Itching to Stitch...

 I have been slowing working on my various projects with one of them being the Itch To Stitch Celeste Dress.  I could not resist the lastest Itch to Stitch pattern - the Soller Top & Dress pattern.  It has been printed and waiting to be put together.  I think that is some stash fabric that will work with this pattern.  Of course, I still have a vest that needs to be completed.  I finally got the zipper stops in so I fix the zipper to the correct length.  The knitting bug has hit and I purchased yarn from Knit Picks with the projects being freebies.  Here is the first project:

This is a knit cafe curtain that I intend to make twice as long.

This is Froggy.  No idea what I am going to do with this but I sure thought it was cute and I am going to knit it.  

I have not been sewing much while I spend my days with my parents so why not knit.  It will keep my fingers busy and hopefully I will not snack as much while I am there. I am definitely a stress eater and it is not helping at all that my parents keep every type of snack you can imagine available.

Do you knit as well?

Happy Stitching!

(I am an Itch to Stitch affiliate.  All Itch to Stitch links are affiliate links.  Should you purchase anything via these links, I would receive a small percentage of the sale.  Thank you!)

 

Inspiration...Handknit Throw

 Today, we will continue the theme of warming up the living space a little bit.  I love the look of a large knit blanket to cozy up under.  Here is a bit of inspiration:

This is the Pottery Barn Colossal Handknit Throw.  Price tag: $179.00.  Details:  chunky yarn, 100% acrylic, width - 44-inches wide by 56-inches long, machine wash cold, tumble dry.

You can purchase a lot of yarn for that price but if you can not knit, it is a great price.  I found some free knit throw instructions for the knitters - here.  Hope you are inspired to stitch something beautiful.

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Knit Pillow Covers

 Pillows are a quick way to change the atmosphere in a room.  I do think of this covers as more of fall/winter but this just gives you time to make them.  Here are the pillows covers:

This is a the Pottery Barn Camelia Chunky Knit Lumbar Pillow Cover.  Price tag: $39.50.  Details: accommodates a 14"x 20" pillow insert, knit front is 100% polyester with the back side being 100% cotton, zipper closure, spot clean.

This is the Pottery Barn Colossal Handknit Pillow Cover. Price tag: $79.50. Details: accommodates a 24" pillow insert, zipper closure, front is knit from 100% acrylic with back from 100% cotton, lining is 100% polyester, spot clean.

I can see this is fall, winter, various holiday colors easily.  However I would much rather spend my time creating them.   A quick gander around and I found 10 free patterns for pillow covers.  You might have to change the instructions a little bit to get the size you.  

Now, I am buzzing with ideas for my own living space.  I have lots of pillow forms and I currently planning on making new slip covers so this is a good time to plan makes pillow fronts.  I can easily knits these while I am spending time with my parents.  

Happy Stitching!

Inspiration...Knit Beanie

 This post is for the knitters.  While cruising through the new collection on Lafayette 148 NY, I found this beanie:

This is the KindCashmere Pique Knit Beanie.  Price tag: $248.00.  Details:  Pique Stitch with rib stitch, Cashmere, 5-ply.   

Here is a youtube on the Pique Knit Stitch. To recreate, I would do practice swatch and measure.  Compare to your favorite beanie pattern.  Look for a great wool.  Have fun!

Happy Stitching!

Black Friday Sales...

Oh, yes, I got involved in the early Black Friday Sales at Bluprint.  Everything is on sale.  The knitting category was my downfall.  Here is what I picked:

This is the Ledberg Cardigan  knitting kit.  I would have loved the charcoal version but it wasn't available.  So, I chose a navy yarn.  I'm really looking forward to completing this item.  I also purchased some circular needles in the recommended size and length for this project.

This is the Holiday Trees Highland knitting kit.  I chose evergreen and ecru yarns for this kit.

This is the Santa Claus Cones knitting kit.  I chose cardinal and ecru yarns for this kit.

I need to check the needle stash to see if I have the correct needles for the decorative needle kits.  I suppose I should have ordered them when I ordered the kits but I really don't want to many extra needles in the same size.  The decorative items will not be ready for this year's Christmas decorating but they will be ready for next Christmas.  That gives me a little over a year to complete.  I can do it!

I'm a very slow knitter and I expect I will play around a little bit before starting any of these items.  This is so I can figure out the correct tensions and just get a little practice in.   I haven't knitted in a while and it can be obvious when the tension on the stitches isn't quite right.

So, did you indulge in any of the crafty Black Friday sales?  Did you pick up anything good?

Happy Stitching!

(Affliliate links are included in this post.  I will get a small commission on anything purchased at no additional charge to you.)

Knitting...Finished A UFO

This past weekend found me trying to get the sewing area organized better.  I've been here 6 months now and have yet to find a good organization for this room.  I just have too much stuff.  My knitting stuff doesn't really have a home in the sewing room.  I really need to get this figured out.  I suppose I'm trying to keep too much stuff in the room itself instead of taking advantage of the nice storage unit.  So back to knitting, I was going through my knitting supplies and a scarf project that was almost finished.   It is one of those no pattern one skein items.  I know I was working on this when I was taking the Improve Your Knitting: Alternative Methods & Styles class at Craftsy.   So, after two short sessions while watching TV here is my little scarf:

This is a simple 2K2P rib and I really like the texture.  This view is unblocked and I need to decide if I'm going to block it or not.  Maybe I can find time next week if I decide to do it.

One thing that I can say about my knitting stash is that it has grown project by project even though I had not intended to have such a large backlog of knitting.  I love looking at the Crafty knitting clearance because you never know what you're going to find and I have found a lot.  I have at least 6 projects that need to be completed.

Happy Stitching!

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Knitting, Knitting, Knitting...

I think I enjoy knitting as much as I do sewing.  Somehow though, I don't always make time for both during the same day.  I found a local knitting group that meets on Wednesday at a little local bookstore.  My husband and I visited the bookstore last Friday.  It is a very cozy little place.  I was fascinated by the very large birdcage inside that held about 10 small birds.  I didn't actually count the birds but they were adorable.  Particularly, the little bird that was sitting on her nest cooing.

Back to knitting...so that I have a project to work on when I go to my first meeting, I started doing a swatch from a Lion Brand Wool Ease in rose heather:

My little swatch is about 1/3 complete to check my gauge.  I will be good to take to the meeting tomorrow.  I'm intending to my this scarf:

This scarf goes along with my Explorations in Cables class and is one of the extra patterns to work on.  It is also a freebie on the Lion Brand website.  It is called the Harbor Scarf.  I don't actually have the correct needle size for this project.  That is why I'm doing the swatch to see how I'm doing.  I'm getting ready to place an order for needles so this is the perfect time to be doing this.

While hopping around on the Lion Brand site, I found this lovely little pattern:

This is the Modern Cable Pullover and I put it on my list of projects (like I need another project).  It falls right into the cabling class practice work even if it isn't part of the actual class.  Now, I just need to figure out yarn.

I will also be taking the next sample for the Explorations in Cables class to the meeting with me tomorrow.  It is after all 2 hours and I don't expect me finishing the swatch and measuring it to take the entire time.  Hopefully, the next swatch will be finished in time for the next knitting update.

Just an FYI, Lion Brand is having a 25% sale on all pink yarn and kits for the month of February.

Happy Stitching!

(Please note that this post has affiliate links.)

Knitting Cables, Fifth Sample...

I've finished the fifth sample for the Explorations in Cables class.  Here is my unblocked version:

This was more practice of the doing a cable without a cable needle and chart reading.  In this sample, I again worked the cable with a cable needle and without a cable needle.  Can you tell difference?  It really isn't hard to tell with this sample that I'm having difficulty reading the chart but it is all about practice.  I did figure what I was doing incorrectly on the chart.  I will revisit this particular pattern again in the future.  

Happy Stitching!

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Knitting Cables, Fourth Sample...

I've finished the fourth sample for the Explorations in Cables class.  Here is my unblocked version:

This was really more practice of the doing a cable without a cable needle.  In my sample, I worked the cable with a cable needle and without a cable needle.  Can you tell difference?  I worked three sets of the pattern and only one is without the cable needle.

I'm still not loving the cable without a cable needle.  However, I can definitely see a use for it and will continue to practice it.  When you're crossing one stitch over another or two stitches over one, it is fairly easy to accomplish.  I'm still dropping stitches but I suspect that is a matter of practice.  Have you ever tried this technique?

I'm still finding chart reading difficult.  Maybe this is a matter of practice, also.  I suppose it is possible that if I had started out with a very simple knit/purl chart that I would have thought chart reading was easy.  This class is going over many types of charts and it could be that I'm not feeling like I getting it because of the lack of consistency.  I do appreciate that we are being shown a variety of ways to that a chart can be written and how to interpret them.

On to the next sample...I've been sewing a lot lately which is slowing down the knitting a little bit.  I enjoy doing both but it can be difficult to fit both in a day or even a week.

Happy Stitching!

Knitting Cables, Third Sample....

I've finished the third sample in the Exploration in Cables class.  Here's my sample:

What I learned:

1.  An alternative cable cast-on
2.  How to do a cable without a cable needle. 

I also continued to practice tightening the first stitch between a knit and purl, tightening up the last stitch on a row, and reading a knitting chart. 

Overall, I liked the cable cast-on.  It was a nice stretchy cast-on and I can see use for it.  However, i didn't really like doing a cable without a cable needle.  It is nice to know how to do a cable without using a cable needle but I found it very tiring to do.  It was far too easy for me to drop stitches.  I might use this technique in the future but I'm not sure.

On to the next lesson.

Happy Stitching!

Knitting Cables, The First Samples ....

The Explorations of Cables has been an interesting class so far.  Here's the first two samples:

Here's what I've learned so far:

1.  Cast on using the long tail cast on method in pattern.
2.  Tighten up the first stitch between a knit and purl.
3.  Tighten up the last stitch on a row.
4.  New techniques in binding off.
5.  How to read a knitting chart.

Don't you think that is a pretty good start?  I can only hope that the rest of the class in this enlightening.

I will admit that the hardest thing is reading a knitting chart especially for creating cables.  Hopefully, I will be able to get the slashes and such, and it will sink in.  Right now, I still have to look at the written description but with practice I should get there. 

Please note, that these samples have not been blocked.  As a point of reference, I'm using Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn.

Happy Stitching!

Easy Knit Blanket Sweater....

I started this earlier in the year.  I really indented for this to have been finished last winter but too much was going on and the finishing part is the part that I do not like.  I used the directions on Mama in a Stitch called Easy Knit Blanket Sweater.  Check out her version as mine as a little bit different.  Here's my finished rectangle:

It looks like I finished the actually knitting in the middle of June.  Just 6 months to get around to doing the finishing.  I will admit that my life has been a bit crazy in the last 6 months but it is finally calming down.

Here's the finished version:

 You can tell that this is a difference is casting on and binding off in this picture.  It looks like one side has more stitches than the other.  I think I need to practice more to get a more elastic bind off.

Here it is on:

This will be perfect for taking along to church and such.  Sometimes, you just need another layer with the fan/air/whatever is blowing.  It does feel a little bit big but for what it's doing it's fine.

I used the Bernat Blanket yarn that I found at JoAnn's.  It is 100% polyester and very cozy.  I used one strand of yarn.  If I was doing this again, I would use two strands to make an even cozier little shrug.

I think this is the end of my unfinished projects from the year.  Now, I will move back to the sewing room and finish up holiday stitching.

Happy Stitching!

Keeping it Simple....

Our monthly knitting group meeting was this past weekend and I'm always searching for a small project that I can take with me and isn't tremendously taxing while you're sitting there and talking. This month I chose the Knotted Cables Washcloth pattern from Knitpicks.  Here's what there version looks like:

Of course, it is highly likely that this has been blocked and made to look very pretty.  Here's my version:

This has not been blocked. My gauge is off  and I can see one minor mistake.  My measurements are 1" wider and 1/4" taller than the pattern measurements.  I also don't have as many pattern repeats are the picture.  I went back and double-checked the instructions and I did miss a repeat.  I actually like this pattern and I may do it again.  I think next time I will drop a needle size and see if I can end up closer to the measurement given in the pattern.

Details:  Pattern is written for Dishy and a size 7 needle.  I used Sugar n' Cream with size 7 needles.

Happy Stitching!

When Do You Add Edge Stitches?....

So, I have finally started the T-shirt project that I talked about in this knitting post.  It has taken a couple of starts to get it going because it is oh, so easy to drop stitches.  Sometimes you can pick up those stitches and sometimes you can't.  Anyway, once I got started and made it through the first section, I realized that I didn't know if I should have added edge stitches.  Eeek!  Off to the net to see if I can find anything about edge stitches and when to use them. I could find information on the various types of edge stitches but I couldn't find anything that told when to add an edge stitch or if edge stitches should always be added.

Off to my trusty little library.  It may be small but I do own some fairly good books.  I found "The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques" by Nancie N Wiseman.  This is not a book I have reached for often.  I am sure I read through it when I got it and then put it on my shelf for future reference.  Low and behold there is a whole chapter on edge stitches or selvages.  After reading her explanation  of edge stitches and when to use them, I have decided that for this project I'm not going to need them.  After all, my project is a straight stockinette stitch and it wants the edges to roll. Well, at least on the hem edges.

So what are edge stitches or selvages used for?  They control the edge of the knitted fabric and also give you additional stitches to create a seam if you're project needs it.  If you were knitting a scarf, an edge stitch would assist with getting the edges to lay flat.  If you were knitting a sweater with beautiful motifs or designs on it, the edge stitches would be added to prevent a disruption of the pattern by adding additional stitches for the seam.  Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?

So, if anyone has any additional information on the use of edge stitches.  Please send me the information so I can learn more.  At this point, my project is only about 3" long.  I would rather do another start than find out at the end that I should have added the edges stitches.

Happy Stitching!

It's Good to be Home Again...

I spent the past week visiting with my parents.  It was so very nice to see them again.  I don't usually visit in the fall but this was my chance and I took it.  I even got to fly instead of drive.  How lucky am I?  It just happen to turn out that it cost the same between the two options.  So I flew knowing I would get to spend a couple of extra days with family.  Before I left, I ordered a few things so I could get started on some projects upon my return.  Here's my purchases:

I purchased three sizes (2.75mm, 3.00mm, 3.25mm) of the Pony knitting needles from Deramores in the UK.  I have purchased from them in the past and was pleased with their prompt service. Now, I'm ready to start my next project from the Wilder by Kim Hargreaves book.  This is the first time I've used these brand of needle.  I hope that I like them.

I also decided to purchase some fabric and try to carve out some "me" sewing time for a few tops.  Here are my purchases:

I hope I'm not deceiving myself about getting sewing done. I feel like all I have worked on this entire year has been quilts and it's time to do something whether I have a serger or not.  I hope I can still do a satisfactory edge finish.  I know once long ago I was able to sew just fine without a serger. Almost forgot, all the fabric is from fabric.com.

Happy Stitching!

New Yarn...

While I was in Tasmania, I decided to pick some yarn for myself and a friend.  Here is what I picked:

The yarn on the top is a local yarn from the farm called White Gum Wool.  The yarn is hand dyed by a local artist.  I can not tell from the website if the owner of White Gum Wool does any dying herself.  This yarn was for a friend.  It is 100% merino and very soft.

The other two balls of yarn are mine.  I'm sure it is destined to be a scarf of some type.  I don't think there is enough yarn for anything else but I do love the color.

If you're ever in Hobart, look up the Salamanca Wool Shop. It is a wonderful little shop with friendly people.  If you like wearing shades of brown, check out the cinnamon wool. Just gorgeous!

Happy Stitching!

Wilder West Lacy Scarf Completed....

I'm so happy.  The Wilder Lacy scarf is finished! It took many hours but it was a very good project to work on while I was flying between home,Sydney, and in the evenings.  It was completed the last day in Tasmania which was very good because the next day airport security took my scissors.  I'm not sure what caught their eye this time because those scissors have been through many airport security checks.  However, they were not expensive so it wasn't much of an issue.

Here's my version of the scarf:

Oops!  When I took the above picture, I realized that I haven't actually completed the project..  The yarn ends need to be woven in and it still needs to be blocked but the knitting part is finished.

Project Information:

pattern - Wilder West Lacy Scarf
needles - size 11 circular
yarn - Rowan softknit cotton  (loved this yarn)

Now, it is on to my next project.

Happy Stitching!

Wilder West Lacy Scarf....

Remember my excitement in the last post about receiving the Wilder book?  One of the projects that I was really excited about was the West Lacy Scarf.  Here's a look:

Beautiful scarf in the picture!  However I can't get my knitting look like that at all.  Somehow the instructions just do not match up and the resulting fabric doesn't have that pretty design.  Oh, it has a design just not this particular one.  I did contact the designer and I did get a response but it didn't help me much except knowing which rows were suppose to end up with the same number of stitches as you started out with.  I've been trying to locate directions for the basic stitch without success.  I don't consider myself a beginner knitter.  I have knitted much more complicated patterns that this one.  I don't really considered myself an advanced knitter either.  I do consider myself an experienced knitter and this pattern is listed as suitable for a knitter with a little experience.  I'm a bit beyond that description.

I don't want to type out the instructions here because that would be unfair to the designer.  However, if anyone has any successful experience with this pattern I would really love to hear from you.  Also, if you recognize the basic stitch on this scarf and know where directions can be located, I would love to hear about that.

REVISE....I figured out what I was doing wrong when I was following the directions and it was a total misunderstanding of the YFWD.  I watched many videos on this and they always did the YFWD with a knit which made it look like that was what it is.  Nope, just a simple YO.   My knitting looks just like the picture above now.

As for the yarn, Rowan Softknit, this is fabulous.  It has withstood my many attempts are creating this scarf without any damage to the yarn.  I hope I can yet figure out the scarf.  If not, maybe I will create my own pattern for a scarf and move on,  I have books with lots of lacy stitch patterns surely I can figure one out from there.

Happy Stitching!

It's All About Knitting....

A week or so ago I found the Wilder book by Kim Hargreaves and fell in love with about 90% of projects.  Here's a look at the front cover:

Amazingly, the cover sweater isn't one of the items I fell for.  I'm not so sure about the fringe.  I suppose it would be easy enough to leave off.  Here's the first project that I'm going to try working on:

Lovely scarf, don't you think?  It has a new to me stitch in it and I'm hoping it doesn't turn out different.  This is a project for when I have a long flight. If I'm lucky, the scarf will get finished on the long flight.  Here's the yarn that I picked:

This is a Rowan Softknit in Flint.  I really wanted the Black shade but there must not have been enough available as the system wouldn't let me order it.  I have never knit with this yarn before.  I hope that I like it.   The next project is a T-shirt:

I looks like it should be fairly straight forward project.  This will be a project for when I'm watching TV or perhaps on a rainy day.  Here's the yarn that I purchased for it:

This is DMC Natura Just Cotton in Rose Soraya.  This was a suggested substitute yarn for another one I was looking at and this color was more of what I was looking for.  Hopefully, I won't be disappointed in this yarn either.

What do you think of my planned projects?  Have you seen the Wilder book?  I'm looking forward to creating several of  the projects in the book.

Happy Stitching!

New Patterns & Books...

Yeah, I've been shopping again.  I added a new knitting pattern book:

As a knitter, how could I resist this book?  I've only looked at a few of the stitches but I'm always drawn to the cables.

I also added a couple of new patterns:

I finally decided to give the Archer Button Up a chance.  There are a ton of reviews on this shirt and everyone seems to love it.  Hopefully, I can figure out the fit well enough by fall to make a couple of shirts.

I fell in love with this wall hanging so I added the pattern to the collection. I'm not sure I will have time this year to make it but maybe early in 2017.  I think I might be able to find most of the required fabrics in my stash and that is a win-win.

I also added a couple of boxes of threads in the basic white and black.  I'm amazed at how quickly the last box of white disappeared.

Happy Stitching!