Restingmotion

The blanket is finally done.  I think it turned out well considering the raw materials.

Actually, once I got back into the rhythm of the crochet, the border, which is quite slim, went very quickly, quickly enough that I considered going around again and making it wider.  

I had a minor set-back after I finished the border because I decided to wash the thing before turning it in since my cats have thought it was the perfect lounging blanket while I was working on it, and before all the blocks were sewn.  When I pulled the thing out of the dryer there as a big hole, where one of the blocks had come unraveled in the center.  It seems the knitter just carried the yarn behind a few stitches when beginning a new piece in the middle of the block and since acrylic does not "grab" the yarn simply unravelled.  She (I am assuming the knitter was a she but I could be wrong) should have changed yarns at the side and knotted it.  If I had looked more closely, I might have just unraveled that particular square and reknit it as it was too large and floppy and I had a terrible time gathering it up to fit in with the surrounding squares while I was sewing it up.

Anyway, I did manage a passable, but not superb, job of darning the hole with enough extra yarn to tie a tiny little knot, hide it behind a stitch, and dab it with the teeniest bit of fray block, to keep it from unravelling again when Its owner throws it in the wash.

So much for my education in blankets.  I am reminding myself just to knit enough blocks for an entire blanket next year and donate a completely finished blanket to save someone the trouble.  That way I have complete control….

There is enough yarn left for me to knit a few blocks for this year's knit-in on May 2, although not enough for me to make a blanket, and I want to knit my own projects.  I will also use some of the gray yarn to knit a few blocks for the kitties to play with since Moisés would keep steeling a block and running around the house with it.   What do you think?  I'm inclined to think the knitting he is supposed to play with is never as enticing as the forbidden yarn, but it will not take so long to knit a block and see.

I promised I would do some sewing for the local historical society.  They have many knitted and crocheted blocks that were donated at an annual "knit-in" which need to be assembled into blankets.  Apparently gathering squares is easier than finding willing seamstresses.  

I do actually find the work rather calming  now that I have finally figured out what I was doing.  I didn't like the look of the blanket when I crocheted it together, or when I used a mattress-stitch like seam, too many colors and weights and different patterns were used.  

In the end I am happiest using a simple blanket stitch, which also helps me adjust the tension and gives me a little wiggle room, matching up blocks that very slightly in gauge and size.  I also like the even more minimal stitches seen on the reverse (right in the photo here.

I am hoping to put some regular time in this now and finish it up over the weekend.

I was having a lot of trouble getting myself motivated to get back in the sewing room actually making something.  Then, over the weekend I got a comment on my knitting blog asking me if I preferred knitting or sewing.  My initial reaction was "sewing" but of course there are times when I prefer knitting.  

But the question made me think.  If my answer was sewing, why wasn't I sewing something?  And it struck me that there are a lot of reasons, but that if I really wanted to be sewing I should just start.

And so I did.

I knew that I had much unfinished business in the sewing room and I was in the middle of a muslin but I really just wanted something new, something I could wear right now, and I thought I would just whip up a simple knit dress.  I prepped the fabric over the weekend and pulled out the pattern and thought I would get right to work.  But then I realized that yes, I could just do an FBA and lengthen the pattern, and add a little at the hips too, but that what I really wanted to do was make it fit me well, and my idea of fitting well has changed since I took that sit and sew class with Susan Khalje and Kenneth King.

I am no longer happy with things that "were good enough" a few short months ago because now I have seen how they can be better.  I don't quite fully have my had wrapped around the "how" part of making them better, but I now know I can do it.  I don't mind messing up.  I don't mind making a "wadder" but apparently I do mind just whipping up something that is "good enough" when I know I can do better.

But I don't really know how to do better because I am still working through the alterations on my princess seamed blouse.  I intended to use the blouse, once it was fitted, to be the base from which I could work altering other patterns.  But I haven't finished the blouse and as a result I don't really understand how the things I have done completely relate to the whole.  I don't have a base yet.  I realized I needed to go back to my muslin, and that once I have done the necessary work to get the fit right, and translated that to other patterns, then I can whip up a quick little dress when the mood strikes, a quick little dress that actually fits,

 So I finished the shirt muslin I was working on before Christmas.  I was not as far along as I had thought.  I had cut out a new front and sewn it up, but although I had made a new pattern for the back, I hadn't cut it out of fabric yet.  Today I cut the back and sewed up the third muslin and tried it on.  It is pretty good, but still not perfect.  I need a little more room at the bust, I need to shift a couple of seams to get them to line up in a balanced and attractive way.  I think there are some changes to be made to the back as well.  G tells me there are wrinkles.  After I fix the front I shall move on to the back, and then to the sleeves, which will hopefully not throw everything else completely out of whack.

And you know something?  Just cutting out the muslin and sewing it up was gratifying and fun, as much fun as making a new dress.  And I am thrilled that even though I haven't done much sewing yet, it is coming back to me, stitching and marking and cutting and even sewing neatly are becoming simple and natural again, which is major, because when I started up again in November I thought that I was pathetically bad, as bad as when I was just starting.  I embarrassed myself.  I am glad to have gotten past that.

Next up shirt muslin #4.

I promised that I would show the patterns from this book, and there are quite a few that appeal.  In fact I added six sweaters from this book to my master knitting pattern database, which is a pretty good number.

One thing I like about the patterns, and this refers back to the information I discussed in my previous post, is that there is very complete sizing information given with the patterns.  Of course there is finished bust and length but also waist and hip measurements if it is relevant as well as waist length and shoulder width on a few patterns.  The patterns also discuss the intended length of the pattern for example, a sweater is intended to be worn at the mid-length, or it discusses options or how the placement of design features might affect the length at which you choose to knit the sweater.  Not only is this useful if you are knitting the sweater, as many many patterns are lacking even basic information, but looking through the book, looking at the styles and the fit and directions given is an education in knitting design and proportion that can be applied to other sweaters.    

The only fit information that is lacking, and it is not common enough in knitting patterns to begin with, is that it would be wonderful if the designer mentioned the amount of ease in the design in the actual pattern.  That said, it is still easy to figure out as there is a size guide in the back of the book and one can easily find one's size and then compare it to the given measurements.  

But I believe I promised pictures:

I love this buttoned and tabbed muffler.  Oh I know buttoned mufflers are almost a dime a dozen.  There is a nice one sitting on the table of my LYS right now.  And I do like the tailored effect of them, the clean lines and the warmth without too much bulk or flopping ends. (and this from a woman who has more scarves than anyone has a right to).  But what I really like are the little tabs, a small detail that I wouldn't have thought of but now think is just perfect.  They are, in fact, a little bit weird, like fingers wrapping around the neck, and I suspect that is what attracts me, as if that little bit of oddness catches one by surprise and makes it all the more interesting.

 Sally Melville says that she was inspired to make the buttoned muffler by a pair of fabulous tabbed cuffs her daughter designed.  I agree with her that the tabbed cuffs are fabulous and I am very much intrigued by them.  But I also know that I would never wear them.  I love gloves and mitts, but only as an accessory to my coat.  

I honestly believe that there are "glove people" and then there are the rest of us.  Glove people can wear gloves and make them into a style statement; I cannot.  I admire beauty in gloves, but in the end it is just a glove, a necessary accoutrement, and as much as I love these tabbed cuffs, they would never be comfortable on me.  

 And now on to the sweaters.  There are lots of sweaters, all pretty much classic.

The Knit Across Sweater is knit side to side, as is implied in the title.  I like the narrower ribbing on the sleeves and the wider ribbed pattern across the body.  The ribbing at the waist is picked up and knit down after the top of the sweater has been completed, and it can be worn short and bloused as shown, or pulled down.  I would think that it would be flattering and slimming either way.

 I learned long ago that a long, unshaped sweater with a deep rib detail like this one is very flattering on me.  I tend to think the long deep ribbing, and it is about 6 inches as this pattern is written, somehow reminds me of a little flippy skirt at the bottom of the sweater.

I have always been a fan of a long cozy warm sweater when the weather is cold, and the way the design breaks up the large expanse of sweater makes it very nice and wearable.

 Even though I have never been a big fan of the shirt-jacket, I am very atttacted to the classic knit shirt as designed by Sally Melville in this book.  Perhaps it is the soft fabric that appeals to me.  She shows two versions, one in lace weight mohair and another in sport weight linen and both are gorgeous.   I think it is the combination of the shaping and the soft drape of the fabric that appeals to me, and the fact that soft drapy semi-sheer mohair would be warmer and more versatile than a sewn shirt jacket in a sheer fabric.  At any rate, for the first time in my life I see shirt-style cardigans in my life, whereas before a shirt jacket was something I borrowed from my husband when I was raking the leaves.

 The Sophisticated Hoodie is also nice: interesting enough to knit, casual and more stylish than a standard sweatshirt.  Knit in cotton or a cotton blend I think this would become a trans-seasonal favorite much like Rogue has become a winter favorite.  Again, I have learned that I am a great fan of knitted hoodies, and have several residing in my closet, both purchased and hand knit, and several of these are about to be retired.   This one would be a great new addition. 

 A classic cabled cardigan is always nice, and this one definitely appeals to me.  It is not particularly shaped, but the deeply ribbed waist will add the illusion of shaping as will the nicely angled cables in the bodice.  This is a nice combination of texture and detail with simplicity of shape and design, something that sometimes seems all to rare

 The tunic pattern named Mini-Dress is a more trendy garment than most of the ones listed here, and it is designed by Sally's daughter Caddy (as is the first, sideways sweater).  I have loved this since I first saw it and although I can see it with a simple pair of slacks and sandals in warm weather, I mostly envision myself wearing this as a layering piece.

 Last (yes there is an end to my long ramblings) is this Crinkly Blouse Sweater.  Another long unshaped sweater, this one is actually a-line, to be worn with narrow pants, it exudes calm casual chic.  I think it is the combination of the ribbing and the lace, with the crinkly texture of the pattern and the linen that really makes this sweater.  It would have a completely different aura in a different fiber. There are days when I want simple, casual, and uncomplicated and this sweater fits the bill; if I can have all of that with a bit of sophisticated chic, so much the better.  I believe this sweater has that potential although success will all lie in choice of yarn and the fit. Get it wrong and you could easily have an oversized "I give up" sweater.  Luckily the designer gives you enough information to make it work if you pay attention (something at which I have not excelled of late).