One step forward and two steps back

I managed to squeeze in some time to sew on the Eva dress. In hindsight I should have gone to bed on time and not stayed up late. image

One of the shoulder seams aren’t elastic enough. Need to fiddle with the stitch settings. On the other two seams I used clear elastic to stabilise. But it also helps with the elasticity. Need something better for the rest of the seams.
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Unpicking was difficult and before I finished there was a hole in the fabric. Luckily I bought enough fabric, planned on making something else. Guess something else will be smaller than previously thought. Ah well, back to the cutting table floor.

Many steps before sewing

There are a few things that you have to do before you can sew. Especially if you want to make something from an e-pattern. First, print the pattern and piece it together. There were 48 pages. They did not fit on the table so I had to do one piece at a time.
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Second, transfer the pattern to pattern paper and cut out all pieces. I used Swedish tracing paper.
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Third, cut out the pattern pieces in the fabric. The fabric does of course need pressing before you lay it out.
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This was the first time I cut something this big in knit fabric. Was a bit worried, but it worked quite nicely to just weigh it down. And to avoid the fabric stretching I worked on the floor. The scissor in the image was only used for clipping the markings. I have a bigger one for cutting out the fabric.

First item in knit fabric

I’ve been wanting to sew for a while now. Apart from it being nice to make stuff I think the idea that I will be able to make more FOs by sewing compared to knitting is stuck in my mind. We’ll see how that turns out.

Anyway, I bought a course on Craftsy about sewing with knits but what really did it was when I found the Eva dress pattern. To boot it’s free. So I ordered some fabric and some essentials like stretch needles online. Every thing but the fabric arrived on Friday two weeks ago. So I managed to convince DH that Mini needs a new cap more suitable for spring.

That Sunday morning I managed to sew my first FO in knit fabric. Less hassle than I thought there would be.

Pattern: My own. Measured Mini’s head and drew a pattern on a A4 sheet.

Fabric: Cotton Jersey from Stoff och stil with printed cows.

Thread: polyester

Machine settings: Narrow zigzag, B on my machine. Width 2.5 and length 0.5. 0 pressure and 2 in thread tension.

Notes: If I do this again the shape of the cap needs to be more narrow at the sides and a bit longer. After washing the fabric curled a lot and that was difficult.

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Also bought some striped fabric  to make a Dolman shirt.

Never at the computer

It’s been a long time since I last posted. Time is limited since Mini was born but since I use public transport for the commute to work I get some thirty minutes most workdays to knit. However, I never have time to use the computer for anything but paying the bills and I do prefer to at least finalise posts on the computer (at least in terms of layout). So I will put that aside and try the mobile device only route for a while. Hopefully that will produce some new posts on this blog again.

With me on the train today is the belated MKAL Princess and the pea. Only a few rows left.

2010 in numbers

A year ago when I summarised 2009 in numbers, I hoped 2010 would be a year of finishing. Don’t think it was. Maybe the year of socks, since I finished three pairs of socks. In doing so I doubled the number of knitted socks I’ve made so far.

2010 in numbers

FOs: 8

Frogged: 1

 

Started: 12

 

WIPs as of end of 2010: 15

 

Maybe not so much goals, but hopes for the new year.  I’m hoping to reduce the number of WIPs again this year. I’m hoping to try something new and that I will have time to knit at all. The something new I see in my near future is using beads and I hope to try a project with steeks (Scary!).

Last FO of 2010

So I joined my first mystery KAL. I started late but for the fourth and last clue I had caught up. It was Stephanie van der Linden’s advent calendar. She posted a clue on the Friday before each advent weekend and shared bits of the holiday spirit with us on each day up to Christmas.

Pattern: Gaudete by Stephanie van der Linden (Ravelry)

Yarn: 22 grams left from 2 balls of Drops Fabel in coulorway 105, dyelot 8180,  turquoise

Needles: 2.25 mm circular for  two at a time magic loop

Size: 38 wide

Started: December 3 2010

Finished: December 19 2010

Notes: Well written pattern. Laying it out flat it really has the same shape as a foot, which is probably why it fits superbly. Just as a reminder, I should not knit socks in December and use 2.0 mm needles. Why? Well, I used the 2.0 mm needle for picking up stitches for the hem and just as in December 2009 I put my hand on it and it snapped. Maybe I can put the two broken ones together and make one whole???

Dissertation defence

Five years of hard work has finally come to an end. On Friday morning it was time for my dissertation defence. I passed and now our home is filled with beautiful flowers.

I also got a wonderfully wrapped present from my lovely friends L & A. Yes, they are knitters :).

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Part of the decoration was two cones of Bart & Francis Shantung Yaspee in the SY 713 colourway. I spent quite some time yesterday browsing Ravelry for a suitable project and my fingers are itching to cast on for at least a swatch. But I’m gonna be strong and finish two WIPs first.

Inside was a wool winder. Usually I just put the skein around my neck to not waste time winding a ball by hand. Now I just need to find a swift and bye-bye to the skein necklaces. Thank you L & A!

A sad day

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I added some ribbon to my geodesic cardigan in December. Come New Years Eve I couldn’t find it. Today my husband found it in with hid laundry.

Unfortunately, he found it before loading the dryer but after washing a complete cycle.

Printing

Yesterday I went to the printing office. My thesis is finally being printed! There’s still the defense left, but now it is time to relax.

I’m a bit tired, so I’m chouchsurfing trying to decide what to knit. I’m thinking of joining the sock knitting advent calender. Never done a mystery KAL before, but I need to find the right yarn for it. The latest issue of Interweave Knits just fell on my door mat. So I will look through that for some more inspiration.