The Weekly Wrap Up

THE WEEKLY WRAP UP

It's getting there! Do you think I should make sure every square is a different color on the corners? See the upper corner is purple and currently ends on white. Should it do that? Have purple in two corners and white in two corners (diagonal of each other) or purple (or white) on every corner? If you look below and focus on the first 3x3 square I kind of like that...maybe next week I'll put up exact example of what I mean and you can pick!

Last Week:

Progress:

 

The Weekly Wrap Up

THE WEEKLY WRAP UP

Ah, it seems the only person I can be disappointed in is myself. I usually knit when watching tv in the living room (forgot to bring it in and then forget) or on my computer (my USA shows were on a break this week) or when I'm reading articles (done reading, onto writing). Only two squares were completed and I doubt I'll get much more done this week which is my last full week without guests. Oh well!

Last Week:

Progress:

The Weekly Wrap Up

THE WEEKLY WRAP UP

Production is back up! I made 3 & 2/3 squares this week! I've been doing a lot of reading/research for my papers at home which allows me to sit at my desk and knit, pausing occasionally to take note of something important. The picture looks a little different this week because I was changing my sheets and put the squares down on an even surface instead of my bumpy comforter. This allowed me to line them up quite close together so I could get an idea of an actual size. Looks like I'm going to have cold toes when my friends come!

Last Week:

Progress:

To sew or not to sew, that is the question. I have 19 more days until my friends come and will probably crank out about 6-8 more squares in that time (imagine one more row width wise to this). I'll want my blanket to be bigger than that - probably at least two more rows in width and one more in length. Should I start sewing so I can have an extra blanket when my friends come in three weeks (which was my whole goal of this project) or just keep it separate? Decisions, decisions...

Christmas Is In The Air...

My favourite month out of the year is December, hands down. Everything looks so pretty with lights and festive decorations. Due to its commercialness, I think Christmas has become more than just about the religious meaning and is a time that everyone can enjoy. In fact, I think there should be two separate names. One for the religious holiday and one for the time associated with Santa, elves, reindeer, lights, and snowmen.

I love to give. It's always hard to find things for the people you love, especially when you're being sneaky about it and don't want to ask them what they want. For my new friends in Scotland this year, I decided to make something with my hands. I don't remember how I came up with the idea since I decided about two months ago, but I decided to make Christmas stockings from scratch. This was a big undertaking for me since I've never (and I mean NEVER) sewn anything in my life aside from a crappy stitching job on some hole in a shirt or blanket that I always beg my mom to help me with. This was a big risk but with the help of an Etsy tutorial I found on Youtube, I think I did a darn good job. You can watch the tutorial I used here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

First I chose a stocking pattern online. I cut it out and taped it together. You can use the one I used here.

Then I used my pattern to cut out the inside and outside of my stocking fabric. At the fabric store I bought a lovely Christmas pattern. In the end result, you will see that you can use anything! When you cut them out, bring out main pattern down a few inches. By making the inside pattern longer, it will allow it to create the cuff.

Put the main stocking pattern using the outside (or pretty side) of the fabric together. Sew around it and turn it right-side out. Put the inside stocking fabric together (pretty side together) and sew around it, leaving a four inch hole on one side of the stocking.

Put the main stocking inside the lining stocking (so they're both facing the right way) and sew the edges together. When I first watched the tutorial I misunderstood and just sewed a line all across so there was no longer an opening. Sew it in a circle. Pull the main stocking out of the lining stocking through that little hole you left before and make it so it looks like the picture below. Sew up the little hole. Make sure you leave the little hole far enough down so that when you fold it, you won't see the messy stitch line.

Tuck the lining stocking inside the main stocking and pull it up some so the cuff shows.

The one thing I wasn't happy about was creating a loop. I saved it for last and am not very happy with how mine look (I just used extra fabric) but overall, I think they look great! Here is a picture of three that I made. The one on the left is for my flatmate Sophie, who loves cupcakes. The one in the middle is mine. The one on the right is for my flatmate Caoimh who loves music. I also made another stocking for our friend Mags in the same fabric I made mine out of because I couldn't find a fabric that I thought would be perfect for her. The stockings are now hung on our mantel with care. Hopefully St. Nick soon will be here!

Not knowing anything about fabric, I bought way too much of it all so now I'm making mini-stocking that I'll give to family/friends with their gifts inside so they can use them as Christmas ornaments on their tree. It's harder and easier at the same time to make tiny ones. They're harder to make the round part rounded but I still enjoy making them. The big ones I could make in an afternoon (much faster if I used a machine) and the little ones I can make 2 or 3 while I'm sitting watching an hour of tv.