Monday, August 27, 2012

On Top of Old Smokey

No snow, but wickedly smokey here. While temperatures have dropped considerably, the smoke from multiple fires in Northern California have made it impossible to ride.  The sky is hazy, and it still retains a heavy wood scent day and night.  If we did have a fire up here, who would know?

Late August always seems to be the busiest time for spectacular (and not in a good way), emergency calls. The Greensprings Fire & Rescue had three this weekend, one requiring a Mercy Flight off the mountain. The other two left in ambulances. One year we had a string of awful motorcycle accidents, another some pretty bad hiking falls and another, multiple small set fires kept popping up.  The only thing they have in common is the time of year. Beware the Ides of August!!!

I pretty much stuck to my sewing room this weekend. Got myself sidetracked with more shelf shifting but did manage to finish a couple of things. The second Victory Patterns Anouk came out well.



This is probably the only Eichler I'll ever own!



 I love this print and the organic cotton is crisp and full of body. It reminds me of  old fashioned cotton Percale sheets. I have some ideas to change this pattern up completely but am putting it away for now. The second top I snuck in.



 I ordered this pattern (Anna by Amy Butler), and it came in Thursday at Fabric of Vision. I was so smitten with the looks of it, I grabbed some sale cotton and did it soup to nuts in about three hours. It's a wonderful summer top pattern and ladies, you'll like the little bit of coverage that yoke/sleeve offers! Rhonda doesn't do this top justice.



 The back buttons give an interesting detail to an otherwise plain top.



 Now that yoke was a bit of bugger to fiddle with, but it all comes together in the end.
This is the first run through and it's always a little rocky on those. Amy Butler tends to draft her patterns for 20 somethings, so like me, if you try it, you might want to add a bit to the hip area. I graded about an extra inch in from waist to hip. I did not line the body either preferring to do a narrow bias binding for the lower armhole portion. You have to do this before you attach the collar/yoke.  I can see this done up for winter. Grade a little more room in it and do it up in corduroy or a stable ponte knit, add pockets and it would make a cute jumper over a turtle neck with some leggings.

Got to some reading over the weekend also.  I'm almost done with "Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion" by Elizabeth Cline. It will be an eye opener for you. Scan the reviews and I highly recommend it.

Parting shot: Domestic Terrierist!




16 comments:

Anonymous said...

That darn fake dog just had to die! Robin does look very guilt, poor thing. The buttons on your newest creation really do add a lot to the top, very cute.

ladyoftheloom said...

I am pointing Robin in the direction of dog-shaming dot com. Ahem.

I read that book recently also. I searched my closet and found that I have only a few items of commercial clothing made in the USA and they are all at least 15 years old. I had no idea that things were as bad as they are but now I know why I have so few clothes that I love.

Cheers! And stay away from grizzly bears too. Or maybe that is just in Alaska.

Mary said...

Yes, it's smokey here too. Stay safe up there!
Robin looks a bit concerned "It just died Mom...I don't know how that happened" Love the new Anouk, and the Anna pattern is on my list. You have such an eye for pattern and print.

LA said...

Someone is looking mighty guilty!!! But, was it fun???? Great sewing going on around there!!!!

Restless Knitter said...

Hmm, wonder how that happened. Certainly not caused by the innocent looking pup. The stuffed pup does look a little angry ;)

Judy said...

Oh, the guilt is so heavy on little shoulders! I like the fabrics that you chose to work with, especially the first one.

prttynpnk said...

I had to take a serious nap after preparing the anouk patterns and you are on your second! I love it. My bruderlein can't leave a stuffed animal stuffed either, I don't get it.....

Theresa said...

LOL, I guess lasting a little over a year is good wear for a dog bed in this house. He was guilty for about a nanosecond.

Theresa said...

OMG, that is the funniest site ever. Robin dodged the dog shaming bullet this time, but the next time he might not be so lucky. I too have very few commercially made clothes these days
and of those 8 commercial pieces, 3 are vintage and USA made, the rest, newer but also made in the USA. Now shoes are another matter.

Theresa said...

Thank you Mary. An aside, Sandi tells me the Anna pattern is becoming hard to get, it might be going OOP soon.

Theresa said...

A nanosecond of guilt...

Theresa said...

You mean the unstuffed pup! ;) It does look pretty grumpy in it's flat state doesn't it.

Theresa said...

Oh gosh Judy, now you're making ME feel guilty. And then I remember that two days ago he was at it again on the rim stuffing. I guess that guilt isn't heavy enough yet!

I love that fabric myself and am glad the top came out well since there is no more to be had here at least.

Theresa said...

I don't get it either. My parents two sweet Goldens have their toys from day One I bet. I'm starting on another of the taping projects, this one "Hazel" the color blocked number.
Good luck with your Anouk!

Long Ridge Farm said...

Although clearly caught, it must have been delightfully fun to tear the bed to shreds! Joy!

Thanks for the book suggestion..I try hard to find antyhing made in the USA. Fashion is most difficult. You are a great contributor to "made in the USA".

mrsmole said...

Love the button tabs on the back of the Anna blouse and what cool fabric on the Anouk!
What we need is some nice rain to wash everything clean and slow that smoke down. No wonder the puppies are getting into trouble...they must feel the smoke too...it was a dog toy after all, no?