Weekends have been a bit busy here of late, and the next few weekends coming up promise to be full on too. So I was pleased when it so happened that we had no plans this weekend. Yesterday was slow and relaxing, and today has been too. This weekend has seen me working on my Kat Strapless dress. The bodice with lining and boning is now complete. The skirt is mostly complete. Lastly is the zip, then putting the bodice and skirt together.
I also made some pretty tasty cookies today! The recipe for these (are you ready?) Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Cookies was found and pinned from here, and have proven pretty yum.
The weather has been nice, but after a 9-mile walk last weekend, we haven’t done much out this weekend; although I did have a bit of fun with my new phone and camera/panorama option with the view of Galashiels from just beyond our flat:
I name this picture Galarama. My new phone is a Windows phone and I love it! It’s nice to have a phone that can handle Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest apps. My last phone was a pretty old iPhone and all the apps had moved beyond its capabilities.
Also this weekend I had a nice chat with my pops (it’s Father’s Day!) and am just about now off to roast a chicken for dinner. I’m really feeling like a good wife and daughter this weekend. Pat on the back!
Exciting news of the most exciting sort! I’ve got another pattern published, and not only that: it’s on the cover!
Photographer: Dan Walmsley
Model: Haley, BOSS model management
I just love Knit Now magazine, a UK based magazine that draws inspiration and planning from catwalk trends and publishes designs from a variety of designers – from relatively small to hugely popular. Being of the relatively small designer ilk, I love having a chance to get my designs to a wider audience, and seeing them in print in a never-ending thrill. The editor, Kate, is super kind and helpful and knows talent when she sees it. You can tell she and the team work crazy hard to make each issue fantastic.
Even though designing and writing hand-knitting patterns is exactly what I do during the day for Eribe Knitwear, I really enjoy hand-knitting and design so much, it’s great to have the opportunity to do so for my own name as well. This newest pattern of mine is called the Bustier Tee. It’s straight, looks and simple like a Tee-shirt, but uses 1- and 2-strands of laceweight to create a subtle bustier line effect across the bust. I began working on this last December, and was so thrilled when Knit Now accepted it!
I love using water colour paints to illustrate designs and think it helps to get the essence of the design across. I knitted the sample in luxurious Manos del Uruguay laceweight in a gorgeous Emerald. Knitting this requires miles of stocking stitch, but that just happens to be my favourite type of knitting.
I took a few gritty photos of the sample before sending it off, but I think the Knit Now team did a much better job of course!
Photographer: Dan Walmsley
Model: Francesca, BOSS model management
So if you fancy yourself an issue and are in the UK, head out to your LYS or WH Smith for Issue 22 of Knit Now! Pssst! It comes with goodies: a crochet supplement and crochet hook!
You know you’ve gotten lazy about posting when you Dad mentions to you how rarely you’ve been blogging. Sorry Dad! Things have been busy, but as always, there is some stuff worth sharing…
Such as the progress I’ve made on the bodice of my Kat Strapless dress:
I’ve cut out all the bodice pieces – the fashion fabric, underlining and lining. I’ve hand-basted all underlining pieces to the fashion fabric pieces – a therapeutic process I must say. And, I’ve sewn all the pieces together.
Since taking the above picture, I have also assembled the entire bodice, including boning, but have yet to take that picture. I’ve really enjoyed watching the Gertie Bombshell Dress videos while making this. Even though it is for a different pattern, the tips are so helpful.
Also I’ve started a fun quickie project from the recently released book, Handmade in the UK, by Emily Wessel of Tin Can Knits. The book is full of fabby UK-inspired patterns, including of course some lovely words and images about Emily’s new home, good old Edinburgh!
Emily is like me, an expat, so we both see Edinburgh from the same foreigner eyes and LOVE it. Although there is not one pattern in there that I DON’T want to make, I had to start somewhere and needed something small for a weekend trip. I started with Rosewater, a lovely lace beret. I just love that it features the Glasgow Rose motif and cannot wait to finish and block it, and watch the rose bloom!
In non-making news, we went on another mini-walking holiday last weekend and the weather couldn’t have been better. We spotted pigs/piglets, cows/calves, sheep/lambs, goats/kids, and rooster/chickens! We were walking along the Fife Coastal Path from Anstruther to St. Andrews, and it was so nice to be along the water and eat fresh lobster!
Now that’s the Fife Coastal Path finished for us, so what next? I have a good nearby walk in mind – the Borders Abbey Way – but it is a fair bit longer than the portion of the FCP that we’ve done.
