The Dress

Thanks for weighing in on the points direction. I realized why the fit wasn’t working out the way I thought it should. I was wearing it lower than I originally intended. The point of the top yellow stripe is supposed to meet my belly button and I was trying it on a lot lower than that. That’s why it was too tight and hugging everything wrong.

I’m still going to make a seperate sash and sew it on. I think the construction of the dress needs to be better defined at the waist.

I’m taking a break on this for a week or so. I have other things to want to do first.

Audrey

In addition to my love of the fashionable 50′s in Imitation of Life, I am also going through my Audrey Hepburn phase. Thanks to Netflix I am making my way through all of her movies. Roman Holiday, How To Steal A Million, Breakfast at Tiffanys. Lovin’ it!
The fashion is classic and elegant.

This is partially the reason for my new skirt phase. I used to be a fanatic for a good pair of shorts but nowadays it’s hard to find a flattering pair. Some are just to short to be appropriate and I don’t like the look of long shorts/culottes/madras, so I’m all about the skirts. If you’re interested I used McCall’s M5053 for the skirt with the yoke and McCalls’ 4306 for the A-line floral skirt. Both are really easy but the latter gets my vote for best/easiest/quickest/yet stylish skirt pattern ever. 4 seams and a zipper. I was done in an hour. I have two more to make this weekend.

Dear Audrey is also the reason I had to buy this….

This is the Cherry Pattern from Ms. Bell. I loved it the minute I saw it. Then to push me over the edge she describes it with reference to Audrey Hepburn.

I bought some Jaeger Trinity yarn to make this project but it may be that I’ve hit a snag. When I first got the pattern it said I needed 6 balls at 109 yds each = 654 yds. I bought last 3 balls of Trinity in this color. 3 * 215 = 645. Perfect! Then there was an update to the pattern that says I’ll need 7 balls @109 yds. That 763 yds and the LYS doesn’t have any more of it. So the question is, do I (1)return the 2 balls I haven’t used and order a whole new color or do I (2) just order the extra ball from somewhere with a different dyelot and use it on the button band and collar, or (3) just keep going and hope that I have enough and then order the extra ball if I need it?

This was my last official purchase before the start of the Summer of Stash so I really don’t want to return it and have to buy something else. It feels like cheating. (Wow! See how good I’m being. Resisting temptation and everything.)

I also allowed myself this purchase because I’ve done away with my Design Challenge #2 with the green yarn. More on that tomorrow.

This weekend I :

made an apple pie. It’s my first. I’ve been having memories of my G-ma making apple pies so I decided to try it. Yumm.

made two skirts

bought some beads to make necklaces (Can you see the theme?)

and joined the Summer of Stash.

Guilt has taken over and I can’t do it anymore. Gluttony is definitely one of the seven deadly sins and I must do away with this. I must reduce the stash. I can’t justify another purchase until I do. Okay maybe just one but I’ll get to that tomorrow.

The Summer of Stash begins on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day. (Those are two U.S. holidays for all of you international folk). During those days you take a pledge to not make any yarn purhcases. You are allowed 2 exceptions,so my exceptions are that I am allowed to buy new yarn only for pattern submission projects and if I need some to finish a project. With my stash I highly doubt that will be necessary.

Since this is a long post I’ll save pictures of The Dress until tomorrow. I will give you a hint though. Points down!

The names were picked at random old school style. Strips of paper drawn from a bag. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone that entered.

Prize 1 – E to M of Knit Knerds

Prize 2 – Sarah of Not A Yarn Snob

Prize 3 – Empress of Royal Empress

Winners will be contact via email for address info.

For all you U.S. folks have a great Memorial day weekend. I’ll be back Tuesday with updates and a better picture of the dress. (It took 2 days to dry.)

Here it is

I have finished the skirt part of the “The Dress”. Right now we’re having a love-hate relationship. I want the dress but I’m not loving all the endless striping. There will be a lot of ends to weave in.

While working this I was trying to decide what do to with the waist part of the dress. Should I work with those “points” or do away with them. After considering short rows and the directions of the stripes, I have decided that I’m going to just make a standard sash. That means the sash will have to machine sewn on and then cut off the points.

Now I’m going to show you the mini-problem I discovered while trying it on today. (Take in mind that these pics are pre-block and the fit is a bit crazy looking)
When I made my calculations, I was sure that the skirt was wide enough for my hips such that it wouldn’t be too tight. I tried it on as I originally intended to wear it and this is what I saw.

Technically, it is the right size. What I didn’t count on was how the chevron would pull in the fabric despite it being the right width. It makes the fabric hug my hips more than I like.

But then I shifted it a bit and discovered this.

No pulling and a better drape at the hips. When the chevron decreases are on the side it is pulling the fabric towards the hips and makes it hug less. The only downside is that the “V” would have to point up instead of down to the floor.

The skirt is drying now and I plan to try it on again to see if the fit changes. Then I’ll make the final decision about the direction of the skirt. What do you think? Point up or point down?

I just wanted to put up a quick post and share my dastardly laugh with you. Bwwaaahhhaaaaa! Genius, I say, pure genius! Offer a few prizes and the lurkers come out of the woodwork. Look at the number of comments. Genius! It’s fun to read all of your comments. If you haven’t already, go ahead and enter your name. There’s still time.

I’ve come to a decision about my WIPs. After Christina mentioned by Scatter tank, I’ve realized that my ADCD (Attention Deficit Crafting Disorder) is getting out of control again. I want so many things but my hands can only work so fast. I put down the Scatter tank but have yet to pick it back up. It’s starting to bother me that I am working on so many things but nothing is getting finished so I have decided that I’m going to have to pass on Project Spectrum for June (blues not really my color anyway) and finish up some things. I need to finish Urban Aran (since they are starting to crank up the AC at work), The Dress, the Scatter Tank in Berroco Touche yarn, and my “Leafy Greens” design challenge. That’s 4 things to keep me busy. I’m also working on another little ditty out of Calmer but I don’t want to reveal it until I have the details worked out. So actually that’s 5 things. Yikes! That’s a lot.

I’m almost done with the skirt part of the dress so I may have a progress pic tomorrow. Here’s hoping!