03.30.07
Completed project: Spring flowers stitch markers
I’m immensely proud of how cute these stitch markers are! The pastel colors and the dainty little flowers make them feel so spring-timey. They have sterling silver findings and fit needles up to size US 10.5.
03.29.07
Swapbot: goodies pouch swap
I received this fabulous swap package yesterday for the goodies pouch swap on swapbot, all the way from Singapore:
My swap partner was incredibly generous, and I love all the goodies! Thank you, Alvina!! Included in the swap package are some handmade items: the drawstring bag, tissue holder and earrings that are all super cute, plus a plush animal, hello kitty bath gel, two erasers, some beads (in the little glass vial) and a bunch of sweets. My mediocre photograph really doesn’t do the package justice… it is much, much cuter in real life 
I’m hooked on swapbot now! I think I’ll be hosting a swap soon…
03.27.07
WIP: Shetland Triangle
I just joined the Scarf Style/Wrap Style KAL. I’m making the Shetland Triangle shawl from the book Wrap Style.
Yarn: Knitpicks Gloss – 70% merino 30% silk
Progress: Row 13 of body pattern
I cast on for this shawl a few days ago, and I love how it is knitting up! I was a little nervous about this project at first, as it is my first lace project, but it’s turning out to be much easier than I thought it would be. I had a little bit of trouble when casting on and knitting the first 10 or so rows, but now that the pattern is established things are going much smoother.
03.26.07
Completed project: handmade bag swap
I mailed off a small tote I made for the little handmade bag o’stuff swap this week. I’m sure it’s arrived at its destination by now, so it’s safe to post about it.
Not pictured (but included in the package) are some fabric bits, chocolate and a handful of Mrs. Grossman stickers.
03.25.07
Completed project: Citrus stitch markers
Here’s my latest set of stitch markers. The colors remind me of citrus trees, my all-time favorite being the meyer lemon tree. I’m insanely jealous of people who live in a climate where they can grow citrus trees outside, or who have enough of a green thumb to keep them alive indoors. I, unfortunately, can do neither.
In the background is a raglan sweater I started a year or so ago and never got very far on. The yarn is Knitpicks Vacation, which is a little awkward to work with because of its thick-and-thin texture. I’m going to buckle down and complete it this year, hopefully in time to wear this fall.
03.19.07
Completed project: Turquoise stitch markers
I just finished a set of turquoise stitch markers. There are 4 closed-ring stitch markers and 2 locking stitch markers, great for knitting socks and lace!
03.15.07
Completed project: Fetching fingerless mittens
Last weekend I finished the Fetching fingerless mittens. Here’s a picture of them before blocking:
To block them I just spritzed them with water, pinned the picot points to my ironing board and left them to dry overnight. The picot edge is MUCH flatter after blocking, and after one day of wear the left one stretched a bit so they now look like they’re the same size. I’m very pleased with them, they match my Odessa hat beautifully.
03.14.07
Completed project: stitch markers
There are 6 stitch markers in all, 4 closed and 2 that are “locking.” They’re made from turquoise beads and sterling silver findings. I love them! They’re going, along with the yarn, to a friend for her birthday.
03.11.07
Completed project: Electricity!
I’m enormously proud of this… I installed a light in our entryway this weekend! All by myself! It’s my first electrical project yet. Well, I should clarify that – it was my first electrical project in our house. I took two electrical engineering labs in college where I attempted many projects, some of which ended in failure and one ended in flames. Granted, the flames where actually my lab partner’s fault, and the circuits we were building were quite a bit more complicated than the two-switch-two-light circuit I wanted to build in our house.
The project was a little nerve-wracking. I’m embarrassed to say how long I spent drawing diagrams of the existing wiring and my options for the new wiring, and how long I spent staring at those diagrams… but everything went smoothly. I connected everything correctly on the first try. Didn’t get electrocuted. No fires were started. It’s hard to believe. It’s ridiculous how happy I was when I first flipped the switch for the new light and the light came on. The project took about 3 hours of work, including cutting all the holes in the wall, running wires, testing the circuits and all the cleanup.
Tutorial: Circular knittng needle case
Specs:
- Finished dimensions: 16w x 13h, totally unfolded, about 4w x 8h folded
- 8 pockets
Materials:
- Outer fabric: (1) 17w x 14 h
- Inner fabric:
- (1) 17w x 14h
- (1) 17w x 10h
- (1) 17w x 12h
- 2 feet of ribbon
- Matching thread
Instructions:
- Prepare pockets
- Fold both pockets in half the long way
- Iron
- Straight stitch as close as possible to the fold
- Attach the top pocket
- Turn in the unfinished edges on the long side of the pocket by 1/4″ and iron
- Lay the pocket on the 17w x 14h piece of inner fabric. The straight-stitched side should be 7″ from the bottom. Pin the bottom of the pocket in place. (see picture below)
- Stitch the bottom of the pocket to the inner fabric
- Baste the sides of the pocket to the sides of the inner fabric with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Stitch from the bottom of the pocket to the top. (see picture below)
- Attach the bottom pocket
- Align the bottom (un-hemmed) edge of the bottom pocket with the bottom edge of the large inner piece.
- Baste both the sides and bottoms of the pockets to keep them in place with a 1/4″ seam allowance. (see picture below)
- Sew inner and outer fabrics together
- Pin the inner and outer fabrics together, right sides together. Stitch with a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a 4″ opening
- Turn needlecase right-side out
- Iron
- Straight-stitch around entire needlecase, as close to the edge as possible
- Sew pocket separations
- With a chalk pencil mark 4″ pockets on the needlecase
- Pin on both sides of the chalk lines
- Stitch along the chalk lines from the top of the pockets to the bottom
- Attach ribbon. Sew the middle of the ribbon to the outside of the needlecase, along one of the pocket separation seams.
Happy knitting!!
