It’s Saturday afternoon, you’re laying out your outfit in your head for that night’s party and discover you don’t have an accessory to complete your look. Panic? No way! Get crafty and head down to your local bead store. I’ve got just the project for you.
Is this not the most fabulous beaded cuff!?! It’s knit! I picked up the supplies and pattern from Twisted Sistah Beads & Fibers at Stitches Midwest this year. The pattern is called Sweet Hexy Lady. There are so many wonderful things about this cuff:
1. It was really inexpensive to make.
Beads – $5.75
Thread – $4
Clasp – $24 (most pricey material, I went with sterling silver so you could probably find less expensive options)
Plus needles. (The pattern says to use size US 0000 but I didn’t want to wait for them to come in the mail. I used US 0 and they worked fine)
Seriously, only $33.75. You know if this bracelet was sitting in the jewelry case at Nordstrom it would be at least $250.
2. Fast to knit. Stringing all the beads onto the thread took awhile, but once that part was done the knitting went by so quickly. Probably 4 hours total. See, you’ll totally have it done it time for your party.
3. There are so many options for this bracelet. It’s double sided, so it’s actually two bracelets in one (kind of like the double function of Jordana Paige bags). If you really get into this, you could chart out a whole design of colors, patterns, bead sizes…stop me, I will go on forever with the myriad of options.
4. The texture is luxurious. Really. It reminds me of my Gran’s vintage chain purse (similar to this). As a kid I loved sitting in the back of her car as we drove home from church mushing the links around.
5. Easy. I don’t recommend this project for a new knitter. A new knitter would probably get frustrated with the little needles. But, if you can patiently wrap each stitch and not drop any stitches, it’s a very simple project.
6. Impressive. People are impressed with just a simple hand knit scarf. Tell them you knit a bracelet on needles the size of toothpicks. Yeah.
I love when I have a reason to make childrenswear. It’s my favorite type of clothing to knit/sew. Before getting started on my next sweater design, I whipped up these precious little treats for a friend’s baby-on-the-way.
Here’s what’s been on my needles this week. A friend asked me to make some beanies for his nieces and nephew. My only requirement was that the girls’ beanies be pink and the boy’s San Jose Sharks colors. I really wanted something flowery for the girls. Sarah suggested Rebecca Lennox’s Flower Hat. I made the hat a bit smaller since the girls are 4 and 9. In poor blogging form, I forget what yarn this is, but it’s really nice yarn. I’ll have to check the yarn label at home and update later.
This past weekend I felt like starting a little baby cardigan while watching Benny and Joon. I dug through my yarn stash to find some suitable yarn and then started my search on Ravelry for a pattern. So many cute patterns to choose from, but I found myself being such a snob. If the pattern wasn’t knit from the top down and seamless I was completely uninterested. What’s wrong with me? I actually enjoy seaming, so I don’t know where this is coming from. I settled on a Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater by Carole Barenys.
Stopped to pick up some yarn today for my next design. I chose Blue Sky Alpacas in Sport Weight. The color is a warm pumpkin orange. Not sure what it will be yet, but I guarantee it will be top down and seamless.
(This post was written from The Loft while waiting for a few friends to come play ping pong. Love this place!)
Fern Glade is finished and I love it just as much as I anticipated I would.
It’s been awhile since I knitted something that I didn’t have to calculate, document and write instructions for in 7 sizes. It was truly the relaxing type of knitting that I enjoy so much.
Being comfy cozy working away on a project while it’s cold and snowy is the bliss of knitting! This past weekend I went with friends and family to Lake Tahoe for some fun in the snow. I opted out of skiing, relaxed in the lodge and did a little knitting. It had been years since I’d been to the snow. Stomping around in the cold just made me want to knit. Knitting and winter go together like peas and carrots.
Here I am knitting on the deck at Northstar, with Rio in Eggplant at my feet. Wrapped around my neck is the first project I ever knitted. When I finished knitting this scarf I remember kind of being sad that I had finished it. I was instantly addicted to the craft and just wanted to keep knitting, much like needing to knit when I got to the snow.
I’m working on Fern Glade by Megan Marshall. I keep seeing people with cute floppy berets and was excited when I saw this pattern in the latest Knitty. It’s coming out great, pictures when it’s done.
Happy New Year! I enjoy the end of the year, looking back to see what has been accomplished. There are so many weeks that I think, what did I do this week? Did anything get done? I like looking at the year as a whole (reading past blog posts is helpful) and seeing, oh yes, wow, a lot did happen. And then, that’s enough. Time to look forward to 2008. I’m already overwhelmed with all that is planned for 2008 and the year hasn’t even started.
Among those big plans is my sister’s wedding in March. Last August I got yarn to make a sweater for the evening reception. I haven’t had time to design something, so I decided to modify a pattern. I went with VK Holiday 2005 #22. It will be much shorter and the neckline is steeper to copy the neckline of the dress. I tried it all on this morning and the neckline matches the dress perfectly. I am loving the yarn, Qiviuk by Windy Valley Muskox. Unfortunately, I think I’m going to run out of yarn. I should have modified the pattern to knit it top down. Then I could have just knit until I ran out of yarn, but I was lazy. Oh well, I probably still would have needed to buy more yarn.
What happened to November? It disappeared and I haven’t posted photos of my Sunrise Circle Jacket.
The length is a little shorter than I’d wanted and it doesn’t overlap on the front as much it does in the magazine photo. I would have fixed this, but I discovered this when I was working on the front pieces and the back was already done. Despite this, I still really love the sweater. I wore it for Thanksgiving and it looked great (even better than it looks on Fiona here).
I’m moving right along with everything for Knitty Gritty. Yesterday the fabulous tech editor, Mandy sent me my edited pattern. This gal is amazing. I don’t know how she has the patience to work everything out the way she does. I’ve already selected what I’ll wear (an important part to this, you know) so I just have the embellishments left on all of the samples. I have to have the project done at various stages for the demo. I hope to have the finished garment done by this weekend.
Since this design is wrapping up I’ve started brainstorming on my next. It will be for the spring issue of Knitty. I can see it my mind’s eye, just have to pick out some yarn so I can play with a couple stitch patterns.
I ordered the Spaceboard last week, although I’m not allowed to have it yet as it’s a birthday gift. I was leaning toward the Halcyon board because it’s huge, but then I suddenly realized it didn’t have a grid. A grid is one of the reasons I want a blocking board so that made the decision easy.
I’m back from a wonderful week in Myrtle Beach. It’s tough to get back into work mode now. Have you ever had so much work piled up around you that you didn’t know where to start and so instead busy yourself with pointless procrastinating? This is where I’m at right now.
I did a little knitting, although not much. The week really didn’t lend itself for time to knit. The flight over was a red eye, so I only knit on the way back. I’m working on the Sunrise Circle Jacket from Interweave Knits. I’ve finished the back so far. I really like the jacket, but mostly I’m knitting it because the construction intrigues me.
Status on the new bags: I haven’t been given a definite delivery date. But, my guess is next week.
At last! I finally finished the Karabella sweater for my sister. I’m embarassed to confess it took me over 8 months to finish. I’ve never had a project last so long. In my defense, I did make several garments in between, but I feel bad that now it’s done, she can’t wear it.
It’s not exactly the type of garment one wants to wear in 96 degree heat. It was bad enough making her wear it for the photo. She’s a model at heart though, don’t you think; despite the heat she smiled for me.
Currently, I have two designs in the works; one for Big Girl Knits 2 and the other for JCA Reynolds. I submitted 3-4 designs to various publications knowing their deadlines would probably overlap. So far I’ve heard back on the two designs. Yep, the deadlines overlap.
Where’s the fun if there isn’t the extra challenge of getting two garments knit and patterns written by the same date?
