I finished my Pietra Pants yesterday! These fit perfectly and fulfill my need for “jeans” since I can no longer wear real jeans. The high waist with elastic in back is forgiving and so comfortable. I can wear it with my cropped hand knit sweaters! The lightweight chambray will be suitable for late spring to early fall. I wish I could make these in a medium weight, but the gathering in back would be too stiff and bunchy.
Pattern is Pietra Pants by Closet Core Patterns. Fabric is Telhio 4.8 ounce denim chambray in dark blue. This pattern was a treat to sew. I only got a little muddled on the pockets, but they have a tutorial that helped me through. I used the same fabric for interfacing, with some of my Grandma’s roll of Stitch Witchery on the pocket facings to keep them crisp. (I can still remember my Grandma giving it to me. I think she would be proud of my sewing.) I will make a pair or two in linen next spring.
In other news, my sister sent me some Halloween tea! Thanks, Lori!
My art show reception was last night, and it was wonderful to visit with family and friends who ventured out in support. I sold two pieces, which I’m over the moon about! Here is a gallery of the pieces in the show.
Haze Over Maize
Hay for Days
Blue Moon
Winter Sun
Coxheath
Iona
Iona 2
Louisburg
Ingonish Beach
Highland Village
I’m proud I was able to produce this body of work, and was really pleased with the feedback. Many people were surprised to see artwork made from wool. Someone said the work was really comforting, which was my goal. I think we all need a little bit of softness in our lives right now. The gallery’s website is at this link.
My DIY Fall Advent bag yesterday was the Ixchel Cowl in Farmer’s Daughter Fibers Moon Sisters. I don’t know if you can see the bronze sparkles in this yarn, but it’s beautiful. However, I just finished a colorwork cowl, and I’m not in the mood to start another one. I’ll store this for another time.
I knit this beautiful lace shawl, a mystery knit along based on folk tales about the selkies. I had an idea to sew a dress to wear with it to my art opening on Saturday. I had lavender linen in my fabric stash. I thought it was meant to be! I chose the Barcelona Dress, as I thought it was classic with a retro feel that I could alter to my figure.
Not horrible, but I clearly forgot the rule about not wearing vintage style when you yourself are a vintage lady. Not my best look, and more importantly, I don’t feel good in it. It’s comfortable, but not flattering on me.
Modeling for these photos in the woods near my house, I started thinking about the magic elven cloaks and Lothlorian leaf pins from Lord of the Rings. After that, I knew there was no way I would ever wear these three items together again. Even though I love the shawl and the shawl pin! And the dress is fine on its own. It might make a nice casual summer dress. Maybe if I wore some shapewear underneath. But no, that would aggravate my GERD.
This was my first dress to cut and sew on the bias, and I learned a lot. I had an idea to make a striped one, but now I know I won’t be able to pull it off. This dress really needs to be fitted to look good. I think I’ll stick with a-line dresses.
You know what I do feel good in? My yarn ball overalls with my Anker’s Summer Shirt underneath. They look great together! And that’s what I’m going to wear to my opening tomorrow. Fin.
I woke up waaaay too early this morning. 3AM! I did go back to bed at 5AM and slept until 7AM.
Fiber Art
Bad news. I over-processed my flax. I think it was over-retted. Or over-dried. It’s crispy fried.
You can see the bast fibers, but they are brittle and break when I try to break off the woody stem on the outside.
Flax harvesting season landed right in the middle of summer cold season and colonoscopy week. That’s my excuse. I might try again next year, or I might try growing nettle for fiber. I’m still processing the seed pods I was able to collect.
Knitting
I finished my Milkshake Cardigan this week, which I posted about on Friday. Other than that, I’ve been focusing on my Cemetery Drive cowl. I did cast on my Turning Leaves Point Edwards Mitts and am excited to knit them because they are DK and should fly!
Sewing
I finished my second pair of Halloween PJ pants. I’ve cut out my lavender linen dress and will sew it today.
My garden is a mess! It’s too hot out there. I’ll leave the rest for the critters and clean it up in the fall.
Last week was busy at work. We took a trip to Cleveland to visit kids on Friday and Saturday. And then, I had a colonoscopy yesterday. So, I took today off as well to recover from the anesthesia. I don’t want to be making important work decisions with anesthesia brain.
This is my second DIY fall advent bag. I am definitely making these, but I haven’t started on the first project yet! I guess I can always rebag what I don’t get to for next year.
This is the first pair of Halloween PJ pants I’ve sewn plus a new seasonal shirt. I’m going to stay in PJs today. I’ve started calling JoJo “JoJo Binx.”
I worked on my Milkshake Cardigan yesterday as it’s pretty straight forward. Once I finish the second sleeve, just the button band to go! I look forward to wearing this cardigan when the weather turns chilly.
Last night we started watching Chapelwaite. It is so good, and is getting me in the mood for the spooky season! But before I immerse myself in autumn leaves and pumpkins please, I need to can some tomatoes.
I have finished, photographed, and framed ten pieces for my September show, called “Soft.” I drop them off on August 30th. The show event page is here: https://fb.me/e/5o19a4V68 You can see the show card on my Year of Projects page. I will share images of the work as the gallery makes them public.
Yesterday I tested fresh leaf indigo printing on scraps of different textiles. Wool is definitely the winner (far left), and I learned a few things about what kind of surface I should be working on (smooth) and what kind of stone to use for pounding (not one that breaks and imparts its own color, like sandstone, duh.)
What will I do with all this indigo? I’m thinking of bundling the leaves in my yardage of Virginia cotton, for a pretty leaf printed fabric to make — what else — overalls out of. But I need to do a little more research.
I also pulled up as much of the flax that I could find that didn’t have mature seed heads. It’s retting in water in this tub. Hopefully I wasn’t too late to get some fiber out of it.
I have also started harvesting the flax seed for the Rust Belt Fibershed project.
I made some progress on my linen yarn ball overalls. These are looking like a clown suit. Do I care? Hell no. Will I wear them anyway? Hell yes. Yarny the Clown, that’s me! (Juggling yarn balls.) (Blows up two long balloons. Ties them off. Mimes knitting with them.) Now available for knit nights, fiber festivals, and private knitting retreats.
Plus look at these adorable yarn ball buttons that I found! (Calliope music plays in the background.)
But seriously, I love them. Just buttonholes, buttons, and hems to go.
Gardening
I harvested and put up some sage leaves to dry yesterday.
Bob just brought in this tote full of pears and apples from the trees in our garden. I want to make pie or preserves, but Bob wants to make his own apple cider vinegar. We use a lot of apple cider vinegar, so that’s a good idea.
I framed my second to last piece! I just need to finish the stitching on the last piece and then frame it, and then I will have all 10 pieces complete!
Knitting
I’ve started on one sleeve on the Milkshake Cardigan.
I was a little under the weather this week, so didn’t blog. I didn’t even knit for two days! But yesterday, I caught up on my mystery knit along. Ready to start Clue 3!
I also cast on the Cemetery Cowl (Ravelry link) for a little impromptu knit along. It’s Halloween in July! Also, I sewed myself a Halloween treat/project bag.
I had to rip out the cowl and re-cast on because I twisted my stitches, of course. I was really careful so I don’t know how I manage to do that almost every time I join to knit in the round. The yarn is BFL Mohair Fingering from Forest Lane Fiber Co in Pitch and October. I also recently purchased an Apothecary Collection, and I love everything!
Especially this tiny skull planter from Ice and Dust Pottery, which I planted with a tiny coffee tree.
The garden is overflowing with cucumbers. I’ve canned five quart jars of pickles, and we have one quart jar plus a bucket of refrigerator pickles. Yes, a bucket. I went into the garden this morning and came out with enough for three more quart jars, so I ordered some that I will pick up later. I will also have to stop off for some dill because there wasn’t any at the farmers’ market yesterday and I used all my garden dill. It’s a good thing we love pickles!
