Navigation Tips

Free Patterns can be seen along the sidebar (on right side),
or you can use the Free Patterns label to view all posts.

Free Pseudo-Patterns or Pattern Outlines can be found using the Free Pseudo-Patterns label.

The most comprehensive listing of Patterns, Pseudo-Patterns, and Pattern Outlines can be found on the Pattern Bibliography page.

Please read the Blog Housekeeping section in the sidebar for more info.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Vest blocked

.


Mom's vest blocking


I was a little worried when I blocked my mom's vest. After pinning it out, it measured about 20 inches tall and nearly 22 inches wide. Was it supposed to be wider than long? I really did try to stretch it longer without stretching wider. All I could do was wait for it to try and hope for the best.


Vest worn after blocking

The photo above shows how the vest looks after blocking. It's definitely a bit longer than before blocking and just covers the belt on my pants. I guess that's OK, although I really think it could be just a hair longer than it is now. I wonder how it will fit on my mom.

I can't wait until Miss M is old enough to help take photos. Taking self portraits is quite tricky!


Vest after blocking, side view

Here's a side view of the vest. I think the arm hole is on the large side. And the arm bands flare out or stick out funny, although it is not obvious in either of these photos. I think it needs to be more "shaped" (for lack of a better word). The top part really sticks up in a funny sort of way. I can almost imagine sticking shoulder pads under there! lol.

I can already see one criticism my mom will have about the way this vest looks when worn. I know that she is really picky about hemlines being even all around. In the photo above you can sort of see how the front hemline rises up compared to the back hemline. My mom will notice this and have something to say about it. Yup, she will definitely mention the hemline. I'm 99% certain of this. Perhaps all the blouses, sweaters, vests, etc made are supposed to be this way. Or was I supposed to stretch the front sections longer than the back sections when blocking?

Ok, onwards to the fun part. Buttons!!! :-)

----------<>----------

It's gonna be hot for the rest of the week here. I did absolutely no knitting yesterday. I only got as far as taking it out of a bag, but I didn't want it on my lap, so no knitting. It's been so warm at night that we have to leave the fan on during the night. I guess I shouldn't complain. If it were extremely hot at night, then the air conditioner would automatically kick in. The air conditioner's programming is still set to whatever the previous homeowners had it set to. I think the nighttime setting is to turn on when the temperature exceeds 80ºF (27ºC).

We have a bunch of very ripe bananas in the kitchen and had been thinking about making banana nut bread. Unfortunately, I'm not inclined to bake while it is this hot and by the time the heat wave passes the bananas will be too far gone to be useful for banana nut bread. My goal today is to work up to baking today.

I think I'll go have some watermelon now. We have a bunch chilling in the fridge. There is something refreshing about chilled fruit on a hot day. Miss M loved the watermelon until we picked up blueberries yesterday. That girl inhales blueberries like there is no tomorrow!

For dinner tonight we are going to grill some steak. DH thought that might be too heavy for such a hot day. I couldn't help it. It was on sale! And for some reason I've been craving a good chunk of cow that has been walked through a warm kitchen.

.

6 stitch(es):

Renna said...

I can't offer suggestions on the vest, as I'm a less advanced knitter still. It does look pretty, though! :-)

If you don't want to heat up your kitchen, but don't want to lose the bananas, simply stick them in the freezer until you're ready to bake the bread. You can either peel and mash them and store the pulp in a freezer bag, or you can do what I usually do and toss the whole bananas into the freezer. The banana peel works as a built in freezer wrapper. ;-)

We've been eating alot of chilled watermelon around here. It is especially tasty on a hot afternoon.

Beth Gray said...

If you don't want to bake the bread now, just pop the bananas into the freezer. They will turn ugly black, but when you're ready to bake, take them out and peel while frozen and let them thaw. They will thaw into mush, but that's what you want for bread anyway. I've been doing this for a while now and it works great for my banana pound cake. Hope that helps.

Beth

Anonymous said...

Yep, what Renna and Beth said about the bananas.

My favorite summer fruit salad is watermelon chunks with blueberries. Sounds like you and Miss M could really like that, too! My blueberry bushes are at peak production right now, so we'll be having more fruit salad, muffins, pancakes...I'm going to try to freeze some this year.

Your vest is very pretty, and your mom will love the fact that you made it for her. And if she's anything like my Chinese mom, she'll save it for "good."

I have a vest that fits much like yours does; it's an old Hayfield pattern. But it's textured patchwork, like yours, and also rides up a bit in front. It's a function of the way the back shoulders are made; they're straight across and our bodies are not! But there was no shoulder shaping in the pattern, and I made it a long time ago. Not worth going back and re-doing it!

Aunt Kathy said...

Bananas and watermelon, can I come over for a snack?

I am sure when it's all done your mom will love the vest.

Chris said...

That vest turned out really really nice--I like.

hakucho said...

The vest turned out just fine...I'm sure your mother will love it!!