Category: sewing

  • baby it’s hot outside

    Not thinking as much about the wool today (although let’s face it, I’m all about the wool) – how about some cotton?

    I sewed this super awesome circle skirt today, out of some fabric I’ve had around from *last* summer. Really, really easy and fast – would have taken less than 2 hours from start to finish if I hadn’t messed up the waistband the first time. It’s an elastic waistband, but the first casing I made was too small to fit over my hips; it was the right size if I’d done a zipper instead. But I persevered, and just added another piece to the waistband to make it fit.

    It’s super swingy! I love that. Maybe next time not quite a full circle – three quarters, maybe. I’m feeling the sewing love now…bring on the fabric store!

    What? You want knitting? I gots a bit of knitting, too:

    That’s the first of the completed sleeves from the rowanspun jacket. The second one is juuuuust about done, then it’s time for some finishing. I’ve also been working on some commission stuff.

    (That isn’t complete, obviously.)

    Transit on strike? Stay home from school and make a skirt! I certainly had fun.

  • finally, a real update!

    I finally put the finishing touches on Elspeth!

    Sorry it’s kind of dark; that’s what happens with dark brown!

    Elspeth
    Pattern: by Laura Long, from Rowan 37
    Yarn: Rowan Calmer, just over 3 skeins for size small, “Coffee Bean”
    Needles: Denise US8
    Started: August 2, 2005
    Finished: August 22, 2005

    Notes:
    The knitting was fast, but boy was it confusing! I ended up writing out the fronts line-by-line, with where I needed to do increases and what pattern row I was on, although the actual lace pattern was pretty easy to memorize. I put off things like sewing up and the crochet edging, otherwise it would’ve been done faster! I made the 34″ even though I’m a 36″, because I wanted it to be fitted and the way the pattern is written gives an inch of ease – so for the 34″, it comes out 35″.

    Hm, what else…oh, I ended up doing the crochet edging around the body THREE TIMES because it kept flaring out. Still flares slightly in the back neck, but since I can’t see it, it doesn’t bother me! The Calmer is just sooo soft and lovely, there’s definitely more of it in my knitting future.

    Meanwhile, I’ve been chipping away at the deadline projects – I finished a scarf in Knitpicks Shine for my youngest sister yesterday (her birthday’s tomorrow). I just need to weave in the ends and wrap it up with the fingerless mitts and I’ll be all set.

    I did take some time out of the knitting to make this, for Julie:

    She gave me the jeans, I reconstructed. Came out well, and only took a little over an hour – although that was a somewhat aggravating hour.

    Ah, and the problem with the Blueberry Jacke – here it is.

    See the two markers (sorry for the blurriness!) in the middle there? They’re separated by p2, k2, p2. Now, the pattern calls for starting and ending the rib at the sides with p2, but I just thought psh, why would I want to seam reverse st st? So I started and ended with k2 instead…

    …which lead to starting the diagonal pattern after a different number of stitches (to make it line up with the rib). That was fine. But what I forgot was that you’re supposed to do the diagonal pattern until there are two purl stitches left between them – and that isn’t going to happen with the way I’ve set it up (since in the middle there are 2 knit stitches instead).

    I’ve decided to just stop the diagonal pattern at the marker, so the middle section will be wider. I think I’ll do it correctly on the front, though…I think.

    One more thing – I went to Ikea today for some yarn storage solutions! Excellent.

  • a sewing interlude

    Last night I met up with Jill and Johanna at Fabricland, where they each came away with two fabrics to make skirts! After some dinner and wine, we got down to some sewing and this is what they came away with at the end of the night:

    (Jill on the left, Johanna on the right.) I don’t know if you can see, but Johanna’s has various woodland animals on it – raccoons, bears, moose (or is it elk? maybe deer…) and the like – it’s awesome. Jill’s geometric print looks great on her, too! I’m happy they came out so great!

    This morning I received an impossibly small box containing the fibre I ordered off eBay (seller: wind4934):

    Or should I say, most of the fibre. He’d forgotten to put in one pound of corriedale (bringing the total up to 2). Plus, I had to pay taxes, which sucked (it was $15!). Anyway, we got it all sorted out and he’s shipping me the rest of the fibre and hopefully will check the “gift” box this time!

    Even though I bought a bunch of supplies (funnel, squeeze bottles, tape, wooden spoons) for dyeing, I’m still not completely outfitted – I need an apron, gloves, and a big measuring cup, which I’ll pick up today. Then hopefully I can mix up my stock solutions outside tonight and do some dyeing tomorrow! Maybe even tonight, if I’m up to it and it’s not raining…

    Oh, one more thing – I went to the library yesterday (to pick up my hold copy of “Mindscan”, the new book by Robert J. Sawyer, one of my fav authors) and picked up a whole bunch of knitting/spinning/dyeing books. That dyer’s companion is intense – I hadn’t thought about dye stock solutions and such until now, really.