Itch to Stitch Bellavista Cowl Top #2

イギリスの秋は、昨日をもって終了した模様。まだハロウィーン前だっていうのに、もう霜おりてるし！最高気温が8度だし！昨日の夜はロンドン市内で夕食をしたんだけど、歩く人々はもう完全に冬服。黒いコートの海でした。イギリス人、もっと黒以外のコート着るべき。

そんな寒さに対応するべく、首周りがあったかいカウルネックのトップを作りました。先日作ったグレーバージョンと同じItch to StitchというとこのBellavistaという型紙です。
今回は長袖バージョン。

It's not even Halloween, but it appears England has entered into winter as of last night. It is so cold already. I went to London last night and the people were wearing full fledged winter coat. It was sea of black at the station or near pubs. Brits need to wear more coats other than black.

To deal with this increasingly cold weather, I made another Bellavista Top from Itch to Stitch. Last time, I made a bell sleeve version, so this time, I made a long sleeve.

I cut a size 4, then tapered down to 2 at waist down. The size 2 fit well last time but I was feeling a slight tightness over the arm and bust. So instead of doing adjustments, I just went up a size there.

(Please excuse my slippers as usual)

I also reduced the flare at the front bodice by 1" at the hem at the center panel joint, so a total of 4" reduction in circumference. I like the original swingy design, but I wanted a simpler style this time. With the reduced flare, I could have incorporated the center bodice panel into the side front panel and cut the front bodice on fold but I got lazy so I kept the paneling.

The fabric is this unknown content double knit I bought at the Knitting & Stitching show. I think it was from Montreux Fabrics. It's hard to tell on the photo but it's purple.

I made a fatal mistake and just assumed the stretch was on a cross-grain and cut the pattern pieces like normal way. I only discovered that the stretch was actually lengthwise after everything was cut. So I originally lengthened the bodice by 1", but with stretch going vertically, I think the weight of the fabric was stretching the fabric, so I ended up shortening at the hem.

I think 2 of this top is enough for the season, but I'm sure I will be making it again next fall/winter. Or I may make another with single jersey as a Sewaholic Renfrew substitute... Why didin't I bring the Renfrew pattern with me to England when I pretty much live in T-shirts, I don't know.

Life Update

9月の頭に会社の従業員が一人減り、彼女の仕事を引き継いだので仕事量が一気に2倍となりました。1か月、週50時間勤務。通勤とかしなくていいとは言え、さすがに疲れました。

それと同時にライチの老化がぐっと進んで、犬のトイレも2匹別々に連れ出さなくちゃならなかったり、足腰も劇的に弱くなって支えてあげなくちゃならなかったり、日に日に食が減っていたライチはドッグフードを一粒ずつ食べさせなくちゃならなかったり、ドッグフードを食べなくなったら鶏肉とかご飯とかを混ぜたドッグフードを作ってはやっぱり手で一口ずつ食べさせなくちゃならなかったり、それはもう、103歳のおばあちゃんを介護する人ってこんな感じなのかな、と思った。

1か月全くミシンに触らず、唯一ミシンに触ったのはライチのおむつを縫ったのみ。閉店時間間際に駆け込んだ近くのお店に犬のおむつが売ってなくて、代わりに人間の子供用のおむつを買い、尻尾を通すようにオケツに穴をあけたら、切ったところから給水用の砂みたいなビーズが出てくるので、ロックミシンで穴の回りを縫いました。生まれて初めてのおむつ替えが犬だったよ。

そんなわけでしばらく犬の世話と仕事のみの毎日でした。丸2週間掃除機かけてなかったり、ひと月ぐらいトイレ掃除さぼってたり。夕ご飯は毎日サラダと冷凍食品。ライチが虹の向こうに行ってしまって、犬の世話がサクッと楽になったと同時に、仕事もなんとか以前のリズムに戻り、やっとお裁縫する気分も出てきたよ。

週末にはまたケンブリッジに行って、いかだ下りをしたり。ケンブリッジ中心部はもうどこ見ても建物がステキすぎ。

イギリスを去る日も近づいてきました。家の退去日は12月17日。でも家を退去してイギリスを後にして、一体その後どこに行くかはまだ未定。マジで～。倉庫に入れた荷物や車の状態も気になるのし、また犬を飛行機にのせて国際線の旅するのかと思うともう面倒くさい気持ちでいっぱいだし、どこに行くかもわからないので引っ越し準備とかする気にもならないし。そんな感じの毎日です。

At the beginning of September, one of the employees at my work got let go and her work was assigned to me. Basically, I doubled my workload. I worked over 50 hours a week for a month to catch up. It was an exhausting month.

At the same time, our little one's health was declining pretty steeply: I had to take the dogs for potty separately; the little one's legs got so weakened that I had to support her on steps and had to walk uber slowly; her appetite was getting smaller day by day so I had to feed her one piece of dog food at a time; then she lost interest in dry dog food so I had to try all sorts of food and hand feed her one mouthful at a time.

My days consisted of : taking the dog 1 for potty, packing MOTH's lunch, feeding the dogs, walking the dog 2, doing laundry, working, more potty, more work, second walk for dog 2, more work, then going to bed. I did not touch my sewing machine, and the only time I turned my machine on was to sew a diaper for the little one. The store was out of dog diapers, so I had to buy human baby diapers. I cut a hole at the butt, but then the water absorbing granular beads were falling off from the cut edge so I had to serge the round hole for the tale.

After saying good-bye to the little one, my work load has finally gotten back to normal and got my life back. We went to Cambridge again and this time we did punting down the river. The weather was nice and the buildings in Cambridge are just so gorgeous to look at.

I also went to Knitting & Stitching Show held at Alexandra Palace in north London. It was my first ever sewing show and I'm so glad that I went. I got really overwhelmed at first but it was so interesting to go through so many different booths. I got there at 10 and there were already so many people there. By noon, it was jam packed. And it was only Friday. I was so glad I did not go there on weekend.

I wish I could go to another Knitting & Stitching show, but alas, my stay in England is ending. We are vacating the house on December 17. And guess what. we don't even know where we are going after we leave England. How am I supposed to think about packing when I don't even know where I'm going. Anyways, that's my life these days.

Over the Rainbow

ライチを虹の向こうに送ってきました。

15歳半って、犬にしたら上出来よね。

アメリカ大陸をほぼ横断したし、大西洋も渡ったし。

We had to send our little one over the rainbow.
She was 15 and a half (assuming she was about 1 year old when we adopted her).
She crossed the North American Continent from the east coast to the desert south west, and she cross the Atlantic. She lived in 3 houses and 3 apartments, in 2 states and 2 countries. She destroyed countless stuffed animals, handmade quilts, cushions, pillows, and a Christmas tree. She survived numerous epileptic seizures a coyote fight. She enjoyed swimming in the pool, running in the snow, and hiking in the desert. She was such a wild and a hardy dog.
Good bye, little one. Good bye.