Rippling down the river...

So, I've started my first proper, in depth crochet project - Lucy's Ripple Blanket

I'm using Cascade 220 with a 5.00mm hook. It's  so lovely to do when watching tv. It did take a while to do the very first row, as I went into the back of the chain instead of going under the top two chains - therefore the two chains are at the bottom of the blanket, which will match the top of the blanket when I finish. Anyhoo... it makes for a very fiddly first row - as in, it took almost all of the movie UP! to do.

I didn't really think through how big it was going to be - I thought "yeah, 15 repeats sounds good... which is chaining 210 + 3 to turn." Meanwhile, 15 repeats is 135cm. Which means I'm going to have to purchase another 9 skeins to get somewhat of a rectangle - each colour stripe is around 2.5cm tall, meaning each repeat of colours is 22.5cm long... each colour takes 25g (or just under) which means I'll get 4 repeats out of one skein... 4 x 22.5cm is 90cm which isn't long enough for something that is 135 wide. So I'll double it, to use up as much as possible, making it 180cm long

Each colour is made up of two rows - one row takes about 30-40 minutes to complete. Great for watching Chuck... Dollhouse (omg, until certain things happen and you have to stop crocheting because it's O_O worthy...), Gilmore Girls... I started this on Saturday night, and was weaving the ends for finishing the first repeat of colours this morning (I am NOT leaving it until the end to weave all the ends in. That's just crazy)

It looks quite homey in this basket, which used to belong to Grans. It would have... it is? her birthday on Friday. She'd be 75. *sigh* The family is going out for lunch, to somewhere Pop hasn't been before, which will be good. We bought him a digital camera for Christmas, which will go great with the computer Mum & Dad got for him for his birthday. He loves to email us, and it does put a smile on my dial.

Miss you, Grans. <3

Finished for another year...

I ended up with 30 finished projects for 2009 - lots of hats and a few gloves, a few swap projects, three adult garments! A few things frogged, a few things sitting still on the needles... but a very exciting year! 

Hoping to break that this year, or at least come out with some more quality pieces! :)

Rusted Root - take 2!

Kelly has been running Knit-A-Longs over at the tangled YARNS blog and the Ravelry group for October and November. This time, it's a summer Knit-A-Long, seeing the time of year is a wee bit hectic to fit a project into one month. A bit of a twist, it's a choice two projects from Zephyr Style!

I had said that I'd like to do another Rusted Root for my sister back when I finished mine.  This took a little bit longer... I don't know why, I just didn't have the same "omgosh, need to finish it!"like I did with mine. It still could have been a few more pattern repeats longer, although I don't think there would be that problem if she wore a singlet underneath it.

Anyhoo, finished just after Christmas - she wore it to the Outback Spectacular on Wednesday night (I was casting off as we were driving down to the Gold Coast...)

as well as to our engagement part on Saturday night.

Rusted Root by Zephyr Style (Ravelry link)
Materials: Cotton Fleece in Dusty Eggplant, 4.00mm Addi circulars for body, 3.50mm for ribbing
Used: 2.1 skeins - I had to break into the third skein for the last two rows of ribbing and the bind off.
Size: XS
Mods: I did twisted rib for all the ribbing. I forgot to go down a needle size for the bottom ribbing... but I think I forgot to do that for mine as well ;) No other mods. Ended up with 12 pattern repeats.
Started: 26th November, 2009
Finished: 30th December, 2009
Made For: Caitlin

Hello there, my friend

Finally, after many months of waiting, I have a sewing machine! No more borrowing off others. No more "oooh if only I had that sewing machine, I could make this!". And most importantly, I have other things to start stashing! muwahhah! ;)

My aunt upgraded her sewing machine, so this one was hers... it's been around a while ;) At least 10, if now 12 years? It's a Janome MyExcel 18W. White. I don't know if it has an instruction manual. Hrm. Should check in box.

Went into Spotlight and picked up two patterns: this cute little puffed sleeved top by McCalls, and this sleeveless number by Butterick. It was interesting picking out patterns, and trying to imagine it in different fabrics. Decided to make the Butterick pattern first, and went and found some fabric. Came home, washed... and then it sat there until the last night Mum was here.

I think I subscribe to the "fly by the seat of my pants" type of sewing. I started doing everything okay, asking Mum questions. But when you measure yourself to see what size you should be making... and then realise you need to make cut out one size in the front, and another size in the back - something your instructor hasn't done before... then it becomes interesting.

We ended up firstly cutting out the 24 in the front, and the 18 in the back... because you can always take it in! I'm 19.5 inches across my back but at the fullest part of my bust, I'm 25 inches, which made the arm holes a bit weird - I still don't think they're right. And I bought the 16-24 pattern, so I had to take the back in to what I think worked out was the 12?

But anyway, I ended up with a wearable garment, which is the important thing! I still need to perfect the attaching of the straps to each other a bit more.

Halfway through sewing this garment, I realised I needed a pin cushion (I also realised I need more pins... the 100 pack I bought really didn't go far enough. Or maybe it was only a 50 pack?). I had a pin cushion pattern saved from almost twelve months ago - On Pins and Needles by Heather Bailey. I didn't actually print this out and follow it... again, flying by the seat of my pants sewing (FBTSOMPS).

I used some fabric I bought ages ago (I have an obsession with buying fat quarters... ), the left over green from my top, some ribbon that I got in the Green Swap from jaffajane88 on the Australian Swappers Ravelry group. The button is very special; it came from my grandmother's button stash. It's such a perfect button, about an inch wide, and so smooth. I couldn't imagine it on a garment, and I think this pin cushion will be sticking around a bit longer than any garment would :)

So, I have another top to sew, and then the Amy Butler Tunic! But first, I need more fabric. And I think this means a trip to Ikea... ;)