Needlework This and That

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Heather

I hate to admit it, but it has been a while since I’ve picked up a needle and done some serious stitching. Knitting and crochet are much more pre-schooler friendly, so that is how I spend my time. But my fingers itch to hold a needle. Thankfully, I have a deadline approaching (July is nearly over and I haven’t even started my ornament for this month), so the need to pick up my needle is becoming an imperative.

And speaking of needing to stitch, it looks like I really need to get cracking on Teresa Wentzler’s Minature Spring Sampler. TW is on the mend and has work well in hand on the last sampler in the series, summer. According to her blog post, this one will feature ribbon embroidery as the special technique. So, sorry mom, but 12 Days of Christmas is going to be put on hold while I finish up the spring sampler. Of course, goodness knows with the summer sampler will be released, but I’ll take any excuse to start a TW design.

In other news, Lynn B. of Happiness is Cross Stitching is hosting yet another fabulous giveaway. Head over to her blog here to enter. And, why not check out her new etsy shop too.

And, while only a few my be able to attend, I thought I would mention that the classes for the fall CreativFestival in Toronto are up. Jennifer Aikman-Smith is teaching several classes, including a perforated paper dragon and castle design. Class sign-ups start on Monday, and you can bet I’ll be on the phone early. I’m also angling to take a couple of serger classes and a couple of knitting classes. Being a well rounded crafter is important, I think. 😉

You may remember I mentioned Dinky Dyes Oops packs a while back. Jo of Dinky Dyes still has some avaliable. Head over to their website and send them an email for more information. I paid US$10+shipping, and received a lovely selection of silk threads, ribbon and perle.

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PlanetJune Dinos

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Heather

I think a lot of you are aware of my love for all things PlanetJune. I’ve talked about her patterns and her fabulous stuffing tools on numerous occasions. Well, I was lucky enough to win a free pattern for leaving a review in her shop during the month of June. And, what could I pick but one of her new dinosaur patterns? (Okay, I actually bought all three, but only one was free.)

Here is her Dimetrodon, crocheted in Mary Maxim Starlette yarn in colour Dark Amethyst. It is a very dark purple, which was very difficult to photograph.

Dimetrodon from PlanetJune

I’d also like to mention that PlanetJune now as an affiliate program. If you click on one the links earlier in this post, or in the PlanetJune link in my side bar, and then purchase a pattern (or two, or more) I get a wee bit of money. June is a fabulous designer who writes great patterns, and I would say that (and have said it many times) even without the affiliate program. I’m always excited to see what she’s come up with. And, speaking of which, head over to her craft blog to check her tribute to the great rumpled detective, Lt. Columbo.

 

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“Knit, Mommy!”

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Heather

I’ve learned a valuable lesson: never tell a pre-schooler you are knitting something for them. Every time I pick up something to work on other than this sweater the little man says “Mommy knit sweater?”

Kid's Shawl Collar Cardigan from SweaterKits

The pattern is Kid’s Shawl Collar Cardigan from SweaterKits, which came as part of a kit I bought at the Creativ Festival last fall. The yarn is Cottonlicious, which is distributed by SweaterKits. It’s like a thinner version of Bernat’s CottonTots, that is it is essentially a cotton single with a thread wrapped around it.

The pattern is well written and easy to follow, except for the fact that the finished sizes don’t match the sizes in the pattern. By that I mean, the pattern says the sleeves are 12 1/2″ long, for example, but if you follow the pattern, they actually turn out to be 13 1/2″.

I’m making the largest size (6/8), since I would love for the little man to be able to wear it for a while. And, being that it is a kit, I was terrified I would run out of yarn. If you look at the one sleeve in the picture, you can see a small band where the yarn is quite bumpy. That’s because I ran into several yards of yarn that was spun thick and thin, and since I didn’t know how much I could waste, I decided to just go with it. I don’t think it looks too terrible. Right?

All I’ve got left is the collar, and then I can go back to work on anything I want. That is, until I decided to tell the little man I’m knitting another sweater for him.

 

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Kobi for Kobo

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Heather

Last month my husband surprised me with a fabulous little gift: a Kobo e-reader. And, while I would have said before that I was all about the dead tree style of books, this little gadget may have converted me. (If you are interested, you can read my review on the Chatpers Indigo website. I reviewed the silver one, but I actually have the lilac one. Oops.) Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never give up my paper books (I may have even bought the ebook and paper book version of one or two books…), but I do love the ability to take literally 100s of books with me, and to be able to read them on a screen that really does look a lot like paper.

And, I also love that I could knit something for my Kobo: a Kobi eReader cover (pattern available for $1.99 from either Knit Picks or Ravelry).

Kobi eReader cover designed by Karen Marlatt

Mine is knit in Lily Sugar’n Cream in colour Grape. It turned out a wee bit big since my gauge was off. But, Sugar’n Cream shrinks when washed and dried, so it should be a bit more snug once it has a trip through the washer and drier.

Extra points to anyone who knows what book I was reading when I took the picture.

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Christmas Kitty

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Heather

July is speeding away, but there is still lots of time to get in some Christmas in July stitching. Last week, in over just a hair more than a day, I managed to speed through this lovely design:

Christmas Kitty by The Cat's Whiskers

 

It is Christmas Kitty by The Cat’s Whiskers (now Janie Hubble Designs, I believe), and part of the Krazy Kitties line. It is stitched on some 28 count unknown white evenweave from my stash, with various colours of Dinky Dyes silks. Since I didn’t have several of the colours called for in the pattern, I made substitutions based on what I did have. The boots are Black Coral, the body is Charcoal, all the red is Desert Pea and all the green is Christmas Pines. I also switched out the Whisper thread (which contains wool) for Fuzzy Stuff.

Christmas Kitty (front) by Cat's Whiskers

Assuming the rest of the month doesn’t escape from me, I have a few more small Christmas designs I’m planning to stitch, including this month’s ornament of the month. I guess I’d better decide which one I’m going to do…

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L*K Travelling Pattern – Time for a New Home

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Heather

Well, it is time to send the Lizzie*Kate Travelling pattern Life’s a Stitch on to it’s new home.

I used random.org to pick the lucky winner from all those entries that qualified. And that winner is entry 1: Erica of Erica’s Places. (Sometimes the “randomness” of random.org is a but strange. But I guess that’s what makes it random.)

Erica, the pattern will go in the mail today. I bet you’ll have it in just a couple of days, and, before you know it, it will be on to another home.

I’m sorry to those of you who didn’t get the chance to stitch it this time around. Please keep following the pattern, it still has a long life ahead of it. I can’t wait to see all the version that this Stitcherhood creates. And please check back here. I’m hoping to finish my version into something (I have no idea what yet) very soon.

I would also like to say thank you for all the comments on the giveaway post. I can’t wait to add all the new-to-me blogs to my reading list.

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Stylish Blogger

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Heather

I’ve won an award! Cibo of Cibo Stitch has listed me as one of the winner’s of the Stylish Blogger award.

Thank you so much, Cibo. I really love these sorts of awards because they are a great way to learn about other bloggers and to discover new blogs.

So, the rules for this award are:

  1. Thank the person who awarded you.
  2. List seven things about yourself.
  3. Pass the Award to 15 other stylish bloggers.

Let’s see… seven things about me:

  1. I love Hello Kitty.
  2. My favourite designer is Teresa Wenztler.
  3. I love to use size 28 petite needles.
  4. 32 count Belfast in my favourite fabric, even though I actually rarely use it.
  5. I don’t like opalescent fabrics.
  6. I love to do specialty stitches.
  7. I don’t care for primitive designs; my favourite type of designs are complex figures.

I’d like to pass on this award to the following bloggers: (Boy, it was hard to pick!)

  1. StitchinKat’s Pawprints Blog
  2. Caring Stitcher
  3. Giovanna’s Stitches
  4. Erica’s Places
  5. Annie Bebop’s Coloring Book
  6. Craftkitten
  7. Happiness is Cross Stitching
  8. Therapy by Thread
  9. Needles, Pins and Dragonflies
  10. Reading and Stitching
  11. Ruth’s Running Stitch
  12. Stitching with a View
  13. Kathy’s Sit and Stitch
  14. Lake Stitcher
  15. Loretta’s Stitching Blog

I’ll be going around today to  let all the winners know about their award. If you happen to see you’ve won before I let you know, please leave me a comment so I know you know. 😉

Happy stitching, everyone!

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