It feels a bit like May is disappearing on me. I was really looking forward to getting started with Outfit 5, but now I’m a bit nervous that this month will come and go without a finished outfit …
Perhaps it’s because I’ve been super ambitious. It was bound to happen, especially after the high of releasing my first proper pattern. I couldn’t find just what I was after so I thought … “I know, I’ll make it up…”. Designing something is all fine and good – but maybe not designing and making two things in a mere matter of weeks. Oh well, there’s no backing out now! You know I love a sort of “title” for my Outfits. So far, for this Outfit, I’ve been working with the loose title of “she’s approachable, with a touch of the exotic. Cool and collected, with a bohemian twist …”. Hey, it works in my head!
What am I making? It’s lovely.
I found this beautiful silk Sari on Ebay a while ago and couldn’t resist it. It’s a wee bit fragile in places and looks like it’s been mended a couple of times, but there are metres and metres of fabulous, useful silk in it. It is real silk, I’ve tested it. By tested, I mean, I’ve burnt a strip of it in my kitchen-come-science lab.
Unlike polyester, my slik sari smells a little like hair when it burns, burns to a powdery black ash and stops burning the second the flame is removed. Polyester smells like melting plastic, melts to a solid clump and continues to burn/melt even after the flame goes out.
And, with my beautiful, fine, drapey silk I am planning to make a flowing skirt. I’m basing it on Megan Neilsen’s popular Kelly Skirt pattern but I’m making mine a bit longer and perhaps a wee bit fuller. It’ll have to be lined too – and I’m intending to line it with itself; two layers of this beautiful silk. It might be a bit inclined to stick to itself, but I couldn’t face the stiffer, less drapey linings in the shop. I want this outfit to be a bit groovy. The wooden buttons will run the length of my skirt.
My skirt is going to be topped with a modern twinset. I’ve started (for the third time) a tank top with tons of twisted rib detail and it’s looking okay. I’m using a taupe coloured Rowan cotton/wool 4ply yarn which feels lovely, but is a bit of a killer on my right wrist. It might have something to do with the speed with which I’m trying to knit. I haven’t suffered sore wrists before, so I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come?!
My top is going to be (hopefully, if I can get this all done) teamed with a cute cardy. More twisted rib, raglan 3/4 length sleeves and stripes of the taupe and the pistachio yarn in the picture. I haven’t actually started it yet … at all. No calculations, nothing. I’ll have to use my tank top as a swatch for my cardigan. You getting the picture? Time is TIGHT. It doesn’t bear thinking about, so I’m trying not to.
And, finally – to add flavour, I’m planning to make some silver bangles to jingle up my arm. I’ve bought some silver D wire and some silver solder and am going to use my cook’s blow torch for something other than crème brûlée. I really have no idea what I’m doing with the silver and the soldering, so if you do – please tell me everything you know!
So that’s it. Outfit 5. All I can think is, it’s the middle of May … most of it’s still in my head … I must be crazy. Oh, and before you jump to any conclusions, I am no superwoman. My house is a shambles, Mr Myrtle is in charge of the laundry and our meals are dubious. Wish me luck!
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