Mockup for McCall's 5142 jeans

So, I have been sewing recently. I finally had a burst of motivation, in the form of A.) seeing what's out there in retail stores for sale (EEEK!!) and B.) having the left knee on another pair of jeans rip out too far.  It's kind of funny, me saying the knee ripped out too far, as when I was in high school we were all putting holes in our jeans, but when the rip impedes movement because it slides down the shin and then binds up, it's ripped too much.

I started the mockup of the McCall's 5142 jeans pattern last month, after ripping out the zipper of a pair of jeans that tore from the back pocket to the side seam, but progress was a bit slow.  I figured after cutting all the pieces out, I'd do the two things in the to-sew pile: hem swim trunks for hubby after shortening them by about five inches, and finally put the waistband in a pair of cotton flannel pajama pants that the cat has been using as a bed for far too long.

Hemming the swim trunks was easy.  Getting the waistband in right proved to be a bit of a challenge.  First I sewed the pocket towards the butt, so I ripped enough to move it forward of the side seam.  Then I caught up a fold of fabric while restitching the waistband, so the seam ripper got even more use.  Finally, I got it right - then called it a day.

I mentioned the fitful start to my friend Lynn (who is basically my partner-in-crime for a LOT of things, not just gardening and chickens), and her comment was, "I would have put it down and walked away.  That's a classic bad sewing day."  Me being me, I had to get it right before I could walk away.

Enough back story ... on to the mockup.

McCall's 5142 jeans in mattress ticking

Yup, that is mattress ticking.  I have to wait until Sunday when Lynn can come over on her day off, because if she's been outside working all day then she's usually too tired to be any help in the evening.  I am using the stripes to help with fitting.  I have the mockup done enough to wear right now, and can tell I am not happy with the crotch curve, and just plain HATE the front pockets.  They are too shallow to be of any use.

I didn't bother to hem the mockup, just straight stitched around then trimmed with pinking shears.  While I planned to put in a buttonhole and button, I didn't leave myself enough room at the fly, but the old jeans zipper is holding it just fine.  I think I am going to love the contoured waistband.  I can't see behind me, but it feels like I do not have the gaposis in back like I usually do.

Normally, I'd have hubby take some pictures for me, but he is on the road with his parents en route to Fort Hood, Texas to go visit his brother, who will be going to Korea after he does his reclass training.  That's going to be a long drive, and they are only going to the middle of Texas, not from one end to the other.  So, I have to wait until Sunday, but that gives me plenty of opportunity to wear the mockup around the property for chores as it's stress test for comfort.

Wild rose socks

The pattern is called Wandering Rose (free on Ravelry) and the yarn is Valley Yarns' Charlemont Kewttle Dye in Wild Pink, a lovely soft wool/silk/nylon blend.  I started these while waiting for the train to go up to Kentucky, so Mom and Sis got to see and feel the leg portion of these socks, and Mom loves the yarn.  I thought I'd pop a pic up for her.

wild rose socks

They are a bit loose on me, especially above the ankles, so if I do this pattern again, I'll need to remember to go down a needle size.

Requested pictures for Lauren

I have a new follower for the blog - Lauren - and you can surely tell she's new to my blog because she has requested pictures.  I guess it's been a while since I have shown my notorious lack of photography skills here.  The request is for pictures of the shirt pieces in the Simplicity 4059, which I made the one doublet and cap for my Ren Faire accomplice up in Tennessee a few years back.  He preferred the shirt from a different pattern, so I have not made the S4059 shirt myself.  These pics ought to help anyone decide whether or not to special order or put a hold on this pattern:

S4059 shirt pieces layout

S4059 shirt instructions, part one

S4059 shirt instructions, part two

S4059 line drawings and pieces' shapes

I do hope this helps.  As for last evening ... y'all didn't want to read a post from me while I was in that kind of mood.  Nothing like checking in for an appointment on time, then waiting for about an hour with the TV on too loud in the waiting room, and me without my knitting because I figured since I'd be driving myself then I wouldn't have time to knit.  OK, so I am still a bit irked.

Third time is the charm

Last time I posted, I made note of stitch counts and whatnot for a pair of custom fitted knee socks.  Two failed attempts (and several consolation/"quick" gratification ankle socks) later, and I think I may have it!

leftover yarn knee socks

back detail on knee socks

I snapped the pic in my jammies shorts, as I am now in work jeans and about to put on my old basic training combat boots to go out and give these socks the real stress test: a morning of yard work.  I am wondering if I used too much lace (which has more stretchiness than solid fabric and definitely more stretch than cables) for them to stay up on their own when subjected to heat, humidity, and activity ... so yard work in August is the ultimate test for that.

Enough procrastination.  It is not raining at present, so I better go make the best of it.

Kneesock knitting notes

Really not much news on the textile-fabric-yarn front.  I have knitted up one pair of kneesocks, and am sort-of working on getting the fit right, when I am not outside playing in the dirt or wrangling chickens or cooking or canning.  For those interested in those subjects, check out my S&G Homesteade blog.

Might as well post up the one pair of kneesocks.

purple Primrose kneesocks

It is a paid pattern on Ravelry called "Primrose Socks" that I won in a drawing in one of my sock groups.  Even though I followed the guage and measurements for sizing, they still slide down.  So, I am working on doing a personally-fitted pair ... except last night I tried to frog back to my math mistake but could not get the stitches back on the needles, so I frogged the whole project.  A much quieter solution than tryig to get my itty-bitty stitches on right.

Now, for fitting notes for my kneesocks:

• CO only 68 stitches, as 72 was too many on the Primrose socks, and the pattern called for a CO of 80 for my size.
• only a one-inch cuff, as I don't have a lot of length between the back of my knee and the widest portion of my calf
• increase to 76 max after cuff ... again, 80 was too many on the Primrose socks
• when doing the calf decrease, start it around 5 inches from top, and only decrease once every four rounds max - every other round is too sudden a decrease (and why I frogged the previous attempt)
• work down to only 60 stitches at the ankle - 64 is a tad too slouchy for kneesocks ... even for regular mid-calf socks
• long heel flap, with quite a few gusset pick-up stitches

Everything else should be good to go.  Now, to CO my 2nd attempt at fitted-for-me kneesocks, as my back is telling me I did too much planting, raking, digging, etc the past few days.  But OH honey, we've had a couple gorgeous days down here to overdo it outside.  Lovely "spring break" weather right now (rain forecast for tomorrow, of course).