Monday, June 11, 2007

Carrie Sews

Perhaps that would be a more accurate title for this blog lately. I went a little nuts with the sewing in the last week or so.
I made Abby a new lunch sack out of oilcloth.
I made a baby-carrier for a friend. It's based on this pattern. I made one for Abby and considered just giving that one to my friend with the baby, but I'm pretty attached to it. And, once Abby saw what I was making, she insisted on climbing up and being tied to me again. She still fits and was so sweet in the grocery store while I carried her in the sling. So, I pulled mine out of hiding and have been using it again!
I also made a little summer dress for her out of thrifted fabric and a vintage sheet. I was just using what I had, as I made the pattern and wasn't sure if it would fit. It's definitely a little big, but she still likes it. I was inspired by a vintage pattern that I found at a thrift store. Unfortunately, the actual pattern piece for the jumper wasn't in the package, but I was able to come up with something close by looking at the pictures and sewing instructions. I'll make another one in a non-pink color for her. I love how it crosses in the back.

Saturday, June 02, 2007

May is when my knitting slows

It's true! Every year, I think I'll beat it, but every year, my knitting slows down as soon as the days finally feel longer. I'm not sure if it's because I'm outside more or because I can't sit still when the sun finally shows. Whatever it is, the stitch 'n bitch group stops meeting, my production of knit goods slows and I start to garden. . . a little. There were a few babies and some teachers to appreciate.
I made some totes out of reclaimed and recycled material for Abby's pre-3 teachers. It's from a pattern in this book. Love them. Once I got the hang of it, I couldn't stop and ended up making two more for friends leaving Port Angeles.

I made two identical itty bitty hats from this book. I'm not sure who the second one is for, but the first was so cute, I had to do another! One skein of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk dk did both hats in the infant size (color 26005).

I finished the amaizing hat and didn't end up liking the basic pattern I made. The hat didn't end up feeling soft enough either. I probably won't use that yarn again. Made up several little waterproof totes for babes. I like to use them for dirty cloth diapers in the diaper bag. They are also really great for swim suits, wet clothes etc. I made up the pattern, but based them on these bags by bummis. They are made out of some sort of outdoor balloon-like material that my mom got for me at Seattle Fabrics. I wish I could find the exact stuff again, or knew the exact name of it, because my stash is almost gone and it's a great gift that's easy to make.

Funny story: My mom and dad found an old bag of crazy knitting that my dad's step mother must have been working on in the 1950's. She had nearly finished one argyle sock and had the cuff and one pattern repeat of the argyle done on the second. They were still on the needles, in a bag with all of the yucky acrylic and wacky 1950's pattern. They are hideous. I finished one of them, modeled here by Tom. When I tried to get working on the second one, I kept getting lost in the pattern. Finally, after lots of stitch counting, I realized that Grandma Sue had screwed up the first sock and there was no way to make the second one match. That's probably why she threw up her hands 50 years ago! If they were wool and the least bit cute and didn't reek of cigarette smoke, I would have perservered, but, due to all of that and the 50 year old screw up, I chucked the whole bag in the thrift store pile. But, we have a picture of that one ugly, stinky, screwed-up sock.
Speaking of socks. . . I finally finished my pair. Basic Pattern with Patons Kroy Socks Jacquards in "Hip Hop" colorway. I'm getting less and less enamoured with the idea of knitting socks. Not only do you knit FOREVER to get one, you then have to try and repeat the same thing exactly for a matching set. AND, despite Stephanie's best advice, I can't get them to fit properly. These are too loose and scrunch down a la 1983. Ugh. Maybe I'll stick with sewing for a while. I found some cute vintage patterns for little summer dresses for Abby at a thrift store. I'm inspired daily by Amanda and hope to hit the sewing machine again soon (check out these picnic blankets! I love them). We're almost done getting my little sewing area set up out in the extra room attached to our garage. Right now, all of my fabric is in grocery sacks sort of spread out around the dirty, shop-like garage part of our garage. I'm looking forward to having a spot to spread out! Yay!