Thank you for the kind comments on my cocktail dress – you have inspired me to throw a cocktail party!  My husband is excited about the idea, and I know our friends will be into it – maybe we can start a new trend?

Now that the cocktail dress is done, I’m considering what to make next.  I was wanting to make Vogue 9668, but I have not yet been able to find a fabric that I like.   I want a print, and I will just have to wait until something nice comes along!  I find fabric shopping frustrating, since I am unable to buy much locally… when I see something I like I usually just buy it, and figure inspiration will strike.

Speaking of that… here are my upcoming project plans (subject to change as always, but I usually do pretty well making it through at least a few!)

I’m going to hopefully pick up some muslin tonight at Joann’s (I have a recording session near there  tonight… I think I can get there a little early!) and start making a muslin of Vogue 1137.

I’m using the rose cotton satin I got this week (on the bottom in this photo.)  It’s a little lighter weight than I thought, though still nice, so it will work great for a summer sheath dress.  The other print (the brown above) is gorgeous in person and quite heavy… it will be very nice for fall.)  The dress calls for a lined bodice, but I’m going to line the skirt too… I may underline as well, but I haven’t decided for certain yet.

I’m also really excited to make an outfit from the April Burda .

I’m making the pants on the top and the blouse on the bottom, the pants from a nice black RPL, and the blouse from this lovely silk jacquard.

Yes, again with the polka dots… apparently I have a thing for them!  I haven’t tried Burda pants yet, but I do hear good things.  This pair look like something I would buy in a store, so hopefully they will work out for me!

And finally, I want to make my own dress inspired by  this dress, from Modcloth, using Kwik Sew 3758, which I posted about last week.

I have some cotton/silk fabric (Radiance by Kauffman) to use for the skirt (I plan to use the non-shiny side, and since it only takes 1.5 yards I should have enough left to use the shiny side for a blouse later. ) I still need to buy fabric for the top.  It won’t be exact, since I think I’m going to make the version with 3/4 length sleeves, and my stripes will be more narrow.

On to knitting… I finally got my yarn in the mail, and made my tension swatch for Petal.

I love the yarn (Rowan Milk Cotton.)  I know a lot of people bemoan the loss of 4-ply cotton, but while it came in fabulous colors I always found it rather hard, and the sweaters I made of it feel a bit like armor.  This yarn is lovely and soft.  It’s quite thin – I almost always have to go down a size or two in needles, but my swatch on size 1 needles is actually too small.  I haven’t decided yet if I will go up a size, or whether I will make the sweater a bit smaller, figuring it will stretch out anyway.   I am going to leave off the picot edging, as I don’t like the way it flares out.  I am very excited about making this sweater – I am so glad I am knitting with skinny yarns again!