Artfibers Ginko Bolero

I finished the Artfibers Ginko bolero during our Hawaii trip. The body is worked in stockinette and the collar and cuffs are worked in moss stitch, which gives nice texture to the piece. The rounded collar can be worn up as a stand-up collar or down as a shawl collar.

The yarn is really beautiful --- a silk/bamboo blend that yields a soft, drapey fabric while maintaining good stitch definition. Of course the color is absolutely exquisite --- love that red!

Back from the Big Island of Hawaii

The Big Island of Hawaii is an amazing place --- we spent a wonderful vacation there! To be expected for this time of year, the weather was warm and humid, with sporadic rain showers in the afternoon. However, the cool ocean breezes made up for the heat. Our first sunset:



Kilauea volcano has been active in recent months, and we were fortunate to go up there and see the new vent on Halema'uma'u crater (a crater within a crater on Kilauea) as it pumped out steam and smoke. It was amazing to see this vent, as it was literally a big hole from which big puffs of smoke kept getting pumped out. Of course, this smoke was the VOG that was being blown down to the Kona area, causing perpetual gray skies and a faint smell of sulfur (sulfur dioxide is a by-product being emitted from the vent). Interestingly, even though the VOG was originating from the volcano, the surrounding area had blue skies, while farther south near Kona, the skies were enveloped in gray.



One of the neat things about the Big Island are the "honu" or green sea turtles that like to slide up onto the beaches for some sunbathing. If you go out into the water, you can sometimes see them riding the waves, just going with the flow. They are an endangered species, so protection efforts are in place. In fact, one of the big stories on the islands during our time there was a honu murder that was committed on a beach on Oahu --- they definitely take the protection of these turtles seriously.



We were able to see other sea life at the Mauna Lani Resort, which has beautiful fish ponds and other pools for sting rays ("Ray") and even a baby hammerhead shark ("Stanley"). The ancient fish ponds next to the beach were amazing --- they had sluice gates that allowed fish to enter from the ocean into the pond. In addition to overly excited fish that jumped out of the water, we saw creepy eels and beautiful striped fish in these ponds. In ancient times, they were apparently the favored source of fish for the Hawaiian kings.



One of the interesting things about the Big Island is the clear difference in climate between the windward and leeward sides. On the leeward side, where we stayed, the landscape was like the moon, characterized by dark a'a lava fields, minimal vegetation and sun for nearly 360 days of the year. The windward side, where the town of Hilo is located, is lush, green and wet, with more days of rain than sun. Here are some photos of the gorgeous rainforests and flowers that we saw:

Stand Collar Jacket and Bolero Status

My latest sewing project is a stand collar jacket from the February 2007 issue of Burda World of Fashion magazine. I really liked the styling, with the high collar, tie belt and raglan sleeves. Below is an in-progress photo of the lining and facing:



The original pattern is unlined; however, the fabric I used was a bit too light for a jacket, so I added the lining to add finish as well as weight to the garment. I love the flash of red!

The fabric is the black version of the one I used for my ruffle hem dress, which I absolutely love. This Umekomachi brand fabric also comes in orange and purple --- there may be others, but those are the ones I've seen. The lining is a silk charmeuse.

Below is a detail photo of the tabs and buttons. The tabs are used as belt carriers as well as an accent on the roll-up sleeves. The pink buttons are from a tiny button shop in Florence, Italy --- we were just walking around the city and stumbled upon this tiny shop that just sold notions, mostly buttons. Whenever I travel, I try to scope out stores that carry fabrics, notions, yarns, etc. I've accumulated quite a few treasures over the years, including these buttons, which ended up being perfect for this project.



I'm almost finished with this jacket --- just need to add some snaps and finish the tie. I'll post the finished garment soon!

Artfibers Ginko Bolero

My latest knit project is a little bolero sweater using Artifbers Ginko (a bamboo/tussah silk fiber in red). I'm using a simple stockinette stitch for the body, but am planning to add a dramatic shawl collar --- still unsure what stitch (or stitches) I will use for the collar.

Fit Flops Have Arrived

I'm not sure if it should be called viral marketing or just old-fashioned word-of-mouth, but I've been convinced to jump on the Fit Flop bandwagon --- and here they are, just in time for Hawaii! They are definitely the sleekest and fanciest flip flops I've ever owned, and they supposedly have the added benefit of having a "gym built in", so you are always getting a workout every time you wear them. I'm kind of skeptical about the whole "gym thing", but they are very cushioned and comfortable to wear. They were even on Oprah!

WSJ Article - Master of a Fading Art (Tailoring)

If you are interested in tailored clothing, here's an good story about a master tailor in Ohio that was printed in the WSJ over the weekend. I've only made a couple of tailored jackets worth remembering, and they are difficult garments to make --- time consuming, detailed and the end results are nowhere near what a professional tailor would produce --- so I can certainly appreciate the skill and expertise required.

According to the article, most tailors begin as apprentices, learning hand-sewing techniques over many years. Custom tailored garments are predominantly sewn by hand, so learning and mastering hand stitches is essential. Taking accurate measurements and drawing patterns are also important skills, as the fit of a tailored garment is essential. The master tailor profiled in the article can "match his client's measurements within a quarter of an inch" --- wow!

The most surprising detail in the article was the fact that there are only about a dozen master tailors left in the United States who are members of their trade organization (Custom Tailors and Designers Association), compared to several hundred in the 1950's. Here's an article from the association website about the merits of custom tailored clothing. Interesting reading.

Here are some reference books that I have used for learning how to tailor garments:

Easy, Easier, Easiest Tailoring by Pati Palmer and Susan Pletsch --- small paperback book with illustrations (no photographs) but comprehensive and easy to follow

Tailoring - The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket by the editors of Creative Publishing --- contains full-color photographs and step-by-step instructions that make it easy to learn techniques

Here is a good article from Threads magazine about the details in an Armani jacket. Happy reading!

One Week To Go

We're down to one week until we leave for Hawaii! I've done quite a bit of research in preparation for the trip --- hope these notes are helpful:

Planning Resources

Tripadvisor Island of Hawaii forums: great, sometimes entertaining, resource for real-time information from contributors ranging from those who live there to those who are planning to go. Reading these posts have helped to heighten my anticipation for the trip!

Big Island Tourism: nice website with helpful information (Hawaiian music in the background is a nice touch)

Big Island Revealed book: this guidebook appears to be much reviled by locals on the Tripadvisor forum, but I used it for our last trip to the Big Island and have found it invaluable, especially for the detailed maps. The website has updated information.

Activities

Vavoom Volcano Tours: we'll be participating in this one next week --- just need to get ourselves to Hilo by 8:30 am!

Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours: we took the Big Island Spectacular tour a couple of years ago, and it was a really amazing trip --- we departed from Waikoloa and flew between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to Kilauea and then up the Hamakua coast back to Waikoloa. While we didn't see lava flows, we had great views of how the lava hits the ocean to form new land --- the contrast between the black lava and the blue ocean was incredible. Also, the views of the steep cliffs of the Hamakua coast were exceptional from the air --- too bad my camera battery died!

Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour: we booked this through Hawaii Forest and Trail a couple of years ago, which we highly recommend for this tour. It was very professional and we felt well taken care of on this trip. The ride up to the observatories was rough, but well worth it. The sunset views were amazing, and the stargazing lesson afterward was very good.

Drive to Hawi and Pololu Lookout: on our last trip to the island, we drove up the Kohala coast to Pololu Lookout, which is essentially the end of the road. Beautiful but windy. There is a steep trail that goes down to the black sand beach below, but we chose to just snap some pics without hiking down. The little town of Hawi is interesting --- very retro feel with a wonderful ice cream shop (I think it is called Tropical Dreams). There were also several arty shops along the road that were fun to browse, and a huge statue of King Kamehameha (apparently he was born in this area).

Kona Coffee Plantations: no trip to the Big Island would be complete without Kona coffee, especially for a caffeine addict like me. We toured Bay View Farms, which is south of Kailua-Kona --- they had a guided tour which was nice, but perhaps it was off-season, as it didn't seem like a working farm --- no activity. The coffee was really good!

Ruffle Hem Dress...For Hawaii

Ten days to go! I just spent some time putting together our trip itinerary, my list of day-by-day details to keep track of reservations, confirmation numbers, etc. Every day begins with "scope out cabanas" --- should give you an idea of what this vacation will be about!

So basically most of my recent projects have been started with an eye toward our Hawaii trip (note the Beach Pullover). I just finished a ruffle hem dress for the trip as well. This is a February 2008 Burda World of Fashion pattern that really appealed to me when I first saw it (must have been the dramatic ruffle), and when I found this great cotton fabric at Eddie's Quilting Bee, I knew I had to make it for the trip.



It is difficult to see the details in the photo, thanks to the fantastic Japanese print, but it has a fitted empire waist and princess seams down the front and a zipper down center back. I lined it with silk/cotton batiste and added a bias trim at the hem of the lining to match the dress. I finished the ruffle edge by folding the seam allowance over the raw ruffle edge and enclosing the seam --- this was a really neat method in my Reader's Digest Sewing Book.



Of course, with such a cute dress, I have to knit a matching bolero, so I chose a beautiful red bamboo/silk blend from Artfibers called Ginko. Details to come.

WSJ Article - Summer Style for All Shapes and NYT - Haute Couture

Today's WSJ had an article about style for all shapes, and profiled tips from one designer who actually takes into account feedback from real women, and designs clothing that challenges the notion of "I can't wear that style because..."

One example was a high-waist pant with full legs, which are really cute but can be difficult to pull off. Some tips are to look for waistbands that are sturdy that can "act as a corset" and a fitted hip that flows into full-cut legs. A full skirt is another example where a close fit from waist to hip may actually make the style more flattering. I've always found these styles difficult to wear because I am short, but I can see that having a close fit through the hip (as well as high heels to offset the fullness of the leg or hemline and add height) may work for me. Also, I think the idea of creating a sturdy waist/hip area to act as a corset is very clever --- intuitively, I wouldn't think to add fabric or create bulk in an area that needs slimming, but the comparison to a corset makes sense. I guess the key is to figure out a way to compress the area without adding bulk.

Paris Haute Couture

Check out this slideshow of photos from the Paris Haute Couture shows. Amazing! I especially love the white Dior coat and the Chanel tweed ensemble.

Beach Cardi = Beach Pullover

Since the Beach Cardi Undone post, I ripped the stitching and started anew. I liked the mesh stitch, so I kept that and decided to go with a deep V-neck pullover rather than the cardi style. I just added some short sleeves last night, and I think it looks pretty good --- kind of 80's with the slouchy look and the deep V. I think it is perfect as a casual beach cover-up. What do you think?


Photo: ©2008 JKaori Designs

Artfibers Origami Yarn Thoughts

I also had the opportunity to visit Artfibers again earlier this week, and checked out the swatches for the Origami yarn. I think they must have used smaller needles than what is specified on the label, as the stitching was much more compact than what I ended up with when I swatched the yarn alone. Ultimately, I'm not a huge fan of Origami, but may knit with it again if I need a light summer shawl.

If you choose to knit with it, here are some considerations based on my recent experience:

1. Make a good-size swatch to test the stitch you are interested in knitting and use different sized needles to make sure you end up with the fabric you want. I swatched a really nice knit/purl check pattern, similar to a basketweave, but when I started knitting it in a full-sweater size, the stitch/yarn combination looked horrible.

2. Understand that the fiber is a nylon paper with a shiny nylon thread running through the center of the strand. The knit product does not have any memory, so fitted silhouettes are not the way to go with this yarn.

3. What is really cool about Origami is the fact that it is nylon paper and has that shiny thread, which adds a subtle touch of shine to the finished knit product. Depending on the needle size and the stitch pattern, the resulting fabric can be really light and drapey, perfect for unstructured summer projects.

Hawaii Countdown --- 12 Days To Go!

We're still going back and forth about touring Kilauea volcano or not --- I think the area has had elevated sulfur levels and heavy VOG (smoky haze), so we've been unsure about making the 2.5-hour drive there. I think it may be worth it --- there could even be some viewable lava flows! --- but we'll see. If we choose to do a tour rather than just trek out by ourselves, there is Hawaii Forest and Trail, which is the outfit we went with when we did the Mauna Kea Stargazing Tour the last time we were on the Big Island, and Vavoom Volcano Tours, which sounds like a more low-key option. So much to consider in the remaining 12 days!