Eleven Stitches

More Plaid

I've been a little annoyed with January.  David thinks it's funny that I'm mad at a month, but there it is.  January is supposed to be cold and blowy, but we are rewarded for this cold and blowiness with snow.  Which leads to snow days off from school. Instead we've had cold and blowiness, and then the weather warms up just enough to rain and then goes back to being cold and blowy again.  Grr.

Anyway, I took advantage of a slightly warmer day with no rain and tried to take some outside blog photos.  It was pretty cold to be not wearing a coat outside, so I took like three pictures and hurried back in. 

This is the second time I've made Simplicity 2338.  It went together much easier this time since I've figured out how to make the collar.  Oh, and I figured out how to make the pleats on the skirt.  I'm pretty sure I got it totally wrong last time.  I added pockets to the dress because I think it's really important to have them.

I got this purple plaid flannel at Britex Fabrics when I was in San Francisco after Christmas.  It's lightweight, but still a good fabric for a winter dress.

The one problem I have with the fit is that the arm movement is restricted with these sleeves.  I know there's ways to modify sleeve caps to allow for different things.  Perhaps I will research this before I make this dress again.

Overall, yay, another dress.  And I may have satisfied my plaid obsession.  We'll see.

Looking Back at 2011 and Ahead to 2012

Happy New Year!  David and I celebrated by watching the San Francisco fireworks from the top of Twin Peaks.  The fireworks were distant, but it was a great view of the city and a fun way to start 2012.

What a year it 2011 was!  For me, I left this year healthier and happier than I started it, which is always something to appreciate and cherish.  (I'm especially glad this is so because this year had an 11 in it, which is my favorite number.) 

After I cleaned out and rearranged my sewing room, I sewed more than I ever have before.

The tally:

• 9 dresses
• 6 shirts
• 2 skirts
• 1 jacket
• 3 scarves
• 3 pincushions
• 4 napkins
• 4 pillowcases (2 not shown)
• 1 tiny leotard
• 2 Firefly cross stitches (I put this in the sewing category b/c they're my only needlepoint)

I also quilted like crazy this summer.

I finished three quilts and one baby quilt (one big quilt and the baby quilt aren't shown, but maybe in 2012), and made many quilt blocks for my bee assignments.  I also decorated a *lot* of canvas bags with dresden plates, and I still am not tired of doing it!

And finally, I did knit a fair amount.  I know I didn't knit as much this year as other years, and there were several days this summer that I didn't knit at all.  This is a rarity for me, but since I was spending my time sewing, I didn't let it bother me.

The tally:

• 2 sweaters (one will be blogged in 2012)
• 2 skirts
• 10 pairs of socks + 1 single sock
• 3 cowls
• 4 hats (one isn't shown)
• 3 pairs of mittens
• 1 afghan
• 3 tiny bunnies
• 2 iPhone cozies

Looking ahead to next year, there are several things I would like to do. 

• Get better and more confident at using my serger. 
• Actually learn how to put in an invisible zipper. 
• Write the children's book that's been in my head for about 6 months now
• Tackle the Butterfly Vest, since I've had the kit for several years now
• Finish the two quilts that I've gotten from quilting bees
• Figure out a way to sell custom sewing and knitting to others while still feeling happy (and fairly compensated) for the work --- more on this to come!
• Do a better job at keeping up with posting the things I've finished.  I craft like crazy, but sometimes documenting this crafting is difficult!

Have a Happy New Year, and I hope 2012 gives you a fresh start and happy possibilities.