Are there any sewing experts out there.......????

Hope you can help me.  What have I done wrong?

My cheap thrifty side recently kicked in, and instead of purchasing any of these little box bags off of Etsy, I decided that I could surely sew some on my own.  So.... off to JoAnne's fabric store I went.  WOW - culture shock.  It's probably been 20 years since I have sewn anything more than a hem or stray button.  Enough said - it was an eye-opening experience!

I had found an online tutorial for the little boxes, and I had some fabric stashed away, so all I needed was interfacing and appropriate zippers.  I was unsure as to the proper interfacing, and the blank stare that I received from the JoAnne's employee when I asked questions....obviously I was speaking a foreign language.  (Amazing!)  A helpful customer came to my rescue, and tried to help me find an appropriate product amongst all those bolts.  This is the best we could come up with.

But....there seems to be some puckering, wrinkly action going on.  It is adhered well to the cotton fabric, so I am wondering.....did I buy the wrong stuff?  My other thought is that I should perhaps attach the stiffener to the lining of the bag, not the outer fabric.  (Although I did it as the tutorial instructed, so I imagine that is not actually the problem.)  Any thoughts?  Suggestions?

I have several more bags planned (not sure why??) and would like to cure the puckering problem before I try another one.  I think I will enlarge it just a bit too, and I definitely want to put little tabs at each end of the zipper for ease of  actually zipping the zipper.  Duh!  Wish I'd thought of that early on.  The lack of those is more irritating than the puckering.   

If anyone is still reading this..... I can also share some knitted FO's.  I think these are all posted on Ravelry though, so perhaps it is redundant of me to do so.

Oh, but before the knitting, let me share some spinning.  I haven't spun anything for quite sometime, so it was with great delight that I spun this skein of  FatCats Variegated BFL fiber, colorway "Shadowed Glenn".  (Approx 250 yards of probably sport weight.)  She may make it a stock colorway - I'm hoping.  This is such a pretty yarn, I think.  It's not very well spun, as I was somewhat out of practice, but I don't think it will take me long to get back into the grove of things.
 

Now, back to the knitting..... first off, the mittens that I knit from the Knitpicks Winter Woodland mitten kit

I was a little unhappy with the dark color of the Palette yarn, but Knitpick's customer service came to the rescue again.  They sent me 4 new skeins that really do look much better in quality.  I think there was just some inferior yarn in my kit.  I hope to start the next pair of the mittens soon.  The kit has the patterns and sufficient yarn to make 6 pairs total.  Don't ask - I have no idea why I would want 6 pairs of similar mittens.  Filler for the charity box, probably.

I also made my DH 2 new hats that match the cowl in the previous post.  He loves them!

Jared Floods "Turn a Square" free hat pattern in Malabrigo.  He wears them all the time - inside and outside the house.  I certainly cannot complain that he is not wearing them.  LOL.  Each winter is harder for him to handle - the cold is really getting to him these days.  Apparently his heart meds are to blame.

Speaking of Jared Flood.  I hope to take a class with him this spring.  He is one of the many fantastic instructors that will be teaching at YarnOver put on by the Minnesota knitter's guild. His class is one of my first choices....and I am hoping to hear there is place reserved for me.  I think we will hear our class assignments at the end of the month.

And, another hat.

This photo, you won't see on Ravelry. :)  I should have held the camera just a little bit higher.  I don't wear hats, but this one....just might be the exception.  I also knit one for my mom (but failed to get a photo before I gave it to her).  She asked for a hat, which surprised me - she too being the non-hat wearing type.  I've worn this one a couple of times and really like it.  So warm!

I just finished another cowl yesterday, but not blocked yet.  I'll share photos soon.

And everyone needs a giggle.  Background - BG is moving from his crib into his "Big boy bed" at home.  He's doing much better now, but there were a few tumultuous nights when the transition began.  This is a photo my daughter sent to me....... She found him like this - and still asleep!

And two weeks later.....

The Canadian Red socks are completed.  Nice socks. although a decent photo totally escapes me...... sorry!  These are knit out of Cascade Heritage sock yarn.  I really like this yarn....it has nice stitch definition (although you'd never know by this photo) and is soft yet durable.  For some strange reason I have been wanting a red pair of socks.  Want no more......

I'll miss the Olympics, as I have really enjoyed watching all the competition.  There have been some wonderful highlights from these games, although moments of great sadness too.

I have just completed a test hat: "Habitat" by Jared Flood.  The test was actually for the yarn I used.  It's my handspun, 3-ply Merino.  I wanted to see how it would behave with cables.  It passed the test beautifully!  The hat is a very nice finished hat, the pattern well written, and a very enjoyable knit.  Can't ask for much more than that!  Do you see the "star" pattern on the crown?  I had not, till looking at this finished hat.  Such a nice design.  Jared Flood is surely one of my favorite designers.  I always like his choice of yarns too.  We share in our love for tweedy, heathered yarns. 

I recently received a large box from CooperMoose.  It held the "Rainforest" fiber for my sweater and this red fiber (along with a few others). This also is an AshlandBay Colonial roving in the "Twisted Ruby" colorway.  (aka multi reds).  It's gorgeous stuff!  I purchased only 8oz - again to play around with. 

I really like the little streaks of colors - giving the finished yarn the heather look that I love so much.  This was spun in a traditional 3-ply.  worsted weight - not sure what it will become, but for now it's just much loved. 

And, like little soldiers waiting in formation......

I now have 9 bobbins full of singles for my (eventual) sweater yarn.  There should be 3 skeins of approx 225 yards each there.  "should be" - lol!  I am on a schedule of spinning one bobbin each day.  So far I have managed.  We'll see......  Pattern choice is still pending, but it will come to me..... 

Regular readers may remember that a couple of years ago, I taught Melissa how to knit.  She is a life-long friend of my daughter.  Well, not surprisingly (if you know Melissa) she just bought a spinning wheel.  So again, I helped a little bit, and she is now on her way......  It's fun seeing her excitement with a new challenge.  She'll do just fine.

There are a couple of other gals in my TNKG showing interest in spinning.  Hmmmm - perhaps it will be a TNK&SG some day.  Could be!! 

Our group did our first KAL (well - those of us that chose to anyway) which was a seaman's scarf.  Mine is completed, but not blocked, so I will save that for another post. 

The Hockey Game for the Gold medal is on, so better run.  Probably unAmerican of me, but, well, I guess I'll just say I hope the "best team" wins.  It's just soooooo important to the Canadians and all......

Fiber in waiting.....

Well, the hats are both done now....and I am hoping they will not be needed this winter. Our warm up continues. Snow is nasty, dirty, and melting a bit more each day. Each morning it has been foggy and frosty. Trees shimmer with new frost. Something to do with all of the humidity, but quite lovely actually.

Here are the braids of the Wensleydale fiber that I mentioned in my last post. Color name is "Blaze". Quite fitting, I think. She said when all the braids were hanging in her house drying, it looked like a blaze of fire. Others think of Autumn Blaze. I prefer the latter. It is a "longwool" breed. The fibers in these braids are up to 12 inches in length! I need an entirely new spinning technique to handle that. Wish me luck! This is a braid that I purchased from Erica, "DreamsInFiber" one of my TNKG members. It's a very soft Superwash Merino. Pretty much on the opposite end of the fiber spectrum from the Wensleydale. This will be pure joy to spin.

Speaking of our TNKG. We have just started our very first KAL. Kind of fun to see everyone work on the same project. It's an easy pattern, a seaman's scarf, but several of us are struggling....me included. And, unfortunately I may have led a few folks down the wrong path. Not sure what I am doing wrong, but I changed the instructions a bit, and apparently it wasn't really necessary. So....I hope they let me stay next Thursday night! I may do a KAL by myself.

This morning, I am about to ply the three bobbins-full that I have spun of this fiber. It's such lovely colors. I have totally enjoyed myself! I purchased these two braids of Corriedale fiber back in July when I was a total newbie. The colorway is "Coffeehouse". A perfect name! They were dyed by "Squoosh" an Etsey vendor, but actually sold by someone who had bought them and was trying to destash. Raverly has all sorts of opportunities.

Due to the holiday, BG will be home with mom today. Funny, by Friday afternoon I am usually exhausted and so ready for the weekend, and by Monday morning I am soooo looking forward to that little face. Three day weekends are mixed blessings. Nice that he gets time with mom, and nice that I can spin/ply/or whatever else I want to do. But....I wonder what HE's doing right now???

There's big and then there's BIG

"Yes, Grandma, we all know that I have a big head, but....."

"This is a tad bit ridiculous!"

"Ahhhh.... Much better!"

Yes....I DID check my gauge. Just didn't worry about my row gauge. I guess that's what I get knitting for him over the weekend.....I need to try it on as I go. The first one was a test run anyway, as I wanted to do the Norwegian Star out of handspun, so you will notice the BIG one has a solid star. Main color on both are Cascade 220. The pattern is available on Raverly "Norwegian Star Earflap Hat" by tiennie. When I post on my project page, I will list the modifications I made. There are (obviously) quite a few. The Merino/Tencel is spun, and dried. It lies in waiting...... I just need to find a worthy project for it. It's 434 yards of fingering weight, 2ply. Dave, aka Criminy Jickets, was very helpful in assuring me that the tencel would not prohibit a nice blocking. So, something lacy is an option too. I am considering a smoke ring. It has a mauve coloration, with a few peachy tones too. Very pretty. Not sure the photo does it justice.

I leave you with a list of new things.....BG did all these for the 1st time today.
1. Climbed out of the bathtub on his own...I found him standing on the edge of the tub. I never leave the room while he is in the tub, but I had turned my back for a split second.
2. Figured out how to unlock Sofee's kennel....and discovered how much fun it was for him to drag his Eyeore in there and have a private clubhouse!
3. Managed to climb up on Grandpa's recliner....thereby accessing Grandpa's reading lamp. One of the more fun lamps with which to play.

Seems like there were several other new things he did today.....but this grandma is just too tired to remember them!! Not a wonder...... LOL!

Nothing foolish about it!....

Well, if you ask BG, Grandma DOES look pretty foolish while wearing it....but then life is one big giggle when you're 14 months old!
This is the "My Foolish Woolish Hat", a Raverly link. It's designed to be knit out of left-over sock yarn. (While there, check out the designer's sock patterns. Very nice!)
I am very happy with how it turned out. It was originally meant to be a charity hat, and I suppose it will remain so, but it's going to be difficult for me to part with it. It fits perfectly! And me being the frugal person that I am, I like it even more knowing that it was made entirely from scrap yarn.
The pattern is rather uniquely written. vbg. English is obviously not the designer's first language. So....while I pretty much re-worked the chart using the photos in the pattern, the written instructions were used only as a vague guideline. It's pure luck that it fit me so well. (Obviously my head is bigger than the styrofoam model's )

I probably have enough yarn scraps for 100 Foolish Woolish hats, but not sure I can do that much repetition. But, perhaps just one more......

Since last time.....

It's a knitter's prerogative to change her mind, so.....the cowl morphed into a hat.... An Amanda Hat, pattern by Gina House, available on Raverly. This yarn is the South-Westerly" colorway, shown in the last post. Really like it, and wish more was available. Guess that is one huge drawback of homespun. Can't buy more!I spun up this blue roving, which was a little too bright for my taste, Into this yarn. Somehow during the spinning process, the colors soften and the finished yarns are very pleasing to my eye. I "Navaho-plied" this skein, which is a way of making a 3-ply out of one single strand of yarn. Those that spin will know what I am talking about. Wish I could really explain it to those of you that are non-spinners, but I am too much of a novice to put it into words. Somehow....it works. I did discover that you need extra twist in your single, or it keeps breaking during the process. Yeah....I learned that "the hard way". Lesson learned and not to be forgotten!!! This is a merino, and I think it's a superwash. Hopefully Erica, of "Dreams in Fiber" fame will be able to confirm that tonight at TNKG. It's a roving that I purchased from her. If it is, I may knit up a hat for BG. Not that he'll leave it on or anything. Only way I can get a hat on his head is to play the "hat game" which is really too stupid for me to even go into....... But fun - we both giggle quite loudly!!!

My sisters and I are off to the fair in the morning. Yes, 89 degrees and humidity percentage close to the same. Ahhhhhh.....Iowa! The farmers are grateful, as are the lemonade vendors......

Catchin up.....

This is the basic grey hat that my DH has been wearing pretty much nonstop since I knit the first one. He actually wanted another - one for home and one for work. (This is number two.) It's Brooklyn Tweed's Turn a Square pattern- without the striping.
Continuing on the mitten path.....This is the latest pair. They are knit in worsted weight, on size 6 DPNS. I can't decide which side I like better. The pattern is #15 from Charlene Schurch's "Mostly Mittens" book. I am so happy that I purchased this book when it was new (and inexpensive!). It really has some nice designs. This particular pattern was originally sized for a child, and knit in fingering weight yarn. These fit me perfectly - with a nice long cuff - just as I like them! And....I started this scarf this morning. It's the (Knit one from below) technique that is new - at least to me. The pattern is the Inside-Outside scarf pattern. The yarn has nice long color repeats, and the idea is that you knit from the outside of one ball, and the inside of the other ball. The colors blend into each other. The "knit below" technique makes vertical stripes instead of the usual horizontal. Sort of cool! I am using "Maxi Tosca" by Lang. It is a mixture of browns, rusts, - very nice colors - that I found at my LYS. It's a wool/acrylic blend that I am really not familiar with, but hopefully I will like. So far, it's lusciously soft and inviting. If I like the technique, I have a few skeins of Noro Silk Garden that might find themselves knit up in this technique also.

We finally got our tree this weekend. It was unseasonably warm on Saturday so Sofee got to go with us this year! Of course it took me forever to find the "perfect" tree. Now, my "perfect" is not what most people's "perfect" is. I need open spaces, and strong branches. I search for the "ungroomed" tree. It is the family joke that my Christmas trees are always so strange looking. This year is no different......but it meets our needs. We have quite a collection of ornaments, many of which are fairly heavy. There will be an additional 32 put on the tree when our son gets home. So.... while Shirley expressed the desire of a photo, I hesitantly share it with you all..... (Be kind now!) And please....no one need leave a "beautiful" comment. (Bless your little hearts!)

Any snowboarders out there????

If so, what do you think? Hopefully my snowboarding son will not think his mom is ready for the looney bin! :) I ran across this pattern on Knitty the other day, and thought (perhaps) it would be perfect for my son. We'll see..... If nothing else it will be an entertaining moment when he opens the gift come Christmas morn. He will be "home" for Christmas, so I will see his reaction - good or bad!
I think it is an ingenious design - knit all in one piece - no seaming needed. A little crochet around the face opening is the only finishing work necessary. And, quite a fun little project. The pattern is Antifreeze by Jenna Adorno. I chose a nice sedate charcoal Cascade 220 superwash. The only stress that I felt was the concern that I would run out of yarn. I have about 3 yards left over. Whew........ (The little hole that you see in the 2nd photo above the ribbing is an opening for the helmet straps to slip through - although I doubt that he wears a helmet - I put them there just in case. I can always close them up if he so wishes. )And, as promised, photos of the completed Talullah's Hearts by Jorid Linvik. I really like these and the fit is just perfect for me. While most of her designs do not, this one does have a thumb gusset, which I prefer. I lengthened the cuff area a bit, but other than that they are knit per the pattern.
You will notice the two mittens do not technically match. The chart had two different designs on it, and I chose to make one of each, rather than have an asymmetric mitten, as was intended. I like them this way, actually! These were knit with one skein of Claudia Handpaint fingering weight for the darker yarn (colorway: "Donna's Favorites"), and Knitpicks Bare Merino fingering for the off-white. On Pony Pearls (yay!) 2.5mm.

Not sure what's up next. DH grabbed the final hat that I had knit for my son's gift box, just a basic gray hat, and actually would like another just like it. So - perhaps another gray hat will find it's way to my needles later this afternoon. I knit during BG's nap times, and since there is snow that also needs my attention today...... we'll see......

BG sized "Thorpe"

"Thorpe" (Ravelry link) is such a practical hat...warm, over the ears and covers the back of the neck..... I had to make one for BG! The pattern is in several adult sizes, and surprisingly enough, I actually managed to modify it to fit him quite nicely.

This is knit out of a worsted weight yarn, Cascade 220 Superwash instead of a bulky weight. I knit it on size 6 needles. I used the pattern as written, increasing to 88 stitches, and knit the straight hat portion 4.5" from the center point before binding off 34 stitches for the part that goes around his forehead. Anyone who has knit the pattern will understand the above. Sorry....if it is boring to others. I will probably write up more detailed modifications on my Ravelry page, if anyone is interested. Or....you can always ask me questions either thru a comment here/or by email. SUPER nice baby hat!

photo disclaimer... no smiles, as warm hats are serious business... he is doing a "serious mood" model pose. vbg (Besides that, all the smiles were straight on, and I wanted an "over the ear" shot). This is left-over yarn from his daddy's last year's Christmas hat....very "manly", don't you think???

More of the same......

I feel there is fodder for a Dr. Seuss book here.... "Hats, Hats, scads of Hats....."This is "Foliage" (Ravelry link). It's the worsted weight version made out of Araucania Nature's wool. It has a slight color variation which makes for a pretty hat, (but a lousy photo). This is "Loopy Mardi Gras Hat" (Raverly link) knit of Noro Silk Garden and (Camel) Lambs Pride Worsted Weight. I can take no credit as to where the colors and the changes fell, just good luck I guess. And this is probably my favorite so far. It's "76-Stitches Hat" (Raverly link again) out of Noro Kcochran. The 30% Angora content makes for a nice soft halo - nice soft hat too, actually! It fits me much better than it does Henrietta. This is a nice big hat - easy fitting. I may have to make myself one of these eventually. I also think matching mittens may be in order for this one.

I am enjoying my hat crusade. Making hats for heads unknown is pretty stress free. No great need to fret over size, color, etc.... Hope my son can find recipients for them all. I am sure he will....he has a ton of friends and enjoys giving gifts......

Seeing double....

Thorpe x 2! (a ravelry link) They are actually the same size, although the grey one appears to be "deeper". These took two skeins of Lamb's Pride Bulky, one each of Forest Green and Charcoal Grey. I used size 9 16" circulars and DPNS. This is my favorite hat - a no nonsense - shoveling snow - keep your ears toasty - kind of hat. A fashion statement .... not so much ... unless you like what it says. :)