Looking to the Fall

It's still summer, but have you been noticing all the "back to school" items and sales and commercials that have started popping up now that it's August?  This means that fall is right around the corner.  I find fall an exciting time of year, I always have.  Growing up fall meant the start to a new school year, fresh notebooks, new jeans, and sweaters.  Now my adult self sees fall as the start the theatre season, new jobs, fresh apples, and of course sweaters.

Whenever anyone asks me what my favorite season is I usually can't decided, but in growing older I think I have come to favor fall.  Not only is my birthday in October but I see fall as a time of newness.  My theory is  because we start a new school year in the fall I have been conditioned in my 16 years of schooling to think that fall is exactly the right time of year to start something fresh.  I am all for this.  I feel that sweater weather is the perfect time to pull on your favorite pullover and start a new project; that could be a new knitting project, a new job, a new skill you want to acquire, really anything that gets you excited.

I maybe getting ahead of myself.  It is only half way through August; there is still plenty of nice warm summery weather still left in the next few weeks.  But I love looking ahead to the fall.  I do every year.  In the spirit of "back to school" and all that junk I am planing some new sewing projects for the fall and maybe a new sweater or two.  

I have been obsessed with lace, especially in the form of a dress and in bright jewel tones.

Green Dress and White Dress, Burda Style

Teal Dress, ModCloth

I found this awesome lace for just such a project:

Anda Burda Style

Lately I've been looking at the Anda again, and thinking that I want to make one or two in a more flowing fabric than the lavender one I made this spring.

This beautiful gold rayon blend that I found in the dollar bin at my favorite fabric store will make a gorgeous Anda, or even this deep red rayon blend that is in my stash.  Maybe I will make two.

Anita Jeans

I want to make another pair of jeans for the fall, maybe in a darker wash.  These jeans fit so well I can't justify buying any unless it's from the thrift store and they are to wear while building or painting.

I am also planing another two sorbettos. One in white with a high low hemline and one in a sheer tomato red.  Thankfully a lot of the fabric I need for these sewing projects is in my fabric stash.

Now on to the knitting.

Carnaby Skirt, Knitty.com 

I know, I know I've sworn off skirts, but I just have to knit this warm wool skirt.  Something is compelling me to knit this.  I plan on knitting it in a dark heather grey so that I can get a lot of use out of it.  It will be perfect for the fall and the winter and the early spring, so I will have no real excuse not to wear the darn thing.  

Elbow Patch Cardigan, A. Butta

I am also considering this cute cable and elbow patch cardigan.  I think it would be a great piece to have for the winter along with my knit hoddie that is in progress as I type.  

Aidez, Cirilia Rose

I've also had my eye on this sweater for awhile, but I'm not sure I want to commit to a project like this until all of my gift knitting is completed.  It is however knit with bulky yarn on size US 10 1/2 needles.  This could be a quick knit.  

Abalone, Beata Jezek

If anything elas I will knit myself another abalone out of some yummy wool blend yarn to wear all winter.  Ambitious plans for someone who will have less time to sew than usual, but I think I'll be able to make what I want.  I still have my Sundays to myself.  The perfect sewing project day.  

What I am Sewing/Knitting

Now that my Steffi Jacket is finished I find myself wondering what's next.  Well I figured that one out, a few sewing projects that only take a couple of hours to complete.  I started this week with a trip to the fabric store and I got some great stuff. 

One of the first things I sewed was a simple gathered skirt out of this forest green silk cotton I had left over from another project.  I used Gertie's Gathered Skirt Tutorial Part I and Part II, and it came out great.  I will post pictures when I finally hem the thing (on today's to do list).

T-shirt Mini Dress

 Next I moved on to DixieDIY T-Shirt Mini Dress.  I bought some great slate colored cotton blend jersey at the fabric store for $1.98 a yard and I made this in about two hours from cutting to hemming.  It looks a bit blah on the hanger, but with leggings, a belt, my new black boots and my leather jacket it will be rock 'n roll chic.

I plan on making another one today with a coral colored cotton jersey that has been in my stash for months.  That's today's sewing goal (along with hemming the gathered skirt).

Tomorrow I plan on making myself this:

The Marie Skirt

 But with this Fabric:

I'm feeling a bit of a rock 'n roll vibe this week.  My weekend might be a me made one.  The last few project I've done have been classic and timeless and I guess I'm feeling like I need to have a few pieces that are a bit more edgy. 

Before I leave I also want to show you the cardigan I just finished knitting.  Fresh of the blocking board!

Not the best shot, but I plan on having the Hubs help me take some good photos next week.

Sewing, Knitting, and Getting Work Done

Working on a lot of projects right now.  Top priority, the cactus.  Next swatches for a test knit project, my jacket, and then sweater knitting.  I also need to take pictures, lots and lots of pictures.  Along with all of that I need to schedule and work on the blogs future posts.  Hope I can be productive today.  I am going to leave you with this cheery photo of a rainbow I took this September. 

Knitting Along

I have one panel of my new pattern done. One more to go!
I like being able to say I am 50% done and that I only have 50% more to go. Actually I'm a little bit more than 50% see the second panel coming along nicely in the photo.

Also does anyone remember this?

Well, I just got a request for the variation on this pattern that I did. My intention was to always share how I did this, but in the bustle of the summer I never got around to it. So in the next few days expect a tutorial on my variation on one of the best patterns from Knitty.com, the Clapotis.

Finished Projects

Simon and I had a photo shoot yesterday. This means I finally have photos of things I have finished.

This was my Oz plan ride project. It is a modular shawl. It was a lot of fun to knit and super easy you only ever had 60 sts on your needle. I finished this while I was in Australia sometime in March.

The lace Ribbon Scarf, I knit this last Thanksgiving! I never blocked it till after I got home from Oz and now its finally chilly enough to wear.

This one is a design from No Two Snowflakes. The pattern is the Katrina Ballerina Layering Lace Cardi. I knit this almost two years ago...almost...ok maybe more like a year and a half. I finished the knitting in June of 2009, but didn't sew buttons on the thing for almost 6 months.

This is one of my favorite sweaters that I knit. It is the February Lady Sweater and I knit it last January to wear on the plan to Australia. I can tell you right now that I didn't wear it at all in Oz. This sweater also had an extended stay in Oz. I couldn't fit it in my luggage so it stayed in Australia till Simon brought it back with him in August. Much like the lace ribbon scarf I am excited that the weather is perfect for this sweater.

This piece is more recent. I blogged about it in October in the post Get Knitting, where I lamented the errata in the pattern and the yardage being off and needing a solution for my lack of yarn. Well I solved that by using some black wool and silk I bought at Nangellini. The rest of the red wool was added to my sleeves and then I finished the sleeves and button band in black. I like the contrast and think it looks much nicer than using all one color.

I was especially excited about the buttons I found, gold with black in the center I think they give me sweater a very sophisticated look. I block this sweater a week ago and just sewed the buttons on Saturday. I am definatly taking this up to my family's house for Thanksgiving this week.