Distractions!

It's the start of the school year and the start of Fantasy Football and all of my great plans for completing the projects in an entire book have gone out the window.  Best laid plans of mice and men.  With that said, my knitting group I started, "Casting Purls" had it's inaugural meeting and seemed to go very well.

I am looking forward to it and to working on some great socks.  That seems where the interest is.

I've decided to make a pair of toe-up mystery socks through the sock knitters anonymous group on Ravelry.com.  The pattern is called "watercress."  I've done toe-up socks before but my brain is stalling.  Encouragement is needed.  And maybe some chocolate

3rdX the Charm!

This is my third start on the Designer Wannabe Tank from Stitch'n Bitch: The Happy Hooker. I just could not get a color and yarn combo I was happy with. Now, I've got it and want to get this puppy done! It calls for beads for the scalloped edging and I would so love something really cool.

I have modified the pattern to have a ten stripe repeat instead of three. Also, I am working it in the round. I will also make the trim all one color. So far so good!

Installment 1 in the Loop d Loop Crochet Adventure

I started the Sidesaddle Cluster Pullover on July 4.  This is my first project on my new resolution to make all the projects in Teva Durham's Loop d Loop Crochet.  I am about a third of the way through this project.  The only adjustment I've made to the project is to  add more stitches under armhole to create a little larger armhole and to adjust my hook sizes to allow me to get gauge.

Also, I am going to make the bottom of the tunic as one-piece.  I will still turn it to maintain the great lace pattern but I am not a huge fan of seaming in crochet.

A Birthday Resolution

With the passing of my birthday, I have decided to make a resolution for the remainder of the year.  I am going to work my way through Teva Durham's, Loop d Loop Crochet front to back.  Okay, I already made the "little girl's bolero" and I started the "sidesaddle cluster pullover" but after that I am starting with the "Hip Slung Belt" and working my way through.

I think it will be a great adventure and a crochet workout.

The order is:
Hip Slung Belt
Brocade Boots
Patch Pocket Skirt
Track Stitch Tunic

I cleaned up my ravelry page and ordered some yarn to get me started.  Very, very excited.

Owlet quilt

My owlet quilt that I've been designing is almost complete.  It has been very fun.  Stay posted for pix and more fun.

Crochet Kerchief Bib

I was so fascinated by the cuteness of Julia Vaconsin's knit kerchief bib I thought I would come up with a pattern for a crochet one:

Crochet Kerchief Bib

Materials:

Gauge: Gauge did not matter to me for this project as it is a baby bib.  Looser gauge makes bigger bib.  Tighter gauge makes smaller bib.

• D (3.25) mm hook
• cotton worsted yarn (using a smaller yarn would give you a smaller bib)
• Button for neck closing
• decorative button for embellishment
• needle and thread for sewing on buttons
• Clover yo-yo maker size large

Row 1: ch3
Row 2: work sc increasing at each end (5sc), ch 1 turn
Rows 3-20: Rep Row 3 until 47 stitches have been achieved.
Row 21: 2sc in first stitch (inc), sc in next 10 stitches, sc3 tog, sc 1, ch 1 turn. (leave remaining stitches unworked)
Row 22: sc 1, sc3 tog, sc in 9 stitches, inc
Rows 23-28 repeat rows 21 & 22 until 9 stitches remain
Row 29: work 9 sc, chain 1 turn
Rows 30 - 45: repeat row 29
Row 46:  work 2 sc chain 3, work 3 sc, ch 1 turn
Row 47: work 2 sc, work 1 sc in each chain, work 3 sc. FO
Rows 48-75: on other unworked side of bib, repeat rows 21-47 in reverse omitting buttonhole in row 46.

Weave in all ends.

Sew button on non-buttonhole side of bib for closure.  You could also omit the buttonhole and use Velcro.

I embellished the bib by making a fabric yo-yo and sewing a decorative button to it but you can embellish nay way you choose.  You could embroider, sew wool appliqués, sew patches, etc.

I use this bib for charity.  Please feel free to make as many of this pattern if you are going to give them away.  Please contact me if you are going to make them to sell.

Amy Barickman Mother Goose Book and Fabric Line and Embroidery Scrumptiousness

My new love is absolutely embroidery.  I took a class at the beginning of January to refresh my skills.  I confess, I learned to embroider in girl scouts.  Who can still say that?  And I have been working on Sharon Wilhelm's Garden Sampler.  It's almost done except for those maddening French knots.  Now, I am working on Snow Days by Crabapple Hill.  It's is so amazing.  I even made my own light box.  But. . .I ran across this post by Amy Barickman on her blog and had to share. . .

"Many times I’ve been asked how I get the ideas for my books, patterns or fabric lines? And the short answer is lots of places.  My passion for seeking out vintage sewing treasures and collecting sewing books and ephemera has lead to many of my projects over the years. The Sew-it Book, Buttonware, Hankie Style andVintage Notions are just a few of the books that I have created based on inspiring vintage items I’ve found and collected.

Through my travels, I always seek out antique malls, galleries or flea markets to rummage through. Often, I see something beautiful that catches my eye – colors, fabric textures, the shear artistry of a piece or the details in the stitching. It may just be an old book filled with gorgeous illustrations.

Many times this stirs my creative juices and I combine the inspiration with current trends in the market to come up with a new book or pattern idea. Other times, I find a vintage piece and realize the concept or creation would be interesting to today’s consumer and feel the need to “rescue” it from obscurity.

One example is my latest embroidery book, A Stitch in Time with Mother Goose. This book of vintage embroidery designs, along with my coordinating fabric line from Red Rooster Fabrics of the same name, was inspired by a darling baby blanket I found during my travels. The quilt was created from an old Butterick transfers pattern circa 1920’s. I’ve also discovered in my collection the original magazine ad featuring the pattern for sale. Below are a few shots of the original blanket.

I was toying already with the idea of creating a new embroidery book with a vintage feel and had some wonderful Mother Goose line art that I wanted to use, but the project had not yet come to fruition. I happened upon this hand embroidered baby blanket in bluework, along with the original vintage transfers and the entire project took shape.

Embroidery is really making a come back. The book includes 25 designs to be transferred to fabric and instructions for 7 different projects including two quilts. Here are just a few projects included in this book:

Another method of embroidery can be done with just the Mother Goose fabric itself. Two of the fabric line coordinates are “cheater” blocks. These two panels – one in red and one in blue – have the Mother Goose line art already printed directly on the fabric. All one has to do it thread your needle and following the lines. No transfers needed."

Amy is doing a giveaway at her blog.  Be sure to check is out.

What I've been up to

Wondering what I've been up to. I have about 4 knitting projects I am juggling - season 18 dr. who scarf for hubby, raglan baseball style sweater for son, Sock Knitters Anonymous Jan. 11 Mystery Sock, and mittens for National Knit Mitten Month. The above is the cuff of my sock. I have to wait until the 8th for Clue 2. In between, I am working on my son's sweater and the mittens.

Don't have much time but wanted to share.