Synthetic Synthesis

I have Complicated Feelings about polar fleece. My basic rule for fiber arts is, if it's worth making yourself, it's worth making out of natural fibers. This probably goes back to my mom's imposition of all-cotton undies as a child, reinforced by Elizabeth Zimmermann's vehemence on this topic ("For people allergic to wool, one's heart can only bleed" - Knitting Without Tears). And yet. Fleece is warm, stretchy, easy to care for, and in the winter, lets us keep the heat a lot lower in the apartment than I'd otherwise tolerate. It even repels baby spit-up, as I learned last winter!

With these contradictory emotions spinning in my head, I bought a very cheap remnant of sage-colored fleece at JoAnn's several months ago. After succeeding with my first hoodie, I decided to make another out of fleece. It was satisfying to repeat the same pattern just a few weeks later - I remembered to stitch closer to the zipper so that less of the tape would show, and I correctly made a flat felled seam (rather than a French seam) on the hood.

I also got to use up my grandma's vintage plaid bias tape, which has been hanging around the sewing basket I inherited from her for at least 20 years. This was one of those beautiful moments that reinforces all of your hoarding - I had *exactly* the right amount of tape to cover the zipper and make the ties for the matching cap (see below). Erma was smiling on me from heaven, clearly - and she was not such a smiley lady!

Another fun garnish was a sheep appliqué that I bought at the Droguerie, a fabulous French craft shop, in Strasbourg in July. I usually find appliqués tacky, but honestly, there is nothing tacky about the Droguerie. C'est très classe!

I also made a bomber cap with some of the leftover fleece (same pattern, Simplicity 5316). I am still feeling guilty that last winter, I sent Jonah to daycare without a hat that stayed on (I just really wanted him to wear the hat I'd knitted, you know? And I didn't have anything else...). So I spent some time in the sweltering August heat making this, to prevent any mishaps this coming winter:
I am sure these articles will look adorable on baby Jonah, but it would be cruel to dress him in fleece on a day like today. Hopefully I'll remember to take some pictures when the weather chills out a bit.