Cyano Print Progress Sorta

 

Haven't made much progress on the Cyano print project.  Too many distractions...Kalee has had another one of her stomach issues.  We were up last weekend from Sunday 4 a.m. until Monday 6 a.m.!  UGH...Poor dog...the vet is trying a new approach...when Kalee starts to feel poorly, she is restless, licking her lips (nausea) and vomiting.  In the past, she has been treated for pancreatitis, which she has had confirmation of.  Because she never loses her appetite, no diarrhea, no belly pain or pancreas symptoms, the vet is now treating her for some type of allergy!  I make my own dog food (99% ground turkey/veggies) and she is on Hills' ID kibble.  Since I started feeding her this, her stomach issues and no discomfort in pancreas have seemed to decrease...........SO, she's now on anti nausea med (which no vomiting for 2 days) and also on Prednisone for about a week.  She appears to be doing much better and we all slept Monday night with no interruptions!  Just need to figure out what type of allergy she has.  Vet doesn't feel the turkey/veggie mix is it...so process of elimination.  UGH

So now I'm playing around with different border fabrics and layouts.....

Not happy...just don't want something that is so 'expected' for a block.  

Do I dare cut it up more!  HA  No, I won't do that as I do want to hand embroider the leaf areas.

I think I am going to add 1/8th inch strip and work from there.  This is 1/4" strip I just laid on the piece.  I like this so much better! Now to cut it up and add  that 1/4"!!!

AND the srip is added...picture is a little crooked but I'm a lot more content with the piece.  Now back to borders, trim?????  Who know what!

So when I can't knit, I'll try and continue on with different  fabric for border or whatever!

Whitecaps Progress Continues!

Well, I finished blocking one of two panels I need for the whitecaps lace top.  It's kinda scary when you take your knitted piece and place it in water!!  I felt I needed to be extra gentle with this lace and even more careful when I placed the pins when blocking it! 

So far so good!  Don't mind the disheveled look!  I had just walked two miles at the church and then another 1/2 mile with the dogs.  I just wanted to hold up the top to see how it would look when the piece dried!  

 This is the start of the 2nd panel...I have quite a way to go but I have to say the pattern is easy to follow AND I only had to rip out a few rows when I got sidetracked!  Which is easy for me to do.  I usually knit in my sewing room or when there's something on TV that I don't have to follow!  HA  EXCEPT if the dogs are on my lap/side it can get confusing...they are either up and down of trying to get on my lap.  I'll have to take a picture of that situation!  

Onward and upward!!

Whitecaps Progress

This is the lace pullover or cover that I started.  It's a pattern by DanDoh designs.  I love Yumiko's patterns!  They are all so feminie and patterns very well written. 

I love the red but it's not a color I wear well..I'm more the spring color pallet!  HA  So I am making in vanilla yarn, which I did purchase from DanDoh.  It's a lovely silk yarn.

The only problem I had was getting gauge!  I knit tight so normally I have to go up at least one needle size.  Also, I'm not used to using a larger needle to knit with this lace type yarn!  

You can see these two gauge samples...bottom is my pink sweater gauge swatch I did but using #5 needles..top is using the silk yarn and #10 needle.  But with some tips from Yumiko I did get gauge!  Woohoo...

Also, I'm using a different circular needle I purchased.  This are called ChiaoGoo and they are fantastic!  One issue with circular needles is the wire part that twists and turns...ugh...so frustrating and uncomfortable.  

On one of the knitting FB pages I follow, someone suggested they use these needles and love them.  So off to Amazon to order.  I love, love them!! They have a wire steel cable which doesn't bend and twist!  

 

 

You can see the red wire...so easy to knit with!!  My only problem is finding time to knit.  I know...what the heck do you do all day, Robbie!!

In between being 'everyday housewife' I do meet up with friends, volunteer at the library, try to walk 2 miles several days a week along with dog walking when weather permits, yada, yada.  So my knitting takes a back seat!

I try to knit for an hour a day if possible...usually after dinner before World News with David Muir!

So this is my progress!  I've reached the underarm section so have about 60 rows to go before I bind off.  Kumiko has you block each piece (this is 1 of 2 pieces - front and back).  So the next pictures will be this piece being blocked.

Once blocked you'll see the pattern much better and will look like something!  HA

So, that's my story so far!  Now that I wasted time updating my blog I think I"ll go and knit!

Cyano Print Fabric

 I mentioned in a post this last month showing a beautiful cyano print fabric one of my friends, Bonnie, made and sent to me!  What a lovely surprise!  BUT now what to do with it!  Decisions, decisions...this is always the hardest part of any art work isn't it!

So, I bit the bullet and started to play around with "what if I cut it up?"....gosh, I hate to cut it up but......

I ended up drawing funky leaves on tracing paper and laying on top of the fabric just to give me an idea on placement, etc.

Besides the blue from the cyano print and the blue mottled fabric, I just felt it needed something else so I laid red fabric under the pieces.

I took away the red fabric and cut 1/4 inch strips and just laid across the fabric and that was all this beautiful print needed!

With any quilting pattern or design work, cutting a piece of fabric up is a scary challenge!  HA  At least it is for me.  So I took some scrap fabric the same size of the print.  

I measured each section then added 3/4" for the 1/4" inserts I wanted.  I know...math!!!!

But it worked!

This is around a fat quarter in size...perfect for one of those table top pieces.  Or I may just add some type of border on one side?  Or 3 sides? Or no sides!

My plan is to sandwich and then stitch in the ditch around each insert.  Then to do some hand embroidery work.  I may do free motion around some areas as well..in fact, as I'm typing this, I am thinking I may do that before embroidery work...but who knows!  Time will tell!

Whitecaps Knitted Pattern

 

Well, Easter is right around the corner, right!  So I'm hoping I can finish this top by then.  I can always brighten up the white by wearing a bright color camisole under it.  I wear a lot of black so black will look good too!  Now to finish it!

This is a pattern by Yumiko Alexander (Ravelry) called Whitecaps.  It's a fairly easy pattern but finding the time to make the top is a real challenge for me.  Hard to knit at night if dogs are on my lap...so I have to hide in the sewing room and have dogs on the table in front of me!  HA

The red is adorable but I just don't look good in red.  You can see all the different tops others have knitted in beautiful colors.  I'll stick with 'vanilla' for now...who knows....I might make another one!  HA

You knit with 2 strand of yarn for rows then switch to two stands....

Looks weird here in a little circle...I'm using a circular needle even though we are not knitting in the round.  Just easier for me to put my knitting down!

Yes, I did slip up and had to rip out two rows!  Duh...not sure what I did and it was even on an easy 'knit only' row!  Go figure!

This is knit from bottom up, which is different from what I usually knit.  Most of my lace tops, and my last sweater, are knit from the top down. 

But I really like Yumiko's (DanDoh) patterns.  They seem so well written!  I've bought two so far.

So this is where I stand today, 2/1/2024!  Long way to go and I need two of these!  Sleeves will be added and then a side seam.  I am making the longer sleeves which have a cute curve at the end of them.  Several who have made this pattern say, it's the best knitted piece and they wear it often.  Hope that's the same for me!!!