It Needs Fixin’

As promised I did sit down and seamed my daughter’s sweater. For the sleeves I decided to start seaming on top of the shoulders and then worked my way down the front and the back. This helped to get them in evenly, I think.

When I was done seaming I added some decorations. Around the neck I used a crocheted slip stitch chain. On the bottom of the cables I added buttons and embroidered flower petals around them. On the hem I added a row of single crochet.

My daughter loves her new sweater, but when she put it on, I had to admit, it is too short. ( Uh-em, there were a few moments of “It’s-not-so-bad, is it?” and “Maybe it will stretch?” ) The sleeves are fine.

I have written down my notes carefully, but I have not checked, if my swatch lied or something else (me?) went wrong.

Because of how much the yarn changes after washing I have decided to use my last skein of yarn, cast on the amount of stitches for the back and front and knit a band as long as I can make it. I plan to wash it, seam it and crochet it to the sweater’s hemline. I so hope it will look pretty. I also hope, I have enough yarn. The sweater needs at least an inch, two would be better. Oh, knitting is so exciting!

Happy New Year! Einen guten Rutsch! 

The Truth About Christmas Knitting

Have you noticed that I have not mentioned any knitted gifts? Well, the reason for this is not, that these gifts were super secret and unmentionable. The sad truth is, that I had no knitted gifts this year.

I have tried to somehow make it work and failed. The closest that I have come to finishing is a knitted baby hat, that is almost entirely seamed. I chickened out in the last minute, because it looks a bit small. So I want to try it on before sewing in the ends and all.

The other project I had planned as a Christmas gift I have turned into a birthday gift. Wish me luck! It is small and the birthday is in March, but time flies, as you all know!

Then I thought I could put my daughter’s sweater under the tree. But it is still in the same state it was in, when I had that idea. ( I think, I am afraid, it wont fit her. All that shrinking during the wash has made me nervous. Even though I added shrinkage into my calculations….)

The only handmade gifts this year were small bags of cookies for the teachers. I hope, you were more successful than me.

Well, there is no time like the present. I’ll go and try to finish something!

Merry Christmas!

A Scrooge Hangover

What a week it was! I think I spent more waking hours at the school than at home.

When I signed up for to help with sewing I imagined myself sitting at home in front of my sewing machine. Well, it turned out differently!

Janet, the costume coordinator, told me the week before, she needed me to help to get the kids ready (and finding misplaced hats).  That meant I had to be there for every rehearsal and for both shows.

We had a cast of 15 who played the main parts of the show and then all the classes and the choir who came in to sing a song or two. All in all we had to have about 300 kids in costumes.

And then before the dress rehearsal things went funny for me. I did get another job, which was to help change the gentlemen into thieves in the side wings of the stage. What happened then is still a bit foggy but I ended up in the side wings for the plays directing 300 kids on and off the stage and helping the Scrooges and the 3 Gentlemen with their costume changes. Someone called me “Stage Manager”.

I was way out of my comfort zone! I think I did a good job, but I was terrified. Have I told you, that I had never seen the play completely? There was so little room to get the kids on and off stage, plus there was a danger that the backdrop might fall off, if somebody tucked on it.

And now I have this singular perspective on the play, that I was right there, but I still did not see it! I have heard it was very good…..

We also had a fair share of extra excitement: One girl showed up 5 minutes before the show in her Mom’s wedding gown, that was so big, it just fell off her. ( I fixed that!) We had a cast member who had to leave just before her act, because she got hit on the nose and suffered a major nose-bleed. We had somebody showing up very, very late. 

I have no idea, how people do this on a daily basis! It was a bit too much excitement for me…

But I admire the kids who went on stage and they did such a great job. It made me wonder, what they are going to do when they grow up!

Oh, and the feathers? When one of the narrators took off her blue cape after the show, it was covered in feathers. You just can’t win fighting feathers, I guess!  

I Will Be Back – Soon!

This is a week of crazy activity! I will be back as soon as I can stay awake at the keyboard long enough.

Tomorrow: Dress Rehearsal! Keep your fingers crossed that none of the actors has a meltdown or a wardrobe malfunction! (I think, both scenarios are quite likely to happen at this point….) 

Personal Record

I don’t think that there has ever been a day in my life, when I sewed more clothes than today. I have made:

• 2 nightcaps (for the 2(!) Scrooges)
• 1 skirt
• 1 apron
• 2 bonnets
• 2 wraps
• and changed a black skirt adult size 8 into a skirt, that a 9 year old can wear

I have to admit, this did not happen without casualties. I dropped a wooden drawer on my right foot. I wonder, if you could you call this a sport’s injury?

Where is the TV remote? – What?

Oh right, I have to clean up the mess first.

P.s. It was a great pleasure to see “my” capes worn today. The kids loved them so much, they tried to get as much exposure as possible, which means they were constantly walking up and down the hallways in them.

I tried to overlook the feathers clinging to the panels of the capes – and failed, but Janet, who is responsible for all the costumes, has a plan to tackle them! Good luck!

Seeing Things

As I stood next to my stove this morning I saw something move out of the corner of my eyes. When I turned around I watched a lonely white feather floating leisurely towards my counter top. Ugh!

This apparition is a unfriendly reminder of the feather boas that I had to sew around the edges of the three capes’ hoods. It was messy! A day later I still felt something tickle in my nose and wondered if it was a tiny white feather! The feather boa had to be attached by hand and in order to get the needle out of the boa minus the feathers I had to blow them out of the way. Have you ever had to blow on your sewing?

Because of all that messy work I decided on Thursday to pour all my available time into finishing those capes. I was done on Friday at midnight: Yeah!

 On Saturday morning I vacuumed (!) the capes  and put them into a zippered vinyl case, the likes you get when buying a duvet. I briefly considered to label it with “Caution! Freely Floating Feathers!”, but then I thought that anyone who can put on a play with hordes of elementary students could probably withstand a few feathers.

The rest of the day I spent with my son’s birthday party, which was a big success, but quite exhausting. I took Sunday off to rest, well, except for the 2 1/2 hours Christmas baking marathon, about which I will tell you more next time….

Lovely

Have you seen these? I think these are about the prettiest mittens I have ever seen!

And have you noticed, that they would go lovely with my Fair Isle Flower Socks?

Now if only I could figure out how to get everything done I want to and everything I have to and still get a decent amount of sleep! (I am sure you all have the same problem. Any solutions?)

I have managed to finish knitting the Denim Tunic, but I have not had a chance to seam it. I am also considering embellishing it.

I am almost finished with the second cape and I think I will try to make the third one today as well. As pretty as the velvet is, it makes a huge mess and I would like to be done with that!

OK, one step at a time – and a cup of coffee!

I Want One, Too!

I have finished the first cape. It took me 4 1/2 hours. ( I spent 30 minutes of that time struggling with my serger. Apparently I own a model that re-threads itself the wrong way while sewing…Grrrrr!)

As it turned out the pattern consists of only 2 pieces: one for the hood and one for the body. The 4 panels have all the same shape.  The cape is gathered around the neckline, but the hood is fully lined and pleated. So pretty! 

I have to admit I am quite smitten with my cape. I wish it was in fashion. I can see myself wearing it proudly, combining it with a Gandalf-like hat and sturdy lace up boots. I bet, I could accomplish a lot wearing that outfit!

Sadly, it is not mine to keep…. (Considering that my son is already embarrassed by my new off-the-shelf rain boots, that might be a good thing!)

 Now I have two more to sew: one in red and one in blue. And no, I have not started my Christmas baking yet.