Get your Motor Running!

You may have noticed that there has been a distinct lack of sewing content on the blog recently.  Erm...for the last 3 months??   I've been in a funk.  Life has thrown me some curveballs that I am struggling to deal with, mostly financially, but also on an emotional level, topped with a few sewing project wadders that just made sewing seem like not so much fun anymore.

I also came to the realization earlier this week that part of the missing sewing mojo issue was due to the completely sad state of affairs in my Atelier.  It was a disgusting pig-sty of a mess, and completely not conducive to the way I like to work (clutter stresses my poor brain out).  I took matters into my own hands one evening earlier this week and ripped through my pattern stash, and donated two large garbage bags and two boxes full of patterns I will never, ever use.  I was in the "right" kind of mood, and didn't second guess or think too long about any particular pattern.   I'm in the part-time pattern drafting courses right now, and a lot of the patterns were variations on the basics that I can create on my own, and will fit me better right off the bat.

I also tidied, vacuumed and dusted, and even finally worked up the emotional chutzpah to donate my old wedding dress that was also hanging out in its cleaners box in my sewing room (!??) for the past ahem 6 years.  I still have a long way to go, with a focus hopefully this weekend on getting rid of sewing projects I will never complete, but my mojo, ladies and gentlemen, seems to have returned!!

I  went home at lunch today and worked on this beauty from Vogue 2989.  It was one of the projects I stumbled across earlier this week when I was cleaning up L'Atelier, already cut and ready to sew.  I just checked the Vogue website and think it might be OOP.  If you can get your hands on it, the pattern makes fantastic travel coordinates, since they're all for knit fabrics, but still business-y (is that even a word??) enough for the office.

Vogue 2989 Envelope

Jacket, View A

Work progress at lunch, Vogue 2989 Jacket View A
Chocolate Brown Ponte

Progress at lunch, Vogue 2989 View A Back
Chocolate Brown Ponte

 I really like how the shoulder seams are shaped (you can see the detail really well on the photograph of the back).  They aren't straight raglan sleeves, but more of a saddle type shoulder combined with a raglan sleeve.  I also like that the peplum isn't too much peplum, and the jacket is fitted without being snug.  I'm excited to finish it, hopefully this weekend!  I'm thinking it will be a cozy sweater-jacket that will also be formal enough for the office.

I'm also really excited to have finally gotten a tripod.  My dad had two, and lovingly gifted one to me.  I'm hoping to play around with it this weekend, and you may finally be introduced to me, face-to-face!  Or is it face-to-computer screen?

Finished Objects!!! WIP-tember 2014 Update

Well, another week has gone by.  Though it isn't officially fall for another few weeks,  it is starting to feel like it.  School started last week (though I'm not really involved with much around that anymore).  We're still getting hot temperatures during the day, but it certainly feels like it with the cooler temperatures at night.  Things at work have geared back up after a slower summer season.  All of this makes me feel like fall is coming, and of course, with that comes sweaters!!  Big, bulky, tweedy, knitted sweaters.  And that is my incentive to keep me going on the WIPs and get the big reward of being able to cast on a sweater.

Here's the update:

Knitting

1.  Finish Welting Fantastic Socks - one sock is finished without the heel, and I've started the second sock. Haven't touched this one yet, but it is on my list to work on after the Sorbet Socks are done. Started working on these!

2.  Finish Sorbet Socks - these are actually going to be a Christmas gift so that's two incentives to get them done!)  I've actively been knitting on these every morning before my brain has woken up ;)  I'm almost done the leg of the first toe-up afterthought heel sock. I've finished the first sock, and started working on the after-thought heel of the second sock. These are DONE, DONE, DONE!!!  I even have photos up on Rav!!

Sorbet Socks 

3.  Finish Where's the Opaque Sweater - this should be fairly easy to do since I'm actively trying to get this done to wear before the cooler daytime weather arrives.  The front and back are already finished, and I'm now working on the two sleeves. The knitting on this is finished and it has been blocked.  All I have to do now is sew it together and weave in the ends. This is DONE as well!!!  I love how this turned out.  Also have photos up on Rav.

Where's the Opaque Sweater (great late night selfie)

 
4.  Finish Effortless Cardigan - again only have the two sleeves to finish, along with the front and neck bands.  This is blocking as I type (I think it should be dry today, unless the humidity is unbearable, which it is forecast to be!).  The knitting is completely finished, all I have to do is weave in the ends. I already love this sweater and cannot wait until it gets cooler so I can wear it!   Another project DONE!!!  I really love this one, and can certainly see wrapping myself into it in the cold winter months!

Effortless Cardigan (another late night selfie)

5.Whip off the second Emerald Raspberry mitten - another Christmas gift with additional incentive, and they're tiny in comparison to the sweaters!  I've pulled these, and downloaded the pattern to my phone.  This will be one of the next projects.  I'm thinking it should be really quick to finish these off! WOW!  I appear to be on a roll!! These are also done.  Funny how long these hibernated when I finished them off in about two evenings! Need pics of these yet.

6.  Finish Brickless, which is part of the Yarns at Yin Hoo Asymmetrical KAL - deadline is the end of September.  This is an active project that I've been knitting on every day at lunch.  I'm really enjoying this knit!  I'm already about half way finished. Ongoing - working my way through the cake of yarn.  I think I may have enough yarn for one more complete repeat of the lace, garter and ribbing left.  Maybe.  There may be a game of yarn chicken in my future.  If I really need to, I can break into a second skein of the same yarn, but I'd really rather not if I can at all avoid it. Done!!!  Hooray!  This turned out great, and I really did enjoy knitting this.

Brickless Shawl (more selfies...sensing a trend here)

7.  Steek (EEK!!) Francis Revisited sweater to make it into an, ahem, larger size as a cardigan (Note for Future:  Swatching for gauge is good.  Lesson learned.  Moving on.), add buttonbands and finish neck.  I've pulled this sweater out too, and will work on it again.  I'm debating blocking it before steeking, just to make sure the yarn doesn't stretch as much as I was previously told it would before cutting into my knitting! So...I steeked this last night.  Not sure how great of a job I did at it, and I have some darning to do, but the point would be here that I picked up a languishing object, and tried something new.  This is still a WIP, but it's now an active one.

Francis Revisited

EEEKKK!!!

8. Finish the Not Manos Jacket.  This will be perfect for fall.  And I thought in 2011 (!!!) that I would have it done for the new year.  HA.  Really need to get this long time hibernating project off the needles.  I've pulled this one out of the storage area.  I'm debating not doing the sleeves, and leaving this as a vest.  It seems as though it would be a pretty heavy sweater otherwise.  Will have to revisit once I've finished the Emerald Raspberries and the Francis Revisited. As I am still working on the Francis Revisited, I haven't knit on this project yet.  I have pulled it out and tried it on to see where I am though...

9.  Work on February Fitted Pullover at Lace Knitting Nights.   I didn't go to lace knit night last week, but will go tonight and bring this along. I haven't made it to Lace Knitting Night yet, but I think this project will get picked up in the near future.

10.  Work on Cabled Yoke Sweater - another Christmas gift, and I'm at the stockinette stitch portion, so it should be relatively straight forward!  Haven't made it to this one yet. Haven't made it this far yet...

11.  Make decisions about frogging the remaining Hibernating Projects, or whether I will buckle down and continue to get them done. I haven't made it to this one yet either.  Figured I'd reassess after seeing how much progress I could make on the others.  Holding off on this till all the above-noted projects are done.

12.  Plan my Reward Cast On Sweater to start when I've finished all these projects!!  I'm thinking this one will probably take the most time out of the entire list!!  Always thinking about this one.  So.  Many.  Sweaters!!! I've been browsing my Rav queue and favourites when I cannot knit...

Stack of finished knits from this weekend!!!

I'm really happy with the progress that I'm making.  I've accomplished much in only two weeks.  I passed my re-certification exam that is coming up this past weekend (PHEW!!!), which should open up a few more hours of "free time" in my week.  My work schedule is a bit busy (understatement made dripping with sarcasm) over the next few weeks, but I will certainly rely on knitting as a stress-reliever!

Tour de Fleece 2014

So, there hasn't been any sewing for a bit, but with good reason.  The Tour de France is on right now, which means that the Tour de Fleece is on as well.  All my spare time lately has found me in front of my wheel.  I haven't officially joined this year.  I joined last year on a few teams, but found that trying to post pictures of my progress every day on all the teams' threads at Ravelry was a bit too much for me, especially with all the travelling I do during the summer months.  So, instead this year I decided to just keep it chillaxed.  No official teams, just spinning every day that I can and posting my progress to Instagram (my latest time suck, other than spinning!!) when I can.

So...here's my daily progress so far:

Stage 1 - 4 oz. Dragonfly Fibers SW Merino Silk in the Zombie Apocalypse colourway
Second bobbin for a 2 ply, attempting to spin as finely as possible 

Stage 2 - Waterloo Wools BFL in Waterlilies colourway
Attempting to spin thicker for a worsted weight

Stage 3 - More Waterloo Wools Waterlilies.  Finished second bobbin of singles

Stage 4 - Plied Dragonfly Fibers Zombie Apocalypse 

Stage 5 - Plied Waterloo Wools Waterlilies  

Stage 5 - Started another 4 oz braid of Waterloo Wools BFL
Turkish Delight colourway, spun 3 oz of singles

I started off the morning by winding off the plied yarn to the niddy noddy which winds it into skeins so I could soak and thwack it (so much Fun!!).  The yarn is now drying and looks better than I could have hoped.  Finished photos to follow.

I'm out for a bit tonight with friends, but I'm hoping I'll have time to ply the Turkish Delight when I get home.  I also have to choose the next braid/bump/cloud/batt to spin!!  That's often tougher for me than the actual spinning part!

Gratuitous shot of my spinning helper

Sewing Mojo Update (Weekend Wrap Up)

I am thoroughly enjoying the burst of sewing mojo I've had recently.  I am trying to get in a bit of sewing every day.  Of course, that doesn't always happen, but boy, the results when you try!!

I am currently working on a coat from Vogue 2472 (I think it is OOP).  It is a raglan sleeve coat, I'm working on View C with a large stand-up collar, and offset closures.

Sorry for the sideways shot - no matter what I do, the
techno-gremlins keep turning the photo!

It is out of a short pile faux fur fabric with an interesting design that is from the change in nap that I purchased at my local Fabricland (November/December 2013?).  I hand-stitched the sew-in interfacing in last week, and stitched the coat and lining together yesterday.  I am putting an interlining layer in for warmth (I'm thinking of flannelette), but I have to search some fabric for it out at my LFS tonight (can you believe I have absolutely nothing in my stash!!?!).   I'm lining it with Kasha lining (a heavier weight lining with a brushed almost flannel type backing).  This won't be an every day coat, but when I do wear it for an evening out, I will most likely not be wearing something overly warm underneath!

So...tonight after work, I'm heading to my local Fabricland.  Hopefully I will restrain myself from purchasing any new fabrics (other than the interlining)...my sewing studio is being over run by bins and piles!!