Wordless Wednesday: WIP: Zest Cardigan

Find the pattern here.

Hand Knit Owl Mittens, Part 1

I've been teaching myself to knit for a couple of years now. I've made all the obligatory dishtowels, have learned to make socks, and work on circular needles. I needed a new challenge! These hand knit owl mittens were just the thing. :)

For this project I learned to use DPNs (doube point needles). I bought these beautiful needles from KnitPicks, HERE. They're actually easier to use then I imagined and I'm glad I invested in them. 

I also learned to do colorwork. I've admired this technique for a long time and just needed the right project to start. The pattern is called Owl Mittens and is designed by Spilly Jane. You can find the pattern for sale on Ravelry, HERE. 

The yarns I'm using are Capretta's Turmeric and Wine fingering weight. You can find them, HERE.

I'm a slow knitter so I only have 1 mitten partially finished. I figured that if I started working on them this spring that I should have them done by this fall! Well, that's the hope. :)

Knitting the cuff

Beginning the colorwork

Kitting the owl pattern

The owl pattern is looking great!

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Heather's Green Home Goods

Heather's Weekly Gazette, Issue 3

Things have been busy as always around here! I took a little downtime this week to work on easy things since Nature has decided to bloom, driving me inside with horrible sinus headaches. I’ll survive fortunately. :)

WIP’s (works in progress)

Open-Backed Dress Mock-Up

I finally completed my test sewing on the new pattern. The fit is going to be really nice and I've decided to add bust cups to the final product. I think the dress was designed for a stick, and I am not.

• Dress Style 1: Triangle Back

I only needed to do a minor adjustment on the back. One of the triangles gaped open oddly so I just cut off the bottom of the triangle.

• Dress Style 2: Strappy Back

This dress also needed minor adjustments. The top front gaped open a little so I measured what needed to be removed and took it off my pattern.

• Lastly, on both dresses I altered the necklines for a completely different look. :)

Mending

I've also done quite a bit of mending this past week…. torn pants, holes in quilts, that kind of thing. Nothing really fancy but I’m so glad it’s all crossed of my list now!

There were several other things I worked on but those were just the highlights. ;)

The Yarn Alcove

I finally finished hand winding all that new yarn I got! The turquoise yarn is so beautiful!

I’m still slowly knitting away on my Woodland Shawl. Sorry I forgot a photo of it for this week. Hopefully it’ll be longer (and prettier) next week so I can show it off then! You can find me and the shawl pattern on Ravelry. My handle is hgreenhomegoods over there and I'd love to connect with more yarnies! :)

UFO's (unfinished objects)

Oh boy, UFO’s… one in particular has been a thorn in my side. When I got this project, I was in love, ‘oh, this is nothing!’,I said... ‘I’ll have this done by Christmas!’, I said. Little did I know how involved this project was! The Canvas Log Cabin has gotten most of my attention this week. I’ve stitched while watching TV. I’ve stitched in-between projects and chores. I spent a whole day stitching (and watching Season 1 of S.H.I.E.L.D.- yes, all 12 hours of it). And I STILL don’t feel like I’ve made much progress on it. I’ve gotten the whole interior stitched up but not put together. I have a few bits here and there to stitch up before I can put the second floor loft together and stitch it to the interior. BUT, I’m so much further along than I was a week ago. Progress, one step at a time.

New Toys

I hit up a Hancock’s fabric store that was going out of business this past week and bought some good stuff on sale. I found some fun fabrics but also invested in another pair of Gingher scissors. If you don’t have good quality sewing shears or are in the market for new ones, get this brand! I also got a Sidewinder by Simplicity. The verdict is still out on this one for me. I think it’s a little flimsy but hopefully it’ll save me some time winding bobbins. And lastly, I got a couple vintage style patterns. I love Vogue sewing patterns but at $20+ each a pop buying them isn’t usually an option. I managed to get these for $4 each! :) I think that’s a win!

Home & School

My college classes are still going. I’m starting to feel like they’ll never end. I’m not particularly enjoying my Merchandising 2 class which probably has a lot to do with the way I’m feeling. My fingers are crossed though that I can still pass everything with flying colors. 6 weeks and counting!

My dryer has been giving me a headache this past month. First, the heating element went out & we had to wait 2 weeks for parts and repairs. Then, the panel with all the knobs need a clip replaced and the repair guy shorted out my dryer. He actually blew the fuses while replacing the clips. What repair guy doesn’t unplug or ask for the breaker to be turned off before working… apparently this guy. After doing our own trouble shooting and being thankful we had new fuses my dryer was back to working. Hey, I only had to hang 1 load on the laundry line. I got really lucky with my busy schedule. Things could have been much worse!

Lastly, my youngest son is starting Kindergarten next year (grab the tissues!) and we’ve been busy with Kindergarten Round Up & Screening. He’s going to do excellent in school. He got high marks on everything at the screening. We both also went to have our eyes checked. He’s never had his done and it was all kinda strange to him. I had mine checked too just to show him it’s ok and not too worry (and because it’s been 15 years since my last check up)! He’s not color blind and has 25/25 vision- those letters are tricky for a still learning 5 year old! And I have 20/20 vision, with an excellent report. I had a photo taken of the back of my eye and the Dr let me take a photo. lol It’s kinda weird looking!

OK, so now that I’ve grossed you all out I’ll sign off with a little something to look forward to….

Look for details this week!!!

WIP: Circle Fan Quilt

WIP aka Work In Progress... I have several of those! I tend to get bored with a project and start something else, then the old project gets put on the back burner. I've been working on this WIP for ever, or at least it seems like that! I started it last year some time. I think. Anyways, I completed another block. Go me! :) 7 more to go....

It will be done, eventually. I can't wait!

WIP: Ripple Blanket

I like to crochet when I have the time. This is a WIP, work in progress, that I've worked on for about a month or so. It's working up really quickly and is a pretty mindless activity I can do while watching TV (or Netflix on my Kindle). The goal of this WIP is to use up my stash of yarn, to buy little to no additional yarn. The colors seem to be all over the place right now. But there is a method to the madness, which won't be visual until I'm further along in the blanket. I'll post again as I get create more of it! :)

For the ripple pattern you can go HERE to find out more.