Waffling

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This past month has certainly been a busy one! I've finished mid-terms (barely) and made it home for spring break. I've been trying to find housing for next year (harder than you might think!) and a summer internship that pays (about as hard as you think) and a summer job (I'm applying to some knit and craft shops on the East side of Lake Washington) and trying to get some work ahead done for my classes. That being said... I've completed Alixandra's gauntlets (see previous post), almost finished one side of my current project (see below) and mom and I finished my knitting needle case (also see below)!

Alixandra's Spiryogyra Gauntlets - Complete
They turned out nicely, I think. Unfortunately, I got them done and gave them to her just as Walla Walla is warming up so I might have to wait until next fall to see her wear them. Pictures then.

Cabled Pillows (?) - Current Project
Right now I'm making pillows! Basically, I'm going to knit two roughly 14x14" squares (when blocked... my edges are curling) and then line them and then sew them together and then stuff them. That is my incredibly vague master plan. I don't know if pillows actually work like that. But I'm not sure about the whole pillow idea. The picture here on the left is what I've done so far. I like the pattern and I really like the yarn - it's the Suri Merino that I got on my yarn quest mentioned in THIS POST - but I'm not sure about the pillows. I'm worried they won't look very contemporary. And I don't want to do all this work for non-cool pillows.

Here's a close up of the pattern I'm making. It's called a Saxon Cable. It's pretty easy. The first set was a little confusing, but once I saw the pattern (when you're at this spot in the fabric, the cable needs to turn in, so it makes sense to move the purling to the right, etc.) it went a lot faster. I think I'm going to put on one more repeat of the pattern (17 more rows) and then see how close to being square it is. I might need to put on 5 total though.

But since I'm worried about the pillows turing out sorta lame, I'm thinking about making the squares into a little quilt. This presents several problems:
1) I have to buy way more yarn. I mean, way more. It looks like just one side of a pillow is going to take more than one skein so I'll already have to buy more just for pillows. (I have 2 skeins of green... all they had, 4 skeins of brown, and 4 skeins of white/beige).
2) This is going to be way more work. As in, possibly infinite never finished project that sucks my soul away leaving me a worthless husk of miserable knitting-ness.
3) The pillows (or quilt) are going to be living at my boyfriend Curtis's house. I haven't talked to him to see what he thinks of the pillows so far. I was going to talk to him about it when I go back to Walla Walla at the end of the week. I don't even know if he *wants* a blanket for in the living room. I don't know if he is going to be worried about the pillows not being up-to-date enough.
4) I don't know how big to make the quilt! If I do the pattern I've drawn (see image on right above) the blanket will be about 3.5'x3.5'. I guess that's okay for a little lap blanket, but I don't really like little lap blankets. I want to be able to curl up under a blanket. But I really like the design I've made. The green squares would all be the same saxon cables; the little squares inside the larger ones on the outside would be this neat leaf pattern I've found; the smaller squares on the inside would be some sort of pattern I haven't decided on yet. I could make it bigger (think closer to 4'x5') but then that messes up my design unless I make it HUGE, which I really don't want to do.
5) I don't know if a quilt is less lame than pillows. It might be just as lame but with more work.
6) I need to find the same dye lot. This is problem no matter what. Uggggh. I thought I bought enough... I'll have to call Jacci's Yarn Basket and see if she has anymore. If not, then I guess I'm on the ultimate yarn quest.

Knitting Needle Case - Complete
The knitting needle case is complete!!! Hooray! Mom did most of the sewing (well, okay all of it except for the hand sewing) and it turned out awesome. Brace yourself for picture show!

In progress:


Complete and closed up:

We're still deciding on ribbon length. They won't actually be that long.

Opening...:


Open:


With the flap up:

Without a flap, you run the risk of having your needles slip out. A very sad event indeed.

The oustide when opened:


All sorts of details and close-ups:

One of two zippered pockets. This one has a clear window in the front of the pocket so you can see what's inside!


Very cute butterfly applique! Also, please note the hot pink top-stitching.


Needle pockets! There are 15 slots for double-pointed needles (pictured) and 15 for straight needles. Again, note the hot pink top-stitching.

Thanks Mom!

Library Updates!
I've decided to do little reviews of the knitting books that I own (or are considing owning) and like at the end of each post. Usually it will be just one book, magazine, pamphlet, what have you at a time. Also, if it's available on Amazon for you to purchase, I'll put a link up.

I've added a book to my knitting library. Romantic Knits by Jennie Atkinson is really lovely. There are a bunch of really cute designs and patterns in here. Atkinson designed the beret that I made for Quinn's birthday. The design on the cover is her Butterfly Dress and I have every intention of making it eventually. There are also some lovely robes and some cute slipper socks.

The pictures are full page and full color. The book itself isn't particularly easy to carry around - it's pretty big. The instructions look easy enough to follow and there is a useful guide in the back of the book. What caught my eye in that guide was a little article on different finishing techniques you can do on the edge of your garments. I would definitely recommend this for a confident knitter.

***

I've also checked out Sock Innovation by Cookie A from the school library. I'm debating whether I should buy it or not. It has a lot of really useful information on how to make socks and (even better!) design your own. The patterns in the book are interesting, but I'm worried for someone who has never made socks (and has never had to turn a heel... or shape anything really...) that they might be too hard. It would probably be a good one to get though. I'm just not sure.

Soft Needle Case

So, technically this project isn't knitting or crocheting, but it's relevant, I swear. I've designed a soft knitting needle case because I was tired of the one I have not having the features that I wanted. Stuff always fell out, I didn't have enough pockets or the pockets that were there were either too big or too small.

This needle case has enough pockets to store ALL of my double pointed needles (sizes 0 - 11) and ALL of my 9" straight single-point needles (sizes 0 - 14) and it has two zipper pockets, one of which has a clear plastic window so I can easily see what is inside. Added bonus: when you make it yourself, you get to pick out the colors and the prints.

Inside View
This is what the case will look like completely unfolded. The yellow bit at the top is a flap that will fold over to keep the needles from slipping out. I know it looks a bit chaotic, but I am certain that the finished product will look great. (For pictures of the fabric I purchased, scroll to the end of this post). The finished measurements of the unfolded case should be (if all goes according to plan) h:16", w:19".



Outside Design
And, as you probably guessed, this is what it will look like folded into thirds. The flowers are part of a print that I purchased, but the band across the middle will be sewn on. In in the picture I have a button and elastic closure, but I'm considering have the ribbon (green, lacey, pictured below) tie on the side instead.

On the band across the middle, I'm either going to embroider a 'K' (for Kristine! or for knitting. Whichever) or a little hedgehog! I really like hedgehogs; I think they're just adorable, plus they have lots of needles, which makes them an appropriate mascot for a knitter.







This is the fabric I've picked out for the inside of the case. The green fabric and the pink polka dotted print will be the zippered pockets on the left. The pale yellow is trim and the flap at the top. The pink swirls will be the back two pockets for both needles. The large flowers will go on the front pockets for needles. I don't know if that made any sense, but I'll upload a picture when it's done.


And, deductive logic never failing, this is the fabric and ribbon for the outside of the case. And as pleased as I am with my design, I must say that the print on this fabric looks much nicer than the flowers that I drew.

Anyway, what really made me decide to try and make my own needle organizer (with significant help from my mother (thanks Mom!), who actually knows how to use a sewing machine, unlike myself) was seeing the needle organizers made by sarahkincheloe on Etsy.com. I knew I was frustrated with my needle case, but after seeing her cute fabrics and the way she made her organizers I knew that I wanted something like that. You know, something that functioned and still looked pretty? The only thing missing for me was a zipper pocket, but after looking all over the place, I've come to the conclusion that normal people don't want or need zippered pockets in their knitting needle organizers. Regardless, she has some really cute ones up and you should definitely check out her shop. (I especially like THIS print and THIS one!)

Outside (and unrelated...) Viewing & Reading with Hedgehogs:
Hedgehogs love cilantro
Orphaned Hedgehogs Adopt a New Mom
And a book I want to read:
Elegance of the Hedgehog