fresh

Even though I totally missed my blogiversary this year I wanted to go ahead and give the ole blog a fresh look. It's something I just made up quickly so we'll see how long it is before I get tired of it.
Happy Friday everyone!

Inspired

I've kind of been on an Amby Buter fabric ordering spree lately. Anyone in the DFW area know of a shop that carries a good selection of her stuff? I've found a few fabrics and patterns at The Sewing Room in Frisco but that's about it.

Anyway, I was inspired by Amy Butler's new Birdie Sling bag when I got some of the Martini print fabric. It's my own design because I wanted something a bit smaller. I absolutely love how it came out!! There is one thing I would change and that would be the strap. I made it a bit wide and if I were to redo it I would taper it at the shoulder. Hmm, I didn't realize how wrinkly it looks in the pictures. Oh well. I just love the Midwest Modern line of fabrics and I had a lot of fun making it!

I've been making progress on the knitting front as well!

This is the back of Lush and Lacy. I had a bit of confusion and a few false starts on the left front side but now that is finished as well. It's knitting up so fast! but I've nervous if it will fit well or not. My row gauge is slightly off and it's been hard to keep track of how many extra rows to add and where to add them. If you can believe it, this will be my first adult sweater knit in pieces and not in the round. Yikes!

If you're bored

Or, if you think that ice cream is the best thing in the world and it's all you can think about all day (that's me) you might like this fun little quiz that I saw over at The Whole Ball(s) of Yarn! :)



Personally, vanilla is my least favorite flavor unless it's paired with a warm brownie. Otherwise, I am loving Ben & Jerry's Phish Food and Dryers Loaded Butterfinger. The baby wants it, I swear! LOL!

Time to purge

For some reason I find that my enthusiasm for knitting always wanes a bit in the summer. I guess it has to do with the fact that it has been 100 degrees outside with no end in sight for the next 2 or 3 months. Lately, I am much more attracted to my sewing projects (as I was last summer).

However! being in the third trimester now I find that my feet are not tolerating all of the standing up that sewing requires. My feet hurt so bad after the weekends when I've been up and doing things around the house. Luckily, I have a desk job at work so my feet can recover.

So, this has brought me to the conclusion that I need to find some knitting projects that excite me so that I can be off my feet more while at the same time not feel idle. Last night I took stock of my current WIPs and have decided that some of them need to go to froggyland.

The biggest one being my Petal Cardigan that I was so excited about when I first got pregnant. Everything was going so well with it until I got to the body edging. Maybe if I had bought a superduper long circular needle things would have been easier but no, I struggled through switching them around on two circs until I realized that I would run out of yarn. Add to that, I don't think the Blue Sky Cotton was the best choice. It knits up very dense at the gauge called for in the pattern and I know it would be way too hot for me to wear. HA! I'm pretty much only comfortable in capris and a tank top these days. So, goodbye to Petal!

Next, is the Five Fruits baby sweater. I'm just not digging these colors together and it was coming out way bigger than I wanted. I think I will focus more on socks and hats for my little guy instead of sweaters.

I'm also frogging this half done sock in Socks That Rock in the Lucy colorway. The reason is that I just don't like the stitch pattern. Plus I've found a pattern that I think will be perfect and I know I will enjoy (I guess I perfer larger patterns over the small stitch repeats). I will recast-on for these soon I think.

I'm not giving up on Seeded Cables Cardi or Somewhat Cowl. I will get to those evenutally (I hope). Right now I just want to knit something easy but not boring. And in case y'all haven't noticed, I am never happier than when I'm knitting a top-down raglan.

For my new project I've been scouring Ravelry to find the perfect pattern to use with yarn that I have in my stash. I really, really wanted to start the February Lady Sweater (it being a top-down raglan) but I don't think I have the perfect yarn in my stash for it. So I think I may try the Lush and Lacy Cardigan from SweaterBabe. I think this Berroco Ultra Alpaca I have will work...I haven't swatched for it yet. Or I may try the Blue Sky Cotton from Petal.

Happy 4th of July everyone!! Have a safe and wonderful holiday!

finished cardigan, belly, etc.

I finally got a picture to show you!

Pattern: Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, 2 whole skeins in black

Needles: US #6

Notes: I used the author's guide in the pattern to modify it for a smaller gauge. The main thing I changed was that I did 4x4 ribbing for the neck and bottom hem. I like how it turned out! and it feels good to have used yarn that I had in my stash.

As you can see, the little guy is growing! Actually, the white shirt kind of hides the full extent of the belly but trust me, it's getting big! More to come this weekend...I've picked a new project to start.