Tricotine

Wordless Wednesday #21

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

Vacation Time chez Tricotine...

My family from France arrives tomorrow and will be staying with us for 3 weeks.  I am going to be able to act like a rotten spoiled brat Daughter again, at least for a little while...

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I won't be online so much, but I will be checking my blog and my email. So, if you need to contact me, feel free to drop me a line anytime.

Thanks and enjoy the nice weather!

 

Booga Bag Liner

I made my Booga Bag 3 years ago.  It was my first felting experience, and I made it by hand...  NEVER again by hand! Too painful... 

Anyway.  I have never used my Booga Bag because I wanted to line it before, to protect it from keys and other sharp items that could damage it, but I was not sure how to do it... 

Taking my sewing machine out yesterday, has motivated me I guess, because I DID IT!!!  I used leftovers from the Toddler Dress.  A 100% cotton fabric that I bought when I was pregnant with my son, to make sheets for his crib (I never did... )

Now, my liner is not Quilted-like-accuratly-made, as I was totally impovising as I was going, but I think it is about right. I even have added a little inside pocket as well...

 
[Click on photos to enlarge]

I neither took notes nor measurements of what I did, so I am not sure I would ever able to do the exact same thing again if I had too... but one thing for sure, I am not afraid of lining bags anymore!

 

Toddler Dress Finished!

Here it is finally, and modelled by Mini Tricotine, the knitted part of the Toddler Dress completed!  I certainly would have made it longer if I was not limited by yarn quantity, and if wanted to make a tank top instead of a dress...

To cover the chest better - because little girls are not shaped like women - I have added a little bib on the front, and made i-cord straps instead of using a crochet chain - let's not forget that kids like to be active and play...

Pattern: My version of Twisted Cable Tube (page 36 of July 2007 issue of Creative Knitting Magazine), resized for size 2T (21 inches around the bust)
Yarn: Shine Sport, Apricot color (Microspun is a great substitution yarn)
Needles: Circular #4 US and 2 double pointed needles #3 US + Crochet 3.5mm
Gauge: 6.5 stitches = 1 inch

My notes:

I cast on 136 stitches on a 24 inches long circular needle #4 US. I joined and worked even in the round, in pattern instructed in July 2007 issue of Creative Knitting Magazine, page 36, Twisted Cable Tube, for 4 inches.

Then, ending with a row 3, I worked until 8 stitches before the marker, and still working the pattern, I bind off 86 stitches total = 50 stitches left for the little bib on the front.

On the Right Side of the work: K2, P2tog, work in pattern to last 4 stitches, P2tog, K2 (cable row)
Next row (WS): P2, k2tog, work in pattern to last 4 stitches, K2tog, P2

Repeat these 2 rows until 40 stitches left on needle, and then work even until the little bib on the front measures 2 inches.  Bind off in pattern.

Make 2 i-cord straps, picking up 3 stitches with the hook (see photos here below). Slide them on the double pointed needle #3 US, and make a 5 1/2 inches strap. Make another strap the same way. Sew the straps slightly at the center of the back (see photo at the top of this post), this to make sure they will stay on the child's shoulder. 

[click on photos to enlarge]

 

That was a great destashing project; one single skein of yarn, and this is all what is left of it.

 

Assembling fabric (15 inches long) and stretchy knitted top was not the easiest thing to do, especially for the poorly skilled sewer that I am, but after few unsuccesfull attempts and a little swet, I finally made it and I am pretty proud of the results.

[click on photos to enlarge]

I had fun making that little dress, but my biggest thrill was to watch Baby Tricotine dancing around in her new dress, repeating "You MADE IT for ME! You MADE IT for ME!"...  She obviously likes it!

Toddler Dress... again!

No, I have not given up on making a dress for DD, using that single skein of Shine Sport.  I have already mentionned  here that it is not going to be a Baby Pico Dress, and I can add without any doubt now that my project is not going to be a Partially Monica either...

-------

That's right!  I have frogged my project again (3rd time) because I had the feeling that I was going to run out of yarn again, but mostly because I came across that fabulous pattern in the new Creative Knitting Magazine today, and just like that, I knew it would be the one to use for making the top of the Toddler Dress.  I might also make one for myself actually...

I am talking about a woman size top, called Twisted Cable Tube (page 36), and I have adjusted the pattern and the gauge to fit a 2 year-old tiny body... And, I have also cast on circular and worked in the round, instead of making separate front and back.

Fun way to make cable without a cable needle, and quick project that was completed in an evening, and it fits my little one perfectly!

The knitting part of the project completed, I will dig my dusty sewing machine out, and complete the rest of the dress with fabric. And maybe Baby Tricotine will be able to wear her new dress on Saturday, to go pick Nana coming from France at the Airport...

Wordless Wednesday #20

~ Wordless Wednesday ~

Prayer Shawl /Shrug finished!

I have finished my Prayer Shawl or should I say 'shrug' last night!

I finally decided that I would knit the last half of skein that was supposed to be kept for making the fringe. That made my fringeless wrap a little longer, but not enough to hang nicely on my fore arms, and to stay there when I am in movement...  So, I have sewn lenghwsise about 12 inches of each end of the shawl, forming sleeves.  I have turned my Prayer Shawl into a Prayer Shrug!

The photo here below shows the transformation half done...

Which side do you prefer?

Personally, I prefer the Shrug version, and I am wearing it right now, as I am typing this post.  In fact, I have been wearing it all  morning, doing breakfast, dressing my kids, doing my dishes, and I barely remembered that I was wearing it!  And it still wraps around me warmly if I want to... Now, this is the kind of Knits I know I will wear!

  Here are some more pics:

[Click on photos to enlarge]

Pattern: Prayer Shawl
Yarn: Lionbrand Homespun, color Corinthian, 3 skeins
Needles: Circular (for comfort) #11US (8 mm)

Note to myself: I prefer to wear Triangular Shawls than Wraps.

Infinity Symbol Cloth

I confess that I had no idea of what the Infinity symbol was before I was requested to design this Cloth, but I am glad I had to learn about it. How fascinating!

I like to work on projects that teach me something, whatever it is about knitting or not. Thank you, Jolene!

=  The mathematical symbol for infinity is called the lemniscate (lemniscus in latin = pendant ribbon). The lemniscate is patterned after the device known as a mobius (named after a nineteenth century mathemetician Mobius) strip. A mobius strip is a strip of paper which is twisted and attached at the ends, forming an 'endless' two dimensional surface.

Now I know why the Moebius Scarf was named that way...

=  But the religious and cultural aspects of the infinity symbol predate its mathematical origins. Circles and loops are reminiscent of the idea of life being conceived as an eternal, often times seasonal cycle, that endlessly repeats itself - endless reincarnation.

=  In the tarot, it represents the balance of forces and is often associated with the magician card.

=  The symbol as a tattoo would stand for the state or quality of being infinite. It is best described as a figure eight on its side, and is used to denote what is limitless and without boundary or end.

 

Sources:  Wikipedia - About.com - Numericana - Vanishing Tatoo

Getting to know you

I was tagged a little while ago already, so this time for Patty and Charissa, I am only going to list 7 other random things about myself (although it was 8 last time), and tag anyone who wants to be... Thanks for the fun, Ladies!

= = = = = = =

So, here I go!

1. Few years back, I use to run 6 miles/day, 5 days/week.
2. As a teen, I use to ski in Italy every Sunday.
3. When I was young I wanted to be a Ballerina when I grew up.
4. I have visited 17 coutries and 30 States (more info here)
5. I gained 70 pounds during one of my pregnancies, and lost 25 lbs with another...
6. I have completed 76 knitted projects in 2006.(see photos here)
7. I like to drink my coffee and tea straight black. No sugar, no cream, thanks!

Rainy Sunday...

It was a quiet stay-at-home Sunday for the Tricotine Family.  So what is better than a little Jigsaw Puzzle fun on a chilly and rainy Sunday afternoon?

And while they were having fun looking for missing pieces all around the house playing, I did some good progress on my Prayer Shawl. I am working with the third skein now...

Although I am not a big fan of Homespun, I like the combination of the Garter Stitch texture and the Corinthian colorway's self-striping a lot!    

I have made several projects with Homespun in the past, but it is my first Garter Stitch project using that fussy yarn, and I think that stitch suits the yarn pretty well. Actually, it is not just plain Garter Stitch; it is more some sort of enlarged Seed Stitch or disformed Basket Wave (you name it), resulting in a good looking striping effect.  

I cannot wait for my shawl to be done and to wear it! 

Yes, I shamelessly confess that I am more of what Stephanie calls in her latest book, an "it" knitter, rather than a "process" knitter...

Other than that, I have also been working on some [--- BEEP ---] for my KTS partner, but I cannot post it here yet, because I want it to be a surprise.  Sorry, Devorah, not ye-e-et...