Friday, May 26, 2006

I'm still here!

What do you do when you have a knitting blog, but its been practically months since you really sat down and knit anything? You show potentially boring pictures of FO you have from before your blog days. So, here are a couple of items I knit from a while ago.



This shawl is ridiculously simple to make. All garter stitch with fringe added. The fringe covers any mistakes that might have occurred in your increases (the shawl is knit from the "point" out). This was one of my first FO. I was delighted with it until I swung it around myself an realized that garter stitch and my shoulders combine to make me look like a linebacker. Still I love looking at it.



The yarn is a rayon cord with a mohair duplicate called La Boheme. I think I bought it more for the name. Its very pretty but you have to watch it while knitting so you don't end-up missing a thread.



This is another impossibly easy knit. Its all garter stitch but lengthwise so it looks a bit unique (to any non-knitter who doesn't know your tricks). The yarn is Noro Kochoran in Natural. I love the soft angora in this yarn, but I hardly ever wear it now since it always sheds.



I cast on for Ms. Marigold and have gotten through the first few sections. Its an interesting knit. Not so complicated I can't put it down for a couple of days, but entertaining enough so I enjoy my time with it.

This weekend is my first weekend without a class and without and work. I'm hoping to do some real knitting, like maybe finish something. Ooo, imagine that! I do have to make a skirt for my friends wedding next weekend though. And that always takes longer than expected. I have to go look in my UFO pile. I think it may be threatening to overflow...

Friday, May 12, 2006

a little peep show

In knitting news, I have the sleeves left on Hearten and I'm half way on last months Project Spectrum project. Hopefully, by the end of this month I should be finished. I don't feel too bad about skipping May's project since I knit blue and green projects all the time. Speaking of which. I do have something interesting and knitting related to share. A little yarn porn for you.



As you can see my yarn diet is officially over. I tossed in the 7Up plus for a little contrasting color to the blue and green. Nicole I know you're shocked. I didn't get through as much of my stash as I hoped to while "fasting." But I did find a purpose for everything I have. These new purchases have purposes too.

The green Malabrigo (color Vaa) is going to magically become another Clapotis. The Cascade 220 is going to become some form of Forecast. I didn't like Forecast when I first laid eyes on it, but the incarnations I've seen around the blogsphere have been inspiring. Plus, I'm going to be changing it a lot. The Kidsilk Spray in Medici was an impulse by brought on by too little yarn consumption. I'm not sure what it will become, but something befitting the name "Medici." And finally that green Cotton Fleece is headed for Ms. Marigold I think. Actually I ordered three skiens which is too much for that particular project, so we'll see if I suddenly realize it was meant for something else.

My dress is coming a long. I'm definitely going to need a break for a while once I've finished the lace. Fortunately, I don't need to wear it until December, so the likelihood is I will love it again by then.

I hope I'll have a FO to show you guys sometime soon. I haven finished anything since February and I didn't even like it! Must finish, must finish....

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Day 6

So, I skipped day 5 since I really had nothing new to show you and I had been working on my project from 8:30am to 9pm. I was pretty wiped last night. Its a bit frustrating because after all of this work 1.) I'm still not done and 2.) I have nothing really interesting to show you. Here is a pic that will at least give you some idea of the shape and the bodice. Bear with me because I'm an even worse model than photographer (The dress actually does stay up by itself. I'm just trying to not get poked.).



Those tendrils on the lace haven't been trimmed and tacked down yet so they look a little funny. The tacking will also help add some shape to the gown (through some unorthodox doctoring). Getting some amount of shape in the waist was the major challenge in this design. I couldn't have any darts as they would look funny with the lace, but its an Empire waist so it really should have some substantial darts. It was tricky, but there is some shaping. You can really see it when I'm moving. No really, I swear.

Part of the reason everything takes so long is that every seam is sewn between 3 and 6 times. Most of those hand basted. Plus all of the ironing and general futzing, it takes a while. I do love that word. futz.

Anyway, I will continue to work on this project, though not at the 10-12 hrs a day pace. I'm shooting for a week from tomorrow being my finish date. The lace detail takes a lot of hand work and there is going to be a lot more of it on the skirt. I'll keep you posted when it gets more interesting. Plus, you never know. I may knit something.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Day 4


Finally! I managed to get a decent picture of both the lace and the Duchess Satin so now you can really see what I've been raving about, but unable to show.

I spent this morning at Britex realizing that I was once again going to spend more than intended, but exactly what was called for. This brown satin is what I found. I chatted with my teacher about the cost and she once again pointed out that if you aren't going to cheap out on the work its probably best not to cheap out on the fabric either.

Here's a shot before I cut out the pieces and basted the silk organza underlining to it. Yes, it is as wide as it looks and quite a bit longer.

This week has been such a wonderful experience in so many ways. The most important for me is that I have more confidence in my sewing abilities. Knitting came rather easily to me. I just kind of got it. This was in no small part due to my excellent teacher, but also because it just made sense. Sewing was a bit more difficult. I don't think that veritably it is any harder, but it wasn't a natural craft for me. Also sewing is only 50% needle in hand or sitting at a machine. So much of it is in the planning and the ironing and the lining and the underlining etc. Knitting has some of this, but if you have a pattern there is less preparation. Not so with sewing.

Because I wasn't naturally gifted I have always felt my sewing skills were pretty weak. This week has been great for building my confidence in my own knowledge. Now, if only I can get someone to pay me for it :)

Tomorrow I will hopefully have a finished dress to show you. I'm off to cut out more lace.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Day 3

Hand Stitching! I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this section of the class. We covered a few different types of stitches including catch stitch, fell stitch, prick stitch and slip stitch. Thing is in my other courses I learned all of these. It was good to practice though. It was also good to have the pros and cons of each discussed again. Here are some shots of muslin samples (the arrows indicate which direction the stitch should be moving). These will seem pretty basic if you've done a lot of sewing.






I'll be doing a lot of fell stitching to tact down my lace. I thought there would be something a little more magical to it all, but there it is. I think this is a common let down with anything you revere and then figure out. I have two friends in Med school right now and for both of them in their first year it was a pretty harsh realization that they weren't going to recieve some kind of magical powers to make them Doctors. I felt the same way when I was told I was an "adult." Whatever that means.

Anyway, I did have a setback today. I realized the beautiful brown charmeuse I bought doesn't fit at all with my vision of the dress. This hit me out of the blue as if I hadn't been looking at, fondling and basking in the sheen of this fabric for 3 days! The skirt needs to be full and a bit stiff. Anyone who's ever touched charmeuse knows that even the heavier versions are slinky and drapey. So, I called up Britex to check on some duchess satin. Turns out they have it in stock. I'm praying the color is right and that I will be able to get enough and that generally all these things will fall into the right place. This of course would totally blow my budget if it weren't for another woman in the class deciding she love the charmeuse and buying it off me. So, no harm, no foul.

I've just about finished the inner corselette for the foundation of the dress. I just need to attach the grograin ribbon at the bottom and its technically good to go. Now all I need to do for the dress is get the fabric, cut it, underline it, attach the corselette, line the dress, hem it complete any last fittings and apply lace over about 40% of the gown. And I have three days. Cool.

Here's a shot of the corselette closure:



The blue stitches are the boning channels. 17 channels in all. I am going to try to mold some cups into the bust for some more shaping tomorrow. This is not unexplored territory, but it is uncharted. It's damn near impossible to find a book about bras/bustiers/anything with cups. So, I'm going to chop up one of my old bras to try to avoid consuming too much time with finagling. More tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Day 2

This morning I realized that in order to work with my lace I needed to change my base pattern. I was planning on the seam for the waist falling at my natural waist. But the way the lace falls across the bodice you would see this random line underneath it. It would be distracting and it would look like a beginners mistake. So! I moved it up. The base dress is now a Empire line but the only seams visible, once the lace is in place, will be the side seams. I realize this is all pretty dry particularly since my camera batteries died today while I was at school so I have no pictures. As it is we haven't really learned any new techniques yet.

Tomorrow we have a double session of hand sewing techniques. The one hand technique (other than basting) I know I am going to be using for this dress is tacking the lace onto the charmuse. I'm pretty sure I know how to do this, but chances are there is a different or just improved way to do it.

I do have one picture for you this evening. These are the smaller all black motifs in the "less dramatic" portion of the lace.



I am going to be placing these around the skirt with little leaves of the black tulle sprouting off them. I know it sounds funky and it is, but in a good way. I swear.

I'm really sorry my photos aren't a little more compelling. Tomorrow I'll try to get some in natural light and I'll let you see the lovely brown of the dress. Ooo! :)

Monday, May 01, 2006

Couture School: Day 1

This is going to be a quick post as I have a little homework to do for class and after 9 hours I'm just a little too tired to type for long. Plus, today I don't have a lot to share. But I do have this:

Welcome to Britex Fabrics



This was my view as I came in the back entrance off of Maiden Lane. I got this one quick shot before I was told there is no photography allowed. As if you can call what I do "photography." Anyway, if you have never been to Britex it is probably one of the most expensive (*the* most expensive in SF) fabric stores, but they also have the best fabrics. If you look hard you can probably find everything Britex has elsewhere, but if you need it and its high end they have it.

This picture only represents the first floor. There are 3 more with notions, bridal, home decorating and remnants. Check out the website for even better pics.



After two hours we all had our fabric and were ready to head back to our class and finish our muslin fittings. (I know I promised a muslin pic but I never got one. Just think strapless with a A-line floor length skirt.)

I went into Britex knowing exactly what I wanted and hoping it didn't cost nearly as much as I though it would. It turns out it cost exactly how much I thought it would. My mother would laugh at my picking out one of the most expensive laces in the store. But then take a look at it.





Please forgive the pictures as they really do not capture the beautiful ribbons and flower motif in this lace. This lace is know as an Alençon lace, named after the town where the technique was developed. You'll just have to trust me when I tell you it is one of the most beautiful laces I've ever seen. And I've been to the lace houses in Venice.

Hopefully, when I have it on the actual dress and can take a picture in natural light it will really come through just how gorgeous it is. I am cutting out the lace motifs and placing them ever so carefully around the bodice and skirt of my dress. I'd tell you more, like the color of the dress, but I have to have something to keep you coming back :)

More pics tomorrow when we'll be doing some actual samples!

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