in which our plucky heroine finishes a second handknit...
I'm not a fast knitter, but this year I have managed to complete two additions to my wardrobe: the Solbein cardigan, and now this Ursa pullover, both in Lettlopi wool. I finished the casting off late last night, and while it still needs to be blocked, I couldn’t wait to try it on… so cozy and so adorable!
This was my first time using bust darts in knitwear, and it made a big difference in the fit. The additional pattern modifications I added* are hopefully in the spirit of the design, and I am really happy with the outcome. My sweater will coordinate with most of my wardrobe and the doubled Lettlopi worked really well as a “bulky” yarn.
*added half-brioche stitch ribbing border to neckline edge in order to have it actually stay on my shoulders, stopped waistline triangle detailing partway through in order to have it not become a hip length sweater…
(image lightened in photoshop to show details)
close up of center front ribbing, showing how I continued the HBS from the center of the body, up into the ribbing:
Remembered yesterday that Mudcat said we could do no more than two handknits to include in SWAP. I've been planning to make the "Ursa" cropped pullover ever since it showed up on Instagram, and I have the perfect yarn, a deep almost black overlaid with multicolor teal/turquoise (it reads as a kind of very dark indigo) Knitting is something I can carry along with me and work while I am riding transit, which gives me a lot of fragmentary and otherwise wasted time to create a garment. That would give me two different outer layers to wear with my SWAP.
If I plunk the pullover into my INDIGO section, and sub in a RTW turtleneck in the BROWN section (instead of cropped leggings) I will probably be able to find time to stitch up the one remaining sewn garment, the popover dress. Given that we are moving into warmer weather, a popover dress will be more appealing by the end of April than leggings for warmth!
Either outer layer can be worn with any of the outfits.
Either pinafore can be worn over any of the tops, blouses, or dresses
The turtleneck can be worn under any of the blouses, or the dress.
The dresses can be worn by themselves.
This kind of wardrobe interchangeability makes me very happy!
- INDIGO BLUE
1. dark denim pinafore (made prior to SWAP)
2. pinstripe linen dress (done)
3. handknit lopi cardigan (done)
4. handknit lopi cropped pullover (not done)
5. batik rayon popover dress (cut out, not done)
- BROWN
6. chambray linen blouse (done prior to Dec 26th)
7. corduroy pinafore (done)
8. Supima cotton knit turtleneck (RTW)
The other garments that have been dropped from the SWAP queue will turn up in my summer or autumn 6PACs, just as my formerly sewn garments like my Alabama Chanin cardigan from last year, my brown flannel blouse, or my batik everyday dress, also coordinate with my SWAP this year... Deciding way back to have a limited color palette was one of the best choices I have made.
in which our plucky heroine notices signs of spring...
The neighbor children make the most amazing chalk art... this time it is The Long Hopscotch! which goes all the way down the block, turns 180 and comes all the way back again...
the first ladybug takes a stroll on the forsythia bush, and the star magnolia coming back after being winterkilled two years ago
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Earlier at the end of March, I finished the new brown babycord pinafore. The corduroy is so very thin and soft that while it won't be durable, it will be a treat to wear in the springtime. I played around with the nap direction, and cut the skirt gores in a way that created small triangles of reversed nap at the bottom edges, just for fun.
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The best project, however, is my new homemade daypack from materials gifted, salvaged, and scraps (except for purchased interfacing)... I liked the looks of the Range Backpack pattern by Noodlehead, and it was worth getting the pattern since the instructions were really clear and there was not a bit of faffing about with tape and paper, since all the component parts were measured rectangles.
Being my usual self, I had to make modifications. The initial inspiration was the fragment of Eames motif tapestry fabric just big enough for a front pocket, and my design choices spiraled out from there. Extra heavy black denim for the body, and as backing for the brown webbing shoulder straps. Heavy brushed brown twill for the strap attachment points, and to create folded expansion gussets on either side of the zippered pocket; (there wasn't enough of the tapestry fabric to do a center folding expansion)
Some salvaged grey upholstery leather was used sueded side out for the pack bottom, as an accent on the carry loop at the top, and a thin strip as a zipper pull. The splendid stripey zipper was a gift from Shams. I lined the pack with heavy turquoise/black linen cotton chambray. The snap buckle was salvaged from an older worn out pack.
I decided on fixed length shoulder straps, since I basically never adjust the length on other daypacks, which meant that I didn't need to find all the adjustable buckles and connectors for making the straps longer and shorter. (same same as with bra straps... if you are making your own, why do the straps need to adjust?? I've never understood that, with manufactured items it makes sense, because bodies are varied in configuration, but if I ever try the DIY route, no dumb little sliders) But I digress...
The daypack is a Grand Success, and it is tempting to make another one at some point, if I can salvage some more of the click buckles from somewhere. (I really miss Rose City Textiles and their room of outdoor notions!)
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April SMART goals (x=extra)
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THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
Range backpack
cardigan back hem
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2
brown corduroy pinafore
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Today's gratitude - the sweet scent of springtime flowers, and the drifts of pink petals from the ornamental plum, that fall like snow, but softly, and not cold
in which our plucky heroine decided it was time...
I've been craving a pair of blue shoes for ages, and given how difficult it is for me to find any shoes at all that fit...
These started out as a clearance pair of Xero Hana shoes; I took a chance and it turned out that their men's last is acceptable for my hard-to-fit feet. But I sure didn't want boring beige...
So, the first step was to mix up some indigo blue acrylic paint, and carefully paint the canvas. I also used a brown sharpie to color the elastic on either side of the tongue. The laces that came with these shoes were much too long, and the ends dragged on the ground in a way that would be a trip hazard, so I removed them.
While the shoes were wearable sans laces, I remembered that I had stashed a few replacement laces kits for my former Keen water sandals. It wasn't too difficult to adapt the instructions to work for these shoes.
Since the shoes are now blue with brown (and spiffy black laces), they will coordinate with basically all my clothing, and will be a chance for me to trade out my heavy Keen work shoes for a lighter more minimal/flexible shoe in the summertime.
I really like how adding the Keen elastic laces makes the shoes look more "finished"... although I might not be finished with these - it is tempting to add some decorative painted motifs to the uppers
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March SMART goals (x=extra)
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THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
charter #2
stripey vest buttons
chicken wire
2
2 tiny enamels
bead swag ends
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3
blue floral blouse
painted shoes
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4
Sólbein cardigan
new elastic laces
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today's gratitude - ever and always the wellspring of kindness from friends...
in which our plucky heroine dissects her completed cardigan...
Finished my Sólbein cardigan, including knitting the button bands and sewing on the toggles. Wet-blocked and currently drying in the shade. The very rustic style is just right! I'm very happy with the colorwork, my choice of antler toggles, and how well the chosen "indigo/denim" colors will coordinate with most of my wardrobe. When attaching the sleeves, I placed the increase line down back of sleeve instead of at underarm to allow more space for arm curve, underarm doesn't need extra room, elbow does.
I'm less pleased with my own errors, but done is better than perfect. In not knowing how best to deal with the disparity between my bone structure and my circumference, despite my efforts to adapt the instructions, I ended up with Very Deep armscyes, and sleeves that are several inches too long. (this is the knitting equivalent of my identical problem with commercial sewing patterns - if the circumference is big enough to fit around my bodacious bosom, the armholes are halfway to my elbows) I'm thinking about adding a line of I-cord along the neckline edge, since the ribbing really stretches when I wear the cardigan, and if I-cord were also added to the cuff edges, would allow for removing the plain cuff ribbing (shortening the sleeves) and also stabilising the cuffs.
The bottom hemline was seriously irregular, dipping down in front and way up at each side. I suspect that where the armscye was located ended up was causing the problem, due to grading based on circumference (same problem I have with RTW, and with commercial sewing patterns. I solved it by opening a portion of the body just above the ribbing, and adding in a sort of diamond/leaf shape made from short rows, and then grafting it back closed, thereby pushing the errant hemline closer to level.
Given that the last (adult) sweater I knitted was nineteen years ago, I feel pretty chuffed. This is to keep me warm, not for a county fair competition (so the few minor errors made are not significant) which it will do quite well. It may become a middle layer worn over winter garments, rather than the spring/autumn cardigan I intended. The texture reminds me of the mohair cardigans that were popular when I was in middle school. I am looking forward to seeking out a different approach to cardigan knitting, as there is enough additional Lettlopi in my Big Box of Yarn for a second one, in a quite splendid black tinged with turquoise/teal/multicolor...
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a bit of Jim Henson textilia whimsy
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I adore reading the essays on artmaking that Luann Udell writes - she is able to clearly communicate useful truths in a kindhearted and comprehensible way. When I read this recent essay, I thought: this is exactly where one of my greatest struggles is, I doubt my ability, my creativity, and I am stopped in my tracks. Over and over again. I need to learn, to remember somehow, as she suggests, to "pat doubt on its head, shush it lovingly, and move it back to its corner". Not just in my creative life, but in my life in general, I keep noticing how my doubt has held me back from even trying to have the life I imagined would be possible.
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March SMART goals (x=extra)
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THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
charter #2
stripey vest buttons
chicken wire
2
2 tiny enamels
bead swag ends
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3
blue floral blouse
x
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4
Sólbein cardigan
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today's gratitude - Today, when attempting to get to the bus, and needing to cross the parkway, which is always troublesome, the bus driver not only saw me, but held the bus until I could get across and board. When I left the bus, in addition to the traditional Portland "thank you driver" I specifically thanked her for not only noticing and waiting for me, but for the several other times I had seen her notice people trying to get to the stops on time and waiting for them... Doesn't take much to thank people for being thoughtful and aware, and made both of our days a little better
in which our plucky heroine gets some use of going round in circles...
Even when pain levels are stupid, I can still knit round and round, and therefore my Solbein cardigan is progressing apace: the colorwork knitting on the yoke is done! Another few rows of plain indigo blue, and it will be time to divide the body and sleeve sections.
Then the already knit segments will be grafted to the yoke, and all that will remain to do is to steek the center front, knit the trim bands and toggle loops, and block the finished cardigan... I may be slower than some, but getting a whole garment knit in the first quarter of the year is still an accomplishment I hope to succeed at.
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an animated take on an Edward Gorey classic:
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SWAP progress: I already cut out my blouse from the printed cotton lawn that I purchased with my prize from CCL's Dress challenge earlier this year. I have often admired how Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) uses piping on many of her garments, and have decided to try adding a narrow flat piping around the collar and front button placket. I think it would really be a nice bit of detailing, to help delineate the collar and placket, which otherwise sort of blend into the print.
I've never done this before, and so my first step is going to be to find some black linen or cotton in the resource shelves that is thin enough to not add a lump of excess thickness when folded in half and inserted into the edge seams. Why oh why do I not have some black batiste or handkerchief linen?!?? (edited: I headed out, after an intensive search of the fabric on hand turned up nothing suitable, and bought a half yard of black cotton lawn at Modern Domestic)
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a dapper singer with a slightly rude but highly amusing song:
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March SMART goals (x=extra)
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THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
charter #2
stripey vest buttons
chicken wire
2
2 tiny enamels
bead swag ends
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3
blue floral blouse
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today's gratitude - I can take sticks and string and make myself warm clothing - thanks Mom for teaching me how to knit when I was just a little child!
in which our plucky heroine focuses on what is good...
sewing table still life
Finished the indigo/multicolor floral blouse today, which has me a bit more than halfway done with my SWAP garments... Cotton lawn is lovely to wear, and only a bit challenging to sew because so lightweight. The brown buttons I salvaged (when I repaired my striped vest) bring out the few brown accents in the botanical print, and will help it coordinate with both the brown and denim pinafores that I have in my wardrobe as well as the two SWAP pinafores.
SWAP 2019
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INDIGO BLUE
BROWN
PRINT/ACCENT
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pinstripe linen dress
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2
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corduroy pinafore
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oxford cloth blouse
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mushroom print blouse
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dk blue floral blouse
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handknit cardigan
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feather print knit top
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dk denim pinafore
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batik popover dress
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blue black floral blouse
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leggings or jacket
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Today the last of knitting three colors in one row, huzzah! I am pleased to have found a workaround for that issue, pleased with how the cardigan yoke looks so far, and very pleased to be almost done with the colorwork. Knitting is one of the few puzzles I enjoy, and there will be more bits to solve as I complete this, as there will be the "how do I attach all these pieces", and the "how do I create a multiple I-cord button band for toggles"...
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I wish that my machine had a straight stitch throat plate and presser foot. But, since there isn't one manufactured for it either originally or aftermarket, I will instead direct attention to this absolutely lovely British tea towel, by one of my favorite artists... I just may have to acquire this, though I would probably hang it on the wall as kitchen art rather than use it for the intended purpose of drying dishes!
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March SMART goals (x=extra)
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THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
charter #2
stripey vest buttons
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2
2 tiny enamels
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3
blue floral blouse
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today's gratitude - indeed, I am grateful for both the time and skill to sew my own clothing, as well as the fabrics I had collected over the years, which now are turning into garments that make me happy when I wear them
in which our plucky heroine recieves some clarification...
As is obvious, the Sólbein cardigan is only partway there...
Laid out atop a handknit cardigan (dark grey with a running horse on the back, mostly obsucured in this photo) that fits me, I am uncertain what parts will need additional length once I actually finish the yoke... probably the sleeves, and maybe the body will need another inch or so. Most folks make these sweaters all in one piece either bottom up or top down, I just have to do things my own peculiar way sometimes...
After posting my dilemma about is this solid color or patterned, the coordinator of SWAP 2109 called it as a solid, pointing out that the completed cardigan would happily be worn with a print. So yay!! this gives me a bit more leeway to also include the additional printed blouses I want to make. Still need to decide on at least one more solid color garment.
Had an idea today, about a third option, in addition to possibly either a knit fabric top, or pair of leggings... could use the rest of the brushed brown twill fabric, if there is enough of it, to make a kind of "chore coat". Back when I was in high school, there was a vogue for wearing Carhartt jackets, which always seemed uber practical to me (all those pockets, and the option to button in a warm lining). I could modify my shirt pattern, lengthen it a bit and make the sleeves full length as well, and maybe add the double pockets from Carolyn's blog. Would be a good option to also use the motorcycle jacket armscye gussets as well, in order to increase mobility. (this would be a great option for a bicycle riding jacket, for times when it wasn't raining or bitter cold... hmmm....)
in which our plucky heroine suffered so much wind chill that my fingers turned blue pinning up my laundry outside to dry in the cold sunny windy day...
Colorwork patterning on the cardigan yoke is about 80% completed. Once that is done, I can line up the sleeve and body pieces, as well as the yoke, on the handknit cardigan that does fit me, and see what is what. There will probably be some assorted adjustments to make at that point, before attaching everything together. Final part will be to steek the center front, and pick up and knit the front bands and loops for the toggles, block the sweater, then sew the toggles in place.
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Had to take the buttons off my striped garter stitch vest, since one had fallen off and been lost, and there wes nothing similar enough in the button box. Substituted in some faux tortoise shell suit buttons from who knows where. but the removed dark warm brown buttons will be ideal for the dark blue/multicolor floral lawn blouse soon to be made. No great loss without some gain.
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I'm feeling a bit frustrated, not with my plan, but with what to do about the final unresolved piece...
As my SWAP plan stands now, I will have two cardigans, one hand knit in shades of blue and one hand stitched indigo/brown (both count as prints), two pinafores one indigo and one brown, two indigo dresses, three blouses (two count as prints), and a knit top (print #5). I need one more garment to make up the eleven. I guess I should just continue ahead with the yest unfinished pieces I do know will be part of SWAP, and continue to mull over what options would work with the rules, the gaps in my wardrobe, and with the fabric I currently have on hand that fits the rules.
There is a length of solid brown ribbed cotton jersey that could be made into something, possibly leggings, and some plain cotton jersey, also brown. The only indigo/navy plain fabrics I have on hand are other chunks of linen, intended to make SCA clothing, I am already including two plain color pinafores in my two neutrals, and that will bring my total number of pinafores in my closet up to eight, which is right where I want to be. Goal is to have eight each of the garments I wear*, a goal I have been working towards for many years now.
What I want to do is to make one more print blouse, using my prize fabric, but that puts me over the top for numbers of printed and/or patterned SWAP garments. I could make another brown jersey top, but I don't really need any more knit tops right now, I have plenty, because I also sometimes actually purchase them RTW (when they have colors that coordinate with my palette, not pinks and purples!). Probably the best option I can figure right now would be to make a second pair of brown leggings for cold weather. I know I would wear them, although they are boring they are also quick to sew.
today's gratitude - wool blankets and a feather comforter on the bed
It's mighty cold here, and multiple layers, even indoors, are needed. Mostly because of wind and a lack of cloud cover. It was beautifully sunny, so I decided to put the laundry out on the line, and almost froze my fingers off. Had to run them under warm water when I got back in the house. Riding my bike to the store didn't happen, it was just too bitter cold from the wind chill. Instead, have been doing indoor tasks and work.
Scribal - I finished up the small Leo Minor charter started last week, adding detailing to the flat simple base painting. I was trying for a sort of playful yet still medieval effect, as the Leo Minor is an award given to children
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also started painting Charter #2 for this year, an AoA... I've never chosen this design before, as I have little confidence in my ability to paint faces, but it was the only other Kingdom charter blank on hand, so I decided to go for it anyway... Still have a lot of painting yet to do, all the clothing, and the dogs, and possibly some background as well. The very first charter I ever painted, my scribal mentor Marya pointed out to me that "not everyone in the past was white", and I have done my best to have charters I painted ever since reflect that.
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SWAP - I have been knitting away on my Sólbein cardigan for weeks now, since the beginning of January, and it occurred to me that it could become part of my SWAP, if I substitute it for one of the planned print blouses. The colorwork is too noticeable for me to call it a solid color, but in the three shades of denim/indigo blue, it will coordinate well with my Earth and Sky SWAP. (I still plan on sewing up all the print blouses, since they are already becoming a wardrobe staple)
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Preserving - the last several days included making up some candied peel. This year I went with pink grapefruit (since I eat them as a breakfast treat when they are in season) and pomelo. I make candied peel every few years, particularly since it is a favorite confection of my dear father; sometimes I add to the delight by dipping it in dark chocolate, though not if I am going to send it by post...
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Once it cools and the syrup it has been boiled in has dried out somewhat overnight, it will be rolled in granulated sugar and dried further. One thing I did differently this year was to first peel the skins off in quarters, then did several initial blanchings, which made removing some of the extreme extra thickness of the pomelo much easier, as I was able to simply scrape it away with a spoon.
The lighter colored candied peel is pomelo, the darker is pink grapefruit. I was also surprised at how much milder in flavor the pomelo skin is than the grapefruit skin, considering that pomelo is closer to the "ancestral citrus"
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February SMART goals (x=extra)
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THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
bright feathers top for Mom
leaky undersink
bag to Goodwill
2
taupe/teal feathers knit top
neckline binding
bag to Goodwill
3
11 4oz jars marmalade
more chips spread
bag to Goodwill
4
mushroom print blouse
chicken bedding
bag to Goodwill
5
Seville marmalade
button replaced
rusty toolbox
6
4 jars Awesome Sauce
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Pomelo marmalade
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blood orange marmalde
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indigo pinstripe dress
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charter #1
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candied peel
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today's gratitude - warm wooly bits made for me by my friends... today I am wearing a recombinant chopshop cardigan my pal Elanor made for me, and my beloved Totoro hat knit by dear Ariadne.
in which our plucky heroine suffers from butter fingers...
This morning began with my intention to refill the box-o-meds for the coming week, when to my dismay, a small bottle of needful medication slipped from my fingers and gravity sent it south, spraying the remainder of the tiny thyroid tablets across the floor. Sigh. Should probably waited until I was more awake to tackle the task, and now I have to buy a months worth of medication out of pocket. In the future, will do the refills over a baking pan, instead of just over the countertop, for safety's sake. Once back from the pharmacy, washing dishes was the next task of the weekend... and... oops, clearing the sink my grasp on a soup bowl slipped, and it somehow banged into the mini crock pot liner so hard that they both cracked! Taking extra care will be the watchword for the rest of the day...
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I'm quite happy with my new everyday dress, though it was too cold and damp this morning to go outside and take photos. Each time I sew one of my TNT patterns, I try and either improve it or adapt some detail, for variety sake. In this case, the plan was to improve the lower sleeve edge, by shaping the straight bottom edge into a complex curve. Having the back of the sleeve edge longer than the inner front will keep the sleeve from hiking up so much when my arms are curved naturally, or when in use; the back of the arm measures longer than the front when in that position. This was my first time trying out this variation, and I am delighted to find that it works a treat!
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Took a few minutes after breakfast to stitch the fallen button (that got snagged on my bike handlebars) back on my recombinant wooly cardigan. Then I spent a bit more time trying out this alternative way of dealing with multiple colors in one row of knitting. It might be "slower", but it is much less annoying, and as a bonus, it seems to make it easier to do a good job of keeping the floats on the back suitably relaxed to avoid puckering.
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And, to end the week with a note of beauty and color on this blustery cold damp day, here are some flowers from the grocery floral section:
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February SMART goals (x=extra)
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THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
bright feathers top for Mom
leaky undersink
bag to Goodwill
2
taupe/teal feathers knit top
neckline binding
bag to Goodwill
3
11 4oz jars marmalade
more chips spread
bag to Goodwill
4
mushroom print blouse
chicken bedding
bag to Goodwill
5
Seville marmalade
button replaced
rusty toolbox
6
4 jars Awesome Sauce
x
x
7
Pomelo marmalade
x
x
8
blood orange marmalde
x
x
9
indigo pinstripe dress
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x
10
x
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11
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15
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today's gratitude - the kindness of friends, which makes my life both possible, bearable, and delightful...
Despite our obvious differences, my new pal Mea and I have a Lot In Common, and I am just so enjoying the chance to spend time with her. Today she gave me a ride to the Terra Pomaria Calligraphy shindig. Randall and Leah also drove down from PDX to Salem, and did an excellent job of starting folks of on Carolingian Miniscule. A morning hanging out with old friends, meeting new people, and learning a new calligraphic hand was a great way to begin the weekend!
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When Mea dropped me back at Acorn Cottage in midafternoon, there were four little takeaway boxes with an assortment of Ethiopian food sitting on the oak chair on the front porch... apparently Isabel and the girls had been to Enat Kitchen for lunch, and brought me the leftovers - yummo!!! We missed each other by about twenty minutes, alas, but there was tasty leftover supper tonight, and will be either lunch or breakfast tomorrow.
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The indigo pinstripe linen dress is finished, and looks most tidy. Maybe photos tomorrow if it isn't too rainy/snowy. Am thinking that the next sewing tasks will be to cut out whatever additional blue/indigo projects need done for SWAP, probably the indigo/black linen pinafore, and the indigo batik rayon popover dress.
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Ten long rounds of "pick up - knit - drop - repeat"... Have started the "three color" section (ugh!) which I need to do by picking up and dropping each color in turn; I cannot seem to manage three colors of yarn in my two hands. I hate this process with a passion. Were it not that I can already tell how much I will love the cardigan and wear it often once it is completed, I would give up in frustration. Today I completed two of the long rounds, one while on the way to Salem, and one while winding down tonight, only eight more to go! Audiobooks and podcasts will save my sanity
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February SMART goals (x=extra)
#
THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
bright feathers top for Mom
leaky undersink
bag to Goodwill
2
taupe/teal feathers knit top
neckline binding
bag to Goodwill
3
11 4oz jars marmalade
more chips spread
bag to Goodwill
4
mushroom print blouse
chicken bedding
bag to Goodwill
5
Seville marmalade
x
rusty toolbox
6
4 jars Awesome Sauce
x
x
7
Pomelo marmalade
x
x
8
blood orange marmalde
x
x
9
indigo pinstripe dress
x
x
10
x
x
x
11
x
x
x
12
x
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13
x
x
x
14
x
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15
x
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x
today's gratitude - living in the future, aka travel GPS... while our plucky heroine is a Good Map Reader indeed, not everyone is, and our modern world has very clever ways to help drivers stay unlost, even in cities they've never been to before.
SWAP 2019 update - Almost done with the fifth garment. This lightweight pinstripe indigo linen is in process of becoming the dress bodice. Last night I added the button bands and stitched on the half dozen engraved mother of pearl buttons. Final steps are the 3/4 length sleeves, then attaching bodice to skirt. My previous everyday dress, the teal cotton batik striped one*, has been in pretty steady rotation as a middle layer this winter, so it will be really great to have a second dress in my wardrobe. After this I've only one more "sewing kit" to complete (the dark blue multicolor floral blouse), so I'd best take an hour or two to cut out the indigo/black textured linen pinafore pattern this weekend. I really want a pair of dark blue or indigo leggings, but I don't have the right fabric, alas.
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February SMART goals (x=extra)
#
THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
bright feathers top for Mom
leaky undersink
bag to Goodwill
2
taupe/teal feathers knit top
neckline binding
bag to Goodwill
3
11 4oz jars marmalade
more chips spread
bag to Goodwill
4
mushroom print blouse
chicken bedding
bag to Goodwill
5
Seville marmalade
x
rusty toolbox
6
4 jars Awesome Sauce
x
x
7
Pomelo marmalade
x
x
8
blood orange marmalde
x
x
9
x
x
x
10
x
x
x
11
x
x
x
12
x
x
x
13
x
x
x
14
x
x
x
15
x
x
x
today's gratitude - all the years of adding curated fabric to my "resource collection", which means that most of the time, I have great options for making new garments...
* the teal batik stripe dress was my winning entry in the "Pre-2019 SWAP Dress Challenge" on Stitcher's Guild -
in which our plucky heroine shares some random bits and pieces...
This showed up on the Stitcher's Guild message board, and I found it very inspiring... I hope I am that cogent and useful when I am 82, should I be gifted with that many years...
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Making slow if steady progress on my SWAP sewing, I've started the first of the indigo/blue/denim pieces, the indigo pinstripe shirt-dress. Stitched the skirt portion mostly together this evening, save for binding the hemline. There were some lovely engraved mother of pearl buttons in the button box that have laurel wreaths around the outer edge, that will be very suitable once the bodice is also put together...
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Body and sleeves are completed, so I'm starting on the yoke of my Solbein cardigan. Photo shows the yoke prior to beginning the colorwork patterning. I've added some short rows to the back of the neckline ribbing, as that helps move the neckline into a more anatomical position. Our necks are not centered front to back on our bodies, but somewhat more toward the front...
I knit the body and sleeves bottom up, separately, and will join them together and then graft the yoke in place. This also allowed me to use my new favorite invisible tubular cast on for all the ribbed edges. Both really stretchy and really tidy. I'm apparently incapable of simply just following directions. And, by knitting the various parts of the cardigan separately, it will allow me to be able to adapt the shape to better fit my own non-standard shape.
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February SMART goals (x=extra)
#
THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
bright feathers top for Mom
leaky undersink
-
2
taupe/teal feathers knit top
neckline binding
-
3
11 4oz jars marmalade
x
-
4
mushroom print blouse
x
-
5
Seville marmalade
x
x
6
4 jars Awesome Sauce
x
x
7
x
x
x
8
x
x
x
9
x
x
x
10
x
x
x
11
x
x
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12
x
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13
x
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x
14
x
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15
x
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x
today's gratitude - warm knitted clothing, and hats, and gloves... When I was really little, my mom knit things for me, well for all us children. When I was only a bit bigger, she taught me how to knit, before I was in school. Now I knit for myself, and for others, and some of my friends knit for me. Sticks and string have been a part of my life for over half a century
In which our plucky heroine catches up on some of the pantry preserving projects...
The second batch of marmalade is in process finished... Seville orange this time, with that wonderful edge of bitterness. When New Seasons had their big citrus sale, I stocked up on several varieties... still to come, blood orange marmalade, and an experimental batch of pomelo/rosewater/green cardamom. There is also a bag of plum tomatoes in the freezer, leftover from last summer, and just enough for a final batch of Awesome Sauce.
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The sleeves are finally finished for my future Solbein cardigan and that means the next step is knitting the yoke. Complicated, sort of fun, would have been easier if I hadn't decided to reverse the shaping and knit it from the bottom up, but I never am one to just blindly follow patterns. I might not be a fast knitter, but it will be a treat to have an Icelandic style cardigan all in indigo/denim blues. Surely when it is all finished, it will be worth the effort. Still, never again shall I pick a pattern that has most of the patterning in three colors in a row; two colors per row is pleasantly doable, three per row is slow as molasses in winter.
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February SMART goals (x=extra)
#
THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
bright feathers top for Mom
leaky undersink
-
2
taupe/teal feathers knit top
neckline binding
-
3
11 4oz jars marmalade
x
-
4
mushroom print blouse
x
-
5
Seville marmalade
x
x
6
4 jars Awesome Sauce
x
x
7
x
x
x
8
x
x
x
9
x
x
x
10
x
x
x
11
x
x
x
12
x
x
x
13
x
x
x
14
x
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x
15
x
x
x
today's gratitude - memories of happy times... I was in school, and the northeast winters were a lot colder than they are here. My girlfriends and I would go out dancing on the weekends. The contrast between the crunch of snow under our boots and the warmth on the dance floor was enough to cause thermal shock... I remember this song
in which our plucky heroine makes one tiny improvement...
One of the minor challenges in sewing a knit top is getting the edges, particularly the neckline edge, to be cooperative with whatever appearance is desired. Some just leave the raw edges to roll as they will, some use a specialty sewing machine to "coverstitch" the edges in the same way that RTW knit garments are finished, and there are a whole variety of edge finishes that can be used. Most often I apply a narrow edge binding stitched down by hand, similar to the most simple Alabama Chanin style of binding.
The more common look in RTW, of a band finish around the neckline, is tricky to get right. There is no always correct rule of thumb as to how much shorter to cut the band than the neckline edge, in order to have it stretch just enough to lie flat. (not to mention that it can make a difference where along the neckline one stretches the band a bit more or a bit less...) Cut the band too short, and it will pull in so much as to gather the body of the garment; cut it too long, and the band itself will not lie flat, but instead flap loosely in an amateurish fashion.
Despite my years of sewing experience, I am as subject to this difficulty as anyone. For my most recent knit top, I decided on a band neckline, garnished with some hand stitching to hold the seam allowances in place. Much to my dismay, after the first washing, when the fabric and stitching relaxed into their final configuration, the band was a bit flappy, just at the center front where the folded band edge curved in a "U". Obviously, I had not stretched the neckband strongly enough. Since redoing the entire neckband wasn't an option, I decided instead to modify the band while it was still in place...
Sometimes, when binding an edge with a "V" neckline, it helps to fold in a tiny dart just at the point of the vee, to help the binding turn the corner. It occurred to me that I could carefully fold in several tiny 1/8" darts in the binding, spaced far enough apart to take up the excess at the very edge, and allow the binding to curve more smoothly along the neckline. It was a bit of a faff to use the needle to tuck the knit binding into the configuration needed, and then take tiny fell stitches to hold it in place, but in the end the results were exactly as desired:
Fortunately we did not get the amount of snow that friends slightly to the north received. Not that I am complaining, mind... They got a foot or more, while here at Acorn Cottage, we barely got an inch and a half, if that, and it has mostly melted away, and the roads are dry. The bits of snow on the roof of the chook house are quite lovely, and I never tire of finding tiny moss landscapes.
I've been gradually taking care of various housey chores: washing the dishes that got put aside while dealing with the Undersink Saga, folding laundry, and rescuing my laundry basket that was left outdoors when I hung the laundry out yesterday and had a layer of icey snow in the bottom. Starting a batch of Seville orange marmalade. All good things for a cold February day.
I swapped out the thread in the sewing machines for dark blue, and will be cutting out two more indigo SWAP garments (batik rayon popover dress, and indigo/black pinafore) in preparation for completing the indigo blue part of my SWAP. Yesterday I realised that the neckline binding on the teal/feather print knit top wasn't lying smooth and flat, so I carefully hand stitched some Very Tiny Darts into just the binding, to pull it into a better curve. These sorts of small details are the kind of thing I just have to fix, or else they will annoy me forever. It is difficult to get the neckline binding on a knit top just right, sometimes I manage it, and sometimes I have to "get creative"
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February SMART goals (x=extra)
#
THINGS MADE
THINGS FIXED
THINGS GONE
1
bright feathers top for Mom
leaky undersink
-
2
taupe/teal feathers knit top
neckline binding
-
3
11 4oz jars marmalade
x
-
4
mushroom print blouse
x
-
5
x
x
x
6
x
x
x
7
x
x
x
8
x
x
x
9
x
x
x
10
x
x
x
11
x
x
x
12
x
x
x
13
x
x
x
14
x
x
x
15
x
x
x
today's gratitude - I never stop being grateful for four walls and a roof. Spent the winter I was 29 living in the back of a truck on the streets in Cambridge MA. Snow and ice, and a Very dysfunctional boyfriend. I am a different person now. Maybe less trusting of Other Peoples Sweet Talk. But that tale is a whole long story of youthful stupidity, and I would rather count my blessings nowadays. Acorn Cottage might be a wee bit drafty, but it beats an uninsulated step van by miles!
