Knitting Book Review: Stitch and Bitch Superstar Knitting

It's here! It's here! Stitch N' Bitch Superstar Knitting is AMAZING. I don't know why I even have it. I pre-ordered it from amazon and it come out until November 1, that's in more than 2 weeks. I want to make so many things in here. This book has 41 new patterns and not a tea cozy in sight!

The first half of the book is full of beyond basic techniques that even a knitting snob like me can learn something from. I will be studying the part about steeking and concurring my fear. Section II is devoted entirely to designing your own sweaters; raglan sweaters, drop shoulder and set in sleeve. This is very detailed and gives you formulas and everything from start to finishing your own design.

On to the patterns, they are wonderful. So many lovely sweaters to make, there are a lot of spring sweaters which is nice. There are things to make for babies and little kids, if you have any, but I am selfish and only care about the glorious sweaters. I took some pictures with my crappy camera and my shaky hands to give you an idea. (please don't sue me)
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How old is too old for a fish sweater? I think 25 might be but it is too cute to care

NEED THIS. Sequins, yes please.

I'm also pretty sure most of these pictures are taken at the Jersey shore. It's beautiful. Anyway, this be a Superstar and buy this book. Pin It Now!

Lady Grey Progress

My coat is really coming along! I think the hardest part is over. I'm learning so many different things. One of the reasons I did the Lady Grey sew along was to learn all the mysterious tailoring techniques that go along with sewing a coat. This is what I have been doing, padstitching the collar. Now the collar lays in place, and has a nice fold at the lapel. It is very time consuming, but not difficult. It makes a cool chevron pattern. I'm glad I spent extra time searching for matching silk thread because I was really hard to make the stitches not show on the other side. I'm using a very lightweight wool. Some of the stitches ended up showing, but it blends in with the fabric.

I also decided to baste hair canvas to the entire back, it took extra time, but I think it will pay off. I'm also doing the topstitching that the pattern calls for, which is making a beautiful detail. (You can see it in the first picture.) I've also attached the pockets, sleeves are next, and I'm right on schedule. Pin It Now!

Chantilly Dress

Another Colette pattern, this is the Chantilly dress. There are two versions to this dress, I made the first version with lightweight fabric and then a visible lining. I bought the fabric from Joann's, they are both polyester. The outer was on the clearance rack and is some type of chiffon like fabric, the inside is a soft pink poly charmeuse. My reasoning for buying synthetic materials at the time was that I had never worked with a light silk-esque fabric before and was afraid to completely ruin material that was expensive. I think in the long run that the poly fabrics are harder to work with. I have since worked with a silk crepe and did not experience any of the problems I had with this dress fabric. I don't know exactly what it was, but it would just not do what it was supposed to do. I had a lot of problems with the top half, I wrote about this in a previous post.

The gathered portion in the front was crooked, I remember being careful to make it even when I was sewing it, but somehow the fabric wiggled its way into being a mess. I also did not notice this untill the seams were finished and cut, so it was difficult to undo. I somehow managed to fix it, and the end result is ok, but not perfect like I want things to be!

Chantilly is another great one from Colette patterns. I'm so obsessed with Sarai's patterns, she makes everything clear. The patterns have actual measurements and sizes that are close to normal. Sewing is not as scary with her patterns. This dress is so fun to wear, and twirl in. It's swishy, I can't remember the last time I had a swishy dress. I'm sorry for the excessive amounts of Erika pictures, but I really like the pictures my friend Lindsay takes. I was fun to twirl and take pictures.



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Lady Grey Progress

Newsflash: a coat is a lot of work! There is all sorts of things that go on inside a coat that I never even knew about. This is exactly why the little envelope says ADVANCED. I could make the coat very easily, but all the extra stuff is time consuming and stressful. I've used way more hair canvas than I expected. When I bought the coat fabric the lady helping me said i would need 2 yards but i had to run back and get 3+ more yards. Btw hair canvas is not very wide, but it is doing wonderful things to my coat.

I'm so glad I'm tackling it all with Gertie, her posts have been wonderful, and informative. I am learning so much. Almost everything she is posting about is something that is new to me. I followed her bound buttonhole tutorial step by step and she made it look really easy. There are 17 steps to a bound buttonhole. 17! I'll never take a buttonhole for granted again.

Bound Buttonhole!



The chaotic back, silk organza, iron on interfacing and 15other steps!



The hair canvas is basted with silk thread. I had to be very careful so it doesn't show

It's coming together, should be finished by Halloween.



 









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Rick- Rack Sweater

Hooray! My Rick- Rack sweater is finally done, I am knitourious. I've been lugging this thing around for months just staring at it, not knitting it, staring at it, beginning to hate it. But nothing feels better than finishing something! The pattern is from a classic elite booklet, Sunday Brunch. I used Debbie Stoller's new Stitch Nation Yarn Bamboo Ewe, in a Eucalyptus color. This is an excellent economic yarn, I think I used seven balls at $3.50 each (Joann's always has a sale).

I added an elastic under the bust for a better fit. II was determined to make it with a hood as it is pictured, but I realized that I don't ever wear hoodies, so why am I going to knit one. I went with a flattering cowl neck and was done way faster. The sleeves also turned out too long, so I tucked them under and slip stitched.The only problem I had was with the sleeves the caps were too big and I had to gather it and make a puff sleeve. It turned out to be a nice cozy sweater.

                                



Many thanks to the wonderful Verbena for taking the beautiful pictures!



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Manly Sleeping Mask

My boyfriend works night and requested a sleeping mask, a manly one. This is what I used :

1. 
   
   Manly car fabric
2. 
   
   Soft cotton fabric, for the reverse side
3. 
   
   Craft felt, for the inside
4. 
   
   Elastic

I cut a piece of paper into the shape of a mask and added some seam allowance. Then I cut all three pieces of fabrics attached the elastic and viola, manly sleep mask and a happy boyfriend!

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Knitorious!

Have you guys seen this Target commercial? The last 15 or so seconds looks like the perfect world. Yes, I would like to run in a field with giant balls of yarn! I love Target, and now I have a new word to annoy everyone with KNITORIOUS! Pin It Now!