The Iceman Cometh

This is an atypical winter, no two ways about it. After our beautiful snowfall, the weather felt compelled to rain all over that beautiful snow. We lost a lot as it saturated and compressed and then the cold weather came. I was going to ride yesterday. It was sunny, it was cold and crisp and it was a skating rink. The horses are slipping and sliding in the feeding areas of their paddock, the ice is thick and it's anywhere you've ever walked or driven. Where it is still snow the crust is so thick I can walk on it. But they can't. It makes for very unpleasant riding and was deemed far to dangerous to risk it for a little hour ride in the woods. It's always about this time that I wish I could pack them all down to a barn in the valley with an indoor arena. But then I remember none of us enjoys going around in circles, nor being shut in every night, nor the heavy expense, nor the drive down daily to visit. Sigh....

Of course it has meant that fiber pursuits are still in full swing. The flag warp will come off today, and a new one will go on next week. The same thing, 5 yards, black and white for prayer flags. The mixed warp has been spread and awaits the winding. It's going to be a bugger due to all the grabby boucle yarns but fingers crossed we'll get a decent wind on. I may have DH give a hand with this one today.

While you will get to see my flags in full when they come off the loom, my Dad is working this winter on some spectacular scarves and what daughter wouldn't want to show them off. Here is the first in a pinwheel pattern (60 Scarves-60 Years book). The colors are eggplant and silver in bamboo.

I've done a bit of sewing, working through the patterns I cut in the beginning of the week. A while ago I said I would never try another Burda pattern. NEVER say never.

I fell in love with both versions of this pattern and since it was on sale for cheap at the local JoAnn's I figured I would give it a whirl.

I had a good amount of leftover fabric from another project so no tears would be shed if it didn't work out. Surprisingly, I really like it.

I need to do a few adjustments, lower the little front band about half an inch, do a better finish than what they tell you to do on the complete neck edge and I will continue to sew that back pleat down.

It made the top fit so much better and keeps the interesting asymmetrical detail in tact. It's very hard to see in this picture but if you look at the pattern link, you'll get what I'm talking about.

A fabric with more drape is really required for this to be at it's best, but I had this nice soft cotton on hand for the first run through. I didn't do the best job getting this back on Rhonda, it fits MUCH better than it looks in the photos. I like the other version just as well but will lose that ridiculous long back shirt tail. I will say Burda does an awful job with directions, that certainly hasn't changed and I'm am rewriting them and adding notes/details to the pattern so the next time I make it, I'll have a better time of it.

I also made myself a Quincy top as a jacket.

The fabric is a nice black and white wool mini check, tropical weight, with a linen/cotton blend collar, cuffs and pocket details.I liked the looks of a metal zipper with this one and added some silk tie scraps that I had just because it made me happy to do so.

It has been lengthened a bit from the pattern. It is comfortable, light and warm with the addition of a turtleneck. It will get a lot of wear.

In farm news, nothing much to report. Everyone is looking kind of tubby and well fed right down to the barn cats. Last Friday Peter ( who is not as agile at 17 as he once was) attempted to jump up on the high guest room bed. He didn't make it and sheared off a rear toenail catching it on the metal box spring frame. There was a lot of blood but no crying and no panic. We have seen toes of woe before and are well prepared. I cleaned it off with a betadine solution, we managed a nice pressure bandage complete with bright teal vet wrap and started the boy on antibiotics. Through everything he stood like a champ and let us do what we had to do with not a single complaint, unlike some silly puppy I know! Off to the vet Tuesday for a look see. No swelling, no infection, no limping and came home with no bandage and just a few more days of antibiotics. He's on the mend but our walks have been curtailed in with this crusty snow and ice. No point tempting the fates.

Parting shot: Sewing buddies Rodger and Peter.