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My Box Sweater Journey

I love the elegance of simplicity, (maybe because my head is always in a tizzy... no we won't go there).  Its mostly because I don't want to work on intricate designs that take forever only for me to hate it when it's done, so I keep it simple and enjoy the process

So when I happened upon the "box sweater"  I decided that one is for me :)  I peeked at some patterns and really its all straight lines and you sew the sides and shoulders and sleeves if you want them... that's it!

Not so fast Pam!  I tried it with some bulky'ish roving type yarn I had and straight up knit from the bottom up.. measuring to match another top I had. Once it was done I found out that it hung strangely and I made it pretty big... but when I held it up sideways Voila! I liked it much better!  

Now I'm trying it again, with a finer (DK) gray wool blend.  

So my progress got interrupted by a number of other projects BUT I finally finished it, and then discovered I'd really like it bigger.... but lessons learned. 

Finished product-if I think of taking a picture while wearing it I'll post, but I'm actually thinking of giving it away to my daughter-in-law. 

 

I'll have to write the patter, but basically I used DK yarn, working sideways, straight knit stich. Back is longer than the front and it's the part I really like.  I did have to un-do and re-knit the back because the first try was way too long.  Then after first sewing the front and back together at the shoulders, leaving about 7'ish inches open for the neck, I picked up about 19 stitches (total 38 for each cap) on either side of the shoulder tops and knit 6 rows for the little cap; then sewed the sides, leaving about 2" opening from the shorter side. 

Thats it... 

T-shirt Yarn

Once again... all in the name of giving new life to things other people throw away....

Hubby being one of the last hold-outs who still wear undershirts...and after many years of watching good-quality cotton get thrown away, I am finally putting a stop to the madness and creating new madness.

The last stack of old t-shirts I dyed blue and brown and cut into strips as shown in the pictures below.  I was actually so excited about just the yarn that I really hadn't thought about what I was going to do with it.

Cut off bottom and sleeve hems.
I still don't know what I'll be doing with them but I am sure to think of something

Fold in half... leaving 1 1/2" exposed, then cut ALMOST through.

It's still all in one piece, but can then be cut to create a single strip.  There are more detailed instructions online but it 's not my intention to provide that here. 

Once you have the cut, stretch each piece to make it curl into a super bulky yarn...then start knitting or crocheting.

I've finally decided to make a large basket using crochet  ...now that I've got a good start I'm pretty sure I'll need more t-shirts!

Apparently someone has decided what to do with my basket..

...yes I'm considering it... 

FINAL Version and I LOVE it

 

So Many Things to Create!!!

... and so little time.

Oh my goodness!

 In recent years I've been hit with the realization that I wished I would have fostered my creative side more and seriously endeavored to make it my livelihood while I had more time in life... but alas I guess I there's no better time than the present.

 I have a list...   

...or several lists... you might call it a creative bucket-list.  A list of things I've done, some I want to do more of, some I want to try.  Many of my interests lay with the practice handcrafts of the pioneers.  Think what would happen if the SHTF... and we were plunged back into the era of the pioneers. I would like to know how to do stuff.  Gardening, canning, spinning, knitting, crochet, sewing and all those skills wrapped up into the category of Upcyling.

How to use everything and throw away nothing.

My husband has nearly given up on trying to keep up with all my partially completed projects.  I'd like to tell you a little about my day yesterday.  Friday furlough for my 9-5 has blessed me with a couple extra free days per month.  After spending a little time with my youngest son (and prepper extraordinaire) I ended up at the thrift store to buy a couple of sweaters... wool that is.  Why?  I plan to make a blanket quilt with felted wool sweaters.... so far I've purchase two sweaters, shrunk them in the wash and now they're ready to cut up...I'm thinking 5" squares which will wait until the next trip to the thrift store.

This one might take a while as I plan to simply collect more sweaters a little at a time but for now here is the beginning.

Share your Creative outlet

STILL HERE!!!

...and still managing a drive for creating.

And why do we do this?

It is my belief we are all creative beings... yes even you the one who tells me that you don't have a creative bone in your body.  I believe that even if you are a high-level corporate manager, you are creative.  You are thinking creatively, and even cooler is if you go home and sit on the couch with a pair of knitting needles and, maybe it's not just because you are crafting something you want for yourself or for a gift... if you're like me it's actual function of moving your hands through the process of knitting, crocheting, or drawing.

The latest obsession of mine is Zentangle, as well as a Bible Art Journaling.  I have had a long love affair with photography, and that is a side business for me...I have a desire to create art in many ways... right now watercolors.  I haven't done much, (not any I want to share) but I continue to obsess.

After not a post in several years, I find myself wondering what to do here.  I think I still have lots of room for this to evolve into, but would it be too egotistical to just let my creativity explode here?  It might be fiberarts, drawing, inspirational or construction paper gluing... I would LOVE to grow a following and see where this goes.

Keep on Creating!!!

Hat's n socks, 'n head bands... Oh My

Trying my hand on more baby hats, new two pom style, socks and a little headband with a flower... yea  All Knifty Knitter designs, except the head band that I crochet'd

BABY HATS...

YES more stash busting for me...  I have been making baby hats and other items... these were all made on the Knifty Knitter, and they've been a great way to add to my photog props... Oh and I have another grandchild on the way... a girl, and some will go for her... I've already made her two blankets, but I can never wait to give them to her parents.... so I didn't get pics, so I will share pics when the little one is actually here to model them... yea!

Mohair and Angora Baby Blanket

Yes it's not going to be intended for regular use, wouldn't want to wash this all the time, as baby items require.  But I had a large stash of vintage Mohair, Angora, and a little Nylon yarn.

This yarn was somewhat fine-weighted, so I used two strands together, and used a double-crochet, in back loop going back and forth to give this fuzzy piece some texture, (other than fuzzy) I think it turned out lovely, and will make a nice crib throw, and as is happenig for me, a few baby photo props... Which by-the-way, brings me to my BIG NEWS!!!  I am finally launching my photography biz... will announce here when it's official.

Alas... this also means I need to step away from so much of my needlework, to stay focused on my new venture....

Granny Circle Scarf

Another Stash buster i had two colors left from a couple of other projects, and my sister is now enjoying this light wool scarf,,,, simple to do, in DM weight yarn,  loosely crocheted long-ways then seamed into a circle.

Light wool scarf and wristlettes

A few months ago I decided to try to attack another stash of yarn I found on Ebay.  Mostly wool, I wanted to make something using the 'Holding Hands and Feeding Ducks" knit stitch... posted in an earlier blog (follow hyperlink for stitch pattern)

I created this simple scarf and wristlette design just knitting a straight panel, and sewing up the seam, I left a section open for a thumb.

This one is now being modeled in town by my friend Angela... and she loves it.

Main Toddler Hat

 Or I might say now it's Aiden's hat... so this one went to my 18mo old grand son, yes he loved shaking his head back n' forth to make the braids to.... Pattern will be added later.

my city has succumbed to the California "green-race".

Ok gang.... I got started on "PLARN" again... 

first see my previous attempt....

Once starting this project I became obsessed with collecting bags of a different color... other than white.  Harder than you'd think.  I confess that for this bag I raided my hall closet for a LARGE black garbage/lawn bag, and found it was super soft and I preferred the texture...but alas... I defeats the purpose of going green.

I learned this week that my city has succumbed to the California "green-race".    

I supposed in the there are bigger fish to fry even though I'm still grumbling about it, so it looks like I not only will I no longer have a stash of plastic bag to knit, but I also have more motivation to knit up the remaining plastic I have.  

OK so I do have friends and relatives in other states, who can (and have) saved some bags for me... :)  And stores other than food-stores will still be allowed to provide "single-use" bags... so I'm sure they won't be totally out of my life... in the mein time I will document this little way we're greening up at my house. 

The beginning is the "PLARN".  A new term coined by the creative community for the purpose of this craft of knitting, or crocheting (and maybe some other traditional fiber-art crafts) with plastic instead of yarn.

see my sequence of picture and captions:

FLATTEN BAG... (Yes I'm a WalMart Shopper)

FOLD LENGTH-WISE TO A WIDE YOU CAN CUT IN ONE SNIP

CUT APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2" - 2 INCHES

SEPARATE INTO LOOPS AND ...

...JOIN AS SHOWN BY INVERTING THE  LOOPS

ADD THE REST OF THE LOOPS UNTIL USED UP AND YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO START YOUR PROJECT.

MY STASH OF PLARN FOR THE NEXT BAG.  YELLOW BALL IN THE UPPER RIGHT IS FROM THE MESH BAGS THAT LEMONS CAME IN.  NOT SURE HOW THAT WILL WORK BUT I CUT IT DIFFERENT AND WILL LOOK FOR A WAY TO USE IT.  :)  and keep you posted.

 Also note:  that this is only one of two methods that I know of.  The other method involves cutting the plarn in a manner that will be used as only one layer.... so a smaller gauge hook or needle will be used.... therefore a finer textured project.  If I attempt that method I will obviously post it here, but I tend to enjoy the quicker, larger gauge projects.

There you have it..... go ahead and JOIN this site, so you won't miss the update to this post, and any other posts I've got planned...

*on a side-note... I wonder if there will be a rush to buy plastic products for other purposes which we have been re-using those grocery bags for...?   I'm thinking that now we'll have to "buy" trash can liners... and bags to carry in our suitcases, for our dirty clothes, and leaky shampoo.. etc. am I the only one who 'LIKES' to have those bags.... and what kind of saving the earth is this anyway?*  

  
OK - stepping off my soap box... feel free to comment .... please I want to hear your input.

Circle Scarf by People Webs

I've finished a short project, (which I'm convinced I'll stick to- - the 'short' projects :)),  Found this on Pinterest, (http://pinterest.com/pin/34410384624231521/) and it linked to People Webs (http://peoplewebs.blogspot.com/2011/01/pattern-chunky-circle-scarf.html)  

Love the look here, and thought it might be hard to do, but once I learned the pattern, (after two pull-outs) 

 I'm still not sure I did it completely right, some of the pictures show a gap along some of the circles.
Enjoy!!!

...there's a BABY on the way !

hat's 'n booties ?  not me, I'm already a Grandma... and so far only one of that generation for me... but I have been very excited to learn my neighbor and friend is unexpectedly expecting!!!  Shortly thereafter she was expecting twins.... then twin boys!!! wow.

Fast forward and I'm all motivated to get creative and start some hat's 'n booties... I'll share my failed attempt at booties and the several successes with the hats... so if everyone is ready, hang on here we go.

First I think I forgot to photograph the first little beanies I made, but if I run across one I'll post it later...but here are the cutest... newsboy caps...
 

So the boys were born a tad early in August at just over 3 lbs each, and they are still in the NICU, but I was granted a visit but am still waiting for them to come home before shooting some pictures.

Earlier still I wanted some long-tailed pixie hats for my photograph collection... see what I came up with using the free pattern at http://www.oodles-4-noodles.com/2011/03/long-tailed-baby-elf-hat-tutorial.html