Yee Ha!!

I've lived in Calgary on and off for almost 20 years (wow, that long...) and in all that time I have never had any Stampede clothes. If you've never been to Calgary during the Calgary Stampede, this doesn't sound that amazing. But, during the 10 days of Stampede it's like a western wear store exploded with all the contents sticking willy-nilly to anyone within the city limits.

Well, thanks to Sew U by Wendy Malin, I now have a "Western" shirt!



I'm ridiculously proud of myself for this shirt. I've never sewed a collared shirt before and I think it turned out great (aside from a minor glitch with the collar stand, which was my own fault). The pattern is great and the instructions and all the information in the book were very helpful. There are so many little things with patterns that I was never really sure of, and this book really helped me with explanations.



This is also the first time that I've attempted a garment with a plaid. I am amazed at how well it turned out.



Some of my stitching lines wouldn't win me any ribbons at the craft fair, but mostly I'm very pleased.



It fit me perfectly as written. The sleeves are the right length (a first for me) and the shoulders are the right width. I should have added an extra inch or inch and a half to the length, as it was just the right length without hem. I decided to use bias binding for the hem in order to preserve the length. It's a bit bulkier than a nice hem would have been but I don't plan to wear it tucked in so I think it's workable. I got pearl snaps at Fabricland and love the way they look (plus I wasn't looking forward to all those buttonholes... eep).

I think I'll be using this shirt pattern again (and again and again). But for now, I have something to wear for Stampede stuff. I'm sure this shirt will get lots of wear.

I have other sewing to show from last weekend. I just was so excited about this one I had to show it off first.

OH! And in other news: I finished my 30 Day Challenge on EA Sports Active! It took me 32 days due to a sprained ankle from a hike but I did it. I"m pretty excited about that. I've never really stuck with any exercise program before so this is a first. I plan to do the Intermediate level next.

Altered & Dyed

I had this white, long-sleeved, gauzy top hanging in my closet for a couple of years now. It was a gift from a friend but I was always afraid that I would destroy it within minutes of putting it on. White clothing seems to attract any food or drink I may be in the vicinity of.



It was really pretty but, like I said, me+white=not a good idea.

I had seen a few shirt remakes around the blogiverse lately (but I don't remember where) and suddenly had the urge to alter this shirt.

I chopped off the sleeves, hemmed them, removed the ties and dyed it.



I wish I had another one. I love this shirt.

Now I'm looking at my closet and wondering what else I might have that could benefit from a pair of scissors and a little dye...

Superhero strength

I bought and started the EA Sports Active for Wii about 14 days ago (actually, exactly 14 days ago). I meant to post about it when I started it but I was scared I would wuss out and quit right away and that would have been embarassing. Also, it made me nearly weep the first day and that too was embarassing. Now it's just funny.

I've never really done any strength training or consistent exercise (other than the year where I was pretty faithful with my stationary cycle) so I wasn't sure how I would do with this. I'm doing the 30 day challenge (today was day 14) and I can't believe I haven't quit. I'm doing the easy setting, so really, that would have been embarassing if I had quit. But even on the easy setting, my legs were cramping and I yelled at the TV when it made me do another set of "inline skating" towards the end of workout #1.

I'm pleased (and slightly ridiculously proud) to report that I'm actually looking forward to the workouts now and I feel stronger in my legs and arms. I didn't feel like I was going to die from lack of oxygen in the running (in place) portions today and my recovery time afterwards is pretty quick. Who knew that consistent exercise would yield results? huh. Strange.

My goal is mostly to build a habit of exercise with any weight loss and muscle tone being side benefits. (Yeah that totally sounds like a lie. I want to lose weight. I also want to get rid of the flabby jiggly arms I noticed the last time I saw a picture of my back/arms. My friend Sheri calls them the "Double Bye Bye" arms.) Mostly though I'm just pleased that I'm starting to notice the benefits (and that I no longer am in pain when i try to use my thigh muscles for strenuous activities like sitting or standing).

I'm pretty sure everyone who knows me is getting sick of me talking about this. I've turned into some crazy EA Sports Active Evangelist. I think it's mostly just me being amazed that I can do this. Yes, I know, I'm on the Easy level. But this level is a lot harder than the "sitting on my couch with my knitting" level I was on before.

Dr. Doolittle lives in my neighborhood.

The following is the incredible (and incredibly well illustrated) account of events that occured at or around noon (MST) today.


I was driving back to work from lunch and this truck was ahead of me at a stop light. I was trying to figure out what the box was on the back. It had portholes along the length and a locked door.


Suddenly this dog popped his head out. Oh! Cool. A box for a dog.

And then, I saw something that kind of freaked me out. The dog started to pull his head back in and at the same time …


A two headed dog!!!

Then the light turned green


And the first head was almost all the way inside.


And they drove away.

The end.

PS clearly I have missed my calling as a computer graphic artist.

Local/Tourist

Yesterday the Boy needed to deliver some equipment to a customer in Lake Louise so the Dog and I went along for the ride. I don't get out to the mountains often enough! It's been years since I was in Lake Louise and I don't think I've ever been there in the Spring or Summer.



It was alternately sunny and cloudy with a pretty steady strong wind. There was a lot of ice on the lake still, and the shoreline had big chunks of crystal looking ice. The tourists were all so charmed by the sound the ice made on the rocks, which we found kind of funny. I tried to get in a group picture but it was taking them SO LONG to set up that we just kept going.



I never cease to be amazed by the color of the lake.



Or the view.



The Dog was dying to go in the water. He's a black Lab and water is his Favorite. Thing. Ever!!! (if you don't count STICKS!! or ROCKS!! or WHAT'S THAT OVER THERE???!!!)



Eventually the Boy gave in and let the Dog go swim. He swam like he was training for the Olympics, chugging away until he ran into ice. I can't imagine how cold that water must have been. Passersby were amused or shocked or probably slightly horrified.



The Dog would finally get out, shake off, run ahead a bit and dive right back in.



Seriously, the color of the water is astounding. If it weren't for the ice in the top of this picture, wouldn't you think it was in the Caribbean or something?



We went as far as the beach at the end, where the Dog entertained one and all with his swimming and his stick slaughtering.





I really need to be a tourist in my own area more often. It really is amazing.



When we were back at the truck and were getting ready to leave a rental car burned into the lot and parked. A young guy in sunglasses, cap on crooked, saggy butt jeans and a hoodie got out and made a big show of stretching and sighing as though to indicate what an ordeal he'd been through. He was a ways away from us but we were the only people in the parking lot so I told the Boy that I was just waiting for him to decide he needed to tell us something. He had that look.

Sure enough, he started towards us. We tried not to laugh as he came over and asked if we were from around there. We said yeah, sort of. So he asked, "Is there a lake somewhere around here?" I bit back my "Um, yes, LAKE Louise? Did you see the signs on your way to the LAKE louise parking area?" The Boy said "Yes" and pointed through the trees. "It's about 200 yards that way."

Our visitor said "Oh thanks. I thought it must be but the last people I asked said it was a long ways away." He started to turn away and then turned back to tell us his tale. Again I bit back my sarcasm as he told us "I'm from Toronto. I was supposed to come out here next month with my girlfriend but we had a pretty serious fight so I hopped in my car (indicating the rental) and drove out here. That was a really long drive."

I couldn't help myself. "You drove across the country just to see Lake Louise?" It didn't seem to faze him and he continued "Well, this was really the only thing I really wanted to see."

He gave us a couple more minutes of his sob story and then wandered off to see the Lake.

After he left we started laughing. The Boy indicated his car and said "Well, ya know, those Chev Cobalts have excellent gas mileage." We kept laughing. I said "But when did Budget Rent-A-Car in Toronto start handing out Alberta license plates?" More laughter.

The whole way back to Calgary we kept randomly saying "I had a really big fight with my girlfriend so I hopped in my car and drove out here." and then dissolving into laughter. I think the next time I'm a tourist (in my own backyard or elsewhere) I'll find random people and over-share some really personal sob-story with them. Should be fun!

Round Yoke Cardigan

I completed this a while ago but just didn't get it posted.. That seems to be a theeme lately.



Pattern: "Jacket with Raglan Sleeve and Pattern on Yoke" from Drops Design/Garnstudio
Yarn: Lionbrand Cotton-Ease in Charcoal (although, i worked with it for about 3 weeks thinking it was navy before I read the label and realized it was Charcoal... It's navy to me)
Mods: I completed the cardigan but didn’t like how wide the neck was so I ripped back about 15 rows and changed the decreases so that I ended up with about 20 stitches less before doing the neck and binding off. I finished the button holes with a round of blanket stitch as they were stretching out too much to be practical.

I LOVE this cardigan. I wish I could wear it every day. It's cozy and the fit is perfect.

Buttercup

I keep forgetting to post this! I love this top. I think this is my favorite knit item ever. The love is a combination of the yarn and the pattern. It's lightweight, it fits, it's just right. It took me 2 weeks, start to finish. Somehow I managed to remain focussed with this project and didn't work on much else while I was knitting it. I don't think I've ever completed a garment on US 4 needles before, so this was quite a victory for me.



Pattern: Buttercup by Heidi Kirrmaier (Ravelry link only. Sorry for any non-ravelers.)
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy. I bought the yarn before I saw the pattern. I can count on one hand the number of times I've knit something in the yarn called for in a pattern, and this one was a success.
Mods: The neck as written was a lot more open and square. It looked lovely and really suited the shape of the finished garment.


(original neckline as written. pre-blocking)
The neckline was lower and wider than I generally find comfortable and would have been awkward with a tank or camisole underneath. In this picture I'm trying to hold still so it doesn't slide down. I think the fault here was with my gauge on the top (back and forth) section of the top. I should have done the join (lace section) sooner and continued from there.

No matter. After I completed and tried it on I decided to undo my bind off and do some short rows to make the neck slightly more U shaped and to raise the neckline a bit. I put the stitches back on the needle and marked the spot where the shoulder was on each side and where the corner of the neckline would be (where the vertical met the lace). I knit on the front stitches only (i.e. not the shoulder or back of the neck) and worked short rows down the front, working across the front neck each time:

Row 1: Knit to marked stitch (shoulder), wrap & turn.
Row 2: *Knit to marked corner stitch, work double decrease (in this case it was slip 2 as if to knit, knit one, pass slipped stitches over)* 2x (both corners), knit to marked shoulder stitch, wrap & turn.
Row 3: Knit to 6 stitches before previous wrapped stitch, wrap & turn.
Row 4: repeat corner decreases as row 2, knit to 6 stitches before previous wrapped stitch, wrap & turn.

I did about 5 or 6 wrapped stitches on each side, then knit one round plain, picking up wrapped stitches as I went. Then bound off all stitches, blocked and wore with pride.



I'm a little worried about the neck stretching out with wear and drooping. I am thinking about sewing in some grosgrain ribbon or twill tape along the inside of the shoulder and back neck line. I think this would help. Has anyone ever tried this? Is it feasible?

This week I suddenly got the finishing bug and I have another FO to show you! I'll post tomorrow... oooh the suspense.