Crochet hat and quaker things

Sorry for being lazy at updating this blog.

I've been working pretty hard and progress on needlework is terribly slow. I have many idea to try but i never catch up within my free time. There are some skew in what i wanna do and reality.
During past weeks, i finished a couple of projects in "Andalia" yarn. A hat with flower corsage and a bag with flower corsage. Due to hard yarn, it was difficult to keep the tension. I hoped iron steam will make the surface neat but it worked just a little. I tried the soft wire first time for this hat on last 2 round of brim to keep its shape. I haven't steamed the bag yet so the picture will be in next post.
I got those quaker items recently, Quaker Post pattern and Quaker pinballs booklet. I found both at a online cross stitching shop and i thought both for stitching. But the booklet isn't. It is a pattern for knitting pinballs and applicable for embroidery. You'll knit in 0.8 or 1.0 mm needle with fine thread to make them. I have both and more fine needles but i will use more large one for exercise first.I really like quaker style pattern in cross stitch. Hard to resist...

Bag finished

I finished this small shell stitch bag last week. Crocheting with hard twisted yarn made my shoulders hard and my hands turned red, so I couldn't work long at a time. Very small but just enought to bring wallet, mobile phone, hanky and tissue.

I'm gonna make another works with another types of same yarn, one is doubled yarn and the other is plain one. They are a hat and bag i showed in previous post. I think i should make a hat first.

Martha finished

Pattern: Martha from Rowan Magazine 37
Yarn: Rowan 4ply cotton black
Size : S

Since last post, I spent all my available free time for knitting Martha. I never thought i could finish such soon. Although It looked small while knitting because of its pattern, it fits nicely and i'm so happy!
I think this pattern also works in different pattern stitch. I'll try after i wear out Martha.

Happy weekend

I had very happy weekend. DS offered me "You may go Okadaya, Mitsubaya, or Yuzawaya or anywhere you want. I will prepare supper," I don't think i need such approval to go those craft store really, but how can i miss such opportunity? I went off in a rush, jumped on a subway and went Yuzawaya. As I really want to finish Martha first and not in the mood to get ready for any other project, I just looked around to see something new and get an idea and inspiration for future projects. And I found something new for me. It's rayon 100% yarn from Hamanaka for bag and hat.

I have known this yarn (or should I say cord?) for long time but the sample project made with them displayed at store were always looked uncool and i thought i will never try it until i met very cute sample at store, whose pattern found in this just published book.

I liked those two especially.

It has many cool pattern not only for bags but also hats. I gathered all material i need for this bag and some other balls. As the yarn looks like cord, the finished bag must be hard enough to use daily. This is very important for me as i always bring many thing in my bag. Knitted or crochet bag in usual cotton or wool yarn loose its original shape and handle stretches even when i put only a purse. So i will try with these rayon yarn this summer.
While checking out new books, i noticed how I love the shell stitch. The brown yarn will be a small bag in shell stitch.

What I really hope is that i have more time for enjoying materials i got. I often show you what i bought but i rarely show you what i made. I may have to make another category "shopping." Although i know it can't be helped as long as i am a working mother, i feel strongly stressed after shopping. Hope DH will make another offer for free time next or future weekend.

Oh, FYI, the reason DH released me is curry. He likes to cook curry in his way. He make curry from scratch occupying kitchen more than a few hours!

Books and covers

I got them from amazon yesterday. A friend borrowed me the first series of the novel and i was totally hooked. The pace i read was very slow at first, I say a chapter a week, but i read a chapter and more a day at last. I only used the dictionary a few times, that means the story was too interesting and couldn't help keep on reading. Not because i understood every word. So I bought it myself for reading it again later.

For them, I started making a book cover with liberty fabric in pink tone. I started it 2 or 3 weeks ago as soon as i came up the idea but i haven't made any progress since then. My mood always changes so quickly. Hope i can finish them while reading second series.

On knitting side, i am knitting Martha very patiently. Cause i want to wear in this spring, i have to concentrate on it.

2 socks finished

It took whole week for DS to get well and i took my work off at last. During the off, i knitted socks like crazy to make another ones to make them pair. I like loose fit for leg and tight for foot. To get such result, i tried 3 times for adjusting the length of foot for the first stripe sock. After finished them, my socks fever seems cooled down. I have no plan for another socks at the moment.

So, what's next? Martha. I also knitted her during off, but after i found that i couldn't knit front any more unless finishing back of cardigan first, i lost all motivation. I started Martha from sleeves and then front with my freakish idea, but i gave myself up when i read the instruction " knit less than 10 rows than back." I did knew some reasonable reason for knitting back first but i learned another deciding reason this time. The idea of knitting sleeve first is OK, but you MUST knit back first than front.

So, I was really satisfied with two socks and lost motivation for Martha, i knit little last week. As DS has just learned riding a bicycle, he asked me to pick him up from nursery school early to practice it. He also asked me to take him out to practice whipping a top. I was very busy last week to make time for these after work. So all i knitted last week was several rows of back of cardigan. That's all.
After a short leave from knitting, i am back again and realizing how knitting is fun!

liberty assorted bag

I went shopping on last weekend and when i peeked in a craft store, i found this cute assorted fabrics in miniature tote. I was thinking to buy some springlike color yarn at first, but the yarn was already cleaned up. So i brought this small bag and a cut cloth instead. You can see how the bag is small from the size of pen beside it. The fabrics are Liberty, some of them are original. I LOVE Liberty. It's one of my dream to make my wear with Liberty fabric. As these piece of fabrics are quite small, I think I'll make something small patchwork thing with them. Inside the bag is look like this ...

I wanted start with them soon but my DS got influenza and keeping me busy. It's ok if it's only flu he got ... he also got inflammation of the middle ear, too. I worked some during day and left some to do after he goes to bed. Due to the pain in his ear, he cried and woke up often till late, i couldn't work enough at night and even my own time for knitting was not left. He lost appetite and got up in midnight and woke me saying "I'm hungry, I want something to eat." Thank god, tomorrow is holiday and i can catch up. Hope he got well soon.

Tatted small pincushion

When i was stitching monograms on pillow cases, i thought i want a small pincushion as i needed only one needle to work with. Small lacy one. So i tried knitted lace pattern first, but it didn't worked. Maybe the yarn and needle size i chose were not right or my lace knitting skill is not enough for it. I also noticed even small lace pattern results in quite big size for my purpose. So i fished out my silver shuttle from my desk drawer. After long time, i thought i must have forgotten how to tat at first, but my hands remembered! I made two small medallion joining at outer edge with stuffed pillow between them. Although i made some mistake - knots on surface - it looks very cute. The idea would be applied to sachet too. I can't stop picturing many other adaptation like this and that. I will make another one later.

Pillow case finished

These are finished linen pillowcase with initials cross-stitched. As the thickness of weaven threads are different between vertical and horizontal directions, I had to stitch over 2 by 3 to make the crossed stitch look same propotion for height and width. It was tricky. I planned to stitch the item number for that fabric so that i can purchase same one next time, and year and month too, but i didn't, as i wanted try them away. I can stitch any time later.

And this is first half of Regia tweed stripe socks. As I haven't knitted socks in plain stockinette stitch on size 2 needle for long time ( I usually use 0 or 1 ), i amazed that the sock gets bigger before i knew it. The color is maroon and dark grey. Very light and confortable. I put on my leg and showed my DH and DS how they think and answer was "Oh, your socks has many fuzz!" Of course not. I should not ask them. Another pattern socks are on the foot now.

This is a crochet edging i found on japanese craft book. After finished required length, some more ladder lace will be added along straight edge. I have no any specific idea for the lace, just enjoying the pattern.

2 different socks at at time ...

I have little progress both on sewing and knitting this week. I finished my pillow case (no picture yet) and stitching for my husband's now that is almost finished and ready to be sewn sides (shown on picture below beneath socks) . I usually do most needlework at late night but I hesitate to bring out sewing machine at such late time. That's why my sewing projects go so slowly even it is an easy one. So i am thinking about finishing the pillow case by hand this time without using machine.

And finally i started knitting socks. I repeated opening and closing sock knitting books, magazines, web pattern countless times ... and decided two projects at last, both i eagerly wanted to knit. The stripe socks with Regia tweed yarn and shell lace pattern socks from Nancy Bush's "Knitting Vintage Socks." But why 2 different socks at a time? I don't know. Maybe I'm just in a CAN'T-STOP-CASTING-ON syndrome. I think every knitter will understand what i mean. Another reason is that wool season is ending soon and noticed i have many wool sock yarn left. If i finished them, there will be reasonable space for 4 more balls. Maybe some cotton sock yarn in bright color!

Oh, I haven't forgot Martha. I finished second sleeve and casted on right front. I realize how 4ply is fine when knitting wearable things, as it grows so slowly.

needle broken

When I have almost finished first sock and tried it on, the circular needle suddenly broken. Accurately, I broke it by accident. I was sitting on the floor and the point of needles were facing down and it happend when i turned back to reach a mirror stretching my leg a little (i think). So sorry as it was my favorite needle. I've knitted many socks before but it's first time to broke needle.
What made me feel more worse was the fact that the sock was not comfortable AT ALL when i tried! Too tight around heel and the pattern of very narrow stripe looks very ugly where it needs strech. So i flogged it.

I really want to knit something small right now and seeking the stash and pattern, but haven't get any combination yet. I don't have suitable yarn for the design i want to knit and i don't have any idea for the yarn i want to knit. I don't think I can get out of this endless circle unitl buying the suitable yarn for what i want to knit. So I'm very busy for looking around online store for next shopping.

burn out

After finished Electra, i get burn out. I always do so when i finish a big project. At least for me, even a vest is big enough.

Since last week, I started to take nose drops for allergy of this season, which makes me very sleepy and take away lots energy for both work and needlework.

The stripe sock is growing very slowly but it's okay for it. It's a project for when i have no time for big projects, and just want to knit something. So i don't have to hurry.
Now, my mood is set for cross stitching and sewing, the pillowcase.

I will back to Martha after it ...

Electra finished

Pattern: Electra vest from Rowan knitting magazine 38
Size : S

It was fun to knit in my favorite color way. Usually, i can see where i'm in decreasing at both end, but i gave up this time and made a chart with Excel. Changing yarn so often makes the end of fabric very ugly and i couldn't stand with them. I weaved these end before i blocked because i didn't want the first and last stitches loosen and get bigger. Although finishing instruction says "press then weave in all ends," I am afraid these loose stitch would get more bigger when pinned.

After i knitted rib around arm and neck, i noticed many holes at decreasing area.I must take more care in decreasing. After all, it is beautiful when you see from a distance but it's rough when you look at closely.

Fitted sheet and solid shell stitch potholder

I had little progress on knitting this week. I'm knitting front of Electra, left side of armhole-to-shoulder shape. Right side has finished. The rib for neck and sleeves are supposed to knit with Yorkshire tweed, but i have only small ball left. I might be have to blend some other similar to make sufficient length. Since i noticed this problem, i became to feel lazy to knit Electra. And stripe sock has much less progress.

I was busy sewing fitted sheet this week. I am very novice at sewing and have already made terrible mistake when i cut the fabric. "Haste is waste" is true. I take the width of the fabric wrong and that was the cause. I cut too much. I lost all my motivation for sewing fitted sheet when noticed the mistake, but can't throw this darling linen fabric away, because i decided to make my sheet as soon as i opened the grab back. So, i applied a patch at missing area. Actually, It wasn't worse than I expected, this patched is on the side of mattress and unremarkable. I followed the instruction found on the web, and finished up. As soon as i sewed the last end of elastic, i ran into bedroom and covered without taking off existing one, and what i found on the mattress was very loose covering opposite to what i expected. I lost motivation again. I left it alone for a while until my motivation backs enough, and finally i added extra elastic at both longer side, resulting much better fitted sheet! Yay! I am not sure why it couldn't be sharply fitted sheet, maybe inexperience and the narrow depth of mattress? I will add another extra elastic at short sides if i have a chance. After all those hard efforts, i get fabulous linen fitted sheet. Next will be pillow cases for me, DH, and DS.



Beside knitting and sewing, i crocheted this potholder with leftover cotton yarn. It took only 2 nights. The source for the pattern is Japanese book, and the author referred this pattern as "solid shell pattern".

As I obediently followed the weight of yarn and hook size, the resulted fabric is just as it supposed to be. It's very thin and the corners curls when i hang it on the hook, look very helpless itself. I tried it when i boiled water in a kettle, i confirmed there is no problem for potholder. The potholder was really in need at the moment, so i am very glad. I found many other cute patterns on the book, but i have to keep in mind that my DH also use them. I am not sure if DH will use this white one. I might have to make another simple unisex one soon.

Projects started

Although i have listed a pair of glove for myself as a plan, i haven't decided exact pattern and yarn for the project ... might be because of the weather. It's very warm, just like spring. We haven't seen any snow around Tokyo yet.If the weather gets cold enough, i will get more motivation for it, so i leave the plan set aside till then.

I received last ball at beginning of this week and finished this. Back of Electra. What i learned from this knitting is that bright colour is fun to knit! The ones I knitted recently were all in dark colourway. Dark grey, brown, peacock green, beige and so on. I felt dizzy at first when i saw so shocking pink colour of kidsilk haze, but i found that those bright color make me feel much better. Those pink and purple color is truly delights my eyes. Safety color is easy to use but it is sometimes boring to knit. I think there will be much more knitting projects with color in my future knitting plan.

And this is a Regia silk sock, striped with dark grey, brown, navy and light blue. They are all left over yarn except light blue. As there are more yarn left for brown than others, i chose brown for toe and heel colors. I'm knitting light blue continuously, and cut between color change for other 3 colors. Very busy for weaving ends.

shopping, shopping, and shopping!!

I went shopping on the first day of sales at yarn store, and got these.

Regia sock yarn in different colours and Felted tweed. As I have many leftover sock yarn, i chose matching color for them to make striped socks. I am really in "stripe" mood recently.In same day,i ordered some other more yarns that i couldn't find at that store.
And they arrived yesterday - 3 balls of 100% silk yarn, Yorkshire tweed DK, and Rowanspun 4ply.

I have ordered one more ball and waiting for it now, and supposed to be in my post on next week.

And I went the sale again to got something i forgot to get last time. Some sock yarns, Rowanspun 4ply in blue, green, and light grey, and swifts.

This week is totally shopping week. I feel like i am a shopaholic (No, not really!). I have to switch my mood toward different one - material consuming mode!

My knitting plan for first quarter of 2007 goes like this.

1. Rowan 38 Electra vest


2. Stripe socks for myself


3. Spring crochet bag


4. Martha


5. Glove for myself

Aren't they quite reasonable? Maybe as for knitting. The problem is that i also have a plan for sewing too... To tell the truth, i got a grab bag of linen fabric in the end of last year and have 15 M of them - 5 types of linen fabric with 3 M each. The first project for them will be a fitted sheets for my bed.

Finished Raglan Leaf T-shirt

In this January, i had unexpected free time and finished a couple of WIP.

This is a pari of socks for my sister. The pattern is from "Sensational Knitted Socks" and yarn is Regia silk in dark brown. For its mock cable pattern, it is such shrunken.

And i finished this Raglan Leaf T-shirt by knitting school dropout. The yarn is the domestic one i flogged from the Clapotis i made last spring but not satisfied with its result (i customized the size and substituted the yarn and it didn't work right). The surface of knitted fabric is not neat but it is very light and warm. I have already put it on several times.

The new project is Martha from Rowan 37. I'm knitting with 4ply cotton in color black (or very dark grey). This yarn is also frogged form unsuccessfully finished project. I usually start with back, front, and sleeves but this time, i wanted start from sleeves. I have knitted up one full ball and reached at armhole decrease.

In this winter, I knitted only this leaf t-shirt for large project, as my work was quite busy and no more plan for rest of this season. Most of my knitting projects are small one like socks or mittens. I am now readying for large spring project. Too early? No, not really casue i have many small projects in mind too.

On this weekend, i went a craft store to get some materials necessary for future projects. A pair of small leather handle for bag, tweed fabric, a pattern book for potholders, two balls of linen yarn called "whitelane." It is sales season. I am going at another yarn shop today, during lunch hour.

I'm back!!

I once had a blog with same title "little stitches," but after a time my life got so busy and gave up updating. I'm still busy but situation has changed. I used to had many stressful factors like outdated digital camera, annoying spam comments, many steps to upload pics, etc ... but thank God, blog tools are pretty easy to use now and my new digital camera works just great. I think i can keep updating with less stress than before so I finally decided to come back here to restart blogging.

My interest has not changed at all. Knitting, crochet, tatting, cross stitching, sewing, patchwork ... all kind of needlework. The title of this blog derived from miniature knitting which was all my passion when i started original blog. I no longer knit in such small scale recently. Maybe my eyes are overtired after PC work. However, i still love working with heirloom fine yarn and I beleive smaller the stitch is, more beautiful the work to be.

To keep this blog last as long as it could be, i have to save myself not too much hooked on it and tired. But it seems quite difficult at this moment cause i'm so excited to back to this space.
I will post my wip and other later.