August Check In

Well...it seems that I'm using this as a public posting place for my goals check in.  I just know that at some point in the *very* near future, I will getting into a more regular routine of blogging and posting photos of my makes, so please bear with me until then.

In the meantime, here's the check in with my July goals:

Knitting

1.  Finish Tulip Socks (striped socks I started on the plane home from the Netherlands) not finished, but working away on this, they just need the heels.
2.  Finish Cozy V-Neck Raglan Pullover - serious game of yarn chicken here, I'll have enough to finish the sleeve, but I'm not so sure about the neckband Finished!! The yarn won, but I came up with a coordinating yarn to make it work
3.  Finish my grandson Deklan's Sweater - all it needs is to be sewn together finished, and gifted!  He won't be able to wear this for quite some time, but it's done!
4.  Block and weave in ends on my Chuck sweater.  Done like dinner!

Spinning

It's Tour de Fleece, so I've been mostly spending time spinning when I'm not sewing, travelling or studying.  My goal for TdF2017 is to spin every day.  No pressure as to what or how much. Done!  I don't have any finished products to show you, but I did spin every day I was at home for at least 15 minutes.  

Sewing

1.  Finish Sew Over It Penny Dress still need to sew on the buttons and finish hem
2.  Finish Named Kielo Dress  Done.  Here's a little teaser - if you haven't made this dress yet, YOU NEED TO. I made mine in black rayon/lycra jersey and I feel so sophisticated and luxurious every time I wear this!
3.  Finish My Image magazine Top M1709. Done!  It's been too hot to wear the version that I made out of polyester, but I can see it being a great top to wear to a few social events I have coming up this fall.
4.  Sew a Jean Jacket (white? hot pink? tangerine?)  I am SO ready to sew this - I imagine wearing a jean jacket with all of my current outfits, and I just haven't managed to get to it yet.  Maybe for my sewing retreat weekend that I have planned for this coming weekend!
5.  Sew hot pink skinny jeans Done!  I LOVE these, and have worn them a lot since they were finished!
6.  Sew McCalls 7100 Bomber Jacket (I'm having a Sewing Retreat Day with my fellow sewing friend on Sunday where we are both going to work on this - I have to figure out what fabric to make it out of!) Done!  Again, it's too hot to wear this currently, but I know it will be a staple in my wardrobe this fall.
7.  Sew an orange knit summer dress - mostly because I have the orange cotton/lycra knit on my cutting table Nope, and I even put this fabric away before cutting anything out!
8.  Plan my travel wardrobe for the annual work conference I attend at the end of September.  This year it's in Chicago.  I'm aiming for a mustard, wine and navy wardrobe.  I also need to pull the fabrics and patterns once I've got the plans down. I've done the planning part, so I'll mark this as done.  I've also pulled the fabrics and in fact have completed a good portion of the sewing already.  BUT, that will be part of my August goals, so I'll write more about that below.

Reading

1.  Finish reading Circle of Bones by Christine Kling.  I'm still adjusting to reading on the iPad, though I did buy an early birthday gift of a Kindle for myself on Amazon Prime Day, which should be arriving later this week - sshhh!! I finished this one on my new Kindle :)
2.  Finish reading Fatal Lies by Frank Tallis - this is the book I'm reading as I drop off to sleep every night.  I love this series!  Easy to read, but reminds me of my time in Vienna! Finished, and really enjoyed the ending!
3.  Finish People over Profit - I just looked, and I've been in the middle of this one since last summer!  I really need to just pick it up for a few minutes every day.  It's a good read but I've been sidetracked by a lot of other things...BAH.  Seriously - just read this already!  Take 10 minutes every day...

4.  Pick the next fiction book to read Book Two of the Shipwreck Trilogy by Christine Kling, called Dragon's Triangle

AND...without further ado, here are my goals for August, albeit a little late since it's already the 14th!

Knitting

1.  Do the heels on the Tulip Socks and one other pair that are WIPs
2.  Finish Shapely Boyfriend cardigan
3.  Start the sleeves of M'Agitha sweater for Melissa
4.  Pick next socks project

Sewing

1.  Finish Sew Over It Penny Dress need to sew on the buttons and hem
2.  Sew a Jean Jacket
3.  Sew Chicago travel wardrobe

• jacket - shrunken boyfriend style, with faux suede collar and pocket flaps - the fabric for this one is constantly evolving since I've discovered that I don't have enough of the fabric for the coordinating narrow trousers.  I'm hoping for a herringbone wool of some type - it must coordinate with all my trousers and skirts.
• drapey cardigan - mustard yellow crepe knit
• wide leg trousers - brown pinstripe wool
• narrow legged trousers - navy ??
• pencil skirt - brown pinstripe wool 
• 6 gore skirt - brown Prince of Wales suiting 
• Tilly and the Buttons Agnes tops 

• mustard yellow crepe knit (long sleeves, ruching at centre front)
• burgundy heathered jersey (puffed sleeve version)
• leopard print mesh knit with blue and cream (long sleeves, scoop neck)
• textured cream lightweight sweater knit (short sleeves, scoop neck)
• shirts 
• self drafted mustard yellow georgette
• Sew Over It Alex in navy with white polka dots (previously sewn)
• self drafted black rayon challis with small floral print in barn red and mustard yellow
• self drafted snake skin print in shades of brown and cream
• knit wrap dress - burgundy heathered jersey

Reading

1.  Finish Dragon's Triangle by Christine Kling

2.  Finish People over Profit

3.  Finish Inspired Destiny by Dr. John Demartini

4.  Start Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason

Well, there you have it.  Yikes - when I look back at that list it looks super ambitious, especially the sewing goals.  I've been going home almost every day at lunch to squeeze in a couple extra minutes to sew over the lunch hour which has really been adding up.  I've also included a few easy TNT patterns (the Agnes tops, and the self drafted shirts) in my plans which don't take much time to pull together.  AND, I'm really looking forward to this coming weekend when I've planned a sewing retreat for myself.  Just me and my dog, hanging out in L'Atelier ALL weekend.  Yippee!!