This Weeks Dominating Dastardly Party Pooper

Finished Again

It's been ages since I blogged. I think I say that every time now... Here is the vest, finally finished. It was too small so I added length to after the armholes and V, then cast on down the side and did a bit of sideways ribbing.

It's not a great fit now but looks good under a jacket. I'd do it differently next time. The extra shoulder length means I could take out the side expansion and I couldn't wear it without a T-shirt because the armholes are too low. For goodness' sake! AGAIN! I always manage to stuff up my knitting!

I like it, the Vogue Vest, but might try simply making the V start earlier, rather than lengthening the shoulders.

It's charcoal wool, which looks fluffy in the pics but is actually a nice shade.

Here is the eventually unneccessary sideways ribbing. I like the look but because it's now a little too big, it bunches up weirdly.

e RM2 knitted into the back is obscure but that's fine, it's my secret (ours).

I used the orange on the perle stitch, otherwise it would be too bright.

I have to say that Morris & Sons Empire 4ply is very soft to wear and after the fluff washes out (in a few washes), it's lovely. You can wear it against your skin except in this case you'll see my bra strap.

It Feels Good To Finish Things

I did a 'learning style' segment in Workplace Training & Assessment Cert. IV, and saw that I had a fair bit of 'bites off more than they can chew'. I had never ever seen my many many co-projects under this nasty banner before. Nasty! I think that I have 'got the idea down', ready for when I have time. And if I don't like it in the end, well I can donate it to the Op Shop so some other hoarder can think they might finish it, so it doesn't matter at all...
So, anyhow, now I'm on a proper bender and can't wait to drag out a few of the things I've done (but not framed/backed/edged/etc.).
I blame my renewed teaching! Thanks for that Kim! Even though I've not stopped, showing the stuff to the girls got me excited.
So... I'll put the battery in the charger and tomorrow I'll photograph where things are at. Promise! I'm doing it right now!

Sunday's Efforts and How To Use Old Drainiage Pipes Most Effectively

Planting our first apple tree. One of 8 to go along the arbour. This one is Cox's Orange Pippin.

This came to him as an obvious solution. Ag pipe, cut into lengths and picked up free via Gumtree, concreted in place and then filled with concrete and water pipe shoved down the middle. It's to hold the wood off the ground to avoid rotting. We're using the Chinese Sapphire (Polonia) wood from Dad's tree, which we  have been coppicing. The wood is quite dark. After we stripped the bark off our hands were stained purplish for a week, and the wood white... but when we went to check the wood under Dad's house, it had gone dark.

August Garden Update and How Clever The One True Is.

Today we are putting in the rest of the bits for the arbour posts. I'll show you later, better go now.
Oh, and can you see where I've stuffed moss into the crevices of the waslls (a few weeks back) and it's all taken and grown. Looks instantly old. Some of the fruit trees are visible here. Bye x

Yesterday I went to Berwick market (in Victoria, Australia) and discovered the most gorgeous jewellery stall there! It's all made using vintage hewellery and bits and bobs, by a lovely lady who's name I did not get. Sorry! But I did go back and get her card. You can find her here at madeit. The pictures don't do justice to the reality.
It's really just the mood I want at the moment. Old fashioned, Daggy in a funky kind of a way... Colourful without being bright... and looks lovely with my lovely new jacket, which, by the way, is so comfortable and sturdy and solid. I love wearing it, even if when I get a geek at myself in a shop window (something I try to avoid) my bum is so huge as to be demoralising. Not the jackets fault and hopefully I'll be starting gym soon. But, I will henceforth always reinforce the panels of a jacket with interfacing and I will employ pad-stitching.
I read yesterday that the style has been referred to as Librarian Chic.

My New Jacket That Wasn't Meant To Be At All Like The Old Jacket, But Is.

Not quite finished. I've had to change the back pleat because it sat badly over my lusciously ample bottom. I'll show you the back when it's done. Every panel is interfaced. The front and collar pieces are with horse-hair for solidity.
It's a proper, solid, warm jacket. Way more curvy on than on the hanger. The pattern is a mixture with a bit of fudging as well. I'm over raglan jackets for now though. Two is enough.



Breast pocket




Pad stitching on under collar.




This lining could not be more perfect. It's silk and all. From Vic Market in Melbourne.




I quilted the sleeve lining, using an iron-on vellum. The reason being that I decided to interface all of the pieces, but had already made up the sleeve pockets. So this seemed a good solution. I had an amazing German, leather coat which had quilted lining in the sleeves so...




The cuffs are quite long. Don't tell me you're not impressed with the bound buttonholes! And self-covered buttons to boot! It was going to be very busy if I wasn't careful. Loads of pockets and buttons. It had to be and I admit to Nerd-dom when it comes to fussing with detail. I used Buttonmania to do the buttons, in the darling favourite Nicholas Building in Swanson Street Melbourne.



Look at that shot lining! It's Gorgeous!

There's more to show. An inside ticket-slash-secret pocket... also secret sleeve pockets with LUVVERLY linings... and the back almost resplendant with band and pleat. Gotta figure out how to sew the lining down to the pleat area, but I'm hoping it will reveal itself when I get there (and posting this is stopping me).
The fabric was a steal from the now defunct Job Warehouse in Bourke Street. R.I.P. you old buggers! Thanks for the memories!