Blossoming Trees

These are two squares from a small quilt I started working on. I found some of those Joann's quilt squares kits on sale, so I used some of the fabric from that came with them. Those kits are good, but then you know exactly how it'll look when it's done. I realized with the last quilt I made, that the colors were too similar, and I didn't leave enough unknown parts of the quilt at the end. I think the whole process is more interesting if there are things that you have to figure out all along. If everything is completely figured out for you, there doesn't seem much point in making it. I guess knitting is kind of like that if you're using a pattern. But some of the time, I just want that particular sweater, so it doesn't seem like an artistic process. I haven't been knitting much lately. I started on a sweater, but it was way too tight, so I had to rip it back. That gets really frustrating. I would like to start a project and have it work and fit with no problems, for once, without having to resort to making only scarves.

Books & Quilts

I've been working on quilts lately. I'm stuck on one of them and can't figure out what to do next. I want to make several quilt squares, but I don't want them to be the same, so I'm trying to find some that will work together. I was thinking about different types of stars. The other one is a lot easier because the squares will be the same, but have different color schemes. I got a bunch of fabric that was on sale, so I'm trying to figure out how to use it. I also want to get some Halloween fabric for either a small quilt or pillows. Most of the stuff I've seen so far is too cutesy, but I think a quilt or something would be cool.
I recently found out that my library has downloadable audio books, which is good. Most of them are ones I've never heard of, but some are good. Hopefully they'll keep getting more, because I like listening to audio books while I knit. I found this web site which has free audio books to download, and they are all classics that are in the public domain. A good book that I've listened to recently is My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It's about a girl who has leukemia and her parents decide to have another child who will be a donor for the girl. She ends up donating bone marrow and other stuff to keep her sister alive, but now is suing her parents for medical emancipation. It makes you think about how the leukemia affects everyone in the family, and how it makes them do things they never thought they would.

Crochet Granny Bag

I started the Granny's not-so-square bag from the Happy Hooker. I ended up using the recommended Berroco Cotton twist, because it's shiny and seems more durable. I used a couple of other cottons, but the colors weren't right, and they didn't blend in with the suede on the outside. Now the only thing is I ran out of suede, and the color I'm using, Tobacco, is difficult to find unless I pay a lot. Also I can't find the 2" O-rings for the handles. So the project is on hold for a while. Which is too bad, because I really like these colors. The picture makes the purple look too blue, and the Cotton twist is a lot more shiny in reality. It's twisted with rayon, so it looks really pretty.
I've also been having a lot of problems with Blogger. It's erased my template a few times, won't let me log in, won't let me post pictures, and overall just frustrates me. I don't want to pay for a another blog, like typepad, so I guess there's no solution, but it's still irritating.

Some Soy Wool

These are the latest knitting projects that I've worked on. One is the Bonita shirt, which has a really easy lace pattern. It isn't showing up well in the picture, but it does look crisp with the yarn I'm using. The pattern is easy to memorize, so it goes more quickly. I'm using Knitpicks Shine, which is soft, and doesn't seem like it will wear out too quickly. I've used the worsted weight Shine, and it seemed like it got too fuzzy too quickly. I also got this ball of Patons SWS, which is soy and wool. It is really soft, like mohair. I don't know what I'll use it for, but I like the colors. I'm going to felt it, to see what happens. The green WIP is the Lotus blossom tank, which has a lot more complicated lace pattern. I've heard that this pattern runs a lot bigger, or the lace really stretches, so I made the small, but it might still be too big. The lace part isn't too difficult, but I have to pay more attention. The bamboo yarn I'm using is definately has a different texture to it. It's more rough than cotton on my fingers, it feels silky. It's kind of strange that I'm knitting bamboo yarn with bamboo needles. I can't think of another material that would happen with. I've barely just done one repeat of the lace pattern, so this will probably take me until the winter. I want to make sure that both of these fit right, because some of the things I've knitted didn't fit completely well.

Branching Out Finally Done

I feel like I've been working on this scarf for over a year. That might even be true. It got tedious to do the same repeat over and over. I used the Elsebeth Lavold silky wool from the pattern Branching Out. Just in case there's a knitter out there who hasn't seen this pattern. I think this is my first finished lace project that's more extensive than fingerless gloves. I like lace knitting, but I can't see myself doing those intricate fingering weight shawls that some people are into. It might be fun for a while, but then it would take forever. I get too easily distracted by new projects.
Another thing I've tried lately is fusing on a quilt. It is easier than I thought it would be. You just use an iron on stabilizer, then attach it to the back of some fabric, then peel away the paper and attach that fabric to a base fabric. There are more complicated ways of doing it that involve making templates with freezer paper, but I haven't done that yet. I'm in the process of making a fused hanging quilt. It isn't all that great, since I'm just trying to learn the process now.

First Log Cabin Quilt

I just finished my first quilt. It's in the log cabin style and I used cotton for the batting. When I started, it didn't seem like there was enough of a contrast between the colors, but it worked out. I wanted to keep this first one more simple, but I can see how I could have used more fabrics, a patterned border, or different types of log cabin piecing. I used thin cotton batting that was doubled, but next I won't double it. The hardest part was quilting it, because it was hard to jam it all under my small sewing machine, and the fabric would get all bunched up. Next time, I want to measure everything more accurately, because I only measured the original parts of the squares, then nothing else. I wanted to just start doing, instead of measuring and checking everything. I probably won't make really intricate quilts, because I really don't like all the precise measuring and creating templates. I want to just cut the fabric and start sewing right away. I'll probably make art quilts, so the mesuring and templates won't matter. I do like how this turned out, though, except that it's way too hot to use it right now. It fits my bed and is really warm.

New Bamboo Yarn

I recently got this yarn in order to try the Lotus Blossom tank from Interweave. The bamboo is actually the same shade as the one used in the magazine, but it doesn't look like it. I don't know what I'll do with the other blue cotton yarn. It's from Elann.com, and is more stiff than I thought it would be, but maybe it will last longer. I want to use the bamboo, but it doesn't seem like it will be enough. It's more soft than I thought it would be, but it does split more often. I have so many started projects now, that I really have to finish some of them, before I start a bunch of new ones. So I'll probably end up making the tank just in time for winter! I've barely been knitting lately. None of my projects seem interesting. They are ones I've been working on forever, and they never seem to get done. I think I really need to try more quick projects, like hats, so I feel like I'm actually finishing stuff.

My First Quilt, or New Cat Bed

I have almost finished making my first quilt. It is in the log cabin style, since I wanted something simple, just to try out. I wanted to get better at just sewing straight lines, and keeping everything even. I measured everything exactly , but my seams still didn't turn out straight, so all the squares are different sizes. It didn't matter too much, except that the pattern doesn't line up perfectly. The hardest part is having to actually quilt the thing and deal with the small table surface. My sewing machine doesn't seem to make the stitch that looks like a broken line, or do free motion quilting, so the quilting doesn't look as good as it could. But as long as it holds together, I don't really care.

Bonita Progress

I've been making some progress on the Bonita shirt. The Knitpicks shine I'm using is really soft and is easy to work with. The pattern is easy, but I messed it up and had to unravel part of it. I still have to pay attention to it. This is the first pattern I've done from Interweave. It seems like I've been knitting awhile, but looking back at my projects, they all seem to be mostly stockinette. I definately want to make some more complex patterns in the future. I want to make the Lotus Blossom tank from this same issue. The lace is more complicated than this pattern, so I figure I can switch back and forth between them. I ordered some bamboo yarn, so I can see if I want to use that.

The Heat

I've been trying to knit the Bonita shirt from Interweave, but it is so hot here that it's impossible. But so far it's fairly simple. The foldover hem seems like a lot of work for just less than an inch of knitting. I had to redo it twice, because of gauge. I used metal needles and the slippery cotton made it really annoying. Now the only thing I'm worried about is that it's still turning out too big. I don't think I've ever knit with 100% cotton, but I've heard that it's really stretchy. Another shirt that I wanted to knit sometime soon for summer is the Lotus Blossom Tank, from the same Interweave. I don't have anything that is like that, and the lace would be the most complicated that I've knit.

New Shirt on the Horizon

I got some Knitpicks Shine for the summer Interweave Bonita shirt. I really like the lace patterns on it, because it isn't too complex. I don't know how well Shine will last, so I don't want to spend months and months if the yarn doesn't last. The color is actually lighter, it's Wisteria, a light grayish purple. I wish Knitpicks had a lot more color choices, for almost all of their yarns. Another thing I'm going to try is sock knitting. I've heard that it's difficult, so I want to attempt it. I got some sock yarn from Knitpicks a while back, and I really don't like the color or the feel of it, but I guess I'll use that.

Cupcake Finally Done

I finally finished Cupcake, from the Happy Hooker. It probably took me about two weeks, but I stopped for month. I changed some of the waist shaping and the length, because I had a different gauge. Also the sleeves were too wide, so I did double decreases in the center of the sleeve, about two inches before the lace part. It made the sleeve curve and fits my arm a lot better. I'm not sure how the original sleeve was supposed to fit, but mine stuck out really strangely. I used Amazon Nova cotton yarn in Medium brown, which was cheap and easy to use. I think I might try a knitting project with it. Another thing I noticed was that that bottom hem, where the first chain is, is really tight compared to rest of the shirt. Everything else is stretchy, but that part isn't. I think if I made the first chain with a larger hook, it wouldn't be like that. But other than that, I'm happy with how this turned out, especially for my first crocheted piece of clothing. The next thing I want to make is the Unseemly Sweater, but I'll probably wait for a while. I already have to many unfinished projects.