Knitting and Jewelry!

Just finished my first pair of TWO AT A TIME toe up socks!  And they only took me one month to knit, which is awesome, considering my average project completion time is averaging about a year.  I think I’ve caught the sock knitting bug.

I used Shibui Sock Yarn from Handheld Knitting my most favorite knitting store in the whole world.  And size 2 needles.

This pair is going to my lovely aunt, who deserves a bit of luxury on her feet!

I also wanted to post about this awesome ring my sister got for me from a craft fair in the Boston area.  It’s handmade by this amazing jewelry designer, Monique Rancourt.  I love it, it’s my favorite ring, I wear it everyday.  It’s simple and classic enough to wear everyday, but I always feel special wearing it because it’s so unique.

I’m off to work on some more knitting!

 

Demi Handknit Sweater

I was so inspired by this image on the Sartorialist, that I dug some Rowan Scottish Tweed DK that’s been sitting in my stash for years, and cast on this sweater. It’s the Demi from Vintage Knits.

It’s already become my new favorite sweater, it’s light and warm, and goes with everything in my closet.

I like knitting sweaters in pieces, it seems more manageable to me, and this project kept me really interested, all the way through. I always knit the sleeves of a sweater first, I use the sleeves as a gauge swatch.

I got the buttons and yarn from my most favorite yarn store, Handheld Knitting.

Sweet Pod Baby Carrier

Here’s my new baby carrier!

This was a very time consuming project, but very needed around our house!  Once I started sewing for myself, I developed a huge appreciation for anyone in the garment making industry.  It took me a few weeks of prep and sewing to finish this carrier.  I had to cut out the pattern pieces, wash and press the fabric, cut out all the pieces, and sew them together.  I had the hardest time picking out a fabric, and settled on this fabric from Purl.  The solid color fabric is an organic canvas, also from Purl, and the lining is some Heather Ross gnomes fabric I’ve been hoarding in my stash for a few years now.

I used the Sweet Pod baby carrier pattern.  The instructions were amazingly clear, and I managed to make it through without any major mishaps, except for the few nights I stayed up WAY too late, sewing and watching TV at the same time.  My only problem, is that the little one has started walking, and now, when he sees me coming with the baby carrier on, he screams and toddles away from me.

Isn’t the sleeping hood so cute?  The carrier is SO comfortable,  and really supports the baby, and is comfortable for me.

 

Wiksten Tova Top

Just finished sewing my first Tova Top!!  I’ll be making lots more of these, in the top and the dress version.  The pattern is so simple and elegant, Jenny’s instructions are very clear, with photographs for each step.

The neck placket, collar, and sleeves are done simply, without a lot of fussy details.

I love this shirt so much, the fabric I used is a lightweight cotton, and will be great in the summer with shorts.  I want to make a corduroy dress version, and a plaid top, for winter, and have several versions for summer time.  It could be dressy in a silk, casual in a drapey linen, there are so many options!

Just a few random bits, there is always something being made around here.  Stella Pixie hats for my boys.

Picky Pants, that were lanolized for use as a diaper cover.  They are still too big, but they make great snow pants, and keep the little one dry!

Not quite done at the time of picture taking, but good ’nuff!  Thanks for reading, I’ve got more projects in the pipeline, so stay tuned 🙂

 

 

Classic Knits: V-Neck

This sweater has been finished for a while, it’s from Erika Knight’s Classic Knits.  I used Berroco Pure Pima Cotton.

Soft, slouchy, and comfy.  Great sweater for those crisp fall days!

I’m right in the middle of holiday crafting, made lots of ornaments for our tree, and staying up way too late working on Christmas presents!

Jersey Maxi Dress

With two yards of grey rayon jersey from www.fabric.com, and this McCall’s pattern, I sewed this dress over a few weeks time.  A couple days to trace the pattern, another day to cut the fabric, and 2 days to sew.  I have an old serger I bought for 100 dollars, it’s loud, noisy, and vibrates my whole sewing table, but it does the job.

In this cold weather, I’ve been wearing this dress with boots, leggings or jeans, and a jacket or big sweater on top.

It’s super comfortable, light, and flowy.

I also used my regular sewing machine, to do the gathers.

And I used a simple zig zag to  hem the sleeves, the neckline, and the hem.

On a side note, Chic ‘n’ Cheap is doing an amazing giveaway, $100 to my favorite online store, shopbop!  Check it out 🙂

Halloween Costume Part Deux

Here is the finished product!  R got lots of looks, oohs, aahs, and even a “That’s f’in cool!”

Thor’s hammer is a 1″ wooden dowl, I rammed through a foam block.  I then sewed a cover from grey felt, with a layer of quilt batting, and some polyester stuffing in there.  It’s actually pretty hefty, could do some damage 🙂

I’ve got the costume in my work area to rework the armor and the cape.  The armor kept riding up, and the cape was a wee bit too long.  The boy was a bit cranky at first, but he really got into it when he started noticing the positive reactions to his costume.  I think at the end of it, he thought his ol’ mom did something special for him!

DIY Lindsey Thornburg Cape

In the middle of working with lots of lamé, been dreaming of one of these lindsey thornburg capes.

image courtesy of shopbop.com

They are priced at $1000 which is way out of my budget, but Pendleton offers the exact same blanket weight fabric by the yard here.

image courtesy of Pendleton Woolen Mills

McCall’s has a similar cape pattern.

image courtesy of McCall's

The Pendleton Fabric would total about $275, plus another$30 for a high quality silk lining, and maybe another $10 for a nice button closure.  I really want to do this, will probably have to wait for some Christmas funds.

Halloween Costume Part I

The past couple weeks, I’ve been working with my almost 4 year old on his Halloween costume.  He loves role playing and fighting bad guys, so this is a big deal for him.  I tried to steer him away from Ironman and Spiderman, to something slightly less commercial that’s rooted in Norse mythology.  We settled on Thor, the god of thunder.  I do realize this is a Marvel comics image, this was the image that resonated with Robby the most.

I found a pattern that I could use as a template for Thor’s helmet and boots.  

I ordered all my fabrics from www.fabric.com.  For the helmet, I used silver tissue lamé.  It’s constructed with lamé for the outer layer, quilt batting on the inside, and black linen I recycled from a sling I had used all throughout Robby’s baby years.  *sniff*

For the wings, I’m going to draw my own wing template, use lamé for the outer layers, and some heavy interfacing.

On a side note, how awesome are these styles for Spring 2010?  If I have any leftover lamé, I might have to sew myself some shiny shorts.

image from Refinery 29

Ok, back to the costume.  The boots are made in the same way, with velcro to hold them closed, and an elastic strap to keep them on the foot.

My sewing machine is a vintage New Home from 1967, I inherited last year.  I love this machine, it makes the most awesome clickety clackety sound, like Edward Scissorhands.

Here’s the cape fabric, it’s a crushed panne velvet.  

It’s SO soft, I want to make a long gypsy skirt out of this!  That’s what I’ve got so far, I’ve got 8 more days to Halloween, so I’m busting it out every night so I can finish in time. It’s been quite an investment and time and money, I chose to make this costume because Robby is REALLY into dress up.  I wanted something beautiful, that he could wear over and over again, and could pass on to his little brother.  I liked the idea of Thor, because I end up playing pretend with Robby, and I’d rather be Loki than the Incredible Hulk, Venom, or Wolverine.

When I finish the costume, I’ll be sure and share it with everyone!

Cable Sweater

Lest you think I’m just churning these projects out, this sweater has been done for about a year.

It’s the High Neck Cable from Blue Sky Alpacas.  I used the Suri Merino, and a size 7 needle.  In retrospect, I should have gone up a needle size, it would be perfect with a little more ease.  And, I need to add the buttons.  It’s good enough for now though.

The yarn is so soft and luxurious, it’s a blend of suri alpaca merino, and merino wool.  Surprisingly, it doesn’t really shed, and it’s nice and warm, perfect for a brisk fall day.

Gah, my posture is terrible.  The jeans are vintage sailor pants I’ve had for ELEVEN years.  Lordy, I know I’m getting old when my old clothes are coming back into style.

More sweaters to come!!