Sewing & Knitting Along

The weather has been getting a little nicer so I've been spending more time outdoors in the yard & garden but I have been working on my projects.

I did a second cloth grocery bag & this time added the tabs to the bottom & made the bottom liner in two pieces so it can be folded into a about a 6" x 6" square.

Its small enough to stick in my purse while I'm shopping. I can also leave the straps hanging out & hang it out of the way.

When in use the tabs are at the bottom of the bag & not in the way. I also did more topstitching to the bag to better help it keep its grocery bag shape & square bottom. I'm just finishing a third bag & made the straps slightly longer. On this one they are 20" total which just fits over my shoulder for the next one I made the straps 24" for a little more leeway. Someone asked on my last post what the dimensions of the bag are, its approximately 12" wide, 6" deep & 15" tall when finished.

I've also almost finished my Calvin Turtleneck.

As I suspected I've had to make everything longer, 3 inches more to both the sleeves & the body (I'm only 5'9 this pattern is written really short!). Luckily I bought an extra skein when I bought the yarn. I wish I had knit the neck longer, its a little too short to fold over & too long to where not folded. I'm wondering how hard it will be to undo the cast on & add some length?

Shopping a little greener

I love the cloth grocery bags my local grocery store has given us lately but I have a silly thing about using a branded bag at another store. Plus I really would like something cuter. When I saw this fabulous heavy cotton fabric at Ikea this weekend I decided to make my own.

I used a paper grocery bag as my pattern & it couldn't have been easier to sew up. I then decided to add a few extras like top stitching the corners to give it more shape & reinforcing the square bottom with a stiff plastic liner.

I also gave it slightly longer straps so I can wear it over my shoulder but not so long that it will hang on the ground if I hold it in my hand. I plan on cutting out a few more tonight & have an idea to add tabs so it can be folded into a 6-inch square that snaps together for easier storage.

Knitting Away...

I finished Matt's Retro Ribbed Socks.

I made them from Paton's Classic Merino & had to go up a needle size to make them big enough for him. He's good to make socks for because he doesn't like a very tall cuff so the socks finish quicker! These are really quite thick but perfect for the winter here which seemed to never want to end.
We bought our patio furniture & it snowed, in April! So I decided to try a reverse jinx (is there such a thing?) & started knitting a wool turtleneck for myself.

I think it worked because we've been above 50 degrees since I started. The yarn is Stonebridge from Valley Yarns (its on sale for a great price at Webs. The pattern is also from Valley Yarns & is knit top down in one piece. I'm a little worried I won't have enough yarn, even though I bought one extra ball, because the lengths in the pattern for the body & sleeves sound really short (it only says to knit the sleeve 15 inches from the underarm) & I'm tall. I really wish all patterns had schematics so you could see the finished lengths.

Lookie is an FO!

I finished the baby skull cap I was working on that I showed in an earlier post.

I ended up ripping out the one I had started because as much as I like Ann Budd's Knitters Handy Book of Knitting Patterns I just don't like the way the shaping looks at the top of her hats. It just seems to decrease too quickly. So I started over, figured out how tall I wanted the hat & did a more gradual decrease. I also changed the number of stitches cast on a little so it would be easier to space the skulls out evenly.

I made it with Dale Baby Ull & it is super soft. Another gift completed, yeah!

This has to be an April Fool's Joke

What's on (& off) the needles

Lots of little projects going on right now. I finished another pair of basic ribbed socks for myself.
I used Elann Esprit this time, which seems to be exactly like Fixation. I can't tell you how much I love these socks. Despite what they label says they have held up perfectly to the washer & dryer. The best thing is they don't fall down! I have a big problem with socks slipping inside my loafers & these stay right in place.
There's a couple new babies coming this spring so I'm working on gifts. I finished this embroidered onesie yesterday.
I found the absolute cutest embroidery patterns on Badbird's & this in one of them. She has a couple more I have plans for as well. Check out her etsy store too, I think I have to buy at least one of her prints.
I started another pair of socks for Matt.
These are the Retro Rib Socks from Favorite Socks. I had to go up a needle size to make them fit him. The yarn is Paton's Classic Wool Merino, I got a ball free while teaching at Knit Out & thought it would make a good thick winer sock.
Finally, I've started on another baby gift, a little baby skull cap.
This will get skulls & crossbones duplicate stitched on after its knit. Is made from Dale Baby Ull.
I'm also tossing around a few new toy patterns in my head. Thanks so much to all of you who bought my Bunny Pattern so far & also to all of you who have knit my little chicks & said such good things.

How do you like your Peeps?

Fresh from the shell?

Bruléed?

or perhaps in sushi.


Happy Easter everyone!