Baby bonnets

I've had a run of baby bonnets around here lately. DH requested one for his co-worker, which I gladly agreed to do, but I was still feeling awkward about my recent experience with my LMKG bonnet, which I wasn't totally happy with. In fact, I hadn't put that bonnet on my youngest since I knit it. So, I decided to change all that.

First, I created a dart for the LMKG bonnet and it now fits so much better - more snug around the neck. I've noticed comments on ravelry about this design aspect too, so I know that I'm not the only one; and I didn't knit it up wrong. Here's a photo of the new back. I basically sewed a seam and then tacked down the excess along one side.

Secondly, for the gift bonnet I branched out on my own and modified the LMKG pattern to create a bonnet that fit more snugly. I am really, really happy with this modification. This bonnet is already out the door, and from what I hear the mother-to-be loved it. If anyone is interested I'd be happy to write down my modifications and post them here. It creates a bonnet that fits the head a bit better - more form fitting. Here's a photo of my "model" wearing the hat.

Lastly, here is a photo of my same model in the gift bonnet from Lily. After some queries on ravelry, it turns out this is likely a bonnet pattern from EZ's The Opinionated Knitter. From my responses it seems the general shape and construction are hallmarks of EZ's designs, but the colorwork appears to be an original addition. I don't have a copy of this book yet, but it's on the Christmas list. I can't wait to see if I can re-create something similar!

Sockalicious

A basket full of lovely potential. Warm winter colors and chilly weather to feed my inner sock-obsession. Life couldn't get much sweeter this morning.

This basket happens to be full of KnitPicks essential sock yarn in solid colors: pumpkin, dusk and grass. This yarn gets a double thumbs-up from me. My recent experience with these socks encouraged me to splurge and get more!

I'm also done with the other gift socks and am glad they are off my needles. Below is a photo of the finished sock. It actually think they look pretty cool when you take a step back. I'm glad to see that I'm making progress with my handmade holiday gifts. Having this blog is certainly helping me meet my deadlines.

New Pillows

It was pillow week here at The End of This Row...









My Mom surprised the girls with a set of Eric Carle's Very Hungary Catepillar pillows this past weekend. We had been talking about the lack of pillows for the older girls at their two day/week daycare and my Mom said she had the perfect solution. As you can imagine, the girls love them! The littlest ones' pillow will have to stay at home for awhile, but it is very cute in her room for now.

My Mom's project gave me the inspiration, along with Tigerlily Tinkering's recent room-makeover-with-pillows, to give pillow covers a try. It didn't hurt that my Mom provided me with a book that had basic directions. I did a set in the gold circle fabric for our library (my primary school work place) which now cover some, IMO, gaudy maroon floral pillows that came with the couch. The bigger pillow is for our living room which was in need of some color. It now covers an ever-darkening cream-colored pillow that was starting to see some major wear from little shoes and feet.

The fabrics I used for the three pillows were gifts. My mom gave me the Amy Butler awhile back and I received a huge roll of the gold-toned fabric from my good friend Lily this past summer. If you haven't checked out her Etsy shop yet, you should. She is one talented woman. Makes me begin to realize that I need to start paying my good fortune forward...

These covers are deceptively easy to complete! In fact, I made all three pillow covers in under an hour. Yes: I ironed and cut the fabric, sewed and covered the pillows - and had them back on their respective couches - in under 60 mintues. I could hardly believe it. Granted they aren't anything fancy; just your basic knife-edge, fold over closure pillows, but still. Complete craft gratification during naptime?! Can't beat that.

Finally finished sweater

I finally finished up the helena sweater that I crafted for my littlest. I modified the pattern slightly for the trim work and went with garter stitch detailing. Regardless, it still looks cute! Details are on ravelry.

The blue of this sweater is lovely. It really brings out the blue of her eyes and sets off her red hair. I want to wait until she's walking to put this on her - which she is almost doing. She'll wander around with me, by one hand, but hasn't mustered the courage to take that first step on her own. Although I don't remember, it must be scary to learn to walk. Trusting yourself for the very first time is a pretty big deal I imagine.

Mexican tile inspired knitting tote

I started attending a local knitting group on Wednesday evenings. It only meets for 90 minutes at a local wine/coffee shop, but it is great to meet up with local knitters, close to home, and share tips, techniques and reviews (of yarn, stores, websites, etc.) I was slightly embarrassed that I had been carrying around current knitting projects in a tote that I made for one of my daughters, so I quickly whipped up this one. It even has three interior pockets: one sized for needles, one for the phone and one for the ipod.

My husband got this fabric for me. He actually purchased an entire grocery bag full of fabric remnants from a garage sale this summer (for 25 cents). He was so sweet when he brought it home - although almost none of it seemed useful at the time. It is full of satin-y table cloths, dark florals and other misc. treasures. I returned to this bag last week to look again and I found this lovely piece. On a large scale the print is pretty overwhelming, but on the small scale it reminds me of Mexican folk art tiles. I love how this bag turned out! It reminds me of the year I spent abroad during college in Cuernavaca, Mexico, studying Spanish.

Fall reading

A few books that I have been studying lately.

Deer hunting in South Beach and other mistakes

So while waxing poetic in the previous post about finding my style/stride with knitting, I come full-circle to show you these two mistakes (or as I like to think of them: growth opportunities).


First, the socks. I really like the pattern and the design is easily memorized for maximum portability. The project gets an A+. My choice of yarn? C (can't give it anything lower because I love green, and yes, there is green in there). To my Wisconsin eyes this sock looks like a deer hunter landed in South Beach. On the other hand, the name of they yarn is 'frogprince' which pretty much sums it all up. The camo colors are reminicient of a frog, with strands of princely blue/turquoise running throughout.

Aside from the color, the yarn, a nylon/wool blend, knit up like a dream. One sock is complete and the second is on the needles so I am required to finish them - plus they are a part of my handmade holiday pledge so they must be knit and gifted. They really are lovely socks and the soft yarn feels great against my skin. Luckily my recent knitpicks order arrived with three sets of solid color essential sock yarn: grass, pumpkin and dusk. I can now re-knit this pattern, and the embossed leaves pattern, with pride and cross two more handmade holiday gifts off my list.


This second photo is of the very first sweater I ever completed. Have I ever worn it? Once - the day I finished it. Will I ever wear it again? Nope. So I am mustering the courage to frog it. I need to - the yarn is too nice to waste away on a closet shelf, making me feel guilty. The buttons are too nice to be hidden away. When I was learning how to knit I got impulsive and tried a rowan pattern - 'Slate' - which was too advanced for me. I got in over my head and never looked back, until last night. I think I will try to dig up the pattern and re-make it - it has all the components of a lovely cardigan, but my problem was the gauge, yarn, needle combination. It is too drapey (is that a word?) to wear - it needs more structure and substance. So, I have resolved to pick a night, in the not too distant future, to frog the entire thing.


Any advice on what to do then? Do I need to wash/soak the yarn before re-using it? Is this a hopeless project? Should I just save the buttons and move on?

Auburn Studios

The inspirational font of, more than a few, creative benders [seriously, I have left my computer in the middle of reading her posts and dashed to my sewing machine] Mr. Monkeysuit has just opened her own etsy shop, Auburn Studios. Go over and check it out - I promise her products and patterns will help you along your quest to create lovely handmade holidays.

Fall quilting

The fall quilt is underway. I hope to finish the top and the border this week. I purchased the batting and thread so I am all set with materials. On to the work.

As I sit here looking at the color choices for my most recent quilts I am starting to see my personal style - as chaotic as it is right now - starting to come through.

With knitting, finding my style came easy, but it took time. I have been able to grow from beginning patterns to more advanced projects with yarns that I love (I still make bad choices though, stay tuned...). Quilting is proving to be as much, if not more, of a challenge as I learn. There are lots of fabrics that I love, the problem is that I struggle with how to put them all together (I know this is common). This quilt looks a bit too rainbow for my taste, so I tried to line up the dark browns close to the center which I hope will play off the dark brown border. On the other hand, I am happy that went with so many patterns. I think they give the quilt overall movement and character without being too dramatic. The prints are all small enough, and close enough in size that they almost appear to blend from one to the other without too much difficulty. Maybe I'm off my rocker, but I think I like that aspect of it.

At the end of the day the fact is that I spent way too much moo-la on the fabric NOT to love it - so of course I LOVE it, but the trick moving forward might be taking more time in my choices and exercising restraint with color.

In other quilt related news, I received my adorable lap quilt from my BTRS swap partner. Thanks Lisa! I think I'll attach a binding, and maybe a baby-themed applique, then gift it to some soon-to-be parents during the upcoming holidays. My handmade holidays are off on the right foot!

Green Monkeys

I headed out to a conference today and took my still-warm sock knitting needles with me. I started on the Monkey Socks in the pictured yarn. So far so good...pics on my progress when I return next week.

Election Day

Be sure to cast your vote today. I finished making these socks just in time to head to the polls. It made waiting and standing in line that much more fun for me.

Happy Halloween

...from my two little ballerinas. Finally they stood still long enough for a photo (this was before the onslaught of candy, mind you). I made one tutu in pink and one in purple. I think they turned out pretty well. I encased the gathered tulle with ribbon, and then triple sewed another decorative ribbon on top (butterflies on one and flowers on the other). The ribbon trails around the back and the tails are long enough to tie. I did sew in some elastic - 4 inches or so at the back - to keep it all together, but you can't see it when they are wearing them and the tails are tied. This way I don't have to be there when they want to wear them, tying them on over and over again. They can just pull them on and they'll stay on.

I hope you had fun trick-or-treating! I'm not sure what to do with the pounds of candy laying all over the house. Any creative ways to use this candy without eating all of it ourselves? Would you, maybe, like some? Leave me a comment with your e-mail address...

Change

Change - what a buzz word this season, huh? Truth is that I am feeling change; shifts in the way that I work, parent and love. I don't mean to be too deep - just trying to convey the fact that things around here felt similar day-to-day for awhile towards the end of summer, but now they feel very different every day. My husband is attributing it to the changing seasons (and impending election), and I do think that he is right in some ways. To honor the change in seasons I am embarking on a changing seasons quilt. Lots of yummy fall-tinged colors and natural batik prints. This will be a twin size - my first quilt this big. Not sure when this one will really get underway, but the pieces have been cut and are staring down my machine ready to be assembled. I am following the yellow brick road pattern from before, I like the different shapes and way that the colors flow easily into one another.



A second big change around here is coming up this winter. We are losing our long-time (2+ years) nanny to California for a nursing job. She's graduating with her degree and I am very proud of her. She has strong family roots in these parts, so I know she'll be back, but she won't every really be back here, you know what I mean? While she's only been with us for 2 days/week she has been with us through many changes: a new house, a new baby, new classes, new routines, daycare, playgroups, and potty training. I mean, really, who wouldn't be sad about losing someone who cheerfully changed dirty underpants?! And for twins, nonetheless? So I've decided to make her a quilt. She's been eyeing the other BTRS quilts I have been making and I think this will be a great going away gift. The fabrics here are floral, solids and an awesome wave print for the backing - the perfect CA fabric if you ask me (I stopped myself as I drifted towards the palm tree prints...). I'd really like to perosnalize this one on the back for her. I'm thinking handprints of each of the girls? Maybe applique? I plan to loosely follow the BTRS lap quilt directions for this one, but I will modify for a twin size.