Friday, October 25, 2013

Fantasy Footwear -- Part Two

See the prior post for the back story on this quilt work-in-progress.  After placing all the small pieces and fusing them into place it was time to do the detail stitching.  These photos show some of the stitching.  This first one shows the entire quilt top.


This one shows the heel of the shoe which I love.

Here is the butterfly which really came alive with the stitching added.

I really like how the daffodils came out.

The tulips may need a bit more work.

And here is the toe of the shoe with the bulb sitting on it


Now it's time to put the top, batting, and backing together and come to a decision regarding just how the actual quilting will be done.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Niche in Blue Sweater

I've taken on more ambitious knitting projects this past year.  This latest project uses the pattern Niche by Norah Gaughan.  The yarn is Berroco Maya™ in blue,  color 5632.   The sweater is knitted from the left sleeve cuff to the right.  I have made it past the boat neck to the right shoulder region. I love the way the yarn feels.

Here you can see the cable a little better.


I am looking forward to wearing this one. 

Friday, October 11, 2013

Fantasy Footwear Quilt-- the Beginning

This quilt story will be told in multiple posts as I progress from the beginning to the quilt's completion.

The inspiration for this quilt came from an old Stuart Weitzman shoe ad that I tore out of a magazine (don’t recall which magazine or the year) and saved.  Recently I decided it was time for this photo to become a quilt. 

First step was enlarging the original photo.  This was done by using FedEx Kinko to enlarge the origin 400% onto one large piece of paper.  Here you can see the sheet with the enlarged photo in black and white and the origin in the upper right corner.


The next step was to use my living room window as a light box to transfer the drawing/sketch to the white background fabric.

 
As this quilt will be used as an “art piece” or “wall quilt” I decided it would be okay to use a raw edge fusing technic for fabric “puzzle pieces.”  I used Pellon EZ Steam II for my fusible web.  I used freezer paper to make a pattern for each individual piece.  I quickly discovered I really needed to think “ahead” so that the background pieces where added first.   It is best not to have to lift these small pieces and reposition them too often. 
 
 
I had to lift and trim some of the background green stems/leaves so they wouldn’t show through the light flower fabrics.  That was just a bit tricky, a little scary, but I managed to do it.  Those forceps you see in the above photo was a huge help.
 
All the fabric “puzzle pieces” are now in place.  Next stage will be doing some detail stitching before I make the quilt sandwich.

The quilt name – fantasy footwear – popped into my head as I was getting started late summer and football season was getting ready to start too.  Several stories regarding fantasy football were in the news.  It seemed so appropriate. 

Friday, October 4, 2013

Modified Girlie Mitts

I liked the cuff and back of this fingerless mitten pattern.  I didn't like the way the thumb was done, no gusset.  So I changed it.  I "rewrote" the pattern (Girlie Mitts by Kristle Chester) to include a thumb gusset and to add the trim at the palm edge that mirrors the cuff.   I knit them using two yarns knit together:  Lion Brand LB 1878 and Rowan Kidsilk Haze Glamour (has sequins).
They fit nicely though I wish they were just a bit snugger.
Here are my changes to the pattern as per left mitt.  The right mitt changes would mirror these.
Round 25:  p1, K29, *p1, K4* to end.
Round 26:  p1, t4b, *K1, t4b* 6 times, *p1, t4b* 3 times
Round 27:  p1, K34, *p1,K4* 3 times
Round 28:  p1, K10, Fishtail Lace panel, K7,  *p1,K4* to end
Round 29:  p1, K10, lace panel, K7, *p1,K4* to end
Round 30:  p1, K10, lace panel, K7, *p1, K4* to end
Round 31:  p1,K10, lace panel, K7, *p1, K4* to end
Row 32 is where I started the thumb gusset.
Row32:  p1, K4, place marker, M1R, K1, M1L, place marker, K5, lace panel, K7, *p1, K4* to end
Row 33:  p1, K12, lace panel, K7, *p1, K4* to end
Even rows now will be same as row 32 until there are 17 stitches between markers.  Do next row in pattern (ie like row 33, knitting all stitches between p1 and lace panel section), then the next row (not sure what the number is as I ended up repeating the lace panel pattern a total of 4 times by the time the gloves were finished rather than twice as called for by the original pattern.  Anyway on the first even row after getting to 17 stitches between markers, p1, knit 4, remove marker, place 17 stitches on waste yarn, remove second marker, add 1 stitch by using yarn to “cast on stitch”, K5, lace panel, K7, *p1, K4* to end. 
Continue in pattern to end of the 4th repeat lace panel.
Repeat Round 1-4, then bind off.
Thumb:
place 17 stitches from waste yarn on needles and pick up 3 stitches where inside of thumb joins mitt for total of 20 stitches.   Knit 3 rounds.  Knit round 1-4, then bind off.