Skip to main content

Belated bragging

I don't know about anyone else, but I am relieved that 2010 is over - here's hoping that 2011 is a kinder year for everyone!  According to my grandmother, odd-numbered years are lucky - so here's hoping she's right.  She also would insist everyone eat sauerkraut on New Year's Day for good luck - something which I never did, since I can't stand the stuff, and it never seemed to affect things that much.   But all the same, here's hoping 2011 is better than last year.  2010 set the bar pretty low, so I don't think that's too much to ask!

I never got around to writing about my trip to Urban Arts & Crafts during our whirlwind trip to Kansas City for the holiday - and I suppose there isn't much to report, since I usually make this trek while in town, and it's great little shop filled to the brim with crafty goodies, plus a cute kitty sleeping in a chair.  I think I found the happy medium between a total blow-out and purchasing a modest one or two skeins of yarn - suitcase space is always at a premium when we come home for Christmas! 

I was pretty monochromatic in my purchases - I have plans for the black & white Berroco Vintage Wool, but the red skein of Plymouth Haciendo was an impulse buy - it was just so soft, i couldn't resist!  There's also always the requisite skein of sock yarn - this one is Lang Tosca Light in a deep bluish-purple.  I think my sock yarn bin in my newly-reorganized yarn room is now at capacity. 

Also haven't gotten a chance to boast that the vest I knitted my mom for Christmas actually fit!  Anyone who was around me for the last month before the holiday got to hear me obsess over whether or not I had guessed her size correctly - she has recently slimmed down, so it was basically a shot in the dark.  I based my measurements on the small bit of information I was able to glean from a phone conversation I'd had with her where she told me what size she now wears at the Gap.  It's true - I went to the Gap's website and looked up their sizing chart before I started knitting.  

Once the sweater was pieced together and blocked, I procrastinated sewing on the buttons.  I'm not generally superstitious, but for some reason I was convinced that if I sewed on buttons, it wouldn't fit her (but somehow leaving them off would ensure a perfect fit - of course!) A level-headed friend of mine convinced me that this was ridiculous, and on Christmas Eve, there I was, sewing buttons on my mom's vest.

The Stats:

Pattern:  Loretto Vest by Cassie Miller (Winter/Spring 2010 issue of Knitscene)

Yarn:  Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton/Silk in Khaki (I used about three and a half skeins)

Buttons:  From my vintage button stash

Modifications:  I went down a needle size (US#6) to get gauge with my yarn substitution.  No other mods needed - really fast-knitting pattern with simple yet flattering shaping!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my  taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends,  so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with  this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks).  The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels?  I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n