The Riding Peplum & The Peplum Party Dress

I love peplums, I never wear peplums but I adore them. There is something flirty and sweet and a lot sexy about a peplum top. But being a girl with curves peplums are hard. That why when the charming April Rhodes asked me to test her newest pattern The Riding Peplum and Peplum Party Dress, I couldn't say no. Guess what It's Perfect for ladies with curves. The slightly longer bodice and high low hem make it great, it covers what I want, doesn't lay directly on the widest part and looks awesome. 

I can't wait for spring when I can wear it with capris and cute flats. I also think it would look awesome with shorts in the summer! Seriously I am in love with this top. 

 Outfit Details: 

Top: Handmade (Riding Peplum Top by April Rhodes fabric by Dear Stella) 

Pants- Pin Up Girl Clothing 

Sweater: Handknit by me! 

Pin: The Paper Mama 

Glasses: lookmatic 

Now Let's talk about the Peplum Party Dress. JADORE! Seriously guys I love this dress! It spins when you turn it bounces when you walk and this Tula Pink Fabric is the best score I ever got at 4 dollars a yard! (don't hate) I know that I will be making a few more of these. Both of these patterns came together in a snap! With NO ZIPPERS! that right ladies it is a perfect beginners dress! (any ladies in PDX who wants to sew one but is afraid to hit me up we can schedule a private lesson!)  

Holy wind Batman! See what I mean about the twirl factor. 

Outfit Details 

Dress: Handmade (Peplum Party Dress by April Rhodes, Fabric: Meteor Shower from birds and the bees by Tula Pink) 

Tights Target 

Sweater: HM from like 3 years ago. 

Clogs: From germany so most likely birkenstocks 

Simple winter dress

So the night before Thanksgiving when most people are baking and getting ready for a day in the kitchen. I sewed this sweet little dress. I am ever so fond of The Staple Dress with it's easy french seams and adjustable elastic waist. 

This dress pattern has worked it's way into my heart. This makes the 4th one I've sewn. For this one I placed the elastic a bit lower then in my other versions. It makes the top just a bit more blousy.  The fabric I used on this version is Andover Chambray in Espresso. It is this amazing color that looks gray and black and brown all at the same time. The photos cannot do this color justice. 

Dress: Handmade (Pattern: The Staple Dress by April Rhodes)

Belt: Pin Up Girl Clothing 

Cowl: Handknit (The Paper Piecing Cowl by me) 

Glasses Lookmatic 

Bracelet: Betsy & Iya 

Knit knit knit...

Oh november where did you go, between sample knitting and designing I have no idea where the time went. I cannot believe that thanksgiving has come and gone. On the bright side I finished my fingerless mitts from last christmas. This was one of the first self striping yarns I bought. It's by lollipop yarns  I have been wearing them in the morning to the coffee shop. This year's christmas socks are well on their way to being done. I started them 2 at a time magic loop but just couldn't get into a groove. So I finished up the first sock last night. I am almost to putting the zip cord in for the heel on the second. 

A Tiny Bee- Crisp

The word crisp makes me think of two very different things. Oooey, Gooey, bubbling bits of fruit forcing their way up thru a sugary, oat crust. This dear readers is the kind of crisp I had planned for this week, but then this kind of took over my life.  So I will give you the other kind of crisp, that only can happen with a charming little variety of wool called BFL. I love this scratchy wool for anything and everything garter stitch. I love how it makes the purl row pop up in crisp little lines. The photo above is the edge of my Great Divide Shawl (by fellow portland designer Michele Brown ) 

Next week's word is invigorate 

Be sure to check out and link up with Erika over at A Tiny Rocket 

The Rhodes Hat and the Quilt Market Trio.

Photo by April Rhodes 

It's funny where inspiration comes from. If you would have told me that 2 Saturdays ago I would have been 10 days from launching a new hat pattern, the first in a 3 pattern e-book collection, i would have told you to put down the joint.  That was until I saw the above picture. See my instagram feed was a flurry of posts from quilt market.  I saw this one from amazing designer April Rhodes, It was love. As beautiful as this fabric is I thought You know what would look even better? A hat. What happened next is what i can only think of as a knitting fever dream, by sunday there were charts for the hat by Tuesday there were charts for other knitted accessories. 

The above sample was knit in Quince and Co Chickadee in the Egret and Honey Colorway. I've warn it almost everyday since i finished it.  When I'm not wearing it I can usually be found with this lovely on my head.  

This yarn may look familiar. Yes it is that beautiful The Plucky Knitter Primo Sport i got a the trunk show, The second i get my hands on plucky I just want to knit it into something beautiful, and this hat is stunning. It may be my favorite hat ever. (that saying something for this hat crazed girl) 

So dear readers, if you want to make yourself a beautiful Rhodes hat, then you have two options. You can go up to the top of this blog and go to my pattern page where you can buy the pattern directly. Or go to Ravelry and Search for Rhodes. If you are on Ravelry, be sure to favorite and queue Rhodes so that it helps bump up the hats rank in search so more people can knit this charming and eye catching hat.   

So, you mentioned this quilt market trio, what is this all about well... It's 2 more accessories ( a cowl in two sizes and mittens/fingerless mitts) that incorporate the same lovely arrow motives as the Rhodes Hat but with different twists for each one. I can't wait to show you the first finished samples (in the next few days) but for now would you like a sneak peak??  

Now as you can see, I have some knitting to do. 

A Tiny Bee- Blue

This weeks color (sorry it a day late) is Blue. Blue happens to be my favorite color, if given a choice I will pick blue almost every time. I love all shades of blue from royal to aqua to baby. Here is just a collection of my favorite blue things (starting at the top left going clockwise)  

1. Badger and Bread Yarn glass - It is made from recycled glass, i love the color and the way the lip feels when you drink from it 

2 Piddleloop wedge bag- I love this bag, I store most of my colorwork in it! it perfect for two or three small balls of yarn. Also DACHSHUNDS! 

3. Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Gingham Blue - This color is discontinued. I am so sad I never saw it until after it was, I would have made a sweater out of the dk weight for sure! 

4. Fat Squrrel Fibers  MCN in indigo This yarn is so many shades of blue! I can't stand how cute awesome it is!  

5. ipod shuffle - the last iPod i ever bought. 

6. LV clés in Damier Azur- i love this think it keeps me from keys from tearing up everything in my bag. 

7. Essie Nail polish in Bikini so tiny and In the Cabana 

8. my hand knit socks in Knitter's Nightmare batty sock in the you look better on Facebook color - seriously awesome name awesome color. 

So next weeks word is Crisp. Be sure to check out Erika's post at A Tiny Rocket! 

Make a lighter load

I know that I have a tendency to make things harder for myself. I want to knit/sew all the things and making adorable embroidered curtains for my kitchen and make homemade meals from scratch everyday. I also know that isn’t realistic. I know that by over burdening myself I will get less done. Today a languishing knitting project taught me these lessons all over. I have been knitting on my Farmstead Cardigan for almost a year. It was my last year KnSwMo sweater. I started on November 1 full thinking I would be wearing it at the end of the month. But then came the blasted collar.

See I finished the body and one sleeve in the month of November. Then I finish the other sleeve this summer. What stopped me from going on was the tedious nature of the front collar. It requires DPN and long expanses of quite time. I had gotten two of the lace squares knit in september but it was such a bummer to sit down and knit them that I gave up most days before I even started. 

Enter the PNW Hoilday Brunch. For most blogging events or knitting events.  I try to wear something handmade. This time I challenged myself to wear 90% handmade. The only things I am wearing that isn't handmade are my undergarments, tights and shoes. I have been furiously knitting and sewing and planning for the last month or so. The big final push is this week! 

The Farmstead Cardigan was one of the pieces that I based the outfit around. So that means that collar has to be done. I’ve started and stopped knitting the last 7 pieces 12 times in the last month.

New Lace on the left, Old lace on the right.  

Today I decided that I could just change the lace. Why I didn’t think of that before I’ll never know. I do know that it has made all the difference. I takes me about 40 minutes to knit thru one repeat of the new lace and I only need 5 more. The sweater will be just as beautiful, and I can start wearing ASAP. instead of being a languishing WIP that I feel guilty about not finishing. 

A Very Plucky Friday.

I bet you are asking yourself, "What on earth is worth standing in line at 4:55 on a Friday?" Unless you are a very avid knitter the name The Plucky Knitter most likely means nothing to you. Let me introduce you to one of the most amazing indie dyers in the US. The Plucky Knitter is such a very illusive yarn to get. I am lucky enough that Twisted here in portland to carry it but it sells out in such short order that getting your hands on a sweaters quantity can take months, or in the case of a girl in front of me at the trunk show years. SO when The Pluck Knitter herself has a trunk show at your local yarn store you go.  

Twisted is quite a large store. I've never felt cramped or confined in there. But WOWIE did i ever on friday. This is the scene at the long long table of plucky yarn. I had 3 goals in mind. A sweater quantity in Sticky Toffee (my favorite plucky color), 3 skeins of worsted in prickly pear, Hood River, or High Cotton for a Barbara W. Shawl. 2 skeins of sport weight for my second sample of the NE 21st hat.  I succeeded in only one. 

Two Skeins of Primo Sport (mmm cashmere) in Tuscadero  and Prickly Pear. I think I will have enough to make the hat and reversed mitts! This yarn is squishy and the pictures can never do it justice.  Just look how different Tuscadero looks when I take it out side 

Swoon. Seriously that hat is going to be so refreshing and beautiful I can't wait to cast on. So on my way out I needed to tell Sarah how much I loved her yarn and she graciously let me take a picture of her and her sister Haley! 

When I got home I checked the Mail and to my surprise my Honey To Bees Kit arrived! I have been stalking my mail box waiting for this pre-order. You see this is the first Plucky kit I ever scored! I try and try but somehow the color ways I want always disappear.  

I ordered this lovely shawl kit in the Doughnut Season color way.  It of course contains my much lusted after Sticky Toffee (left) and the contrast color is Fisherman's Wharf. I just love this color combo. I could't stop myself from winding it up and starting it.  

This is Plucky Single, a delightful 80/20 Blend of Merino and silk.. I just adore how the silk makes the Sticky Toffee glow. It's so soft to work with and I know it will be warm and snuggly to wear!  I am still trying to come down from the excitement of not 1 Plucky Score but 2 on the same day. It also has me determined to stalk the cowl kits that will be up later this week. Until then if you need me I'll be right here.... 

Girl about town: P's & Q's Market

Late Friday night I was checking Facebook when I saw that this cute little restaurant/corner store, in my neighborhood, was now offering vegan brunch on the weekend. So this morning the boys and I walked over to check it out.  It was the perfect fall morning here in portland, cool with clouds but no rain. 

P's and Q's Market has grown into this cute little green grocery and restaurant. They have a small section of bulk bins and fresh local produce. They also carry bread from Grand Central and make the most delicious homemade vegetable stock.  

We both ordered the vegan hash. It was a delicious mix of sweet potatoes and fingerling Potatoes with kale. The salad had a fresh vinaigrette that cut thru the crispy skins of the fried potatoes.  My favorite part of the meal was the delightful quince jam. It was sweet and rosy with large chunks of quinces still in the jam. The perfect topping to the Grand Central Bakery sourdough toast.  If you find yourself in the Woodlawn neighborhood I highly suggest you give P's and Q's a chance. It the perfect place if you need a few basics to finish up dinner, or you want a great meal you don't have to cook.  

After Brunch we took Abalard and Macintosh to the park on the way home. Collin Shot these sweet videos of them with the new Slo-mo feature on my new iphone.  

A Tiny Bee - Waves

I make coasters out of scraps left over from the different felt friends. Seeing as my last one has been somehow misplaced, I decided to make two. So I stopped carrying them from the living room to my studio and back. The Oregon Coast reminds me of Lake Michigan in the winter. So that was my inspiration for these coasters the waves beating coming to shore against an unrelenting gray sky. 

I'm quite happy with the one for my desk. It is gray like my (borrowed) computer and blends in nicely with the chaos that the planning and prototyping of the next volume of felt friends brings.  Plus it keeps my pretty desk finish from being warped and ringed with tea. 

Be sure to check out my friend Erika's post at her blog A tiny Rocket  

Swoon Worthy Knits: Fall 2013

Every Year during Mid Fall I find myself in a panic. A MUST KNIT ALL THE THINGS panic. I am sure if you are a knitter you know that feeling, the weather is perfect for showing off knitwear. Pattern Designers are busting out the best of the best for the Fall knitting season. You rush to finish the few hangers on from spring and summer knitting and Fall head over heels into casting on way to much for fall.  It happens every year, I expect it to continuing to happen. For the past week or so I've had Socks on the brain, because it was just about all I could handle with my cold. As The time increases from one coughing fit to the next. I feel like I could take on a bit more. Here are three patterns that I can't wait to get onto my needles  

Vienne By Bristol Ivy  

First up is Vienne by Bristol Ivy. This Beautiful intarsia shawl is begging to be cast on. I imagine it in a a bright red, teal and cream. (as imagine most things) I will seriously be considering casting this on as soon as I have my Multnomah cast off. 

Peak by Susan Laurence 

Next up is this beautiful and unique hat by Susan Laurence named Peak. I imagine that I will try to find a nice creamy light tan. I love the patterning around the brim and the loop at the top. So cute!  

Honey To Bees by Amy Miller 

This final shawl, I am anxiously waiting for my yarn to arrive. You see this beautiful shawl was available only thru The Plucky Knitter until next year. Seeing that I have never used any of this much coveted and lusted after yarn I took the plunge and stalked the update! Much to my relief I came up with my first colorway choice! Now I am just waiting for the beautiful yarn to be dyed and show up at my house!  Is it the second/third week of November yet? 

I may just have to buy some other plucky to hold me over at the Plucky Knitter Trunk Show and Yarn Extravaganza this friday!! 

Are you looking forward to knitting anything this Fall?  

Don't Forget to check out my Weekly Knitting Podcast Pick Up and Purl for all the projects I am currently working on New indie dyers I love and just a little chat about life!  

A Tiny Bee - Speckled

Multhnomah shawl in Cakewalk yarns footsie in the sudden valley colorway. 

Everytime I hear the word speckled lately my mind wanders to this yarn, and this shawl... This beautiful and languishing shawl. I love how simple the little specks of color combined into something so complex and beautiful. This Pattern is the Multnomah Pattern by Hello Knitty  I am knitting it out of my most cherished ball of Cakewalk Yarn Footsie in the Sudden Valley colorway (yes that is an arrested development reference.) I've attempted this shawl in the past and this by far is my favorite combo. It reminds me of Portland so much from the name of the shawl to the pops of color set off by a light gray. 

Be sure to check out Erika's Beautiful, A Tiny Bee entry over at her blog A Tiny Rocket  

Next Week's Word is Wave.

See you then!  

Fall Sewing Part 1: Dresses

Hey everyone! it's been awhile since I talked about what's going on in the beehive! I have been sewing lots of bags lately. I made a for pleats sake a while back and I am almost finished with a Noodle-head Super tote. I plan on using the super tote as my knitting bag! I am so excited to have a dedicated knitting bag again after always just throwing project bags into what ever purse i am using. I am also looking forward to trying out a few new patterns that I have purchased! So lets look at my fall sewing plan! 

The Painted Portrait Dress by Anna Maria Horner I plan on making this lovely pattern in a few dresses and tops for the fall! I've seen this pattern a bunch but I never really wanted to make one until I saw the lovely one that Christine Hayes made for her upcoming class!  I have three fabric choices running around in my brain! 

Birds of a Feather by Alison Cole 

Fort Firerly by Tegan White 

The way of Flowers from Koi  by Rashida Coleman-Hale 

The Staple Dress by April Rhodes. 

I have two of these dress that I made this spring and I live in them! I need some fall ones. I love wearing them with tights and bean boots! I can't wait to add 2 or 3 more to my closet! I am determined to make one out of rayon and with the high low hem!   Here are the 2 fabrics I can't stop obsessing about seeing this dress in! 

Acadia by Tula Pink 

swallow study by joel dewberry (rayon) 

The Ruby Dress by Made by Rae . I am obsessed with the washi dress. (i've sewn 5 already!) So when she released her new pattern I had to make it the second I got my hot little hands on it! I made my test sew of this the other day and it is AMAZING! it seriously is so cute and comfy! I can't wait to pile cardigans and tights on with this lovely dress Also check out what other lovelyness is on the way from her! I cannot wait!  while I'm waiting I think I'll whip up these amazing amazing fabrics! 

Fort Firefly by Tegan White 

Contrasting Yoke in brown Lace and voile  

Foxtrot by Michael Miller 

I'll be back tomorrow with A tiny bee and friday with the Fall sewing plan for Seperates!! Do you have any fall sewing planned? What is your favorite thing about fall fashion? 

A Tiny Bee: Week 3 - North

My father is a southern gentleman who found his way to the north. Where he met my mother and made his life. Compared to where I live now my parents are southerner to me. As a child I thought the further south I went the happier I would be. I hated snow and cold. Having a december birthday in the midwest meant more than my fair share of parties begin re-planned due to weather. When I left the North the first time I fled to the warm shores of of Southern California. Now I living the farthest north of my life. In the Northern part of my great northern city. To me north is home. 

A Tiny Bee: Week 3- Achieve

This week I've been trying to focus on small achievements. The finishing of fingerless mitts, the frogging of an un-wearable sweater. The sewing of a simple new dress. Some weeks aren't the gangbuster create a thing a day week. I want to be more mindful on these less than triumphant weeks that any progress is still progress.  

Next's week word is feathery. I like the tactile nature of this word. Can't wait to see what you come up with! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Contest: Pick Up and Purl's October Fingerless Mitt along!

Hey everyone,  

I thought I'd take a moment to let you know that Pick Up and Purl is back! After a hot hot slow knitting summer, the quirky PNW podcast is back! With yours truly as the host. How to do I celebrate my triumphant return to the internet? FREE YARN OF COURSE!  Not just any free yarn, free Socks That Rock! That right, you saw that correct You can win a free skein of the delightfully colorful yarn crack that is Sock That Rock Mediumweight! in the colorway of YOUR CHOOSING! 

 
How do you enter this contest!  

Step 1:  Join the Pick Up and Purl Ravelry Group!   (if you haven't joined Ravelry yet what are you waiting for!!)  

Step 2: Give me a recommendation for kick ass fingerless mitts patterns!  (why a fingerless mitt pattern? Cause we are going to have a fingerless mitt KAL in october! where there will be MORE prizes) 

Step 3: Wait and see if you won! While at our small but awesome group check out the  

You have until September 30th to enter!  

A Tiny Bee- Week 2: Summer's End

There is a magical time at the end of summer in oregon and the beginning of fall. Every year since I've lived here I make the trek to Sauvie Island to pick zinnias, buy early apples, drink beer, eat corn on the cob and photograph the amazing blue sky of oregon.  This summer has been chaotic at best. I can't say I'm too sad to see the summer fade in to fall. I'm ready for the changes that come with a new season. Want to know what next week word is? 

Goals, Dreams, how you reach them? Let's here about what you have a achieved or what  you would like to achieve!   Don't forget to link up with Erika over on her blog! 

An InLinkz Link-up

A Tiny Bee - Week 1: Home

In my life I have called 3 city home. It wasn't until I came to Portland that I felt a place i could settle down. Home for the longest time was a place I came to crash after a long night of work. Where I would stress bake in the tiny small cramped kitchens. It never had the comfort or warmth that I pictured that people felt when they were home. 

 Portland is the first time that home feels like what I imagined home to feel like. From the moment I moved here and lived in a 125 sq ft apartment on Alberta. To the small 1 bedroom that I brought my first sweet dog home to on Fremont. Home now is a small townhouse that I share with my boyfriend and 2 dachshunds. When at home, you can find me spending a lot of time baking in our kitchen. 

I made this apron out of Violet Craft's lovely collection of portland themed fabric callled Waterfront Park. I embroidered each of the bridges names with pearl cotton. I just hand drew on the lettering and stitched over that. So want to know next weeks word? 

Can't wait see how the change of the season inspires you! Be sure to check out and link up at Erika's blog too! 

An InLinkz Link-up

A Tiny Bee- A Weekly Creative Club Link Up

When I was in photography school, on top of our technical assignments we also had to do creativity building assignments.  One of my favorites was Word of the Week. Every week my teacher would pull a word out of a hat. It was our jobs to shoot an entire roll of film (36 exposures) inspired by that word. Every monday morning we would turn in the contact sheets and our top 3 prints. As far as I am concerned these assignments were the most valuable of my whole creative education. It taught me that creativity isn't some cruel mistress who comes and goes as she pleases. Creativity is an ever evolving process that moves you inch by inch project by project. I learned a simple and "duh" inducing fact, I'm more creative the more my hands move. So when my very talented friend Erika of A Tiny Rocket, suggested we start a creative prompt link up I couldn't say no. It's the perfect thing to keep those hands and minds busy. 

So how does this Creative Club Work? Every week on thursday, Erika and I will supply you with a  prompt. Then you show us how that word relates to you! Show us your killer outfit, painting, a meal or photo shoot. It could also inspires you to sew a dress, knit a scarf, crochet a pillowcase.   No project is too small or too large. Just let you and your big beautiful creative brain shine. All that is required is you and your creativity. The beautiful thing about this club is ot only will you be creating on a consistent basis. You'll be in the company of other who you can inspire and be inspired by! I am so excited to see this community grow and help each other down the path of a creative life. 

So do you want to know the first week's prompt? 

I can't wait to see all the ideas you come up with for week one! I've got a few percolating in my brain.  Be sure to check out Erika's Welcoming post too! See you in a week!  

Style it Twice: 501s

My boyfriend picked up a pair of 501 shrink to fits this week. And it got me thinking how cute they could be styled for women too. I am hoping to grab a pair this week while they are still on sale.  I thought it could be fun to do a style it twice. I wanted to make sure that it was appropriate for portland rainy fall weather. 

Left Side - Modern Flapper  (from top to bottom.) 

Floral Top - Uniqlo

Black Cardigan - Uniqlo

Glasses - Bonlook

Lipstick- Marc Jacobs Beauty

Earrings- Betsy and Iya  

Bag - Philip Lim ( did you see their is gonna be a 35 dollar target version of this bag! EEK)  

Boot- Jeffery Campbell

Hat- Goorin Bros

Right Side Classic heritage  (from top to bottom) 

Long Woven Oxford - Aerapostale

Glasses - Bonlook   ( I have these glasses in black and they are my favorite pair by far! so comfortable) 

Jacket - Barbour

Lipstick - Urban Decay  

Bracelet- Marc by Marc Jacobs  

Bag - Louis Vuitton  

Shoes - Bean Boots