MOVING

I have decided that it's time for a change and moved my blog. This also comes with a new name, new design and a new focus.

I can now be found at http://dietcouture.wordpress.com/.

two more weeks...

That's how long I have to wait until life calms down enough that I'll be able to get some sewing and knitting done!!! I have two finished knitting projects and one underway that I need to photograph and post.

I have a short list of sewing and knitting projects, plus some machine embroidery projects that I need to complete. My sewing room is almost completely re-organized, but definitely usable in it's current state.

Here is my to-do list:
- Finish a UFO from last winter (my husband's back problems prevented me from finishing it)
- Set up the knitting machine and actually learn how to use it. I have a couple of sewing patterns that I have been looking for a particular type of sweater knit to make, so I think I'm going to make some panels of sweater knit on the knitting machine and see how that works. I may just find a regular knitting pattern, but I think this will be good practice for the machine.
- Embroider three aprons for my father-in-law. This must be done before the July 4th weekend.
- Make a Hawaiian-style shirt for my father-in-law. This is something I promised him last Christmas, but was never able to get to due to my husband's back problems and subsequent surgery.
- Finish re-organizing my sewing room. This may not happen until after the July 4th weekend. Right now I'm taking double credits for my degree, so when I'm not studying, doing housework or spending time with my family, I only have the energy to sit in my chair and knit.

After I finish the items on my to-do list I will be able to get back in the sewing room full time and work on various projects. I have a few preliminary projects that I would like to accomplish:
- I need a lightweight short-sleeved black shrug for summer. Something that I can wear to dress up camisoles and tank tops during the 100 degree days. I have white, coral and purple shrugs (the purple one I made, the rest are RTW), but I'm missing a basic black.
- I have a rather long queue on Ravelry of items I would like to make. After I make the shrug, my next project will probably be a fall transitional piece and a sweater vest.
- I am making a fall/winter cardigan for my son. Details on that will come soon. I am also going to make him a lightweight cotton sweater for late summer/early fall and winter layering.
- Perfect my slacks pattern and muslin and make the Jalie jeans pattern. Come fall I will need these items.

That's about it for now, my focus is going to be primarily on knitting and perfecting a couple of pants patterns. I will probably make a few summer items here and there, but most of my sewing planning will revolve around fall/winter since that's what I have the most need for at the moment and the next few months will go by so quickly.

As with all of my plans, I really REALLY hope that I'll have time to work on them. It's a matter of finding free time at home with a toddler, full time job and full time school (one more year and I'm free!!!).

happy Mother's Day!

So I know it's not until Sunday, but I doubt I'm going to be online much this weekend. In addition to festivities celebrating my 2nd Mother's Day (brunch at my house with my mom, almost step-father and grandparents), I have some preparation for our vacation to do, three school assignments to complete, a computer re-build to finish for my husband and a knitting project to complete (hopefully). There will definitely be no sewing taking place.

I just wanted to wish everyone out there a happy Mother's Day! I hope it turns out to be a special day for each of you!

green gable - I got my yarn!

I still haven't blocked the lace for my purple tofu jacket yet, I had school until 10pm last night and just didn't feel like messing with it. I'll do it tonight and then I'm going to get started on Green Gable!

Today at lunch, I went to Jimmy Beans and bought the yarn. The pattern calls for Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece and they have such a great color selection and it feels like it will be perfect for summer that I went ahead and decided to use that rather than make a substitution. I fell IN LOVE with the Robin Egg Blue color, it's the same color as a Tiffany's box!! My local store only carries it in 9 colors, but they had Robin Egg Blue!


So I bought enough to make the XL, although I've read a ton of reviews that indicate that making the next smaller size is sometimes better. The color is much more vibrant in person - the photo makes it look a little dusty.

I'm going to play around with gauge tonight and hopefully cast on. We'll see how far I get.

lace is done

I finished up the lace band last night at about 10:30pm. I thought about blocking it then, but changed my mind because I was sort of brain-dead for the last few inches of lace. There are a few mistakes where the pattern doesn't line up properly and while I tend to be somewhat of a perfectionist, I decided to call it good. It won't be noticeable with my dress and I'll just wear dark colors underneath it when I wear it after. Overall, I am very impressed with my first foray into non-scarf knitting.

My next project is Green Gable. I loved Adrienne's version and wanted something suitable for both the Reno summer and an air conditioned office. I think this should work well. I am going to cast on while I'm blocking the lace.

On the sewing front, I have my sewing room almost put back together with my new tables and will get started both on the dress for my mom's wedding and a couple of UFOs that have been sitting around waiting for me to finish them. I have a couple of tops and some skirts that just need things like hems!

progress

I've made a lot of progress on my purple tofu jacket. I'm almost done (I have about 6" left) of the lace portion. The lace portion gets blocked and then I can start on the rest of the body. I'm hoping I'll be done with the lace portion today so that I can block and then start the rest of the body next week. In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures:

And a closeup of the lace:

purple tofu

I've been doing some reading about this Soy Silk yarn and the process that is used to make it. Basically, it's made from the byproducts of making tofu. Interesting really...you can read more about it here.

So in the spirit of the process used to make the yarn, I've dubbed my jacket the "Purple Tofu Jacket".

I had some pictures of my progress so far, and the yarn with the fabric, but I'm having issues figuring out how to make the flash work properly on my new point-and-shoot. I think I figured out what I was doing wrong, so I'm going to try it again tonight. If it still doesn't work, I'll take the pics with my Nikon.