An update, and a hat:

Well, this year I'm going to try doing weekly updates.  Sometimes I might even manage it!

This week's update is brought to you by a hat, specifically a hat to go with these mittens.

Double stranded worsted, knit on 6mm needles (windproof!, even when made of Bernat Super Value yarns).  The pattern, written in two sizes, is here.
But, I could not find a hat pattern that matched them.  (Seriously?  No one has ever made a hat pattern?).  My prototype is slightly too tall for my head, ( did 4 full pattern repeats, but only neede 3)  so the pattern I've written here takes that adjustment into account.

Newfoundland Adult Hat Pattern in Bulky:

Supplies Needed:
6mm needles, dp and circulars if desired.
Bulky weight yarn (or doubled worsted weight).  approx 100 yds bulky in MC, and 80 yds bulky in CC.
Note: Hat as pictured took about 200 yards of worsted in black, held doubled, and about 140 yards of yellow worsted held doubled.  Since this is a stash project, I was not as picky with the amounts, so your mileage may vary. 

Cast on 72 stitches, and join in a circle being careful not to twist yarns when joining.  K1 P1 rib (or desired rib pattern to match mittens) for 2" or desired length.  For a fold up brim of just ribbing, I would suggest 4", but this is up to you.

On the last ribbing round, increase one stitch every 8 stitches around by kfb.  (*Kfb, rib 7* around row).  Totals should be 84, which is a multiple of 6 stitches; adjust as needed during purl rows).

Pattern in round:
row 1, 2 : with mc, purl

row 3, 4, 5, 6: *k4 contrast, slip 2 as if to purl*
note: carry mc up inside hat, so that the bar is not seen.
row 7, 8: with mc, purl
row 9, 10, 11, 12: *k1 contrast, slip 2 mc as if to purl, k3* repeat around

Repeat rows 1-12 three times (or desired depth).  End with rows 1 and 2 before beginning hat decreases:

Decreases: Using MC:
row 1: *k10, k2tog*
row 2 and all alternate rows: k
row 3: *k9, k2tog*
row 5: *k8, k2tog*
row 7: *k7, k2tog*
row 9: *k6, k2tog*
row 11: *k5, k2tog*
row 13: *k4, k2tog*
row 15: *k3, k2tog*
row 17: *k2, k2tog*
row 19: *k1, k2 tog*
row 21: k2tog, around row.  Break yarn, and draw through all stitches.  Fasten off.

Finish hat with a pompom using both colours.

Updates on the insanity so far...

Here is the Blanket of Insanity, as of a week ago:

Three squares nearly covers the bed; 5 squares gives a good hanging edge length wise.  4 squares across gives a good hanging edge width wise.  This is exciting, because that means that 20 squares, or a variation of 20 squares, will make it perfect.  25 squares is huge!  I am currently working on square number 5!  I am nearly 25% done!   My Phoenix project will be 6 squares for this insanity it 8 weeks.  I can do that.  I think. 

Quote of the week, by DD2, on the way out the door to my sister's baby shower.  (The little darling is scheduled to enter the world on Feb 1, and I can hardly wait.) 

"I feel like a Disco Ball!" 

Notice the sparkles on the walls and floor from her skirt! 

The big item for the shower was this quilt top, constructed by DD1:

It has a couple more borders on it right now, and will have a backing and edging and all that, but wow, am I ever proud of her!  Great job, don't you think? 

On the sewing front, I've made a pair of pants from the Laura pattern from style arc, and I am wearing them right now.  There is fabric on the table for two more, possibly three.  A dark grey stretch for a dress pant, a dark grey denim, and a stretch black striped dress pant fabric.  I may not get a swap done, but I will have pants that are not all black.  

Continuing on the weight loss journey.

I won't be staying with the official Weight Watchers site in the new year.  Even though I think it is a good value and it had some good tips, and I would recommend it, I am not a meeting person, and a good look at the budget this week means that money is going to go elsewhere.   I'm pretty convinced that any tracking system will help you; overall, theirs seems pretty balanced and healthy lifestyle oriented. I will be continuing to work on the weight loss, though, mostly because I feel better when I weigh less.

I found a great I phone app that uses the new points plus system for tracking.  I've used the new WW system for three months, so I can say that the new points system allows for my eating restrictions without a lot of hassle, or feeling stressed or depressed.  My anaphylactic allergies mean I can't eat anything 'low fat' (poultry, eggs, fish, shellfish), mangoes, melons or peanuts.  Every other diet plan I have looked at over the years suggests eating strictly low fat proteins, and normally melons as a primary fruit because they are filling and low calorie, or seriously penalizes you for having to eat beef or pork (this was an issue with the former WW point system) because they are trying to encourage 'lower fat/lower calorie' intake. The new one doesn't do that. 

So, my sewing plans for SWAP are going to be a little fluid, because I am losing weight.  I didn't think I was, and then I started sewing clothes this week and needing to take them in.  Seriously?  But, the pants pattern  fit in October!

This is good, and bad at the same time.  Good because I feel better, and look better.  Bad because it means that I am going to be putting energy into transitional clothing.  I already put three tops I made this summer that fit really well then into the black bags of blessing this week, along with two pairs of nice tailored pants.  My new resolution is no tailored pants until I've stabilized. 

Inspiration.

I've been working on the border of the next square, and tidying the next area of the house.  We are now up to 10 black bags, plus the old tree and the old lights and a few other things that will go in tomorrow's pick up, but tonight is sewing night. 

Sewing night means that I need a little inspiration, which I found here.

Isn't this top just the cutest thing ever?  Hers is cute, and inspiring.  I can sew this!  Check back in tomorrow, with hopefully my version of this finished top.  You should check out her blog--it is totally fun and inspiring.

Calculations, and plans.

Calculations, and reality:
Ok, the blanket has officially been renamed the Blanket of Insanity.  I calculated that 20 squares will take  7600 m of RHSS.  That, my friends, is a lot of knitting.  I've made three squares, and the fourth one is ready to have the border knit on. 4/20 is 20% done!  My date of finishing? June, since we will have been together 25 years in June.  25 years.  Wow. He used to have hair.  I used to be a size 6.  Neither of us are the same.  But, life is still good, and we are going to celebrate with a blanket of insanity. 

So, Plans for the year.

1.  Finish this insanity of a blanket!  Before our anniversary.  And stick to it, in spite of the insanity of the blanket.  I can knit 20 squares.  I know that the thought of 80 squares was beyond me.  I can do 20 squares.  (I am currently ignoring the fact that each of my 20 squares is made of 4 squares, so I am really making 80 squares.  Ignorance is bliss in this case.)

2.  Knit from my stash!  4 out, 1 in.  I haven't decided whether it is m for m, or ball for ball.  I'm leaning to ball for ball, ignoring the bigger balls as well, bigger.  And make one for me, one for someone else.  I am going to add right here, that according to the calculations, the blanket will need about 3600 m of white.  I definitely do not have that much white in the stash, getting enough white to finish the silly thing is going to be a challenge.  I'm not going to stick to the 'stash only' thought for the blanket.  I have enlisted some of my Ravenclaw Friends to help  provide white, and we will proceed from there. I am allowed to purchase for the blanket. 

I'm also toying with knitting a km a month; it is only 1000 m.  I can do that.  Really.  Particularly if I am knitting the blanket of insanity (one square a week would let me pass this goal).

3.  Get the house fully useable from top to bottom, so that we can host Christmas 2012.  This means a huge destash and ruthless declutter.  It also means thinking through how to sleep over many people in a very small house.  And feed people, and have many people enjoy many places.  Time to have less stuff and more useable space and more fun.  So far, I have decluttered the front hall closet, and half of the upstairs bedroom.  This is a long term plan; it is doable.

4.  Focus on the good stuff, and let some of the crazy go.  It is time to move on from some things, like faeryfest.  One of the things I will do is send some (many) costumes over to faeryfest, for them to use and store.  We are not going to act in the cast this year, which means that a lot of our costumes can move on.  After being in the cast the entire time it has run, I think that it is time to be willing to try other opportunities.  There are lots of other crazy that can go.

5.  Get the finances straight.  Pay off the bills, and the credit cards and the debt, and build some possible equity.  I'm not as committed here as I could be.  But, I've spent about a week and a half not spending money, so we will see.

6.  Get some exercise, and eat right.  Use the inhalers.  Take care of me.  The usual. Given.

7.  Compete a swap, with fabric in the stash.  Swap is a doable and effective way to have clothes that work.  When I was thinning today, I realized that what I was keeping was all the stuff I had made that worked from the last three attempts at swap and continuous sewing.  So, swap works.  And, I am going to complete one this year. 

8.  Spend some time in gratitude and prayer.  Keep a 5 items of gratitude journal.  Spend some time praying. 


I could add more, but I'm not going to because these are the important things.  More than that would be too much.  Now, on to working on the borders of square 4. 

SWAP of the TnT: Pick 7, make 11

Swap is back.  It may not (yet) have prizes, but it has the most important aspect of all--the foundations of a good solid wardrobe that you will wear and wear and wear. 

This year's swap concept is definitely a winner.  It started a while ago with a discussion about patterns and needing good basics that could be changed around and used in so many ways.  Then there were a few of us who wanted to fit some good basics, and were going to do this during the last three months before Swap as we waited for the challenge.  And now--fitting good basics is the challenge aspect of swap!


DragonLady posted the rules for SWAP2012, and said don't overthink, just do:

This year, our SWAP will focus on fitting, and making tried-and-true patterns: testing and fitting paper patterns, muslins, and fashion garments that will help lower the overall sewing failure rates,  result in fabulous clothing to be proud of, and (hopefully) give every contestant a pattern or two that works every time it is used.

Choose any seven garments from this list:

Button Down Shirt w/Collar         
Blouse or shirt   (collar is optional)               
T-Shirt         
Vest                               
Overshirt               
Dress           
Jeans
Trousers     
Shorts or Capri Pants     
Skirt 
Jacket (jean jacket, windbreaker, hoodie, etc.)                   
Coat  (suit or sport coat)
Overcoat or Raincoat   
Bathing Suit & Coverup
                           

From those seven, choose four to make twice for a total of 11 garments that will work together.   Those four may either be repeated garments from the same pattern, or one each from two different patterns.


It doesn't matter what styles you choose, but *do* keep in mind these should be patterns you will be using over and over in the future, so keep 'em simple with lots of room for future alterations, changes and embellishments.  You will probably want to make a test muslin of each pattern, so that any fitting issues can be addressed early on.

If you already have a full set of basic patterns, this is your opportunity to expand a bit.  You may have all the coats and coat patterns you'll ever need, so you can skip that and make two skirts instead. 


For those of you who rarely wear pants, I'm allowing you to choose  another skirt or dress to substitute for a pants-type bottom.  This is only to prevent you from having to make a garment that will rarely or never be worn just for the sake of this contest, and only because the main idea of this year's contest is to make patterns that will be used over and over.  If pants (or shorts or jeans or whatever) are regular part of your wardrobe, you should make pants instead.  If you are using this option to make an extra skirt or dress, remember that you will get more mileage if you use seperate patterns that use different construction techniques or are fitted differently (i.e. one woven, and one knit).
 
In other words: Pick 7; make 11.   

Here I am looking at the list and trying to actually narrow it down to just 7 patterns, lol: 

Button Down Shirt w/Collar         
1. Blouse or shirt   (collar is optional) ** absolutely                
T-Shirt  (hmm, I have a good pattern for this, and I wear these all the time, maybe/maybe not)    
Vest                               
Overshirt 
2. Dress--Sheath dress, here I come            
3. Jeans--Jalie jeans, dress jeans
4. Trousers  ** work pants!       
Shorts or Capri Pants     
Skirt  (hmm, I have two patterns already, and I mostly don't wear skirts)
5. Jacket (jean jacket, windbreaker, hoodie, etc.)  **casual jacket block, and a panel jacket block           
Coat  (suit or sport coat)
Overcoat or Raincoat--maybe?    
Bathing Suit & Coverup

Looks like I'm still thinking about this one...

What have I been up to?

Well, for the last 9 weeks or so, I've been sick. I'm still teaching, and moderating part of the Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup, and all those things I'm supposed to do, like sing at concerts and direct concerts.  But, wow, am I ever tired.

At first it was a cold.  Then it was bronchitis, that just didn't go away.  Then, when I finally went to the doctor after 5 weeks, she put me on inhalers, maintenance inhalers and antibiotics, and I was better for a while, but I've been really tired. (Her comment?  Well, if you aren't getting enough oxygen, you are going to be tired!)  But, she's ordered some tests, which I will do between Christmas and New Years. Then, week 9 of this ridiculous something,  I was grouchy.  Grouchy is normal for teachers heading into the Christmas season, but this seemed a little odd.  Friday, when I woke up sounding like a bass, I thought--oh, not again!  I don't have time for this. I have a concert to sing on Sunday.  I need to deal with the Christmas tree.  I need to get presents.  The present stash?  Oh it is empty!  So, I ignored it, and trudged on. 

Saturday, I got up, croaked a bit, and hubbie made me go back to bed.  I slept for 20 hours.  Sunday I was up for 1 hour and went back to bed.  Monday, I was up all day, but every time I got up to walk around or I laugh, I start hacking up a lung.  Today, I am officially tired of being sick, which must mean I am finally getting better.  I have enough energy to be tired of being sick.

Ok, enough whining!  What have I been working on?  Stash reduction.  Getting ready for another term as a student in the House Cup.  Dealing with whinging parents, and preparations for another year of VEX robotics competitions, along with Lego robotics competitions.  Planning on how to reduce the ridiculously large stash of yarn that is currently invading our house. 

 One of the things I am going to make this year for our anniversary is a blanket for our bed.  More specifically, this:

Which will, I hope, become this:

  Only bigger!  Much bigger! The pictured blanket is the original Mitered Crosses Blanket for Japan, by Kay Gardiner.  You can purchase the pattern here, on Ravelry.  Each of the squares is roughly 8".   My squares are 19" across. 

On a conservative estimate, I will be making either 18 or 23 squares, to make a blanket that will cover our bed, and drape over the sides.  But the layout, and the look will be like the blanket above, either four across or five across, and five rows down.    I'm not using Noro Silk Garden, which although beautiful is definitely not husband proof.   Well, not my husband anyway.  I'm using stash yarn.  Specifically the Red Heart Super Saver, and other worsted weight acrylics from the stash that are currently exploding out of our basement and invading the living room.

The scary thing is that I think the blanket will only make a little dent in the stash.  

Must tame the stash.  Must get it back to something more reasonable. 

Inspiration!

I was poking around for inspiration for my 6 pack (well, given my sewing habits, I would say my 6 pack will end up being more like a 6 pack plus 3), and found this jacket on Madeline.  This online shop is a vintage shop that is wonderful fun to poke through--the best of the best of designer clothing.  If you are into decades, there is something here for you. 

And I think this jacket just might end up as the inspiration piece for my 6 pack.  I can see this one being made from Loes Hinse Bolero's Multiples pattern, in a nice brown wool, lined with bemburg.  The belt would be inserted into the waist of the the inset collar.  With interesting buttons, and a belt piece, this would be a really fun jacket.  Off to plot in the aging stash!  

Line drawing for the Boleros Multiples Jacket; View C in the shorted length

Faye Skirt--Style Arc Patterns

I've been spending money on patterns.  One of the companies I wanted to try out, based on their positive reviews at Sewing Pattern review are  Style Arc patterns.

I measure exactly their 16 on the bottom, and their 12 on the top.  Pretty unusual.  What I really like about these patterns is that they give you a really great set of measurements for their blocks, including the shoulder width measurements, which is what I usually use to pick an upper body pattern.  So I splurged, and purchased 3 patterns: a shirt, a pair of pull on pants, and a tshirt pattern.  The bonus was the Faye skirt pattern. When they arrived today, I just had to try out the skirt pattern. Based on this one, I'm giving these patterns a two thumbs up rating.  Give them a try. 

Pattern:
Faye Skirt, Style Arc
pull on elastic waist skirt, intended to be made out of stretch jersey

Pattern Sizing:  Style arc patterns come one size.  I used a  16, exactly as measured, with no modifications to pattern


Fabric and Notions:
1.5 m black cotton lycra jersey
34" 1/2" elastic
thread
I have no idea when I purchased this fabric, but I think it is at least 10 years old. 

Garment photo: goes here when the photographer finally gets around to it.

Pattern alterations or design changes: This was my first try with these patterns, so I left everything well enough alone.  I wanted to see how this block fit, and I figured that if the pattern didn't fit, the fabric was so old that it didn't matter if it was a wader.  Good thing I like the fabric I used though, because it fits perfectly. 


Does it look like the pattern photo? Oh yeah, it does.  It is quite long on me, but it looks like the picture. 

Likes or Dislikes about the garment? Other than the fact that it is long by a couple of inches (not unexpected; I am only 5'1" and I'm sure these are drafted for someone around 5'6"), I love the skirt.  It is comfortable and stretchy.  I will make it again, for sure, but I will shorten the pattern by taking out a 2" pleat at the hemline notch mark, to make it my perfect length.



Comments about the pattern:
Style Arc patterns are industrial patterns.  They are printed with whole front and whole back pieces, instead of expecting you to cut something out on the fold.  They have industrial standards for seam allowances and hems, in this case 1cm.   They come in sleeve protectors, which I really like since I store my traced off patterns in sleeve protectors in binders, with the image of the garment, the suggested amounts to purchase,  a small sample of the suggested fabric, and really basic sewing instructions.   

The advantage of the pattern is that it fits exactly the way it says it is going to fit, if you use the suggested fabric.  The disadvantage is that you need to have a pretty good idea of how to sew things together, since some of the terms used in the instructions aren't common ones in the North American home sewing market.   Instructions are often overrated, so fit is way more important to me than instructions, but I would have liked a better instruction on how to put the elastic inside the skirt so that the elastic doesn't show, as in the picture.  My elastic shows; it isn't bad, but it isn't the cute hidden elastic in the pattern.

French Chic, and the essential list

I've been reading The Vivienne Files which are awesome.  Her idea of appropriate fabrics doesn't work with my wash and wear lifestyle, but I love her concepts.  If I was going to distill her words down, they would be these:  choose your best colours and stick to them, buy the best you can afford to take care of, make sure that every piece says something about your essential style, and no fluff.  She does a two things I really agree with: limits the colours to two or three that work together, and mixes the level of 'formal' in the wardrobe so there is more flex for real life planning than a lot of other planning suggestions I have seen. 

Her list of the 15 essential garments was summarized from a book I have never gotten my hands on.  In her words (July 8 blog post, for those interested):

One of the things about the book French Chic (Susan Sommers) which intrigued me was the list of garments which included "The seven essentials no well-dressed Frenchwoman would be without".

That list included:

1. A black straight skirt
2. a V-neck or cardigan sweater
3. a suit
4. a pair of jeans
5. a silk shirt
6. a couple of white tee-shirts
7. an Hermes scarf

The idea of a list of essential clothing fascinates me; in a world that tries to compel me to over-consume, that finite-ness of a list like this, in which I could have some discipline and some structure, seems heaven-sent. 

She adds more here, and finishes with another list:

But of course, the French wardrobe is not limited to just the above.  French Chic counsels us that there are eight other garments which will round out the wardrobe.  And this still is not the end of a French wardrobe - they do indeed own more than 16 pieces of clothing, but it does make up the core.

"The eight extras in a well-dressed wardrobe":

1. A white cotton shirt
2. a pullover sweater
3. a full or pleated skirt
4. pleated trousers
5. a simple sweater dress
6. a trenchcoat
7. a black leather blouson
8. a heavy coat

I think it is a great foundation list.  It reminds me of Tim Gunn's ten essentials list, and a few others I could name, like the Eileen Fisher's style lists. 

I know me, so there are things I definitely would do differently in my own life.   I don't wear pleated pants, for example, so I would include a fuller leg, dressy pant instead.  Sweater dress with my thighs isn't going to happen but I will wear a sheath dress or a classic 50's style dress.   Scarves are out; I don't wear things around my neck because they are a safety hazard.  I love the concept of starting with an inspiration piece, and the scarf with its many colours is a good example of working from inspiration to limit colours.     

If I was going to summarize this list down to some essential pattern basics for someone who truely wanted to sew their wardrobe, it would go like this:

Three really good pants patterns: 

• a good basic trouser pattern--nice dress pants, or good chinos, depending on your fabric
• a jeans pattern
• a pleated pants pattern, or a fuller leg dressy pattern

Two really good skirt patterns:

• a slim skirt pattern--for me, this is the classic knee length straight skirt, but I think the style depends on your personal preferences
• a fuller skirt pattern; for me this is a 12 gore skirt, but I could see a pleated skirt here too

One, or two really good dress patterns

• a good classic dress up or down dress; for me this is a sheath or dress without a waist seam
• a more casual dress with a waist seam; for me, this is the 50s style dress, with a skirt

Several tops patterns, which can be changed to go up or down in formality, depending on fabrics and styling

• a twin set pattern, which included a shell and sweater--my preference would be a vneck sweater and sleevelss shell with a scoop neck, but I can see tastes varying for this
• a really good tshirt
• a blouse pattern--button down the front, good styling, that can be made from cotton or silk to be formal or casual
• some form of pullover sweater pattern; for me, this is a  v-neck classic style (although, I would be more likely to knit this than sew this garment
• a jacket pattern, classic styling for a suit, but with some definite style.  

And, over it all layer patterns

• a trench coat, rain coat, or all weather coat
• a leather jacket or dressier all weather coat
• a decent heavy coat

What she doesn't include in her list at all is gym wear, which in the French tradition is worn strictly in the gym, not for every day wear in the street.  If you are exercising 3 to 5 days a week you need gym clothes.  I would add to her list two more items to her list of essentials: decent gym pants (yoga pants, or capri pants or shorts) and some kind of warm up jacket.

 Looks like a pretty good list of clothing to start with.  Now, off to plan.