35 Weeks Since September

and I’m 35 weeks pregnant, yes it will be a girl.

Pattern: Little White Dress – http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-white-dress

Gray and blue yarns: http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/naturallycaroncom-spa

Purple yarn: http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/bernat-handicrafter-cotton-baby-solid

Pink yarn: …

Baby Shower Season

It is baby shower season around here…teddy bears, pink elephants and baby gators.

Sewing, crocheting, stuffing, cooking, and of course cakes and fondant decorations.

Some of the pattern links:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/simple-crossover-bootie

http://bundlesoflove.org/CrochetedBabySweater

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/padma

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lizard-monster-baby-booties

http://amigurumibyknotty.blogspot.com/2010/05/longneck-dinosaur.html

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/b13-25-frog

Teddy bears are made of marzipan (just mix almonds with powdered sugar and a bit of water). The teddy bear cake flavor is almonds with dark chocolate and cayenne pepper. It was a little hot, received very interesting comments related to the flavor – is it with alcohol?! is it amaretto? anyway, I’ll use less cayenne next time

Pink elephants are made out of home made fondant (melted marshmallows with powdered sugar and peppermint extract – tastes like bubble gum). The cake is made out of yogurt with heavy whipping cream, tart cherries with white chocolate and the cake batter was dark chocolate. The insides of the cake is with dots, as the cream fillings are layered concentric circles.

Green alligators are made out of Wilton fondant. The cake flavor was Kiwi Lime (kiwi and key lime peel and juice), yogurt and cream of course. The kiwi prevents gelatin from setting, so I will never mix kiwi fruit with any milk based product.

Till next time!

Wool

A winter project, but I am behind on posting…

Yarn: Fisherman’s wool brown

2.5 skeins = 1162.5 yards (1063.0m)

Hook: 4.5 mm

Pattern: Big Bow Cardigan from Interweave Crochet Winter 2008, size small

Buttons: coconut shells from JoAnns

There is a lot of crochet to be done for this pattern and very very repetitive, so you should be a quick crocheter to attempt it.

Crocheting through the back loops only creates a body hugging fabric, very elastic.

I did have to alter the pattern a lot with the yarn I used. Here are my notes from Ravelry:

lengthened front and back by 10 stitches.
Lengthened sleeves.
Left side: added more rows, should have made the collar too on the left.
Made smaller buttonholes.

I added length to the sleeves and bodice, and added many more rows plus additional bands of single crochet to the left and right front pieces so that they overlap in order to button them up, creating sort of a border after the buttonholes.

I also gave up on the big heavy bow and crocheted a high neck instead, simply find it more practical and less heavy.

Before and After

Before and After

White Knit Vest, originally uploaded by fmirela.

This used to be the white pullover from Burda Magazine that turned too small after washing.

It was unraveled and re-knit based on a Romanian pattern from Lucru de Mana magazine.

This is the first time for me to knit lace patterns by hand, and I struggled with my combination knitting skills…with right and left decreases. of course.

I got it now and hope to never forget, is it like riding the bicycle?

Crochet Wool

Fingerless Gloves – Crochet wool, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Missing winter already? And it is the middle of summer…
It shows I have been living for too long here in Florida and I don’t know what season we are in. I wish I had more winter and more mountains!

The photos were taken at the end of April 2009 in Snowbird Utah, skiing at 20C was weird but fun, ice in the morning, a wet melt in the afternoon, but well worth the trip, the scenery is incredible.

Pattern: from Crochet Magazine
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool

Stripes closeup:

Fleece lining:

Strings:

Matching scarf with some needle felting on fleece and yarn remains:

Seraphina Shawl

Seraphina Shawl, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Pattern: www.angelfire.com/journal2/donisfuff/croshawl.html

Yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool – 2 skeins

Hook: 3.5 mm (need to double check)

I fell in love with this pattern. It is very well described here and has a chart: www.crochetville.org/forum/showpost.php?p=1203781&pos…

This is my second shawl based on the pattern and it turned out to be a simpler pattern than I first thought. The important thing to remember is to do the increases only at the beginning and end of each row and on both sides of the point.

I will try the increases technique next time in a more precious yarn with a different stitch to see if I can reproduce the shape.

This keeps me warm in the office even if we are in Florida, the wool is breathable so it is perfect over a thin long sleeved blouse.

I would pair it with jeans for a poncho like casual wear or over a little black dress for a chillier evening.

Lotus Smock Camisole

Lotus Smock Camisole, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Yarn: Elann Sonata, 4 skeins
Pattern: Stitch Diva’s Lotus Smock Camisole

I’ve wanted to make this one for sooo long. It’s amazing to see a crochet pattern that is so interesting, modern and really unique. I enjoyed how the yarn took shape after taking it of the loom. This is a lot of fun to make since it can be tried on after the first row. It really is really fast and really easy to make!

The walnut wood hairpin lace frame was a Christmas gift from Marius. I love it! It even smells like walnuts! Yum!

The speed of this project is simply incredible and the instructions are crystal clear. I would like to see one of those diagrams for it though…otherwise there’s a whole lot of reading, but in all the pattern is actually simpler then described.

I might even have the courage to give this another try in a different yarn as a dress.

I do love this yarn especially for crochet because it is woven and can be handled easily. I would prefer a drape-ier  yarn for this pattern though, this is just a little stiff, but just a little.

See a gallery of creations based on this pattern here:

http://www.stitchdiva.com/custom.aspx?id=203

Bamboo cami

Bamboo cami, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Pattern: Knitting Lingerie Style, the Silk and Pearls cami
Yarn: Bernat Bamboo, 4 balls 60g each
Knitting needles: 5.5mm
Crochet hook: 5.5mm
Shell beads or pearls for straps

My mother made this during her stay with us this winter holidays. I can’t say for sure, but I believe the book instructions were followed, or maybe the number of stitches for cast on were reduced to accommodate the yarn…I have to ask if anyone is interested…
I can only take credit for the straps on this project. I used square shell beads for the straps and single crochet along and thought them.
I like the feel of the bamboo yarn, very soft, airy and drape-y. The color is very neutral and nude looking. It washes me out but a little more eye makeup should fix it, or a nice tan…I do wish it was just a little bit more fitted and a touch longer.
I think it could be worn also as a vest over a shirt.
Thanks mom! Looking forward to the next vacation together, I had a wonderful time!

Back

I have been away for a 10 day vacation in Yosemite. Dreamy place. See some of Marius’ photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mariusp/sets/72157608485901000/

A long trip from Florida, by plane and driving, so I had time to crochet a warm wool beanie for Marius and start one for myself.
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool: http://www.yarndex.com/yarn.cfm?yarn_id=1731, 1 sheen of light gray, gray and orange but I still have a lot of yarn leftover.
Hook: 4.25mm
Pattern: from garn studio…
Next time I’ll use two yarns together so it will be even warmer.
I still have to go through my photos and select a few of the park, but these are the beanies.

Shhh! He didn’t want his picture published…but I love it, so here he is waering a matching beanie

The 360 view from 8,122 ft (2,476 m) at Sentinel Dome was breathtaking!!!

Reading BurdaStyle’s blog posts I have stumbled upon this little video about patterns and sewing: http://www.archive.org/details/Patternf1948. Here’s more: http://www.burdastyle.com/blog/show/693

I know I haven’t sewn much lately and I do miss it, but I have crochet a lot in the meanwhile.
I have finished a blue top with shell buttons over a knit bodice and weaved ribbons on crochet cups.
I’ve made two black crochet cups that I’d like to finish with leftover fabric from the Malissa dress.
I have two white crochet cups either for a top or bathing suit…
Some weird crochet jewelry, chokers and earrings.
Many little free forms that I’m trying to connect together and finish with sewn fabric, some flowers and leaves in silver and ivory for a top. I hope I’ll have enough fabric leftovers to finish it. Another holidays project will be out of crochet snowflakes and an iridescent red taffeta. I have also crochet two bibs for tops, for leftovers of the angels silk and a white embroidered cotton. I’m curious to see the outcome, as I’m creating these with no pattern. pictures pending.

Silk Slip

Silk Slip, originally uploaded by fmirela.

Remember…http://mirelap.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/silk-slip-knitting-lingerie-style/?

It is the silk slip from Knitting Lingerie Style! I finished it a long time ago and finally got the pictures too. actually made two since.

It’s a great way to use your last shin of leftover yarn! The cleavage is kind of revealing and I didn’t follow through all the instructions in the pattern, really had to make the cups larger (maybe because of the yarn), also one should be careful with the lace placement, those holes in the knit might end up where you don’t want them. So instead of knitting 4 repeats of the lace pattern, I’ve only made 3 but after knitting some more simple lines. I also used a how to from BurdaStyle for sewing the darts: http://www.burdastyle.com/howtos/show/867
I’ve made a narrow rolled hem at the bottom and it has hooks and eyes in the back slit for closure.