Summer Dress #2

Two weeks ago I finished up another summer dress. I am in love! The pattern is New Look #6804 and the fabric is a beautiful cotton/linen blend I bought (totally splurged on) at Purl Soho. This may end up being a new 'go to' pattern for me. It was very easy to make and those pockets are just too cute. I especially love how the skirt flies when you twirl (an important dress component, ha ha).

I have been totally possessed by the sewing bug this spring. This weekend I cut out another dress (hello, grainline studio tank dress!). I found a nice plaid in the stash and there was just enough to make the tank. Perfect-o. You can sort of see it in the above photos, hanging off the chair to the right. The sewing portion will have to wait until next weekend though. I just can't turn an iron on when it's over 90 degrees outside. Yeck.

scarf, no wait, a tank

It started when I saw this cute pom pom scarf on the Purl Bee: 

I bought the two yards of cotton fabric, a navy solid and a navy gingham, washed them and put them in the 'to make' pile of my sewing corner. Memorial Day weekend came and while I was finishing up a dress, I realized I also wanted to make something else (a magical moment of manic sewing compulsion).

 Looking around the sewing corner I found the navy fabrics. As I was ironing them I really fell in love with the feel. I needed to be able to really WEAR this fabric. A scarf was not going to cut it. That's when I reached for my trusty tank pattern. I made the front of the tank in the gingham and the back in the solid. And I love it.

Another great addition to the wardrobe!

On a roll

Last weekend was a sewing weekend like no other. In one day I managed to crank out a new dress and a new tank top. 

First the dress. 

I used my go-to dress pattern, Simplicity 8482, and tried the variation that included two long ties that can be overlapped across the body (and tied in the back) or gently tied in the front. I love it!  

 The fabric is a lightweight cotton I bought at Nido last autumn while the husband and I were vacationing in Vermont. A great shop for fabric and yarns!

For this dress I tried a new tip that I learned from Colette Patterns.  When preparing the skirt and all the gathers, they suggest sewing three rows of basting (instead of the usual two rows) to help better control the gathers. And boy are they right! The gathers were much more controlled and even - sewing them down was a breeze. I love little tips like this! Here's the blog post for a full description and I highly suggest subscribing to their weekly newsletter, Snippets.

I still need to photograph the tank top that I made. Post coming soon.

Ikat Scout

I'm excited to add a new blouse to the closet! 

Spring weather & sun make me want to sew and the conditions proved just right this weekend. Today I made Grainline's Scout Woven Tee. I had this beautiful cotton ikat in the stash and it was begging to be a blouse. Feeling ambitious I also went ahead with a pattern adjustment - adding a full back - following Grainline's awesome tutorial. 

I love this pattern and am sure I'll be making more blouses with it in the future (and perhaps a dress?). I should also mention that I used Grainline's flat bias neckline tutorial and it worked like a charm. Next weekend (long weekend, woo hoo!) I'll be sewing up a dress I've got cut and ready to go. Gosh, I love sewing!

Progress

My first seamed sweater is complete .. and it fits!

  

I'm so pleased with how this sweater came out. It's warm and roomy enough for a shirt underneath. I used the dimensions of a favorite sweater as a guide and I think that was the biggest help. The one change I made was with the neckline. The pattern instructions have you do a purl round, then knit to create a sort of lining. I found the lining to be bunchy and really thick. When I put the sweater on,  I felt like I was being choked. I ripped all of that out and just did a regular bind off. It doesn't look as clean as the knit lining version but it is significantly thinner and more flexible. I don't think anyone will really notice anyway.

In other news, the blanket is almost done - I just need to decide on a contrast color. I really wish Cascade's Magnum came in neon colors. I think the cream would look awesome with a neon yellow border.  I'm loving the neon yellow trim I've worked into my Flint mittens. I think it looks so awesome. This picture doesn't do it justice -

I can't wait to see the progression of the cables. These mittens are a really fun knit and I think they will be a great travel project for some small trips we have coming up. 

All of this beautiful wool ... is it crazy that I've already started dreaming about this year's Rhinebeck?

Living Room Makeover

 

It's pretty much complete - the living room makeover! We picked up a few more items and hung the curtains yesterday. Like all home projects, I feel it's a work in progress. For now though, I think it's great! Here are a few before and afters.

Walking into the apartment before and seeing the chaos was making me crazy. The snowflakes were leftover from a photo shoot, the folding table was always stacked with junk and the wardrobe, although covered, still stuck out and looked awful. The new table we added makes for a nice dinner table or game table when we have friends over. We closed up the previous table and decorated it with family photos and a new lamp, which was desperately needed. I love it now!

BEFORE

AFTER

We needed to partition an area for Adam to have some space. The previous "wall" was ugly and those book cases felt like they might fall over at any minute. The new "wall" is much nicer and holds more stuff. It's shorter which is kind of a bummer but I think we'll slowly fill out the top with more plants (possibly some hanging ones!).

BEFORE

AFTER

And then we have the corner with the tv. Once we brought in the extra table that is attached to the bookcases we needed to angle the television so it could be seen by those on the couch and at the table. I think it looks so much cleaner and open. I also love our new printed drapes and decorative little canister.

BEFORE

AFTER

 

The Shadow sweater is officially blocking! I now feel like it's actually close to being finished. Hopefully everything will be fully dry by tonight. The blocking really made the yarn soft, the pieces feel like a nice soft fabric now.

I've been stumped for the last couple of weeks thinking about what to knit next. Which is crazy because I usually have several projects in mind that I'm eager to start. Although I have a generous stash at home, all I could think to do was run to the yarn shop and buy a ton of pretty pastel cotton and start up another sweater. Thankfully, I stayed sane.  After I had the Shadow sweater laid out to dry, I dumped my entire stash on the floor and went onto Ravelry. After perusing for hours but still not finding anything, I consulted Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac. For April, she made a blanket and for May, mittens for next winter. I looked at my stash and voila - found my next two projects.

A quick Ravelry search brought up the Eleventh Hour Blanket from Purl Bee:
 

And, already sitting in my favorites, the Flint Mittens from Brooklyn Tweed:

 

I cast on the blanket immediately and sank into the couch for last two hours of 'The Ten Commandments' (love that movie!). It's knitting up quickly and is super lush. I'll only have to pop into the yarn shop for a contrast color.

I also got my mitten yarns and needles in order so I can start today. I found a beautiful natural, oatmeal colored yarn that I bought at Rhinebeck last October. I also found a skein of neon yarn that my sister-in-law left here. I don't think she'll miss the little bit I'll need for the trim. Fun!