vintage loot

in between packing and more packing i've made last (and second-to-last) trips to my favorite vintage shops in providence.  oh, dear.

vintage fabrics from What Cheer? (round one) - i particularly love the funky barkcloth sailing scene and this wool plaid (apparently a half-finished scarf?)

round two at What Cheer? this weekend found me more plaid (i couldn't get this image out of my head when i saw this fabric in the store) and a great 60's knitting booklet.  the cover, alone, was enough to get me to buy it, what with a couple smoking cigarettes at a table covered in coke bottles, sitting in two feet of water.

but i want to make this shawl-collared sweater in an oatmeal/brownish shade.

and finally, i found this precious little packet of transfers at Rocket to Mars.

the good thing about having all this good stuff is that i'm newly unemployed and will soon have too much time on my hands (hopefully not for too long).  the bad part is that i'm not supposed to buy anything.

also, guess what - the Tideland pattern has just been published - go buy it here right now, because it's discounted until november 6!  i can't say enough what a beautiful pattern it is.  aren't they great?

photo by londonleo via ravelry

pumpkin tideland mitts

i just finished this test knit for the Tideland fingerless mitts by londonleo:

this is a beautiful pattern, to be released soon (i'll post when they're released).  i used CEY Alpaca Sox and i love this color.  it suits my blue and orange obsession (which has kind of evolved into red and blue) although i like it with the army green too.

if i make this pattern again, i may adjust where i start the thumb gusset, as i have long fingers and i like my mitts to cover them more.  however, i think where these fall probably looks nicer.

i have a gauge problem and because my gauge tightens as i go along, stop paying attention, start knitting faster, i overcompensated on the right mitt and it's actually a bit looser.

my other issue?  it took over 60 pictures before i could get the semi-decent ones above (that's sort of a lie, the one just above is the first picture i took).  is that normal?  i mean, for those of us who aren't photographers and have a little point-and-shoot with a self-timer?  i often don't blog because i don't have the patience to get a good picture.

linen tova dress

this dress was finished a while ago... somehow when i'm not happy with something i make, i drag my feet to photograph and post it... but i want to post it all, even the mistakes, (an abalone post is also soon to come although long finished for this reason) so....

it's not that bad, but the linen is cheap ($4!) and unimpressive.  i've worn it several times and like it enough - in my twisted mind the cheap, faded-out linen has become "vintage-looking."

 things to learn from:

• don't buy cheap linen.
• as soon as i cut it, i realized the length is too short for me as a dress.  i had elaborate plans to make a gathered muslin slip with a raw hem to go under it but, eh, the dress isn't worth it.  hence the leggings.
• i need to do a better job trimming threads when i'm making french seams.
• the collar is a hot mess but since the dress, again, was "eh" i didn't worry too much.
• i tried pockets, toiled over them a bit, made them work, then took them out because they just made me had demented hips.  if i make this again with a more structured fabric i might put the pockets in.

i love wearing two things i've made all at once.

test knit

for london leo

this is actually the second half, one is complete.  love the pattern and this pumpkin colored yarn (the computer and cheap camera don't do it justice).  a finished pair soon...  because doing a test knit with a deadline is the RIGHT thing to do when you're moving in ten days and have to pack your whole apartment!  the packing can wait.

getting somewhere

it's not that there's nothing going on around here...  everything is just taking a little longer.  these two have been slow going, but i have a finished tova dress (a dark linen that i wish was more like this one) as of last night and am in the final stages of an abalone.  but to post these, i have to get home before dark to take pictures. 

since that's not happening anytime soon, i will have to post a picture of the other reason everything's taking a little bit longer AND the other somewheres i'm gettin'...

hey!  we're moving to baltimore!  (i couldn't find a better picture.  while i AM excited about the orioles, there are many other cool things in baltimore).