Red Verity and Not-Enough- Ruffles

I made a "Just Enough Ruffles" for Isabel. I had to modify it for size both because her neck is small and because I didn't have enough yarn.

I made one version of it and ended up with 20 cm yarn left when I had 300 sts left to bind off. Less than ideal. This is version 2.0.

The red hat she's wearing is a Verity. Size S. I love it. She looks like little Red Riding Hood.

The black and white dress was a Christmas present from my mom.

Hit and miss

I've been very productive lately. A few weeks ago I started on the Just Enough Ruffles by Laura Chau. (Ravelry link)

Looking at the pattern you'd think it would take a long time to knit, but it really doesn't.

I finished the Butterscotch one above in just 2 days. And ...



... immediately started a second one in a yummy green shade.

The yarn is Cora from ONline. I couldn't find a local store that carried the Malabrigo yarn suggested, and I didn't want to wait.

I've still not knitted anything in the Malabrigo so I can't tell the difference, but Cora is a very nice yarn. Acrylic content but ... meh.

Once the scarves were done I shopped around for a hat to match and came across Verity by Ysolda Teague (Ravelry link).



The hat was a really quick knit. Started on Monday at Knit night and finished today (Wednesday) with ends woven in, just lacking a button.

But.

I chose the wrong size. I thought the beret would have enough ease to fit my 58 cm head in the 56 cm size, but it just looks silly.
So I'm debating frogging it to the point where I skipped to Medium size and start over - or leave it as it is and maybe give it as a gift to someone.
I'm definitely starting another for my daughter who asked for one in red - and I thiink it will look adorable on her. X-small would be the way to go there.

So some hits and some misses - but it's all learning so I should just accept and move on.

I guess.

Bad blogger

I have been a very bad blogger lately.

Starting a new job and the (almost) complete loss of natural daylight hasn't made me very productive in the taking-pictures-department.

I'm still knitting away though.

I made a pair of felted mittens for me that I then gave to my mother when I figured out a colour combination I liked better for me.

I've finished the hat for Sofia to match her socks, but I ended up running out of yarn at the coffee place I was knitting at so I finished it too early. I'll have to rip it out some and knit another inch, plus I'll do the decreases differently because they were too bulky.

I finished Isabel's back pack, it's even lined!

I started a yummy shawl for me, but the yarn is so thin it's taking a while, plus I keep making mistakes that I have to fix so it's a slow project.

What isn't a slow project is the "Just Enough Ruffles"-scarf I started yesterday. I'm almost halfdone with the short row shaping - I think I'll finish those tonight and then I have the ruffle to make - 600 sts for 4 rows. Ouch!

I also started knitting a pair of wristwarmers from Interweave Felt but I got bored with those.

I made two red felted hearts to put up on the wall with spruce sprigs in them for Christmas.
One heart is felted and one isn't. I have to finish the strap for the grey heart I made so I can felt them all at once.

So you see - I am a productive knitter - but a bad blogger.

Wristwarmers

This is a pattern from my LYS.

It's super easy to knit and would have knit up faster had I chosen the yarn the pattern called for (Alpakka instead of Tynn Alpakka)

I wasn't too keen on the colour when I got the yarn - but at first I had intended to use it for something else where it wouldn't have shown that much.
But seeing the finished wristwarmers I'm completely in love with them. Exactly the colour green I love.
I need a cardigan in this yarn - alas it's too expensive for my wallet.

I wish I could have taken some better photos but since it's November daylight fades fast and by the time I'm home with my regular camera it's dark out and everything looks horrid.
A quick action shot at work will have to do.

Sock bug

A few months ago there was a raffle at the LYS and I won some sock yarn. A few weeks ago I was bit by the sock bug and decided to use it for a pair of socks for Isabel.
The yarn is a bit coarse and itcy so I'll probably use up the rest on another pair of socks later on.



Instead I bought a differenst sort of Raggsock-yarn that's a bit softer. And used it to knit up another pair of socks for Sofia, using the same pattern but tweaking it a little so they would fit her.
I think I got them a bit too small in the leg part but overall they fit well.
I had yarn left over and decided to use it up on a hat.

Damask skirt

I found this fabric at the fabric store a few weeks ago and just had to buy it. I saw the skirt in my head immediately.

I measured the length against another skirt Isabel has that's long enough, then adjusted so I didn't have to cut in the embroidery.

I serged it together then made a fold to hold a buttonhole elastic. I attached the elastic to one end and sewed on a button and buttoned the elastic.

Easy peasy.

Weekend travels and knitting plans

We went to visit Ran's sister this weekend. She had a birthday last Sunday and a baby three weeks ago (tomorrow) and we were all eager to see them all.

Isabel was thrilled all week that we were going to visit her cousin and his baby sister and their two dogs.
In all honesty I think she was more eager to see the dogs than the cousins.

We took off early in the morning and arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

The little baby cousin was a teeny tiny little girl with soft, fuzzy hair and big blue eyes.

I told Isabel to go stock up on baby cuddles because we're not having any more in our house if I get a say about it.
She'd pet and kiss the baby's head for a while then she'd more or less ignor the baby the rest of the weekend and focus on her other cousin and their dogs.

I got some crafting done in the car on our way up. I hemmed a dishcloth and finished a sock for Ran and started a sock for Isabel. I finished the heel before we arrived.
Later Saturday night I finished the sock and Sunday morning I finished the heel of the second sock and finished it in the car just as night fell and I couldn't see any more without a light in the car.

I'm going to Knit Night tonight and I'm gonna start a pair of socks for Sofia.

It was a rather prickly yarn so they won't be able to wear them without socks underneath.
I think I'll ask the LYS-lady for a soft strong sock yarn that I can make cuddly socks from.

I'm also toying with the idea to knit and felt indoor shoes for guests to keep by the door.
We have re-organized our hallway and a nice ratten basket with felted shoes would feel really welcoming.
I'm just not sure I can make that many shoes without crying my eyes out with boredom.

I have a few sewing projects planned for Christmas gifts. I think I should finish those first before I start a project like that.

Tumbling

That idea from last week is still tumbling - albeit a little bit more organised by now.

I'm toying with the idea to make and sell stuff, and I'm currently looking into all the ins and outs of starting a business.

I have a domain name figured out and at the time I'm busy working on a budget.

I'm having fun and I'm having flutters in my stomach about this. But it feels right.

Rainbow pencil roll

Ever since I first saw one like this (here) I've been wanting to make one.

Then a few weeks ago a friend of mine asked me if I could make a pencil roll for her girl for Christmas. She asked me to get the pencils/crayons and make something with this fabric on the outside.
Other than that she gave me free range of the design.



A week or two after that my father gave me a box of pencils that he had gotten for some kind of promotion.
There were 15 sets of pencils (!) with 15 colours in each. It fit perfectly for this idea.

I made 2 rainbow insides at once and I plan on making one for Isabel as well. It will probably turn out differently though.

Dreaming

I have this idea tumbling around in my head that I want to do something different with my life.

These are a few links that I thought would be useful to me.

http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/2008/09/17/the-business-of-craft-starting/
http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/2008/07/22/tips-for-choosing-a-website-name/

Changes

When ever September rolls around I get this urge to bake and cook and do preserves and all that domestic stuff my mom and grandma used to do in the fall.
So this weekend I made pear and almond patisseries and a Swedish Key Lime pie.

Now the problem is that my waistline does not actually benefit from all those cakes. So last night at Knit Night I brought the pie with me. It was a huge hit.
It was really easy to make and I will probably stash condensed milk in the pantry because all the other ingredients are stuff I usually have lying around.
It's a quick bake, but it does have to cool to be nice to eat. Downside.

At Knit Night I started on my new cardigan. It's in mohair so when I realised I hadn't started with three rows of garter stitch like I was supposed to, I decided on NOT unraveling it but rather go with it and leave it in stockinette.

Craftwise I have pencil rolls going for Isabel and a friend's girl, and I have a cover for a paperback novel that I'm still mind-designing that I'm planning on giving to my mother for Christmas.
A bread basket is in the works too.
Gonna serge and pre-was fabrics this weekend.

Organising

I used to have posts here - but I moved them to three different blogs instead - I know I'm a sucker for organisation. In my online-life at least.

IRL - this is what my life is ...



My knits can be found at Lattemama Knits
My crafts can be found at Lattemama Crafts
My quilts can be found at Lattemama Quilts

I'll be back with more blog-like posts in the near future.

Candy skirt for Isabel

I designed this skirt to go with the Candy Sweater I made Isabel a few weeks ago.

I did a green ribbing in the waist with YO-eyelets to thread an variegated i-cord through.
I then increased the number of stitches by 25 % and began knitting 1.5 repeat of the structure pattern.
Then I thought about how to hide the increasing and still keep the pattern intact so I did a row of garter stitch and hid the 50 % increases after it.
Then another 1.5 repeats of the structure pattern.



After a second garter stitch row I increased by 50 % all along the front and 100 % along the back to add a little more bounce in the back.

I ended the skirt with 3 rows of green stockinette for a rolled hem.

Isabel liked it very much and it turned out exactly the way I imagined it. I like how it's rather tight around her bum and then flares out.

I want to make another for her in green, because this skirt with the Candy Sweater looks a little busy.

Isabel's Birth Quilt

This is a quilt I made for my oldest girl in 2004 just before she was born.

It's not so much a quilt as it is a patchwork, in that the blanket is not actually quilted. I also finished it using the birthing method instead of putting on binding.

She's used it at preschool for naptime but since she's a big girl now and don't join in on naptime it's now come back home again.


It's made in a windmill design that in retrospect was quite elaborate for a beginner, but I weathered it. I broke two sewing machines and almost my back before I got it made.
In the end I sat for almost a whole day at my grandmother's house and sewed while she ironed. Teamwork.

Alice's Birth Quilt aka Blessings Quilt

The girls' little cousin has been eagerly anticipated and on Sunday evening the parents to be drove to the hospital and delivered a little girl in just under 3 hours.

I was finishing up the binding on the baby's quilt and from what I can gather I made the final stitches just as they got ready to go to the delivery room.


I did a celtic inspired quilting on this one. There was a corner on the template too but I opted on quilting each row individually.
I think it turned out quite nicely.



Instead of putting on batting and backing I decided to use a piece of cotton waffle weave blanket that I had left over from my littlest girl and build the quilt around its measurements.
It made the quilt very pliable and snuggly and I hope little Alice will be kept toasty warm under it this fall and winter.

Blessings Quilt

Our new cousin is due to arrive today, but so far we've heard nothing. BigBrotherCousin was 10 days late so it may be that it will be a while.

In the meantime I've started on a quilt for BabyCousin. It's made from Little Blessings by Nancy Davis-Murty in green, yellow and purple.
I love the little blessings on the green and purple fabrics... "May you grow up to enjoy the little things"

Initially I had intended to make a burpcloth as well, but I'm not sure I'll have enough fabric once the scrappy binding is done.
Maybe there is enough to make accents and I'll fill it up with other fabric scraps. I'm sure I have others that will match in colour tone.

The quilt is basted and I have the thread picked out. Now I just have to decide on how to quilt it.

Little Blessings

Fabric hanging to dry in anticipation of being cut and made into a baby quilt for our new little cousin.

It's all in greens, yellows and lilac/purple so it can fit both a boy and a girl without being glaringly unisex.

Meandering

I have a feeler out for a lady who may be able to do free-motion quilting of my Isabel-quilt!

I've wanted the meandering look but my machine can't do that. So I simply asked the lady at the quilt store if she knew of anyone and she's asking around.

I had decided I'd quilt it myself using only straight lines, but then she replied yesterday and my mom decided to come visit us last night so I never even started. Good thing.

Fingers crossed.

Strawberry lemonade

I'm making a blanket for my girls' new cousin who is due on September 2nd.

I have some white cotton waffle weaved fabric that I plan to use as a combined backing and batting.

The front will be wide stripes, I'm thinking 4" or 4.5" so it won't take too long to get ready.
The backing fabric is 27" by 39" so it won't be a big blanket, but more than adequate to use in the stroller this fall or in the crib all year round.

The left over fabric will become a burp cloth and maybe a bib if I can stretch it. I just need terry cloth for that.

I'm planning on using Strawberry Lemonade from Me and My Sister Design.
I have 6 FQs from that series. 3 pink and 3 blue, so I'll wait until Cousin is born to make it.
I don't think 3 FQs will be enough to make a blanket, burp cloth and bib.

I guess I'll just have to suck it up and go shopping again.

Oh woe be me.

Quilt top done and basted

My friends ask me how I find the time to craft as much as I do, which btw isn't as much as some craft bloggers out there.
I work full time and I have two kids, but I also have a husband who share my life and he does as much at home as I do, or maybe more - not counting laundry.



I have basted Isabel's quilt. This is the back view. I think it turned out quite nice. I wasn't gonna add the white stripe but when the scrappy stripe was added it looked too busy without the divider.

I sewed the scrappy stripe onto one of the selvage edges and tehn the white stripe to the scrappy stripe. I then folded it all down the middle and sewed the other selvage edge to the white stripe creating a tube.
After that it's quite easy to just shift the tube around and get the stripe slightly off center if you want.
Place a new crease where you want to cut the tube open and iron it down. Then place as long a ruler as you can find and cut very close to the folded edge.



Now I have to decide on how to quilt the thing. It's quite huge and I'm not sure I can manouver it very well.
I would like to do some kind of wavy lines across, but I don't think it will be good.

If I had infinite amounts of time I would hand quilt it around the flowers on the back. That would be lovely.
As it is I think I'll do some kind of diamond pattern in the blocks.

I got the same green swirly fabric as I used for Sofia's quilt, but I don't think I'll have enough, so I'm thinking I'll make a scrappy binding with the green swirls and the purple flower fabric I have left over.
I had planned on using the purple fabric for something else, so I think I'll measure the green and see if I can't make it fit.

Trouble and plans

On Monday I started work again after 5 weeks of summer vacations.

Near my office is my local pusher quilt shop and i popped in during my lunch break to buy backing for Isabel's quilt.

They have batting there as well and I bought two packs of Heirloom cotton batting.

Now that I added the white sashing to the outer edges of the quilt top the batting is too small. I'm not really sure what to do.
I could rip out the edging on the sides or I could make it narrower because it's only about 1" that's the problem.

Quilt top done?

Isabel's quilt top is finished. Or is it? I'm thinking I need to put some of the white sashing as borders around it to make the binding really pop?

The blocks were so much fun to make and when I looked at some other projects with the Disappearing 9-patch pattern I discovered lots of other ways to cut and re-sew the blocks.

I bought backing and binding and I had to get two packets of batting to make it fit the width and length of the top.
I will also have to cut and add a length of patches to the backing since it will be too narrow if I add the white sashing around the outer edges of the top.

When I cut the 5" squares for the top I accidentally cut too much a few time and had to make a pile of 4" and 4.5" squares. I'll sew these into a long line and add them to the backing.

I'm not sure on how to quilt it though. I love the meandering style, but I dont' ahve the right sewing machine for that. There is no darning foot to attach to my machine. So I'll have to make straight lines or the occasional wavy line might work.

I have a prior engagement for tonight so I can't get started on it today, it's knit night and the second to last episode of "The State Within" that I have been following.

[FO] Needle roll for me

I've been needing a needle roll for my straight needles for a while now. I've planned on making one but other things always got in the way.

I had decided on the outer fabric but the inner fabric was still missing and I wasn't sure how to divide it.

Then at last, last week I managed to get my butt into gear and actually do it. I found a pretty, pink fabric in my stash with white dots on it, that I was probably planning on using for a dress or something for one of the girls but it matched the outer fabric so well I had to use it.



The outer fabric is a fat quarter of an Alexander Henry print I bought from a friend in the UK.
I only had to trim the edges, otherwise it fit perfectly for this project.

I added some padding to the outer fabric and quilted around some of the larger features in the print.
Then I just started to make dividing seams for the needles.

I have a quilter's ruler for my machine that attaches behind the presser foot and it made the whole process a lot easier.

I made a few 1,5 inch slots, some more 1 inch slots and finally some half inch slots. Then I grew bored and decided I didn't need any more slots for needles.
So I fashioned some pockets for stitch markers and other notions before I sewed the inside to the outside using the birthing method.
It's my prefered method because it doesn't involve binding.

I'm getting better at binding though so maybe I'll try that next time.



It looks quite neat all rolled up!

I finished my first ever quilt yesterday

Well that wasn't exactly true. I made one for my big girl in 2004 but I made that not really knowing anything about quilting. It's made from blocks of fabrics peiced together, but it's not quilted and it's made with the birthing method because I hate bias binding. Or binding of any kind.

But then I googled something and found creative little daisy and saw a few quilts she had made. Via her I found other blogs and realised there are loads of sewing blogs out there - not just food and knitting.

I blog jumped and found a whole host of blogs and flickr groups with quilters and seamstresses. It made me want to try it myself.

So I googled some more and found tutorials for basing, quilting and binding quilts.

I bought fabric and got started.



Originally I planned to make a windmill type design. I like the look of it and the geometry of it appeals to me.
I quickly decided against it when I recalled the difficulties I had with Isabel's quilt.
So I sketched and designed and then this design was the one I decided on.



I had bought a jelly roll from Fat Quarter Shop with only white fabric.
I know a waste of money, but oh so time saving.

I bought 6 FQs of Me and My Sister Design's Spring Fling from a local quilt shop and cut it up in 5"x5" squares
I sewed the squares to the jelly roll strips, cut them and sewed strips of 5 squares together then attached that to another strip. Repeat as needed. Easy peasy.

I added a white strip on top because the proportions were all off.



The backing is also from the same fabric series.

For batting I used a thin cotton batting because Sofia will be using the quilt at preschool for naptime and it doesn't have to be very warm.

I sort of quilted it, but I can't find a presser foot for my machine that I can free motion quilt with so I had to improvise. It turned out ok I guess.

I managed to get the binding done. It's not perfect but it's good enough for a first attempt. Maybe next time I'll get it even better.

My next quilt will be for Isabel. And then I'm planning on making one for my SIL who is having a baby in September. They don't know the sex of the baby so I can't get started just yet.
But I plan on making a basic quilt and maybe a bib and a burp cloth too - it will be a bit more unorthodox though. No batting for the quilt but a thick cotton blanket fabric instead. I'm doing the binding anyway though.

Candy sweater for Isabel

I finished a sweater for Isabel yesterday. It had one million ends to weave in. At least it felt that way.

She got to try it on immediately and she gave it her seal of approval. She refused to take it off so I could photograf it.
It wasn't until she got ready for bed that I managed to peel it off her.

Fabric!

The glorious fabric from Fat Quarter Club arrived this week. You can see in the picture below I've already started.



I'm not sure where to begin but I was gonna try it out tonight. Unfortunatelly I got a bout of migraine when we were out for a walk this afternoon and have spent most of the evening this far trying hard to keep my dinner down.

I'll give it a go tomorrow instead. I don't want to muck it up.

Done!

Well, the bench is done!

I love my husband. He's the best.

I just told him what I wanted and he designed it. (With a little help from me).

I will take pictures once it's light out. But right now I'm just back from dinner and a movie. My bed is calling for me.

Getting started

Going to the hardware store tomorrow morning since we'll only have one child in tow (DD1 is at the inlaws).

Getting supplies to make a cutting table for my new crafts room. And also to get some storage system units to put up on the wall.
I'm planning on getting the Elfa kind like what they have at The Container Store.

I plan on storing all my fabrics and yarns in the cabinets underneath the work bench and all notions and supplies on shelves above.
The bench is going to sit on locking wheels so I can pull it away from the wall when I'm using it and push it up against the wall when I need the floor space.

One of the cabinets will house the serger if I can fit it. It might be too deep.

There is light fixtures attached to two of the cabinets. At least there used to be, and I plan to keep them attached. It could look nice to use them for mood lighting when I'm not crafting.

I also need a better ceiling light than the one I have. This one casts too many shadows.
I'm thinking flourecent light, but I hesitate. They're usually ugly. Maybe some spotlights affixed to the shelves on the wall.

I'm really excited about this. I'll have to do before and after shots of the room!

Tutorials galore

Fabric folding tutorial
Rotary cutting tutorial
Quilt basting tutorial
Quilt binding tutorial

Picnic bag

One evening last week I went to the Quilt-store across from my office for a sewing class.
We were gonna make a garden tool bag or a picnic drink bag.

Initially I was gonna chose a fabric with winebottles and wine corks to keep with the theme, but in the end I opted out on that and decided to use fabric from Sandy Gervais' latest collection Freshly Squeezed.

It made for a very summery bag I think.

The pattern was fairly simple but it had a lot of steps so I don't think I'll be making it again.
If I do there are a few things I would change about it so maybe I'll give it a go during my upcoming 5 week vacation.

Another view of the inside

Apples and Strawberries

I made another sewing bag to match the Apple bag I made a few weeks ago.
It came out a lot better than the Apple bag so I decided to take off the binding on that one and remake it right.

With cherries on top

I made this for a swap with a June-mom on Livejournal.

It's a shirt from H&M that I sewed a skirt on in an aqua fabric with red cherries and yellow flowers.
I put an elastic in the waist and a red bias tape to cover it.

I didn't have a pattern or a tutorial and ended up with a very static waistline so I hope the little recipient can use it. Sofia tried it on before we sent it and it was pretty hard to wiggle her out of it.
She's quite a lot bigger than the intended receiver.

Eager

I'm eagerly awaiting my order from FatQuarterClub. They shipped it on July 1st and the website said the delivery time was 1-3 weeks. We're halfway there.

I didn't realise until after I paid that I had chosen two charm packs with winter themed fabrics.

When I was at the quilting store last week for one of their classes I bought a fat quarter bundle (6 FQs) with summery fabrics so I'm thinking I could use that for Sofia's quilt instead.
I just need some more coordinating prints for the sashing and borders and backing.

Next week I'm on vacation and I'm thinking we'll head into the thrift store and see if they have some sheets I could use.

If not I'll just have to take the bundle out and see if I get some inspiration. Sofia has a yellow fitted sheet I may be able to use for coordinating squares. I'll have to get it out and see how well it matches the bundle fabrics.

Crafts room

My husband and I used to share a "playroom". We both had our computers there and I had room to put up my sewing machine.

Then I bought a serger and suddenly it all got a bit crowded and awkward.

So he decided we should clear out the closet right next to the playroom and house his computer and the fileserver in there and we could rename the playroom to the crafts room.

I now have the ironing board put up against one of the walls and the sewing machine and my computer up against the other wall. Which leaves plenty of room to "create".

While we cleared out the closet I took one or two turns up to the attic to put stuff into storage. There I found four old cabinets we had in the kitchen in our flat.
You know how sometimes you see stuff and other times you see them?

Well on one of the turns up there I realised they would be perfect to store fabric in. And they were almost tall enough to turn into a work bench.
So we're currently in the process of designing it to make it high enough and sturdy enough to cut fabric and keep the serger on.
I plan on occupying one of the shelves with the serger for easy access when I need it.

We'll top the cabinets with a pine board and I'll stretch some fabric across it for a splash of beauty and cover the whole thing with an acrylic sheet.

I think it will be perfect.

First post

Today I made my first purchase of quilt packs.

I got one charm pack from Me and My Sister's Smores design and one from Deb Strain's It's Snowing.

I didn't realise at the time they were both rather wintery fabric lines but it will be quite alright.

I've mapped out a first draft of a quilt for Sofia using the Smores charm pack. It will probably be a bit similar to the one I made for Isabel but that one was a bit more elaborate than this one.

If it's not too hard to make I think I'll start planning a new one for Isabel.

A Bushel of Apples

Last night I started a sewing bag that I had been keeping an eye on for a while. I think I sewed, ripped and re-sewed portions of every single seam on that bag, but now it's done.
It's not done right or perfect (I misread part of the pattern) but it holds together and serves its purpose.

Here are some more pictures
The basket patterned fabric makes up 4 pockets on the outside.


Another outside view


The Lining


And then I had coffee and a sandwich or two ...

[FO] Crayon roll with space for drawing pad

Inside view - room for 8 wax crayons and 1 small pack of writing paper


Back view


I bought the fabric on Etsy last fall and never got around to using it. Then I bought the crayons and the pad and realised it would be a perfect match.

I didn't get around to actually make the roll until last night when I was inspired by this picture.

The girls loved it when they got it this morning. I think I'll have to make another so they have one each.

[FO] Dresses for Isabel and Sofia

Dresses for Isabel and Sofia
Originally uploaded by IsabelDecibel

Dresses for Isabel

Dresses for Isabel
Originally uploaded by IsabelDecibel