Bonnie Pulitzer

I loved this fabric when I saw it a year or two ago (purchased somewhere online; don't remember where). It reminded me of Lily Pulitzer fabric and I thought it would make a cute dress or skirt for one of my teenage daughters. Oh silly me... How could I forget my girls don't have much use for my "creations".

So, in an attempt to get my sewing mojo back, I decided to whip up something quick and thought this fabric would make a nice springy skirt to wear to the office (we're very casual) or for one of the many graduation related events that are coming up. I used an McCalls 7904 (out of print) and in approximately two hours, had the skirt finished.

Wow

I knew I hadn't posted in a while but didn't realize it had been a whole month! My travel schedule is killing me!

Over the last month, my oldest daughter accepted a great job (staff accountant for Macy's Corporate Services). She starts part time today and will become full-time upon graduation from UC in mid-June. My other daughter is winding down her senior year in high school including the last cheerleading/basketball banquet, mother daughter fashion show, and two proms.

My son and I have been doing a ton of yard work and I'm trying to win the war against dandelions, however, I'm failing miserably.

I have squeezed in a little sewing and even some knitting. My friends hosted their annual Kentucky Derby party Saturday. The day was beautiful (after a week of rain) and it was a very fun time. I made a dress for the occasion and a matching hat - tradition for the derby party! Here is a photo of all the ladies


And here is one that shows the dress [note to self: posture, posture, posture]. The pattern is Simplicity 2886 and full review is here.


I started a blanket for a friend who is due to give birth in August. The yarn is Cotton Ease and the pattern is a basketweave design. It's easy mindless knitting for the daily bus ride.



I finished the back of a sweatshirt. Pattern is from The Yarn Girls Guide to Beyond the Basic by Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs and the yarn is a cotton/wool blend called Main Line from Knitpicks.


That's what's been going on in my world lately.

Happy Spring!

Just a quick shout out to say howdy. Lots going on lately. Nothing earth shattering but I have spent almost no time in the sewing room and little time knitting! Took a mini vacation with my son. My daughter got accepted into her first choice for college - THE Ohio State University. Had a fantastic birthday. Two of our three cars got hit. Resurrected dinner club - co-hosting this weekend. Oldest daughter graduates with accounting degree - interviewing with fingers crossed in this economy!

I miss sewing and knitting but I really miss my bloggy friends!! Hope you're all doing well and enjoying spring!!

Photo-less posts are boring so here is a shot of my "Not Your Standard-Issue Sweatshirt, Take Two by Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs". Yarn is Knitpicks Mainline - a cotton wool blend.

And I leave you with our dinner club menu for this weekend. Wish us luck! All new recipes!!

Dinner Club Menu:
Cucumber Gimlet
Coriander Lime Shrimp
Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini
Asian Pear salad
Chilean Sea Bass with Wild Mushrooms on Three Cheese Polenta
Roasted Asparagus & Red Peppers
Coffee-Chocolate Layer Cake with Mocha-Mascarpone Frosting
Cheese / Fruit / Nuts assortment

Quack Quack

I finished the Ducky Hat and Booties for my brother and SIL's new baby. They really turned out cute! Pattern here if you're interested. A few flaws in the pattern but easy enough to work out.

The sisters I never had!!

I grew up with three brothers. I always wanted a sister (although being the only girl ensured I got my own room). So I'm thrilled to have been bestowed The Sisterhood Award by three of my blogging sisters! Thank you to my gals Lindsey, Ann and Louella!!

But don't go borrowing my clothes without asking or I'm telling Mom!!

The Purple Fat Lady Dress

I have had my eye on Butterick 5244 for some time. Simple lines but fun details. I loved the purple version on the package and decided to make it exactly as pictured after finding a great deal on clearance matte jersey ($1.50 per yard!!) from one of the online fabric stores in a gorgeous imperial purple color.

PR reviews indicated some issues with the pattern but sounded like nothing that couldn't be resolved. One of the complaints about the pattern was the bulk around the neck. I couldn't tell in the pattern picture or drawing but there is actually a collar on top of the yoke that is the identical shape as the yoke. I didn't realize until I cut it out and re-read the pattern that it was even there so after reading the criticisms of the added bulk and how it lays on the back of the dress, I decided to omit the collar. It definitely is not necessary.

The welt pockets were was a challenge for me and although not perfect, I was happy with how they turned out:

And look how cute the tabs on the yoke are:

I finished the dress in time to wear it to my son's mother-son / father-daughter dance. I paired it with black tights and black boots. I really liked the look and was happy I got it done in time to wear it out. We took lots of pictures of my son and I. So why did I post a picture of the dress on the hangar? Well, after viewing pictures of me in the dress, I appear to be 20 pounds heavier than I am. I am stumped. When I look in the mirror, I don't see the same thing and I even asked my daughter who is always honest when I've sewed a dud. She didn't think I looked fat either. But I definitely do in the pictures; thus, no modeled shot of the dress! I think it's a combination of it not being a figure hugging dress with the fact that I really do need to lose a few pounds.

Seeing those pictures of me provided a good kick in the butt to return to WW and start exercising. I've had a fair week. I did get out and walk twice and even did a pilates routine this morning but I ate and drank more than I should have. Somehow the scale was on my side this morning and I hope next week is even better. Bathing suit season is around the corner and I plan to be ready!

How adorable is this sweater?

Go see this clever replication of a $112 Anthropologie sweater. You won't believe how cute the recreation is nor what it cost her to make it!!!

And you can enter her contest to win it!!!

Pumpkin Hat

A friend of mine is newly pregnant and I wanted to make her a little something to celebrate but she doesn't know yet whether the baby is a boy or girl. I don't like "unisex" presents so I decided a pumpkin hat was in order and good timing since the baby is due in August. He / she will be ready for a Halloween hat in no time!

There are many free pumpkin hat patterns out there but I used the one from Itty-Bitty Hats by Susan Anderson (awesome book; I highly recommend it). Lion Brand CottonEase for the yarn (of course!); the orange is the old version and the green and taupe are the new version. More details at Ravelry if you're interested.

A Must Read

I just finished a fantastic book. The first book I would rate a 5 out of 5 in several years. I'm never very good at summarizing a book so I will rely on Amazon's description:

" Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse's unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. "

The author of this book, Greg Mortenson, is an incredible guy. He is surely a contender to win the Noble Peace Prize someday.

Testing Testing

1...2...3...

(just checking on Blogger)

Friendship Scarf

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I needed a better name for this scarf than simply 2x2 rib scarf as I originally named it on Ravelry. I purchased the yarn while visiting Allison. In fact, she purchased the same yarn in a different color. Every time I wear the scarf, I know I'll think about the nice afternoon we shared so I thought Friendship Scarf would be perfect.

Speaking of friendship AND Allison, look at the cute little thing she sent me last week. By her own admission, she is a wee bit obsessed with making these little stockings and she is trying to convince me to join her. After seeing how cute this is, she might have me hooked!

Cabin Fever - it's a good thing!

We got more snow yesterday. Another 6-10" depending on who you believe. This was the fluffy powdery stuff that is easy to shovel so I was happy! The dogs like running around in it although they get cold fast and run right to the fireplace when they come in.


Due to the weather and family car issues (why do they all have to break at the same time?!) I have worked at home for five of the last eight days, which saved me 1.5-2 hours commuting time each day. Not to mention that I haven't gone anywhere for several snowy evenings. As a result, I have accomplished a lot on various sewing and knitting projects. Not a lot to show yet though; still finishing up several things.

But I did want to post this super easy and adorable project that I made for my brother and SIL's new baby born a week ago. It's a variation of the tied edge fleece blankets but a lot cuter in my opinion. It's round and the edges are "bunny ears." The pattern / directions are in a book called Nancy Cornwell's 90 minute Fleece projects. I bought this book just for this pattern and it really did only take 90 minutes. Maybe less. I used a plain white polar fleece for the back but the front is this so-so-soft "cuddly fleece" from JoAnn's. Thanks for the inspiration, Stacy!

Facebook & Misc Chit Chat

Lately, it seems like all of a sudden everyone is joining Facebook. Carolyn discussed this phen0menon and posted a link to a Time Magazine article that I thought was interesting. I signed up a few months ago and have really enjoyed re-connecting with people I knew years ago. Previous colleagues.... friends from junior high school.... old sweethearts. It's really a lot of fun! And of course, there are sewing and knitting groups among many others to connect with others who have similar interests. So like Carolyn, I'm curious... have many of you also joined?

For those of you experiencing this huge storm, be safe! We got 6" of snow yesterday and freezing rain that coated the trees all night. Now it's snowing again and they are predicting another 2-4". The concern is the snow on the icy trees will cause they to break, pulling down power lines. I hope that none of you lose power!!!

Finally, a customer service announcement. If you have never tried M&J Trimming, now might be the time. They are offering 20% for first time customers. Use the code First09 to get the discounted. I have no affiliation with them, in fact I never even received a first time discount but I had a good experience with them and love their selection.

Knitting question

Edited tonight: Thanks for all the input. Unblocked it is! Working on the matching headband now.

Simple question to which I probably should know the answer....

Should I block this 2x2 rib scarf? The beauty of the 2x2 rib is how "bouncy" it is. if I block it, will that take away some of the springiness?

A little spring cleaning

In blogland that is.... I took my cue from Melissa (adorable design, Melissa!) and revamped my blog using a background from The Cutest Blog on the Block. They have some really cute designs! I, of course, went for something very loud. LOL. I know nothing about html and blogging in general but the directions were very clear so if you're looking for a new look, I encourage you to give the site a try.

Thank you, St. Anthony!

Woo hoo! My deadline for finding the buckle was tomorrow. I told myself if I didn't find it by tomorrow, I was ordering a new one. And as you can see, I FOUND IT!! It was in the basket where I keep my cutting tools. I have no idea why I would have put it there.

That's the good news. Yeah, there's bad news. All I had left to do was sew the buckle on. Before I did that, I tried the jacket on to see how to best position the buckle. THE JACKET IS TOO SMALL! Normally, I make the bust / shoulder / bodice area a size smaller than waist and hips to fit my body. I did that with this jacket and should not have! I am so annoyed!! I had been trying it on throughout the construction of the jacket but I think I neglected to try it one more time AFTER I lined it. The fabric is a knit matte jersey so even though it was snug fitting, the fabric allowed for some stretch. Well, once I lined it with a woven, the stretch disappeared. DUH!! I am so annoyed. Look how cute the lining is!!



Ugh. There was a lot of hand sewing on this one. One good thing is this is made from fabric I got for a song on clearance - $1.50 / yd and I have plenty more. I'm not sure if I'll try to take it apart or start over completely.

FYI, the pattern is Butterick 5142, view B.

Kreativ Blogger Award

Thank you to Lori for nominating me for the award. As erratic as I post, I do not deserve this award but I appreciate the nomination.

Here are the rules for this award:

1. Copy the award to your site.
2. Link to the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers and link to them on your blog.
4. Then leave a message on their blog notifying them you have nominated them for this award.

It would be easy to list more than 7!! I tried not to nominate people who had already been nominated.

Christy at Designing Creations (a new-to-me blogger with great designs)
Kasey at Kasizzle (whose blog I miss reading!)
Laura at Laura's Sewing Room (Incredible designer and sewer; another blogger I miss!)
Kellie at And She Can't Even Cook (love her energy!)
Karyn at Trail Mix Designs (Congrats to Karyn on her upcoming nuptials!!)

And of coure, I can't forget my two best bloggin' buddies!!
Allison at Res Ipsa Knit With Her
Jen at Knitting Adventures

Thanks again, Lori!!

Yum Time

My office mates just finished up the last of these Caramel Pecan Cinnamon rolls I brought in. Recipe on my other blog.

Belated Christmas gift & more animals

My daughter wanted a headband similar to the ones I made for my mom and me. I tried to convince her that a calorimetry style would be warmer for walking across campus but she liked the simplicity of this one. I intended to give it to her for Christmas to match the gloves I bought her but alas, I ran out of time so I instead wrapped up the yarn and gave it to her. The look on her face was priceless when she opened it. She looked at the yarn and said, "Don't tell me you expect me to learn to knit." I think she was afraid her gift was knitting lessons or something. LOL. Anyway, it's a very quick knit. In fact, I knit it on the way home from San Fran at Christmas and it has been sitting on the counter since awaiting a size check before I seamed it together. The yarn is just a simple Paton's wool that I had in my stash.




And here is the newest animals to move into our home. For some reason, my daughter and her friend (both seniors in high school) thought it was a good idea to get goldfish. Here are my daughter's two fish. Yes, that is a wine decanter they are swimming in. And yes, that is Fiji trying to get them. They have since been relocated to a fish bowl on the fireplace mantle where Fiji can't get them.

Burda 08-2008-118

This s a long overdue post. I finished this dress on Christmas Eve day just in time to wear it to Christmas Eve dinner. I don't think the picture presents a very flattering image but it really is a very cute dress! And comfy to boot!

The details:
Pattern: Burda World of Fashion 08-2008-118 (Pattern was for a tunic; I lengthened into a dress and made the sleeves long.)
Fabric: a sweater knit purchased from JoAnn Fabric

This was a simple dress to put together. In fact, I didn't read the directions. I cut out the smallest size (34) and still took in the side seams a few inches to get rid of some of the excess ease. I rotated the argyle print on the yoke so it would clash with the bodice that is slightly gathered.

I like the cowl neck but it is very different than what is shown on the technical drawing and seems to be bigger / floppier than the other versions I saw at PR. Maybe I cut it out wrong? I plan to make a short sleeve version for spring and will simply bind off the neckline.