Upsized Clara

Have you seen the Clara dress pattern?  I fell in love with it before my daughter was born and tried to buy it.  My bank's security system wouldn't let the transaction through - when I contacted Isager because my order didn't seem to be being processed, they advised that this isn't uncommon for Australian customers.  Apparently the 'falcon' thinks that you're trying to shop in person in the US when it knows you were only down the street using your card 20 minutes ago, and it rejects the transaction.  Over a year went by, and I tried again (this time with a card from a smaller bank), and was successful.  The problem is, that the pattern is sized for a chest circumference of up to 20", and that's my daugher's current measurement.  I didn't want to go to the effort of making the dress only to have her grow out of it before winter is over.

Well, after many calculations and much trial and error, I've finally finished my 18-24 month size of the pattern.  I managed to make it out of the two skeins (500m) of wool in the kit, with just 2m to spare (most of the calculations were me working out how many stitches I could expect to knit out of each gram of yarn, and therefore how long I could afford to make the skirt!).

In summary I:

• Cast on 260 sts (after I had nearly finished I read other posts on Ravelry, and yes it would have been easier to use 261stitches, and decrease one stitch in the first round of the pattern)

• Then followed the pattern, knitting to a length of 29 cm / 11.5 inches

• Split into rows at the start of the moss band beneath the bodice, 'splicing' it to create a lapped opening.  

• Included a moss stitch button band on both ends of the row as I was knitting from this point forward, adjusting the pattern accordingly, and evenly spacing three buttonholes.  In hindsight I would have put the bottom buttonhole in the horizontal moss band - it pulls a little.

• Knitted the 'set sleeve' row as follows: Moss 5, k26 sts, place next 10 sts on holder, CO 65 sts, k54 sts, place next 10 sts on holder, CO 65 sts, k25 sts, moss 5 (245 sts on needle). 

• Inserted one additional WS row after Rnd 1, three additional rows (with only one k2tog tbl in each repeat for right-side rows - ie. no decreasing over the length of the row) after 'Rnd 14', and two each after Row 1, Row 3 and Row 5.

• Omitted Row 9 and Row 10 (giving a total of 32 rows from the top of the moss band to the bottom of the neckband).

• Knitted up 77 stitches for each sleeve band.  Due to my yarn restrictions I knitted eight rows on each.

No, she doesn't usually get to play with sticks!

I'm joining up over here, and will be checking out what other people are up to working shortly.

Joined up here too.

In miniature

I'm still going on my 'clothing baby' projects (I have some more clothes nearly ready to show you), and I haven't forgotten my promise to make the Kinderboy a shirt, but in a side project I've made baby a little bear of her own.

This little bear measures just under 12cm in height, and I have to admit that I came across it accident.  Some time ago I knitted all the parts to it, but stopped at that.  It has been buried in my scrap wool pile ever since.  I'm not sure who the original recipient was intended to be (although I suspect that it was the Schoolboy), but as every baby needs a teddy I've finished him and handed him over to Cate for safe-keeping.

Daydreaming

I'm very busy work-wise at the moment, but really need a craft project to keep me sane.  I'm contemplating these little beauties as a 'quick-fix' - now if only I could decide which one to give a shot first:

'First love':














Really simple:

Source: classymissmolassy.tumblr.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Variations on a theme [1]:

Source: etsy.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: peekaboopatternshop.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: colorfulcreativeideas.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: sewmamasew.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: taoofcraft.typepad.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Source: thislittleport.blogspot.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Variations on a theme [2]:

And last of all, I'd even sit and try to master crochet for these:

Source: obaz.com via Jackie on Pinterest

Knitted baby cloche

I have to confess to spending way too much time gazing at Pinterest.  A while ago I pinned this lovely hat:

Source: pickles.no via Jackie on Pinterest

You can download the pattern for the hat and matching cardigan from the link (the 3-6 month size is free, and you can pay for 1yo and 2yo sizes).  I was a bit confused about the stated tension when compared with the size of the hat and the number of stitches, and wanted to knit it on straight needles using 8 ply (DK yarn if you're in the US), so I modified it accordingly.

Here's my version, which should fit a 3-6 month old (its a bit roomy on my 3.5 month old Newbie's largish head).  I used less than one ball from my stash of leftovers - I think it might be Patons Alpaca Classique from the late 1980s:

Using 4mm needles, cast on 89 stitches

Knit 7 rows, then Purl 1 row (this forms the basic stripe pattern, I've separated the pattern below into this grouping to make it easier to read)

Knit 7 rows
Purl 1 row

Knit 5 rows

Knit 45 stitches, then wrap your wool around the knitting between the needles about 10 times.  You should wrap it firmly enough to gather up the knitting you've already done (see photographs of finished hat).  Knit to the end of the row.

Knit 1 row

Purl 1 row

Knit 7 rows

P5, *P2tog, P5, repeat from * to end of row (77 sts)

Knit 7 rows

P4, *P2tog, P4, repeat from * to last stitch, P1 (65 sts)

Knit 4 rows

K3, *K2tog, K3, repeat from * to last two stitches, K2tog (52 sts)

Knit 2 rows

Purl 1 row

K2, *K2tog, K2, repeat from * to last two stitches, K2tog (39 sts)

Knit 3 rows

K1, *K2 tog, repeat from * to end (20 sts)

Knit 2 rows

Purl 1 row

K2 rows

*K2tog, repeat from * to end,  (10 sts)

Knit 1 row

*K2tog, repeat from * to end,  (5 sts)

Fasten off

Sew up centre back seam.

Succumbing to pink

I've a couple of posts that I prepared a month or so back, but didn't want to post until the arrival of the Newbie.  This's the first:


I'm not into pink.  Never have been.  Had a pink/mauve bedroom under sufferance as a girl and have largely avoided it ever since.

However anti-pink I am though, being faced with the prospect of a little girl in the family I've softened my view somewhat.  Prior to the little one's arrival I was shopping and crafting with a view to watering down the inevitable pink, as even I have to concede that I'm not going to be able to get away with dressing a baby girl solely in our usual red/white/blue theme.  So I've branched out a little.  Here's the knitting I finished back in October but couldn't show you until now:

The tealeaves are ready!

I've finished my tealeaves cardigan!  I am pretty excited, because I really need something warm to wear and most of my clothes don't fit any more.  This'll keep most of me warm for the rest of winter, and I think I'll still like it this time next year as well.

I used "Naturally Sensation", a 10 ply merino/angora blend from New Zealand, which's given the cardigan a bit of a fuzzy look.

I made a few alterations to the pattern:

• I decided that knitting the sleeves in the round was too fiddly, and knitted them straight - I figured that I could handle stitching an underarm seam if I didn't have to worry about any side/shoulder ones!
• After knitting one sleeve I decided it was a little too close-fitting for my liking that they were too thin (or my arms weren't thin enough!), and re-did it with an extra four stitches in each;
• After I'd taken the whole lot down to Darn Cheap Fabrics to buy buttons yesterday I decided that I liked it best with 1"/25mm buttons (the holes in the pattern fitted 18mm buttons), so I bought them, then redid the button holes with 5 cast-off stitches rather than the k2tog/YO2 buttonhole the pattern recommended.  I also realigned them so that they matched the bands on the yoke a little better.

Forging ahead

I've hit a knitting phase I think - I'm going great guns at my Tealeaves cardigan, knitting every spare second if you listen to the Cyclist.  In my defense I'm also spending a fair amount of time sleeping in front of kids television!  Hopefully now that I'm into the 2nd trimester the energy levels will pick up, because there are so many sewing projects I want to get onto.  This week I'm:

• Trying hard not to get sucked into starting a new quilt for the Schoolboy / for the baby / clothes for the baby / toys for the baby (you get the picture)
• Still procrastinating about curtains - really must take the next step!
• Hoping to get up to the armholes on my cardigan
• Telling myself that I need to make more progress on my nieces' quilts - applique here I come!
• Bound to spend more time than I intend to checking out other people's creative spaces...

What are you up to?

Just before I go ... another plug for the Watsonia Wool Shop - the lady's closing for good tomorrow I think, so if you're in the northern suburbs of Melbourne and are in the market for wool / embroidery thread she's probably well worth a visit...

A productive morning

I started this morning's crafty endeavours with a follow-up trip to the Watsonia Wool Shop (no Kinderboy for company this time).  Scored some cotton which will find its way into baby wear, and also this blue yarn.  I've ditched the French Knitting idea, and instead drew inspriration from Kirsty's coat hangers to create this:

At last we're going public this weekend that we're due to have our third baby in December (that makes three December kids - thinking that I need to change my blog to 'December's mother' or something!!).  Each time I'm pregnant my fingers swell  I end up not being able to wear my rings, and I'm at that point already, so I've been trying to work out a safe way of having them with me (the Cyclist wore through the gold chain he was wearing his ring on when out on the bike, so I decided something a bit more durable was warranted). I like the texture and subtle colour variations yarn, and therefore the necklace, so I think this'll be my 'mode of transport' of choice for the rings for a while.  Wasn't quite game to sew them on just in case though...

Oh, and I followed Rebecca's tutorial, and basted the layers of my Christmas quilt together (minus a few pins here, as I went through all the new curvy safety pins I'd bought, all my ordinary straight ones, then had to resort to ordinary sewing pins for now):

Hope you're having a good crafty weekend!

Pondering...

This week in my creative space I've been pondering yarn projects:

• I want to make a Tea Leaves cardigan, but don't think I can quite justify the cost of the Madelinetosh, so I've been browsing on line, Spotlight & Lincraft (finished the Schoolboy's cardigan with Bendigo Woollen Mills' Luxury, and it looks pilled after three wears and no washing, so I'm not in a hurry to go back there...);
• I've been wondering what a fine version of French Knitting would look like as a necklace, and how I'd manage to make something as fine as I'm thinking of; and
• Now I've started to browse our creative spaces, and fallen in love with these Granny Squares...

... I've been told this afternoon that the lady at the wool store in Watsonia is having a 'closing down because I'm retiring' sale, so hopefully my source is right and she's not sold out before I can get there!

In celebration of guerilla knitting

Tania's antics and the Kinderboy's nagging at me to take photos of 'our' Scarf Tree have converged and so I thought I'd share my favourite 'tree-warmer' with you.

No idea when this knitting was carried out, or by who (we started driving this way to school last year when the Schoolboy was in Prep and noticed the tree, but it could have been there years for all I know), but I applaud their use of colour and sheer effort.  Imagine the time spent knitting all those rows of garter stitch, and then the rigmarole involved in wrapping it round and round.  The scarf is starting to look a bit worse for wear as you can see, but its still the highlight of our morning.

If you know who did it (or if it was you) I'd love to hear!

(nearly) wordless wednesday

This week at our place we have:

A new buttonhole for our 'plant pot man' 

A stash-busting beanie to go with the new Kinder boy cardi.

Emmeline with a pocket on one side 

and not on the other.

Tomorrow there'll be work to do on boy birthday presents...

and I guess I should restart work on the curtains.

What's on in your creative space?

Some finished projects

This morning finished my 'creative space' top from last week - I'm pretty happy with it despite a couple of hair-pulling episodes along the way.

As I mentioned, this is a trial top for a dress I'm planning to make next and I managed to squeeze it out of some fabric I had in my stash.  There wasn't enough of the plain blue to do all of the facings, but there was just enough to do the armhole facings out of the patterned fabric.  Unfortunately in my layout deliberations I forgot that one set of facings had to be the reverse of the other, and I cut them both out the same.  Horror!  I then cut two sets out of navy, but wasn't happy with that, so in the end reduced the seam allowance right down to 5mm (the allowanced have to be trimmed after sewing anyway right?!) and re-cut them from my original showing total disregard for the grain of the fabric.  In the end I think that only you and I will know!

This was also my first attempt at an invisible zipper.  I've never tried them before as I don't have a special foot for my machine, but was encouraged to by this link on the pattern.  Great step-by-step instructions, and I think that the finished result is good for a first effort (not sure about the colour of the zip - next time I think I'd go for black/white rather than a miss-matched blue like this).  While I was on the Sew Serendipity blog I decided to buy her book, and am hoping that it'll give me the courage to try and draft a sleeve pattern for the dress version of this top when the time comes.


Also finished since last Thursday is the cardigan I started several years ago (re-commenced back here).

I had already made the bands and collar, and I think that they're a bit tight (pulls up at the front), but the Kinderboy isn't going to care, and if I pull it apart now he'll never get to wear it.  Speaking of which, where is that boy??...

Better late than never

In the process of rummaging through the cupboard looking for wool to make owl babies with I discovered a little case with knitting in it.  So that's where my other size 8 needle went!  Apparently when the schoolboy was two or three I started knitting him a cardigan.  The kinderboy is very happy that now he's going to get it this winter.  I took it with me while we were away and did a bit - just 3/4 of a sleeve to go and then stitching, so that's my craft for today (if I can get my work finished this morning that is...).

What are you up to in your creative space today?