July Projects

[mala]

How is is July already?!? I have a number of things I finished that I never posted.... so here's the first one!


Terrible pictures but whatever. Shrug is knit from a free pattern in a bamboo/silk blend. Dress is the Upton pattern from Cashmerette in a heavy homespun silk that I dyed myself. I am so happy with how both turned out. Made for my brother's wedding at the end of June.

[aprilsails]

Those are both beautiful mala! What a great outfit for a wedding.

[dragon's breath]

I have two pairs of socks I need to finish. One is a thick Finnish yarn, the other is a Kroy yarn. The kroy yarn socks will be *"family socks". Once those are finished, I can cast on some vacation yarn! (Swedish or Finnish yarn I bought while on vacation in Sweden and Finland earlier this year).

I'm also working on the hand quilting of my parent's quilt. I machine quilted "the bones" (did an echo stitch on every block in the quilt, to stabilize it and speed up quilting time). Now I'm hand quilting all the "innards", with each block being completely different (each block is already unique-- be it four patch, nine patch, applique, or paper pieced). Each block either has fabric that represents something, or a design that represents something (for example, one block is pieced with a green house with a dog in the window, while the block next to it is appliqued with a cherry tree and a swimming pool, to represent the house we grew up in.) The backing of the quilt is white on white fabric that my mom and I ice dyed together last fall. Lesson learned for future hand quilting-- never back the quilt with white on white again! The white print is hard to get a needle through, and I bent three needles on one block (when I normally can hand quilt a baby quilt before I bend three needles that bad). It makes the process much more slow and difficult, but it will get done.

*"family socks"-- term came from my mom. She knits socks and gives them away to pretty much anyone she knows who wants a pair. She gives them as gifts or "just because". However, she runs out of yarn for some socks and has to finish with a different, but usually coordinating, yarn part way through the foot. So, those socks are kept for herself or only given to family because we don't care.

[aprilsails]

I’ve gotten my sewing room 90% unpacked in the new house this weekend! However, I have too much fabric and really need some more storage solutions. In the last house I had a Queen storage bed in my sewing room and that is now DD’s bed and I figured I would leave it for her to use. This is potentially problematic. I have a walk in closet in the new sewing room so right now I’m just planning on stacking Rubbermaid’s in there. I should really get a dresser or something more accessible though.

[shortcake2675]

Love love love the outfit mala. I have done nothing in July. I’m pretty sure there’s something I need to be doing, but I just got back from vacation and I pick my kids up from their extra time tomorrow, then leave for a weekend with my sister in Nashville Thursday. I’ll be more crafty the second half of July.

[landmermaid]

I love your outfit, mala! Gorgeous!

I started a scarf in June, and I've been working on a basic hat for a couple months now. It took me 2.5 years to finish my first shawl. I'm a slow knitter 😂 We're going on vacation in a couple weeks though and I hope to finish these two projects. I'm also hoping to teach myself how to knit using just my finger to wrap the yarn rather than the throwing I'm used to. I feel like that might help me speed things up.

[mrspez07]

I made a basic sleep mask for DH. He appreciated using it on Sunday morning. It’s not real pretty, but it has a velvety fabric on the back and a striped quilting cotton in the front.
I really need to get better at sewing “flip through” things closed. I think I’ve got it and then I don’t tuck enough, or end up with creases or wrinkles. It’s one of my least favorite things on simple projects.

I finally picked a border fabric (I think) for my table runner quilt project and it happens to be from my stash! now I need to buy more rotary blades, mine are dull. Hopefully I can finish this month.

I’ve also been enjoying some time back into crossstitch. I haven’t done much in years but really like it with podcasts, audio books or movies.

[shortcake2675]

Jul 8, 2019 20:24:14 GMT -5 mrspez07 said:

I made a basic sleep mask for DH. He appreciated using it on Sunday morning. It’s not real pretty, but it has a velvety fabric on the back and a striped quilting cotton in the front.
I really need to get better at sewing “flip through” things closed. I think I’ve got it and then I don’t tuck enough, or end up with creases or wrinkles. It’s one of my least favorite things on simple projects.

I finally picked a border fabric (I think) for my table runner quilt project and it happens to be from my stash! now I need to buy more rotary blades, mine are dull. Hopefully I can finish this month.

I’ve also been enjoying some time back into crossstitch. I haven’t done much in years but really like it with podcasts, audio books or movies.

Have you tried marking the original outline on the reverse or even the top in disappearing ink? It helps me turn things more accurately on curves. I also try to leave smaller spots if I can.

[oregonpachey]

As of 9:00 tonight, I finished my fingering weight cardigan! I was almost done a month ago when I discovered a mistake that could not be corrected. I ripped it out and started over.

I will post pictures when it is done drying.

[mala]

Thanks for the love guys! I am so happy with how everything turned out. It's lit a fire in my backside to try making more clothes for myself, which I have wanted to do for awhile. I am taking a little break (mostly becasue I'm tired of ironing fabric) then I'm going to jump back into clothing.

dragon's breath, I have two pairs of socks on the needles I need to finish, too. One is more than a year old. I have second sock syndrome for both, but this is what I call my Summer Knitting Slump where I have no desire to pick up any knitting projects. Having an active 15 month old who's into everything and her sister home from school for the summer doesn't help.

mrspez07, when I turn stuff like that I trim the seam after sewing, but I leave where the opening for turning is untrimmed and angle the cuts. ((runs off to find a picture, can't find one, makes an example real quick)) Like this :

oregonpachey, That's awesome! I'd love a fingering weight cardigan, but the time and amount of yarn is so intimidating!

[dragon's breath]

Jul 9, 2019 11:39:25 GMT -5 mala said:

dragon's breath , I have two pairs of socks on the needles I need to finish, too. One is more than a year old. I have second sock syndrome for both, but this is what I call my Summer Knitting Slump where I have no desire to pick up any knitting projects. Having an active 15 month old who's into everything and her sister home from school for the summer doesn't help.

My mom taught me to knit the socks (it's the only thing I've ever tried to knit, outside of the little 2x3" practice rectangle she had me do to learn stitches.  Oh, wait, no... I taught myself to read the pattern for "skillet handle condoms" for cast iron skillets, but anyway...)  She had me start with two sets of needles (five needles per set), so I could make two socks at-the-same-time-ish.  She said she hates finishing one and then starting another.  So I knit a little on one sock, then knit a little on the other.  I try to do the final decreasing for the toes on the same day.

I can't imagine doing this stuff with two little ones!

[oregonpachey]

As promised, here are pics of my sweater

[aprilsails]

@oregonachey o can’t believe you made that in fingering weight! You are a very fast knitter. Looks beautiful and it’s a great colour too!

[yaga]

Jul 9, 2019 22:45:14 GMT -5 dragon's breath said:

Jul 9, 2019 11:39:25 GMT -5 mala said:

dragon's breath , I have two pairs of socks on the needles I need to finish, too. One is more than a year old. I have second sock syndrome for both, but this is what I call my Summer Knitting Slump where I have no desire to pick up any knitting projects. Having an active 15 month old who's into everything and her sister home from school for the summer doesn't help.

My mom taught me to knit the socks (it's the only thing I've ever tried to knit, outside of the little 2x3" practice rectangle she had me do to learn stitches.  Oh, wait, no... I taught myself to read the pattern for "skillet handle condoms" for cast iron skillets, but anyway...)  She had me start with two sets of needles (five needles per set), so I could make two socks at-the-same-time-ish.  She said she hates finishing one and then starting another.  So I knit a little on one sock, then knit a little on the other.  I try to do the final decreasing for the toes on the same day.

I can't imagine doing this stuff with two little ones!

I do socks and sleeves two at a time on the magic loop. I don't think I would have any completed sweaters or pairs of socks if I didn't. (As proven by the two single socks I haven't touched in over a year.) I love using the tiny 9 in circular needles for socks, but not enough to get over second sock syndrome, apparently.

[mala]

B has been wanting to play around with polymer clay, so while she was doing her thing I was fucking around and made a bunch of faux stone bits i turned into magnets. That was a few weeks ago. Today, she wanted to learn how i did it, so I taught her and now i have so. Many. Bits. To turn into magnets. This is just a few of them. I'm in love with this technique, the picture doesn't show the glitter or translucency. They'll get painted black on the sides and back and coated in clear resin for shine.

[shortcake2675]

My youngest turned 7. I’m not sure how it’s been that long, but he’s hilarious and sweet and love video games.

I went a little overboard and made enough bookmarks for half of the county, but each kid got to pick two.

They are super fast and make four to a hooping. Kevin and I couldn’t agree on vinyls, so that’s how we had so many. The rainbow scales were popular, as was space and the mermaid scales with the girls.

I have stuff to sew and embroider, but we’ve been gone about three weeks and I’m trying to get my head around summer again.

[mysticmuffin]

Daycare has had many many theme days this month.