Green Apples

1. What to do on a snowy Saturday… - Cut and sew and make a garment that is totally inappropriate for the weather! Actually, it’s made of wool, so I say it counts as a winter garment.  Yes, after 3 muslins I’ve finally got my fit issues worked out on the Rooibos dress, and I’ve cut into my wool crepe.  I preshrank this crepe in the dryer [...]
2. fabric and fitting - I’ve spent the past 2 evenings making a muslin of the Colette Rooibos dress.  I’ve been having some trouble with the sizing.  Here is the size chart: My actual measurements are 32-27-36.  I decided to cut the bodice in a size 0, and the skirt/waist in a 2.  The size 0 bodice was pretty tiny (as [...]
3. Choosing patterns that suit - Look, I’m the first to admit that I have a pattern buying problem.  I am totally unable to resist a cute modeled (or drawn) photo, and will often buy something without thinking of how it will actually look on my body.  However, as of today I’m making a pledge – no more buying patterns if [...]
4. Randomness, answers to comments - You guys, I am seriously exhausted this week.  I’m singing in the Verdi Requiem with the Louisville Orchestra (and if you’re local you should totally come… it’s going to be great!)  We’ve been rehearsing every day, and today was the first full dress, on stage with orchestra etc.  Let me tell you, standing shoulder to [...]
5. FO: A top for girly lumberjacks (Simplicity 2501) - Pattern: Simplicity 2501 Fabric: Green flannel cotton from Fabric.com (actually a quilting flannel I think) Notions: Six 1/2″ green buttons, sew in interfacing, a set of 3/8″ shoulder pads Notes: This is my new favorite photo of myself… see below for the shirt in living color!  I was attracted to this pattern because of the ties and the [...]
6. Spring simplicity patterns - It’s too early for Spring knit patterns, but the spring sewing patterns are coming out!  Despite the fact that I’m new to sewing, so all the patterns are new to me, I do love new releases.  Joanns and Hancocks have regular sales where Butterick, McCalls and Simplicity go to 99 cents, and Vogues are 3.99,  [...]
7. FO: Beignet Skirt - Pattern: Beignet by Colette Patterns Fabric: yellow cotton twill from fabric.com Notions: 10 7/8″ navy blue buttons by la mode, ivory bemberg rayon for lining, twill tape to reinforce waistband. Notes: I love, love, love this skirt!  I made a size 2, after I made the muslin in a size 4 – the 4 matched my waist measurement, [...]
8. Buttonholes - I’ve sewn a lot of buttonholes and buttons into knitwear.  I’ve repaired my share of coats with missing buttons.  But it never before occurred to me how you make the actual hole the button goes into.  My machine has an automatic buttonholer, which is great – program the length and it does all the work! [...]
9. Something new every day - For the past week or so I’ve been working on a skirt – Beignet from Colette Patterns. Can I just stop and say how much I adore high-waisted skirts?   I do!  When you’re short-waisted like me you can either see them as a blessing or a curse – after all, it’s nice to be in fashion, [...]
10. Wearing handknits: Vaila + resolutions 2010 - I only wear Vaila when the weather gets super cold – and as we aren’t breaking the freezing line this week, I think it qualifies!  Made of Malabrigo, it’s soft but tends to pill and catch lint.  After a year’s distance, I like it far better than when it was new.  I wouldn’t make it [...]

Mason-Dixon Knitting

1. Busy Day Busy Day - Dear Kay, I have to keep it brief because things are superbusy around here. New York, New York! Carrie's bat mitzvah was amazing, as we all kind of suspected it might be. So proud to see her up there,...
2. Learning from Sheep, and Kristin Nicholas, Too - Dear Kay, Knitting designer Kristin Nicholas has a really beautiful blog post today about her sheep: Lessons from Sheep. I've had a copy of her new book, Color by Kristin, on my kitchen table for a couple of weeks...
3. Breakin' News: Merle Hazard Takes Over PBS Tonite! - Dear Kay, Hubbo-I-mean-Merle Hazard is gonna be on the teevee tonight! Tune in to the PBS NewsHour (formerly McNeil/Lehrer). Here's a little preview. A great warm-up to the State of the Union! Check your local PBS station listing for the...
4. From Our Far-Flung Dishrag Correspondents - Dear Ann, It sure is hard to keep up with all the news in these times. For example, the Ballband Dishcloth. There is just always something happening with the Ballband Dishcloth. People love it. It is the ur-dishrag, deeply embedded...
5. Mother of the Bat - Dear Ann, Lest anyone think I'm hiding out in an AMC Pacer or something, a quick note to let you know what's going ON up here. It's HUGE. Here's a hint. Here's another. Yes, it's Carrie's bat mitzvah, on the...
6. Estate Planning - Dear Kay, Deeply amused at the amount of Tabu Spray Cologne that is apparently still out there. Maybe it doesn't go bad? Maybe it's like single-malt whiskey? Maybe it IS single-malt whiskey? Kind of a hi-test breath spray? I...
7. Nashville Flea Market 2010: It Can't Get Too Odd for Me - Dear Kay, Ahhhhh, it's been a while since I had a good flea market crawl, so it was a quick yes when I got a call from my friend Elizabeth of Style Blueprint, a blog that is rapidly becoming Nashville's...
8. olive and kermit thank you all - dear everybody oliv and i thank u for yer contributionz to Haiti. oliv haz a big headache at the moment becuz the elastic on the fairy princess crown that the big lady put on her has cut into her...
9. Olive and Kermit's Give-Money-to-Haiti Blogathon - Dear everybody, Yes, there's a telethon tonight, Hope for Haiti, that will be broadcast on every channel in the known universe. No, George Clooney did NOT call to ask if we wanted to participate. He hasn't called in, like,...
10. Midweek Miscellany - Dear Kay, Let's just see here. I got nothing organized for you, but I do have tidbits and knicknacks. 1. Sleep Challenge 2010: Did you know that there is a Sleep Giant amongst us? Designer/author Kristi Porter shared her sleep...