The Statue of Liberty

This is one of those 5 x 5 Dimensions needlepoint kits that I found after we visited the Statue of Liberty with the Girl Scout troop. That was, like, six years ago?? It is mostly stitched with embroidery floss, and I think I will use it as a patch on a bag or purse or something. Or maybe the cover of a needlebook!  As a project, I consider this done - well, as soon as it dries on the blocking pad.

Let's do some math... at 25 square inches, for, about 50 months (it took me a while to find it), that's a half square inch per month; at 14 stitches per inch, that's 196 stitches per square inch, so, with a little rounding, my progress was about 100 stitches per month - about 3 stitches a day. My.

Embroidered Dresses: Second Square

Two of out twelve squares complete!

The first square was posted  on March 26th. :

The Button Stitch

This stitch was featured in a sweater pattern book from the library, and I thought it was very, very cute. I have needed to complete something, too, so I whipped up a cotton washcloth made in the Button Stitch.

This pattern is purl 1 row, knit 1 row, in stockinette stitch for five rows. Knit one row of button stitches. Repeat.


The Button Stitch

From the front, insert the Right Hand Needle (RHN) between the second and third stitch on the Left Hand Needle (LHN). Yarn over (YO), pull a stitch through to the front and place on the left-hand needle. Knit this stitch. Slip the next two stitches from left to right as if to purl. Slip the third stitch on the RHN (the one you just knitted) over the two slipped stitches.


In this sample, I knitted a full row of button stitches with no spacing stitches between.

The Very Bright Quilt, phase 2 complete

Well, we think it is phase 2. The center blocks are complete and attached to one another. Now, Lisa is sewing together a million and a half triangles for a border. And here is the quilt as it looks today - the most featured quilt thus far on our blog.

On January 7th, there were only two rows.

On February 19th, there were four rows.

And now there are seven rows, and it is ready for a border.

A Few New Things

Julie and the Lunch Bag 

The first lunch bag was too small...

The second lunch bag was too big...

and the third lunch bag will be just right!

Small Bag  Pattern: Noriko Handbag by Lazy Girl Designs

                    Fabric:  Oilcloth and ripstock nylon scraps

 

Large Bag  Pattern:  Lunch Bag by Ayumi of Pink Penguin

                    http://ayumills.blogspot.com/2010/08/tutorial-lunch-bag.html

                    Fabric:  Oilcloth and "Flower Shop" green by Robert Kaufman

Wishful Thinking Wrist Warmers - II

Always wishing...!

Pattern:  Pattern with no name from a shop in Wheaton, Illinois, Summer 2011
                (This was a typed pattern provided with purchase of 2 skeins of yarn)
Yarn:  Baby Cashmerino
Needles:  US size 5


Aunt Dorothy's Table Runner

My version of a premade runner on the farm table in Illinois.  Aunt's comment after I finished:  "Why didn't you let me know you liked mine - I would have given it to you!"  Ahem.




















Pattern:  My version of a premade runner.

Dimensions:  19" x 50"

Fabric:  100% scraps from stash!  Machine quilted.

Embroidered Dresses Quilt

I finished embroidereing my first block of the 'dresses' quilt:

The pattern is

Dress Me Up!
Fabulous 50's Fashions
by Paula Shareski
www.bobbysocksqc.com

This one is #10.

Linen Stitch Scarf

Another Scarf FINISHED!!

There is a scarf pattern that is everyone's favorite at Saint Mary's College this year. I took a look at the pattern, and it is simply a linen stitch, knitted lengthwise. Knit with sock yarn. I looked up the linen stitch and reproduced the scarf.  This one is made with three different variegated colors of Deborah Norville's Serenity sock weight yarn. This is a Michael's yarn. Everyone at work makes it out of Lorna's Laces, and the like. I chose to experiment with the inexpensive choice.

Linen Stitch 

Cast on an even number of stitches
Row 1:  *K1, bring yarn to front, slip 1 purlwise,* repeat between *'s until last stitch, K1
Row 2:  K1, *with yarn to back, slip 1 purlwise, p1 * repeat between *'s until last stitch, K1
Change to new ball of yarn. 

That's it! Two rows, change yarn, two rows, change yarn. Until the scarf is 4 or 5 inches wide. Because the yarn is variegated, the colors twinkle a little bit, and the knitted fabric looks woven.

Beware - this scarf began with Cast on 450. Even knitted on size 6 needles, every row took FOREVER. And because of all those slipped stitches, it actually took two rows to make the usual progress of one row. By the time my scarf was 4 inches wide, I couldn't stand working on it anymore and I happily bound off.