Cardigans to Swoon over

8.

That is how many Swoon Patterns scarf-neck cardigans I have made. Granted, one of those wasn't for me, but still. I may have a problem.

I volunteer as tribute!

Hang on, let me set the mood...


Okay, now we can begin.

The recently revived Sewcialists blog decided to kick off its revivification with a tribute month. I knew exactly who I would be copying using as my inspiration: Lauren from lladybird and her many Butterick 5526s. Given my fabric choice, this one seems the most likely culprit, but honestly back in May I was catching up on her old posts and finally found the princess-seamed button down of my dreams (meaning that it was a) still in print and b) on sale). Scooped that right up.

And then waited until August 30 to start making this top. Because obviously I could make my first button down in two days when I really should have been getting ready for back-to-school.

(Spoiler alert: I couldn't and didn't.)

Sheer effrontery

Things have been busy at la maison PhysicsGirl. We're all moved in and (mostly) unpacked. The new apartment is amazing. There is so much light and space. And kittens.


Note: the kittens did not come with the apartment. I miss my Lucy a lot and she was irreplaceable, but we had a big spot in our hearts for kitties that needed to be filled. Meet Hector (the gentleman with the white mask) and Cassie (the elegant lady in grey). Follow me on Instagram (@aem2_) if you want to be utterly spammed with kitten pix.We got them just over a week ago from Toronto Cat Rescue and they've already wormed their way into our hearts.

Before we could let them worm their way into the apartment, however, I needed to get the sewing room/study unpacked. It was fantastic impetus to get it done. As was the @SewWeekly The White Stuff challenge. Which means I have finally checked off something from my #2017makenine list: a white Tilly and the Buttons Mathilde blouse^*.

Moving right along...

This is currently my life...

When Spiderman packs your bike. #broughtthewrongbungeecords #butImadeitwork #diagonalsforthewin #bikeTO #movingallthebooks #obeyNewtons1stlawandputthecordsfromfronttoback

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Jul 2, 2017 at 8:03am PDT

The most precious cat in the world

I came home from work today to find my beautiful cat Lucy had passed away. She was nearly 18 years old. I'm devastated.

I have no words, so I'll just dump a tonne of photos here.



Bye, bye, my baby girl.

Ow.: MMM17 weeks 2 & 3

I didn't get around to posting my week 2 wrap-up because Lucy the Defiler sent me to a walk-in clinic for a massive two-week antibiotic prescription because apparently she's not keen on my trying to brush out her matted fur. Then I had exams due, including lab exams. Blogging fell by the way-side. But the wearing of clothes went on. So this is a super-long post because I'm doing two weeks in one.

A wet beginning: MMM17 week 1

The first week of MMM was really rainy. As in, maybe we should be building an ark.

Pledgin' & plannin': Me-Made May '17

I, aem2 of PhysicsGirl on the Loose and @aem2_ on IG, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '17. I endeavour to wear 2 me-made/refashioned items each day for the duration of May 2017, repeating an item no more than once per week and without planning. I also pledge to sew at least one new item and finish one of my UFOs.

This is nearly the same pledge as last year, except that I am finally admitting my limitations and know that if I couldn't finish my sewing plans and UFOs last year when I had nothing but free time, there's no way I will finish all my UFOs and planned things to sew when I've barely had time to breathe this year. So, I'm only planning to sew one new thing and finish one UFO. I will also be taking pictures around the city using Fat Mum Slim's Photo-a-day prompts. There's no Flickr group this year, so I'll be doing my usually weekly round up here and possibly daily on IG.

I haven't sewn anything since last July, so this will be a bit of a challenge. I have many planned things to sew, too. Some of them are even cut out. Sadly, many of them are the same as last year's plans, which pretty much proves my point. I'm presenting them from most-likely to be finished to least-likely. I'm limiting my plans to things where I already have the fabric ready to go and where I can wear it in the next few months (so all that grey wool flannel will have to wait).

I cut out two Swoon cardigans last December: one in teal merino and another eked out of a grey sweater knit acquired from Andie. I'm actually hoping to sew both of these this month, but I'm leaving my options open. I don't know why I didn't include these in my #2017MakeNine -- had I managed to sew them in the first few days of January, I would have at least been able to check something off.

Moot point, anyway.

White Mathilde blouse. I cut this out a few weeks ago and I could easily sew this in increments, so this might be The One.

A McCall's 8789 sheath in tan check that I cut out 3 years ago.

I have one pair of viable jeans, my yet-to-blogged-but-when-I-do-it-will-be-back-dated Jalie pair. I need more pairs desperately and have the denim ready to go. The pattern needs to be modified at the waist. I'd love to be able to at least have these cut out before the end of the month.

Tiramisu in blue/green abstract knit that I bought in Montreal two summers ago. Realistically, this is probably a June project.

I have a pair of RTW black capris in swishy but sweaty polyester that I've been wanting to copy in a breathable linen. I bought the linen at Mood last June, so now all I have to do is make a pattern from the original. No biggie, right?

As for UFOs, they are legion, but I'd like to at least finish my glen laid Thurlow trousers. The waistband needs to be partially unpicked and the darts deepened.

I am also going to attempt one back-dated post per week; the jeans might finally get their day in the limelight.

Fingers crossed.

Lucky number 13: Errandonnées #11-13

My last three errands covered the rest of the categories and took place in more spring-like weather. But the wind, my friends. Nothing comes near to breaking my bike mojo like the wind.

Out like a seriously cranky lion: Errandonnées #6-10

The penultimate day of both March and the Errandonnée saw me go through 4 errands and 4 seasons. If one of the seasons was a really cold summer. I might be stretching the imagery a bit.

Sidelined: Errandonnées #4 & 5

I had to bail on some plan this weekend because 1) the restaurant was closed for a private party and 2) I couldn't go to K's for dinner because I got sick. Blah. Not half-done, and there are only four days left.

However, I did get to wear my wedding dress again and got new shoes, so there's that.

Springing forward: Errandonnées #1 - 3

It's the first day of spring, which means two things: Jour du Macaron and, this year, the Errandonnée. I got off to a good start. I posted the photos on IG, which means I actually documented my controls in real-time, while the blog posts will all be timey-wimey (this one, for example). My goal this year is to hit every category.

Errand the first: commuting. Category: work/volunteering. Distance: 6.1 km. Obs: seasonal temps... But for how long? #errandonnee #bikeTO

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Mar 20, 2017 at 3:12pm PDT

I've been thinking I should make another bike-to-work video to the changes along my route (such as new lights and protected/separated bike lanes) this month.

It's baaaack: Errandonnée 2017

It is that time of year again. To see the month of March out, the chasing mailboxes biking challenge I usually manage to finish (if not to finish blogging): the Errandonnée.

There are rules, because rules make it more fun. I will probably be mainly Instagramming this one (did I mention of course I haven't mentioned because I haven't blogged in forever, so now I will say that I finally got a smartphone and an Instagram account. Not in that order.) Perhaps coincidentally, this year's Errandonnée begins on Jour du Macaron. Because that works out nicely.

As a pre-Errandonnée errand in the category of "You carried WHAT on your bike", I had to take Lucy to the vet because she's ... not well. I promise that the carrier was level when we were actually moving, and the tilt is only from getting the phone out of the purse after we got home.

I was framed. Framed, I tell ya! #sickkitty #youcarriedwhatonyourbike?

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Mar 16, 2017 at 12:23pm PDT

It's Pi Day, Pi Day, gotta get down on Pi Day

Things have been very, very quiet on the blog. I have many posts in draft which may or may not get published in the near future, but for now it's Pi Day. Several people linked me to this article in the Guardian (hint: the first one is a trick question), which led me on to this article about why we use π. I thought it was Euler, because it's always Euler, and he did popularize it, but turns out the first recorded use was in William Jones's 1706 Summary of Mathematical Achievements.

And now you know.

And, of course, Vi Hart's annual anti-pi rant. Which is a bit more subversive this time.

Making nine... plus a little bit more

Happy perihelion, everyone! To celebrate, I'm jumping on board the #2017makenine bandwagon, because I like planning. Whether I will have time to finish them is another question.

Oh yeah, I'm on Instagram as @aem2_. Yes, I finally joined the 21st century.

A post shared by Andrea M (@aem2_) on Jan 1, 2017 at 3:10pm PST

These are all things I've been planning for a while, and I even have fabric for most of them. Tops: Sewaholic Renfrew in black merino, Tilly and the Buttons Mathilde in white, Muse Jenna in chocolate brown merino. Bottoms: Jalie jeans; Simplicity trumpet skirt in grey flannel wool; Sewaholic Thurlows in likewise. Outers: Sewaholic Cyprus cape and Robson trench, and ClosetCase Files Clare coat.

If I get nothing else made this year, I really, really need a new pair of jeans. I have to take in the waist and let out the butt on the pattern, which is why I've been putting it off.

Naturally, my plans extend beyond these nine. Especially since I've got two Swoon cardigans cut and ready to be sewn, although I'm hoping to sew those before I go back to work on Monday, which is sort of why I'm not counting them in my nine. I have so many plans, but other than the outerwear and white t-shirts, I'm trying to limit myself to the ones where I have the fabric/yarn already, since I'm running out of fabric storage space.

Swoon cardigans in teal merino and grey sweater knit

Cake Tiramisu in blue/green abstract knit

even more jeans... I've got enough denim for four pairs

socks: I need to make the second of Aged P's Sidney's sideways socks plus a pair for me, Magic Bean Stalk-ings

Asymmetric cardigan in white acrylic from Aged P

UFOs to finish:

Sewaholic Thurlow in tan glen plaid

My granddad pants need to have the zipper replaced

McCall's 8789 sheath in tan check

NL6000 sassy librarian dress in navy suiting & white linen

Sewaholic Alma

Plus many things where I need to resew a seam and add buttons. Ugh.

I'm not going to plan these out, even though that's usually how I guarantee that they will get done, because I don't want to either rush the make or feel guilty if I don't get it done in time. The only thing I really need to finish is Aged P's second sock in time for her birthday.

Here's hoping.