A t- shirt and my blind hem folly…

Yes, I am the proud owner of a wonky t-shirt. It’ s a little short on the front and my hems are wavy. But did I mention that it’s the first t shirt I’ve ever sewn and since it’s organic bamboo viscose spandex jersey (mouthful!), it’s suuuuper soft?

The pattern for the t-shirt is pretty simple with a front, a back and sleeves. I used a serger to sew the seams together. The t-shirt shoulder seams, side seams and neck band were put together in an acceptable fashion. And this was where the cookie started to crumble…

I decided to do a blind hem to finish the bottom hem and the sleeves, but quickly realized that blind hems aren’t my forte. I ended up cutting off the blind hem twice and my t-shirt kept getting shorter. Ha!

Virginia saved the day by suggesting finishing up with a rolled hem. Yes, the kind of rolled hem that is used to finish handkerchiefs

So the ends of my t-shirt are curly, but this is just the beginning of my t-shirt making journey…

 

T- shirt with rolled hems for sleeves!

A gathered skirt + Nani Iro goodness

I’ve had this particular stash of Nani Iro double gauze awesomeness (Nani Iro Saaaa Saaa Blue on White Stripes) for a few months now waiting for the perfect skirt pattern to come along… and of course, the right weather as well.

Summer has officially hit Boston and I spent a few lovely hours this Sunday with Virginia at Gather Here whipping up this gathered skirt.

It has awesome scoop pockets (which you can’t see from my pics. Duh! Forgot to photograph them), a lapped zipper, swishy fullness, and of course, it’s soft… I love double gauze and I love this pattern as well. We drafted the front and back piece from rectangles and added scooped pockets, the lining, and a waistband.

Striking a pose, but forgetting to show the scooped pockets

My brain is already in overdrive thinking of the many variations of fabrics I’d like to wear this skirt in. Some mental notes for the future:

- Increase the waistband circumference a little so the skirt can sit lower on my hips.

- Add elastic to the waistband for comfort.

I’m super stoked overall, hence the cheesy grin

My new skirt for the summer…

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone!

- E

P.S: Nani Iro is a Japanese fabric designer whom I love love love. She has a lot of fabric printed on double gauze (literally two layers of gauze stitched together), which is super soft and great for the spring and summer as well as linen prints. She does have an online store, but it’s in Japanese.  I bought this fabric from Frances of Miss Matatabi on Etsy.

3 month’s in a nutshell

I spent the last 3 months doing a fair bit of traveling and some thinking. A new year always puts me in a pensive mood.

Some random facts:

1) I chalked in about 38,000 flight miles between Jan – March visiting Malaysia, Singapore, China, Los Angeles, CA, and heading back to Boston. I’ve spent too much time in airports paying for overpriced meals. The best meal I had was a yummy bowl of beef noodles in the Guangzhou airport in China. The worst was a day-old croissant from the Los Angeles airport. The people and the food are the things I miss most about living in Asia. *fights back waves of nostalgia and hunger pangs! *photos courtesy of Andy

A popular Malaysian dish called "Nasi Lemak"

Sweet and Sour Curry Fish cooked Nyonya Style with okra chunks ("Nyonya Assam Fish")

2) On a happier note, I started my first sewing project for 2012 last Saturday, the Lisette’s Traveller’s Dress. I’m working on Version A which is a shirt dress, but instead of making it out of shirting fabric or linen, I chose a graphite gray cotton voile. It’s extremely light and will make a great casual dress for the summer. I nixed the sleeves and replaced the collar with a round collar taken from version B. I have yet to hem it and bind the arm hole so I’ll post pictures when its done.

3) Spent April Fool’s Day in the ER. We had sushi for dinner and Mr. T ended up getting really ill. It was my first time riding in an ambulance (up front) and I sounded the siren as we hit intersections. My poor neighbors got a wake-up call at 3 AM! Thankfully, Mr. T is feeling better now and up to no good as usual.

4) Reading new blogs. I’m going through an early mid-life crisis thinking about my career, personal life, and future direction. Some blogs that I’ve enjoyed following which aren’t really crafting related:

i) www.frmheadtotoe.com – Jen is a beauty blogger and I admire her makeup skills. She also makes great Youtube videos. This is coming from someone who barely got by with just eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadow just a few months ago. Yep. Nothing else.

ii) http://www.hereverycentcounts.com – Joy is a personal finance blogger who works in the same industry as I do. She’s been in the working world for a few years more than I have and I’ve enjoyed reading about her input on leadership from a woman’s perspective and of course, her candid advice on $$$.

iii) http://www.frontrowbeauty.com - Reika takes gorgeous FOTD shots- Haha, I had to google this, but it basically means Face of The Day. She is has a makeup collection the size of a small army and great taste. *Wipes drool off my face.

I have to admit that I feel minuscule next to these ladies. However, I’d like to take inspiration from these women who work in very different industries, yet have found a way to express their personal voice and style without being swallowed by the monotony of work life.

I look forward to the year ahead…

- E

Surprise in the mail!

I was a very happy camper this morning when the mail man arrived with a sweet package from “Ginger” of Ginger Makes!

I can’t quite remember how I stumbled upon her blog a few months ago, but I always look forward to what she’s making whether it’s a knitting or sewing project. Imagine my surprise when I won a giveaway she was having for Sew Grateful Week.

Here are two delish colors of Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino (phew mouthful, KPPPM). These are hand-painted yarns with a watercolor effect:

Gorgeous KPPPM!

P319 is a gorgeous combination of lavender and shades of purple

P905 is a mixture of blues and white.

I’ve been eyeing this yarn for a while, but since it’s a fingering weight yarn and my sock knitting skills are non-existent, I’ve been hesitant to purchase some.

This generous gift has put my sock knitting desire in gear!

I was on Ravelry looking for ideas on what to make and I quickly realized that I couldn’t make a pair of socks, unless I wanted 1 blue sock and 1 purple sock

I found a cute finger-less mitten pattern, called Mitt Envy, which will only require 1 skein of KPPPM. Mmmm, it’s still a tad chilly here on the East Coast so this would keep me warm while I work.

Of course, I have been obsessing forever about the Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf pattern by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas. This scarf would look best mixed with 3 colorways, so I’m holding off…(for now)

Decisions, decisions…

- E

Shale Baby Blanket – the Brooklyn Tweed lure

I had the perfect opportunity arise when one of my sister’s friends had a newborn. This was a once in a million chance for me as most of my friends are still swinging singles.

With 7 skeins of organic Sublime cotton DK yarn in shade #96 (Bone) in hand (size 7 circular needle) and lots of time on the plane, I charged ahead with the somewhat-ambitious-for-a-beginner pattern called the Shale Baby Blanket from BrooklynTweed.

P.s: The yarn is yummilicious. Soft to the touch and easy to knit with although I was using bamboo needles on cotton yarn. I chose a lightweight yarn since the baby lives in a tropical country.

Yum! I spent some time on Youtube researching some new stitches to form the “shale” or fan and feather like pattern. Here it is up close:

Shale pattern on Shale Baby Blanket by Brooklyn Tweed

A word of warning for those embarking on this journey with DK yarn! There are approximately 60 repeats in this pattern and my somewhat slow knitting resulted in 45 minutes to an hour on each repeat. Yes… I powered ahead and finished this blanket in about a month. After a while, I memorized the pattern and could work freely while watching movies.

Many hours later… the baby blanket was ready for its recipient!

Shale blanket draped over couch

Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of baby with the blanket.

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Yarn: Sublime organic cotton DK yarn in Bone (Shade #96) (This is a rather hard to find yarn, but I found it on ebay!)

Yardage: 120 yards a skein – 7 skeins total

Needle: US 7 circular ( in retrospect, size 6 would have created a tighter pattern)

Pattern: Shale Baby Blanket by Brooklyn Tweed.

Cheers!

- Edwina

Knitting store find in San Luis Obispo – Yarns at the Adobe

I visited some local yarn stores during my visit to the central coast and I was pleasantly surprised!

I met Ann, the owner of Yarns at the Adobe in San Luis Obispo, CA. This is the darlingest little store. While she doesn’t have the largest selection of yarn, she does have a selection of unique yarns. I felt like Harry Potter shopping for his first broomstick; the store is cozy with hidden surprises tucked away. Be prepared to browse and hunt, but Ann made me feel very welcome. Some of the yarn she carries includes Habu Textiles, Manos del Uruguay, Sublime Yarn, some Madelinetosh, Noro, and a fair-trade Latin American yarn called Frog Tree Yarn.

I bought the softest worsted weight merino wool yarn from Frog Tree Yarn.

Ann also introduced me to a pattern designer called “Never Not Knitting”.

I’m in love with the Never Not Knitting patterns and I purchased the “Cedar Leaf Shawlette“. It’s a gorgeous pattern and don’t forget to check out her blog!

P.S: I’m currently working on the Shale Baby Blanket from Brooklyn Tweed. Gorgeous pattern, but be forewarned! It is very time consuming (especially with my choice of DK weight yarn My camera is out of commission at the moment! Pictures of projects to come…

- Edwina

Knitting my way into the New Year – Honey Cowl

This year, not unlike previous years, was spent with Mr T.’s family. We had the yearly Christmas present giving ritual, the marvelous spread of tamales, and the watching of random gory movies on tv because we don’t have control over the remote.

We’re back in sunny California and I finally understand why people move to California.

We were at Avila Beach over the weekend and the 70 degree “wintry” weather was just perfect!

I’ve been working on a gazillion knitting projects since they’re portable and plane friendly, and here’s one that I just finished!

 

Honey Cowl pattern from Madeline Tosh

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Pattern: Honey Cowl by Madeline Tosh and it can be found on Ravelry.

Stitches: Knit in the round with a stockinette border and a “honeycomb stitch”.

Yarn used: Elsa Bloodstone in DK Weight from KnittinK Yarn. A gorgeous baby alpaca, wool, and silk blend in shades of russet, mauve, and straw. Yummy!

Length: 252 yards

Needle size: Circular US 8 29″ inches

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Mine looks a little different from the original pattern because I accidentally introduced a twist.

Honey cowl with a twist

Happy new year from California!

Back in Cali for winter break

- Edwina

Garter-Stitch Dishcloths: My organic Pakucho cotton yarn experience

Last week, I decided that I wanted to knit dish cloths and it had to be organic cotton yarn. I quickly found out that these would be some pricey dishcloths! However, I plowed on because these just had to be perfect. (I’m also scarred by my first knitting experience with a stiff and scratchy cotton yarn.)

There’s a lot of great organic cotton yarn out there and I narrowed it down to:

Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton Worsted: A wide spectrum of colors.

Pakucho Organic Cotton Worsted: 6 shades.

What sold me on the Pakucho Organic Cotton Worsted was the fact that the gorgeous shades of cream, brown, forest green and chocolate are naturally occurring colors (i.e: no dyes) and that these support fair trade in Peru.

Pakucho Organic Cotton Worsted in chocolate, brown, and natural

From left to right: Chocolate, brown, and natural colored cotton.

I admit, while I AM fueled by my excitement over this yarn, I’m also hampered by my somewhat slow knitting. (P.S: It takes me about 5 – 6 hours to knit ONE 9 inch by 9 inch dish cloth in garter stitch)

And….

I have three washcloths so far. They are all knit in the Pakucho worsted weight yarn with a US size 7 needle.

3 knit dish cloths in organic cotton yarn

1) The top most dishcloth is knit in 2 shades in garter stitch throughout. I cast on 40 stitches and knit 4 rows in natural before switching to the brown yarn and knitting till I reached approximately 9 inches in length. The last 4 rows were also knit in natural.

2) The dish cloth in the middle has 4 rows of a garter stitch border and then I switched to a moss/seed stitch. A moss or seed stitch creates alternating bumps and I thought the nubby surface would be great for actual dish washing.

3) The bottom most dish cloth was knit in garter stitch throughout with alternating stripes of chocolate and brown. I didn’t really have a plan for this one so the stripes come randomly.

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Stitches used:

Garter stitch: Knit all rows!

Moss/Seed stitch: Cast on an odd number of stitches. To get approximately 9 inches in width, I cast on 39 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 1, Purl 1, repeat to end. (You will end with a knit stitch)

Row 2: Knit 1, Purl 1, repeat

Repeat Row 1 and 2 to the end.

Note: These 3 dish cloths have yet to satisfy my dish cloth mania.

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Each dishcloth (9″ by 9″) uses approximately 1 skein/88 yards of worsted weight yarn. I’m halfway through my Pakucho stash at this point, and I think I’ll try the Blue Sky Alpaca Organic Cotton next.

By the way, I thought the Pakucho yarn was much easier to knit with than regular ole’ scratchy cotton yarn. While it isn’t as elastic as wool yarn, it’s neither splitty nor stiff. I thought the natural grown colors were very charming (I am color shy after all!). The natural colored yarn and the brown seemed to have a finer texture than the darkest chocolate colored yarn. I used that yarn to knit the nubby moss stitch so it’ll probably be used as a dishcloth. The other two? Washcloths?

Pakucho Washcloths

I’ll report back on the Blue Sky Alpaca experience.

For a comprehensive review on Pakucho yarn, check out this article from Knitters Review.

- Edwina

A new kind of high at the Boston Bizarre Bazaar

This was my first Boston Bizarre Bazaar (let’s call it BBB for short), and it definitely won’t be my last! Going to this event was like having awesome dessert at the end of a good meal.

For those who haven’t heard of it, it’s a yearly handmade craft show with a great selection of vendors selling everything from hand dyed yarns, to cool jewelry to masked capes for kids. Yes, I have proof here.

Cute capes for kids

Hand dyed yarns form KnittinK

To my excitement, Nervous System was there! The creative folks behind Nervous System are MIT grads who design jewelry and household items which have clean, modern designs that are a perfect blend between art and science. Here’s some of their work, and my little “Nervous System shrine”. A bracelet and a matching ring that I got today at the BBB.

The bracelet and matching ring that I got from Nervous System

Some of their bracelets and earrings on display

Some other vendors I met:

Laura from Pansy Maiden: awesome hand-made cruelty free vegan bags with clean designs. I got an sling pouch with a vintage ikat fabric. Check it out below!

Aby from KnittinK at http://www.dyeknittingkdye.com makes hand dyed yarn in “super hero” colors. Very colorful, and while I’m quite color shy, I found a lovely DK weight yarn in shades of blue, purple, and orange… Sigh… It was the last one of its color lot: “Elsa Bloodstone”

Anisa from the Nonsense Institute makes adorable hand made plushies. I got a bear in tweed. I think he’ll be the “angel” topping the Christmas tree this year.

Ana from Toil and Trouble had mittens and hats, but I was bowled over by a kerchief shawlette pattern. Now I just need to find the perfect yarn for it…

I think I’m going to go snuggle up in a corner and think happy thoughts now

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

-Edwina

All that pinning leads to a… pincushion.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving feast!

Mr. T and I spent Thanksgiving with a very lovely golden retriever. It’s the first year we are spending apart from family so I had to up the ante on my cooking!

Here was my food checklist:

• Mashed potatoes                                                             (yup)
• Premade Trader Joe’s stuffing          (cheat!)          (check)
• Turkey breast (since it’s just the 2 of us)               (yummy!)
• Homemade apple pie!                                                     (check)

= YUMMM!

On a crafty note, I’ve been doing a lot of pinning for the men’s shirt I’m working on and since I’m new to sewing, I haven’t gotten together a stash of sewing supplies for the home.

Last weekend, I finally got some essentials like a fabric scissors, thimble, quilting needles, thread etc.

One thing I didn’t get in the store was a pin cushion because the only one I could find was a very utilitarian tomato.

I looked for pincushion patterns online and I found the cutest pattern by Heather Bailey. She’s kindly put up a pdf of the square pin cushion pattern (yay!)

It’s got a little ribbon sewn to the top so I can hang it from the Christmas tree this year (random thought)

Square pin cushion. Linen, hemp, and cotton fabric!

Here’s the back!

Back of the pin cushion!

 

Her instructions are for machine sewing, but I put this together by hand with a secure back stitch. The front and back fabric is a cotton linen blend called Viewfinders from Melody Miller and the sides are actually extras from Mr T’s indigo denim shirting fabric.

The pattern calls for polyfill stuffing, but I didn’t have any at home. However, I do have kapok filled pillows. Kapok is a hypoallergenic silky fiber that is used to stuff pillows. I stole some from my couch pillows and re-fluffed them after!

Now I don’t have to hunt for stray pins!

- Edwina