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?”

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

Give whirled peas a chance.

My WIP is grateful it won't have to live in a Ziploc bag anymore.

• I purchased this fabric two weeks ago in San Antonio. I chose a light blue cotton for the lining that complements the blue peace signs on the exterior fabric. I have quite a bit of fabric leftover that will probably be used to make a quilt (someday). I used a 12 inch black zipper.
• Initially, I was going to use a medium weight interfacing (that I already had) but at the last minute purchased a heavier weight because I wanted the bag to hold it’s shape. I fused the interfacing with the exterior fabric first and then sewed the bag up–my only modification.  Other than that I followed the tutorial as outlined.
• This bag is the perfect size for my sock projects and it fits beautifully into my purse. I’ll definitely be using this tutorial again in the future. I am so happy with the finished product!

]]> http://rebozo.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/sewing-fo-box-bag/feed/ 0 Rebozo DSC03038 DSC03039 DSC03043 http://rebozo.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/all-quiet-on-the-knitting-blog/ http://rebozo.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/all-quiet-on-the-knitting-blog/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:32:06 +0000 rebozo http://rebozo.wordpress.com/?p=293 ]]> I am still here and still knitting! Despite the lack of blog posts, I have finished two sock projects in May/June and I am halfway finished with a pair of socks for July. Check it out–

Mas monkeys

Simple ribbed socks

I’ll spare you most of the details on these two projects as I have made them in the past. The “Monkey” socks are made with Lorna’s Laces sock yarn that knit up beautifully.  I decided to knit these two patterns (again) so I can keep trimming back my stash. It’s too hot for socks right now so I’ll get to wear these later this year.

I am also working on a pair of Waving Lace socks using Happy Feet Yarn. I finished the first sock two days ago–

So purdy.

My mind has started to turn towards Christmas gifts–I know, we are five months away, but I am a master procrastinator when it comes to knitting Christmas gifts. I have to start earlier this year because my gift list has grown substantially from last year. I know I will be knitting another pair of Fetching gloves for a family member as well as this for my mother.

DH and I will be on vacation in August.  I’ll be back with pictures and (no surprise) another pair of socks!

Details–

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Co. Happy Feet in a red, blue, green, purple colorway, 1.5 skeins. Pattern by Kate Atherley.

Needles: Size 2 DPNs

Modifications: None, 76 stitches for the leg, 56 for the foot.

Time to knit: about three weeks. Knit while listening to some cool bands at IFest and Jazz Fest.

• This is my second pair of simple ribbed socks and I am currently working on a third. I’ve worked with this yarn before–no complaints. I’ve had this yarn for about a year and this pattern is a great stash buster!
• I knit these socks while taking in some great jams as Houston’s International Festival and at the New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Festival.  I saw the Mighty Diamonds, Eddie Palmieri (living legend!), the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Rebirth Brass Band, Beausoleil, and Pearl Jam (much to the content of my inner grunger).  Needless to say, it was a great month for live music. Here are some parting shots from Jazz Fest–

Eddie on the big screen

Rebirth Brass Band

Rebirth Brass Band