Dinosaur!

My first knitted FO of 2014.  This year is already off to a good start knitting-wise.  This is the Steggie pattern from Knitty.com.  I didn't like the super baggy fit and the Boy is rather on the thin side so I opted for the smallest size but lengthened the sleeves and the body by an inch.  I do wish I'd lengthened the body by a couple more inches, though.  

My goal with this sweater was just to use up some age old acrylic in my stash (bought for baby sweaters when the Boy actually was a baby!)  I stumbled across this pattern searching Ravelry and knew it had to be. As you may recall, the boy loves dinosaurs.  I did manage to use up almost all of the dark blue and the turquoise, but had to buy the variegated for the spikes (doh!).  Two steps forward, one step back.

He was pretty enamored with it the night I finished it (and the entire time I was knitting it) but since that night it's sat pretty much unloved.  Of course, he hasn't wanted to keep his clothes on for most of that time, so apparently we're regressing to that phase.  Oh good, just what we need in the middle of winter.  A preschooler who lives in his socks and undies.

At least he kept it on long enough for me to snap some photos.  The original motivation, now that I think of it, was to knit the boy a sweater upon which to sew these car buttons.  He's been going through my big button collection to pull these out and play with and I decided it was probably time to actually use them.  Big plastic car buttons are only cute up to a certain age, after all.  

He really seemed to like it when I took these pictures, so hopefully I'll get him to wear it (and pants) again.  I would like to see this sweater gets lots of love before it's retired to the hand-me-down pile.  And of course, don't forget the Sewing for Small People Sewalong hosted by Leah over at Struggle Sews a Straight Seam.  I plan on doing a round up post about the time things wrap up in May to see what all I've managed for the small people over the course of four months.  And if you don't follow Struggle Sews a Straight Seam check it out, Leah's hilarious!

vintage modern post script

never let it be said that i'm the kind of girl who can write a note without a post script or two.  i can hardly leave a room without going back for my phone.  all this being said...

p.s.to the dress

firstly, an explanation of the original title.  the tag on the sheet was labelled vintage modern, so i suppose the print is supposed to invoke vintage?  i just think it looks like somebody went to town on a spirograph

next, i think i've solved the sleeve problem.  i hate zigzagged edges and i didn't think french seams would work so i flat felled the sleeve seams.  it worked (yay!)

but you can see the weirdness around the neck...

of course you can't see it when it's on, especially in this weather since a sweater is a necessity

i feel like this sweater and this dress were made for each other.  of course that's silly since i made this sweater a couple of years ago before sewing really existed as a hobby for me.

all the seams on this dress are french or flat felled.  the pocket edges are finished with matching bias tape.  pretty insides =)

and a shot of the back because omfg i love this sweater.  whenever i wear it people say you made that?? no way!  you could sell those for like $100.  of course the yarn alone cost almost $100 soo... not so much

i'd never heard of "put a bird on it" when i made this sweater so the whole bird thing may become passe i don't even care i love this sweater!  i don't know about the belt though.  i was inspired by an outfit sewaholic posted.  i've never been much of a beltforreasonsotherthantoholdupmypants sort of person so i'm still working on it.

Edited to add (see I told you) that I'm linked up at Sew Cute Tuesday at Better off Thread for the first time.

Here at the End of Paper Things

Because I love a good pretentiously named sweater

I finished my first sweater of 2013 last night at 11, so technically just barely finished in January.  That means I'm still on schedule for 12 sweaters in 12 months.  Of course I started it mid-December but whatever.

I'm wearing a black camisole underneath (because I always wear a camisole underneath everything) so that lace is not part of the sweater.

The stitch pattern is lifted from Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts.... so you've seen it before.  It's a very simple stitch pattern so it was easy to sweaterize.  I worked it from the bottom up because I am perpetually indecisive.  This way I didn't have to decide on neckline shape or raglan versus set in sleeves until most of the sweater was knit.  

I worked faux seams along the sides of the body, running along the underside of the arm, and then up along the raglan seams.  I love using a raglan seam as a design element with a bold line or cable.  Plus the "seam" helps hide the jog when you change rows.  All cast ons and bind offs are of the tubular sort, worked over 2x2 rib.  I swear one day I'll get a tutorial up for that.

I'm an idiot and can't use the self timer on my camera apparently, but look how pretty the stitch pattern is!  Plus you can see the neckline.  The whole sweater is seamless so when I started the neckline shaping I bound off one stitch (for the bottom of the V) and cast on 8 steek stitches.  After I finished knitting I machine sewed the steeks (2 lines on each side) and cut.  I used a blanket stitch to tack down the steeks then picked up and knit the neckline.  It wasn't my first steek and I doubt it will be my last.  Sometimes I wonder why people say things are scary when they're really not that bad.  Steeks aren't scary, they're easier than the alternative!

Here's a more flattering but much less informative rear view.  The yarns are dark grey and off white (natural?  sheep colored?).  They contrast pretty well but I've noticed that from afar they seem to look more like a heathered solid.  

Speaking of which, the yarns were salvaged from two old sweaters.  The grey is wool and the natural is a really soft yummy angora wool blend.  The grey isn't that soft but the combination of the two is super snuggly and warm.  I'm glad I combined them because I didn't think a sweater out of the grey would be wearable.

Overall I'm quite pleased with the outcome.  After taking these pics we went for a bike ride and it was comfortable and warm enough to go jacketless (which in January in Seattle is no small feat).  Actually hurray for finally having a nice enough day for outside pictures.  I didn't actually do any bike riding but the boy is getting the hang of this bike thing =)

wip wednesdsay

with christmas over i can't help but breath a sigh of relief.  no more deadlines, no more shopping, no more getting all kerbobbled...

and now i can spend my time being selfish.  sweater #1 of (hopefully) 12 to be finished in 2013.  

i've got half a sleeve and a few inches of the body.  i love colorwork and i think it looks really good in these neutrals.

they call me mellow yellow..

Not often, though, since this is the only yellow piece of clothing i own.

I've always felt pretty confident that yellow is not my color, but if there's a color yellow I can wear this just might be it.  It's saturated but not too bright.  Sort of a sunflower color or turmeric.

The inspiration for this cardigan is here at anthropologie.com.  It's obviously not much of a replica since the original is crocheted, a raglan, and a hoodie whereas none of those adjectives describe this sweater.   Nonetheless, I wanted a lacy cotton cardi and this was the impetus.

I can't recall every actually buying anything at Anthropologie but I love browsing there.  Why?  Because almost everything they carry is the type of thing you could make. 

It took me a long time to decide what stitch pattern to use; I wanted something all over lacy but not too delicate or geometric.  Finally I decided to use a modified version of the pine nut lace chart from Elizabeth Freeman's Torreyana shawl on Knitty.  I fell in love with this shawl as soon as it was published and made one that eventually was given to a friend going through a tough time.  I fully intend on making another one because the lace patterns are just beautiful and the shape of the shawl is perfect.

der, I didn't realize I missed a button!

I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I've had a lot of trouble designing set in sleeve caps but I broke down and bought Knitwear Design Workshop and I think the result speaks for itself.  My only qualm is that I should've bound off less stitches in the first inch and done more decreases in the body of the sleeve cap.  Live and learn eh?  Once everything was sewn up, though, it doesn't make much difference.  The pieces just looked funny before sewing.

 The yarn was salvaged from a thrift store sweater.  It was a very large, very cabled men's pullover so there was a ton of yarn there.  There's quite a bit more.  I see a matching shrug for little Miss Em and maybe a hat and/or a scarf for me...  Though I'm afraid that might be waaay too matchy matchy.  

I took a tip from Lladybird and reinforced the button band.  She used ribbon but I used bias tape because that's what I had.  I sewed it on by hand and then sewed on the buttons and reinforced the buttonholes with my sewing machine.  It really made a huge difference in the button band not gaping at all (my second biggest problem with hand knit sweaters after sleeve cap shaping).  

It's the same pink paisley I used already for a wrap skirt and another darling ranges inspired top which you haven't seen yet.  I love this fabric it's so pretty!  I still have just a bit left, maybe a baby dress?  I haven't decided yet.  It is my precious.  I must hoard it forever use it wisely.

Those buttons were in a huge bag of buttons I got from Goodwill for 99 cents.  They're glass (?) shank buttons.  Yes they match =)  Yes there are lots more matching buttons.  Yes they're mostly non plastic/cheap buttons.  Best thrift find every?  Maybe.

I love the lace pattern.  It's so organic.  It's a three stitch, four row repeat and so easy.  I did have to modify it to work without decreasing though.

Button.  Nom

And fugly buttonholes.  Isn't the fabric so sweet, though?  It's this little secret splash of color.  And it works!

Now it just needs to get cool enough to wear it.  Anybody else getting excited for the change of seasons?

Rav page here.

Coffee, Tea, Shrug?

With the epic failure of my recent sewing and crochet efforts I need to give myself a little back pat for a more successful knitted endeavor. I'm in need of some new shrugs; I love them for warmer weather to dress up/warm up an outfit and with baby impending I certainly don't plan on any full sweaters any time soon.

The pattern is Flowers After the Frost from Ravelry and here is the direct link. I've been wanting to try a pattern of this shape to see how I like it and I couldn't resist the beautiful lace pattern on this shrug. The written instructions are dizzying but Tribute has a nice, easy-to-read chart. For slightly longer sleeves I cast on 104 stitches (basically an extra half repeat on each side of the original 78 stitches). My original plan included ribbing on the sleeves, but I ended up liking the way they looked after blocking.

It still isn't quite warm enough here for short sleeves, but here I am hanging out with our sad looking hyacinths trying to stay warm.


The yarn is from a recycled thrift store sweater; I can't remember the exact blend but it's got angora and it's oh so soft! I dyed the yarn with coffee, tea, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, and a little bit of anything yellow, brown, or gold that wasn't nailed down! It's held double for about a light worsted weight or heavy DK and I used size 7 needles for a nice open lace. I have enough dyed yarn to do a matching fairy hat and enough undyed to do another shrug, with longer sleeves I think... I just have about a million things to do first! Oh yeah, and look: I found some new tricks in Picasa which I'm pretty psyched about

Reloved

My latest design involved unraveling a handknit sweater that was too small in the body and too long in the arms for, well, anyone I dare say. I hated to see it laying in the closet unused.

So first off: unraveling a handknit sweater is a bit different from your average commercial sweater. Watch the seams and ends because it can get a bit dicey. It was beautiful dove grey wool that just screamed at me CABLES! Then off to the local library I found the perfect plaited cable in the Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 2.

I wanted cables, but nothing too bulky. It's a sport weight yarn so I used size 7 needles. Made for a very nice fabric with a lot of stretch. It's a top down raglan and I used a provisional cast on (my favorite way of beginning top down raglan sweaters) and tried it on as I went for a perfect fit. I increased one stitch on each edge of sleeves and back as usual and one stitch on each front for a deep V-neck.

The front increases are done right at the neckline so that I could incorporate the emerging pattern. It has a single plaited cable on each sleeve, one down the front, and two stockinette bands on either side of the front cable. I worked waist shaping on the sides as well as incorporating some of the decreases/increases into the stockinette band and the front reverse stockinette panels. This, I thought, helped create a more slimming hourglass shape.

The edges are worked in k 2 p 2 rib with decreases on the neckline at the point of the V as well as one on each side where the sleeves and back raglan increases lie. All in all I'm very happy with the results.

Ravelympics Sweaterette

snowflake:

1: k1, *yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, yo, k1*

3: K2 (yo, k3), yo, k2

5: k2tog, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, *yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog* yo, sl1, k1, psso

7: k1 *k2tog, yo, k1, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1*

9: k2, (yo, k3), yo, k2

11: k1, *k2tog, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1*

4 st/in on size 6 needles in laburnum

5.5 inches = 19 sts on size 7 needles in snowflake

co 140 sts on size 6 needles

4sts each side in garter st, the rest in laburnum worked flat as follows:

row 1: (Rs) (p2, k2), p2

row 2: (k2, p2), k2

row 3: (p2, k3tog, yo), p2

row 4: (k2, p into back then front of yo, p), k2

To begin sl 1, k 3, work rows 1 & 2 twice, k 4

Continue in pattern to desired length

End ribbing with row 2 then work row 1 once more. Change to size 7 needles work one row purl across, increasing one stitch. Next row begin Snowflake pattern. Work one repeat of pattern (12 rows). Place markers on either side of center stitch (70,1,70). Inc one st each side of marker on rows 2, 6, and 8 (146 sts).

Finish repeat then work rows 1 (buttonhole row) and 2 of lace. On next row bo 16 sts from each side in white (k2, sl back to left needle, k both tog) work even dec 1 st each side of neckline on RS until 10 sts remain while at same time when correct length to armpit BO 2 for sleeves. dec 1 at armhole edge twice. cont in patt until it's long enough...

on back: bo center sts leaving 10 on each side to graft together with front sts. Graft sts together.

sleeves: pu 46 sts, begin knitting 4 on top center picking up one st at end of row each row until all 46 are picked up. Begin snowflake on row 3. Will incorporate new sts into pattern on subsequent 2 row 1s of pattern. join in round (worked in magic loop) and continue. dec 6 sts between pit and elbow--> 40 sts. Switch to laburnum worked in round.

all BO: k2, k those two together, k1, k together with first st on l needle (lace bo from bitterroot)