Monday, February 27, 2012

Cream & Green

It's an understatement to say I like this simple color combination. Depending on hue and intensity of the colors it can say Summer, it can say Christmas and it can certainly say Spring. This warp is Spring hands down.


As promised I got a good start on it. I even remembered I had some lovely sale bought Cleckheaton Country Silk 8 ply yarn. This is a bit heavier at DK weight but the soft white blends well, the silk gives it the same hand and shine as the rest of the yarns and the bonus, it has nubs in it!


This mimics the original fabric perfectly. Of course starting on it meant I had to finally sit down and figure out just how many, how long and how much on the yarn front. Stats are 18 epi and 22 inches wide and 3 yards long, plain weave. It was obvious (finally) to me that more yarn was going to be needed. I probably would have figured this out a little sooner had my hand held cheapy 10 year old calculator not died. I had to go to the old fashioned way of pencil, paper and brain power. My folks will tell you, math is not my strong suit, but I rise to the challenge when I must, if albeit, a little late. The Shibui, while lovely (and I still have a second complete ball for mixing in) is expensive for the amount of yardage I need, but WEBS has come through with a very similar yarn with good yardage. Meet Valley Yarns Charlemont, which hopefully will arrive on my doorstep sometime around the end of the week. Next weekend, I'll finish off the warp and start to get it on the loom.

Not much sewing, one item in process that likely will be finished up today, but plenty of planning and getting patterns out and matched with fabrics. Pants mostly. And then there are these.


DH gifted me Valentines Day with some Italian pattern magazines, La Mia Boutique.
I had been hot for some interesting patterns and these were recommended by the helpful folks on Sewing Pattern Review. Of course they are not readily available in this country so a look see over at eBay was in order. We found some in the UK, he said pick and I did. They look innocent enough don't they? And after you get through browsing the fashions,


and technical drawings,


you can pull out the pattern sheets. OH MY! Mama Mia!!


At least 6 pages of them (double sided) with approximately 25 patterns
in each issue.


It may take me half the week to just find all the pattern pieces on these sheets, but dang it, I DO love a challenge and I have a good sense of humor. I'm feeling my skills are just good enough to get this together properly even if I can't read Italian and there are no construction pictures. Most blouses go together just about the same way, right? But the real question is: Will this be easier BB or AB (before beer or after beer)?

Parting shot: Biscuit baiting out take. Still too short even with tongue stuck out and eyes glowing. Such a pity.

9 comments:

Cindie said...

I say no beer while trying to copy off your pattern pieces or who knows what your clothing will look like after being sewn! They look like a challenge.

bspinner said...

I'm just started working a very simple vintage style needle work bag to go on to the wooden handles I have. The whole patter is actually one piece fabric, one liner and one for the interfacing. I took one look at your pattern and thanked my stars it wasn't mine.

Love the greens in your weaving.

Mary said...

No beer...sorry. :-)


I love the cream and green combination. It is sure to be lovely.

ladyoftheloom said...

BB for sure with that mess of lines! Onto what kind of fabric/paper do you trace your patterns? I found a gridded sort of fabric in the interfacing section at JoAnn that I thought I might use.

The coat will surely be gorgeous.

Tina J said...

Theresa, I am fluent in Italian if you need any help. Some of the sewing terms might stump me since I did not sew when I was there, but I suppose we can always look it up!

Laura said...

You might try Babelfish.com for translations. It's usually pretty good.

Love the outtake!

Maggie said...

My first stumblings in French were from translating knitting patterns when I lived in Paris. Just get a dictionary, real or virtual, when you get stuck. You sew so much, it should be easy! The patterns look like a maze! Keep us posted!

Theresa said...

Cindie, that seems to be the consensus on tracing BB.
With these who know what they'll look like anyway! ;)

Bspinner, I just bet you were thanks those stars!

Mary, it is an awfully pretty spring green, not too yellow, not too blue, a Goldilocks hue, just right.

LOTL, Good to hear from you! As to paper, it's sort of like a very light tyvek. Fairly easy to see through to trace but sturdy enough to sew carefully should you really want to do some fitting before cutting into fabric. Might be the swedish paper. I'll ask as I need more.

Oh Tina J, THANK YOU!!! If I get stuck I'll give a shout out for sure.

Laura, thank you for the ready translation site. I loved the outtake too even though it isn't the finest pic of him.

Maggie, I will do that. I've often wanted an excuse to buy a print italian to english dictionary. Looks like I've got one now.

Judy said...

What a lovely cream and green combination! I'm looking forward to seeing the fabric that you weave.
Enjoy your week,
Judy