Not about sewing or knitting

But it is about cats! I just have to share these little "animated music videos" that make me smile every time:

http://www.rathergood.com/independent_woman/

http://www.vikingkittens.com/

And elephants, yeah! (Thanks spinnity for reminding me!)

http://www.rathergood.com/elephants/

Love those fabrics of the 70's

I was browsing through some old photos and came across this one of me and a new dress I received for my birthday. My (very cute) sister looks on, probably wishing she had such a cool dress. Click for a larger picture and note the tag: A Fake Knit Fabric. Fake knit?

Sewing wool, but thinking of summer

I fired up the sewing machine this weekend and did some work on the Burda jacket (view B). First I had to remove the variety of non-sewing things that somehow found their way to the surface of my sewing cabinet. Then I had to remember what thread I was using and where the bobbin had disappeared to (sitting on a spindle of my serger, of all places). And finally I was back in business. I sewed the shoulder seams, pocket flaps, pocket bags, and the peplum. Doesn't sound like much but it's better than nothing. The fabric is driving me nuts though. It's 100% wool but loosely woven so it wants to unravel into nothingness. The jacket will be lined but I still want to finish the seam allowances so I'm serging them. I don't know if it's the right way to do it, but I'm serging them after they're sewn and this has resulted in a bit of a wrestling match between fabric and serger and some wonky, uneven allowances. Thank goodness they'll be hidden behind the lining. If I serged the pieces before I sewed them I'm afraid I would lose the edge from which to gauge the seam line. I can't mark chalk lines on this fabric at all, so I've had to use tailor tacks for all my marks - no way will I tailor tack all the seam lines. This was $2.95/yard fabric, not $29.95/yard. But I do like the way the jacket is coming out. I think it will actually fit.

But sewing wool is not quite what I'd like to do right now. I would rather be working on some spring and summer outfits, especially something with fewer pieces and easier to construct. But if I put the jacket away I fear that I won't get back to it. And when I finally finish, I"ll have a jacket ready for fall. Of 2007.

On the knitting front, I finished the doll skirt and doll hat and I must say that the doll outfit is cuter than the toddler sweater. I meant to take a final picture this weekend but didn't - I will before they're wrapped up and shipped to my nieces.

I'm progressing slowly on Bonita. The yarn is 100% cotton and is quite "splitty" so between the yarn and the lace pattern, it's taking me a while. But that's fine. If the end goal was to just have a sweater, I'd go shopping.

Catching up on my knitting news

Whew! Stitches came and went (and so did the last two weeks!). I made a healthy addition to my stash.

• Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (for the Lara wrap I've been wanting to make since it came out)
• Gedifra Wellness cotton/acrylic for a husband sweater
• Misti Alpaca Worsted
• Berrocco Peruvia
• Acero from Brooks Farm
• Two skeins of Koigu for the Baby Surprise sweater (no baby surprises here though)
• Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock yarn
• Louet Gems sock yarn
• Tilli Thomas Aspen yarn
• Belisa Cashmere (mmmmm)
• Leather purse straps
• Knitting Pure and Simple top down v-neck pattern (for a husband sweater)
• Spindle from Carolina Homespun (not shown)
• A bit 'o practice fiber from Carolina Homespun (not shown)
• DPN protectors made by Jeni (not shown)
• Felted hat pattern from Pickup Sticks (not shown)
• Circular and dpn needles

I went to the banquet Saturday night and I won a door prize! A Vogue on the Go book on knitting ponchos. Whoopie. But there are some nice patterns in it, even if I'm not a poncho kind of girl. Every time ponchos come up, my DH quotes Frank Zappa: "Now is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?" Every time. I might adapt some of the ideas into shawls instead.

Better than the door prize was the freebie I received at the end of the banquet. Every table gets a bag of freebies that are passed out in order around the table. I won a skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn and a sock pattern. Woot!

And now the projects! Yes, we have projects!

I finished the sweater for my niece and the doll sweater for the older niece's 18 inch doll is almost done. I just have to finish seaming one side and sew on the buttons. I have more yarn left so I think I might make the matching doll skirt and doll hat.

Child's sweater:

Pattern: Torgeir from Elsabeth Lavold's Viking Knit Collection.
Yarn: Rowan Designer DK Wool (it's about 10 years old, from a failed sweater I attempted 10 years ago)
Needle size: 5/7

Doll sweater:

Pattern: from Knitters Fall 1998
Yarn: Rowan Designer DK Wool
Needle size: 5/7

And now the work in progress:

"Husband sock" in Regia, size 0 needle. Note the super cool needle protectors made by Jeni! This is my first toe-up sock. I do like that short row toe!

Bonita from the Rowan Magazine Issue 41, in Artfiber Rush cotton, size 2 and 4 needle: