2012 in Review

This year had a recurring theme: I've never felt so old in my life.  Obviously, I've also never been this old in my life, as is true for all of us.  But what I mean is, for the first time, I've started to feel old, tired and like not everything is open and possible the way it was 10 years ago.  For some reason, being 32 was more of a mental hurdle for me than turning 30 was.  So even though 2012 did bring me some great experiences--good family vacations, time with my beautiful daughter, good time with family--I'm ready for a new year and a new outlook.  I turn 33 in 11 days, and I'm going to work on feeling younger, lighter, happier and more hopeful this year.  It will take work, and I will do it. 

One thing that will make 2013 a great year is my current project: another baby! 

I'm nervous about how this will change my personal time, but I know it will eventually all balance out and our family will find the new normal.  We're expecting around the first of April, and I'm getting more and more excited to see who that new little person is. 

We found out we were expecting at the end of last summer, and that sort of killed my knitting and sewing mojo for a couple months.  I worked on small things like socks and cowls, but not with any kind of plan.  I started to get back into sewing in mid-October when my regular clothes no longer fit, and I discovered that I hated all my maternity clothes from my last pregnancy.  I've made some things I love, but more on that later. 

With all this retrospective on my emotional and mental state during 2012, I thought I'd like to add up my knitting and sewing projects in 2012, and show myself it wasn't a total wash.  Yeah, it wasn't an ideal year, but I did find a lot of space to be creative.  So here goes. 

Knitting:  

Accessories: 25 total

•  5 cowls (4 for me, 1 as a gift)
• 4 shawls, 2 of which were very lacy in laceweight 
• 2 scarves (made of scraps, total stash-buster)
• 10 hats or headbands
• 1 pair mittens
• 3 pair socks (only 1 pair made it to Ravelry)
• 2 home dec placemats (1 for me, 1 set of 3 items as a gift)

Sweaters: 8 total

• 1 pullover
• 1 vest
• 3 long cardigans
• 1 cropped cardigan
• 1 toddler cardigan
• 1 tee

Home dec:

• 1 huge couch blanket (crochet)
• 4 place mats (1 for me, 3 as a gift set; crochet)

Types of knitting:

• 3 very lacy projects in lace weight
• 3 crochet projects
• 6 fair isle/stranded knitting projects
• 4 projects with cables (although 2 of them were the same pattern)

Men left on base (hibernating WIPs): 5

Things I was really not happy with: 5 (3 of which I left unfinished)

Things I loved completely: 14

Sewing:

• Dresses: 3
• tops: 2
• tees: 1
• skirts: 2
• maternity shirts: 4
• maternity dresses: 4

Blogging: 

• Total posts: 27
• Months without posts: 6

FO: Simplicity 2215

Okay, everyone.  I'm not sure about this one.  This is the skirt pattern from Simplicity 2215.

Do you need to have a defined waist to make this skirt work?  I'm not sure it's doing much for me.

I like it pretty well when I'm wearing it, but I'm not twirl-around-thrilled with it.  Now that I see the pictures, I'm even less convinced.

I removed the pockets, because in my experience, extra floppy fabric around my hips is not a great look for me.  I added five inches to the skirt and then took a deep 4 inch hem just for fun. 

Any thoughts?

Ravellenic FO: Wood Hollow Vest

So while some of the world's best athletes were finishing up a leisurely 26.2 mile run this morning, I was binding off my Wood Hollow Vest!

I wouldn't have reknit this from the bottom up if it weren't for the challenge of the Ravellenic Games.  There was one night of knitting where I thought I would n e v e r reach the armhole shaping decreases, but every Olympic event has that moment where you hit the wall and just have to keep going.

And I'm so glad I did, because I love this vest and I will sport it proudly!

The specs:

Pattern: Wood Hollow Vest by Kirsten Kapur, of Through The Loops
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes
Started: July 27, Opening Ceremonies
Finished: August 12, 9:00 am
Ravelry page here!

Congrats to all the Ravellenic athletes, and, of course, to the real Olympic athletes who inspired us and united us for two amazing weeks!

FO: Simplicity 2219

I finished my last maxi dress of the summer, and it's my favorite by far.

The pattern is Simplicity 2219.  I made View D.

I used a knit from Gorgeous Fabrics that I bought during one of their sales at the beginning of summer.  I love it.  It's a dark eggplant background with large line-drawing flowers in pink, orange and grey.

I made a size 14, a size smaller than the measurements called for.  But the pattern allows for half an inch of positive ease in the bust, which I do not understand.  Why would you want positive ease in a garment made out of stretchy knit?  I would guess that as I made it, the bust has about .5 to 1 inch of negative ease, and I think it fits well.

I added 3.5" to the bottom of the skirt.  The only other change I made was to take a 1/4" seam allowance on the side bodice front pieces, since I was nervous about it being to low and showing too much skin in the underarm area.  I still think it could be a bit higher, but it's not too uncomfortable. 

 

I would highly recommend this pattern.  I think it looks very polished for a fun dress.  

Okay, that's all for now!  I have to get back to my Olympic knitting!

FO: Euphrosyne shawl

I finished this beautiful shawl last week. 

Pattern: Euphrosyne by Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops.  It's all-over lace with a lovely knit on border.

Process:  Very straightforward and enjoyable.  Although I am just noticing now as I'm looking at the photos that I've not done a very good blocking job!  See how all the little points on the edging are, well, pointy?  If you look at the photos on the pattern page, each little yarn over all along the edge has been blocked out completely, giving it a slightly more scalloped, consistent look.  I, however, used blocking wires, threading the wire through each point only.  Darn it.  I really should re-block it. 

Yarn: JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool Silk.  I bought this during my first visit to Kanawah City Yarn Co., a really awesome LYS in Charleston, WV.  I love the color of this yarn.  It's very raspberry.  The yarn is light and airy, but not skimpy.  I just loved it and would absolutely use it again.  Plus, I think ti was about $13, and you can't beat that.  Well, I mean, you can, but why would you?

What I learned:  That I should double check my blocking process.  

Product: I love it!

Ravelry page here.

FO: Sorbetto #2

 When it comes to knitting, I very rarely repeat patterns.  There are so many things I want to make, and once I'm finished with something, I want a new experience. 

With sewing, though, I can see myself repeating patterns over and over again.  Why is that?  Is it because it's harder for me to get the fit right with sewing, so there's a lot of value in working on something several times to get it right?  Is it because sewn garments are more common in my wardrobe than knitwear, which are usually unique pieces?  Who knows.  Don't over think it, Meredith. 

Anyway, I made another Sorbetto! 

My first was too tight through the bust, so I cut one size larger there, but kept the waist and hip the same.  So I did a 12 at the bust, grading out to a 14 at the waist and a 16 at the hip.  Do you think it fits better?  There are some faint wrinkles on the straps.  What's up with that?

I used a London Calling floral cotton lawn from fabric.com which I love love love.  From far away, it reads very light and pink, but up close, it's a little more vibrant. 

I think this will be a great summer and fall top.  I have some MerLin in that aqua color to make a Goodale cardigan.  I think I'll start that as soon as the Ravellenic Games are over.  I can't wait!

I wore this yesterday with a skirt I made but didn't blog, McCalls 5523. 

I'm sure I'll make another Sorbetto.  Next time, I'll work on fitting the back just a bit better.  Bra straps anyone?  Oh well. 

Next up: one last maxi dress for the summer!

Good as new!

After a very simple and enjoyable ripping, winding, washing and hanging, here is the yarn from my Wood Hollow Vest, all ready to be wound into cakes and cast on!

Just a few hands on minutes, plus two days of drying time took this:

to this:

Isn't wool amazing?  I love it.

I'm all ready to cast on!  Bring on the opening ceremonies!