness that shows off my me-made black lace bras and rib tattoo without showing them off entirely.
some of you may recognize the wool pendleton shirt from my iceland trip with samson and marshall back in 2017 - i’m its third owner after marshall gifted it to samson, then he gifted it to me. the length has definitely shortened up in the couple of years since i’ve owned it, so it’s no longer oversized the way i usually wear outer layers, but now it’s a cute autumn layer for those sunny days with slightly chilled air. surprise surprise, we’ve already started having those, so i think this outfit in general will be in pretty regular rotation. stay tuned for another blog post soon about my tips and tricks for making it through the transitional chilling weather with poor circulation and a deep penchant for wool and coziness.