No Knit New Year

Happy New Year! Welcome, 2011, so far you've been pretty good.

Well, except in the knit department. 3 weeks or so ago, I started a little linen top for myself. I briefly mentioned it here. I finished it up on Boxing Day as we sat at the old Quarantine Station at Manly and watching the start of the Sydney to Hobart.

Today, it looks like this.

Because I am a total knitting moron, I never checked my tension. Ever. Not even once. I didn't even wonder about it. I just cast on with a needle one size smaller than recommended. Because that's what I always need to do. Always.

Except not this time. It was too small. I could get it on, but it was just wrong. Like, recommended tension is 19sts/10cm, and I was getting 23sts/10cm.

R-I-I-I-I-I-P. And start over.

The knit mojo is not strong with this one.

So instead, I've been sewing!

I don't know if I've ever shown the Interchangeable Cases I've been making for the shop here on the blog. I had a quick look through the archives but didn't see them

In any case, this is what they look like.

There's a double row of needle pockets.

And there's a zipped pocket behind the needle pockets for your cables, needle sizer and other bits and bobs.

I'm pretty happy with them! There's a few different ones up in the etsy store right now.

And we've been doing a huge cleanout lately, getting rid of a bunch of stuff. I came across my Amy Butler bag patterns that I'd bought, then never got around to making. And decided it was time to change that! So yesterday I made myself a "Sophia" bag.

I really like this bag! I used Amy Butler fabrics, "Passion Lily" in Pink for the exterior, and "Laurel Dots" in Cerise for the lining, both from the Soul Blossoms range.

I followed the pattern almost to the letter, except that I made the handles a little longer, and I added some purse feet to the bottom, in the hope that it'll last a little longer!

I'd read a few pattern reviews online before I got started, which recommended extending the handles, and I'm glad I did. A lot of reviewers thought that the piping around the bottom added unnecessary bulk, but I didn't have a problem - but I did take the designers advice and used a heavyweight machine needle, which really did help. I found the pattern really easy to follow, but she gets a bit wordy at time! Probably not a pattern for a beginner, but an adventurous beginner might be okay with it. I do wish it were a little sturdier - I used lightweight interfacing and I'd probably use a mediumweight if I were to do it again.

One thing I'll say is that I think she overestimated the amount of fabric required! Particularly the lining fabric - I had more than half a metre left over. So I also made myself a little purse to match, with another of her patterns, the "Stash and Dash" bags. I have made this one before, way back when everybody was doing the "pay it forward" thing a couple of years back I made a few to give away, but I never made one for myself!

This is the smallest version, the coin purse.

I think this one is a bit fiddly, especially around the zipper, but it works - and it's cute! I especially like the pleating at the bottom which gives the bag it's shape.

I may even use up the rest of the fabric making the other sizes! (Or maybe I'll knit for a bit)

Twinkie has been absent from the blog for a while, but don't worry about her too much, she's still ruling the roost.

And Santa must have decided she was a good bunny this year, because she got her favourite compressed hay cubes for Christmas!