Wine & Cheese

I have been selling some of my jewelry.  OK,

I stumbled into a fabulous little boutique that specializes in Interior Design and has some wonderful items for the home and features hand-made decor too.  I have often wondered how jewelry fits in ...but why not???  We women love our jewelry.  One for the house and one for me!

A few days ago the store held an open house with wine and cheese tasting and invited customers to come in and meet their artists.  I have never done anything quite like this and I don't do wine or large parties, and not so much cheese, but I am looked forward to enjoying a good time out of the house.  An event like this absolutely requires a "canvas" for showing off my artisan OOAK (one of a kind) jewelry, and I worked against deadline to make something to wear with an outfit I will be wearing for the first time.

For over a year now (I have had a very long "To-Do" list) I have planned to incorporate a knit lace edging for an old knit silk camisole.  It's OLD.  Old enough that I didn't mind once that it stopped right at my waist and showed just a little skin.  Now, the horrors of my muffin top would leak out of that gap and I ain't showing no one my muffin!  So, when I came across this gorgeous pink yarn that matched color perfectly I set yarn and top aside.  Now, finally, it is complete and I will be wearing that with my white linen pants and big shirt.  But what jewelry to wear?!!!  ...So off I went to Michael's and struck gold.  Beautiful slabs of pink dyed Imperial Jasper to make a "Pebble and Bam-Bam" style necklace, and bracelet too, but the bracelet didn't get done in time for the event.

Just a Little Bit Crazy

...I must be.  Somehow, I got it into my head to use some Brown Sheep Cotton Fine that I had purchased a few (?) years back to make a pair of FairIsle socks.  I was doing just great until I hit the heel and then the knitting and life just fell apart on me.  Project was sent to hibernation, and when I tried to get back to it I just couldn't orient myself.  So, Froggie the Ripper pulled it all out.  Then I saw this scrumptious cropped sweater and knew what to do with the skeins of tiny yarn.  No amount of arguing could sway me, and now, here I am deep into tiny stitches and tiny needles, straining my eyes and wrist while setting in thousands of stitches.  I guess it is a little like scratching off those cards to see if you won a prize because I love the way the pattern unfolds.  (Ask me when I am done if I still feel the same way?)

Darn Good Gumbo & We Had a Great Time

It was chilly, and we walked everywhere.
With eyes peeled for beads, I found a few primitive bead strings too.

 I scored lots of interesting focals ... some of them vintage

I also found some great clasps for some multi-strand bracelets, and charms.....

Did I say it was cold?  One might think that Asheville, NC would be a good place to find warmer clothing bits and pieces.  I wanted to find some comfy sweater leggings to go with my new boots, but all I saw were synthetic yukkies.  There seem to be quite a few to select from online, so I will keep fingers crossed. 

(Yes, I am a fiber snob)

We had lunch the first day at Mayfel's  a New Orleans style bistro, and I had the BEST gumbo.  I have to make some now that I am back home.  There is a gumbo recipe that I found in my Grandmother's circa 1900 cookbook that I like a lot, but the DH won't eat okra.  Even though there is not a hint of goo, he has a mental thing about it.  It's darn good gumbo though!  I make mine with chicken and ham (or not), and Mayfel's cooked it up with Anduille sausage in it.  ...They also had beignets.  Oh yeah!  They are a New Orleans delicacy that are very like crispy fried doughnuts, served hot and sprinkled with powdered sugar.   I can't begin to tell you how decadent they are on a cold day with a cuppa hot chicory coffee.  Mayfel's didn't have the chicory coffee, but they did have darn good coffee just the same.

We had a few meals from Katuah, a natural food store's salad table.  Good stuff.  We got some smoked chicken thighs that were so good that the DH is thinking to re-create them here.  Our last day out, we walked around Black Mountain and mid-way through the afternoon we stopped in our fav restaurant and shared a devilishly fudg-i-licious giant slice of chocolate cake and hot tea.  What a warm up that was.

We usually wear ourselves out with walking and sensory overload, and we like to be back at the hotel by late afternoon.  I usually take a portable project.  Remember the BedSack Frock?   It had been stashed away for over a year waiting for the next inspiration.  It has been on my mind ever since I returned from Pennsylvania in September.   I had taken it along and got artsy there with leaves.  I painted fallen oak leaves with fabric paints and pressed them to the fabric.  At the time, I wasn't exactly happy with the result.  Fall colors are not really my piece of cake, and the colors seemed heavy on the muslin canvas.  The next step might have been patching over those leaves.

However, the idea of embroidered water struck days before we left, and so I went armed with blue floss and a trusty needle, and got a lot of embroidery done on the BedSack.  I was stitching the creek.  I like how it's going.  It reminds me of Gustav Klimt with its curls and spirals.  ...Not too much though, cuz its not a raging torrent.  ...Kind of fun to just do whatever with long running stitches and patches of French knots.  The darker blue seems to balance and hold the leaves now, so the plan is to keep them.

One thing I found interesting as we munched on cake and looked out the window of our restaurant, watching the passers by, was that several were carrying newly purchased snow shovels and coasters.  It was beautiful and sunny in the 50's and 60's.  Weather was moving in this week!  It will be below freezing here too.  We have already had snow which is unheard of, and it may be a strange winter.

The Art of Upcycle

The Treehouse at Creekview Country Cottage Bed & Breakfast

Have you ever had the urge to re-create yourself?  Maybe it was after a relationship breakup or a pregnancy came to an end, or you lost a bunch of weight?  Well, I have been feeling the urge since returning from Pennsylvania.  My sister and I stayed at the Creekview Cottage Bed & Breakfast during our two weeks there.  It was perfect in every sense ...a private little pocket deep in the woods and mountains and was exactly what I had been dreaming of during the long care-taking ordeal.  Our hostess, Andrea, is now a dear friend to us.  She is an indomitable force wrapped up in a petite lady who has a passion for living.  The three is  us are "senior-ish" but Andrea has so much vitality and spunk that it would be hard for anyone to accurately guess her age.  I was impressed with her fashionable yet practical attire.  She carried off her favorite magentas and pinks and studded sparkly skinny jeans with ease.  My sister has always been a fashion statement, even in her understated way with black and white and gray.  ...And there I was with my old straight-leg stretchy Lee's and plain long sleeve T's, with my decades old Eagle Outfitters boots.  One of my sneakers blew a sole after a few days, and my comfy old jeans had a blowout too.

I didn't realize how out-of-step I had gotten until I saw some photos from the trip.   OMG, I was the granny in the photos!  I couldn't believe my eyes!  For someone who had sewn prolifically, I was always a step ahead of fashion.  For 14 years I was a dressmaker for a European pattern company, and I got the patterns at least a year before they influenced the United States fashion scene.  However, for the past 6 years, I had not really been able to just go shopping.  Getting out of the house was a challenge, and because of that, I made due with what I had.  Meanwhile, everything was getting shabbier and as garments were cast off, they were rarely replaced with something really happening.  When I did get out, I grabbed anything simple that fit and hurried back home.  ...Eventually, I would have been a fashion zilch.  ...Now I have to stop you all right here, as I am not inclined to follow every fad and fancy.  I go for style, and my style was looking like granny's closet.

Well, this calls for a huge makeover.  One of the first things I have done is to look at shoes.  Although I still have not replaced the sneakers, I did purchase some drop-dead gorgeous boots I have been lusting after for the past year:

The BedStu Manchester boot!  I adore them!  They are stylish and yet very simple.  My head is filled with ideas for boot fringes

 and knit boot toppers

...and bracelets and to make.

As I was going through the closet, I came across a favorite magenta knit Henley.  The back of the neckline had separated from the binding and I was ready to toss it when I thought of a Free People favorite that has a patchwork look.  I spent the past few days altering the top and now I have a new/old Henley to wear that is very fashionable.  ...There may be no end to this!

Free People's Kyoto cuff top that inspired me

Shabby Chic or Turning Vintage

Recently, one of my virtual friends described achieving a certain age as "turning vintage."  I love that phrase "turning vintage."  It has such wonderful connotations of getting better with age just as fine wine does.  Along with the aging process, those bottles may gather dust and labels may fade or scratch.  There is a bit of the shabby chic in that description too.  Isn't that a great way for us to describe things that fall out of place and get comfortably rearranged?  Just out of curiosity, I Googled "shabby chic" and found a decorating site with guidelines for styling Shabby.

1. The first rule is to "go white."  Well, my hair is doing that quite well, and even skin tone begins to pale.  What can I say?  ...I stopped sun worshiping years ago, and I really detest hot steamy southern summers.  I'll choose the air-conditioner any day.
2. Second is the extravagant use of slip covers to hide wear and tear.  So, as with furniture, so I have started to drape myself with various garments designed to hide muffin top bulges and body parts that have been drooping, as well as all that other stuff like veins and scars that seem to have accumulated out of no-where to paint my body canvas.
3. The third criteria is tea-stained fabrics.  Ha!  Tea, coffee, spaghetti, grease spots, everything I eat seems to leave a mark down my front as though I am keeping a food journal.  Ummm, what did I eat earlier?  I don't even have to try to remember, I just look down at my belly and there it is!
4. Next up is "over-stuffed" upholstery.  Hahahaha! " ...Comfortable, slip-covered, rumpled, ruffled, and rounded, ...Muffin top?  ..."  'Nuf said!
5. Then they talk about distressed paint.  Anyone "vintage" that wears glasses and tries to apply make-up knows how hard it is to apply just the right amounts so as to look natural.  Oh the sad stories I can tell about the rouge-cheeked old ladies that looked like Boopy-Do dolls to me.
6. What about "Architectural Details?"  Well, go old.  Yeah, what worked when we had lovely chests and firm fannies,slim bodies, and various parts we were taught to showcase, paired with growing incomes to supply all sorts of cute little outfits, has all changed.  The closet has been slowly clearing out of those cute little tops that show it all off, and the tight little jeans have been replaced with baggy.  Incomes slowed down and and so did we.  Contentment set in with our well-loved old shoes and comfy clothing.  Now we are becoming authentic!
7. Old and imperfect.  Jeweled accessories are turning with patina, and styles have changed-over many times.  If a chain breaks then we hang a locket from a ribbon.  Rhinestones fall away, yet the beloved adornment still holds a memory and feelings for you.  We don't see them as other do, and nor should we.  We hold on to these and love them still.
8. Gravitate to comfort.  Let things get rumpled and unsorted.  Don't worry about complete order and shine and perfectness.  It's not quite possible now anyway.  I love my former mother-in-law once telling me:  "It's something of a blessing that our eyes start to go as we get older.  ...We can't see all the dirt then."  I can't tell you the shock I go through every so often when I put on some strong readers and visit the bathroom and see dust everywhere, or the spatters in the kitchen.  It really does take Herculean efforts to keep a house perfect and tidy.  There is nothing wrong with a lived-in look around here!
9. The site's author mentioned that metal makes it all look better.  So, draping myself with original metal-work has been my mission lately.  I love my crude wild jewelry.
10.  Patchwork!  I have always had a reverence and love for patchworking.  Those crazy quilts of Victorian times amaze me with their charm.  Now I am becoming a walking patchwork design.   

Combinations of everything I love and hold dear now are taking precedence in my home and on my person.  DO I care what you may think if you are to visit here?  Maybe a little, but not like I used to.  Now it is about what I like and makes me feel good.  I have always wanted to surround myself with things I have made and love or that have meaning for me.  So. now more than ever I slap colors on the walls and have an eye for what makes me happy rather than all those rules of design and proportion.   I pull arrangements together that no-one but I understand.  Vintage me understands this and glorifies in it.  Yes, what better time is there to really get to know myself and honor that?  It takes a lot of forgiveness and acceptance as well as patience and self-knowledge and what really matters.  Call me Crone, call me Vintage, or call me Becoming Enlightened.


* This blog was inspired by this site:  10 Elements for Shabby Chic Decorating

Jacket Updates

Maybe you get tired of me writing about my 1980's linen Jacket, but I am so attached to this piece of clothing.  Ridiculous almost, but I do love it and wear it often but not so much as I used to.  It has sustained so much wear and now the fabric is giving out in several places.  Last week I blew the elbow out on my right sleeve when I bent my arm.  Big ouch!  It sat miserably ripped while I considered my options:  Should I retire it and use it as a piece of wall art in my studio?  ...or should I keep it going with more repairs?  Well, happily, I decided that wall art is off in the future.  Under intense inspection against a bright light, it was apparent that the entire right sleeve was seriously worn and thin.  Patching and reinforcement was needed to make it wearable.

First I took out the stitching at the back side of the sleeve.  This is a small man's jacket that my sons wore, so the two piece sleeve has two vertical seams.  The one at the back was in better condition than the other, and its integrity was intact while the seam under the arm had a few tiny breaks at the edge of the seam and would require reinforcing.  I left the cuff join alone, starting above the button slit, and opened it up to just below the armhole.  This allowed me to open it up enough to work easily.  I cut a piece of sheeting fabric with a pink striped pattern (in case of future fabric disintegration and show through), pinned it inside the sleeve, and then placed patches over the front inner elbow area where thinning was the worst.  I used a heart shape patch, and plan to embroider my grand-daughter's name on it.  ...Wearing my heart on my sleeve obviously!  The blown out elbow was "stitched" together with lengths of ribbon, looking for all the world like the stitch job one of my sons got in an emergency room by a seriously inept doctor after ripping his thigh on a barb wire fence.   On his leg it was pathetic, on my sleeve it's artsy.  Ah well.  I also used thin ribbon over another patch cut in a circle form wide ribbon In order to strengthen the top part of the sleeve, I striped thin ribbon about 1/2" apart to secure the lining and add stability.  To secure the lining where there were large open areas in design, I drew swirls and over-stitched them, filling in the spaces with spirals like my favorite artist, Gustav Klimt.

The results are stunning it I do say so myself, and now there are plans to "fill in" the rest of the jacket.  ...It sortof looks unfinished now.  But oh how magnificent it will be when I am done! 

No Moss Grows Here, But the Dust is Piling Up

Yes, it has been a busy and challenging summer so far.  Hard at work getting a small rental home ready to place for sale, I have been team director, painting and cleaning up a storm on every weekend.  Now that the end of this labor is only a few hours away, my body and spirit are clamoring for more creative pursuits.  I have never been so sore and exhausted in my life!  Pushing forward with smaller projects has been the plan all summer.  The sewing machine has been out for the duration and turning out a few things that I am very pleased with.  Because my bohemian style has been with me since college days, my friends and acquaintances have told me they can easily pick me out of a crowd.  Imagine my surprise when I was "forced" to shop a few days ago and I saw many wonderful garments that were of the Boho bent and on the racks at large chain stores like TJMAXX, Kohl's, Ross and Marshalls.  WOW!!!

Naturally, this bursting Boho assortment of goodies has me puzzled.  What is going on in the world that so many artful garments are appearing not only on the ready-to-wear racks but are also being featured on Haute Couture runways by Rodart, Jean Paul Gaultier, Kenzo, Emilio Pucci, Anna Sui, and many others?  There is a bursting emergence of designers that are selling through Etsy that are more moderately priced too.  After mentally pursuing this for a few minutes, it suddenly occurred to me that it's the economy!  Just as the pioneers made use of what was on hand, re-crafting and up-cycling, and the wonderful crazy quilts that eventually resulted in Victorian times, We The People are dictating fashion to the designers and manufacturers!  I find it very interesting that they are trying hard to imitate what is being done so artfully by women artisans all over who are using their brains to come up with amazing garments, jewelry, etc., that are one of a kind masterpieces.  I could also see that the sloppy cheesy assembly of a few years past has given way to better skill.  ...Really, how can a factory worker who does the same piecework hour after hour and day after day turn out terrible work?  (answer:  They have to try real hard!)

During the Art Nouveau Era, we had the same inspirational sense that is prevailing now.  Artisans were exploring in various mediums that were used together in very creative ways.  It was not unusual to find mixed media in the same piece.  Rules were broken and as a result, Art Nouveau became the most widely celebrated and favorited Era in fashion.  I came across a lovely statement by Kecia, author of Lemoncholy's blog, in my web browsing:

By removing perfectionism, I free my imagination to play and ultimately, this freedom results in whimsical pieces of grace and beauty.

I love this way of expressing creativity, as by removing perfectionism, we give ourselves permission to fail.  Why is this important?  ...Because it means that we are free to try ideas and techniques that may not work out, or that may result in a new way to approach and express ourselves artfully.

Twiddling Thumbs Gets Nothing Done

This week has been a time of resting up a little.  The DH has been on a mini-vacation since Wednesday, and both of us needed R&R.  We have been so busy taking care of things that have to be done that just staying home and having a movie marathon sounded good to both of us.  Unlike our past "stay-cations" in which we did a little bit of local traveling and sight seeing, we thought it would be easier on both of us if we did not try to take my mother out every day.  Now 97, and deeper into Alzheimer's Disease, we never know what to expect from her health-wise or in terms of attitude.   Also, I just don't feel like pushing a wheel chair even 5 feet in the 100* heat we are having.

So, you should know by now that I do not just sit twiddling my thumbs.  I have been busy working on the chair swing, patching the other pocket of The Jacket, and sewing up a tunic which is up-cycled from an old tank top, matching shorts, and similar color knit capris.  I have had these three items for years, but have not worn them in forever because they "got little."  I could have worn them, but I hate seeing a of any age woman stuffed into her clothing.  As far as I am concerned, it is seriously deeming to her dignity and speaks volumes on her self worth.  Clothing should add grace, mystery and beauty, and there ain't no way that defining every bulge and cellulite dimple does that.

Because the tunic took too much thinking as I designed it, I didn't take photos of the stages it went through, but it is easy enough to describe the process.  The first thing I did was to remove a label that was sewn to the front of the tank top.  I am not at all big on wearing someones labels on my clothing.  I knew I would slip up with this and made a few tiny holes in the knit.  Yes, this could be a disaster, but there is a great product called Fray Check that will stop unraveling in T-short knits.  I used to use it often on my son's T's because they always got holes where they were tucked into their pants at the front waistline.Then, I picked out a stitched on logo from the shorts.  No holes this time!  Next, I cut the waistband from the shorts, and cut the two front and two back pieces apart along the seam-lines.  I was careful to preserve the pockets.  The waistband is a folded ribbing with a drawstring, and I decided to use it along the waistline seam when joining the "skirt."  I actually cut it in half the long way, and extended it by sewing the two halves together, and then cutting it to fit the hem of the top.

For the skirt portion, I cut the shorts pieces straight down from the center front and back seam-lines, removing the crotch areas.  The legs of the capris were cut into elongated diamonds and sewn in at center front and back as well as the side seams.  I only needed to hem the diamonds as the shorts already had the hems.  After sewing the waistline together, all that was left was to thread the drawstring through, and then patch some pieces onto the holes on the front of the top.

I have already worn this over black capri length leggings and tank top, but plan to wear it under my Aruba sweater when weather gets colder, with either tan leggins or pants.

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Addictions

I mean addictions of the fun and harmless sort.  Like Pinterest.  Of course, if you consider not keeping your house clean enough for the white glove test, then that would be a more serious addiction too.  Well, I have been spending a lot of my free time there for a while now, and have built up some substantial boards.  When I have a few moments, I love going through my boards the way I used to pour through a fascinating craft magazine, completely entranced and inspired.  So much so, that I am beginning to get twinges of guilt at not using the time to be creating my own amazing things.

I started a board, ...well actually two three, of things I just have to make.  With summer's heat approaching, and decisions to make regarding what new clothing items I want to replace those that I know will appear shamefully shabby, or not fit me as I remembered as they come out of their storage places, I am planning new projects.  This time, rather than spend the summer in jeans as I await the loss of a few pounds in order to fit older clothing (as I have done for a few years already now), I am going to start a new trend for myself with layering.  This style is well known in the German tradition of "lagenlook."  It is  also very well established in the "shabby chic" styles that seem to be popping up everywhere.  I think this is a perfect way to take care of chilly mornings or evenings, and shivery air conditioning, and layers can easily be shed for sweltering afternoons.

 I am very taken with the idea of lightweight and gauzy fabrics.  I was thrilled to find a designer who made leggings of cheesecloth.  I daresay they would not hold up for long, but it gives me ideas.  I once made some wonderful elastic waist pants of silk gauze.  I had forgotten all about them, but they were the perfect solution for keeping cool with a matching hip-length wrapped and ruffled top.  With less than youthful skin tone (also known as crepey old lady skin), I wrestle with the thoughts of grossing out not only myself but anyone who might catch sight of my exposures.  Therefore, I do choose to cover up certain parts of myself but don't want to appear to be wrapped in a blanket or tented.  So gauze is a perfect fabric for hot summers.

Just yesterday, when my sweetie DH commanded me to "go shopping!"  I managed to find two great buys.  One, a cotton/lycra stretch lace long sleeve T-top at Steinmart, and another more solid yet see-through lightweight cotton long sleeve at Ross.  Both on clearance, I am excited.  Although they are both white, I plan to coffee dye the lace one.  Many people do tea-dying to age fabric, but tea-dyed fabrics have a much shorter life span than coffee-dyed.  I have not decided about the other top yet.  This will depend on what I choose to do with the rest of my wardrobe, and if I happen to drop food on myself while wearing it.

As some of you may have guessed, I have a very Bohemian sense of style, and I am ready to really let that out this season.  Because I am pretty much home-bound caring for my mother, I have quite a well-developed list of things to keep me busy.  My wardrobe will feature artfully created pieces that give me a sense of inspired pleasure to craft as well as wear.  So far, I have many old garments that I will be upcycling, as well as lots of fabric and trim scraps, old ancient unfinished projects to re-create, and loads of great ideas.The photo shows a hint of a pinafore top in the making.  Until a few days ago, it was a blouse for my mother that was left in pieces cut and ready to sew.  ...Left maybe ???25years??? ago????  Well, I do have a tendency to get distracted with certain projects.  The fabric is a lovely gauze, and the pieces were a generously cut style.  That may have been why this wasted away all these years, because my mother is a very petite woman who does not care for baggy clothing.  From the basic fronts, back and sleeves, I was able to cut new front and back, and pockets.  From a scrap I created a double ruffle flounce.  Adding in a touch of lace trim, a few fabric flowers, and it's looking quite fashionably shabby. 

What next?

In between creative projects, there is sometimes a place of stagnation. Because I have a hard time not "doing" something, I have never liked this place. I get what I call "impatience anxiety." In spite of this, it is also a time for me to reflect and prepare for new pursuits, letting them line up and simmer in their formation. Most of the time, I get through these by having more than one project going at a time. After some creative simmering, I am back to knitting the Klimt again, but moving slowly. I needed to make another trip to the yarn store in order to pull it together. Klimt is known for his bold use of color, and I am needing more color to this piece. One might say "Use your stash!" but I don't have the color I am seeing in my head now, ...a bold limey green.

I am lusting after a stylish Henley garment that I saw in some internet shop-site. Clearing away the beads and other paraphernalia that I was using to craft some of my more unusual jewelry, I will need to replace it all with cutting board and sewing supplies. I have the perfect retro pattern by Betsy Johnson that will make the Henley nearly like I saw it. Now that the weather is turning cooler, I am eager to make this up so I can wear it with the "jeggings" (that's leggins that are also jeans) I made a few months ago and haven't worn yet for need of a proper top. Although I had converted my winter wardrobe to leggings and tunics, the summer wardrobe didn't catch up. Once the Klimt is done, it will be spicy great with these pants. ...You can call me "Spicy." ...Don't laugh, I may even pull off a Betsy Johnson hair-do. After all, I did tell my sons that when I turned 65 I would dye my hair purple. I really ought to get some practice at wilding* before then.

*wild-ing: a plant, originally cultivated, that now grows wild; an escape.

The Cobweb That Caught the Sky

COBWEB: A flimsy, insubstantial snare spun by a special breed of spider to entrap its prey

After weeks of repair and remodel, I needed an outlet for a gentler creative side of me. Picking up knitting needles once again after months of neglect, I vowed that I would just simply let them and the yarn take me to places I have never ventured before. I did have in mind something sort of Rodarte, who I have venerated ever since the sister's 2008 lines came out. Based on nature and totally radical knits, they represented for me a no-rules way of creating something out of nothing more than an idea. Characterized by loosely knit webs of fine mohair capturing bold areas of color and heavily textured, they have captured my spirit, which has always been a voice in the background begging me to give it a try.

The yarns seemed to just fall into my hands. Even though I had planned for another use of a wild diva that looks like bits of wool tied to hologram metallic thread and nylon cord scraps, it called to be a companion to the more sedate natural tan silk fingering weight that I have been hoarding from Artfibers for years now. Artfibers has the most gorgeous stuff I have ever seen in one place. All their yarns are spun to order. Amazing, yarn heaven, and it is worth a visit if you are ever in the San Francisco area. Then, a painted pastel nylon ribbon that had insisted on coming home with the diva (for some reason), entered the mix. And that was it. Just three yarns, ...quite a change of habit for me since I am usually working with anywhere from six to ten in any one project.

After trying several large needle sizes on the fingering weight yarn, I settled on a #13. At that point, I just began by casting on three stitches. The only thoughts for an end result were perhaps to make a cropped vest to go over summer tops for a little cover. From then on, all I kept in mind were basic rectangular shapes that roughly met my measurements. Free of regard for any sort of edge consistency, I simply knit until the pieces were relatively the same length. Individual stitches were another form of abandon. I threw in short rows, drop stitches, and varied knits and pearls to add more irregularity, and jigged and jogged the hems and edges. The yarns were picked up and dropped at will, creating shapes that drift like clouds of diva yarn and held by patches of ribbon that look like the sky. Yarn tails fly free like the tails of kites.

Once the pieces were of a relatively matched length, I cast off the back and fronts, and joined the shoulders as well as at the sides. To give a bit more shape and weight for a nice drape, I crocheted a single row of chain stitches to the edges with the ribbon yarn, and added a tie of the combined yarns braided together at the front.

I have written up a downloadable pattern/guide for those of you special spider types, who want to give this a try with more guidance than I have given here. You can find it on Ravelry as the Cobweb Vest, or my Etsy store, or by simply emailing me a message.

It's Hot Out and I Am Too!

After a long blogging dry spell. I am getting back into the fun of it. I am also moving ahead with a list of great projects. I didn't get to do the Bootcamp again this year, with too much on a priority list of home repair/remodeling, and that was such a slow down for me personally. Sometimes life is just like that, but we have to keep on. Once the "Cobweb" was completed, I was inspired to write it up as a pattern. Pattern writing is a challenge. I have to keep asking myself what a beginner would want to know and did I include everything that is essential for success. Now that is scratched off the "To-Do" list, I am surging on to other things. Already on the needles is yet another Rodarte inspired top. That yarn I over-dyed earlier this year just kept telling me that it wanted to be completely free in a wild knit. Well, it is well on it's way to completion. In fact, I thought I was putting the finishing touches on yesterday, and then as I tried it on, it told me it wanted more. Now, I am planning to add a little skirting to it as soon as I get the side seams sewn up.

More Fibula Pins!

I have been having fun this weekend. Creating is always fun. ...Sometimes frustrating, but all the more rewarding in the end. Last weekend, we all went to the Gem & Mineral Show at the fairgrounds. I bought a few beads and geodes, ...not much, but my intention was to dabble. Now, I really wish I had been far more indulgent, as I could make a few of these every day. Each one has its own character, and males me feel (in my own mind anyway) just the teeniest bit akin to great sculptors such a Michelangelo. Yeah, I know that's a stretch, but simply putting oneself into the position of taking a naturally beautiful thing and then attempting to co-create with it is awesome. Here is what I did....

I have already worn the Blue pin with my Jane Thornley Organic Wrap. It held it on and in place perfectly.PS: I know I am just a beginner

The Tan on Tan is Finished!

Done after what seemed too much deliberating, here is the new cowl...

Based in the shape of a triangle, it is a series of triangles that fade into each other through blending the yarn.

I love garments like this with generous fabric and fit. I also like things to be feminine but not fussy. Practical not excessive and stroppy. (That's a new word I just learned! Isn't is a fun word? ...Look it up.) Now, that's not to say that a pair of earrings are not practical. They serve a purpose if they fill in the artistic balance of a look. It could also serve to draw attention to the face, or accentuate a hairstyle. I rarely wear earrings and a necklace at the same time. It seems too overdone and like adding too much frosting to the cake. I want people to admire the "cake" and not the frosting on the cake. Garments and accessories should bring out the best of the wearer, not overshadow the wearer.

Ta-Da! ...Abertay!

Yeah done! My Abertay mini rocks! I just may do another one in PURPLE! It's great over my old jeans, cuz They ripped out along the back pocket a few days ago. I ironed on some patching fabric, and sewed over it all, but once they start to break up, one never knows when the next rip will happen. I plan to patch and embellish as it does so, and try to keep them going!

Mama's Got Brand New Bag!

Singin' it like James Brown! I can't remember when I last bought a new purse. I really am not fond of the things, but I do feel their necessity. I have always striven for the smallest I can find, and this baby is not exactly in that category. However, the rest of the world is into super-sizing, and what I have seen available is the two extremes of suitcase style, and something that would carry not much more than a cell phone. I wistfully remember the days when I was in college, and carried only a plastic thingy that I carried only my ID card and a few dollars in. Now, I carry not only my essentials, but also my mother's. She goes everywhere with me and she is unsteady, needs her hands free, and certainly doesn't need any purse to distract her or set her off balance. So, super-size me. On the news at Christmas time, I heard that the vinyl used in purses has so much lead in it that it can result in toxic levels in the body. Horrors! Never liking fake stuff anyway, I determined that I would find a real leather bag. Finding myself surrounded with atrocious gathered, fringed, ruffled, beaded and metaled, overly adorned arm baggage, I nearly lost hope of finding something that would not make me feel like a circus sideshow in public. ...Tuesday Morning to the rescue! Not so huge, this bag has simplicity, good design (we use to say this style was inspired by horses' feed bags), not a lot of weight, and has a look I like. It will carry all I need to tote quite nicely, perhaps even a water bottle and a knitting project. Never mind that I will be doing weight lifting to manage it, as it might have been even larger. I just want to know one thing... ...will everything still drop directly to the bottom and become hopelessly buried?

Prayer Flags: Knit one, ...Serge one

Prayer Flag tunic and the jewelry that served as my inspiration. The earrings and necklace were made for me by a dear friend, Ivy Bryan several years ago, and are some of my favorite and meaningful pieces. They were inspired by Himalayan prayer flags. The Tibetans believe that if you have a prayer, and write it onto a piece of fabric, then tie it where it will blow in the wind, the prayer will go out and be answered.

I have been creatively busy lately! The new wardrobe flows off the needles and sewing table and onto my back. I love the new tunics. ??? Both blue even, imagine that! Both are of my own design. It is my belief that a garment like this is so much more satisfying than just following a pattern by some one else. One of my favorite dresses was a little "dinner dress" I designed and made up back in the early sixties. Our dorm dress code actually dictated that we must wear a dress to dinner (OMG! ...How archaic is that!???) . So, I invented a pullover mini that I could thrown on in a flash to go to table. It was a turquoise/lime green/purple floral, and I lined it with lime green. I cut the sleeves bell shape, so that glimpses of the lime would show. I wore it with purple patent Mary Jane heels, and lime green tights. Wish I had a photo! Everything was floral back then. I also had a red floral pantsuit I wore. Once, at the grocery store, a toddler staring at me, yanked on his Mommy's sleeve, and seriously informed her that "that lady is wearing her pajamas!" ...I don't think I liked it as much after that.

Should I, ...or Could I? ...In other words, what to wear?

As the building of the new wardrobe gathers speed, a little voice occasionally chirps in my brain saying: "What will people think?" ..."Are you dressing you age?" ..."Are you having a second childhood?" ...Or worse of all, ..."Will I look totally ridiculous?"
To all of these queries, I give a quick evaluation, and then decide that I am the one living this life. I am the one who is wearing the clothes. I have spent too much time concerned about what other people think. No, I am not in a second childhood, but I love to be comfortable. I am dressing to suit my lifestyle. Some persons may think I look ridiculous, but then, it's all relative anyway, and quite often, I think they look ridiculous!
Clothing styles coming out today are fabulously colorful. They even remind my of my grandmother's home. It had way too many floral patterns on the walls, floor, and furniture. Patterns are over the top. Styles are hip and chique. Remember when fashion revolutionaries dictated wearing stilettos with jeans? Out went the rules! Trust the youthful to bring it on with exuberance and vitality. The Boomers are not ready to succumb to what was once considered proper attire for middle age and beyond. We still think of ourselves as attractive, active and even sexy! Yeah baby! ...I said the 'S' word! Say it again, out loud! ...SEXY!!!

Hot Pants are Back!

Here are some results of research I have been doing lately on fashion trends. I am in a slow process of giving myself a new wardrobe based on comfort and action.

Fashion trends for 2010

• Denim is coming in big, tight, stretchy and distressed!

• Ruffles

• 80's looks

• Layers

• Mesh & nudity

• Texture

• Patterns stripes, floral, dots, and animal prints

• Short shorts and skirts

• Glamour and lots of it!

Amazing to me is that I just allowed myself to get rid of hundreds of 80's patterns I have saved for all these years. Well, I did keep some special patterns. There is a Betsy Johnson long sleeve T with hot pants. (See pattern on left second from the right. I see this look everywhere on the fashion sights. Love that Betsy! What a style setter she was and still keeps the faith today. Still wild 'n wonderful after all these years. Now, don;t get me wrong, I have no intention of getting back into hot pants. Leggings, yes! But I must admit to owning a few bumps and bulges that would be gag me with a spoon ugly, ...and ugly ain't chique baby!

More magic!

One of my resolutions for this year is to make magic every day. Part of this magic is giving myself a new wardrobe. Here is what I created a few days ago, and had a blast in the doing. I call it my Romaine (lettuce type) tunic. It is completely done on the serger, and this is a surprise for me, because I used to hate that machine. Not only is it a challenge to thread, but I was such a dressmaking perfectionist/snob that I considered it so below my quality standards that I only had it and used it for the pattern company I worked for. After finding some gloriously Grungy clothing on Etsy, I drug it out and barely dusted it off to get myself started. Now, I really must give it a proper cleaning and oiling so I don't ruin it. ...I have plans, you see.

I haev already finished the Wild Grasses vest. It goes nicely with the tunic as you can see here...

Now, I am designing and plotting other garments. I love the look of cowls, and can see them carrying over into warmer weather. Shrugs are also a great thing for every wardrobe. Both items are merely accessories, but they are totally practical, which, in my book, that makes them indispensable!

There's just one thing though. ...Where are the pockets????