Using our powers for good

So, I know I've got a lot of knitting on my plate already...but this morning as I browsed my usual blogroll I came across a number of cause-related items that made me want to do more. I've chosen things that I can do in my spare time, with scrap yarn and almost no effort...

• HelpSudan: pencil cases to raise money for (and be used by) children in the Sudan
• KnitOneSaveOne: a Save the Children program collecting hats for low-birthweight babies (which especially hit home because Mia was only 4lbs13oz when she was born and I know how delicate those infants are). I may even sponsor an event in 2009.
  

I just finished working on a 2009 family budget, so I know that I don't have a lot of money. But, compared to 95% of the world? And, I decided that I couldn't NOT sacrifice some of my personal spending for a worthy cause (teach by example, right?).
I've chosen Tricoteuses san Frontieres. Knitters donating to Medecins San Frontieres have raised more than half a million dollars in just a short time. I've been thinking about MSF since last spring when I saw a 60 Minutes show and went to an event raising money to produce "plumpynut," a therapeutic ready-to-use food that's saving lives...a miracle food, really. My $10 a month commitment was made this morning.

Spread the word...crafters are caring people and we CAN make a difference.

Progress is good...

So, I've made progress. The Rogue sleeves are done...

It only took so long because I taught myself how to do something new. The sleeves are set-in and this usually means that the sleeve cap (the part that fits into the shoulder) is shaped using ugly bind-offs. Instead, I used short rows to make a single smooth edge. Yea!

And...I've finished the toddler tunic and started a matching kufi for little Jabril, Yolanda's son.

FO 2009 ... The pressure's on

So, each year I try to set myself a few challenges.

In 2008 I have focused on identifying and purging things I don't need in my life. I wanted to stop working retail in my local yarn store (done). I wanted to weed through my craft supplies and find a way to create a manageable craft space for Mia (I'll be done before the holiday break is over). My car died (sob) and we've managed to carry on anyway. I also moved towards the things that I DO want: teaching classes, working more with young people, teaching myself some new techniques. Mia and I even pulled off a hand-made holiday season!!!

This year of 2009, I'd like to focus on finishing things that I've started. I need to clear the psychic clutter of unfinished projects ... so that I can spend the energy I use feeling guilty to be creative. So, I'm going to publicly make the declaration that the following projects are going to get done and delivered to the intended loved-ones:

• Rogue hoodie - Nikki
• Habitat hat - surprise gift exchange DONE
  
• Des Colores sweater - Mom
• Hey Teach - Nikki ... didn't like the fit; maybe frog and knit a new thing?
  
• Ribbed Lace bolero - Mia
• Woodland Lace bolero - Mia
• Seraphim shawl - Jessica ... or shall I frog and reuse this beautiful red silk-alpaca yarn?
  
• Queen Anne Lace shawl
• Swallowtail shawl

I've also got a bunch of baby gifts in various stages of overdue...some started:

• Toddler Tunic (and kufi)- Yolanda's son DONE
  
• February sweater (and matching cap) - Jacqui's granddaughter DONE
  
• Baby Merry Janes (to go with Daisy hoodie already done) - Gillian's granddaughter
  

And some great excuses to try out new patterns:

• Yyonne's grandson
• Stephen's daughter
• Jenn's son, Willem DONE (a trio of hats)
  
• Amanda's son, Henry
  
• Amy's son
  

To really up the ante, I'm going to try to have the first few things done in January.

Steve the Cat

Steve the Cat
Thanks Nikki for inspiring me to make Steve the Cat!
The kids love him so much i started to make a family. The best part is he made
from old family buttons from grandma, corduroy from an old job and stuffing from an unfinished blanket. Dylan helped to make Steve which is probably why he loves him so much. So thanks for the post you kick started another project. And well you gave me that pattern over a year ago. Wait til you see the new additions. And no, Steve is not a pole dancer!

Because I can't just make ONE!

Welcome LONG ARM! or LA for short :)

Hippy had some liposuction or whatever the stuffed bear version would be...
filloremovous? and the little buddy was created and finished yesterday.
Boy can I procrastinate or WHAT! :)



By making this second one, I fixed some issues, and found some new ones.
I would like the arms to be filled from the chest instead of stuffing and then sewing them on.
I need to work out how a collar is actually constructed. And little details like, different button eyes, and "snaps" and "buttons" for their clothes - maybe rhinestones??
what wouldn't be a choking hazard since these are for my 16M girls?
suggestions?

Inspiration translates to weird knock-off!

I've been walking past this window for weeks now,
kind of in LOVE with these homemade bears.
I finally went in over the weekend and wouldn't you know,
they cost $85!!!!! Can you even stand that??? They're
super cute, but not Eighty-five Dollars cute. LOL!

So, yesterday when we went into my DH's old office,
we happened to be next door to the City Quilter, and
I popped in - in search of a backing for my Sunshine Happiness Quilt
and came out with the makings for Hippo the Hippee Bear!

Combine that with a miraculous 4 hour nap today... and VOILA!
(girlies needed their beauty sleep, i guess!)

My bear is a little HIPPPPPPPPY wouldn't ya say :)
A little bit cute and a whole lot wonky.
I didn't have a pattern, just an idea, it's not so bad!!!

Even so, still a warm welcome into the family :)

Now I have all sorts of plans for the next one
and ways to improve it or really, just do it differently!

Yah!

Finished!

Black and White quilt number two! here's how it ended up...

satin blanket binding and hot pink satin for the back

Today's WIP

a second black and white crib quilt (1-1/2 yr later) for my other daughter...
to go with the first one here.

cut and pieced today during nap time (un-ironed and -trimmed)
pink satin will be the back...i think I'll fill in the long narrow pieces and make it square 40x40"

Classic White'ish

A finished project done mostly in white which I prefer not to work in again. For me it was the ultimate challenge since I am anything but white. This is the only time I have ever cut with right angle precision and sewing. Every square lined up. This was for Stephen Martone.

Almost Finished

Here is the girlie patchwork that I did for my co-worker. It's been a year waiting to be closed up but I think I am ready now. It's a classic patchwork askew.

LOVE!

Love Love Love the redesign!
Very nice Sister!

Cal's Pirate Blankie!

it would have made a lot more sense if I had actually photographed the present that
goes with this blankie... alas, I did not.
Here it is...

What I Want ...

Where better to long "out loud" for the knitterly goodies that I want?

• a share in my very own yarn-on-hooves from one of my favorite places, Martha's Vineyard
  (MVKnits Yarn Share 2009)
  
• a couture knitting workshop somewhere like Catherine Lowe or Rowan
  
• a knitting retreat...maybe one of these: knitting camp, Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat, Knitters Review Retreat

How cool would it be to do an art workshop with Mia? Here's the first I've seen designed for adults and children -- Art and Soul Retreat -- in Portland, no less.

An idea for DC

So, I'm wondering if there is any market in DC for a place where you could come do sewing and other crafts, with an hourly rental rate?

There are several that I've seen popping up lately in other communities.

• The Workroom in Toronto (www.theworkroom.ca)
• Marimekko (www.marimekkowashingtondc.com) ... feature only their high-end fabrics
  
• The Stitch Lounge (www.stitchlounge.com) ... don't offer classes or studio space any longer
• Thread Den (www.threadden.com/about/the_sewing_lounge.html)
• The Sewing Workshop (www.thesewingworkshop.com)
• Spark Crafts (sparkcrafts.com)
• The Make Lounge (www.themakelounge.com)
  

I'm picturing a place with classrooms for sewing (tables and machines), knitting & crochet (sitting), a sewing classroom, and other crafts (worktables). We'd sell some notions and materials too.

Fabric Shopping!

Well, if I'm not actually sewing something, at least I'm thinking of future projects, right?
Mom gave me a lovely gift certificate to reprodepot.com, what fun!

and, I have been sewing, so there!

I'm finishing up a birthday pirate themed lovely for friend Cal, and
a simple "vintage" sheet 8x8" block crib sized quilt...it took exactly
1 naptime period to cut and sew the quilt top and binding. I'm naming
it NAPTIME.

And that evening, when I showed it to my DH, he suggested that I punch
up the color by doing a heavily contrasty binding. NICE.

HERE'S the photo at last:

as of 10/14 still not done with the knotting...struggling with them...any suggestions?

I heart blocking

This is a scarf I finished way back in April or May, but haven't blocked until now.

The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in colorway "Georgetown" and a pattern by Alchemy Yarns.

Part 3 of the "Murky Scarf Project," a plan to envelope my favorite baristas with yarny goodness. Sadly, Murky closed and I wasn't able to deliver all of the gifts last winter.

I'm still planning to "get 'er done."

Here's another project that I've been sitting on...for more than a year! I finished this last year at my first day of working at Aidan Montessori (a staff retreat) and just blocked it this year. Sigh!

It's fabulous; a deep red with black and olives. Wore it to a fancy dinner with a little black sleeveless dress and red lipstick. Honestly, I didn't know if I could carry it off...but the compliments were copious and glowing. Yay!

Hey Teach!

So, here's the pretty green sweater for my sister...masquerading as done in this photo. I swear she's going to have it in her hands before the end of her birthday month.

I loved this pattern and will definitely make it again. Made a few mods (extra length in front to accommodate the "girls" and just a wee bit longer overall 'cause she's tall). It doesn't seem too shapely, but I think it will be flattering. Hope it fits!

Recyled Moon over Fire Island

This is the original blankie from 5 years ago that was not planned in the sewing/piecing phases. It came together on its own. It's the first one that I did with curves, triangles and some hand piecing.

5 years later, 2 more apt's a new recycled blankie made entirely from scraps. The sun pieces are left over but I had to make one piece of the sun to complete the shape. The rest came out of a box of stuff. This is why I have so much crap in my house! Lucky for me its all piled in zip lock bags labeled.
The original panel was from the 1930's and was very deco; I believe it was inspired by the Chrysler building.
So the new creation is Moon over Fire Island. Currently incomplete it needs to closed.
The machine quilting is of stars and it created some unsightly shapes.

Hopefully Jen and her new baby will like it. I better finish it unlike the other 3 waiting to be sewn together and completed.

This fabric has come from 3 apt.'s and has been used in 3 other blankets. This will be the fourth for some of it. But it's totally perfect for Jen.

Thanks Nikki for getting me inspired to get it together.

As usual made with love.

FINISHED THIS AM- SEWN IN 3 STATES; NY, NJ AND PA AND WASHED AND DELIVERED THIS AM. YEAHHHHHH

Shhh...it's a surprise

I'm making something soft and green and lacy for a special someone...but she doesn't know it. So, no pictures or pattern name for now. After I give it to her, I'll post some in progress photos.

But here's something that's NOT a secret.
I've finished the Hemlock Lace Ring...here is a money shot from the store. I almost ran out of the main color, so spent a day or two trying to figure out how to edge it. What I chose is a deep red lamb's pride ( a little bit of mohair adds shine). Blocked, it's just over 4 feet across.

Looks good on that red sofa, huh?

Julian's First Birthday Mini Quilt!

Happiness is finishing a gift
in time for the party!

happy birthday baby!


YEAH!

here it is:

front

back

detail: Julian 2008

detail: edge

detail: back piecing

But wait, there's more...

I've also been working on a version of the Helena baby sweater from the last Knitty (my favorite online knitting mag).

It's very orange, but that's what my sister likes. I've got a lovely celery green selected for the companion. It seems extra huge to me, but it is a 24 month...by the time the sample makes it to Pescha and Sophie they'll be that size (smile).

Not quite done, but within the next day or so. I started it about 2 weeks ago, while listening to the surf on the (northern) OC.

Here are some "in progress shots" from last week--start and end of my wait in Denver between flights home.

Absent but not idle

My goodness it's been a long time since I posted that I was working on the Hemlock Lace Ring Blanket. Well, I'm done knitting! Here are photos of it in all it's pre-blocked glory:

kind of stretched out, folded in half and laid across the sofa, and a close-up of the edging

The red is a nice kick of color, right? Well, necessity is the mother of invention...and I was going to have to frog a row to finish the edging. Not! It's a lovely heathery brick red that picks up some reds in other accessories I've got in the living room. And, I have enough left to make another knitted thing. Right now, I'm picturing a pillow cover with a similar medallion in the center.

Before then, I'll be knitting another one (with friends at StitchDC) for a special friend--who doesn't know it's coming. Yeah!

ABSENT!

where did we go?


this summer it seems crafting is on the back burner.

hopefully we'll get back to it after this
weeks family reunion/vacation!!!

until then...

Mia's smocked top!

Ok, so it's another distraction, but this was soooo easy. '
I just followed this really awesome tutorial here!
Now just need to find cool ribbon for the straps!!! :)
yeah!

AT LAST!

I've finished the birthday gift/brown-blue quilt!
-sigh-

i hope she likes it... only 2 months overdue!

"Buffalo" lace

I've got a new project going (shocking, I know) and I'm pretty excited about it. It's called the Hemlock Lace Blanket and it's the creative force of one amazing knitter, Jared, aka: Brooklyn Tweed. I'll be teaching a class/knit-a-long this summer, so I HAVE to work up a sample, don't I?

It's basically a beautiful doily (here), blown up exponentially, by using a worsted (medium) or heavier yarn instead of fine cotton. They call it "buffalo" lace... This one is worked from the center out, first on double-pointed needles and then on increasingly large circular needles. The color probably won't show well in my piss-poor photography, but it's a lovely heather in a warm gray with sienna and indigo undertones.

I love the instant gratification of lace with "big" yarn! I was able to get through the center medallion and into the

Almost done!

with one of my UFOs that i'm obsessing over.
it was a gift for someone who's birthday was in
march. who probably just thinks i didn't care to
give her a gift...so sad. anyhow, it's almost done!
and looks really cool!!! yeah!

pictures to follow!

Getting back to it.

Here it is 6:30 on Saturday, and I'm just starting to do something creative for this week.
NOTHING other than doing some more free motion quilting on the brown/blue mini quilt.
-sigh-
one whole week, gone.

boo me.

stalled

I'm not feeling so creative these days.
I'm still brainstorming for new projects,
but not so interested in my UFOs.
-sigh-



and
I'm really behind in the stars-quilt-along....
I messed up my week 4 block, the pinwheel center part
and I haven't decided whether I should
re-cut it and do it over
or
rip it out and fix the existing piecework
or
leave it and have a different block from the group...

A request!

my husband, who doesn't ask for much,
requested a little traveling pouch for his engineer stamp.
that's my project for today! having fun finding scraps of skull fabric
and other black and white steven related goodness! YEAH!


note to self: interfacing would have been nice and hmmm,
i need to learn how to sew neatly!!!


and that also means everything else is being pushed baaaaack!

i'll get back on track i swear!

I'm back!!!

I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I'll be done with my Montessori work before the end of June. Yeah me (though I've been more than somewhat a loser in taking so darn long to finish)...

So that means I'm knitting again...whoo-hoo!!! I'll post photos later, but let me tell you it's really "purty". I'm playing with Noro's new sock yarn in the brightest colorway you can imagine; coral, red, cobalt, periwinkle, aqua, yellow, magenta, lavender and some others I can't remember. In a very simple, but pretty lace. It was supposed to be a shawl, but right now I think I'm going to morph it into a shrug for Mia.

Ah, it's so nice to have my hands on yarn again!!

Finished!

1)the super cool diaper changing pad! flames and embossed snake skin!
machine quilted with the name of the recipient (Cal), hearts and swirls!!! CUTE!

2) finished ripping out the "bad" quilting on the blue/brown lap quilt,
picked a different (less troublesome) fabric for the backing and am ready to sandwich and start quilting!!!



wooooooohooooooo!