Productivity has been fluctuating these past weeks and I haven't gotten as much done as I would like. Life throws stuff at you and you deal with it. I get in what I can fit it. And it is what it is. I know I've fooled you into thinking that I haven't done much of anything especially with the blog content as of late. Okay, well, yes, maybe I haven't.. but I'm working slow and steady over here. But before I show you what I've been working on or not working on, let me introduce you to a knew crafty friend. She's going to be helping me get a lot done over the next few months, especially for my Brazil SWAP.
She is yet to be named but something will come to me sooner or later. Or, I'll just have a contest. My friend, Dutch Girl, gave her to me over the holidays. I was so stoked! She was upgrading to a better form and one that's actually her size, so she wasn't in need of her anymore (which reminds me, I need to get her a token of thanks). But to be perfectly honest with you, I haven't touched her since I took her home and I have to size her up. I think she's pretty spot on up top. But boy, she's got some junk-age in her trunk-age that I'm seriously lacking. I just need to get my measurements and pad/unpad her as needed. That's priority number one before I start putting her to work.
Check out that bootay.
So this is what it is. Have you ever been in a situation where you're so close to being done, but there's only one thing standing in your way? How about if you knew the solution(s) to that one thing standing in your way and you still have yet to take any action? What would you do to make yourself do it? This is what I'm doing, calling myself out in front of all y'alI. I started this Build by Wendy top (Simplicity 4112) over the holidays and I'm only two steps away from having a new top to wear to work, putting in the button holes and putting in the buttons. So, what's the problem? My machine's button holer is tripping out. So why not take it into get serviced? I needed its non-button hole related functions to complete two quilts. So why not learn how to put in button holes by hand? I looked up the directions. They just scare the bejeezus out of me. So this is it, I will be wearing this shirt by the end of the month!
Finish and iron me, please.
And lastly, onto knitting. Yes, knitting! I started the Puff-sleeved Feminine Cardigan from Fitted Knits when mamaFasu got her new knee last month. I made a great deal of progress on it and the just kind of stopped. I'm now at the point where most of the main knitting is done. I'm just stuck on where to go from here.
I wasn't really feeling the peplum and decided to change it up. Instead of the lace panels, I decided convert it to ruffles ending in a seed stitch band to match the collar. I've already finished the increases and just need to decide how long I want them to be. The next thing I'm debating on are the sleeve cuffs. I substituted Cascade 220 has a larger gauge than called for in the patter. The sleeve cuff as written, three horizontal ribs, seem like they're rather big. My choices here are to either take out one of the ribs and make it only two or knit a simple seed stitch cuff to match the collar, button bands and bottom band. Thoughts?
Apologies for the blown out photo, but does this cuff look to big to you?
Hopefully both of these will be done by the end of the month and then I can start working full time on my Brazil SWAP. I'm thinking about it every day and hopefully I'll be able to have something more to show you in March.
Comments (17)
I can't wait to see your cardigan on you with the mods you made. Just try the buttons. But I feel you on the button holer issue lol
Posted by adrienne | February 11, 2008 3:51 AM
I have decided, after knitting a few of Stefanie Japel's designs, that I am not one with the purl ridges she puts in everything. While I think they look really cute on some people and some designs (like with DK or lighter-weight yarns), I now always leave them out. I vote for seed stitch. My $.02!
Posted by Jennifer | February 11, 2008 6:02 AM
i'm envious of your new mannequin, junkage and all. i've been wanting one forever now.
and i really love the mods you made to the cardigan. i'm quite anxious to see the finished product. it's going to look awesome.
Posted by Sandra | February 11, 2008 6:38 AM
Hmmm...How would it look with just two purl ridges instead of three? I'd probably try that first and see how it looked on.
Good luck. I love the color!
Posted by lynnewio | February 11, 2008 7:03 AM
Beautiful job on the cardi. What do you think about one ridge and then seed stitch, like the collar band? (Long time lurker, first time poster)
Posted by Trish | February 11, 2008 8:13 AM
You know what I'm gonna say. Get on Craigslist and get yourself a vintage machine. Heh heh. Get something not too big. Make sure it has built-in buttonhole capability or a buttonholer, and go to town!
That way, while you're having your main machine serviced, you can still be producing your masterpieces.
You're 30-60 bucks away from heaven. :)
Or, just take your machine in and get the buttonholer fixed.
The only thing I really can't get behind is hand sewing the buttonholes. 8-(
Posted by sappmama | February 11, 2008 8:43 AM
You could come over and use my machine for your buttonholes. You're welcome any time :) But I should probably make sure my buttonholer works first. Haven't used it in years.
But really, I'm not one to talk about forcing things to get done (*cough*HexCoat*cough*)
Good luck!!
Posted by Risa | February 11, 2008 8:50 AM
Cool dress form! I like the cardigan so far - very pretty. I say get your machine serviced even though you want to get those quilts done. It'll work so much better for you afterwards!
Posted by tiennie | February 11, 2008 8:52 AM
If you don't want to do the button holes, take it to a local tailor and have them do it. I hate sewing buttonholes...wait...I don't really sew.
I think a seed stitch edging. I think that would be a nice touch.
Posted by Christie | February 11, 2008 10:06 AM
Oh...and I'm super jealous of your mannequin! Big booty and all!
Posted by Christie | February 11, 2008 10:10 AM
Hm, personally I think the cuff looks just about right. I guess it would depend on where it came to on your arm, though. I think the three ribs look good, but if they came too far down I'd drop to two. I love the color!! :o)
Posted by Julia | February 11, 2008 11:01 AM
I didn't know that mannequins came in different body types! Your cardi is going to look so cute :) Personally, I like those 3 purl ridges... But I understand that you're trying to streamline the design, so you're right, a seed stitch border might look more cohesive.
Posted by Veronique | February 11, 2008 11:23 AM
Now THAT is a classy dress form. What are you talking about, you have been cooking up great culinary excellence, I have enjoyed reading every minute of it and the quilts, good grief, you are doing (and sharing) plenty! Good luck with the buttonholes, there is a buttonhole attachement thing for my sewing machine and well, I am so confused by it. And the cardigan looks good so far. I just like the word "peplum." I would be inclined to keep it just because I like saying it....peplum....
Posted by nova | February 11, 2008 11:56 AM
Hard to tell from the pic, but if you're already wondering if the cuff is too big, it probably is. I love the color, hot!
Posted by Steph | February 11, 2008 2:58 PM
I've never liked the multiple purl ridges in the Fitted Knits designs either. I vote for a seed stitch cuff -- that will look more delicate.
Posted by betty | February 11, 2008 6:35 PM
I like the idea of the seed stitch cuff to echo the collar... how lucky are you to get a new dress form? I've always wanted one.
Posted by Karma | February 11, 2008 10:10 PM
I have two dress forms but I want to get something that is 'closer' to my body shape (ugh!) Where would I be able to get a dress form like this? The ones I've seen on the web are really tacky looking but expensive as hell.
Posted by Yale | February 18, 2008 11:20 PM