Twin City Set

Happy Saturday Dear Bloggers,

Talk about a day for staying in and getting my knit/crochet on. Its about 57 degrees, cloudy and down right rainy....lol But I'm going to actually try to sew today... did ja hear me... I am going to try to sew today. I've been checking a lot of sewing blogs and just drooling with emerald eyes at what they are creating. So I'm feeling my sewing mojo kicking in...haha!

Actually the most I will be able to do is cut and baste. I'm going out tonight with dh and family to a party - not one but two and need to get myself together. My daughter is already harassing me about what to wear. She said MA!!! if you wear a suit I am going to scream. So I need to dig deep and hard into my closet for something party like...hehe - we will see.

000000000000000000000000000000h this program is being interrupted for Show & Tell and bringing to you Live - Twin City Set

After drooling over Crimson Purl's capelet I immediately emailed her to find out where to get the pattern and she graciously directed me to Charlotte Yarn. The pattern is called Passin' the Dress Code by Champagne Maker - talk about too cute and a perfect quickie.

I modifed it by making it longer, crochet along the border, used a button for the closure and crocheted a tam to match.

Pattern: Passing the Dress Code by Champagne Maker

Yarn: Wool Ease

Used: 3-1/2 skeins

Purchased: Charlotte Yarn

Skill Level: Easy

Start & End 10/22/07 - 10/25/077

JaspeRed with a Blue Isle Twist

Jean Frost noted that her idea behind JaspeRed was to find a basic pattern that knitters could build on by adding whatever embellishment they wished. With that I opted to incorporate cables, which was a perfect twist to this garment. I think I found a tnt knit pattern...lol.

(I haven't blocked it yet, still have ends to weave in, and hush!!! I know I know I need a serious manicure.....haha!)

Pattern: JaspeRed by Jean Frost (Knitting Universe Fall 2007)

Yarn: Ella Rae Amity

Used: 5 skeins - 200 yds each

Fibers: 75% acrylic, 25%wool

Purchased: Seaport Yarns

Needles: 7
Time: 10/6/07 - 10/21/07

Skill Level: Easy+

Repeat Rows... Repeat Rows... Repeat Rows!!!

Happy Saturday All!

Well I've been busy trying to complete my JaspeRed from Knitting Universe. Its actually my first fall knit project and with the temperatures last week dipping to low 50's - what perfect timing to do a cardigan. I so wanted to start on Passin' the Dress Code by Champagne Maker, but realized I needed to stay focused...lol. So I dived into getting as much of the cardigan done and once I'd completed the body of the cardigan, my creative juices started bubbling. My subconscious started babbling.... Do you really want to do the whole cardigan in stockinette stitches - yeah... yeah.... I've heard all about staying focused, but I know you - you're always looking for a twist - ah cut it out - I know you like a twist in your brandy - I'm talking about designing knuckle head...lol.

Well, I started browsing through old knit magazines for some inspiration and came across a Fall 2006 issue of Knit Simple. The cover page features a cardigan in a beautiful pumpkin color and being its October and all and pumpkin picking time... why it looks like something I can dabble with. I checked out the schematics to make sure the sleeves would work for JaspeRed and started my cardigan with a twist, which I'm renaming Blue Isle.

Body of Cardigan

Do you see it.... look closer... no not my socks... my knitting...lol

Ummm Cable dessert...

I did it..... I did it..... whew... let me tell you cables are no joke. I must give Thanks to Interweave Knits' Fall 2007 issue which has an article on Beyond the Basics: Exploring Cables. I read that article if not a half-a-dozen times then a dozen times, to grasp the cable concept. Once I understood the workings of cables, I proceeded on with modifying the cardigan.

I've completed the first sleeve and now working on the second one and praying, crossing eyes, toes and fingers that I do the second one right...lol

I'm hoping to get the second sleeve done today, so that I can begin seaming the pieces and try it on. I jumped up early this morning to continue on the second sleeve but was halted by dh, reminding me that I need to move items from the laundry room for the new washing machine... hey!!! No longer will I have to listen to my old washing machine thwacking, bumping and hissing....lol. Oh!!! I think I hear dh coming in... still have more stuff to move...bye....lol

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Valerie and must reveal 7 Facts about myself.

1. Totally Despise driving.

2. Of all the rooms in my house… I love to hangout in the bathroom

3. I want a tattoo, but terrified.

4. Finally learned to love cooking.

5. Always wanted to be a Belly Dancer.

6. Ok…. what else….ummmmm… this is getting hard… oh yeah... I think I can sing…. lol

7. I’m a Day Dreamer....... whew that was hard.

Sigh!...

Well Polka Dot is no longer... in my attempt to adjust the bodice area, I mangled the project and it has been trashed…. Sigh! I have about a 1-1/2 yds left maybe I can make something for my dd :]

BUT, I learned from it and have since moved on :0

Don’t get me wrong, although I’ve moved on, I still have a bitter taste over the polka dot debacle and I’m experiencing sewing lag. So to eradicate that bitterness I decided a knit project would help and browsed through my latest issues of knit magazines, and settled on a project from Knitting Universe Fall 2007 issue. Actually this is my first time purchasing Knitting Universe and my eyes settled on a simple but classic cardigan by Jean Frost, done in pink and red Cascade Yarns - called JaspeRed. Jean Frost's knit cardigan jackets are influenced by Coco Chanel, which exudes luxurious simplicity.

I substituted the yarn by going with Ella Rae Amity yarn, which is 25% wool/75% acrylic in a shocking blue, which I immediately attempted to return b/c I thought the blue was too shocking and for some reason I though it was more wool than acrylic. Well Seaport Yarn has yet to respond to my email. Oh Well, so to make the best of it, I decided to use it for the cardigan. I started the Cardigan on October 6th and have completed the back and right front panel, the body of this project is working up rather quickly, all in stockinette stitch (surprise… surprise, b/c I normally prefer garter). I must say, I like the yarn, there’s no splitting, no arsenal of fiber fuzz flying all over the place and the color has grown on me. I'm not sure if the shocking blue exudes luxurious simplicity....lol

Ruby

I finally finished Ruby, which should've been completed sooner, but I got wrapped up in sewing. Well, after hearing so much about Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy, I decided to use it for Ruby. This project was great and Saunshines' pattern was well written. However, I did deviate from the pattern a little, instead of st. st. I opted for garter throughout, because the pattern was clear I was able to complete the project without any hitches.

In my research I learned that Hempathy is a natural fiber derived from beech wood and I must say it has a beautiful drape and feel. Its a two-ply yarn that does split a bit, but with sharp needles it can be avoided. I guess the combination of cotton and modal lends to its softness and elasticity and also read somewhere that Hemp can endure numerous washing and wearing and with each washing it becomes softer. Love those properties....lol

Project: Ruby by Saunshine
Hempathy Fiber Content: 41% Cotton, 34% Hemp, 25% Modal, 153 yards
Used: 4 Balls
Needles: Size 4
Purchased Yarn: http://www.yarnandfiber.com/
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner

PS. In going through my past projects I came across this vest... which was crocheted in October 2006... isn't it funny that a year ago I crocheted a vest along the same schematics as Ruby...lol

Pink Dots - Oh My!!

I’ve started another sewing project, which is a pink dot motif on a solid brown background, the fabric is polyester and I purchased 3 yards at $1.00/yd. I can’t recall owning any garments with polka dots and really surprised myself when I plucked it up. I do recall a lot of polka dot going-on for the summer/spring… so maybe that could be it. Since I’ve completed my microfiber pant, I thought it would be cool to pair with the polka dot fabric. I’m using New Look 6515 pattern, Version B, which is a cross-over bodice blouse with bell sleeves and back ties. I cut the pattern for a size 16, but after baste stitching and trying it on- the top was too big, so I took off 2” in the back and decided the zipper and back ties would not be necessary. I initially thought about taking an 1” from each side seam, but was concerned about the armscye. I managed to get one sleeve done and a lil concerned in that the sleeve has large diagonal draglines from the shoulder to the upper arm, which leads me to believe the sleeve is too big… *sigh*. This evening I hope to tackle it by putting in the second sleeve to make sure that I’m not imagining the large diagonal draglines…lol