Running Away From Home

(As always, please excuse these stupid out of focus pictures. I’ve still not managed to get my camera problems resolved – too much going on! Also, at least as of this moment, I’m finding the photos to be showing up somewhat sporadically. If you see a big blank spot with the word “Atlanta” and a number, it means a picture is supposed to be there. Try clicking on the title of this post. For some reason, I’m seeing different photos when I do that.)

So, last week, on rather short notice, I ran away from home. A friend wrote in the middle of June, asking if I’d like to go to Atlanta for the UFDC Convention. I had next to no money, but I couldn’t resist the draw of some time away from home, so as crazy as the idea was, I said yes. I knew I could scratch together enough for my flight and my share of the room (which wasn’t inexpensive!), but past that, I would have to depend on peanut butter crackers, potential birthday money, and whatever sales I could stimulate in the few weeks before the trip. Happily, I came up with enough that I could eat one cheap meal out each day and have something to spend in the sales rooms, and a last minute addition of another roommate made it even a bit better. Still, I have to say that it was really tough being in such a fantastic sea of awesome dolls and accessories with so very little money, and there were a couple of wonderful dolls I lost out on because they were just a little beyond what I had in my pocket. But I didn’t come home empty handed -  and now that it’s a week after the event, I don’t even mind having eaten so much peanut butter.

Hotels that look like this inside don’t come with cheap rooms…

View out our window – see the capitol building?

Martine and Hitty Darlene went along with me, so they did a bit of looking around for treasures. Hitty D. found little in her price range that she liked, but she was quite pleased with the pretzel, which reminded her very much of the huge German pretzels one can purchase at Englischer Gartens in Munich.

She really wished she had money to purchase the great bobbin lace pillow, but it was definitely out of her price range,

and the horse was fun to ride, but she couldn’t imagine paying $200 for it!

Martine, with some judicious bargaining and her sweet smile, brought home all sorts of goodies for her brothers and sisters, and a pair of Joyce Nicholsen’s espadrilles for herself. The little doll in the trunk is one of Alison Harwood’s fantastic creations. Jean-Paul apparently already ran off with his little wooden floor puzzle. Martine has promised to teach Gayelle to knit with the dress kit she bought for her. The purse is “so Malloree” that I chipped in a little bit of my money when Martine found herself a bit short at the end of the day.

We also picked out a few pieces of fabric.

And I bought a little something for my sewing room…

I really had a strong desire to bring home a new doll this year, but on my budget, the only things I was finding I could afford were the mundane – which I really don’t need. I’m definitely sufficiently stocked with those. If money were no object (That will be the day!), this is the one doll I’d have had to have owned. She wasn’t the most expensive doll there by a long shot, but she’s the one who stole my heart most completely.

This beautiful Kestner pink tint, covered wagon, china I thought was going to be mine. She wasn’t priced too badly, but still out of my range, but since it was the end of the last day of the show when I found her, I took the info and intended to contact the seller in a few weeks. However, I went back a half hour later and she was gone – sold. I embarrassed myself by crying. I’d so wanted her! However, she was $25 more than every penny I’d brought along, so…

I did find someone to come home with me, though, and she’s a pretty little gal who is unlike anyone else I have, so a nice addition to the family. And I could actually afford to adopt her, which was a big plus. She’s an ABG Dolly Madison china doll, from the early 1870’s, about 25″ tall. Clothes are not original, nor do they come remotely close to fitting her. In fact, they are so small that it’s going to be a trick getting the dress off of her. Her seller was a bit of a sourpuss, too, so she was more than happy to come home with me. I’m looking forward to having some time to dress her more appropriately, and I’m hoping I happen to have at least some underthings to fit her – though I’m not holding my breath on that count.

On Friday, we went to the Atlanta History Center. We saw some wonderful stuff there, but sadly weren’t allowed to bring any of it home in pictures, making it hard to retain what we saw and learned during our visit. These are two of the period homes which we toured – the Swan House and the Tulley Smith Plantation, two totally different types of homes, and each utterly charming in its own way.

And our trip through town netted me one of my favorite styles of city pix.

And in addition to the touring and shopping, there was all sorts of great fun, meeting a number of people I’d only known online until now, room parties, aching feet, and the pride of conquering the public transit system in Atlanta… All in all a very nice week!

Today’s Guest Blogger

I’d like to introduce you to today’s guest blogger, a charming gal I just found out about a couple of weeks ago. She was born in Hong Kong and has just recently moved to the United States, and I’m very happy to say that this young lady is going to be living here in our home for the foreseeable future. I’ll add a few words in closing, but for now, I’d like to turn the computer over to Miss Melodie Pascaline.

*********************

Hello, Everybody!

Wow! This is really exciting! I never dreamed I’d be blogging, especially so soon after my arrival here in the States. It’s been a very exciting day for me, and I hardly know where to begin! I guess the best thing is for me to just tell you about myself.

As Maman just told you, I was born in Hong Kong, and my first memories are from Ruby Red Galleria, where I lived temporarily with quite a few of my sisters. We were told that we were very special girls, as we are the first ever resin Bleuettes, and we would have the important job of being ambassadors to everyone we met, so they could see just how special we are. About two weeks ago, I learned that I had been assigned a forever home in Ohio, so I snuggled down into my satin travel blanket for the 2 week long trip halfway around the world, and arrived safe and sound Monday morning, the day after Easter. (That’s why my middle name is Pascaline.) At the same time she adopted me, my wise maman also bought several pairs of shoes, some undies and a sailor dress for me, and a couple of extra wigs, which I understood I was taking to America for some of my new sisters.

I really think Maman likes me very much! She keeps saying that I’m much cuter than my photographs, and she loves my silky smooth skin. She’s also impressed with what she calls my range of movement, a term which I don’t quite understand, but I do know she asked me to do all sorts of things while she took lots of pictures. I don’t want to talk too much (Everyone says I do that all the time.), so I’m going to let you see the pictures instead, if you don’t mind too much.

See my pretty little ears? Maman says that if I write a very nice post, she will get me some earrings, too!

I really impressed her with the way I sit so prettily, and she was amazed that I can hold my hands so neatly in front of me.

I can rub my belly and pat my head perfectly! Can you?

Holding items in my hands is very easy for me, which is good, because I don’t want to let go of my Ruby Red Galleria shoes. They fit absolutely perfectly over the pretty hand knit socks Maman found in the accessory tub here, and I think some of the other girls are a little bit jealous, as they say their shoes pinch their toes and some even have to go entirely without socks. Not me! I get to wear the special socks and really pretty shoes both!

This is my  sailor suit from Ruby Red Galleria. It’s really nice! The jacket is fully lined with slippery fabric that just glides right on and feels great against my skin. The trims are fine and just right for my size, and it fits perfectly – even the hat! See how well I can salute? And I can stand all by myself quite easily, even in my shoes!

And I’m the best one here for playing peekaboo with the babies!

You should have heard Jean-Paul giggling!

Now I ask you this: what is there not to love?

Maman, did I do well? When do I get the earrings???

***********************

Oh dear… What an interesting little gal! You can see by that determined jaw of hers that she’s got character. ;o) And she talks a bleue streak!

There were a few things I wanted to add to her comments, coming from an adult, human perspective. I was slightly hesitant about the thought of a resin “Bleuette,” but I honestly couldn’t pass up the price, and I have to admit the photos on the site stole my heart. I must have looked at them three dozen times or more in the space of two days before I decided I absolutely had to arrange an adoption. I have no regrets!

One thing I would like to address is the concept of a Bleuette in resin, which might seem rather strange. No, she can’t “really” be called a Bleuette, but then the truth is that none of our reproduction girls can legitimately bear that title either; we just call them Bleuettes and love them dearly, even though most of them aren’t antique originals, but rather Bleuettes in heart. It amazes me to see this little girl carrying so much of the Bleuette feeling, while having a look of her very own, and she blends in beautifully sitting with all her new sisters. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Bleuette was always cutting edge in fashion and style of doll, changing from bisque to compo and then finally to hard plastic, and I believe that it’s very likely that if G-L was still manufacturing Bleuette today, 50 years later, she would have an extremely good chance of being very much like this little lady, resin and all. I think it’s fun to see what might have been entirely possible come true.

Melodie is beautifully made. She’s a little startling at first touch, as her skin is flawlessly smooth, and she’s much heavier than a bisque or compo doll of the same size. She’s also much better balanced than a bisque doll, since her body is resin, too, meaning she isn’t top heavy. The body is beautifully engineered. Although it looks very much like the popular bodies we see on our reproduction dolls, it is far more posable, not only achieving more positions more easily and showing more flexibility, but also in that it holds those positions, which are tweakable even in very fine degree. And there is no “restless leg syndrome” here. If you aren’t a dyed in the wool traditionalist, and you love playing with and staging your Bleuettes, but the legs and other posing problems drive you nuts, this just may be the perfect answer for you.

Other things to note: The pate is a removable resin dome that is held in place with an integral resin hook and a strong magnet. I believe this is similar to BJD’s, but might be new to many Bleuette people. The eyes are accessible and are puttied in with some sort of flexible compound that allows them to be readjusted or even changed. I chose to tweak the alignment on Melodie’s, knowing that even the tiniest change can greatly affect the overall appearance of a doll’s expression. I’m not quite sure I’m done tweaking. ;o)

Because of the slickness of the resin, gluing a wig in place isn’t very feasable, but the company recommends attaching the wig with Velcro. I know a lot of people choose to do that on their bisque dolls anyway. Looking inside the wig, I see that all I need do is add the burr side of some Velcro to her head, as there are receiving pads already in place inside the wig. Until I get some thin Velcro, we are using double-sided tape.

I also bought 3 pairs of shoes and three wigs from Ruby Red Galleria, and I’m very impressed with them all. The wigs are an especial pleasure – probably the nicest doll wigs I have ever purchased – and I could not be happier with them! I’ve bought from every single one of the major wig companies and some individuals, from budget models to budget buster, but these stand alone! There is no wig cap showing through skimpy hair, requiring a brush over or constant hat wearing. Instead, there is full, generous coverage of soft and lovely hair. The wigs are scaled perfectly for the doll, and they are trimmed nicely and curled tightly and evenly. The three I bought were ready to go on dolls straight out of the package, which is, in my experience, nearly unheard of. This is really important to me, as I’m severely hair handicapped. If a wig doesn’t start out great, it’s not going to work for me, and I have a pet peeve with paying money for an expensive wig that has to be styled before it can even be worn by a doll. These wigs are quite simply perfect. The only thing I will be changing is that they use the little silicone bands to secure braids and pull backs. Experience has shown me that those bands are fairly short lived, so I will be swapping them out for secure thread wraps, which will stand the test of time, while not doing any damage to the hair. That is one thing I can actually do to hair. ;o)

One last glowing comment about Ruby Red Galleria… Their customer service is fantastic! Communication is prompt and sufficient to let you know you have been well tended. My parcel arrived in just two weeks, which is really not bad at all for the distance it came. My order had one small error in it, which they told me about before it even arrived, and in correcting it, they have gone far above and beyond any company with which I’ve ever dealt. To be quite blunt, I’m absolutely amazed, and it would be wonderful if more companies handled their business in such an honorable and service oriented manner. I’m an extremely happy customer, and I’m looking forward to placing my next order with these great people. Three cheers for Ruby Red Galleria!!!

The Loot!

At last! As of midnight it was finally time to open the Stash Swap packages! (Click here if you didn’t see the original post a few days ago.) The boys had been guarding the pile all week, armed with pea shooters. They were just sure the girls wouldn’t be able to stay out of trouble – or so they said. I think they just wanted the opportunity to be obnoxious… Anyway, when the clock struck twelve, the party was on!

There were many excited exclamations, more than a few shouts of “MINE!” and lots of planning and page turning in the pattern books, to be sure. Our loot included:

• Fat quarter of plaid silk
• Fat quarter of crimped organdy type fabric in white
• Two pieces of lace – one antique netting and the other a narrow white cotton
• Vintage ecru rickrack
• Tiny gold and red buttons
• Faux rabbit trim and daisy chain trim with beaded centers
• Blue seedbead assortment, blue ombre ribbon bows, Eiffel Tower and letter “B” appliques
• Handspun wool yarn (What more could an avid knitter wish to get?!), which was wrapped in a piece of white on white cotton fabric
• Pattern for stuffed bunny
• Two special thank you gifts from participants – a completed stuffed bunny and a delicate embroidered hankie with crocheted trim

The next part of the Stash Swap is the BIG BONUS ROUND, in which participants receive a prize if they use three of their items to make something for Bleuette or her immediate family by the first day of spring. I don’t exactly end up with a prize, as I run the show, but I still like to try to get at least one thing made from my new treasures. Some years I’ve been able to use three items on one project, but this year looks like that won’t happen. Although we have some really lovely things here, none of it really seems to go together well – at least at first blush. I think we should sleep on it, though – or perhaps look at it somewhere that the girls aren’t. It’s tough to hear myself think with them all chattering away about what each of them thinks I should make for her.

And this is what we sent out in our packages:

I loved how it all went together and couldn’t resist taking a photo before I sent it umpteen different directions, from the east coast to the west. The fabrics are vintage, as is the pink-edged lace, along with most of the buttons. The mystery items are hat straw and very soft and supple leather, both items from my doll store. I can’t wait to see if the recipients like what I sent as much as I do – and to see if someone uses it in their challenge project. Digging around in my own stash made me want to drop everything and make some things for the girls from the items I settled on sharing, each of which still resides here in usable quantities. With everything going on over the next 6 weeks, though, I’m going to have to settle for vicarious pleasures. Oh for more hours in each day!

And on a totally different note, after fighting to get decent pix again tonight, I gave up and bought a new camera. I went with fewer bells and whistles than my old one, as I just don’t have the money to put into what I really want, but what I ordered has really good reviews, so hopefully it will do until I’m in a better financial situation. It would have to be a pretty lousy camera to not be better than my poor, hurt Canon A620. I’m still miserable to have had it wounded so soon. Sigh…

Many Hands Make Light Work

We are in the midst of one of the big events of the year around here, and I thought you might like to have a peek into how things are actually run.

This is the fourth year I’ve hostessed the annual Bleuette Stash Swap, an activity I developed in order to help cope with the post-holiday, cabin fever doldrums. The Swap was born on one of the Yahoo groups to which I belong, but this year I decided to open it up to a wider audience, so I created a new group specifically for the Swap. My plans are to have a few other activities for the members sprinkled throughout the year, in addition to this grand kick off event. The basic premise for the Swap is that all of us end up with leftover “stuff” from our projects for our dolls. Minimum purchase might be one yard on a fabric, but we need only half that amount, or we stumble upon a gorgeous bolt of delicate lace on markdown, a box of vintage rickrack at a yard sale, etc. This stuff is wonderful, but our girls don’t want every outfit they own to have the exact same buttons or whatever. The solution is to swap our stash! To that end, each player sends me the items from the list I provide at the start of the event – two fat quarters, 2 yards of lace, 2 yards of other trim, 6-12 buttons, and optionally 2 mystery items and some yarn or thread for crochet or knitting.  These items are to be of an appropriate scale, style, and fiber for our Bleuettes, and not stuff we ourselves wouldn’t use. Each offering is wrapped and labeled, and arrives here with a $5 entry fee (which helps defray the cost of postage and prizes) and a mailing label (which makes the shipping easier and more accurate). We scramble the individual offerings and send them back out, no one getting more than one item from any other player. On Valentine’s Day, everyone opens their loot, grins… laughs… cries… and then phase two begins – the BIG BONUS ROUND. The goal is to use any three of the new treasures to create something for Bleuette or her immediate family – the thought being that a person hasn’t done any stash busting if they just stick the new stuff back on the shelf. Anyone who succeeds in using three items by the first day of spring wins a special prize – no competition among members, only with one’s self. In past years, prizes have been:

• Year 1 – Bleuette scaled Eiffel Tower purchased beneath the real McCoy, and vintage French lace obtained in a flea market in Saintes (France).
• Year 2 – A lovely goodie bag from Farmhouse fabric, jammed with vintage fabric, laces, and buttons
• Year 3 – Fabrics and embroidery yarn brought home from a trip to Honduras

It’s always loads of fun for everyone – even me, once the shipping phase is over. ;o)  And now that I’ve explained the basics, here’s a peek into how the shipping process actually works around here…

There is never a shortage of volunteer workers, as you will see. This year, the boys took over the job of unpacking. Some of the stuff arrived in boxes, so Remy had to climb in and hand stuff down to the littler boys.

Of course, no one was watching Mikkey and Mariette for all of 30 seconds, so we didn’t realize what was going on until Mariette shrieked when she lost her grip on her twin’s foot. Those two…

Packages were toted over to Mariko and Claire who inventoried everything on the master list. This is an important step because of the optional items. We want to be careful to make sure everyone gets back in kind.

Not entirely trusting the little boys for some reason, Flora gathered the money and delivered it to Rikki, who was our acting banker this year.

Once items are checked in, they go to the “mountain,” as the crew was calling it. Memo to self for future years: Don’t leave the room when inventory is nearly finished…

At least this stuff isn’t breakable!

And not to be a tattletale or anything, but yes, I caught Mariette trying to figure out what was in this enticingly curious mystery package. Can’t say as I blame her. The mystery packages about drive me crazy! However, my arm doesn’t fit. ;o)

Next step is to sort all the little packages by type – fat quarters to one stack, lace to another, and so on. The girls were surprised to realize that there was more than 10 yards of fabric in the tower!

While the kids do the sorting, I’m busy creating a second chart designed to make sure that no one gets two items from the same swapper, none of their own, and everyone gets what they should. This also solves mysteries like “Uh-oh! There’s a package of buttons left over!” I can just check the chart to see where they belong instead of opening every single packed envelope and box. When everything is sorted and the chart is ready, we chase the little ones out of the way and get down to the serious work. Each of the older volunteers has his or her own station, and I must say they make an excellent team! I was very proud of their efforts this year. We only had two small mistakes, and it was the biggest Swap we’ve ever packed!

The last step is mine – taking the mountain of parcels off to the post office. I’m glad I live in a small town at times like this, and even more glad that we have such a wonderful and friendly postmistress. It took nearly 45 minutes to get everything finished up and paid, and I came home ready for a nap. Even with the help of my crew, the project took me 6 hours longer than I’d set aside, and I was tired! I went to tell the kids I was going to lay down for a while, and was very glad I did. I’d made another error in judgment, it seems…

In response to my calm and evenly tempered query into what was going on, Mikkey explained, “We is getting us a be-cation! Gonna see Tante Nancy!” Memo two to self: Stop saying, “I need to get myself packed for the trip…” Sigh…

Don’t Peek Before… OOPS!

I told the kiddies I didn’t have the time to shop for them each a gift of their own this year, but I would be getting them one big special gift that they could all share. That gift arrived today, and… well… the understanding was that “it” promised to be very still and quiet until Christmas morning. Best laid plans and all that…

Some of the younger children were looking for something to do this afternoon when they heard an odd sound coming from a beautifully wrapped gift. It sounded very much like a little boy sniffling and trying not to cry, and there was no question in their minds what they should do. The package was open in moments!

Good-hearted, though impulsive, little folks that they are, they were totally oblivious to the fact that they had just, without permission, opened the only Christmas gift – and without even having the rest of their brothers and sisters there to see. Their only concern was that someone was crying, and they intended to fix that!

To their chagrin, Mikkey, Mariette, and Mae Lei could do nothing to assuage the little newcomer’s sorrow. He wasn’t scared, nor was he homesick. He was just dreadfully sad. In the excitement of packing for his journey to Ohio, somehow he neglected to get his doggie into the travel box before the lid was sealed shut. Though he knows his foster sisters will take good care of his beloved pet, he’s just sure he’ll never see his puppy again.

Vital stats: William Jacob arrived December 23, 2008. He is named in honor of my paternal great-grandfather, William Owen Spitler. Will was born in Candy Anderson’s Studio, and was made using the Twirp mold. Oh, and he’s cute as a button!

Post script: I just heard Emmalyn tell Little Will that that wonderful things happen at Christmas time, and that she’d help him write a letter…

Look What the Stork Brought!

Yep! There’s a new baby at my house, and it’s been a very long anticipated event – actually two and a half years in the waiting, to be exact!

It all started back in April of 2006 when I had the opportunity to attend a Bleuette Retreat in Kansas City, MO. It was my first opportunity to see a wide variety of Bleuettes and kin in person, and I was quickly able to build a small wishlist of favorite artists by seeing their work first hand. The three I wanted to collect the most were dolls by Barbi Kantor-Goldenberg, Ann Ghist, and Thu Tam Freeman, plus there was a one of a kind Rosette that Barbara Hilliker had there that weekend. Thu Tam brought Bambinos, and though I was torn between them and one of her Bleue girls, I’d never seen a Bambino I loved more than the ones she had painted. I could have very happily gone home with one of her little fellows and Barbara’s Rosette. However, this was just a small part of a 3-week roadtrip, so the budget wasn’t flush, and event transpired to make it even skimpier, much to my dismay. Under these circumstances, it just wasn’t wise to arrange for an immediate adoption, so I just kept going back and looking at the Bambinos and sighing…

Since Bleues tend to find me when I least expect it, it is in turn more difficult for me to instrument planned adoptions, as the opportunists are quite adept at commandeering the dolly dollars I have available. I’ve managed to adopt sweet Mae Lei from Barbi and Celeste from Ann Ghist, both pre-arranged, but I was still waiting for my Bambino… and waiting… and waiting… However, a few weeks ago, a special trip that I’d planned with a friend fell through, and I found myself sitting with my entire deposit refunded, nursing more than a little bit of disappointment. Needless to say, it didn’t take me long to come up with the perfect salve for my wounded expectations, and oddly enough, within minutes of making my decision, Thu Tam’s business card, which I didn’t even know I had, showed up quite surprisingly in a very strange location – and unavoidably right in front of my face. Of course, this was undoubtedly pure coincidence… assuming you don’t believe the Flock (my Bleuette family) had anything to do with it… A few quick phone calls, and our new baby was on his way home!

Officially adopted November 5, 2008, I’m pleased to introduce Jean-Paul, a bouncing baby Bambino, 10 inches long and named in honor of my maternal grandfather, a man I sadly never had the opportunity to know.

He arrived in this adorable little outfit with his own little teddy bear, Orson, and is as precious as can be. The girls are hoping to get an outfit knitted for him very soon, but beings as they are Bleuettes, they aren’t able to knit as fast as they would like.

He has beautiful blue eyes and a teeny identifying freckle as a birthmark, but the odd light spot you see on the side of his head is (not surprisingly) a bit of yarn fiber that found my camera lens, apparently having migrated there while I was taking stash pix just before doing his portrait. That seems to be a common problem around here for some reason…

So, I was going to ask, “Isn’t he sweet?” but figured that was a little bit silly, as I know he is, and I’m quite sure you agree with me – and if you didn’t, you’d never be rude enough to say as much. If I had to lose out on the trip, at least there’s been a bit of a silver lining, so I’m not pouting now – or at least not nearly so much. ;o)

Day 16 Ravelympics Update

Medal #15

Medal #18

Medal #17

GOLDGOLDGOLDGOLDGOLDGOLDGOLD

Wow! I’m in total shock, but thrilled! I will add that I also have a dandy backache… In addition to the other project that I didn’t photograph yesterday, I finished not one, but two more today! I didn’t dream I’d ever get this far into the pile. )

Before I go any farther, there is definitely something up with the photo service here at WordPress, so for now, I’m using medium sized photos. Pretty much everything I’m posting of project work is also on my Flickr site in a larger size, link in the sidebar. (Edited for change 9/10/08 – seems to be fixed now, at least for the time being, so I’m going back to replace all static photos with click to enlarge version. ))

First up is Martine sharing her final Ravelympics outfit and my fourth dress from Inma’s Succès pattern. Of course, this is an interpretation of a Gautier-Languereau oufit sold for Bleuette in the 1930’s. Martine’s outfit is made in that decadent Pure Silk yarn by Debbie Bliss, and in a color that really sets off Martine’s pretty blue eyes. I adore that yarn, but doubt I will every use it for something for me, as it seems to be somewhat tender – and very pricey. Nice to use it for the girls, though, and I get the pleasure of feeling it slink through my fingers in the bargain. I opted to use a bit of rayon ribbon yarn for the tie on this dress, as I don’t feel like this yarn will make a good long term tie solution. As usual, I did lengthen the dress somewhat.

Second project done this past evening was something I’d started last year in California on one trip, using yarn purchased in Colorado on another trip, so it’s a bit of a souvenir for me, as well as something special for Remy. Pattern is Mock Cable Knit Cardigan by Patti-Ann Stanley, yarn is Rowan Bamboo Soft (awesome yarn!), and it was knit with size 3 needles.

Project notes: I messed up a few things on this pattern, but I can get by with it. The worst was that I didn’t use a stretchy bind off at the neck opening, and though Remy says he wouldn’t be caught dead buttoning a cardigan up all the way anyway, I still feel a bit bad about the error. He thought the mandarin collar look was sort of neat, and I’m not going to argue with him. I’d just as leave let him like it, you know? I also didn’t have him along when I was making this, so I wasn’t able to make any alterations that might have helped fit his Raikes Bobette style body better.

His only real complaint, though, is that he doesn’t have a shirt to wear under it, and the pants I picked up last year on ebay are hopeless! He seems to think a new outfit would be in order. I can’t say I really disagree with him, to be quite honest. The girls are appalled he would even allow me to take this picture, let alone post it. I told them it’s a guy thing – but in all honesty, I think he’s just bucking for some sympathy.

Now, last but certainly not least… I spent four hours last night discovering just why it was that I finished my Lady’s Circular Cape (Knit Picks Shadow yarn) and laid it aside instead of blocking it. I started and unpinned it at least 4 times before I got it figured out, and even then, it was a tediously slow project with no way to work at it easily. My back is screaming – but it’s done! Until I find a model or free the currently entrapped mannequin in my sewing room, this photo of it blocked out will have to do. I hope I figure out a much better way to block it before it ever needs a washing. If I didn’t love to knit lace so much, the blocking of it would put me off of the idea very quickly indeed. Wonder if there are blocking fairies for hire…

In other knitting – wait! There was no other knitting! Heading into the last hours of the Ravelympic Games, so not sure there will be anything more happen here. I’ve definitely learned to never say never, though.

Day 15 Ravelympics Update

Medal #14

Medal #16

GoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGoldGold

Okay – wow!!! I didn’t really believe this was going to happen, and especially not this soon, but wow!!! But… I guess I shouldn’t jump the gun, so will start where I’d expected and end with a big bang. )

This is the outfit I mentioned having finished yesterday. Mariette and I went out for pics Friday evening. As much as she loves it, she’s a little sad, as it’s the last outfit she’s getting from this Ravelympic challenge. As you can see, it was a breezy day, not the best for modeling a wide brimmed hat!

This is Hélios, the same outfit I finished last week for Martine. Mariette loves hats, so I made the complete outfit for her, and instead of beads, I attached the straps with little shell buttons. I was going to say “she looks so cute in this,” but to be honest, she manages to look adorable in pretty much anything she wears. I couldn’t resist taking another portrait…

Project notes: This is Hélios, a pattern by Inma Iglesias, an interpretation of a Gautier-Languereau fashion for Bleuette from 1934. I made this one from Sirdar 4-ply Cotton on size 3 needles. I used Stiffen Quik to shape the hat, and it did darken the color slightly, but I used it sparingly. Trim is pink silk embroidery ribbon. The dress is a perfect fit, but the hat was close. I’ve learned a lot since I was knitting it, and I should have used a more flexible bind-off. At the time I knit it, I knew precisely one cast on and one bind off. Amazing how much I’ve learned in the last year or two. )

Here’s where I expected to end with my “in other knitting” section, but…

Can you believe this? I surely can’t!!! I actually finished my Spiraling Coriolis Socks!!! I had one knit before the challenge started, but this past spring, I made a huge blunder on the heel of the second, and in total terror of the rip out, coupled with trying to imagine what it would be like to figure out where I was in the pattern and where to put the stitch markers led me to stuff them out of sight for months, despite the fact that I dearly loved sock number one. Not only did I do the frogging, I figured out precisely where I was on the pattern with one painfully long parry, and with two more nights of work, I knit an anatomically correct heel, then added the ankle and cuff. I really did it – my first pair of hand knit socks finished!

Slipping them onto my feet was a wonderful treat – the first time I can ever remember having a pair of socks that truly fit my feet – and perfectly! Tell you what… I could really get addicted to this incredible feeling very quickly!

Pattern notes: These are Spiraling Coriolis designed by Cat Bordhi and presented in her book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I learned early on not to take any shortcuts on measuring and pre-planning. Following Cat’s instructions to the most minute detail provided me with socks that have a glove perfect fit. I used Merino 5 yarn, which held up well to my multiple rippings and produced beautiful socks with nice detail showing on the spirals. However, it was definitely splitty, which was a challenge at times. I chose size 2 needles, which produced a fabric I liked very well. You can see in the photos that I made comparatively short tops. This is because I’m most likely to wear socks with fold down tops, so am used to the feel of them stopping at the top of my ankle. I saw absolutely no reason to knit a lot of extra cuff that would feel odd to me. I only needed 3 balls of yarn, so I have one left over, and I have a number of very short kiddies eying it with glee. I found making the symmetric spiral bands to be an interesting challenge, which definitely made me pay attention to my work, but which wasn’t difficult if I kept my mind to what I was doing.

In other knitting – and yes, there was other beyond my cloud floating over my wonderful new socks. (Did I say how much I love them and how excited I am?) I’ve not posted the socks on Ravelry yet, because I finished another outfit in between the Hélios and the Coriolis, and being me, I wanted to post them in order. It was dark before I got it finished, though, so I need to wait for pictures, meaning you all see the socks first. (Love those things…) And it means that I have my project finished for tomorrow, and better yet, I’m still on track to have 17 WIPs whipped in 17 days – presuming I can stop dancing around long enough to settle down and do another. ;o)

Day 14 Ravelympics Update

(Apologies for the picture change. Something is different on the site right now, and the thumbnails aren’t enlarging. I’ve put in medium size pix and will replace with blow-up thumbnails if and when that option starts working again.)

Yes! I did it! I really didn’t know if I was going to make it done in time with this project, as my knitting group met early this evening, but I was able to finish just in time – well, even early enough that the twins got to go outside and play for a little while!

There was little doubt that Mikkey’s Farniente needed to directly succeed Mariette’s. Although there was no hat to make for him, I had not even cast on the shirt, so there was still plenty of work to do. I’d already knit the shorts in the golden yellow, and I’d decided to start his tank top with white ribbing to be the direct opposite of Mariette’s. When I got everything finished and he tried it on, I got an immediate scowl. In his opinion, the shirt was too girlie. After one of those arguments that never goes anywhere with a little boy of his age, Claire, whom the entire crew admires for her fashion sense, added her two cents worth – on his side. Since Mariette was willing, I finally gave in and let them trade shirts, and in all honesty, I have to admit they knew more than I did in this situation.

This is their first twin outfits and they are absolutely thrilled to have matches, as you can see.

Inspired by all the volleyball they’ve been watching on the Olympics, they decided Mikkey’s beloved soccer ball could lead a double life. Much to Mikkey’s frustration and his Squirt the Raccoon’s delight, they need a whole lot more practice, but they had a blast, and I really enjoyed the time away from my end darning. ;o)

Project notes: Really, it’s all the same as yesterday. Pattern by Inma Iglesias, an interpretation of one of the Gautier-Languereau fashions for Bleuette – Farniente. I used Brown Sheep Cotton Fine yarn, which is, if you will excuse the blatant pun, a fine yarn, and size 3 needles. Pattern was clear and easy to understand, but I’m still frustrated about the neck problem, and will investigate some changes before I make any for the other girls. And, as I mentioned earlier, Mikkey is wearing the shirt that Mariette was modeling yesterday, and Mariette managed to end up with the new one from today.

In other knitting, I’ve finished up the next outfit, so come the good light, I’m ready for more photos, and keeping up with my goal of one item per day. Once I finished with it, I started working on my erstwhile Coriolis, and I can say proudly that this time I paid attention to the heel instructions and the sock is much more anatomically shaped. I’m nearly all the way up the back of the heel, so hopeful that I might yet complete it before the torch goes out. I’m not holding my breath, though, as cyan isn’t my color… Oh – and I hauled my swift and ball winder to my knitting group meeting, and in between coaching newbie knitters, I wound four skeins of my prayer shawl yarn into cakes, which means there won’t be a delay when I need them here.

Day 13 Ravelympics Update

I didn’t think it as going to happen, but I made it! I got another project done in time to take pictures and post it, despite the fact that this little beastie gave me some problems that paralyzed progress for quite a while during my prime work time. Despite all the hair pulling, Mariette now has a cute and comfortable play outfit, and she took her poodle, Ruffles, outside for a romp this evening as soon as I tied down the last end.

This outfit is Farniente, designed by Inma Iglesias as a copy of a Gautier-Languereau fashion designed for Bleuette in 1938. My problems revolved around finding the neckline too low for my taste. When I added a couple of rows of crochet to make it higher, it lost the stretch needed to allow it to slip on easily. I guess I’m a bad maman, but I have to confess to resorting to head removal in order to put this outfit on the doll. Happily, dolls have no memory attached to that procedure – just a spot of amnesia that they seem to move past quite quickly. I think I suffer more from the guilt than they do from the surgery.

Project notes: I worked this with size 3 needles with Brown Sheep Cotton Fine, a yarn which I’ve grown to love. It’s so very soft when its worked… Wouldn’t mind having something for myself from this yarn. I worked two rows of crochet around the neck, then one matching, but looser row around each sleeve to provide a finished look. Inma says there was no edge finishing whatsoever in the original tank top. Personal taste led me to make the shorts a bit longer than the pattern. The hat in the pattern has pieces crossing the crown and a wide, flat brim. I knit them, then sat down with Mariette to see how to position them. I popped the brim section on her head and it was so cute just as it was with the ruffled edge that I decided to stiffen it that way and leave off the cross pieces. I used the Stiffen Quik again for this project, and it didn’t discolor the white yarn a bit.

In other knitting, which, as you can see, was supervised by Mariette, I worked diligently at her twin brother’s outfit, which is getting close enough to being done that I think it will make it for tomorrow. Mariette, as you may recall, is one of my little knitters, guilty of helping produce this massive pile of UFOs I’ve been trying to pare down. I rather thought she could have picked up a needle and helped sew in ends or something, but she says sewing needles are too sharp for such a little girl as she. Yeh… right… At least she was where I could watch her in the yarn tub, and not making more work for me to sew up. ;o)