Foliage Tunic

I used a basic raglan setup and the Foliage Lace pattern from knitting fool.com. The yarn is a not-so-soft wool, Yarn Bee Rainbow Wool in ‘Seastorm’.

The neck could use some more garter stitch, but I love love love the I-cord bind off on the sleeves. If I knew how to do that when I bound off the waist I would have used it there too. I used a picot bind off at the waist and it was rolling terribly. The tunic is blocking as we speak so hopefully by morning it has flattened (and STAYS flat).

Not much else to say, I am just happy with the result. Another great learning experience.

The finished product

A mid-knit fitting

Admiring the work!

Early fit check

Socks all around

I am starting to love knitting socks, overcoming my fear of second sock syndrome. It took me two days dedicated knitting to knit one of my socks. That probably sounds very long but that time includes watching the kids!

I used Patons Kroy for my rainbow socks and it’s nice. I used Red Heart for the bottom black socks and I don’t like it. It’s a stiff, non stretchy, very cottony feeling yarn. I don’t mind cotton socks but to knit with? No.

Here is one of two socks for my toddler. I used an afterthought heel here and it was fun, but again, the yarn! Agh! I don’t like it! I also used needle size 3 to speed the sock along but I really don’t think that helped.

For my socks I used a pattern from Leslie of Single Stitch. I didn’t do knee high socks but the pattern helped me along. Thanks to her for the pattern, I am always so thankful for free patterns so I can learn techniques. Also youtube is a great help.

I love how the heel turned out. I have tried two other heel methods and didn’t like them much. I tried the wrap and turn heel on another sock and it was very loose. Probably partly due to the yarn and maybe I could’ve went down a needle size.

So now I have a list of people to make socks for. Somehow I ended up promising my husbands mom a pair, and since we are pregnant again (hooray!), I can start making a closet full of cute baby socks and clothes!

Petals Scarf

I just finished this using Viking of Norway Yarn, Flowers. It was a yarn I wouldn’t have normally bought for myself but I’ve come to love the result. It has nice texture and is soft. I used the Petals Scarf pattern on Ravelry.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year! We were traveling so I hadn’t even thought of my blog. I have been quite busy though and will start updating!

Thank you Jimmy Beans!

Thanks to a small error from the dealership we bought our car from, we came into a refund and we got ourselves some gifts. I got all this loveliness:

I have wanted wool yarn forever, and I have also wanted to try Cascade yarn forever. I was afraid of non-superwash because I don’t want to accidentally shrink of felt anything! I will say the Cascade is very soft and I have way too many ideas brewing for these colors. I had intended on making myself a sweater but I have proven to not have patience for that. I already picked a pattern too, ‘Oranje’ on Ravelry.

Anyway, I also got some Debbie Stoller wools; Full O’ Sheep and Alpaca Love. Now that I am comfortable knitting single ply yarn the Full O’ Sheep is perfect.

Another spring rendition

Here is something I threw together in between projects I guess you could say?this was a project in a way but it is also a refashion. The bottom half, the yellow part, was an Old Navy tank top I never really wore. The top is a basic bodice from Simplicity. It had a zipper on the original back bodice but I didn’t want to do that. I was considering a button back but again, no! I ended up just stitching it up, then top stitching. It ended up nice, although some might find it odd to have a seam on the back for no reason.

The bias tape made the front underarm area a tad boxy but if I had made the overall bodice circumference smaller it would have rounded better. Perhaps when I wash it, the edges will calm down.

The ric rac on the waistline was easy to sew on! I thought it might be tricky to stay in line with it but no troubles at all. I would however, like to figure out if I can adjust the foot pressure on my Janome DC1050. If anyone knows, please tell!!

Spring Dress, Complete!

It is SO cute and she loves it. She is a dress kinda girl. Sister? Not so happy in the photo, but she’s always kind of emo!

Refashion

I have been inspired by all the refashions I see online. I have this plaid shirt that I think I have grown out of and wanted to make it into something for Éva. I decided on a dress since that would probably be easiest.

From what I have done so far tonight, I may yet attach the top portion to a skirt. A circle skirt I think. I don’t like the [handmade] piping I attached to the bottom of the dress so far because it is stiff and the shirt is slinky so it creates a hoop of sorts. I also removed the old cuffs and added new teal ones. I do like those! I was thinking some vertical ruffles on the chest by the pockets but then I would have to remove the pockets and the fabric may be worn out there…so, scratch that idea. I was also thinking maybe scrunch in the sides a bit by sewing a strip of elastic on the inside. Kid clothes look cute scrunched up a bit!

So many options! I guess I will mull it over and post the final tomorrow.

Simplicity 2484

I am so glad to be done with this jacket, which I call a house coat because it looks like a Hefner smoking jacket. I had to scrap the sleeve bands because I just could not get them to seat on the sleeve. I did have fun making the buttonhole and button because my Janome DC1050 did it for me! It was so smooth. After all these projects I’ve finally ran out thread from a sampler pack I got. Time to hit the Walmart…

Coats for all

Let’s not forget about the dog! I finished a house coat for daughter #1 (originally intended as a shirt, then a dress, and I managed to sew it to fit as a coat) and I realized our boxer will probably be cold this winter. I made him a double thick fleece coat. The fleece is very thin so it’s just right doubled up. I used a Simplicity pattern for large dogs and ended up having to take about 10 inches off the length of the coat. We were unsure if he would wear it because boxers are notorious for hating things on them (like harness leashes for example), but he likes it! Yay! He looks like a little horse wearing it, it’s so cute and it makes me feel good I made another ‘person’ something they like.

Simplicity 2484 Continued

I would like to mention I will be doing 95% of my blogging on the ipad mini so some photos may not be sharp and my posts may not be lengthy. On that note, here is today’s work:

Top stitching detail. I was going to a decorative top stitch but decided it would get lost in the floral pattern.

Getting the pockets ready to be top stitched. Boy those little bows on the pockets were fiddly! They turned out really cute though.

Back top stitching detail.

The back of the dress. Oh yea, I didn’t mention…it’s going to be a dress for Éva. The pattern is for a ‘jacket’ but somehow I didn’t get her size in the package. It only contains size 7-14 (girls). Oh well, maybe if it holds up she can wear it through the years.