Saturday, January 24, 2009

Itty Bitty Handwarmers and other news

Ah, let's see.

We are in the throes of Too Much Winter already, and it's only late January. I don't mind winter for myself, but I sure hate the effect it has on my family life. We just wrapped up two ridiculously short school weeks in a row, most of it for no real good reason. Everyone hangs around indoors picking fights and sniping. My coping strategy is just to tune it all out, which seems to really annoy my Better Half. I think because he doesn't tune it out, and he feels like he has to make everyone happy. I already know that that is an impossible task and a thankless project, so I don't bother. They won't be happy because that's the human condition.

Well, I did briefly make my kids happy. They were coveting my handwarmers.

Here's one of a pair for the little guy. He loves them.


See how pilly and ratty they are getting already?

I also made Owen a pair of plain black ones from the same black yarn. He's being very teenly today and doesn't want to model.

While I was on a roll with sewing week before last, I also made myself some new pajama pants. I don't have any pictures of them, but they were a great success. The fabric was a piece I found at a thrift shop a while ago, kind of brushed, flannelized knit, with a subtle paisley design. And it only cost $1.

The next issue of Knitcircus ships from the printer Monday. It usually takes 3-4 business days to get here, then we'll get them posted to the subscribers A.S.A.P.

That's the news as we wait until spring and the mental and emotional space that warmer weather will bring.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Evidence of Activity

After all the flurry of work, getting the next issue of Knitcircus ready for the printer, it's hard to believe I have other stuff to show you.


My friend Jim asked me to make him a hat based on my Iron Mountain hat quite a while ago. He picked out the colors from yarns I had in stash, and I started late last winter. Then I parked it. Finally, I dug it out and finished it up. (Shown here on The Little Emperor.) Yarn: unknown stash yarns, around sport or DK weight.


While I was getting all the formatting done on Knitcircus #5, I noticed that my hands often got bone-cold while sitting at my computer for hours at a time. And I thought, maybe after all this time being the last hold-out, I could get in on this trend. So, the world's quickest project: a pair of wristwarmers.
Yarn: Brown Sheep Naturespun worsted wt. superwash. Color: Sable (naturally!) that I picked up in a swap at alt knitting camp last summer. (Thanks Kathy!) On my next pair, I'll make the wrist cuff ribbing longer. For most other women, I'd make these a bunch narrower.


These dishtowels are just a silly little filler project. I found a dress in the bins at Diggers Outlet last summer (all textiles, $1 a pound!) that was really ugly in the sum of its parts, but I liked the fabric. A nice seersucker in a grey-green kind of cotton. As it turned out, I also had a baggie full of cards of vintage rick-rack from a different thrift shop jaunt. This black and white rickrack just seemed to go so perfectly with this fabric.


Another quick sewing project...
Yesterday, I was pawing through all my knitting needles, trying to get sets together and organize them in some retrievable way. It occurred to me that I need another double point case. After digging out the rest of the striped fabric (seen in some shopping totes a few months back), and some remnant heap quilting cotton, I made this one.


The concept is very simple. Two rectangles, one of lining and one of main fabric. Sew together, right sides together, leaving an opening for turning. Don't forget to get your button loop inserted in the seam! Turn, press, fold over ends. Topstitch flap in place. On the other side, sew parallel lines to hold needles. Sew on a button.


Voila!

Monday, January 05, 2009

Knit Circus Issue 5 Preview!

Here are my three contributions to the upcoming Issue 5!

The Rosepole Cardigan


The Kate Cardigan


The Angularity Vest

See the entire Issue 5 Preview Page!

Pre-order Issue 5! Expected ship date Feb 1.