Anticipating Spring

It's a raw, dreary day, and there's still plenty of winter left I'm sure.  Nonetheless, it's time to put aside the woolen fabric and yarn and look forward to warmer days.

I'm usually caught still finishing up winter projects once the nicer weather rolls around, but this year will be different.  To wit: 

 

 

 

Lido, a light little wrap from Hanne Falkenberg.  I don't expect to wear it quite like the model shown, but I think it will be a handy layer for warmer weather.

 

This is knit in Hanne's own line of yarn, in the same fresh green as the model.  I'm working it on US size 2 needles (2.75 m) at a gauge of 100 stitches to 4 inches -- no, no, that's just some knitting humor -- it's really knit at 28 stitches and 54 rows per 4 inch (10 cm) swatch.  Since I'm not a spectacularly fast knitter I expect it may well be warm enough to wear it by the time I'm done.  Here's where I am now:

 

 

 

Roughly 2 inches or so into the lower eyelet portion of the top -- one sleeve has been picked up and knit, one sleeve still has stitches waiting for pick up.  As you can tell, it's knit seamlessly (mostly) from the top down.  While it was a little discouraging when all 1,000,000 stitches - fronts, sleeves, and back - were on the needle, things are going a bit faster now that I am only working on the fronts/back. 

 

One aspect of it is speeding by though.  It has two 33 cm (roughly 13 inches) I-cord ties called for to fasten the fronts.  Ordinarily working 26 inches of I-cord on such small needles would not be my most favorite thing, but this little gadget made quick work out of it --

 

It's a simple little I-cord machine, The Embellish Knit.  A tiny little 4 stitch circular knitting machine that does only one thing - I-cord - with only a couple of weights of yarn (fingering or sport, basically), but it does that one thing like a champion -- cranking out my 26" of I-cord in about 5 minutes.  In the photo you can see a wee little tail of I-cord coming out of the bottom of the machine.  Normally the weight (it's a clothespin with metal bits inside!) would be attached to the cord itself, but for photographic purposes I removed it.  Does anyone need such a Johnny One Note gadget?  Nope, not at all -- but I sure am glad I had it!

 

I've started Spring sewing too, but that's a story for another day...



Ultrasuede Challenge

Recently, our ASG neighborhood group had a little challenge -- use thrifted Ultrasuede garments to make a purse, or bag.  One of our members had collected garments over the years, and brought some in for us to look through and purchase, if desired.  I picked out an olive green Ultrasuede Facile skirt, and also a heavier weight lime green wrap skirt.  For a grand total of $10 -- who wouldn't snap that up?

I had some scraps of Ultrasuede from another project that I added to it to come up with this small bag --



There was plenty of fabric left over, so I went with a jaunty beret --

 

 

 

Here's a close up of the small bow and button trim:

 

And there's still more left -- but that's for another day.

To start the year...

...off right -- a little sewing, a little knitting.

I've mentioned a time or two that I really like Style Arc, so when I feel like I need a little instant sewing gratification you'll most often find me there.  This time I went with their drape-front cardigan, Nina. 





The fabric is a rayon/poly blend (I think!) from Sewing Workshop, and my preference is to wear it belted.  It's an easy-to-wear layer, and was quick and easy to make.  I did not follow the pattern suggestion to serge finish the front and bottom edges.  Instead I used a binding on the front edge, and a narrow hem on the bottom and sleeve edges.  Otherwise, it's a 'straight from the envelope' make.

 

 



The knitting is a sweater from the Ann Budd book "The Knitter's Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters" -- Feather and Fan Flare.  It's knit from the top (natch!) with a circular seamless yoke.  The yarn used is Tahki Stacy Charles Zara.  I don't often knit sweaters seamlessly, so I was interested to see how I'd like using this method.  All in all, it went quite well.  My only complaints are that it gets a bit heavy towards the end, and I really miss having a place to hide my joins, especially when using a yarn that can't take a felt-splice.  As for sizing, I went crazy and went down a size which meant I was dealing with negative ease, but I think it all worked out fairly well.   I tend to end up with sweaters that are just a scootch too large, so this time I forced myself to go smaller.  It was a struggle though --although I tried it on as I was knitting it (which is a nice feature of top-down!) I still could not accept that it wouldn't be too small until it was washed and blocked and I had my final try on.  So, hopefully a lesson learned.

 





I've made a little progress with the hat blocking -- it has had sizing applied and been steamed into shape on the hat form.  You can see it below -- off the hat form and resting on a Styrofoam head. I may have gone a little overboard with the gelatin sizing.  I think perhaps a lining would be appropriate in the crown section to keep hair/sizing apart.  This was totally meant as a learning experience though, so I'm not going to worry about it.  If you can tell from the photo, it now needs to have excess felt trimmed away from the brim.  That edge will be turned under and hand stitched.  I'll also be learning how to 'swirl' or curve the grosgrain ribbon band into shape in order to insert it where the crown and brim meet.  Hand stitching doesn't come easy to me, so it will probably take a while to get those things done.  Then the fun begins -- decorative trims.  It will be interesting to try out a few new (to me) ribbon embellishments or feather trims.  More later!

 

 



Apparently...

...I took a little break -- ah, how refreshing!

But now it's a new year, with new things to accomplish.  I've been enjoying all the "resolutions" type posts around the 'net, but not going to go there myself.  I often wish I was more productive, or at least produced things that actually work together -- collections, if you will -- but the plain fact is that I do this (sewing, knitting, crochet, whatever) for fun, not necessity.  So, fun will often lead me down impractical paths -- but it's a lot more enjoyable than having "shoulds" and "have to" hanging over my head.  Which brings me to --

Hats!  Love them, and am trying to make them more a part of my daily life, and now I seem to have a need to actually make them.  You've seen the sewn ones I've done recently, but now I'd like to try actually molding one on a form.  I'm hoping I come out with something wearable from this --

a hat form

A wool felt "hood"

                          and this --

Not too keen on working with toxic chemicals, so I'm going to try a gelatin sizing.  That might make for some interesting hair should I get caught in the rain, but it's probably better than going mad as a hatter.  I'll be using the book Hats, by Sarah Cant for some guidance.  It doesn't 'seem' to be terribly complicated, but we'll see what choice words I'm saying when I'm smack dab in the middle of it!

 

Updates as I go along, but now it's time to fire up the steamer!

 

Dear Santa...

I've been a very good boy this year, not one ginger pig has mysteriously fallen from the tree!

Too Cute

I think even Scrooge would agree -- these are seriously cute!

The recipe is HERE    If this link is wonky, they are from the 12/12/2012 issue of The Washington Post.

Things I learned that may help someone else -- place the chocolate chips with the pointed side down -- don't place the ears too far apart, they could fall out -- use a nice long noodle for the tail, you will have breakage, especially if they travel -- try really hard to find (already) sliced almonds, it is very difficult to slice whole almonds cleanly.

I only changed one thing in the recipe -- I used a yolk-sized dollop of cream cheese in place of the egg yolk, since I made a half recipe to test it and didn't want to be bothered trying to divide one egg yolk --  it worked just fine.   If I were to make them again (and I will) I would consider using white string for the tail.  The children I would bake them for are mature enough to know not to eat the string, plus I grew up eating sugar mice with string tails and survived -- but you know your own audience and the responsibility rests with you, so...  Bonus points?  Not only are these cute, but they taste good too!

Scarfing

Hitchhiker  -- yarn:  4 skeins Koigu PPPM

This designer has some cute shawlettes -- I think I'll put Leftie on the needles next.

I think this one is Trellis by the incomparable Doris Chan in the scarf version.  Also available in a shawl/wrap or cowl version.  Found it in the closet with only two ends to run in.  Now, why didn't I finish it off way back when?  Not sure about the yarn, but I love the colors!