rostitchery

mittens for me

 

for three years i've wanted to knit myself some mittens.  every year, i knit a new pair for ella but never get around to any for me.  this year i also knit a pair for my friend tough mama, and i liked them so much that i decided that THIS YEAR would be my year--i have finally knit myself some mittens.  

these are so quick that i've made several pairs in the past week.  

the design is a hybrid of two patterns i found online.  the cuff comes from the cabled mitts pattern from loom knit.  i love the way this cuff looks, but knitting cables on a loom is a tedious process--not hard--anyone who has knit a hat or scarf on the loom can easily learn to do it--but it is time consuming and labourious and generally just a too slow for someone like myself who likes instant gratification.  so after the first pair, i have been knitting the cuffs on needles, thusly:

cast on 8 stitches

row 1:  P2, K4, P2

row 2:  K2, P4, K2

row 3:  P2, Cable 4L, P2

row 4:  K2, P4, K2

i prefer to knit cables without a cable needle, by just slipping the stitches off and rearranging them in the order to be knit.

then for the actual mitten i use a modified version of the one loom mitten by looming with love.  i found that this pattern as written makes a mitten WAY TOO BIG for my hand so instead i use the long pink loom and one loom clip to create an 18 peg round (in this picture it is set up for a 16 peg round--different project).  

 

to start the mitten i pick up 15 stitches on the cuff as for the cable mitts pattern, starting at peg 1 on the end of the loom but in the center of the cuff rather than an end.  this puts half the cuff on each side of the loom.  this way, the join of the cuff is at the outside of the arm where i feel it is less noticable.  i e-wrap the three empty pegs at the end opposite the starting peg when i get to them and continue picking up stitches till i get back to the starting peg. then i knit 11 rounds using the e-wrap stitch.  you could knit more or fewer rounds, according to the length you wish from the cuff to the base of the thumb.

for the right hand thumb, i knit pegs 1 thru 4, back and forth with no turning peg, for 30 rows.  you might need more or fewer rows, more or fewer pegs, depending on the size you need--you can test as you go.  you will end up with a loop of knitting which will become the thumb.

for the left hand thumb i knit pegs 1, 18, 17, 16--in other words, the first peg and the last three of the round.  again, adjust according to your own needs.

after that i knit 22 rows--again this has to be judged based on your own hand, you can slip your hand inside the loom to test.  i take the mitten off the loom using the gathering method.

then it is just a matter of sewing up the sides of the thumb--i do this the same as for needle knitting, by lacing up the sides thru the little bumps on the ends of the rows, AKA mattress stitch.  i close the cuff the same way.

ta-da!  each mitten takes me about 45 minutes to complete, so i can easily finish a pair in an evening of TV with my family. 

for the pair i'm knitting rudi i am using the blue round loom, worsted weight yarn holding two strands as one, and knitting the one loom mitten pattern as written.  for ella, i'm using the pink long loom, 12 pegs, worsted weight yarn holding two strands as one.  for both i knit the exact same cuff, but to their wrist size--rudi's took 9.5 cables, ella's took 6.5 cables (mine took 7).  the exact number needed will depend on not just the size of the wrist but also how tight or loose you knit and how tight or loose the wearer prefers the cuff.

these mittens are actually part of a set--next time i'll show you the hat.

gifts, stealthy-like

 

well, i ran into a snag in my plan to show you some quick and easy gifts to make:  most of the people for whom i am making gifts read this blog.  :D  

so for now let me tell you about one of the tools i'm using to make some gifts.  it's called wild things!  gifts and like all the other wild ginger software programs it lets you input the measurements of your choice and it creates a custom sewing pattern that you can print out right from your home computer!

the patterns in this program include items for organizing your home and sewing area, items for the bath, covers and carriers to protect all your tech gadgets, and accessories for the men in your life.

of the available designs, i might or might not be making:  a tissue pack, an eye mask, a garment bag, a casserole carrier, and laptop sleeve.  i can't tell you for sure i am making these things, but i can tell you that all i would have to do is, for example, tell the program that i want a garment bag big enough for, say, doll clothes that fit an 18" vintage crissy doll, and it would create a pattern that would exactly fit the hand-sewn wardrobe of such a doll that i might or might not have made clothes for.

DISCLOSURE:  i do indeed work for wild ginger software, inc., the makers of wild things! gifts.  however, i am not in sales, and i do not receive any compensation for any sale of any program.  all i get is the knowledge that yet one more person is enjoying the pleasure of a dependable program that i have loved since i bought my first WG product almost nine years ago.

wild things! gifts comes complete with a help file to aid you in using all of the tools as well as sewing instructions for each and every item.  i wrote most of the sewing instructions for the program--you won't be able to tell it, because i used capital letters.  and if it makes you feel any better, they are much pithier than the stuff i write on the blog.  almost elegant in their directness.  :)  

sewing straight lines to make round things: a simple christmas tree skirt

 

(this is for my friend at the foreman four.  i promised her i'd post a tutorial on this last year, and it totally slipped my mind.)

we had to toss out our beloved christmas tree skirt early this fall.  i had made it for our first christmas as a married couple.  it was actually not a tree skirt when i made it--it was a table cloth for a round table--one side was pretty christmas fabric, with angels and whatnot, the other side i stencilled gold stars so we could use it for new year's dinner.  it ended up being a tree skirt because that table moved outside when we bought this house.

anyhoodle, the tree skirt/tablecloth was damaged beyond repair by a beloved cat who recently went to heaven :(   so i made a new one but i didn't want to invest too much time or energy because that would defeat my whole christmas craft revolt thing.

so i used stuff i found at the local dollar tree store.  i love that place.  that's what i think it should be called, "the dollar tree i love that place".

this project is all straight line sewing!  no special skills needed.  this would be a perfectly wonderful first project for a beginning seamstress--looks great, easy to make, readily available materials at a low low price.

you'll need four table runners--if you get them at a place like the dollar tree i love that place, they'll only cost $1.00 each.  if the table runners you find don't have a pointy end, you can easily make a point without losing any of the length.  just follow the instructions in my post about the apron cheat, the part where i talk about finishing the ends of the apron strings

cut each table runner in half crosswise, then stitch them together on the long sides, from the angled end toward the cut edge--that way you can be sure the pointy parts are even.  since i chose two different colors i alternated panels but you could use all one color if you prefer.  IMPORTANT:  don't sew together the first and last panels--you need to leave an opening so you can get the skirt around the tree trunk. (click to see enlargement).

 

after the panels are sewn together,  zig-zag or serge the cut edge, then fold and stitch a 1" casing--you don't have be too particular about this, it isn't going to show because it will be under the tree branches.  in fact, on mine i couldn't decide whether to use red or white thread, so i chose green.  :)

i trimmed my tree skirt with extra wide rick-rack from my stash.  i love that stuff.  that's what i think it should be called, "rick-rack i love that stuff".

when it is all done, thread a piece of ribbon thru the casing and tie the skirt around the base of the tree.

ta-da!  i think over the next couple of years i might add some appliques or embroidery.  that is, if the cats don't tear up this tree skirt too.  i guess if they do i can always just make another one.  this one took less than an hour to make.  

*if you like inexpensive craft ideas, visit dollar store crafts.  just going by what i see on this site, you could conceivably make something every day of the year and never set foot in a craft store.

*i just launched another blog and i'd love to get some visitors!  it's called romesticity, and it's all about the things i do to make my home nicer, more efficient, and all-around happier.  when you have a moment, please drop by and leave a comment.  thank you!

happy thanksgiving day!

 

 wishing all my readers a very happy thanksgiving day!

girlie gifts for girlie girls

in honor of my fourth annual christmas craft revolt, i thought i'd show you as many quick and easy gift ideas as i can.  

last christmas i made very girlie shower caps for my very girlie nieces, and of course i had to make one for ella so she could be just like her beloved cousins.

these caps only take about 15 minutes each!  and you get to use some of your pretty trim scraps and buttons too.

just cut a circle about 18" in diameter out of fabric and another out of plastic--this is a great use for those shower curtains at the dollar store!  lay the circles wrong sides together and bind the edges.  then use a piece of bias binding to make a casing about 1" from the edge and thread it with elastic.  pull up the elastic and fasten.  

now begins the fun part--embellishments!  i made little bows and flowers with ribbon scraps and tacked them on with hand stitching.   you can add anything you like, as long as you remember to use stuff that won't bleed if it gets wet.  :)

we paired this gift with some pretty soaps that ella made, and some washcloths that i knit from some yarn that i hand dyed.  i could see pairing a cap with a matching cosmetic bag, lined with more of the plastic shower curtain and filled with little goodies like lip gloss or bath fizzies.  i could also see putting this with a bathtub pillow and a trashy romance novel.  :D

what girlie-type gifts are you making this year?  

old times cape

this is for my sister who needs a cloak but who doesn't have enough faith in her mad sewing skilz.  ;)

our family is deep in the "little house" books right now--we just started "the long winter"--and most of our playtime and learning time and all times in between are about "the old times".

in "little house on the prairie", laura gets a fur cape and muff from the church for christmas.  so one day when we were shopping for fabric ella picked out some fake fur and i made her "an exact copy" (sic) of laura's cape.

details:  i used the free wild things patternmaking program from wild ginger software to figure out the dimensions for the cape but instead of printing out the pattern i just drew it directly on the fabric.  i used some pretty, shiny stuff from my stash for a lining, stand collar, and ties.

this would make a quick and easy christmas present--you could use some fleece, or some pretty wool, and line it with something unexpected so there is a flash of surprise when you twirl!

and now my secret:  95% of the time, if i don't need an exact color or pattern of fabric, i make capes from skirts or dresses i find at the thrift store.  if i use a skirt, i just slash it up the front and finish the edges.  if i use a dress, i cut off the skirt then slash and finish.  sometimes i don't even have to slash--if it has a front opening i can use that as a decorative element.  the skirt/dress doesn't have to be a circle skirt--a half circle will make a more fitted cape, and a rectangle can be pleated or gathered at the neck to make more of a cloak or mantle.  i've made really pretty capes from velvet dresses and you can even use parts of the dress for decoration--the collar can be re-used, the buttons, sometimes there is even a lining already there.  if there are pockets in the right place, you can cut them out and you have instant arm holes!!!

and now--to make the muff!  details when i get it done.

DONE

vanderbilt opera theatre's "the marriage of figaro" opens tonight.

this is the final moment of the show.  it is not a great picture, but they are not great costumes either.  :)  

i made all the patterns using wild ginger software patternmaking programs:  boutique, tailor made, child's play, even the free wild things program!  i'm talking about:  8 frock coats, 10 breeches, 9 vests--8 different dresses, underskirts and overskirts, including one that i made overnight when the original was struck from the show the day before the first dress rehearsal--2 cloaks, one with calash hood and one with a wired hood--4 corsets--and 1 banyan and nightcap.

this is my swan song.  i'm not doing costumes for opera anymore.  at least not for a long while.  

i can't say "never", because i promised ella that if i am ever invited to design a pocahontas opera i will accept.

but it is time for me to get back to what really matters:  my family, my home, my life.

i'll post more details about the patterns in a few days, after i've had a rest.  :)