Finished! The Feminine Cardi

Feminine Cardigan-Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel

Knitpicks-Merino Style in Maple Leaf

Started: August 2008

Finished: April 2009

After working on this things for nine months I finally finished. I didn't mean to be so slow in knitting this but I kept finding myself picking it up and putting down. Now with the ever changing Spring weather I felt compelled to finish it before it becomes to warm to wear it and then I'll have to wait until Fall. I think this is such a beautiful cardigan as are many of the sweater in Ms. Japels book. I definitely plan on doing more projects from this book.

The last part of this sweater was choosing button. I went with some bronzy buttons that have nice vintage look to them. My boyfriend felt I should have went for gold button but for some reason that just seemed to obvious. Like it would be expected. I felt this sweater needed something a little more special. I'm very happy wtih the buttons I chose.

My next knitting project will hopefully be the Caftan Pullover from the Interweave Knits archives. I hope to make it in a nice yellow cotton.

Right now I'm working on a blouse from an issue of Burda and hope to have it finished by the end of the week.

Sorry I've been gone so long but now I'm back.

Happy Crafting!!!

P.S. After seeing the informercial all weekend I want a Cricut. lololololol

Well Hello There

I know, I know, it has been a while since I've posted anything, but nothing has really been going on with me lately. Well, that is until this past weekend. My birthday is in about two weeks and every year I treat myself to something expensive. Something I would think twice about buying other time but really, really want. Last year it was my Tassimo, one year it was $300 coat. Well this time I treated myself to this:




An Acer Aspire One AOA150-1570 Netbook with Windows - Sapphire Blue. Can I tell you how much I love this thing. I knew it was fated for me to have it when I explained my internet service to the salesperson to find out if I need a wireless router or transmitter and he informed me that if I have the modem he thinks I have I'm already wireless. I'll take it was the next thing out of my mouth. I purchased it on Saturday and spent all day Sunday in bed playing with it. I surfed the net, checked up on blocgs caught up on e-mail. I think I only got out of my bed twice and that was to make breakfast and get ready for the next day. The battery life has much to be desired but I usually just plug it in when I'm home. This is like the best purchase I made second to my sewing machine and my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer.


Here is the progress on my Feminine Cardigan. Please excuse the bra.



I really haven't got that far. It has gotten pretty boring now. The only thing that has kept me going is that I know how pretty my cardigan will be when it's done. I just hope I can finish it before summer. lololololol


Hope to have this sweater done soon. Until then Happy Sewing.

Finally! (Pic Heavy)

I know I haven't really posted anything in awhile, I've just been so lazy, but I have been working on stuff and now I am ready to show yall. First up, the Kasia high waisted skirt and the silk tie neck blouse.

I've been working on this skirt for the last three months, picking up and putting it down. Finally, last week I just buckled down and finished the skirt. All I had left to do was the hand sewing so I did that while I watched Desperate Housewives. I'm very happy with the way it turned out and if the weather is nice enough I might wear it this week.

I also decided to show a pic of me wearing the silk blouse I made about two months ago. I just feel like showing a picture of it on the mannequin does it no justice. I love this blouse so much, that I have worn several times since I made it and I constantly get compliments on it. I actually plan to make another one soon.

I also tried my hand again at Rusted Root. Remember earlier this year I unraveled it because it was too small well this time I just jumped right in and started again. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out even if it is a little big on me. I used RYC Cashsoft from Purl Soho. It feels so soft against the skin. One thing I can' stand is an itchy sweater especially if it is against my skin. I wore it this past Friday and got quite a few compliments on it and everyone was surprised when I told them I knitted myself. I have yarn in my stash to make another one.

I'm really proud at how the "Rusted Root" design turned out. In the process of knitting this sweater I didn't make one mistake. After awhile knitting the design was almost like second nature.

Right now I am working on the Puffed Sleeve Feminine Cardigan from Stephanie Japel's Fitted Knits. It is actually taking me a while to do but what keeps me going is the way it will look when it is done.

I can already see all the things I will be wearing it with. I'm using Knit Picks Merino Style in Maple Leaf just as it was suggested in the book. I just love the color red and this is a beautiful bright shade of red. I have other things in the works that I plan on doing in the next couple of weeks. I hope to post more often but with work and school it seems to get harder every time.

Until next time Happy Sewing and Knitting!

Does this happen to you

Have you ever had the extreme urge to be crafty but just can't seem to get the energy together to do anything. That's me right now. I've been dying to finish my Kasia skirt, which has been sitting on my sewing machine for over a month, but I just can't seem to get the energy. I already imagined all the tops I would wear the skirt with to look like a NYC Diva. I've decided to put a little more effort into my appearance. Especially now that I'm working in the ever trendy Soho area. A place that is bad for my pockets but great for my style.

Before working in this area I never seem to come this far downtown which is such a shame since I've discovered so many great stores. One of my favorite stores is Mango. It is similiar to H&M. They have all the trends at a reasonable price. I'm a big fan of their tops. Not a fan of their pants. I guess they are targeting model types because all the legs are extremely long. Penelope Cruz and her sister have a line there.

Rusted Root is coming along. I just have to do the sleeves and the neckline and I'm done. It's a little big but not unwearable.

Question. Has anyone in the knitting world picked up the new Stephanie Japel knitting book, Glam Knits.

Well I purchased my copy and can I tell you...the sweaters are gorgeous. I've already put stickies on the things I want to make, but they will have to wait until I make some cardigans from her first book. lolololololol

Well, as God is my witness I will finish the Kasia skirt this weekend. It isn't like I have much to do to it other than putting in the zipper, buttons, and hemming it. I want to wear it with the new sweater I bought from Mango. ;) I hope to have stuff to show by the end of the weekend.

Until Later!

Fall Trend: Winter Florals

So once again I killed two birds with one stone. This time winter florals made up in the seasons most popular trend, the tie neck blouse. I made this blouse using NL6831, View D . I finished this blouse about two months ago and I'm just now getting around to showing it. I made used a a beautiful Nanette Lepore silk charmeuse I found at Mood Fabrics. As seen as I saw the fabric I immediately knew what I wanted to make. I didn't like the sleeve options offered for the blouse so instead I used the puffed sleeves from McCall 5708 . I actually like it better with the short puffed sleeves. I love this pattern so much that I am definitely going to make this blouse again. I mean, you can never have too many blouses.

I also knitted this thin lace scarf from Vogue Knitting Presents Debbie Bliss using Jo Sharp's Silkroad DK Tweed. It was similar to Debbie Bliss's recommended yarn, but cheaper and more yardage. This was a real quick knit. It only took me 4 days and that's saying a lot since I feel like I'm the slowest knitter in the world. I was happy that I was able to get it done so quick because I was able to wear the scarf before the weather in NY really got chilly. I made the scarf longer than the instruction called for because I wanted to completely use the two balls of yarn I purchased just for the project.

Now I'm revisiting the Rusted Root knitting pattern. I started last week and now I've finally gotten to the torso. The good thing about doing this pattern now is when I'm done it will actually fit. whoohoo I checked the gauge. lololol I'm also still working on the Kasia skirt from Burdastyle. I'm almost done I just can't ssem to get myself to the machine to complete the skirt, which is bad because I really want to wear it. lolololololol

I'm going to try to post more often now that my sewing mojo is staring to rev up again. I already saw a blouse in the October issue of Burda that I'm dying to make out of some purple cotton I have in my stash.

See yall later.

I hope I have not been forgotten

I know its been exactly a month since I posted, but I'm still here. Life has kind of gotten in the way but I'm getting things back in order. Even though I haven't posted in awhile I have been creative. In fact I've completed four pieces. I made a Burda tulip skirt, New Look 6831 tie neck blouse in a beautiful Nanette Lepore silk that I found, The Burda Kasia skirt, and Debbie Bliss Lace Scarf from the special edition Vogue Knitting Magazine. I will show you everything I've been working this weekend for sure.

Sorry I've been away for awhile, but I have been checking everyones blog and its been keeping my creative mojo going in my time of need. lolol

See you soon!

Extra! Extra!

Hey,

Knitting friends in the blogsphere have you heard about or seen this. I was in the Barnes and Noble magazine craft section when my eyes fell upon this:

Imagine my suprise. Vogue Knitting Presents Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine. According to the insert this magazine will be issued twice year at $7.99 an issue. It's everything you've come to expect of Debbie Bliss. The knits in this magazine are phenomenal, from beautiful scarves to breathtakingly intricate sweaters. You get the same quality of projects that you come to expect from her more expensive knitting magazines. Make sure to check your local newsstand, LYS and bookstore for this premiere issue. I've already chosen my first project. lolol