Wool on Sunday #5 - On A Christmas Wednesday

Merry Christmas all you lovelies!

Still no baby but I managed to finish this scarf for my brother-in-law just in time. My joints are aching - these last days I've retained water in my hands which I hadn't before and the power knitting probably didn't help - but I'm happy.

It's a simple as can be k2, p1 pattern but I've made it more interesting cause colour changes and vertical stripes!

Happy holidays!

Wool on Sunday #4

Dang, I'm sure glad that I decided to bind my Winter Baby Girl Quilt the other day. Knowing that I can add my hand quilting whenever and yet already be able to hang it prettily over the crib has freed my mind so much. I've been able to get other things done - crafty and non-craft related - without feeling guilty. For instance, I knit up a hat for my sister that she asked for in return for her "small to medium craft project of your choice" birthday voucher.

She picked Armour Love as a pattern and a beautiful blue wool. I've been sporting the dark grey version since last winter and we only decided to make the brim a little tighter. The pattern is a really quick knit with very pretty and comfy results. The diamonds do look a little like Christmas trees, don't they?

Thus, I'm able to put a second parcel under the tree for her. Very pleased. I've got another knit project on my hands as we speak which might be ready in time for Christmas, too, or not. If not there's a plan B. If yes the babe still keeps us waiting.

Happy knitting & sewing!

Wool on Sunday #3

This week was busy but I've been able to sneak in some knitting with the gorgeous wool I showed you last time. The Duotone Cowl pattern is quick and simple but I don't mind a bit of "thoughtless" knitting for distraction and I like the little twist - half-way into the pattern the width of the blue and grey parts will switch.

Both the husband and my dad have said they don't need a new scarf so I'm thinking this one will become a present for my brother-in-law. He still wears the one I made him two if not three years ago religiously and deserves a new one.

In other news, the nesting instinct is definitely kicking in. We've ordered a pram set, furniture, and I'm finally shopping for clothes. Though I'm thankful for my sister's pretty hand-me-downs I want a few new things just for our little girl. Speaking of which, today I'm going to whip up her first dress!

Happy sewing & knitting!

Wool on Sunday #2

This huge parcel arrived on Thursday and got me very excited so I'm sharing it with you.

Tons of pretty wool: Grey...

...a teal-ish colour (you must have expected that, right?), and a darker blue.

Unfortunately today is a grey-ish, autumnal day and the colours don't really pop in these pictures. Anyway, I'm looking forward to knit some pretty two-toned scarves with these.

Circular needles in lengths and sizes not yet in my stash had to be added as well, of course.

All in all, a lovely haul which should keep me busy when I'm too tired to sew and might just yield a present or two.

Happy knitting!

Sunday Stash #17

So, Christmas is over once more. Are you all returning to normalcy or still feeling stuffed and like slumbering away the days? I know I'm doing the latter in an absolutely guilt-free manner. Yummy food, good wine and mulled wine, reading books, knitting, enjoying the lights of our tree, my nephew's laughter - Christmas was absolutely lovely and I'm trying to salvage the mood for as long as possible.

It was an extra nice Christmas as I got to spend it with my gran and her grand cooking again after not being able to do so last year. Even better, it was the first time that my husband, my sister's husband-to-be and my nephew joined our family on the 24th and 25th. The years before my wedding it was just us girls going back home until the 25th and then spending time with our guys and their families in Berlin on the 26th. Seeing my gran age isn't always easy (and difficult to accept) but seeing her being surrounded by all of us and loving every minute of it was fantastic.

But onto the eye candy you've come for. Christmas without fabric - these days I don't know how that has ever been possible. Here's my Christmas loot thanks to my mum who let me shop with her credit card a few short weeks ago.

Three yards of navy blue Simply Style zig zags which will surely become a skirt.

Yard cuts of Retro chevrons and Glimma kites.

Half yard and yard cuts of prints from the Enchant line. Those animal medallions are so so sweet.

A yard of Children at Play - this has been around long, hasn't it? I've finally succumbed and will keep this in my stash for one or two future baby quilts.

A  yard of cotton slub duck for new cushion covers.

Fearing that the fabric parcel wouldn't make it through customs quickly enough - a realistic one, it arrived just in time last Sunday - my mum got me some yarn and knitting needles for a loop and hat.

I'm glad she fell in love with the wool because I don't really feel it, neither colour nor texture (though I can always use more needles!). My mum's often spot on regarding my taste but when she's off she's off by a mile. Anyway, it's all good. This way I can make her something she'll enjoy and give back for the many things she's done and keeps doing. Now I only have to find the right pattern - and time. As I'm not going to stress about this - the weather is still very mild in these parts - it might just turn out to be a Christmas 2014 thing.

Well, I hope your celebrations were filled with as much love and coziness as mine.You've not only been following the good and shiny but also my tribulations, my nagging, my ups and downs, even my absence - thank you and thanks for continuously dropping by and sharing your thoughts and positivity with me. I'm hopeful that 2014 will bring many an adventure and also more time spent sewing, knitting, and blogging to share with you. I'll find a way to make it so.

All the very best and happy sewing!

Sunday Stash - Yarn, Yarn, and Some Fabric (long post, scroll down for fabric)

First things first, I'm alive and well and very busy. Four out of five applications led to interview invitations. Once the first two resulted in job offers I cancelled the following interviews because I knew from advance information that number two had the best pay, a more challenging work description, and I felt really good during the interview. It's still only an intern but I'm still really happy with my decision because the team's super nice, pay has improved a ton from the previous intern, thus alleviating our financial situation, and suddenly the prospect of a real job is on the horizon, too. These past two weeks have flown by without sewing but with the fulfilling knowledge of moving on and upwards and with the not unwelcome rhythm of a regular work schedule.

Knitting, however, has continued. Evidence A.

I still like the pattern but I think I might unravel these 30 cm of work again because I don't feel the width at the moment. The first ball lasted longer than I'd anticipated so I could make it wider without losing the length I want. For now, I've put it away to ponder my options. Instead, I've started this loop.

Jenny Faifel's lucky no 7 in a thicker yarn. This is a wearable test run - I love these colours! - for the scarf my sister would like for her birthday in late November made from this fingering weight yarn.

I'm not completely over my dread of the time-consuming thinness but seeing the progress I'm making with my scarf I'm a lot more confident about making that deadline.

The pattern is yarn-hungry, roughly three balls of 120m for 45 cm (18'') so I've stocked up and even had to reorder the grey at the shoppe. Some thicker grey wool (right side) for a warm hat begged me to be come home with me.

Yesterday was quite the stash day. On top of yarn from the first store I stocked up on wadding, rattles and a squeaky sound-making thing for plushies at store number two.

Half metre cuts of these pretties had to be purchased and are likely to become seasonal cushion covers.

All I had originally intended to come home with were these essentials for a new skirt from my tried and approved Burda pattern. Hehe. I think it will look simply fabulous with the zig zag loop. Also, it's got to have pockets. I pulled out my lovely Alice skirt the other day and have fallen all over for pockets again.

Last but not least I even bought elastic to fix the husband's sweatpants. Something he's asked me to do for months. *hangs head in shame* I have to put this out here with a picture or it might take another shamefully long period of time before I tackle it. Hah, fixing things simply isn't fun and therefore no priority. Am I right?

Another pretty addition from three weeks ago which will leave soon is this beautiful mirror ball dot print. I'd seen the collection over at Molli's and knew it was perfect when my sister asked me to make new cushion covers for her brown sofa. Now I only need to sew them!

Oh, and another important addition made a week ago is this Cake Cabarita Knit Top pattern that I bought from my dear friend Perlendiva to finally make a perfectly fitting top for myself. She just opened Santa Lucia Patterns to make it easier / quicker for us Germans to buy indie designer patterns. She's even offering translations. Go on and take a look. I think she's doing a fantastic job and am hoping this business will take off in no time.

Whew, quite the post. Congrats and thanks if you've made it to the end! I really hope more regular posting and blog reading will resume once I've really settled into my new routine. It's weird to neglect this space and my crafty friends like this.

Happy sewing and join Sunday Stash, this time hosted by Blossom Heart Quilts!

Sunday Stash

Are we even capable of making a short trip to the shop for one or two essential supplies without adopting other things? I went to buy basting spray and was only browsing the yarn section because my sister has implied that she wouldn't mind a new scarf for Christmas or her birthday in November. No serious intention to buy anything yet, I swear, but then I saw this lovely grey and the vibrant yellow mustard nestled against each other and couldn't help it. They begged me to take them home.

 

Perfect for my autumn goal to learn knitting in more than one colour. I even found just the right pattern after browsing Ravelry for the longest time. (I think. You never know until you start.) Only to discover that I will have to adapt it to thicker yarn and a larger needle size. Sigh. Frustrating.

I had to satisfy my knitting itch, though, and so I cast on a different project with a luscious merino / silk blend that I've been stashing since December 2011. I chose this pattern but have made it about 2.5 times as wide because I want it to be more like a stole and not just a scarf.

This is the quick and easy 2P 2K band I managed yesterday evening. Let's see whether I'll like and stick with it once I've managed a pattern repeat.
 
Happy sewing!

 
P.S. Yep, I guess that much knitting on my mind is a good indicator that summer has moved on. Seriously, the temps have dropped considerably over night, there's autumn foliage in the park and the air smells differently, too.