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Sara Dowle

@saradowle

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| architect & director @michaelisboyd
| sometime sewist, baker & cocktail maker
| hispanophile | conscious consumer
| renovating @la_casita_de_sarita

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Ana Mendieta at the Tate Modern |

It was an almost silent gallery where we explored Mendieta’s beautiful works - somehow ethereal but also very much of the earth. After discovering her last year through @thegreatwomenartists it was exciting to see this exhibition with such a wide range of works from the Silueta series, sculptures, photography, installation and film. Highly recommended!

#anamendieta
@anamendietaartist
#tatemodern
@tate

Exploring art with @maddyallen15 by @saradowle

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12 days ago

Back in February I cast on the beautiful mohair for the Ivy Blouse from Petite Knit. I’d been inspired by the soft and fluffy knitwear I’d seen from the likes of Sezane but, as ever, wanted to make my own!

I’d hoped to get it finished for the spring but as the weather got warmer I swapped to some cotton projects and picked it up again in August to finish. After some time stranded on #SleeveIsland I got it finished and after blocking, it’s a great fit!

Another example of very slow fashion especially when you’re knitting two strands of mohair on 3.5mm needles. I love the raglan sleeve detail at the shoulder and the simple hems giving it a lovely casual look.

Pattern: #IvyBlouse by @petiteknit #petiteknit in M
Yarn: Soft Silk Mohair by @knittingforolive in #DustyArtichoke from @beautifulknitters

Knitting notes:
- First time around I did a standard bind off for the hem on the body but it had zero stretch so I frogged it and tried again with the @brooklyntweed Sewn Bind Off which was fab
- I didn’t love knitting the mohair with the Magic Loop method for the sleeves - I was trying to ensure there wouldn’t be a clear line at the join, but maybe my gauge was too tight as the yarn didn’t slide nicely on the needles… to be investigated more
- I was worried that I’d left the sleeves too short but after blocking they grew to wrist length 🙌 by @saradowle

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14 days ago

Paint! Pattern! Print! at the Fashion & Textile Museum celebrating the work of sisters Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell @sarahcampbelldesigns

A colourful and inspiring visit back in June with @fidowle and @derekdowle learning about the designers’ prolific careers designing such vivid, colourful and beautiful patterns and products! Another motivation to be bolder in colour and pattern with the clothes I make and wear!

Plus somehow my first visit inside the @fashiontextilemuseum having walked past it hundreds of times - certainly not my last! by @saradowle

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a month ago

This year has definitely been the Year of the Knit - I’ve had a project on the go throughout and the sewing machine has been on the shelf! It’s a great antidote to scrolling on the commute and a conversation starter too - yesterday, a young woman asked what I was making and said she’d picked up knitting again recently and was encourage to knit in public too!

After finishing the Vilma top, I still had yarn left over, so with the remainder I felt like making a quick and simple summer top. Petite Knit’s patterns are my go-to and I knitting the Audrey has been fun and easy!

I bought the yarn for £44 so considering I got two summer tops out of it, I think that’s very good going!

Finally it’s time for me to finish off my Ivy blouse, another lovely Petite Knit pattern in mohair, that went on pause in late spring before I could finish the final sleeve! Next, I think I’ll be bolder with colour and try new new techniques in my knitting projects to come…

Pattern: #audreytop by @petiteknit
Yarn: @rowanyarns #summerlitedk in seashell

#petiteknit #rowanyarns #summerknits by @saradowle

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2 months ago

A gorgeous week in Cornwall with the family ☀️🌊🏖️

A beautiful stay at @cottageorne with tennis, Uno, backgammon and swimming pool fun, sea swim and fish and chips at Seaton beach, a fab paper flower workshop with @bertievalentinelondon , a coastal path walk from Talland Bay to Polperro, the car ferry to Fowey for lunch at tasty North Street Kitchen, a lovely family reunion at @lanhydrocknt and topped off with a sea dip at Lansallos Bay! taken in Looe, Cornwall by @saradowle

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2 months ago

I was excited to get stuck into knitting the Vilma top by @gregoriafibers with its decorative elements and summary vibes, and it hasn’t disappointed! I’ve learnt a lot of new techniques with this pattern, predominantly lace work, twisted rib and the tubular bind off. It is a little wobbly in places but that’s the whole point of a hand-knit, right?!

On the decorative edge at the hem, I preferred the chain detail I spotted on the Vilma cardigan, so for this approach I used the knitted chain stitch tutorial from @instantsdelouise and then did the crochet cast off as per @nimbleneedlez tutorial.

As ever, I love to raid the family button tin where I found some vintage buttons in the cream colourway. It’s great to think they had a life on a garment before and that I’m using ones of thousands we already have rather buying new.

Looking forward to wearing this when the weather cools a tad!

Pattern: #vilmatop by @gregoriafibers
Yarn: Summerlite DK cotton by @rowanyarns in seashell colourway

#knitwithgregoriakal by @saradowle

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3 months ago

A sunny Sunday in Scotland at the end of May 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 visiting our hostess with the mostest @carabrunton with @paupettecabiro and @francoise.c ☀️ taken in Pittenweem, Fife by @saradowle

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3 months ago

Last September I picked up a couple of remnants in Merchant & Mill’s beautiful shop, and even with this small amount of checked linen I have been able to make a zero waste top!

It’s another brilliant pattern by Birgitta Helmersson in her book #zerowastepatterns where every piece cut has a clever use! I also tried a technique by @sewingjulieblog for making continuous bias binding from a rectangle of fabric, which I’ll definitely keep using going forward!

Pattern: Zero Waste Singlet by @birgittahelmersson
Fabrich: Halland Linen Gingham from @merchantandmills

#zerowastetop #birgittahelmersson #zerowaste #zwsinglet by @saradowle

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4 months ago

Australia 🇦🇺 a whistle-stop tour of Victoria! Travelling to the other side of the world was not on my bingo card for this year but what a great adventure - discovering the Mornington Peninsula, visiting a beautiful site and seeing kangaroos in the wild 🦘 taken in Mornington Peninsula by @saradowle

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4 months ago

Discovering Arts & Crafts at Blackwell House | seating nooks with views of Windermere, intricate carpentry, stained glass, colourful wallpaper, metalwork and tiling details galore

@blackwellartsandcrafts taken in Blackwell - The Arts & Crafts house by @saradowle

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5 months ago

Remembering my Nanna on what would have been her 100th birthday ✨

A most special woman in our lives, always in my heart 🤍

…and always one day older than the Queen! by @saradowle

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5 months ago

Last week in the Lakes ⛰️

Exploring from our base near Ambleside: circular around Grasmere & Rydal Water, Little Langdale and the Cathedral Cave, a boat trip on Windermere, driving over the Struggle and Kirkstone Pass to the waterfalls at Aira Force and Ullswater

Thanks everyone for your recommendations! taken in Lake District by @saradowle

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6 months ago