Friday, November 09, 2007

Drops slippers

Drops Crochet Slippers

Drops Crochet Slippers

I'm doing these, and they're working up pretty quickly, even though I'm using RH Bright and Lofty in Beaches color. I'm also using a size M hook and making the middle size. This pattern is only in British crochet terms, so keep that in mind if you do it. Also, you have to have another pattern to get the bootie part-they give you the number, but I have the link for it, it's the second one above.

I would not recommend RH Bright and Lofty, Light and Lofty or LB Homespun for these, if you are a beginning crocheter- the stitches are very hard to see. If you don't use their recommended Eskimo yarn, you might want to try Bernat Softee Chunky, or some other similar weight yarn.

I really like the color, I haven't done the top of the bootie yet, and I'm debating whether or not to do it, cause I like it as is. I may not have enough in the one skein of RH I have and don't want to buy more just to do the tops-we'll see.

When I get my hands on a camera, I'll post a pic, I'm still working on the heel of bootie #2.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Back in a sock groove

Maybe I'll actually finish a pair. I'm actually experimenting a bit with a couple of different ways to make them.

I'm going to try two socks on one circular needle as soon as I find some sock yarn I like-I think I might like that method because I can do an entire pair and not have to worry about SSS. OTOH, I'm also a start-stopper because I like to start something and then put it aside so unless it's something I REALLY want to finish it's liable to be a UFO for quite some time-until I decide to finish or frog ;)

I'm also trying a toe up sock with an afterthought heel. I'm using Caron SS in a baby varigated and making the toe, heel and leg ribbing in a pale yellow. I'm knitting this one in the round on DPNs size three. I have the toe done and have started on the instep-I'll let you know when I get to the heel. Even with the size three needles the fabric is still pretty soft, considering they suggest using size eight. If I like this method I might adopt it for the two socks on one circular when I find the right sock yarn.

Before I try the two socks, I'm practicing Magic Loop by making a basic fingerless mitt with some cotton/wool sock yarn I came across and only bought one ball. I should be able to get a pair out of it and I just couldn't see this colorway as a sock anyway. I'm almost done with the first one and will take a picture when it is. By the time I make the second I should be proficient enough at Magic Loop to try the two socks.

If I actually finish a pair, or even one sock, I'll post a picture for your enjoyment-or to mock-as you see fit :D

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

I admit it

I am in love with Addi Turbo circular knitting needles. I bought a pair in size 1 and 40" long to use in the Magic Loop technique of knitting small circumferences on one long circular. This needle puts Boye to shame. I might still use Boye in the larger sizes but for socks and things of that nature it's now Addi Turbo.

I got some Steinbach Wolle Strapaz Cotton Effekt sock yarn and am making a pair of wristwarmers with it. It's only a 50g ball so not enough to do socks with unless I maybe make footies but for some reason wristwarmers were calling out to this yarn and I've heard you must listen to your yarn-hehe.

I have an idea

All of the instructions (that I've found) for making two socks at once using Magic Loop have said to start with the figure eight cast on. I don't like that cast on-I could never do it right-it's the reason I haven't tried knitting two socks at once-Magic Loop or with two circs. Well, if you can do two socks at once with Magic Loop and figure eight cast on then why can't you do two socks at once with Magic Loop using provisional cast on? I haven't tried it yet because I don't have a circular needle the right size and length but I will soon-I'm going to splurge at my LYS and get an Addi Turbo in size 1 and the longest they have. I'm going to try it out with some cheap acrylic first to see if it works and then I might post instructions on how to do it.

Personally, I like the short row toe to the other type of toe up pattern anyway, it looks neater.

Stand by, more to come when I've tried it.

On another note, a friend of mine from Bavaria is going to send me some sock yarn-I can't wait-and I'm trying to think of what to do for her in return. I have an idea-hopefully she'll like it.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Another future product idea

I've been browsing this LJ Community

It's all about the deconstruction/reconstruction of t-shirts. The things these ladies come up with are amazing and now I want to do something with t-shirts.

My idea is a dress. When I find the right t-shirt, I want to turn the sleeves to the inside and sew them down for a facing to have a sleeveless dress. I'm debating taking the neck ribbing out or not-that's still debatable. Then I want to do some type of quilt block for the skirt. I'm visualizing it pretty well but I'm probably not explaining it very well-a failing of mine.

Anyway, that's in the future-after the peasant skirt and when I've healed from the dental appointment coming up in about a week.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

A Future Sewing Project

I have always wanted to try making a peasant skirt and knew it would probably be easy-the only hard part would be making the tiers the right size. I really didn't want to buy a pattern to do this so I've put it off.

That is, until I was browsing around, searching free sewing projects. I found free instructions for constructing a peasant skirt-complete with a calculator that takes your largest measurement-usually the hip-and calculates the pieces for two different lengths. Then it instructs you in how to construct the skirt. It's found here in case anyone's interested in trying it themselves.

I have some material here at the house, I just need to find time to iron the wrinkles out of it and get it ready to use.

I'm not sure when I'm going to do this but I know I'm going to give it a try sometime in the near future.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

A dress

I finished my dress and it turned out really nice-even the sleeves and neck facing, which I don't like doing. I wore it to church this past Sunday and received many compliments on it. The only thing I would change about it if I were to make it again would be the length-it's a bit too long for my taste. I like my dresses and skirts on the long side but not almost touching the floor-a hazard of being short is that most dress patterns that fall below the knee will inevitably hit me around my ankles.

Anyway, here's a picture:


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Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Trying something new

I found a pair of cropped trousers-they could actually be somewhere between cropped trousers and gaucho trousers-when I was cleaning in my sewing room. They're a size 16 and, while I can get into them, they're a might tight. I usually wear an 18 and when I'm sewing, I have to cut out the size 22. Anyway, since the things are also stained pretty badly, I thought I'd pick them apart and make a paper pattern with them since I like the way they're made-apart from the self belt in the front, which I don't have to put in. I got them picked apart and they're just like the shorts pattern I use all the time except the pockets are done differently. There's a front, a back and a pocket to trace onto paper-when I can find some-I'll just have to add on about ⅝" on each side. I like the length so I won't add anything there, I just need to make them just a bit more roomy in the hip and waist. I'll also probably have to add that much onto the straight side of the pocket so it'll fit right and also study it a bit so I can get it back together-I might just keep the other half of them to use as a guide for that since I only picked apart half of it and left the other half sewn together.

Wish me luck.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Finished!!

Lots of things:

An apron-cuz I'm a messy cook-done Easter Sunday night:


My Easter suit-Finished the Saturday before:


Another Skirt, pair of shorts and gaucho trousers:

I did all of them last week-the last week of May, 2007. It was nice to get my machine out again and zip a few items of clothing up.

I plan on making a dress, I cut out the pattern over at Gregg's while babysitting, now all I have to do is pin it, cut it out and sew. I should have it done before Sunday and might wear it to church if it turns out-I really hate doing set in sleeves but they're short so maybe they'll be all right.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Sewing, sewing

I've almost got a jacket done and I'm cutting out the matching skirt-I had enough material left from the jacket to make one and the skirt pattern that came with the jacket pattern is really nice.

So it looks like I'll have a matching outfit for Easter anyway-and as a bonus, I can wear the jacket with a couple of other things in my wardrobe too.

*Doing a happy dance*

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Another note to Self

Working with t-shirt material is a pain in the butt, but if you get it right the finished product looks good and is comfy.

Note to Self:

Self: Do not put the needle in your sewing machine backwards-it'll skip stitches like crazy!

Shows how long it's been since I've sewn anything, doesn't it?

I thought I'd make myself a new outfit for Easter-nothing fancy-just a split skirt and a top, maybe a jacket if I can manage it.

First-I couldn't find the presser foot/power cord to my sewing machine. Then I got to thinking and dug a little deeper in the closet I looked in last night. I guess I didn't dig deep enough last night-I pulled some stuff out and found the presser foot in a box in the bottom of the closet.

I went to Wal-Mart early this morning and got some new thread and new needles for my machine but when I started sewing it skipped stitches like crazy. I looked at everything and when nothing worked I got to looking at my needle.

Another note to Self: The flat side of the needle is supposed to point away from you when you insert it into the machine.