PoMo Golightly

Project 333, Week 4

Whew!  What a week!  I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning, even if that means 6:00 a.m. instead of 5:43.  The academic semester has a predictable cycle to it, and right now we're in the "am I ever going to catch up on grading" part of the cycle for professors and the "crap!  There's not much time left to get my grade higher" part of the cycle for students.  I'm getting lots of requests for extra credit, which I'm not inclined to entertain.  Show up and do the work the first time around.  Did I mention that bitterness sometimes creeps in at that point in the cycle?  Just a touch!

Week 4 of Project 333 ended yesterday, and here are my outfits.  Christina asked me via Flickr if I was starting to get bored by my clothes.  There are a few items I'd like to have back in the wardrobe--a shot of red would be cheerful about now--but for the most part, I'm still enjoying living out of my pared-down closet.  I finally replaced the ill-fitting gray turtleneck with a nice cozy one from L.L. Bean.  Languishing gift cards from last Christmas meant that the sweater didn't cost me a dime! You can see all of my outfits for Project 333 here.

 

It's pretty chilly and gray today, so I rounded out the mosaic with a picture to remind me of the heat of July.  Ahhh, yes!

I'm fortunate to live less than 30 minutes from Hartford, CT, which is the location for Stitches East again this year.  I am pretty shopped out, but I've been keeping my eyes on the Signature Needles circulars.  A pair might come home with me this weekend.

How about you?  What are your weekend plans?  Are you dressing up for Halloween?

Project 333, Week 3

  

Project 333, Week 3 (plus the new cowl).  This week I deviated from my list.  I knit and wore my new cowl, and I also carried my orange and brown giant dot tote at Rhinebeck.  I wasn't going to, but I've carried it every year that I've attended, and I really wanted to keep up my tradition.  

If you'd like to see my outfits since Day 1, feel free to visit my Flickr page, and if you like statistics, check out my Daytum page.  Courtney of Be More with Less was kind enough to invite me to share my initial thoughts about the project, which you can read here.

I have some fun plans for the weekend, including a baby shower for Spring, Antony and Cleopatra at Hartford Stage (I wrote my MA thesis about this play and am excited to see it for the first time in almost ten years), and the last hairpin lace class at Creative Fibers.  There will be lots of grading in between the fun stuff, but I'm hoping that it goes quickly. 

How about you?  What are your plans for the weekend?  I hope it's a good one!

My Kind of Cowl

Friday night I got a bee in my bonnet to knit something brand new for Rhinebeck.  Sure, Clapotis is on my Project 333 list and was finished after Rhinebeck 2009, but I wanted something really new.  At about 8:30 I cast on for the My Kind of Town Cowl, and at 12:30 it was done.  Can't beat that for fast!

Tomorrow I'll post about my wonderful experience at the festival, but today I wanted to reflect a little on how my hand knits fit into the project.  I left a space on my list for a sweater; I have several on the needles, and if I set my mind to it, I can probably finish one before December 31.  I've been thinking though, about what I have chosen to knit in the past and why.  

Usually I complete accessories: hats, mitts, shawls.  I enjoy the process of knitting lace, and I sure love the product, too.  I give a lot of what I knit away, but lately I've been wanting to knit more for myself. Maybe it is selfish of me, but I rarely feel like knits I've gifted (except those given to other knitters) are truly appreciated.  They get tucked into drawers or meet hole-y fates at the claws of cats or get lost. Accidents happen, but my time is too precious to knit for the accident prone!

One of the things I'm learning through dressing with a minimal wardrobe is that the fit of everything I wear should be perfect.  Those khakis that need to be hemmed...well, I haven't worn them once.  That ill-fitting gray turtleneck is hanging all alone, unloved.

What does this tell me?  Simply that if I'm going to knit garments for myself, I want to ensure that I do a fantastic job with fit.  No more fudging.  No more hoping for the best.  I consider myself a fairly adventurous and unafraid knitter.  Now it's time to develop my skills even more, especially in finishing items (I guess I mean both in completing them and in doing the finishing work such as seaming).  

I wore the cowl on Saturday, but from now until December, I'll only wear it around the house or walking the dogs in the woods.  One of the things Courtney tweeted last week was "Do what works best for you! #project333 is not a competition".  I love that.  I love it so much.  Everyone participating has their own reasons, and it is silly to think the project will work the same way for each of us.  So, now and again, wearing a new hand knit, just once, isn't going to make me feel like I've failed at the project. Instead, making each knit with care, knowing that it will become a staple (or giving it away if I don't feel the love) in my wardrobe...that's success.

If you're visiting from Be More with Less: welcome!  I hope you'll swing by again on Friday and check out my outfits for the week!

And my fellow knitters...here's a question for you: what new knitting (or other crafting) skills would you like to develop?

 

Project 333, Week 2

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...

This week I appreciated the ease of getting dressed with only 33 (technically, 30 as I'm waiting for L.B.D., haven't finished the hand-knit sweater, and I've abandoned the ill-fitting gray turtleneck) items in my closet. You can see all of my outfits since the project's start here and take a look at my stats here. 

I'll be at Rhinebeck on Saturday and Sunday with no-longer-blogless Sara (she's still a little shy about the blog, but give her some love, will you?), probably wearing something you're seeing in these pictures. If you're playing Blogger Bingo (I am!) and I'm one of your squares, stop me and say hi!  I'm so excited to see my knit pals (and meet some of you in real life for the first time!) this weekend.  

Birthday Wishes and Project 333, Week 1

Today This weekend *would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday.  His music and words resonate still.

Today marks the birth of my oldest nephew, Steven, too!  He's grown into an impressive young man, and I have so much fun when we get together.  Happy birthday, Steve!

Pictured above are my first week's outfits for Project 333 (click to see all seven) Even though we're only a week in, I've learned a few things.

• I like dressing out of a simplified closet.
• I wear my gray sweater a lot.
• I wish I'd listed a second scarf/shawl.  Don't tell Clapotis, but she's starting to bore me.
• There is at least one person on Flickr with a fetish for jackets worn over the shoulder.  He is now blocked.
• Two items in my closet (gray turtleneck and print blouse) no longer fit right.  I may replace them.

If you'd like to see the outfits and list of what I've worn, visit the Flickr set here.

In other news, today I met our Carole!  And her Dale!  I can't wait to see them again in Rhinebeck.

Finally, join me in sending the very best of wishes to our dear, dear Jessalu and her equally-dear RR. Here's to a lifetime of love and happiness!  

It's hard to top getting married for weekend plans, but...what are you up to this weekend?  Hope you enjoy!

*oops!  Got the day wrong!

The Final List

I promise, it's not going to be All Project 333, All The Time around here.  I'll try to post a collage of the week's outfits and maybe some comments about the project on Fridays.  I did want to share my final list of items, though.  I'm already really unhappy with the fit of one thing (note to self, try on sweaters before committing to wear them for three months), so I may replace it.  I am proud that rather than buy new long-sleeved v-neck shirts as I was planning, I found two in my winter boxes that should work just fine.  

The List: 

1. Print jersey dress
2. U.P. LBD dress (still waiting for it to arrive)
3. Orange pullover
4. Gray cardigan
5. Mint green cardigan
6. White blouse
7. Floral blouse
8. Gray turtleneck (this is the unhappy sweater; it fits oddly.  I had forgotten.)
9. Black cap-sleeved knit shirt
10. Gray v-neck long sleeved shirt
11. Handknit sweater (trying to finish for Rhinebeck!)
12. Love me t-shirt
13. Black long-sleeved shirt
14. Jeans
15. Jeans
16. Black slacks
17. Gray a-line skirt
18. Jean skirt
19. Khakis
20. Chinoa boots
21. BBC boots
22. Pearl Harts
23. Malibrans
24. Danskos
25. Watch
26. Necklace
27. Clapotis
28. Purse
29. Bracelet
30. Sunglasses
31. Jean jacket
32. Green vest
33. Toast mitts

Yesterday I packed away the items still in my closet and bureau that aren't part of the list.  I felt sad putting my jewelry box away, but I know I'll have a lot of fun in January when all these things seem new again.

What one item would you HAVE to have on your list of 33?

Project 333, Day 1

Today was a teaching day, so I went with my print dress and pink Pearl Harts, along with my watch and necklace.  I wore my jean jacket to protect me from the rain and carried my purse.  I was grateful for my umbrella!

I'm going to strive to post each week's outfits every Friday.  My final list (I'm hoping for nicer weather tomorrow so I can shoot some pix of the pieces making up the list) will be posted over the weekend.

If you're visiting via Courtney's blog: hi! Welcome!  Let me know if you're playing along, too, okay?

Thanks for the comfort food comments yesterday.  You made my mouth water!

Hope you have fun plans for the weekend.  I'm pretty sure I'll have a new window to show you by Sunday night.