Bits and pieces

•  Let's not talk about my fabric stash right now, OK? I know I was all "Who even cares if I don't have a minimalist fabric stash?" at the end of 2016, but I really didn't mean that I could go bonkers and buy a ton of fabric in January 2017. And yet, somehow... /o\ On the plus side, I am in love with everything I bought and will hopefully use most of it in the next few months, so whatever, maybe I will have a less ridiculous month in February.

• I just this morning saw the preview for the new Ottobre Woman (02/2017) and I am MAD KEEN on it, which is all to the good because my reaction to both Burda and Knipmode February was a resounding meh. Both of them had some patterns I sort of liked but nothing that really jumped off the page at me, and Burda in particular is wildly unseasonal. Why so many sundresses in February, Burda? By contrast, based on the preview I'll probably end up adding half of S/S Ottobre Woman to my queue/Magazine Challenge list.

One of Vogue's new S/S patterns, V9243. 

 

• We appear to be in a fashion moment where a large proportions of the new and trendy is revolting to me. :( I am SO VERY MUCH not into ruffles, and it's wall to wall everywhere in patterns and RTW at the moment. And not just, you know, some little dainty ruffly bits, but GIGANTIC FLAPPY RUFFLES. Apart from just not liking ruffles, I have practical objections: if you're like me and you wear layers 99% of the time you end up with weird and uncomfortably lumps of fabric stuck down your sleeve and fighting with the neckline of your jumper/cardigan. And of course I am super opposed to anything that adds bulk to my big shoulders and large bust because no, really, I don't need to look any more top heavy, thanks. The other big thing seems to be off-the-shoulder/cold-shoulder, which I actually DO kind of like... on other people. On me, with off-the-shoulder in particular, the bra problem looms large (the problem being: a bra is not an optional extra to my wardrobe and I haaaaate strapless).

• I am ULTRA fed up with that blue jumper I finished knitting in January. This is going to make me sound really stupid, but I guess when I tried it on for a little while before I posted about it I was mostly concerned about the fit through the bust and upper arm. At the time, I decided it was wearable, even though it wasn't the loose/comfortable sweater I thought I knitted. Then the other day I actually wore it. After wearing it for ten minutes I took it off and got my measuring tape out. When I washed it, I lost **8cm** in length off the sleeves and hem!! Er, how did I just NOT NOTICE when I was trying it on before?! The sleeves in particular are now just FAR too short, and there is literally nothing I hate more in a jumper than sleeves that are too short. As I mentioned in my post, the yarn really degraded in the knitting process, so right now I am torn between just outright tossing the whole thing out as a failed project and frogging the jumper. For sure I wouldn't make another jumper from it, but I could make... something? I don't know. It feels so wasteful to just throw it away!

Half-finished lace-weight scarf; half-finshed cross-stitch; some of my drawings.

• This post is turned out to be a lot of whining, so I am going to end with some positives: (1) I am actually making some progress with the lace-weight scarf I am knitting and oh my goodness, I love how soft and fuzzy it is! I am about halfway through the skein now and if I can keep up some momentum I think I might be able to finish it in February, even though it is such a ridiculous black hole of a knitting project. (2) I am also half-way through my new cross-stitch! (3) I am ALSO half-way through making a bag, which is turning out exactly as I imagined. More on that soon as I hope to finish it this weekend. (4) I started trying to learn to draw again (using some books) and I am again really enjoying it! I got distracted last year from a previous attempt to learn to draw, so I hope I can be a bit more consistent with it this year and make some progress. (5) I am on a countdown to starting the new drug treatment for my (chronic, rare) illness, and although I spend a part of every day muttering ihopethisworksihopethisworksihopethisworksihopethisworks to myself, I really just want to get on and try it and see if it DOES work. Even knowing it doesn't work would be a big thing after two years of waiting for this trial.