Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's the new status report on seaming Patti:

1. Shoulder seams [2]
2. Pleats [4] [2] [1]
3. Sleeves
4. Side Seams [2]
5. Button bands [2]
6. Collar
7. Buttons [3]
8. Sew in ends [too numerous to mention]

Patti won't be seeing any action tonight. No worries, I've got another outfit lined up. Superstarras always have a backup.

I was so close to throwing Patti in the naughty corner last night...youdon'tevenknow. I was working the first side seam and came to the under-bust garter ridge and they didn't match up. AUGH! There was about an inch and a half worth of extra fabric on one side. I thought I might have knit one side too long and would have to pull out the sleeves and the shoulder seams, frog the entire back [or front sections] and reknit. I took a deep breath. Then I pulled out the side seaming, matched up the side decreases and realized that during the break [between working the back and the fronts], the back section may have stretched a little. I got it all to seam up and all was right in Superstarra-ville again.

So the next deadline for Patti's completion will be Monday night. I think I can make that one. Pretty buttons and everything. However, there is one part that I will have to consult a higher power about. Mom to the rescue!

Here is one of the pleats that is giving me grief. I know you probably can't tell from this picture, but I sewed the pleat down right under the garter ridge and it's puckering a bit. I don't know if it is my technique, if it's the weight of the pleat and gravity, if the sewn stitches are too tight, if it's the thickness of the yarn, if I sewed it in the wrong place...oh I could go on. My first guess would be the problem is my sewing technique. I'll have mom look at it Saturday afternoon and maybe she'll fix it for me. She's so much better at this stuff than I am.

Then there was work stress. I've been having this work issue that is taking forever to resolve and although it is not my fault or my doing, I'm the one who gets to play Sherlock Holmes. So in a moment of stress and computer monitor staring induced catatonia, I succumbed to the urge and raided my co-worker's candy jar. The Take 5 has become too much of a self-restraint symbol that I had to get something else rather than eat it. So I took 4 Nestle Nuggets. I only ate two though...with a handful of peanuts to make me feel not so horrible about giving into the chocolate temptation.

And lastly...in an effort to look cute for Valentine's Day, I decided to let the Soul tube top see the light of day. I'm feeling pretty cute right about now [especially because it's a skinny day...you know how rare those can be...especially with the Free Range Office Chocolates].

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Tyra Who?

I had to do some fancy finagling to get these pictures. Left to my own devices, they aren't better or worse than any other picture I've taken for this blog, so let's just call it a success. I'm an actress not a photographer! Ok...here we go. I think I gave background information on these, so now it's just eye candy...kinda...oh, and forgive the black yoga pants. I was too lazy to put on a pair of jeans.

Rowan Cable Sweater
I really like this sweater. It has a nice fit, although when I'm not perfectly posed, it's a puckery/wonky under the arm/around the shoulder. I remember having a hard time getting the sleeves set in there so that might be of the problem. I think that it accentuates my broad shoulders a little too much but if I wear it with some wider legged pants that will balance me out it will be perfectly. I guess I'll have to take some full body shots so you guys can see what I'm talking about.
A shot of the back, as you can see, the cables extend up and over the shoulder and down the back. Cute coming and going, no? I think that I used less stitches than called for in the ties, because I didn't want them too bulky. Who can remember now, it's only been like 3 weeks!

Rowan Soul
Note: Ok...remember me saying that ribbing is only for skinny girls? Well, from these pictures you'd think that they look pretty good on a girl who isn't afraid of cake for dessert or a Ice Blended Mocha with whipped cream on the regular. Well go figure, for some reason it actually looked pretty good on me today. A few weeks ago when I tried it on, it was 'OoOOoOOoo girl, Hell to the NO.' Hmmm...maybe having Pinkberry for dessert and only having a No Sugar Added Ice Blended Mocha with no whip on special occasions is a good thing.

Someone had asked about how I would wear this. I tried it with a few things from the closet to see what would work best. Let's see what you think.

Original Look
*Cute with the little lace tank. Skinny girl + Ribbing = "That's so cute! I'll make it!"

Look #1
Soul in its natural state. Hmmm...not bad.

Look #2
I stuck a cute fitted polka dot shirt under just to see how it would look. Now I probably wouldn't wear this together [the dots are red and with the hot pink Soul it looked a little random]. Since the shirt is so fitted, it didn't get bulky, which is good. If I had a solid shirt like this, I might rock this look, but I'd try it with the shirttails tucked into my pants.

Look #3
With an extra long white t-shirt underneath. Don't really like this look too much. Maybe with a different t-shirt color. It certainly does make my boobs look huge...but it could be the angle.

Look #4
This is as close to the original styling I could get...and probably my favorite, so I'm posting two pictures. It seems Rowan doesn't screw up the styling of the knitwear all the time [with the exception of trying to make all knitwear world a bra-free utopia].

Nice chevroning on the side! Hmmm...maybe I won't rip it out afterall.

Rebecca Powder Jacket
As you can see, the All Seasons Cotton in Military arrived and was immediately put to work. I wasn't sure when I cast on if I was 100% on the color. But Smoochy talked me into it. Just kidding. The color was a little less green and a little more gray than I expected, but I thought it would still be cutesy without being cutesy and girlie. And I have to admit, sometimes when I read instructions that tell me I'll have to pick up 142 stitches and bind off 238, I tend to forget that I like something...just on principle. Well, it only took 3 times to pick up the 142 and I just cast off the 238 stitches...it actually wasn't that bad. Getting through all 35 cm was tedious to say the least, but I'm glad I didn't chicken out. Now on to picking up 142 stitches for the bodice. Fun.

A Few Pictures...

I tried to take a few pictures while I had some decent light this afternoon. I should have gone outside, but was feeling pretty lazy and stayed inside all day. That also means I got another project done!

Backstory
Pattern: Lady Eleanor Scarf from Scarf Style
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden Lite #2013, 4 1/2 balls
Needles: Size 7's
Exposition: Doing Entrelac is truly easier than it looks. It also goes pretty quick. I love the color changes the Noro goes through and although all those rows of brown were pretty tedious, the combo of grey and brown will allow me to wear it with almost everything. The width and length of the finish scarf is perfect [before blocking it's measuring 8"w x 72"l]; it can be wrapped around my neck once and tied or hanging with a decent amount of length to keep my chest warm. Ah, LOVE! I will wash and block it, but I can't wait to wear it and don't want to wait for it do dry. I would love to make another stole width LE...but I have a few other things to do first.

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Backstory
Pattern: Rowan Soul
Yarn: Rowan Calmer, 3 1/2 balls
Needles: Size 6 and 8
Exposition: Isn't it so cute? Looking so innocent sitting there on that chair. Beautiful cables. Beautiful color. What a wonderful knitting job I've done. Let this image stay with you until I get a picture of it all stretched out across my body. I promise to try to find the most flattering way of wearing this before I post pictures of it on. Repeat with me...Ribbing is for skinny girls...ribbing is for skinny girls...

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Lastly, here's some Manos that I bought for a scarf for gf. We've both been expanding our personal style lately and I think this will compliment her growth as a fashion plate. I only bought one hank, so I'm going to keep the pattern pretty simple...a k2tog/yarn over on a larger needle to conserve yarn and keep the colors the forefront. Since LE is done, I guess this can be my LA Marathon Watching Knitting Project.

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Let see...most of my incomplete projects are done...I think that it's time to take a look at the Rowan Butterfly tank that's been on the needles [Saun, are you ready?].

Also...Remember the cute Rebecca sweater that I'm dying to start? I'm considering two colors in the Rowan All Season Cotton. Purr [lilac], the same color I used for the Rebecca Apricot Jacket, or Military [green]. I like the girly-ness of the lilac for this sweater, but think that it might be a little too similar to Apricot in the styling [and might use it for a pull over or something rather than antoher cardi]. The military might be a nice contrast to the feminine quality of the sweater. What do you think?

An Incomplete Soul

I finished the Rowan Soul tonight.
I'm not impressed with it, honestly.
Next time, remind me that ribbing is only for skinny girls.

8cm Until My Soul Is Complete...sort of

Since Soul has become my traveling project, I've made some real progress. I have completed the last of the waist increases and am now working on the final 8cm and looking forward to the big bind off. This is going to be done in no time!

I also want to share this really cool elastic thread I found at my LYS. Can you believe I didn't have the yarn with me when I bought it? I figured the color would be close enough...and it's perfect! Anyway, my plan is to knit the elastic thread into the last 6cm for a little extra..."hold 'em up" quality. It is a tube top after all. I was also considering ripping back the last 2 cm of the top of the other side and knitting the elastic into that too. It probably won't happen, since I'm not trying to make more work for myself, but it's the thought that counts, right? I should just suck it up and do it.

Other than that, I've got a pretty exciting weekend planned. Tomorrow night GF and I are going to see Dr. Maya Angelou speak at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion. Have y'all seen the episode of Iconoclasts with her and Dave Chappelle? AMAZING! Try to catch it if you can. I will be taking the copy of I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings [that I may or may not have stolen from Mom and Dad's bookcase], because I want to be prepared.

Saturday, I'll be on a set, and Sunday is the Oscars. I don't plan on moving too far from the TV Sunday. Well, I guess that's it for now. Have a great weekend everyone!