Archives for February 2017

First things first, the winner of my review copy of Garter Stitch Revival is Lisa O., who has been emailed. Thanks to everyone who left a comment. I’ve got a couple more books in the queue to review, so check back for more giveaways soon.

Here is today’s doll dress:

I still need to sew decorative buttons on the bodice, but other than that, this is done.

And here is the left side front of Aspen:

I need to start paying attention because I’m going to need to place a pocket soon.

And here is the little prince:

Back on his little sofa. I promise you that he has moved since the last photo!

I have a new book to review! Garter Stitch Revival: 20 Creative Knitting Patterns Featuring the Simplest Stitch by Interweave Editors.

Back in the olden days, I was not overly fond of garter stitch but in recent years I have gained a new appreciation for it. Perhaps this is due to all the lovely garter stitch shawl patterns that have cropped up over the past few years.

This book is a lovely celebration of garter stitch and contains 20 lovely patterns. You can see them on Ravelry, here.

My faves:

This is the Boardwalk Brioche Cowl by Jessie Ksanznak. It is knit from Madelinetosh Vintage, one skein of each of two colors.

And how about this?

Cotton Candy Cardigan by Amy Gunderson, knit from Universal Bamboo Pop, a DK weight bamboo/cotton blend. The colorwork yoke is achieved using mosiac knitting.

And this:

Flapper Cloche by Megan Nodecker, knit from one skein of Cascade 220 (worsted weight). I am a sucker for clever shaping.

In addition to the lovely patterns, the book has a nice how-to section, illustrated extensively with clear drawings.

Who’d like my review copy?

To be entered in the giveaway for my copy of Garter Stitch Revival: 20 Creative Knitting Patterns Featuring the Simplest Stitch, please leave a comment on this blog post and tell me which pattern from the book is your favorite.

We’ll pick a winner at random at 11:00am Eastern time this Sunday, February 26, 2017.

Sewing

Yes, I am still sewing. It was a three-day weekend last weekend so I made three doll dresses. I showed you the first one on Sunday. Here’s Number Two:

And Number Three:

Thank you for all your kind comments about my sewing. I am a bit of a ringer when it comes to sewing. While I had not really sewed anything for a good 15 years, I used to be pretty darn good at it. I’ve made tailored suits, wedding dresses, and other fairly complex garments. Doll clothes are great fun! They go much faster than full-sized garments.

And here is Loki, doing what he does best!

My internet connection was out all day until just a little while ago, so this blog post is rather late. But better late than never.

Here is the back of Aspen, just a few rows from shoulder shaping. I ought to be able to finish it tonight!

And here is what I did today.

A 1940s style dress for the little redheaded doll. I love the fabric — it looks nice with her red hair.

This is a somewhat rude photo, but I wanted to show you that the dress has an attached petticoat and that I made her panties, too!

Here is what Loki did for most of the day!

I have done some knitting, but my progress is less than usual:

I have taken a bit of a detour lately. Sewing!

This little dress is made from vintage Liberty of London cotton and lace. I sewed the entire dress by hand, in two evening last week. No knitting took place.

And today I made this:

Doll jammies! The fabric is a sweet cotton print I found on Etsy, and they are trimmed with lace and red soutache braid. I used my sewing machine to make the jammies.

This evening I return to knitting. But there is a lot more sewing in my future.

Loki doesn’t know how he feels about that.

My love affair with big chunky cables continues!

The photos here have a golden glow because I took them last night without a flash, and the artificial light has wreaked havoc with the actual color of the piece.

This is the actual color of the yarn (photo lifted from the Elsa Wool website — it’s the medium grey woolen-spun worsted weight Cormo here). It is grey, but a grey with a brownish cast to it, and I think it is a lovely color. It shows the cables nicely, too. If you look at the photos of my work in progress from the last blog post, you’ll see that they are far more true to color.

This project is called a robe, but I am going to use mine as a coat. It is a bit longer than knee-length on the model, and I’m lopping a couple of inches off the length. I started by doing a bit less ribbing, and I am doing my a-line decreases at a slightly faster rate. Right now my back piece measures around 21″ and I think I will knit to 29 or 30 inches before the armhole shaping.

While I knit, the Little Prince relaxes.

I love this photo of him, basking in a golden glow.