Miss You Sew Much

Well, isn't that funny? I opened an Etsy shop, and people bought stuff! Not only that, I've gotten a wholesale order, and so I'm cranking out twelve bags, three each of four designs. YIPES that's a lot of work!

Just before the order, though, I bought a knitting pattern! It said it was for beginners, and said if I could yarn over, knit two together, and do a stockinette stitch, I could make this pattern. Well, I can do all those things! So I spent six bucks on this fabulous slipper pattern, without having the opportunity to read through it (it was an e-pattern PDF). Well, wouldn't you know? I got the pattern, and it made NO SENSE. I mean none. I couldn't even tell which yarn was the MC (main color), or which yarn to start with. I wrote back to the pattern creator, and while sympathetic, she wasn't particularly helpful.

So I gave the pattern to my mother. Which made me feel a lot better -- because she said it was a terribly poorly written pattern. It was not my fault. WHEW. She even had trouble following it, and she's the most amazing knitter I've ever met. (Not just because she's my mom -- but because she's just really good.) The good news is, she's going to make me a pair of slippers from the pattern. In fact, she's got one almost done. (Then I distracted her with a SuperMarioBros scarf pattern from Craftster -- I guess my son's scarf is now more important than my chilly toes.) ;-)

So, when will people who write patterns stop writing them in such a way that it's like a CONTEST to see if you can actually figure it out? I mean, it's a PATTERN, people. Not a PUZZLE.

Posted by Kerri at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Carrietta? Mom? Someone? I know a guy who might LOVE one of these...civil bitch has a free pattern for a Captain Underpants doll!

Which brings me to a dilemma. Sewing for boys. OK. I can make buttondown shirts. I can make cargo pants (but they never look as cool as the ones from the Gap -- I think they don't prewash the pockets or something). But what else?? I'm going to embroider the name of Spud's school on a T-shirt, that'll be cool. And bookmarks with his favorite characters, those are always handy.

But what else?

And lastly, I found this HILARIOUS pattern this morning that I'm totally going to use, from SuperNaturale. Make underpants out of old T-shirts. Yes. Indeed.

Posted by Kerri at 07:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I wish I didn't rot at knitting. Because this is just TOO ADORABLE.

http://www.ruthieknits.com/owlhat.htm

I wonder if you can do the owls in a different color than the rest of the hat...

Posted by Kerri at 09:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

i knit on the bus.
every time he takes a turn,
i drop more stitches.

while i enjoy the sanctuary of my craft room (if by sanctuary you mean four cats getting into everything while i'm trying to work, that is), nothing compares to knitting outside, or in a cafe with friends. something about it motivates me to learn a new technique or inspires strangers to ask questions and express their own craftiness to me.

when i moved away from providence, i left my stitch and bitch group - and my best friends. when i got to north carolina i felt lucky because i knew there was a group nearby - just down the street - that i could join and meet people. turns out that didn't work and i needed to work to create another group, one that enjoyed meeting new people and sitting outside and drinking hot cocoa.

i had a party last night and some of the knitters came. i showed them my craft room, and we talked about getting together next week.

i sure hope it's warm.

Posted by Carrie at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Listen to the podcast!

Show notes/links/stuffs...
Carrie's sock

Side view of sock

Second sock

More sock

Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Jacob's yoga mat bag

Jacob's baby pants (OK, baby pants MADE BY Jacob)

Jacob's hand warmers (man style)

Paper Piecing Primer

Dog block for Kerri's sister

Video of knitting machine socks

Socks aftermath

Posted by Kerri at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I had the flu, and I trudged over to the pharmacy to get some medicine. While waiting to pay for my not-quil, I spotted a package on the clearance rack. It was the last "learn to knit" kit that had once sat on the last-minute-gift shelf in CVS. I figured for 1.99, it was worth it. Plus, didn't all the hip young people knit these days? I wanted to be in on this zenned out secret! Turns out, I couldn't follow the paltry instructions at all and I kept getting distracted by what was on daytime television.

My next day back at work, I sent an email around. "Does anyone know how to knit? If so - meet me in the kitchen in ten minutes." It all sounded very back-alley-deal, but the truth is I had giant plastic needles and chunky yarn, and I was on a mission.

Three days later I had a scarf and a new obsession.

Sewing didn't happen until much later. If by much you mean about five months. I'd decided that I wasn't entirely content with just knitting so it was time to try my hand at something else. Miss Kerri said "get yo'self a sewing machine and we'll make stuffs!" So I did. I found myself a used Singer on eBay, and took the day off to go get it. When the guy found out I'd driven *all the way* to Boston from Providence, he knocked off five bucks for my troubles.

Score.

I went to Kerri's that weekend and learned to turn the beast on, and how to thread it, and most importantly - how to make it go. I still use the wallet we made that day.

Kisses!

Posted by Carrie at 01:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)