Updated: That's What (Blog) Friends Are For

I know I say this intermittently, and I'm focused on directing my gratitude to the specific people who have supported me as honorary professors at "Kristin's Institute of Craft and Design", but I am able to make things - sometimes sassy (IMO), sometimes impressive, sometimes close to my heart, sometimes not so successful (in truth) - because of the unerring amount of really smart, technical feedback I get from my blog friends and readers.

I've been known to start to tear-up when I talk about it at a dinner party with an acquaintance (I blame it on allergies). And you should know, there is not one piece of feedback I've ever received from y'all that I haven't accepted thankfully and seriously considered - if not actually attempted. Not a day goes by when I don't say to Scott, OMG ____ just totally explained the issue / solved the problem / provided a new spin on that snag. I fucking love this community. And he never fails to counter with, You sure are the poster girl for the positive internet experience. (I think he's a little bit envious.)

Note: I love non-crafters in a whole different way. I actually think you are saints to stay with this blog and comment when you like something, even though the weird rabbit hole I've fallen into is frequently technical and irrelevant. You make me feel like maybe I have cross-appeal :-) And, of course, I need all the perspectives to fully experience every project.  Also, you tend to see things independent of the process (that Kristin spell-binder). In the end, it's a freakin' top. You don't necessarily care about the minutiae of how it was made, but you do know if it works.

Anyway, before I start sobbing from happiness, let me tell you about a recent act of internet kindness.

You know Jody. She's the one with Couture Allure Vintage, that site I link to sometimes. She has a fascinating blog where she shows vintage fashion photos and discusses brands in some detail. She also manages to find the most AWESOME vintage clothing on a near constant schedule, which she sells online. I've been known to suggest she's made a pact with some fairies but I think it's more likely that she uses her fashion design degree, networks and natural style to stock and run a really professional online boutique.

Anyway, I can't even remember if Jody knits. But she managed to look at a photo of my finished Convertible sweater and spot what she thought my problem might be. Unsurprisingly, I put it together incorrectly. This is why you need to have friends who are a) experts in vintage McCardell and having b) fashion design degrees!

So, long story long, I spent last night pulling the sweater apart - the seams, not the knit fabric! - and I'm going to follow her advice today to see if I can produce the garment that the pattern had in mind.

In my defense, although Jody figured this out without having even read the pattern and then, when she did read it, was able to spot what I'd done wrong right away, she did say that the instructions were not good and that she could totally see why I had misunderstood them. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

So, stay tuned for an update. I REALLY hope I can salvage 150 hours and produce a successful finished garment. Even if my next attempt doesn't yield something that fits, at least I will have put it all together as the designer intended and I have experienced yet another beautiful example of blog kindness.

Update: Reader, it worked!! I mean, this thing is definitely too short, as my math told me it would be, so it may not be mine in the end. But, as I mentioned to Jody, I'm amazed that I experienced (after all of my work and faith through out this process) such a failure of imagination at the last minute. What a life lesson. I've only done the initial seaming, the finishing is yet to occur. But stay tuned for another photo soon.