Month: July 2012

Mixed Feelings about Mohair

Marie Haigh1 Comment

The skirt I am knitting Elly is a complete joy save for one thing.

The math worked out perfectly, which never happens. I had no intention of publishing the pattern for this skirt, but since the math was so easy to calculate for each and every tier, I’ve changed my mind.

The large spans of stockinette stitch makes the skirt a great project on the go. I can knit a few stitches while watching Elly run around at all the different playgrounds we visit. But if Elly needs a push on a swing or moral support to climb a ladder, I can drop my knitting on a dime without worry of losing my place.

The Malabrigo Merino Worsted knits like its colorway: butter. It’s so soft and squishy. I just adore it.

I loved Claudia’s hand painted boucle, consisting of mostly kid mohair with a bit of wool and nylon mixed in, from first sight. I still do. The colors are beautiful. It gives the skirt a fun pop of color, making it perfect for my vibrant, little girl to wear. My only complaint, and it’s a big one, is that it’s annoying to knit. All the loops on it get snagged on my needles.

I find that I have to watch my knitting closely to ensure the yarn is knit cleanly through each stitch. It slows me down considerably and takes some of the enjoyment away. I have a good mind to hunt down a substitute yarn for the next skirt I knit for Elly. Yes, there will be a 2nd skirt. The good outweighs the bad.

A Muslin for Me

Marie Haigh6 Comments

It fits!

It also looks nothing like Simplicity 1910.

I changed my mind. When I saw Gertie’s Bombshell Dress class on Craftys.com, I fell immediately in love.

Since having Elly, clothing with clear waist definition looks more attractive on me. It draws attention to my waist and bust and away from everything south, such as my squishy tummy and my American thighs.

It took two fittings to get the muslin just right.

The first thing I noticed was that the cups sagged. My days of being perky are over it seems. A halter strap came to my rescue.

Additionally, the initial fitting had me struggling to breath and that was without the underlining, boning and lining. So, I let out the side seams a 1/4 inch.

It’s perfect now. I can breathe. It fits.

Now, I just have to get the nerve to cut out the gorgeous purple taffeta and irreplaceable Mexican lace. Gulp.

Sunday Snapshots (of Weavers Orchard)

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This was our 2nd visit to Weavers Orchard.

Though other children were picking blueberries, I had no luck in convincing Elly that we should join their efforts. Elly only had eyes for the animals.

When she wasn’t chatting with the goats and chickens, she was scaling the playground.

Unfortunately, even after only 6 hours in the sun, the wooden ladder and the plastic slide were hot to the touch.

After about an hour of playing and buying fruits from the Farmer’s Market, we came home to play in “Cookie Monster”.

July 4th Fun

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Though Elly and I biked in the Pottstown parade (which is to say that I biked and Elly rode in her trailer), I have no pictures to prove it. Pity.

I did manage to capture a few moments from our afternoon get-together.


Zucchini chocolate cupcakes
Recipe here


Fruit salad
made from fruit purchased during our latest trip to Weavers Orchard

Sunday Snapshots (of community service)

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The local newspaper, Mercury, published an article about how Edgewood Cemetery needed volunteers to spruce up its appearance. As one who loves old cemeteries, I was thrilled to help out. Since it was a week day, Elly came with me.

She toted her favorite gardening tool around, the shovel.

She helped pick up sticks.

After about a half an hour of working on a day when the temperature was supposed to climb into the high 90’s, she collapsed under a tree and downed a bottle of water.

Smart girl.