Purls and Pugs

Progress Update

I had some time off over the Christmas Holiday, and since it was either extremely cold, wet, icy, or snowy, I did manage to get more knitting done than the body of Tang. Here is a pic of Something Black with one sleeve complete and one sleeve getting to the point of completion.

I'm really liking this yarn to the point that when I have managed to free up some of my stash and gotten closer to the end of "To Do" list, then I will get some more of this yarn for a comfy pullover. I hope it's still around when I want to do that...

Stay tuned...completed pics to come soon!!

Secret Christmas Sewing Revealed

I mentioned a couple times that I had some secret sewing project that I was working on as a gift. Well, now that I've given out my gifts for this Christmas (well, most of them), I can reveal was I was making. It's my first quilt! I decided to make my sister a quilt with pictures of Lillie, her dog on it. I really am happy about how it turned out. I went simple for the first time with design and quilting, but I will have to try something a little more complicated soon!

Since it was my first time, I wasn't sure about how the size would turn out. So, it ended up being about a crib size, but I'm ok with quality over quantity.

At first I sort of dreaded making it, but as I got going and it started taking form, it wasn't that bad of an endeavor. I still hate cutting out the fabric, but who really likes that?!

What do you do when it's -15 (F) outside and icy?

You knit, of course! I made some real progress on Tang so far on my little Christmas vacation. I've gotten the body done and now need to begin the sleeves. I have to say that I was quite intimidated by this little sweater when I started, but you know what? It's fun! It really is.

I was a little afraid the arm holes were going to be a little too big for me, but when I tried it on, they didn't seem to be. I guess we'll have to see after the sleeves are knit. This really is the part I am looking forward to--the sleeves. The body was a little more exciting than I thought it would be, though.

The whole time I was knitting this sweater, I thought to myself, "Self, you could do all sorts of things with this...cable knit sweaters, laces, shells...." But I guess that was the purpose that Wendy had intended.

Well, Christmas is upon us, so BFF and I are going to visit the city for a little Christmas spirit. Hot Toddies, HUGE tree in Daley Plaza, the Walnut Room, and more all await us. Stay warm and safe while traveling!

Still Tangy

Well, I am moving along on Tang. To be honest, it's fun! I've been excited to pick it up and keep knitting every day. I can't wait to get done with the body so I can work on the sleeves. I've just completed the neck increases and and cast on the front neck stitches. I need to keep knitting the front until I am able to join the front and back together for knitting in the round.

Soon, I hope!!!

How can one person eat that many cookies?!

The holidays are approaching and everywhere people are celebrating by participating in silly holiday rituals like baking. I am by no means a baker, but BFF wanted to have a baking day, so I obliged. My quest for cookie recipes began with a quick search on the Internet for Kolacky (Polish pastries) and a white chocolate cranberry cookie. Then I found Martha Stewart's new cookie book. For someone who doesn't bake, I have to say this book will be very useful in the future. It's always a "good thing" to have a resource where you can find a recipe for just about every type of cookie. So, I made double chocolate coconut and peanut butter cookies from her book. Then I made some break apart snickerdoodles and mint chocolate chip cookies. Finally, I threw together some sugar cookies.

Whew! It made me tired thinking about all the cookies I made. But they are good and I plan to share!!

It's here! It's here!

I just received my new Amy Butler's Little Stitches book! It's so damn cute!!! If they weren't such a commitment, I'd consider having a kiddie just to be able to make some of this stuff. Kind of like that Volkswagen commercial with Brooke Shields about people having babies to get minivans. But, I will settle for sewing stuff for other people's babies instead. I'm having too much fun right now to just go and have a kid.

This is the Cheeky Monkey Laundry Bag from the book. Doesn't it just make you sick how cute it is? I think a lot of the appeal of these things, though, is Amy's fabric. It's so versatile and classy, but modern at the same time.

I also picked up a quilting book while I was at it because I just couldn't find an online source that really broke it down for me. I decided on Machine Quilting Made Easy after reading all the reviews of some books on Amazon. I think I've read about 5 pages and have learned more in those 5 pages than all the online reading I've done! So far, I highly recommend it!

Tangy, though, more like Sweet Tarts

Well, I went and did it. I cast on for another sweater. I even knit quite a bit of it, too. I decided that I also want to work on Tang from Custom Knits while I work on my Something Black. I'm anxious to learn the top down, set-in sleeve method. While I love the orange color of the sample in the book (are you really surprised?), I decided to use stash yarn rather than spend more money on yarn. This is Cascade 220 Heathers that I bought to make something from Fitted Knits. I decided awhile ago that I don't think this particular sweater will really look all that great on me, so the yarn went back into the unspoken for pile. It really is a great heathered purple yarn. I love all the other little colors in it! And I'm getting perfect gauge with it.

I have been pretty busy getting ready for some holidya parties, so no picture just yet. I'll try to get a picture as soon as I can and post it. The yarn alone is pretty enough to want to see!

Winter brings out the sewing machine

I mentioned a couple days ago that I am working on a secret sewing project. Well, you don't get to know about that, but I've also gotten excited about some new Amy Butler Patterns I've purchased. I picked up the Birdie Sling, Sophia Carryall, the Anna Tunic, and the Lotus Tunic patterns from Fabric.com. I have the fabric for my first Birdie Sling all ready to go. I just need to get the interfacing and stuff. I blame Monica for all the cute ones she's been sewing up!

I also want to get Amy's new book Amy Butler's Little Stitches. I have some friends who are pregnant, and these gifts look cute and useful! Love it!

Winterized Yoda

Well, it's that time of year again, time to pull out Yoda's sweater. It's been getting unseasonably cold here, so we need to keep the little princess warm on her potty breaks. I've even threatened her with the boots (little does she know I returned them, but that was hilarious!!). Maybe she'll learn to potty a little quicker. I can hope and wish, right?

In knitting news, I've picked up the Something Red, er, Black again, and I am going to town on the ribbing. I've done all the increasing, so I'm just knitting away on 2x4 Ribbing until the bottom. Then the sleeves. I'm actually really looking forward to finishing this sweater. It's looking very clean and polished and WARM. I don't know if because it's fuzzy that I think this is going to be the warmest, coziest sweater ever, but I do.

So, I've begun debating on the next project already. You all know the drill. I have enough yarn in my stash, and enough patterns to keep me busy for a while. I'm thinking that since my last two were cardigans, I will do a regular pullover of some sort. Perhaps Tang from Custom Knits. I've never done a top down sleeve like that, so it would be interesting to try and learn. But I still have the Cable Down Raglan to start back up and some others I've been thinking about.

I'm not a scrapbooker

Nope, I've tried that scrapbook thing. I love all the ribbons, eyelets, papers, stickers...but I'm just not good at it. Ok, maybe I'm just not creative or patient enough. So, I'm not a scrapbooker.

But, I am a book maker! I've been obsessed with making photo books lately. I found MyPublisher by accident and made a Lillie the Dog Book as well as a Summer 2008 book! They turned out fabulously. OMG! So, my enthusiasm spread. I showed them off at work, and one of the girls I work with made one of her Europe trip through ShutterFly. And it looks awesome, too! She's going to do one for her mom and her boyfriend is doing one of their Beijing Trip. She said that if I got commission from selling photobooks, I'd be rich.

There are no minimum orders, so you can order one book! And you do all the formatting and everything. These make great gifts...hint hint--Christmas, sillies!!

I think the next one might be my Munich trip. I just wish I could remember the captions for my Europe Trip so many years ago. AND digital cameras were not around then, so I'd have to scan away....Maybe I could send them to ScanCafe? Hmmm....