FO: Rose Red

As promised, here is a pic and details of my most recent FO, Rose Red–

Pattern: Rose Red by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: One and a half skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash Sport in “Ruby Red”

Needles: Size 6 dpns and size 6 Denise circular needle

Details:

• I have a big head and big hair to boot so I knit up the largest size of the beret. I was a bit worried that blocking it out would make it even bigger. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. The beret fits well and I have no problems pulling it down over my ears.
• The pattern is very easy to follow. My only modification was to do a k2,p2 band instead of the cable band called for in the pattern.
• I think Cascade 220 superwash has become my default yarn. I’ve made four hats with it now. My only complaint about this batch was a few weak spots in the yarn that broke when I was knitting up the pattern. I ended up using a square knot (gasp!) to fix it so it doesn’t unravel.
• I’ve been wanting to make this beret for a long time. My initial plan was to have it completed by the time we went to Chicago last month but that didn’t happen. Unfortunately, I’ve finished it now that the weather is heating up–it was up in the mid-seventies today. Oh well. It will keep for future trips to cold places later this year.  Overall, I’m quite pleased with the pattern and the beret. Maybe we will have one last cold snap…

 

FO: Roll-your-own knitting needle case

Before:

After:

Details:

Pattern: Roll-your-own knitting needle case by Echo, in Debbie Stroller’s Stitch ‘n Bitch.

Fabrics: Four home decorating fabrics purchased on sale over a year ago at IKEA, and about a yard of orange satin ribbon.

Time to sew: about three hours total

• I wanted to make this project when I first started knitting. After I purchased my sewing machine, I cut out the pieces and then put it aside. Classic case of startitis, I know.
• The most-time consuming part of this project is measuring out all the pockets for different size needles. I’m using this case for my straight needles, one random circular needle, and my motley collection of double-pointed needles.
• I love the combination of colors and the pretty birds on the exterior. This pattern can be easily modified, especially if you want to make pockets for knitting/crocheting accessories. Overall, I’m pleased and highly recommend the pattern!

Next up: a finished pair of socks using one of the oldest yarns in my stash and my Rose Red beret.

WIP Wednesday

This is a quick post to share a picture of my current sock in progress, Weasley Homestead by Erica Lueder, in Alchemy Juniper–

That is the first sock with, yes, a pina colada while I was on my first cruise. It was a lot of fun and I hope to do it again soon. Stay tuned for the finished socks!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I wish you and yours a great 2012! I spent New Year’s Eve with my husband at home, deconstructing the Lord of the Rings movies (yes, we are nerds), eating Indian food, and having some lovely homemade sangria.

I’ve been absent from the blog as the result of low knitting and sewing energy this past year. I needed an intervention! Fortunately, my desire for crafting increased last month. Here’s a pic of some Christmas gifts–

I made one black Smart Hat for my dad and two pairs of Fetching gloves, for my sister and cousin respectively. The purple Smart Hat is for me to wear this week when we head up to Chicago.  Because I like options, I am also casting on for Ysolda’s Rose Red, using Cascade 220 Superwash Sport in “Ruby Red”.

Toward the end of 2011, I picked up another hobby: cross stitching. Here’s a shot of my first project, a little purple cat–

Expect some cross stitching content on this blog. I’m currently working on a little project for my mom that I’ll post once it is done. After that, I’ll be tackling this beauty, Cirque des Triangles, by Ink Circles.

Here’s a parting shot of Marvin, thinking, “I don’t care about the Christmas beer! Where’s the Christmas wet food?”

Sewing and knitting FOs

It’s been quiet on the blog front for the past few months. While I am not a frequent poster, letting the blog sit for about four months is not something I want to do all the time. The silence is primarily related to a sudden drop in crafting energy. Thankfully, the three-day weekend has helped me re-energize and focus on some knitting and sewing.

In my last post, I laid out my crafting intentions for the week prior to starting my new job. Here are some pictures of two out of the three projects I mentioned–

I purchased this Day of the Dead themed fabric at Jo-Ann’s. The print is colorful and fun. These pictures don’t do the fabric justice. I used the fun and easy to follow Bitter Betty tutorial at Sew Mama Sew.

I also finished my Super Simple Socks by Alison Sarnoff. I used two skeins of Koigu PPM that I purchased at Hill Country Weavers during a weekend trip to Austin. I’m not wearing them at the moment due to the unrelenting heat. They’ll be great at the end of the year when we have cooler temperatures.

I’ve got a lot of UFOs right now including three gifts. Stay tuned!

Up and coming projects

Life has been pretty busy around these parts lately but I have some good news.  I’ll be changing jobs and returning to the same place where I completed my final clinical practicum in graduate school–an improvement over my current position and clinical setting in many, many ways. Of course, there are no utopias and I’m sure this place will have its share of issues, but I think I’ll be much happier there.

I’m taking a week off in preparation for my new job (and because as a new hire, I don’t get paid vacation for six months). So, I expect to get some knitting and sewing accomplished. Here are the projects I’ll be working on–

• Vintage Smock–This pattern is available through the sewing tutorials at Sew Mama Sew!  I’ll be using some cute cotton fabric with a Day of the Dead motif.
• Medallion Lace Socks–Another great, free pattern available through Ravelry. I’m using Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in “blue yonder.”
• Stockinette stitch socks–Simple, mindless knitting. I’ll be using some green and black varigated Koigu from my stash.

This might be a bit ambitious but we’ll see how far I get. Stay tuned!

February sewing: Barcelona skirt

Back in December, I purchased Amy Butler’s Barcelona skirt pattern at my local fabric store. I’d seen many versions of this skirt online–it’s quite a popular pattern. I thought it would be a great way to introduce some fun and fresh prints into my (sometimes) drab work wardrobe. I began this skirt in December and set it down through the holidays. Here it is (finally)–

Fabric: One and three-quarters yards of “Neo Geo” by Jackie Shapiro and white cotton for the lining.

• I wore this skirt to work today along with a light blue blouse and a black blazer. It was super comfortable and a nice break from my neutral colored blouse/black pants routine.
• I didn’t know anything about Jackie Shapiro before purchasing this fabric. You can go here to see some of the other designs in the “Neo Geo” line.  The colors and the prints are fun. I’m glad my local fabric store carries her stuff.
• I followed the pattern for this skirt pretty closely. My only hang up came with the invisible zipper. This was my first time sewing an invisible zipper and I had to do it a couple of times to get it right. Then, I had to attach the lining to the zipper which came out a bit messy. Oh well. The only modification I made was creating two small darts at the waistline because the skirt was a bit big. The darts worked out well and the skirt fits perfectly.

Recently, I purchased some more pretty prints for my next Barcelona skirt. Stay tuned!

January sewing

I busted out the Threadbanger for two projects–

Pattern: Wide-Leg Lounge Pants from Amy Butler’s In Stitches

Fabric: Purple with white polka dots cotton purchased at Jo-Ann’s.

• When my pajama bottoms started to show signs of serious wear and tear, I decided to sew up a pair instead of purchasing new ones.  I followed the pattern faithfully with the exception of the trim.  I’ll make my next pair a bit roomier in the hips as this pair is a bit snug. Overall, a great project I’ll be making again.
• This pattern was one of the (many) reasons I purchased Amy Butler’s book. There are some great gift ideas that I hope to make in the future. The “In Stitches” group on Flickr  posts finished projects from this book. There are some beautiful FOs in that group–check it out!

Pattern: “Den of pin” pincushion from Diana Rupp’s Sew Everything Workshop

• My sewing kit came with a tiny, tiny pincushion that didn’t have a lot of space for pins. So, I decided to make myself a bigger one using the pattern from Rupp’s book. All you need is a fabric scrap, felt, embroidery floss, and a button. It took me about 30 minutes from start to finish. Now my pins have a pretty and happy place to live!

Stay tuned for more sewing projects from these two great books. Coming up–I finally commit to knitting a sweater!

December knits

Happy New Year! Hope your holidays were relaxing and peaceful. During our holiday trip to Washington, D.C., I completed two knitting projects. I knit these projects while traveling on buses and trains and lounging with family. Here are pics and details:

Pattern: Sunday Swing Socks by Kristel Nyberg from Knitty, Summer 2009.

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Hand Painted Sock Yarn in Luz de luna colorway. Purchased at Hill Country Weavers in Austin, TX.

Needles: Size 1 DPNs

• Did you ever purchase a beautiful skein of sock yarn and struggle to match it with a pattern? That was the case with this lovely ball of Misti Alpaca. I attempted to knit up other patterns with this yarn but the emerging sock just didn’t speak to me. Finally, I  chose this pattern and the end result is a perfect match between yarn and pattern.
• The Misti Alpaca is super soft and keeps my feet very warm. I knit these socks at a perfect time–we are actually experiencing a cold snap in Houston so my wooly socks are in heavy rotation.
• I followed the pattern as written from cuff to foot. The only modification I made was opting for a square toe as opposed to the one recommended in the pattern. The lace pattern is simple and easy to memorize, perfect for traveling. Overall, a great pattern and one I will be knitting again.

Pattern: Smart hat by Silja Devine. Found on Ravelry.

Yarn: One skein of Cascade 220 Superwash in a grey colorway. Purchased at the Yarn Barn in San Antonio, TX.

Time to knit: about one week

• I asked my husband if he wanted a hand knit for Christmas and he replied, “yes.” He chose a hat from a few patterns I found on Ravelry.  During a visit to San Antonio (to see family) we dropped by the Yarn Barn, a lovely little yarn store just north of downtown.  I recommended the yarn and my husband selected the color.
• The Cascade 220 Superwash is soft without the scratchiness I encountered with Cascade 220. My husband had no complaints and said it kept his head warm while we walked around D.C. during a chilly Christmas.
• This is a very simple ribbed hat. I knit 55 rounds and then began decreasing. I like the length on the hat because you can pull it over your ears or fold it. This hat was a hit with my husband and his father so another hat is currently in progress for my father-in-law.

While in D.C. we went to the National Portrait Gallery,  the National Gallery of Art, and enjoyed some great tapas at Jaleo.  I bundled up and wore my hand knits during the trip. My Coronet hat, Fetching gloves, and Irish Hiking Scarf (that I will eventually post up to this blog) all saw action in D.C.

I also knitted a few Christmas gifts and did some sewing. Pics coming soon.

Knitting update

I’ve been quite busy with knitting but lazy about the blogging.  Here are some details (and pics) of some projects past and present–

Name: Bowling Socks

Pattern:  This is a pair of simple stockinette stitch socks with a K2, P2 cuff.

Yarn: Regia purchased locally at Yarns 2 Ewe

Needles: Size 2 DPNs

Time to knit: One week

Details:

• I knit these socks while traveling through the great expanse between Houston and Big Bend National Park in August.  While I was knitting, my husband commented that they would be perfect for our bowling date night, thus the name.
• This is my first time knitting with the ubiquitous and inexpensive Regia. I love the colors but I was disappointed when the socks didn’t match up.  Oh well. I don’t need matching socks to bowl an awesome game.

Name: Bowling socks II

Pattern: This is a pair of simple stockinette stitch socks with a K2, P2 cuff.

Yarns: Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM) purchased at Hill Country Weavers in Austin, TX.

Needles: Size 2 DPNs

Time to knit: 2 weeks

Details:

• I purchased these two skeins of Koigu at Hill Country Weavers in Austin.  You don’t get a lot of yardage for your dollar but I had enough yarn to knit this pair with a little bit left over.
• I absolutely love this yarn. It is soft and the colors mix up beautifully. I have a couple of more skeins of KPPPM in my stash for future socks. Stay tuned.

Pattern: Waving Lace Socks by Evelyn Clarke from Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave Knits

Yarn: Plymouth Happy Feet

Needles: Size 2 DPNs

Time to knit: About three months due to on and off knitting…

Details:

• I love this pattern. It was easy to follow and produced lovely results.  Unfortunately, my love for this pattern didn’t sustain my concentration!  I became distracted by other knitting patterns and sewing so they languished for a couple of months in my knitting basket. They’re finally finished and I can move on (guilt-free) to other shiny things…

Finally, a parting shot of my Hemlock Ring Blanket in progress. This is a Christmas gift for my mother. Ssshh!