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Happy Cruddy Photo Day to Me

I'm here at Stitches West and it's been quite an adventure. I should preface this by saying that Leo and everyone I work with have been sick for the past month or more. I said to my mom, a couple weeks ago, "I bet you anything, I’ll catch a cold right before Stitches." I was wrong, I caught a cold the day OF Stitches. Lucky me. So between hacking up a lung and not sleeping well, it's made me less than 100% of myself.

But I did go to Sally Melvile's speech the first day.

This was just before she went on stage, so do enjoy the view of everyone’s head and nothing else. She was discussing the process she used for designing pieces in her newest book, Color.

Here's my mom modeling a scarf/necklace thingy she knit and felted. Oooh, so cute. This is apropos, nothing, really, I just think she's cute.

She and I both had our first class together. We took Debbie New's Labyrinth Knitting course. If you aren't familiar, it's a technique from her Unexpected Knits

Here are some of my swatches.

None of mine are exactly right, but I got the concept. You basically make a jigsaw of your knitting and work them out to fit exactly into a certain shape. Very interesting stuff.

Between classes I've been working on my Voodoo top. I actually got an email from someone who wishes to remain anonymous, but who took umbrage with my last post, so I've taken it down. I believe it to be at least partially, a misunderstanding. I think this person thinks I plan to figure out the construction of the inspiration piece and write it up as my own pattern for distribution. This is simply untrue I've just knit this piece for myself, but I'm afraid I wasn't able to coherently communicate this and it's clear the offense has pushed the issue beyond reconciliation. I feel bad about that but I can respect this person's feelings on the topic.

That said, I'm very happy with the results so far. Here is the piece with all the knitting done and none of the ends sewn in. I still need to crochet more trim and add a closure.

I originally planned to use a frog closure but I lost mine in the travel from LA to here, so I've since bought some buttons, which I'll post soon.

Unfortunately, I can't find any pictures online of the original inspiration piece. It's called Red Dragon and it was issued by GGH/Rebecca magazine, but it's a bit like this and this. I just love that look and incorporating it into knitwear poses some interesting construction challenges that were fun to play around with. Don’t worry, all those ends will be woven in and there is more trimming to do. Oh and it needs a serious blocking as well, but just pretend that bottom hem is straight. I’ll post all my notes and a decent picture, as soon as I can.

Well, times a-wasting and it is my birthday, after all.

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Comments (34)

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Kang:

You looks pretty in this red sweater. Happy birthday!

I got sick the last day of Stitches..of course, it was the day I had classes all day, had to be out of my room, and my plane home didn't leave till that night. Ugghhh...you, however look great despite being sick! How'd you do that??

MJ:

Happp birthday! Hope SW was everything you expected it to be.

Voodoo looks terrific, and you were very gracious in your post. Honestly, the combination of mandarin collar and red are quite common, but as you stipulated it's your own pattern for yourself and not for distribution, it's fine. 'Nuf said!

moody knitter:

¡feliz cumpleaños!
Love the sweater.
to be honest, i didn't like it when i saw the pieces. but the sweater and color look great on you. Good job.

Happy Birthday!! That sweater looks great on you.

Amy:

Happy Birthday!!

I love hoe you are able to get such a tailored fit with your knitting!!

I hope, one day, to accomplish such a feat myself ;)

I'm glad that Stitches was fun despite the cold, and I wish I could have been there to be your sidekick.

Voodoo looks great. I agree that it's different enough to be an original, but I think it's very nice that you credited the source of your inspiration.

your voodoo is just stunning. I wish you wrote a pattern for it !! (you made it so very different IMO, and if it's about the keyhole, then you're also "copying" the angelica, right ..? ;-) I just love the bell sleeves, and the whole thing is just so absolutely perfect.
Oh, and happy birthday !

Happy Birthday!

Heavens to Betsy, you look so damned good in that sweater! It's beautiful. And your mom and her scarf are totally adorable. You're a dynamic duo!

Hope you're feeling better.

Happy Birthday! Yay Marnie!

You obviously can celebrate getting older- look at your mom! You've got some great genes workin' for ya!

Your sweater is beautiful. Beautiful, beautiful.

Miri:

Happy (belated!) Birthday, Marnie! Hope you enjoyed Stitches!

I think Voodoo is gorgeous - I absolutely love it.

Yowsa. Where's the bad photo? ;-)

I am in love with that sweater. After I've pored through your posts to figure out what you did, if I have any questions, will ya help? Because that shaping, oh la la...

I have a wee little problem with shaping. In that I need it. You've done a great job!

Happy Birthday Marnie!

I think it was pretty clear in your last post that you were not stealing/rewriting that design but it was good of you to explain yourself. I like what you did with the sleeves and it really looks great on you.

Have a great time with your [so cute!] mum!

Happy birthday to you, and have a great time at Stitches!

Your top is so different from any of the inspiration pieces posted above (including the one in the comments) that it IS your own pattern. First off, the idea of a mandarin-ish top is not a new one, for any sort of design. It's kind of like a basic ribbed hat. You took it and added different sleeves, etc., and created something new. Really, the only way you'd be infringing upon any copyright is if you read the pattern and copied it word-for-word and sold it as your own. I've heard it told that if you change just 10% of a pattern (one you *saw*, by the way), it's a new pattern. You changed the sleeves, at least - and that's 30%! :)

Hey girlie, I hope you are feeling better soon! The top looks fabulous, and sorry there was confusion about your post. The internets can get hairy sometimes, ya know? ;) You take care of yourself, and happy birthday!!

Anonymous:

happy birthday and congrats on the fab sweater! so beautiful! and it makes your waist look tiny! (i dont' know if you, in fact, have a tiny waist, but it certainly appears that way!) bonus points, in my opinion! huzzah, huzzah, huzzah!

Happy Birthday! Enjoy Stitches West! You're a lucky girl! Get better soon!

Happy Birthday!!

Voodoo is stunning - as it he model :-)

It's your birthday? Well well well (wish you were well). hapy Birthday! That Voodoo top looks fab - I wish I could knit stuff that looks great on. (Expect something in the mail eventually....)

jody:

oh...and happy birthday!

jody:

oh wow -- really really nice! that style fits you perfectly! i wouldn't have considered raglan sleeves for a design like that but it worked out so well.

ps - re: your last post...i don't think many of us would have made that interpretation based on what you wrote, and kudos to you for being so gracious about it.

Happy birthday. Too bad about the cold and the misunderstanding. You're such a sweet person I find it hard to believe it happened at all.

There's a picture of the inspiration piece here (the middle one); it's pattern #17 from Rebecca 26 for those interested:
http://www.rebecca-online.de/cont_en/heft_archiv/heft_26/bild_4.jpg

You're right, your mom *is* cute! And Voodoo looks fabulous on you. Don't worry, most of us seem to have understood your last post and we know that you know all about creative copyright and all that. Get better soon so you can enjoy your birthday weekend and the rest of Stitches!

Happy Birthday! The sweater looks fabulous on you and your mom's scarf is lovely.

happy birthday, marnie! and that voodoo top looks absolutely gorgeous on you ;) i love the combon of the big sleeves with the lovely shaping on the body section.

Happy Birthday! And I understood your post -- some folks just don't actually READ what's out there, ya know?

Maria:

Happy Birthday!

I love the sweater. It's just beautiful.

By the way, I hope I wasn't too fangirl-y when I saw you at the Blue Moon booth at Stitches. I had a long day and was feeling a little bit punchy. LOL

Happy Birthday, Marnie. Your Voodoo top is so well done and you look absolutely fabulous in it. But I do wish you get well from the cold soon and enjoy the rest of Stitches West.

I love how the sleeves swoop just "so." Hope you feel better.

I wish I were there, too.

Happy birthday!! So sorry about the cold, though . . . at least you have that gorgeous sweater to keep you warm!

First of all, Happy Birthday to you! I love the Voodoo top. It looks gorgeous on you.

Happy Birthday Marnie!

The sweater looks great.

Happy Birthday! Hey, you may be sick but it's your birthday and you're at Stitches. That's not too bad!

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on February 18, 2006 5:11 PM.

The previous post in this blog was Happy Cruddy Photo Day to Me.

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