My sister complains that I do not update enough for her to keep up with my projects. Well part of that is sometimes the projects do not give me enough to talk about. I mean what if I was to say just make the same dress pattern over and over again. Oh yeah I did do that. And because I knew I did not have an overwhelming urge to post about the 2 additional versions, I have yet to get pictures of them. Plus it is hard to get a good picture of a dress or even just something on you without assistance. Now why did I make 3 dresses from the same pattern (and why is it likely there will be more)? First the economic value, each dress cost less with the pattern cost being divided by more and the time decreased as well. Second the great fit, this is a dress that looks great on me and is so comfortable. So I made one in a brown pattern that is not as vibrant as the black and white but grows on you. The other I made in a green striped knit I found when visiting my sister for $2 a yard. Since it was striped and the pattern said to get extra for matching patterns, but failed to define what amount extra would be I just went with a lot extra and figured it could be the dress shorted into a top or something else. Turns out since it was 60” I needed no extra, but hey it was not of great cost.

But the dresses are not what I decided to share. What I wanted to share was what I did with the fabric I was stalking. Well I don’t consider it stalking, just visiting to remind myself of what it looked like if I happened to be in the store, but Ashley termed it stalking. When it finally came around time for a coupon, I was ready to buy it. See I loved the pattern and colors, but it cost much more than I had ever paid per yard. The problem was I had figured out what to make to not distract from
the pattern on the fabric but could not find a sewing pattern that quite lived up to the vision in my head. So I took the elementary sloper Stacy had helped me make up, and mocked up what I wanted out of muslin. The mock up was of course horribly off, so I readjusted. And then with the trepidation I had when steeking the argyle vest, I cut out the pieces in the much loved material and then sewed them in the same manner of the correct mock-up. I did make a few adjustments after that and then was finished.
Now I’m just looking for excuses to wear it. I used the Better Than Ezra concert (awesome, about 5 people back from the stage but failed to catch a guitar pick because of my instinct to duck when something comes flying at me) and the Fourth in Baltimore where I got to enjoy a panoramic view of the fireworks throughout the city on a balcony (could not have had a better seat especially since it did not involve getting there before dark).
So this project was started before I moved, and that was back in September. I think the fear of doing all the work and the pants not fitting, terrified me. So about two weeks ago I decided although I had picked up more fabric, I had to finish the undone projects first (if I buckle down and get ambitious, I might attack the only thought of projects that have supplies). And the glaring undone project was the pants.
extra thread and spare notions) and set to work. I had used extra lining in maroon from a dress project for the pockets, since that had also not been bought. Although I did reread some of the directions multiple times I plowed ahead. And when I tried the pants on after finishing, I realized that the pants fit (this is not the case with a more recent project, oh bother)! And now all that remains is to find all the pattern pieces and return them to the envelope.
First I will show the camisole. Surprisingly the dropping stitches was not as fun and quick as one imagines. The merino wool liked to stay attached in little tufts, and had to be worked out accordingly. Instead of ribbon for the stops, I knit with double yarn and dropped the middle stitches to mimic the top. I think it turned out wonderfully, and it fits.
have made gloves when the season is not right. Well it may not be right here in the US, but down under the seasons are opposite. (No I never figured out the counterclockwise toilet swirl because with the goal of water conservation the water levels are lower and I did not drink large quantities of water and then watch the toilet flush.)
So as I shared when I was showed the
I knit the gloves with dedication to finishing and even on a sweltering Memorial day watching the York Revolution. REVOLUTIIIOOON! What an amazing win they had. And when I am finished, I send him a message asking where to send them. He responds with amazement that I did make the gloves, which I don’t think should be so surprising since I made his brother a pair. But I have been told if I am serious, I could be his favorite cousin (I think the salt water taffy should seal the deal).
So something I haven’t posted in a while has been a sewing project. That’s because there has been fabric bought and grand intentions, but nothing constructed. I found a pattern I really liked when I dragged my behind to Joann’s on a goal that was latter jettisoned. So I then went over to G-Street Fabrics to get the material for the following reasons – it called for 60” and there was nothing at Joann’s in 45” that encouraged me to figure out what that would entail (I later learned as I will elaborate on further down). So I found this wonderful print, took it all home and began cutting.
So I throw on another dress and go out.
neck for sweater, and my friends wanted to be assured it would stretch. I have yet to make anything too small. (Gosh it took a bit to find wood to knock on.) So the pictures show a half finished dirty camisole, dirty because it was my traveling project. In the travels it touched melted Easter candy, and also almost assuredly ended up with sunscreen and sweat on it. I swear I will postpone the need to wear it immediately, and thoroughly wash it first. The blue outline is the purl stitches that will be dropped, and there are many of those.
It should be safe to share this because according to delivery confirmation it has reached its destination. Oh that brings up a tangent I need to share. So a few weeks ago I sent the package of green socks priority mail since they were already late. I also got delivery 











So I know in previous posts, I have discussed the issue of my mother’s hat. How, she asked for a hat so I knit her one and sent it off. After it arrived she sent me an email and a picture thanking me for the hat, but it was a bit large. Yeah it turns out she was right. The reason this happened was, because it at this point I was old hat at knitting the double knit hats and did not check the gauge even though it was a different yarn. So the hat came back.
you doing?”, when I was working on it at the knitting group. Some designs were too complex to be translated into the limited amount of stitches, by this I mean that the circles would not look like circles. I finally found a pattern by translating a frieze pattern found on the walls of Alhambra.