A Weekend Away

A couple weekends ago I went out of town to a beautiful house on the water. It was a great time with friends and something I wish I could do more often.  Three days of friends, talking, knitting, eating great food, and a hot tub as well!

The second day there was beautiful, clear and sunny, but I just couldn't get warm.  I stayed inside and enjoyed some quieter time, and focused on appreciating that I was able to be there instead of missing walking along the beach.  I did get some photos, which don't show how bright it felt despite the still-low winter sun.  It was a lovely weekend away, and just as nice to come home to my quiet comfy apartment and snuggly kitties :)

Summer's Been Sewing?

What a shocking surprise!  It wasn't mere mending or alterations, either.  I cut and basted together a pants muslin of Burda 04-2010 #119, to make navy wool trousers.  I've wanted to sew pants like this for years: the silhouette is great, they're comfy, and they'll look fantastic with my new handknit vest.  

The muslin looked surpisingly good considering I used cotton broadcloth, didn't press my darts or seams, and cut the muslin with only a 6" inseam.  Slapdash all the way!  All sewing was done after dark so I have no embarrassing photos.  Now that I know they fit I'll go back and press seams and give them a better try on, with photos to double check the fit.

All the raves about Burda's excellent pants block are true--the fit is great as is, just a few tweaks in the fashion fabric.  Compared to the Simplicity trouser muslin, in the same fabric, these look practically wearable!  The wool twill is from Fashion Fabrics Club's wool sale last winter, midweight with a nice drape.  I'd considered lining them, to prevent bagging, then realized that was a lot to take on for my first trouser project (though my third pair of non-PJ pants).  I just downloaded David Coffin's Making Trousers... from the library, so perhaps that will convince me to take the leap and line them. 

Burda 04-2010 #119, without cuffs

New Year, New Sweater

I saw a photo of this sweater, then saw this bright coral yarn on sale, and had to make the sweater from it.  Plus the pattern designer is tall so no alterations!

So far I have half a sleeve done.  Picasa is being cranky so I only have an old photo, just before I ripped out several inches because I'd been crossing the cables wrong.  But you get the idea.  The yarn's color is really hard to capture, it's like fresh wild salmon.

Blackberry Cabled Cardigan, Alexandra Dafoe

Factory Seconds Men

When I was little we shopped at discount stores selling factory second clothing.  Often there would be nothing visibly wrong, maybe the sizing was off or the color was unpopular.  You had to check, though, to make sure there wasn't a giant slub down the front or one sleeve twice as long as the other.  What was missing was desirability.

Dating feels the same way: I've somehow missed out on the first class men and am digging through the seconds trying to find one who will do.  Does he take time to open up and just needs cleaned up?  Or is there a fatal flaw, like the inability to communicate or commit?  And how big a flaw am I willing to overlook?  But most importantly, I'm pretty great so why do no good men show interest?

These thoughts just coalesced after a profile with a very handsome photo crossed my path.  We talked about going out, I was happy to have someone with actual desirable characteristics who was interested in me.  But he turned out to be worse than all the rest; he posted a 10 year old+ photo.  Meanwhile I get to endure dating advice from married friends.  Dante missed this circle of hell when writing Inferno.

MLK Day

It's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the US.  I feel it's important to remember how far this country has come in such a short time--one hundred years ago there were no civil rights, feminism was in its infancy, and electricity was newfangled technology.  I hope that rights continue to expand to all disenfranchised groups in coming years.

Here's a timeline of Dr King's life that a reader shared with me.

Allison Morris, OnlineCollegeCourses.com