Feeling Sassy

So this summer during one of my pity party fabric shopping trips - I came away with the this pretty purple and lime green floral pique.  I made another version of the Carolyn Skirt.  I love this skirt and while not a straight skirt it always fits me well. 

I also had my new boots - because while the calendar says Fall - the weather in my neck of the woods has not said Fall. 

 I felt very sassy in this outfit. 

Are you a Fan?

Of Harry Potter?  If so, then you'll probably recognize what these socks represent.

My friend sent me the red yarn.  We had been talking how we both liked the Monkey pattern, and knit it several times, but neither of us had a pair of our own monkeys.

Upon receiving this lovely little hank of red sock yarn, I promptly wound it into a cake and printed off the toe up modification to the monkey pattern.  I also modified it by making the repeat narrower.  The original monkeys are worked over 16 stitches, but because I needed to have a sock that was wider than 64 stitches, I narrowed the repeat to 12 stitches and added a second repeat.  This allowed me to make a sock that was 72 stitches around, yet still maintain the design that monkeys are famous for. 

As long as I was doing new things - I decided to try a new short row heel.  I don't normally like short row heels because I can never make them look purdy.  This one - not too shabby.  It's a bit shallow for my liking, but I think that would be fixable in the future. 

At the top of the sock, I modified this owl chart to put little cabled owls in the ribbed cuff.  I love them - I hope my friend does - if not - maybe she'll send them back.

So the Harry Potter relationship?  Well when the kids are at school their parents send them letters.  These letters are mostly delivered by owls.  And when Harry or any of the gang are in trouble the letters scream at them and are bright red!  I haven't heard of any of the kids having a monkey - so I added the owls to my "howler monkeys!"

Pirates!



A - Pirate Bandana - red lining



B - Pirates!  Red Lining

If you were a pirates fan, which bag would you want?  These are the project bags that I've been making.  I have a shop set up - but nothing is in it because I still take crappy photos (also, I need to reload word so I can design my stickers and cards).

But if you were a pirates (not baseball but Johnny Depp - Pirates) which bag would you like?

Muslin-ing Around

Front with helper

so - I'm still plugging away on the beignet, I'm on the third muslin an about ready to cut into real fabric.  In the meantime I decided to work on a dress Simplicity 3238.  If I remember right, I cut a 14 through the shoulders, to a 16 at the waist to a 18+ at my fullest hip.

It's not perfect, but really it's not horrible.  It's a bit more 'fitted' than I'm comfortable wearing. It looks like there are some vertical wrinkles above the bust to the neck - think that's too much width there, right? 

Then there's the issue of the wrinkles under the best.  Need to pull out my books and figure out what to address first - I think it's width and then length - but I never remember.



side view



From the back - not too bad.  Maybe a bit extra length in the armholes.  All in all - I think I'm pleased and can figure out what to do from here.  If nothing else - it will give A and I another project.  But really - I'd like to sew something I can wear out of the house one of these days! 







Happy Healthy Houndies

You just can't take it for granted.  I'm very happy to have 3 happy, healthy houndies today.

See Tuesday Beau hurt his neck somehow.  I think we all know how that turned out last time.

After a couple days of rest and lots of meds, my boy seems to be feeling much better.  He's turning in all directions, just not up to jumping and lifting his head too high - yet.  But I'll take it. 

Rose Cotty!

Sunday I started Cotty in some yarn that had been living in my stash since June 2009.

I love this yarn and the pattern.  Look for new socks soon!

Reno

Remember back when I told you "we" were reno-ing our bathroom?   Well here it is mostly done. 

The tile turned out fabulous.  Unfortunately - the tile around the tup and the countertop is still 1980s pink, but we're living with it.  We attempted to tone it down with the brown tile.

We are upgrading all the millwork as well.  It will all be painted and throughout most of the house it will be white, but in the master suite - we went with this rich milk chocolate color.  It looks great next to the floor tiles.

Corner squares are being used on all doors and windows.  Sunday we finally agreed on purchased flooring for both the upstairs and the downstairs.  This is huge, because it took us 3 weeks to agree on paint color for the trim work.  So, when we brought home samples and both JN and I agreed on the same ones for the upstairs and down, we went right back and ordered it.

Soon, the whole house will be redone, then it'll be time to sell or start over, right?

Orange Box Jewelry

My friend Anna, has a friend, Krissy who makes jewelry.

When I got the current issue of Vogue Knitting, it was not a knitting pattern that caught my attention, but rather the necklace shown on page 87.  I loved it, I wanted it from the first glance.  But this mag is about knitting - not fashion accessories, so how would I get it?

Well - I took the mag to Krissy and told her I wanted it.  She looked at me, looked at where the necklace fell and said it will be ready next week.

The next Saturday I went back to the Edmonds Market to see Krissy.  She handed me a little box and inside was my new favorite necklace.  It's fabulous.  Identical to the one in the magazine.  It is one necklace and there is a little key on the back closure as well.  I didn't hang the necklace on Lou very well, but normally all the strands hange more twisted together.  Each chain is different and there are even several different chains on the single chain side.

I love it.  You can have one too - if you contact Krissy.  This is my second piece of orange box jewelry - the first is made of vintage pieces.  Neither was horribly expensive.

Pedigree

Pedigree is giving bags of dog food to local shelters.  It's easy and a good thing.

Rules are Here.  Hope I'm not too late. 

Thankfully

I'm trying to live more aware this week.

Be less negative and more positive. 

Toward that goal - here's my Thankfuls for this Thursday:

::That photo - I love that tree through my skylight::

::fresh air::

::cute clothes::

::crafty friends::

::my husband, girls, and dogs::

::creative outlets::

::having a job::

::good food::

::a good, strong body::

::yoga::

::next week - dogs on Thursday again, promise::

Love :)

Fitzwell

I want these badly.  fitzwell wide calf brown boots.  I love everything about them.
laces?  love!
heels?  yep.
lovely round toe?  perfect.
color - heavenly!

Will I order them while they are still available?  hmmm

cheater cheater

pumpkin eater

Beignet - photo from website

I spent a lot of time this weekend working on a muslin (yep, only a muslin) of this skirt.  I love it!  I think it will answer my desire for a straight skirt.  Monday morning - after not finding the answers in my fitting books and feeling ready to sell the entire studio - machines, fabric, patterns, notions - on ebay.  I finally walked up to my neighbors.  See her mother, lives with them, and used to draft her own patterns, sewed for a living and now does nothing.

It felt horrible and rude - since they've lived there for about 4 years and while we've met the "kids" we'd never me the mother.  But - nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

I went up and sat with A for about 45 minutes, she measured my waist and my hips and told me where I was "fullest."  Then she told me how to change the pattern and to sew it up in muslin again.  She asked that I keep her advised of how it turned out - so I will do just that.  I haven't made the (simple) alteration yet - but that's what football is for, right?  So if not tonight, Thursday for sure!

(oh and while I felt like a heel for finally introducing myself because I could use A's help and experience, she enjoyed herself, said it felt good to be needed and asked me to come back again.) 

I Might Have A Problem

Saturday - after tooling around the Edmonds Markets and ordering a new "vintage" necklace, JB and I slowly wound our way home.  JB was in the mood to putter when he saw a sign for an estate sale, he just started following it.

Well, no estate sale, apparently it was on Friday only.  But the neighbor across the house was having a yard sale.  It as a very sweet older couple who had been married 50 years and were starting to clear out their home in preparation of moving into senior housing.

They were selling their china!  It isn't a complete set with serving pieces, but it is a service for 12 with dinner, salad and bread plates as well as cups and saucers.  There is a silver rim and beautiful gold, silver and bronze leaves on the plates.  I love it.  JB asked if I wanted it without me even saying anything - so now I have 10 different sets of dishes - time to stop?

Beignet in Muslin

Front View

So - what's going on here?  The waist is too big, by maybe 2".
the at the hips?  What am I seeing? 
Those are folds of fabric going from the hip to the waist, not pulls.

But I don't know how to fix it!

Side Seams hang straight

Back View - Not Too Bad

This is my "true muslin" of Colette Patterns Beignet Skirt.  My hips need a size 18, but my waist was between a 16 and an 18, so I traced a straight 18. 
I will say the waist is a big big, but other than those strange fabric folds,
it fits pretty good - ideas?  Suggestions?  Please help
I want my sewing mojo to return.