Sunday, April 7, 2013

Knitting Lessons!!!!

Today, I did something I've been wanting to do for a long time. I got official knitting lessons! I taught myself crochet. I'm teaching myself sewing (though there are things I'm going to have to get help on to fully understand). I couldn't understand why knitting was so difficult! So, I found lessons at this awesome little shop in SW Minneapolis, Needlework Unlimited.

Lessons are $20, and you get TWO 2-hour sessions! For $20!!!! And Rox is awesome. She's a very good teacher and is also very likable. There were only 2 of us so it was easy to get questions answered. I go back next Sunday and will start her fingerless mitt pattern.

I took some Lion Brand Wool Ease worsted weight in white. I love crocheting with this stuff but uhmm, it was way too fuzzy for my beginner knitting lessons! I ended up buying a skein of cotton yarn while I was there for $6. Really, $6 for a 50g skein of yarn. Whew! I am totally a Michael's/JoAnns $4 for 3-6 oz of yarn! LOL! There was so much yarn to touch and be amazed by there. There was a 50g hank of cashmere for $48! AMERICAN DOLLARS! Maybe one day I'll knit with the beautiful cashmere!

Here is my work while at N.U.:


A random assortment of knitting and purling and it looks horrid!


After a couple of hours practicing at home and MUCH better! I started out just knitting and realized it's not good for me to avoid purling :) So I did some k1,p1. Then alternating a row of knit with a row of purl. I cannot wait to get these skill up and running!

Fabric Stash Addition and Finished Items: McCall's 6519 and New Look 6189

Ahhhhh. I got my fabrics from Fabric Mart. I am officially on a fabric acquisition diet, until (eeek! LOL!) I'm thinking May 1st at the earliest. I have more fabric than I can sew right now, but it makes me happyyyyyyyyy.

Here are my newest additions:


The banana suiting will become a blazer. MUST become a blazer! I'd originally bought the camel fabric to become a jacket/blazer as well, but I'm thinking it will become pants as the houndstooth plaid was to become pants but the color/pattern is too busy for my lower half (IMO). If I can squeak out a fitted blazer and trouser shorts I'd be happy. But it's only 2.5 yards so...I dunno. Beautiful grey on grey plaid shall become pants!


This ring/dot jersey is pretty. I want to use it for a top but it's so much of it that I'm wondering if I should make a simple dress. Ooooh. Maybe a sleeveless top and pencil skirt? The flower patterned challis has already become a top (below) and there's enough to make another simple top. Chocolate wool crepe - DROOL!. Pants for sure. Navy rayon linen-look. So, I keep wanting to buy navy bottoms but then I get sad at it because it looks too uniform like. I don't want to look like a flight attendant. I guess pants but I don't want it to make me sad.

Finished Items:
NL 6189, I thought these might become a wearable muslin. If I cut the pants to the pattern envelope length, they *can* be. I tried to lengthen them to full pants, but didn't account for the fact that capri length pants taper in towards the bottom. So they hang weird.

This pattern is awesome. Mimi G reviewed the pattern and said she was able to cut them straight from the envelope. I pretty much did as well. I made them up the first time, and they came waaaaaay too high. I removed 1 inch (and will remove about 1.5" next time) from the length of the front. The waistband is really wide - which I LOVE - but yeah, the pattern as is came too high.







I am really, really happy with the fit of these. I'm stopping myself from cutting every suiting fabric I have with this pattern! LOL! This fabric came from my FM mystery bundle so I'm not certain what it is, but it's definitely suiting.

M6519 - Cute. Cute. Cute.


Normally this would all be too loosey-goosey for my tastes. But I thought the shirt would make a great layering piece and saw some cute renditions of the jacket. I used the 100% rayon challis and boy oh boy. I like sewing with it and it presses like a dream. I bought 1.25 yards of this fabric and have enough fabric to make this blouse again - or well, another simple one. It uses very, very little fabric. Both the front and back are cut on the fold. With a 60" fabric, you really only need 1/2 yard! There's a pocket but my print is busy and you can't even see it. I'd only cut the pocket on a solid and I'd make it smaller. It almost needs to a be a itty-bitty, non-functional, simply cute pocket. It's not full size (like on a button down) but it's a little too big.


LOVE. That's it. I just love it.


I do wish it were a little looser, and if the sizes overlapped (I cut a 14), I'd totally cut a 14 and grade out to a 16 from the waist down. But I am wearing this to work this week. I still have to do the bias bindings and was too sleepy at 1:30 a.m. when I finished it to watch a tutorial.

I'm happy with my sewing progress. I know I'm barely on the tip of the iceberg, but I'm having fun and enjoying myself and that's what counts.

PS:

Visited Home Depot and for a few dollars, scored these  "pattern weights". I used them with the challis and didn't need to pin. This will help cutting go faster.


Diameter: 2", 1.75", 1.5" (they get heavier as they get bigger too)