Purple Cloud

Pattern: Cloud Bolero (modified to be a 1/2 length sleeve cardigan) by Ysolda Teague.
Yarn: Pattons SWS in Real Raisin
Needles: Size 11

This yarn sheds a lot but the sheen and the color makes it worth it to me. Some might think it a bit itchy, but it's okay to me. I think I made a size small.

Oh That Envy.

I'd recognize that look anywhere. The one that needs no words, no frown, no smile. Just silent observation.

I try to keep a clean car. This means promptly removing any of our trash and belongings right along with ourselves everyday. That's why when I find stuff that belongs to the kids, I throw it right in their faces. They know the deal, yet they repeatedly test me.

Well, when tossing back Lil Man's favorite pair of ski gloves, I caught this look in Teddy Bear's eyes like, WTH? Just silence while driving for about 3 minutes. Then before we could even make it to the intersection...

"Mommy!"
"Yes?"
"Can you make me some gloves?"
"Yes."

No more words, just a sharp look towards Lil Man's way as if to say, how dare you tease me with those cool things. Lil Man never even noticed that she noticed the gloves and didn't even catch on with the verbal interchange.

Do you think she would let me forget? Huh! The very next time she caught me on the computer, she made sure it was because I was looking for her a gloves pattern. Now see, the only thing I had to do besides find a simple pattern was to convince her that mittens were just as cool as gloves. I'm trying to knit my own pair of gloves and have yet to figure out how to close those little gusset holes at the base of each finger. I'm so frustrated. So, do you think I'd dare to start myself yet another challenge on an even tinier scale? Not yet. Soon though, ya'll know me.

"Nooooo, glllllooooveees."

As if I didn't hear her the first time. So, I had to pull rank.

"What color do you want them?"
"I want pink and yellow and white and purple and blue."

I initially had a little panic attack of the prospect of having to search for something in this bizarre colorway, but then noticed out the corner of my eye that she was eying my stash. She'd found some cheap sport weight acrylic that I'm sure I copped from Walmart umpteen years ago before I realised me and my yarn would be this close. Exxxxxxcellent.

Although it took me two tries to get it right (I was sleepy and rushing the first time), after the third mitten, I got a pretty cool pair of rainbow crazy, that'll do, "can you please knit faster?", "ha ha ha, yaaay", mittens.

And oh, big brother, you don't have to look at my green eyes anymore, but you do have look at these fabulous rainbow mittens that Mommy made for me and not you. "Ha Ha!"

Knitted on size 7 circulars I made the K1, P1 ribbing a half inch longer than recommended. The rest of the dimensions were just fine. Find the pattern here.

February Lady Sweater

I've been finished with this sweater for some time.

Today is the third time I'm wearing it.

Guess this means that I love it.

This pattern was easy, the fit is great, and I love the yarn I chose. Although it is starting to pill, I love the way it hangs.

I'll come back to post the specifications later, but here are some pictures for now.

And the shoes to match!

Cloud Cardigan

I fell in love with this bolero before I even knew how to knit lace.

It seemed perfect for the Patons SWS that Teddy Bear rejected. Two balls would have been enough for a bolero, but I wanted a cardigan so I'm working on about my 5th ball.


The sleeves are challenging me since the would have been bound off by now if I'd stuck with the pattern.

I'm going to have at it again today, because aside from that, the pattern is great.

Flower Scarf

I want to make my own coat. I found a pattern that's supposed to be really easy, except I can't find a fabric I like.

I want a brown and light blue plaid. I think this is why I don't sew much. All that work and I want some fabrics that I want. I can't even find a border print for the dress I wanted to do. We just don't seem to have a big selection in stores in my area.

Anyway. I envision wearing a flower scarf with matching gloves with my coat whenever I get it done. Before fall ends I hope.

Here's what I have so far.


Everything was copesthetic when I first sat down to make this scarf. For a hot second I thought that I might make these as Christmas gifts because it takes so little yarn and time. Then I got to the flower.

Impossible to do on DPNs I say! I had to go to circulars for sure and since I don't have size 5's I had to use my size 4 Addi Turbos. Do you see the nasty kinks this flower put in the cord? Uh! And all the little finishing details after that are irking me for some reason. And because I had to go down a whole needle size, my flower shrunk.

Warning!: Do not start that flower while experiencing PMS. I still have to crochet around the edge of the flower and will be using those long tails you see to do that. The pattern keeps saying to cut these 36" tails. Wayyyyyy too long in most cases and the length of the tails just added to my frustration. I could have just used one ball (110 yds) if it wasn't for those too long tails.

Otherwise, the project still went quickly because it was so small. It was actually a diversion from my Cloud Cardi whose modified sleeves are challenging me.

Pattern: Flower Scarf
Yarn: Queensland Bebe Cotsoy 50% Cotton 50% Soy, Very soft!
Colorway: Light Blue
Needle Sizes: 5 US, 4 for the dumb flower
Yardage: 115?
Time to make: 4-8 hours.

Chemo Hat

I made Teddy Bear a hat that covers her ears. She rejected it.

Color was great, but the yarn too scratchy. It was Paton's SWS in Real Rasin. Hah! You thought I didn't know the color, didn't you?

Well, I really fell in love with the look of the yarn. Even though it's not the softest in the world (it's really not that bad) and its splits if you're not careful, I thought that it would be perfect for my Cloud Cardigan.

So I gave up on her and bought a fleece hat from Old Navy for just $1. She loved it. Then I ran across this ear flap hat on Ravelry and decided to give it a try with my scrap. Great idea.

Pattern: Chemo Ear Flap Hat
Yarn: Lorna's Lace Shepard Sock Multi & Lion Brand Cotton Ease for the trim.
Coloryways: I don't knoooooow. =P
Amount used: About 95% of one skein sock yarn held double. Scrap amount of Cotton Ease.
Needle Size: US 6
Hook Size for trim and flower tassels: F
Time to make: about 4-6 hours

Only thing I didn't like was the gap in the back. I don't know how to fix this. This hat can be easily converted to crochet. Any experienced crocheter can read this pattern over and will know exactly what to do. I can help you with that if you like.

Still Spinning

It was only my second class. So this means only the 3rd and 4th hours of instruction. And by the end I had...

THIS!

I wonder if I can make as much during my last class. She'll be bringing alpaca and her drum carder. Grrrrrr. I wanted to make enough to possibly make another Hemlock Ring Blanket, but the carding will be so hard to resist.

First Yarn

Well, I've been wanting to learn how to do this for years now.

As usual, I tried to teach myself. I used a bottom whorl drop spindle.

It didn't work out.

I got all kinds of frustrated and discouraged. All I was left with was NOT any yarn, but hurt feelings and disappointment. I don't know why I get so emotional with this yarn. Sometimes I think I must be sick in the head.

Well, I finally found a class near me. With a store I like. For a reasonable price.

For $79 I get 7 hours of instruction, all the roving I can use, use of a wheel ( there were 4 different types, with the possibility of checking the wheels out with a credit card number), personal instruction, and Teddy Bear was well received although she was up in every new spinner's business.

This was invaluable. I mean, the instructor couldn't hold my hands, cause I needed to use them. But, she was sitting right in front of me guiding me with her words and suddenly I experienced an epiphany and began to spin some yarn fairly uniform in size without breaking the strand or hanging up the wheel with my tangles and mistakes.

Believe me, I've had quite a stressful week that left me with feelings of devastation. Well, while making my yarn, I didn't think at all about my stresses. Nor was I ever even hungry. Hmmmmmm.

You see this right here?! What's that in that picture, bloggers. Huhhhhh??? Yayee, yaay-eeeeeee!!!!! You KNOW!


That there is 100 grams of a combo of thread, lace, fingering, DK, aran, and chunky weight yarns all in one center pull ball. Isn't it beautiful?

Next week I will be making another one and spinning it into two ply with this one.

Oh yes, my February Lady Sweater is completed, but I haven't found buttons I like yet, or accessories to go with it. I'm trying to step my posting game up, so I want to do it right this time.

February Lady Sweater

I started a new project. It's getting cooler and of course this make knitting/crocheting more fun.

I think the February Lady Sweater is a perfect project for fall.

I plan on looking very shaggy glamorous in this sweater, hope it works out.

I'm using Cascade 220 on size 8 needles. This yarn is knitting way better than I remember from last time. I expect it to yield better results too. I've seen all the different versions in Ravelry, and I like the ones in Cascade 220 best. Cascade 220 Heathers even had a color that was identical to the samples. You can't beat the price.

I love the color, whatever it's name is. I'm sure I've seen a Kathy bag in the exact same color. I'm going to start looking for that.

The pattern is easy and seems to be going quickly.

Green Leafy Tea

Well I reclaimed my yarn from that sweater pattern whose name must not be spoken.

I looked up the yarn in Ravelry and found something that I liked, the Leafy T-Shirt.


I used size 6 needles and knit until the sleeves were 14" in diameter. I just think it's amazing how the diameter of my upper arm pretty much gives the rest of my upper dimensions. Reminds me of when we bought clothes in the store with my grandmother. She would have us stick our forearms in the waste band. If that fit, then the pants fit. This only works for kids by the way. That was back in the 70s and early 80s too so I wouldn't recommend it. The sleeves on this garment were tight at first but stretched with wear. This is unblocked.


I used Lion Brand Cotton Ease. I think the colorway is Lime, or Leaf. I'm sorry, I just can't seem to remember to note this. :(

I meant to include waste shaping, but as usual, I forgot. I just be wanting to knit, and can't remember things I plan that are not written down sometimes. Siigh.

Anyway, I like the results okay I guess.

I don't like how it looks in the back and will start to make a point to make sure all of my close fitting tops end up with a stretchy bind off. It's very tight around my voluptuous hips. I don't know why it's taken me this long to come to this conclusion. I've thought about it some and will be ripping back to do just that. This will probably eliminate that back bulge too. Then again, probably not.


The bottom curls a LOT. I've pulled it down in the pictures. I like the curly look, but not this much.

I'm trying to venture out when it comes to colors. I think I've chosen wisely.

Stash Bustin'!

Well I reclaimed my yarn from that Kelso Cardigan.

I made myself a Leafy T. I looked up Cotton Ease on Ravelry for some ideas and figured this would work.

It fits okay but I gotta find someone to help me take pictures of it, will post later.

In the mean time, I had almost a whole ball left over that was divided into about 4 super long strands because of the cardigan. I gotta figure out a way to use the rest of this scrap yarn.

Let's start by clothing some of these naked dolls running around my house. Teddy Bear hasn't undressed her yet, so maybe she just wanted hand made doll clothes all along, LOL.


There's no pattern. I just did a top down with some increases in the front for the flare.

Round Dish Cloth

That last project has got me thinking. I need to rethink how I approach starting a project. I just want to crochet or knit so bad, I just jump right in most of the time. Well, I think I'm going to start to do more planning. I'm going to do more than just a test swatch.

While I do this, to feed my fettish, I'm going to make some dishcloths for the house. We are in dire need. See, I've been ignoring the basics. That last sweater was a wake up call.

Why do I talk about my crafting like it's a major life decision? Because it is, that's why! What?!?

Here' the dishcloth. Done in Peaches and Cream Cotton. The project is simply called Knitted Round Dishcloth. It's very easy, only took a couple of hours, and I only have one seam to sew. How grand!! It's about 8 inches in diameter. It's my first dishcloth and I don't know why I waited so long to make it. No more rags for us, we're kicking it up a notch!

Kelso, First Try

Call me Miss Piggy, cause the only sounds you could hear coming from my bedroom night after night were rip-it, rip-it. I ripped this strange green creature back so many times I lost count. No really, I lost count. The sizing is just not right. The gauge of my test swatch was right on. I had problems with the raglan decreases the entire time trying to figure out which method to use and wondering why I still had so many stitches left on my needles. I ended up decreasing way more aggressively than the pattern recommended and it was still too big.

The neckline and shoulder shaping are not positioned right.

I had to knit an extra 3 sets of the horse shoe lace pattern to make the raglan decrease and neckline merge. Those raglan decreases are supposed to rest on my collar bones not caress my lady lumps.

The neck is too big.

That corset tie is supposed to be placed where the neck shaping starts and be lying across my chest. Yet, you see where it is.

It's way too loose and I had to stand very still so that it wouldn't fall off, I had to pin the collar to my shirt so that you could get an idea of how it's supposed to fit.

I'm going to make it again 2 sizes smaller. Maybe I'll get a better look next time.

Instead of the continuous complaints about this pattern full of ambiguity I'll just conclude my naming this joint an official.

Hot Mess!!!!!

Ravelers click here to see how it's supposed to look.

Ballet T-Shirt, A quickie

This is a real quickie. Took all of two evenings in bed after the kids had gone to sleep. If you want to experiment with manipulating sizes of patterns, this one would be great to get you started. Teddy Bear measures 23" around the chest.

Unfortunately, this top won't make it into the school pictures. Teddy Bear woke up with a horrible "crook" in her neck. I thought she had a sinus infection or meningitis or something. The doctor said that there were no major knots in her neck and recommended Motrin and warm compresses. Let Teddy Bear tell it, someone was trying to decapitate her. She had me very scared with her crying. She was inconsolable. She's doing better now, I had to come into the office for a little while.

Can you tell which side hurts?

FRONT

BACK

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, Held Double. Not even two full skeins were used.
Color: Ya'll know I have a hard time keeping track of this for some reason.
Needles: Size 11
Size: Made to fit chest size 23". One extra increase included to eliminate cropped look.

Ballet T

Kelso is not going well. The pattern is too confusing, not clear. The author has answered whatever questions I have, and that's great. But, isn't it best to have a pattern that requires no further communications with the client? I'm going to finish it, because I love the sweater. I want one of my own.

I worked half way up the neck line and realized that I had chosen the wrong type of raglan decrease for a particular row or forgot to omit a YO when I was supposed too and ended up with an odd looking lace repeat. I considered just moving on, but no. Won't do it. I may even rip back past the life line so that I can incorporate the waist shaping that I forgot to earlier. I believe waist shaping is oneof the differences between frumpy and sexy.

Needless to say, I have to step away from the Kelso for a while. Nope, it's not going into the abandoned pile. But in the mean time, for some instant gratification....

Got the notice in the backpacks yesterday that picture day is Friday. Thank for the heads up...NOT!!!! But since I love to torture myself, I'm going to whip up a hand made top for TeddyBear (whose grown 2 whole kids sizes since I last posted a picture of her) by Thursday night. It will be done. I will also be taking those tiny 2 1/2 week old braids out from the other half of her head.

I can do it.

See.

8:46 PM - 11:00 PM

Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece held double, size 11 circulars. Ballet T-Shirt Pattern from the Loop-D-Loop patterns book.

Kelso Lace Cardigan

Yeah, long weekends are for catching up on chores around the house. There was plenty of yard work, not enough, but plenty. Laundry as usual. And Jesus, can you please send a miracle for these floors? A coupon or something, Lord.

But, no long weekend would be right without starting a new project. I know, I know, I need to just go into those projects in dormancy and just work those out. But, we all know, this is not how my yarn fetish works. I would have loved to start this in a bamboo or bamboo cotton blend but the funds just aren't loose like that this month. So, good thing the pattern calls for Cotton Ease.

Kelso @ 7:20 AM

Kelso about 12 hours later.

The sleeve increases are driving me nuts, so I started on the body. I'll need to finish the sleeves before I can continue. Still on the first sleeve, still going crazy. Hope this one doesn't end up in the hybernation bin before the end of the week. Yes, I have a special place for those projects.

Ta Daaaaa! Gold Top with Rust Slacks.

Wow it's been a looooong time since I've been able to wear an outfit that I sewed out in public. Well, today, I wore this to work.

You have to look under my sewing label on the side bar to see the details about the pattern and the fabric. I have to review some other blogs before attempting to do a technical post.

We not gonna look at what the inside of these garments look like (the pants actually aren't that bad). But, here's what the outside of the outfit looks like. This picture sucks, and I'll try to get a better one later. But, you can see the basics, right?

Now, since I don't know which details are most important to display on a sewing post of a finished product, you have to tell me. Where should I zoom in?

Before and After the seat belt and 3 1/2 hour meeting. Pics Enlarge.

Hemlock Ring Blankie Finished!

This is exactly what I 've been wanting for a long time now! On cold nights maintaining my body temperature while asleep can prove to be quite the challenge. I always have to sleep with an extra top layer that I can flip on and off at will. That top layer is always some ugly reject that works just fine but totally clashes with the bedroom decor. This blankie is NOT at all ugly. At 46" in diameter, the perfect size to slide up and down my body to either keep my shoulders or feet just a little warmer. It matches perfectly with my duvet cover and my dark wood furniture.

Needles used: Size 9 32" circular, Susan Baytes
Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool, Color unknown.
I got the yarn before the Hemlock Ring Blanket Craze started by Jared Flood. I love that he did all the charting and conversion work for us.

I tried to fit the whole image into my little camera phone but couldn't. I love this blankie. It's mine all mine and will not be shared.

Hemlock Ring Blankie

Almost done with this one.

In our house, they're called blankies.

This is the longest bind off in history. I dare you to find one longer.

Yes, I've been working on this while doing the sewing. It's not too, too bad, I'm just working on it while sitting in bed at night. I can't use the sewing machine in bed and I have to keep my hands and brain churning until I fall asleep.

...Like It's Golden, Golden....

I'm almost done with this top. I've done as much as I could but now I need help with the sleeves because they have gathers and I forgot to transfer some markings. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this blouse in class tonight. This is the last class and I'm depending upon you all to help me with my next project. Please =)

This is the front. My stitches may not be as straight as yours, but they're pretty straight nonetheless.

Zipper In!

Okay, I'll probably be sewing all day today, or at least as long as my brain can take it. I'm ahead of my class a little because there was a problem with my paper blouse. The teacher had to take some time to figure it out on her own before she could help me.

This means that in order to stay occupied I had to move to the next step, at least on my pants. Which, was cutting out the fabric. So, while everyone else is cutting out fabric at home, I'm sewing pants at home.

Well, I'm so proud to announce that I have sewn in a zipper!

It's a little wonky at the top, but I do not care and I dare that teacher to ask me to re sew it. I think this zipper look pretty good for a first one (I may have done a zipper before but I can't remember). Especially since there are sooooo many patterns out there with no zippers or buttons at all. The only reason I'm putting up with this is because it's a class assignment. Shoot, give me a C grade on zipper install for all I care. I'm proud of my zipper.

And do you see all those little shreds coming off of my fabric. Should I have like "surged" over the edges of the piecies to keep that from happening? The teacher told me I could have done it before treating the fabric in order to avoid it, but she didn't tell me anything about the cut out pieces. Oh well, better keep moving before those shreds multiply and my seam allowance is all off.

Sew Difficult

Well, I really wanted to sew a garment that I can be proud of. You know, the ones that no one can tell you made yourself? This is why I decided to enroll in a sewing class at one of our local sewing centers.

I was soooo excited the day before my class. I had purchased everything on our supplies list, well almost, and I was even taking each item out of my new little sewing tote and playing with it. I felt like a Kindergartener on her first day before school. I was actually excited over scissors ya'll. I got the titanium kind. :) Well, one of the items on the list was swiss tracing paper.

The instructor requires us to trace out our pattern and then cut it out so that we can pin fit it. Well, this makes sense to me but it adds another element of labor that I was not prepared for. My shoulders and my wrists hurt from sketching out all these details. The scissors work great by the way. But, I've sewn together as much as I could on my own and now I'm stuck. Do I have to sew on the colar of my top to pin fit it or can I leave that off? Do I have to sew those stitches that are supposed to help you gather the fabric at certain points.

Teacher lady took the wind right out of my sails with this assignment.

Here's my fabric and here's what I am hoping to make.



These are both 100% polyester. The pants have orange and gold undertones and actually match very well with the gold silky solid intended for the top.

I have still been crocheting and knitting of course. I'm just too lazy to post pictures of those new projects right now. I made a girls Ballet T-Shirt (size way too small for Teddy Bear), and I'm working on a Butterfly Garden Square toddler bed size blanket for her. I'm also working on a Razor Cami for me.

Squares for Nessa Update

Alright, however many squares I have are all going into the mail on Monday. I hope Lesa can use these and has time enough to stitch them all together.

Here's the link to Chris Simon's Butterfly Garden pattern.