Quick Beading Projects

I'm just popping in to share with you some quick beading projects I recently gifted.  I don't think the recipient checks in to my blog all that often, but I didn't want to ruin the surprise.  Like me my knitting/running friend loves elephants, so when I saw these elephant charms I thought of her right away.  She loves red, so I decided to whip up some stitch markers, and when I learned that she was buying a new house I realized the larger elephant would be great for a key chain!

They didn't take me long to assemble, but they made her smile and that's what matters!

Cardigan Progress

I've been pretty busy lately, but when I've had some time, I've been working on my cardigan that I'm calling ROSEmund.  It's the Rosamund Cardigan from the Fall 2009 Interweave Knits magazine.  I'm using Berrocco yarn and it's knit from the top down, seamless, and it's reversible (sort of).  It will have short sleeves that just need to have the ribbing finished.  It's also asymmetrical as you can see.  I'm more than half way finished with it so far...I'll get it done just in time for it to be too warm to wear ;)

Steeking!

I promised I'd tell you all about steeking...and I'd hate to disappoint!

I've been intrigued by the concept for ages...but was way too much of a chicken knitter to try it until I ran across a small pattern on Ravelry that was created specifically to teach this technique.  You can find the pattern here.

Basically with steeking you knit an object in the round, and then you sew two lines...AND CUT BETWEEN THEM!!!

Why go crazy with the scissors? Knitting intarsia (where you switch between colors to create a multi-colored pattern) is easier to do in the round...and so if you knit in the round you can then steek to create a flat piece. The technique is often used for sweaters.  But I wasn't that brave.  This project was perfect, it's for a coffee cozy, so it only took a couple of days to knit up the piece.  I also had scrap yarn that I was able to use.

A couple of evenings of following a simple color chart, and I had the main piece finished.

Then, using a crochet method suggested in the pattern, I enforced stitches on either side of where I would be cutting.

And then I snipped away!

After cutting you turn over the edges and finish the inside...and I picked up stitches on either side to make the ribbed buttonhole bands.

Done!!

Vote for My Design!!

I need your help! The Last Word, a used book store that also sells DVDs, CDs and video games is having a design contest for their new t-shirts.  My design was chosen as a finalist...and now the voting has begun! Mine says READ   PLAY RELAX.....if you're on Facebook, PLEASE help me by liking my design in the t-shirt contest photo folder...I have til April 7th!!

Blu Jeans Done!

The Blu pattern from Knitty is one of those patterns I ran across early in my knitting life that quickly was added to my Ravelry queue.  It didn't matter I had no idea who I would knit them for, they were so stinkin' cute I knew I had to make them!  I'm not sure what compelled me to finally get around to making them, but, they're finished now.  At least, for the most part.  The pattern suggests measuring the child's waist for the best fit, so I left the ends of the elastic accessible to measure properly once they have found a recipient.

I'm not completely happy with how they came out, specifically the embroidery...and somehow, lying on the floor they just don't look that cute.  I guess they won't until a little person is in them.  Until then...to the gift stack they go!

With the Blu jeans done, the ASPEN blanket displayed nicely on the couch and the 5-hour baby sweater finally finished, it's on to some new projects!  I'm hoping to finally finish our 2011 photo book via Snapfish (I love these as an alternative to bulkier photo albums...plus they keep them backed-up in case anything were to happen to them)...so I can start the 2012 photo book!  Also I owe my brother a t-shirt, I have Rosamund's Cardigan to cast-on for and I still want to try my hand at steeking via a coffee cup cozy pattern designed just to learn how to steek.  What's steeking you ask? I'll swallow my knitting fears and show you all about it soon!

Random Craftiness!

Before I show you the knitting projects I've finished I have to share the random costume I whipped up last minute for Little Man to wear to school.  I found out on a Wednesday morning that Little Man needed a math or science costume for Thursday.  I went with a calculator.  In the fall we had to provide him with a pillowcase to take to school for a project, so I used the leftover one for the base.  I cut out the holes, and used my guillotine cutter to cut a bunch of squares from cardstock.  I used a Sharpie to draw on the "buttons" and then hot-glued them on.  It went over well the next day at school...his teacher especially loved it!  

I finally managed to finish the 5-hour baby sweater that has been sitting just waiting for an i-cord tie for months.  I got excited about working on other things and it fell to the wayside...I'm happy to finally be able to call it an FO (finished object)!

And, drumroll please, here is my finished ASPEN blanket!!  Designed by Go-Girl Knitting, it works up really fast on size 50 knitting needles.  I love the cables...and I came across the pattern at a perfect time...my sofa really needed something to cover the signs of age :)

Blu and Brown

So here's my progress...

I have both pieces of the baby Blu jeans knit up and washed...now I need to embroider the jean details before assembling.  That may take a couple of weeks yet though because...

I cast-on for Aspen, which is a gorgeous espresso brown cable afghan.  The final measurements are approximately 58" x 70" and in the bottom photo the afghan is halfway done.  It's knit by holding two strands of yarn together, and then knit on size 50 needles.  Want an idea of how big they are? Well, the pattern suggests using a turkey baster as a cable needle!  I was able to get the yarn 50% off and so, with an unsightly hole in one of our leather couch cushions...I had no more excuses as to why I couldn't take this project on.  I'm hoping to finish it in the next couple of weeks and then finish Blu or start Rosamund's cardigan.

Cameo Print and Cut

Before I get into the blog post I just wanted to give you a heads up that next post, which should happen sometime in the next week, I will be taking down Crafty the Chick...the little animated pink chick on the right of the page.  I think it's time.  So, if you want to feed Crafty one more time...have at it!!

Now onto crafty fun! Today I sat down with my Silhouette Cameo and made some Valentine's Day cards.  I can't show some of them yet (don't want to ruin the surprise), but here are the ones I made for Hubby and Little Man!

Since Hubby loves planes and aviation when I saw an airplane garland card via Martha Stewart, I decided I had to give it a go.  If you want to make it by hand...check out her template here.  I used the Cameo to cut out two planes and six hearts...the ribbon is sandwiched between.  Love it!!!

For Little Man, the lover of sea turtles I tried out a new (for me technique).  It's called print and cut.  Basically you print the color image out on your regular printer and the image complete with registration marks recognized by the Cameo then are fed through the Cameo which then PERFECTLY cuts out the printed image.  I could hurt myself with excitement over it!! It worked so awesomely well!!!  I selected the turtle from the Silhouette store, cut a card base...then the turtle which was then cut out.  Before gluing the colored turtle to the green base I used a heart brad.  The message inside? We "turtley" love you!

I didn't want to waste cardstock just printing and cutting the turtle, so I printed and cut another image I already had on the same piece of paper for future use.  Look at the awesome job it did cutting out the image perfectly!

I haven't really had much time to craft since the beginning of the year other than knitting in the evening, so I really enjoyed the time I spent in the craft room today.  I absolutely love the ability to print and cut, and love that the Silhouette store has Superman and Batman print and cut images...may have to make ahead my brother's birthday card ;)

Next post I hope to share some fiber updates!

Leaf Blanket

I came across this too cute blanket pattern via Susan B Anderson.  One of my favorite knitting designers, she's the author of the Itty Bitty books.  (She has a new book coming out this spring that features topsy turvy toys...can't wait!  Check out the preview video here...I dare you not to pre-order!!!)  Anyway, knit with bulky yarn on larger needles this sweet little blanket promised to knit up quick...so I grabbed some Hometown USA yarn...and away I went with the pattern.  I haven't put the buttons on yet, but, I'm considering this an FO (finished object)!

Want to make one of your very own? The pattern is available for purchase from Spud and Chloe.

Happy Crafting!!

Baby Denim Progress

 

Have you ever seen one of those projects that is SOOO cute you just have to make it figuring you'll figure out who to give it to later? Well, that's how I felt the first time I saw the Knitty pattern Blu.  Yes, I spelled that correctly.  Baby jeans knit with denim yarn by Rowan that fades like real jeans! Oh the cuteness!  I'm waiting for an old co-worker of mine to be ready to cast-on a project that we thought we'd knit together as a sort-of mini-KAL, and thought I'd work on these until she's finished.  Above is the first half.  I'm making the 12-24 month size...they have the waist band turns knit in where eventually elastic will go.  Apparently the yarn shrinks in hot water (purposely) so you knit them longer than needed.  I was also warned that the dark blue yarn in the colorway Indigo would rub off on my hands...but was still surprised when it did....they were a lot worse on one of my previous evenings of knitting!  I have another piece just like the one above to knit and then the rest is finishing.  One tricky technique? Dropping all the stitches below stitch 30 and then picking them all back up again alternating one stitch then two and so on to create a faux seam...I almost had heart palpitations that I'd mess up and have to start from the beginning!