Weekend Project: Fingerless Mitts

Or should I say, fingerless MITT.  Singular.  One mitt.

Going through my sewing room and knitting stuff this week, I was shocked and appalled at how many projects I have lying around, unfinished. 

I even started a project as a part of a KNITALONG, going with the idea that it would be finished ALONG with everyone else!  Novel.  Problem is, it was a Downton Abbey knitalong, and I would get so sucked into the show, that I couldn't knit and watch at the same time.  So I fell behind.  (I really need to learn how to do two at a time, like the way people do socks two at a time....  Well, anyway.)

This weekend's project for me will be to finish the first mitten I started, and to get at least 3/4 through the second one.

Here is the first:

How cute is that???  The yarn I'm using is Knitpicks Felici, which I think is a blend of merino wool and nylon...don't quote me on that...but it's really soft, the stitches are well defined, and I love the colors.

HERE is what I need to do to finish this first one: weave in the ends (duh!) and figure out a better bindoff for the bottom, where it's ribbed.  It's supposed to be stretchy, but it's not!  I bound off "in pattern," thinking that would do it, but there must be something I'm missing.  Look at the next picture:

 

See how it's cutting off circulation to the rest of my arm???  I don't like that.  ;)

So knitters...help me out here...how do I do this? 

So there's that to do, and then start the other one.  That is what I will be doing every time I get a moment this weekend.  I want to actually be able to wear these before summer gets here!

What about YOU?  Fess up, I know you've got UFO's of your own....  Wanna do a weekend project with me?  Tell me what you'll be working on this weekend!  :)

WIP Wednesday: Do-Re-Mi

Cold, yucky day + newly cleaned sewing room (and I use the word "room" loosely) = great day for sewing!

I was asked to help with costumes for a local high school production of the Sound of Music this year.  I LOVE that musical.  For obvious reasons, I mean, what's not to love?  Especially the Captain.  Rrroooowww.    But I also love it because I was in it in high school.  That musical was a big turning point in my life, when I went from shy and mousy and afraid of my own shadow, to the outgoing good-time gal I am today!  A teacher encouraged me to try out, and while I didn't get the part I wanted (Leisl...16 going on 17...), I did get to be one of the children (Lousia, the blonde one who can make it up the tree with a whole jar of spiders, anyone?)  What FUN that was!  I met all sorts of people and just had the best time. 

So anyway, I am super excited to be making costumes for other kids to put this on.  I'll be working on the "curtain playclothes" and some nun habits.  Today I decided to do the younger 3 girls' play dresses.  Behold:

Not too exciting, but that's why it's called "WIP" and not "DONE" ;)

In one short afternoon, I realized what a control freak I can be!  The person in charge of ALL the costumes took the liberty of cutting all the pattern pieces for me.  At first I thought, what luxury!  But then I laid out the pieces and there wasn't a straight line to be found.  I spent an hour just "fixing" them to get them ready for sewing.  After that it was pretty smooth sailing...I was very thankful for my ruffling foot - it turns a 30 minute job into a 5-minute one.  LOVE IT!

I made some more progress on my Downton Abbey Knitalong...

Check out that thumb gusset!  Are you impressed?  :)  You shouldn't be; it's not hard.  It just looks cool.  And may I say, I LOVE this yarn.  It's Knitpicks Felici, which is part merino wool and part nylon.  It is so soft and smooth and I love the stripes - definitely my new favorite yarn right now!  I got this blue/brown colorway, and also one that has more pastels - pink/yellow/aqua.  I wonder what I will knit with that...?

No progress at ALL on my scrappy tripalong quilt, but I hope to get some work done on that this weekend.  I did finish the clutch I was working on last week; more on that soon!

WIP Wednesday

(WIP = work in progress)

Good morning everyone!  I have SO many irons in the fire right now...but it doesn't feel overwhelming yet, so that's a good thing!

1. I've been slowly working on a "Scrappy Trip Around the World" quilt.  PRAY TELL, what is that, you ask?  Well...it all started with Instagram.  (Are you confused yet?  I'm sure my mom can follow along; our minds work the same way. Right mom? :)  Long story short, there's a big huge unofficial "quiltalong" going on the blog/flickr/instagram world.  Here's where it started, and I thought I'd try it!

I will make 20 blocks; I have 7 done so far.  That seems humongous to me, but there are many who are making 36, 42, and even more blocks. 

This is going to be a(nother) cozy "tv blanket" for our family.  The blocks come together pretty quickly, actually, and I've learned new things here and there.  I have a quilter friend "in real life" and she gave me the tip to sew the strips together NOT all in a row, but on every other side.  I'm sure that makes no sense.  But some of mine were coming out like parallelograms instead of squares, and apparently I was sewing them together wrong!  I'm definitely trying this on the next few squares!

Want to keep up with my progress?  (Oh, who wouldn't want to do that???  You've got nothing better to do, right?)  I'm RACHELHAV on Instagram.  :)

2. Downton Abbey Mystery Knitalong
OK, more proof that I spend a leeeeetle maybe too much time online.  On Ravelry (I'm applecake33, don't ask me why), Jimmy Beans Wool is hosting a Downton Abbey knitalong.  It's supposed to be a mystery KAL, but with the first clue they told us what we were making.  So...not such a mystery.  But they only give us one clue per week, on Sundays, and the idea is that we all knit while watching DA.  I personally have to have eyes on the screen at all times during that show, so unless the pattern is to just knit all the way around, I'm pretty much sipping wine and intently watching and not really knitting.  But here is what I have so far, I'm loving it! (Oh - the project is "Dowager Countess Dinner Gauntlets" - basically fingerless mitts of some kind.)  Instead of the (gorgeous) suggested yarn, I'm using Knitpicks Felici - the same weight & fiber content, but more "Rachel-budget-friendly." 

I really hope that's right.  It doesn't seem right...

3. I just started this yesterday, and stopped when it came time to sew in the lining.  I'm making the Fabiola Clutch from I Think Sew - if it all goes well, I will put some in my shop (which is "on vacation" at the moment). 

So that's pretty much it, not that it's not MORE than enough for now!

What are you working on?  I'd love to hear!

UFO Sightings in My House

Oh man, do I have a lot of UFO's around here.

That's UnFinished Objects.

UFO #1: The African Flower Blanket
I came across this post from a fellow blogger (also named Rachel!) and it reminded me of my OWN in-progress blanket.  Started in March 2012 (so, at least we're still in the same year).  I was going strong for a while, crocheting my little heart out, and then I ran out of yarn.  Of course I couldn't have just made my own life easier from the start by using acrylic yarn from the craft store.  Oh, no.  I had to order from KnitPicks.  (I'm using Swish Worsted, if you're wondering!  Superwash Merino...ahhhhhh...it's gonna be nice and soft, if I ever finish it!)   

Anyway, here's what's done so far:

Pretty!

Did I really do all of these?  Do I really have MORE to do still???

Looks like a big stack of Krabby Patties.

All 6 colors here.

In case you're wondering, I'm making 120 flowers.  Using 6 colors, in every possible color and "order" combo without duplicating.  I figured it out one day, and made a big list and I cross them off as I go.  That's as close to math nerd-dom as I'll probably ever get.  93 down; 27 to go.  It's not the last 27 that worry me; it's having to somehow join them all together that I find daunting.  I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. 

I'd say I have a long road a-ho.  Or a long row to hoe.  What is that phrase???

UFO #2: The Cabled Throw Pillow Cover

10 points to whoever can spot the mistake.  ;)

mmmmmmm, cables.

The sad part is, I have all the yarn right here.  And I already did the "hard" part (not that cables are hard...they only look hard!) All I have left to do is the back, in plain ol' stockinette.  And with size 11 (or 13? can't remember) needles, this thing goes really, really fast.  If I'd just finish it!

UFO #3: The Stripe Study Shawl

Can't wait to get this off the needles and all stretched out into its stripey glory!

Do you like my stitch markers?  I made them!

Asymmetrical stripes, yet so easy to do.  I could not love a pattern more.

 I love, love, love, love, LOVE this wrap.  Love.  LOVE.  The pattern is awesome.  (It is, in fact, the first and only pattern I have ever actually paid for.)  It is unbelievably easy.  It is the perfect project to work on anywhere - watching TV, in waiting rooms, etc, because it's all garter stitch.  No concentration necessary!  I have no excuse.  I just lost steam.  And the rows are super-long at the last 4 inches, which is where I'm at.  The home stretch!  I really want to finish it before the weather gets chilly, which will be sooner than I want to think.

So that's it for me...what UFO's (knitted or otherwise) do YOU have floating around your house?  Inquiring minds want to know!


Linking.  It's what I do.
http://www.bearrabbitbear.com/
http://www.aglimpseinsideblog.com/
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/

New Blog, New Focus

Hi everyone!  Don't be confused!  :)  This past weekend I changed my blog from Pleased as Punch to

I'm really happy with the name change and new(ish) look; I think it's definitely what I needed.  I needed a fresh outlook on what I'm doing here!  If you've been with me for a while, you remember that I took an indefinite blogging hiatus right after Christmas last year.  Well when I came back in May, I knew I wanted to continue blogging, but it wasn't really the same.  I kind of had to find my "groove" all over again. 

One of the things I've learned is that I don't want to get caught up in all the things that aren't really "me" again.  I found myself doing projects for the sake of some link party...and that just totally sapped all my creativity and enjoyment out of crafting!  I eventually found myself totally "on empty" in the inspiration department.  What a bummer.  I remember when I couldn't find time to do all the things I was inspired to do.  I am slowly getting back to having that good flow of creativity, and I think the key is knowing what I truly LOVE to do & what feeds my creative spirit.  (I know that sounds kind of funny, coming from me...I'm not much of a "feed my creative spirit, kum-ba-ya" type of person...but that's the best way to put it I think!  Don't make fun!)  :)

So what is that, you ask?  I really pondered this, but it did not take long.  Sewing, hand embroidering, knitting & crocheting.  This is what I find most relaxing and enjoyable.  Picking up some knitting is sort of like biting into some really good dark chocolate for me.  It just feels so good.  Putting a needle & thread through some fabric and seeing those lines form...I just love it.  It seems that anything involving stitching is what I tend to gravitate toward....hence my new blog name.  :)

If you've been subscribing via email to my posts, I think you may want to make sure you update your subscription (on the right) by re-subscribing to this feed...and if you've been reading this in a reader, you may want to change it over to this new blog address...clearly I know & understand very little about "feeds"...ugh, all this tech stuff.  Bottom line: if you're reading this, and you're like, "Hey!  Why wasn't this in my reader/email?"  then you should re-subscribe by using the buttons or email form on the right. Sorry to not streamline it for you.  It was all I could do to get the buttons THERE.  ;)


So...that's that!  Thanks for stopping by and I'm glad to have you here!

Quick Knit: the GAP-tastic Cowl

Just in time for the cold (read: soon-to-be frigid) weather here in western PA…I finished my GAP-tastic Cowl.   It has been in my Ravelry queue for probably going on 2 years now. (And by the way, if you’re on Ravelry too, add me as a friend! I don’t know that many people on there, and it’s fun to see what my friends are doing.

Anway…the Gap-tasic Cowl. It’s ridiculously huge, bulky, and squishy.  And need I say warm?  I love it! I used just 2 skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease thick & quick, with size 13 needles. Whoa. Talk about a fast knit. I did most of it while at a conference – sitting in an arena for about 6-8 hours a day, for two days – this projects was perfect for that. It’s a “mindless knit," meaning there are no charts or complicated patterns to follow. It’s knitted in moss stitch (or seed stitch, I always get those confused)…but anyway, it goes “knit, purl, knit, purl…….” until you’re done. (Basically.)  Wanna see some pics?  :)

Check out those stitches!  Love it!

I know my one "real life" knitter (crocheter/spinner/yarn dye-r/general fiber magician) friend Allena is a reader here.  When I was learning to knit, she was the one who fixed all my mistakes for me helped me figure out how to fix my own mistakes (ahem), and showed me more advanced things, such as "picking up stitches" and all that nonsense.   Do I have any other knitting friends here? 

http://www.skiptomylou.org/