I Heart Intarsia

Are you familiar with Intarsia knitting? It's a graphic knitting technique where each color is kept on a spool, and knitted into the fabric by changing colors, locking them together with a special twist of the yarn. I haven't done much of it since I designed the Hat for a Prince, but lately I've had such a craving to try it out again. How sweet are these designs?!

Animal Pullovers for kids by Nicky Epstein (patterns available for purchase here).

Hi 5 mittens (from Kate Spade, thanks Beatriz). A small project, which I could use for practice...

Amazing lamb pullover (source unknown). Love the unusual placement of the Intarsia.

How great is this sweater from "Play It Again, Sam" (thanks for citing the source for me, Jen!). It's a Schiaparelli sweater (like this one I'm dying to make, from a free pattern) and SO CUTE. Plus, who doesn't love Diane Keaton?

The cutest apple sweater (from Bobo Choses), worn the the best kid's party I have ever seen.

Maple Bay Cardigan from this book, in my (never ending) list of knitting book wish list.
Have you ever tried Intarsia knitting, and if so, how did it go?

In a few days I'll announce the winner of the Sencha Pattern Giveaway (there's still time to enter!) and announce the giveaway for April. Stay tuned!

Buttermilking It...For All It's Worth

I was gifted a quart of buttermilk, and quickly got to using it last week. First, I made these oatmeal raisin cookies for work (recipe here). They were fantastic, but I added another quarter cup of oats to the batter to thicken it up a bit before baking, and it worked well.

Also, I made scones (recipe here). They came out a little overcooked and I could not figure out why. Then Mr. Jones then tried unsuccessfully to cook some soft boiled eggs and realized that our stove's kitchen timer was very...off. For every half hour it was adding 4 minutes!

So, with an oven which can't time cooking, nor give me the right temperature (it's 75 degrees too hot), nor show me how the goods are progressing during the bake (there's no oven window), I press on with my adventures in baking, somewhat undeterred. Imagine.

Walk with the Animals

It's Friday! Friday is the best day. Let's celebrate by looking at some people in animal costumes, interacting with animals:



(photos via Mayonaka)
Ok, the last one doesn't really count, but I love her knitwear! It's going to rain both Saturday and Sunday here. I'm taking this as a sign to get some Spring dresses sewn, before it gets too nice outside to justify more time in my craft room. May your weekend be Springy and bright!

Special Kneads: I Get Around

Behold the Pyrex 'Bake a Round', found at the Goodwill for $8! I was intrigued, excited, and a bit fearful, as the only instructions it came with were 3 photos on the side of the box.

It's a glorified glass tube in a wire rack, where you stuff your dough before the second rise. Could it really make me an elongated crusty loaf?

I greased the glass. I had images of myself poking half cooked dough out of the tube with the handle of a wooden spoon. I put those thoughts out of my mind, and stuffed the dough in, and waited.

At the point where there was only a small amount of space at either end, I couldn't wait anymore, and popped the rack in the hot oven.

After checking it a few times, there was jumping up and down with glee. It worked! It was toasty and crusty and looked edible! I danced like Peanuts Characters. I praised Pyrex, and the Goodwill, and of course myself!

We had sandwiches on fresh loaves, for lunch. Mr. Jones doesn't want you to see his half eaten sandwich, but I don't care. I like the bite marks, and the unruly tomato, and the bread.

Next time I use the 'Bake a Round', I'm going to try a pure white loaf, so it's really light and airy. This was made with Bob's 10 grain bread mix, and though delicious, was a bit dense. Other than that, I loved it! It reminded me of the bread we used for the hoagies we made in high school, for the school band fund raiser (ahhh memories).

If you see one of these contraptions at your thrift store, pick it up, and bake around! It was outstanding.

Springtime for Peter Pan

I haven't made or worn a shirt with a Peter Pan collar since my childhood. Yet this Spring I have the urge to wear them in every sort of garment: a shirt, a dress, a lightweight suit! This is my first attempt. It's Butterick 5300, and I like it a lot.

I made it from a Liberty fabric I brought from England. I didn't do a muslin. I was feeling reckless, so I just went for it. I made the XS. Next time I might make the small, to have a little more wiggle room.

I made it with snaps instead of buttons. I was unsure of whether my machine could handle such wispy fabric for buttonholes, and I liked the uninterrupted front with the snaps anyway.

I wore it to a neighboring town, where we ate cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches, walked along train tracks and a dried up lake, and found the best grocery store we've been to in ages (details soon).

On this first weekend of Spring, there was even enough light to take some pictures. Some with flowers in them!

Happy Spring, everyone. May all your collars all be Peter Pan!

Spiced and Iced

I made these cookies (from here) yesterday. I followed the recipe, except to add a touch of nutmeg and a teaspoon of caraway seeds to the mix. My grandmother used to put caraway seeds in her roll-out spice cookies and I always loved it. To me they looked like sewing stitches!

At the last minute I decided they needed to be iced, so I mixed a Domino box of powdered sugar with some lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest, and dipped them in. There was nothing Irish about these snacks (nor is there anything Irish about me), but they were yum!

I Still Love You, Granny

Almost all of my New Year's Resolutions each year have to do with crafts. 2011 is the third year I've written "master the art of granny squares". I've yet to learn how, though I've been finding more inspiration than I know what to do with.

Granny Square lesson photo from The Purl Bee:


Robot and "Giant Floor Ball" from the The Great Granny Crochet Book (in my own library)

Tavi, in her Granny Square leggings by Romance Was Born, image from The New Yorker

Christopher Kane, Fall/Winter 2011

Vintage crochet pattern by Etsy seller PaisleyPath

For The Kids!

Some pictures have come my way of knitted/sewn items I've gifted to Smaller Friends. I thought I'd share how they look, lest you get bored of the items on this blog displayed disparagingly on hangers.

Tucker, in his red quilty jacket.

Cassie, in her frilly pink silk sweater, a repeat of the one I made for my goddaughter Poppy!

Willow, in the owls that I have knitted many times, and will make again for others, and still others. Go forth, my children, and conquer the earth in your handmade items!

She Looks Familiar

Friends of mine will see that this is the closest to a self-portrait I have ever seen on the internet. So much so, that I might have to recreate it with the bumpits, vintage dress, and eternal Big Gulp I constantly have on hand. Now if I could just master those fake eyelashes!

Photo: Mario Sorrenti for Jill Sander, Fall 2000.

They Really Did it!

I love it when Imaginary inspires Real.

Watch the video here.

Geek Vest

I knitted this vest from my favorite knitting book. I call it the Geek Vest. It's for a 3 month old baby and it might be one of my favorite things I've ever made.

I know it's not generally safe to make things for around a baby's neck, but I'd like to see this vest worn with a bow tie. I might make some little matching shorts to go with it.

I like it so much that I think the inside is just as charming. But maybe that's just me.

I used one of my all-time favorite yarns, Colinette Jitterbug, and changed the pattern significantly. Ravelry details here.

March Giveaway: Sencha Been Gone

Hello, March! And Congratulations to Jeannie, who won the Oliver & S Bubble Dress pattern in the February giveaway. Please contact me with your address at my email on the sidebar, to claim your prize!

This month our giveaway is "Sencha" from Colette patterns. On their website "Sencha" is described as "a simple, versatile blouse perfect for creative embellishment, with deep tucks at the front and back waist for a loose but curvy shape great for tucking in."

All variations of the pattern are included. "Version 1 closes with back snaps, making it easiest to sew. Version 2 has neckline tucks and buttons up the back. Version 3 has a keyhole neckline with tie closure and buttons up the back."

The pattern is size O-18, and rated "beginner" so you can try out a Collete pattern even if you're new to sewing. Get your summer tops going, ladies!

(all images from Colette Patterns)

To win "Sencha", leave a comment on this post. I'll pick a winner in the first week of April and send the pattern to you, where ever you might be in the world. Good luck!

Update: The winner has been announced and this giveaway is now closed. Thanks for your interest!

Spring Mix, for Heather

There's something so satisfying about knitting from a vintage pattern. Reading the instructions from 40 years ago, following the words and numbers, and ending up with a cardigan that someone designed so long ago. It's just so exciting!

I found this pattern at a local fiber festival for $3. I love the design. I think the whole family is inspiring.

So I made it for my sister, whose birthday is at the end of this month. I sent it Back East last week so she could wear it early, but not before getting some photos (I hope you don't mind, Heather!).

The pattern for the "Petal Yolk Cardigan" was foolproof, and the yarn (Tosh Pashmina), is certainly the softest I've ever known. I think I chose this yarn specifically because my mother used to dress Heather and me in complimentary (monogrammed 'HLK') sweaters that were the ITCHYest. My sister still has flashbacks.

I would make this sweater again in a second. I'm calling it my "Spring Mix" cardigan, because, like Heather's birthday always has for our family, it will usher in a new season.

Happy Early Birthday, Heather!

Sewing Seeds

I've been working on sewing my first quilt! I can't wait to show you, but it seems so far from finished. I have about half of the quit top pieced. I'm confused now, and as I'm designing the quilt myself, I have a lot to think about.

In the meantime, I'm going to sew myself some Spring clothes from commercial patterns. I love this collection from APC Madras. I need some new dresses and am dreaming of some Peter Pan collared shirts. And thanks to a recent pattern vintage inheritance from my future brother-in-law, I have patterns that make similar designs to all of these!!

Speaking of sewing, check back later this week for the winner of the Oliver & S pattern, and a new giveaway for March (hint: who loves Colette patterns?)!