FO: Sexy Red Dress

Project: See & Sew dress B5546
(a.k.a "Sexy Red Dress")
Start Date: June 22nd, 2012
Finish Date:  June 28th, 2012
Store: Joann Fabrics (pattern & fabric)
Fabric: Jersey knit
Yardage: 2 yards


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FO: Puerperium Cardigan

My husband's cousin just had her second baby, and what better thing to shower her with than this cute, masculine cardigan that was on the brink of being finished anyways. That's why it's great to knit baby things ahead of time (even without anyone in mind), because if you're like me...and you have startitis, it makes for a quick completion when you hear about a baby ready to be welcomed into the world. Soon.

Project: Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker
Baby Size: 0-3 months
Made for: Walter
Yarn: 1.25 skeins of Bernat Satin Sport Ombres, colorway "Seashore."

Needles: size US7 circular and dpns

Start date: February 22nd, 2012

Finish Date: June 25th, 2012

 

Although it's already summertime, restaurants and air conditioned homes make for chilly babies, and this should be perfect because it's just acrylic; it shouldn't be itchy or too warm.

Pretty cute, huh? I'll have to knit one of these again. An acquaintance of mine is at the beginning of her pregnancy...

FO: apron!

I'm so proud of my first real sewing project, I'm just gonna copy & paste my post from my new sewing blog, the Stitch Novice, instead of teasing you with one photo:

Done! I completed it yesterday, before dropping myself onto my bed in a vegetative mode to prop up my complaining foot (I had surgery on it to take out part of my outer bone, two weeks ago). I didn't have too many bumps on the road, but it wasn't all idiot-proof.

Project: Stitch 'n Save M6536 Apron
Start Date: June 17th, 2012
Finish Date:  June 19th, 2012
Store: Joann Fabrics (pattern & fabric)
Fabric: Cotton
Yardage: 1.5 yards- main color, 1 fabric quarter- contrast


When it came to doing the top of the apron, where the orange fabric is, I had to fudge it around so it fit correctly. Either I cut the pattern wrong in width, or maybe it was supposed to fit like that..who knows, but to me it seemed like a red-flag zone. I felt like it should be longer in height.

The tubing on the armpits also gave me some trouble. The instructions wasn't clear enough for a newbie like me. After sewing the wrong sides together and flipping it over...and then sewing it to the other side, the tubing was pretty narrow on the outer-most edges for the apron tie that had to be threaded through it.

Sewing the Pockets to the apron.

Stitching on the pockets: not so bad?

I decided not to do the rickrack ribbon and such embellishments that the pattern called for. I'm much too simple in taste for that. I just went plain-Jane and let the contrast fabric and one piece of orange ribbon do all of the talking. I think it looks a little more sophisticated that way, even in a cutesy fabric pattern.

Other alterations to the pattern were: going size Medium on the chest and size Large for the body of the apron, and also shortening this apron by around 2 inches (it's still pretty long). 

Rolled up Apron tie. Love it!

On to my next mission: that sexy red dress number!

The Stitch Novice

Hey gang,
While I've been couped up on the couch...not doing a whole lot besides reading "Mockingjay," "A Million Pieces," "Ash" and now "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," (I haven't been inspired to pick up any of my WIPs lately, although a couple are on the brink of being finished--it's just too hot), I've been itching to try out sewing. I know how to thread the machine and sew simple things like pillowcases...but following patterns and making form-fitting things, well, I'm a newbie! I actually had both grandmothers over at one time, and we all decided to head out to Joann Fabrics with the twins (yeah, they really don't like the store. boys.) so I could pick out an easy pattern to start with. Yup, I crutched around the store. Boy did I start getting a Charlie-horse by the time I was waiting for the fabric to be cut.

Anyways, I picked out two patterns: an apron & a sexy red dress number. I'm starting with the apron first, of course, although both are supposedly easy. Supposedly.

I've started a side-blog, "the Stitch Novice" (www.thestitchnovice.blogspot.com) to document my adventures in sewing so I don't clutter this blog with too many non-knitting things. Come check it out in it's infancy...there's a few posts already.

Shawl Pins: green

Here's my preliminary adventure in the clay shawl pin world. I started out with a green-scape to match the shawl resting ever so nicely on "Victoria," my iron model.

I used Sculpey's Granitex "Polymer Clay" to shape them similar to the wooden shawl pins that are (outrageously) expensive. Not that the craftsmen/women don't deserve their pay...but I'm not willing to fork it up.

I picked a few colors: grey, light and dark green. I rolled each into a long coil and then rolled them all together. I shaped it into a ball, pressed it flat and carved out the middle. The hardest part was smoothing the edges out without distorting the color.

Check out the Eskimimi Makes website for better tutorial instructions & photos. That's where I got inspired in the first place. (Hers looks better anyways. I think I'll use wooden sticks next time.) Let me know how yours turns out though. I'm hoping to make other colorways in the near future.

I made an oval and a round version. I didn't use a toilet paper roll like Eskimimi, but I did use the handle of a metal whisk! lol.

I baked it for 15 minutes according to the instructions of the Polymer Clay, and after it cooled I brushed on a Polymer Clay glaze that just air-dries. 

Update

An update on what's going on since the surgery:
I just learned yesterday that my surgery's outcome is due to nurse malpractice. My surgeon couldn't figure out why the bone anchor went all the way through the hole he drilled instead of staying directly in the middle of the bone....until he realized that the nurse's "strict protocol" at the hospital was not followed. The nurse handed him a bone anchor with a gauge too small, which made it go farther than he intended. I don't know if I'll still be fine (up for grabs), but it's awful thinking I may have to go through this again (even putting all this stress on family helping me almost around the clock when Joe isn't home) for another 5 or more weeks if this doesn't pan out. The doctor seemed really worried about me sueing...because he's been going well out of his way to help me. He wasn't supposed to be in the office yesterday, but he made the 40 minute trip to explain about the surgery for me. I told him I was feeling short of breath and anemic/fainty, he wrote up a referral to go to a blood lab place that will tell me the results within a couple of hours..and he later called me up to highly suggest me going to the ER (which I did end up taking his advice) because he was worried about a blood clot if I'm out of breath. I don't have one, but they did find a minor infection. He called me when I got home from the hospital to check up on me and said he would call in a couple of days to see how I'm doing even though my next visit with him isn't until the 17th. He is a very nice doctor/surgeon...and I don't believe this was his fault. He trusted the nurse on good faith that she was handing him the right tool (which I'm sure he will now double check on his own). I told him the only thing I ask for, is the hospital putting a note in my file that if I have to go through surgery again to fix this, they are taking care of the bill.

Anyways, today I still feel out of breath, and I almost fainted this morning and had a heat-rush and nausea as if I had the flu. I hope it's nothing serious still.

I'll leave you with one of the cutest videos of my children this week...

Just a slice

Hey gang,

Yesterday, I had my foot surgery. I've been walking on a non-union fracture for about 4 years, and even with a "bone-growth" stimulator and wearing a boot for 6 weeks 3.5 years ago, my doctor says that it was all for naught because when he went in to remove the outer metatarsal bone yesterday...it was just hanging there, not connected to anything but half of the tendon running next to it. Yeah, doing nothing put pulling on that tendon. The good news was just that though. It was an easy removal. He anchored the tendon to the good bone with a bone anchor and patched me back up.

...But, I have 19 month old twins, and it's hard just sitting there. I mean, half of the time they are getting into trouble: standing on top of chair recliners, couches, tables, etc. We planned it so that my MIL (whose a teacher finally off for the summer) could babysit during the day while I was off-duty.It's really lucky that she was able to help. My mother just found out several days ago that she has shingles!! Talk about joining the pain-club.

I was having trouble sleeping, again, and of course my brain was firing wild with new ideas...how to embellish a tanktop with knitting/crocheting for the 4th of July...making shawl pins...or how to make a home-made table weaving loom! I really, really am excited to get a head start on those, but oh yeah..I can't walk. Le sigh. However, I am working on a baby toy that was dreamt in my head a while ago, and It's half way into production. No photos yet on that, but I will take some soon of the building process.

The baby sweater has been put on hold for a bit. I think I'll pick it up again in couple of days. I was hurrying up to finish the Host, and the books Catching Fire and MockingJay that was due at the library today. How was your Mother's Day? or Memorial Day? I know I've been a little quiet after the pooping-out of my laptop (We haven't taken it to Best Buy yet to get fixed--hopefully fixed!). Ours was nice...visiting family, and..uh, buying a Kindle Fire for myself! :)

How in the heck does the Yarn Harlot finish her projects soo tootin' fast? Dang. I think I need to sit down and perfect continental, cause gee-wise folks...I guess English style isn't able to pump out a pair of socks in a day, and a shawl in like a few days...

Sad day.

Dear readers,
Today was a sad, sad day. One of those crack-out-the-wine-and-chocolate-and-still-feel-crappy days. My external hard drive bit the dust a couple months ago when my son pulled it off of the island...and I thought that was heart-breaking. Today, I found out that the remaining photos of my children, my videos, my documents, compositions and music, etc might be gone because when I turned on my laptop, it made the "click of death" and said "operating system not found." It might have been from a power-surge from the big storm a couple of days ago, because the charger was still plugged in. I can hardly think about it without crying.  If there are no photos of the Honeybee jacket that I've been working on-that was ready to be posted about-for a little bit, it's because I'm without my beloved laptop. I had photos/documents stored on my husband's computer from things "pre-children" (about two years ago), but everything after that might be gone if we can't get it restored. Uh! The catcher is that about a few days ago, my gut was telling me to at least back up my photos because I don't want to have another "episode" like the external! The other catcher!!!...my husband was going to give me a new external for mother's day!
Losing documents and such is a huge downer, but losing most of the photos of your children's first year- -in-a-half is devastating. This sucks to smithereens... learn from me.

Little bitty swatches

I've spent the better part of Tuesday and Wednesday swatching away. Five swatches, to be exact to get the right gauge for a new pattern that is in the works: the Honeycomb Jacket for Babies and Toddlers.

I've done swatches on size 11's and size 10's with the Stitch 'N Bitch yarn that I originally was going to use on this honeycomb Jacket...but decided that I didn't literally want a "honeycomb" colorway, but a multicolored colorway that was thinner so it was a lighter type of jacket meant for Spring/Fall weather or a chilly house.

Enter: new type of yarn, the Bernat Mosaics that looks like Noro yarn. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for real wool, but I couldn't resist the charms of these yarns. They stripe in several colors when knit up...and it looks like I did all of the work! (Not to mention I got these for a great deal, so I bought more colorways...)

Enter: me knitting up a jacket for the size of an 8 year-old...because the smaller swatches lied. (Frog.)

Lot's of hours later after swatching, math, more swatching, more math...the gauge seems to be near-exact.

Of course I plan on knitting it in what my preemie toddlers fit at 18-24 months as tiny-beanies...which is a standard 12 month old waist! I know! I am going by the standards of the "Craft Yarn Council." When I write up the pattern, I will hopefully hit the standard fits (of normal weighing babies & toddlers) of Newborn, 3 month, 6 month, 12 month and 24 months. That's the plan. Now, let's just hope the cabling pattern obliges all of those!

The shape of this jacket is inspired by Elizabeth Z's "Tomten" jacket, where there is a big cutout in the jacket for the sleeves. And it will be hooded as well. And Zippered (yay!).  Everyone loves a zippered jacket.

Oh, and did I forget to mention my favorite part? The cables are done without cable needles. (I'll make a video tutorial later on that if you want.) It's a really nifty trick when you have C3F or C3B all across the row.

I'm currently 6'' in. 

The "Dummy Clap" Shawl PDF & Video Tutorial!

The "Dummy Clap" Shawl PDF

Alright guys. I'm officially checking out for the weekend...so this post will be nice and short. This all took a lot longer than anticipated and I'm cashed, since I had to do everything "off-hours" with the boys and all. The video tutorial will go over all parts of the pattern, so if you don't know how to do things like a "knitted cast on," or "Co1 using a twisted loop" or want to see how the stitches get dropped...there you are. :) I hope you all enjoy the pdf/video. It's long over-do, I know. (You might have to update your acrobat reader for the font.) once you click on the pdf button, it will bring you to acrobat, and hit the "download" button on the top.

Something exciting coming your way!

Hey guys,
I've received dozens and dozens of emails since the birth of a particular free pattern, the "Dummy Clap Shawl," to explain or do multiple things for them: take out all crochet, include directions to make the dropped stitch gap smaller, teach them how to drop or do the bind off, make it PDF'ed, etc.

I've was pretty adamant about keeping the crochet since it's just a simple chain or single crochet stitch for the edging and that's how mine was done...but now I have decided to tinker with an idea that I had that would eliminate any necessary crochet in the pattern and make it 100% knitting...as I've found out a lot of people would really, REALLY prefer.

So here is what I am going to do, which is even BETTER (lol)...I'm going to rewrite the pattern, include two versions of drop stitches, pdf-it and more excitingly, MAKE A VIDEO TUTORIAL to go over how to knit this shawl from start to finish.

---The pattern & video should be uploaded sometime this weekend, so stop by soon if this is what you've been waiting for! :)

Spring has sprung...

...and so have many of our projects! It feels like forever since I've posted, and this is why (yes, it's more like a book than an update, lol):

We are busy finishing the fence in the backyard because at the retaining wall in the back it's really like a mini cliff leading to the lake (they call it a lake, I call it a large stream). We are also building their "Little Tikes Endless Adventures Lookout Swingset" that we just bought them, and we have to re-mulch, plant a couple of Sunset Maples that are waiting patiently in the backyard, and hopefully get to the stone pathway on the side of the house that leads to the fence's gate.

I've been busy putting out fires with my toddler's dangerous endeavors, like standing on the windowsill next to the couch, or standing at the edge of the couch, climbing over gates that lead to no-good, picking up my children off of the kitchen table, etc. All that good monkey climbing stuff. They've been really clingy for a month or two (to the point were both of them are at my leg crabbing), and Jacob has been waking up 4 times a night. I think it's separation anxiety, but it doesn't seem to be getting better. I "dream" about "sleep."

Unfortunately, I put my baby cardigan on hold when it got so nice, even though I only had one arm left to do. I figured that it might not even get used, so I'll make my cousin's baby some cute loafer booties instead and save the cardi for another baby. I also casted on for my MIL's "tree pose" yoga bag that was supposed to be for her birthday, but I casted on soo late that I stopped. I plan on frogging and reknitting it since her birthday was Saturday and I was dissatisfied with the crocheted bottom that resembles something inappropriate. I'll just give it to her for Mother's Day.

I do have pictures of the dino curtains that I sewed my boys about a month ago...and I finished within a weekend because I was a sewing-fiend. I've been trying to spruce of Jacob's depressing room...

I'm happy with the results. I mean, I don't sew and somehow the curtains turned out identical (the same length, the ribbon matching in the same area, etc). Winner. The color is more true to the first photo, even though it's a dark one. Oh, and there are two windows, so that's four panels that I had to sew up.

I finished a few books: It Takes a Witch, Firelight (romance novel) and Hunger Games (that my husband and I are going to read. We figured that since twin parenting takes a toll on a marriage, we needed to do something in common to connect again more...something besides watching tv series or laying on the couch like a veggie...and that's were the book came in. I finished it in 3 days. It was good! I hate the children-forced-to-kill-other-children premise of it, but it was a quick, interesting read. I'm looking forward to seeing it in the theaters.

I recently went back the the podiatrist because my non-union fracture from 3 years ago (yes, 3!) has never completely healed. Back then, I was given a foot-growth stimulator and a boot and after a few months the bone fused a little, and somehow the doctor was satisfied and said that the scar tissue might give me a little trouble but I wouldn't need physical therapy, or surgery and sent me on my merry way... Well, the pain has never gone away completely. It flares up when the foot is bent a certain way, and it is about a bad as when I first went there. With this current xray another doctor told me that it will never heal without surgery and that he would need to take out the bone fracture and pin the tendon onto the main bone of my foot if I wanted to get back to normal. *le sigh* Toddlers and food surgery do not mix! I'll probably hold out until the middle or end of summer when my husband has earned enough time off and I am guaranteed more help from family...It all really stinks since after what felt like a long Winter of cabin fever, and with Spring having sprouted, I've been thinking of nothing but enjoying it outside. Walking. Getting back into shape. Anyone have magic healing dust?

I'll leave you guys with a couple nice photos of spring from my phone camera while going out on a walk:

Ah, "stroller sedatives"...love it.

Always something brewing...

I've been working on the "1 year old" baby socks for my boys on and off, but have recently casting on for a baby cardigan for my cousin's newborn baby maybe 4 days ago. Meanwhile, I've started getting into composing piano music (my first one's a short and fairly classical piece from two Sunday's ago and the second is a vocal/piano one from the last couple of days because I could picture the voice and lyrics in my mind, unlike the first one).

Surprise, surprise...the knitting is being put on hold until I can type up the official copy on my music writing software (if you're musically inclined and haven't heard of it, it's called Musescore, and it's completely FREE and very similar to the 300 hundred dollar programs like Sibelius. It just doesn't turn the song into a audio-file...that I know of...and you have to input the notes by hand). It's really exciting seeing it work together and typing it up "all legible" on the computer, but I have to say that it's more time consuming than actually handwriting and thinking of the darn thing into entirety. All I have left to do now is the right hand part (the treble clef). I've studied for 11 years with a concert pianist (and I'm a singer), but aside from teaching piano and participating in choir...I'm kind of a "closet pianist," so it's kind of shocking to most people that I'm starting to get into composing. I've never really ventured there because I didn't believe that I could really formulate anything worth anything except for the main melody..but I guess I was wrong. When I turn that part of my brain on, I do get little snippets of a new melody (like in the shower). I think I should have ventured into composing earlier...and I can't help thinking whether or not I was meant to do this right now, or if I've missed out on years of amateur composing experience.

Photo of the snowstorm we had in the midwest a few days ago. We have massive, wet snowflakes that coated everything. Several large branches from our neighbor's large trees snapped and are hanging over into our yard...there was that build-up. Between the windstorm and this, these mature oaks are really taking a beating.

The reality is that I'm into too many things. I've always been creative. I was THAT student who did their "leaf project" in middle school with construction paper, glitter glue, special-edge scissors, "blow pens" (remember those??), and put it into a nice, plastic sheet protectors in a binder. My closet is still filled with several bins of craft supplies unrelated to knitting. It's a blessing and a downfall. There is not enough time, but too many ideas. It stinks, but at least I'm getting smart enough now to have a little pocketbook to write them down because for me, if the idea is not written down fast enough, "out with the old and in with the new."

Oh, and I recently finished "Hooked on Murder," the first book in the crochet murder mystery series. I have to say, it wasn't completely horrible...it had its moments, but the author is definitely going all prejudice with "knitters think that crocheter's craft is work from the dark side." I know that people joke around with the whole "crocheting" and "dark side" and such, but this author really seems convinced that a lot of crocheters and knitting will not craft together because they are so prejudices...which knitters are in the blame for. I think that's kind of silly. There's probably some people like it, but she almost seemed to hint that it's more than sparse in example, and knitters put up this whole "righteous" act. *sigh* and another *sigh*

Well, hopefully within a couple of days I can show you the finished product of both WIP's. I have to finish the cardi soon or it will be outgrown. lol. My boys are playing with the little keyboard I found in my possession...and they turned on the non-stop chord harmony button and it's getting too repetitive!

Knit. Censored.

I did end up making something for my Valentine in time.

See it on Ravelry, unrated. hee. hee.

I added a little beading for extra pizazz. I think it turned out relatively well. Maybe a black one is in the future? ;) It's really a quick knit. Be sure to read my notes on doing it dpn-style like the designer of the pattern so you don't reknit it 4 times like me.

Still can't believe I knit one. Ha ha.

Orange Zest Whole Wheat Pancakes

If you're like me, you're probably thinking of ways to make a guilty pleasure less guilty. Or, equally important, trying to figure out ways to get your picky toddler(s) to eat something. ANYTHING. Especially something that will keep them full.

I've mixed together a tasty recipe that is healthy and hearty...as much as delicious.

Yields about 15 medium pancakes

Recipe Ingredients:
2 Cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
zest of half an orange
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups of reduced fat milk
3 tbs agave nectar (I used the organic "in the raw" version)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice

Directions:
Preheat your griddle to 375 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, and combine the wet ingredients into a separate bowl. Whisk the eggs well first before adding all of the rest of the wet ingredients to the bowl to help make the pancakes fluffier. While stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly add the wet into the dry ingredients. Don't over-mix. Butter the griddle's surface and add about 1/2 a cup's worth of batter per pancake. Flip when bubbles appear on the top of the pancakes. Enjoy with reduced fat butter/margarine or syrup.

Try it with blueberries in the batter next time!

Valentine's Day knits?

Are any of you secretly knitting something for your Valentine? There's some quick knits out there...it might be fun to search the pattern page on Ravelry and see what you can whip up in time. ;)

Modular Striped Vest:: finished

It's been a very long week. Very long. Did I mention how it's been a long week? *Eugh* One of our worst nightmares was realized. Monday, Jacob got the stomach flu. Tuesday, he started getting better and then I, my husband and my other son Sam got the stomach flu. A very bad case. If you don't have kids, or if you've never had the "privilege" of having a gut-wrenching ailment while your child(ren) are sick-oh how completely helpless you feel- what an experience! There's nothing like not being able to get out of bed without blacking out while your child is that sick. We were VERY fortunate to live closely to our parents and to have them risk their own health to take care of the young'ins. I don't know how we could have taken care of them.

But, anyways. Here we are in the present. The boys are pretty much back to normal one week later, and I have finished the Vest.

Weaving in ends...quel nightmare. Wasn't looking forward to doing it. Eventually, I lost count while sewing.

Pattern: Striped Modular Vest by Andra Knight-Bowman
Yarn: 4 skeins of Yarn treehouse "Daisy," in bulky and 1/3 skein of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride (heavily) worsted yarn in black.
Needles: US9 straights
Project started: December 28th(?) 2011
Project finished: January 29th, 2012
Modifications: arrangement of squares to form an "X," Crochet edging & for sewing, no collar, bottom edge with seed-stitch.

Above, the back.

The front.

The vest is a little large. I might even felt it a touch to get it to the size needed. We'll see.

Take the squares challenge... I dare you.

Hey everyone.
I'm finally done with the eight squares for the Modular Vest. All I have left is the bottom edge where I'm supposed to garter for a few inches, and then of course piecing them all together. It took a while to figure out which configuration I was happiest with, and I thought of a neat little challenge for you. Can you guess which positions I chose? I'll start you off with half of the answers, so take your best guess. It'll be cool too see if someone can guess correctly. I apologize now for the color variances. The sun kept changing the lighting.

The squares will be turned so that all of the cast on edge (the edge with the most stitches) touch eachother.

So...if you'd like to play the "squares challenge," here's four answers to start you off:
A= 3
B=?
C=?
D=2
E=5
F=?
G=?
H=7

1 ,8, 5 & 3 are the smaller and upper squares:

2, 7, 4, & 6 are the bigger and lower squares

Is your head hurting? I know mine is.

OK, a little more help., I guess.