Birthdays, sewing, lace, and more lace!!!!

Yesterday I celebrated by birthday by relaxing and sewing. I'd show you my presents, but they haven't arrived yet. Mr. D was a little disappointed, but I told him it was fine. He bought me a Dell mini laptop computer. I'm still a little unsure about it, because it so small. I'm guessing I'm just use to the regular size laptop. I am siked about having a new toy to play with though. My other new present is the Singer 14CG754 Pro Finish Serger. That present is from my mother and myself. She doesn't know yet, and she usually gives me money for my birthday. I ordered it Friday night from Sew and Vac Direct.

I also purchased a 36 x56 cutting pad from JoAnn's. I've found that I like using my rotary cutter instead of my ginghers or fiskars scissors. I get a much more cleaner edge.

I worked on my NL 6433 skirt yesterday, and it's coming along nicely. I just have to hem it and decorate it now with the ric rac. So far the only adjustments I made were to the waistband. Per the directions I did a lap zipper. When I cut out the waistband, I cut it a little longer and wider. From past experience, I learned to do that because the waistbands are sometimes a little short for me. In doing this, I'm able to adjust it so that it turns out perfect for my waist.

In knitting news, I started a lace study. I've been reading Eunny Jang's Majoring in Lace. Today I read the article "A Primer on Knitted Lace" by Jackie Erickson-Scweitzer. The article can be found in Interweave Knits Summer 2006. I followed it up by reading "Lace, Shaping Your Garment" by Eunny Jang. That article is in Interweave Knits Fall 2006. I think I'm ready to go, but it's all still a little confusing. I guess I can figure the rest of it out as I go along. I'm getting ready to start charting a pattern out next on graph paper. I'll then start swatching.