Action Hero

Recent Makes: Beanie No. 6 & Le Top Encolure

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:02:35 +0000

Finished this Beanie No. 6 from My Favourite Things Knitwear just in time for the cooler fall temperatures. I used Gepard Woolia and Teddy Dear. It was quick knit and satisfying knit. I also finally sewed up the Le Top Encolure from Atelier Brunette. I used a slubby poplin from my stash and it's such a perfectly simple top with a great shape. I want to make several more of these! I love the vibe and style of the Atelier Brunette patterns. So chic!

Markham Pullover

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 03:20:20 +0000

I loved this Woolfolk Markham Pullover project because it knit up so fast and let me practice a couple of techniques I don't use that often: short rows and double-knitting. I bought the yarn bundle used in the pattern in the gorgeous burgundy color. The pullover is knit top-down and in the round. The neckline and hem ribbing use the double knitting so those took a little bit longer than normal, but l enjoyed the process. The armholes are raw edges, which are cleverly camouflaged with the teddy-textured yarn. The blocking was crucial to give me the perfect fit. I can't wait to wear this in the fall. It's so soft and cozy! Highly recommend this pattern.

Cawley Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:21:23 +0000

I had the privilege of attending a residential Merchant & Mills sewing retreat at the end of May. It was a great learning experience where six participants received sewing instruction and support from two tutors for four days. We also stayed around the corner at The Grove, the Merchant & Mills residence. I decided to make the Cawley dress, a pattern collaboration with Hannah Cawley. Knowing that time would be tight, I decided to omit the two chest welt pockets. I selected a five ounce Japanese red chambray and it sewed up perfectly. I learned some great tips about tacking fabric down to sew the collar and cuffs, as well as tracing the pattern before cutting. Our small group was great and I would definitely go back to do more sewing or attend a specialized craft workshop. I also purchased MM fabric to make a jute runner tote bag, scarves, and kerchiefs. Lots of photos below!

Delle Striped Sweater

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:20:56 +0000

I bought this Woolfolk pattern and the yarn to make this sweater back in October 2025. I finally finished it at the beginning of May. It doesn't usually take me seven months to finish a sweater, but the stripes did me in. I do love the finished project though. The sweater is slightly cropped with a mock neck and wide sleeves. I used Lion Brand Superwash Merino in Night Sky and Antique. I don't think I'll have many opportunities to wear this as the weather has been pretty warm, but it will be great during the transition to fall.

Cordova Neck Warmer

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 02:57:00 +0000

This was meant to be a quick project, but it took me forever as the weather was transitioning from summer to fall. I was spending as much time as I could outside before the cooler temperatures got Portland. I finally finished this Woolfolk project a couple of weeks ago and am amazed at how much warmth this three-inch wide piece of fabric delivers! I used the recommended Brise yarn, which is really soft and cozy. I wanted to use up the whole sleeping, so it's a little longer than what the pattern calls for, but it turned out just fine.

Merchant & Mills Party Dress Hack

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 02:49:00 +0000

I knew when I saw this Merchant & Mills blog post about a Party Dress Hack using their popular Trapeze Dress pattern that it was going on my to-sew list. I had also just finished a Trapeze Dress, so it also seemed like perfect timing. I love the shape of the dress and the gathering at the waist. The red poplin fabric was stunning too. I kept my eyes open for the perfect fabric and found this 100% cotton from Art Gallery Fabrics in Electric Lime at Josephine's. This fabric is a little thicker than poplin, but it created a lovely drape. The hack is very clever, but it requires a large yardage of fabric, about five yards! You also have to do a minor bit of redrafting of the dress to create a bodice with a neck tie in the back. You assemble the bodice first and then sew the skirt into a tube that gets attached to the bodice, creating that neat ruffled edge and hem, so no finishing is necessary. It goes pretty quick. Managing such a big amount of fabric was maybe the hardest part. Unfortunately, I finished this dress at the beginning of September and didn't have a chance to wear it as the weather was starting to change. I love the neon lime color and the silhouette of the dress😍

Trapeze Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Finished this quick and easy dress last weekend. The pattern is the Trapeze Dress from Merchant and Mills and I made it with their seersucker fabric in Jupiter. There are only four pieces. The fabric was a little fussy with the puckering, but it all worked out. I was going to add side seam pockets, but then I got too lazy.

Willa Shorts

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 23:30:00 +0000

I think I finished these almost a month ago, but forgot to post them here. These are the Willa Shorts from Spaghetti Western Sewing. I used some leftover Katie Kortman fabric that I used to make a dress. It was a pretty quick project and the directions were pretty easy. There are pockets! I'd make some more pairs of these for this summer.

Simple Tee

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 23:59:00 +0000

This is the Simple Tee pattern from Purl Soho, knit in their June Worsted, a cotton and linen yarn. This is a top-down raglan sweater with just a bit of short-row shaping at the neck. This was a quick knit, all in stockinette stitch. The rolled edges are neat and remind me of a favorite sweatshirt. I love this pale pink colorway of the June Worsted. My only warning: this yarn sheds a LOT. The only mod I made was to shorten the length by an inch. I love it!

Roma Vest

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 21:50:00 +0000

I finished the Roma Vest from Mochi Knits this past weekend. I used Woolfolk Tage, a great merino and mohair blend, in a grey colorway. The only mod I made was to add a couple of inches of length to the vest. I used some pearl buttons and I have seven instead of five. This was another top-down project using a slipped stockinette stitch pattern. Overall, a fun and satisfying knit!

Woolfolk Anniversary Bonnet

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 21:37:00 +0000

Forgot to post about this project that I finished at the end of December 2024. I used the Woolfolk DK weight yarn. This was an easy top-down project that came together quickly.

Chestnut Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 21:29:00 +0000

I started this project from PetiteKnit in mid-October, went on vacation for a couple of weeks, and finally finished the blocking this past weekend. I used Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK (lightweight merino wool) with Berroco Aerial (silk mohair) that was on sale from WEBS. Though you're mainly knitting in stockinette stitch, it wasn't boring, and the fabric knit up very quickly. I love the short row shaping of the shoulders and the side slits. I only used eight of the ten skeins the directions called for since I adjusted the length of the dress for my height. It's very cozy and warm!

My Favorite Pants Class

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 21:10:00 +0000

In November, I took a reverse patterning class taught by Annika Schindler at Bolt Fabric Boutique Studio. It was a series of three sessions that took place over three weekends. You were supposed to bring in a favorite pair of pants so you could create a pattern. I brought in a pair of Le Bon Shoppe Arc Pants, a barrel-leg style pair of jeans. The class was great and I came away with a pattern block that I finally sewed up during my winter break last week. These elastic waist pants were a pretty quick project that I finished in a couple of hours. I used black twill with a floral lawn for the pocket bags. They turned out great and I'm wearing them as I write this post. I also purchased some navy corduroy to make another pair!

The Honey Sundress

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 03:09:00 +0000

I finished The Honey pattern from Merchant and Mills last weekend. It's a maxi sundress that features a neat mitred bodice and an elasticated back. I chose a subtle pink and red striped cotton/linen fabric. Like all Merchant and Mills patterns, the instructions were straightforward, though I did have to fiddle with the straps a bit. I love how it turned out and hope I can get some wear out of it at the end of summer!

Rugby Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 05:01:00 +0000

I finished this Rugby Dress from Merchant & Mills a couple of weeks ago. I had procrastinated on starting it because I was dreading all the stripe matching, but it turned out great. I love the colors of the Sugar Cookie striped linen, which is also from Merchant & Mills. I was going to do the hack to add gathers to the back, but I completely forgot when I was cutting out the fabric. I didn't make any intentional modifications, but I only noticed after I finished that I made the entire placket in a contrasting color instead what the pattern shows with the contrast on the inside. I'm okay with that. Even though it's linen, it's still too hot to wear those long sleeves in this 100° weather.

Skill Blazer

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Wed, 22 May 2024 05:06:00 +0000

Another finished object! This is the Skill Blazer from the book Sew by Swedish designer Ann Ringstrand who founded the clothing line Hope. I used fabrics found exclusively in my stash and ended up using a mix of denim and twill with Liberty and chambray bias tape. I like the details of the contrasting pockets and upper sleeve, as well as the taped seam edges and the . This project turned out much better than expected. I was a little rusty with my jacket sewing techniques and made a couple of errors that ended up being hidden, but I'm okay with that. The book is lacking in detailed instructions and accompanying photos for different steps, so I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. As en experienced sewist, I even had a couple of difficult moments figuring out some parts of the construction. It all worked out though and I think I'll get plenty of wear out of it.

Lulu Slipover

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Sun, 19 May 2024 16:55:00 +0000

Finally finished the Lulu Slipover from PetiteKnit a couple of weeks ago. I used the recommended yarn, Peer Gynt by Sandnes Garn, in charcoal. The finishing detail was a set of four porcelain buttons that I made in a ceramic stud earrings class with local jewelry designer, BarrowPDX. The vest was blocked and waiting for me to sew them on! I love this garment and can see getting a lot of wear out it. There is the usual attention to detail, like the Italian bind-off, but I really like the exaggerated armholes and the button plackets too. The pattern originally calls for a mock turtleneck, but I just adapted it to be a crewneck instead. The spring weather has arrived in Portland, but I'm hoping there are still some chillier days where I can "slip this over" for an extra layer of warmth.

Sweater No. 23

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 04:35:00 +0000

This oversize sweater pattern is from My Favourite Things knitwear. It has a slightly asymmetrical silhouette and is worked from the top down and in the round. The details–joining front and back at the shoulder seams, foldover neckline, and Italian bindoff–make this simple sweater a knockout. The knitting went pretty fast until I got to the sleeves because I was worried I would run out of yarn and ended up procrastinating and setting the project aside for a while. I generally finish sweaters in about a month, but looking back, I first bought the yarn for this project and started knitting it in May 2023! I used Plenty, an extra fine merino, from Purl Soho in the color Blue Pansy and the color was discontinued after I purchased what I thought I would need for the project. I ending up frogging a hat I had made with the same yarn and it gave me just enough to finish the sleeves. I love how it turned out. It fits perfectly and is soft, squishy, and cozy.

Le Bandana

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 06:13:00 +0000

This bandana with i-cord edges was a fun and quick knit that distracted me from my sweater project I keep putting off because I'm afraid I'll run out of yarn. It's Le Bandana from Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée. I also used La Bien Aimée yarn Felix in AS IF, a hot neon pink that's a mix of merino and corriedale. I've never used this yarn before and it's super soft. I love all the different bright colors! On the La Bien Aimée website, they put together bundles for a bandana with stripes or intarsia. I decided on a solid color so I could finish the project fast. You can also get the pattern on Ravelry.

Latest Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Thu, 18 May 2023 17:58:00 +0000

Finished this 2-way vest and these ruffled ankle socks several weeks ago. The vest is made from a golden denim that looks more orange in photos. You can wear it with the curved seam in the front or the back. It's from a Japanese pattern book and was so simple that I finished it on a Sunday afternoon. In my quest for more cobalt and klein blue in my wardrobe, I knit up these cute ribbed socks with a ruffled edge. It's the Lova sock pattern from Le Pull and I knit them using Hobbii Rainbow sock wool.

Beret

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 23:34:00 +0000

I finished Beret No. 1 from My Favourite Things Knitwear several weeks ago and am now just getting around to posting photos. This was a quick and easy project and I'd recommend it. I made it with Woolfolk Yarns Fleck that I won in a giveaway! It's a lovely merino with tweedy donegal flecks inspired by the wild landscapes of Oregon's coasts and forests. Next up, still deciding on upcoming projects, probably a sweater and socks.

Finally Finished: Friday Tee

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:40:00 +0000

After starting this sweater at the end of August, I finally finished it last weekend! It doesn't usually take me five months to finish a project but the broken rib stitch with such a small gauge seemed to take forever. Plus, I went on vacation at the end of October and getting back to knitting after that took a while. The Friday Tee is a pattern by PetiteKnit and I used Sandnes Garn Sunday yarn. The sweater is knit from the top-down with raglan sleeves. The pattern calls for stripes, but I was too lazy to knit with two colors. It's got a perfect loose fit after blocking and it will be perfect for spring!

Simple Pullover Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Mon, 30 May 2022 08:04:00 +0000

I finished this dress a couple of weeks ago and I love it! It's from a Japanese pattern book and I chose it from among four different dress patterns because it was the easiest and fastest to make and I wanted some instant gratification. The fabric is from Katie Kortman and I love the colors and the print. Details I love: the French sleeves, mini pocket that I matched on the chest, and side seam pockets. It's been rainy here this past week, but I hope to be able to wear the dress soon!

Sweater No. 15

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Thu, 12 May 2022 05:06:00 +0000

This is my completed Sweater No. 15 from My Favourite Things Knitwear made with Knitting for Olive Merino and Soft Silk Mohair. This project knit up pretty quickly even with all the cabling. The only mods I made were to shorten the sleeves and the body by about an inch and a half. This was the first sweater where I picked up stitches directly in the armholes for the sleeves. Such a clever technique that saved a bunch of time–especially since the sweater is knit top-down, in the round and there's no seaming. Other details I loved: the foldover neck, the twisted rib stitch for the cuffs, bottom band and neckband, and the Italian bind-off. It fits perfectly and I'm happy I'll get a couple of wears in since spring is still a little cold and wet here.

Ruffle Socks

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Lim) — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 22:40:00 +0000

I finished these ruffle socks from PetiteKnit a couple of weeks ago. They were a quick project and I was able to brush up on my German short row technique while I binge watched Cobra Kai. I love them! They are so sweet.