bonnie: the long & the short of it

last fall, inspired by a classic movie still of faye dunaway in bonnie & clyde, i improv'd the sweater on the right. that's the same sweater on the left...just longer.



it was a lot of fun to make; i'd never done smocking before.



i love the way it creates the interesting waist detail--almost like a wide belt. the only problem was, i never wore the dang thing. it was just too short. so, i held my breath and snipped the hem and recast to make this elongated version. i added a couple of rows of smocking to cover up where i recast the hem, so now the smocking is a smidge wider, which i think i'm diggin'. (btw, please disregard the heinous burgundy carpet in the background...just repainted our b'room and haven't gotten around to installing new carpet. just seeing how fug it looks in this shot is quite possibly the kick in the ass i needed.)



i also increased one stitch inside each vertical rib to widen it along the bottom a bit. if you click on the pic, you can see where i increased...DAMN. (does anyone know how to do invisible increases in rev ST st??) also, i originally intended to make it more dress-like, but chickened out and ended up with this tunic-y length.



this shot with the pencil skirt came out relatively clearly. i also tried it on with long khaki shorts and heels which looked kinda cool and summery. this time around, i think i might actually wear this piece!

the idea that you can elongate and change knit pieces after the fact is so cool and one of the major things i love about knitting: if you hate something, it's no big whoop to change it. now if only i could figure out a way to elongate my legs...

this just in



if you're headed to TNNA this weekend, be sure to check out my friends lucinda and rachel of modalura. as the featured designers for a new blue sky alpacas collection, they'll be hanging at blue sky booths #136, 138,140 & 142. btw, don't be surprised if you see yours truly there as well! stay tuned for more on modalura and their super-cool new designs, like the one shown above.

seeing red

along with hot dogs and parades and potted geraniums, memorial day got me to thinking about this again. it is sad to think there is still a need for so many little red sweaters.

my very first sweater design: the fleur jacket

ta da! i am so excited...this is my first sweater design: the fleur jacket. inspired by mid-century fashion editor fleur cowles. rowan scottish tweed knit up in the aptly named dimple stitch creates a dense, textured fabric that feels light yet substantial. deep v-neck, single button closure and slightly cropped style make it an easy and stylish layering piece. what do you think??

i have to give a big shout-out to my friend lucinda, who showed me how to add, subtract, and listen to the yarn. she is living proof of this: give a woman a pattern and you feed her knitting passion for a day. teach her the basics of design and you feed her creativity forever! thanks, buddy.


sorry this pic is a little dark. snapped a quickie before heading to a meeting this morning. will post a better one soon.


inspired by fleur cowles and these wonderful images from flair magazine

aussie patches

check out these charming illustrations from aussie patches. there's something very mary quant about her fashion girls that i just love.

lino bahhh

dig this adorable linocut print from etsy artist rainyprints. entitled "one sheep hill," it won an honorable mention in the maryland sheep and wool festival's catalog cover contest.

bereft

i am officially in mourning over the loss of the best little yarn shop in the whole wide world.

it was the best because it was here.

because it was full of color and texture and wegman's ultimate chocolate cake.

because where else could you discuss the finer points of suspending a 20-foot knit christmas stocking from a 40-foot coal tower at 4 o'clock in the morning.

because chris and joan said so.

because of train knitting and knit graffiti and 40 scarves hung from telephone poles in a blizzard.

because it was as wild as it was wooly.

because the only thing standing between you and a giant wall of blue sky alpaca was a giant white dog named bailey.

because there wasn't a speck of red heart or lion brand in the place.

it was the best because of lucinda.

and she made us feel like it was all ours.

this emptiness feels like a giant mothhole in my heart.

sweater girl

move over lana turner, and make room for a real sweater girl.
thanks to dona for clueing me in to this unending
gallery of glamor.

oh my mortal yumminess

i think i finally found the perfect fabric for this danish lovely i scarfed up just as a little old lady was hauling it to the curb last spring:



both fabrics are from the uber-talented amy butler's forest collection. now the only question is, which colorway?

can we talk?

i just got back from a heated breakfast discussion with my friends justin and michele. i hate to burst your big booberry bubble justin, but these have to be three of the gayest characters ever to grace a cereal box. not that there's anything wrong with that. if i had to choose one, i'd have to go with the count. first of all, there's the accent. that in itself is enough to make me overlook the bad teeth. those pointy-toed spectators are so chanel spring 2007. and don't even get me started on that cape. can't you just see it knitted up in a nice drapey blue sky alpaca/silk? come to think of it, frankenberry is lookin pretty snappy himself. i dig the slutty red nail polish. the red flats with little pink socks are TDF. and those chain suspenders are oh so fendi. but forget booberry. i don't care how much smoky shadow he blends into his creases. i just don't trust the guy.

p.s. to binet & paul: i'd love to join your discussion group on climate control and environmental sustainability. but clearly, i have a lot of other more pressing issues on my mind.

let the ribaldry begin!

click to see bigger pic

this is one of the smartest knitting sites i've ever seen. and, as far as i know, ravelry is completely unrivaled. thanks to olga for clueing me in on this one. it is your very own incredibly well-designed and impossibly easy-to-use stash for every bit and byte of your personal knitting info: your projects, yarns, friends, chats, yada yada yada. you can even post and sell your own designs. beware: this thing is addictive. you may find yourself reveling in ravelry more than you do your ever-growing pile of UFOs. (as i have.)