Change is Good

I have thrown my arms up in defeat with the AE Blankie...reason being that I discovered that this stitch is not compatible with doggie toe nails. It's too open, and I'm afraid they'll get hurt, so into hibernation it goes....Instead, I am refocusing my efforts on sock knitting. I dragged out all my sock yarn and wips, and was a bit astounded. I have a LOT to do. Still working on the stranded socks I mentioned in my last post, have completed one toe up pair, and am now doing a Cookie A pattern. My goal was 12 pairs last year, and  only got to 11 1/2. Time is a'wastin'...must knit more!

Delinquent

Ok,ok...I know I missed a few weeks of posting about my AE blankie (specifically weeks 5, 6,and 7), but I have been lured by other wips. I finally finished a sweater that had been lingering around since April, and a pair of summer socks. I tried to do an overdye on some yarn I botched, and sad to say, it didn't come out dark enough. I have total respect for indie dyers who do such a great job. What else? Oh yeah...this.

A 100% wool sweater I found for $2.50 at a thrift store. I plan to unravel this and maybe dye it. This pink is a sickening shade, so dye it , I will. Of course, I didn't think this one through enough, should have spotted those machine buttonholes, so there will be some yarn lost. Live and learn. And if that isn't enough, I started another pair of stranded socks.

AE Week #4

Wow! Already a month into this, and of course, not done. No siree. Not by a long shot. Here's your Wip photo for the week.

When I last left I was still on RHSS in light fushia, and I was able to do 2 full rounds. Next is an unknown acrylic which I'll call rose-1 round

Unknown acrylic in red orange-1 round.

RHSS in Hot Red-on round 2

AE Week #3

Already I have failed to make much progress on this. I'm still on the light fushia round. I just felt like finishing something else. And finish it, I did! This is the Small Talk shawl available on Rav. The pattern is great with no errors, and I found it very enjoyable to work on. Believe it or not, I did it with $1.00 yarn from Big Lots. I call the colorway Camo.

Ok, there's something else, too. I did work on some socks , too. Hey, nobody said you have to practice project monogamy!!

AE Week #2

Yes, I'm on the pink rounds(my fave color), but haven't made as much progress as I would have liked to. As it grows, it's taking me quite a bit longer for each set of rounds.
So here we go with the colors and yarn names-
Light pink-unknown acrylic but heavier almost like LB jiffy(could only do one round)
Anothet light Pink-unknown brand and only 1 round
Darker Pink-Brunswick Windspun in Winterberry full 2 rounds
Neon Pink-RHSS Pretty N Pink(this is eye searing) 2 rounds
Mauvish pink-RHSS Light Fushia porbably will be able to do 2 full rounds

Measurement is 35" X 35" definitely baby sized. I sure have a long way to go, and my sock knitting is calling my name, but I must perservere!

Acrylic Eater (AE) Week #1

In order to motivate myself to finish this, I have decided to post my progress weekly. So far, so good. I took this to my knitting group this week, and I was pleasantly surprised at some of the reactions. While working on it, I kept thinking how loud the colors are, but I have decided to forge ahead. I think I'll use my weekly blog posts to remind myself what colors I've used, too. So far, on the last set which was rust, I had to use 1 and about a quarter of another skein. The colors in order are:

Plymouth Encore-white

Red Heart SS-pale yellow(has a slight greenish cast)

Unknown pale yellow

Unknown bright yellow

Unknown darker bright yellow

Red Heart SS-pale peach

Unknown peach

Unknown neon orange-I suspect it's Red Heart, though

Caron Orlon Dacron-rust

I've only just started the next round, it's coral, then on to pinks(yea!)

I Wanna (make a ) Wooleater

This pattern has haunted me for over a year, and now I shall give in and start crocheting it. I have a somewhat largish stash of acrylic yarns that I saved from different thrifting trips. I didn't seek these out. Normally, they were thrown in haphazardly with the "good stuff". Now I think it's time to embrace those acrylics, and see just what I can do with them. I watched some youtube videos on how to do the catherine's wheel stitch, and I think I got it. Personally, I find the instructions for the Red heart version more simple, so I will be working from that one. I made a start on it yesterday, and I think I may do a series of posts on my progress. Still ruminating on that one. One thing for sure...I have this sweater I stupidly made from some Bernat Berella, and I will be frogging it for the yarn. (I say stupid because it had previously been knit from, and the kinks never came out even after I washed the yarn, so now it will be crocheted with.)  I've got to find that...I wonder if I donated it? Anyway, stay tuned....

From shawls to afghans

If you came here for photos, you might as well move on. This is a quick update on what's been occupying my brain these days. I did manage to finsh one crocheted shawl that I started last year, and then promptly started another one. If that wasn't enough, I started going shawl pattern crazy on Rav. I secured yarn and beads. Now my brain wants to do afghans. So, I have picked up a ripple one I started earlier this year, and have made some progress. This is to replace a knitted one I did around 2002. It's looking mighty mangy(read pilled) and needs to go. Dh is sentimental over this one because I did it for him and it's in camo colors. Either way, I need to finish this because I am absolutely dying to start a Wool eater. Now to planning colors and raiding the stash!

Disaster

Finally had skeined the vintage Botany wool and was all set up for dyeing. The yarn was soaked, and the crock pot heated. First tried the rich dark brown, but the dye wasn't even. My sister suggested to overdye in black, and so we did. Ugh!! There were still spots in every hank that didn't take. What could have happened?  The whole lot of it is so ugly I can't imagine what I could use it for. I then got the bright idea to overdye Lion Brand Sock Ease in the lemondrop colorway. My first skein came out great--sort of a muted green. I picked out a pattern I wanted to use it with. Egads! I read the estimated yardage incorrctly, and was one skein shy. I ran back to Joann's and bought their last 3 skeins.
By this time my trip had ended and I had returned home. I thought I could use KA and get the same green. Ugh again! Too bright. I gave up on that, and tried purple. Yet another fail! So, I overdyed what was supposed to be purple with strawberry, and got sort of a rust color. I'll have to live with that, but I think KA is not my dyeing friend. Guess I better leave the dyeing to professionals, and knit the eleven million projects that I have started.

Destiny

Ages ago I thrifted this 100% wool and decided to make a saddle shoulder sweater from a late '90's Vogue Knitting. As you see, I never finished it, and the flesh tone color has annoyed me forever. This summer I plan to dye it a rich dark brown. First off, I'll need to rip and reskein. I've got another sweater which also needs unraveling because it's a thrift store find in a bad style. Wish me luck cause I'm gonna need it.

Antho-inspired #9(?) & 10(?)

The question marks indicate that I can't quite remember how many of these I've attempted-sorry. Anyway, when I saw these tops on their website, lace sweatshirt & emaline top, I couldn't resist doing my versions. I wanted to put the Anthro tops here, but I wasn't so sure it was cool to use their images. Here's what I did:

I needed lace, so I bought 1 lace curtain panel at the local thrift for $1.00. The t-shirt knit was leftovers from other previous projects. I used McCall's 6164 as my base since it was tnt, and just widened the sleeves since I knew the lace wasn't that stretchy.

For the second top, I used McCall's 6031 for the base. In retrospect, I wished I'd have used lace to cover the band that goes under the bustline, but no matter, They both fit and I love the fact that I used up some leftovers to create them. And for those who wanna know, their sweatshirt top retailed at $68, and the emaline at $58. I did both for $1. Ya gotta love it.

Ok, now we go back to knitting and crocheting.....carry on, people.

Surprise!

Yes, I'm back...I'm sure you can guess that I did get a new laptop, and that I've been whiling away my time knitting, knitting, knitting, with a little crochet thrown in for good meaure. Last week I even managed to finish off 2 projects, and make a little headway with one I started in 2009. Of course, that doesn't mean I haven't started new stuff, too.

Anyway, after I got the new laptop, I tried repeatedly to access my flickr account so I could upload photos. In desperation, I contacted the flickr folks, and email after email with no success.(I knew ny sign in and password, but it didn't work.) I thought "oh no!" now I can't post to Ravelry." Those worries disappated immediately when I saw they have added "upload from my puter "as an option. Gotta love Rav. I waited a few more months, and on a whim, tried to sign in again, and wonder of wonders, it worked. What the blanketedy blank went on over there? Now today, I try to access this account, and have probs. Is it a sign to quit blogging?

I will leave you with a picture since I'm sure that's what you came for... my strawberry socks.

These days I can't get enough of stranded sock designs and will be back with another one soon!

An update that's not so good

My laptop died. I lost everything! Don't know when I'll be up and running again. Know one thing for sure...I have been creating and can't wait to show off all my finished projects.

Turquoise Tee

See? I actually finished sewing something. This easy top has been languishing for over a week for me to finish it. In my last thrift store stop, I finally was able to score 3 pieces of cotton interlock that are in "my colors". This is Simplicity 2364, view b. I highly recommend this one as a fast and easy sew....except for one glaring boo-boo I made during construction. How stupid was it for me to sew the sides of the front drape to the back of the sleeve? Evidently very stupid because I did it on both sides. So, just follow pattern instructions and don't be a dummy like me and wing it unless you really enjoy using your seam ripper. I like to "cheat" the system and see how inexpensively I can make something...So, pattern was $.99, and fabric was $2.50 with 25% off, and thread was in stash from making the snack skirt.

As far as knitting goes, I am still working on a top down s/s top and a pair of Noro socks. I'm not really inspired by knitting right now, and force myself to do it everyday. Trust me, I don't need any more UFO's.

As Time Flies By

Yet another month that I have let slip by without posting. I do have a finished project to share, though. The story behind this quilt goes as follows: A few years ago, I found a beautiful quilt top at a thrift store. My hubby talked me out of buying it and I kicked myself for listening to his drivel. Right then, I vowed if I found another one, it was coming home with me. It actually took another few years before I found another one, and this person's color choice was off. Nonetheless, I had to have it. More time goes by, and I realize that if I plan to quilt it, then I need a quilter's foot for my machine. Right, I go buy the foot, and then more time goes by. Finally, in 2009, I start just a "simple" stitch in the ditch, and then I give up. This darn blankedty blank quilt is sapping all my energy and time. In January of this year, I declared enough is enough, and sat and finished it. Is it perfect? No. Will it keep us warm? Yes.

And who claimed this quilt when it was finished? My husband. Enough said.

I'm a Lazy Blogger

I can always find something else to do instead of blog. I don't know how other people do it everyday. Between photographing, uploading from camera, then to flickr, then to blog...that's a lot of steps. So when you think I've abandoned this blog, I haven't. I'd rather spend the time creating.

Anyway, I thought I'd post a pic of the pjs I just finished. They were made from all thrifted materials including the patterns and notions. The top is Simplicity 8874(OOP) and the pants are Simplicity 4738. I didn't have enough of either piece of flannel, so I had to mix and match. The heart on the pocket is my way of making them match. Cheesy, huh?

And yes, I was also too lazy to bother to press them for the photo shoot. After all, they are just pjs.

Then if you think I don't ever finish any knitting, I figured you could stand a shot of my "That Girl" cardi with a skirt I made, too. The cardi was made from LB cotton ease, 3 balls. Great pattern, and my favorite top down construction. If you click on the image, you can see that fun fabric. I call this my snack skirt.

I've also finished 4 pair of socks, and am working on some more. There's also a cardi in progress.

Should have been the arabesque top from Anthro

That frankenpatterning didn't quite turn out like I wanted, so I moved on to some other sewing.

Here's McCall's 6031 in a bright fushia...last summer top for now.

I definitely feel this was a sucess and the fit is perfect! I highly recommend this one for a great little top. I want to do this again, but don't have the fabric for it right now.

Next up, Butterick 5387. I wanted 5283, but it was discontinued before I could purchase it at the last Joann's $.99 pattern sale. That darn twisting business at the neckline made no sense to me in the directions, but whatever I did ended up working. All that darn hand sewing made this one a bit of a bummer to make, but the result was good. I suppose since you have to stop and hand sew before you can move on to the next step did make the construction go a bit faster. This I made in an olive cotton interlock, but it seems a bit flimsy. Guess all interlock is not created equally.

I did finish a raglan pajama top and a pair of flannel pj pants, but I figure that's a bit boring. Ya know? Pjs are still on my radar, and I am waiting for another pattern sale. I also need fleece. That is gonna be a hard one to get. I've been on a bit of a sock finishing frenzy so that's the project du jour.

What's next? Frankenpatterning

I don't know about you, but I love Anthropologie. Sigh...if only I could afford to shop there. Since that isn't the case, I browse and drool over their website. One particular top caught my eye, and I have had it in the back of my mind for quite awhile. The hold up has been locating fabric. I found something that I intend to settle for, and today will begin the frankenpatterning. Let the good times begin!
I am still knitting, but am not inspired. I tried to work on Remember, but it just left me bored. I dug out an oldie-Must Have Cardigan-but those sleeves are killing me. For now, I will plug along, albeit slowly, and focus my attention on my new sewing project.

Chambrayish tunic

I got a pattern at the thrift store quite awhile ago for $.22. I held onto to it waiting for the urge to make it. I was gifted this cotton blend fabric from a friend of mine who moved, and I felt it would suit this pattern well. The pattern is McCall's 5942. After searching the web, I found that only one other person has made this. The only problem I had was in the assembly with that stupid back yoke. I hate to admit this, but I ended up having to gather the yoke piece in order to sew on the neck band. Also, anyone who knows me, knows I hate to hand sew, and there's a lot of that on this one. You'll notice the neckband looks pretty sloppy-twisted. I hate that, but it was the best I could do. I had to do that part TWICE BY HAND. The horrors! Anyway, I will still wear it, but where oh where is the cooler weather?r?

Bathrobe To Blouse

Catchy title, huh? This last month I have really, really been into sewing. I am inspired by all the fantastic refashionists, and an idea was born. What if I took a thrift store cast off, namely a Victoria's Secret bathrobe, and made a blouse using a commercial pattern? Well, I did it with barely enough fabric, and I think the result is great. For those who need to know, I used Simplicity 2601, view B. Now, if only I could get the flounce bit to lay back...