Happy Holidays!

And another 2 months has passed.....

Of me not posting on my blog
But you can always find me on Facebook – I just spend way to much time there – it is true.

Since last posting, there was Halloween…well, so I heard. I have been told of a fabulous holiday where children WANT to dress in fun costumes and got Trick-or-Treating for yummy candies….not my son.

After a lovely morning of “Thanks Mommy! It is so cute!” - all I got was his back and cries of “Take it off! I don’t like it!” A morning of Mommy–love turned into an afternoon of cranky, crying, not going out baby. I was C-R-U-S-H-E-D! I cried too…I had fantasies of a fab motherhood/childhood moment of going to the parade and Maxim in cute Halloween costume….dashed away by the whims of a 2.5 year old…oh wait he is 2.5!!! Of course! So reality checked back in and then there was alcohol after he went to bed
(There were chaps by the way. And a hat.)





So then November flew on by…
In the first week – actually the first 2 or 3 days of the month, I got a last minute text message and was asked to make this dress. For SHOWBOAT at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA (Did I mention they won a Tony last year?)


As quick as possible – as in cut and sewed on Wednesday, fit on Thursday, altered and fit again on Friday, and then the finishing was passed on to someone else to have ready for photo call on Saturday evening. . I hope nobody looks to close to the inside……For a quick faking of a Victorian day outfit complete with fake bustle, it was not bad. I do wish I had changed a few lines, such as knocking the shoulder seam down the back or the doing the front princess seams a bit differently, but you do what you can….

Then there were the doll clothes!!!! OMG! Tiny seams! Tiny pockets (for their tiny handkerchiefs of course)! And I had the easy lot – there were also tiny jean jackets with all that top stitching! This was another Simplicity project that I was a part of and the moment it was done there was *another* Simplicity project and there is even another one to be finished before the end of the year. So yeah – I have been a bit busy...

And I have not even gotten to Thanksgiving! Another story, another time...


Before I go I will show you a cute little sweater that I actually did make for Maxim- This time it is crocheted:















Pattern: Milo the Owl Sweater from CROCHET DESIGN FOR KIDS by Lucinda Guy
Yarn: Rowan Pure Wool DK in Navy 011 (5.5 balls), Glacier 005, and Earth 018
Hook: E
Extras: none
Changes: no Owl or cross-stitch detail - may make the sleeves a bit longer by adding 3 rounds of single crochet in brown.

so here's what happened...

Last Spring a customer, who happens to be a designer, at the store was looking for a sample knitter who could fair isle. Well, believe it or not, I fair-isle pretty well (in wool anyway, I am currently realizing that the act of fair isle combined with cotton and me are not as pretty on first try, or second...but that is another story).
So she offered me the one time chance to knit a sample for her and she liked it and the yarn company liked it and now is in print in the MISSION FALLS DUET pattern book!
I made the Indie Vest by Simona Merchant-Dest (rav link).
So here are my pictures of the vest:




BTW - I LOVED knitting with this yarn and knitting this pattern, there are plenty of ends to weave in, which was a bummer, BUT the pattern was simple (for me) and the yarn was a dream.

I am currently working on another sample for the same designer and company. And once it is approved and out in print, I will let you know about that one too :)

On the more personal side of life, still job hunting. Had a couple of very good interviews. One of which I did not get, but an impression was made and she passed my resume onto another department. So I am not certain where it all stands. Just keeping my fingers crossed since I really like this new opportunity and the characters involved :).

And on a Max note - we are debating between a cowboy or a pirate for Halloween 2009 :) I want pirate but I think he would rather be a cowboy. I am taking the day off from the store and Max and I are going Trick or Treat-ing in the Apartment bldg...maybe we will go to an event at a bookstore or something terribly stay-at-home mom like :) (I cannot wait!)

Roadblock

Just over 3 months since I last blogged. ACK! It is a disgrace in the land of blogging, I know.

Sad – pathetic even! (Imagine Snagglepuss saying that)

What was I doing? You really want to know?

Well let’s take a look in the life of me in pictures:


Studying for the FSOT (and did not pass - barely - there is always next year)



Knitting


Jan’s wedding (for which I sewed the veil and made my own dress to wear – but no good pics yet)


Max looking cute in suit



Me sitting on couch



Okay that last one is obviously Daddy and Max on the couch. I admit - I am vain and any pictures of me sitting on the couch other than the one of the cool hair and studying for an exam, are absolutely horrendous!
Although that last one is mostly what I have been doing. Theatre is quiet in the summer and the lack of work has turned me into a non-creative couch potato.
No bueno.

The lack of employment is very frustrating. Financially and creatively.

I know. I know. Many of you might think to yourselves that this would be a perfect opportunity to use my time wisely and market myself more or become more creative and more productive. Maybe sew more for myself or Max or others even…..

Ummmmm…… not so much. I think that it is hard for those who have creative jobs to become more creative in these times. This is one of those moments that I am considering taking the other fork in the road and becoming more businesslike in my endeavors. I find it hard to create when the thing that has kept me in the black is the thing that is keeping me from getting a job.

There seems to be a roadblock in the employment department.

That roadblock is the so often heard phrase of “But you’re an artist….” or “But you work in the arts why would you want to work in an office?”
The second roadblock is my résumé and those who see it in a professional/non-theatrical setting.

I have an amazing résumé. (Of course I believe this :) afterall, it is MY résumé.) It just seems to me that the word THEATRE has been written in N1H1 flu ink or something and very few look past the titles and not see what I have actually accomplished. It is possible that I haven’t been clear enough. I have had some really good friends look at it for me and offer some brilliant advice on how to change the language and style a bit. Which I think has helped.
It doesn’t help that more than 10% of the country is out of work (I believe it is more than 15% due to those who have stopped looking for work are no longer on the official register and there are those like me who are “self-employed” artist types who are not eligible for unemployment based on your State’s unemployment laws). There are many talented people looking for work…so I know I am not the only one.

And maybe discussing this on my knitting blog is not one of my better ideas….but if the employers find this post then they must be truly interested in me and want to know who I am. Basically, they Googled :). There are some fabulous ‘made for Marietta’ type jobs out there (Museums and companies who deal with Language training…department of commerce is also very interesting to me …maybe going back to school?)….alas……

On a positive note (there are some good things here): I AM spending more time with Max, who is ridiculously cute, and I have been working more at the yarn store this fall and teaching a new Safari class on Saturday mornings.

I am also looking into teaching workshops at a local Art Co-op as well as teaching knitting and crochet at MC to students who have developmental disabilities - expanding on my experiences of designing costumes for ArtStream (who I will be designing for again spring 2010).


So it is not all bad.

once a month blogger

should probably be my new name....

things in chez knit-or-get-off are a bit rough at the moment...basically the economy sucks for all and it hits the arts pretty hard first (or in my opnion as that is what i am the most sensitive too)...I have been working crazy but not at all normal like. One moment there is nothing and the next it is everywhere and every second and too much but you have to do what you have to do....okay so the depressing part is over.

On to the fun and wacky of me!


One of the crazy things i did this past month was attend and judge at COSTUME CON 27. I am a geek and I am proud :)


on the left is my friend and sometime employer, Andrea Schewe. Andrea is a pattern designer for Simplicity as well as an amazing opera singer and just plain cool person. The other Simplicity Judge was unable to attend the Con last minute and since it was only 45 minutes away, I was able to help out with a bit of rearranging and babysitting help from friends and family :) The young lady in the middle in the fab SteamPunk outfit is French Canadian and her Mom is Marie Antoinette (a simplicity pattern). There are some great close-up shots of her dress here and here and here. You should also check out the some of the fabulous Historical Garments (if you are so inclined) especially the late 18th C gown in Hello Kitty Fabric! (I can't make this shit up.)

I ...also...modeled...for Simplicity...ahem. I am sharing this with you since i know there are only , what 5? of you out there? Simplicity and MGM are re-releasing the WIZARD OF OZ patterns as sexy and sassy. They also pushed for more plus-size sexy and sassy costumes...so Andrea created the patterns last year and used me as a dress form (as i am a 22 in their patterns)....so here i am as the Wicked Witch of the West

And here I am with Dorothy and Glinda.

There is video of us on YouTube, but you can find it yourself

Just search "costume con" or "cc27" on flickr and you will see some amazing work.

One of the impressive things about all this weekend was that many many many of these people are not costumers in real life - more like lawyers, and teachers, and engineers and employees of state...just with a serious love of costume, costume history, maybe comic books and anime too!

that was just the first weekend in May - there is always more too tell...just need to get to the telling

Spring Cleaning

i know, i know - another month has gone by and i haven't blogged.

It isn't that i don't want to - it is just that there doesn't seem like there is much of anything to share. Nothing exciting I guess....i think i am in a bit of a slump.

I was so crazy busy for so long and now everything seems to be in a big long pause...and the work is not coming in as regularly as i would have liked ...but that means i have time to take on this disaster:

and make it look like this:

It may not seem perfectly clean - but there has been more labeling and organization going on which *is* making it easier for me to use my space again.

One of the things i seem to be taking on is bridal alterations. It is that season after all!

And i spend alot more time with Max. He is talking so much! And he is a dancing cheesehead :)


I really need to take some pictures of the items i have been working on - a sweater for Max, more crocheted toys, and a gift for my friend Jess.

One of the new and crazy things in my life is the time and energy that I am putting into a possible career change. It would be a huge change...not theatre at all. I think the last 6 years fried me a bit. I am loving the new groups that I am working for, but I have lived this dream for almost 20 years, why not live another?

do you love fabric?

well i love fabric...and Fabric.com has realized how much i like fabric and how much i like to order fabric from them sooooooo

this means that any of my readers will get $5.00 off their next order between today and March 25th (one week only!!!)

all you need is the special code....

oh you want the special code? Okay it is:

blogknitorget

just type that into the promo box at check out and you will get $5 off your total purchase - whatever the total. And while you are at it sign, up for their emails - they have some really good deals.

They have bridal and cottons and patterns and notions and all sorts of things - also great with the shipping and great with the returns if need be. (and they are in MARIETTA, Georgia so how could i not like them?)

I think i will use mine to buy this pattern.

gratuitous pic of Fritz and Max on the Mall:

No political affiliation elephant (long lost item 2)

Pattern: Henri the Elephant from CROCHET DESIGN FOR KIDS by Lucinda Guy
Yarn: Rowan Pure Wool DK in Damson 030 (2 balls), Lavendar 039, Quarry 035, and Cypress 007
Hook: E
extras: buttons for the stars
changes: no fringe on blanket or tail

I wasn't paying attention when making the belly section and made it too long so there was a little tummy tuck action, but you can't see that so you wouldn't know anything about it:)

And since i made him this past october or september - i have to name the no political affiliation elephant as too many people assumed that he was representing a certain political party that i am not a part of. Really? He's purple....maybe follows the path of the purplre Tele-tubby - so not that KIND of elephant :)

Btw - I really love this book. I am currently making the MILO Sweater and i am forcing my mom offered to crochet the MARCEL THE SNAIL TOP for Maxim too.


And in case you have forgotten what he looks like, here he is in snow from January:

under construction

No i will not let this lag another two months - heck not even a week - but i am trying a few new things with the blog new header and background - i just have to re-load the illustrator on the computer before i can do anything :)

2

2 years since my dad'd passing
2 weeks until Max's 2nd birthday
2 shows i am designing in
2 different states
2 weeks until they both begin tech
2 weeks since one of my best friends went into the hospital for chemo
2 days a week at the store
2 fat kitties on the couch
2 days a week in german class
2 very important men (one big, one small) in my life

2 many projects on the needles and under the sewing machine
2 much time spent on facebook

long lost item 1

There has been some crocheting here and i cannot believe that i NEVER posted about it. Really!


Pattern: Wisteria Necklace, book - Colinette Arboretum
Yarn: Colinette Tao Silk
Hook: US C (2.75)
started and finished: November 29, 2008
changes to pattern: use needle and thread to sew flowers together rather than silk yarn - too slippery otherwise.

crazy? right? that i forgot to blog about it - it has been on my flickr account forever, so you might have seen it already but maybe you haven't.

This was made for one of our Sundays in the Salon at Woolwinders. Actually - it was my freedom Sunday - the last day that i was officially on the books as Costume Shop Manager at ISI.

In other news, i finally went down to the Goethe Institute to get more information about language courses and to see where i rank. Basically, I am still where i was - B2 level (some international rating system) - a bit better than i thought considering it was a written test and that means GRAMMAR!!!!!!!!!! So, hopefully I will be taking a class beginning in February - but that depends on sooooo many other things.....

Happy New Year!

Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year!

(image from here...which got me thinking about wanting to do something like this...maybe next

year!)

Max wishes you a Happy New Year too!