Things are beginning to line up in both the knitting and sewing department for Halloween - yes already!

I will get a full shot of me wearing once the sweater has been made. I have baby sweater to finish first and then on to the sweater. Also I’m sewing some super-hero costumes for the girls which I’ll have to post when they are done.

It may not look like much, but the yoke is complete with casting for the elastic and the skirt is basted for the gathering and pinning to the yoke. Aside from a 15 minute struggle with bobbin and threading issues (something was backwards), this has gone pretty smooth. I’m nervous about stitching close to the edge, but find it’s getting better each time.

There is one minor error with the skirt; I realized my stitch length is too long. I’m not ripping it out and starting over. I can live with it. I will make sure the rest of my sewing is with the appropriate number of stitches per inch. Who knew sewing has a gauge of sorts too?

Beside is going to be my first sewing project using the sewing machine I got for my birthday last month that I still haven’t even plugged in! The fabric is so beautiful that I’m making the entire skirt out it instead of using a different fabric for the yoke. There I go changing the pattern already with my first project. Here’s an up close shot of the fabric:

It’s a bit blurry (my camera’s not that great), but you get the idea. The lady bugs are metalic gold - so pretty. I hope I don’t mess up the pattern because I would love to have this outfit to wear for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

And Pioggia you are absolutely right that this is my hobby and it shouldn’t stress me out. .

I keep reminding myself that the sweater is going to be very pretty when (if) it gets done. I think my next project is going to be a scarf .

I have added the Quick Hat pattern to my patterns page.

Click here for a copy and of course it will continue to be available on my patterns page.

I’ve had my sewing machine for a week and a half and I still haven’t tried it out. It’s frustrating to have so little time to do the things one wants to do. It seems like far too much of life is wasted on things we ‘have to do’, like working, cooking and cleaning. *Sigh*.

Enough complaining. Here’s where I am with the cardigan:

Almost done the back.

You can actually see the diamond pattern now, although it’s not as apparent as the original sweater.

I have been working on the cardigan though. And the progress has been slow. Here’s where I am:

Sorry the picture isn’t great - I just took it in my living room without any sunlight since it’s 9 p.m. It’s hard to see, but the diamond pattern isn’t showing up very well with this yarn. I knew the yarn would look different from the smooth, silk/cotton blend the pattern called for but I had no idea it would be this different. I’m not unhappy with it and I think once it’s washed and block the pattern will show up a bit more.

It was my birthday last week and I got a sewing machine. I’ve very excited about the whole thing and I can’t wait to try it out. I can’t really sew but I have many friends and family who have offered their help. I’m confident I can do it. For my first project I want to make a simple skirt. Maybe something to match my cardigan.

He’s only a baby for sure and the cats have been going crazy wanting to get out there and chase him. This morning I left him a carrot. I hope he likes it.

I haven’t knit much on the cardigan, but this is what I have so far.

I’m quite happy with it how’s going. Again the colour isn’t exactly my preference, but it’s not bad either.

There was no pattern, but I based on the concept of sweater making I used when I was 10. It’s knit in one piece where you knit the back, increase for the sleeves on both sides, cast off the centre for the neck, knit up one side of the front (remembering to cast off the sleeve stitches when they are wide enough), finishing off with the ribbing at the front, then you knit up the other front side. No gauge is really need as it’s so small I just cast on some stitches and held the needle next to Mrs. Bun to see if it was wide enough.

The difficult part was when little A asked where the button was (who makes a cardi without a button)? Since I hadn’t created a button hole I decided to sew on a dome. Now sewing and I are enemies - I can’t seem to ever get it right. It took three tries to sew the dome on correctly. It was a sad, sad thing, but I finally the sweater can be buttoned closed.