Pink Hat Knitting

If you follow me on IG, you already know that I have participated in the #pussyhatproject by knitting up pink hats.

A photo posted by Clio (@cliophineas) on Jan 7, 2017 at 7:57am PST

I love that the knitting and sewing community was so involved in creating a visual theme for the events that took place around the world on Saturday. And while I don't plan on this blog becoming a home for my activism - seriously, I need to get back to some selfish sewing and knitting - I also won't pretend it is not a part of my life.

On Saturday, I pulled on a pink hat and marched in Washington with two of my sisters. My other two sisters and mom marched in NY. I marched because:

I am a human being.

I was born equal and it has only been in the time since my birth that I have been treated as though I am not.

I am more than my sex; more than my body.

I am a mother. Someday I will tell Taco that I was there and why.

I am a mother. By choice.

I am a mother. I want Taco to grow up in a clean environment.

I am a nursing mother. (this too)

I am a sister to four amazing women. I've read the statistics on sexual assault.

I am a daughter. My parents taught me to welcome the stranger.

I am a daughter. My parents taught me to be an instrument of love and peace.

But most of all, I marched because I crave peace. And we cannot have peace until we have social justice for all. Oppression is violent. We cannot have peace for some built on the oppression of others and still call ourselves great.

So I marched. And you are welcome to join me next time.

A photo posted by Clio (@cliophineas) on Jan 21, 2017 at 2:36pm PST

Hellloooooooo? Anyone there?

Umm. Things have been busy with the holidays, Taco's second birthday, some winter illnesses and more going on. I'm stressed out, folks.

However, I've been really very busy in the Craft Lounge, especially in those moments when you are sitting waiting, on hold or sort of occupied but would have idle hands. Here at the beginning of 2017, I'm grateful that I have so many positive outlets for my nervous energy.

If you follow me on IG, you know I've been busy. But here's what I have going on, in no particular order, with a few thoughts.

Wardrobe Project
I have a wardrobe project that started innocently with lined trousers...

A photo posted by Clio (@cliophineas) on Nov 22, 2016 at 11:24am PST

I hadn't planned on a wardrobe project, but I had just recently drafted a pencil skirt and I had a lot of fabric after sewing the trousers. It just seemed logical to sew a skirt and jacket, too, and call it a 3 piece wardrobe. But since fabric began to run low and I was getting bored of plain black suiting,  I added some faux leather into the plan.

Butterick 5567 which is OOP

And expanded the project again to include a dress and another skirt... since I now have faux leather in the mix.

Nettie Dress in ponte and faux leather

So, somehow I am involved in a 5-piece wardrobe project where 3 pieces are done and 2 more are cut with darts pinned. I never intended for this to happen.


Refashioning
I'm refashioning a bunch of things like a skirt with embroidered birds...

A photo posted by Clio (@cliophineas) on Nov 1, 2016 at 12:15pm PDT

And this enormous "it came from 1989" sweater.

Hand knit Aran sweater

And because projects beget projects, I decided to sew a jacket from some blue wool to go with the bird skirt (already cut) using one of the other views of B5567, the same pattern as my black and faux leather jacket.

I've also been working piecemeal on a pair of gold wool trousers that you can see in my pile of cut projects.

UFO Elimination
As if that is not enough, I have also cut a new front for my Clare Coat, the only UFO lurking in the Craft Lounge at present.  Remember when I realized the bust darts were not level with each other and couldn't fix them. Right.

Knitting
And since I am trying to finish my Clare Coat, I figure I should have a matching hat and scarf to wear with it.

Plus I am nearly finished a rainbow sweater for Taco. All it needs is buttons, so I can complete the button band and block it.

And I almost always have a pair of socks on the needles.

Yeah. So, I have had very busy hands to go along with my stressed out mind. All of these will eventually be posts of there own, but this is a snapshot of what I've been up to in the last month or so.

What are you sewing or knitting in early 2017??