Is That For Both Arms?

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Heather

As I’ve mentioned before, overall my October goals are going well. However, the little shrug/cardigan that I would like to have made to wear next weekend is quickly becoming a disaster. The yarn, Estelle Cloud Cotton Eco, is soft and lovely to work with. I like my needles too, which are from my Denise interchangeable set. What I don’t like, however, is how the pattern has had me make a sleeve that I could almost fit two arms through!

Top-Down Shoulder Warmer

It the picture above the sleeve looks  a little bit, but not too bad. But when I try it on…

Top-Down Shoulder Warmer (sleeve)

you can see what should be a slim fitting sleeve is far from it. I suspect that the pattern wasn’t test knit in the larger sizes, and if I had been smart and read through the notes in other Ravelry projects I would have known to  make the sleeves smaller. I’m going to have to rip back the entire sleeve and try decreasing it a few stitches to see if that helps. (The extra-large size has 72 stitches for the sleeve, the large has 70 and the medium has 68. Since I am knitting the sleeve in the round instead of flat, as the pattern is written, I will try decreasing the sleeve down to either 68 or 66, depending on some tricky math I will attempt this evening.)

I will be overjoyed if I can get this done for next weekend, but at this point I think I won’t rush. I  love the idea of this garment so much I want to make a second one out of another colour of yarn, so it is more important to me to get it right than it is to get it done for a self-imposed deadline.

In happier news, today is day 15 of Missy Ann and Annette’s 31 Days of Halloweeen. Head over to Annette’s for today draw and go to Missy Ann’s for the start of the scissor crypt tutorial.

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Playful Kittens

Posted on October 14, 2010 by Heather

Another October goal conquered! This morning I but the final stitches in Teresa Wentzler’s Playful Kittens.

Playful Kittens by Teresa Wentzler

It is stitched with the given DMC threads on 28 ct hand-dyed if some sort from Ayrloom (brought from seller
abracraftdabra09 on eBay, but it looks like all the listings ended yesterday).

I’ve gone back to working on By the Full Moon from Ink Circles, which I may have done in a couple of days. I don’t know if I’m going to have time to get it and the pumpkin ornament I finished earlier made into ornaments. The days just seem to be getting away from me, especially since I have so much work to do in the evenings after Baby Man has gone to bed. Thank goodness for the Creativ Festival next week. It will be a nice break from the regular routine, and will hopefully help recharge my creativity.

Oh, and don’t forget to enter Missy Ann and ANnette’s 31 Days of Halloween. Today is Missy Ann’s turn and you can enter here.

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A Little Bag of Boo

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Heather

I started off the month so well, posting fairly regularly, but somehow I managed to get sidetracked again. I have been fairly productive, however.

Yesterday morning I finished seaming up the little trick-or-treat bag I’ve knit for Baby Man. The pattern is a freebie from Bernat: Boo Bag. (Registration is required to see the pattern.) I used Bernat Satin in Ebony and their discontinued Glow in the Dark yarn in Glow Worm White. (I wish they would bring this yarn back. I’d stock up on a few colours of it.) I stitched the “Boo” on both the front and back of the bag, and I’m going to be lining it with a cute Halloween fabric as soon as I get a chance.

Boo Bag by Bernat

I also managed to finish off the second pair of Grown-Up Booties that I was knitting for charity. The yarn is Vanna’s Choice.

Grown-Up Booties by Ysolda

Grown-Up Booties by Ysolda

I really liked the pattern. It is a very easy knit, but also fun with a little bit of decreasing going on to keep you interested. The slippers are nice too. If I wore slippers, I would be making a pair for myself.

Lastly, don’t forget to enter Missy Ann and Annette’s 31 Days of Halloween giveaway. Today is Annette’s turn and you can enter here.

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Gold and Slippers

Posted on October 6, 2010 by Heather

October is already speeding away, and I feel like I’ve hardly gotten anything done. Being sick with a nasty cold for a week did a lot to set me back. And with the rush of Thanksgiving, Creativ Festival and Halloween, I feel like the month will be over before I know it.

I’ve hardly had a chance to put needle to fabric this month. All I’ve done is make a small start on the outer border of Enchanting Lair’s Kitchen Blessings. I really like the look of the dark gold for the inside border and the lighter, brighter gold for the outside. The light gold is the same colour I used for the characters in the centre, but I am using one strand of silk for the border and I used two for the characters.

Kitchen Blessings by Enchanting Lair (WIP, border close-up)

I have finished the second pair of slippers I was knitting for charity. The pattern is Grown-Up Booties by Ysolda Teague. (It used to be a free pattern, but is now part of her Whimsical Little Knits 1 booklet.) Here’s what they look like before being sewn up and all finished. The yarn is Vanna’s Choice in colour Dusty Blue.

Grown-Up Booties by Ysolda (one finished and one not)

And, lastly, it is busy around the Internet today. You can enter Missy Ann and Annette’s 31 Days of Halloween Giveaway over at Missy Ann’s today. You can enter to win a fabulous prize package from Mel over at Epic Stitching. And, lastly, you can enter to win the book Stitch Sampler over at Needle n’ Thread. I’d like to win all three, so maybe you shouldn’t enter. 😉 Just kidding! Best of luck to everyone!

And one very last thing, Lindsay over at Caring Stitcher is hosting a PIF giveaway. Head over here to read all about it.

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Warm Shoulders

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Heather

Just a quick post today. I’ve set myself a lofty goal for this month: knit this cardigan using this yarn in the natural/white shade 115 before October 23rd. Wish me luck!

And don’t forget to enter Missy Ann and Annette’s 31 Days of Halloween. Today is Missy Ann’s turn, and you can enter here.

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An Ornament(al) Goal

Posted on October 3, 2010 by Heather

One of my goals last month was to put together a monthly ornament club for myself. I unashamedly stole borrowed the idea from Erica of Erica’s Places. However, I didn’t get around to doing it last month because my printer lost its mind. My printer hasn’t gotten any better, but since I’m still stuck with this cold and not capable of doing much beyond knitting simple garter stitch slippers and playing video games, I decided to get out all my old Just Cross Stitch ornament issues to see what there was to see.

Since I have all 14 past issues of the “official” ornament issue, and there are also 14 months (not including this month) until Christmas next year (if you include December 2011), I thought it would be a nice idea to pick one ornament from each issue.  So, my list is this:

  • 1997 – Santa Bellpull – Carol Emmer Designs
  • 1998 – Hollyberry Heart – Sweetheart Tree
  • 1999 – Hardanger Ornament – Nordic Needle
  • 2000 – Holly Leaves – Jemini Designs
  • 2001 – Home for Christmas – Julia Lucas Designs
  • 2002 – Five Gold Rings – Flower Thread Company/Meg Shinall
  • 2003 – Victorian Christmas Tree – Sue Hillis
  • 2004 – Peace Tree – M Designs
  • 2005 – Britty Christmas Kitty – Brittercup Designs
  • 2006 – 2006 Santa – Vermillion Stitchery
  • 2007 – Sugar and Lace – Victoria Sampler
  • 2008 – Deck the Windows – Julia Lucas Designs
  • 2009 – Gingerbread Scissors Keep – Victoria Sampler
  • 2010 – You are My Gift – Dragon Dreams

Originally,  my goal was not to duplicate designers, but I couldn’t help myself. For some years it was really hard to pick an ornament that I knew I would still be excited about months from now. For one year I even had to have my husband pick an ornament since there wasn’t really one I was in love with.

We shall see how this goes, but hopefully I will have 14 lovely Christmas ornaments for my three next year. I still need to figure out fabrics and pick up a few minor supplies, but I know I will have this ready to go for November.

And to switch gears to Halloween, today is day 3 of Missy Ann and Annette’s 31 Days of Halloween. Head over to Annette’s blog to enter today’s draw.

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Copyright Info for Needleworkers

Posted on October 2, 2010 by Heather

A link to a new blog was included in the announcement of  the release of October’s The Gift of Stitching: Needlework Copyright Information. This is a blog put together to provide information to stitchers about what is okay when it comes to charts and sharing.

It is important to remember that copyright rules differ from country to country, and what is true for the writers of the blog may not always be true in your country. However, whatever the laws of your country state, I think we need to remember that designers only get money when we purchase a chart through legal means.

If you want your favourite designer to keep designing, you need to buy their charts. Designers are not rich. They need to make a living just like the rest of us. (I know a couple so I know this to be true!) If you say you can’t afford to buy a chart, then how do you expect to be able to afford to by the materials to stitch it? If the chart you want is too expensive, save up for it, or look for something similar that costs less. (Also be aware when you purchase a chart used, the designer does not benefit. It is true that this is the only way to get many out of print charts, and I’ve bought several used charts myself recently for just that reason.)

I will note one thing not mentioned on the blog: in Canada and the U.S. it is legal to make a working copy of a chart that you own. However, it is not okay to lend out your chart to someone else while you stitch from your working copy. Really, it is just common sense. Be smart and be fair to the designers that provide us with fabulous designs and fuel our hobby.

And to come totally clean, yes, I have had photocopied charts in my stash. But they were long ago replaced with legitimately purchased copies or thrown away. I can honestly say that I have never stitched anything from a chart that I did not own (or borrowed, trusting the owner not to stitch it at the same time), nor will I ever do so.

On a lighter note, today is day 2 of the 31 Days of Halloween and it is Missy Ann’s turn to host the draw. Head over there to enter!

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