After lessons learned last month, I've decided to start work on my March sewing project earlier. As planned, I'm taking a HUGE step back in pattern difficulty and building from the ground up. I'm going to sew version 5, shown here in the blue/white polka dots And, I'm going to incorporate the sash shown in version 4 There are only four main pattern pieces, a front skirt facing and an arm hole facing. The closure is hook and eye or button/loop at the front. I jump started my efforts last night. Both my lining and my fabric are pinned/cut/marked and ready to sew! I even read the assembly instructions before trying to use them! (This is a pretty big step for me). To my great relief, the instructions are crystal clear and, seemingly, simple. If all goes according to plan, I should be running ahead of schedule for deadline...knock on wood.... I wouldn't want to jinx things. Are you a taskmaster this month? What types of projects do you have lined up?
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Rawr. Ferocious. Sums up the way I've gone at my March sweater. I've been so constantly working on it, I had to bargain with myself to put it down long enough to post. Several months ago, my friend and fellow knitter Kelly and I drove out to West Chicago for the Dream in Color Seconds Sale, where we snagged up some amazing deals (we're talking 75% off!!!) on Baby and Smooshy. I hauled away with four sweaters worth. It was glorious! The only catch, if you can even consider it that, none of the skeins were tagged. So, we really have no idea which colorways we're working with ~Minor detail. I've really been looking forward to knitting up something wonderful. But, I've had more difficulty finding lace-weight sweater patterns (that I like and can see myself wearing) than I thought I would. After much consideration, I landed on Olive. In particular, I'm a huge fan of lsingal's and AngelR's FOs, which are a bit less blousy (sack like) through the mid-section. AngelR was generous enough to include all her modification notes in her project summary; what a gem! Since Dream In Color is so dimensional, I decided to contrast with a solid yarn through the yoke, but more on that later.
I'm following AngelR's sizing modifications; however, I'm knitting in the round. I'll take purling over seaming any day. Have you started your March projects yet? I love Sundays. Sundays at our house mean sleeping in, dressing in pajamas for the duration of the day, the tying of loose ends, and of course, MONSTROUS and DELICIOUS breakfast! Variations on Pancake has become a regularly occurring Sunday morning activity. Cranberries, blueberries, butterscotch and chocolate chips, walnuts, and almonds, in varying combinations, are all rotational additions to the mix. Do you get creative with breakfast? If you have recommendations, send them our way!
YOU UGLY. YEAH YEAH YOU UGLY! At least, that's how I feel about February's sewing project. To start, the finished garment is WAY too big. I tried to belt some shape into it and distract you with some cute boots, but there's no getting around the fact that this dress is huge. Next, the fabric is AWFUL. It's a suiting blend I picked up and Joann's. It's lifeless and feels gross. It's an all around fail. I struggled with the assembly instructions on this pattern, or rather the lack thereof, which is why I flopped on my deadline. After 2.5 hours on the neck facing/top button I decided to move on, nix the button and fully face the neckline. It took a lot of attention for me to focus one each step individually in order to figure out the what/how of the pieces. The pictorial hieroglyphics were vague and accompanied with one word caveman-like instructions: baste. sew. slice. Not very fun. Some high notes: the box pleats were wicked easy to form and sew. Setting in the sleeves was a PoC (piece of cake) now that I've done it a couple times and am getting the hang of it. While the dress was sack-like in silhouette, I did whack off enough (8 inches!) to achieve a flattering skirt length. I do not realistically see myself ever wearing this dress again; however, making it wasn't a complete wash, because it led me to some epiphanous conclusions. For the next several months, I'm going to step things back. Simpler shapes. Simpler Construction. In order to work on technique and sizing. My first knitting project wasn't a sweater, it was a square (trapezoid), and I worked my way up adding in new skills as I improved. I still continue to evolve as a knitter in that manner. I've not given myself the same opportunity with sewing. This is literally my 3rd or 4th sewing project. No wonder it isn't awesome. Here's to learning to walk before trying to run, and another month. Cheers!
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March 2017
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