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This has ended up being the week I babble on about my various projects, hasn’t it? Oh dear! I promise I have more interesting stuff next week–including a new interview! I swear this week has been all about catching up–especially on my blogroll. So for now, I thought I’d show you two things I worked on over the holiday weekend…
Knitting progress first! I cannot believe how much I’ve knit in a little over a week on this cardigan; especially since I had to rip out about 30 rows at one point. (Lesson learned: reread the instructions to make sure I know when the increases are supposed to start.) The back is completely finished and the front right is being wrapped up. I do need more yarn though. Which makes me a bit nervous since I doubt I’ll be able to get the exact dye lot again. But oh well–worse comes to worse and I’ll just through it in some dye afterward and see what happens! (I know, I’m taking such a “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” approach to this. lol!) I love how soft the yarn is and how quickly it’s knitting up. The pattern looks intimidating but it’s quite simple. Now ideas of finishing it by the time the weather cools off are starting to dance through my head… lol!
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Another little project I did was embellish a white tank top. I’m only so-so on how this one turned up, but though the concept was worth posting about. In all honesty, it’s the tank top and not my embellishment that doesn’t work. I just grabbed a cheap tank that is really tight to do this with, and tight plus frilly stuff doesn’t work, at least in my opinion. I think I didn’t realize how tight it was until after I finished. Oh well. lol. But basically, I just cut a bunch of 1 1/2″ wide bias strips out of some lightweight silk and seamed them together to create long tapes. The ruffle was gathered and zig-zagged to the neckline (twice. I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t rip off in one of my super klutzy moments!), and the rosette I gathered and stitched together by hand. Pretty simple and easy! It’s cute (I wore it to our friend’s house Sunday evening with a polka dot skirt), but I still am not a fan of the super tight tank. But maybe that is just me. lol!
The knitting looks like it’s coming along beautifully! I’m so excited/nervous for my class! I love the tank as well and think it looks great on you!!
I like the concept of the ruffles! I think I might want to try that on a t-shirt!
wow, i love the stitch pattern on the sweater! i wonder if you can request the same dye lot for it?
i think the top is really cute but of course you have to feel comfortable in it. personally i look better in tighter tanks since most loose clothing swallows me up.
casey, didn’t know if you saw that your wedding was also featured on the ritzy bee blog? http://ritzybee.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/vintage-wednesdays-1.html
In Germany (where return policies are normally not as good as in the US) you can usually buy more yarn than you need for your project and then return the balls you didn’t use. Perhaps you could arrange that for your next project so you don’t have to go hunting for more wool of the same lot.
I think the tank looks really good on you, but I can also understand that it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable. I would be the same. Perhaps you could cut off the upper portion of the tank and sew it onto another garment (t-shirt or even a cardigan).
Nice to see how your projects are coming along! I find information on them even more inspiring than the inspiration posts. (And I like those!)
I don’t mind all the creative posts!! Love the pattern on the knitting project, can’t wait to see it finished. If you kept the lot number the company you bought from might have some left of the same…maybe??! LOL!
Your needles look teeny…what size are they? I’ve used 2.75 (no idea what that is in US sizes..sorry!) and that was small enough!
I finished my knitting project….but although the sizes should have fitted me it was too streeeeeetched and small for me. (It wasn’t a tension issue, I think it was an “old sizes” issue) I then went off the the colour, so now I’m on a red version!
I love the top! And I agree with Kate, it´s even more inspiring to se how your projects come allong! It´s so fun to se diffrent stadiums in a project.
Hope you find more yarn to the knitting!
I’d love to knit something bigger that scarves!so far it looks really good, i hope you find that colour again!
I, of course, love to hear what you’re up to. Actually, I really love to SEE what you’re up to.
The sweater looks so nice. I can’t wait to see it finished.
Will the t-shirt work better under a cute cardigan when the weather gets cooler? I really like the concept!
Mom
I’ve been plotting a ruffle-project like that myself! Pretty frame prop!
The sweater looks scrumptious already.
I totally agree with previos speakers, I love seeing how the projects are coming along!
Wow, you knit fast! And it looks very promising, love the pattern on it. You actually inspired me to try to learn how to knit again, I haven´t knit since school, and then only small things. Anyway, my mom helped me refresh my memory and now I’m battling with a scarf =) It’s so much fun!
Have a lovely weekend!
I think the tank looks great. The embellishment was such a good idea!
You do knit fast — most of my projects take years… can’t wait to see the finished product!
Me too! I love how the tank turned out, and think it looks utterly lovely on. For what it’s worth, anyway …
Oh these both look great!
I need to start knitting again, I only seem to do it in the fall/winter, which doesn’t exactly help me get much better, haha.
the ruffles on the tank top look like vanilla frosting on a cupcake!
Looks like your cardigan is really coming together! I just love the color of the yarn, can’t wait to see the finished product
Sorry you had to rip out all those rows! I feel your pain though, I often let myself get overly excited about a project and in the process I miss pieces of the directions, but oh well, it happens 
I think that the tank top turned out really cute, it looks so pretty with that blue polka dot skirt! I agree though, I can’t stand if tank tops, or any shirt really, is too tight or clingy, even it looks fine it still drives me crazy.
Have a lovely weekend!
I love the tank! I will probably try this, but with a black tank and red ruffles.
I think the tank turned out really nice. It goes well with the skirt.
I’m always amazed at how other people knit so much faster than I. I hope it turns out well. It takes me half a year just to do a shrug.
The embellished tank top looks straight out of Anthropologie! So lovely!
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Natalie xx
knitting and ruffles. how lovely.
xx
The cardigan looks great, I really wish I could knit a cardigan but I’m struggling enough with the scarf I’m currently attempting and as springs arrived down south things aren’t looking too good for my poor little hole-filled scarf!
So great !
i feel sort of the same way about this week being all catch up on blogs!
your projects are endlessly interesting and don’t think for a second that they aren’t! everything you post about is fantastic,and your projects make me beyond jealous that you’re able to create so much wonderful stuff!!!! xo
Forgive me if you’ve said this already, but what yarn are you using? I want knit a sweater an you seem to really like the yarn you ordered, it looks great too!
xoxo