Since I last posted, I’ve kind of gone on a slight detour as far as all my projects for me go. . . (Well, I did purchase handles for that bag I mentioned in my last post – but have yet to order the yarn!) Anyhow. The reason for this diversion? I got a new American Girl doll: Mia! She is my first “modern” AG doll, so naturally, my brain is just overflowing with ideas of things to make for her!
Some brilliant person sized down the ever-popular Anthropologie-inspired shrug pattern to fit the American Girl dolls, and so that was my first project. Unfortunately, I got lost in it, so had to frog it, but have since gone back and re-done it – more on that later. . .
Next up, I decided to do something small, quick, and simple, to pass the time while I waited for Mia to be shipped. I went with a little pair of mittens and beret from some leftover yarn I had, and used a free pattern found online. These projects, I’m pleased to say, went very well, and I think the results are super cute! I’m going to have to make more of these, for sure. . . And sew a cute coat to wear with them. . . *plots*
I also decided to try and make up my own pattern, much like the Hollister-ish sweater I was babbling about in the last post. I am using DK weight yarn and size two needles, so it is mental! I also stupidly wasn’t really thinking about the fact that the neck would probably roll. And, I am doubting my cable-making prowess that I was so excited about in my last post, because I just feel like these don’t look quite right. Even though it’s not perfect, I’m going to keep going and try to finish it. Next time I decide to try and draft a pattern, I think I will start with something a little less complicated!
In the meantime, (because you know I like to have fifty things going on at once, of course!) I started another Mia project: the “Miniature Cowichan Cardigan,” in some bright purple yarn. You know, I want to love this pattern. I certainly love the outcome, as I’ve seen it in pictures on Ravelry, but I am struggling. For starters, I have a really hard time following directions when they are scrambled up within paragraphs. I’m one of those folks who likes each direction to have it’s own line. So, I carefully rewrote the pattern in this way. Then I set about knitting it. Those first few rows took me forever! I can’t say I’m a fan of working into the back leg of a stitch. It’s really tedious and takes forever, and I didn’t feel that the results were really any more impressive than what regular ribbon would have looked like. And then, after getting through all that, I started on the stockinette, had to unknit an entire row, picked it back up – and then realized, several rows in, that I had missed the part of the directions where it says to continue with the garter stitch at the start and end of each row. *sigh* So I knew I’d have to tear back all the stockinette rows and try to pick back up at the end of the ribbing – which I’ve never successfully done, so it would probably mean frogging the whole thing. For the record, here was the “before ripping back rows” picture:
If I’d had to frog it, you can bet the chances are pretty good that I’d never bother with this pattern again. Fortunately, I never even had to risk that because my awesome friend Gloria, who is an amazing knitter, did the dirty work of pulling back my rows and picking up the stitches for me last weekend when she was over for a sewing meet-up! So, it’s sitting on the needle again all ready to go. I ♥ Gloria so much! :)
But in the meantime, I got back to the Anthropologie shrug. I’ve now gone back and re-done it, and OMG I love it!
I liked it so much, I thought, maybe I’ll make another. Then I found the PERFECT yarn. . . The same yarn I used for my own shrug, but the worsted instead of chunky wait! Perfect!
LOL! I know I’m such a dork – but when I found the same yarn I used for my shrug, but in the weight necessary for the AG size shrug, I just HAD to do it! ;)
I’m not sure what is next up (beyond finishing that cowichan cardigan and the coral cabled number, of course!) I have an outrageous queue of AG-related patterns now! ;P I’ve been able to find a few free patterns online that I’d like to try (a basic button-up cardigan, for one, and another cardigan which is copied from a pattern published in 1904 – perfect for Samantha!), but I also just bought a couple of booklets. One is a Bernat booklet called “Best Friends,” from which I’ll be knitting a skating skirt and sweater set (very appropriate for an ice-skating themed doll, no?) and the other is called “Knits For Girls & Dolls,” but I haven’t quite decided what all I want to make from that one. . . And I’ve got more ideas floating around my head that I hope to make up my own patterns for. . . And this is all in addition to the sewing projects I’ve got going on for several of my dolls. . .
Basically, I’m really obsessed with doing everything on a small scale right now! It will be a real miracle if I can get all my sewing of costumes done in time for Costume College in August this year, what with all these miniature distractions! But, at least it’s lots of fun. :)
