Check out my latest design, the Diamond Jacket, in the upcoming Vogue Knitting 30th Anniversary Issue .
Vogue Knitting Fall 2012, photo by Rose Callahan
Everyday with fashion is a sun-shiny day.
This Olympic journey has been something so far. While my projects have been way more successful than NBC’s lackluster coverage, I have had a few false starts.
I inadvertently started knitting with a different size needle than what was intended, so that was false start #1. After one more false start, I have now made some progress.
This is the start of the back and front panels. I’m slightly concerned that I won’t have enough yarn to make this with 3/4 length sleeves like I want but we’ll see. I’ve also started the cashmere handwarmers.
I’ve scheduled my denim event for next weekend so I hope be finished with the sweater by then.
After all this is over I have an idea for another cashmer version of this same sweater. I think I’ll sell both patterns. I haven’t done that in a while.
Olympic Dreams
Once upon a time I wanted to go to the Olympics. I began running track at age 8. I liked it. For a time I excelled at it. My parents would take us around the country to compete and I even got some of those “Pre-Olympic” training team letters. For a time, I aspired to that. But over time, you grow up and develop other interests. At 16 I realized I enjoyed it but not enough to put up with the grueling workouts and miss out on all the fun that I was missing to practice. By 18, I was done. I had a greater interest. College, computer graphics, and fashion. Gone by the wayside were my Olympic dreams.
Olympic Challenges
As I watch the 2012 Olympic Games, I recognize the hard work and effort that these athletes have put into getting to the Games. And while, that feat was never in the cards for me, I can join in the spirit of the games by having my own Olympic challenge. In previous years, knitters have come together to celebrate the games and “compete” in what were called the Knit Olympics or the Ravelympics. This year I want to go beyond this and have my own little “Mini Games”.
As Team Saun, I am going to compete in several events:
The Swatch, Design, Knit: where I attempt to design a sweater.
The Denim Marathon: where I make 2 pairs of denim in a weekend.
The Handwarmer Knit, Dip, & Dye: where I knit 2 pair of handwarmers and dye them.
I am starting as I watch the Opening Ceremonies and hope to finish it all by the Closing Ceremonies. Will I make it? Stay tuned to find out. I plan to post regular updates.
So what are you doing during these Olympic Games?
I Heart Ice Cream
Of all desserts in the world I’ve realized ice cream is my constant favorite. I always have ice cream in my freezer. Always. To the point that when every my parents would visit, my father would ask what type of ice cream I have because in his words “I know you have some in there”.
Here is a glimpse into my adventures in ice cream.
Pistachio Ice Cream
The pistachios are heated in the sugar and milk and then strained. Surprisingly the resulting ice cream is a subtle, not bright, green as one would expect from store bought pistachio ice creams. The last few pics are the leftover pistachios and the cookies I decided to make with them. The cookies turned out more like a biscotti and they were tasty too.
My next batch will likely be a take on the Homemade Brands Hawaiian Sundae ice cream which they no longer make. They sold this ice cream for a month or so, once every few years and it was so good that when one member of my extended family found it in a store, we would call the whole family to alert them to the location. I am determined to recreate it.
-
About This Site::
saunshine is where I unleash on the world my sane (and sometimes insane) thoughts about fashion, fashion design, and all things in life that I feel are worth mentioning.
email::
saunshine AT gmail DOT com
Features
Hand Knitting patterns
The Cupcake Chronicles Designs in Progress::
Favorite Fashion Sites
May 2013 M T W T F S S « Aug 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Archives
Back in it: Sketch,design,sew, live!
Life keeps moving and as it moves I try to keep moving with it.
Sunday I was a busy bee for the first time in a long time. Life saw fit to remove some distractions from my path so I had some creative energy to dispense of. I first set to tackle things I have been putting off. I finished a pattern for some jeans. (I’m tryin to perfect the jean for us ladies with big butts). Then I made a quick pattern for a knit tube skirt. Just for something to add to the summertime wardrobe. I moved on to making an IPad case from some leftover canvas intended for a knitting needle case. I finished off the day by making 2 skirts and hemming 2 pairs of pants. Yup…a lot.
Weirdly, all this movement is my way of distressing; allowing my self to clear my head and think. Not just about the things in front of me, but also about life. There is something to be said about being able to deal with your own thoughts in a productive way.
Tonight I did some sketching. There is yet more in my life to hash out. Things to consider. Decisions to be made. The movements of my pencil, the scratches along the paper allow me a space of Zen in which to process my life. Some of it is great. Some of it sucks. All of this will manifest in my creations some how.
After this I intend to go back and clear out the cobwebs, so to speak. A lot of projects that I started and never finished will be dismantled…under done..in order to allow them a chance for a fresh start. A new beginning. Everyone needs one of those every now and again. Me included.
Time for new things! sketch, design, sew, live!