Stacyverb

"Bye Bye Brooke" shawl

For the past 6+ years, I've had the pleasure of working with, and being friends with, a great woman named Brooke.  My workplace is like a second home to me, and my co-workers are like a family, so we're all very sad right now because Brooke is leaving us to live near her actual family on the west coast.  (Pout.)

Last week we had a going-away party for Brooke, and knowing that her departure is a big deal for all of us, I decided I needed to make her a gift and give it to her at the party.  This is the "special project" I mentioned in yesterday's post.

 

The pattern is called Omelet, and this shawl is by far the most complicated lace knitting project I've ever undertaken.  There were definitely some moments when I thought I might be in over my head with this.

 

I pressed onward, though, and really, it was a pleasure to knit.  The yarn is a hand-dyed silk--luscious, slinky, gorgeous. 

This took me eleven days to knit, which is insanely fast for me to make anything this...involved.  At times I wondered aloud, hands frantically knitting away, why I hadn't started Brooke's gift sooner, since we'd all known for a long time that her departure was approaching.  Our mutual friend Carrie answered that question without pause: "Because we've all been in denial about Brooke leaving."  Too true, too true.

 

Well, we can't deny it any longer (but we don't have to like it, either!).  And so I gave my dear friend Brooke this parting gift, and I hope that whenever she looks at it, she'll remember all the great times we had working together at the yarn shop.  Things just won't be the same without her.  (Pout.)

Closing the Gaps: Black cardigan

This won't be the most exciting of outfit shots, but that's okay.  Sometimes even I, devotee of colorful prints and rich colors, need something basic.

 

So here she is, a basic black cardigan.  How did I not already own a black cardigan?  I don't know.  But now I've closed that gap in my wardrobe and can move on with my life.

This is my second version of the Featherweight Cardigan (I debuted the first one here), and probably not the last.  It's just such a perfect wardrobe staple for the Atlanta climate--takes the chill off on cool spring and autumn mornings; provides just enough of an extra layer during our mild winters; and wards off the deep-freeze of overly air-conditioned public spaces in summer.

 

See, nice and sheer and light?  (Also, a subtle reminder not to speed on my street, haha!).

On my first Featherweight, I did a ribbed border around the collar.  On this one, I did as the original pattern called for and made a rolled stockinette border.

PROJECT DETAILS

Started - Finished: February 21, 2012 - March 31, 2012

Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig

Yarn: Heritage Silk by Cascade Yarns (color #5672 Real Black)

Needle: US 4 (3.5mm) & US 5 (3.75mm)

Size/Yardage: 35.25", about 800 yards  (Slightly less than two skeins.  On the first Featherweight I made, I had to use a small amount of a third skein of the same yarn.  I guess the difference was that I did the collar of the first one in k1p1 ribbing, a stitch pattern that eats up more yarn than the stockinette of this one.)

Closing The Gaps: Brown cardigan

In my continuing quest to close the gaps in my wardrobe, I realized I was missing a rather basic layering piece--a brown cardigan. 

 

Meet Wanda Nell.  I didn't name her that--it's just the name of the pattern.  For the record, I think it's a rather frumpy name.  But I love the pattern.  It pushes so many of my buttons--fitted, seamless, topdown, versatile.

 

Speaking of buttons, I really lucked out when I found these.  They look like were meant to go with this yarn.

 

And oooh, this yarn.  It's Smooshy from Dream In Color.  This was my first time working with Smooshy, but it certainly won't be the last.  It's so squishy, and the kettle-dyed effect is gorgeous.  It's brown without being boring.  There's a rich, almost purple-ish cast to it, like a piece of good dark chocolate got dropped into a glass of red wine and turned into a skein of yarn.  I really enjoyed knitting with it.

I've worn W.N. a couple of ways so far--once over a long-sleeved, collared shirt (as a sort of vest), and once over just a tank top (seen above).  I think she'll also look cute unbuttoned over a bright short-sleeved top, or even buttoned all the way up and worn as a pullover by herself.

PROJECT DETAILS

Started - Finished: December 3, 2011 - February 16, 2012

Pattern: Wanda Nell by Jennifer Hagan (Figheadh Yarnworks)

Yarn: Smooshy by Dream In Color (color #033 Chocolate Night)

Needle: US 4 (3.5mm)

Size/Yardage: 36", about 900 yards (NOTE: This is about 150 yards more than the pattern indicated I would need for my size, and if I weren't so short, I would've needed even more.)

Spring fever

[How about those storms last night, local readers?  Glenn Burns was having a blast with his stormtracker radar thingy, instilling panic in citizens throughout the metro area.  I can't say he totally over-reacts, because I know things did get bad in some places.  But right here, we had mostly gentle showers all night, apparently with some thunder and lightning around 2 am, which I slept through.  We awoke to minor drizzle, gray skies, and birds tweeting. And now the sun's out.]

Spring is just about here.  Are you feeling it?  Here in the ATL, we typically don’t have much winter anyway, but this year it’s been even milder than usual.  But something switches on in my brain that says, SPRING!!! and gets very excited.

This winter hasn’t been cold, but it’s been gray and dreary often enough that my eye is craving COLOR.  Last weekend I took myself on a little shopping spree (for me, fifty bucks constitutes a spree).  I bought makeup, and bras, and tried on some clothes that I had no real intention of buying—I just needed some newness, or at least ideas for newness.

For whatever reason, lately I’m obsessed with this color of green:

Jade?  Malachite?  Whatever.  A cooler green than I normally wear.  I figured it was too far to the blue end of the green spectrum for me (blue makes me look barfy), but I tried on a top in this color, and it turns out that I look AWESOME in jade/malachite/whatever.  The style of the top wasn't great, so I didn’t get it.  But now I’m plotting what I need in my new color.  It's a gap in my wardrobe that must be filled!

Speaking of Closing The Gaps, I spent the winter knitting a brown cardigan that I need to show you, when I feel like having a photo shoot.  My hair has been going through an... awkward phase lately, so I’m not feeling very photogenic.  I’m kind of growing it out again, but right now it’s not yet longer, just wider.  It makes my head look three times bigger than it really is. 

I’m blessed/cursed with a ton of hair.  Seriously, I have to wear a size Large hat, and no other part of me is even close to large.  My hair/self ratio is freakishly out of proportion.  Sometimes I have fantasies of shaving my head (sort of kidding), but then I’m afraid my head would suddenly look really tiny (mostly kidding).  These are the things that keep me up at night (definitely kidding).

So, someday soon I’ll show you that brown cardigan, maybe with my head blurred out like some guy on Cops who didn’t want to sign a release form.  In the meantime, I decided I also really, really needed a black cardigan (and really, how do I not already have one?  I don’t know.). So I started knitting that, but I’m already bored with it because it’s BLACK and as we’ve established, I’m craving COLOR.

I also started sewing a new top.  It’s colorful, but it has also black in it, so my hope is that it and the black cardigan will want to play together.  It’s this pattern, which I’ve made three times before, but this time I’m doing the cuffed short-sleeve version that the model is wearing: 
and this is my fabric:

More details as all these projects progress!  What are you doing to get ready for spring?  (Or, for my southern hemisphere readers, autumn?)

Finished: Black sparkly hat

Don't worry, I'm here.  Thank you to everyone who sent their condolences about Nacho Kitty.  I really appreciate all your kind words!

What have I been doing, since I clearly haven't been blogging?  Well, here's one thing:

Terrible picture, but anyway.  It's the Peace Street Hat from the Holidays Gifts 2011 issue of Interweave Knits.  Although you can't really tell from this photo, the hat has a hint of sparkle.  I held one strand of black alpaca together with a strand of metallic yarn (also black) to create this subtle shimmery effect.  The buttons are some pretty glass gems from Blue Moon Buttons.  This is my new go-to hat for the holiday season.

Let's see, what else?  I'm trying really hard not to catch a cold.  Yesterday I felt yucky all day, but last night I had a hot toddy and then a lot of sleep and I'm feeling much better this morning.  I'll be eating tangerines all day to load up on vitamin C and ward off any cold germs (not to mention scurvy--man, there's nothing like a pesky case of scurvy to ruin your Christmas vacation).

I hope you all are doing great and enjoying the holidays!

Finished: Spicy Featherweight

What did I just say yesterday--that I was tired of posting outfit photos?  Well, yeah, but I also said that when I have a new me-made garment to debut, I'll be posting about it.  And I do, so I am. :)

I'd hoped to debut this cardigan during SSS, but the weather didn't cooperate.  But today's the day!

I'm really pleased with this sweater.  It was enjoyable to knit (top-down!  no seams!), and I absolutely love the yarn.  It's very possible that I might make this again sometime in another color.

PROJECT DETAILS:

• Pattern: Featherweight by Hannah Fettig
• Yarn: Cascade Heritage Silk, color 5642
• Needle: US 4 (3.5 mm)
• I did the edging around the front in K1P1 rib instead of stockinette stitch, to keep it from rolling

I should also mention the dress, which I made two years ago but I don't think has ever appeared on the blog.  It's Simplicity 2703, made from a cotton print I bought on one of my trips to Surplus City.  Great pattern, and again, I could see myself making another version in the future.  If I do, I think I'll add a few inches of length to the bottom of it, because it does ride up a bit when I sit in my chair.

Perfect weather for a sleeveless dress with tights and a cardigan.  And this outfit will take me from day to night, as I have a date after work to celebrate eight years of marriage to my sweetie, Anthony (aka Adverb).  We'll be having dinner at this yummy Lebanese restaurant.  Mmmm...tabbouleh....

SSS: Days 19, 20 & 21

By the time Self-Stitched-September is over, I think I might actually catch up with posting my outfit pictures!

 

• Top: I forget--some old Vogue pattern that's out of print
• Earrings: Beaded by me

 

• Sweater: Intoxicating, designed by Kristi Porter
• Skirt: Simplicity 5914 (looks orange-ish here, but really red)
  
• Earrings: Beaded by me

 

• Blouse: McCall's 5138, View B
• Skirt: McCall's 3341
• Earrings: Beaded by me

I've made a bunch of skirts from this same pattern, McCall's 3341, but this brown version isn't my favorite.  I think the linen is too drapey or something.  It always looks floppy and sloppy.  Contrast this with my yellow version (worn with the same blouse pattern, in fact), which is a poly/linen blend and has a much better shape.  Interesting!

SSS: Days 16, 17 & 18

Will I ever catch up with my outfit posts?  I doubt it.  But that's okay.  Life will go on, and I'll still be wearing self-stitched stuff!

 

• Top: Simplicity 2501
• Earrings: Beaded by me

 

• Top: Ruched Yoke Tee from Interweave Knits Spring 2011 issue
• Skirt: McCall's 5631
• Necklace: Beaded by me from vintage beads

 

I'm doing my "Hurray, tomorrow's my day off" cheer here. :)

• Shirt: McCall's 4922
• Earrings: Beaded by me

SSS, Days 3 & 4: Decatur Book Festival

Once again, with Labor Day weekend comes the Decatur Book Festival.  This modest little festival has grown rapidly in just a few years, and I hear it's now one of the biggest book festivals in the United States.

I work in Decatur, so I can attest that the festival sure did bring a lot of people into the area (70,000 was the rumor).  On Saturday I had to work, so I didn't get to see any of the festival.  I did wear some self-stitched clothes, though.

 

• Top: Hand-knit Sadie tank top
• Skirt: Thrifted
• Necklace: Abacus necklace, a Stacybeads design, available in my Etsy shop!)

On Sunday, Anthony and I ventured over to the festival and walked around for a bit.  Here's an adorable little someone we met...

Her name is Tootsie, and she is the inspiration behind a children's book called Tootsie The Nibble Hunter.  She couldn't have been a more charming, gracious hostess when we visited her booth.

 

Aaaaand then there's this.  Anytime he sees a wacky cardboard cutout with a space for his head, my husband can't resist posing in it, and I can't resist taking incriminating photos.  This Mike Luckovich cartoon was no exception.

 

Meanwhile, I was involved in the very serious business of being terrorized by "Bookzilla."  Maybe he was jealous of my self-stitched wardrobe?

• Top: Simplicity 5060, out of print
• Earrings: Not visible here, but trust me that they were beaded by yours truly!

SSS, Day 2: Go, me...it's my birthday...

Yep, folks, today is my birthday! 

I'm 42 today.  Surely a lot of you have read Douglass Adams's hilarious novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so you know that in that book, the answer the "ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything" turns out to be...42.  It's been many years since I read the book, but I've always remembered that tidbit.  Maybe it bodes well for the coming year?  Let's hope so!

This isn't the outfit I originally planned on wearing today.  But this morning I was in the closet, talking to my brother on the phone, because he called to say happy birthday, but then he also started telling me this humorous anecdote about a stinky catfish carcass (right!), and I got distracted and had no time to iron the skirt I was going to wear, plus I realized the top I had in mind was in the laundry, so... ANYWAY.  This is what I ended up with, and it's not bad for a plan B.

• Necklace: Beaded by me
• Top: Hand-knit Thira (aka Orange Crush) from Knitty
• Skirt: Another McCall's 4783 (out of print)