Heels & Toes

Liz's socks

Just the toes!

I've had a busy two days off, but it was all good fun.  I've sewn until I can't hunch over my sewing machine one more second, then knitted until my fingers cramped.  Then, I went back to sewing.
  My sister asked for hand-knitted socks a week before Christmas, remember?  I turned their heels today, only two months too late.  You can see the Noro issue, where two socks from the same yarn don't look alike, but I still like them.  And the best part is they're halfway done.
  A friend did me a HUGE favor, and asked for a pair of socks knitted from yarn she hadn't been able to resist buying.  Today, I cast on the toes, going from the toe up to make sure I had enough yarn.  We'll see how long I can make them before I run out of the lovely stuff.

 And I've been working on two blouses simultaneously, from the same pattern, using black China silk in both, but using variations on the pattern to make them different.  I've gotten the collars on, but the hand sewing hasn't been done.  Now, I'm working on hemming them, and binding the arm scye.  I keep plugging along on these two, but I keep thinking I don't want to do them, because the black is hard to stare at for hours on end.  But I really, really want them done before I start on the other five projects I have cut out, and the many, many more I'm imagining while I'm making them.  Almost there!

 My favorite project this week has been this blouse, a light cotton floral print, in a raglan-sleeved camp shirt.  I goofed a few years ago when I cut it out, using an adaptation of the pattern that didn't include the correct front facing.  I had put the sleeve and shoulder seams all together before I realized it, and when I saw the ugly truth, it got shoved into a box.  It resurfaced yesterday morning, and I saw the solution.  I cut a bias strip of satin, folded it into bias tape and finished the neck edge.  I found the perfect buttons, some shell buttons, put them on, made buttonholes, hemmed everything, and Voila!  A new blouse.  Alas, it must wait until the weather gets nice again.  The mid-30's are a little chilly for this spring time shirt.
  No weaving this week, but on Sunday, our Huck Lace study group had a good, productive and supportive meeting.  It was good to find out that none of us understood the book we've chosen for our group, and it now gives us a new dimension to work on.  It's wonderful to have friends with the same passions and questions, isn't it?
  Here's hoping your week is filled with what you're passionate about!  Happy Weaving, etc.!
  Maggie