Making myself sew and finished Antler Toque and Sara's Slouch

Well, I tried to make a dirndl skirt and it looked like crap.  One pocket was a half inch too high and when I tried it on I realized that this style is not for me at all!!  I looked like Ma Joad from Grapes of Wrath.

 

So then I was like now what?  Dirndl skirts were supposed to be the foundation of my new summer wardrobe.  Why did I just spend $100 on fabric?  What does it all mean?!

I decided to go through my stash and maybe I could find some direction and/or inspiration.

 

Out of 7 boxes I kept only 2.  I wanted to take them to Goodwill that day but I was lazy and decided to wait until I could borrow a dolly from work to haul them down to my truck.  Glad I did because I remembered some scraps that I wanted to keep so I could add pockets to my green and yellow muumuus.  I'm actually really surprised that I haven't reclaimed more.  It's a sad lesson on how I tend to buy stuff spontaneously without a project in mind.  Definitely want to stop doing that.  I'm hoping to sew up my stash and then only buy enough fabric for one project at a time.  Like Diana Rupp says in her book Sew Everything Workshop.

I sorted my keepers by color.  It's all cotton.  Man fabric is it's own category LOL

Then I worked on an easy project. Curtain doors for my apartment! 

 

I'm in a really dated 80's apartment with bi-fold doors on the closets and they don't shut!  So, I finally got sick of it and watched a Youtube video on how to remove them without tearing them up, stored them in the porch storage space and made some cute curtains.  I really like them.  Brightens up the place a bunch!

 

This one is in the kitchen.

 

Entry way coat closet and bedroom closet.  Look at the pattern on the bedroom closet curtain.  It got off grain when I was squaring the ends :(  Looks like it's sliding downhill.  Easy fix but still annoying.

 

I really enjoyed sewing them up and seeing basically instant results!  I need to remember that when planning future projects.

Finished the Sara's Slouch by Wooly Wormhead and I love it!  First time knitting with two strands so that was cool.  The pattern isn't very specific about how tall to make it for a slouchy look so I decreased too soon and ended up with a beanie lol.  I still really like it.  I used Malabrigo Rios (worsted) in Ivy and Arroyo (DK) in Reflecting Pool.  It made a really dense, warm hat.  I'm not sure if I used the right combo of yarn weights. I might try a DK and fingering weight together next time. This was my first time using Malabrigo and I love it!! Cascade 220 worsted feels like twine now in comparison! LOL.

I love love love the Antler Toque by Tin Can Knits.  It was my first try at knitting cables!  This one went to my mom.  She loves brown lol.

A friend requested an orange hat so I'm working on that.  It looks a bit like a carrot but that's what he wants :/

Here's Ole Pokey lovin' some cuddles <3

My knitting fails and some easy mitts

I've been in a bit of a knitting slump.  I tried the Barley hat from Tin Can Knits and it just didn't turn out like I'd hoped.  I used some Cascade 220 that I already had and it was too fine of a gauge because the hat brim was REAL small and I made the biggest size!  I finished it but soon ripped it out.  It looked like poo poo.

 

Then I decided to make the Miss Marple Scarf.  It was a fun pattern and I really like the gold color of the yarn but I finished it and the ends were curling really bad and it super bugged me!  I tried to block it but in the end I wasn't happy so I took a pic and ripped it out!  Looking at it now, it doesn't look so bad and I feel kinda dumb for ripping it out so fast lol.

 

 

After those two fails I was feeling bummed.  So, I decided to make a super simple scarf and mitts.  The scarf is just CO 31 on size 7 needles in garter stitch but I really love it!  All the previous scarves that I made were for other people so it was nice to make a scarf just for me!  The gold yarn is so soft and I love the pop of Flamingo Cascade 220 on the ends.  Now I just have to wait for winter to come back around to wear it lol.

 

 

 

The mitts are a super easy pattern from a deck of project cards that I bought at the library used book shelf.  Hat, Mittens, and Scarves Deck: 25 Cool and Cozy Projects has lots of projects to browse and these mitts were a really cool, easy project to help me get my knitting mojo back.  They need to be blocked because the yarn that I took from the Miss Marple Scarf was a bit wavy but I really don't care.  The main thing I like about this mitt pattern is there is no thumb gusset.  So it fits my crooked thumb really well and no fingers means that my nubbin isn't floating in a too long glove :)

 

 

Right now, I'm working on Sara's Slouch by Wooly Wormhead.  It is very fun and easy and I love how the two yarns look together.  I made the largest size and used size 7 and 9 needles like the pattern recommends but I'm worried that it may be a bit too tight but if the FO is good I think I'll be making several of these.

 

 

I want to start sewing this spring after a long dry spell. Hopefully, I'll have some projects to share in a few weeks!

 

Here's Ripley all cozy on my lap.

 

 

 

And here she is on the back of the couch giving me her best resting bitch face LOL!