drew-o-rama

FROM SCRATCH

I love me some Kim Hargreaves. I think she was, by far, the best designer for Rowan. Her own line is just as great, if not better. The collections are also excellent examples of how styling a photo shoot can change how a simple garment is perceived.

I came across her cropped cardigan called Cherish and decided to knit it myself. However, I am making it up as I go... no pattern. I decided since I want to start designing a bit more, I need to know more about knitting. And what better way to learn than to try to figure out someone else's pattern.

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Above you can see the back and one of the fronts. That's the fifth time I have knitted the front. I'm going to have to knit it one more time since it's still too narrow. That also means I am going to have to rip the back to the neck shaping on the back.

I have seen other people knit this via Ravelry and know that the wide edge is knitted on to each piece, and then seamed. I plan on adding it once I have all the pieces sewn together. If it doesn't work, then, hey, I've learned something, which is the point of this project after all.

ATTEMPT ONE

This is my first attempt at making a pillow with "fabric" that I knitted on the knitting machine.

What do you all think? Feedback is appreciated. Thanks!

IS THIS CHEATING?

So, I did something that die-hard hand knitters would scold me for. I bought a knitting machine!

the pink and lavender is girly, ugh | click to enlarge

I actually bought it last November, but just now have had the time to really dig in and see what it can do.

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I bought the machine so I can really experiment with garment design and construction. Knitwear design has been really catching my eye the past year or so. I wanted a way to design and knit quickly.

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It doesn't do everything since it's an introductory model. But it does knit various yarn sizes. The more expensive a machine, the smaller the range of yarn sizes it uses.

Right now I am just knitting swatch after swatch, experimenting with stripes, patterns and short rows. But I am planning on using to create some items to sell. I'll keep you updated...

SCORE version 2.0

It seems as though my great thrifting karma is continuing...

I love how mod they are | click to enlarge

I found another set of mugs. They are the same size and shape as the ones I found previously. I guess I have a small collection started.

I also found this great round table cloth with a folksy theme...

oooo, folksy | click to enlarge

Now that I have my weekends back since the group I teach has ended their winter season, I expect to be doing a lot more thrifting. Hopefully, the karma will continue...

SPRINGTIME!

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PUBLISHED AGAIN... SORT OF

The Ernie Sweater was published in the April/May issue of Bust magazine...

I like this photo better than the book's | click to enlarge

If you want to knit this but don't want to pay the price for the book, buy the magazine for less!

NEXT STEP: SLEEVES

Audrey tried on the crocheted cowl neck sweater today...

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I think it's going to be great! Next step... sleeves.

SPRING FEVER

I haven't been doing too much knitting or crocheting lately since it's been sooo nice outside. Plus, how can you blame me when a sweet, wonderful and cute man like Blake swings by and picks me up in his convertible...

he said, "hey handsome, need a ride?" | click to enlarge

AFGHAN-O-RAMA

A thrifted afghan I found a few months ago looks great on the back of my sofa...

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I also recently found another thrifted afghan.

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Maybe I will put this one under the other. Haha.

LIKE, TUBULAR

I seamed up the crocheted cowl neck sweater...

it really is huge | click to enlarge

Next up: sleeves.

SCORE!

My friend Jay needed my new car to deliver some furniture he was donating to charity. Once we were finished unloading, we shopped a bit and I found some really great stuff...

I love how mod they are | click to enlarge

I have no idea what these mod little wooden dolls are, but they are really cool. Their heads come off like little eggs. On the bottom of the male doll there is a sticker that reads, "Beriozka." The other one has a sticker on the bottom that's in Russian. It reads, "MOCKBA" which of course is Moscow. Whatever they are, they're just really frickin' cool.

I also found some amazing mugs...

the colors are great | click to enlarge

These are the sorts of things that you hope one day you'll find. And when you do, you thank the thrifting gods and pray your thrifting karma will stay with you.

WILL IT EVER END?

I have been working on the reversible cabled scarf since December.

blech | click to enlarge

I'm starting to get a bit sick of it... Ugh.

SMALL AFGHAN

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Watched some TV tonight with a small afghan sitting on my lap (crocheted cowl neck sweater.)

EXCITEMENT

I am so excited... Ohio's first IKEA (and the only one for several hundred miles) opens in 12 days... and it's only 15 minutes north of me!!! I've driven to Chicago and Pittsburgh just to shop at IKEA, so you can imagine how exciting this is for me.

This is something that has been brewing for years. There have been rumors that we were getting an IKEA but nothing was ever confirmed until about 2 years ago. It's a huge deal for the area since IKEA draws customers from a radius of hundreds of miles.

images from ikea.com

Above are my first planned purchases. I really want a new storage/wardrobe thingy for my craft stuff. The wire shelves I have now really aren't working. Putting everything behind closed doors will work much better.

Also going to buy a new table since my old one is now my work/craft table. Thinking about putting it in my living room since my dining room is now the studio.

Wish me luck battling the crowds that I am sure will be there the first few weeks.

SNOWY SUNDAY

my kids gave me the flowers | click to enlarge

A snowy Sunday afternoon spent roaming 'bout the apartment, doing this and that. Some internet surfing, a bit of cleaning, knitting here and there, making homemade chicken noodle soup for this wonderful man.