messenger bag... almost done

Yep, after being unable to find a messenger bag or sling backpack that i was happy with for the new semester i started knitting my own! It's all done now in Lion Brand thick & chunky in Denim and going to be reversible with matching courderoy. I need to sew the lining and then put them together. The project will cost about $40 when all is said and done but it's my own creation.

Other projects that are almost done: my ecru newsboy cap and my coffee brimmed beanie.

re: the $60

Incidentally, i also spent my money on Christmas presents. But me trying to not knit (or crochet now it seems) is nearly impossible. I enjoy working on projects in class or while listening to books on tape. I'm going to have to start bringing my work while on carpool. And i can't believe that i'm becoming such a yarn snob!

I never thought i'd see the day that i'd become a crocheter, though. I'm still highly selective about which projects i'd like to do, but then, i'm that way about knitting, too, aren't i?

crocheting again (yes, you read that right!)

Yesterday (was it only yeterday? it seems so far away) i finished crocheting a lacy hat that i just happened to find in a book at the library. See, on Monday i sold my books back and instantly had $60 burning a whole in my pocket. I headed over to the new knitting store in town (the Cozy Knit & Purl) for the bamboo needles that i know i can't buy anywhere else and while i'm there i stumble upon some Rowan yarn that is just beautiful and the perfect color. It matches Arwen's chase jacket. And as soon as i had seen this hat pattern i thought it looked elvish. So i splurged on the yarn and now have a completed pattern. Not only that, but i'm currently working on an advanced pattern that's in the newest Knit 1 magazine.

Of the Rowan yarn: i really wasn't happy with the quality of it. I think this is the same color that i got, but it seems a bit greyer in person. It's a very pale color. Just a bit more turquoise in it than Arwen's chase outfit.



Of the Lion Brand suede that i'm currently using for two different hat patterns i am fairly happy. It's a bit difficult to cast on with but it crochets like a dream. I'm crocheting with Ecru and knitting with Coffee.



Hopefully i can post pics soon, but Brinna is on the road again... rather, she's in Korea seeing her husband for the first time since May.

PoA scarf: finished!

I just finished putting on the fringe. I think i might add more, but for all intents and purposes the project is finally done. (: I didn't get my GoF cloak done, but i will be wearing my school uniform costume to the movie tonight (or, as the theater's recording says, "at 12:01 am, a special advance viewing"). I have a little leftover yarn that i'm considering using for a hat (not sure it will be enough) or a head scarf/headband like the one my sister made. Not sure what my next HP related project will be, yet, maybe a hat like the twins' or Ron's in PoA.

Happy Harry Potter Day!

i wore my PoA inspired skirt today (along with a white shirt and marroon tie) and was pleased with the response i got (no one could tell that i sewed the skirt myself). i didn't get my scarf done (i just hit the 3/4's mark), but i worked on it during certain classes (per usual), something which really cracked up my Women's Chorus professor (i was knitting during warmups and "wearing the scarf at the same time"). My next project is going to be to finish the GoF cloak i've been working on, after that i haven't decided.

my PoA scarf

I'm halfway through! I wish i could post a picture, but i can't. It's not going to be as long as i wanted but i don't have the money to buy more yarn. I'm so short that it probably wouldn't be wise to make it the same length as in the movies, anyway. I mean, i may be 5'5", but Dan, Rupert, and Tom are all around 6' tall now, right?

camera update

No luck... I downloaded a driver from the brand's website and now the computer will register that i have a camera but it keeps saying there are no photos on the camera. I don't expect any better results.

Harry Potter Day costumes (gasp)

I've got two new projects! I'm sewing two pleated skirts, one for Harry Potter Day, the other possibly for the Harvest Fest at our church the night before. Work on my GoF cloak will resume soon, and i plan to sew one skirt (a charcoal with subtle burgundy stripes that are perfect) to wear with the cloak (to the premiere of GoF as well) and the other is a turquoise and orange polyester plaid that i'm considering wearing to the Harvest Fest clad as Kitty from That '70's Show. Pics will hopefully be forthcoming.

digital camera woes

I've finally found my digital camera, but now i can't download the images onto the computer. ): Will keep trying!

punk wristwarmer conversion

The more time i wait to do this, the less i want to do it. It would be really easy to do, in fact i could type up the pattern in ten minutes, but i don't think i want to make another pair of those wristwarmers. I didn't really like them that well once i finished them. My tension when crocheting is a whole lot better, but i'm still no crocheter. I'm not sure what i'll do.

Oh, and sorry about the lack of pictures: hopefully i'll be posting some real soon... really!

beanie hats galore

I have finished my beanie visor, am nearly done with brinna's, and am finally posting this image that i saw shortly after Star Wars 3 came out: they're crocheted but i think it's a great idea. As an R2-D2 fan i may have to make one of these myself.

brinna's hat

I worked on the hat over the weekend and it's almost completed. I'm not sure we're going to be adding a visor to it (there might not be enough yarn left) so we should be posting pics (and the pattern) soon.

brinna's beanie bupdate

ha ha ha, i'm so witty that i amaze myself d:

I'm doing this cable pattern for Brinna's hat using size 10 1/2 needles. It's a rectangle that will wrap around, i'll add the cap and brim afterwards with size 10 circular or dpn. So far i've done the chart twice; i'll have to do it twice more to reach around her head. Hopefully i'll have some pics soon.

Btw, i love this hoodie and may have to buy the pattern. I'm planning to knit my hat with size 8 circulars which will be a much tighter stitch.

our boards

In case you're curious, Brinna and i both got Lamar snowboards. Hers is Ainjel, mine is Fascination.

beanie visor

The newest knitting project i'm going to take on is some beanie visors. I can't find patterns for them anywhere on the internet so i'm going to have to modify beanie patterns and add the visor. I'm going to knit one for Megan with celtic cables and i think mine is going to be double knit with a wing pattern. We're using craft foam for the visor that's probably about four millimeters thick. Both of these hats are meant to match our new snowboards and will be quick to knit up because we've purchased Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Claret for her and Sky Blue and Charcoal for me. I'm sure we'll have plenty left over for mittens or scarves, etc.

I plan to make more than one beanie visor this winter. My inspiration was a Fox beanie visor at PacSun but the whole collection is lovely but expensive. Our projects are quite a bit cheaper.

Punk Wristwarmers

made by Luinel
based on Midnight Knitter's Punk Crochet Wrist-Warmers

It used to be that i couldn't crochet a square shaped object. Because of this project my tension and ability have vastly improved when it comes to crocheting. I'm still a knitter by choice, but it's nice to know that i can now crochet something if i need to or choose to.

I made a couple of modifications to this pattern: i only crocheted 24 rows before joining the wrist and i extended the top of the pattern a couple of rows so it would reach my knuckles. Nothing fancy. I'm getting ready to swear off Bernat, though: the brand's yarn worked great for Alice's Sweater, but the camo yarn didn't do as well. I wore one wristwarmer two nights and the other one night on a campout and they're both already getting stretched out and messed up.

Luinel's Chase outfit

based on Arwen's Chase outfit in FotR

I've been dreaming about making this outfit since i saw Fellowship of the Ring the second or third time. I don't know why, but i've never been as gung ho about Arwen's outfits in LotR as many that i've met or conversed with online. I loved Liv Tyler in the part and i loved Ngila Dickson's work, but truth be told i am much better suited to a hobbit's way of dressing than an elf's. Even if i do lose weight (God willing) i know i'll never be as thin and lithe as an elf. I'm a klutz that throws a softball very hard.

But even as i was working on my Hobbit lass costume i was secretly pining after a blueish grey microsuede that i had seen while purchasing my cloak fabric at Mary Jo's fabric in Gastonia, North Carolina. When i first saw and felt it i had no idea what i would use it for but i very much wanted to buy it. Shortly afterwards i realized that i was a very good match to the Chase outfit in some photos at Alley Cat's LotR Costumes. In the movie the film has been modified to make her jacket look darker and purpler, but according to all the photos i've seen my suede is a very good match.

I bought the fabric over a year ago, along with the pattern and notions, but i haven't gotten up the nerve to cut into the suede yet. Truth be told, this wasn't a very practical purchase, and i'm going to be so upset if i botch this project up. I'm sure i do fine, but right now i'm using the Gof duster as a dry run. There are definitely differences, but that project isn't quite as expensive. Stay tuned for updates as i'm soon i'll begin construction on this project soon.

images appear courtesy of Alley Cat's LotR Costumes

Padme's choking tunic and armwarmers

might be sewn by Luinel
based on the outfit in Star Wars III Revenge of the Sith



During my first viewing of SW3 this was one of the only outfit that i really liked. Most of Padme's outfits in this movie were overly ornate: they would have been incredibly uncomfortable to wear and did little to cover her condition. The only other outfits that appealed to me at all were the brown and purple velvet dress and the waterfall burial dress.

During my second viewing of SW3 this outfit really stood out to me, particularly because of the shot on the left. I suddenly realized that Padme wasn't wearing a long sleeved tunic but one that's practically sleeveless (there's about half of a cap sleeve there) and some really cool armwarmers.

I don't usually go for Star Wars costumes because i don't care about the series that much anymore. I loved watching it when i was a kid, it was my favorite, but such is no longer the case. Despite that i've fallen in love with this tunic and armwarmers would like to make them sometime. It looks like the upper bodice is cut in one piece with the collar, sleeves, and itself, and its only seams are the front and the one connecting it to the lower bodice. I think i could make this in a way that doesn't look like a tent (;. What's really cool is that there doesn't appear to be any hem on the collar, and if i use microsuede i don't think i need to sew a bottom hem or hems on the sleeves, either. I'm not certain, but i think this project may be lined, which would account for some of this. I'm most likely will not be including the brown straps if i make this.

images appear courtesy of the Padawan's Guide

update (finally!)

We've been a bit busy with a new baby in the home. I've finally found the chance to upload some new stuff that i was working on before the birth day event. Dealing with computer problems: more to (hopefully) come soon with pictures.

ETA: This post originally contained links to my webpage, but those pages no long exist as i have moved all meaningful content to this blog or my Ravelry projects.

progress

Started working on filling up Brinna's sidebar. She doesn't have as much time to work on content as myself, nor as much html know-how, but we'll get there. I'm still working on my side, too.