Almost November

Well. I am knitting and sewing as much as I can but don't want to get into too much detail because it is the Xmas season, and I am trying to work on presents. I guess I will just try to get good photos to put on Ravelry/the blog later. I can tell you I finished a cowl. I had previously knit a few lengths of scarf-like knitting, hoping to sew them together as a rug, etc. I then looked at them one day and decided to turn a few into cowls. Here is a not-great photo. I have been wearing it on my walks to work and on my days off. It has finally turned to Fall, after a long dry summer.

I also can tell you I finished a hat. A baby/kid hat for no one in particular yet. One of those single skein purchases because the yarn was so pretty. The pattern is from purl soho. I love their simple palate and get inspired when I look at their site. The yarn is Noro silk garden which was rough on my hands. I may think about sewing a lining in case it would feel rough to a kid. Of course, now i have left over yarn and no idea what to do with it.

Let's see what else can I mention. I am embroidering something secret. It is a fun Aunt Martha's  pattern and hopefully I can do another one. Just look at all of them online. Hard not to want to buy many more.
I am also sewing something which means currently I am hand sewing binding on. I always seem to end up hand sewing bindings, but it allows me to have more control. The binding is so thin to use pins that I have been using my extra Bobbie pins and it is working quite well. I hope to get a good deal of the binding done today if I can. 

I know when we close on this house I will not have much time for presents (besides the hour long lunch break I have at work) so I am trying to get what I can done now. 

There are some people I have no idea what to make for.. And some people that I have an idea for but wish I had started a long time ago. Like socks or something.

Anyway, we are getting excited about the house. We will be painting and replacing carpet and moving in. I kind of wish it was not going to be winter with all the cleaning/painting but I guess sooner is better than later. And maybe we can decorate for Christmas a little! 

Speaking of which, I need to find out what my pumpkin will be because it is this weekend. As far as costumes I think we may just do a low key year as our costumes are packed up, and we haven't been invited anywhere. I guess we are getting old, haha.

Oh! Just remembered the yearly Xmas print I do. Sigh. To get it done this year I guess I will have to pick a simple design/process. I generally screen print or block print. Maybe I can carve stamps? It is always the lining up that takes the longest. 

I may mention it every few posts - I am hoping one day to have a more streamlined blogging system. To get photos and links in correctly and in a timely way, I feel that the laptop is the best. (I have also tried my phone and ipad). I may just have to get in the habit of taking photos with my digital camera and transferring them at least once a week. It's amazing how much of a chore it seems, but I think it will be easy once I get it worked out. 

La la la

Trying to finish something. Anything. Starting to try to work on some Christmas presents but not feeling like I am making a ton of progress. Here are some cup cozies. Super quick, though not really sure how many I will realistically make. There is a pattern on Ravelry of course. I will have to link to it. Also trying to graft 2x2 ribbing on a hat. It is slow going and not looking as seamless as I was hoping. Working on another hat which I may rip out. Not sure what I really want to do with that yarn still.

Hoping to sew a few Christmas projects that I will keep secret. And making a secret present that includes painting and lots of glitter. Waiting for it to dry more before I hide it again. Anyway, not feeling like I am making much progress but my hands have been dry and cracking so I have been not doing quite as much knitting as I'd like. 

I was working on ornaments but made one and not sure I like it. I will invent some other kind of ornament with the pieces I cut if I have to. 

House news: Looks like we are going for it! And I am so excited to someday set up the craft room! I also hope to make some curtains and pillow covers. 

Excuse the iPad photo. Once we move I hope to have a better location to take photos/upload. 

Currently

Currently listening to: https://www.seamworkmag.com/radio So cool that Colette Patterns has a podcast. I am still secretly hoping to work for them one day, though I will have to learn to be a better sewer. I know I have great potential (haha), and a class or two might do me good!

I finished knitting the cabled brown hat, and I am just waiting for my husband to try it on and make sure it will fit him. I need to weave in the ends still, and take photos.

I also finished the little Stella sweater, I wove in the ends and just need to take photos.

Today working on this hat: http://www.purlbee.com/2014/01/23/lauras-loop-garter-ear-flap-hat/
It is in dark blue Noro Silk Garden Solo yarn. That yarn, and the brown yarn for the other hat, I believe are contributing to my right thumb getting quite rough and so I have been limiting my knitting somewhat. The blue Noro was an impulse 1 skein buy, and I like how it is knitting up for the hat, but I am not sure if I will have enough yarn when I am done that I will have wished I had made the next size up.

We placed an offer on a house, and will hopefully know soon if it is accepted. I have been researching the area a little and looking for yarn stores/groups. So far nothing in the immediate area but a few yarn stores about 15 mins away. The library looks like it may have a knitting group. It seems like a great way to meet women, and I guess it would just depend on the schedule, as I may be working.

I would love to host someday a some-what regular crafty get-together. (Every other month, 4 times a year?) I have had a few craft parties and they are always fun, even if not a lot of crafting gets done. It is mainly an excuse to hang out and talk. The cool thing about having a house some day is that there will be space to host parties.

I am trying to think ahead about knitting or sewing some gifts, with this house-buying we are trying to do, I need to get creative for Christmas presents. I might make a few mug cozies, and then see what else I can come up with. For now though, I think I need to take a knitting break so my thumb can heal a little. Besides this blue hat, which is currently for no one in particular, I think I will try to work exclusively on present ideas (even though I am dying to start a cowl for myself that I already have yarn for). Ha.

Crazy Times

Yep. We moved temporarily in with my folks. House hunting still. I have been knitting through some yarn that was in my old room. Basically making short scarf-like rectangles. Not really sure what I am making. I guess a rug, though probably not too practical. Hoping the colors may work out somehow. (Maybe adding black panels to space things out?) But mainly knitting just to knit. I am trying to work through the majority of my yarn before I buy more. I will post a photo when I can, my phone doesn't want to email it for some reason.

The knitting I carry in my purse is a spiral pattern baby hat. I do like the pattern but find the whole thing a little boring, maybe because I'm not sure if it will be sized right, it is really stretchy so I'm not sure how tall to go. Also I have no specific baby in mind for it. Oh well if it doesn't work out I still learned a cool pattern. 

Also starting to brainstorm some ideas about how to release my husband's next cd. They need to get it mastered and duplicated. I have been trying to think of some merch ideas. Like a poster or printed book, something do-able yet awesome. They may do a preorder to raise some money to get it made. 

The dream continues that if we do get a house with enough rooms, I can use one for a craft room. This would be amazing because then I can get all my stuff in one place and organize it, hopefully use it too! I do want to make clothes still. Colette patterns is putting out so much good info and I have so little time to absorb it. I have bought several of their patterns but have yet to buy fabric etc.  I have a fabric depot gift card so I hope maybe to make some curtains, or pillow covers etc if we get a house. Something to make it feel like home! I kind of am also interested in the black-out curtain idea, for light and also to see how much sound it blocks out. 

I think some getting-back-into-sewing projects could be simple things like PJ pants or a simple top. Or of course one of the quilts I already have the squares cut for. ;)

Finally finishing?

I did a quick project to replace one of the wine-colored kid mittens I had made for my cousin's kid. I also finally gave her the rainbow socks!

Green socks: Last night I got through the toe decreases of the sock. I first blogged about them in February, so it feels good to be finally finishing them.  Now to do one last heel and I just Kitchener'd the toes last night. It has been so great to have a take-a-long knitting project over the last few months. After this I am not sure what new project to do. 

Fingerless Mitts: I am in the middle of doing the half-fingers. I need to sit down and write out the instructions so they are more portable. Hoping to finish soon (Today?!) to give them as a present. (This is an army green/brown much prettier than in the photo.)

House: We are moving very soon, living with family for a few months. I have packed up most of my craft stuff.  It may be best to stick with the knitting projects & embroidery projects I have been doing. 

Here is the progress so far!

Springtime knitting

Here are some current photos of two projects I am working on. Knitted socks for me.

              Please excuse the basement apartment lighting... I'm sure I have said before, this is my lunch time knitting and keep-in-my-purse knitting. 

Baby sweater for a friend. Using the Baby Sophisticate pattern for worsted yarn. It is a really pretty navy (not so dark as the photo). It looks small but I realized the collar will add to the width around. I am doing a 12 month size, but I know my yarn is considered a light worsted.

Other news of sorts. We are trying to buy a house. We have to move soon from our current spot. And my husband has to move his small business. So we are trying to get a house to combine it all. We have one in mind but are not sure if we will get it. If we do It needs a ton of work, like redoing all the flooring and removing wallpaper etc. lots of painting, of course. I am excited and nervous at the same time!

Craft Party

I had a few friends over to knit and chat today. It was so fun. Not everyone could make it and I also couldn't invite everyone I wanted to, due to our tiny apartment. Anyway, I often do crafty stuff by myself and it was fun to have the chance to get together and talk about knitting and various things. I hope to do a few more parties in the future.

Projects in the works still (pictures sometime, I promise!): Green and blue socks are nearing the toe. I think I will start decreasing in less than half an inch. I guess it would be good to finish the toe and cast on the second sock before my work week starts on Wednesday. 

Gray fingerless mitts. I am on the second one, past the thumb, working on the palm of the hand. Then I will do all the half-fingers at the same time for both gloves. I hope to have enough yarn to do two pairs for both my brother-in-laws. 

Just now cast on for a baby boy sweater. Baby Sophisticate (the worsted pattern). The color is navy and 12 mos. size. Though it is cascade 220 superwash which I have heard is a light-worsted, so it may end up smaller. So far the fabric seems okay. I pretty much never swatch. It's bad, I know, maybe if I make a sweater for myself I will. Something where I am investing a lot of money. 

Back to knitting!

Quilt in progress

The current denim and wool quilt, which is a birthday/christmas present. I bought dark teal wool for the back, which I think will make it amazing. I often back denim quilts with poly-fleece but it is nice to make it higher-quality/it just feels so much nicer. One of my green fabrics was stretchy and it drove me a little crazy. I generally just do the best I can and move on unless it is way off and I actually need to rip it apart and re sew it.  

Hopefully I can work on backing it soon... it will be a long way around and I generally hand sew it for some reason. :) I guess first I need to iron it and make sure to pull all the strings to the backside. 

Baby mittens

Baby Mittens! To be more precise, toddler mittens? Forgive me, i will find the pattern and link it here. I figured with all the babies everyone is having, it would be good to have some quick projects to knit up. This is not my favorite yarn color but i decided i could knit a test pair. It was a pretty quick knit and would be a great carry-along project.

Back in the studio!

Finally working in the studio again, despite the heat and craziness of the summer! Trying to make a wearable muslin of the Portrait Blouse by Gertie.

I need to hem the sleeves and bottom and also do the zipper. So far it seems that it will fit me. I had to remember a few things... like drawing my dart lines on the wrong side of the fabric... seems like I would remember that, but I guess it's been a while. I like learning construction details, and I think if I can force myself to pick simple enough patterns to start and make wearable muslins prior to using the perfect fabric, I think I will learn a lot from my mistakes.  

Continuing with Cats...

This cat sampler project is pretty fun. I have been taking it with me to work sometimes to work on my lunch. It also goes with me when we visit my father in law who is in hospice care. I have been trying to figure out the outlines. Sometimes it makes it look more pixelated. I love all the mice and birds. I will have to re-learn how to do French knots for the eyes. 

 Here is a photo of my grandma's hydrangeas. So pretty. She lives at a lake and we had 4th of July there and ate way too much food, including huckleberry cobbler. Yum! 

I thought I would share a previous cross stitch project. It was a pre-printed pattern. I made it for my husband before we were married. I chose the colors (brown, blue, orange, gold) to match this 1970's-ugly ship painting he has. I mean, it's so ugly it's cool.

Baby Blanket update

                         First, some flowers from my garden. Yay, so nice that they are blooming.

Here is the baby blanket. It is supposed to end up 30x30 in. I have one mistake and some things could be better, but after it is blocked it will probably be awesome! I got a lot of knitting done this weekend at a beach retreat. And the baby quilt shown previously is done, I just need to add my initials. (Which I should have done prior to finishing it...)

Next up: maybe working on the sorbetto? or a denim quilt? I also have a tablet cozy to make too...

In Progress

Mending Mike's jeans. I do it by hand because that's the best way to do it to not have stitching in places where I don't want it. 

Also. The beginnings of a baby blanket. I bought knit picks needles that are interchangable because that's the only way I could buy the size I needed. I had an issue of the needle falling off. I didn't realize that there was a small tool that came with the needles to help tighten it. I have tightened them now and will see very soon if that does the trick. I love the pattern and am having fun knitting. The one sad thing is that the yarn kind of sheds and I get white fuzz on my pants. Oh well! I have a free morning off work and I'd better get back to my mending.