Green Wool Coat

I love simple garments like this. It looks like a nice *boutique* kind of coat, but a non-sewer would never know how easy it is to make.

I bought the green wool at fabric.com. Looks like now they only have pink. When I was shopping, they had a purple that was very close to the Ottobre pattern photo, but I was also considering a robin's egg blue. I have a lot more lime in my wardrobe, so I decided that was the best color. For sewing details, check out this Patternreview.

I had some almost matching wool embroidery thread, so I made a handsewn buttonhole. It looks awful, so I'm too embarrassed to show it to you. I ripped it out once and redid it, but I learned to make the buttonhole first and then open it up, duh. . . I wasn't planning on sewing it at all, but once I cut it I decided to do it. Also, I couldn't get the back on the covered button. (Hammered and hammered, I hate those things!) I just sewed it and steamed it. Here's hoping it doesn't go anywhere if I'm gentle with it.

A sort of side view. The pockets aren't level, so I need to redo one of them. This pattern runs big!

Hanging up, you can see the unlevel pocket.

I made this scarf from a kit I bought at my yarn shop a couple of years ago. I thought the *bubble yarn* was so fun and it's really soft. I haven't ever worn it because I had nothing to go with it. Now I just need to make a top out of some lime or bright blue and I'll be set. I might even have something in my stash of kid's knits. I have a couple of lime-ish tops from RTW, but I'm not sure if the colors will work, they are a muddier green.

Here's a shot of the neckline seam, covered with ribbon.

I pretreated the fabric using this method, sorry you'll have to scan down the page, the entry is dated 9/7/2009. Basically, you put your yardage in the dryer with some wet towels and tumble it on hot for 40 mins. Seems to have worked just fine, my wool looked great coming out.

I have one more pattern traced from this Ottobre issue. Dh's company is having their holiday party this year (the last one) so I will need a new dressy outfit. I traced the taffeta skirt pattern, and bought some fabric, so I might get it made. Need to figure out what to wear with it.

Haunted House

As you can see, it's looking a little haunted around here.

Ghosts and pumpkins all around.





These are some Free Crochet Patterns from Lion Brand Yarn's website. They were really fun to make, although mostly I used Caron Simply Soft to make them, since I have a huge stash of it in all colors. The pumpkin is made from Lion Brand Wool, because I used it a couple of years ago to make a felted pumpkin and had a little bit left over.

The candy corn is about the right size for a cat toy. I think I still have some catnap that is perishing in my shed, where I took it inside to protect it from frost and forgot about it. I might make a couple more and hide a little catnip inside. Fun projects, very quick and satisfying. Best of all, they're free patterns, and I already had the yarn and supplies on hand.

Socktoberfest 2009 - Second Pair

I can't believe I made two pairs of socks this month, it's been a long time since I knitted that much.

These are the Discovery Socks from Cat Bordhi's new sock book. Details are at Ravelry.

Basically, you knit a foot starting at the toe, trying it on as you go to get a custom shape for the foot. It was a little bit of a PITB for me since I like to use double pointed needles, because you have to transfer it to a string for all the try ons. The fun part is that you put lifelines in for the leg opening on the top of the foot and knit the heel first. Later, you close the heel with a three needle bindoff. You have to cut the yarn on top of the foot and open it up and knit a tube on the top for a leg. Very interesting construction.

Here are the star toes, which is where you start, invisibly. This was a new method for me, I don't think I can even explain it - go buy yourself the book -- it's cool. The book also has a section on the very stretch bindoff that I used for the last pair of socks from knitty.com. Can't wait to show this to my mom.

Star heel with the three needle bind off. I'm curious to see how this heel will wear, I'll let you know.

The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy (color is Flamingo Pie). First time I've ever used it, but I loved the pumpkin color and wanted to knit something out of it very badly. I always want to use fall colors in the fall, then I switch back to blues and greens in the winter.

I have another small project to post tomorrow. Seems like I go for weeks with nothing and then all the projects wind themselves up at once. . .

"Every Woman's Favorite" Cardigan

I made this up over the weekend. It's from the latest Ottobre Woman. It's not the most flattering thing I've got, but it'll be nice for walks to the bus stop and walking the dog.

The fabric is a sweater knit from Emma One Sock. Looks like it's sold out, but it's mostly wool, but very light weight.

Picking out the buttons.

Neckline closeup. The buttonholes went badly, as usual. I need to learn to make them by hand, I guess. (Or get a new sewing machine, maybe?)

Inside facing. The pattern calls for coverhemming or using a decorative serger stitch to sew down the facings. I decided to topstitch them on the sewing machine, because I felt like my accuracy would be better. I coverhemmed the hems on the bottom edge and sleeves to give them some stretch.

This makes five patterns I've used from this issue, which might be a record for me. I'll try to post a review at patternreview.com before I forget all the details.

Next up is the "Salma"Boiled Wool Coat. I need to research how to pretreat the wool. I haven't traced the pattern yet either, so it might take me a little time for this one. We're finally having some cool weather so I can wear some of these new Fall clothes.

The Last of the Summer Garden

We had frost twice this week, and it's way early for us here in Georgia. This is the last okra I'll have and I admit some of it got away from me because I wasn't cutting it in the rainy, rainy weather. I had to throw the really huge pods away because they're too tough to eat. Someone at the Apple Festival was selling okra pods painted with winter scenes as Christmas Tree ornaments. I loved it! There's an idea. . .

I planted some pots for my front porch. Too bad they can't be seen from the street, too much slope. I know that they're there. . .

I cut all the peppers yesterday. (Bell, ancho, and jalapeno.)

Pickled them today. The liquid is cloudy, but I think it's because I ran out of white vinegar and substituted a cup of cider vinegar and a cup of rice wine vinegar.

One of the lids was kind of blown out and dented. I think this is from overtightening the rings. I've never had it happen before, but I'll make sure to keep this one for myself and eat it within two weeks, just to be safe.

I still have a few apples left, and I want to make this caramel apple jam next. Then I'll be finished with all the canning for this year. You would think that I would have a full cupboard by now, but I've given almost half of it away as gifts. It's so nice to have something homemade in hand as a hostess gift for friends.

North Georgia Mountains

A little fishing. We only caught a few minnow-sized fish. Could they be darters?

Leaves were just starting to turn.

Jumping at the Apple Festival. The kids got to ride a mechanical bull and a real camel. It rained, but we survived.

Now I have my work cut out for me. Apple pie, apple sauce, baked apples, sliced apples, etc.

Happy to be home.

Socktoberfest 2009

I finished this pair of socks in time for Socktoberfest. Amazing, I know. I cheated and started them in September. The pattern is Midsummer Night's Dream from www.knitty.com . More info at my Ravelry page.

These socks are knit from the toe up, with short row heels and toes. My main issue with these is that there are no gussets to accomodate the shaping of the instep. That's why I prefer top down, heel flap/gusset socks.

The heel looks like it has a nipple on it. I guess the fix is to stop knitting so many of the short rows. I just can't imagine who has a heel that looks like this. . . I'm noticing some holes where the heel joins the leg too. I think the pattern is pretty and I wanted to give this sock style one more chance. I've only made one other pair and the yarn felted right away, so I didn't feel like I gave the method a fair chance.

However, I really love this new-to-me Bind Off Method. It was easy and works great, very stretchy. It was worth knitting the socks just to learn this new bind off.

I bought the new Cat Bordhi sock book and I'm going to try making a pair from it next. This book has you make a reusable pattern shaped to your foot, but specific to a weight of yarn, so that you can make custom socks again and again. I think the book uses a star toe and heel, which I've never tried, but incorporates gussets to shape the foot.


Here's my innocent-looking, wooden sock needle chewer. She literally steals the sock out of my knitting back to chew up the needles. Bad girl.

I have a lot going on on the home front right now, but I have some photos from our trip to the mountains last weekend that I'll post tomorrow. October is flying by.