the puff sleeve knit

impossible to not notice that puff sleeves/ruffle sleeves/ statement sleeves of some form are having a bit of a moment.  They’re on every shelf and every Instagram page and are cropping up left, right and centre. 

Here’s the part where I could say ‘I love puff sleeves so jumped on the trend and made one of my own’, and I’d like to think you’d consider me (just about) on the ball enough to have done so. I can knit pretty quick and churn out a sweater in a week if I put to mind to it, after all.

However, that would be a lie.  (Forgive me whilst I make overly dramatic statements about knitwear). 

A more accurate account would be ‘I started a basic ribbed bodice years ago with no idea what the top would be… picked it up again a year (???) later and thought puff sleeves would be cute… found a puff sleeve pattern in a vintage knitting book and knit a single sleeve… forgot about it and left project bag in a cupboard for another year… found project, couldn’t figure out what was going on with sleeve, eventually remembered which pattern I’d used… didn’t like how sleeve sat on body so ripped back part of it, added short row shaping and reworked sleeve cap… realised bodice needed extra bust shaping… tried on 27981 times to get neck shaping right… sewed the sleeves into place and never wanted to see 2×2 rib again’.

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So yes, it was a slightly more cobbled together state of affairs.  One that’s highly unlikely to ever be replicated, that’s for sure.  I absolutely love how it turned out though (despite what my gormless face may imply), and all that faffing made for a perfect fit, so YAY GOOD JOB LILY.  Giving myself a pat on the back for this one.  Who knew creating the perfect poof was such an exact science?  Obviously this one didn’t begin with a sketch to be brought to life, but did involve lots of trying on to nail that 3D shape.
Oh so satisfying when it works out just nicely, anyway. I certainly don’t fancy 2×2 rib again for a while, but wouldn’t mind a couple more poofy sleeves before summer is out.  I’m hoping the trend is here to stay for a while, as it’s so flattering on the shoulders and just adds a little something to an otherwise simple top. 

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In hindsight, warm fluffy alpaca probably wasn’t the most sensible choice for a summery knit, but luckily it’s just right for grey days like today.

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top: handknit in Rowan Alpaca Soft | shorts: River Island | I realised the only summer shorts I own are a denim pair of the very short variety, so I happily welcomed this slightly looser, smarter, less cheeky pair to my wardrobe.  They fit perfectly, are properly high waisted, and will go with many of my summer knits so were a good purchase, I think!

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Hopefully you don’t mind the increase in knitting content around these parts at the moment – I feel like I’m hitting my stride with the crafting again and I’m really enjoying dedicating more time making things and sharing them. Lifestyle blogging is all well and good and I’ll continue with those posts when I feel like it, but expect to see many a me-made item and crafty chat on Joli House going forwards! I am happiest with needles in hand, after all.

Lily Kate x

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