WWKIP - 2011

This entire week is World-Wide Knit In Public Week. Most knitting groups, however, chose June 11th for their Knit In Public day. My local knitting group, the NELA Knitters and Crocheters, were no exception to the rule.

We met at Pop Shop, an eclectic store with lots of fun, whimsical items and records (the old kind) in the back.

Leslie, the owner of Pop Shop, had been to a funeral of a family member sometime this past winter and saw a tree that had been "yarn-bombed". She posted in one of our group threads (on Ravelry) that she would like for us to all do something like this. The battle-cry was taken up and soon plans were being made to "yarn-bomb" the pillar in front of Leslie's shop.

Laura, Crystal, Britney, and Shelley

Crystal and Britney

Kristi and Leslie (owner of Pop Shop)

Shelley's daughter, Skylar* and Kristi

Rachael and you can kind of see me at the edge

Group Picture:

Top Row: Crystal with her baby, Benjamin, Kristi, Rosemary, Shelley holding Debra, Skylar* & Debbie

Bottom Row: Elise, Leslie, Laura, Nancy, Me! & Britney

Not Pictured: Allison & her daughter, Mary Claire, Hannah & Rachael (but they were there)

I had an absolute blast! I wore my Julia. I blocked it Thursday afternoon and it was ready to wear by Friday.

Oh! Before I forget! I stole all but the last of these pictures from Nancy - she's an awesomely talented photographer.

*I'm not sure if this is the correct spelling for her name!

I Want a Petticoat

It used to be that whenever I would go into town (BTW, that's a 40 minute drive for me), my girls knew that we would be spending at least a half-hour to an hour at the local Hancock's. Ha! Hasn't happened in a pretty long while. Nowadays, they can just stay in the vehicle while I run in to buy thread or a pattern or two. But... on one of the few recent trips that I did spend more than 5 minutes in the store, I found this pattern.

Butterick 5603, View C - suitable for border prints!

Sew this dress and you can also be happy as a lark with your skinny-minny waist!!

View C is the turquoise dress in the upper left corner. Beautiful, no? Something about this just spoke to me. Woke up a strong desire to have a pouffy dress and hand-gloves. Okay, so not so much with the hand-gloves, but I did want to feel the elegance of walking around with a petticoat and heels. Maybe a hat? Have I been reading too many romances lately?

Whatever! Back to the pattern. When I saw that View C could be used for border prints, I immediately thought of this fabric that I bought 4! years ago from Gorgeous Fabrics. It's a divine cotton, white with black dot border-ed fabric. The flowers are vinyl with embroidered detail. Many times, I've tried to think of what to make with this fabric.



I've thought, and thought. Upon seeing 5603, I thought that I had finally found my pattern. This fabric would finally be out-of-stash! Unfortunately, when I pulled the pattern out to look at the lay-out? After buying the pattern and taking it home? The border goes along the surplice wrap of the dress bodice. Look closely at the pattern illustration (something I didn't do!). Gah! I thought of taking the flowers off, but they would have to be re-sewn onto the dress and all of the embroidery details sewn also. Not happening - I would like to wear the dress this year, not at Debra's wedding.

So, I'm back to the drawing board... unless... somebody out there has any ideas? What do y'all think of V2561?

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In knitting news, I've finished Julia and it's blocking as I type. I love this top!!!!

Please Help

If you happen to live in Arkansas - please be on the look out for this woman. Her son has worked on our farm for several years before moving to Ohio to live with his grandparents. The entire family is rather shook up about her disappearance.

Thank you!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Sewing and knitting, of course! What's better than combining two obsessions loves?

Before we left to go to Fort Worth, I had started working on The Two Summer Dress for Debra. This dress combines a top knit a size larger than the child's current size (so, a size 3 for Debra) with a simple cotton skirt. The back straps criss-cross over each other in the back for the first year of wear and the second year they just flip to the back side without crossing.


The yarn I used is Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK Cotton in Blush. I bought one skein (of many different yarns) last year in April or May from The Knit Studio in Jackson, MS. I also had 3/4 of a yard of this sweet cotton print that has a retro circus theme with clowns, dogs, elephants and camels. It's a sweet print that I picked up last year at my local quilt store. I really felt like the muted red and the yellow combination would make a cheerful summer outfit.

After knitting the top (which I did not block). I pulled out the fabric and cut a rectangular piece 22" x 44". This allowed me to have a 4" hem plus 1" and 1/2" growth tucks. Whenever I make tucks in a skirt, I start sewing about 4 to 5" away from the edge of the fabric.



Sewed the back center seam leaving a 3" opening at top. Ironed the seam allowance flat.


Then I come back and finish sewing the tucks.


I gathered the skirt and hand-sewed the top to the skirt using a back-stitch.


Left a 1/2" overlap on the back for the button.


Just up from a nap and trying on dress.


Bed head! I didn't use the ribbon that is called for in the pattern to stabilize the straps. I wish that I had.

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In other sewing news, I finally cut off 2" of this Anthropologie top that I bought a while back. The "before" length hit me right at the widest part of my hips - not a good look. I wish that I had taken a before picture because it's amazing the difference a 2" hem job made to this top and how it looks on me.

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I've continued to work on my Julia. I've knit the bottom of the top and have moved on to the right and left upper front. I'm hoping to have this blocking by Wednesday.