Yarn Dress, another McCall's 6887

It's finally spring! Time for sundresses everyday. I made another version of McCall's 6887, my third version. The other dresses are Halloween and fall appropriate. M6887 is just a simple scoop neck princess seam bodice with a paneled full-ish skirt. Sometimes it's just time to whip up something you know will fit and be cute. 

The fabric is from the Cotton + Steel Cat Lady collection. It has dancing yarn balls on it! This is basically what my house looks like. Just yarn in every corner. So obviously I had to incorporate yarn into this dress somehow!  I took a Madelinetosh Unicorn tail in the color Pop Rocks, and knitted a 4 stitch I-cord. I knitted almost the entire skein, cast off and then did another cord for the bow. 

I then gave the I-cord a really good steaming, hopefully that shrunk it up, making it ok to wash. The cord was pinned and machine stitched into place after the front bodice was assembled. (I promise that is not a pucker in the princess seam, just an unfortunate wrinkle after wearing it all day). 

The neckline is finished with bias tape, mine is navy polka dot of course. Just a cute surprise you can see when it's hanging on the hanger. I love this dress because it combines two craft universes. I might have to knit trim for every dress now! 

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Ebba Sweater by Quince & Co.

Hey! I finished a sweater.  When I saw the Ebba Sweater while perusing Raverly for a new project it was true love. So much so that I immediately bought the pattern and the same yarn in the same colors. The pattern and they yarn are both from Quince & Co, which was a new to me yarn brand that I was very happy with. 100% made in America yarn, at a reasonable price, yes please. 

The yarn is called Chickadee which is a sport weight wool yarn, very classic and old school. I really liked how it knit up, and looked even better when it was blocked. I was surprised when the yarn was delivered that the lightest color was a light blue not a whiteish color like it looks like in the pattern picture.

This sweater was my first time steeking! I was a little hesitant at first but then found it to be super easy. Steeking is basically knitting a tube and then cutting it open later to insert the sleeves. That first little snip really got my heart pumping! 

               

The biggest problem I had with this sweater was the amount of yarn it called for. I bought exactly what the pattern called for (knowing it was way too much) knitted with the correct gauge and ended up with FIVE extra skeins of yarn. My size told me to buy 10 skeins of the light blue, 2 of the dark blue and 1 red. I had 4 of the light blue left and 1 dark blue. GRRR. I contacted Quince and co and they fixed the yarn amount and let me exchange the yarn. I just hope that since it was a pattern released by the pattern company they weren't inflating the numbers to sell more yarn. 

But now I have more issues with the exchange. Double GRRR. I picked out a fingering weight for my next colorwork project. Poppy and Bird's Egg are the colors, which looked cute together online. But when they came the colors were darker than picture and did not look good together. So I returned them for a store credit last week, but haven't heard anything back yet. A lot of trips to the post office for yarn!

                              

                            

Anyway, this is a super cute pattern and a great intro to steeking with instructions and an online tutorial too! It's warm without being hot, and so far has washed really well. I took these pictures when the snowfall was pretty in the morning before melting away in the afternoon. This winter has been weird. 

Happy Knitting!

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Stitch in Time, Dinah's Lacy Sweater

This sweater is two years in the making! I started it in AUGUST 2013. I knit the entire back, and started the front and then just left it for two years. I picked it up again in October and finished it quickly, I don't know why I was putting it off! 

The pattern is from Stitch in Time vol. 2, a lovely book with a lot of cute vintage knitting patterns in it. Most of them are knit with the tiniest needles. This is the Dinah's Lacey Sweater a pattern from the 1930s. It was actually very simple to make but the tiny needles needed, size 3, made me put it down for two years, The stitch is a twisted lacy rib. 

The yarn is an angora wool blend from St Magnus D.K. I made a hat out of this a few years ago and dreamt of a sweater from it ever since. It's so soft and fluffy! It's not itchy at all, I love wearing it. I had to order it from Dragon Yarns in Gloucestershire, UK. I can't find it anywhere in the US, and I had to patiently wait for it to come. And then the post office held it hostage because they wanted a signature! AHH! I wish somewhere closer sold it. but I would totally buy it again, it's so lovely.

I made some minor changes to the pattern. I didn't make the short sleeves as long as the picture. Maybe that was a mistake, as I kinda look big in the sweater but whatever. I also didn't put a button and loop and then neck. I'm not about being choked by my sweaters. 

The only downside is that it kinda stretches out as you wear it. The sleeves did not look this huge after if finished it. But blocking a sweater always makes it look different. I'm just gonna roll with it and not let it bother me. 

I'm so happy this is finally finished! What's your longest knitting WIP?

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Chuck Sweater

I've been knitting again! I started this sweater during new years and finally finished it this past week. It's a top down seamless pullover from Untangling Knots. The directions are clear and well thought out, lots of short row shaping to fit the body. I made the size L, and it fits pretty well. It was nice to work in a worsted weight yarn, usually I pick out a pattern for something with size two needles and it takes an eternity to get anywhere. 

I'm wearing the sweater over one of my favorite makes, my quilt dress. The green is a gorgeous spring color, I have to make some more things to go with it! The yarn is Holiday Yarns Wooly Ewe Worsted, from a local yarn store Knit A Bit. I love Andi's patterns, I've already made the Miette, and I just casted on the Marion, also in a worsted yarn. It's a pink yarn to match my new glasses, Kate Spade Lyssa in a pink sparkle! I'm in love. 

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Peggy Sue Sweater

I FINISHED A KNITTING PROJECT. This is epic people. Ever since I've become obsessed with sewing, knitting seems to have taken a backseat. And then I got a smart phone. So instead of watching a movie and knitting, I have the phone in my hand  instead of needles. And I feel bad about it. But look a pretty red sweater!

The pattern is Peggy Sue, a basic cropped cardigan, which is free, woohoo. I started it this Spring because I thought it would be a quick (ha) knit, and I desperately needed a red cardigan. Then summer happened, and I quickly lost interest. But I picked it back up in September and now I have my red cardigan.

This is a top down raglan, with cables at the neckline and hems. The cables were very simple and went even faster than the stockinette stitch. Sometimes when knitting raglans, and before you break for the armholes, it seems like every row takes FOREVER. I used to be so fast knitting things! Oh well.

The yarn is Debbie Bliss Mia, a wool, cotton blend. I thought it would be perfect for all year long. It was very smooth and easy to knit with. The buttonhole are a little too big for my buttons, so I need to go back and make them a little tighter. I finished this sweater about a month ago, and have found so many different ways to wear it. The knitted cardigans I have made over the years have gotten SO much use, I really need to buckle down and make more.


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Reknitting

I've recently lost some weight, yay, but now my hand knit sweaters don't fit the same, boo. I have a lot of sweaters that I've made but I just haven't been wearing them because the fit is off. 

I've ripped the front out of my beatnik babe sweater, removed the bust shaping and reknit it. I hate reknitting. I'd rather be working on my neglected fairisle sweater, (which I still need to make the sleeves for), but instead I'm ripping out things from 2- 3 years ago and trying to remember what I originally did. Thank God for ravelry, because I have the worst memory and would never be able to keep track! Here is the new and improved beatnik:

And now I need help altering one of my favorite sweater, Meredith by Kim Hargreaves.The neckline is gaping, the sides are too bit, its just unflattering. I worked so hard on it, I just can't wrap my head around how to fix it. Do I just take up the shoulders, take in the whole thing, I'm just too emotionally invested in the sweater to evaluate it. Ever feel that way?

HELP ME!!!!

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Christmas Craft Week: Knitted Stockings

My husband and I needed new Christmas stockings, I wanted something fun, and a little bit different. These stocking kits from Ann Norling were perfect. I like the fun design and the off-beat colors.

 

 

 

 

The pattern was thorough, and had some smart details. The picot edge seam, the reinforced heal, and the sewn in lining. It also says exactly what parts you should use duplicate stitch with, and that makes it a cleaner knit. It also keeps me from cheating and trying to knit in the smaller details, instead of duplicate stitching them later.

 

The sewn in lining is the best part, it acts as interfacing for the whole stocking, and protects the pattern. I used a knit fabric, which still allows for some stretch for oddly shaped presents. I really like to jam the stocking full of goodies.  After finishing the whole stocking, seaming it together, and blocking it, I traced the outline of the stocking on my knit fabric, and then added 1/2 inch seam allowance. Sewed it together on the tracing line (don't forget to use a stretch needle!), hemmed the top and then slip stitched it below the picot hem of the stocking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my third year in row knitting stockings, see my others here and here. These are definitely my favorites, he reindeer is just too cute! What do you think, have you ever knitted a stocking? Which one is your favorite?

 

visit me on ravelry

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Yarn Debacle

Source

What do you do when your knitting something and don't like the yarn? I bought three skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca Royal in azure online and I am not in love with the color in person. This yarn was not cheap, and feels really soft. The picture from the Blue Sky Website is a pretty, light color blue, which would really bring out my eyes, but it reality it looks sort of muddy, and not as light as the picture. Am I being crazy and should just knit it or should figure out another option?

The pattern is a really cute scoop cardigan with a knot sleeve detail, also by Blue Sky Alpacas. Every time I pick it up to knit it, I finish a row and throw it down, annoyed by the muddy color. Blue Sky Alpaca is truly my favorite yarn company, and I have never been disappointed by a yarn. The royal yarn is decadent, just like it is described, I just wish the color was the same. Pin It Now!

Lauriel Cardigan

Even though I've been busy with the starlet suit jacket, I put the final touches on my red cardigan. This is the lauriel cardigan from Ysolda Teague, featured in the book Little Red in the City. I used the recommend yarn: manos del uruguay silk blend in the color tomato. My buttons, which I love, are from M&J trimming in NYC. I got a gift certificate for Christmas, which I also used on a bit of matching ribbon for the button bands.

I've knit with the yarn before but for some reason it was FULL of knots. The yarn had been broken at least once per skein and then the ends knotted together. So I had to weave in a lot of extra ends, which is annoying. 

I'm not all that happy with the fit, I made a swatch, checked my gauge and tried on as I went and it still seems a little big. I made some slight changes from the original sweater. I omitted the extra pattern details on the waist, and the sleeve, for a simpler design. I made the sleeves 3/4 length as well, I like my sleeves that length.

I also tried a different finishing technique, I hand sewed grosgrain ribbon to the button band, after attaching the buttons. Just a simple slip stitch to attach the ribbon, and it gives the buttons a clean look and a little more stability.

The pattern was very clear and well written, as well as had a great range of sizes: 30-58. I suspect that the sizes run a little big, the other sweaters that I have seen seem on the larger size too. If I make another sweater from her book, I will definitely make the next size down.

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My December

Sorry for the lapse in posts, it's been a crazy month! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Not only have I been knitting up a storm for some Christmas presents, but I also went wedding dress shopping! Remember a while back when I won the wedding dress from Amsale, well I finally went to go pick it out. It was such a memorable experience and I had such a fun time with my Mom and Maid of Honor. The dresses are amazing, and it was so fun to see actual gowns, inside and out. It was interesting to see the sewing techniques I use on "couture". There is a lot of horsehair braiding in the dresses. Anyway, I'm keeping my choice a surprise so you'll have to wait until the Fall to see!

 


My Mom and I outside of the Amsale Flagship Store



After all of that excitement I was ready to do some knitting for Christmas! I took my time on the first hat, for my brother, which ended in DISASTER! The "Weekend in the Country Hat"  by Mimi Hill, is a interesting hat. A plaid colorwork hat, was simple to make just a bit time consuming with the color changes. Somehow it came out too small and too long! The only person it would fit is the life size reindeer in the kitchen. Good thing he looks good in it.

The Strib hat was the perfect solution to my problem. It is quick, easy, free pattern, and manly. I made four of them using different worsted weight I had in my stash. They were a big hit!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

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The Stockings are Hung

Now that I'm engaged my Fiance needs a Christmas stocking to match the rest of the family's. Last year I finally made one for my Dad. I bought another stocking kit from Elegant Heirlooms, this one is called Jolly Ol' Saint Nick, and has a giant Santa face. I knitted the name in as I went along, which is very easy once you figure out the spacing, to make it centered. This time I used a size 7 needle and the intarsia came out much better. I also replaced the yarn for the beard included with the kit (it was a single strand of mohair) with a much fuzzier angora. I love the way it came out. Now on to knitting Christmas presents!

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