Skirt! Skirt! Skirt Alert!

I totally made the coolest skirt ever. In the absense of my knitting, I've been sewing up a storm. Some good, some bad, but with each project, my technique is improving by leaps and bounds. I've also been collecting vintage sewing patterns, which I just adore. Like this one (I made View 2):



And here it is. I made it out of brown velvet that I got in Ohio last winter but never seemed to find anything to use it for. Its a good thing I waited! This skirt has a waistband, a hook and eye closure at the top of the back zip, and is so awesome.



This is the fully clothed view. I love how a skirt that sits at my actual waist makes my legs look longer, not that you can tell from my top-down photo, which actually makes me look about 2 inches tall! Though, perhaps my midgetness will distract you from the disaster that is my bedroom. In my defense, I cleaned the bathroom today AND baked a sweet potato casserole from Cooking Light Magazine to contribue to my mother's table tomorrow.



Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Flaws are Fabulous

I had an exciting day today. Firstly, working for the city is great because we get just about every single holiday there is. This week, I had election day off and today as well, for the observed day of veteran's day. I thought I would get to sit around in my underwear and watch tv all day but my sweet pea had other plans.

Today I went to a gem laboratory. To get our diamond certified and appraised. It was so freaking cool! The guy I had the appointment with, a Gemologist (even typing that is cool), even showed me how to work this ENORMOUS microscope so that I could see my diamond for myself, under a bazillion magnification. Seriously. It was pretty cool.

The coolest thing, I think, is that inside my diamond there's a crystal that contains a garnet. You can't see it at all by just looking at it, or even with a simple magnifying glass, but under the jeweler's doohickey it is totally there. Its a unique thing that is rather rare, but does not decrease the value of the diamond. I happen to find it very cool. Mostly because my grandmother's favorite stone was the garnet and I have inherited a lot of her garnet jewelry. I think its a special connection, especially since the diamond is the one that my father, who died eight and a half years ago, gave to my mother when they became engaged way back in 1967. Its like this was the one meant for me, and here it is, mine, but also my father's, my mother's and my grandma's.

Aw.

Anyhoo, so yes. I have a diamond. My mom gave to Mike and I for our engagement ring. So, yes, I know we are getting engaged, I have known for a while, but the fact that we're not is still a big deal for me. Its like I can't see past my own nose far enough to tell that there is indeed a future out there for me, and that future, very soon, will certainly include a marriage proposal from the man I would very much like to marry. Its frustrating. I'm trying the whole Be Here Now stuff, and sometimes it works for me and sometimes it doesn't. These days it seems like nothing works.

Interestingly, I just finished reading a book by Elizabeth Wurtzel, the famed depressive author of Prozac Nation. The book I read is about her subsequent struggle with drug addiction, More Now, Again. I was frighteningly fascinated to see that her experience with addiction is not all that dissimilar from my experience with panic and anxiety. It turns out we're all the same, after all.

Two Months, Really?

Wow, I had no idea so much time had passed! Let's do the quick update and then I'll start to get back on track over the next few days/weeks:

1. Still not engaged. Am now pissed off in addition to broken-hearted.
2. Started and then frogged the Diamond Fantasy Shawl (in Debbie Bliss Pure Silk) for my mom's 60th birthday. Am too tentative to cast on again, though I have only one month to go.
3. Suddenly, blogger won't let me link links in Safari, what up?
4. Still at first color for my Charlotte's Web shawl. That may actually take forever to knit.
5. Still have not finished the Green Gable.
6. Started a scarf a la Yarn Harlot - that one row repeat scarf? Its in this gorgeous Cherry Tree Hill stuff with mohair, silk, wool and you name it. So pretty. Its my subway scarf.
7. Bought two skeins of Noro Cash Iroha to make the handwarmers in Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Shortly thereafter I realized that I do not have the right needles but am too lazy to buy them.

Well, I guess that sums it up. Oh, and my new job (THAT's why I haven't posted in two months! Now I remember!) is very hard but very very very awesome. School is taking a bit of time this semester, too, but at least I'm scratching my brain.

Okey dokey. Welcome back to me.