I Finished Something!

I'm a bit off my posting schedule lately.  I have been doing a fair bit of travelling for work lately, and as a result am not getting time in my sewing room, which I like to call L'Atelier as I like to be fancy.   Knitting travels with me everywhere I go, and I've been knitting a few items to wear on an upcoming vacation to Prague and Vienna.  I have finished something - last night in fact, while watching the hockey game in between the second and third period (Go Leafs Go!!).   Anyways...it's not a sewn FO, but rather a knitted FO.  Well, actually...to be fair, it's a knitted and sewn FO. 

I used this pattern:

It's a pattern from King Cole in their Opium yarn, which is a bulky weight, thick and thin, cotton blend yarn (54% Cotton, 42% Premium Acrylic, 4% Polymide). 



I saw it made up at my local yarn store (LYS) on a Knit Night a few months back.  Their sample was a sleeveless version, which you just make the front and back, and not the sleeves!  Being often stuck in a sleeve black hole, this really appealed to me.  Plus, I was ready for something summery. 

The knitting is very straightforward, only a front and back (at least for the sleeveless version).  The instructions for the front drape are easy to follow.  It was a super quick knit, particularly because I used 6.0 mm needles.  The yarn needed a bit of attention to work with, because of the thick and thin nature, but it was still easy to knit.

Here's where the sewing portion comes in - I sewed the front and back together with my sewing machine, using a  narrow seam allowance and a 2.5 wide by 3.0 long zigzag stitch.  This kind of feels like cheating in the handknitting world, but I really hate sewing my hand knit pieces together.  So that moment of feeling guilty passes really quickly.

I can't wait till the warmer weather hits so I can wear this.  I think it will look great layered over a fitted knit cami in various colours (like white, blush pink, hot pink, even cocoa, sage or olive green - AKA Spring in Prague SWAP colours).  I'm envisioning it being dressed up or down depending on the bottoms I wear it with - jeans, flowy shorts, culottes or even a maxi-skirt.  I'm sure it will integrate very well into my Spring in Prague SWAP travel wardrobe.

Up next on my sewing table:

When is Spring Coming??

I'm so sick of winter weather.  The local ski hills are now closed, so in my opinion there's not much use for the white stuff that keeps falling from the sky.  What's a girl to do?  Well...I'm super excited about my spring SWAP plans and I've finally got some sewing time in.  I made a few pairs of pants that are tough to photograph (some day...), and as a result are still unblogged. BUT...I've also made my first top for the Spring in Prague SWAP.  As noted in my plans (found here), I decided on McCalls M7249 (I've just searched it and found its out of print but still on their website).  Because this is supposed to be a spring top (help me out here, Mother Nature!), I opted for view B with the short sleeves.

The McCalls website describes this pattern as "Close-fitting, pullover tops and dress have gathered front overlay, V-neckline and stitched hems."   I can attest, it is certainly close fitting, but I really like the v-neck depth.  The gathered overlays are a nice way to camouflage my winter weight.  I chose a mid-weight coral pink cotton/lycra jersey, which worked really well with the gathers but also worked well with the close fitting nature.  The colours are blowing out in the photographs a bit despite my mediocre photo editing skills, but it's a really pretty colour IRL.  It's hard to take photographs at night in the basement with only halogen potlights!

The front consists of two overlay pieces that are stitched to the wrong side of the underlay piece at the neckline, and flipped to the right side, which encloses the raw edges.  This creates a really clean neckline edge.

The only changes I made to the pattern were a 3/4" sway back adjustment and a faux full bust adjustment (adding a bit onto the side seams at the bust area), both of which are standard adjustments for me for knit tops.  I also shortened the body by 1-1/2" at the hem line and did a machine stitched 1-1/2" hem at the bottom.

The back neckline is finished after the front is attached at the shoulder seams.  I serged the shoulder seams, but next time I will stitch the shoulder seams with my regular sewing machine first, and then serge for a cleaner finish at the seamline - mine is a bit off, but likely unnoticeable by the uneducated.  There you have it - my first (blogged) garment for the Spring in Prague SWAP. 

I'm seriously going to have to figure out how to take photographs of my pants so I can show you my finished Lander Pants and the Vogue 8330 jeans.  My Kwik Sew motorcycle jacket is also almost done, it's just waiting for me to make a trip to the local fabric store to buy heavy duty stud snaps.

I'm off on a work related conference for a few days, so there will very likely be a lull in blogging for a bit, but hopefully when I come back I'll have all the mojo as a result of being separated from my Atelier!

Socks, Socks, Socks (and another pair of Socks)

I've managed to finish a few more pairs of socks.  Socks are total zone out knitting for me, at least plain vanilla socks are.  I always have a pair of plain vanilla socks with me when I'm out of the house to knit on any time I've got a few minutes of waiting time, or when I'm at home and just can't focus at the end of a long day.  I'm also finding I don't always want a plain zone-out style of knit, and I've also been knitting socks with texture or pattern in them - these projects typically stay at home where I can focus a bit more on them.

My last post on finished knitting projects (found here) alluded to a few more pairs of socks that were in progress.  And...Surprise!! They're finished!

Pair #8 is my March Personal Sock club pair - and I absolutely loved knitting every minute of these.  The yarn was amazing to knit with (it's Yarn Enabler Fun(damental) Sock Wool in Tornado colourway).  The pattern is a bastardization of the Mercury Socks pattern - I incorporated the lace pattern into my own personal sock recipe.  The lace was easy to memorize and fun to work.  The resulting socks are so pretty and soft and just lovely.



Pair #9 - and again, they're all mine!  The yarn is ScrumptiousPurl Stripe Me Up in Cake for Breakfast colourway, with the heels, toes, and cuffs from Estelle Yarns Alpaca Merino Fine.  I blame the Grocery Girls for this purchase, they showed this colourway on their video podcast and I immediately had to order some. Totally luscious!  Thank you, Grocery Girls!


Pair #10 is a pair for my sister for her birthday, made from ONline Supersocke, colourway Fun Colour 765.  I love the happy colour of these! Now all I have to do is mail them to her.


Pair #11 is a pair for my youngest daughter's boyfriend.  Even though his feet are bigger than my sock blockers, I loved knitting these too.  The yarn is again Stripe Me Up from ScrumptiousPurl in a Game of Thrones colourway - King's Landing.  The heels, toes and cuffs are Lion Brand Sock Ease in Circus Peanut colourway.  There is a bit of a pattern, which I kind of made up as I went along.  I slipped random stitches as the colour changed, which brings up the colour of the slipped stitch into the next colour.  Just a bit different and more interesting than just plain stockinette stitch.



I'm currently working on pairs #12 & #13.  Here's a teaser:



I'm already done sock #1 of the April PSC pair (on the right), and almost done sock #1 of the pair on the left.  I. Can't.  Stop.

Queen of Dots SWAP Tamotsu Jacket

For the jacket in my Queen of Dots SWAP wardrobe, I used one of my favourite Vogue Designer Patterns, 1546.  It's OOP, and very 90s, but I absolutely love the aesthetic of Tamotsu's designs with the soft tailored look. I have collected a number of the Vogue Designer Tamotsu patterns over the years but have only recently decided to actually start using them! 



The fabric is a rayon/poly/lycra blend glen plaid in a creamy white and black combination.  It is very menswear inspired.  I have made the jacket before, out of a heavier wool suiting fabric.  Since my chosen fabric for the SWAP was a lighter weight, I underlined the entire jacket with fusible Armo-Weft interfacing. 

I decided to not use the collar or faux pocket flaps, to keep the style lines even simpler.  I did not want to have shoulder pads, so I removed the shoulder pad ease from the shoulder height, and cut the sleeve cap down to accommodate this.  I also narrowed the shoulder seams by 3/4" to give a more modern feel.

I nipped in the waist a bit as well, just by increasing the seam allowance by about 1/4-3/8".  My standard adjustments include a 3/4" sway back adjustment, a 3/4" FBA and lengthening the sleeves by 2".  I also drafted my own lining pattern for this jacket, as I like the way lining helps slip the jacket on and off.

I found the Embroidered Applique lace motifs on Amazon.ca,  and labouriously handstitched them on after the jacket was completed.  I normally would have done this by machine with a small zig-zag stitch before sewing the jacket and lining together, but didn't actually get the idea for the lace motifs until after the jacket had been mostly completed.  There's one motif on the left shoulder:

And one on the right lower front that wraps around to the side seam.  I had to modify this one a bit, by snipping some of the motifs out so they would wrap with the body.

I think they add a little pizzazz and femininity to an otherwise standard suit jacket.

Only one piece left in the Queen of Dots SWAP, a matching skirt.  It's currently on my cutting table awaiting some love!

March Check In, April Goals

Happy belated Easter everyone!  Here's how I spent my Easter Sunday:

This is not an April Fool's Joke, we actually had fresh snow yesterday and skiing conditions were excellent!  It was also our last day on the hill for the season, with a fabulous Easter dinner for our patrol family of roast lamb, roast ham, roast potatoes, dinner rolls, a fabulous green salad and banana cake with cream cheese icing for dessert.  My patrol family is amazing!  It was a bittersweet day knowing I won't be seeing them every weekend over the summer.

I realize that posts focusing on my goals may not be entirely exciting reading for everyone, but I think they make me more accountable to my goals.  This means my plans and hopes actually become goals that I work towards.  Well, mostly, anyway.  Here were my goals for March:

Knitting

1.  Choose a project that is currently in hibernation mode (on Ravelry) to start working on again. I'm thinking maybe the Stunning Lace Lux Poncho, just in time for summer?  It goes perfectly with my Queen of Dots SWAP clothing items. I did not do this.  I totally got carried away with my socks projects and birthday knitting and then things got really busy so I stuck to simple things I could take with me.  This month is another busy month work-wise, so I'm going to put this goal back on the back-burner for the time being.

2.  Finish Dad's birthday socks. Done!  They've even been gifted and are lovingly being worn!

3.  Start and finish March PSC socks. Honestly, these got some love, but I've only recently picked them up again after finishing the first sock.  I've just started the pattern on the foot of the second (toe-up) sock.  Various birthday knitting projects got in the way of my own personal knitting (I refuse to call it selfish knitting, because it's my hobby and I can do what I want including making gifts for others!)

4.  Choose, start and finish a birthday knit for my sister (her birthday is March 30).  Amy, if you're reading this, I'll be sending you a knitted something for your b-day! Done!  I knitted a pair of socks for her, which I have yet to mail...I also started and finished a pair of birthday socks for my youngest daughter's boyfriend.  

Sewing

1.  Finish the first phase of the Queen of Dots SWAP.  I only have two more pieces to go, with the majority of one finished. I finished the jacket, which took a lot longer than I had anticipated it would - I'll do a post on it soon.  I also had less sewing time than I had hoped this month.  And I totally got sidetracked by my Spring in Prague SWAP.  Lots of excuses.  I have the fabric and pattern for the last item, a skirt, sitting on my cutting table as I type.  I have a work conference coming up mid-April that I'm hoping to have this skirt for.

2.  Start the second phase (Extras) for the Queen of Dots SWAP. This has been put on hold for the time being.  My Spring in Prague SWAP has taken over my plans, as has the thought of spring in Ontario!

3.  Order the fold over elastic for the navy Fenway bra set. Done!

4.  Make the Harriet bra and a matching pantie.  Nope.  Again, less sewing time than I had hoped this month.

5.  Make activewear/yoga from the January 2018 Burda magazine. Again, this got put off.  I still want to make some new activewear, and have included the leggings in my travel wardrobe to take with me to Prague.

6.  Make the Kerrie sportsbra from Pin Up Girls patterns.  Nope...

Reading

1.  Start the next book in the Libermann Papers series by Frank Tallis. And actually read it.   I'm loving this series - I'm about half way through the last book, and am reading every night before going to sleep.

2.  Finish Crucial Conversations. Done!

Health/Fitness

1.  Dragonboat season is coming, and I'm woefully off my training routine.  I would like to gear up the training by re-introducing kettlebells and core workouts back into my routine, 3x/week.  Wow, I have no idea what happened with this goal.  I've been thinking a lot about it, but haven't done anything.  I guess the stresses in my day-to-day life have totally taken over and given me lots of excuses not to workout.  I realize that exercise would be excellent for me to cope with the stress, but I'm finding myself exhausted and unmotivated.  Then I feel guilty for not working out, and blame myself.  

Anyone else get in this horrible and uncalled-for cycle?  How do you deal with it?  How do you motivate yourself to workout?

2.  Continue with yoga 3x/week. I've fallen off this wagon too.  My yoga practice is in dire need to being restarted, and my body reminds me of this regularly.  I know I'm better for when I do yoga regularly - both physically and mentally.  Fresh start in April.

3.  Continue with getting outdoors (walking or skiing) 3x/week. I've been true to this.  I got a lot of skiing in in March, at least twice per week, and the weather has been a lot more pleasant for walking as well.  

Miscellaneous

1.  Choose a way to track and review my goals. I've been playing around with Trello, which makes a great electronic checklist, but it is only good if I review it on a regular basis.  I know there are other apps out there that keep your checklists, goals, reminders, etc. in one place.  Does anyone have any recommendations?

2.  Start spring cleaning my Atelier.  I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I have down there again.  I need to go through my fabric and donate/toss some stuff!! I've done some of clearing out - mostly when I'm looking for a piece of fabric I know I have but can't easily put my hands on!  I've been ruthless when digging through boxes and bins, asking myself what I would make with the fabric I have and whether it's worth keeping it in my storage area.  I have a long way to go before I will be comfortable with what I have, and it's an ongoing process.

April Goals

Knitting

1.  Finish March PSC socks.

2.  Start and finish April PSC socks.  I am using this as motivation to finish my March PSC socks (which I'm absolutely loving), but I won't even open the April package until the March ones are done!

3.  Finish Deklan's Sheepish Little Sweater - just the colourwork on the last sleeve to go!

4.  Choose and start a birthday present for Ben.

Sewing

1.  Finish Queen of Dots SWAP - one skirt to go!

2.  Continue with Spring in Prague SWAP - at least two articles per week.

3.  Schedule at least one full weekend day in April for a sewing retreat day.

4.  Choose pattern and pull fabric for dress for the upcoming Ski Patrol Banquet in May.

Reading

1.  Finish Deadly Communion, by Frank Tallis (the last book of the Libermann Papers series).

2.  Start Leaning In, by Sheryl Sandberg.

3.  Chose next fiction read.

Health/Fitness

1.  Yoga 3x/week.

2.  Kettlebells training 3x/week.

3.  Walking 3x/week.

Miscellaneous

1.  Continue with Atelier spring cleaning.

There you have it.  Exciting, no?