A Knitting Post

Okay, I was supposed to post this last week. I'm not sure what happened!

I went to my top down sweater knitting class on Tuesday (last week, not last night). What a great night. I admit to being a bit overwhelmed, but Stephannie (the teacher) and Cathy (the owner of the store where the class is being taught) are both wonderful.



This is the yarn that I chose. It's so beautiful! It's a malabrigo and called Pink Frost. There is quite a color variation in the yarn in the same dye lot, but I think it will be fine. I'm going to try the Simple Knitted Bodice pattern. I'm really lucky because Carrie is also making the same sweater. Her classes started before mine, so she is further along on it. So, I get to benefit from everything she has learned about the pattern before I have to do it.



I made this bag to carry some of my knitting in because I've been carrying my knitting in a plastic bag (yes, I know. Horrors!). I used the Lovely and Fabulous and Talented Monica's bag pattern. I made it longer, but I wished I'd lined it in something a bit heavier. To accomodate the embroidery design, I also put the handles on a bit wider than the pattern said, so I should have also made them longer. And can I tell you something? This is BRIGHT. So bright that my middle child loved it. So, I'm just not sure that I can use it. *sigh* I think I need to try again.



Yes, I do know this is a crappy picture. However, I knitted up this little beauty. It is called Fetching. It was really pretty easy, although I had thumb issues. Mine thumb's a little fat and doesn't look all that great. I'll finish the second one in the same way that I knit the first, but I think if I make another pair I'll make the distance from the thumb up to the end a little longer, and knit more rows on the thumb. I'd like more thumb and finger coverage.

I used the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran yarn that they recommended in the pattern, and I loved LOVED working with it. It is fabulous. I definitely want to use this yarn again.

I almost forgot! I'm also working on this Noro Scarf. The colors really are so much more vibrant than I can catch in any picture.



I kept seeing this beautiful scarf all over, and the wonderful Amy gave me the much needed encouragement to get started on it. I did start and then rip out the thing probably 12 times before I really got going on it. I had an "ah ha" moment when I was watching a You Tube video of how to knit, and she showed me what a purl stich looks like from the back side! Wow. Let me tell you, that helped me SOOO much. I'm sure that I could not have gotten through my Fetching gloves if I hand't known that little tidbit.

Now I need to get started with my sweater swatch. Well, after I get some sewing done.

Whirlygiggle with No Trimming

Okay, I just saw Jodi's post about the Whirlygiggle. I was playing with the template yesterday and had the same dilemma. I must say, I was a bit upset. I wanted the template to use with charm squares, because I didn't want to trim the charm squares. Had I wanted to trim, I would have gotten the Omnigrid Windmill Template. Which is a perfectly FINE template! I just figured that we buy these charm squares because they are precut. I'd prefer to not do a lot more cutting to them - especially not cut off only half an inch. Cutting in half or another shape is a whole other story.

So, I decided to try to figure out what I could come up, and I figured out a way to use the Whirlygiggle template AND NOT TRIM!

**Edited to add: This works when you're using Jodi's template and 5" charm squares (which was my goal). It doesn't seem to work with other sizes.

Here's what you do:

For your white fabric (or fabric that is not the giggle fabric), cut a piece that is one inch bigger on one side than the original whirlygiggle piece. For instance, I was using charm squares that are 5x5, so I cut a piece of white fabric 5x6.





Now, you want to cut that piece of fabric. So, put your ruler next to the edge of the rectangle 1/2 inch (I can't think of good way to explain that, hopefully the picture helps). Then put the template next to the ruler and cut.





You can see how the giggle fabric is smaller than the white fabric.



Here's a better picture.



Sew the giggle fabric to the white fabric.



As you can see, after it is sewn, the squares are the same size.



Here is the sewing layout.





And here is the finished square! No trimming needed for a lazy time oriented gal like me!



Here's one I did yesterday with 4 blocks. Just to test this theory out further. The finished blocks are 9".



How fun, and how quick! Now, I might just need to convince Jodi to make another template so I don't have to use my ruler for that half inch. (Further evidence of my laziness.)

Michelle at greetingarts has the original block tutorial on her site. Thank you so much, Michelle, for the idea for this wonderful block - in all of its variations.


Also, since I did this post so quick, I might go back and edit it. I hate when I have typos and things not explained well.

Totes

Okay, I didn't finish all my Christmas goodies. *sigh* I would still like to finish them soon, but we'll see if I can manage that.

I have been sewing - but it's been totes that I've been making. My middle child's best friend had a birthday right before Christmas. Since I love that girl, I asked my middle child if I could make her friend a tote. Well, my middle child didn't really care. Which was PERFECT for me. That meant that I could do whatever I wanted for a tote. This is what I came up with.



This is the front and is the best picture as far as color goes. I finished this at night, and we had to give it to her that night, so I didn't get great pictures of it.


This is the back.


The inside.



I loved this fabric, and really loved this tote.

My youngest wanted me to make a tote for her best friend. This is harder, because she has in mind what she wants and I don't get free creative license. I would have done something completely different for this girl, but this is what my daughter wanted me to do.


This is the front, and this is a pocket. I did some free motion quilting around the bamboo - but I'm not sure if you can see that.


The back.


An inside hidden pocket.


Another inside pocket.



Her friend liked it, and is using it! So, I guess it was a success.

I also made this little purse for a Christmas gift exchange for my youngest.





I thought this came out really cute! I hope the girl that got it uses it.

We had a wonderful Christmas, and New Year's. I got a new camera from a very generous Santa - so I'm hoping to have better pictures of my things!

Although I didn't really make any resolutions, I hope to get some UFO's finished this year, and get on the treadmill more often. And posting a bit more often on here would be a great goal, too. I look forward to seeing and being inspired by everything all you creative bloggers come up with this year. I also appreciate all of the comments that you leave for me. As you all know (from your own blogs), it really makes my day!

Knitting update: I almost finished a sock - I didn't get the very end of the toe done because the sock just did not make me happy. I have a couple of scarves started - but they really aren't floating my boat either, so I'm not working very hard on them. I AM going to take a knitting class - it's a class for a top down sweater. I'm really looking forward to that. Hopefully, if I can learn to do a bit more intricate designs, I'll actually finish something. I really need a nice pair of warm socks.