A Duo of Vogue 8151's

I chose to add that apostrophe for clarity. Just saying.

Vogue 8151 (OOP) is a t-shirt/sweatshirt/sweater hybrid. Like tofu it adapts to its ingredients. I made two recently, using fabrics from my double-knit bender at Emma One Sock.

The first one is a wool-blend ponte. Worn to a concert 2 weeks ago:

The second is made from a double-knit that's unlike anything I've ever encountered. Up close (as in squinting with magnifying glass) you can see the knitted construction, but it "reads" as a stretchy felted flannel. The finished darts gave me some pause and before I hemming I was ready to chuck it. In the end I feel I look very La Garconne. Or at least a la cinquantaine.

Have mirror; will travel to different parts of the house to shoot photos.
I need a better set up. 

Weekend Scrolls & Reads

With events like "'Actually, I Get Along Better with Guys' Monologue" and "Best No Makeup Look," Jezebel's Cool Girl Olympics NAILS IT.

Courtesy of the Women's Room, street style from the Jaipur Literary Festival.

Sophie Digard's scarves make me want to learn to crochet.

Have a cookie. Or a carrot. Or both. This piece over at Mason Dixon Knitting grants permission to eat.

Eleonore Version 1.a

No hands!

More gray pants--now with a lot less crotch radiation (there's just no delicate way to say that, is there?) and moderately less gap-osis.

I made a 2" swayback adjustment using Dawn's method and there's *still* a little gap. I'm thinking this fabric isn't snappy enough to stand up to stretching and gathering.

Saintly pose.
Top is 100 Acts of Sewing Shirt No. 1, btw.

Just whatever, man! I'm still pleased with how these turned out and I plan to make more, possibly with darts in the back waistband. Maybe an invisible hem too, to dress them up a bit. And a skinny pair...

Ahem. So that's one 2018 make nine done! Fingers crossed that my 5" size 5 dpns arrive today so that I can finish my Indicum sweater.

In the meantime, must. Resist. Eleonore. Rabbit. Hole.

Jalie Eleonore

Yesterday I staggered off of the roller coaster known as Sewing Pants. And I don't think I'm going to throw up!

Here is my un-hemmed Jalie Eleonore muslin, the first of my 2018 Make Nine projects:

They're a size X, even though the much-touted "wisdom of the table" recommends a size V based on my full hip measurement. (I traced and sewed a size V waistband and it felt small to me.)

The "cat whiskers" radiating across the front are the result of swayback:

Gap-osis, with hip wrinkles that disappear
 when I yank them up.

I'm hoping they'll look like this after I perform Dawn's swayback adjustment. I also plan to take some fullness out of the back of the knees.

Because I can't walk around holding
the back of my pants all day. 

Now that I'm over the delusion of creating a wearable pants muslin, I don't think I'll top stitch version 2. Although it's probably worth practicing the faux-fly detail again.

I can't wait to get started!

Three New Tricks

1. Warm Water with Lemon

I started drinking this as a substitute for my General Foods International Coffee arrival-at-work habit. Mid-afternoon fatigue has driven me to seek out every possible culprit, but the embarrassment of typing "General Foods International Coffee" should have been motivation enough to quit. Anyhow, warm water with lemon is surprisingly enjoyable (even without honey) and meets my need for self-soothing via warm beverage. 

2. Writing 

In a notebook, with a pen. I read The Artist's Way years ago but never got into the morning pages habit. I don't do the prescribed three pages and I write in the afternoon, but it clears my head and wakes me up. 

3.  Strength Training & Stretching

20 minutes, every other day. Unless it's realllly windy or <30 degrees outside, I look forward to running errands on my bike or jogging several times a week. Sit ups, crunches, push ups, not so much...to say nothing of stretching. My new "routine" consists of two reps each of 15 chest flies and 15 tricep-somethings on a Swiss ball, one run-through of this core routine (ignore shame-y illustration) and two of these stretches.

Learning any new tricks or habits lately? 

2018 SVE

Image: Sanaeishida

This weekend I’ll send out my gifts for the 2018 Secret Valentine Exchange.  

Short and Sweet Mitts. Looking to accessorize your inner steampunk naturalist? The motif on the cuff is architectural yet botanical; the ribbing is lacy but not fussy. Bonus: a real thumb that grows out of palm gusset.  This pattern was a joy to knit. 

Tanis Fiber Arts Red Label fingering in Fig. Eggplant shot with indigo. 

Earrings, because I’m assuming that she has pierced ears. (Although anyone who’s ever worked in a corporate environment  knows what assuming does to you and me.)

Collaged and stamped matchbox. Beads from a summer day in Santa Fe. 

Hope she likes them!