heal this top

I love you guys for not stopping the smocking. I'll be sewing up the other print soon. It's not as hot as it was, so I don't have as much incentive, but I'll get around to it. If you'd like to see the first print with a strap, a fellow Raveler made one for her daughter. Try as I did, I couldn't get my strap to look that cute. And isn't the model super cute too?

The comments and e-mails regarding Healing Hands, as I like to call it, have been funny, heartening, and very informative. I don't always get a chance to e-mail everyone to say thanks, but gratitude bursts from my heart, and I do thank you for taking the time to "talk" with me.

And the Comment of the Week goes to... Laurie Ann, on the Healing Hands post:

I am never getting a massage again. What with the unhealthy eating and the lifetime of emotional baggage, I'll be dead in seconds.

Only Laurie Ann could so hilariously take it all the way over to death! I peed myself laughing, then threw down the peanut butter cookies (which we know is a lie). Laurie Ann, you are officially entered in the Purly Victorious End-of-Year Comment of the Week Drawing for God Knows What. Excited?

Onward to projects.

I had to frog the yoke of my February Lady Sweater. I dunno. I'd done my decreases on the wrong side and just couldn't be okay with it. Plus I jacked up a couple other things, so I decided to start over. I'll post a pic when things get interesting.

Overall, I've whipped out a few good projects these past few weeks, but all my stitching adventures of course do not end well. A lot don't end at all. Instead, they tan on a beach of unfinished objects. This is especially true when it comes to knitting. And crochet? A while back the truth hit me: Never have I actually completed a crochet project. The fastest way for me to add to my UFO pile is to start something in crochet. When you meet someone at a party, usually the bloom stays on until the morning after, but me and crochet never get to finish the deed before we have a falling out.

Anyhow, here's a sewing project that I'd really like to go back and finish. It's a Simplicity pattern. I don't believe I've done one before, and I found the directions to be like the mute leading the deaf. Were they translated from Yugoslavian? Are all Simplicity patterns like this? 'Cause I've got a good number of them and maybe it's time I start looking for an apartment with a fireplace. I couldn't understand half of what I was being instructed to do. Why, when there was no mention of it on the pattern envelope for the view I was making, elastic came into the picture, left me stumped.

Do you see where it says elastic for view A? Gadzooks.

Thinking this would be an easy project, I figured I'd get through it quickly (nevermind that this is my first top). When that didn't happen, I grew frustrated and I started monster sewing. You know, pedal to the metal, guns 'n roses, just all errrrrrr-rrrrrrrrr-rrrrrr-rrr-rrrrrrrr...! The pleating, no thanks to Simplicity, looks nice, but the neckline and facing do not get along. See how it's turned out?

Also, I tried to lengthen it into a tunic. I followed where the pattern said to lengthen, but didn't know how to make it more A-line, so it's too tight below the waist. (Pretend you don't see the fabulous gauchos.)

I got some good suggestions at Stitch 'n Bitch last week, so we'll see what becomes of it. I think it's worth saving. I like the fabric, which is a Jo-Ann's purchase. It's from the batik section, and there was a sticker on the bolt that said "Fabric may bleed or crock." I know from bleeding, but what is crocking?

Oh, and one more thing, about sizing. What's up with that? I'm a 34, so I was set to make that size, which is a pattern size 12. Then I read the pattern pieces (thank goodness) and saw that the top would include 7.5" of negative ease. What? I went with a pattern 10, per this info. Was that the move? Or not? I'm not adding sleeves, by the way.