Free Pattern Friday: Elisa Nest Tote

Spring has sprung/The grass is ris... And the farmer's markets are starting back up. Are you still buying your ramps in plastic bags from your farmers? It's time to work down your stash and work up some market bags. I've checked out a bunch of them and really like the looks of this one, particularly the i-cord handle. Great tutorial from the Purl Bee. The farmer's market awaits! [Ravelry link | Blog link | PDF link]

P.S. Be sure to check out the blog link for the great picture of, presumably, Elisa with her tote and a bun in the oven.
P.P.S. Apologies for not posting a free pattern link last Friday, Penelope had Roseola while we were in Chicago. All better now!

Pattern: Vines

You've seen the preview, now you can buy the pattern. Apologies for taking so long -- the schematic intimidated me, since I'm a designer, not an illustrator. You'll laugh when you see how simple it is, and I knew it would be.

Anyway, I hope you like it! My test knitters (thanks, ladies -- you rock!) were enthusiastic and, happily for me, tried it in different kinds of yarn. Should you want to use an inelastic yarn (silk or cotton), you'll want to lean more towards two inches of negative ease rather than four for a stretchier yarn.

I've graded this piece for sizes XS, S, M, L, and XL. The lace pattern is both charted and written out (and it's a really straightforward lace pattern), so you have no excuses! You need a spring layering piece, don't you? The sun is out here in New York City, but it's still brisk.

The pattern is available here on Ravelry or you can purchase it directly using the button below.

Pattern: Vines

You've seen the preview, now you can buy the pattern. Apologies for taking so long -- the schematic intimidated me, since I'm a designer, not an illustrator. You'll laugh when you see how simple it is, and I knew it would be.

Anyway, I hope you like it! My test knitters (thanks, ladies -- you rock!) were enthusiastic and, happily for me, tried it in different kinds of yarn. Should you want to use an inelastic yarn (silk or cotton), you'll want to lean more towards two inches of negative ease rather than four for a stretchier yarn.

I've graded this piece for sizes XS, S, M, L, and XL. The lace pattern is both charted and written out (and it's a really straightforward lace pattern), so you have no excuses! You need a spring layering piece, don't you? The sun is out here in New York City, but it's still brisk.

The pattern is available here on Ravelry or you can purchase it directly using the button below.

Farewell, Lee McQueen

Cathy Horyn's NYT review
Cathy's On the Runway blog review
New York Mag slideshow
Video on The Cut of the items in the final collection - I hadn't noticed the short dress with the feather underskirt (#5), which has a charming deshabille feel to it.

Everything is so decadent, particularly at first glance (gold! feathers! gold feathers!), but when you get a chance to look more closely, it's so clear why Mr. McQueen was a master, doing things with cut and drape rather than piecing. If I have my facts straight, looks 10 and 11 are each from a single piece of cloth.

Notice the cape part of #8 - I've been boring people (well, Nick) in IRL for the past few years about how capes are the next thing. I'm not a huge fan of the pinch pleats at the hip on a couple of the skirts (what looks fine on models can look unattractive on a "real" woman).

I really can't wait to see these out in the real world. The makeup and hair for displaying the collection is not really flattering but does a good job of putting the focus on the clothes. If you watch the video, you see a model in one of the short dresses (the dress under #8?) with her hair down and a purse over her shoulder; she looks so chic, and suddenly you understand how these clothes could actually work in real life and not just be put directly into a museum.

Also in the video you can see the shoes, which are amazing. For the most part I'm an LL Bean boot or flip-flop kind of girl, but I'd hobble around in those in a second! And I love the Union Jack minaudiere.

Free Pattern Friday: Shamrocks (twofer)

Time to get your Irish on, if you're that sort. Two little shamrock patterns, one from Vickie Howell's blog for Mitered Leaf Shamrocks (also some bedazzlement, if you're so inclined), and another from Laura Brown called Cloverly, originally published in MagKnits. Happy St. Patrick's Day (early) from this Irish lassie! [Mitered Leaf Shamrocks: Ravelry link / blog link; Cloverly: Ravelry link]

Now on Twitter

You can find me at kathleendames on Twitter now. No promises that I will post regularly (or scintillatingly), but it seemed wise to stake my claim. Sadly, "purly" was already taken.

My blog is over the top (apparently)

My bud Bridget gave my blog an award:

And the award comes with a questionnaire, which is kind of fun.

1.  Where is your cell phone? Hopefully not in the hands of one of the little people. Oh, now I see it - it's on the kitchen island.

2,  Your hair? Long, thick, straight, four shades of brown plus grey (all natural, though that probably should change).

3.  Your mother? On the trip of a lifetime to Egypt.

4.  Your father? On the same trip with Mom.

5.  Your favourite food? I can't choose just one! Lobster, I guess.

6.  Your dream last night? I sleep so deeply, once I get to sleep, that I almost never remember my dreams.

7.  Your favourite drink? Vodka gimlet.

8.  Your dream/goal? To raise happy, wonderful kids; be financially comfortable; knit and design for a living.

9.  What room are you in? "The" room chez Purly - living/dining/kitchen/study/library. When they renovated this apartment, they took down the walls between the kitchen, dining and living rooms.

10. Your hobby? Knitting.

11. Your fear? Most of the ... smaller ones (giving up my marriage, home, career, making myself dependent upon others) have come to pass, and I'm still here, so I'll go with a more mundane one: claustrophobia.

12.  Where do you want to be in six years? Where I am now but with more financial stability. Although, you know, fame and riches would be OK, too.

13.  Where were you last night? Home eating takeout chinese with my sweetie with the kids asleep down the hall - it's a glamourous life, but someone has to lead it.

14.  Something that you aren’t? Confrontational.

15.  Muffins? Blueberry or cranberry, for preference.

16.  Wish list item? A stylish clothing budget and places to wear such items.

17.  Where did you grow up? Wilmette, Illinois.

18.  Last thing you did? Filled up Penelope's milk sippy.

19.  What are you wearing? Jeans, t-shirt, and a hoody sweater (the uniform).

20.  Your TV? Useless without the DVR.

21.  Your pets? Riley (giant grey short-hair cat with white mittens, socks, and bib).

22.  Friends? All over the world.

23.  Your life? Very good and totally worth the minor frustrations.

24.  Your mood? Happy.

25.  Missing someone? My out-of-country family members (sissy in Afghanistan and mom & dad in Egypt)

26,  Vehicle? Feet, subway/bus, Zipcar.

27.  Something you’re not wearing? Shoes.

28.  Your favourite store? Yarns in the Farms.

29.  Your favourite colour? Blue blue blue!

30. When was the last time you laughed? Two minutes ago when Nick played peekaboo behind me for the kids' amusement.
31.  Last time you cried? Ugh, probably last month over some divorce/financial thing.
32.  Your best friend? Karen, since seventh grade and forever - I couldn't have survived without her.

33. One place that I go to over and over? Shake Shack.

34. One person who emails me regularly? My dad, though I still remember when he called me at work one day and asked me to send him an email so he could write me back. And now he's sending us pictures with his Blackberry in Egypt! The Luddite has joined the 21st century.

35. Favourite place to eat? Five Islands Lobster Dock.

And now it's my turn to nominate six other, worthy bloggers:

1.