Action Hero : : Knitting Weblog

Slow Start

2009-07-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

I put off starting the front of the waistcoat because of all the chart referencing. I have to go between several different pages for all the chart patterns. It's sort of a pain. I'm going to try to get a lot of knitting done tonight since I leave for a 10-day vacation tomorrow and I am not bringing the project with me. Have a good holiday everyone!

Waistcoat Back

2009-06-28T23:18:00.000-07:00

The back of the waistcoat has been knitting up very quickly since it's mainly a ribbing pattern. I'm almost ready to bind off for the shoulders. I think I only have a few more rows to knit.

Mendocino Sundress

2009-06-20T19:21:00.001-07:00

Mendocino Sundress Front
Originally uploaded by actionhero

I finished the sundress this afternoon. It was a quick project, but the shirring took the longest. I only did 20 rows of shirring because I wanted more of an empire waistline. Other mods I made include adding some halter-style straps and cutting five inches off the length of the dress. I think it's pretty cute! You can see the back here.

I've Got Mail

2009-06-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

I came home to find this package of yarn from KnitPicks waiting for me. I ordered six hanks of Bare Merino Wool DK for the Aran Waistcoat project. I thought about dying the yarn, but then decided against it. I rather like the natural color. I hope to do some swatching before the week is over.

The other night I was looking through that Japanese skirt pattern book I just bought and I couldn't remember why I purchased it. I couldn't find one pattern in it that I absolutely loved, so I exchanged it for the newest Machiko Kayaki book, My Favorite Shirt. There are some really cute shirt and shirtdress patterns that will be fun to make.

Weekend Update

2009-06-14T21:07:00.000-07:00

After seeing Mariko's extremely cute sundress, I was inspired to make one of my own. The pattern is from Heather Ross and you can download it for free here. I headed over to Bolt on Friday and bought Rabbit Hole from the Wonderland fabric collection by MoMo for Moda. I had eyed this fabric previously, but didn't have anything in mind to make, so I left it sitting on the shelf. I love the big random polka dots. The project shouldn't take long once the pattern is cut out.

This afternoon, on a trip to Kinokuniya with Mariko, I got these Japanese craft books. I was debating on whether to get the new Machiko Kayaki shirt book when I saw the Pattern Magic books. I had wanted those for a long time, but when they first came out, they were more expensive and I think they were only available on eBay. The other book is all skirts. There are some really helpful technique pictures along with the patterns.

Parfait is Done

2009-06-07T19:34:00.001-07:00

Parfait is Done
Originally uploaded by actionhero

I finished this dress over the weekend! Sewing the buttons on took longer than expected since there were six. I followed the pattern as it was written and made no modifications. I did have to resew one of the straps because the chevron stripes on one strap were going in the opposite direction of the other. Luckily I caught that before I was too far along. The fit has enough ease that I could wear a t-shirt underneath if I wanted, which is perfect since the sun seems to have disappeared and layering looks to be necessary!

Parfait Progress

2009-05-31T20:32:00.000-07:00

I started working on this dress last night. I put it off because I didn't want to sew that curved midriff waist on the front. It wasn't nearly as bad as I was anticipating, so I was able to make lots of progress with this project. All that I have left to do is sew in the facings, sew on the pockets, and add buttons and buttonholes. I should have a new dress to wear by next weekend!

Aran Waistcoat

2009-05-29T07:52:00.000-07:00

Summertime weather is here and that means my knitting will slow down a little. The next project on my knitting docket is this Aran Waistcoat by Megan Rogers. It's a pattern from Twist Collective. I hope to get sewing my Parfait dress this weekend too!

Charming Charms by Tord Boontje & Artecnica

2009-05-26T22:31:00.001-07:00

Charming Charms by Tord Boontje
Originally uploaded by actionhero

These charms were featured in the NY Times Sunday Styles section about three weeks ago and they were promptly sold out from the A+R Store. I ordered them anyway and they finally came in the mail today. I got the sterling silver charm set, but they also come in 18-karat gold. Each pack contains three different charms and there are four packs to choose from. I've also seen the charms over at Charles & Marie.

Honeycomb Vest

2009-05-25T08:45:00.001-07:00

Honeycomb Vest
Originally uploaded by actionhero

I finished the Honeycomb Vest on Saturday night. I love the texture of the stitch, the deep neckline, and the subtle shaping too. I hope to be able to get a couple of wearings out of it before the summer weather hits.

Fabric for Parfait Dress

2009-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the fabric I selected for my Parfait dress. It's from the Darcey collection by Anna Griffin. The floral fabric will be the main fabric and the chevron stripes will be the contrasting fabric for the straps, waist, and pockets. This will be a fun project!

Honeycomb is Blocking

2009-05-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

So, I pinned the vest down for blocking last night. The night before I finished the front and had to redo the back because I had done the decreases incorrectly along the neckline. I didn't even notice it until I was getting ready to three-needle bindoff the shoulders together. I must have really been deeply involved in Dancing With the Stars to not have noticed that error because it was so obvious! You can't really tell in this photo, but there should be a slight U-shaped scoop on the back with the straps on the same edges as the armholes. Luckily, the fix wasn't too complicated.

Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity 2584

2009-05-17T22:35:00.001-07:00

Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity 2584
Originally uploaded by actionhero

I finished this dress tonight. I really like how it turned out. The only modifications I made were to sew in an invisible zipper rather than what the directions called for: a contrasting zipper that is sewn on the outside. I also did not sew the tuck the is supposed to be at the bottom of the dress. I thought it was unnecessary. It's pretty low cut, but with a cami underneath, it should be fine.

Yoke's On Me

2009-05-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

Just finished sewing the facing to the yoke and the front of the dress. Once they pieces were sewn together I had to slash it down the center, which I'm always paranoid about because I think I'm going to end up cutting the dress too. As you can see, I used some brown binding that I had in my stash to finish the facing edges. The fabric is thick enough that it doesn't really show through to the right side. I just didn't want to have to go and buy a bunch of facing when I could just use what I had on hand.

Simplicity 2584 Dress

2009-05-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

I started working on this project Sunday morning. So far, so good. I had scanned the directions briefly a couple of weeks ago, but for some reason, I thought the project would be more complicated than it is. I wanted to experiment with some different seam finishes and decided to sew some binding on all the exposed seams for a neat professional look. It's definitely taking more time, but I think it will be worth it. I'm using the binding that I have in my stash, so it doesn't all match. I'm still trying to decide if I want to add the sleeves or go for a sleeveless look.

Knit & Crochet Show

2009-05-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

PDXers, have you heard about this?
The Knit & Crochet Show
The Show is The Knitting Guild Association's National Conference and the Crochet Guild of America's Regional Conference.
May 14-17, 2009
Doubletree Hotel, Lloyd Center
Lots of classes, shopping, fashion show, and more.

Colette Patterns: Parfait, No. 1003

2009-05-05T22:17:00.001-07:00

Colette Patterns: Parfait, No. 1003
Originally uploaded by actionhero

I got my Colette pattern in the mail today. I love that the the pattern and instructions come in a booklet format. It's a very clever and handy presentation. At first glance, the instructions look easy-to-follow and clear. This project is next on my list to sew after the Cynthia Rowley shift. See the rest of the pattern booklet photos here.

Simplicity 2593 Tank

2009-05-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

This is the first completed project using the Cynthia Rowley patterns that I bought. I had wanted to make the shift dress first, but the tank was a quicker project. I sewed this over the course of a couple of days because I started on Saturday night. It only takes a couple of hours to make. I used some Moda fabric I had in my stash that I completely forgot about. I think the polka dots are perfect!

Crafty Scrabble Tiles

2009-05-02T15:17:00.001-07:00

Giant Scrabble Tiles
Originally uploaded by actionhero

Check out these giant Scrabble tiles that my sister made for me. Pretty cool, huh? You can see other views here, here, and here.

Another One Bites the Dust

2009-04-29T21:19:00.001-07:00

Just received an email that another one of my favorite local boutiques is closing. Amalee is shutting its doors and all stuff is on sale now. Get the full story here.

Colette Patterns

2009-04-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to check out this new line of sewing patterns called Colette Patterns from local PDX designer Sarai Mitnick. First on my list is Parfait, a cute pinafore-style sundress. These patterns should be out at the end of this week. [via The Archer]

Sad News

2009-04-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Olio United sent out an email yesterday notifying people that their storefront is closing. However, there will still be an online shop. I loved this store. They had a well edited selection of unique clothing and accessories. Get more information from this article.

Over the Top Tunic/Dress

2009-04-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to making this dress this afternoon. I love how it turned out! The pattern directions are very simple and easy to follow and there were only seven pieces to cut out. I did not add the pockets. The dress is sleeveless, but when it is on, you get a sort of cap sleeve effect. I also like the addition of the belt, so that you can have a more fitted silhouette. I may have to make the tunic version of this top too. I definitely recommend this pattern.

Honeycomb Vest Back

2009-04-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

Finished the back of the vest yesterday afternoon. I think I'll have time to cast on for the front later today. The back took a little bit longer than I anticipated because I was using a cable needle for the stitch pattern most of the time. However, Once I figured out how to forego the cable needle, the project sped up.

More Sewing to Do

2009-04-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

I first saw the Cynthia Rowley Simplicity tunic pattern via Craft. When I searched the Simplicity website, she had three other patterns too. I ended up buying these three. I like the simple lines of her styles. I want to make 2584 first, the dress that's featured on the model. I'm not sure if I want a solid fabric with some texture or a print. A trip to Fabric Depot this weekend is in order!