The More Things Change...Re-Considering Project 333

...the more they stay the same.  I've been thinking for several months about Project 333 and what my goals are for both my wardrobe and for the Project.  (For those who aren't familiar with Project 333, you can read more about it here.)  Basically, the goal is to live with less.  Not just less clothing, but less overall.  I'm a minimalist by nature, so this project feels very natural and good to me, but I've wondered lately if I'm making it too complicated.  Some people who do the Project have whittled themselves down to 2 or 3 rotations.  I've never been able to do less than four, and I have very little cross-over between them.  (Maybe a cardigan or two, or shoes, but rarely main garments).  

Winter 2017: Flannel #1.2, Flannel #2, Flannel #3, Eshakti knit black dress

Winter 2017: Flannel Plaid Dottie Pearl, Folk Birds canvas linen, Daisy Chain canvas linen, Eshakti olive knit dress

I had come to accept that this was okay, and that a lot of it has to do with the way I dress.  That is to say, I primarily wear patterned dresses of differing weights and sleeves depending on the weather, and I don't really want to wear half of them for the warm months and the other half for the cold months.  I get sick of them.  (My summer rotation in particular gets very sad by the end of the season).  And for the first time ever, I'm sick of my winter rotation.  I think this has to do with the fact that I've leaned down each rotation quite a bit, so there isn't as much to choose from (not a bad thing) but it also means items wear out quicker.  

Winter 2017: Grey flannel dress, Geo Flannel Skirt #2, Orange wool skirt

Winter 2017: Dusk cardigan, Banana Republic wool cardigan, LLBean navy cardigan, Fair Isle wool cardigan

I swapped my winter rotation for the spring yesterday (because today was supposed to be a writing and liturgical prep day, but I have a sick kid home today so I'm blogging instead of working on the novel).  The weather has also changed to a decidedly spring tone in the past week--40s in the morning, high 50s or even low 60s in the afternoon. Definitely not heavy flannels and woolens weather.  I've put my winter coat away and swapped my fur boots for leather. 

Winter 2017: Blue cashmere cowl neck pullover, gray wool pullover, navy cotton pullover, black wool cardigan

Winter 2017: red undershirt, gray henley, orange undershirt, olive pullover sweater, blue undershirt, black undershirt, olive undershirt, olive cardigan/pullover

I've had a suspicion for a few months that I'm keeping certain items in each rotation not because I especially like them, but because they tick a box in my mind or because the blog photos look nice or they were a lot of work, or I wore them a lot in previous seasons or whatever. Chambray dress, tick.  Novelty print spring/summer dress, tick. Linen dresses, tick. Goes with that cardigan, tick.  I got everything out yesterday and piled it up on my bed.  Even the knitted accessories, silk long underwear, and wool socks.  I realized that there were a few pieces in each rotation that were there not because I liked them,  or even particularly wanted to wear them, but just because they were, you know, there. 

Spring 2018: Eshakti navy knit dress, First Light dress, Eshakti green knit dress, Navy Birch rayon dress*

 I looked at each piece very critically and asked myself if I was wearing it because I wanted to or because I was forcing myself to because it was in the rotation or because it went with something else.  If the former, I kept it.  If the latter, into the pile it went.  If it was in the rotation because it went with something else (a cardigan or two were in this category), I also was pretty critical about the item it went with.  Was I still going to wear the dress without that particular cardigan?  In some cases, the answer was no.  In others, yes.  So it was a good weeding out process, and I feel pretty good about the state of my off-season bins at the moment.  

Spring 2018: Painted Roses rayon dress*, Eshakti black knit dress, Menagerie rayon Dottie Pearl dress (unblogged), Cross Hatch denim dress (reworked slightly)

The notable weeds were the Daisy Chain canvas dress (I like it in theory, and wore it a lot this year, but honestly, it isn't the most flattering color on me, and it requires a lot of particular layers to look right and be warm enough), the Dusk sweater that goes with it (reblocking it made the fit worse, but I might keep it for bumming around it, as it is warm), the Menagerie dress (I did wear it quite a bit this fall and winter, but I think I'm just over it.  I don't like the way I feel when I wear it and I don't like the particular layers that go with it to make it warm enough for cold weather), a green wool cardigan I bought second hand that doesn't go with anything and is too boxy on me, the Target pants (I tried, I really did.  I just don't like pants that much), the Fair Isle wool sweater (I was forcing myself to wear it, but it is too big on me, the boxy style isn't flattering and feels matronly to me), plus a few other items that I'm forgetting right now.

Spring 2018: Flannel plaid Dottie Pearl dress, Marigold linen skirt, denim pencil skirt, Hobby Horse linen-canvas skirt (still fits!)

Spring 2018: grey cardigan, black wool cardigan, peach cardigan, navy cardigan

When I got to the spring bin, I noticed right away that a few items I had put away last year were in worse shape than I remembered.  The Dandelion Zadie was very sad indeed.  (Which is just as well, as I wasn't particularly enthused about wearing it this year, but felt I had to to justify the cost of the fabric last year.  Nevermind that I wore it constantly last spring).  Word to the wise: Do not, under any circumstances, place Art Gallery printed jersey in the dryer, even to prewash/dry it. Just don't do it.  In fact, don't do it with any printed jersey.  This PSA brought to you by a sad sack who learnt the hard way last year.  The charcoal gray linen was in pretty poor shape on the bust tucks and the linen was starting to look worn.  I've never understood why the linen wears so badly on those seams but not in other fabrics.  I had to retire my navy linen dress late last fall as well because the linen itself was looking shabby.  In truth, I was never happy with the back neckline or the resulting shoulder fit of the navy linen, so I wasn't too sorry to see it go (although I did wear it a ton, despite the fit).  Both were great dresses for the three seasons I wore them, but I didn't really want to wear them this year.  

Spring 2018: Navy battenberg shirt, green henley, navy striped shirt, grey henley, gray striped shirt, blue striped shirt, blue shirt.

Spring 2018: Gray wool pullover, purple cotton/wool longline sweater, navy cotton longline cardigan

I was pleasantly surprised to find that my Hobby Horse skirt still fits pretty well--I worried that it would be too big and I'd have to remake it as an Everyday skirt (I have the fabric to do so).  I really love it as a pencil skirt and put a lot of work into that skirt, so I'm thrilled it is still wearable this year.

The main changes to my Project 333 approach are to have more cross-over garments between my fall, winter, and spring rotations rather than three distinct sets of garments.  I've been missing my marigold linen skirt for a few weeks, so I decided to add it to this rotation.  The color works more or less a neutral anyway.  I'm wearing it today with complete happiness.  I also carried over my plaid flannel dress from my winter (because I've been wearing it a lot lately, and it seemed like a good piece for in-between weather because it doesn't need a lot of layers).  I also carried over my black knit dress for the same reason.

I'd like to replace my wool black cardigan with a longline version, as I've never really been happy with this one as a cardigan (it is okay as a pullover tucked into a skirt, however).  I'm nearly finished with a long cardigan that goes nicely with the unblogged Menagerie dress, and am going to start another long cardigan using my frogged Yellow Brick Road Jade wool.  I figured out a few key things about swatching recently that have helped me to understand why I often don't like my finished sweaters (more about that in another post).

My sewing queue for this season is quite short.  I am going to try a knit dress pattern using the Mille Fleur jersey I blogged about last year.  I plan to make a rayon Everyday skirt out of some rayon challis I bought last year.

My knitting queue has taken front stage as it is something I can do when my mind shuts down on the novel.  I'm trying to knit more accessories and fewer full garments, since I'm fairly happy with my sweaters (I have plans for two sweaters right now, including the above-mentioned Jade) and would like more cowls and shawls and the like.  I need to address my linen Gemini, as the pattern torture device lace panel is the main reason I haven't finished it.  I'm thinking of frogging it and starting again, either with no lace panel in the back, or something simpler over the same stitch count. (I know, I know.  It is fingering weight.  But half-finished is still half-finished.  And it's been two years already.  Enough is enough).

*I have in mind to experiment with adding in-set sleeves to my rayon dresses, since I love the fit and feel of the new (unblogged) Menagerie Dottie Pearl Dress.  I had to purchase additional fabric to adapt the Navy Birch and Painted Roses dresses. I plan to experiment on the Eggplant Birch dress first since I have less attachment to that one if the experiment fails.  One of the ways I'd like to simplify my wardrobe is to have fewer necessary layers in for the colder months.  Long sleeved dresses are a way to accomplish that.  I'll still need cardigans, and undershirts are handy for really cold weather (especially under a flannel dress), but I'm tired of wearing undershirts for almost everything in my closet and needing so many to make sure I make it through a laundry cycle.  If it works, I might retrofit my flannel dresses next fall.

So that's where I am with Project 333 and my making.  I'm going to have a rest before services tonight; this post took way longer than I anticipated and I didn't sleep super well last night.  Plus: sick kid at home.  

Pray for me, a sinner.

Darn it

I wear thick cotton tights about 8 months of the year, every single day.  In the winter, I often layer wool or cashmere thigh high socks over them, but the cotton tights are always my base layer.  (I wear Foot Traffic's Signature Cotton tights, and they have the best waistband and comfort level of any tights I've ever tried.  Plus: fun colors).  They are not cheap, and while they are pretty hard-wearing, I don't want to replace a bunch of pairs every year over a small hole in the heel.  I have terribly dry feet, and my right heel in particular is a scaly awful mess.  (I will spare you the photographic evidence.  Just take my word for it.  Snake skin).  So I'm forever wearing a hole in the right heel of my tights.  (I sometimes get a wear in the toe or on the left heel, but mostly it is just the right).  This year I've started darning these holes to make the tights last longer.*  In previous years, I've used my sewing machine to fix holes (a zig-zag stitch), which works well, but sometimes isn't as durable as a proper darn.  (If you look at the photo below, you'll see some machine darning to the top left).  I thought I'd share my method in case anyone else wanted to try it. 

Step One: a pair of tights with a hole.

Gather your supplies: DMC cotton embroidery floss, a darning egg, needle, scissors.

Step Two: Pick out some embroidery floss, either in a coordinating or contrasting color (I like to use contrast colors, but that's me).  Cut a decent length (maybe two feet?) and separate the strands into sets of two strands.  Thread a needle with two strands, do not double or knot.  Insert your egg into the tights to the place of the hole and pull the fabric taut, centering the egg under the hole.  

Step Three: Set your thread into the fabric of the tights by making two or three small backstitches.  Backstitching is an old (18th century and before) method of setting the end of your thread that doesn't require a knot.  I like it because it reduces the bulk against the foot and is just as secure.  I once made a dress by hand without a single knotted end.  It was completely secure.

Step Four: start making thread loops across the hole.  You are making a kind of loom across the hole to make a new fabric to fill it in.  This allows the tights to stretch across the part of the foot in the way that it would without the hole.  Darning on a machine just brings the fabric together and risks putting another hole alongside the original one.  Darning sometimes does too, but that might be owing to thin fabric around the original hole.

Step Five: Work until you have a line of thread loops going in one direction.  Then start weaving your needle in the opposite way to make a crossed pattern like so:

Weave your thread around the hole if the fabric around it is quite thin.  You'll be making a woven thread fabric over the thin spots as well.

You might have to go quite far away from the original hole to catch all the thin spots around it.  Make sure your thread is going in both directions to cross and thicken the fabric.

Step Six: After you've filled in on the cross-wise, start threading your needle at a diagonal one direction.  Your newly woven thread should start to feel thick and hearty.

Step Seven: When you've gone in one diagonal direction, go back in the opposite diagonal direction, so that your thread is crossed both ways in both directions.  (Clear as mud?)

Step Eight: When you've finished your weaving, backstitch a few times to finish the thread and then clip short.  (If you need to change thread during this process, end the old thread with backstitching and start the new one the same way)

A newly darned hole!

It is sometimes true that you can get holes or runs along-side the darning.  To fix, just add additional darning next to the original.  It is better to catch it before it gets big, so inspect your tights at the end of each day.

This particular darn has held up pretty well.

*At a certain point, the surrounding fabric can't take any more darning and the tights will need to be replaced.  The photo below shows the last set of darning I did on my black tights before I realized they needed to be replaced.  I also don't try to darn thin spots on the thighs (although you could if so inclined).  Usually by the time the thighs are going thin, the tights are heavily pilled and have lots of darning on the feet.

I think this method would also work on regular socks, as my tights are of a similar type material.  I've not tried it, however, as I find that by the time my kids' socks need mending, the holes are so big it almost isn't worth the effort.

I hope this was helpful!

May the Fast Be With You

Welcome to Clean Monday (aka, the first day of Lent)!  I finally made it to my foot doctor this morning after trying and failing to keep my appointment for the past six weeks due to the family illnesses.  My neuroma is still going strong, and I needed some advice on what to do next, since the three cortizone shots we've tried have failed.  (The answer: physical therapy and additional chiropractic treatment).  I've been unable to see my chiropractor since December for the same reasons, so I'm overdue for a visit anyway.

Onward!  Have you ever made something that you later wished you'd waited to make until you made something else?  My gray flannel dress is one such.  I wished I'd waited to conquer the sleevils in my dottie pearl plaid flannel dress before making this one.  

I really had wanted the gray flannel dress to have long sleeves when I originally made it, but I didn't want to go back and remake it from scratch.  In addition to being a waste of fabric and money, I have been wondering for a while if there was a way to add long sleeves on to an existing dress.  I had enough fabric to leftover to try (I usually don't) and decided to have a go at dropped sleeves.  This style of construction is very popular in ready-to-wear right now because it is easy to construct and quick for the fast fashion market (no pesky inset sleeves to mess with.  The construction is all flat and the shapes are mostly rectangular so there isn't much wasted fabric).  

I did this kind of quick a minute yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to press my seams.  I do think the dropped shoulder seam in particular would look neater with a good press, but I was so eager to wear it (and my appointment was early this morning) that I decided I would do it later.  So apologies for unpressed seam allowances!  The verdict: not perfect, but not a bad retrofit either.  It looks better rolled up to 3/4 length, but that's fine.  I can still wear an undershirt with it, but I can also go without one too.  I'm thinking about it for one of my mammoth plaid flannel dresses (the orange/green/blue one).

My method was to measure the sleeve opening and to compare that to the sleeve from the Green Bee Pearl sleeve minus the sleeve cap.  I needed to add about 1 1/4" to each side, and then taper that down to the bottom of the sleeve, plus 2" for length.  I removed the bias binding from the original sleeves, and applied the sleeves at the cap and then seamed up the middle.  I could have used just a smidge more width at the top to make the seam allowance a bit wider at the top, but overall it worked.  I would try it again as a retro fit, but I probably wouldn't make a dress to start with like this as I like the slightly slimmer sleeve cap of my Dottie Pearl pattern.

I've been looking for black boots like this for about a year, and finally found a pair on clearance at Payless (no less!) last week.  I was thrilled.  (The Troopas I found for $30 on ebay last spring probably contributed to my neuroma, so I can't wear them anymore.  I passed them on last summer)  

These are the Steffany boot by Brash, and they are pretty similar to the Tanner boots I tried a few years ago when I was still doing the 1940s thing.  I liked them, but felt they weren't right with my style at the time, so I returned them.  I do wish I'd kept them, as the toe box was slightly roomier than these, but I'm not going to quibble too much, given the price.  They are okay for what they are at the price point I was willing to pay.  I also like that they don't have a side zip. 

I found Birdie like this on Friday:

She said she was running a pet store or some such.  She had everything lined up on the window sill and was sitting on a pillow on the chair.  With her tutu and leotard, naturally.  Like you do.

I have a little tutorial on darning I'm going to share soon (probably later this week) as I've done a fair bit of it on my stockings this winter, and finally thought to photograph the process.

I wish you all a blessed Fast, and ask for your forgiveness. 

7 Quick Takes: All the Random Things

I haven't done these for a while, but I have some odds and ends to blog about, so here goes!

~1~

Valentine's Day always coincides with the eve of one of our Twelve Great Feasts: the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple (also called Candlemas in the Western church).  So it has always been a rub.  

My husband isn't really one for romantic gestures or gifts in general, so the whole breakfast in bed thing didn't happen, but we did have a nice dinner as a family on the 13th.  He made risotto (an old favorite of ours) and it was delicious.  The kids didn't really like it (more for us!) but it was fine.  I'm not much of a one for alcohol, but we had a bottle of Prosecco, and that was nice.  I got some mini chocolate cheesecakes for dessert from Whole Foods and they were wonderful.

~2~

The best part of having risotto is making al-salto afterward with the leftovers.  It is basically a big buttery cheesy rice pancake.  (My apologies to my Catholic readers who started Lent on Wednesday; we're still in Cheesefare week, so bring on the dairy until Monday!)

~3~

I finished another cowl:

I didn't have quite two full skeins, so it is a little skimpy on the circumference, but it gets the job done.  Black Swish, size 9 needles, 45 stitches wide, gartered until I ran out of yarn and then seamed up the middle.  Easy-peasy.  I wet-blocked it in the washer and stretched it out on my drying rack to make it slightly bigger.  I made a red one just like it to go with my Christmas flannel dress.  (For the record, I didn't make it for Christmas, just for the winter, but ended up wearing it on the day).

~4~

Orthodox Lent starts on Monday.  'Nuff said.

~5~

I'm revisiting the mid-to-late 1990s with my movie watching lately.  I couldn't say why I suddenly went back to a bunch of films that were important to me at that time, but there it is.  (For anyone interested in titles, they are, in no particular order: Firelight, Dangerous Beauty, City of Angels, Dejavu, Passion of Mind).  I just found out that City of Angels is based on a German art house film, and I'd like to see it to compare.  (And yes, I know the theology in that movie is seriously messed up, but I still like the story).  I also have in mind to rewatch Message in a Bottle and Moulin Rouge at some point as well.

~6~

I picked up The Shires' album Brave after seeing them perform on an old episode of Graham Norton.  I think it will be a good album.  I've been listening to Home Free on amazon music (I have all their albums).  They are just.so.good.

~7~

My kids are off school from today through Tuesday for President's Day week (what the freaking what??) so I don't think I'll be getting much done in the next five days.  I have to say, after almost six solid weeks of illness, plus the 2 week winter break that proceeded it, I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things.  

And just for the record, between January 1-February 15, our family has three major Church feasts, one birthday, three namesdays, one baby memorial day, one secular holiday, and, this year, the Lenten Triodion.  It has kind of felt like a feasting free-for-all, and I'm having a hard time staying track with my diet.

Scratch that.  I was actually doing just fine until last week. That was when Ponchik had her adenoids out, and I was still pretty sick, Birdie got a secondary ear infection and both girls were up all night the night before the surgery.  I've kind of been off the rails since then (I gained almost five pounds in the past week--argh!)

I realized (again!) how much sleep affects my ability to make good decisions in the kitchen.  I'm still getting over the illness, and have to pace myself so I don't get too tired, so that is a factor as well.  (Hence all the movie watching in the past few weeks--I am not writing very much, but I am getting a lot of knitting done!)  I suppose it is good that Lent starts on Monday; I'm hoping it will help me find my discipline again.

That's all for me!  Go see Kelly for more Takers of Quick.

Sherwood Cowl

A long time ago, when I was just getting back into knitting after a long hiatus, I ran across Rochelle's Sherwood Cowl.  I immediately fell in love with it, even though it didn't really go with my style at the time, and saved the idea for future reference.  Fast forward a few years, and I wear cowls like this all.winter.long.  Every day.  I still love the style and I really loved her version, with the olive green wool and brown toggle buttons. 

I had considered making various iterations of it, in blue left over wool, or something else, but in the end, decided for a straight-up copy.  I had some vintage toggle buttons in my box that were a random add-on to an etsy order a few years ago, and I had bought some Lost Lake Heather Swish from knit picks, which is my current favorite yarn for every day projects. 

The Lost Lake Heather is gorgeous--it is a very complex olive, with hints of blue and brown, and just a small suggestion of yellow.  I have to be careful with olives, because they can wash me out, but this color is deep and saturated and perfect.  I actually bought some more to make a cardigan, because the color goes with a lot of my dresses.

My only complaint about the cowl is that I ended up making one of the button loops slightly too big, so the button wants to slip out constantly.  I might snug it up with a needle and thread, just to stop that, because it is the second button from the top. 

I like the versatility of looks for this cowl too (you can see them all at Rochelle's blog post), but I mostly wear it with two-three of the top buttons buttoned as pictured.  I made mine with exactly two skeins of Swish.  I cast on 45 stitches, size 9 needles, garter stitch until I was nearly out of yarn and then cast off.  I used the remainder of yarn to make the button loops and sew on the buttons.  I have a small twist left (less than a yard) for repairs if needed. 

And yes, that is my black eshakti dress, and it is, indeed, the bomb diggety.  I've worn it a lot in the last month.

In other news, when I walked in the door after drop off this morning, I found this:

Because you can't go to school without tucking in the animals for the day.  Hilarious.  (That will be Ponchik, almost certainly.  She regards her soft toys as close friends and talks to them constantly).  The apple doesn't fall far, is what I say.

Dottie Pearl Flannel Dress

I present my newest Frankenpattern: the Dottie Pearl!  Now with set-in sleeves!  I must say, I am chuffed about this dress.  I've long wanted to adapt my dottie angel dress pattern (aka Simplicity 1080) for set in sleeves so that I could have a long sleeve option, but have, up to this point, been unsuccessful in doing so.  (My muslin attempts in the fall were spectacularly unsuccessful, such that I set the project aside in despair).

A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing fabric.com (like you do) and found this amazing plaid flannel from Robert Kaufmann.  It isn't from any of his flannel lines (I'm particularly fond of the Mammoth and Shetland flannels) or part of a larger collection, so I think it must be a one-off.  But I loved the colors, and the fact that it was yarn dyed (which means it is a woven with all the colors, rather than printed on one side, like my Geo Flannel skirt).  

I decided I wanted another plaid flannel dress for the cooler months (I'm seriously rethinking my Project 333 approach; I'll discuss more about it at the end of this rotation, I think.  I'm still percolating).  I also decided I was going to figure out sleeves, because I really wanted something that didn't need an undershirt.  It also had become A Thing, the sleevils.  I needed to just figure them out already.  (And for the record, I know how to set in sleeves and have done it many times, but I'm very picky about how set-in sleeves fit in a woven fabric, and that was the part I couldn't get right).  

Fortunately, I had two things in my favor: enough unloved fabric in my bin to play around with (I hate muslining generally, because it feels like a waste of good fabric, but I had a length I'd bought a couple of years ago that I've fallen out of love with, and was just sitting, taking up space), and also a pattern that seemed like might work to adapt with sleeves.

What I really wanted was my dottie angel frock with set-in sleeves.  But I started with the Green Bee Pearl Shift dress pattern (readers may remember my chambray fail with this pattern in the late summer).  I decided that even if the body of the dress didn't work, it might be useful to see if the sleeves and shoulders did work on me.  The Summer Jazz dress that I'd tried previously doesn't fit me well in the shoulders and arms, so I didn't want to try and tweak that fit.  The Pearl dress seemed semi-fitted enough to give it a go.  

My first mock up was to simply make up the Pearl dress as drafted, but I rotated the bust darts into bust tucks, and cinched the back with elastic, ala dottie angel, and added patch pockets.  I was happy with the fit of the sleeves and the shoulders, but the bust tucks looked really weird, and the dress just hung oddly on me.  As drafted, the Pearl is a swing-type shift dress; the semi-fitted stuff just wasn't working. 

For my second attempt, I decided to put the shoulder part of the pattern on top of my dottie angel and merge the two silhouettes.  I kept the neckline of the Pearl dress, and the shoulder and armscye, and merged it with the body of the Simplicity 1080.  I cut the Pearl sleeves at the long length.  The sleeves came out slightly short (they are more like bracelet length), but the rest of the fit was great.  I decided it was good enough to go ahead on the flannel. 

I will state for the record that this flannel was kind of a bug-bear to get lined up for plaid matching.  It kept wanting to go off-grain, and it is just loosely woven enough to slide around a little even with careful (and repeated) pinning on both sides of the fabric.  

I also had to get creative with cutting in order to get the dress cut out of the three yards I had.  (I turned one side of the selvage to the middle, just enough to get the dress out, and then cut the sleeves flat from the other side of the selvage.  I had plenty left to get the pockets out, and still have about half a yard in my bin).  

That said, all my sides match up pretty well (the shoulders, not so much, oh well.  Can't win them all!) and I'm quite pleased with the finished dress.  

I set the sleeves in flat, like you do with knits, and am very happy with this method.  It made lining up the side seams a bit easier too, I think.  I did trim the seam allowance on the sleeve cap down to 1/4" and zig-zagged all my edges to make the fit more comfortable.

The sleeves do look better rolled up a few times, but I'm okay with that.  I could taper them to the wrist more next time to get a more fitted sleeve.  I added 1" of length to the sleeve, but could probably stand another inch.  Word to the wise: I have extremely short Hobbit arms, so if you have normal length arms, and want long sleeves from this pattern, you will need to add quite a bit of length.  The "3/4" sleeve is more like elbow length, fyi.

Boo kept petting me this morning and oohing and ahhing over the dress, so at least someone likes it!  (He has a pair of flannel lined jeans and asked me immediately if it was the same kind of fabric as the inside of his jeans--smart kid!)  I'm working on a simple black cowl that I hope to wear with this dress soon.

I have some spring projects that I'm actually excited about making up--I've been a little burned out on my 1080 dress pattern for a bit now, and this gives me the variety I've been craving.  I also have a knit dress pattern I'm going to try (thanks for the idea, Masha!) and some Art Gallery knit fabric burning a hole in my bin to use with it.  I'll have to pull up my big girl panties before I do so, however, as knits still make me crazy.  Sounds like a good first week of Lent project, right?  (kidding)