This weekend made me realize that maybe I haven’t lost my crafty mojo; maybe I just need four-day stretches of time to make things. (Hm, how can I work that?)
I finished a tunic dress that has been cut out for a couple of weeks: It’s the same pattern as this one from June (adapted from the Built By Wendy Dresses book), with longer sleeves to make it more cold-weather appropriate.
And the owl sweater for Skyler is just waiting to dry so I can sew on all 32 little button eyes: Hoot hoot!
Owls are underway; repeat, owls are underway! Skyler’s owl sweater isn’t done but there are only about two more inches (and sewing on all 32 owl eyes). Fortunately, I was able to check the fit during his visit so he should be able to wear this for another six weeks or so, at least. (Stop growing so fast, kid!)
I’m working on an owl sweater for Skyler, but I think I’d better really commit to finishing it in the next week. He’s growing so fast (and just started crawling!). This will definitely not fit him for very long. Almost to the owls!
I have three knitting projects in different stages of completion, so because I don’t have any sewing finished this week, let’s talk about the most complete one: I started this last winter to use up leftover yarn. (God only knows how I ended up with so many earth tones.) It’s coming along slowly; I’m sure I’d like working on it more if it were made of, say, leftover orange yarn. But it will be warm. I’m planning on using it as a layer for winter hiking–hopefully this winter, but if not, the next one.
Here are pictures of the pants and the hat from last week. Both projects turned out a little big, but look–projects! And PANTS. That I can WEAR! For the pants, I used a Lisette for Simplicity pattern and some cheap “bottomweight” from JoAnn. These could have been fitted better (I’ll probably cut a size smaller next time and maybe do some pattern adjustments to boot) but I wore them last week and didn’t hate them too much. Considering my pants record, that’s a success.
As for the hat, a cousin had a baby last week and what do October babies need most? Pumpkin hats.
I think I’ve gotten over my rut–over the weekend I started a pencil skirt: And last night I finished the second sleeve of the sweater: Also, the Hamburglar coat took first in the state fair, as reported by my brother.The collar baffled the fair ladies in charge of display, as I thought it might–but a ribbon’s a ribbon, right?
And look, I’m finally sewing again–this is the front piece of a dress in orange sateen:
Can you make out the pocket detailing in all the orange? So far I’m happy with how this is turning out, if just for the color alone. Such is the power of orange!
As I mentioned yesterday, I have to get my head around the approaching end of summer. A good way to do that? Start knitting a sweater. That’s the bottom of a sleeve of what will become this pattern: The yarn is extra chunky, which makes the knitting go fast and also makes me realize that it will have to be quite a bit colder for me to ever wear it. Small steps, right?
After knitting veggiehats and owl sweaters, I think my co-workers now expect me to make something for the moms-to-be rather than just contribute to the group gift (at least, that’s what I tell myself. Maybe they dread my creations? if so, they mask it well).
Anyway, this co-worker is having a little boy and is very hip, so I went with a pair of moccasin-booties, using this free pattern: Cute, small, lots of impact in proportion to the knitting time required: I think hipster booties are the new veggie hats!
In the knitting world I’ve seen a recent trend where you make a smaller triangle-shaped shawl and then wear it backwards (with the point in front), making you look like a highwayman or a cowboy, thusly: I liked the play between bandit styling and “grandma” knitted lace, so I decided to make one. Would you guess that I used the same pattern for the shawl above? (You can say “no” and I won’t be upset.) This did not exactly work out…you see how the edge looks ruffled? Apparently I skipped a step of the pattern that has you take out the extra stitches you add–I kept adding stitches so that made the edge a lot longer and that produces ruffles. In my defense, by the time I got to the border stitches it was March, and March was rough. My mistake also contributed to running out of yarn before the edging, so I cut my losses and just finished it(much like March).
But you know what? I like it. It’s a little wonky but when you get it all bunched up I think it looks appropriately outlaw-like. Watch out for the shawl-wearing bandit!