In October 2017,
I had an idea for a skirt.
My thought was to combine
shaped, hand knit panels
with my myriad backstrap experiments
to build a flexible and fitted garment.
I had an idea for a skirt.
My thought was to combine
shaped, hand knit panels
with my myriad backstrap experiments
to build a flexible and fitted garment.
It was just an experiment.
Definitely a one-off.
Definitely a one-off.
Or....er...two...
ummm....actually..
four...I mean..
gosh--
Well, I do wear a lot of skirts.
ummm....actually..
four...I mean..
gosh--
Well, I do wear a lot of skirts.
Though not usually short ones--
or at least I haven't since the early 1970s
when my mother and grandmother tsk tsked
over my desire to share more adolescent leg
than they thought fitting or attractive.
or at least I haven't since the early 1970s
when my mother and grandmother tsk tsked
over my desire to share more adolescent leg
than they thought fitting or attractive.
But attractive is as attractive does
(whatever that really means),
and anyway, the skirts are fun at any age--
to make and to wear.
(whatever that really means),
and anyway, the skirts are fun at any age--
to make and to wear.
The simple structure makes fitting a breeze--
the unbeatable texture of specially selected (or spun) yarn,
the underlying energy of hand woven cloth,
the built-in stretchiness of hand knit panels
all work together to to make each skirt
as comfy as plain leggings--
and as long or short as I want
(or fabric length will allow).
note: my skirts are mostly short because I made them
using existing color and weave experiments
designed, warped and woven
with no thought to future leg coverage.
the unbeatable texture of specially selected (or spun) yarn,
the underlying energy of hand woven cloth,
the built-in stretchiness of hand knit panels
all work together to to make each skirt
as comfy as plain leggings--
and as long or short as I want
(or fabric length will allow).
note: my skirts are mostly short because I made them
using existing color and weave experiments
designed, warped and woven
with no thought to future leg coverage.
Anyway,
I've long wanted to share the idea
and fully intended to have these instructions done
shortly after the concept showed up.
Backstrap Dialogues,
(the instructional story zine that led to
the cloth that led to Sarah-Dippity),
was freshly out in the world
and somehow I imagined
that after a 56 page comic,
a straightforward skirt guide
would take a mere few weeks!
Sigh.
I've long wanted to share the idea
and fully intended to have these instructions done
shortly after the concept showed up.
Backstrap Dialogues,
(the instructional story zine that led to
the cloth that led to Sarah-Dippity),
was freshly out in the world
and somehow I imagined
that after a 56 page comic,
a straightforward skirt guide
would take a mere few weeks!
Sigh.
But finally, after writing and re-writing,
drawing and re-drawing,
and overriding a firm decision
to shelve it permanently,
(shows what I know),
I am beyond pleased
that Phineas reminded me
about the underlying joy
of the garments themselves--
(well, he bullied me just a bit,
as only a squirrel can do,
insisting that other weavers and knitters
might well want
to cover their butts
with their own magnificent cloth).
drawing and re-drawing,
and overriding a firm decision
to shelve it permanently,
(shows what I know),
I am beyond pleased
that Phineas reminded me
about the underlying joy
of the garments themselves--
(well, he bullied me just a bit,
as only a squirrel can do,
insisting that other weavers and knitters
might well want
to cover their butts
with their own magnificent cloth).
So HERE IT IS,
freshly loaded into my web store:
a 16 page downloadable PDF guide
to using your cloth (hand woven or otherwise),
and your yarn (knit at a gauge that suits your hands and taste),
to make a garment that fits your body,
your life and your style.
And to help celebrate the joy of hand woven cloth,
hard copies of Backstrap Dialogues
are now on sale for $13
(I love prime numbers)
with free shipping.
freshly loaded into my web store:
a 16 page downloadable PDF guide
to using your cloth (hand woven or otherwise),
and your yarn (knit at a gauge that suits your hands and taste),
to make a garment that fits your body,
your life and your style.
And to help celebrate the joy of hand woven cloth,
hard copies of Backstrap Dialogues
are now on sale for $13
(I love prime numbers)
with free shipping.
FYI -- the sweater I'm wearing is knit from the same fleece as one of the colors in the checked skirt--the one a 10 ply (actually two 5-ply strands knit together), the other a 2-ply. How coordinated is that?
Endless thanks to Phineas, for spurring me on,
and my ever patient reader/testers,
for all their support.
and my ever patient reader/testers,
for all their support.
