One Yard Wonder in a Week of Project Disapointment. Day 93.

With the whirlwind that was Thanksgiving, I didn't get much work on my projects done. Ok. Well, that's a lie. I just told you a lie. I got a lot done, but I don't feel like I accomplished a whole lot.

I completed kitting two hats, one of which turned out perfectly, so perfectly, in-fact that Ramon wouldn't take it off after I finished it, even though I didn't make it for him. I made this one from my altered pattern from the Knits Men Want book. I still think my pattern alteration could use some further adjustment, so I'll change more in the next one, then I will have changed so much I may have to call it my own pattern. There's a thought.



The second hat turned out too small. The hat is a pattern created for Hermione's knit hat in Harry Potter 6, I think it is. It is a cute hat, and a great pattern. I was making it as a gag gift, but my sister loves it so much, I think that I am either going to make it longer, or make a new one for her. Maybe the "child-size" one can be the gag-gift ... we'll see. Regardless, I still felt pretty disappointed when I realized I hadn't followed the instructions properly. For an adult it needed one more section and cable. The instructions say this, but I guess in the Thanksgiving on the grill coma, I neglected to read the instructions properly.





I also finished the crochet parts of my Monkey, and now I just have to put him all together. I LOVE the fez. Big Kitty does not. Too bad for Big Kitty.



Oh, and as you may have just observed, I finished the Lexington Sweater, almost two weeks ago now, and I love it. I find it to be more itchy than I was hoping, however at the Black Friday yarn sale at my local yarn shop (Hooray for 20% off of my entire purchase), I learned from a fellow knitter about Eucalan soap, which is supposed to soften the fibers, but not change the shape of the finished garment. I really want a Hermione Hat, myself, and since I have extra Berroco Ultra Alpaca in light grey from this sweater, maybe I will make one out of that, and try the soap on it before, hopefully not, ruining my entire sweater.





Yesterday was just a bad day. It started off with buying plane tickets out to see my sister in Georgia in January, only to realize that I had bought a red-eye flight, instead of the daytime flight. It was the only direct flight, and I feel really, really stupid. That is my second, maybe first, biggest blonde moment of the year, either right before, or right after showing up to my Bernina sewing class without my Bernina. I am still hiding in shame from that one, too. So, I looked into changing the flight, and it will cost $150. That is a $150 stupidity tax ... just so you know. Alas, I will just take the damn red-eye. Ugh.

The rest if the day didn't go much better, with the exception of taking advantage of some Cyber Monday deals. Ever since the cats decided to use my black boots for bladder relief after the door to the closet that their litter box resides in was accidentally closed all the way, for 24 hours, I have been in the market for some new boots. Imagine that. With Endless.com's freaking fantastic deals yesterday I go these two:

Kenneth Cole Reatcion Brown Boot. Basic, clean, wearable. Nothing special, but great for every day, jeans, leggins, etc.


A clear tribute to the Louboutin Emily from a few years back. I fell in love with this shoe when it came out, but at the time didn't have the $1000 for it. So, I now settle for the tribute, with will be fun to wear. I have loved these shoes ever since I saw a similar pair on Chloe Sevigny on the cover of Elle UK a few years back (image below). Just beautiful, and beautiful styling.

The shoes I bought:


The original Louboutin Emily:



Ok ok, back to yesterday. Well, Last week I turned in my dress shirt for my pattern making class. Happy that I chose a fabric that is very hard to see mistakes in, I received an A- on it. Not bad. I also finished the muslin of the Bias skirt that we have to turn in tomorrow, as I thought I had to turn it in last week. Well, the construction of the muslin bias skirt is a bit, well, questionable. However, I figure, you win some, you loose some. Then, I discovered that the skirt actually fits me, and if it were well constructed, it would look really nice, so I decided to make one. After my mom and I made a trip to a nearby fabric store during their black Friday weekend sale, I acquired some great, but inexpensive fabric for some upcoming projects. After making friends at the cutting counter, I even scored an extra yard and a half of the fabric for free. I met an awesome fellow with a passion for fashion, and who started tailoring classes as a Sophomore in high school. I told him all about my project, and what I as buying the fabric for. Apparently he thought I was awesome, too, as I didn't realize until I was looking at the receipt last night, and I wasn't charged for the last yard and half on the bolt.

Sewing the skirt went sort of well, the cutting of the pattern not so much. After not having cut myself with an exacto knife since I, literally, cut half way through my finger 6 years ago, I cut myself twice last night. Then I burned my finger with the iron. Then the waistband just wasn't work, so I ripped the whole damned thing out. Ramon advised me, at this point, to stop for the night. But, seeing as how I was now bleeding and burned, I persisted. I tried a lighter weight interfacing in the waistband, and and used it in the whole waistband, instead of just half. Success. From the freebee yard, plus just a little extra for the front panel, and then, needing to make the second waistband I have created this skirt, which Ramon has declared his favorite, stating, "It kind of looks like a flower at the bottom." Ramon, you're cute. I love you.

As this is the second one-yard wonder of the McQueen project, I have decided to honor them with a new category, viewable on the Wordpress version of my blog. The first one-yard-wonder, of course, was the sequin dress.



Today's disaster? Well, my beaufiul McQueen Blue Sweater Dress is almost done. I have been struggling with how to do the collar for weeks. I even knit about 7 different collars, none of them working right, until the one that I made last night. And then, this morning, I stitched it into the completed body of the sweater and what happens? The stitching doesn't stretch like the rest of the knit, making the head/neck hole to small.

So, this means that I need to rip out the entire neck, and the shoulders and well, you know. Ugh, I don't have the heart to do it today. I cannot expressed just how bummed I am about this though.







So, I guess it is, literally, back to the drawing board today. I need to get some drafting done on my final project for school, and I am way, way behind on everything else McQueen. Hello Holidays!

Crappy Clothes for Kittens

Fashion's Night Out on Friday evening was a lot of fun. A girlfriend that I absolutely adore, and wish that I had the luck of knowing forever, instead of just becoming friends with her about a year and half ago, invited me to Nieman's big party. Louboutin was having a trunk show, and I have the good fortune of having Cinderella's shoe size for such events. While we both decided that the Mini-Yeti boots would be amazing, if I 1. believed in fur, 2. lived in New York, and 3. had $2,000 to drop on a pair of fabulous shoes right now. Alas, without a job, and a paycheck, I made no purchases. My girlfriend was only mildly obscene, nothing like last time, when she bought two pairs of salon shoes, two handbags and spent more than I spent on both my first, and second car purchases combined—they were used, I was in college.

Nieman's hosted what they called a "fashion-show," though, the title was a big stretch for the actual event. They had stylists come in and pick things off the racks, with tags, and dress their models. Poorly fitting, puckering garments with tags are not meant for the runway. Everyone and their handbag came to the second floor to watch, and no seats were left. Two gals were kind enough to offer my friend and I seats, as we were standing in 5" stilettos (mine were my McQueen brass square-toe patent pumps from the Spring 2008 season). One of the lovely ladies said, as they offered their seats, "At least YOU dressed for the event," put off by everyone else's lack of fashion. Well, that compliment made me feel quite spectacular. I wore my snake-print dress, which I shared a picture of on Friday. I mean, this is Nieman Marcus, if you cant' wear the crazy fashion you have in your closet to there, then where can you wear it?

Later that evening we went to a Sushi restaurant nearby. Upon walking in, I felt very overdressed, even though I was in a mini-dress. Jeans and sweatshirts in great abundance, this trendy fishy hot-spot was packed to the brim. Even thought he volume was loud I still heard the loud wack of a girl hit her boyfriend's shoulder quite hard, at her excitement about what I was wearing, trying to get him to turn around an look. I am not used to standing out, and I am not sure if her thump of attention was either surprise or delight, or disbelief at the "what was she wearing," but either way, I felt like I had the confidence from my garb to think and have the stance of, "well, what-of it? I am wearing Alexander Fucking McQueen (shoes at least) and you can suck-it. Stare all you want, I don't need your approval, because I am fabulous."

That is just the thing about wearing these clothes, shoes, and the like, in public. While not doing it to gain attention, you do start to take on the personality of the design you are wearing. You have more confidence because you know people are, in-fact, looking at you, and you know that you own-it. The greatest part about it is that you don't have to say, or do anything. You do not need to be arrogant, snotty, or overly confident. The lines, balance, movement, and artistic splendor of the designer's vision manifests in you, and a new entity emerges.

Taking a break from fashion and sewing, my sister and I drove up to my Mom's this weekend to celebrate her birthday in style—meaning, with margaritas in hand. She lives in a small town of about 6,000, and she and her co-worker are currently fostering a litter of five snuggly five-week-old kittens that got stuck in a wall at work. While kittens are adorable and cute, they are also prickly, pokey, and a bit messy. Jeans and t-shirts have returned for the leg climbing crew, and I haven't made one stitch in a single garment all weekend. Back to home tonight, and back to work on Project Hallway tomorrow. I have lots to do, and less time than I realize, but after the confidence boost of Fashion's Night Out, I have more excitement and energy for the problem solving of the project, the things I hope to create, and curiosity over the looks I will receive in the future.