Berlin sehen - day 2

:: Gendarmenmarkt

I'd read it was the loveliest square of Berlin, and it certainly seemed so.





:: The Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz



:: Schloss Charlottenburg

We didn't have time to visit the interiors, but decided to just stroll around the gardens and surrounding park instead. The weather wasn't being very cooperative but we enjoyed ourselves anyway.













:: Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial

I was impressed by this monument, right in the middle of the shopping district of the Ku'Damm.



:: Berlin city beaches

Just something we found amusing during our visit. Apparently there are quite a few of these beaches around the city ...





:: The Reichstag



So later in the afternoon we decided to check the Reichstag visiting queue for the last time, and surprisingly it was not so long. Still, we queued for about an hour before going up, but it was definitely worth it (and were lucky enough to catch the sunset).

Berlin sehen - day 1

Some impressions from our Berlin visit ... I'd never been and came back fascinated by this city. So much to see and not enough time, so we definitely must return.

:: Dahlem Dorf

We stayed here because it was right next to the University where A's conference was being held. It was peaceful and quiet, but only about 20 min from the center. The hotel was great, the Ethnological museum and the Botanical Gardens were located there (unfortunately we didn't have the time to visit either) and we found a fantastic Italian restaurant (Piaggio) where we had a lot of our meals.







We started our first day at Potsdamer Platz, and walked towards the Brandenburger Tor and the Reichstag. On our way we stopped briefly at the Holocaust Memorial, and for some strolls inside Tiergarten.

:: Pieces of the Berlin Wall on Potsdamer Platz



:: Tiergarten



::The Holocaust Memorial





:: Around the Reichstag

There was a huge queue that morning to visit the Reichstag (and apparently everyday) so we decided to come back another time and just strolled around on our way to Museum Insel. I tried to make a reservation for one of the free guided tours a few weeks before we came but it seems it has to be booked way more in advance.









:: Museum Insel

Due to our limited time, we chose to visit just the Pergamon Museum, and were awed by the main exhibitions.



:: Pergamon Museum









:: The Berliner Dom

The impressive Berlin cathedral was our next stop, and it was so worth paying the ticket to visit the interior and climb up to the dome - the views are incredible.







:: Views from the Berliner Dom







:: Kunst Markt

Between the Berliner Dom and Alexander Platz we came across this artsy Kunst Markt, full of creative and original art works.





:: Nikolai Viertel

This reconstructed medieval quarter is lovely and turned out to be one of our favorite places.







:: Alexander Platz and the TV tower

You can see the TV tower from almost anywhere in Berlin. We rested briefly here when returning from Nikolai Viertel and while we decided where to go for dinner nearby.



:: Checkpoint Charlie

I suppose no visit to Berlin is complete without a stop here. I didn't feel like visiting the museum but had to stop by just to take a couple of photos.



:: The Brandenburger Tor

We walked by this Berlin landmark quite a few times. It was always incredibly busy and full of tourists, but in the evening when we were heading back to our hotel it seemed almost peaceful and the light was just magical.

Sage Remedy Top

When I found out I was pregnant I had all these grand plans about knitting myself some maternity wear. Then I realised it would take me ages to knit any of the patterns I liked, and by then it would probably be summer already and therefore too warm to wear any knits anyway. So I decided to concentrate my efforts on sewing, and choose just one knitting pattern which would be suitable for wearing in the spring. So when I saw this top I thought it would be perfect, since it looked like a relatively simple and fast knit.

The yarn I chose came from here, it's 100% wool and Portuguese (and very resonably priced), which is not something I come across very often. I'm very happy with it, and the knit fabric turned out just how I like it (a bit elastic and with enough drape).

I started knitting the second size, in order to accomodate the growing bump, but then made more side decreases until reaching the number of stitches listed for the smallest size when reaching the armholes.

I recommend a very good blocking after finishing this. It definitely gave my top a couple more inches in length and opened up the lacy portions.



Pattern: Sage Remedy Top, by Sarah Shepherd
Yarn: Lopo Xavier Elis, 2 skeins (from Retrosaria)
Needles: 4 mm
Size: M

blue + brown winter dress, and a new skirt ...

These were obviously not taken now, but actually in early January, when I was barely showing yet. This is the dress I was talking about, it's #16 from the book mentioned below.

The fabric was from stash, and one of my favorites. I remember buying several meters of this at the fabric store, which I used in multiple bags and accessories over the past couple of years, and saved the remainder for a piece of clothing for myself.

The pattern is quite simple and straightforward, and I actually didn't have to make any adjustments this time. I'll probably make this dress again, maybe a lighter version like the one shown on the book.





As for the skirt, it's another version of this one, although I decided to add some pockets this time and a velvet trim on the hem. I really like this pattern, and I'm definitely not done with it yet (I was thinking maybe some skirts for next winter ?)

on maternity clothing

Right, I'm sure you saw this post coming ...
Well, I won't be complaining too much about how difficult it is to buy nice maternity clothes, or at least around where I live, it seems. After a bit of effort I managed to get some decent pairs of pants for a reasonable price which are getting a lot of wear, so I'm basically done with maternity clothes' shopping. Tops and dresses have not been such a problem, but I think it's foolish to spend too much money on something I'll only wear for a short time, and since I do own a sewing machine and have a pile high of stash fabrics, this got my sewing energy back on.



First, let me tell you that this tutorial on adapting regular pants to maternity pants is absolutely brilliant, and very easy to accomplish. I did this with a pair of corduroy pants and a winter skirt I no longer used much (I needed warmer clothes for the Switzerland trip) and the result was perfect.

And then, it seems that all those patterns I love so much on my japanese sewing magazines, but which in real life don't always turn out so good (not without some adjustments, and I hope it's not only to me that this happens, or else I've been doing something wrong all these years), seem now to be (almost) perfect for maternity.



My first attempt was the top above, #18 from this book. It was one of the first japanese sewing books I bought, and it's been a favorite ever since. I've made two tops and two dresses out of it (which reminds me I never showed you that second dress, which I made at the end of last year), and this top just looked perfect to accomodate a bigger belly.



Well, too perfect it turns out, since I made it according to pattern first, and it made me look more pregnant than I was. As a result, I made some changes:
- added some small darts at the front top
- bottom front was pleated instead of gathered (this was just a personal preference)
- added a fabric sash between the top and bottom pieces (front and back) to add length and make it look less 'puffy'
- totally remade the bottom part of the back so it wouldn't have any gathering at all and made it just as a simple piece with a couple of darts.

It turned out so much better, don't you think ?