tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4570669278010432042024-03-18T21:08:41.667-07:00The Cutting FloorCollections and Inspiration from b.Nielb.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-25616334601704368752011-06-28T13:14:00.000-07:002011-06-28T13:14:35.981-07:00Happy ConclusionRemember my awesome friends Kate and Ryan? If you don't, check 'em out <a href="http://bniel.blogspot.com/2011/06/special-assignment.html">here</a>. Mr. N and I had the pleasure of standing next to them at their wedding this weekend, and it was an incredibly wonderful time! We couldn't be happier for them and hope they're enjoying their honeymoon in the Bahamas. I was given the task of making Kates' rehearsal dinner dress, so I made some quick sketches for her. She chose the dress on the right:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5oJWrHm4o_NsXD7j0EYOs68LDGSbU458ZAlIGK3fgxYm1eIDovOmsZNi0ndBCzHAn5NZZq2iw5t7QWWfCiR6f2hcDYuQTxEDIedF3gjQVNnhAwjM_2vaN4chtVLqCd20NVYQ_BTlhX4/s1600/kates1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5oJWrHm4o_NsXD7j0EYOs68LDGSbU458ZAlIGK3fgxYm1eIDovOmsZNi0ndBCzHAn5NZZq2iw5t7QWWfCiR6f2hcDYuQTxEDIedF3gjQVNnhAwjM_2vaN4chtVLqCd20NVYQ_BTlhX4/s320/kates1.jpg" width="172" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I got her measurements and got started. I adapted a pattern I already had and made a muslin from it:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKLuTssIjZJDngJbn9T7RpFUaS3_Af81YvFyL_ukcDnYoLbWSu2bLIG0XK7pD90Lqw1f4fM6CqVQovHgf_u11Jo4oNWDdZJJdGunm3t2Fqbn6UDBDggrqQWbZjquzR6fTjaCyN8rso0I/s1600/IMG_2551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKLuTssIjZJDngJbn9T7RpFUaS3_Af81YvFyL_ukcDnYoLbWSu2bLIG0XK7pD90Lqw1f4fM6CqVQovHgf_u11Jo4oNWDdZJJdGunm3t2Fqbn6UDBDggrqQWbZjquzR6fTjaCyN8rso0I/s320/IMG_2551.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I experimented with different ways to arrange the back straps.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfASwKZqPCL1fmlX1pxnZtS4SwLTvAu9IBjkSRBVPkwRtWhaIwfShKure4cp45b5YQPDpf1o6MVwaUKCADSb4Oo8XxRo7Lnv9eOn8A1Wh1eLDVtm4B3nqL_aLi_dUWVDEtRoxVHYIjK4/s1600/IMG_2555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibfASwKZqPCL1fmlX1pxnZtS4SwLTvAu9IBjkSRBVPkwRtWhaIwfShKure4cp45b5YQPDpf1o6MVwaUKCADSb4Oo8XxRo7Lnv9eOn8A1Wh1eLDVtm4B3nqL_aLi_dUWVDEtRoxVHYIjK4/s320/IMG_2555.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Kate liked the above arrangement best, so I packed off the muslin and mailed it to her to try on. </div><div style="text-align: center;">In the meantime, I rooted through my stash to see what I had in the way of peacock feathers, and low and behold, I had this.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Several years ago I interned with amazing prom dress designer Loralie, and she gave me a whole bunch of fabrics and trims and appliques she no longer needed. That's how I came to have an entire roll of this amazing trim, which couldn't be more perfect for this occasion. Here's how the trim will be placed:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhQR6hONP1klqB-4EPzsXSVU9aAoJLQ3Lz2MgsUqtVpz_p_b27hTQ7PePr8RqtohUivoU3bUGXB8v8E84zs6FEyZrE1mkvuZTy72Jv4OPc44OTehUEoi_mKkTUqBZMduK8y_jGSy_NL8/s1600/IMG_2560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhQR6hONP1klqB-4EPzsXSVU9aAoJLQ3Lz2MgsUqtVpz_p_b27hTQ7PePr8RqtohUivoU3bUGXB8v8E84zs6FEyZrE1mkvuZTy72Jv4OPc44OTehUEoi_mKkTUqBZMduK8y_jGSy_NL8/s320/IMG_2560.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then I bought some beautiful silk dupioni, sewed until 3 in the morning, hopped on a plane, and put the dress on the bride. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoc1EAsTmKJZs-8l-XmMMYFrRlpHYvSWEBFe5OR-gO3_zZDdtPFRKJDlpdUiEaYPDEZMRU3zaEq1H4LGzdmcLbU3buqiU-8O02z2P6DmasP9H2SOrjZ7e8angPr5mvWbhJPKCJRk-ZeI/s1600/IMG_2580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoc1EAsTmKJZs-8l-XmMMYFrRlpHYvSWEBFe5OR-gO3_zZDdtPFRKJDlpdUiEaYPDEZMRU3zaEq1H4LGzdmcLbU3buqiU-8O02z2P6DmasP9H2SOrjZ7e8angPr5mvWbhJPKCJRk-ZeI/s320/IMG_2580.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Perfect! We made some adjustments to the straps and ended up doing a simple halter strap which suited Kate to a T. Here I am with the bride:</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As it turned out, Ryan and Kates' officiant is a Canadian citizen, so in order for their marriage to be legal they had to go to the courthouse to be officially married a day before their actual wedding. Which means I got to make Kates' wedding dress, in a sense. Pretty cool. Here's the bride and groom at the courthouse:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0VXyoj6HNDrP3Tmi6QaJYKGq50gsTNLVFzLSy5cewtToXcbfL8KJhTTJIDFA_g6YUUm7gFWyNnB_YQb05BPEIr0Uo57ChjOvC0lGHDJeITUKGo1u2ssNHN6M9qpto5PqM_HOID_4qAQ/s1600/IMG_2586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0VXyoj6HNDrP3Tmi6QaJYKGq50gsTNLVFzLSy5cewtToXcbfL8KJhTTJIDFA_g6YUUm7gFWyNnB_YQb05BPEIr0Uo57ChjOvC0lGHDJeITUKGo1u2ssNHN6M9qpto5PqM_HOID_4qAQ/s320/IMG_2586.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Making it legal, as Mr. N looks on. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wr1ujDcwVOk_gzMrlU0ql5UcQ5RHypJoN_ddsYf5ZDoF9OlCKcwOZTLbkwem_1oPFqWV4xlXfUHX-EKweELLCW3RlCXg7jVivsYj9YM5W_MAvJz-Inl64mFfB0BJ0uxzWxWIH2kYhAs/s1600/IMG_2594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wr1ujDcwVOk_gzMrlU0ql5UcQ5RHypJoN_ddsYf5ZDoF9OlCKcwOZTLbkwem_1oPFqWV4xlXfUHX-EKweELLCW3RlCXg7jVivsYj9YM5W_MAvJz-Inl64mFfB0BJ0uxzWxWIH2kYhAs/s320/IMG_2594.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Congratulations, you two! We couldn't be happier. Thanks for letting us play a big part in your day! </div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-42823901754716282692011-06-10T10:27:00.000-07:002011-06-10T10:27:14.845-07:00And Now, Proud to Introduce...my new website, www.ChiCrochet.com!! I am so excited to have an online catalogue for my crochet patterns. I'll be posting new patterns all the time as well as crochet tutorials, tips, and advice! So what are you waiting for? <a href="http://www.chicrochet.com/">Check it out!</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VGgGuznhWH0Nh02EwpglNI8LEaT6SWAsLIrzJfvZZm5n0imxK5iWks_mnK5lxRYdgqJcNlSzIP7L2GCbEGD9Ut2lWbCaV_yscxLM5dxpiZtOs9-MCMQcPVVEwWzmb1vGR2w5ChoHyDc/s320/chicrochet-logo.jpg" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you love it! If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to email me at bniel at chicrochet dot com. I'll still be posting projects I'm working on here, but for crochet patterns and crochet news, be sure to bookmark the site. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Hooking!</div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-76832946682818495002011-06-08T09:44:00.000-07:002011-06-08T09:44:25.604-07:00Big NewsComing in two short days...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwlIe9OiSAQLm5UpOqgEcD-_jV_dJ0Dqz555i1h3U60ccwLMCsUwKE3ds6tSR_k0JatQ5Lv98RWQ5NGXvL2FYe60ZY85c0bHjX7qi-nKymc7Gawi2fl5RBUnAEzcUREJV4XKaA9firm0/s1600/chicago-star-full.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwlIe9OiSAQLm5UpOqgEcD-_jV_dJ0Dqz555i1h3U60ccwLMCsUwKE3ds6tSR_k0JatQ5Lv98RWQ5NGXvL2FYe60ZY85c0bHjX7qi-nKymc7Gawi2fl5RBUnAEzcUREJV4XKaA9firm0/s1600/chicago-star-full.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cryptic? Yes. But it's worth the wait! Can't wait to show you! </div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-42134080728697070072011-06-03T15:46:00.000-07:002011-06-03T15:46:54.333-07:00Special AssignmentOnce upon a time I had two great friends from two completely different circles. This is Kate, one of my nearest and dearest from early college days in Pennsylvania:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuN7M3BdNixvYYc2f8CZkfQ0VD223AAo6m0XZslRmr2NqA1rlCaZElc_-mjbt_gJdYkq-81EwFwS_EdSkB__OEy3arjI5GStzanatjYYwUmxe5BXw6FRO371xq1hJQs0VxXiI_nZefe0/s1600/IMG_0503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPuN7M3BdNixvYYc2f8CZkfQ0VD223AAo6m0XZslRmr2NqA1rlCaZElc_-mjbt_gJdYkq-81EwFwS_EdSkB__OEy3arjI5GStzanatjYYwUmxe5BXw6FRO371xq1hJQs0VxXiI_nZefe0/s320/IMG_0503.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And this is Ryan, dear friend of Mr. N. and I from Chicago:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnaZv9BGLr0zAH1Sy3OAySQ_cGvqQshS_mP35I6wpukb7jpGa1Xk-49pOxtIBm7VILdNfeP9TyzmhGQLmgIsktWVgLjHjQIU6rlcQefbUVgSCQ2m2V-1_yx1IUrMvXp5lSQ4gkZ4OSRE/s1600/IMG_2257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnaZv9BGLr0zAH1Sy3OAySQ_cGvqQshS_mP35I6wpukb7jpGa1Xk-49pOxtIBm7VILdNfeP9TyzmhGQLmgIsktWVgLjHjQIU6rlcQefbUVgSCQ2m2V-1_yx1IUrMvXp5lSQ4gkZ4OSRE/s320/IMG_2257.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Don't mind me in the background. I'm just really into Rock Band. Ryan is too, that's why his face is so serious. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When Mr. N. and I got married two summers ago, Kate was one of my bridesmaids and Ryan was one of Mr. N's groomsmen. I had a gut feeling that they would get along, so I mentioned to Ryan that he might want to try to get to know Kate during the wedding weekend. Also, anytime assigned seating was involved, guess who was seated next to each other? That's right. Well, it turns out Ryan and Kate hit it off. Really hit it off. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbAjONvWnv-Aaq1hGNrdxHvPYwml14GX7uwV2BPcgo6Cq8bSqsApggVpk-2rfNyAclGIQnCu0JbkUKR5HHZLUTimTqEwZs456ji82nQQp0skxf1C77DbSLFYOwkH7TGHfa_nhxubUxYg/s1600/62235_517412974106_101501007_30647402_4674581_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbAjONvWnv-Aaq1hGNrdxHvPYwml14GX7uwV2BPcgo6Cq8bSqsApggVpk-2rfNyAclGIQnCu0JbkUKR5HHZLUTimTqEwZs456ji82nQQp0skxf1C77DbSLFYOwkH7TGHfa_nhxubUxYg/s320/62235_517412974106_101501007_30647402_4674581_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They're getting married in 3 weeks and I couldn't be happier! Kate gave me the great honor of making her rehearsal dinner dress and I'm so excited to dress the lovely bride. The wedding has a peacock theme, so I made some sketches for Kate to choose from (click to enlarge):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-fA1xwUjsfSKH67gSZq28E0GDdhmJ0B-R-oRlAJV_NAZzD2WoaraDwaN4upXUWxUnKXGpdSm0N-4RfG5Cqb5fnEu2MoIXN1UaERlLRZt2__7vSrIZ9rKG_k9QJHVyKLJ0RlyLh3kyHY/s1600/kates1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-fA1xwUjsfSKH67gSZq28E0GDdhmJ0B-R-oRlAJV_NAZzD2WoaraDwaN4upXUWxUnKXGpdSm0N-4RfG5Cqb5fnEu2MoIXN1UaERlLRZt2__7vSrIZ9rKG_k9QJHVyKLJ0RlyLh3kyHY/s320/kates1.jpg" width="172" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6ADqCEXQL4IaI4Nl08bWLje9h-M929g4cM-16FVdNX_StIJab0fD4fIqFb0hszSUcAgR7pTnyDg4MDK0D2pE1vdBmX_KQHNWXmQ8eGihFVnzkdekvYiBvqXLr4JtN0SmODMFO8ZNFas/s1600/kates2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6ADqCEXQL4IaI4Nl08bWLje9h-M929g4cM-16FVdNX_StIJab0fD4fIqFb0hszSUcAgR7pTnyDg4MDK0D2pE1vdBmX_KQHNWXmQ8eGihFVnzkdekvYiBvqXLr4JtN0SmODMFO8ZNFas/s320/kates2.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuvDUWPe_89a1KYbhche5e8klLGJ0uU_tl6s6SrtUiIyFvayR4N7P8RNlEg3-4UJaUn3n5qk3wnKkc8vcCboH1wOkzJ24mqXhEAJOLRRxRfMyuRQrnAisDFM9alSmCk_xyLMzxJ0wMpo/s1600/kates3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuvDUWPe_89a1KYbhche5e8klLGJ0uU_tl6s6SrtUiIyFvayR4N7P8RNlEg3-4UJaUn3n5qk3wnKkc8vcCboH1wOkzJ24mqXhEAJOLRRxRfMyuRQrnAisDFM9alSmCk_xyLMzxJ0wMpo/s320/kates3.jpg" width="186" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Which one did she choose? Check back soon for the finished product! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-75446928506350858562011-05-27T12:47:00.000-07:002011-05-27T12:47:28.145-07:00OrganizationI'm a few weeks into this self-employed/working from home/full time designing thing, which is awesome, and I've learned several key things already:<br />
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1. All the moms go to Target between 10-12 on weekdays. Seriously, if you're a mom looking to meet other moms, get yourself to Target in the middle of a weekday. If you're not a mom, like me, just keep pushing your childless cart full of Target brand boxed wine right to the checkout and get out of there.<br />
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2. Showering is not an item I get to cross off my To Do list. Some things should never be on a To Do list.<br />
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3. To work at home, you need to have a functioning workspace. So my first order of business was to get my workroom in order, not to mention my yarn and hooks. Until this week my hooks had been all over the place--a few rubber-banded together at the bottom of a bag of yarn, some in the couch cushions, and a few at the bottom of various purses (yeah, i know, it's an addiction). I needed to keep them all in one easily identifiable place, so I found some old, strange fabric and whipped this up:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZHyhk5guwcG2QIN9YZ6bmxGTJejk02mpG8S528IATnjICJgYpngawOI1c9FZHScRd4XdeDpC4lK5kGMyHIgUGPRf4ukosu71iNQ-X7vuNJj-IFE3_sbeHqUHqYy98xJo9RdCyhyv6sI/s1600/IMG_2536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZHyhk5guwcG2QIN9YZ6bmxGTJejk02mpG8S528IATnjICJgYpngawOI1c9FZHScRd4XdeDpC4lK5kGMyHIgUGPRf4ukosu71iNQ-X7vuNJj-IFE3_sbeHqUHqYy98xJo9RdCyhyv6sI/s320/IMG_2536.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Aren't you just dying to see inside? It's glorious:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nULvtf6Z0GuYB-XYxphhPkajfpFZYuOjRGY-QbFkT42MW9E4ujwvyzu12ZQNTP55vlD7c9ktBmTLn343aM0q-GGt50MC2OLFSjNQifE5bLjo-xUQvf-ItWs6E8fLjPI432FZnCNew8o/s1600/IMG_2538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nULvtf6Z0GuYB-XYxphhPkajfpFZYuOjRGY-QbFkT42MW9E4ujwvyzu12ZQNTP55vlD7c9ktBmTLn343aM0q-GGt50MC2OLFSjNQifE5bLjo-xUQvf-ItWs6E8fLjPI432FZnCNew8o/s320/IMG_2538.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Isn't that fabric bizarre? I love it. This was a super easy project, all you need is some fabric and a couple strips of elastic! Now I have any hook I need at my fingertips.<br />
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Now the bigger issue of the yarn. Until just recently, my yarn was in a moving box that I dug through every time I needed to find something. The digging resulted in a yarn knot the size of my head, and if I found yarn I wanted to use, I first had to extract it from the twisted mass by cutting it out. Not productive. Until a magical trip to Ikea last week, when Mr. N spotted an organizational tool that has revolutionized my life. Behold:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_EgVRgKsQKlU6M_bao0wI2Na8dXuv2MSsJd5Tv8eOTDG393POx_9WmXWbUzxXxUUBR8_0Ov99O707DvgHsyssZc4xMtm3-t0cmViVqAksDilMaYofbhL5Wx2qjauX_8wuiY2L4kUvtI/s1600/IMG_2534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_EgVRgKsQKlU6M_bao0wI2Na8dXuv2MSsJd5Tv8eOTDG393POx_9WmXWbUzxXxUUBR8_0Ov99O707DvgHsyssZc4xMtm3-t0cmViVqAksDilMaYofbhL5Wx2qjauX_8wuiY2L4kUvtI/s320/IMG_2534.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Amazing. It's all right there, sorted by weight! Oh, and yes, that is a pink and black feather boa. It's from my bachelorette party, and no, I'm not getting rid of it any time soon. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now that I'm organized I can start taking over the world! I'll keep you posted! </div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-86607717978348199512011-05-19T07:29:00.000-07:002011-05-19T07:29:46.683-07:00Big News, Big Trip!Yep, ok, this is my confession. It's been an insanely long time since I posted anything here. I can assure you, however, that is not because nothing has been going on...quite the opposite, actually:<br />
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1. One of my crochet patterns has been accepted for publication by a major crochet magazine! I wish I could say more, but I'm contractually obligated not to share a thing until it's published in October. But once October rolls around I can't wait to share everything!<br />
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2. I left my day job as an administrative assistant to pursue design, both fashion and crochet, full time. Seems a little crazy, but it was just time to take a risk and do what I want to do. Thank you for being the first members of my crochet empire! Website with patterns coming soon!<br />
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3. Mr. N. and I just got back from a 3 week trip to Europe. It was, in a word, incredible. We started at a friend's wedding in Budapest, then on to Venice, Milan, Lake Como, Lucerne (Switzerland), and then Stuttgart, Germany, where my amazing sister lives with her husband and beautiful little girls.<br />
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Here we are having aperitivos (afternoon drinks) in Venice:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2zsJ-Et3GEuWe8FlUb2jeVi80s1qGBRsmiox_IwVN0lDIJAEdb6jxDc677Jiznk2yuQdcpMIjllt9aXbVE-2qILA_OBIJ7y4GKAPG4JrCGFbcIDw9GoDT98ljSfoz8gAAOQkxQzrZgE/s1600/IMG_2768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2zsJ-Et3GEuWe8FlUb2jeVi80s1qGBRsmiox_IwVN0lDIJAEdb6jxDc677Jiznk2yuQdcpMIjllt9aXbVE-2qILA_OBIJ7y4GKAPG4JrCGFbcIDw9GoDT98ljSfoz8gAAOQkxQzrZgE/s320/IMG_2768.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Dinner in Lake Como:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA2egkDTj4ygBQPkhqWNh8T9DovHNKQ0qsFHF2JTQliGO1w9mP2vuqHF8yGATyo6HthPimvofbD28JIYRW3FIeq1SJgWvgZGoxJw6V39XXiMalbpeaLEA0Opdpsnd37V5boM3RFtrbNc/s1600/IMG_2906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA2egkDTj4ygBQPkhqWNh8T9DovHNKQ0qsFHF2JTQliGO1w9mP2vuqHF8yGATyo6HthPimvofbD28JIYRW3FIeq1SJgWvgZGoxJw6V39XXiMalbpeaLEA0Opdpsnd37V5boM3RFtrbNc/s320/IMG_2906.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Idyllic Lucerne, Switzerland:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFcCrHE9qa7sVGg4uMuMP-F-NyBZPKmdWw6MjdgUiKM64c3kKBxyJHtucFjOJhWPcftNYIwwatHmZAcmteS-ZqD3GEv42QImsBHulprWTucoIoe6opG3FIxcK06hMhym98i36LFsym3M/s1600/IMG_3114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFcCrHE9qa7sVGg4uMuMP-F-NyBZPKmdWw6MjdgUiKM64c3kKBxyJHtucFjOJhWPcftNYIwwatHmZAcmteS-ZqD3GEv42QImsBHulprWTucoIoe6opG3FIxcK06hMhym98i36LFsym3M/s320/IMG_3114.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And finally, Mr. N with two of our nieces, sporting dresses we picked up for them at the Baby Gap in Milan:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-AqGH40ieUR6v1dKToYEBvze382o-JwsVmIF-d92nkxQirHcHX2nkGU3KLhIMman6vjO7So96dmVqHYVKN0IR8zfUd1y0tMx_Aojn-cYnqIke4KmasNk8ArqaRFdeBvl3gkzupxEZ10/s1600/IMG_3207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-AqGH40ieUR6v1dKToYEBvze382o-JwsVmIF-d92nkxQirHcHX2nkGU3KLhIMman6vjO7So96dmVqHYVKN0IR8zfUd1y0tMx_Aojn-cYnqIke4KmasNk8ArqaRFdeBvl3gkzupxEZ10/s320/IMG_3207.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>So as you can see, it's been an amazing, super busy past couple of months. Thanks for sticking with me on this journey and supporting me. I can't wait to see what's next!<br />
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Love,<br />
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b.Nielb.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-16408735763308329042011-03-24T09:51:00.000-07:002011-05-19T15:42:31.249-07:00Op Top by Alexis WinslowAlthough I'm a die-hard crocheter, every now and then I like to do a knitting project to keep my skills up. Also, in all honesty, the knitting patterns that are out there are way better than most crochet patterns. That's something I seek to change. But in the meantime, I have a deep appreciation for both skills, though crochet will always be first in my heart. I like to stick up for the underdog.<br />
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A few months ago I came across an article about the top 10 up-and-coming knitting designers, and most underwhelmed me except one: <a href="http://www.knitdarling.com/">Alexis Winslow</a>. <br />
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This girl has got it going on. Her patterns are intricate without being fussy (unless that's the intention, as with the Miss Myrtle fingerless gloves) and beautifully fresh and modern. Needing a winter hat, I immediately gravitated to the <a href="http://www.knitdarling.com/patterns/op-top/">Op Top</a>. I knitted the hat on straight needles and seamed it together rather than working on circular needles, and it came out perfectly. It was my first time doing knitted colorwork (stranding), and it took me a few tries to get it right, but I love the finished product: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRcImnOq1P18PC-jZ6eBibsgUiz11P6F8gpVX6GJEoxwisVQn7ItQv8-E3kQ8jWgck3Y94TvtXUVFa850ekhkenX6cif65k7ljNj0wcpJiuyDnnQZv9EGIiLy5zIj_kjEKa4GSayCWdc/s1600/IMG_2456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRcImnOq1P18PC-jZ6eBibsgUiz11P6F8gpVX6GJEoxwisVQn7ItQv8-E3kQ8jWgck3Y94TvtXUVFa850ekhkenX6cif65k7ljNj0wcpJiuyDnnQZv9EGIiLy5zIj_kjEKa4GSayCWdc/s320/IMG_2456.JPG" width="284" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kd4JjWrc25YF8MYbUnCZZV7ZHXkBPOBkkZb57eHO7hO6W4xiKHzV0SfEtgeTH31oMLgOtz0XeiytJ64QGoC3LLaQcdk9VHEwiZV4ODuYDG_O23H7ecTnUCDzVwbaEMWvd3dTxKCXy64/s1600/IMG_2458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Kd4JjWrc25YF8MYbUnCZZV7ZHXkBPOBkkZb57eHO7hO6W4xiKHzV0SfEtgeTH31oMLgOtz0XeiytJ64QGoC3LLaQcdk9VHEwiZV4ODuYDG_O23H7ecTnUCDzVwbaEMWvd3dTxKCXy64/s320/IMG_2458.JPG" width="278" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqzNSfpK74ZIsOkcCLZukIP28j7AeVDhrXOSiKWE-9ltZJ7FUWyv7IQ7fdV0ON6JgHTlweiZJY5LSbdeJ4bgf4lnOGwuaWgmVKbW3VFUDVao_cm-Mey7mGpsuJ3bOrYA_4Z-u8qGWOzI/s1600/IMG_2457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqzNSfpK74ZIsOkcCLZukIP28j7AeVDhrXOSiKWE-9ltZJ7FUWyv7IQ7fdV0ON6JgHTlweiZJY5LSbdeJ4bgf4lnOGwuaWgmVKbW3VFUDVao_cm-Mey7mGpsuJ3bOrYA_4Z-u8qGWOzI/s320/IMG_2457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Thanks Alexis! I'm a huge fan. <br />
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Alexis is also an incredible painter, so if you haven't checked her out yet, I insist that you do so: <a href="http://www.knitdarling.com/">http://www.knitdarling.com/</a>.b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-84682569359280134452011-03-14T14:35:00.000-07:002011-03-14T14:35:22.952-07:00Last LookThe last pieces in the new collection are a little more work-friendly. I wanted to make a structured top with the brown floral from the previous dress, so I started by draping in muslin. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmahIoM5SaEgnFMHk-t9MR6m0YgmOy7rnQ8zabXDXD-cYOaQbw5VTV4N9oBzW1KnWABYE5IIAV_-1XTWURyJv5g4s8Qn6Ya810gCQRaYgeNfxQpAa_2y8Y5MjCS3Uvt5Q_RiI39u8HnVA/s1600/IMG_1247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmahIoM5SaEgnFMHk-t9MR6m0YgmOy7rnQ8zabXDXD-cYOaQbw5VTV4N9oBzW1KnWABYE5IIAV_-1XTWURyJv5g4s8Qn6Ya810gCQRaYgeNfxQpAa_2y8Y5MjCS3Uvt5Q_RiI39u8HnVA/s320/IMG_1247.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Then I marked the style lines and button placement, adding a 1" button extension: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjZNka6SGBRS4zoTLmZCu4pCmY4XH7QrpKFO4d8ZDMLLdpuMnKEY5a4XSwNypXsjjpBSpdK_iS-J-Ey__FYWtDYlxLCBYFxozDQhhQqmTJDkNeC-Nt4auX4rC6xNzfWJ-YcQ5DtE_CEQ/s1600/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjZNka6SGBRS4zoTLmZCu4pCmY4XH7QrpKFO4d8ZDMLLdpuMnKEY5a4XSwNypXsjjpBSpdK_iS-J-Ey__FYWtDYlxLCBYFxozDQhhQqmTJDkNeC-Nt4auX4rC6xNzfWJ-YcQ5DtE_CEQ/s320/IMG_1249.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then I sewed a sample muslin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1BQN0qegfk6pJxPhJcjDhK4IkYG6x3XnG7qEIztirq-aQRXMDGb7i5WHMcJskkL7Fsyra4uNL6_ZC4ra0067L9JjW8EiGP_9GzJRgLWPYtdN5gLILs-dwu2hByFdJQgVBhtAzsykadY/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1BQN0qegfk6pJxPhJcjDhK4IkYG6x3XnG7qEIztirq-aQRXMDGb7i5WHMcJskkL7Fsyra4uNL6_ZC4ra0067L9JjW8EiGP_9GzJRgLWPYtdN5gLILs-dwu2hByFdJQgVBhtAzsykadY/s320/IMG_1251.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhXGdDpbQHMcvzbo0F0NVPQrrFUFKF9MLTLInOUvPkMp3r0tuguHNVom50a8c0r1Q_w0DAsrQj-M322sJ-rZThJ6zQOCT5L7kwXEmwdAfCZxu1d5mc5n77P3QzHLxq9JlaS_37NI1l0g/s1600/IMG_1252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhXGdDpbQHMcvzbo0F0NVPQrrFUFKF9MLTLInOUvPkMp3r0tuguHNVom50a8c0r1Q_w0DAsrQj-M322sJ-rZThJ6zQOCT5L7kwXEmwdAfCZxu1d5mc5n77P3QzHLxq9JlaS_37NI1l0g/s320/IMG_1252.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3_7b_vJOR1B9m9fEmqb1cvrgsQVc1_W9RNBzrEamlaPN34WMLvSI1qOTuVkQK-AWcEgAWC__R_ydKTeWz394dWhIjBqk75ncPg34U4_TmvsUANTVMQgFU_lI6ziAiTfpbJhhYCvL1NE/s1600/IMG_1255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3_7b_vJOR1B9m9fEmqb1cvrgsQVc1_W9RNBzrEamlaPN34WMLvSI1qOTuVkQK-AWcEgAWC__R_ydKTeWz394dWhIjBqk75ncPg34U4_TmvsUANTVMQgFU_lI6ziAiTfpbJhhYCvL1NE/s320/IMG_1255.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Looks pretty good! Time for the brown floral. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9f9A46HUSScnmws4a88fVN8Uqfcrqs-urujc8ul8J7GHQ8XAxyzzVYlGlrycEbTi434E66t5zBtO4fBUHissgbnjXFmtrInjy3hGxp7LfWFBehJgoJzrV0UWw_VoxL3q7d89118UW2AQ/s1600/IMG_1257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9f9A46HUSScnmws4a88fVN8Uqfcrqs-urujc8ul8J7GHQ8XAxyzzVYlGlrycEbTi434E66t5zBtO4fBUHissgbnjXFmtrInjy3hGxp7LfWFBehJgoJzrV0UWw_VoxL3q7d89118UW2AQ/s320/IMG_1257.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This top is a bit of a departure from my usual aesthetic, but the floral just calls for a sweet, conservative silhouette. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBVbPvY4-qDp1AKpc98aOZt_K5BBcMBBXSjrbzNraZk3GKa2TnGLc-bO9mYWgVnYKxbmdnkwzl36tgiiGkVCe3BMcQz1oZoSo08_Gucp8Ox2ydViR2QobuxRPYy8Is1AMJWWeTlKp-1c/s1600/IMG_1260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBVbPvY4-qDp1AKpc98aOZt_K5BBcMBBXSjrbzNraZk3GKa2TnGLc-bO9mYWgVnYKxbmdnkwzl36tgiiGkVCe3BMcQz1oZoSo08_Gucp8Ox2ydViR2QobuxRPYy8Is1AMJWWeTlKp-1c/s320/IMG_1260.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The buttonholer on my machine is broken, so I manually made some buttonholes and sewed on the buttons (don't you love them? Thanks to Lauren for helping me pick them out!):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01C9TbTuCsd2pUFOyXJtPhxsNr6aOL11M-8fGi5uft0rA2CqxJbkLdvhsg4HlX1TFpu9bWQm0D09VchSf1mZvQS5eBZ0duW1MxGGMM6YQLDHoyCLhTWWVOPF9dYXV3ZXnlz5UjZJRPvo/s1600/IMG_1271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01C9TbTuCsd2pUFOyXJtPhxsNr6aOL11M-8fGi5uft0rA2CqxJbkLdvhsg4HlX1TFpu9bWQm0D09VchSf1mZvQS5eBZ0duW1MxGGMM6YQLDHoyCLhTWWVOPF9dYXV3ZXnlz5UjZJRPvo/s320/IMG_1271.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
To complete the look, I whipped up a high waisted pencil skirt from the same brown knit as the jacket and dress:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg1256sPxv35680_4yDbNATBNmNVyDi01rLvdHuFjxeJmKKR7nBrRO925aMN1lKjVI6FodZ_MvEBeE_FlC40XFER_Gohl9O1m_qKE9l7ztfeP5RMWiTXmZKzYRlITOLzuzpP3q60Lb7s/s1600/IMG_2191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg1256sPxv35680_4yDbNATBNmNVyDi01rLvdHuFjxeJmKKR7nBrRO925aMN1lKjVI6FodZ_MvEBeE_FlC40XFER_Gohl9O1m_qKE9l7ztfeP5RMWiTXmZKzYRlITOLzuzpP3q60Lb7s/s320/IMG_2191.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The finished look: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylwl7wZruXbT2FqeYGVIzNhtlKkBQ2MhqPNxjYYA6zjA0A8JZ68b4UgGPTv6UkKsXDDpgYbG4KLKneO-k79NU4wbrNO_qZ2ELABKLOGUk2egL509Vu12Af57g3PFdRZ8uK2AfpWf2shU/s1600/IMG_2186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylwl7wZruXbT2FqeYGVIzNhtlKkBQ2MhqPNxjYYA6zjA0A8JZ68b4UgGPTv6UkKsXDDpgYbG4KLKneO-k79NU4wbrNO_qZ2ELABKLOGUk2egL509Vu12Af57g3PFdRZ8uK2AfpWf2shU/s320/IMG_2186.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspCAZF6wgDruSCcapu40vkuSVyQ26EulBkFB78KZB9jtBlOSKKaQ512I0LHwqvbkDwaEUF9TswGiiNd0nBlFM1qA3naqJrRtlGelqL17sY3RRoYMjGwPvllZxe298K_cxQNpt7Accs-Q/s1600/IMG_2188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspCAZF6wgDruSCcapu40vkuSVyQ26EulBkFB78KZB9jtBlOSKKaQ512I0LHwqvbkDwaEUF9TswGiiNd0nBlFM1qA3naqJrRtlGelqL17sY3RRoYMjGwPvllZxe298K_cxQNpt7Accs-Q/s320/IMG_2188.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
To be completely candid, I think I prefer the silhouette of this top in muslin as opposed to the brown floral. Looks a bit busy and boxy. What do you think? <br />
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Coming soon: more yarncraft! huzzah!b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-72074744138810618312011-02-16T14:43:00.000-08:002011-02-16T14:48:55.233-08:00Christmas Craft-a-paloozaIf you're a family member of mine, chances are you (or your children) have received a yarny gift from me at some point. This tradition may have started in the poor-college-student Christmases of yore, but it still continues today! This Christmas was no different--here are some of this season's Christmas crafts. <br />
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For my baby niece Elliana, this <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80359.html?noImages=">teddy bear</a> (dog?), made with Lion Brand Homespun:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AqQWtVNl6E1tISZUeAZKw6fWivxt44tpF7CHvzHCL0Tt3nocxq30XS0y9hYShQyHzBOz5JdB_bA_i6DT8bxWzc3mshKzb0AeZZN7GgmYyqv6zKRj4ZEtFXwQIto2jMfZ6vPTDq5RILQ/s1600/IMG_2218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AqQWtVNl6E1tISZUeAZKw6fWivxt44tpF7CHvzHCL0Tt3nocxq30XS0y9hYShQyHzBOz5JdB_bA_i6DT8bxWzc3mshKzb0AeZZN7GgmYyqv6zKRj4ZEtFXwQIto2jMfZ6vPTDq5RILQ/s320/IMG_2218.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Who quickly made friends with Don Leon. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zXWRVcbMc6uIKF_P_UyLRfbOeZNlqhPcPGYDsQy02Azf-QAxvwLHxKOxYo1Y9dZcgtLGwVPjNZqco5sbIZeKBAktZMP4tFrIjDzB1q7hZuOpV8e71X5maXHnfUieBPH_GLsLeg3ORBY/s1600/IMG_2226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zXWRVcbMc6uIKF_P_UyLRfbOeZNlqhPcPGYDsQy02Azf-QAxvwLHxKOxYo1Y9dZcgtLGwVPjNZqco5sbIZeKBAktZMP4tFrIjDzB1q7hZuOpV8e71X5maXHnfUieBPH_GLsLeg3ORBY/s320/IMG_2226.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh59DFEVrdYJIstkrhYXQ7SV5LZ8rAct94vMAwaonZqrsnGmomcEMahU08TIFAGbLVIbIvJqBw9i_Q-9LGpffXxLx5Jn3ZihazfTymzscsZvLXNIW-FivfUT_cBqXLiPJm7UYk8II95c/s1600/IMG_2227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh59DFEVrdYJIstkrhYXQ7SV5LZ8rAct94vMAwaonZqrsnGmomcEMahU08TIFAGbLVIbIvJqBw9i_Q-9LGpffXxLx5Jn3ZihazfTymzscsZvLXNIW-FivfUT_cBqXLiPJm7UYk8II95c/s320/IMG_2227.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv72sm2mUf43LfqdOH0I7CMWTEJwnc7vEbqUA1qxT0PL8KeB5dM3Yy2s-PJss7rQOsRb3B9f3g0_PNcTIz_oKVZfmy-oY4d5TYq8fap9r-KqLAAs98wS6Bcz10OKi9o3jqXNZghy-SMy8/s1600/IMG_2228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv72sm2mUf43LfqdOH0I7CMWTEJwnc7vEbqUA1qxT0PL8KeB5dM3Yy2s-PJss7rQOsRb3B9f3g0_PNcTIz_oKVZfmy-oY4d5TYq8fap9r-KqLAAs98wS6Bcz10OKi9o3jqXNZghy-SMy8/s320/IMG_2228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
He'd be annoyed, but he's too busy sleeping. <br />
Next, this <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/cctq-heartBag.html?noImages=">heart purse</a> for Ellie's older sister Kate. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RCGUi12QvQOS_oXIVOB669QSrCHRDFnGwq6Htyqu4Nvq5RRBGfZQNvmHzU-JkhTre-FoQ0hWkLKrmfBnMVuEgPswOAkC1w9zMOb9PmoPMxkHfa00-mDGDK-RwEY5semaG72mnPhBT7o/s1600/IMG_2230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RCGUi12QvQOS_oXIVOB669QSrCHRDFnGwq6Htyqu4Nvq5RRBGfZQNvmHzU-JkhTre-FoQ0hWkLKrmfBnMVuEgPswOAkC1w9zMOb9PmoPMxkHfa00-mDGDK-RwEY5semaG72mnPhBT7o/s320/IMG_2230.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Next, I whipped up these Tunisian crochet <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tunisian-crochet-holiday-stocking">Christmas stockings</a> for me and the Mister:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRpONwofKDBNrDZgvn3Zxp9d2pU9MEPb3TuUn3kMlrggMHB9mKnaiPRhu0whoan064IH5fWcskT7lZSevzHa6cX3Hc0eioMB9CfMcgLFwXJmX1_K_5-N0NZvB440lzgyYySuIaxjY-_o/s1600/IMG_2236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRpONwofKDBNrDZgvn3Zxp9d2pU9MEPb3TuUn3kMlrggMHB9mKnaiPRhu0whoan064IH5fWcskT7lZSevzHa6cX3Hc0eioMB9CfMcgLFwXJmX1_K_5-N0NZvB440lzgyYySuIaxjY-_o/s320/IMG_2236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
No fireplace, so an office door will have to do. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE60-PBLr8bktaeQX56McKIEO64LfMo-g-Fk3fc5NqWLYzeZeaLgC0dJK0zZ7GM4LxUNFawf1KDA8E_wsquTkQbkCMqljv66U4pH5rbSCnZP9BxB9HQq8as6_NQeHGmyDmpRilOzTZ_OM/s1600/IMG_2237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE60-PBLr8bktaeQX56McKIEO64LfMo-g-Fk3fc5NqWLYzeZeaLgC0dJK0zZ7GM4LxUNFawf1KDA8E_wsquTkQbkCMqljv66U4pH5rbSCnZP9BxB9HQq8as6_NQeHGmyDmpRilOzTZ_OM/s320/IMG_2237.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8GI2PiGTpXEZcz8Ggj6mpbvbs4HwDDSzt7w4YC5AYR13cBoov28Zian0IP2YJlVkNZ0thJTF1Jn1YycDWW9RSluOgvyiUcIovBLb-NSW9Xgv6zBgi_PK8mrifNtOKwk4VRWoB-Hqyg4/s1600/IMG_2238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8GI2PiGTpXEZcz8Ggj6mpbvbs4HwDDSzt7w4YC5AYR13cBoov28Zian0IP2YJlVkNZ0thJTF1Jn1YycDWW9RSluOgvyiUcIovBLb-NSW9Xgv6zBgi_PK8mrifNtOKwk4VRWoB-Hqyg4/s320/IMG_2238.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>These stockings are huge--over 3 feet long. Great for giants with big calves. <br />
And, the piece de resistance, the <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L0033AD.html?noImages=">sweater</a> I knitted for Mr. N. Yes, knitted! It took me about 3 months and 3 or 4 false starts but he loved it (and actually wears it! The pinnacle of achievement for any crafter):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1F6NCbD6ipwltsLPLg2J99YP38hKTdhpPc9XEENQReYgdjxiCh-nmIUZCNVUEJtXYxJxBBLaMvnyt0XRCbZTcN9Rn8feI2ZQNU445tY_AtiUv-gyDcHhtmGbk_G3D2VXU_4Gr1awBbTc/s1600/IMG_2256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1F6NCbD6ipwltsLPLg2J99YP38hKTdhpPc9XEENQReYgdjxiCh-nmIUZCNVUEJtXYxJxBBLaMvnyt0XRCbZTcN9Rn8feI2ZQNU445tY_AtiUv-gyDcHhtmGbk_G3D2VXU_4Gr1awBbTc/s320/IMG_2256.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>It was a unisex pattern I altered to fit--I lengthened the body and sleeves three inches, and that was just barely enough. I used Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool, my favorite yarn ever! Here's Mr. N. with Mom and Dad N. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiprf_swjaMNolT_aXH466IlC-BguSNa3ZO8aHep1_g-9g5h14QYCcJJz3BYw3Z6yK3I29f2DCS3csK9h9TrqLEWQj4YMvpYQdQWAj75Xm4dPARyYMbYzPGyW4Nbt94icfxpQB1uCiQ0/s1600/IMG_2253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaiprf_swjaMNolT_aXH466IlC-BguSNa3ZO8aHep1_g-9g5h14QYCcJJz3BYw3Z6yK3I29f2DCS3csK9h9TrqLEWQj4YMvpYQdQWAj75Xm4dPARyYMbYzPGyW4Nbt94icfxpQB1uCiQ0/s320/IMG_2253.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I also made the <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90558AD.html?noImages=">scarf </a> Mom N is wearing from Lion Brand Amazing Yarn. Love the beautiful color variance. <br />
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That's about it from Christmas. And now, my belated gift to my wonderful readers: gratuitous pictures of Don Leon. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RUOXit5RfG7b8T4ClyWcGiG6HK4L04GqbkBoLNCmORbi8clmEC95740ZFHYGt3jG3mC2SyaVbvYiyLZ2RXBG6u62TvuhxSjB2-tAb98CjTrgVFfZvpgZCoZiRGhWGbqZxB27vu6EzXI/s1600/IMG_2235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RUOXit5RfG7b8T4ClyWcGiG6HK4L04GqbkBoLNCmORbi8clmEC95740ZFHYGt3jG3mC2SyaVbvYiyLZ2RXBG6u62TvuhxSjB2-tAb98CjTrgVFfZvpgZCoZiRGhWGbqZxB27vu6EzXI/s320/IMG_2235.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXRmh3kpNy1dQIQRBQ6H7o2IEnjf8kwcozEz91Vbuzl1fWHXkSuCvRRFcOXc0WWzTXZtxlSg6bJJAIL4El4YwdlTza_Sb8kyzwTkOP_RG5EXF1L862kLeN2Poc0OCXYD5UADqKruG03w/s1600/IMG_2232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXRmh3kpNy1dQIQRBQ6H7o2IEnjf8kwcozEz91Vbuzl1fWHXkSuCvRRFcOXc0WWzTXZtxlSg6bJJAIL4El4YwdlTza_Sb8kyzwTkOP_RG5EXF1L862kLeN2Poc0OCXYD5UADqKruG03w/s320/IMG_2232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xaZZZRlbWeJdgh1cZnTy2JDWMRsvxwQCgYf-6KT9ZIj17inQeK2i9pHkpy1E20NrNpq_8QjzDuUUHK8_K8ocrriwj_bqK3xnolSga2r-eFAmLO9inh2HP5tm2A_t-Re17mu9ntVYOdc/s1600/IMG_2267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xaZZZRlbWeJdgh1cZnTy2JDWMRsvxwQCgYf-6KT9ZIj17inQeK2i9pHkpy1E20NrNpq_8QjzDuUUHK8_K8ocrriwj_bqK3xnolSga2r-eFAmLO9inh2HP5tm2A_t-Re17mu9ntVYOdc/s320/IMG_2267.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We'll get back to our regularly scheduled fashion soon. Thanks for stopping by! <br />
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ps. All patterns I used can be found by clicking the links in the text above.b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-18647080585682317912011-01-28T14:30:00.000-08:002011-01-28T14:30:14.932-08:00FloralAfter the photo shoot I decided to make a few more garments to round out the new collection. I wanted a print that would complement the tones in the previous pieces as well as the feel of the crochet. I came across this lovely brown floral at the Needle Shop in Bucktown (the last 2.5 yards!) and I knew I had a winner. Before I started with the floral cotton, though, I had to work out the silhouette by making a muslin. I didn't have any strong design concepts for this dress, I just started draping:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8wYQLBrlLYtOiYXP_DdiMtZ55UAV4ThkRJ0AgknrqGELarySVHWARpPF8cbrs49AjsNIPHe_b3tnrgnmQwLuWY7e8AjZepq9sfb8CcqwDIhz0zOTmvaKlSGaY4d9c1_bHovitgMGjSo/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8wYQLBrlLYtOiYXP_DdiMtZ55UAV4ThkRJ0AgknrqGELarySVHWARpPF8cbrs49AjsNIPHe_b3tnrgnmQwLuWY7e8AjZepq9sfb8CcqwDIhz0zOTmvaKlSGaY4d9c1_bHovitgMGjSo/s320/IMG_1227.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
It's not bad, there's just one problem--it's boring me to tears. I decided to start again with a different approach, an interesting sleeve. It's a truly rare occasion when I'll drape a sleeve, but apparently this was one of those occasions. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPrz6wtYKob3V43S_TKUqs4GXUJuBwqNhAZlcgBEE97unwZ7mWRLUqmgBfXbkLcR5D3U8C-TxvDrAwitDRx3QyVT3Oui6J0LloztiJXRWtTlFCGUS3Im-MRWVucH4t0-mjXKsNupwGEA/s1600/IMG_1229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPrz6wtYKob3V43S_TKUqs4GXUJuBwqNhAZlcgBEE97unwZ7mWRLUqmgBfXbkLcR5D3U8C-TxvDrAwitDRx3QyVT3Oui6J0LloztiJXRWtTlFCGUS3Im-MRWVucH4t0-mjXKsNupwGEA/s320/IMG_1229.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Ok, I'm liking the volume, but let's see how this develops. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOSsiQUUe-2H15hw_ftvE-tcar9PVi0xzHl2WFFFbHxW3kFgXpsqMV-EOkkuCV0Dc-hschoypx4MZsU2aZdqdpDWHR43cyTp8c4h317lGETFFQaH3vZhrfbJgmzNWX2t0F_Z1rEpjzb8/s1600/IMG_1230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSOSsiQUUe-2H15hw_ftvE-tcar9PVi0xzHl2WFFFbHxW3kFgXpsqMV-EOkkuCV0Dc-hschoypx4MZsU2aZdqdpDWHR43cyTp8c4h317lGETFFQaH3vZhrfbJgmzNWX2t0F_Z1rEpjzb8/s320/IMG_1230.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hmm. Going...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Going...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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And Gone, into Shakespeare territory. This is a full on costume sleeve. It's Juliet, or Elizabeth Bennet, but not me. No sir. Unless any theater companies out there need a designer, in which case, please call. <br />
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So I started over, with a simple silhouette and interesting style lines. <br />
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I love all forms of a sweetheart neckline. <br />
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And a full skirt. We pear-shaped ladies love a full skirt. <br />
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I was pleased with this, so poof! Brown floral:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs38vGj3GZQb2FPnt5jaw9uk4UTwiw5P9TY7k63y_TuxehziHOoHyKrS1LGfCSC8LfYpoYiAljLBdGaODtveTHLhGnKfN-703kYseQrLWpt96Dmp22WUveNwCCvDGAr-hrki5y5s-Sgys/s1600/IMG_1239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs38vGj3GZQb2FPnt5jaw9uk4UTwiw5P9TY7k63y_TuxehziHOoHyKrS1LGfCSC8LfYpoYiAljLBdGaODtveTHLhGnKfN-703kYseQrLWpt96Dmp22WUveNwCCvDGAr-hrki5y5s-Sgys/s320/IMG_1239.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I'm loving the June Carter/Dolly-pre-implants vibe of this piece. But it's not done yet.<br />
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A sweet, simple sleeve. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EWBR6ogV-sbDcvmtdwKjJD4D8VTiwiCpuTHrYdqw7YLV_gQ-wFmgcm7OqNqrTejVhQprdGa41IfOPTrMieijnPvenhl6UAtpI0vAX2CWHSIM6_cz0oQG077GxrtytsCe0oYnw_bzAzQ/s1600/IMG_1241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EWBR6ogV-sbDcvmtdwKjJD4D8VTiwiCpuTHrYdqw7YLV_gQ-wFmgcm7OqNqrTejVhQprdGa41IfOPTrMieijnPvenhl6UAtpI0vAX2CWHSIM6_cz0oQG077GxrtytsCe0oYnw_bzAzQ/s320/IMG_1241.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
But wait...just one more thing. <br />
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Perfect! <br />
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</div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-45964780526691267582011-01-18T14:35:00.000-08:002011-01-18T14:36:54.051-08:00The Big PayoffAfter all the sewing, crocheting, and finishing are done, my favorite part about a new collection is the photo shoot. Thanks to my incredibly talented friends, this shoot was the best yet! I had a total blast and I'm awed by the finished product--everyone makes my clothes look outstanding! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDWj4hFKkFGisQEfZuLkpgfGEpqm1zPxwGU9-cJ_AcvjXmD9jUA_G0ZgM4UaO4e8986a2b9HbYOiOtAzvc2OuR8W0nwu9RSZ4KZL5v8J9H36TSgiM0-AaWbxzuhGzTx8UzE3I5PRFEm8/s1600/IMG_1222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDWj4hFKkFGisQEfZuLkpgfGEpqm1zPxwGU9-cJ_AcvjXmD9jUA_G0ZgM4UaO4e8986a2b9HbYOiOtAzvc2OuR8W0nwu9RSZ4KZL5v8J9H36TSgiM0-AaWbxzuhGzTx8UzE3I5PRFEm8/s320/IMG_1222.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The garments, ready to be shot. I can't help but look at this rack and think, seriously? All that work and that's all there is? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxesnw3nOC-CSU5PvCuCSqm2Li1rHDyvFe-VRGseHgqvR9mq-ii4aG4ARSuMgzVOSO3a7xtKAkq1WeA6yeHayDO1VtqNXnEspk5PyUx1yIEM6gC4MfTqzIC5NGp1Q2A9HfH5hTEGzx9k/s1600/IMG_1224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxesnw3nOC-CSU5PvCuCSqm2Li1rHDyvFe-VRGseHgqvR9mq-ii4aG4ARSuMgzVOSO3a7xtKAkq1WeA6yeHayDO1VtqNXnEspk5PyUx1yIEM6gC4MfTqzIC5NGp1Q2A9HfH5hTEGzx9k/s320/IMG_1224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The garments with accessory, shoe, and music selection. <br />
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The talent--gorgeous already. Here they are in hair and makeup. From left, Mallory, Emily, and Carolyn, and nope, not one of them single. Sorry boys. <br />
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Ready? Here we go! Click on any picture to view it larger. <br />
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Here's Carolyn in the April dress. <br />
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Sometimes I have to make adjustments, and it can get awkward. Luckily everybody has a sense of humor.<br />
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Here's Mal in the January dress. <br />
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Emily in the Faye dress:<br />
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Carolyn in the Shaw Jacket:<br />
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Thank you to everyone involved--Mal, Em, Carolyn, our amazing photographer Lauren, site supervisor and jack of all trades Mr. N., and moral support and shoe lending by Steph. You are all incredible and brought my vision to a whole new level. Thanks for lending your time, talents, and energy! I am abundantly blessed by every one of you!<br />
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</div>I also love low breaking shawl collar blazers and I wanted this to have a similar feel. I added a very laid back, non-80s peplum to the waistline. I realize the very word strikes fear into those women who wore them in their heyday--it makes them remember stuff like this:<br />
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Here's the jacket in the final fabric, the same brown tweedy-looking slinky knit the last dress was made of.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXi3RS32qHNwIUb9VOo2_jInsOB_9qb6VliYQIoJvhEyP1HbTs3c3NOQPZ9wWZOmvohMFwZn2IxBVERG9kOMLxELzMCgwvu0gBrgKk_KY0CnvyY3D_NTbEoY2_zaQiXS2ZTku6TbrO70/s1600/IMG_1177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXi3RS32qHNwIUb9VOo2_jInsOB_9qb6VliYQIoJvhEyP1HbTs3c3NOQPZ9wWZOmvohMFwZn2IxBVERG9kOMLxELzMCgwvu0gBrgKk_KY0CnvyY3D_NTbEoY2_zaQiXS2ZTku6TbrO70/s320/IMG_1177.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I just love this fabric--it's a body hugging slinky knit that holds structure incredibly well. Which is also where I hit a snag. It tends to be a bit bulky, and when I lined the peplum with it it was a hefty, beefy mess. I re-lined it with a lighter fabric, added the crochet appliques and a hook and eye, and...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2x8k0ZoKIFSM7kSfCRAiJ0EvG5qF1R7MhzeQZmVlYJv09ID71de7l4JBbYZpwLbclZ1y183UjL7K5SWshGOhlFPdskg3GBsNq9Fn5DsEsYQuQRJfLSLh2FOtVcKqFdR6Cx8TI5TjxoQ/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2x8k0ZoKIFSM7kSfCRAiJ0EvG5qF1R7MhzeQZmVlYJv09ID71de7l4JBbYZpwLbclZ1y183UjL7K5SWshGOhlFPdskg3GBsNq9Fn5DsEsYQuQRJfLSLh2FOtVcKqFdR6Cx8TI5TjxoQ/s320/IMG_1218.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
There you have it. A comfy, easy to wear, professional (provided you wear something under it!) blazer with some interesting details, 80s shame not included. <br />
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Get excited--photo shoot pics are officially coming soon!b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-82181681209430444742011-01-04T14:08:00.000-08:002011-01-04T14:08:19.496-08:00The Dramatic ConclusionI just know you're waiting with bated breath to see how I solved the Case of the Befuddling Pseudo-Sleeve (see yesterday's post), so I won't torture you any longer. But before I show you the finished product I'll take you through all the steps I took to get there, and I'll warn you--it gets pretty ugly. <br />
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Here's where we left off:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4l-VdcC7m2QtVHv77Mv65el-2wxlI2c826Z5Ec46H18rNPuPOPR1mLBYQYN-2HNwTyrQ99Jfeg3mnq9BMZhKPDYmRiesrIHj96rJ5Ffm4fTDkS78gGo8ERbb_ITilqdQbfsrG4YZ2mk/s1600/IMG_1182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4l-VdcC7m2QtVHv77Mv65el-2wxlI2c826Z5Ec46H18rNPuPOPR1mLBYQYN-2HNwTyrQ99Jfeg3mnq9BMZhKPDYmRiesrIHj96rJ5Ffm4fTDkS78gGo8ERbb_ITilqdQbfsrG4YZ2mk/s320/IMG_1182.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
For whatever reason, I just couldn't get on board with the sleeve like this. Too heavy? Droopy? Victorian-looking? I began to doubt the yellow, so I tried a similar motif in charcoal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfYv_vawkTiE8TTeLxNXUtK1xDGVeHa0rWhbG8kNcDCOcbEtsYGsYtRxmdK6cWNmONlZBMKps9YGVOvUy6f-5eQmdHnXL8cOlbnaE4ZqNjHHIODobY1HWi_KHsttvdoqOuScdnputUXU/s1600/IMG_1200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfYv_vawkTiE8TTeLxNXUtK1xDGVeHa0rWhbG8kNcDCOcbEtsYGsYtRxmdK6cWNmONlZBMKps9YGVOvUy6f-5eQmdHnXL8cOlbnaE4ZqNjHHIODobY1HWi_KHsttvdoqOuScdnputUXU/s320/IMG_1200.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Um, no. Just no. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUVEhjnHqsZMKD7T5FuJVURhuXPVwTv0Yyrc9kdulTNW4OSIt9l2RfMQdG3pXfmn0gyLCyLp_N7pw6vLJNsPDZNqO0wI1nTcvV50RTD5NrZXMBNSgki1CjexmPh6x0eGRgdQUgYlVyks/s1600/IMG_1198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUVEhjnHqsZMKD7T5FuJVURhuXPVwTv0Yyrc9kdulTNW4OSIt9l2RfMQdG3pXfmn0gyLCyLp_N7pw6vLJNsPDZNqO0wI1nTcvV50RTD5NrZXMBNSgki1CjexmPh6x0eGRgdQUgYlVyks/s320/IMG_1198.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHS-7WSqr6Lq7kuvBppo1s22DiUrOtUi30S6aG0bEBO9AN59bfoGFte4No9K0qQha2XnXvCZIBpY-ul7WZ9y9RHdut3gr8u5QKuJPkhTF9F_UP4sTxXoTySIPoSy98WrUiwKho_dii8M0/s1600/IMG_1199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHS-7WSqr6Lq7kuvBppo1s22DiUrOtUi30S6aG0bEBO9AN59bfoGFte4No9K0qQha2XnXvCZIBpY-ul7WZ9y9RHdut3gr8u5QKuJPkhTF9F_UP4sTxXoTySIPoSy98WrUiwKho_dii8M0/s320/IMG_1199.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Ehh...again, no. Kind of makes me think of hairy tarantula legs. Let's go back to yellow. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZaH74nm3hJYCpEpdHmcCQW2gQyH561W7wtCJxHm7wK4WkkOIW0Tj6nCz2c6ZjpI7cvM_1pUj2T4oFQXh26xyiOGq3ZJ7sVMl7EibxFtD-hI8FbN1E8tExsPN9qsD3KmurxCMilNG4WI/s1600/IMG_1185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZaH74nm3hJYCpEpdHmcCQW2gQyH561W7wtCJxHm7wK4WkkOIW0Tj6nCz2c6ZjpI7cvM_1pUj2T4oFQXh26xyiOGq3ZJ7sVMl7EibxFtD-hI8FbN1E8tExsPN9qsD3KmurxCMilNG4WI/s320/IMG_1185.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Aaack! No, no, all wrong. I'm just backpeddling now. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrETOT08SP0-M3CGnAULFM5YJBcue8oDQhBCQZqfQcJmkBe0g_oL7-T5x403Tka9YFXcLHKAasE3cd87vtIuSE8t1hzC-mp1ryw_fjLxb_NVungTHBvuBSs4IV8TC2dcsrDHDy19NKtZc/s1600/IMG_1188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrETOT08SP0-M3CGnAULFM5YJBcue8oDQhBCQZqfQcJmkBe0g_oL7-T5x403Tka9YFXcLHKAasE3cd87vtIuSE8t1hzC-mp1ryw_fjLxb_NVungTHBvuBSs4IV8TC2dcsrDHDy19NKtZc/s320/IMG_1188.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Still no. I don't hate this concept, but it's all wrong here. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzFDkJsjXGHGZw1L3LQ4rYy5X1_ZoBF7TNDcrClyGKN0xAP6qN6s4WNAuYspACKX4Mrv0BZEajkqyHbfPpVvEsOpySVfut_rWmabc7fUC4r-BGAafPcwr9vBkOHd90_hrhw_2KsoOic4/s1600/IMG_1193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzFDkJsjXGHGZw1L3LQ4rYy5X1_ZoBF7TNDcrClyGKN0xAP6qN6s4WNAuYspACKX4Mrv0BZEajkqyHbfPpVvEsOpySVfut_rWmabc7fUC4r-BGAafPcwr9vBkOHd90_hrhw_2KsoOic4/s320/IMG_1193.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I don't hate this either, but it kind of reminds me of the Carrie Bradshaw massive flower-on-shoulder trend. Still a no-go. Getting closer, maybe?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwhEWQCOVrNnlo-MyMR6jXk4erJVRqxQ6wQpbcRwVALchkxxKdWhnWYqte16m-ZFRSpl826_VcbSQfH2Kks4XarKXaaoBmQMUTdD9r7C2oJwwjyRuUuRqmc1a1C6AsCCh1mAA-a5FLZw/s1600/IMG_1204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwhEWQCOVrNnlo-MyMR6jXk4erJVRqxQ6wQpbcRwVALchkxxKdWhnWYqte16m-ZFRSpl826_VcbSQfH2Kks4XarKXaaoBmQMUTdD9r7C2oJwwjyRuUuRqmc1a1C6AsCCh1mAA-a5FLZw/s320/IMG_1204.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Oh, hey, I like that. More of a shoulder/back piece than a sleeve, and it totally works. How does the back look?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnk5ml7OcSwRRxubi4Kx7SqBtUsCigC3UKXrPqpF7-230ANjXw7pJA5I3uup_C47KxgGU0aZ7h79P2N1_r9N_9oSZVaKd0URnNQNGfXJKbQVRH2k65K7ukekW3ocAKGf-TcQsOuW8aASM/s1600/IMG_1191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnk5ml7OcSwRRxubi4Kx7SqBtUsCigC3UKXrPqpF7-230ANjXw7pJA5I3uup_C47KxgGU0aZ7h79P2N1_r9N_9oSZVaKd0URnNQNGfXJKbQVRH2k65K7ukekW3ocAKGf-TcQsOuW8aASM/s320/IMG_1191.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHo7_39J1d0mrAktpkGUPFqXd61ps3f_2W8DU3UK2t-SuDDRSKtqQnojeDfBoFjKI5qwAcNO5USh7jaQi0pheUmmoRGtxqn5dfDkqV4ytsOurXh32V5b1T6MoLcCrMZY3oCps6WTpPXI/s1600/IMG_1206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHo7_39J1d0mrAktpkGUPFqXd61ps3f_2W8DU3UK2t-SuDDRSKtqQnojeDfBoFjKI5qwAcNO5USh7jaQi0pheUmmoRGtxqn5dfDkqV4ytsOurXh32V5b1T6MoLcCrMZY3oCps6WTpPXI/s320/IMG_1206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
If you block out the creative squalor in the background, it looks like we have a winner! I love how this orientation of the crochet piece frames the back. I loved it even more when I put it on my gorgeous model Mallory! Photo shoot pics coming soon (with a preview in the new header!). <br />
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I know you're breathing easier now. :) Thoughts? Comments? What would you have done differently?b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-73420591051402538012011-01-03T13:45:00.000-08:002011-01-03T13:45:31.767-08:00Look #3Happy New Year, dear ones! I've recently emerged from Christmas-yarncraft-gift-and-decoration-making-induced coma and I can't wait to show you everything my loved ones received, but before I do, let's continue with the new collection! <br />
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Warning: Many pictures and indecisiveness ahead. <br />
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During the process of figuring out the crochet piece for the first look, I rested the piece on the form to free up my hands for a second, and...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCh3KqQRQQT6gu8-GlBCe9qmCOlWQBI0n3SbOC4Tc8abyJlJTwHPPtJqXeTTtlc2Tf8cXLzmmxWjlaeChD3haiEx-KgRD_2PBu_KJIPsnDcH-alDZGEWAekhq3aqJJuvkKdjrTjn_w_gA/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCh3KqQRQQT6gu8-GlBCe9qmCOlWQBI0n3SbOC4Tc8abyJlJTwHPPtJqXeTTtlc2Tf8cXLzmmxWjlaeChD3haiEx-KgRD_2PBu_KJIPsnDcH-alDZGEWAekhq3aqJJuvkKdjrTjn_w_gA/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
...a cap sleeve was born. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzaA7FWvypCCXk8SxsUDn07HkFDyuaG78tgkiabC4N-hW4J9-5BKYbWFGJJHX24tCfnT6hRQcz-okc7qhkcIv-Z-xBxqdFjEoLmtEjGVEs2MXJOGWdopc59xYSlm2hUEyMAPjmEsIeDs/s1600/IMG_1096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzaA7FWvypCCXk8SxsUDn07HkFDyuaG78tgkiabC4N-hW4J9-5BKYbWFGJJHX24tCfnT6hRQcz-okc7qhkcIv-Z-xBxqdFjEoLmtEjGVEs2MXJOGWdopc59xYSlm2hUEyMAPjmEsIeDs/s320/IMG_1096.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoZLGY67pCl5ZP2DMhgjwaKHNuv48hZ7YFemsfQQAItwB7H_o_eROOuzO4qUIO8ZT_LmQq87LVc_rLvXQBG2sAnLy318eFmvaonYE9JO_BYaGl9Sml5Tov1IGz6izw1W1sENR4ldxu3g/s1600/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoZLGY67pCl5ZP2DMhgjwaKHNuv48hZ7YFemsfQQAItwB7H_o_eROOuzO4qUIO8ZT_LmQq87LVc_rLvXQBG2sAnLy318eFmvaonYE9JO_BYaGl9Sml5Tov1IGz6izw1W1sENR4ldxu3g/s320/IMG_1097.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I really liked how the natural shape of the piece draped on the shoulder, so I decided to add this to a tiered dress for look #3.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIdYHwj0gzS871elA_XhUxhgvgj_jVSOgDgV8wMsl1DU-DPM_S66VMIi4DnJOnFmp5noIdnBt5plqkGdZ0DV-e37TJhminutHcap3dArEBBIHBGM0GzR2CSv4shcFiRuNHf57l1CZ6T8/s1600/IMG_1100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIdYHwj0gzS871elA_XhUxhgvgj_jVSOgDgV8wMsl1DU-DPM_S66VMIi4DnJOnFmp5noIdnBt5plqkGdZ0DV-e37TJhminutHcap3dArEBBIHBGM0GzR2CSv4shcFiRuNHf57l1CZ6T8/s320/IMG_1100.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Dude, get off my chair. As I was saying, a tiered dress. When a dress has a ton of pieces to keep track of, I use a rather unattractive method to keep them all straight.<br />
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Hot, right? Yeah, not so much, but it helps me keep track as I start sewing it all together. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxWtUTvwsfMhf02QN9w0mSqwwAAXTT4JPew2Putq6xyJeE7n7u02nn6HgVy8ocst1jKQxRhhZYesO9dLAS3KHvdTiuP23TuYReaHj0NqBs9lhrZsmy6ocst-emYO4UVCZnhCckAmupoE/s1600/IMG_1107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxWtUTvwsfMhf02QN9w0mSqwwAAXTT4JPew2Putq6xyJeE7n7u02nn6HgVy8ocst1jKQxRhhZYesO9dLAS3KHvdTiuP23TuYReaHj0NqBs9lhrZsmy6ocst-emYO4UVCZnhCckAmupoE/s320/IMG_1107.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The base. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zSa_VRCJtw7OMQOMlzD5wLF9GG57adymwHBB11uiShhQNnTwydDGyz5R4SGwaXt5vKsCFICTw_dtiGp4kNZoU1iQ_yi_0WYyPLB-oqw91j9ZqE8TdXCAwCpU3HsU-WzBAErUxrnCRiE/s1600/IMG_1108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zSa_VRCJtw7OMQOMlzD5wLF9GG57adymwHBB11uiShhQNnTwydDGyz5R4SGwaXt5vKsCFICTw_dtiGp4kNZoU1iQ_yi_0WYyPLB-oqw91j9ZqE8TdXCAwCpU3HsU-WzBAErUxrnCRiE/s320/IMG_1108.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The base with the bottom layer. <br />
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Bottom and middle layers. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsdkd5FWFTHro0dOTOlQx5Vbev8duUrAZA9V03pZopQWf-N0-NAAFfiAysrjAKlUyBUOQ1c2iCWGKoikDfgWvzgmpClXu9U_A7vgaMOUlSLAdfP7T3Wms3Xx9ZhyphenhyphenN6GQTA7dSLOYRcKs/s1600/IMG_1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsdkd5FWFTHro0dOTOlQx5Vbev8duUrAZA9V03pZopQWf-N0-NAAFfiAysrjAKlUyBUOQ1c2iCWGKoikDfgWvzgmpClXu9U_A7vgaMOUlSLAdfP7T3Wms3Xx9ZhyphenhyphenN6GQTA7dSLOYRcKs/s320/IMG_1112.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
All layers with the cap sleeve. <br />
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And, Ta Da, I hate it. The top layer is too short and it looks like a $10 dress from Dots or something. And no, I'm not hating on Dots, I got a pair of shoes there once. But still. Not the aesthetic I'm going for. Start over. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxV56ZFcSpwS48XK2ngkV-lmJkUjNEFQekflXAKChJe3iGYmWa3s9kx_oclQ37y2uZMpbPY6JjxUxV6APmPFB6KdNM5ziU-hqcpZHQyLXzBCjA5I6z3zKsITK74q_uNhqn92-aArS2PQ/s1600/IMG_1159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxV56ZFcSpwS48XK2ngkV-lmJkUjNEFQekflXAKChJe3iGYmWa3s9kx_oclQ37y2uZMpbPY6JjxUxV6APmPFB6KdNM5ziU-hqcpZHQyLXzBCjA5I6z3zKsITK74q_uNhqn92-aArS2PQ/s320/IMG_1159.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Ruching. I'm down with it. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhn88D5HSeruW94-CXlnB8viIoej9uqH9AQH3Id7HGhS3GSOOqecZ1qoWRn_9F-J49EPCLnsByNSTGfmQ4zAL8TCealcwQcLv7YbrM9D3XW_XWMDNterE-TfKf7ecpOhN_T2l_Ll2ICOM/s1600/IMG_1161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhn88D5HSeruW94-CXlnB8viIoej9uqH9AQH3Id7HGhS3GSOOqecZ1qoWRn_9F-J49EPCLnsByNSTGfmQ4zAL8TCealcwQcLv7YbrM9D3XW_XWMDNterE-TfKf7ecpOhN_T2l_Ll2ICOM/s320/IMG_1161.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The skirt of the dress in its final fabric, a brown, tweedy-looking slinky knit. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxDLCQGA-IS7aWJxgB-4SnE7bY0K5R2AYE0DD9BWreV5WUSUkjzIFbQAXGQOMdDhtqPyGjtry3_OUerkOGWkRd-7aB3TmE7nx_ascw8RsP0zNxMC2dLTt_tMYKiGNyFXPGhihOBx2TYo/s1600/IMG_1163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxDLCQGA-IS7aWJxgB-4SnE7bY0K5R2AYE0DD9BWreV5WUSUkjzIFbQAXGQOMdDhtqPyGjtry3_OUerkOGWkRd-7aB3TmE7nx_ascw8RsP0zNxMC2dLTt_tMYKiGNyFXPGhihOBx2TYo/s320/IMG_1163.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I couldn't decide if I liked the free flowing bodice piece over the ruched skirt or not. What do you think?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjRxS1WEr0Jig35yegXaPhHgY4nI78S0jnd1oo9zybKp-AFiMAFYRQD3z_K-_pvUrLLFqdHXBeiiT-YYyWjq09-qD-NhnWctja0HUUHuG98Bv8nQYjXjGo7iLqvavynP57iJBDx-mSPs/s1600/IMG_1165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjRxS1WEr0Jig35yegXaPhHgY4nI78S0jnd1oo9zybKp-AFiMAFYRQD3z_K-_pvUrLLFqdHXBeiiT-YYyWjq09-qD-NhnWctja0HUUHuG98Bv8nQYjXjGo7iLqvavynP57iJBDx-mSPs/s320/IMG_1165.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Yeah, I think not. I like the gathered top better. More refined. Also, note to self: ruched skirt, if not stabilized when sewn, will keep getting longer and longer and less and less ruched. That's what's happening here. I had to completely tear it apart and sew a ribbon into the seam when I sewed it up the second time to keep the gathers from falling out. I make mistakes, we all learn. Everybody wins, right? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG8of_jOAlLgliqd9GPWuZ_-GlVUyXrwRZxrXOdZPuHwqSYddwbr8jGSadPljSTL33QTyOD4zW3DHsJpTsW3TmxilMh8vZg2HiYz_EiQ7XKufc3XaIAsc8nRSdqkpxqnRkQydShK2qJ4/s1600/IMG_1169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWG8of_jOAlLgliqd9GPWuZ_-GlVUyXrwRZxrXOdZPuHwqSYddwbr8jGSadPljSTL33QTyOD4zW3DHsJpTsW3TmxilMh8vZg2HiYz_EiQ7XKufc3XaIAsc8nRSdqkpxqnRkQydShK2qJ4/s320/IMG_1169.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Ahh, very nice. I'm pleased. Dots-B-Gone. Now to add the sleeve:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCH8Parm5Ha9yrru77ygJyXsCn4B5Z1hvmORiiqFDfcG5GnfYI5NFZJcBPZnVmMRcHXnyuGpMuLFNjt3s0xB0Ajq3ObrqlKF7pfWGHABZ-rqLH2UMtP6txTg_Zd03MAQFYJeqx8ulyFA/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCH8Parm5Ha9yrru77ygJyXsCn4B5Z1hvmORiiqFDfcG5GnfYI5NFZJcBPZnVmMRcHXnyuGpMuLFNjt3s0xB0Ajq3ObrqlKF7pfWGHABZ-rqLH2UMtP6txTg_Zd03MAQFYJeqx8ulyFA/s320/IMG_1168.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Hmm. No, that looks too dainty. Too much like the doily shoulders of yore. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0knICOvFLgyjlA8x0tiwm7dmLhivQ9-b0LPeRBPmax2MeVBpTjheXzLmZ0y-xS2msQ3NypbtZ3VQ3OgPSXFJlt6aVM7Y5ojFqr0jx2Of4g5-8XkxkBP3ZyymDTSz04CETuNHMBFFwyg/s1600/IMG_1182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0knICOvFLgyjlA8x0tiwm7dmLhivQ9-b0LPeRBPmax2MeVBpTjheXzLmZ0y-xS2msQ3NypbtZ3VQ3OgPSXFJlt6aVM7Y5ojFqr0jx2Of4g5-8XkxkBP3ZyymDTSz04CETuNHMBFFwyg/s320/IMG_1182.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Hmm, I still don't know. Too heavy or droopy or something. Let's look closer. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXQQ3qztvMsKxjO4lC5EGoVjuJwtJcB4w9i2UvvwJdifk01RcJMupaM4i94gNY4b4iOdxy751VzCK5L_TCk_DlUKG3iIMNhPikeAH1MlZp3GMzf_-sP-y9uT480RcsGQQ1E9dXA8coxI/s1600/IMG_1183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXQQ3qztvMsKxjO4lC5EGoVjuJwtJcB4w9i2UvvwJdifk01RcJMupaM4i94gNY4b4iOdxy751VzCK5L_TCk_DlUKG3iIMNhPikeAH1MlZp3GMzf_-sP-y9uT480RcsGQQ1E9dXA8coxI/s320/IMG_1183.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Yeah, that is just not working out for me...is it the color combination? The yellow yarn on the pallid skin of my dress form? The length of the sleeve? The fact that it's not really a sleeve at all, but a decorative strap? <br />
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These questions baffled me for a few weeks, and I had total designer's block. I took a break and tackled it again, much later, closer to the photo shoot date. Check back tomorrow for the conclusion of The Case of the Befuddling Pseudo-Sleeve. The final result is exciting!b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-70290524955673536982010-11-23T14:15:00.000-08:002010-11-23T14:21:09.951-08:00Look #2Welcome to the second installment of the new collection! For this second look, I wanted to make a day to evening look that was easy to throw on, comfortable, and stylish but didn't look like everything else in your closet. I started with a basic v neck bodice. This one fits rather poorly because my draping fabric didn't have near as much stretch as the final fabric. Please, I ask you. Learn from my mistakes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPROycmzD2b3Gmaa7hdVtQzpwHmPTW9KlKN4XoP4mVRL1uljk7TMUHSCWlMs4jR1jrAooUu_bpBgFXcWZFGtbK1lIcVhFwRMc5L0L7Hu92Iq432TrFM2J8l3IAXfkXi50-KmX_iN3sxiA/s1600/IMG_2155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPROycmzD2b3Gmaa7hdVtQzpwHmPTW9KlKN4XoP4mVRL1uljk7TMUHSCWlMs4jR1jrAooUu_bpBgFXcWZFGtbK1lIcVhFwRMc5L0L7Hu92Iq432TrFM2J8l3IAXfkXi50-KmX_iN3sxiA/s320/IMG_2155.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>If the neckline looks obscenely low, that's because...well, it is. I made this particular look to fit my unusually long torso, which is also why the empire seam looks a bit low. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRaX7gYgP-AbBosaJ0kYxooyMyzBCu8qWqssILEVt9TtMcykptRTr3qDVYgdKMTFi80lSG5pDHBSIR8lSivEg8dJaOlIYKPHjGg-A2dcoR2k0pfv5kgYPtoQQvgvoybq6Tuls1Qr7BGs/s1600/IMG_2160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRaX7gYgP-AbBosaJ0kYxooyMyzBCu8qWqssILEVt9TtMcykptRTr3qDVYgdKMTFi80lSG5pDHBSIR8lSivEg8dJaOlIYKPHjGg-A2dcoR2k0pfv5kgYPtoQQvgvoybq6Tuls1Qr7BGs/s320/IMG_2160.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Draping the skirt. I draped this as a rectangle--bad idea. You'll see why in a second. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ytTFr61zzEzX4flyRfxnvwEZM2-xSS046lLcOFCXzqGz1qUlkNNiRiyksrnYmRrIzC0TI7H55DPYl7qoDixTNhXqwzWlhJNv5vnH6xhv2x7D5OO5FHWEEXgknoaO7u4Cfx5kqoJ5mgY/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ytTFr61zzEzX4flyRfxnvwEZM2-xSS046lLcOFCXzqGz1qUlkNNiRiyksrnYmRrIzC0TI7H55DPYl7qoDixTNhXqwzWlhJNv5vnH6xhv2x7D5OO5FHWEEXgknoaO7u4Cfx5kqoJ5mgY/s320/IMG_2159.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Here's the bodice with a slim little sleeve. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzq3aw5QgnpKSVOhFTGvR59L14oR1ee8tDEhQsYC9Eke9BHYsO8qHlJhRS7U26FNjn2cg1Rwf2oW-GmwzoxBaN0Lj0jtpXhYZW0Jy6PxLlmSDFGxY7581ETw4P7LRHnu-weHmjMYJQ4Q/s1600/IMG_2161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzq3aw5QgnpKSVOhFTGvR59L14oR1ee8tDEhQsYC9Eke9BHYsO8qHlJhRS7U26FNjn2cg1Rwf2oW-GmwzoxBaN0Lj0jtpXhYZW0Jy6PxLlmSDFGxY7581ETw4P7LRHnu-weHmjMYJQ4Q/s320/IMG_2161.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Not bad overall, but the skirt is pretty atrocious. Puckery and boxy and just plain not ok. I went back and added a few curves, and... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwiGZyGWqOp1tgcxbLOCPWT7k4OZwl7ehyphenhyphen7U062jRid6oO99VK_nFbTAcuFngkAztVu_GIQQly7unZhTavX-Goen_HjqOG0GisniTM3DLkkYX6YvJ7ryA9N35b80jMeU0KUyhqF2q2kg/s1600/IMG_1153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwiGZyGWqOp1tgcxbLOCPWT7k4OZwl7ehyphenhyphen7U062jRid6oO99VK_nFbTAcuFngkAztVu_GIQQly7unZhTavX-Goen_HjqOG0GisniTM3DLkkYX6YvJ7ryA9N35b80jMeU0KUyhqF2q2kg/s320/IMG_1153.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>The finished product. It might be hard to tell what's going on around the neck. I added a tie to the back neckline, but liked it best when the tie tied in the back under the arms.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFc-9KOS4QDLCIjZgO52XkZNrSOdZkh7VVrsRvilR9Hh_Q3IfpzjKbLeJqDkS8gZBhtS7o06XvRZHH9ByS2zf7TujrE_7vcejw4_dBcboL7GhSaB7jxKSaRo-2GYavicUEcz9tpHocVM/s1600/IMG_1157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTFc-9KOS4QDLCIjZgO52XkZNrSOdZkh7VVrsRvilR9Hh_Q3IfpzjKbLeJqDkS8gZBhtS7o06XvRZHH9ByS2zf7TujrE_7vcejw4_dBcboL7GhSaB7jxKSaRo-2GYavicUEcz9tpHocVM/s320/IMG_1157.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>For the shoulder detail I adapted the Flemish motif from the first look. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd26f7T70WzzmMKrvPeGeZHNGZRdupHRMnkFm7Aaacel1SZUGpi_gyjyCkpkFLBCMa5q1jLdPOKSmvAt5cj3ZpJEQvxNGk7Lvj82QoHI2ldNoFPzRXtgjdPC9722Vy98xyW0eT_a_3fs8/s1600/IMG_1146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd26f7T70WzzmMKrvPeGeZHNGZRdupHRMnkFm7Aaacel1SZUGpi_gyjyCkpkFLBCMa5q1jLdPOKSmvAt5cj3ZpJEQvxNGk7Lvj82QoHI2ldNoFPzRXtgjdPC9722Vy98xyW0eT_a_3fs8/s320/IMG_1146.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Mr. N commented that it looked military inspired, which I consider a huge success! Anything beyond "dress with doily shoulders" is fine with me. I wore this to work once (don't worry, I wore it with a camisole. I'm not trying to spill my goodies at work) and I was really happy with it. It was comfortable, easy, and interesting, which was my goal. What do you think? Leave me a comment and let me know!b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-9300187143172056862010-11-10T07:31:00.000-08:002010-11-19T07:25:02.828-08:00EvolutionIf you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know I have an insatiable desire for and obsession with yarncrafts. It only made sense that my next collection incorporate knit or crochet techniques. Knitwear is a huge industry and far more common in apparel than its cousin crochet, so I decided to take on the challenge of working crocheted pieces into my designs in a fresh and modern way, steering clear of lace collars and granny square ponchos. <br />
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For the first piece in the new collection, I started with the simple silhouette of a long sleeve minidress with a low back neckline. Here's the shell without the sleeves. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfMmlN5aichlCiLkoQC6G2P8_JnbUTnWcJ8GTA0aYnJR3z7pN0SAIZRzMP97xej8mU96jYUSvSXXJOcFGOd22DIh61oM0CIxubgG7yH4hM8nsl1-tbyPQ-4KQ4KRThqn2ggYayVpeh3k/s1600/IMG_2138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfMmlN5aichlCiLkoQC6G2P8_JnbUTnWcJ8GTA0aYnJR3z7pN0SAIZRzMP97xej8mU96jYUSvSXXJOcFGOd22DIh61oM0CIxubgG7yH4hM8nsl1-tbyPQ-4KQ4KRThqn2ggYayVpeh3k/s320/IMG_2138.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcS1nYi-2KJPYylelL3BrOdRY8Ygc71pPbUr9cWHoctzHzVRVgIrCCz7Ag3ZgGLsWq5udAhBmO1xB2WSXGqviFmtbzAVyaq17HWpb0UJcUqiojcFbkvBSKzeqjLWkUgmMb0lzjo9vuoc/s1600/IMG_2139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcS1nYi-2KJPYylelL3BrOdRY8Ygc71pPbUr9cWHoctzHzVRVgIrCCz7Ag3ZgGLsWq5udAhBmO1xB2WSXGqviFmtbzAVyaq17HWpb0UJcUqiojcFbkvBSKzeqjLWkUgmMb0lzjo9vuoc/s320/IMG_2139.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Then I played around with some crochet samples:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK29dqbv_LO3Zwd7u16TyaeCRDYys4uRb9iMsbKhTpq_Ur1ChP2BoRK02aVNdoofXKpO-O-6g9f5O9KIxLenceK4GXre1kj8HKkkgtxhG6s_DS1-jYClcwmfy8668LM3ylzgQNq_S2qx8/s1600/IMG_2145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK29dqbv_LO3Zwd7u16TyaeCRDYys4uRb9iMsbKhTpq_Ur1ChP2BoRK02aVNdoofXKpO-O-6g9f5O9KIxLenceK4GXre1kj8HKkkgtxhG6s_DS1-jYClcwmfy8668LM3ylzgQNq_S2qx8/s320/IMG_2145.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>This was kind of cool, but the yarn looked too bulky to me. I added sleeves and made a new crochet sample in a lighter weight yarn in a more sophisticated color. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWzF-XxqC17V0SUFmx5XnKG4MLFUQ3cMomhY7u3F83RKUXe903pk3OeWTgZaOgGiW1pjbwaUz6A61IbuhN-nrt5pZM65tP9mMu_v9fmM_GhE4qd9UOQxi6P7wsuHp928hzHWrTLDNdrg/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWzF-XxqC17V0SUFmx5XnKG4MLFUQ3cMomhY7u3F83RKUXe903pk3OeWTgZaOgGiW1pjbwaUz6A61IbuhN-nrt5pZM65tP9mMu_v9fmM_GhE4qd9UOQxi6P7wsuHp928hzHWrTLDNdrg/s320/IMG_2146.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM7bVTThmKz2kK2H5PHpuu8DFRGsbVY8GHtyXRgTbzthBQjHI9WADbSGubeONMRHUH-SVMjAr0VuFaj8uzFerQG2EZnnSJu1FvqlRsR9hdyx3z9CBmT49dgjP6XmuzWo0xAujgvkv9rY/s1600/IMG_2149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM7bVTThmKz2kK2H5PHpuu8DFRGsbVY8GHtyXRgTbzthBQjHI9WADbSGubeONMRHUH-SVMjAr0VuFaj8uzFerQG2EZnnSJu1FvqlRsR9hdyx3z9CBmT49dgjP6XmuzWo0xAujgvkv9rY/s320/IMG_2149.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Disappointed. The back is still so exposed, the color is too close to skin color, and it still looks like I just slapped a crusty old piece of lace onto a perfectly simple little black dress. The piece is far too complicated to be appealing. Back to the drawing board.<br />
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Then, as I was flipping through a crochet book, I found a Flemish floral motif that was simple enough it could be manipulated a hundred ways and still look interesting and modern.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw00ZBq5VgzLCaJJCzNcDf-LenFQm9S1y91U0Q_tiqSLay89qFMEGI4lBOKRVAG6_kGwPf9Wq_x3aK-QrP8_39hgePsTIxNHQOlFnRt38PCn0lx6cXoIkKHTyxFHr2Itj4ZuQ6D0lzLM/s1600/IMG_1081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQw00ZBq5VgzLCaJJCzNcDf-LenFQm9S1y91U0Q_tiqSLay89qFMEGI4lBOKRVAG6_kGwPf9Wq_x3aK-QrP8_39hgePsTIxNHQOlFnRt38PCn0lx6cXoIkKHTyxFHr2Itj4ZuQ6D0lzLM/s320/IMG_1081.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilY4oAhvyDXupzSNk19xE1c2dYGbEjfroC6PnLxUJOQktzp6G_BsFUfI3nBihmwOUBX_ktECne8EmNoiYkWxe_BEUeLlw23B7XMbj0q2xCqU1rfo3GbEF1wwUeXEO5XoybAe39AblYkIo/s1600/IMG_1083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilY4oAhvyDXupzSNk19xE1c2dYGbEjfroC6PnLxUJOQktzp6G_BsFUfI3nBihmwOUBX_ktECne8EmNoiYkWxe_BEUeLlw23B7XMbj0q2xCqU1rfo3GbEF1wwUeXEO5XoybAe39AblYkIo/s320/IMG_1083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I was starting to like this, but needless to say, it needed revision. So I started doing the math. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJp4Jy07QEky2ZSeaHnRYwZsM0bwp1nfUuKcVWS7k6-eNNlR_zFEkFz6W8n2S9XJTjmgL596o1G0X6uXsRQ3lhsaVx9I5i4tEhkJLWj9HdbAUiXokta1ULuWLGEn2Lbkv4VV-y1rYVCQk/s1600/IMG_1088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJp4Jy07QEky2ZSeaHnRYwZsM0bwp1nfUuKcVWS7k6-eNNlR_zFEkFz6W8n2S9XJTjmgL596o1G0X6uXsRQ3lhsaVx9I5i4tEhkJLWj9HdbAUiXokta1ULuWLGEn2Lbkv4VV-y1rYVCQk/s320/IMG_1088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>After yet another sample, I was getting somewhere. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMkoidxN7MpjqBqinKJS0q7eMK6i0Z_8nEnkR-JE8zy0m1WAi0gJFErflQptrvHirZLi8DvvjTgIOj79VZp5DUqVnncvSAyvknqR04D5i1KOFXhiAXhvJyCaBnn9aq1vWLcGGR3lmQPc/s1600/IMG_1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMkoidxN7MpjqBqinKJS0q7eMK6i0Z_8nEnkR-JE8zy0m1WAi0gJFErflQptrvHirZLi8DvvjTgIOj79VZp5DUqVnncvSAyvknqR04D5i1KOFXhiAXhvJyCaBnn9aq1vWLcGGR3lmQPc/s320/IMG_1089.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Since I still needed to find a new color, I made another sample in this beautiful yellow wet-spun linen yarn I recently bought. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0OuBK1Ook0ylKVIvtShJOYX4zT1wVXNX7hNQYG6dNDgYxiUaoFIzT5kNfAwGY7IX2L3vG4uJFAT99XJcOyuBF2Ou0xDOT8E14pWyma7HxsRDmdqKGBAsDhFzgI0mVsAN4MW33GQLCOA/s1600/IMG_1136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0OuBK1Ook0ylKVIvtShJOYX4zT1wVXNX7hNQYG6dNDgYxiUaoFIzT5kNfAwGY7IX2L3vG4uJFAT99XJcOyuBF2Ou0xDOT8E14pWyma7HxsRDmdqKGBAsDhFzgI0mVsAN4MW33GQLCOA/s320/IMG_1136.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Wow. Yikes. That's surprisingly terrible. Also, it still looks a bit...strained. The flower motif needs more petals so it fills the space better.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNk04p-s-RY1dPt8TS02CtJt2pEoIpk6x3OaZS2sZX_y-7JjWKgL44zGrwtIWHZsihnx501isue8ndXwwaSZvbT_V4BivAW-LWG9lc_LftV9RiRskCbGiV_3hx9hPDNjAM-v4sIE1YEzs/s1600/IMG_1179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNk04p-s-RY1dPt8TS02CtJt2pEoIpk6x3OaZS2sZX_y-7JjWKgL44zGrwtIWHZsihnx501isue8ndXwwaSZvbT_V4BivAW-LWG9lc_LftV9RiRskCbGiV_3hx9hPDNjAM-v4sIE1YEzs/s320/IMG_1179.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWqAcrnuCjjB25De0uba537h3W-nSmF2mJDTaDzc4cTKtTgzuLfBxUTIZXma7V-ZpJIntpN3OoOru5PJdpV9pzdU3oBLw2jiGJdAMPGpMwLoEdFXvjH_OH3ViBmfr3KPkK5HNkttbXZ8/s1600/IMG_1181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWqAcrnuCjjB25De0uba537h3W-nSmF2mJDTaDzc4cTKtTgzuLfBxUTIZXma7V-ZpJIntpN3OoOru5PJdpV9pzdU3oBLw2jiGJdAMPGpMwLoEdFXvjH_OH3ViBmfr3KPkK5HNkttbXZ8/s320/IMG_1181.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Wow, that's more like it. And the dark color is a great contrast against the skin (the skin of my dress form, anyway). I think I've cracked it! Here's the finished garment. The beautiful gray yarn is Lion Brand's Superwash Merino Cashmere. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0gfLS8DT85c7WAZH2hxoT6CPqP0Zi7Qwxth6FNQJiX99MpU6GlSSb0sjlcR27wtqCKfH0z-8HkyIL1vQ3VY5qut2OVVaiCJZRGlCzlQ5EDVqrSeXKnp3xsg393pGBkuFGjSdjixjR_w/s1600/IMG_2336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0gfLS8DT85c7WAZH2hxoT6CPqP0Zi7Qwxth6FNQJiX99MpU6GlSSb0sjlcR27wtqCKfH0z-8HkyIL1vQ3VY5qut2OVVaiCJZRGlCzlQ5EDVqrSeXKnp3xsg393pGBkuFGjSdjixjR_w/s320/IMG_2336.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcX5NgWF8UO1A0umVMyXW2l8HQMMFaUgTJc2zaGlEN_GzJOvGySveLdgd1XgY1gfwPjGmCgCixteSNJGfruwpqKSghR7M3nhOA4x_xX2m6iXPz5ycl6sF-IY_b-lu87DHb3QhOOoMCRO0/s1600/IMG_2338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcX5NgWF8UO1A0umVMyXW2l8HQMMFaUgTJc2zaGlEN_GzJOvGySveLdgd1XgY1gfwPjGmCgCixteSNJGfruwpqKSghR7M3nhOA4x_xX2m6iXPz5ycl6sF-IY_b-lu87DHb3QhOOoMCRO0/s320/IMG_2338.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMVz76d7ObUJk-9EugjkZ2UidiiMlH3YUUYSfT9DLhWZ6paxNIrZvLnmSgSc-13xj4hj8T5g_kF67DQVA86XfvBPfDj1m1cUBGOG8npV0IHSu5RuLzgCe1D-kPcqDhxTENcajUcF6j9w/s1600/IMG_2340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMVz76d7ObUJk-9EugjkZ2UidiiMlH3YUUYSfT9DLhWZ6paxNIrZvLnmSgSc-13xj4hj8T5g_kF67DQVA86XfvBPfDj1m1cUBGOG8npV0IHSu5RuLzgCe1D-kPcqDhxTENcajUcF6j9w/s320/IMG_2340.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Though it took a while to get there, I'm really happy with this piece. And I can't wait to show you how great it looks on my model...but not yet! I'll take you through the process of the other pieces too.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by! What do you think of this dress? Would you wear it? Or rather, would you buy it? Would your friends buy it? I'd love to hear what you think.b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-42780692082122311972010-11-02T15:02:00.000-07:002010-11-03T09:31:04.706-07:00One Year AgoI was reaching. <br />
I was struggling. <br />
I was pushing. <br />
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Now? <br />
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I'm doing it all again. I'm in the home stretch of an intense, long process and I have so much to show--or, rather, I will after this deadline. I've come a long way over the course of a year, discovering who I am, what I do, and whether any of it is worth anything to anyone. The conclusion I've come to time and again is that I have to trust myself. I have to believe. Because it's all worth it to me. <br />
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New collection coming very soon.b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-87783359741347256942010-08-22T14:51:00.000-07:002010-08-22T14:51:14.854-07:00Lazy DazeI hate cutesy puns. Most crochet designers, it seems, do not. I found this out when I went on a search for some new crochet patterns to practice on. It's so easy and fun to just follow instructions of other people's patterns. When I'm designing my own I never have any idea what I'm doing or what happens next or which way is up or what I just crocheted, I'm just groping around, hoping it all works out. Sometimes it does and most of the time it just doesn't. So I wanted to take a break by making someone else's pattern, which brings us back to the puns. I present to you the "Lazy Daze of Summer" crochet top. I know, I know, it sounds hopelessly cheesy, but the picture looked pretty cool. I also wanted to see if I could successfully execute an "experienced" level pattern. Lazy Daze is a cropped short sleeve top with some interesting stitch details made in a fine weight yarn (#2). I didn't notice the pattern specified #2 weight yarn until I was halfway done using #4 weight yarn. My first tip: read your pattern in its entirety before you start anything. Be smart and don't follow my example.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYaXpy3bfv0LujFHCR7euio532nMMhhUQTte9iVVVnqpPDmCp_S5LPCOPXZ1TRSZHszwenvvGMA95WSDs5ErcrlDUbUCGNu9d4Z0tcr92_q543gSLihyrZBKJ8P7r2V954CYjiZGYb1U/s1600/IMG_2084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYaXpy3bfv0LujFHCR7euio532nMMhhUQTte9iVVVnqpPDmCp_S5LPCOPXZ1TRSZHszwenvvGMA95WSDs5ErcrlDUbUCGNu9d4Z0tcr92_q543gSLihyrZBKJ8P7r2V954CYjiZGYb1U/s320/IMG_2084.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's the beginning of the front, a semicircle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUVa1VQmEMsNpdKw7XN3v4fWCIsTHvtGSFWQC06I1-f5JPDAgn9ghOgSRy9nZH26qAhpZX7ehG059v54zzDp6MpSyxrPFZ_gmJuYv2ncIT89mD53FEmE5mHFFOCOZ1vW1SyH582xeNoA/s1600/IMG_2086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUVa1VQmEMsNpdKw7XN3v4fWCIsTHvtGSFWQC06I1-f5JPDAgn9ghOgSRy9nZH26qAhpZX7ehG059v54zzDp6MpSyxrPFZ_gmJuYv2ncIT89mD53FEmE5mHFFOCOZ1vW1SyH582xeNoA/s320/IMG_2086.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The back and front pieces are similar, but the back is bigger. Here's the back with the left side complete. I think this is one of the reasons the pattern was labeled "experienced"--it described in detail the steps necessary to complete the right side, then said, "fasten off and do the same thing to the left side, but in reverse." It was a confusing and a bit improvisational. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V6pOaIX-IEKu0_ZKfY1xkDMyMfTADQWfkIx07_D0Sk-zyLT9Jy5cidRQk2LseCMmr5eCEu91hTtHFrnZwtgbGleb-VsMJKRb6NuUCwCdiPrJVTNpaB5QaTiRB7xPA_MnhGfVdNbQo3U/s1600/IMG_2089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V6pOaIX-IEKu0_ZKfY1xkDMyMfTADQWfkIx07_D0Sk-zyLT9Jy5cidRQk2LseCMmr5eCEu91hTtHFrnZwtgbGleb-VsMJKRb6NuUCwCdiPrJVTNpaB5QaTiRB7xPA_MnhGfVdNbQo3U/s320/IMG_2089.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's the complete front piece. Hard to tell where it's going from here, isn't it? I thought so too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIRBbGGYUAPPyaPMq4cGrI68xic_9Q2QWCOYxZVgoIN4u04BdxLcK68m3VDCA2u6sB9RWfNuh188v2WtaxQTvIK6OE9U_RnwLPbAimXndt0iRFqydKTmdRpqve5mW31LpzwPQitOZzQ0/s1600/IMG_2090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIRBbGGYUAPPyaPMq4cGrI68xic_9Q2QWCOYxZVgoIN4u04BdxLcK68m3VDCA2u6sB9RWfNuh188v2WtaxQTvIK6OE9U_RnwLPbAimXndt0iRFqydKTmdRpqve5mW31LpzwPQitOZzQ0/s320/IMG_2090.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's the left sleeve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YF_tj1xLdaD-8c7to1c2YuLujj9tq7816yu7aJ0TU5UbNW2pdv1_Hd1XU5Y62W4iBDMpV0Sd4hcGIuzt5HyYnYGxfEz4HGCFAZE9wgOP4q0ISdVtCxxVBoFa_BdOYSPemQW-wLz5ZmQ/s1600/IMG_2091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3YF_tj1xLdaD-8c7to1c2YuLujj9tq7816yu7aJ0TU5UbNW2pdv1_Hd1XU5Y62W4iBDMpV0Sd4hcGIuzt5HyYnYGxfEz4HGCFAZE9wgOP4q0ISdVtCxxVBoFa_BdOYSPemQW-wLz5ZmQ/s320/IMG_2091.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...and the right. After the front, back, and sleeves were complete, the pieces were sewn together and I edged around the neckline, hem, and sleeves, which resulted in...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO01T6F3x5lppGd8dPl9NgnK2FB4Ly_DC7mNh6Q48ZcMaUQx298BHgLpKTwowXEmijOSgGvksmTMnG25R2TYzfDpUzl_hkIFtxNO6eX5QcVloeiwxZez-zNIE04FkbH0SfziAO7RUwyLQ/s1600/IMG_2092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO01T6F3x5lppGd8dPl9NgnK2FB4Ly_DC7mNh6Q48ZcMaUQx298BHgLpKTwowXEmijOSgGvksmTMnG25R2TYzfDpUzl_hkIFtxNO6eX5QcVloeiwxZez-zNIE04FkbH0SfziAO7RUwyLQ/s320/IMG_2092.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This. I was pretty happy with it. It certainly has that freshly handcrafted folksy crochet feel (as most crocheted garments do), but I figured I could edge it out a little bit. I guess you could say that's what my tattoos are for. Here's the back:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHktwY0ZiZRsdhIuSceYggOjMG7u-Qb48rjn3FRVUf_0lIHI5QUYwOfk3Avzkeeoy1opnrhU1ytJ5hqH27Ubx-1qtu1RN08YSCuDx7vgsFA30oRECZtH5xNlWjskRywMG32L0RZkDz-cw/s1600/IMG_2093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHktwY0ZiZRsdhIuSceYggOjMG7u-Qb48rjn3FRVUf_0lIHI5QUYwOfk3Avzkeeoy1opnrhU1ytJ5hqH27Ubx-1qtu1RN08YSCuDx7vgsFA30oRECZtH5xNlWjskRywMG32L0RZkDz-cw/s320/IMG_2093.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I bet you're wondering what it looks like on. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T2jMi3fM_l5iu_90jBfSc2h2C9a29_TteqiKBADQOixrZX6tDYinWjCyu8fUbXLDbo5RW9KRiIHfGyrF8wm_4COf5DR7gHrMW95zfOM2uCiQXA1UnXVbmMXlH2qPpUOwZaWWIv3KxRo/s1600/IMG_2094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3T2jMi3fM_l5iu_90jBfSc2h2C9a29_TteqiKBADQOixrZX6tDYinWjCyu8fUbXLDbo5RW9KRiIHfGyrF8wm_4COf5DR7gHrMW95zfOM2uCiQXA1UnXVbmMXlH2qPpUOwZaWWIv3KxRo/s320/IMG_2094.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not bad, right? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf_hyphenhyphenQIBuGekU7PXVmsW0SV8Mm0T460gKN1fiTmJAAsDwh5OSq2VAXFFWetXvrR8locL1NNLJ_b9li1ONcjkQ21JqNAP7MlPvZCtEk6Tcryf-xf3R7P2pSk3j_b1eMxjuH2L3CdVHqjk/s1600/IMG_2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf_hyphenhyphenQIBuGekU7PXVmsW0SV8Mm0T460gKN1fiTmJAAsDwh5OSq2VAXFFWetXvrR8locL1NNLJ_b9li1ONcjkQ21JqNAP7MlPvZCtEk6Tcryf-xf3R7P2pSk3j_b1eMxjuH2L3CdVHqjk/s320/IMG_2098.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really wish I had read the instructions right and made it out of the proper weight yarn, because it's rather bulky. A bit more suited for fall, I think. Unless by "Lazy Daze of Summer" they mean "Passing Out because You're Essentially Wearing an Afghan Around Your Top Half in the 90 Degree Heat." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTbpKcdhryQaNTDjq5LKRoV3vgIblhxLZKprp9orjt6ayI88_kw1eSJZvKcB_6-TWtD_IuK9OJ1yyuYnWxGqLwGMCcGzLZGKijmajSMjVY99Ky8o9FdDEWp6sSb7nwTxSWLsPgl7Nsc0/s1600/IMG_2096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTbpKcdhryQaNTDjq5LKRoV3vgIblhxLZKprp9orjt6ayI88_kw1eSJZvKcB_6-TWtD_IuK9OJ1yyuYnWxGqLwGMCcGzLZGKijmajSMjVY99Ky8o9FdDEWp6sSb7nwTxSWLsPgl7Nsc0/s320/IMG_2096.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had a lot of fun on this project. I still hate puns, though. They're sew irritating. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9isajfx7w5bLbuBqivQrtlnWsfvu-bdZNgZblYPZM8Z37mTtUkbUkV2nyP2RkZZg2qvZzEDCSppm2kb7_Yk_f69Z1wAs9nNEN2oC8Js5ri8M9z9jFWTRz0InIrv0lDMjd59TD8wiUUk/s1600/IMG_2095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9isajfx7w5bLbuBqivQrtlnWsfvu-bdZNgZblYPZM8Z37mTtUkbUkV2nyP2RkZZg2qvZzEDCSppm2kb7_Yk_f69Z1wAs9nNEN2oC8Js5ri8M9z9jFWTRz0InIrv0lDMjd59TD8wiUUk/s320/IMG_2095.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9isajfx7w5bLbuBqivQrtlnWsfvu-bdZNgZblYPZM8Z37mTtUkbUkV2nyP2RkZZg2qvZzEDCSppm2kb7_Yk_f69Z1wAs9nNEN2oC8Js5ri8M9z9jFWTRz0InIrv0lDMjd59TD8wiUUk/s1600/IMG_2095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> I promise I won't wait as long to post again--thanks for hanging in there! And as always, thanks for stopping by. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also, to give credit where credit is due, today's pattern can be found <a href="http://knitandcrochetnow.com/fly.aspx">here.</a></div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-79990097703830902892010-07-13T14:38:00.000-07:002010-07-13T14:40:48.177-07:00Someone Else's Stash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last summer on my 25th birthday, I received one of the most amazing gifts I've ever gotten from Mr. N and his whole family--Grandma V's Singer sewing machine. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cbhnuknphOr3VQtCE7o-8u88Vw_wemeOMxQm0IHX9LtE9GfEDGHQZqRh-FyZ6mXHG2HIMbzsehUj0TDX5QlQoB5WBx9Gff-kcItk1ft1fg98abV3GtVyX3X-5TAb6PqhYXm4yCaRZuE/s1600/july10+269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cbhnuknphOr3VQtCE7o-8u88Vw_wemeOMxQm0IHX9LtE9GfEDGHQZqRh-FyZ6mXHG2HIMbzsehUj0TDX5QlQoB5WBx9Gff-kcItk1ft1fg98abV3GtVyX3X-5TAb6PqhYXm4yCaRZuE/s320/july10+269.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At first I thought it was just a sewing table, but hiding inside is the most beautiful machine I've ever seen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzhJl3_yGKinlH0qprLC4TENrQAoiPYjE5OflG2-Hu1YZWQj2RhQMhPOk7rkoZXRJI-fhjUa_wx0SweTP4lqxx_izJFzYQh5N70ocbHNQio4pv9_OmeqYhWBRfs1CeQf_9ccLdJHh_Bs/s1600/july10+270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxzhJl3_yGKinlH0qprLC4TENrQAoiPYjE5OflG2-Hu1YZWQj2RhQMhPOk7rkoZXRJI-fhjUa_wx0SweTP4lqxx_izJFzYQh5N70ocbHNQio4pv9_OmeqYhWBRfs1CeQf_9ccLdJHh_Bs/s320/july10+270.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The details are incredible: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaWeoghaKzwwAy0-kgicMVbrUYeyIFw-YXF00MukpT9_xP5C7e-q0cywRVe7-URt74Tl2UvcMCaweejSgbrNKnOrE5cbHQgwVCjJs3ljw4O75I4guU_5iwlrriZ9HnxFBNX9jS3nsH5k/s1600/july10+272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaWeoghaKzwwAy0-kgicMVbrUYeyIFw-YXF00MukpT9_xP5C7e-q0cywRVe7-URt74Tl2UvcMCaweejSgbrNKnOrE5cbHQgwVCjJs3ljw4O75I4guU_5iwlrriZ9HnxFBNX9jS3nsH5k/s320/july10+272.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3c9GbBCoGRf35p-CsC0w1_TmrnUbI_o16dwhyphenhyphenZn9uX9rKhEzL7e9fPa6Z1PYmqMF1L2suN_Rdd3bBZkhhfjSgH7ne7ocgIjcXoUl_JiLKiYG_flXYs_FoYe3F2NdQg3nEw_KWcneUxsQ/s1600/july10+275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3c9GbBCoGRf35p-CsC0w1_TmrnUbI_o16dwhyphenhyphenZn9uX9rKhEzL7e9fPa6Z1PYmqMF1L2suN_Rdd3bBZkhhfjSgH7ne7ocgIjcXoUl_JiLKiYG_flXYs_FoYe3F2NdQg3nEw_KWcneUxsQ/s320/july10+275.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlFfSdMJ9srbCkAis18W3yU5qF-JPGMxPLELEDmtjueCXC7O8NZz21C4U1dcdQ0ZgBskxyLJzQ0vPm9qmtR_HiaGAnAFGf-Dqt2esFGxTttfLkqKdowtRMoYCCV2Ixhio3P4Cv6gacy0/s1600/july10+276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlFfSdMJ9srbCkAis18W3yU5qF-JPGMxPLELEDmtjueCXC7O8NZz21C4U1dcdQ0ZgBskxyLJzQ0vPm9qmtR_HiaGAnAFGf-Dqt2esFGxTttfLkqKdowtRMoYCCV2Ixhio3P4Cv6gacy0/s320/july10+276.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was completely overwhelmed by such an incredibly beautiful, historic, and personal gift. But it got better. Inside the drawers were all kinds of notions neatly packed and stored for use.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSKATGrLe32B3ZjiInBQSNfEAbpDB5fKAKf291JzwsRb9A4S27L7UggLUs4WRAeLSyL3uepI28XjSK8hbc5v6spaZypTS0ZEjWaVaqucjLa_RrhgrYDvu7pwfNuDwENu2QvgEwTKHuBg/s1600/july10+273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSKATGrLe32B3ZjiInBQSNfEAbpDB5fKAKf291JzwsRb9A4S27L7UggLUs4WRAeLSyL3uepI28XjSK8hbc5v6spaZypTS0ZEjWaVaqucjLa_RrhgrYDvu7pwfNuDwENu2QvgEwTKHuBg/s320/july10+273.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bias tape, bra straps, hooks and eyes, all neatly packaged and organized. Thanks, by the way, for ignoring my big crazy foot and my own disorganized stash on the right. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkcLqeKbPDDvmSndx0PeRg7C9te3E4Cx9khedgSsnSOlwNHa8RH8xfUA8zp9oeOQDyLvoQDBwmFAWVXOnxdVHLqnuZrC31Dx0Y5sOlXMrtPqwi6Ff_o4F8WA0gaWNX3YUyZBDmm2LzT0/s1600/july10+274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkcLqeKbPDDvmSndx0PeRg7C9te3E4Cx9khedgSsnSOlwNHa8RH8xfUA8zp9oeOQDyLvoQDBwmFAWVXOnxdVHLqnuZrC31Dx0Y5sOlXMrtPqwi6Ff_o4F8WA0gaWNX3YUyZBDmm2LzT0/s320/july10+274.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An old ruler. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcYqTjlUsl6y6yG6Fg9_7KGWUZ77Zc6pPqWYVUyJfl7ZxL46qmCzti1-v71JYcbQscmEx1xTTtNfqzj_0k4zIjvp-LBZiFSpBX-Yfu7o4AlyGqI6tSyS8wKPh7gLTKbM7eOpClRYcKms/s1600/july10+277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcYqTjlUsl6y6yG6Fg9_7KGWUZ77Zc6pPqWYVUyJfl7ZxL46qmCzti1-v71JYcbQscmEx1xTTtNfqzj_0k4zIjvp-LBZiFSpBX-Yfu7o4AlyGqI6tSyS8wKPh7gLTKbM7eOpClRYcKms/s320/july10+277.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Various belt buckles. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8Kdt2mXHcEbaLpsAJF6NtgT3yzy0L5WNxYAMM-3wH6JhdKGFHf0hdRxe_oA9niM2kP-NKiyzns3pZy17R2ecnzQxegCFSbF_T_Kta2OHnpfrwGyQgi7OF9-ypGQHSMZKbWWWDtdGR_U/s1600/july10+278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8Kdt2mXHcEbaLpsAJF6NtgT3yzy0L5WNxYAMM-3wH6JhdKGFHf0hdRxe_oA9niM2kP-NKiyzns3pZy17R2ecnzQxegCFSbF_T_Kta2OHnpfrwGyQgi7OF9-ypGQHSMZKbWWWDtdGR_U/s320/july10+278.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lots of thread, old and new(ish). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6lBaj1FGvuzBg9QxhpyQgLVyhKaYWgAISLOjeNUKt4PJsi0zP1DZ4j1Ox3SYfIoboUIlq1Yk5-JsSQKVQ-5L1PYzfds70Bhn6f6RFVRpEGtCQowhE5qb2j-IFUmoATHtvcih9b75DeM/s1600/july10+279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6lBaj1FGvuzBg9QxhpyQgLVyhKaYWgAISLOjeNUKt4PJsi0zP1DZ4j1Ox3SYfIoboUIlq1Yk5-JsSQKVQ-5L1PYzfds70Bhn6f6RFVRpEGtCQowhE5qb2j-IFUmoATHtvcih9b75DeM/s320/july10+279.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll never know what Dennison gummed labels are, because this box was filled with small metal parts. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTQxLAcyez68196XB3l84RIuK873Eog0ifC2DT6YhvYOkATfXPNIUqHZwBBWG5vKIVRWF9-2qnCrQt0vDN63pQLUjfHjlceiYXOHjCp80lM_9TcNEcQ4bONnUXrSspqcfea91XZqTrFY/s1600/july10+280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTQxLAcyez68196XB3l84RIuK873Eog0ifC2DT6YhvYOkATfXPNIUqHZwBBWG5vKIVRWF9-2qnCrQt0vDN63pQLUjfHjlceiYXOHjCp80lM_9TcNEcQ4bONnUXrSspqcfea91XZqTrFY/s320/july10+280.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And my favorite item, elastic. Specifically "woven elastic for hose supporters/bras." 29 cents. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's so cool to have a peek into history, when sewing was a necessity instead of the hobby/lost art it is today. I consider myself a decent seamstress but I'm spoiled by my electric machine. I tried sewing with the foot pedal and, well, it takes more than a little finesse. I know Grandma V could sew circles around me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks, Mr. N and family, for this incredible gift, and thanks, Grandma V, for passing your stash along to me. I've never met you but I feel like I know you a little bit. </div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-3353140826834305752010-05-25T07:49:00.000-07:002010-05-25T07:51:01.022-07:00Upgrade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's been a shamefully long time since I've posted and I apologize! So many things have been going on for Mr. N and I, namely our move to a new apartment in Logan Square! We love it, and we keep saying to each other, "I feel like we're staying at someone else's place who has a way nicer apartment than we do." We're thrilled. It's a little bit bigger, a little bit nicer, and a little bit closer to the train (not to mention a little bit more expensive). The neighborhood's also a little bit rougher, or "less gentrified" if we're being polite ("up and coming," "in transition"--we watch too much HGTV), but we love it. We're not in Bucktown anymore, Toto! With more space comes--that's right--a bigger sewing room! My studio has officially graduated from a .5 bedroom to a full one. Remember my old room? </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvsQJ3-6X7ZuXUpcZE4vCvf69MCxJoT-cj51rhEV37kVWTMBNgqzlk6Gf0eLJ6e0mAuEN5wRR4OC25SdI-IdcNfd4Az_RjE62BUOxTKAB6i4UV_vr4Y909FtFoxv8KFHUsyrU3otzMKI/s1600/IMG_2543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvsQJ3-6X7ZuXUpcZE4vCvf69MCxJoT-cj51rhEV37kVWTMBNgqzlk6Gf0eLJ6e0mAuEN5wRR4OC25SdI-IdcNfd4Az_RjE62BUOxTKAB6i4UV_vr4Y909FtFoxv8KFHUsyrU3otzMKI/s320/IMG_2543.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_6qNncA08G4vENsvE6Znb2wCmN0R-7VmXAxVp1bEJ6d5l5gBebHYNhRgyuNgNVWF_iNGrVv8oaHh16SdKzeIJzCckldPDTW-8Iz2agI1o2xF-rnzuwggU7OeOT6SAp8rLIaxVt78qd4/s1600/IMG_2542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_6qNncA08G4vENsvE6Znb2wCmN0R-7VmXAxVp1bEJ6d5l5gBebHYNhRgyuNgNVWF_iNGrVv8oaHh16SdKzeIJzCckldPDTW-8Iz2agI1o2xF-rnzuwggU7OeOT6SAp8rLIaxVt78qd4/s320/IMG_2542.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">...It was a bit cramped (I sewed in the closet). Behold the new space!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBIoYRjcPuhWJ2M9-M2buSy-f5mm_FFwkcm5lniNVX8FCfTggvzLuiDUxzOQ0RSy3Opec0gvPjcmKKnWb1BvrF_Vpe4np5Qf2xq703Jm7QcLIvAtjxnk3-m5IV-PYs7AVsU5A-SdUKp4/s1600/IMG_1080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBIoYRjcPuhWJ2M9-M2buSy-f5mm_FFwkcm5lniNVX8FCfTggvzLuiDUxzOQ0RSy3Opec0gvPjcmKKnWb1BvrF_Vpe4np5Qf2xq703Jm7QcLIvAtjxnk3-m5IV-PYs7AVsU5A-SdUKp4/s320/IMG_1080.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMVA1xHOL3DnjXiMqlH7oAH8FOj9etLikkJtrBNHPE2kUkvGHsq1Jc5wxJhjEap1ycWu6nm5mX_mDK4Q3KruxZQaULQi2A5k9xT4S5z08BKtFnzwRWbS6gP3P7jUbEwZ7dbn8wGs2WrY/s1600/IMG_1079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMVA1xHOL3DnjXiMqlH7oAH8FOj9etLikkJtrBNHPE2kUkvGHsq1Jc5wxJhjEap1ycWu6nm5mX_mDK4Q3KruxZQaULQi2A5k9xT4S5z08BKtFnzwRWbS6gP3P7jUbEwZ7dbn8wGs2WrY/s320/IMG_1079.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have a little unpacking to do yet, so thanks for ignoring the mess. I've got a lot of cool things going on design-wise and I can't wait to show you! Check back soon. Before I leave you, though, here are some shots of Don Leon helping with the move:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckFd5abYnwuWLE_vOA2ovWbZEFSD2Yt_HqtpKqzvJGbATKw4ZNAgS-o28iWDsNn9ISQ9V2wWrNpWVjQfsxFxagveKub3R0unpPssXfz6j12DkIvqNZ7cIDvk-_FpVPk20Cjcvg0_Erno/s1600/IMG_2548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckFd5abYnwuWLE_vOA2ovWbZEFSD2Yt_HqtpKqzvJGbATKw4ZNAgS-o28iWDsNn9ISQ9V2wWrNpWVjQfsxFxagveKub3R0unpPssXfz6j12DkIvqNZ7cIDvk-_FpVPk20Cjcvg0_Erno/s320/IMG_2548.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_KAy6UkCV3FbBM_szBeRGtV_F2CseHhDobW8Lx2h2U-sC5h-IfhvnIRq1fxiMkY-TmNSpFBK-1wPABasEU6wx53w_NHKSz7qEs-VKM6UwQymuy9rgWy5TxjD7n-n_JDUmJzp_qgGe1A/s1600/IMG_1068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_KAy6UkCV3FbBM_szBeRGtV_F2CseHhDobW8Lx2h2U-sC5h-IfhvnIRq1fxiMkY-TmNSpFBK-1wPABasEU6wx53w_NHKSz7qEs-VKM6UwQymuy9rgWy5TxjD7n-n_JDUmJzp_qgGe1A/s320/IMG_1068.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0A03ny1ycHUiaj6sAdh5dPJmwgczIgInyWoTld-79T0s_U8oJB-dwEgXNJTrt-pY83rDrEyQb6QEmPA-dkt6gzLx9pKyR_putE9Sw8wPNzPHweQY66_BqxLqRmtOQ2g5sqMnIYsLv1c/s1600/IMG_1050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_0A03ny1ycHUiaj6sAdh5dPJmwgczIgInyWoTld-79T0s_U8oJB-dwEgXNJTrt-pY83rDrEyQb6QEmPA-dkt6gzLx9pKyR_putE9Sw8wPNzPHweQY66_BqxLqRmtOQ2g5sqMnIYsLv1c/s320/IMG_1050.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And my personal favorite, courtesy of Mr. N: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2oAshBvTyuvyTSg4wdOMO4uFsyR1bLF9apf9Zn93Rmjv2hA6PHbSioPlBLI_Gg-wcKanasOd98uLiG11gi4c3C1jLszXC9f4NXB7YS4VJnr08vjAe7u8iEfXNWescbVX2STf_aZ2h14/s1600/IMG_2558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2oAshBvTyuvyTSg4wdOMO4uFsyR1bLF9apf9Zn93Rmjv2hA6PHbSioPlBLI_Gg-wcKanasOd98uLiG11gi4c3C1jLszXC9f4NXB7YS4VJnr08vjAe7u8iEfXNWescbVX2STf_aZ2h14/s320/IMG_2558.JPG" /></a></div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-36284098417363530662010-04-15T15:38:00.000-07:002010-04-19T07:45:34.492-07:00Colonel Mustard in the workroom with the hook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>At long last I am proud to present to you the completed Mustard dress! I realize that's not the most flattering name, but I happen to love mustard and am not willing to think of anything more cutesy at this point. But before the big payoff, let me take you back to the beginning. Remember this sleeve? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6F2V-8fzHYvBI3CW0QRUnoOb6l20aR_D0xOZFVA7a1ksi0QDj3qZu6FNqc3lTUhJkL5vbEja6XDZuCo7TwjZTELyF_CbHns5qrDU5jqaNuMa97VY8C7y2Cq8NUJwSZyCnMSvDn0y9X4/s1600/misc+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6F2V-8fzHYvBI3CW0QRUnoOb6l20aR_D0xOZFVA7a1ksi0QDj3qZu6FNqc3lTUhJkL5vbEja6XDZuCo7TwjZTELyF_CbHns5qrDU5jqaNuMa97VY8C7y2Cq8NUJwSZyCnMSvDn0y9X4/s320/misc+017.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">While sleeves by themselves are great, I was looking for a bit more in this dress. I started at the hem and worked my way up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcqw7zrxJ4yXdsNfZj_W5tNbLSSEZJ0AbM5OVSCqGTiuxHD6yjPZJbxnK91dUBXJ_vsw_57uh-_uX784OrrR3SSEsSGUZuYHSftX8tmJfep0Mr7RWgp3dBvsCkyNeyq8tW3l11k6raZQ/s1600/misc+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcqw7zrxJ4yXdsNfZj_W5tNbLSSEZJ0AbM5OVSCqGTiuxHD6yjPZJbxnK91dUBXJ_vsw_57uh-_uX784OrrR3SSEsSGUZuYHSftX8tmJfep0Mr7RWgp3dBvsCkyNeyq8tW3l11k6raZQ/s320/misc+018.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">While that's progress, I also prefer my dresses to have a...(ahem) bodice. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYfrt6QkXE4Vp1Bp1cqvOZ8m8-Ui-2n2HRtqHN1CbUDJBRRCO51XEhsdhWuJf_zzkezsT2ehAbhED7W8vqM-l1iNBHCtTcaIfQLORrxm-p0nkZVocGBHyI68abUHSZqSAVGkoJAQ1Go8/s1600/misc+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYfrt6QkXE4Vp1Bp1cqvOZ8m8-Ui-2n2HRtqHN1CbUDJBRRCO51XEhsdhWuJf_zzkezsT2ehAbhED7W8vqM-l1iNBHCtTcaIfQLORrxm-p0nkZVocGBHyI68abUHSZqSAVGkoJAQ1Go8/s320/misc+023.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Great! Now all we need is a back, and we're set. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This dress was rather difficult in how many times I had to crochet several inches and then rip them out and go back again. But that's what this process is about! It's really exciting when it all comes together:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhaoXFWG5Ekid-FLM-gCg4_P_3wQRe-wEUFlEnS5lGcA91iQHnTai7QnqOD57b49FQ1g5-i5RfDx6RGj20e8_nrBYg3vMaqhpfDF4rq8_r_GAf5edFGNCECADjt89kxx3QV95GmWlw5c/s1600/blog+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhaoXFWG5Ekid-FLM-gCg4_P_3wQRe-wEUFlEnS5lGcA91iQHnTai7QnqOD57b49FQ1g5-i5RfDx6RGj20e8_nrBYg3vMaqhpfDF4rq8_r_GAf5edFGNCECADjt89kxx3QV95GmWlw5c/s320/blog+012.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA37NImO3gKEdutDyDgmOsHwq7l6fdYM-yBSPAAcl9tAz4kJYt88isiiU_KHp7MYRJbUMTLCGU5P4lDeyl3SEjv01hM2tI1s_6OaKNc9GcDs346Jpwao_GuPi_3HD-HOboUjqrJSYPnpY/s1600/blog+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA37NImO3gKEdutDyDgmOsHwq7l6fdYM-yBSPAAcl9tAz4kJYt88isiiU_KHp7MYRJbUMTLCGU5P4lDeyl3SEjv01hM2tI1s_6OaKNc9GcDs346Jpwao_GuPi_3HD-HOboUjqrJSYPnpY/s320/blog+021.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It still has some flaws that need to be worked out, but there you have it! By the way, it's definitely a fall dress. It's rather warm. Thanks to Lion Brand Yarn for the awesome yarn. Love that Vanna's Choice!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks for checking in! Hope you like it!</div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-28274417090231225642010-04-12T08:38:00.000-07:002010-04-12T08:41:33.248-07:00Lady Justice<div style="text-align: center;">As some of you know, when I'm not sewing and crocheting, I'm probably at my job at Chicago-Kent College of Law. While my job is incredibly menial (copying, proofreading, printing, teaching computer basics to professors, un-jamming staplers), it does have its perks. Mr. N and my friend Lauren and I experienced the best of these perks this past weekend when we attended the Barrister's Ball (also known as Law School Prom) onboard the Odyssey II for a dinner cruise. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Never one to shy away from a fancy occasion, I immediately began thinking about what to make. I challenged myself to use only fabrics and notions I already had on hand. This was rather difficult considering the only fabrics I had enough of to make a dress were several yards of various silk brocades I acquired while working as an intern for prom dress designer Loralie. Loralie hadn't wanted to use these fabrics, so she gave them to me. Silk brocade, while beautiful, has a tendency to be extremely colorful, over the top, and difficult to work with. Since taste and elegance were the name of the game I had to carefully consider this design. I also only had a week to do it. Something about this fabric made me think retro '60s vibe a la Mad Men (which is extremely hot right now, for good reason). While I don't have many pictures of the brief process, here's the dress near completion:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8F2ikjvPswnUSnXDCgN6347P5l8KrPMkQPIqBSJzCXzhqfybH8gE1O98cvysUku516RKkOEW79iLxFayT_9ABWOzd7c-k1wBm1at3toUurvnyVLo-eIO2G27Nd8PBVMdeoLSEiYDGDs/s1600/blog+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8F2ikjvPswnUSnXDCgN6347P5l8KrPMkQPIqBSJzCXzhqfybH8gE1O98cvysUku516RKkOEW79iLxFayT_9ABWOzd7c-k1wBm1at3toUurvnyVLo-eIO2G27Nd8PBVMdeoLSEiYDGDs/s320/blog+001.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hated this pretty pretty princess fabric before I started working with it, but I grew to really enjoy its gold shimmer. Here's a detail shot of the neckline:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M6jARb0aZf6UuIptZjqfzCglQHhZb9FGzXsejwW2_VzfDR4QGFyrRoH-9eKZgtrFB8MCbgoORBzE28J7xwg8awPx2Md_-jCuzsw9HlOMP3yLsPw8Q5XonwC-vgLoMHCsrXwLkROfnJw/s1600/blog+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M6jARb0aZf6UuIptZjqfzCglQHhZb9FGzXsejwW2_VzfDR4QGFyrRoH-9eKZgtrFB8MCbgoORBzE28J7xwg8awPx2Md_-jCuzsw9HlOMP3yLsPw8Q5XonwC-vgLoMHCsrXwLkROfnJw/s320/blog+002.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The gold band is simply the wrong side of the fabric. It worked out beautifully!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's Lauren and I walking down Navy Pier to the boat:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucbu6B7skK3O2-1QHjq6bZwMJAsHb5hJkzIw54XU7QagWU2CzAWDZUAzu1bxSFAZfwUvVCZFeCeJDOYP6CG2AcN8NF_hpuGrNoc8Jz74Wfpv9sJqvFmLen2XAuBBUIXxOZ_pj1ulQPVM/s1600/blog+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucbu6B7skK3O2-1QHjq6bZwMJAsHb5hJkzIw54XU7QagWU2CzAWDZUAzu1bxSFAZfwUvVCZFeCeJDOYP6CG2AcN8NF_hpuGrNoc8Jz74Wfpv9sJqvFmLen2XAuBBUIXxOZ_pj1ulQPVM/s320/blog+003.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mr. N and I waiting to board:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVrE6ywzwpm-CH69QIPN9ejzf3l0JN5g63eczGJi8cGixPZgwnzWMR9kGB1AsgjCd_v44ML8e5TOiiMdbopjofPEj0RRdgsn5SqraNIXTHa01GP7ZxuQA9M2elQgziE8GQ6DMAPBPcm8/s1600/blog+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVrE6ywzwpm-CH69QIPN9ejzf3l0JN5g63eczGJi8cGixPZgwnzWMR9kGB1AsgjCd_v44ML8e5TOiiMdbopjofPEj0RRdgsn5SqraNIXTHa01GP7ZxuQA9M2elQgziE8GQ6DMAPBPcm8/s320/blog+006.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And, finally, the best thing to do while you're drinking champagne on a yacht:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRotGiopgAFq0USM6VwzPa2rmYPbzfkedrMQfaxvAClO9xEUAQkRU4WeIR_GHlvLsnD_DjbCO3AFSUR0Dt3kBvndAfKJgykQ4xUbo4l5fXQTwGmo8_-N7uU1KZvIVaHZPD5ZNpBZBIj4/s1600/blog+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRotGiopgAFq0USM6VwzPa2rmYPbzfkedrMQfaxvAClO9xEUAQkRU4WeIR_GHlvLsnD_DjbCO3AFSUR0Dt3kBvndAfKJgykQ4xUbo4l5fXQTwGmo8_-N7uU1KZvIVaHZPD5ZNpBZBIj4/s320/blog+008.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ahh, the glamorous life. We're so glad we (did not) attend law school. </div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-54078289884788198512010-04-05T09:25:00.000-07:002010-04-05T09:28:46.427-07:00Quickie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the two years Mr. N has been with a fashion designer, he has never received a custom made garment. I'm not too great with the menswear, granted, but it was high time he reaped the rewards of being so incredibly supportive of my craft habit. Quite a while ago we picked out some fabric for a suit vest for him, but said vest never got made. I asked him several weeks ago what he wanted for his birthday, and he said, "Why don't you just make me that vest?" Since he had a vest he already liked and fit well, I committed the designer sin of simply copying the pattern. I must say, it was pretty great. So easy! Here's the original:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzsNroirYazO-Kkj9pnsmFvSeqQ_4Ie-aWRUIppBUQJ_68qdWp5s-LdcB8f9JcQd8EQX7_PWVHfe68-n9i-s3KNTT6yUhQmDpQcJqmD_zoXrLeixvIph_e-BC8uB7Z8cIPvxcY6m6BFs/s1600/spring+%2710+046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzsNroirYazO-Kkj9pnsmFvSeqQ_4Ie-aWRUIppBUQJ_68qdWp5s-LdcB8f9JcQd8EQX7_PWVHfe68-n9i-s3KNTT6yUhQmDpQcJqmD_zoXrLeixvIph_e-BC8uB7Z8cIPvxcY6m6BFs/s320/spring+%2710+046.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please note the unsmiling "before" picture. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I simply copied the shape of the vest pieces onto paper for the pattern and made a muslin to ensure proper fit. Here's the muslin:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lGsnLzXhWwZ5mtPB-HmYJhtB3JXB-rapWdkmp0ijNtrk_RWKQpZTfTfoP1ndKL3NQj5eZwqeDymmMVQrMRl9mIdG28mp20oM5Tq9ZsRuzC-1MVA1vp8f5kbZdBESBtO1LO_-SA7x-bA/s1600/spring+%2710+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lGsnLzXhWwZ5mtPB-HmYJhtB3JXB-rapWdkmp0ijNtrk_RWKQpZTfTfoP1ndKL3NQj5eZwqeDymmMVQrMRl9mIdG28mp20oM5Tq9ZsRuzC-1MVA1vp8f5kbZdBESBtO1LO_-SA7x-bA/s320/spring+%2710+011.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"You didn't get my skiier pajama pants in the shot, did you?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWRNRLGd0lWWnGSJOk4Ybi0ijwR60ucUIIFnwlVUn9rQefQyM5wKiS9Xje944lCqQpGELHrgu8cB5IPfo_NabczV4z4cE7ZVFIejv8LtLWFL0C3zh3KCNZURs3axjPO4LkxAyxHjHxB8/s1600/spring+%2710+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPWRNRLGd0lWWnGSJOk4Ybi0ijwR60ucUIIFnwlVUn9rQefQyM5wKiS9Xje944lCqQpGELHrgu8cB5IPfo_NabczV4z4cE7ZVFIejv8LtLWFL0C3zh3KCNZURs3axjPO4LkxAyxHjHxB8/s320/spring+%2710+012.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Wait, did Butler just score?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSa_cXuVY0A3EffOnIcz-9E1NCgoDATnclH6ghTBAnuKQK2TqsCpBZnlCo_aIJfN9beZLwI4JoJSb1EreojZvnHn5KHCY-OPCMGNhJ55ZX39hrFcP9y6IeNeG461l1dQ8_12ZTCGM5oY/s1600/spring+%2710+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSa_cXuVY0A3EffOnIcz-9E1NCgoDATnclH6ghTBAnuKQK2TqsCpBZnlCo_aIJfN9beZLwI4JoJSb1EreojZvnHn5KHCY-OPCMGNhJ55ZX39hrFcP9y6IeNeG461l1dQ8_12ZTCGM5oY/s320/spring+%2710+014.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oops, there he goes to watch the game. Oh well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The vest construction itself was simple. The challenge came in the form of buttonholes. Since my buttonholer is broken, I decided to do bound buttonholes. Here they are finished:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmY7hhscpEz-yClh00gKqOZbrmAdNDUJUyoJaX4iYBLSlg6cZFMjV1P91acPIIw_Kj0RwuV_v8yCvFrN44uHZr9BEfMiObucj8pb67uMBTmbucoUeuELonu-Aa5hrUmtWZphp8j_fQp4/s1600/spring+%2710+042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmY7hhscpEz-yClh00gKqOZbrmAdNDUJUyoJaX4iYBLSlg6cZFMjV1P91acPIIw_Kj0RwuV_v8yCvFrN44uHZr9BEfMiObucj8pb67uMBTmbucoUeuELonu-Aa5hrUmtWZphp8j_fQp4/s320/spring+%2710+042.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They're by no means perfect (or perfectly spaced), but they came out pretty well. Definitely a challenge. I hand finished them on the back:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6JZyeynZ3UZk9EO2_8msHxlKfi84ycMqy1A2UuKVhFVFSw-SLzIljyOqdd8mm2bo2PLaOAPBHTTzf5jBACjqNvYqbXOoqjFsdT-v_fizg740Cic68gcNHI1HRjopnKspIy3WRxZJ9Xc/s1600/spring+%2710+044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6JZyeynZ3UZk9EO2_8msHxlKfi84ycMqy1A2UuKVhFVFSw-SLzIljyOqdd8mm2bo2PLaOAPBHTTzf5jBACjqNvYqbXOoqjFsdT-v_fizg740Cic68gcNHI1HRjopnKspIy3WRxZJ9Xc/s320/spring+%2710+044.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you're having trouble seeing, click on the picture for a closer view. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Finally, after a day of hand finishing at work, it was done. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The "after" picture:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDF6DGJOiKemud-teE4irOM_21NyiAz5dQSw5Dkdbk_adNBovRi_xz6xPBBtSgFgBps3Ldm3wibA9Ey9PIYo02znmbajLEAxY31_WrJ29JQnzqbt59zJh7c9W6QIw7BxPrv4WTxo9XZA/s1600/spring+%2710+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDF6DGJOiKemud-teE4irOM_21NyiAz5dQSw5Dkdbk_adNBovRi_xz6xPBBtSgFgBps3Ldm3wibA9Ey9PIYo02znmbajLEAxY31_WrJ29JQnzqbt59zJh7c9W6QIw7BxPrv4WTxo9XZA/s320/spring+%2710+037.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yes, he is looking very dapper. And to my great delight, he wore it twice last week! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Birthday, darling. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs-J-kdN8kl48QH063XxrsX4k6P8jdtu2WgDFNMwUG6Q18T1QXFfs042KUGxtqtPxZxnekqENX7vCJZH78OE-1zmvjPdMCTTxKiDZBYMDwS6ZFvjvhSl7Twu4obxwMSFEWPj5vG9qO4E/s1600/spring+%2710+041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqs-J-kdN8kl48QH063XxrsX4k6P8jdtu2WgDFNMwUG6Q18T1QXFfs042KUGxtqtPxZxnekqENX7vCJZH78OE-1zmvjPdMCTTxKiDZBYMDwS6ZFvjvhSl7Twu4obxwMSFEWPj5vG9qO4E/s320/spring+%2710+041.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coming soon: The conclusion of the yellow dress. I can't wait to show you how it turned out! </div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-30100597840008342962010-03-18T10:48:00.000-07:002010-03-18T10:48:04.370-07:00Portrait of a SleeveAfter my first successful crochet pattern, the Gia tank, I decided to challenge myself by writing a dress pattern--no easy feat. I didn't really have any idea how to start the dress itself, so I started with a sleeve. The sleeve in my head was a puff sleeve that ended just above the elbow. I experimented with different textures and found one that pleased me, the petite popcorn stitch. I began with a sample of the stitch:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo90WIvBVoft2fTmGjOnY7JSFX_RUl2g8UFJwxoqdG-X7UoldwtNzS8JXxelZ_6FOBXhn-SpV6FOT32d_RGFpRVQxRIvzl7mR5dz2bDhqArjGWrQIqNc5gu7PpbKzD0rBniiiiFTEQUKs/s1600-h/misc+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo90WIvBVoft2fTmGjOnY7JSFX_RUl2g8UFJwxoqdG-X7UoldwtNzS8JXxelZ_6FOBXhn-SpV6FOT32d_RGFpRVQxRIvzl7mR5dz2bDhqArjGWrQIqNc5gu7PpbKzD0rBniiiiFTEQUKs/s320/misc+029.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was happy with this texture, so I continued by making a paper sleeve pattern and crocheting a piece to fit the pattern, recording everything I did as I went. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYwdI7XrEP16db4-ICOy-agtEidO-u2n5K02h2xP1BWTc_wwADLKv2GEyhMxwEQl1DtDL3u1xNoIDUB56aZnbiIFizBEPh-z8bQu4DiGFMAAww3x3leoGU9hDCqIj3RC08WmV6lXjOQg/s1600-h/misc+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYwdI7XrEP16db4-ICOy-agtEidO-u2n5K02h2xP1BWTc_wwADLKv2GEyhMxwEQl1DtDL3u1xNoIDUB56aZnbiIFizBEPh-z8bQu4DiGFMAAww3x3leoGU9hDCqIj3RC08WmV6lXjOQg/s320/misc+025.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just in case you can't read it, here's the closeup:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1C050NRxmkMJ3PBGHeqqEthfX9f6ImMiV4MLUbGvne7FB0dAsDsUcRYodCZ72KgTxNeLQLeCd4UUUqR2Fp06goCIOT82H1X97RZ0uZ9AwQJ-x2CKt9HMKaxAz9NyuUagVYT3kb-Ps_8/s1600-h/misc+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1C050NRxmkMJ3PBGHeqqEthfX9f6ImMiV4MLUbGvne7FB0dAsDsUcRYodCZ72KgTxNeLQLeCd4UUUqR2Fp06goCIOT82H1X97RZ0uZ9AwQJ-x2CKt9HMKaxAz9NyuUagVYT3kb-Ps_8/s400/misc+027.jpg" vt="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, this process quite often drives me bonkers. I hope I'll find more organized ways to develop the initial pattern as I get better at this, but for now it's chicken scratch. Here's how the piece ended up, after I gathered the top edge and sewed the side together:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_HDD5T2b1E1KBFqwXdANjzk8mZAkV1hvQe6CXQYFbio9AZCWY16b2K9rPx72Hyjb4apcJALVDfsygKcDr7Cx4JAVmXisfWBUDUOEt7f5rfZNL8cyideJ627PUOw4GwtLHVQQ-s1XKh0/s1600-h/misc+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_HDD5T2b1E1KBFqwXdANjzk8mZAkV1hvQe6CXQYFbio9AZCWY16b2K9rPx72Hyjb4apcJALVDfsygKcDr7Cx4JAVmXisfWBUDUOEt7f5rfZNL8cyideJ627PUOw4GwtLHVQQ-s1XKh0/s400/misc+013.jpg" vt="true" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not bad...but it was a bit long and I was hoping the shoulder would be a bit more puffy. It's also a bit loose fitting, which I didn't really like. So, back to the drawing board (scratching post?). Instead of making another sample I decided to start crocheting in the actual yarn I was using, Lion Brand's Vanna's choice (yes, that Vanna!). It's a good thing I did, because the Vanna's Choice was a medium worsted weight yarn and the white shown above is a light weight yarn, a fact that didn't really occur to me when I started. So as I used the VC I realized it was much thicker. Once I realized this it became apparent that I would have to start completely over. I could still use the initial pattern as a reference point, though, so I could more easily shorten the pattern, tighten it a little, and puff up the shoulder. I made the new sleeve, and voila:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdOwubRLP2mMPSYIjssNndxBUvrKPSFAIzo0BRoNAntN_gumrhq51WLsDQ7qLKF9agIkwv6C1hotsuITZGh-TzdtS1BbHbLbCp7i_sYsj_qHhak89bGtmrHmlpz9B9hfAwCxSnzoUeu4/s1600-h/misc+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRdOwubRLP2mMPSYIjssNndxBUvrKPSFAIzo0BRoNAntN_gumrhq51WLsDQ7qLKF9agIkwv6C1hotsuITZGh-TzdtS1BbHbLbCp7i_sYsj_qHhak89bGtmrHmlpz9B9hfAwCxSnzoUeu4/s320/misc+016.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As you can see, the yarn is much chunkier. The color, Mustard, is one of my favorites! Much more fun to look at than white. Here's a closer look:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfiMzpWFNdqbRuZYLddYRr9FDzX4fS9DpVUioz88REjoqDLUH12SYJ6fbveW25LT2bmdz1WDU59uEZUGSJMb_RopyJkkzs6PnaUhl1VLkZJBjM-HrRUZjPRGTxdpzyX-4LFtd1stjMNU/s1600-h/misc+017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzfiMzpWFNdqbRuZYLddYRr9FDzX4fS9DpVUioz88REjoqDLUH12SYJ6fbveW25LT2bmdz1WDU59uEZUGSJMb_RopyJkkzs6PnaUhl1VLkZJBjM-HrRUZjPRGTxdpzyX-4LFtd1stjMNU/s320/misc+017.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I like that it's chunkier, it's a little more kitschy and retro. All right, sleeve complete! Kind of makes me wish you could just wear a pair of sleeves, but that would cause quite a sensation. More dress to come. </div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-457066927801043204.post-71438479406911151672010-02-25T09:10:00.000-08:002010-02-25T09:10:58.773-08:00What was that?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
It's been quite awhile since I started crocheting that amorphous blob, and thankfully, it turned out quite different than it started. When you last saw it, here's what it looked like:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTYk0PtwI5XyL0vH-ZmQrXKPUsCNjBdsW3-t4V1W_Tfj0z-Bk2QdB1aDpTKutOJJz68uc35muZMlcT5XpeekDIz_-exVeQvrw_qX5ya-Y1M1aEkq5WIiHLjjZmyW3SJ9k4Qr1qoOvues/s1600-h/image+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTYk0PtwI5XyL0vH-ZmQrXKPUsCNjBdsW3-t4V1W_Tfj0z-Bk2QdB1aDpTKutOJJz68uc35muZMlcT5XpeekDIz_-exVeQvrw_qX5ya-Y1M1aEkq5WIiHLjjZmyW3SJ9k4Qr1qoOvues/s320/image+003.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was part of my first attempt at making a flared, racerback tank top. I experimented using Mary Jane Hall's graduated stitch method, which creates volume through increasing stitch size instead of adding more stitches. I quickly realized that doesn't really work here, because the piece looks choppy. The narrower edge is the neck edge and the wider edge is the flared hem of the top. Continuing on, here's the front I ended up with:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBiQMnumN5RbPD58xC24H6SPCnccpfF9xFh-GihCeBJyVbNfK4qz7FLn_MJwXKmImQwyqRusw_uGSGr9Kh0yKEDtvL0gCedc6SPU967SSLIgc0SsxU_INcgRoJu8LxoiznuDWtYl9pRQ/s1600-h/Monterey+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBiQMnumN5RbPD58xC24H6SPCnccpfF9xFh-GihCeBJyVbNfK4qz7FLn_MJwXKmImQwyqRusw_uGSGr9Kh0yKEDtvL0gCedc6SPU967SSLIgc0SsxU_INcgRoJu8LxoiznuDWtYl9pRQ/s320/Monterey+002.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know you're thinking how awesome (and by awesome I mean terrible) my color choices are, and before you judge me and never read my blog again, let me tell you these are just scrap yarn pieces I was experimenting with. Here's the back:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxX7umSEA4FU-P6eRIlUM24UUavhr2-esAgp-QHasIUhjPIWCbEin3F3ZSKd3u0q7oW7NE4BYFcdz7e5ZjSOpERveYPCS0jYsMtKvodpzD3k-UuL0OzLCB4p3sVyJhcdbfaB_gGmu_AU/s1600-h/Monterey+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxX7umSEA4FU-P6eRIlUM24UUavhr2-esAgp-QHasIUhjPIWCbEin3F3ZSKd3u0q7oW7NE4BYFcdz7e5ZjSOpERveYPCS0jYsMtKvodpzD3k-UuL0OzLCB4p3sVyJhcdbfaB_gGmu_AU/s320/Monterey+003.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But what good are a front and back without straps? That was the real challenge in this garment. I wanted to make a racerback, and made several different variations to attach to the back neckline, but I couldn't get the shape I wanted using the vertical stitch method I chose for this project. As is usually the case, I realized I had to think more simply. So I crocheted a long strip and experimented. Though it's not a true racerback, the straps worked well. Once I had all the elements, I bought some nice yarn to make a real sample. I chose Berroco Pure Pima, a lightweight (#3) worsted cotton yarn. Behold, the finished product:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-faMifcMENWeZPr6LpXrBDCf_tK368yICgJqdT0MbaBa3KdDX2LINP7m417WGeC1G21ndZgI6E0upDQzALqW4m2zsF6Ecf7VdFvD8cOApg2SnWFVdVXSxk0cAoFVMCzgX6rS8QLrnedU/s1600-h/Tank+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-faMifcMENWeZPr6LpXrBDCf_tK368yICgJqdT0MbaBa3KdDX2LINP7m417WGeC1G21ndZgI6E0upDQzALqW4m2zsF6Ecf7VdFvD8cOApg2SnWFVdVXSxk0cAoFVMCzgX6rS8QLrnedU/s320/Tank+010.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The weight of the yarn and the use of Mary Jane Hall's method of stitching in the back loop only (which also creates the ribbing!) make this top hang nicely. Here's how the back ended up:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPa4YBfHuA6qmvnE00ekjxVQSStT_w6iWtfP2T4vhmJ3qC1JnNOm0hUfsCFA_tnNYN9fPcnkHx6GS2ODxjFNHE4JE9MBuNoOpoyiadR34YmMQP-FjptmZKN82RwRZfxadAdbsEBuV5w7Y/s1600-h/Tank+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPa4YBfHuA6qmvnE00ekjxVQSStT_w6iWtfP2T4vhmJ3qC1JnNOm0hUfsCFA_tnNYN9fPcnkHx6GS2ODxjFNHE4JE9MBuNoOpoyiadR34YmMQP-FjptmZKN82RwRZfxadAdbsEBuV5w7Y/s320/Tank+008.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I added a bit of contrast with edging in Berroco Seduce yarn, a gold/brown metallic. It cracks me up to think about yarn being seductive, but whatever, Berroco. Here are some detail shots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihH__UxdEeRg7wNdoLsaHLl0cKZwRv1w1_yhNkDKGkCeL3IzKmNHfcGATc9_Wvat5XZ7Yv2VSlr7LmMFYhEw499zYhD0vtdhuX9G5y9S4HjJM2hCfDv3RY2x8eip6mZm04lqHuODDaGRU/s1600-h/Tank+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihH__UxdEeRg7wNdoLsaHLl0cKZwRv1w1_yhNkDKGkCeL3IzKmNHfcGATc9_Wvat5XZ7Yv2VSlr7LmMFYhEw499zYhD0vtdhuX9G5y9S4HjJM2hCfDv3RY2x8eip6mZm04lqHuODDaGRU/s320/Tank+006.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7D2NqodPWH1EvXPUbLZwKU3opk5G6OTZSL8cgdYsNAqJ0YUBfw3L8zSrAnP-cLfCULYz4xEW5vEsx-1FBl32Psk_Iljwvsod-Wn-_i-V8qCgOuQbXarj9FQ90X_rQV26WtDTuBCX9_Y/s1600-h/Tank+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7D2NqodPWH1EvXPUbLZwKU3opk5G6OTZSL8cgdYsNAqJ0YUBfw3L8zSrAnP-cLfCULYz4xEW5vEsx-1FBl32Psk_Iljwvsod-Wn-_i-V8qCgOuQbXarj9FQ90X_rQV26WtDTuBCX9_Y/s320/Tank+004.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9QjLVhuCSmwhpcj-RXVIEtyI431GD4PujIMafGzWiNZ_9qMy6CgETVBKU-RC1xOpSHhDCQ7Lk76Rb2zYWXczGwN2aVMvKOsx38umyV9lQleXaMjGsvdOG4Xh_gh6-011DUvPF9ekLDA/s1600-h/Tank+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9QjLVhuCSmwhpcj-RXVIEtyI431GD4PujIMafGzWiNZ_9qMy6CgETVBKU-RC1xOpSHhDCQ7Lk76Rb2zYWXczGwN2aVMvKOsx38umyV9lQleXaMjGsvdOG4Xh_gh6-011DUvPF9ekLDA/s320/Tank+007.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I used a surface chain stitch to embellish the straps on the front and back, and handy little stitch to add surface interest. Here's a detail shot of the front.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oB0svGxBEzZ6cQduGwEAotylDd3qBPzhXgrYH4RMhTRxV5PTfmcwXjGTHN4q5wjEM3aWNDs45C44t2Bqu9t5vn39ICAL5FcxoNYUe9uaYwjTJBPjVn8JAKzI17kZMoOPb4bjKSUmP7c/s1600-h/Tank+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oB0svGxBEzZ6cQduGwEAotylDd3qBPzhXgrYH4RMhTRxV5PTfmcwXjGTHN4q5wjEM3aWNDs45C44t2Bqu9t5vn39ICAL5FcxoNYUe9uaYwjTJBPjVn8JAKzI17kZMoOPb4bjKSUmP7c/s320/Tank+002.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Great, right? Well, how does it look on an actual person? That's the real test. And I am the guinea pig. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iBbbdYLZN6dXqMvsPvRRMI40yP4V9D-cEsx9c__OSMLfAtDv8kOltrOkrJ9WaafFoiTr7Kc4yT7t5Iaoaa6itYvUTLrq7q9jinbqGAhUlKRDnijUrLyytEipVMXjVw-iP2m6I3xVNVc/s1600-h/Tank+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iBbbdYLZN6dXqMvsPvRRMI40yP4V9D-cEsx9c__OSMLfAtDv8kOltrOkrJ9WaafFoiTr7Kc4yT7t5Iaoaa6itYvUTLrq7q9jinbqGAhUlKRDnijUrLyytEipVMXjVw-iP2m6I3xVNVc/s320/Tank+021.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What do you think?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFx53N3ics-HuKCjCsI5d7UY2p2ngDk_1erD9yqEebqljFopxvhSlc8V4HqAYVF0dMqlKsiSwEZBkSiQU3QmxEdYDpI_4hIwp-ornloX5ok8m-078h5zQMRK3QawFza0oQ4IDRBhYt-04/s1600-h/Tank+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFx53N3ics-HuKCjCsI5d7UY2p2ngDk_1erD9yqEebqljFopxvhSlc8V4HqAYVF0dMqlKsiSwEZBkSiQU3QmxEdYDpI_4hIwp-ornloX5ok8m-078h5zQMRK3QawFza0oQ4IDRBhYt-04/s320/Tank+014.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A little droopy in the back, but that wouldn't be the case if this were on a person whose hips were in proportion to the rest of their body. It doesn't have the "flare" effect on me so much as "just making it over."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WKtG8Qx6YUCCsJy9HY5PvNQTod79NUgw4bBWUzsvwTzIOqOcDbtt4SPQPP1imNoDOOmpc6k__Rpp0H487HlaTK_R0gCqY8zrthtWRGrcHaw86n7H88gtjcBDI8mAV10xF7fwprYouwQ/s1600-h/Tank+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WKtG8Qx6YUCCsJy9HY5PvNQTod79NUgw4bBWUzsvwTzIOqOcDbtt4SPQPP1imNoDOOmpc6k__Rpp0H487HlaTK_R0gCqY8zrthtWRGrcHaw86n7H88gtjcBDI8mAV10xF7fwprYouwQ/s320/Tank+022.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm pretty happy with it. Note to self--there is a definite risk of transparency with crocheted garments. Haha. I'll have to watch out for that next time. Thanks so much to Mr. N for the pictures...I was in a terrible mood after cleaning the junk out of this corner of my work room to take pictures, muttering "grr, no space for anything," "so tired of living in this craphole," etc, but Mr. N got me to smile. He always does. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks for stopping by to see my progress! Crocheted fashion has proven more difficult than I realized, but it's always an adventure. Up next, a dress (yikes!!). Wish me luck!</div>b.nielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10516018584304456760noreply@blogger.com7