Silly Alarm Clocks

Saturday included a mission with my brother who was looking for a specific alarm clock.  The alarm clock hunt began at IKEA where he had seen said alarm clock about six months ago.  After a fantastic IKEA Cafe lunch we scoured the store looking for the alarm clock.  While we looked i learned more and more about the special item we were trying to find which was a vintage styled alarm clock with bells on top and was powered by being wound up...no batteries and loud as the Apocalypse.  IKEA failed us and had no such thing, neither did anyone in the store have the slighest idea what we were talking about.  Onto stop number two, Target,  where we found some of the most hilarious alarm clocks ever after being sent to three different locations within the store (apparently there isn't an alarm clock section and they are in different spots all over the store...).  We did manage to find an alarm clock with bells on the top that the brother deemed a decent temporary while the search for the wind up version continued.

Silly Alarm Clock #1 - "Warning: This alarm clock will wake you up!"


Silly Alarm Clock #2 - Solar Powered Alarm Clock? - Not for your friends in Alaska


Silly Alarm Clock #3 - The Bright and Colorful Arlarm Clock of Doom!!!  Welcome back 1989 Cross Colors!

Alice's New Embroidery

It's exciting to finally see some backlit Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland posters. Backlighting just about anything adds an air of magic and fantasty. Such is also the case when I saw the new Alice character poster this morning, a poster I see flat every day in the BART stations of my daily commute. Her shimmering blue dress has had my eye and today I got a good look at the bottom edge. Oh beautiful embroidery! It's fantastic how the costume designer managed to get the main themes of the film onto the dress, and in such a simple/elegant mannor. I have been eyeing the dress for a few weeks now admiring the lighty shirted lower ruffle and fantastic button front bodice...I want one! Also the shoes look pretty hot ; )

I'm not as fasinated yet by the Hatters costume, but in all fairness I haven't seen a backlit Mad Matter poster yet so there may still hope.

Things to keeping you sewing and out in the world over the next few months

You'd think 2010 must be National Steampunk year will all of the events listed below.  There are a number of other events going on too ... but i think they are all vampire or "dark" events.  Dash of salt here people as i'm going to find, post, and discuss things i like so there should be no surprises with the below all being Vampires and Steampunk themed (i'm saving the Gilbert & Sullivan event for the next post as it's in September though i can't wait for an opportunity to dress up as pirate Ruth or sunny summer day Mabel and sing about animals, minerals, and major generals).

*most* descriptions direct from their respective websites.  Please leave comments for any events i may have missed coming up through June.  I will *try* to do this quarterly and help would be greatly appreciated.

Wonderland: A Tim Burton Ball aka Abney Park Show
Where: DNA Lounge SF, CA
When: Friday February 5th @ 7:30pm
What: Abney Park comes from an era that never was, but one that we wish had been. An era where airships waged war in the skies, and corsets and cummerbunds were proper adventuring attire. They've picked up their bad musical habits, scoundrelous musicians, and anachronistically hybridized instruments from dozens of locations and eras that they have visited in their travels and thrown them into one riotous dervish of a performance. Expect clockwork guitars, belly dancers, flintlock bassists, middleastern percussion, violent violin, and Tesla powered keyboards blazing in a post- apocalyptic, swashbuckling, Steampunk musical mayhem. Swing Goth is what happens when rock-a-billy meets goth, and is peppered with a little blues, waltzing and a healthy portion of dirty dancing... all to modern music.

le Mardi Gras des Vampires
Where: Masonic Lodge of San Mateo
When: Saturday, February 6th @ 8pm (dance lessons @ 7pm)
Who: Hosted by PEERS
What: New Orleans’ most amusing hosts, Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac, and their ward, Mlle. Claudia, invite you to a joyous Mardi Gras Ball in true Nineteenth century ante-bellum New Orleans style. Suggested attire is period costume, fantasy Mardi Gras costume, or a fanciful version of period costume century costume is especially fashionable for Mardi Gras but any earlier historical period costume works well, too). Modern evening dress is perfectly acceptable, however, and there is no dress code for the ball. To protect your reputation, masks are strongly recommended.

SF in SF Steampunk Movie Night | Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog - AND - Perfect Creature
Where: Emeryville, CA
When: Wednesday March 10th @ 6pm
What: Dr. Horrible...need i say more?

Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition
Where: Emeryville, CA
When: Friday March 12th, Saturday March 13th, Sunday March 14th
What: The Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition Brings Alternate History Back to the Bay Area ... This event is being put on by what sounds like the same people as the Steampunk Halloween convention in 2008 in Sunnyvale. What i've pieced together from the events list there will be a Ball, standard "Programming" which i'm assuming is panels/workshops, vendors, and "games" which i'm guessing table top/card games (i was surprised at the LARP in Seattle and amn't sure if the trend will continue here)

The Legion Fantastique Ball
Where: Masonic Lodge of San Mateo
When: Saturday, April 3 @ 8pm (dance lessons @ 7pm)
Who: Hosted by PEERS
What:  Aeronauts, submariners, aetherial explorers, and gentlemen and lady adventurers of all type are invited to join the intrepid members of TheLegion Fantastique for a celebration in honour of the memory of their founder and inspiration, M. Jules Verne!

The Courts of Faerie Masquerade Ball
Where: Masonic Lodge of San Mateo
When: Saturday, May 1st @ 8pm (dance lessons @ 7pm)
Who: Hosted by PEERS
What: Waltz the night away among the fairies, pixies, goblins, redcaps, wizards, sorceresses, enchanted princesses, charming princes, intelligent cats, and Fairy Tale characters of every other description at the most magical ball of the season – when the Unseelie King and Queen of the Fae honour May Day and resign their crowns for six months to the blessed Seelie King and Queen.

Maker Faire
Where: San Mateo County Faire Grounds
When: Saturday May 22nd and Sunday May 23rd
Who: Markers of all innovative things
What: Maker Faire is a two-day, family-friendly event that celebrates the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) mindset. It's for creative, resourceful people of all ages and backgrounds who like to tinker and love to make thing



Sneak Peek of a summer event...

The Great Pan-Kinetic Exposition
Where: Vallejo Water Front (Same as Pirate Faire)
When: Saturday July 31st & Sunday August 1st
What: The Great Pan-Kinetic Exposition is an event that brings to life the history, grandeur and fantasy of the turn of the 20th century. The fantasy of H.G.Wells, great personalities like Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, fabulous entertainments and one of a kind craftspeople embody the spirit of the event! Enticing aromas of American staples such as hot dogs, hamburgers, and apple pie will mix with soda fountains and popcorn stands. Contests for children and adults will share stages with magicians, Vaudeville acts, and electrical wonders.

An Edwardian Weekend full of Stripes and Croquet

A couple of awesome friends accompanied me to the Edwardian Ball this weekend and we had a blast!  In case you've missed the last few weeks of craftyness...this is what it had all been building to, and turned out to be worth it even if i skipped the polonaise.

Friday Night

Casual night, well casual for fantasy costumers.  It was a super stripey night for us and the other patrons.  K had been working on a stupendous black/white vertical striped skirt with cartridge pleating all around the waistline so the top of the skirt was solid black and the white sprayed out over her petticoat...gorgeous!!!  Topped off we a red trimmed black jacket and adorable red hat.  T went with a cute Edwardian style silver skirt, black shirt, and adorable short black bolero.  Her skirt had the cutest baby bustle in the back! I had ditched the polonaise i had made the purse for a few weeks ago in lieu of what is now totally the ringmaster costume.  A Mary Poppins corset that held everything and more that my purse does on a normal day along with reasonably flounced bloomers.  Both in a matching dark green fabric with a fun shadow stripe vertically. This is the same costume i managed to completely sunburn myself in at Maker Faire last year, glad this was at night.  The matching hat has been spruced up a bit with a couple of flowers that K made out of silver ribbons.  Thanks lady!!!

    

The entertainment included a lot of fantastic singing, dancing, and great musicians.  The music was always going with or without a band which helped to keep the energy in the main floor ball room high, even though the room wasn't packed.  Some of the acts i managed to catch were: Fou Fou Ha!, Vagabond Opera, Agent Ribbons.  There was constantly something shiny and spinning on stage, hard to avent your eyes.

A quick run through the vendors area set in that 2010 is the year of the hat.  Not only were tons of people wearing them, but nearly 50% of the vendors had them with a large portion specializing in them.  I love me some hats so this is fantastic news.  I got to see House of Wormwood that made the two fantasic outfit building hats i own, the only hats i haven't made myself.  The woman who makes all of the hats does a fantastic job and i nearly walked away with two super cute hats.  A) Deep burgundy tricot with silk flowers that had been tea overdyed and looked completely worn.  B) Orange like the Camel hat in a two piont tricot type style with gorgeous blk/white stripped ribbon cockade and a cute vintage button to hold it all in place.  (I don't need another hat, i don't need another hat, i don't...)


Saturday Night

To the 9's!  The A-game was brought (as K would say).  T wore a soft blue velvet dress that she completely sewed by hand!!!  Stab my eyes out that sounds painful, and damn the dress was beautiful!  She embellished it was a crystal beaded trim along the front neckline and shirred satin cap sleeves.  Topped it all off with a white silk flower...awesome!!!  K went with the full fantasy costume from the Edwardian time as Ozma.  Wearing a long natural cotton dress with a wrap that had ribbons falling from her shoulders and a crown.  What's a princess without a crown?!?!?  Fantastic copper wire crown with white silk flowers on the sides of the crown.  I got out all of the petticoats, edwardian underwear (from Pirate Faire 2009), and super cute Subterranea black brocade dress from the 90's.  K did my hair up super pretty and topped it off with a bow.

    

Entertainment included the Rosin Coven show, more acrobatics, and super awesome music.  I'm not super sure which bands we saw as there was a lot of in and out to take some cute pictures along with a croquet break that ended in me getting pelted with croquet balls.  Croquet is one of the few "sports" i learned to play with my family as a child (the other was hiking) and i love it!  Something about getting to whack the balls around on the grass is very fulling, and much easier than mini golf.  I'm sure it didn't hurt that it was in Alice in Wonderland and Heathers either being two of my favorite visual things.

Nothing new in the vendor area, but i did catch georgeous chandelier necklaces, and surprise surprise...i need one!  There were necklaces that turned the most plain of women into starlettes, something highly seductive in a black 4" choker chandelier glass beaded necklace.  I'm not sure where to find this item that i desperately need and after some looking on ebay/etsy i'm not quite sure where these beautiful examples came from.  If anyone's got a great source please pass it along.

Post Ball...

The weekend was a blast and i can't wait for all of the fun that's ready to be had in February and March!!!  Lots of other costume ideas were chatted about and so much inspiration was found in others from new and fun takes on top hats to how to get more ruffles out of your ruffles and tons of RED!

Event listy post to follow later this week...

New life for an old skirt

More outfit planning has been occurring for the Edwardian Ball this coming weekend.  While trying the dress i am going to wear on Saturday night the group consensus was it needed a petticoat to help with the fullness of the skirt.  Without one it wasn't wretched, but it wasn't it's best either.  A real fluff things up type petticoat is not something i own, i never really thought that i'd need one.  Oh well... so it seemed that I would need to come up with or make one in the coming week which isn't bad as i love to sew, but i was also sad that it meant buying something new when i already have so many things.  It's not a money thing as much as a being a responsible human and being a horrible consumer.  I am doing my best to not buy things i don't really need.  I've even scaled back my crafting as there is such a large waste generation.

With all of this in mind i set the petticoat project out of my mind and focused on my current sweater, even made some good progress on the sleeves!  I decided to do some purging of my wardrobe.  I really own a fair amount and i knew there had to be things in there i just wouldn't wear anymore.  In the process i stumbled on a super lightweight black corduroy skirt that falls about mid calf i bought at H&M a few years back and never really wore because black corduroy picks up everything.  I added it to the bye bye pile when my brain called it a petticoat!  It had all of the makings to be a fantastic "smooth" petticoat and was already all put together.

All it needed was some poof which was partially purchased in a trip to Stone Mountain for some netting and the some reclaimed light weight crinolin from an old Goth Ball Gown i hacked up years ago.  Sunday evening was spent overlocking and topstitching all of the pieces together to transform a flat skirt into super poofy i'll hold up the world undergarment!  I am super happy with how everything turned out and how awesomly easy it was to find a new use for an old skirt.

The Flat Skirt                  Hand Shirring Netting to the Lining                  Poof-tastic!!!

                                  

The dress with new petticoat

Sylvar | Quick check in

The body of the sweater is done!!! I've moved onto the sleeves and have decided to avoid the second sleeve syndrome and knit them at the same time on a long circular needle. So far I'm loving it! I only have to check what row I'm on once and then knit knit knit. I love the magic loop. More sweater to come over the next week along with a potential scarf start, and to top it all off the Edwardian Ball is quickly approaching and costumes are being complied.

Recycle and Reuse

2010 is starting off on the right foot.  The first crafty night was held at my house on Saturday and i had a blast!  Fun movies, fun friends, and an overhaul project that only took one evening to complete!

In sticking with my desire this year to only make what i want married with my focus last year to waster less and re-use more produced a super fantastic project that came to mind at the perfect time.  I have been wresteling with what i am going to wear to the Edwardian Ball in a few weeks.  I finally settled on the Blue polonaise outfit for Friday night (Worlds Faire) and a good old goth dress for Saturday night (The Ball).  I had make a quick reticule to go with the polonaise.  Nothing fancy, nothing special...just a plain sewn bag with a drawcord closure.  Pretty plain, and very un-worthy of the grand event of the Edwardian Ball!  I needed a better, prettier, shiny purse.

The crafting evening began at Lacis with some corset boning purchased (not me, but one is coming soon...) to re-bone a good corset that someone had the nerve to put nasty plastic boning into...evil!  While in Lacis i remembered the purse closures and thought about the first true purse i made to go with the Checked Wool Costume in Red Velveteen.  I could totally take what i had, remove the drawcord, re-shape it, add a metal frame/closure, and trim it up for a fantastic purse that would take no more than a frame and some digging through the trimming scraps box.  I found a super cute frame with flowers that remind me of Daisies.

After Lacis and a brief Stone Mountain run thought we stopped at my house and let the crafting begin.  Movies, a bit of wine, and a fun project is an awesome Saturday night.  I worked on my purse while friends worked on attaching new buttons to jackets and sewing new deeper darts into beautiful blue velvet dresses.  We all worked on things for the Ball, it felt so Victorian!

After a couple of hours i had finished the purse using some beaded trim and lace left overs from other projects.  The purse is now totally spruced up!  I love it and can't wait to take it to the Edwardian Ball!  What to work on next week?!??!?!?!

Polonaise Purse ... Teaser

Some teaser images of a new purse I finished this evening while crafting with the gals. More info after sleepz...

Progress continues on Sylvar

Progress continues on the new sweater Sylvar and in less than a week I am around 45% done! It's knitting up super fast as it's mostly basic knit an purl stitches. I only have a few more rows on the body before I get to the garter stitch band at the bottom. The band is suppose to be 6" tall, but I'm thinking I may knit more body before starting the band to add some waist definition to the sweater. Then it's onto the sleeves and my arch enemy ... double pointed needles. I may do these magic loop style on a singular circular needle. Actually that's a great idea! I'll do both at the same time on a circular needle to avoid "second sleeve syndrome" where you put off finishing a sweater because all you have left is the same damn sleeve as the one you just finished (barley escaping with your life). Oooooo! Now I'm excited and can't wait for the sleeves! With any luck the sleeves will be started this weekend and the entire sweater ready for it's debut in 2 weeks!

New Year, meet new Sweater - Sylvar

The first project of the new year is something i've been eyeing for nearly a year...sweater #2.  I've no made one sweater and one cardigan and am ready for the next challenge.  I found this fantastic pattern at Stitches West 2009 while helping Tactile in the booth and being a good yarn whore.  I bought the pattern as a top down all knit together sweater is a beautiful thing.  You can try it on while you go and make adjustments as necessary.  THIs is super critical for me with having no back and a fair amount of front to account for in the sweater shaping.  I also really liked the yarn over eyelet's that ran up the body of the sweater in a leaf like pattern.  Lastly it looked easy!

While digging around in the back room clearance section of Article Pract i managed to find 1100 yards of a black Cotton/Linnen in a medium weight that screamed sweater at me.  Partly it screamed as the price for all of this lovelyness was only $67.  Damn cheap for an entire sweaters worn of yarn.  So purchased and brought home without a particular project it was, and happily.  I leafed through some things and came across Sylvan and decided to give it a go.  So far so happy!  It's super cute and i can't wait to finish it.  It is flying off the needles as i cast on New Years Day and have already finished over 25%.  I think this one is a keeper ; )

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night...

Good Night 2009!  The year ended pretty much how it began, low key and very up in the air.  The passing of 2009 marked a couple of special things for me:  1) the first whole year of living alone again; 2) a rejuvenation of my passion and drive for sewing; 3) strengthened relationships with all in my life both friends and family; and 4) more "me" and less "you".  The last one is important as i often fall into the rut of what can i do for others and copmletely leave myself in the dust.  Last year i made myself a promise that it would be the year of dre_ah!  I would do, live, love for me ... and i really enjoyed it.  I learned a lot about myself and it was the main reason i was able to deepen my relationships with others and find such pleasure in my relationships.  I learned a lot about who i am and what i can and cannot change about me.  I learned i like a lot more of me then i originally thought - AND - all of the laundry list of things i don't like are ALL changeable.  This was a *super* awesome realization as it gave me power over my own life and destiny in a way that i never felt before.  I tumbled a lot in 2009 and am glad for a new year to begin a new with all of my knowledge, experiences, family, and friends.

So 2009 i sewed, and sewed, and sewed...  Well i'm not going to throw out the sewing machine or serger, my best-est buddy, but i am going to try to find a better balance in my crafting.  in 2010 i want to make less projects for events and make more things i want!  This is a big shift as i come from a land where you don't wear the same outfit to out EVAR!!!  So allowing myself to dressup in a georgous outfit that will be seen by posibably the same group of people more than once is rather painful, but healthy.  I don't need to re-invent the wheel each time there is something i want to go to.  I have a fantastic wardrobe and a good sized costume collection of late Victorian garments that would love to be worn over and over again.  So i am going to make up a list of the things i *want* without even looking at an events calendar to compile a rough projects list for 2010. 

One such project that made it onto the list at 15 minutes into the new year is a shawl for a friend to wear to a friends wedding!  I am so excited about this project as i have watched so many of my fellow knitters work up beautiful shawls for wedding completely envious of each of them.  My female friend base is rather small and the men i know aren't ready for marriage so for me there has been no opportunity for wedding knitting which is a plethora of gorgeous lacy and beautiful styles.  More to follow over the next few months as a pattern and yarn are pulled together.  One of the best things is a have until May!  I really super appreciate it when i get all of this advance notice as things tend to pile up in my life and take over the attention that is really due elsewhere.

Lastly ~ New Years Day has been Tamale day for years.  It is a day i devote to slow fantastic cooking and allow myself time without end.  No worrying about when this or that will be ready; it will happen when i t happens.  I find it centers me for the coming year to take this time to myself and to allow a slow start to the new year.  The tamales have always been vegetarian and made in large quantities.  This year i am breaking away from the traditional been and cheese filling and am branching out into new things.  Black beans are still the foundation, just not the only star.  This morning was spent roasting Pobalno peppers in the oven which along with some jalapenos, sweet potatoes, onion, and a dash of cheese is going to make up the filling.  It sounds fantastic and i can't wait for this evening when everything is done and the first steamed tamale of the new year makes it's way onto my plate. Mmmmm...

2010...I'm ready!

Finally Complete with the Holiday Treats

Starting late also means finishing late, i was reminded of this year unfortunately.  Alas i have finally finished the last of the holiday giftyness and am ready to pass them onto the parental units!  A scarf for each of the parents as they plan this year to start building a house in a cooler climate then where they live today.  Really i think anywhere is cooler than where they are in the Southern California area ... yep, another 80 degree Christmas this year.  So i decided to help build their non-existent winter wardrobes up with some cute scarves.  I am super pleased with how each turned out and it was only my third time blocking lace!  My first time blocking anything so wide (other blocking adventures were for Lace trim only a couple inches wide).

Green/Tan Crochet for Dad
  

Soft Rose Lace Knit for Mom
  

A Snowy Vintage Spring Dress

So i have this filing cabinet, which i have owned since i was 10.  It's a legal width 4 drawer filing cabinet.  I have never had that many papers but when i was offered one i knew it would all be put to use someday. Nearly 20 years later as i try to find room in it for just *one* more sewing/knitting pattern or cooking recipe I noticed too many things over the years have been purchased and promptly been filed away.  Since i am working from home over the winter holidays this year i saw it as an opportunity to make some of the things i have set off to the side for years.

My first project was an adorable Vintage Vogue Sewing Pattern - 1954 Bolero & Dress (#2267) ... i decided on just the dress for now as i have TONS of adorable sweaters to coordinate back i would like to wear more often.  I purchased this pattern years ago at a sale for a dollar.  It has a super cute fitted shape and a goregous square neckline.  What i did not notice until closer inspection yesteray morning were the bust darts and the side zipper.  Now i get that it might need bust darts if i was looking to make the dress in a stripe or some other type of vertical pattern to help keep the pattern straight at both the skirt and the upper body.  Since i was using a ditzy floral repeat i really didn't want the evil darts nor was i too thrill about a side zip since this meant an invisible zipper as no one needs extra giant zipper sticking out along the side of an extremely fitted dress making them look at least one size larger.

Saturday morning i traced off a copy of the original pattern and began to work out the problems.  First off i added to the bust circumference at the side front panels as when i measured the bust it was an inch small.  I played with working out the dart on the front side panel, but it wasn't cooperating.  The dart was stubborn and looked awful when i would release it into the body of the dress, oh well!

I cut out a muslin of the dress of the dress, did a quick sew up job, and got it on the form to see the damage.  Not bad Vintage Vogue!  I ended up tripling the dart depth at the bust, not suprising as i am much deeper than i am wide.  Also there was absolutley no shape at the back waist so a fair amount of scooping out there was also pinned out.  Lastely the shoulders were a bit too long.  After a bit of truing on the neck/armhole facings i felt i was ready for the real fabric as most of the change were pretty minor.

     

Pattern was adjusted by the evening and luckily i had already washed and ironed the fabric so i was ready to go.  I went with a medium weight brushed twill to flat line the dress as the base fabric was a quilting print cotton.  Normally i would not think to line something like this, but i wanted to ensure that the sweep really looked full and didn't just hang lifeless when worn.  I wanted a stiffer, more rigid 50's look to the dress then the recommended single layer of poplin.  After cutting everything out the serger made an appearance going around the edges of all size dress panels to secure the twill to the fashion fabric.  I love you serger!!!  If you don't have one and do a lot of knits or flat lining i highly recommend one as they add tremendously to your sanity levels, especially when you are trying to power through a project.  After an entire day of sewing i had finished nearly the entire dress, got it back on the form, and was totally in love.  It's so cute!  AND the invisible zipper went in on the sewing machine without any complaints. Either the zippers have gotten better or sewing for 20 years is starting to pay off.  This morning i awoke, popped in a movie, and began ironing the last portion of the dress, the hem.  After a couple hours i had a completed beautifully hemmed dress.

     

With a whole other week of the holiday break i am hoping to keep up the momentum and complete another project or two.  Some Christmas scarves and many even a button front shirt or two?  Also i have some fantastic White/Black printed Geisha fabric that is totally calling to me Goth Lolita with giant black satin bows...

Grateful for a Delayed Holiday

As usual i am a teeny bit behind on my holiday gift completion.  Just two scarves only 60% behind.  Luckily the two scarves are for mom & dad and i will be seeing them in January, so it didn't seem like the gifts had to get in the mail pre-Christmas.  The scarf for Mom is coming along beautifully!  I love how the cashmere feels to knit and the stitch pattern with a simple 6 stitch x 6 row repeat is super easy and allowing me to catch up on Dexter (almost up to everyone else...).

To the left is the scarf for Dad.  This will be my second ever gifted crocheted item, and i'm really like'n it!  I picked two colors that my father always wears in hopes that even living in SoCal with an 80 degree Christmas he may some day decide to wear said scarf.  Still no word if he ever wears the socks from his birthday last year...i'll totally have to harass him about them in January...hehehehehe.

Details about Dad's Crochet Scarf:
* Yarn = Rowan Lima
* Colors = Hunter Green - AND - Beige

Pattern:
* Chain 12 Stitches (Base Row)
* Chain 2 Stitches (Fake Double Crochet Stitch)
        (Double Crochet all stitches on every row)
* 10 rows of 2 Strands - Both Color A
* 10 rows of 2 Strands - 1 Color A & 1 Color B
* 10 rows of 2 Strands - Both Color B

Beginning a bit late..

I made the decision to start a couple of Christmas gifts a little late this year...like tonight. It's nice to have a small family that is also super understanding that hand made = takes Andrea forever to make ;p

I just started a scarf in Cashmere for me ma using a shawl lace pattern from "Victorian Lace Today" Miss Lambeets Shetland Shawl. It's a super simple six row repeat with only six stitches across. So far so pretty; now I just need to figure out how to finish it before Tuesday night and somewhere also knit Dad a hat. At least the bro's is done, and adorable if I don't say so myself! Pictures to follow once it's been gifted away.