Real wins!

I can't believe it's the end of August already! It's been a while since my last post; I'm fine, just enjoying real life as opposed to virtual life, I guess. Real life has been healing and surprising and exciting and out-of-doors and tasty. I wish I could say more here; maybe in time.

I will say a little bit on the virtual slice. A while back I started detailing all sorts of crafty pursuits and putting them on a "link party" site which I think overloaded me. I would check out all these brilliant things others were making and then look at my stuff and feel it wasn't as cute or cool or useful or unique. It seemed lots of people from this site would come to look at what I made but the only people who ever left comments were those I had already left comments for. Maybe I don't get it but for me, I would like someone to comment if they think something is truly lovely, not because they figure they owe it to me. I commented on those projects I thought were amazing or unique or green in nature, not because I wanted these folks to come and leave a comment on my blog. I had started linking to this site thinking I would connect with more like-minded souls out there and came away with a bad taste in my mouth.

I think for me I need to stay on my former path and if that means I don't connect with many other people, so be it. I need to get back to craftiness with regularity. I need to enjoy my own process and results and not compare them to one hundred other people who might just have more time, more financial freedom, more innate color coordination than I possess.

I may still connect to the Upcycled Awesome site when I have a project that fits in with this ideal. Plus I like to see what Upcycled Awesomeness I can be further inspired by.

I do want to get back in the saddle and catch up on all the blogs I read but it may take me some time.

Now to catch you up on my knitting!!!
1. I went to the fabulous Blooming Yarns, scored three skeins of Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton in Pumpkin, Dye Lot 7071, and have enough to finish my wrap. I also walked out with 7 skeins of Blue Sky Organic Skinny Dyed Cotton in two colorways (3 of one, 4 of another) which was also on sale at 30% off. The shop personnel as well as the customers were very friendly and welcoming (it may have helped my cause to have Wee One there as well, who was greeted with great cheer) and even invited me to an evening knitting group. Which due to Life I will not be able to attend for some time, but Life is the best reason, I suppose.




2. I am knitting the wrap again! Not with high velocity, or even total accuracy as I have had to rip back a few times and drop some stitches to re-cable them correctly. I am however making steady progress and yesterday I reached the official half-way mark! I must update her Ravelry status...

3. I know what I will knit next and I will be using yarn already in the stash as well as a pattern I already possess.

I think this says enough for today; now off to catch up on some blogs before Life calls (er, Wee One awakens)!

Complaining and Compassion; Does One Make Up for the Other?

Why do I do this to myself?

Of course, my knitting is going at a snail's pace so this isn't a huge deal quite yet, but I will need another two, if not three to be super-safe, balls of Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton in Pumpkin, dye lot 7071. I bought the eight balls I have at The Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival, of all places as part of a kit and decided to try a different pattern (this one HERE) instead of a boring all-stockinette wrap pattern included with the yarn. I really liked the color and vegan/enviro friendly yarn and it was difficult at best to find any non-animal, much less green, fiber there. No, don't think I will waste my time and money there this year...

So here I am, trying tonight to sit down and find more yarn in this dye lot. No online stores seem to list dye lots; I can't be the only one out there who has not purchased enough yarn for something before, right? Does anyone know how I would go about finding this yarn? I did try Ravelry already and would prefer not to call every shop I find to ask about the dye lot. I will however do this if necessary.

Enough complaining about my silly knitting troubles. Wanted to mention a sweet idea here and also **gulp** publically commit myself to this project.

The idea is from Christabel and you can read about it RIGHT HERE. The first week of October will be Compassionate Craft Week 2010. I'm thinking most of you who look at this blog might already know of it and might be thinking of doing it anyway. If anyone out there knows of someone who might be crafty, please pass the word along. Thanks for your help (and compassion)!

Resting Per Decree?

It's been a while; what has Ms. Knitsburgh been up to, you ask?





First, there was a large batch (37!!!) of pierogies!

Magnets, to be exact here. Both Nature Boy and Kay also assisted with some of the eyes and mouths.

The pierogies were part of a gift bag Nature Boy and I put together for the participants of the the First Annual Anything that Floats Boat Race, held during Old Home Day in Lopez, PA. Of course, this meant three boats had to be built, one for Nature Boy, one for me and one for Wee One.



Nature Boy made all three and I sewed a sail for my catamaran. Which by the way came in first place for the High Stakes Boat Race winning me $18! It was really a fun weekend and we had a great time.

I also made nine bibs for Wee One for a total of 12 reversible flannel bibs that do not stain or come off.

I'm trying to get things back to the usual but something out there is working against me here; maybe the universe is telling me to rest up? We have no water today so no laundry or cleaning will be done. Maybe tomorrow we will be back in the saddle again...

Despite my earlier setback, a small success...

Even though this little project didn't work out as I first envisioned, I was able to pull off the accessory for it.


A headband! From a shirt collar. From a men's shirt that cost $1 in a consignment shop.

If you find yourself refashioning/upcycling a shirt with a collar, it's really easy to make one of these babies. Plus instead of throwing out the collar, you can eek out one more usable item and prevent even more fabric from getting into a landfill. The result is a nice, sturdy, thick band that really works for crazy out of control hair (those thin tiny headbands simply laugh at me when I try to wear them).



Just cut the collar from the shirt, then cut the part of the collar that would rest against your neck away from the pointy-end piece. The pointy-end piece can be reserved for something else creative you might make. I haven't decided what mine will be yet but you can bet I will save it 'til I come up with that something else. When I cut the pieces apart, I made sure I did not cut through any of the outer stitches so I didn't even have to finish the edges, they were quite secure on their own. You could take off the button on one side, or leave it like I did for charm (or as an emergency secret button for some day when you find a button has escaped from some sort of clothing).


Next, grab a little scrap of elastic you have swimming around in your sewing box from some other project (baby yoga pants, represent). Sew it to the inside of one end. I sewed mine by hand but you could also do it with your machine.


Pin the elastic to the inside of the other end, try on your headband and adjust the pin as needed to ensure a snug but not headache-inducing fit. Stitch this end in place too.


Voila! Wear it like the awesome green crafty one you are! Show it off to your cat who witnessed said transformation and looks really impressed! And good luck on your shirt repurposing....

Added to Upcycled Awesome--go see what other people have made this week!!!

Added to Tea Rose--other crafty fun here too!

Yet another obituary...

PINK DRESS-SHIRT DRESS, born July 19, 2010, died on July 20, 2010 after a surgical procedure to install a zipper. Pink Dress-Shirt Dress was the child of Ms. Knitsburgh's imagination and a men's Van Heusen dress shirt bought at the Avalon Exchange for $1.00. Such a short life; you will forever be missed and revered.

So the above ran in the Knitsburgh Times today. I so wanted to be showing you pics of me and this dress, happy together. Alas, it was not meant to be, another fate awaits her. That's right, I'm talking reincarnation here!

I used a lovely little frock that I quite like and is linen as my pattern. Problem was I did not take into consideration there is a zipper in my pattern-frock to help with the fitting of the waist over one's bosom when putting it on. Without the zipper I could get it over but I swear, it felt like a mammogram and I knew I would not wear the evil torture device as it were. I cut and installed a zipper no less than twice (I admit to you and only you I installed the zipper on the bodice portion only first and then when I went to try it on, same problem, waist strangling my chest). The second time I tried it on and --damn!!! Having to hem the seam allowances for the zipper made it too tight across the heiney and stomach, two areas I definitely want some flowing fabric to cover. A bummer for sure but I will live.

Wee One even offered to help fix it and got out his tools...so helpful, my Wee One!

In other events today, we got rear-ended on our way to dinner at Moe's! No one was injured but this sort of thing makes me feel really weird. I'm kind of glad I was driving and drove us to Ikea and then home too, one of those get-right-back-in-the-saddle things.

I also want to say this; I love to go to Ikea but we never buy any furniture there because our house is really not the "Ikea style." Meaning, our home is not very modern or Swedish or whatever you call that style. I do wish we could call our furniture things like "Skoog" and "Bjork" and "Flurgan."

Before you feel all bad for me because I don't have interesting names for my furniture or because we got rear-ended, know this: I still found some things to buy! Knitsburgh now has even more animal shaped cookie cutters; even more Wee One cups; even more fabric and yes, a glass jar to make some sun tea in along with a set of funnels for funneling. How did we ever get by before today?

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Bias Tape?

Upcycled Clothespin Bag!

I admit it; when I started this little project I was starting to take the wimpy safe road. You see, I have been keeping my clothespins in the plastic bag they came in originally which was really not working out well for many reasons. For months I have been including a clothespin bag on my list of things I should sew soon.

I found this pattern here and sat down to do it yesterday. I made the pattern out of newspaper in the afternoon, then cut out the fabric and sewed in the evening, both when Wee One was sleeping. It was getting late and I was saying things like this:

"I don't HAVE to make bias tape; I'm making it out of denim which is cool when it frays so I will just sew around the opening and let the edges fray."

Then I grew a sewing spine. I had bought a bias tape thingy you use with your iron months ago and still had to try it. If I messed up sewing the bias tape on, I thought, who cares, it's a silly clothespin bag. I really needed to step up and do it and this was the perfect trial run situation.

Can I just say it took a lot longer than it probably should but it was awesome! First, the tool, way easier than folding your own tape and burning your fingers. I pinned it onto the bag like crazy so the sewing was very slow but honestly, I feel it was all in all a success.

SO BIASED!!!

The body of the bag is made from a pair of maternity jean overalls. I bought them in a thrift store but they were really really big so I never wore them, prego or otherwise. I don't think I could alter them well to fit so they have been in my "to be transformed" pile of stuff. The bias tape is made from a striped button down shirt that I don't think or hope to ever wear again (and certainly won't be now) which was also a thrift store find when I was working outside the home.

I also made another origami wrap from a maternity dress from Old Navy. I cut off the bottom and cut up one side to make the fabric piece for the wrap. The remaining piece might just become a little something to sleep (ahem!) in. Or maybe if I can figure out a way to reduce the cleavage factor, a shirt...

Any ideas on how to make it wearable?

TA-DAAAHHH: Housecoat to....

So onward I forge on the journey to clear out my closet and upcycle anything I do not/cannot wear these days.

I give you this mu mu housecoat in plaid:


She was purchased in May of last year as a "birthing outfit." Back when I wanted something discreet and easy to get on or off and nurse the baby with. I bought not one but TWO of these beauties (one in plain purple, thank you). Let's just say they were not worn in any way during the birth of Wee One. Let's just say even though everyone says modesty goes flying out the window when you are in labor and you believe you will of course be the exception to this rule, you were way wrong.

While we are here, smack on the topic of "Birthing Outfits," let me tell you this one. We had a little class through the birthing center where Wee One was born which prepared us for natural childbirth. It was not Lamaze, it was not all breathing-centered, it was awesome. It was also awesome because one of the expectant mamas, on the first day of this weekly class, stated she already had her "Birthing Outfit" picked out and she described it as "rhinestone encrusted."

Let me also say this; if one plans to have a baby, don't worry about a "Birthing Outfit." Go get a giant t-shirt if you must but no more. You won't want to wear anything nice for about two weeks after you have your baby anyways due to the lochia.

So I have two birthing mu mus I bought in Kmart while I was uber-prego to wear and never really did. Surely there must be something they could become...


JAMMIES!

Some decent modest jammies to wear when you have company in the house and don't want to wear your ratty sweat-shorts and t-shirt.


First I cut the top and bottom apart after trying it one and pinning where I wanted the bottom of the top to fall. I then cut one inch below this line to allow for hemming under.

Next, I used some jammy pants as a template and cut out four pieces of fabric from the bottom, two for the front of the shorts and two for the back. It was tricky because I wanted to keep the pockets as they were and have them be usable. I also had to make sure I had some extra fabric at the top to make the drawstring channel (extra 1.5 inches).


I pinned the shorts right sides together and sewed. I sewed the outer seams first, then the crotch, then the inseam. I folded down the top of the shorts to sew a channel for a drawstring.




Finally, I took the top in about 1.5 inches on each side, then hemmed. Super-easy and perfect for warm weather sleeping.

The shorts came out a bit longer than I intended due to wanting to keep the bottom ruffle and also include the pockets. If I make another pair from the remaining purple mu mu I might try and make them a little shorter. I would also try and make the top a bit longer and forget about the pockets; I mean, what would I need pockets for while I'm sleeping anyway?

EDIT: ADDED THIS POST TO THE LINK PARTY AT TEA ROSE--go there now to check out all the sweet stuff everyone else made recently!

ALSO added here-thanks Robin!