Lunchbags

On Labor Day, just before I headed back to school, my mom and I crafted these excellent lunch bags. Now I can finally throw out that old plastic grocery bag I've been using! We bought vinyl tablecloth material and I used iron-on vinyl to make the inside waterproof (that stuff is cool but expensive, and hard to find). If you want more details feel free to e-mail me.





I kind of made it up as I went along (when I was trying to explain to my mom what I did she got a little frustrated because I couldn't always remember!). I just enlarged the dimensions of a paper bag, added a ribbon handle, some beads as a charm,

and another ribbon around the top edge to dress it up. A snap magnetic closure from Clover and, hey, an awesome lunchbag with lots of room.

Happy fall!

Old School Crafty

It's been a little quiet around since I finished the summer semester of graduate school (I'm beyond thrilled that I never have to do that again) and then I spent a week in Plymouth doing this:

"This" would be letterpress. I set each individual letter and symbol (even the lines around the "Ex Libris") and put them on a press and made these pretty things. With the help of two stellar professors, of course. I made several other things but some have to wait since they are Christmas presents for people who may or may not read the blog.

Outside of class I stayed with the fabulously crafty Beth and we ate junk food and watched Audrey Hepburn movies and even went to a concert. When she brought me back on Saturday we stopped at Fabric Fix where I bought this strange green knit fabric, some grey knit fabric for an Infinity dress, and look! A great jumper pattern! I'm getting ready for my last back-to-school (ever. I am so done with academia), and I rocked jumpers all through elementary school, so I want to make one for myself.

Also, Katie and I went to the Knit and Crochet Show a couple of weeks ago and I scored 1200 yards of deliciously soft tweedy alpaca. I'm thinking some sort of cardigan, although it will probably have to be cropped and/or three-quarter sleeves. I really should have bought that third skein...

I have been very busy and I have lots of exciting FOs to show off. Soon, I promise!

Still Here

Barely. Between the summer semester (which is almost over) and my car dying this week (I will miss you, Betty), and busy weekends (including a trip to northern NH for the holiday weekend) there's been a lot going on.


Here's the only finished knitting I currently have to show you:

My (late) May/June charity project. Just a garter stitch rectangle pet blanket for a local animal shelter (pattern in Knitting for Peace, but you could just knit an animal-sized rectangle) in some acrylic left over from my beginning knitting/briefly-unemployed-desperate-for-yarn days.



Last weekend I was looking forward to a mostly free, craft-filled weekend, along with some room-cleaning. I was pumped to finish a project and get going on some Christmas/birthday presents. Until I tried on the project Friday night and discovered it was too small and that I didn't even do a gauge swatch because I forgot. I nearly lost my craft mojo for the weekend. (Although at least I had a chance to lay in the hammock and read, and clean up my room.)


Luckily, I got it back on Sunday:

(I apologize for the blurry pictures. I've apparently lost the ability to hold a camera steady).


All-Day Tote from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing (Love. This. Book.)


Fabric: Dark stretch denim and white cotton with turquoise stars and dots, both from the remnant table at Martin's House of Cloth (not sure about the amounts, since the fabric has been cut out since last September, but I don't think it's more than a yard each).



A peek at the lining and one of the pockets:

I am very happy with this bag. It's survived the commute to Boston all week, and there's a great front pocket that holds a book perfectly. It just seems strange to me that I had an easy time making this bag, and yet I had knitting issues all weekend. Usually it's the opposite.


I've been working on some other things, but since I'm trying to do Christmas in July again, and I've shown some family members the blog, I won't be able to post most of them for awhile. But, since school is ending soon, I'm hoping for some more crafting time. Yeah, right.




In other news, I'm currently obsessed with the book Knitalong. This book has also helped me get my craft mojo back. It's everything I like my knitting books to be: great stories; excellent, unique patterns; beautiful photography; and just generally inspiring. I realize that this is kind of a tall order, and that there are different books with different purposes, but I'm always thrilled when I find one can pull me out of a knitting slump.

Landscape Shawl and Heidi Headbands

I finally finished the Landscape Shawl (I started it in June, then put it down until a few weeks ago. I actually misplaced it at one point which could account for the lack of progress). It was a good January project because it kept my lap warm and I have this weird urge to knit things that are white during this month (although I simultaneously want to knit things in very bright colors during these dark days). I'm happy I finished it in time to be able to wear it for the rest of winter.


Landscape Shawl (A FiberTrends pattern)
Yarn: The Irish Ewe Aran, 2 hanks Bainin (pronounced BAAA-neen, according to the website)
Source: The Irish Ewe, via the National Knit and Crochet Show in Manchester in June 2007
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo US Size 11 26" circular needles
Modifications: Just a bunch of mistakes that aren't really noticable, and I tried the Better Bind Off (click for the tutorial from the Purl Bee) for the top edge. Tip: I am so used to tugging on the yarn to bind off loosely that my edge is a little wobbly where I started the bind-off. Don't hesitate to pull it tight.

A close-up of the stitch patterns:
I can't rave about this yarn enough. It's beautiful in that homespun way and organic and it's from Ireland. The women at the Irish Ewe are so nice and helpful, and I'm thrilled that the yarn is available online because I want to buy a bunch and roll in it. Plus, you can't beat the price: $12-14 for 325-400 yards of delicious Irish woolly goodness.

And last but not least, I finally got back to the sewing machine last week and busted out some of Heidi's Headbands from Bend the Rules Sewing. I've gotten lots of compliments on them and they were very quick and easy. That Amy has some great ideas, and I love that there are drawings that detail the steps along with the written instructions. I think this was my first project from the book but I will definitely be making more: I am in love with every bag in the book.

Woohoo! Vacation

Completed: the Elisa Nest Tote (with a close up of the stitch pattern)

Pattern: Elisa Nest Tote from the Purl Bee

Yarn: Butterfly 10 mercerized cotton 1 skein

Source: Pearl's Yarn Shop

Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo U.S. size 9 straight needles, aluminum dpns U.S. size 6, Clover size F crochet hook

Modifications: Yarn substitution, added two inches to the length of the bag

A great pattern and a great bag. It's very stretchy and will hold a lot, but the holes in the lace are small enough that most things won't slip or poke through. Excellent summer knitting and really quick to knit.

I only made a couple of purchases at the Knitting Guild of America's and Crocheting Guild of America's big exhibition/market thingy they held here last weekend. A beautiful sweater pattern from Tess Designer Yarns and these two skeins of yarn from the Irish Ewe. They are going to be a worsted weight Landscape Shawl. They are from organically raised sheep in Ireland, and they were spun at one of Ireland's three remaining woollen mills (no wonder I couldn't find any yarn when I was there last summer).

The glorious KnitPicks order arrived. It is intended for two pairs of felted clogs, one pair of socks, a baby sweater, and a lace wimple.

Completed: Retro Rib Socks (and a somewhat blurry closeup of the pattern)

Pattern: Retro Rib Socks by Evelyn A. Clark (from Favorite Socks)

Yarn: Regia 4-Ply Tweed, 2 balls
Source: Patternworks Yarn Shop

Needles: Crystal Palace bamboo dpns, U.S. size 2

Modifications: My gauge was a little off, so I followed the woman's size instead of the men's even though their for my uncle. It should be all right, since his feet are just a little bigger than mine and these are just a little big for me (that is my very exact scientific measuring system for the people I knit socks for: a little bigger for the men, the same size for the women except my mom, who is a little smaller)

And, a little sewing:

This is the sun hat from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing book (simple, except for the part where I wanted to throw my sewing machine out the window). The outside fabric was leftover from a tote bag I made my mom for her birthday, and the lining is from an old pillowcase. I'm very proud of myself for figuring out the problems, and I managed to get it done just in time for our vacation at the lake this week.

So, I still have more Christmas in July projects (and July is rapidly approaching its end). I figured out a couple that I can take to the lake with me (tricky, since I'll be in close quarters with most of the people I have to make presents for) and I am starting the Tuxedo shirt from the Summer 2007 Interweave Knits for myself in an extra cone of Brown Sheep's Cotton Fine I found in the stash.

But before we head out, I have lots of packing. Including figuring out just how many projects and books I can fit in my suitcase.

Oh, the sheep-y goodness...

The first picture is the sum total of my purchases at the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival (and Alpaca Fest!). The second picture is a close up of the roving: 2 2 oz. hanks of hand-dyed Corriedale in the colorway "Summer Fields" (I couldn't resist) from The Sheep Shed at Mountain View Farm; 2 4 oz. balls of hand-dyed Romney from "Maggie" (that's the sheep's name!) at Brimstone Hollow Farm (those are the green and yellow balls; Brimstone Hollow has the best colorways); and one 4 oz. ball of white Romney roving (I forget where I got that one). The last picture is a closeup of the amazing yarn I bought (and the roving kind of snuck in): from the bottom, one skein of hand-dyed sock yarn from Balland Skein; one skein of sock yarn from Spirit Trail Fiberworks, and one skein of the "Bunny Blend" merino and angora yarn.
It might look like a lot, but I was very smart this year. The past three years I've gone kind of crazy and just bought whatever I loved, but this year I planned it out. The roving was Romney and Corriedale because that's easy to spin (and my spinning skills are still developing). The sock yarn was kind of expensive, but not too much more expensive than commercial sock yarn (considering you usually need two skeins) and socks take a long time to knit (I do, anyway) so it's a good investment. The angora skein was also kind of a splurge, but for a long time I've had this angora scarf planned in my head, like the one Rory wears in the fourth and fifth seasons of Gilmore Girls (it's white and lacy with a little bit of fluff). I've been searching for the perfect yarn for awhile and I hadn't found it...till now.

I've finally finished my senior thesis, and after I get through with packing and moving and graduation and about a million other things, I will finally be able to seriously knit again. I have been sewing, and my practice dress came out great (pics soon to come) but I miss knitting.

Whoops

So it's been awhile since the last post. This whole end-of-my-college-career thing is a lot more time consuming than I had anticipated. I've also spent a lot of time being antsy about graduate school financial aid (I haven't heard from anyone yet). Oh, there has been knitting, crocheting (!), and sewing (there's this whole graduation dress idea that I think is going to end very, very badly) but I don't feel like I'm getting anything done.
I did get done with working at the yarn store last Sunday. It's a little sad. I'm going to miss spending Sundays with Susan (although I won't miss getting up early), and the loss of the 40% discount is wrenching, but after three years of snobby novice tourists, being yelled at for not having a yarn in stock or not being able to magically fix things I'm ready for a break.
The in-progress pictures are pretty boring, so I'll just list what I'm working on:
Chanson en Crochet (from Wrap Style) (that's the crocheting)
Wrist warmers (from Hollywood Knits) (commissioned by someone my mom works with)
A fifties style graduation dress (actually there are two, because I'm making a practice one with cheap fabric) (yes, I am aware that graduation is less than three weeks away and that my sewing skills leave something to be desired but my stubbornness to wear a dress that I made under my gown is currently overriding both of these facts)
and still, the Treeline Striped Cardigan

But first:
A new poem and a chapbook manuscript for poetry workshop
and maybe some of the pile of other school work I have to do...