Yarn Crawl

Dress Muslins and New Knitting Project

On Friday, I had oral surgery in the morning (some new type of gum grafting surgery that is supposed to make new gum tissue actually regenerate) and I hadn't expected to feel like doing much this weekend. However, I was pretty energetic and I ended up making two dress muslins, Jim's vest muslin and started a new knitting project.

First off, Butterick 4919. I like the way it looks on the dress form and on other people, but am not crazy about how it looks on me. There were three things I didn't like - 1.) extra fabric around the waist in the form of the wraparound ties - made me look thicker and shorter waisted 2.) skirt was too full and overwhelming on me and 3.) too much fabric in the bodice, which many other people noted and I would be willing to fix if 1.) and 2.) weren't issues. Here it is. It doesn't look horrible, and it wasn't horrible on me either, but I just knew I could do better to really flatter my particular body type and shape.

So I was back to the drawing board then, looking at my pattern stash for something else to mock up. I found this McCalls pattern

which is older but I think the style on the right (shown in animal print/black) is pretty classic, when done in one color, especially one like the grayish silver dupioni silk I have in mind. More on that later. I also liked that this pattern had petite adjustments marked right on the pattern tissue, which always makes the adjustments so easy. As I guessed, this one fits perfectly with just the petite adjustments.

I also made Jim's vest muslin (no pics) and the 36 is the right size, but I'm going to sew 3/8" seam allowances on the side seams just to be sure it will button smoothly without pulling.

I also went to Vogue Fabrics, Hancock Fabrics, and JoAnn Fabrics to look for dupioni silk, and Vogue was the only one that had any kind of decent selection. However, when I went there I hadn't yet finished the B4919 muslin and I thought I would need fabric wider than 45" for the fullness of the skirt as I was making the long version as well. Vogue's silk was nice, but they only had 45" wide fabric and it was $15.99/yd in the store, not the $11.99 on their website. HF and JF had a pretty pathetic selection of dupioni silk. At JF, it was literally three bolts of sad looking silk that was fraying and pulling on the bolt! Not.good. At HF, there were only a few colors as well and they looked cheap. So I am back to waiting for my swatches to arrive that I ordered from Fabric.com, then I can order my fabric.

I started a new knitting project to wear over the dress as a cover-up: - pattern #2 from the most recent Spring/Summer 2010 Vogue Knitting - in a yarn that cost me a total of $28 instead of $120 (as I couldn't find the more expensive yarn, but I'm actually happier with the one I'm using.) I made one sleeve and the left front (shown below) and am working on the right front. I did the first sleeve as my swatch as the gauge was measured over the chart pattern and it ended up working out perfectly as I started with needles one size down (10s.) Usually I always drop one size to get gauge, and so I had guesstimated I'd need to do that here too.

Here's the left front before blocking, etc.:

I was off by about 25% on row gauge and about 10% on stitch gauge but this was what I wanted, as I didn't want a 17" (from the underarm), 43" jacket. I'm looking for something that is still oversized but shorter, and so far it's working just by adding one additional 8 row repeat to each piece.

The picture doesn't do the yarn justice - it is Filatura di Crosa Gioiello, a great suggestion from the lady at Three Bags Full (one of my new favorite yarn shops, up in Northbrook - not too far from Vogue Fabrics and I hit both of them on Saturday.) I liked the shop a lot - it had a good energy about it and was pretty busy with a lot going on and a nice selection of yarns. On top of all that, to get an actually helpful yarn substitution suggestion was amazing. She could have very easily steered me toward another $40/skein Artyarns option but didn't, as she was actually thinking of what would work best for my project instead of trying to sell the most expensive yarn she had on the shelves. I will be back!

New and Exciting Sewing Project!!

Yesterday Jim and I were invited to a charity gala event on April 24th, and immediately I thought, Great! Now I can make a new dress for it!

So after looking at some patterns online and those I had in my stash, I've decided on this one (muslin permitting, LOL).

I actually want to make it in a very similar color/fabric as what's shown - I'm thinking a silvery gray dupioni silk. This is what the line drawing and pattern envelope look like - the skirt part of the dress looks very (too) full in the drawing on the pattern envelope but only nicely and manageably full on the model, and I'd prefer it to look as it does on the model.

I think it will work on my shape. I do well with anything that wraps around the body as this does. I'm going to muslin it in the next few days. It actually doesn't look that difficult to sew, either, after looking at the fairly minimal number of pattern pieces and pretty easy instructions.

The funny part is, I told Jim that I was going to make my dress and he immediately said, "Would you be able to make me a matching vest?" He has a tux but he usually buys or rents vests and bow ties to match my outfits when we dress up. I hadn't even thought of it, but I think it will be fun to just buy extra fabric from my dress (especially as I plan to go with a silvery gray, which looks good on Jim) and make him a vest. I am going to muslin the 36 of this pattern for him to try on. He is a pretty standard height and proportions so it should be easy!

Another Ravelympics Sweater: Slanting Gretel Tee

This WIP Dancing event for the Ravelympics has really been great for me in motivating me to get unfinished projects DONE. I had only really wanted to finish Mirepoix, and anything else is gravy. Well, so far I finished not only Mirepoix, but also the sweater I'm about to show and my orange Leaf Yoke Top (I'll model that one over the weekend.) I also am almost done with another White Lies Designs camisole project and hope to complete it by the end of Ravelympics on 2/28.

Here's Slanting Gretel Tee:

Overall first:

And closer up:

Pattern: Slanting Gretel Tee from Fall 2009 Interweave Knits
Size: 32.5
Yarn: Araucania Atacama (hand dyed variegated alpaca)
Needles: 5s
Mods: zero, zip, nada

I really like this! I didn't shorten this at all, just let it be tunic length on me, which I like. The Atacama made my nose and hands itch a little while I was knitting with it, but after I washed the finished sweater it really got softer as well as (seemingly) washing away the alpaca allergens. I tend to get a little itchy/sneezy with anything fuzzy like alpaca, angora or mohair, but not so much that I can't work with it except for angora, which really bothers me.

I like the layered "skater look" and I dressed it up a bit for work today with a skirt and heeled boots. I work in a business casual headquarters office of about 30 people (finance, tax, legal, HR) and people dress pretty much any way they want without any attitude, which of course I love. I am rocking the big hair this week as I'm trying to color my hair every four weeks instead of every three, and the volume hides the (mostly gray) roots better. See, you get all my secrets here. I'm always flabbergasted by (and envious of) people that are ten years older than me and just starting to color their hair, as I've had a few grays since my early 20s and needed to go to an all over base color instead of just highlights at 30. But hey, we all have our "issues" and challenges to deal with!

Another Sewing FO

Here is the B4976 Chetta B wrap dress I just made for a friend at work. Patti has just lost a significant amount of weight on the Weight Watchers program and she asked if I would make her a knit dress. We decided on the Chetta B wrap dress and I made it from a slinky print fabric I had in my stash. Instead of taking measurements, I guesstimated the size and my intuition was right on. I think it fits her very well and she loves it!

New Fabric!

First off, thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes!! It was a very nice weekend. We went to Parker's for dinner on Friday night (love their 3 oz. wine selections as I can try a few that way! and the Lake Superior Whitefish Wellington was amazing), Benihana on Saturday night, and I tried a new yoga class Sunday morning with Heather and then went to my parents' house for a late lunch that afternoon. (Heather - I have to tell you - despite the general weirdness of that class and instructor, I am feeling it everywhere today so it was damn effective.) Jim had gotten me a special gift last month when it was on sale (a new coat) and that was my birthday and Valentine's Day gift!

Today I decided I needed to buy myself a present and I went for some new fabric over at denverfabrics.com. Still waiting for my New Look patterns to arrive from sewingpatterns.com - two weeks later when I ordered them priority mail - not the first time this happened....I emailed them and got absolutely no response and they don't answer their phone. That is my last order with them no matter how cheap they are selling their patterns.

Anyway, on a positive note - here are my new fabrics - all knits except the last one, which is stretch charmeuse. I thought I'd try making a top out of that for a change.

LOVE this one -I think this is my favorite:

and a nice teal print:

a grass-green solid - always a staple color that works on me:

Surprisingly, I'm also liking the cooler, but vibrant, blues and pinks these days:

You know I love a good paisley print:

and here's the stretch charmeuse:

Birthday FO: Birgitte Lace Pullover

Maybe at the age of 38, I shouldn't be announcing my birthday (or my age) to all and sundry, but I'm fine with it. The years keep getting better and better!

Here's my latest FO - Birgitte Lace Pullover:

And all the info:

Pattern: Birgitte Lace Pullover

Size: 31"

Yarn: GGH Soft Kid - just over 4 skeins (so buy an extra "insurance skein" if you make this as it said it would take 4, and I usually always have yarn left over)

Mods: made the sleeves 3/4 length instead of full length because of their width. Shortened body by 2". Also skipped the crochet edging at the neck. Some people have said that the stockinette section at the chest does not cover their chest, but this worked out perfectly for me without mods because usually necklines are too low/hit me too low on the body.

Verdict: love the pattern, love the yarn - the first mohair I've gotten along with!!!

Mirepoix - Finished and Modeled!

Without further ado, here is my long-suffering former UFO, Mirepoix Bodice!

Doing the happy dance...

All the Info:
Pattern: Mirepoix Bodice, from Fall 2007 Interweave Knits
Size: 35
Yarn: recommended yarn and colors (Louet superwash worsted)
Needles: 5 for fair isle, 3 for ribbing
Started: October 2007
Finished: (after much time languishing in a bag in my yarn closet) February 2010

Verdict/Final Thoughts/Lessons Learned:

I like this - though it is a little big on me. Usually even when I weighed more I still usually didn't knit the 35 as that was 0 ease and I usually went for negative ease. Now it is about 1.5" of positive ease so it is a little gapey at the neckline (hence the cami so that my mostly male co-workers can't see half my chest if they're standing next to me.)

I actually am liking the pink accents on the sweater, and after trying multiple camis and necklaces with it this morning, I decided that playing up the pink was the best look. I am even liking pink/cooler makeup lately - with the (bad I know) once-a-week tan I can pull off the cooler colors actually better than the warm ones I usually do.

Anyway, I am soooooooooo relieved just to be DONE with this! Next time I make a fair isle garment, I will go for zero ease. Negative ease doesn't work so well on fair isle (in my opinion) as it doesn't stretch, but the largest I should go on anything is zero ease. I also will not ever let a UFO languish that long again. Now I have nothing that is older than a year going.

Next up, Birgitte Lace Pullover!

My Productive Weekend

I haven't been blogging as much as usual, but I am sewing and knitting my heart out!

First up, I made the Kwik Sew 3554 slip (designed for knit fabrics - not many out there are - and it only takes a yard) for the lingerie contest at Patternreview. I've decided it's not indecent, after getting a lot of comments over there that I should put a hem on it and wear it out, so I'll post a pic directly on the blog instead of just linking to the review.

Next, I finished most of the New Look 6912 dress. The stretch cotton twill I chose for it from my stash is a bit of a fail though. The gathers are too bulky. Also, I think it's too strong of a print for all over the dress too. I look a little bit like I've been swallowed by fabric when I put it on. It is wearable, but I want to make it again in a lightweight fabric. It looked great in muslin, believe it or not - so I think it will look great in a silk or rayon.

I've just pinned up a piece of the hem, that's why it's sticking up in the front.

For my Ravelympics "WIP Dancing" event, I had said I was finally going to finish Mirepoix. Well, yesterday I sat down and did it - all of it. I 1.) did the remaining two steeks 2.) picked up around the neckline and did the ribbing 3.) set in the sleeves and sewed the sleeve seams and 4.) wove in 1,000,000 ends. Here it is, but I'll model it later this week when I wear it.

I also finished Birgitte Lace Pullover, except for the weaving-in-the-ends part. I'll wear that one later this week too. I love it and it fits PERFECTLY. I officially am not p&ssed at mohair anymore, as long as it's GGH Soft Kid.

Oh, and a gratuitous picture of meat for you carnivores out there (vegetarians avert your eyes) - from last Super Bowl weekend - an 18 pound prime rib roast. This was delicious - Jim and his friend Tim cooked it. Surprisingly, when cut in half, it only took like three hours to cook. I'm not usually into prime rib (I know, I'm weird) but I loved this.

That's pretty much it, for stuff going on. Oh, I did get commissioned to make a wrap dress for another co-worker who has just lost a lot of weight (maybe 40 pounds or so). I will probably start that in the next few weeks.

Valentine's Day Pattern Review/FO

For awhile I have been thinking about entering the Lingerie Contest on Patternreview and I finally did today, with a better-sewn version of that knit fabric slip I made last month. Tomorrow's the last day so I guess it was better late than never! Here's a link to the review.

Other than that, not much going on. Have one underarm to graft on Birgitte Lace Pullover and I'm done with that, finished the body on Shirtwaist Pullover, am done with New Look 6912 but I think it is too "starchy" looking in the cotton twill I used, and now I plan to go out for dinner with Jim tonight (Orchid, sushi) and enjoy our day off tomorrow! I haven't started any of my Ravelympic UFOs yet but I plan to...sewing is not clicking with me today so I think I'll just focus on knitting.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

New Pattern Purchase!

I just bought all of these patterns at sewingpatterns.com as they are on sale for $2.99 right now! Over the weekend I also muslined (new verb) two patterns - one was a fail (shift dress -I think I've finally figured out that these will NEVER work on my body) and the other was a definite WIN and I cut out the fabric for that one after the muslin. Pics of that to come soon!