Holly Chayes

Welcome! I'm Holly Chayes.

This online space has been around in one form or another since 2010, it focuses on making, creativity and living a curious life, plus a lot of clothing.

Some of the projects I've worked on in the past 10+ years include...

Talking About Clothes with Holly Chayes

An interview podcast that's all about clothing (and also, not *really* about clothing at all). Find all the details and listen to conversations about comfort, style, change and shopping here. Or search for Talking About Clothes with Holly Chayes wherever you listen to podcasts.

Who Wears Who?

The Self-Made Wardrobe Project

Predecessor to Who Wears Who, a year-long challenge in 2014/2015 where I only wore clothes I made. That year would have been a lot easier if the clothes had magically made themselves. Learn more about The Self-Made Wardrobe Project and explore the archives here.

The Shawl Geometry Book Series

Enough shawl shapes to keep you knitting for a lifetime. A multi-year exploration of math, shape and space in knitting, where I documented traditional shawl shaping, and iterated on those traditions to create new recipes of shawl shaping. Ultimately this lead to 75+ shapes, and 400+ pages of common and uncommon shawl shaping instructions. This project was inspired by a dozen individual shawl designs, each encapsulating a love of geometric lace design. You can find The Shawl Geometry Series here.

Thank you for being here with me. –Holly

a summer dress, summer sunsets, and shawl geometry books update

27 Jul 2016

what's in the works

Each Wednesday, I take stock of the projects I’m working on, and where my brain is at. Three things this week. Thing one: my no-longer-really-an-Anna Dress, has a skirt that’s attached to a bodice, a zipper, and a lining that’s attached to the shell! Next Up: straps, a hem, and to decide if I want to add a slit to the skirt or not. There yet maybe hope for this dress. Thing two: summer sunsets. And a reminder to go outside and enjoy them. Thing three: more information about the Shawl Geometry Books 2nd edition! And right here is a way to get notified as soon as each updated book is available! No related posts.

alternating between book edits, and sewing a dress

20 Jul 2016

what's in the works

Each Wednesday, I take stock of the projects I’m working on, and where my brain is at. I’m working on the second round of scribbly edits for Shawl Geometry Book One, before I send it to my technical editor sometime next week. There are definitely still notes, but significantly fewer notes than in the first round – which is always the aim. And I did spend a day this week alternating between editing, and sewing on my no-longer-really-an-Anna Dress. My aim was to reinvigorate the summer wardrobe infusion project, finish the second round of edits on book one, and also finish sewing my no-longer-really-an-Anna Dress. I did manage to finish the edits that day, and also spend some time with my summer wardrobe infusion, but I didn’t manage to finish the dress. It turns out, putting “finish book edits” and also “finish dress” is too much of a to-do list...

How do you reinvigorate a stalled project? – Summer Wardrobe Infusion Update #2

14 Jul 2016

Flourishing Wardrobes, thoughts & things

We’re about halfway through July, and there are no ifs, ands, or buts, about summer being well and truly here. But my plans for infusing my wardrobe with summery clothing? Feeling a little stuck in the muck at the moment. So I thought now would be a good time to take a step back and look at the whole picture. My Original Summer Wardrobe Infusion Plans In case you don’t remember (because I certainly didn’t) my original plan was: : tank tops & camisoles : overshirts : PJ bottoms (!?) : maxi sundresses : my well-traveled sweater Not sure what the PJ bottoms were about, but whatever, they’ve gotten nixed. So how’s the plan going? Tank tops & camisoles Status: drafted the pattern. Made one. Tweaked the pattern. And have fabric for more. Next Step: make a second to test the tweaks to the pattern (and to have another tank...

Welcome! I'm Holly Chayes.