rib swatch

Made a little swatch of the two-color ribbing yesterday.  Please ignore the messy top and bottom borders.



Yes, I know it's very little.  I was trying not to overwhelm myself!

I am really not ready to teach myself to knit left-handed, so to manage the two yarns, I wrapped both around my pinky (as I normally would) and carried only the working yarn over my index finger.  When I switched, I just dropped one and scooped up the other.  It worked pretty well.



The back doesn't actually look as bad as I anticipated.  The swatch is stretchy, not too tight, but neither are the floats super loose and messy.  At the ends, where the last contrast-color stitch was, I wrapped the two yarns together to avoid a gap.

 

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to bring the new color under or over the old color.  I don't think it matters now, as long as I am consistent (I wasn't in my swatch!).  I think I can take a deep breath and try to start the collar now.
 

Housedresses

I'm getting bored with my clothes.  Every summer I make dresses, or try to make dresses, but they never come out the way I want.  Either they turn out really super nice and pretty so I am afraid of messing them up by wearing them for everyday, or they turn out so crummy that I scrap them.  Even the nice pretty ones usually have fit issues, like high sleeve caps, that don't affect the look, but make it harder to wear them while doing everyday chores.

And that's what I want: everyday, chore-doing, kid-taking-care-of, sitting-around-in housedresses.  I hardly ever go anywhere in my day-to-day that I need to look really nice for, just basic and presentable for the park, the library, the grocery store.  Some days I don't even do that, just stay home and hang out with the Girl.  And I need to roll around on the floor and ride my bike.  And look pretty, but not too cute (so jumpers are pretty much out).  Is that so much to ask?

 

I keep trying to find/create the right pattern so I can just sew a hundred of them and be done with it for a while.  I guess now that the Girl is weaned I have more options (side zippers perhaps?).  And not having a job does give me a bit of freedom style-wise.  I suppose I'm still trying to figure out what my style is at this point in my life.  I'm trying not to feel like I am too old for certain things, but I doubt I could wear jeggings, for example.  (Not that I'd want to, but it proves my point.)  Although, does that mean I am now old enough for housedresses?  If so, yay!

 

Dressing up modern is hard.