OMG!!!!!!!80081ES!!!!!

I'm afraid that this Waist-cincher top is not really a good look for me.
To put it mildly.
It may be because I feel bloated and sweaty, and tired and a bit grumpy but .... no!
I would have posted a photo of the before-finishing-the-second- sleeve-trying-on-session.
But it is practically obscene.
If the lacy part is to stop right under the boobs, as I think it's meant to, .... there really is not enough fabric in the part above that to cover my boobage adequately.
They just suddenly look ..... huge, trying their best to stay inside.
(Sorry)
But I do think keeping it around for a while will help keep me away from the chocolate. And the ice cream.
While I wonder just how much short rows can do.
Or if I should just let it be transformed into the lovely bed jacket.
And pretend nothing ever happened.

And so, instead of a photo of me in the role of the rare red-faced humpback whale, we have Vincent insisting that stripes will have a slimming effect.
And that he will gladly take care of the ice cream for me.
(I could of course let the cats keep the waist-cincher/boob-enhancer top and knit sleeves for the kitty pi, and see how that fits. G knows the bad cats have slept more on the top than in the pi.)

We're nearly there with the Waist-Cincher Top

I have finished the front and the back and one sleeve.
And I am now in the dreaded process of stitching it together, so that I can try it on before I knit a second sleeve, which may need adjusting.
Well, actually anything and everything may need adjusting.
The fake bust darts are ... fake, and serve no other purpose than decoration, and as I don't feel a strong need for holey decoration in the boobage department I have omitted them.
There is no actual shaping of the front top, and I'm slightly excited to see how that will fit. Well, hopeful more than excited, but still prepared for frogging and figuring out a way.
I gladly admit to being pretty impressed with my sewing it together. Except for the lumpy shoulder.
(I have to figure out how to do a not so lumpy one.)
And I wanted to show off the progress, if for nothing else, then at least to show something other than Laurenz sleeping.
But the cats are such camera bugs.
And I barely caught Laurenz before he dozed off.

First Vincent stepping around. (He has unusually long toes)

Then Laurenz suddenly getting sleepy. Again.

And then me giving up.

When all else fails, there is always knitting - and tuna

Well, now I have finished knitting the back of the Waist-cincher top.

And I knitted most of it while running Disk Utility, attempting clever things in Single User mode, and doing Hardware tests, as my beautiful Powerbook has refused to restart since Monday.

No errors, no nothing, there is absolutely nothing wrong, and as such nothing to fix.
But my beautiful machine nonetheless refuses to restart.
In spite of everything saying that a healthier and happier computer would be hard to find.

Tech Support suggests tuna. Tuna is always good.
And this is no fun as the deadline for two large exam-papers is Thursday, and I have not set up a proper back-up process, even if I knew I should.
Well, the deadline was Thursday, as I have just returned from the university where I handed in the signed slip of paper cancelling the exams.
End of that story.
I'm awaiting a package from Apple which may/may not bring my PowerBook to move beyond the lovely startup sound, the pretty grey apple, and the promising progression wheel to actually letting me access my computer.
So now I'm back on the faithful little old iBook.
And I can concentrate on the Cézanne paper.
And it really makes no big difference anyway.
A small difference, but not in the great scheme of things.
So I may/may not have to rewrite the other two + one exam papers, but if that's the case at least I have until January to do so.
And they'll probably be better for it.
At least that's what I've decided.
And with help like this, I will be just fine.

The Waist-cincher top

I have already finished the first sleeve for the Waist-cincher top.
And I love it so far.
However I have found a few annoyances with the book at this point, as I find the schematics a bit lacking.
It has very nice drawings of Front, Back and Sleeve.
But the Sleeve drawing only shows measurements for the width at cast on edge and the widest point and the length of the sleeve before decreasing for the sleeve cap.
There is no measurement for the full length of the sleeve, nor for the sleeve cap. And in the pattern this part is only given in number of rows.
And this bugs me a bit.
Same with the front, which gives only the measurement of the height of the lacy part - as also stated in the written pattern.
No waist width, no indication of the width of the overlapping parts or the height from under the bust to the shoulder.
And add to this that the pattern itself is also written without an indication of the finished measurements.
Of course I can calculate my way to these measurements counting rows and stitches and using the gauge given.
But then it had been handy if she had also given her gauge for the part using the smaller needles.
This may not be super important, but sometimes it's nice to assure yourself everything is right by using your measuring tape.
And sometimes it's nice to be able to adjust for a narrow waist by knowing beforehand if adjusting is needed.
(And again I think I have been spoiled by the Domiknitrix, as her patterns and schematics are extremely detailed.)
So I'm slightly annoyed - but still very, very happy with the book.
And the sleeve.

And the best morning sunshine is found leaning against the book case.
And I really, really need to chase away some dust bunnies.

When a knitting book makes the bookseller blush

I have been very good today and have worked very hard on my exam papers, and so I allowed myself to go to the book store to get my very own copy of Joan McGowan-Michaels Knitting Lingerie Style.

The very nice man at the book store was business as usual until he looked at the cover again:
"But it's a knitting book?!"
"Yep, it's a knitting book."
"My aunt used to knit."
"Oh, did she?"
"Yes, but mostly sweaters and they were usually itchy, and ... this is not .... sweaters ... (another glance at book cover) and not itchy .... I hope".
There is something rather endearing about a middle aged man blushing because of a knitting book.

And the fun didn't stop there, I also allowed myself to buy yarn for the Waist Cincher-top.

As I simply cannot imagine wearing an angora blend next to the skin I found a very nice cream coloured cotton/wool blend which should work. With black for the edges and stripes.
Because I'm boring.
I did fondle a lovely dusty lavender angora/wool blend, which would perhaps have been suitable for the waist-cincher top, but will instead be perfect for the bed jacket.

And there are pretty socks. Many pretty socks. But these are the laciest.

And these interesting leggings would very likely be perfect for both yoga and cold winter days.

And there's a gorgeous skirt.

Of course I think about knitting this in a cotton/linen blend, as I apparently lack respect for yarn choices - even if I should know better.
But my excuse would include that none of the yarn used in the book is available here. None.
And there are no suggested alternatives, nor a description of why the yarn is chosen or what to look for in a substitute. Or whether it is deliberately knitted loosely or tightly compared to the standard gauge for the yarn.
The brilliant Domiknitrix has spoiled me in this regard.

There are also plenty of bras and beautiful sleeveless tops.
And while I do not do sleeveless myself (thanks to being overly self conscious about my arms, having suffered from a bad eczema most of my childhood and teenage years), there may be made many fine gifts for the girlie friends.
And now I can knit and watch Judge Deed and McCallum on the Granny Channel and drink a bit of wine.
Sadly, or maybe not, that's very much my idea of the Perfect Friday.