That’s me – homework free!
OK, enough rhyming.
Saturday morning’s class portfolio reviews resulted in an A for the semester, not that I was worried. Grades have already been posted for that class too. My Thursday night teacher promised that she’d have grades posted by the end of this week – she had some personal stuff going on that too precedence.
If you remember, Wednesday night I started Simplicity 7341, and had gotten the sleeves attached, zipper installed, and gathering stitches in. Over the weekend, I finished it up (pockets installed, side seams, belt made and attached, sleeves hemmed, bottom hemmed). I would have been finished Saturday night if I hadn’t remembered that knits should hang at least overnight before hemming.
Prince Charming thought it should be longer, but I thought it was frumpy at mid-calf. I like this knee length better.
My last step was adding a hook and eye enclosure above the back zipper, and that did not go well. After three tries, I gave up. Instead, I re-stitched the back seam and removed the zipper, making that hook and eye closure unnecessary. It looks much better now, and is still quite easy to take on and off (it’s a knit with lots of gathers – a zipper really isn’t needed). I’m wearing it today, and have already received compliments.
See? No need for a zipper. It looks just fine.
If I count that as being finished in April (I only had hemming to do on May 1st, so I think it’s OK to count it for April), that brings my fabric yardage used to…16.5 yards! (Butterick 5398 – 2 for dress, 2 1/2 for jacket; Butterick 5525 – 2 yards; Cascade-Cozy Shrug – 2 yards; Vogue 8534 – 2 yards; Simplicity 7341 – 2.5 yards + 1.5; Edited to add: 2 yards for Easter tablecloth) That’s a lot of fabric used up! I do have a small pile of leftover pieces from what I’ve made up, but I have plans for some quick projects that I can make up of those pieces sometime before next winter. Anything that can’t be used will be thrown away.
Pockets!
We meant to get yardwork done over the weekend, but the weather didn’t cooperate. It rained a lot on Saturday, and was quite cold on Sunday. I did go out on Sunday afternoon and did a bit of pruning, but got tired when I arrived at the daylilies and all the … cleaning up that needed to be done back there. Side note – if you live in Minnesota and want/need some free daylilies, I would be glad to help you dig some up. I still have too many, including one bunch that’s getting too close to the fence.
Sadly, there were snow flurries as I arrived at work today, but I probably wasn’t going to get any yardwork done tonight anyway. I have a massage tonight, and really, who wants to get all grimy before a massage? Not me.
While I was pruning, 
got the face frame sanded, so we’ll hopefully get that painted this week. I am not looking forward to that, seeing as how there is more than one side to be painted. But, we need to get it done so we can make forward progress on that room. We will persevere.
I think Simplicity 8722 is up next. It’s a 1970 pattern, and I cut out the 14 (because I have two copies, in 10 and 14, and my hips laughed at the idea of fitting into the 10), so that should be interesting. I might have to fuss around with those bust darts and side seams for a while, but there are no pockets, so that helps. This should be an interesting one, since I ended up cutting out the “mini” length – the “mid” length was nearly at my ankles, and the “mini” appears to be at or below my knees (when holding the pieces up to myself).
So, my plans for the week include sewing, painting, and some yardwork if the weather ever cooperates. (Seriously? It’s May. Let’s get on with the sun and warmer temps!) Oh, and I plan on reading half a dozen books. I’m feeling relaxed already.
