novamade

making things for myself and others

I know, you are bowled over, are you not?  Three posts in one week.  Sometimes I even impress myself.  Or, I am simply trying to make-up for bad blogging behavior in the past and also for my absence next week while I am vacationing with the family on a beach somewhere in California (with a day trip to Legoland thrown in for giggles and grins).  Before I take off, I wanted to share with you some crafty goodness from my sewing machine.  The first thing, hankies:

I made some for Special K for Christmas, but he mentioned that they are "a little small."  I followed the directions from the Purlsoho folks to the tee (until they told me to roll and handstitch the edges...um, no.  This is whyfor I have a sewing machine, yo.), so maybe they really meant for the hankies to be pocket squares?  I am now given to understand that people, mostly men, who actually use handkerchiefs appreciate a little more fabric.  And, really, if there is any thing I have, it's fabric (and wool and yarn, etcetera).  So I made K some more handkerchiefs for Father's Day; but, I supersized them.  The theme was "nautical," obviously.  I cut these to 15 inches square.  Not that much bigger; but, it seemed like a lot more fabric to me.  He likes them, and I know he'll use them.  I am not sure why he likes hankies so much.  It's not because of their eco-friendliness...maybe he just likes the fabric.  I don't know.

I also made some DPN cases.  I started off using Ashley's snazzy pattern; and then with the one I made for myself (the one on the left), I did some tweaking.   I have a lot of DPNs, so I needed more pockets.  Lots of pockets.  I have been meaning to organize my knitting tools for a while now, and I never got around to it.  But digging around for the DPNs forced me to organize and clean, so this project was wholly productive.  The second case if for my friend Amy whose birthday was last week.  Better late than never, right?

I used fabric that I had in the stash.  I am on a "use what you have" jag at he moment, because I simply have too much.  I said it...I have too much.  But I will talk more about that when I get back from vacation.  In the meantime, look at the DPN cases, fun, no?

  

Have a good weekend and a good week everyone!

the fine art of crochet

Do you know how to crochet?  Well, now, I do.  I mean I know how to actually crochet; but, also, I know how to read a pattern and chart and all that.  I didn't know before; but, now, because I participated in Maritza and Adrian's Hotpad and Potholder Swap, I totally know how to crochet.  I am pretty excited about it.  I joined the swap specifically to learn the fine art of crochet, and I feel pretty good about being able to learn it all by myself during the course of a month.  The pattern I picked was actually pretty simple; but, it's the one I liked best because it reminded me of a hotpad my grandmother had in her kitchen.  The pattern is called Topflappen.  They were fun to knit.  More info in the gallery and on ravelry, if you want them.

The hotpads and potholder I got in return are awesome.  I love them all, and I have decided that they are too beautiful to actually be used as hotpads and potholders...because they could get damaged and that would be silly.

Thanks for such a great swap Maritza and Adrian!  And thanks for giving me the impetus to learn how to crochet!  Now I am thinking about big granny square blankets...

knitting for a special someone

 I have so many things to tell you; but, since I don't want to overwhelm you all, let's just talk about this scarf that I knit.  I will get to the rest later this week, which means I will be blogging more than once this week (actually, more than once this month, whoa.  I know.).

 

This scarf has been done for a while now; but, my mom just got it so now I can talk about it.  I could have talked about it before; but, you know, surpirse ruination=sadness.  In any case.  I started knitting this scarf in March while on spring break.  My mom saw it in my knitting bag and not so coyly volunteered herself to be the recipient.  For your edification, this was the conversation:

novamade mom: [unabashedly sifts through knitting bag, pulls out scarf project]  Oh, what is this?

nova: a scarf

novamade mom: It's so pretty.

nova: I think so, the yarn is a wool and cashmere blend, there is nylon in it too, it's supposedly sock yarn; but, I'd rather have cashmere on my neck rather than on my feet, I think.

novamade mom: Oh, me too.

nova:  Great minds, I guess.

novamade mom: You know, this is my color.

nova: It's mine too.

novamade mom: If you haven't gotten me anything for Mother's Day or my birthday, this will do.

nova:  [unbelievingly] Seriously?

novamade mom: I am being very serious.

nova: [petulantly] Okay.

It's sort of difficult to begrudge one's own mother anything, isn't it?  Also, it's unlikely that I will deny anyone in my family a knitted good if they actually ask for it.  But since I was knitting this scarf for myself and you guys know how I feel about knitting scarves in general, I was a wee perturbed about finishing it, so I missed the Mother's Day deadline.  But I finished in plenty of time for her birthday, so, Happy Birthday, Mom! 

I am sure you will like the scarf, as it is your color...and you, basically, told me to give it to you.  I hope it keeps your neck warm and cozy when the Georgia air brings a chill. 

 

This is the Montego Bay scarf from the Summer 2007 issue of Interweave Knits.  It is a really easy lace project for those interested in trying lace on something easy and doable.  I modified a bit because I had this great yarn from the Knittery that I got myself for my birthday either last year or the year before, I can't remember.   More notes will be put in the gallery and on ravelry, FYI.