09/08/2026
Here are some photos from my recent YouTube video, where my sewing was inspired by some of the character Helen's outfits in the show All Creatures Great and Small.
I used Simplicity 8447 to sew the overalls out of some blue cotton canvas, and I decided to cut the pants pockets a bit larger than those in the pattern, squaring off the bottoms and adding two instead of one. I also added a touch of fun and femininity by working a small amount of free hand embroidery (from a vintage embroidery booklet) on the pockets' reverse facings.
I made the sweater out of cotton sweater-knit fabric from my stash. With both the fabric and a favorite reproduction sweater folded in half lengthwise, I laid the repro sweater over the fabric, aligning the folds. I then used it as a guide to cut my new sweater. Starting with the front, I cut the sleeves in one with the body, and when I got to the shoulder seam, I simply flipped the repro sweater over along the shoulder line to cut the back. This made for a simple sewing process of joining a whopping total of two seams, one at each side/underarm.
I then hemmed my sleeves, neckline and waist before crocheting a "ribbing" band for each. I did this by making a chain of coordinating crochet cotton as long as the height of my desired ribbing, and working several rows of single crochet into the back loop only of each stitch. I joined the ends of my bands with slip stitches, and sewed each to its corresponding location on my sweater, right sides together, with a narrow zigzag stitch.
I love how both of these items turned out, and I'm glad to have them in my wardrobe!
