tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35718702205154479562024-02-19T01:13:12.404-05:00Made With Lovea collection of knits, crafts, and foodEmmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-12498644483704071312011-04-30T11:50:00.005-04:002011-04-30T12:25:18.728-04:00ConfessionI don't really understand when I see knitters saying/writing things like "I almost went a whole month without buying yarn!" <div><br /></div><div>Do they really have such little self-control? Are they trying to be cute? </div><div><br /></div><div>It doesn't bother me that other knitters amass such large stashes (they can do whatever they please!) but it does boggle the mind a bit. I buy for specific projects, or for vague projects (i.e. "a hat" but a specific pattern has yet to be determined). However, sometimes I don't end up making those things, or I have some yarn leftover, so I do have a small stash from failed initiatives and odds and ends. It will all get used up though. My next few projects will be knit from my little stash - which will encourage me to finally knit a whole pair of adult socks! (I made a pair of baby socks, and one sock for my husband. Unfortunately - or really, "fortunately" - he has two feet so it doesn't do him much good.) </div><div><br /></div><div>There was one really indulgent purchase that I made. I was still a newish knitter, at a local yarn shop that has unpleasant owners but an amazing selection of yarn and frequent sales. I saw the most beautiful yarn... A blue skein of Fleece Artist. And it was half price! But it was much too fine for me to knit with at that point, so after I paid for it, I lovingly fondled it and then packed it away. It was like a "grown up skein," something to work towards and anticipate. That skein is now an almost-complete shawl and holy hell it was so great to go to my sewing room, get that prized skein that I've been waiting years to knit with, and cast on! </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27947736@N04/5672915712/" title="IMG_4752 by loveasaverb, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5672915712_4353e4d7be.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_4752" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Do you stash? Is there a method to your madness, or do you just buy whatever you like? </div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-88465222569643917362011-04-18T18:37:00.003-04:002011-04-30T13:14:56.204-04:00New LoveI've been quilting. I love it. It's so wonderful and fun -- the time just flies by! Maybe I'm, cheating by saying I've been quilting -- I've only done a quilt top and a half, but haven't actually gotten to the quilting part yet. My grandmother, quilter extraordinaire, suggested it might be difficult to do without having someone show me how, so I'll be sending my quilt top off to her. It's what I'd describe as picnic-sized, and you'll have a picture soon. <div><br /></div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-36777458294012163272011-04-10T01:37:00.004-04:002011-04-10T01:40:32.397-04:00I became addicted to quilting todayI don't want to stop but it's nearly 2 a.m.(!!) so I am making myself quit before I make mistakes. I have a whole quilt top nearly completed - it's all cut and pieced and most of the blocks are sewn into rows. A few remaining rows are pinned and waiting for morning. I might add another row or two, will have to measure it against my bed. This was meant to be a lap quilt.. But I can't stop, so queen-sized it shall be.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-57309688692450179462010-11-21T19:31:00.003-05:002010-11-21T19:46:40.459-05:00Crepe Dress: Fabric<div style="text-align: left;">My Crepe dress pattern arrived this week! I've never used a Collette pattern before, but I really like the set-up. The instructions are in a little booklet, and the pattern pieces are folded up and stored in a pocket in the booklet's cover. I'm really pleased that the instructions will be so easy to use; this is a huge improvement from the patterns I've used before - just regular McCalls, Simplicity, Vogue, etc, but the instructions are always printed in tiny type on a huge sheet of paper.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've also decided on the main fabric for dress. I had a rather unsuccessful look around town, not really expecting to find much cotton at this time of year. I was hoping for a navy shirting fabric with white pinstripes, but I couldn't find <i>any </i>navy! Weird, right? So I decided to branch out from my comfort zone (slightly, only slightly) and I ordered a gorgeous Amy Butler cotton print. Why is it out of my comfort zone? Well, I don't wear any pink at all, and wear very few floral prints. But I'm pretty pleased with this and am excited to receive it: </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/images/fabrics/love/2_ab53_midnight_memento.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 550px; height: 598px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll be looking for a nice light blue for the contrast wraps, to match the accents. </div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-86885444079567664112010-11-07T12:40:00.003-05:002010-11-07T12:45:23.933-05:00Considering a Sew-AlongI think I'm going to participate in Gertie's <a href="http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/11/next-sew-along-plus-little-blogging.html">Collette Crepe Dress sew-along</a>. It's been a few years since I've sewn a dress, and I'd love to improve my garment knowledge and take advantage of the knowledge shared in a sew-along. Plus, I think the style will suit me. I'd like to make with nice navy shirting cotton, I think.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; ">I'm only hesitating because work has been crazy (I've been working 45-50hr weeks since August) and I haven't been super motivated lately. Maybe this will be the push I need! And I can always bookmark the posts for later.. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; ">If you want to join, click the link above for a discount on the dress pattern! </span></div>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-5080157677392665282010-10-12T22:13:00.002-04:002010-10-12T22:15:50.959-04:00Toys<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27947736@N04/5076615195/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/5076615195_332fba95d0_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0);" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0.9em;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27947736@N04/5076615195/">Little birdie 02</a><br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/27947736@N04/">loveasaverb</a></span></div>I've been busy sewing toy prototypes. This little birdie is made from a <a href="http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/">free pattern</a> (I plan to make a whole mobile one day!), but I've made my own bunny, seahorse, and am trying to perfect a little owl. I'll share some more soon, but you can check out <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27947736@N04/">my flickr</a> in the meantime!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-41220751508047029452010-09-28T20:48:00.004-04:002010-09-28T22:18:14.201-04:00SweaterscatterbrainI have two knitting goals. Saying them outloud (by which I really mean writing them here) will make them real:<br /><br />1. Finish Jack's sweater before our anniversary (mid-November).<br />I stopped knitting for months and months. I feel guilty; this was supposed to be done for autumn. The <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/loveasaverb/the-fog-sweater">body</a> is done, and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/loveasaverb/durrow">sleeves</a> are about half-done. Then I'll have to knit the turtleneck, block everything, and seam the shoulders and sew in the sleeves (clever me, I'm knitting the sleeves in the round to avoid seaming).<br /><br />2. Cast-on and knit myself a sweater... by the end of the year!<br />I will not cast on until Jack's sweater is blocking. But I have the yarn and pattern and I'm ready.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-31473900245474059002010-05-15T21:31:00.002-04:002010-05-15T21:37:01.044-04:00brbThings have been quiet because we got a new condo and are in hardcore renovation mode. I say "we" but my husband is doing most of it as I work full-time. Today we painted the kitchen and living room wall red, and it looks like I got in a fistfight! There are red blotches all over my hands and wrists. The bedroom and bathroom are all painted, as is the sewing/knitting/craft room (yes! that's right!!), and the hardwood floor is ready to be laid down. Stay tuned for actual knitting content. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-36345204240803801232010-04-18T22:06:00.002-04:002010-04-18T22:20:10.607-04:00MySewingCircle.comI signed up for MySewingCircle.com yesterday. It's a site for sewers that is based on Ravelry. It is still a bit barebones (in particular, the forums need more work and groups would be nice), but so far, so good. It was quite buggy in Firefox (in particulr the date on the projects) but works fine in Chrome.<br /><br />My username on there is twolemons.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-87723911642091108162010-04-11T19:19:00.004-04:002010-04-11T19:39:37.861-04:00Birthday Birdies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4512852918_ed3428405b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 362px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4512852918_ed3428405b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I made this tote bag for my friend <a href="http://reqbat.blogspot.com/">Req</a>'s birthday gift a few weeks ago. I used some lovely love bird cotton I picked up last fall and made it per my usual tote formula: muslin lining, a deep box shape -- I'm not sure the proper name of the technique and my Googlefu is failing me, but you can find the corners explained in <a href="http://colorfoolcreates.blogspot.com/2006/03/greatest-bag-tutorial-ever.html">this tutorial.</a> It basically makes the bag three-dimensional rather than just lying flat, and I find it makes a roomier bag. There is also a little pocket inside, made of the bird fabric.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4512866336_cfc7e1735c.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 394px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2773/4512866336_cfc7e1735c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The cotton is very thin, so I added some fusible interfacing to the straps for strength. I only had the lightest interfacing possible -- bought to practive making appliqués -- but it worked well enough. You can see that I added a double line of stitching to each side of the straps. And of course the finishing touch is the decorative stitch around the top of the bag.<br /><br />I filled the bag with a lovely, sunny bunch of flowers and it made a nice gift!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-81954379278808912162010-03-08T20:54:00.004-05:002010-03-08T23:23:37.403-05:00Mabel Murple: A Free Hat Pattern<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4415269936_9a676fe5fe_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 374px; height: 364px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4415269936_9a676fe5fe_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I knit the first version of this hat on New Year's Day, then re-knit it a couple of months later to write up the pattern. I'm happy to share it with you as a free download. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mable-murple">Check out Mabel Murple on Ravelry!</a><br /><br />The pattern was named after the titular character of one of Sheree Fitch's amazing children's books. I loved her books as a child; her writing really instilled a love of language and reading in me. While knitting this purple hat, I kept thinking "Mabel Murple's house is purple, so is Mabel's hair..." so why not name it for her?<br /><br />Materials:<br />- 150 m (160 yards) of your favourite worsted weight yarn <span style="font-style: italic;">(I used Cascade 220)</span><br />- 5 mm straight needles<br />- 4.5 mm double-pointed needles<br />- 5 mm double-pointed needles<br />- cable needle of spare DPN<br />- measuring tape<br /><br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B2WiQHWvpXj-OTY2MmY4MWMtYzI0NS00MjU2LTk1Y2EtZGJlNDg1YmViOGFj&hl=en">Click here to access the free PDF!</a> (also available through Ravelry)<br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mable-murple">Ravelry link</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4414445433_ae3f679aa2_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 247px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4414445433_ae3f679aa2_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I hope you like the pattern!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-30634407656419519762010-03-07T17:33:00.003-05:002010-03-07T17:35:50.391-05:00Soon to come: a free pattern! My first!I am very excited to announce that I have written my first pattern, a nice hat. Luckily I got it all written up before the end of the season! It will be available for free download soon -- I'm just waiting for Ravelry to recognize me as a designer so I can set it all up. But the PDF is ready to go, so I hope to share it soon... fingers crossed for tomorrow!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-35853060296380711832010-02-28T11:35:00.007-05:002010-02-28T12:00:16.463-05:00The world is quite different ever since the robotic uprising of the early ninetiesMy mum and dad came to town yesterday so I was able to give my mum her yoga bag. She seemed quite happy that it matched the little lunch bag I made her for Christmas. I made a yoga bag for myself last night, after yoga class, and used some of my favourite fabric:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4394762637_2a8be73c50.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 266px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4394762637_2a8be73c50.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">ROBOTS!!<br /></span></div><br />I also tidied up my Ravelry queue last night, removing about a dozen patterns I'd never knit (a bikini? let's be realistic, people) and adding tags to almost everything else in there, then did the same with my favourites list. It was good to get organized; I'm expecting to knit three baby items forf co-workers this spring/early summer, so I was glad to get a refresher on the baby patterns I'd queued up.<br /><br />I finished the body of Jack's sweater on Friday night (rejoice!), but can't work on the sleeves until I buy a second 3.75mm circular needle. The neighbourhood toy shop which carries a small selection of yarn and needles doesn't open until noon, so I'm enjoying a big cup of tea while I wait.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2IPAOxrH7Ro&hl=en_GB&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2IPAOxrH7Ro&hl=en_GB&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-61903103108480901272010-02-21T20:18:00.003-05:002010-02-21T20:26:59.873-05:00FO: Yoga Mat BagI was feeling a bit restless last night, so I plugged in my sewing machine and made this bag for my mum's yoga mat. Just a little something to keep the mat from getting dirty while in transit:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4376859093_5b22db927c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 364px; height: 325px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4376859093_5b22db927c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(Note to self: no more photos of black fabric in direct sunlight)</span><br /></div><br />The fabric was purchased at JoAnn's on my trip to NY last fall. I thought the black would ensure it doesn't look too dirty, and the flowers and warm colours are right up my mum's figurative alley. I used a bright orange ribbon from my ribbon colection for the drawstring:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4377602458_6322acccd3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 274px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4377602458_6322acccd3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I made one of these as part of a birthday gift for my sister a few weeks ago (with awesome BANANA fabric -- sorry, no pics). It's really easy to do:<br />1. Take a rectangle of fabric (make sure it will wrap around your mat with a few inches of ease)<br />2. Press and sew the little tube for the drawstring to be fed through<br />3. Pin the strap in place and sew up the bottom and side of the bag, securing the strap (the strap can be made with the woven stuff you purchase at a fabric store, or simply with a strip of fabric)<br /><br />(I'm happy to provide a more thorough tutorial if anyone wants, but I'm sure there are a bunch that have already been published on various blogs.)<br /><br />Did I ever mention my ribbon collection? My husband set up a nice dispensing station:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4376209649_de09433739.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4376209649_de09433739.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />(And there are still more spools that didn't fit)Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-7350969398868342010-01-24T15:22:00.006-05:002010-02-20T21:53:32.696-05:00Homemade Dog FoodA few weeks ago, we had to make a batch of homemade dog food. Our local pet store took a longer holiday than we expected, and poor Monsteress ran out of food.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/monsteress.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 343px; height: 556px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/monsteress.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />She is a 3-year-old American Staffordshire and is pretty small: 40lbs. We feed her what we consider the best food available (and I'm happy to support a family-owned Canadian company!): <a href="http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/about/">Orijens dog food.</a> We usually feed her one cup of kibble for breakfast and one cup with dinner. Dinner is supplemented with fresh veggies (her favourite treat) or the occasional raw egg.<br /><br />I started with <a href="http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Homemade-640/dog-food-recipes.aspx">this "basic dog food" recipe</a> (on the right sidebar) but tweaked it for greater portions of meat and veggies. Here's what I ended up making:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monsteress's Mash</span><br />9 cups water<br />4 cups uncooked brown rice<br />1/4 cup oats<br />275 grams ground lamb<br />500 grams ground beef (medium leanness)<br />1 tablespoon olive oil<br />1 head broccoli, diced<br />1 green pepper, diced<br />1 small sweet potato, diced<br />2 carrots, diced<br />1-2 tablespooons peanut butter<br /><br />Combine water, oats, rice, and sweet potato in large pot. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low-med. Add meat, oil, and half of the broccoli, green pepper, and carrots; put the remaining veggies in a sealed container to use as fresh garnish. Continue cooking approx 30 minutes or until the liquid is all absorbed. Stir in peanut butter and let cool. Keep refrigerated.<br /><br />NOTE: the medium ground beef and the lamb were nice and fatty. If using lean beef or poultry, you'll want to add a bit more oil.<br /><br />It was tempting to add some flavour so it would smell good while cooking, but I reminded myself it was for the dog, not me. Chicken broth would probably make it really yummy, but it would add salt that she doesn't need.<br /><br />This made a large batch which lasted almost a week. We fed her 1.25-1.5 cups of the mash, topped with the fresh veggies or a raw egg for each meal. We of course also mixed in the remaining kibble for the first few meals, and added a bit of fresh kibble to the last few meals of the batch -- didn't want to switch her diet too suddenly. She ate every last bite!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-73836706151384773342010-01-03T17:09:00.003-05:002010-01-03T17:23:40.741-05:00FO: Laura's Felted BowlsMy sister was not-so-subtly admiring some felted trinket bowls on Etsy this fall, so I made her a set for Christmas. This was my first dyeing project, and first felting project.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_3492.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 418px; height: 313px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_3492.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The knitting was very straightforward, and took only a few days to do all four bowls. The dyeing was the most difficult step -- I could not find Kool Aid anywhere in Montreal! I did manage to get some on a little trip to upstate New York, so I was happy about that. I usaed grape, cherry orange, and lemonade. The cherry took the fastest; lemonade had the least effect.<br /><br />I was planning to felt by hand, so I had an idea to make the job a bit easier. Felting is caused by shocking wool (immersing it in very hot, then very cold water) and applying friction -- so I bought a pair of exfoliating gloves from the dollarstore. They're meant to be used in the shower, but why not use them on the bowls? It did go fairly well, but jeez, hand-felting is tiring! It took two sessions to fully felt the bowls and I worked up a sweat within the first two minutes.<br /><br />After the two felting sessions, the largest bowl was still a bit floppy, so I sprayed all of the bowls with starch while they were drying. It is still a lottle wobbly, but the three smaller bowls are fine.<br /><br />Yarn: Garnstudio DROPS Alaska, natural/undyed (3 skeins)<br />Needles: 6 mm<br />Pattern: <a href="http://www.heavydutydesign.com/alicethelma/2009/03/free-pattern-felted-nesting-bowls/">Felted Nesting Bowls</a> by Alice Themla<br /><br />Overall, I'm very pleased. And my sister loved the bowls!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-18667804537417461312009-12-05T13:36:00.002-05:002009-12-05T13:52:04.422-05:00Sweet Pin CushionAfter seeing <a href="http://duringquiettime.blogspot.com/2009/10/scrappy-armrest-pincushion-tutorial.html">this sweet pincushion</a>, I had to make one! Unfortunately, I don't have many (any) scraps or selvedges, but I do have some pretty cotton prints waiting to be used.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_3456.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 274px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_3456.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Oh, and I don't know how to quilt but was willing to learn -- except none of my fabrics really complimented each other. So I just made the pin cushion without the quilt squares, or the fancy selvedge pockets. I found a Montreal crafter (on Ravelry!) with a scrap of quilt batting, and got to work.<br /><br />I used the bird print for the outer pockets and the cushion, muslin for the main piece in center and the backing, and a small floral print for the inside of the pockets. The cushion itself is lined with quilt batting, and stuffed with fine steel wool and some cotton scraps. This will help the needles stay sharp.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/pincushion01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 390px; height: 418px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/pincushion01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The most difficult part of this project was the binding! It was really tricky, and isn't perfect, but that's okay.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/pincushion02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 419px; height: 409px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/pincushion02.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This is a Christmas gift for my grandmother, who is always sewing, quilting, or knitting.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-22054533271580250912009-11-16T16:26:00.008-05:002009-11-16T17:09:37.765-05:00WOOL, specifically Briggs & Little's RegalThere is a great article in the latest Twist Collective, called "The Softness Myth" by Clara Parkes. It is an excerpt from her new book, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Knitter's Book of Wool</span>. Click <a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/collection/index.php/component/content/article/35-features/454-the-softness-myth">here</a> to read the article. (I had a mini-gush-fest about her <span style="font-style: italic;">Knitter's Book of Yarn </span><a href="http://madebyemma.blogspot.com/2009/01/this-book-is-amazing.html">last winter</a>, and have asked for <span>the new book</span> for Christmas this year. Whoo!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.whysheep.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/sheep.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 306px;" src="http://www.whysheep.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/sheep.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Wool is definitely my favourite fibre -- there is so much variety, it looks so crisp, and I love the natrual properties: warm even when wet, flame-resistant, etc. I won't drone on.<br /><br />This seems like a good time to write about the yarn I am using for one of my current WIPs. My husband had been asking for a sweater, so I picked a few patterns that were within my skill and interest level, and let him pick the one he liked best. Ever unique, he selected <a href="http://tiennieknits.typepad.com/tiennie_knits/2008/01/the-fogthe-ski.html">Tiennie's Fog Sweater</a>, with the cabled sleeves of <a href="http://www.knotions.com/patterns/magknits/durrow/directions.aspx">Jodi Greene's Durrow</a>. He wanted a plain, manly colour -- brown, grey, dark green, etc -- and no stripes. I chose black, always a favourite and easy to coordinate. I wanted a textured yarn, a little rough and with some lanolin as this sweater will be outerwear... A yarn to last a decade, with what I call "character," and I wanted to support a Canadian yarn maker. (We are going through the Canadian citizenship process for my hub, and I'm always saying how great Canada is, so why not use Canadian wool?)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.briggsandlittle.com/wool/images/products/wool/regal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 111px; height: 130px;" src="http://www.briggsandlittle.com/wool/images/products/wool/regal.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>After some research, I settled on Briggs & Little Regal (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/briggs--little-regal">Rav page</a>), a worsted-weight yarn from a family-run mill in my home province of New Brunswick. The mill is over 150 years old; my grandmother has knit their yarn for decades. What a legacy! The comments on Ravelry really sealed the deal and assured me that it was exactly what I was looking for.<br /><br />I tried a few retailers, but none had the quantity I needed, so I ordered directly from the mill. The phone service was great, very friendly, and I was pleased with the prices and quick shipping (orders are mailed the next day). I even asked to please make sure the skeins were of the same dye lot and the woman replied, "Oh, we always do!" I highly recommend them!! You can check out the Briggs & Little site <a href="http://www.briggsandlittle.com/wool/">here</a>; there's a virtual tour of the mill.<br /><br />The sweater is going really well. I haven't taken a picture because a big, black piece of 1x1 ribbing isn't too interesting. I'm halfway through the second hank, and have come across one spot where the yarn was tied off (I just cut out the knot and spit-spliced the ends together). Otherwise, it's been great. There is some variety in the thickness/thinness of the yarn, but I'm sure it will even out upon blocking, and hell, it gives it the character I wanted. It is lightweight: I used 3.5mms for the hem of the sweater, and 3.75mms for the body. The yarn does make my hands a little dry when I work with it, ande there's a bit of vegetable matter to pull out, but nothing major. I'm going to wash and block the sweater before making my final verdict, but so far I am very happy with my choice.<br /><br />Oh, and I'm very happy with the Fog Sweater pattern too :)Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-37810103633114199532009-11-08T16:13:00.004-05:002009-11-08T17:18:24.921-05:00EnrobedIt has been an embarrassingly long time since I last posted. And I was so excited to share pictures from my little fabric shopping trip in upstate New York -- oh, but I haven't even taken the pictures yet. Oh well. I have so far made 2 skirts -- but it is much too cold to wear them before Spring -- and I just finished up a gift I was making for my hubs for our 1st anniversary, which is next week.<br /><br />He has a beloved bathrobe that I've been trying to replace without much success... So I figured I'd <span style="font-style: italic;">make</span> a replacement! I got yards and yards (FIVE!) of blue terrycloth at Joanne's during the trip I mentioned (and was able to use a 50% off coupon) -- I'd have preferred a different colour, but light pink and light blue were the only choices. I figured most bathrobe patterns would be the same, so I selected a Simplicity 2-hour pattern. However, it took much longer than 2 hours, as I double- or triple-sewed every seam. I want this to last gosh dang it, and since I was working with terry cloth (and have no pinking shears), I made sure to zig-zag as well straight-stitch every seam.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/simplicity/5314/5314.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 264px;" src="http://images.patternreview.com/sewing/patterns/simplicity/5314/5314.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>SOMETHING TO NOTE about the pattern: the measurements on the pattern envelope did seem quite large -- the large size had a chest measurement of 48-50 inches. THAT'S HUGE compared to a man's size "L" t-shirt. I went with that anyway, thinking bigger is better and cozier... Then when I was looking up the pattern to include a pic with this post, I learnt that THIS IS A PLUS-SIZE PATTERN. It does not say that anywhere on the envelope or in the pattern -- the only indication is the measurements themselves, and if you didn't know any better, how could you tell? Anyway, it's just a robe so it's not a big deal, but it should have been marked somewhere. Thumbs down.<br /><br />I omitted the fusible interfacing from the front band (a lot of hassle for a small result), and also left off the belt loops. I did patch pockets rather than the set-in ones the pattern included, to better match the old beloved bathrobe. It had been ages since I last used a pattern and jeez, I forgot how tiring it is to first cut out all of the pattern pieces, and then pin them down and cut the fabric.<br /><br />The bathrobe was sewn surreptitiously over a few weekends: I washed and cut the fabric at my mother's house right after it was purchased. (Okay I admit my mum cut it -- I'm left-handed couldn't get her sewing scisssors through 2 thick layers.) I've been working on it while my husband has been out to watch his weekly football game. It had to be done over a few weeks, mostly because of the time it took me to remove the fabric from its hiding place and set up my sewing station, as well as re-hide the fabric and clean up all evidence. TERRY CLOTH SHEDS - A LOT. I've had to sweep each time, as well as use the lint-roller on myself, my chair, the ironing board, the door mat...Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-46284638104409522052009-08-28T20:47:00.003-04:002009-08-28T20:52:49.620-04:00Cross StitchLast Sunday I did this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/firststitch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 175px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/firststitch.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I have been meaning to try cross stitch for a while. When I saw a book on the sale table, I knew it was time! I picked up the supplies from a fabric store; I was surprised at how expensive the Aida cloth was -- and that it wasn't available by the metre, only in a little package. I do have the address of an embroidery store in Westmount, so I will try to stop by sometime soon. After doing these initials based on a chart in the book, I freestyled the little watermelon. No real reason behind it except that I bought blue-grey, pink, and light green embroidery thread. I have sketched something on some graph paper and am hoping to share it soon.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-84822095323208196142009-06-05T19:09:00.005-04:002009-06-05T19:18:10.597-04:00SchemingWhen I am done Jack's socks, I will treat myself to 10 skeins of <a href="http://www.elann.com/productdisp.asp?NAME=elann.com+Camila&Season=&Company=&Cat=ALLY&ProductType=5&OrderBy=+Order+By+Price&Count=26">Elann's Camila</a>. It is a 50/50 Cotton Linen blend and I have something special in mind. I have not knit with linen, but the book describesw it as having lovely drape, being quite cool, and just improving in softness, texture, and appearance the more you wash it. It is also a very strong fibre, and there are all sorts of other details that make me excited to try it out. This particular yarn has some lovely projects linked up on Ravelry, as well as great reviews on various blogs. AND at only $2.75 (US) per 112m skein, this will be a very affordable way to so much yardage.<br /><br />I am excited but am using my willpower to <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> order a huge amount of yarn.. Until I finish at least one project.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-32964108107870111882009-05-02T14:55:00.007-04:002009-05-02T15:20:45.013-04:00Knitting Needle StorageI used to keep my knitting needles in a beautiful vase... But one day it was knocked over and it shattered. No big deal, I knew it was going to happen sooner or later since I am such a klutz; somehow, I am not to blame for its breakage though. Now I keep my needles in a big stainless steel holder, but wanted a better way to organize them. So I made this today:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/rollup01-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/rollup01-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I did not use a tutorial, but just made a little mock-up out of paper, and then started cutting the fabric. I made sure to make it tall enough that I could fold down the top flap to keep the needles secure:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/rollup02-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/rollup02-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I picked up the blue and purple fabric last week, and the yellow butterfly print is a vintage bedsheet that I've had for a couple of years. I bought it thinking that it would make a lovely summer dress, but never got around to it (I don't look good in yellow!). I used the hem of the sheet in such a way that I could avoid hemming the tops of the pockets.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/rollup03-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 385px; height: 172px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/rollup03-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I didn't have any pretty ribbon, so it is being held closed with a couple of hair elastics for now. It is quite hefty when it is all rolled up and could substitute as a nice head-whacker in a pinch. <span style="font-style: italic;">THOWK! </span><br /><br />I am very happy with this project.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-36924017477109314432009-04-27T09:31:00.007-04:002009-04-28T09:34:09.310-04:00Tea and a Sock<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/teaandasock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 276px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/teaandasock.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />What a nice way to start one's day: with tea and a sock.<br /><br />The sock is the second half of a pair that I am knitting for my friends' daughter's first birthday. This little girl was the recipient of <a href="http://madebyemma.blogspot.com/2008/05/wow-it-has-been-while-since-ive-posted.html">the first sweater I ever made</a>, and I decided to follow the same strategy to figure out socks: start small!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/maddysock01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 391px; height: 356px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/maddysock01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The sock is just a plain top-down sock that fit my needs: pattern uses sock yarn and is sized for 12mo. I decided to jazz them up a little by adding the cables to the cuff. I really had no idea how much yarn they would take, so I used the bigger of my 2 skeins of leftover sock yarn. In this case, the yarn is leftover from <a href="http://madebyemma.blogspot.com/2008/04/feather-fan-scarf.html">the feather & fan scarf</a> that I knit for my Great-Aunt Jenny. I was a bit perplexed by the gusset instructions, but decided to just gto for it, and I've had great success.<br /><br />The panda mug is one of a pair that my friend Elise gave to Jack and I as a wedding present. She threw the mugs (on a potter's wheel), glazed them, and hand-painted the pandas and the gold edging. I love these mugs!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-14635709986862165242009-04-10T20:20:00.009-04:002009-04-10T21:14:53.332-04:00Braided Cable Arm WarmersThe weekend after I knit my <a href="http://madebyemma.blogspot.com/2009/04/as-i-often-mention-i-am-trying-to-learn.html">wooly owl mittens</a>, I spent an afternoon playing around with cables. I didn't have a pattern, but was just experimenting with different patterns and widths. I felt counterproductive after so much knitting and ripping, knitting and ripping, so I settled on a nice braided cable and made some arm warmers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/fingerless01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 458px; height: 361px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/fingerless01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Pattern: My own<br />Yarn: Jojoland 100% wool in Hawaiian Blue (1.5ish skeins)<br />Needles: 4.5 and 5mm<br />New skill: Braided cables<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_2824.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_2824.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I made these with Spring in mind -- it's bicycle riding season! I don't like to wear mittens when I bike because I find they are too slippery on thr brake handles. And given that I lost one of my nice leather gloves after only a few weeks, I figured I'd make some fingerless mitts. I wanted to make sure they covered my some of fingers and a bit of my thumbs to keep me warm -- it is still pretty chilly in Montreal.<br /><br />In addition to the extended finger covering, I also made sure to knit extra-long arms on them. I want to make sure no cold air sneaks up my sleeves! The pattern is reversible, so I made two copies of the same mitt.<br /><br />My favourite detail is the way that the ribbing feeds into the cables. Here is the WIP picture I posted whe they were actually in progress:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_2678.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 427px; height: 319px;" src="http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w160/loveasaverb/IMG_2678.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Overall, this was a great weekend project and I'm very happy with them. I kept detailed notes and have a few tweaks in mind if I ever knit them again.Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3571870220515447956.post-61328028074475904602009-04-05T23:53:00.002-04:002009-04-05T23:55:47.198-04:00ProgressI'm working on a new cardiagan/jacket. Having used a whole skein of Cascade 220 means that I knit 200m this weekend! I estimate that the jacket is 25% done, but I'm being safe. I actually have a slight friction burn on my index finger from so much knitting!Emmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06353591696038652764noreply@blogger.com0