I can knit, but can I learn to sew?

  

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I finally got around to putting the tie on my needle holder. I've been using the thing for what seems like ages without it. When I first sewed the long strip for the tie, I couldn't figure out how to turn the thing right-side out. So I went ahead and put all my needles in the case, stuffed the tie inside, rolled it up, and promptly forgot all about it.

It was actually quite a while ago that May, from Knitsmiths, helped me get the tie turned the right way, but since then I've only thought about sewing it on when I opened it up to get some dpn's and I haven't had to do that much lately. Today I miraculously thought of it while the sewing machine was out. Pointy is finished, and I've acquired even more double-pointed needles, so it's already completely full!

Aren't these just as cute as can be? May, from the Knitsmiths also sews and brought in some old patterns she didn't want from a larger lot she'd bought on eBay. They are a little retro, but oh so adorable. I'll definitely have to try them out once I feel like I can do the whole pants fly-buttonhole-waistband thing.

Tonight we're supossed to learn buttonholes and some hemming stitches, so after that I should be able to get started on groovy. I've wanted to start it all week, but step one is 'make buttonholes' and I want to see that at least once in person before I try it on my own. And before I do step one, I'm supposed to 'determine length', which means measuring and I totally suck at that (as any of my knitblog readers can attest to!), so I'm procrastinating.

Please welcome my little sewing blog, sew blue, to the blue room! I'll be blogging there (less frequently!!) about progress on my sewing projects from now on.

Now back to knitting: here is a sneak peek at what I'll be working on this weekend.

Didn't get too much done yesterday on my two craft-alongs. I started the cute giraffe pocket for the giranimal jacket, but man, it's going slow! The pocket is knitted with a single strand on 3mm needles (whereas the rest of the jacket is knitted doubled on 5mm) and it's intarsia, so I've got tiny needles and big skeins to move around over and over. Ugh! I've only done about an inch and that's all curled up since it's stockinette, so no update picture today.

I did almost finish sewing my needle case (I love the fabric - very Hundertwasser , don't ya think?). I know the case really doesn't look much different from the last picture, but now the seams are all done. Unfortunately, they're all a bit wonky. I'm pretty sure that I don't have any idea about how to properly select the tension and stitch length, etc., so that may be the problem. I'm happy with it though for a first project. It will definitely work (now that I ripped out the first seam and shortened the pocket, my little dpns fit inside) and it rolls up real nicely. I still have to make a little tie to hold it closed. Many, many thanks to Rebecca for her help! I think it has been a great introduction to sewing. (Did you know that there was so much ironing in sewing?? Who knew?) I've got extra fabric, so I think I'll try to make another little case for my sewing notions.

For all out there following the tweed baby jacket/Phildar Legende knit-along, I've made some progress on mine. I finished the first sleeve and then thought that the second one looked so funky in the schematic that I just had to knit it right up as well. As I mentioned before, the front is both wierdly assymetrical and has raglan armhole shaping. That means that at some point the sleeve takes over button band duty. So that's that strange little piece hanging off the second sleeve. I think Becky went ahead and took on the challenge of doing the front. I'll have to see how she managed before I give it a try! Kerrie has posted on her progress with her Legende baby jumper and Clemence is now working on a sleeve for her own Legende pullover.

My sew-along is also progressing. Rebecca has started her needle case, but seems to be having trouble posting pics on her blog. (Frowny face.) She was generous enough to write up some beginner-friendly directions for me (thankful, smiley face) and following those, I managed to sew a hem on the inside pocket piece and then one seam joining the various pieces. I think it looks pretty good so far (and here is a close up of my crazy fabric!). But I've stopped at this point because I can tell now that the pocket will be too deep for my short double-points (yes, I generally prefer the little, short, plastic ones, but I do have normal dpns too). So, I am anxiously awaiting further instructions. Sewing class is on Thursday. We're only up to cutting out pattern pieces, but maybe I can ask for advice after class.

The knit-along continues. Becky has begun her tweed jacket and mine is also progressing. Here is the back completed. I can't seem to get the color to come out right in the pictures, but my yarn is unfortunately not as bright as the blue in the catalog photo or the photo on Becky's site. Different dye lot, maybe? It's still lovely though and the accent colors are really cool, so stay tuned for them! This yarn is really great to work with. It is so soft to the touch and is just sliding along my needles (in a good way, that is). Clemence, of ...au fil des augilles... is also making a sweater with this yarn and singing its praises as well. And I hear that Kerrie is using too, but no reports of it yet on her blog!

On the sewing front, I'm hoping to do a sew-along with Rebecca. Yesterday she mentioned wanting to make one of those knitting needle holders that everyone seems to be making and I thought what a great idea! I've seen so many of you make such cool cases and thought that would be an excellent first project. Remember Ivete's needle holder, which she made after getting a sewing machine for her birthday? Check out the incredible one Inga just made with fabric by Kaffe Fassett. Inga's was inspired by this lovely case that Tracy made for Wendy for her birthday. I found a link at homemade slice of chaos which brought me to this little pattern at Miasma. And she was inspired by fellow knitblogger, The Knitting Queen, and so on, and so on...

I got some awesome crafty gifts for Christmas, including Jil Eaton's Big Fish, Little Fish, Kaffe Fassett's Family Album, and (drumroll, please...) this Bernina sewing machine! Hubby also signed me up for a beginning sewing class so I can learn how to sew cute little things for the boys. How exciting!

And although Santa brought the boys all kinds of exciting toys and books, their favorite thing under the tree by far was this box. Here's hoping that Santa brought you everything you wished for and a cool box too!