Finally Done. Day 101.

First off. I would just like to inform you that Knit-fest 2010 has now begun. I know what you're thinking, "hasn't it already been knit-fest 2010, for, well, about a year?" I am sorry to inform you, but there has just been knitting, not knit-fest 2010. Since I have finished my final project, I am off and running on my knit projects for Christmas. There are a lot. I am getting out the pain-killers for my wrist, but it will all be worth it in the end. I am to be finishing a hat (for myself) tonight. I know, i know, I should NOT be working on a project for myself, but it is so close to being finished, and my ears get so cold when we go out for walks in the evening. Mmm, that makes me sound like an old lady?

Today my final project for my pattern making class was due. Over the past week I drafted the pattern and made two test muslin garments, the first of which I took into the sewing lab on Thursday for a test fit, and the second I took in on Monday during class. I started cutting and sewing the final garment on Monday night, and finished it yesterday.

I decided to make a piece that is a stepping stone to a McQueen dress that I am [now] working on. I have velvet hanging up, and ready to go. Sadly, I didn't buy enough of the black and gold print, and so I'll be headed back to the fabric store on Friday to get more of it. I hope that there is enough left. Ugh. I haven't ever run out of the fabric that I needed before.

The pattern for the McQueen dress that I am drafting for me, not the final project, is intimidating, but working on the final has eased a lot of my worries, and my pattern for my dress is now coming right along.

Constructions Woes
The fabric that I chose for the red panels, was inexpensive, slippery and quick to unravel, making construction more time consuming and problem riddled than original planned for. After making 5 sleeves, I finally gave up, altered the pattern, to make two more that better suited the qualities, or lack there of the fabric I had chosen. I still had to make three more sleeves before I was able to construct 2 that were worth of sewing into the dress.

Construction Successes
I am very happy with the print that I chose for the center panels. In working with the print I was able to get it to line up almost perfectly for the zipper at center back, a feat that I had never tried, and thus never accomplished before. The weight of it worked to my advantage as it provided a solid, rigid structure that the red fabric needed.

My final project, shot with iPhone camera (sorry for the crappy pic)


The inspiration, and the dress I am [trying] making for myself, now

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!

Seasonally affected. Day 81.

I feel like I have just been behind since my event in October and the the trip to Kentucky. I have fallen about 3 weeks back in my Pattern making class, luckily we haven't had anything due, or maybe that's a bad thing, because then I don't have to commit to working on anything until just before the deadline.

For about a week my motivation level has been really low, and I have been feeling really glum. I only spent one afternoon in my sewing room last week, working on a skirt, only to get interrupted and then not make any more progress.

Well, yesterday, finally, I got a little dose of motivation from I don't know where. I made great progress on a number of projects, including a lot of my school work. Next week I have two big, sewing drafting projects due, a skirt on the bias and a tailored shirt. I am ready to begin construction. I am also working on drafting my final project, which is part of my overall final for class. Additionally, I finished drafting the entire "collar" assignment, which I did miss, but you are allowed to turn in one assignment at the end of the semester if you miss it with a "coupon" that the professor gave us on the first day. I don't like turning in things late, and for that matter, i don't like being late. I like being on-time, and I like over-achieving. Big shocker, I know. But, can you really blame me for putting off drafting peter pan collars?

Ramon has been down for the past few days, too. He spent the weekend at the track with his s54ti. Thoroughly disappointed with its performance, even though he is very proud of the overall accomplishment, we both find ourselves at home in a bit of a funk, but at least not at each other. I think that we are both experiencing "Seasonal Affected Disorder," where, you feel depressed because the sun is gone at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Despite the blues, I did get quite a bit of knitting done over the weekend. After she turned me onto the most well written show I have ever seen on network television (HBO and AMC aside), Friday Night Lights, which I spent the entire weekend watching and knitting—how have I never heard of this show before???—my sister came over on Sunday afternoon after spending a weekend on a break from law school homework, riding motorcycles in the Santa Cruz Mountains with our dad. A breath of fresh air it was great to hang out and I even convinced her to help me wind about 20 hanks of yarn into balls as i don't have a swift and a yarn ball winder. Oh, wait, I do. It's my sister.

I completed both of the blue sleeves for the McQueen Sweater dress, and just today I finished one of the two sleeves for the Lexington Sweater, and already have it stitched into the sweater bodice. I can't wait to wear this sweater. The size 5 needles are killing my wrist but I don't really want to take a break. I feel like I have been letting myself down on the sewing portion of Project Hallway. I think part of is the seasons changing, and part of it is the school projects, like the peter pan collars. I guess, I feel like if I am sitting in my sewing room, I should be catching up on projects for school, even though I'd much rather be working on things for myself.

Maybe I'll feel better once I get to the actual sewing, instead of just the drafting. Why does coffee only have caffeine and not inspiration, too?

Proof that I have been doing something:


The work room looking worked from pattern- drafting, but, again, proof that I have been doing something:

Suffering from Knitter's Elbow. Day 51.

I have knitter's elbow, and wrist! I have been helping out some friends for the past few days, but there is a lot of waiting involved. My arm literally hurts from knitting. So, I have designated tonight a (k)no-knitting-(k)night. I was hoping to get some time in my sewing room, but it looks like I lack the energy and the time for that.

This weekend I finally bit the bullet and finished of my block pattern. 'Bout Damn Time! I had been putting it off because I needed more measurements of my back, one of the things that is just about impossible to measure all on your own. Ramon has been so busy with his own project—his race-car—that he hasn't had a spare moment either. Alas without help, I decided to go it alone. It took a solid two days, but I got it sorted, drafted, and squared. I felt that it was really holding me back not having this done, and it was. I started on some dress patterns as soon as I got the block finalized, and it is coming along nicely. A little McQueen, and a little Halloween.



On the topic of Halloween, since this is the very first time that we will actually be home over Halloween weekend, Ramon and I are getting candy, dressing-up, and carving pumpkins. We also going to a Halloween party the night before. So, we need Halloween costumes. I am knitting this for Ramon's.

Yesterday I tried knitting this same item, and got the blue and the red in the wrong places. To my horror, it wasn't just Ramon's Halloween costume part, but everything I knit yesterday had to be frogged. I started knitting the lace sweater directly from the pattern published in the book, and the whole time I was thinking ... this doesn't seem right. A mere four hours in, I decided to check ravelry to see if other knitters had experienced the same problem with the pattern. They had. In-fact, there was HUGE warning on that pattern's page, saying that the entire pattern was wrong, and it was mis-printed. Lesson learned? Always check the ravelry pattern BEFORE beginning a project to look for comments and posts about weird goings-on.

So, a cookie to anyone who can guess what Ramon is going to be for Halloween.



Due to my large quantity of on-going projects, I have limited this costume to a one-day creation adventure. Project Runway style, what am I going to be, you ask? You'll just have to wait and see.

I was happy to see it finally start raining on Sunday. I don't know what it is, but this year, I was very happy to see the rain come in. I like being all snuggled up inside, and I guess with so much knitting and sewing I felt like I wanted the visual cue of the season that it was time to be inside, snuggled and warm, busy as a little bee. I did decide to go out on Sunday to take advantage of the 50% off any regularly priced item coupon I had acquired from Joann's. Buying a bolt of muslin for $1 a yard is awesome. Having the poor girl at the counter have to measure all 25 yards because the bolt has been opened, and we're not sure if cut from, not so awesome. Sorry! After the muslin bargin bang I headed over to my local yarn shop, as I figured out how many skeins I will need for my McQueen blue sweater dress. 15. Running through the rain, I noticed Oktoberfest going on, on the main downtown street. Soggy beer and pretzels for everyone! Oh wait, those both contain wheat. Another bummer, I get to the yarn store and it is ... CLOSED! Feeling bummed, but eager to get on with knitting my project I searched the farest corners of the interweb to try to find Cascade Cloud 9 in Blue (colorway 140). No dice. Not one skein. Not one. Anywhere. How can this be? I know the yarn store had quite a bit of it, so how can there be none anywhere else int he world? Oh no! And I won't be able to make it to the store again until NEXT weekend. How can I possibly wait another week? It could all be gone by then. What if they're already all gone? I find this yarn I love, and this yarn that is perfect for the project ... oh, unnecessary anxiety attack, I feel you approaching. Damn you festival, why do you create enough cause for my yarn store to be closed?

Ramon calmly asked, in my hysterics, "Do they keep your customer information? Like, do they have a file for you?" I respond, "Yes."

"Well, if they have you on file, they have all of your yarn purchases on file. Why don't you call them, leave them a message, tell them what you are looking for, tell them you want to pay over the phone, and have me pick it up for you?"

Brilliant. Plan worked. The accounting lady actually went in on Sunday night to pick something up, listened to the messages, and took care of the yarn over the phone. They had all 14 (more) skeins. Knitting like a little beaver, I am almost through with the back "skirt."

I know I say this all the time, but oh how I love yarn people.



Oh, and I couldn't leave this out. Thunder says, "Hello, I am Thunder, and I am a laundry-basket addict. I don't care about fur-ing up the warm clothes, I just can't get enough of the baskets. I know I have a problem."