Bad Mom, Good Mom: Skirt Reveal

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Skirt Reveal

I wore the new linen skirt today. I love the skirt. The picture, not so much.

Yes, it really was that tank top weather at the beach today. Out of respect for our friends who moved to New Hampshire, I didn't take a picture of the blue Pacific from Hermosa Beach today. But, on the way home, I took this picture to prove that Los Angeles is also suffering from last week's snow storm.

It's not a fluke. We get snow every winter. Even the Google map image of the San Gabriel Mountains shows snow cover. The terrain view shows that they rise 8,000-10,000 feet above downtown Los Angeles.

Aside:
In answer to Connie's question, I am making a variation of Wren cardigan (a Berroco free pattern). While going through my stash, I found 500 grams of Southwest Trading Bamboo in the Sahara colorway. I have version 1.0 of the yarn, which feels like twine. However, Patricia, the owner of The Slipt Stitch, assured me that the yarn is like linen. The more you wash it, the softer it becomes.

I knit a 20x28 stitch/row swatch of stockinette stitch bordered with moss stitch and washed it. (The yarn did soften and bloom beautifully.) It came out 3.75"x3.75". That means it is a little bit finer than Zodiac, the yarn specified in the pattern. I am following the directions for the 36" size and am hoping for something around 34". The back is done and blocking.

I plan to substitute a fabric collar for the gigantic 1x1 rib collar in the pattern. I also plan to lengthen the sleeves. I am hopeful.

Have you seen the Pantone spring fashion color report for 2009? Since winter, I have been seeing appealing combinations of gray and beige, two colors that never would have been combined a few years ago (like black and navy). Pantone predicted that Slate Gray and Rose Dust, a beige with a rose undertone, would be big this spring. My linen skirt is very close to Rose Dust. And Sahara is a blend of Rose Dust, Slate Gray, Mauve and Lucite Green. The fabric and yarn have been in my stash since 2008. But I read that Pantone makes color forecasts to industry years in advance.