The lovely "Atlantis Blue" Sitcom Chic (the photograph really doesn't do the color justice) is progressing:



Over the weekend, I finished the body up to the point where the sleeves will get hooked on, and then did a little simple redrafting of the sleeve pattern to make them full-length rather than 3/4 length, because full length sleeves look a lot better on me. (3/4 length, I think they always make me look like I borrowed a younger smaller sister's clothes). It was not hard at all.

That little piece up at the top is the start of the first sleeve. I'm pleased because not only is my redraft making them longer, it makes the cuff a lot more fitted.

I also pulled out the buttons I bought a while back for this one. I saw two kinds I liked, and since it costs about $16 to drive to the fabric store and back these days (not to mention the time), I figured it was better to spend the $2 or whatever each and get both cards. (And at any rate - the unused buttons will find a home somewhere else someday).



I'm strongly leaning toward the ones on the right - the sort of pseudo-Celtic design. I think it fits a bit more with the style of the sweater. But I might always change my mind later.

I also started a silly little thing I talked about some last week.



That's just a preview. I decided it would be more 30s-esque to use a handwritten font (MY handwriting, in fact, considerably prettied up from what it usually looks like) rather than the Impact Bold or whatever it is those things usually have. You can't see all of the completed writing because some of it's currently caught up in the hoop. Needless to say, this project amuses me more and more the more I work on it. I'm even thinking of doing a companion piece using another famous joke from that same site. (Except I'd probably have to hand-draft the whole thing as I think patterns of the animal I have in mind would be very hard to find on the vintage embroidery sites. But I still might do it because it makes me smile every time I think of the concept.)

A third thing I've been picking away at - since I seem to have more free time, and especially more free time when I feel too enervated to do much other than read (it's been VERY hot here), is I've pulled out my copy of "German, Quickly" and re-started re-acquainting myself with the language. I've decided my ultimate goal is to be able to more-or-less read German. And maybe understand sung German, like in "die Fledermaus" and some of the lieder. Speaking, I'm not so sure, unless I can find some kind of good CD or dvd based program to remind me of the correct pronunciation.

My brain likes the different kind of stimulation. My brain gets bored if it's not doing enough different stuff. And my brain is unhappy when it's bored. (And, ironically enough, I've been sleeping better on the nights when I take time to work at the German before bed. Maybe it de-tracks my mind from worrying about things like journal article acceptances and such).