Red Wool Skirt Refashion

This post is LOOOOONG overdue.  I finished this refashion months ago, but could never take any good pictures for the blog.  The only pictures I had were taken in my mirror at work and are shoddy at best.  This weekend I finally committed to learning and mastering my cameras timer function, aperture priority and focus.  Whew!  I conquered the techniques and finally have some decent pictures to show you.  Without further ado, here is the post I wrote months ago and today's pictures.

I am so excited to show you guys this refashion!  It is one that I am most proud of to date!  It may not look like it was very difficult or time consuming, but it turned out absolutely PERFECT (which is why I'm so pleased).

I bought the skirt at a local thrift shop.  Like I do with everything from thrift shops, I washed it in hot water, knowing full well it might felt.  The fabric felted slightly, just enough to make it thick and cozy.

The skirt originally was bigger than my normal size and had elastic in parts of the waist band.  I decided to only remove the waist band and lining.  I then made pleats in both the front and back of the skirt to reduce the waist measurement to my size.

The pleats are sewn flat for about 2 inches to reduce bulk around my waist.  I slapped the zipper and waistband back on....and BAM!  A skirt!

Below are pictures of the inside of the skirt.  Apparently I was good last year because Santa brought me a serger!!!!  Check out those gorgeous serged seams.

Just because I have them, here are the shoddy pictures I was talking about!  Yikes!

FO: Mini Bunny Loves & Sockhead Hat

I have two finished objects for you. today.  First up, the adorable Mini Bunny Loves by Susan Anderson!

Here it is almost finished...

These are the only pictures I have of the finished project.  I was so excited about how cute it turned out that I couldn't wait to give it to my cousin's baby!

Look at that pom pom tail!  So cute!!

This is the perfect project for using up leftover sock yarn, however, since I used leftovers I didn't have enough to knit the legs.  Oh well, next time!

Mini Bunny Loves

My second FO is a Sockhead hat by Kelly McClure.  I originally knit it to participate in Molly's, from A Homespun House Podcast, fingering weight knit-a-long.  I finished the hat in time, but never posted my pictures to the thread!  Whoops!

I've been running a lot lately, and this hat is perfect for running outside.  (Yes, I STILL need a hat to go outside) The fingering weight yarn makes it light enough so I don't get too hot, and it is big and slouchy enough to fit my hair.

Finished Object: Raise a Glass

I am SOOO behind on blogging!  Lately, I've been on a crazy finishing kick which I attribute to participating in knit-a-longs and stitch-a-longs.  I think maybe that is the key for me to actually finish things...it keeps me on a schedule and accountable.  It also keeps me from casting on too many things and never finishing them!

Anyways, first up is some embroidery!  I found this crazy cute company, Red Letter Day Stitches, which publishes holiday embroidery patterns.  I am in desperate need of holiday decorations, so  I thought it would be cute to have a spot on a wall where I rotate out different embroidery decorations, based on the season/holiday.  When I found the company, they had just released Raise a Glass, their St. Patrick's Day pattern.  I was totally on board!  Without further ado, here is my finished project!

Once I purchased the pattern, which was only $4, I received a pdf of the instructions and the design.  I think in order to get the picture sizing right, you are supposed to print it out, THEN trace it onto the fabric.  For some reason, I felt the need to skip that step and just traced it from my computer screen, ugh!  My picture ended up just a hair too big to fit nicely in a 6 inch hoop.  Whoops.

I participated in their stitch-a-long, which was nice because as I mentioned at the beginning of this post stitch-a-longs keep me on track.  Well, guess what!  I was wonderfully surprised because I ended up winning a pattern subscription!  How awesome is that?!

Next up is the Bunny Hoop, which was just released today.  Isn't it just too cute to handle?!!  I can't wait to get home to start it!!!!  This time, I'm going to PRINT the pdf first!

Ravellenic Games 2014

This year for the Ravellenic Games I thought I would REALLY try to challenge my knitting quota.  I feel like lately I haven't been finishing many things, so I thought this would be the perfect excuse to kick my knitting up a notch.  I entered into the Hat Halfpipe and WIPs Dancing.  The hat I knit for my husband for Christmas was so well received that I decided to knit him another for the Ravellenic Games.  I settled on Andi Satterlund's An Easy Beanie.  I finished the hat in only 10 days!

Here is the hat right after I finished it.  

...and after a few days of wear, it has stretched out nicely.

The second event I entered, WIPs Dancing, I wanted to finish the Peggy Sue sweater I've been working on. (Sidenote: I'm not sure if you can call it a true Peggy Sue sweater, since I made so many changes.  The only parts that resemble the Peggy Sue are the faux cabled ribbing and the moss stitch button band.  For the raglan construction, I followed Fringe Association's tutorial.)

 I really should have included sewing on grosgrain ribbon and the buttons in my Ravellenics goal, as those still aren't done. 

Here is a close up of the faux cabled ribbing.

I love love love this sweater so far!  I've worn it (sans buttons) a handful of times already.