Me Made May

June 6, 20192 Comments

Well, I did it. I managed to fulfill my pledge to wear at least one me made item (not counting sweaters) each week in May. I really enjoyed it and it did what I had hoped: pushed me to wear my makes for more than just pictures! The only outfit I didn’t get a picture of was when I went strawberry picking. Here’s everything else:

Rita Blouse 1 + Hollyburn Skirt 1

Hollyburn Skirt 2 with Populuxe and Colorfield

Rita Blouse 2 + Hollyburn Skirt 2, with Crumb

I’ve just realized as I’m linking all of these posts that I never blogged about my second Rita Blouse! I’m planning a bit of a catch up post for the last month of making, so I’ll add the details in there.

Hollyburn Skirt 1

B4748 with Crumb

Rita Blouse 2 with Crumb

I have to say that this is not too shabby seeing as that is only 1 dress, 2 tops, 2 skirts, and a couple of cardigans. Pretty good little mix and match into ye ole wardrobe. Looking back at these pictures, I think they really show my new, hopeful style. They don’t look awkward, out of place, or forced, which is what I worry about most often.

This really makes me want to sew some more! That’s a great outcome, so thanks Me Made May!

Happy making!

Ambition.

May 15, 20193 Comments

Sometimes I like to set myself some arbitrary goals. Most of the time, rather ambitious ones. Saturday night, I was laying in bed thinking about the coming day. I thought about making a bit of a ridiculous to-do list and seeing if I could do it. I came up with a somewhat realistic, but really quite ambitious list:

Repot plants
Hem skirt
Start sauerkraut
Bike shopping
Finish sleeve
Procure groceries

Not on the list were call my mom, spend a bit of time with the kids, and catch Game of Thrones with Kevin. Cosi and I were up pretty early to have some coffee.

I got started with a bit of knitting and my mom called. We wished each other a mutual happy mother’s day and chit chatted about gardening and life and motherhood.

This picture was from last summer when I visited her, but I just had to share. After we got off the phone I managed to finish the second sleeve of my Populuxe 2:

Looking at my list, 2 of them required leaving the house with Joshua in tow. This was at about 8 in the morning, so I knew I had several hours before I’d see the whites of his eyes. The plants needed some rocks to arrive so that left the skirt and the kraut. Well, the skirt was daunting so kraut came up first.

I made a batch of Ava’s Hot Pink Kraut from the book Ferment Your Vegetables. It’s my very favorite and I think I’m just going to have to start a batch once a month for the rest of my life. I need it always.

Finally, I braved the teenager’s room to wake him for his early birthday shopping. At 5’10” he has fully outgrown his old bike. We had been poking around on the web and really just needed to go in and give the thing a test but he loved it and now we’re the pround owners of a bike with 28″ tires. This should be the last bike I purchase for him while he lives at home. Fingers crossed. We hit the grocery store on the way home and bam! my rocks had arrived. I had three succulents to repot:

Clockwise from top: Jenna the Jade (Crassula ovata), a brand new unnamed baby (Haworthiopsis attenuata), and George (Echeveria, maybe Perle von Numberg). I purchased George 2 years ago when I first moved to a window cubicle at work. Jenna was gifted to me shortly after as just a wee leaf poking out of some dirt. I purchased the haworthiopsis on Friday. After some very careful work, we’re looking a wee bit happier.

Everybody is now back at work, awaiting watering day tomorrow. The plants safely tucked away out of cat’s reach, I finally dragged myself down to the sewing room to hem the circle skirt. I marked it and serged the raw edge to trim off excess. I had hung it to allow any bias stretching to occur and it had certainly stretched out! There was 2-3″ of excess in places! After what seemed like forever – as a full circle, that hem is about 164″ – I finished the hem and my to-do list.

I even managed to sit down to eat with the family and watch GoT with Kevin. All in all it was a pretty productive Sunday. It felt good to get all of that done. Mostly they were just lingering projects that I never seemed to want to start. Sometimes being a little ridiculous with your to-do list can pay off.

The motivation wave has been riding high. I haven’t had much time, but I’m almost finished with the second button band. A neckband is all that’s left and I’ll have a shiny new pink sweater!

Happy {ambitious} making!

Confidence.

May 8, 20193 Comments

I’ve been thinking about my style, wardrobe, and making for quite a while now. I think back to the Wardrobe Architect project I did a few years ago. It is hard to believe that was a few years ago but like with so many things, here we are. I’d like to revisit that project, evaluate and update to where I am now. At the core of all of this, has been a drive to move toward a new style.

I have been working, this year in particular, towards the beginnings of a new wardrobe. I have a few makes under my belt and I’m starting to feel more comfortable with knitting fitted sweaters and making skirts and dresses. My biggest hurdle now is wearing them.

You wouldn’t think that it would be so difficult, but I make excuses to myself and fall back to my old standard uniform nearly every day. Some of that is understandable, I don’t have enough me-made clothes to support wearing them all the time, but really it’s a comfort blanket. I’m used to seeing myself a certain way and while I have goals for how I want to look – that doesn’t mean I’m used to it by a long stretch.

Enter Me Made May. This is a personal challenge started by Zoe of the sewing blog “So Zo, What do you know?” – that is about encouraging sewists to wear their makes. Bam! That’s exactly what I need. I thought and thought and thought and came up with my pledge for Me Made May 2019:

I, Cortney, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May 2019. I endeavour to wear at least one me-made garment each week during May 2019. Sweaters don’t count!

My hope is that by wearing a garment I’ve sewn at least once a week, it will help to normalize this new style to me. At the very least I hope it starts the process. Don’t get me wrong – I love my makes and really feel pretty incredible in them. It’s having the confidence to show that new and different side of me to the rest of the world. We’re starting out with baby steps. Once a week.

Last week, we traveled down to Tennessee for a wedding – more on that later – and after we arrived went out to dinner with Kevin’s parents and two best friends. I opted for my chambray Hollyburn and one of my Ritas:

Sorry as these will likely all be awkward selfies. I actually loved this outfit. It was my first time wearing the Rita without a sweater over it and I was a little nervous as it’s quite fitted, but I really liked this look. Today, it was a bit nippier than the last few days here in Maryland so I took advantage of the oppprotunity to rock my Populuxe Cardigan again, paired with my navy Hollyburn:

Oh and since it’s freezing in my office, I topped everything off with my Color Field Shawl. I do love this outfit. The navy skirt is proving pretty darn versatile, which is just perfect! Once I got home I took a proper outfit photo, which is nice since I never took real FO pictures of my Populuxe on my person.

After hiding for years in business casual black slacks and cardigans, it feels like such a departure to wear such a figure hugging sweater. But I feel good in it, so the confidence may be starting to grow.

Happy making!

Sweets and my sweetheart.

April 18, 2019April 18, 20193 Comments

I have to tell you, I am having the most lovely spring break with my son. Our trip to Denver was a work weekend for me–and a pretty stressful one, at that–but having Joshua along was the perfect spot of sunshine.

We flew out on Friday morning. This was Joshua’s first flight and he reports that while takeoff was really exciting, the other 3.5 hours was less so. He played Smash Bros. and I finished the first sweater sleeve before we landed.

Once we got on the ground, it was a bit of go, go, go. Joshua was a huge help, carrying and moving and lifting. Having a strong teenager around can be pretty nice. We had supper with my coworkers that evening and went to bed pretty early. As per usual, I was up early for some pre-conference coffee and knitting.

After a morning of work, I took my lunch break to take Joshua to eat. It was such a treat all weekend to get to take my breaks with him.

That evening, we took a walk and got some supper and found this little shop called Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. No surprise, Joshua wanted to check it out. It smelled amazing! We picked up a few Saturday evening treats and headed back to the hotel.

Sunday was my big day, but I did manage to catch up with Joshua a few times. I had an evening event so a few of my coworkers took Joshua out for dinner and laser tag. From all accounts, they had a blast. I met up with them at the hotel restaurant afterward.

The next morning Joshua and I got up early to pack and hit up VooDoo doughnuts for breakfast. I had gone to the original VooDoo a few years ago and Joshua is ever interested in sweets so it was a must.

The doughnuts were pretty amazing. With that, we went down to the conference and helped out a bit and then got a ride out to the airport.

I had, of course, not done very much knitting over the weekend. I wasn’t really thinking that I would be able to finish the sleeve before we landed, but somehow, I knit and knit and knit, and voila! I did it. I took a picture as we landed, but it’s pretty blurry so I will spare you. Once we got settled in, I wove in the ends and set to blocking her.

I can’t wait for this sweater to dry. I really feel like it will fit into my wardrobe so nicely!

All in all, we had a great time. I got to spend a lot of time with Joshua, which doesn’t always happen these days. He starts high school this fall–gulp!–and time is really starting to feel short. I am so happy that I was able to bring him along with me. It was a pretty sweet trip, and I’m not just talking about the doughnuts.

Happy making!

Wrapping Up.

December 31, 20188 Comments

As one might imagine, a lot of things can happen in a month. Particularly if that month is December. I am sitting here at Kevin’s parents house on the last day of the year, having a cup of coffee in my bear mug and thinking over the last month and the last year. First, let’s do a quick (not so quick) photo montage of December.

At the beginning of the month, I went to California. On the plane ride, I finished this shawl. Color Field by Kemper Wray, knit in Primrose Yarn Co. Jasper DK in Hermione (light pink) and Maple Leaf (green).

I took Joshua out to a special breakfast as a congrats for working so hard and being recommended for honors classes for high school next year. Captain Crunch french toast is amazing, by the way.

I finished my last pair of Rainbow Socks. This is Fireside Hearth Song on Vesper Sparkle Sock by Knitterly Things.

With that, all 12 pairs of rainbow socks are complete! This is the 2017 Rainbow of the Month club by Knitterly Things. So rainbowy and stripey and wonderful.

And so, my 2018 box o’ sox is complete. 20 pairs of socks all ready to go for the new year.

Since we travel so long for the holidays, we celebrate Christmas a bit early at our house. This year, we made homemade hot chocolate that turned out amazing.

Every year, my brother and SIL send out a special card that they design and print. This year, we got to witness the entire process. So much work goes into them, but they are so beautiful.

We spent Christmas at mom’s cabin and we got some very rare and precious knitting time.

My mom knitted us all into little birds! They are ridiculously cute.

The birds: Me, Kevin, Judge, Crystal, Noah, and Madelyn

This was all of my holiday making for this year. I knit a Stillwater Cardigan for mom, Eureka Cowls for Crystal and Madelyn, socks for Noah and Kevin’s mom, and made a Strathcona Tee for Judge. I started back in July so it was pretty low pressure. I am very pleased with how it all came out. I have some super knitworthy people in my life.

In the holiday madness, I cast on a patterned sock! Whitethorn Socks by Lindsey Fowler.

Over the visit, we had a family D&D night complete with a cheese ball and a benevolent gold dragon. Many thanks to Kevin for DMing the madness!

Now we are all back in Tennessee and even managed to catch a UT basketball game. Go Vols!

A while back, Astra asked for an orange sweater – so I cast on an orange sweater.

And finally, because I had to have something mindless, I cast on a Spindrift Shawl.

These are just some of the highlights. Overall, it has been an amazing trip full of love and light. We head home tomorrow on the first day of a fresh new year. I am ready for 2019. There have been ups and downs this past year, but to be perfectly honest the downs were some of the hardest yet. I am ready to greet a new year tomorrow, full of possibility.

I hope that you all are finishing your year out with joy.

Happy making.

Maybe I have been knitting.

November 27, 20182 Comments

Last week, I was busy. Work trip right into Thanksgiving. Around here, I call it the gauntlet. Last year on this particular work trip, I got a lot of knitting done. Not so this time.

Things started off pretty well. I had been thinking I’d knit myself a holiday sweater so I cast it on in the airport. I got a few rows in before time to board. I was planning to knit it on the plane, but I was middle seat between two not so teeny dudes. We landed in Atlanta, set up the booth, and I got to my hotel in time to watch some football and finish up a sock.

My days and evenings were quite busy with work, but I managed to get up early enough to have some coffee and knitting time on my Kobuk hat. I really wanted to finish it on the trip.

Finding knitting time was tough, but the wait in the airport and the flight was enough to get the hat finished. I came home, wove in the ends on the hat, upacked and then immediately re-packed my suitcase. We left early in the morning, headed to North Carolina.

I did a little knitting on the car ride down, but I also discovered that I had forgotten Joshua’s medicine. Bit of a logistics mess to get a prescription called in to an out of town pharmacy on the day before Thanksgiving, but we did it.

We wound up renting a house with my brothers and going to my future SIL’s family’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. It was truly a lovely time. We had so much fun and just being together is always enough to warm my heart. I didn’t do any knitting, but who cares when you’re surrounded by these amazing people.

Over the weekend, I finished my socks, finally got some hat pictures, and slept a lot. Noah and Madelyn stopped through on their way back north, and after getting them on the road I slept a wee bit more. I was tired.

The socks are off the needles and I am one pair closer to my full dozen rainbow socks for the year. This is the November 2017 Rainbow of the Month club colorway from Knitterly Things, called Golden Hour Harvest. I really like how these turned out. My sock mojo is a little low these days, so it’s good to finish up a pair.

And then, there’s the hat.

This is Kobuk, a lovely pattern by Caitlin Hunter. It’s written for a DK weight yarn held together with a strand of mohair lace. For mine, I held fingering weight double with the mohair and it worked quite well. I think it made the bobbles a little bit more fussy, but nothing terrible. The yarn is from Woolberry Fiber Co.: Berry Sock and Berry Mohair, both in the Hayride colorway. I love love love this color. I have been skeptical of how it would look on me, but I think it works. Either way, I’m obsessed.

I love everything about it. The mohair makes it so soft and warm, and the pattern is stunning. The color, well, I can’t get enough.

I really have been feeling like I’m not knitting much at all. Surprising then, that I’ve finished two projects in the last week. I did a little bit of frogging recently and then nothing else was appealing to me last night. So I cast on something new, like you do.

Just a wee start, more on this beauty later.

Happy making!

Time flies.

November 8, 20183 Comments

The last few weeks seem to have gone by in a flash. It feels like forever since I’ve been on the blog! We’ve had a great time, I’ve done a lot of knitting and a fair bit of secret making. How about a montage? Just imagine funky 80s music playing as you scroll through the pictures.

We adopted a kitty! This is Joseph, he’s the sweetest boy.

Nobody worry – Cosi is still the biggest baby of the family!

As promised, I put some work into my Audra Wrap – though I’ve stalled on it again.

October rainbow socks: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered – Knitterly Things October 2017 Rainbow Club – pair 18 in my box of socks for the year

Kevin wanted a new hat, so I cast one on for him. I love hat knitting, this chunky weight yarn knit up so fast!

And a couple of days later, I cast the hat off. This is Lancet, by Jared Flood, a great pattern. I used Brooklyn Tweed Quarry in Lapis. I am happy to report, Kevin loves it.

Halloween came and went. I had an ear infection, so trick or treating wasn’t my favorite. The zombie goat and the akatsake had a blast though.

Now that November is here, it’s straight on to the next rainbow.

I haven’t shown my Dotted Rays too much, mostly because it always just like a blob of grey garter. But it’s finished now, and it’s the prettiest grey garter I’ve seen!

While Dotted Rays was soaking the other night, I may have snuck in a wee sweater cast on…

This guy went with me to vote. I even convinced him to wear the sticker (only for this picture).

Dotted Rays by Stephen West knit out of Primrose Yarn Co. Sophia in the Dark Cavern colorway.

Seriously, this was a fun knit. I loved the construction of the shawl, and this yarn is the softest and makes for the squishiest garter. This is also the last of my Make Nine projects!

My little sweater is starting to grow. I’m knitting Empire by Gudren Johnston, in Quince & Co. Chickadee in the Iceberg colorway. I’m a little concerned about my yarn usage, but we shall see.

I think that’s it. I can’t believe there are three finished objects in this post! I suppose it has been a hot minute. Now I’m all cozy with my dotted rays around my neck–can we talk about the cashmere in this yarn? I am in heaven.

Happy {cozy} making!

Killing me softly.

September 15, 20185 Comments

Socks. I talk of them often. A self proclaimed sock addict, I have a pair on my needles at all times. But lately, I find these oh-so-light-and-portable projects are weighing me down.

You may recall at the beginning of the year, I set out to knit two pairs of socks every month. One rainbow and one light colored. Well, I have faithfully kept up to that, I’ve knit two pairs every month. Now that I find myself staring down the fall and the end of the year, I find myself looking longingly at other projects.

I’ve got holiday gifts on my mind, a new hat for Kevin, and this year I’ve promised Astra a sweater! Of course sweater knitting for myself is a high priority. I pulled out my Sunset Highway and have been giving it a bit of love the few days.

I’m about 3″ into the 11″ or 12″ I’ll need for the body of the sweater. I’m actually kind of looking forward to the sleeves for this one, since there’s a bit of colorwork to be had. Of course, I can’t forget the swatch for my next cardigan, I pet it every day.

And in yet more sweater news, I caked up yarn to swatch for a new top, Mount Pleasant. This is Woolberry Fiber Co. in the Hayride colorway:

It’s dreamy and I really want to have this top for the fall before it’s too cold, but I was deterred by having no 3.5 mm needles free and the thought of these socks:

Every time I’ve picked up these socks this week, I’ve been bummed out. It’s a little bizarre, the yarn is so pretty and squishy and I love how it’s working up. But really, I want to be working on other things. My sock committments are really dragging on me at this point. I think I will compromise with myself and finish out the rainbow socks for the year and just pick up on other socks as I feel like it.

On the one hand, I feel a bit disappointed in myself that I’m giving up. But on the other hand, I knit because it brings me joy. If something makes me sad or bummed, why am I working on it? Do you ever set goals for your making and then feel down about not reaching them, or giving them up for something else?

With the decision to set these socks aside, I feel lighter. I am excited for all the other knitting I can finish in the time I would have devoted to those other 6.5 pairs. So little time and so many projects.

Happy making!

Like bees.

September 13, 20184 Comments

We have been a wee bit busy around our household. Typically we don’t do much in September, leaving that time to get back in the swing of things with the new school year. Such has not been the case this September, though! We’ve had friends over to stay and have taken the first of two trips to Tennessee for the month.

With all of that, I haven’t had a terrible lot of time for making. Lets have a bit of a recap in pictures, shall we? That always helps me get up to speed and back in the swing of things, blog-wise.

First up, I wore my Hollyburn to work! I was a bit nervous, since this is not my usual style, but I loved it.

Void progress, about halfway through the border.

Joshua earned his red belt!

Two weekends ago, some wonderful friends of ours came to stay over Labor Day weekend. It was also the first weekend of college football, so Kevin and I were up early and decked out:

Of course, it was also September 1, so I cast on my next pair of rainbow socks:

We headed over to Savage Mill to do a little walking and lunch before game time. We walked through an antique shop and I stumbled across this amazing quilt. Entirely hand-pieced and hand-quilted, the craftmanship was excellent. I was tempted to take this beauty home with me, but resisted.

On Sunday, we got up bright and early and headed down to D.C. for a museum day. We had a blast and even managed a picture of the whole group!

Labor day morning, I was up early for some quiet binding off time with my Void.

It’s all finished now, but I still haven’t blocked it! That might show you just how we’ve been running around, I’m usually pretty quick on the turn around with blocking.

School started for the kids, who were very excited to take pictures together in the yard at 7 a.m. Just kidding, there was a lot of groaning involved.

We had several appointments that week, which afforded me some sock knitting time.

And then, this last weekend, we took a road trip down to Knoxville to take the kids to their very first Vols game. Once again, we were up bright and early to get our orange on and head to campus for gameday festivities.

We saw all the sights Kevin wanted to see and the kids even had fun at the game, lightning delay and all! A very good day, indeed.

On Sunday, I finally slept in late. It was glorious. I resolutely parked my rear end on the couch to indulge in an entire day of football and sock knitting. The socks went better than the game did. I had to cast on a new pair, since I evidently can’t knit a heel while watching Roethlisberger throw a million interceptions.

On the way home, I put heels in both socks before it was my turn to drive.

Now we’re home, mostly recovered from all the fun, and I have one completed sock. This yarn, by the way, is Autumnal Equinox by Knitterly Things. The other sock, above, is Petal by Baerenwolle–sadly, she doesn’t dye yarn anymore so no link to be had.

It’s been a fun month so far. We’re going to a concert and a wedding still yet, so the fun hasn’t stopped. In the meantime, I’m hoping to put some stitches down on my WIPs.

Happy making!

Back in the saddle.

August 21, 2018August 21, 20186 Comments

When I was around 10 or 11, my cousins got a go-cart. Judge and I were eager to try it out and being the oldest and bossiest, I went first. I promptly slammed my foot on the peddle and ran the go-cart straight into a tree. With a busted chin and bruised ego, I swore I’d never ride another go-cart. My dad told me in no uncertain terms that I was, in fact, getting back on the go-cart. He told me that if you fall off of a horse, you get right back in the saddle and show yourself and the horse who’s boss.

Fast forward a decade and I had a major car accident. I was in various hospitals for a while and eventually came home and went to stay with my dad for a while. I had not driven a car for over a month, not since the accident. I was so afraid to drive again, but my dad once again told me, back in the saddle you go. I managed to live through the harrowing 3 mile drive to my aunts and I’m happy to tell you, I’m still driving to this day.

Fast forward another decade plus and I am happily not wrecking any vehicles. But still, I’ve been balking at the idea of getting my serger back out. The last (and only) time I used it, it didn’t go very well. Well, I finally dredged up my dad’s advice and got the serger out this weekend. I’ve eased into things with some practice and have now been doing a bit of finishing. Finishing what, you may ask. Garments!

My first try at getting back into garment sewing and using a serger to finish raw edges:

Not too bad! It was slow going, but I made it work, more or less. This is the Ogden Cami, by True Bias patterns. The fabric is some Art Gallery quilting cotton I had lying around. This fabric is far from ideal with very little drape–I wanted something stable and sturdy and easy to work with for this first try.

This is a great little pattern, pretty easy to do with some new techniques for me. After whipping this one up on Sunday morning, I thought I’d have a go at another Ogden in drapier fabric Sunday afternoon. And voila!

This is some “silky chiffon” from Joanns that I found on sale. It’s definitely drapier, so it was good practice. I’m not completely convinced of the fit. I think you can see that it pulls across my back a bit and the front seems pretty voluminous.

I wore this one to work today. I’m still undecided about the fit. Maybe the fabric is still not drapey enough? I don’t know if I should try to adjust the pattern or look for something else. After making these two tops, I thought I’d step it up to a bigger project. Enter the Hollyburn Skirt, by Sewaholic. I had some navy poplin that I had purchased just to give this skirt a try. This pattern has a lot of finishing involved, so I kept going with serging seams to finish them. They were looking pretty snazzy, if I do say so.

On the very last seam before installing the zipper, the worst happened. I caught a bit of the skirt fabric in the serger… and it serged.

The kids find this hole in the seat of my skirt much funnier than I do. I was so frustrated. I had to take a step back from sewing. It’s scary to think of trying again and ruining something else. So I did the safe thing. I worked on a sock. With the serger safely in the craft room, I knit on. But in my mind I could hear my dad telling me to show it who’s in charge. And so, with trepidation, I cut out another skirt and got to work. I’m pleased to say that it’s going even better than the first skirt, serged seams and all.