I miss making things!

Man, I never thought I'd be so out of touch with my own blog.  I've never been a super-regular journaling kind of gal (even when I had an actual diary with a lock and key that I really just drew on--not in), but the last few months (roughly 7, actually) have probably been the most unproductive of my life externally.

Since January, I've stopped my personal chef-ery business, haven't sewn a darn thing (except a rogue bra strap and hook & eye clasp repair on said bra), haven't brewed a single beer, have knitted or crocheted exactly nothing, and barely have the energy to make dinner most nights.  I've planted exactly 4 tomato plants in my garden, and put together a really cute herb garden in a strawberry pot--that's it.

Internally, I'm sustaining an expectant life.  "#2" as we affectionately call him or her is due, ironically, Labor Day weekend.  As he/she/it is literally sucking the energy right out of me, I do a lot of "supervising".  I'm lucky to have an actually helpful 2 1/2 year old and an understanding husband...

But even though I spend most of my days dreaming about making things and plotting what I might be able to make while on maternity leave, I am lucky enough to be reading a ton lately.  In addition to voraciously reading my National Geographics each month, finally catching up on my SKI and 32 degrees magazines (ironic since there's no snow and I'm really not fit to ski), I've re-discovered the awesomeness that "Leisure Reading" section at Temple University's library which is awesomely situated across the street from my office.

If you're interested in keeping up with what I'm reading or suggesting a new book, please link up!  I hate walking blindly into a book without a recommendation and I'm game to read anything.  I'm 99% sure this is my profile.

Until I'm game for making again, here are my current craft-crushes:
The Cutest Darn Thing to entertain your toddler on Two-Many
I need to have this skirt but am too lazy to make it, but I still really want to buy the pattern
Signs I may miss drinking a bit too much

I hope to have more fodder to share with you all soon, but it may just be musings on what I plan to brew for my post-baby hospital bed celebration...I'm excited about that!

Knitted Hat--Re-do!

If you remember, last December I made this hat and posted about it. I posted about the process of making it here as well.

There were a lot of things I didn't like about it--the pattern (being my first attempt at using a chart rather than written pattern) was difficult to follow, the headband was much too big for my head, and I ended up with a cone head at the top of the hat.  But the cabling pattern was so lovely that I needed to make it again and fix those problems.

A note about this post: I'm glad I printed the pattern out last year and kept it.  While looking for the pattern electronically for this update post, I realized the pattern link is actually dead.  It seems that Sarai, the owner of www.sweetsassafras.org (the site from which I found the orginal pattern), has rolled her old blog into the blog for Colette Patterns, a fairly amazing collection of sewing patterns that she owns.

I must say that the second time using a chart was MUCH easier than the first.  I know how to read a 

chart now, so the stress of not having to look up tutorials and you tube videos on the whole process made it go much more smoothly.

The original pattern called from size 5 needles for the headband, and 6 for the hat-at-large.  I went with size 3 for the headband, and continued using a 6 for the hat.  It is definitely a better fit, but I may go down to a size 2 for the head band if I do this hat again--it seems to migrate down my forehead more than I would like.  

I also used a very inexpensive yarn for this one--Red Heart (~$2 skein) as opposed to the 100% cotton, hand-dyed yarn I used last time (~$12 skein).  I found it blocked better, and I can wash it with the rest of my laundry if I need to.

The plan is to make at least one of these for a Christmas present.  My mother requested one over Thanksgiving weekend, so I best get knitting!

Cold Weather Makes me Want to Knit!

Next week we're leaving on a week and a half journey across the Great White North--and considering it'll be February I'm assuming that Canada will live up to its nickname.

Little man just turned one, just started walking, and and just lost his only pair of mittens.  So in preparation, I've been trying to find a pair of baby mittens at stores, online, in patterns, etc.  It's harder than you'd think to find a pair of mittens for a small toddler with thumbs!  As in impossible so far.  All the mittens with thumbs were for kids at least twice his size (2T-5T was the size), and his hand swam in them.

After quite a bit of internet searching, I found some knitting patterns for 12 months sizes and also discovered some really fun places with free knitting patterns!

The first I stumbled across was straw.com, which appears to be a yarn wholesaler named Crystal Palace, and has a HUGE library of both commissioned and user-created patterns for free.  Not all of their "indie patterns" are free, and none seem to have any user comments or updates on them directly, so one can't be sure how well they've been vetted.  But I guess what you pay for.

The mittens I'm considering making from their site are their Baby-Toddler Mittens.

The other site that I came across while looking for these mitten patterns is Pickles.no.  This Norwegian yarn artisan company has a TON of free patterns, and since the pattern section is made in a blog format, there are some comments about where users ran into any issues which the Pickles folks use to actually update their patterns.  From my browsing, most of the patterns are really fashionable and current, and since they're in Norway, you know they have to be warm!  I'm going to make the kindergarten mittens for Little Man, and if time permits this cute hat, sweater, and booties babykit for my best friend's own impending Little Man.

The Pickles site actually has an online store, too, so if you fall in love with some of their yarns, you can buy them immediately.  Just make sure you find the little British flag at the top right corner so that you you can actually tell what you're buying!

I'm going to make Little Man's mittens with an appropriate yarn that I already have in my stash--I'm not convinced that he needs to wear Merino wool yet.  I'm hoping to start them this weekend, so maybe I can post them next week!  Fingers crossed!

Knitted hat

I finished my first project that involved knitting in the round and I'm pretty proud of it. It turned out nicely, but I have to admit that the pattern wasn't the easiest to follow at the end, though.  I've got a bit of a conehead... Also, the band around the head is too loose (even after washing) on everyone. My plan is to remake it using smaller needles for the headband section during our long road trip to Canada in February, but we'll see if the little man cooperates with that plan...

So, for my first giveaway, I'm offering this hat for the masses.  Just follow my blog (button's at the right) and then leave a comment telling me whose big head this hat will keep warm this winter. I'll announce the winner after the new year.

Merry merry, all!

Knitting in Round

A while back, I posted that I was planning to knit a hat.  After a few consultations with some of my knitting helpers and an Amazon purchase of double-sided needles, I started knitting. Now that I'm about halfway through, I wanted to share the lessons I've learned so far.

Before we get started, please keep in mind that this hat is my first attempt at a few things:
1. I'm knitting off of a chart for the first time
2. I'm knitting in the round for the first time
3. I'm knitting a hat for the first time (I've crocheted hats, but never knitted one)

When reading a chart, make sure you read the accompanying instructions.  I know this sounds incredibly obvious, but sometimes there are things written in the directions that affect how you use the chart (i.e. change of needles).

Make sure you read the chart from right to left--the opposite of the direction in which you are currently reading this post. Charts are put together in the direction (most) people knit, and I'm finding it really helpful in visualizing my project as I knit.

Another cool thing about the chart--it's very easy to keep tabs on how many stitches you're supposed to have, and that you've made the right stitch in the right place, too.  I'm really wondering why I haven't used charts before now and what I was so afraid of! 

Which leads me into my next learning curve topic:  When knitting in the round, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LOSE ANY STITCHES off the ends of your needles.  I don't know if I just have a stick management issue or what, but I just about had a breakdown yesterday when I started my cabling work and lost about 2 stitches off the ends of each needle in the process.  In order to combat this (and the 30 minutes it took me to locate and re-attach each lost stitch), I "MacGuyver'd" it.

I put hair elastics over the stitches at the end of each needle so I can keep them on while working other needles.  It's a bit rudimentary, but I knit a few rows like this last night, and it seems to be working really well.


I've been making myself knit at least one row a night, so I will get this done by mid-January at the latest (40 rows to go!) though I'm thinking I should be able to finish before Christmas for sure.  Pictures will be posted of the final project for sure, so keep an eye out.

Any other knitting tips you'd like to share? 

Fall's coming!

You know fall's coming in my house when a few things happen:
1. We get another windfall of raspberries
2. The joy of grilling outside has been completely replaced by our renewed love for all things pasta
3.  I start talking about knitting projects again.

In the spirit of #3, I saw this SUPER cute little hat pattern, and endeavor to try it soon.  It may even replace "Ugly Red Hat", which I crocheted in college and pretty much wear all winter.  I'm also hoping that a nice beret can jazz up my outfits since I've basically given up on wearing jewelry for little guys' first year of life at this point...

The pattern designer made it out of a wool and silk blend yarn, but I've got my eye on this sweet Kelly green cotton yarn I've had for years.  I also have not successfully knit in the round before, so I may have calls into my mother and friend, Erin, to get this one accomplished.

Wish me luck!

Parent Cave: Organized & Ready to Go!

Though my full vision couldn't be realized in this room due to size, I'm still really happy about what we accomplished here!  After much tug-of-war, soul searching, bargaining, I have my own sewing area, and my husband has his own work space.  My saddest concession was that there isn't a couch in here like we had in our previous office incarnation, but she just wouldn't fit.  We've decided a bean bag chair would be a great compromise, and I love having the excuse to finally own one!

Here's how I organized all of my supplies:
First, I decided that one cabinet would be for sewing materials, and the other for all other crafting, cooking, junk I have.  The "closet" center still hasn't been fully realized, but that's where I'll be keeping my wrapping paper and other larger items.

The sewing cabinet was the biggest challenge, since I was literally combining about 7 different storage devices into one.  Even after a whole week being operational, I think hear some of Handel's "Messiah" every time I open a cabinet.  I used the top, middle, and bottom sections for different items.

The top is for fabric and patterns:
First I organized my patterns into a pattern box my grandmother gave me.  I haven't done anything fancy with them yet, but I anticipate needing to make dividers as my collection grows.  At this point, I've gotten them just organized in groups without any clear delineation: outfit "sets", coats, shirts, dresses and skirts, pants, mens, homegoods, and accessories.  The largest issue with this is that KwikSew patterns are an inch longer than all of my other pattern envelopes, so as I get more (and the box more crowded), I'll have to upgrade. 

This box is on the bottom shelf with my sewing machine feet and manual, rulers/straight edge, and a current project.

Then I divided my fabric by type; based on what I have I created some categories: linings, interfacings, and cuffs, cotton and cotton blends, and finally everything else (mostly upholstery odds and ends).

The middle section of this cabinet is drawers.  This was much more difficult to organize effectively, and will probably be revised as I use it more frequently.  The top drawer has three compartments, so I used those for zippers; sewing machine needles, bobbins, and oil; and various sewing tools (seam ripper, shears, paper scissors, pins, etc.)  The middle drawer is my notions drawer.  I did my best to separate by type so the ribbons, bias tape, lace, cords, and elastic are wound up on a bit of board or spool; then buttons (mostly in a ziplock bag, feathers, and beads are loosely organized behind that.  The bottom drawer is my "bra drawer"  I figured that since the fabric, notions, and other materials are so specific in this case they warranted their own drawer.

Below the drawers is a cubby, perfect for my books, which are organized in no particular order since I have so few.

The left cabinet is quite difficult to get pictures of, but here goes:

The top cabinet is being used for various pans and serving platters, Tupperware, etc. that I can't fit into my kitchen.  Not exciting, but useful.

I used the bottom cabinet for all of my knitting & crochet supplies.  I used the top shelf for current projects (or lost causes as I've come to think of them), needles, hooks, and books; the middle two for yarn (loosely separated between acrylic and "nice" yarns).  The bottom shelf is a costume shelf--Bob's ladybug Halloween costume and an inherited 70's jumpsuit from my grandmother, which I obviously used as a costume at some point in college. 

I even fit into it with my 5 months belly!

Like I said, this is still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear feedback on better ways to organize.

Coming up next is the desk itself--I'm still setting my my machine and new serger on my side, and trying to organize the computer and filing side so it looks nice on my husband's side.