Friday, Friday 5.29.2020

It’s the last Friday in May, and what a journey it has been. My heart is breaking this week and is simultaneously so angry for the injustice in our country against people of color. I know I have so much work to do as a white woman in the South and moving in white spaces I am seeing just how far so many of my peers have to go also in understanding and combating racism today. It can feel overwhelming at times but it is our burden to carry. Love for our neighbor means action.

This week, I fought a mostly winning battle with the vegetables in my fridge that I’ve been accumulating from weekly pick ups from a local farm and it has spurred me on towards several new-to-me recipes that I have loved: honey-glazed spicy turnips, zucchini fritters, and blistered snap peas, kale and a soft-boiled egg over rice vinegar noodles. I feel as though I am just now understanding how much I love turnips just as turnip season is coming, and balancing this by trying out zucchini recipes just as its season is beginning. We have been consistently keeping a jar of herb-y yogurt sauce in our fridge to spoon on top of fritters, for crudités, and to dollop on top of proteins throughout the week and WOW I am going to deeply lament the end of fresh dill season. I’m also contemplating the acquisition of a dehydrator to extend the life of these glorious herbs and wonder if anyone out there has experience they would like to lend to this effort?

The making this week has been slow and meditative. I am making great progress on my V-Neck boxy sweater and hardly any progress on the new design I am working on, thanks to some brain-scraping work loads induced by squeezing a five-day work week into only four which left only room for rounds and rounds of stockinette. My printed patterns from PDF Plotting arrived this week but aside from being unrolled, have as yet remained untouched. (But admired, longingly, from my desk with much anticipation.) I am also loving briefly, before bed, wandering into Avonlea with Anne of Green Gables now that I have it in paperback rather than attempting to make progress with my iPad. Her adventures and misadventures have consistently brought a smile to my face and have given me dreams of tea time and simplicity and endless blossoms.

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you get the rest that you need this weekend, so that you can show up and advocate and act the way that we need right now. But please, take care of yourself first.

FO: Linen Roscoe Dress 5.25.2020

Two things I didn’t expect this week: to completely burn out and stop blogging for five days, and to sew two dresses in one week. We are almost half-way through the 100 Day Project and I honestly can’t really explain why but two, three, four days went by and I couldn’t bring myself to write. I thought, “Why am I even doing this? I’m doing it for me, and to get better, and to move forward.” And I realized that it was OK if I took a little break. Sorry for anyone who may have looked for posts in the past few days and none were to be found.

Pretty much right after finishing my Wren, I started cutting out the pattern pieces for this dress. I read the instructions and despite feeling very advanced, the directions were really simple and all techniques I had done before, so I decided to just go for it and tackle it over the long weekend. This was also a PERFECT example of why when I order or purchase new fabric, I wash it so it’s ready to go, and use PDF plotting to just cut out patterns and go. Cutting out those initial process steps is so awesome for my making and really allows me to just focus on the sewing, which is, of course, the best part.

This is the Roscoe View C and I created it out of Brussels Washer Linen from Freeman’s Creative. Decently structured while still having nice shape, it has a really nice yarn-dyed quality and is a really gorgeous berry color that I think will be awesome for all seasons. It feels much more summer than fall right now, and I’ve seen other versions of this dress in flannel that I think I am definitely going to have to duplicate come September. There’s nothing better than a cozy dress to slip into on a cool autumn morning. My measurements would have suggested I make a size 10 according to the pattern instructions, but based on other reviews and the fact that this fabric is not as flows as say, rayon, I actually decided to size down two sizes to keep the bulk from being too much. I think it worked out well and is still oversized and easy.

All in all, the dress only took me about 5 hours to sew. I had some issues with the neckline and had to end up cutting it out twice, and I decided to do French seams for all of the seams instead of using my white serger thread to finish the insides, so that took a little longer but ultimately was a choice I was really happy with. It looks very finished on the inside and I love it. The final detail I chose was to finish the bottom hem of the ruffle with a decorative embroidery stitch built into my machine, making these sweet little flowers all along the hem. Definitely bumps up the Molly Weasley vibes in the best way. :)

So yes, definitely a flannel version for fall in my future, and I would looove to try this in just a super flowy and fluid rayon or viscose that just is all drape to make something really comfy but also a little more dressy. I am almost tempted to use the black viscose I just ordered from Blackbird Fabrics for that purpose, but I realllly want to make another pair of Winslow culottes this summer, so I’m resisting!

It feels good to be back, and I promise I am also still knitting a ton in the midst of all of this time at my machine. I can’t wait to share more soon.

FO: Wren Dress Take 2! 5.20.2020

Eek! So happy with this new dress and finishing one of my goals for Me Made May this year. I cut the pieces for this dress out probably 2 weeks ago and then just sat with it, unsewn, until Monday when I needed a refresh in my office space. Cleaning everything up and putting away the remnants of other projects helped with my motivation and I finished it up last night. It’s amazing what a little refresh of your physical space will do for your mental space to be able to be productive.

I mentioned in my first post for my sewing goals for May that I had made a Wren dress already but hadn’t blogged it because I needed to make some modifications to be happy with it. This one went much better, mostly because I had made it once already and also because of the fabric. This is an organic cotton knit from Birch Organics that I purchased at Freeman’s Creative a few months ago and it is just really high quality. It feels soft but not too buttery, so I know it will hold up over time, and is really light and nice.

The only thing I didn’t enjoy about this project was the finishing on the sleeves and collar with the twin needle. I don’t have a separate bobbin holder for a second thread on my top stitching so my thread kept getting tangled, and tightening and breaking. I do like the finished look of a twin needle, so for the future I think I am going to either look into options for a second holder for that thread, or ways to thread the twin needle to prevent tangles.

This is the view B, and the only modifications that I made were to lengthen the sleeve by about 2.5-3” to make it a mid-length sleeve instead of a short sleeve, and to remove about an inch from the back bodice so that it hit my back at the same angle as the front of the dress. As written, it was hitting lower on my back and I didn’t love it.

I really enjoyed this pattern and can see myself making my version of a little black dress in the future. I may also consider raising the back neckline for a winter version as well, as it kind of has a scoop effect to it as written.

All in all, highly recommend this pattern and happy to have it in my wardrobe. I think it will be a versatile piece for dressier evenings, having friends over (someday) and even some outdoor events this summer (Lord willing). Until then, its a super fancy house dress and that’s just fine.

Homestead Dreams

One of my favorite paintings, “The Neighborhood” by Phoebe Wahl

For many years, my IG bio has read something like this:

“Wild, woolly, and wonderful. Knitter, sewist, crafter, and homestead wannabe.”

It took me a long time before I even could put it out there that I wanted to create a homestead for my family. (You know the feeling?) The idea felt so distant and out of reach at the time when my husband and I were renting a tiny house that we knew we would move from in a year, in a shaded yard unsuitable for growing any sort of food, and with full-time jobs and school commitments. But the desire was so very real and over the years, I’ve had to figure out what it means to homestead in each season of where we live.

Of course, my own journey has been guided and inspired by folks who I have watched on their own paths towards sustainability and building a vibrant home. From our friend whose small suburban house backs up to big woods and who grows tons of food to preserve in a tenth of an acre, to folks learning homestead skills in their tiny apartments in Oakland, and stories of families who just started where they were and didn’t wait for permission or a big parcel of land or a lot of free time. I’m so glad that a spirit of industriousness and do-it-yourself and a love of sustainability and local community manifest themselves in many ways around the world.

Currently, B and I own our home and have lived here for the past 2.5 years. The house is on a really great sized lot, but is sandwiched between a highway to our back, and a thoroughfare on our front. It’s in a spot not too far from downtown but apart from the road noise, walking to the backmost part of our space you wouldn’t quite believe it. We still don’t think that this space is our “forever” home but we are making our home here for the foreseeable future and that has led to a lot of different dreams on my part to learn as much as I can and grow as much as I can while we are here. We’ve done all of the good homeowner things of settling in, painting walls, decluttering closets, and making each space work for us, and have also had the opportunity to do some more involved “homestead” things:

  • We built our first raised bed. Unfortunately, even the sunniest part of our backyard gets only partial sunlight thanks to some 15 foot shrubs that we will need to hire someone to cut down significantly, and our neighbors have a few trees that shade the best parts of our yard from sunlight during the day. I am doing more research in the meantime on low-light vegetables and herbs to grow this fall.
  • I just finished a trio of “mushroom beds” on the shadiest part of our yard behind our home. I purchased sawdust mushroom spawn and used the lasagna method of alternating sawdust, wood bark, and spawn to cultivate shiitake, wine cap, and morel mushrooms. Now all we have to do is wait!
  • We started shopping more locally, visiting the farmer’s market, and canning seasonal fruits and veggies. It’s taught me so much about our food, the changing seasons, and our community.
  • I started dyeing more and more with natural, foraged dyes and kitchen scraps. This has long been a love of mine, but it has been fun to explore it more in our kitchen.
  • We cleared significant brush and started dreaming about what each small space can be. Our side yard? Future home to blueberries, if we’re lucky. The giant shed that needs to be demolished? Perfect spot for a future chicken coop.
  • Learning about sustainable and human animal processing. This hasn’t been done in our home, but B has learned so much about sustainable hunting, fishing, and animal processing in the past few years.

I also consider knitting, mending, sewing, and stitching to absolutely be homestead skills, and also look forward to diving more deeply into soap and candle making and natural housekeeping. While I still dream often of a quiet few acres and the space to spread out and grow, I am learning every day and building my own kind of wannabe homestead all the time, which is more than enough for now.

Friday, Friday: 5.15.2020

Happy Friday!

This week felt SO LONG to me. The beginning seemed slow, at least, and then yesterday and today sped up with meetings, activities, and mask-making for work in advance of some community food distribution tomorrow. In the middle of it all was some really good stuff.

This week:

We polished off the last of the BEST strawberries that a wonderful friend had dropped off.

B and I had some great conversations and are making exciting progress towards achieving some goals we’ve had for a while.

I started a new personal finance book that has made me laugh out loud multiple times (in a good way).

I made great progress on my Things of Spring cross stitch and finally feel like I’m getting in the groove with those tiny stitches.

I got two more succulents in the mail!

I ventured way outside of my neighborhood to pick up some decent sushi for the first time in two months.

I made a bunch of recipes from the Nom Nom Paleo cookbook. (Yum)

One of my elephant bush plants that had started to wither started making a comeback with a little more sunlight. There’s likely a lesson there.

I have plans for a pretty productive weekend, but we’ll see how that goes! I am really stoked for our local farmer’s market to re-open with socially distant vendors and to pick up some pre-orders I put in this week. I miss our local market so much.

Happy weekend everyone!

From My Stash: Icelandic Minis

Today is the one year anniversary of my trip to Iceland. It’s hard to believe that it has already been a year since I packed my oversized camping backpack, boarded a flight, and landed in a country where the sun doesn’t set until 11 PM and where 45 degrees in May is considered balmy. Where nearly all of the vegetables are imported and where cities feel like they haven’t aged in years.

That trip was big for me for so many reasons, but a highlight that I still treasure the most while traveling with my group around the western coast was the afternoon we spent learning about Icelandic traditions of natural dyeing with Gudrun Bjarnadottir. (You can read all about that day and the incredible people we met here.) I got a chance to purchase these mini skeins from a local wool cooperative outside of Reykjavik, naturally dyed by local artisans and made out of, of course, single ply Icelandic wool. Unfortunately, these skeins can’t be found online, but you can find naturally dyed Icelandic wool in full skeins at Gudrun’s Etsy store, or by searching for Hespa yarn, and a very similar single-ply base in the wool called Einband.

I still remember SO VIVIDLY standing in that co-op agonizing over which of these skeins to bring home because each of the dozens of shades on display was so lovely and I had such a hard time choosing. I have a lot of dreams for what I would like for these skeins to be but even now, a year later, I am perfectly content admiring them and making as careful of a decision for what they will be as I was in choosing them in the first place. Their colors haven’t faded even a bit from their original beauty and I know that they will be skeins or finished pieces that I will share with my loved ones for many years to come.

New Favorites; Stone Knits Colorwork Socks

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I love knitting socks for so many reasons. They are often made in fingering weight (my favorite), they are portable, they are the ultimate example of custom fitting a garment to your unique body, they are cozy, and they are endless opportunities for inspiration and just plain fun. I will knit a pair of socks I would never make a sweater out of, either because the pattern or color is really busy or bright, or if I’m not sure how it would fit. They also make great gifts, because the recipient will always be endlessly impressed with how you made those socks?!

I discovered Stone Knits within the past year, and she makes some truly amazing colorwork socks. I haven’t actually dove into much colorwork in my socks beyond the world of contrast heels and toes, but I am very excited to get into it. I find that colorwork stays a bit tighter because of the floats that you carry behind the knitting, and even the best knit socks have a tendency to stretch a little from their perfect fit between washings. I imagine it is also a great way to try out different kinds of colorwork and color combinations before committing to something similar in a larger garment. Her designs are whimsical and fresh and always really fun to look at in my Ravelry favorites. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something extra botanical for your feet this summer.