Have You Seen This?

Cross-marketing is alive and well, my friends.

Robin just turned me onto this site. Lisette is a blog and a pattern store and it's (rather intelligently) teamed up with Jo-Ann (a big-box sewing store in the US) to sell the very fabrics in which its season's patterns are modeled. Talk about taking the guess-work out of things.

Of course, seasoned sewists may want to do their own thing, but for a new stitcher - one of those modern-generation crafters who's just trying to get into the swing of things - the patterns are adorable (and simple), the styling retro-relevant, and it's one-stop shopping.

As a test-subject on behalf of y'all, I just spent a reasonable 12 bucks on a pattern - plus an absurd $8.00 in shipping (they are ripping off the international crowd) - to purchase this:




I bought it for dress C - which I'll make with snaps, thank you very much. No doubt, it will be an FBA-experience, but I do think it's adorable.

Has anyone else checked out this site? What do you think of the concept?

Updated: Shout Out to the (Knitting) Experts: Should It Look Like This??

OMG. The big fucking problem with not having the faintest idea of what one is doing, is that one has no idea when it's fucking up big time.

The provisos here are that I haven't blocked this, so the ribbing stitches look v. uneven. And I've got a (same yarn) lifeline in the body of the pattern - about 4 rows up (not improving the texture).



OK, here are the questions:

• If the rib was done in US 2 needles then how is it wider-seeming (i.e. looser) than the Knit/Purl lace work (done with US 3 needles!) that starts above it? (Note: It's only just getting going so you can't really tell it's going to be lacey...) Is this normal? It seems like the body should be looser than the rib.
  

• When you yarn over you add a stitch, right? So when you YO followed by a K2Tog, you're effectively stabilizing the stitch number - do I understand this correctly?

• The pattern says K6, * YO, K2Tog, K5, repeat from * to end. I did this and finished up (for 125 stitches) at the 4th of 5 knit stitches at the end of the row. Should it have ended on the 5th stitch?? I counted numerous times and even drew it out, stitch for stitch, but if YO and K2Tog cancel each other out in terms of stitch number, that's the way it goes.

• The YO extra stitch is very loose. I'm still purling into it (it's a purl row after the lacework row). That's the way it goes, right?

BTW, I couldn't figure out what was going on with those little holes (see yesterday's post) that I thought were dropped stitches. I'm starting to think they could be sloppy iterations of the additional M1 stitches I did (though I was very careful to check that they were all tight) because I couldn't have ended on the right number of stitches if one or more of them were dropped. Also, I studied the "holes" in great detail and I couldn't figure out where to fix them. They were open, but they weren't "broken links". If that's wrong, then fuck it cuz I feel compelled to move forward. I'm starting to get very frustrated. Sometimes, I believe, you have to "craft from where you're at". It's the way you get from nothing to something, even if the something is far from perfect. And you learn along the way, she says.

I know that taking up a craft and following up a first sweater with a sophomore effort of vintage lace work is a bit of a stretch (pun intended), and it's a bit rough right now.

Any feedback y'all may be able to give would be SO appreciated. Thanks, xo

Update: Apparently, row 8 may actually have an errata in it. I'm communicating on the details with the pattern publisher and will advise as soon as I have firm feedback.

Questions for Everyone...

A couple of things on the craft front:

• The Jan Sweater is proving to be much more finicky than the Kimono Wrap. Not that I'd have needed a PhD in knitting to figure that one out. As you may know, if you read my tweets, I've ripped out the ribbing twice: once due to stupid misreading and the next time due to a lost stitch that I couldn't retrieve given a) the thinness of the needles and yarn and b) the lack of a lifeline. There are 8 hours I'm not getting back. (Yes, I know it's a wonderful learning opp.) I've got to the point where I'm about to start the lacework of the body but somehow it seems like I've dropped a couple of bars (not stitches) on the row that holds the increased stitches. I don't know if I messed up the increases (I have the right number of stitches so I don't know how) or what exactly is going on. If anyone has any ideas, pls. advise. I hope it will be as "easy" as re-knitting the couple of impacted stitches in the column with a crochet hook but who can say and I'm too tired to tackle it tonight.

• I bought some great new rayon jersey on sale for 6 bucks/metre - 2 kinds (tangerine, natch, and wacky pattern with pinks and other colours) - with which to make wrap-standard Vogue 8379:
  

I'm still going through the numerous reviews on Pattern Review, but haven't seen a lot about whether this fits small through the bust. I'm trying to decide whether to go with the smaller or larger size (I'm likely a 12 but the boobs may make that tight through the chest). With a regular knit shirt, the stretch would compensate, but given that this will open at the v-neck, I want to be certain I've got the right size without going too large everywhere else. I'd prefer not to do an FBA, natch. Given the darts and the strange shape of bodice, I don't want to have to deal with shifting darts etc. if I can avoid it.

My rayon jersey has a bit more stretch than is required according to the envelope: 4 inches stretches to between 5.5" - 6" rather than to the recommended 5.25". I could also affix a discreet snap, if necessary. Any thoughts from those who have made it?

Also, I've read that the ties are too short and the waist is very short on this pattern. Can anyone short-waisted share feelings about whether they feel the waist still needs shortening or, egad, lengthening?

Wherein I Discuss the Merits of Wealth (With Pretty Photos)

For those of you who've been reading this blog for years (yes, it has been that long), you may recall posts of the Parkdale-Toronto Horticultural Society walking tours I've attended on a few occasions. This unbelievable voyeur-fest, status-anxiety provoking charming annual event is a fantastic opportunity to observe rich people in their natural habitats well-loved gardens in some delightful Toronto west-end neighbourhoods. In truth, most owners are not available during the tour, which is staffed by hort society volunteers. Most owners are off at their zillion dollar waterfront cottages on Lake Rosseau. Cuz that's how wealthy Torontonians roll.

In truth, I've never understood how people can invest so much time and money on urban (albeit bordering on suburban) gardening only to ditch it all on the couple of days of the week (over the couple of months of the year) they can actually enjoy it with martinis. Mind you, undoubtedly most of these gardeners benefit from the assistance of professionals. Both here and up north.

As we wandered (skip down if this chatter bores you, there are some good photos ahead), Nicole and I discussed the utter embarrassment of luxury amidst which we walked. In our downtown 'hoods, any one of the insanely beautiful birches grafted with cherry or unusual willows (which generally only grow in zone 7) would have caused stop-in-your-tracks transfixion. In Baby Point (peeps, it's pronounced Bobby Point), we were practically dismissive by the end of it.

I don't know what my point is. Is it fortunate to live amongst ugly urban grit because one's tiny garden will then function that much more relevantly as a fantastic oasis? Have my brain cells been realigned by the drugginess of the old-boy, high-WASP experience?

You be the judge:

Yes, that is bamboo...

This willow almost died last year due to hot, dry summer. Massive pruning and this year's deluge of rain brought it back.

I know, this garden is just ridiculous. I counted and you could seat 30 people without even making a dent on the space. Oh, and it's on a ravine.

Scott loathes that visor I'm wearing. He says I remind him of a retiree. Might I remind you I'm on a horticultural tour on my 41st birthday?? Besides, I feel I look "tennis".

The Italianate aspects of this place were a bit mind-blowing.

Nicole looking all cute and summery... Thanks for spending such a great day with me N!

Dinner At My House

Man, what a great party I had yesterday, an advance celebration of my birthday today - which has been so fantastic. It was me, Scottie, Hilary (my oldest friend, since age 11), Steen, Nicole, Jennifer and Duff.

The weather sucked, but the camaraderie more than made up for it:

Me and Hilly (this pose is a hallmark of our friendship)

My Japanese maple - just cuz.

Don't you love it when your prosecco matches your gerberas??

Steen taking a photo of me, while I took a photo of him.

Y'all know I have worked hard to make my dining room look like a sexy steak house.

At my request, Scott made a very casual meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, tomatoes and feta, green salad with jalapenos and we got some of my fave cupcakes (24 of them for 8 people?!). The flavours ranged from red velvet (a perennial fave) to pistachio and ginger orange. There was even a butter cream peanut butter chocolate.

The wine flowed freely, the conversation was lively and authentic. There's nothing like time spent with old friends. Especially when you're the star of the show :-)

BTW, today I went on the most amazing horticultural tour of back yards in chichi fancy-land. I took tons of photos which I will share in my next post...

And thanks so much to all of my wonderful blog and Twitter friends for well-wishes on my bday. I love to hear from you all!

You Can't Get if You Don't Ask

I think I might want this house. (And as it is my birthday tomorrow, feel free to gift it to me.) IMO, the bones are awesome, but many of the interiors need some refinement. Nonetheless, let's appreciate a couple of shots:




I do love me a good industrial facade.

Isn't the living room a lovely combo of good design and sexy with (a chaser of "people could actually lounge on that couch")? Alas, much of the rest of the house seems uninhabitable in its current layout. Still, it's got some serious potential.

A friend of mine recently told me that those ghost chairs look good until, on your way to the kitchen to get another bottle of wine, you happen upon someone's derriere smooshed against the clear back. Apparently, not attractive, for the most part. But let's imagine, for purposes of my imaginary dinner party, that all the bums are very toned and covered by well-fitting, high-waisted pants.

Back In The Saddle

I wish I could tell you that, after the denim debacle, I bounced right back and decided to make something and it was super easy and my final product was flawless.

The truth is that I decided I should bounce back and I have been wanting to make Vogue 1250 (everyone's fave new Donna Karan pattern) and I had some poly jersey in my stash so, over the past few days, I gave it a go:



The photos look skewed to me - maybe that's just where I'm at. I've had ear pain and a headache for days so my opinion is likely unreliable.

I also notice that the dress looks baggy on the mannequin. My, ahem, padding is slightly more evenly distributed (maybe even ample) so, on me, it looks more va va voom.

About the Fabric

I bought this a fabric a long time ago and gifted some of it to my friend Nicole. She made a fantastic version of Vogue 1179 with it, also a Donna Karan pattern. The op art swirlies are lots of fun and it's a beautiful, stand out blue. But I'm just not a fan poly jersey. It's got lovely drape and it's indestructible but, man, it feels like crap.

About the Pattern

• I made one adjustment in shortening the waist by 1.25 inches. Y'all know I can't make a Vogue pattern (or any, for that matter) without doing that. BTW, if you shorten the waist and you are not short, you should lengthen the skirt. It's not super long. On me, a .5 inch hem was fine, but I wouldn't have wanted to go any shorter.
  

• It fits large for a close-fitting dress. Mind you, my fabric could be contributing to that. I would say that, if you're on the cusp between sizes, make the smaller one. Or consider using larger seam allowances.

• Alas, it's like my serger was on drugs when I made this thing. It did a terrible job on the fabric. I almost wonder if something is up with it. So the inside is regrettably hideous, something that makes me dislike it on principle. (It also looks like gerbils twin stitched the hem. Seriously. Bad. Work.)
  

• I also found the shoulders to be a total pain in the ass to put together - and I've used the method prescribed before. There was something off about either it, or me. Let's just say I'm grateful that the fabric obscures the workmanship.

On the plus side, it's entirely wearable - and seasonal - which is more than I can say for my last sewing project.

On balance, I didn't find this dress as easy to construct as most other people have found it (I could be off my game these days) and I don't love the end result as much. After Vogue 1179 (the sexiest sac ever), this one seems a bit derivative. Mind you, I'll wear it and enjoy it.

Whatcha think?