Knitting Needle Case

I finally got tired of having my knitting notions everywhere, and decided to actually get around to sewing a knitting needle case. I'd intentionally planned on using a craftster tutorial, and it probably would look better if I had, but I didn't. I winged it and I am still happy with it - it's not perfect, but it will hold everything I currently have, and I think there is even room for a few more things. Not all of my knitting needles are in the case right now, since I literally have so many projects "on the needles!" Also, I LOVE this fabric so much, and think it makes up for the many any imperfections in the sewing. Eventually, it will close with pretty red ribbon, but since I didn't have any available right now, I just used red acrylic yarn. Please excuse the gross looking plastic-covered dorm mattress - I promise it's clean(not that I sleep on it, there are sheets on my bed... this is the extra)!

I forgot to take a picture of it unrolled to show the outside fabric, but here are a couple of pictures I took when I first got the fabric:





Unrolled:


Rolled Up:


It holds my straights, circulars, dpns (I hardly have any!), cable needles, crochet hooks, scissors, measuring tape, needle felting needles (I have some to try it, but couldn't get the hang of it when I did), stitch holders, a pen and a needle-sizer, and a small ziploc bag holding my stitch markers and row counters. I have to think of a better way to store those! Anyone?

Yes, it's bulky holding that much stuff, but at least everything is easy to keep up with now! I think I am going to make a smaller one later.

Burda Blouse and a Belt Buckle

I never posted anything about working on this blouse from the Burda May '06 issue, mainly because I wasn't sure I'd ever finish it. When Burda says something is "easy to sew," that obviously means easy for experienced sewers to sew! I had a very hard time with it and eventually ended up diverting from the "instructions" and just BSing it. The sleeves are really too tight, and of course, the bust area is too small, so I HAVE to wear a cami underneath. Still, I think it's pretty good for my first try at a blouse, and my second piece of clothing. I hand-sewed snaps on, and I didn't do a great job of it, so I may go back and try to learn how to sew a snap with my machine. I thought about doing buttons, but I didn't have any I liked for this blouse lying around, and I'm a little nervous about trying buttonholes. I'm sure I'll do it eventually, though... just maybe not for this blouse. I will probably make this top again, and I know I want to make the version of it with the long sleeves, too. I really like it! I also made a belt to go along with it, inspired by a review of the blouse from the Sewing Pattern Review website... but I think I like it better without.

Please excuse the mess in the background, since I've been too busy to clean! Actually, I already did clean when I looked at the pictures and realized what a mess that bed looks, but I didn't feel like going back and re-doing the pictures. I'd say it's not normally a mess, but I'd be lying.





Here is the belt buckle I made for mom. It's fused glass, and I thought it turned out so beautifully. So did everyone else! The colors are not due to the light; they are really like that... part blue, purple... part yellow. It looks like the light is reflecting it, but it looks those colors no matter the angle.



Here is a pin for my grandma. It is made of stacks of glass, fused together, and then cut. What a neat technique!


That's all for now. Time to go work on my PCR project!

FO - Rambling Rose (at last!!)

Yes, that's right... I finally finished Rambling Rose today! I'm not sure yet what I think, but I did take a couple of bad shots in front of the mirror to give an idea of how it looks. I'll try to get some better photos later on.

Pattern: Rambling Rose from Rowan 39
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in Victorian Pink
Needles: Susan Bates size 1 circulars, Addi Turbo size 2 circulars, 24 or 29"
Modifications: No intentional ones. I messed up and made the bottom ribbing about 1 cm too short (by the way, this project was great for getting me to know metric better, since everything is in cm), and I may have done the shaping wrong around the shoulders and sleeves, since the pattern was a little confusing to me... but it all worked out in the end, so I don't think I did mess that up.

I'm happy with the knitting, overall... I think my seaming should be better, and the cotton is not very forgiving, so I can tell even minor problems with the stitches, but I think the sweater looks beautiful... on me, however... I'm not so sure. I kinda feel that it may make me look fat, and I'm still not sure about the roses, as much as I love them. I like this yarn as well as I reckon I could like any cotton fingering weight yarn... it is very soft, and I am loving how it feels against my skin, although knitting with it was tiring at times. I didn't really learn any new techniques with this piece, but I am happy with the finished product, although I don't know how frequently I'll wear it... or if I'll ever get the nerve to give it a public appearance!

Mainly Jewelry Post - Faux Pearl Necklace!

Alas, no, Rambling Rose is not yet finished, although it is very near completion.

Last night, I did make a necklace of which I am quite proud, and so I decided not to wait until I'd finished something else to post pictures of it.

As most who know me well are already aware, I love pearls. This is made of faux pearls and one of those really long chains you can buy and cut to size. I used a cute little heart-shaped toggle for the closure. Here are two pictures, one taken with flash, and one without.

Pearl Cascade:





I really love it... but I don't know what anyone else thinks. I was thinking of maybe making a couple more and trying to sell them... but I don't know. Anyway, I am happy with mine!

I thought I'd have more fused glass jewelry to show today, but instead of drilling my pieces, I spent the whole time making more stuff, since it was the last time we'd actually have to make anything, I figured I could spend the last day drilling. So at the end of next week, I'll be posting lots more fused glass pictures!

Rambling Rose update

Finally finished the sleeves on Rambling Rose! It's blocking now... once it's dried, I'll only have to seam and knit the button bands and the roses. Yay! Sooo close! It still feels like so much left to do, though. Maybe next week I will be able to post pictures of the FO... I sure hope so.

The Watermedia Encounters of M. Douglas Walton are happening again, and I dropped by several times today to check out what they were doing. They are doing a Figure Encounter - people, of course. It is so interesting and exciting. I sat there like a kid at Christmas or something, watching and listening with such excitement. I really hope to get to do one of these classes!

Inside my jewelry chest

Once upon a time, a girl searched and searched to find the perfect jewelry chest. She could never find one she liked, and though many would have said any box would be better than the Ziploc bags in which she stored her jewelry, she refused to lower her standards. Finally, she did find a box she loved, and the search was over.


Now that she finally has that box, she has quickly filled it with beautiful jewelry she adores.


Now she is eager to show you some special treasures stored inside!
If you look very closely below, you can spot the pieces:


Here's an even closer look:


It's some of the fused glass jewelry I've been making!
Here is each piece up close. The flash and the glass don't get along well, so please excuse the blurry pictures!
This is a pendant I made for my mom:


My first pair of earrings. I call them Mardi Gras Rocks:


Another pair of earrings. I call them Pinkies:


My favorite pair so far, and the hardest to photograph. They don't have a name yet. What should I call them?


There will be lots more. It is so fun, and we can make as many small pieces as we want and have time for. That means lots more earrings (most of them as gifts)! Please excuse any typos... it is past my bedtime!

Almost done with the sleeves on Rose. CANNOT wait to have this one finished!!

Nene's Purse is Complete!

I finished the purse for Leneisha! I think it turned out so well. I really love it, and I hope she does, too! Here are pictures of it:





Pattern Used: NewLook 6574, view E
Fabric Used: The purse was a very stretchy, textured brown fabric, and the lining was a tan/dark blue/burgundy plaid, both from Wal-mart.

This pattern presented quite a few challenges for me, which I will discuss more when I review it at the Sewing Pattern Review website.

Also, look at two lovely gifts my sister brought me from Qatar!




A purse and a beautiful, glittery wrap. I love them both!

Because picture > words

Here are the earrings I made yesterday. The pictures are not very good. Please excuse the wet hair and so-called "elf ears." I have been picked on about that quite a bit, but I never thought they were that pointy... although it's cool to be an elf now, right?




Also, here is a picture of Grandma wearing the scarf I made her last year. She loves it. There is a matching hat, but she didn't have it on that day.



And finally, just because I love shoes, and this pair in particular:



By the way, sewing with premade bias tape = easy. Sewing with bias tape you had to make yourself... that is uneven... annoyingly difficult!

The other day, I went to Hobby Lobby, and while I was there, decided to pick up a cable needle, since I'd lost mine. I looked around the knitting dept, and there weren't any. I decided to ask someone about them, so I asked one lady and she directed me to another lady, saying "That's her department - she knows all about that stuff." So I ask the other lady about a cable needle. She's never even heard of a cable needle, she says. "I've heard of a cable, and I have heard of needles, but never a cable needle." I couldn't believe it. I later bought a set from Michael's. I really hate when people who don't know a craft are expected to help customers. I imagine it is frustrating for all parties involved. I just wasn't prepared for there to be not even one person at Hobby Lobby who knew what a cable needle was. I wish there was an actual yarn store nearby!

Whoops, this is supposed to be a knitting blog!

Why are the sleeves on Rambling Rose taking soooo long to knit? Probably because I am so ready to have this project completed, and I just haven't felt like working on it much lately. I haven't even finished the ribbing yet! I have never worked so long on one project... normally I switch back and forth to keep from getting bored and/or tired of anything. Don't worry, I'll finish. After seeing someone from the KAL finish hers in nearly the exact color as mine, and seeing how fantastic it looks on her, I am even more impatient to have this sweater! I normally knit just because I love to knit, and to learn all of the neat stitches and techniques, and RR did start out that way... but I'm just ready to be done with it now. I hate 1x1 rib!

Yesterday, at Michael's, I picked up a jewelry-making kit and a little set of jewelry pliers to make a couple of pairs of earrings. I did that today, and it was a lot of fun. It was very quick, too! I'll probably be doing more jewelry in the future; actually I know I will, because I have been doing a fused glass jewelry-making class that is so much fun! I don't know whether I'll ever afford a kiln, but I would love to keep doing that after the class is over. It only lasts a month. Right now, I have made a few pairs of earrings for various people (including myself!), and a pendant for my mom, who does not have her ears pierced. There is another really neat project we are going to work on, but I'll have to wait to post about it until it's finished. I can't really explain it well without a picture. Tomorrow, I'll post some pictures of the earrings I made from the kit today, and maybe on Thursday I'll post some of the things I've been making in the class, assuming any of them are finished. The class only meets every Thursday, so things go quite slowly. Another fun thing about making jewelry is that Christmas presents and birthdays will be pretty simple for the ladies!

I'm sewing a bag for my roommate, and it's turning out very nicely, too. I am finally getting straight lines on my machine! She is leaving on Thursday or Friday, so I will have to finish it by then, and I will post a photo of it here, too. At first I thought the brown fabric and the tan/dark blue/burgundy plaid lining was a lil boring, and it is still not my style (I prefer bright colors and usually avoid browns and black), but now I really love the combination of the lining and the outside fabric. It's cute and stylish, and I think it is going to be a great bag. I actually like this pattern for a knitting bag. I plan on finding some fabric I really like, and adding lots of pockets.

Oh, and to top it off, I got one of those Boye interchangeable sets for so cheap! I was super-excited, because I never thought I'd own one of those. They are normally so darned expensive... well, they are actually a good deal even at regular price, considering that you get all those needles, but $70 to spend on something like that doesn't come my way often. I really want the Knitpicks' ones, but the Boye was right there, very inexpensive, and beggars can't be choosers, right? I love it! I have to admit, I think the brown case is very ugly... but that's easy to remedy. I can "slipcover" it, and I think I will. Boye are the needles I'm used to working with anyway; I have two or three sets of bamboo needles, one Addi Turbo circular, and a Susan Bates circular, but all my others are aluminum, and I really like using them. They are the only things easy to come by around here, and even then not all sizes are available. I don't have to worry about that now! YAY! So now all I really need is to expand my collection of dpns (I hardly have any), and I'll be pretty well set for needles. Dpns are going to be harder to find, especially as I would like to get either bamboo or at least plastic sets. I can just see metal dpns slipping out all over the place! Yikes!

Oh, and another note. I taught my 7 yr old nephew Joey how to knit, and it was so cute! He actually picked up on it pretty well, although he was soon bored with it.

Finally, check out New Orleans Paintings by Angel Turner Dyke. I am in love with this one:



When I spellchecked, the dictionary did not recognize the word "blog." That's funny!

Aren't I supposed to be blogging about MY creativity?

Well, I'm not. Because I've done NOTHING in the way of knitting in the past few days, and little sewing. Well, I did knit a few more rows of Rose, and a few of Butterfly, but not many. I have been trying to finish this dadgum blouse from Burda World of Fashion, May, but the instructions are SO confusing! I'll post pictures as soon as I finish it, which I hope will be next week. I have been very busy over the extended weekend with non-crafting, and having a wonderful time!

Since I've really nothing new to report, I did want to mention other bloggers wonderful projects. Eunny Jang finished her beautiful Bonnie-inspired sweater, and it is seriously just amazing. I cannot wait for a pattern for this! When it is available, I'm dropping everything else to knit it!

The new Knitty is up, and well, I'm not much of a sock knitter, and this issue is mainly socks. I now have a hankering to knit 3 currently available sock patterns: Pomatomus, Eunny Jang's two color cabled socks, and now, Baudelaire. This pattern may have been named after the poet, but to me it screams Violet Baudelaire from A Series of Unfortunate Events. I want to knit these socks, and wear them when I'm feeling inventive. :-)

Other patterns I may knit are: Fetching,Sock Monkey hat, and Lilies. I liked most of the other patterns, but probably won't knit them for one reason or another.

From Magknits, I really want to knit the Ballet Camisole. I liked a few of the other patterns, but probably won't ever make them.

I also love the Piano socks from Magknits. You sock knitters may get me after all.

Breaking out of the coccon

Coccon... that spelling doesn't really look correct to me. Dictionary.com says it is, so who am I to argue? :-p

I don't normally post pictures of my WIPs, because I think no one will take much interest in seeing them... although I love to see other bloggers' progress, it's not like I come up with amazing, beautiful, original designs like Eunny Jang, or really have any other reason to think anyone would take interest in my work... but I just have to post a photo of the incomplete back of Butterfly, because I am so in love with the colors! I was going to wait to start on the sweater, since it's not going to be cold here for a loooong time, but I really wanted to see how my Noro knit up. It's beautiful! See for yourself:



The colors are actually pretty accurate, but the actual yarn is richer than in this photo. I took this picture with the photo settings adjusted for flourescent lighting, and left off the flash. The bunchiness of the piece is due to my having to use size 8s that are too short, since my size 8 circulars are still holding the not-forgotten Delphine-inspired sweater. I can't believe how quickly this knit is going. I'd forgotten what a difference using worsted weight instead of fingering weight makes!

I'm making a couple of changes, namely in the sizing. I'm too short for the length of this sweater, so I am going to make it right below my waist (hopefully!). I've read a whole lot about other knitters having problems with the sleeves being waaaay too long, so I will obviously be shortening the sleeves, too. Other than that, I really can't wait to see how this turns out, although I'm not worried about finishing it soon.

Rambling Rose is still coming along... although, not as quickly as I'd like. I really want to finish it soon, maybe within the next couple of weeks (yes, that is soon for me!).

I've had a few design ideas lately, so I am going to work at figuring out this designing stuff as well. If I can get any of them to work out, they will look great!! I even have an idea that, if I can figure it out, I think would make it into Knitty!

Also, I picked up this:





Isn't it lovely? It's going to become a knitting needle case.

(Finally) FO: Chinese Prosperity Fish Bag and Crawfish Purse

Sometimes, it's so hard to make myself finish a project. I can be totally in love with a particular project, but put it aside, unfinished, because I'll think something like "Oh, that's going to be so easy... but so time-consuming... I'll do it later." Then later doesn't come for months, and I find myself looking at that project thinking "Boy, I really, really need to finish that."

That was pretty much what happened with the Chinese Prosperity Fish Bag from Folk Bags. I love the bag! I saw a picture someone else had knitted, and tracked down the book specifically for this one bag. I never saw anything else from the book until I got my copy. It was such a fast knit! I was very happy with it and couldn't wait to have it finished. Then... oh no... the details are EMBROIDERED. Ok, that's not so bad, I learned to draw, crochet, and knit with no problems; I can learn to embrodier. Well, folks, lemme tell ya something. Embroidering is not easy! In fact, I couldn't figure it out at all. A "simple" outline stitch is apparently something Ms. Crystal just can't grasp. I sat there, beside three different descriptions of how to do it, for hours, and it just looked bad on my swatch. Sad and discouraged, I put the beloved Fish Bag away. I picked it up some time later, and tried again. I did no better with the embroidery, but I did think of something else. I decided it didn't really HAVE to be embroidered, as long as it was there. So, I BSed it. I took the needle, cut a long piece of the yarn I was using to "embroider", and just messed around with it until I came up with something I thought looked ok. I actually like how it turned out. I like that it is definitely not store-bought... it's obviously handmade, but (and here I flatter myself) I think it's more like artsy-fun-expensive-boutique handmade, instead of being like the little pins you made for your mom in elementary school, that she wore out of pride no matter how ugly they looked. I also even like that the two sides look different; it's apparent that they are meant to be the same design, but they vary anyway. I think it adds to the purse, instead of taking away.




As already mentioned, the Chinese Prosperity Fish Bag is from the book Folk Bags. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves purses, and particularly to anyone who loves purses that are unlike-the-norm. There are several patterns in it that I would knit.

The bag is knit in Plymouth Galway, on either 10 or 10.5 (I think the latter) needles, and fulled. It was my first time fulling. I did 3 cycles in the (front-loading) washer, and am not quite happy with the amount of stitch definition remaining. The yarn was nice to knit with, and I will probably use it again, although I won't say it's my favorite wool so far. I wasn't sure what a fourth cycle would do, so I stopped at 3. I don't remember the color, but it was the brightest red I could find. The whole bag only took one ball. The yarn I used to embroider was a sportweight cotton yarn I found at Hobby Lobby, called Sinfornia, and I found the buttons and beads used for the eyes there, too. I omitted the tassels because the tail fins are pretty much fulled together, and I didn't want to mess with that. I am planning on making another of these bags.

The crawfish purse I sewed was also a cast-aside project. That instance was out of laziness, not frustration. I just never bothered attaching the handles. I finally did that yesterday, so now I can post pictures and tell a little about the bag.

This was the first thing I ever sewed. Mrs. Nancy helped me figure out how to put it all together, and let me use her machine to sew it. The bag is from a McCall's pattern, Easy stitch n' save M5082. I am really pleased with it, although I'm not quite happy with my placement of the handles. I think they are supposed to be lower, and they may end up that way. The fabric is a crawfish-on-newspaper print I just had to get when I saw it on eBay. I only had one yard, but that's enough for 2 purses, so I am going to make a purse for my mom out of this fabric as well. The lining is a heavy black fabric Mrs. Nancy had left over. There is interfacing to give it shape, but I omitted the cardboard called for in the pattern for the bottom. I also gave my purse two pockets instead of one, and for the pockets I used the crawfish fabric, again lined with the thick black. I really love that detail! I still need to add snaps of some kind - I hate bags that don't close.





I feel it still needs something. Perhaps some corn and potatoes? ;-)

A Creative Encounter

You may or may not have noticed a new link on my sidebar. It says M. Douglas Walton.

This story begins, as many do, with an open door. This time, literally, an open door.

At least once a day I visit the basement of GTM, going to the Micro lab, since I am lab assisting this quarter. I pass a certain room on my way. The door is always open, and inside is a table full of curiosities - ornate fabrics, masks, models of boats, umbrellas, and more. Beyond them, you can see people inside, but I could not tell what they were doing. Every time I passed the room, I would look and wonder why it was there. Yesterday, I could contain my curiosity no longer. I walked inside, and discovered that beyond that table is a very large room, full of paints. I asked what exactly this was for and whether it was a class. A nice woman replied that it was a workshop, so pretty much a class, but the instructor was out. She said I should come back to talk to him, and I did.

He was very nice, entertaining, and friendly, and liked that I came in to satisfy my curiosity, saying that most people never take that step. I loved the random, unique, interesting, and colorful style in which he painted and taught his class. He invited me to come in this morning to watch him do a demonstration, and so I got up earlier than usual to go. I watched, fascinated, as he showed the class what he wanted them to do, and stayed as long as I could. Finally, I had to leave for class, but not before he told me when he'll be offering another class. I really hope to take it in September... I feel it will be a wonderful experience! I visited again in the afternoon, and sat in on his critiquing students' work, which he did in a very nice manner. Anyway, his art is so beautiful and interesting. There's not a lot of artwork posted right now, but keep checking! It will be worth it.

Why I Am Not Trendy

Today, on a post in the Craftster forum, I read that the new style, which is predicted to be around for 10 long, horrible years, will be tight, straight legged pants and loose blouses. What is wrong with clothing designers and fashion gurus?! Didn't this look awful during the 80s? Why would it be any better this time around? Seriously, I adore much of the music and even some of the tv shows from the 80s, but please, please do not bring back the fashion! What else will this new trend include? Perhaps using a whole can of hairspray every time you fix your hair? Whenever this style begins, I will whole-heartedly revolt. I REFUSE to wear blouses that make me look like a cow, and I don't see that tight-fitting, straight legged jeans will do anything to flatter my short, dumpy curvy figure. I can barely pull off the current fashions!

Anyway, the left front of Rambling Rose is nearly complete. I think I'll finish it tonight or tomorrow, and then take a break from the sweater for just a few days. I need to do a quick, little project.

I'll post something interesting eventually. I promise.

Edit: I went ahead and put Rambling Rose down for the day, and tried messing with the hat I've been working on for my nephew Dustin. I still don't know how I feel about what I came up with. He made such a difficult request to such a newbie!



What do you think?

First sewn dress!

That's right, I made a dress! I'm really excited and happy about it. I actually love how it came out. It's a big deal for me, because the only thing I've ever sewn before was a purse that I still haven't put the handles on. Anyway, without further adieu, here it is:



Any information you might like is right here: Sewing Pattern Review

And yes, the picture is horrid.

I have enough of this fabric left to make either a purse, or (I think) a knitting needle case. I can't decide on which!

Expect a picture of the first purse soon! I'm going to get the handles on it soon.

On the knitting front, I have completed the back of Rambling Rose, and am now working on the left front. It's the side with the chart, so it is going rather slowly. I have actually been working only on this project! I can't believe it. I usually can't stick to just one for so long.

Finals week sucks!

I haven't had much time to knit this week, because of finals. BOO!

So, I've done a couple more rows on the Pomatomus socks, but I've still barely even begun.

I restarted Rambling Rose, and I am still not completely happy with the ribbing on it. I think it's better than before, but I'm not sure that I won't rip again. Once I get past the ribbing, I'll be ok. The ribbing sucks. No matter what tension, I haven't been getting even enough stitches. I hate ribbing!! It usually looks fine, but I think this small gauge is getting to me.

I also started a new summer tank from Craftster. I really like it, but I keep messing up on one of the lace charts, since there are two and a cable (the DNA cable), and keeping up with all of those rows is annoying. I need a row counter for each section, I think! I want to finish it soon... right now, it's my top priority.

Over break, I'm going to finish Dustin's hat, work on the DNA tank, and, of course, the Delphine sweater, and maybe on Rambling Rose a little. I'm also going to try my hand at sewing a dress!

I sewed a purse that I'll post soon. I had to find handles online and I'll have to attach them when they come in. I am definitely going to sew more purses. It was hard to get the hang of, but I am happy with the (almost) finished product, and it is really unique!

Rip-it, rip-it, rip-it

Wow, right now, all of my knitting projects suck. Ok, not really - but I am going to have to do a lot of ripping!

First, Rambling Rose. I knit about half of the ribbing for this, decided I was unhappy with it, because the stitches weren't even enough for my taste, and so I ripped out today. There IS something very satisfying in ripping out a project that has frustrated you. I hate 1x1 rib, but this cardigan will be worth it.

The (Desert) Sunrise Circle jacket is going to look beautiful in the yarn I chose, but my gauge is off, so I'll have to rip back. I don't understand how that happened; it was perfect when I swatched, and I even measured it when I started. But now I'm about two rows off, and it's an inch longer than it should be. I guess I loosened my gauge farther into the piece. I found out I should be knitting a front piece first, anyway, so it's ok.

So, instead of redoing either of the projects I've just mentioned, I started on the Apricot Jacket. The ribbing on it went rather smoothly, and even quickly, until I got to the chart. The directions are very poor in this pattern, and since I hadn't been able to get my edge stitches right, I just cut them out and did 2x2 ribbing, not realizing how it would screw with the chart. I'd read that others did this and still had their jackets come out ok, but I don't know how and now I can't find any of those blogs. So I MAY have to rip that, too... although I really, really hope not.

So I cast that aside, too, and started my first pair of socks, knitty's Pomatomus socks. And now I am in love! I'm not far into the chart at all, but so far, the pattern is very clear and instructive, I can understand the chart, and knitting in the round, I don't have to worry about remembering which way to knit the chart, which is often a problem for me.

Why do I need sleep? Time is better spent knitting!

As I can't seem to figure out how to completely do away with my need for sleep, and since I must put my school before all else, I've gotten very little done on my latest project, Rambling Rose. I'm about an inch into the back ribbing. I am far enough to say that I do love the fabric that is working up! The color of the Brown Sheep Cotton Fine I am using, Victorian Pink, is not quite what I'd hoped for (I was picturing my Rose in a beautiful, very pale mauve), but it IS a lovely dusty-rose pink.

I'm finally going to get around to getting another copy of the manual for my sewing machine; soon, I hope. I've found a Butterick pattern for a dress I just HAVE to make, and will be buying it soon. It's supposed to be super easy, which is wonderful as I've no idea how to sew, and really haven't even been able to do a straight hem yet, but I've wanted to learn for the longest time. I also think I've found the perfect fabric online! First, of course, I'll have to try the dress using some $1 fabric from Wal-mart, but if it comes out well, I'll soon have an adorable dress hand-made by me! This is something I won't be able to mess with until my short break in mid-May, which is approaching far too quickly. I'm already nervous about finals! Yikes!

Oh yes, would any of my faithful readers (hahaha!) happen to read Russian? I have found a lovely crochet pattern that needs deciphering!

FOs - Modeknits' Silk Corset Top and Ribbon Shrug from Knit.1

First of all, please excuse how horrible I look in these photos. I was completely sober, although a bit tired, and there is no excuse for how cracked-out I look!

Silk Corset Top:
From: Modeknit
Size: 32"
Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Brilla, cotton/rayon blend, color #400, almost 4 skeins
Needles: size 6 straight





Mods made: I used all one color, instead of a MC and CC. I didn't add buttons to the very bottom, and would have needed 24, I believe it was, if I had. I did buy them, but so many people told me it looked great the way it was that I decided to leave it. I worked chart D for an extra inch before beginning the bottom lace. I have yet to do the crochet edging because I know I don't have enough yarn left, so I'm waiting until I can find another skein in the color I need.

Other details: I feel the Brilla was a great yarn for this project; it's a little thinner than the yarn called for, but it's not so thin that I HAVE to wear something underneath (although in these photos I am wearing a red cami under the top). It was really nice to work with once I became used to the inelasticity of the yarn. The pictures are a little bright; in reality it doesn't appear to have any orange in it at all.

Sizing was a hard decision for this project; I normally wear about a 33", but I chose a 32", and it is really, really tight, as you can see. Also, if knitting this top, be sure to pay extra attention for the first few rows; that seems to be where many people get most confused on this project. I joined the knit along for this. The URL is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/silkcorsetknitalong/

Incredible Ribbon Shrug:

From: Knit.1 Spring/Summer '05
Size: 35"
Yarn: Lion Brand Incredible Ribbon, color purple party, ~ 3.5 skeins
Needles: size 15



Mods: I think my gauge was off; at any rate, it was really hard to measure this thing. It doesn't really matter, because I didn't realize it was probably going to come out too large, and it did. I should have gone down to 13s, maybe, or sized it down somehow. It still looks alright, I think.

Other details: It's a bit tricky figuring out how you're supposed to tie it, but I think I got it right. I had one very off dyelot that was much brighter and not as pretty as the rest, so I did the sleeves with that one. At least it kinda looks purposefully done. In this picture, it looks a little wonky. I promise it's not! It looks that way because the flash was so bright. I couldn't get a good picture of it, but it's much cuter in real life!

Tomorrow, tomorrow

I tried to post this last night:

Tomorrow, I'll try to take and post some pictures of the (nearly) completed corset top, the (nearly) completed fish bag, and the fully completed ribbon shrug. I mention the first two with the word nearly, because they are both wearable, but not technically finished. I'm going to have to buy another skein of yarn to do the crochet edging of the corset, and I need to embroider one more side of the fish bag. I haven't had much time for knitting lately, nor for anything else.

That's all for now, just wanted to do a quick update so y'all would know I'm still around. Bedtime now!