Christmas knitting

I love when Christmas time comes around, especially the planning of gifts! Now that it's over I can start the planning for next year. But in the mean time, here's a look at the hand-knitted mittens I made my immediate family this year. Each one was designed by me using Latvian and Estonian mitten patterns, and construction techniques from those traditions. I had such an awesome time coming up with each person's designs. I can't wait for next year!

Quick and Easy Tote Tute

I've been thinking a lot about Christmas Gift ideas and how to use up my stash of fun fabric that I bought because I LOVED the print but didn't have a project in mind: enter the Easy Tote Bag.

This quick bag solved both my problems because who doesn't need a fun reusable tote?

 

I used 1/2 yard of heavier cotton canvas fabric and only had to buy 3 1/2 yards of cotton webbing for the straps. I sewed the bag using my regular sewing machine and since it is unlined, used my serger to finish the inside raw edges. Don't worry if you don't have a serger, you can always zigzag the seam allowance to prevent fraying, or consider using a colorful bias tape!

 

Here's what I did:

 

First I cut the 1/2 yard of fabric in half so I had two pieces that were 22" by 18". The 18" side is the height (if your fabric has a print that is directional like mine, make sure you note this when placing it "right side up".

 

Next I cut each webbing piece in half and pinned them individually to the right side of the fabric pieces, making a loop at the top for the strap. I placed the webbing 5" from the side of the fabric.

 

 

At the top of the bag, I pinned only up to 1 1/2" from the edge, so later I could fold the top down

as a hem.

 

Then I sewed the webbing down, along both sides

Next I took my bag pieces and laid them on top of each other with the "right sides" facing. I pinned and sewed the two sides and bottom. 

 

Then I serged the raw seam allowance.

Next to make the gusset in the bottom, separate the front fron the back and pinch a triagle in the corners, so that the side and bottom seams align. Then pin the triangle so that from one edge fold to the other is 5" wide, and sew.

 

Trim the triangle and serge or bind the seam allowance. If you serge, make sure you thread the tails back in to keep from unraveling!

Next make the top hem by folding down 1/2" once, then...

.....Fold down again 1/2", pin and top stitch close to the folded edge.

 

Press the hem and you're finished!

 

 

Colts Sweater Vest

I like to think the Colts beat the Browns this weekend partly because Justin was wearing this amazing sweater vest that I made for him! Go Team! Anyway, he requested a Mike-Ditka-esque sweater vest for football season and of course I was happy to oblige! I just finished it in time for the game on Sunday. I used a vintage knitting pattern and my own version of charted intarsia letters and stripes, using 100% wool yarn from Knit Picks. You can see the details on Ravelry here. I'm extremely happy with it and so is he which is a big relief. When making something for someone else, especially a sweater, it's like a guessing game up until the finish if they'll like it or not; luckily Justin really likes it!

Also, I really do clean my house, those cobwebs are for Halloween!

Yori's accidental sweater

I spent a few months knitting this awesome wool/silk blend sweater for Justin using a pattern from a cool 60s pattern booklet. The booklet is subtitled "Choose-O-Matic" because you can take any of the patterns and alter them using the weight of yarn you want and the size. That has nothing to do with the sweater except I think the name Choose-O-Matic is awesome. 

Justin picked out the color and the fiber blend, and I figured I would make the medium based on the measurements of another sweater that he loves. However, for some reason, even though my gauge was correct, the medium turned out to be a tad too big. And he really hates the "baggy" look, even if it's just an inch or two of positive ease. Arg! I was so frustrated. 

The worst part about knitting versus sewing is that you can't really make a test garment (muslin) beforehand to get the fit correct. Live and learn. So he wasn't going to wear it and I wasn't about to start hacking away at it with my serger to get it to fit (I already ruined a sweater doing that). So my next great idea was to give it to my brother in law! He's a bit taller than Justin and the medium ended up fitting perfectly! I am so happy that it could be "salvaged" and enjoyed for all its glory. 

And I'll get the sweater right for Justin because he's requested the same one in a small. Bring on the brown yarn!

Bike Stem bag prototype

Here's a peek at our next Echo Bike Product! It's a stem bag that can fit little odds and ends, phone, keys, granola bar, for a short trip or as some extra space on a longer ride. They feature a full lining with a velcro pocket on the inside and a zipper top for easy closure. The sides are reinforced so it will stay upright during your ride. The test ride today went great! After a few tweaks we'll be posting these babies on the Etsy store so stay tuned!

Color Block Shirt Part Two

The second part of the Color Block Shirt Tutorial will teach you how to adjust your shirt, put on the bias binding around the neck, make and attach the sleeves and hem the bottom!

After you have sewn up the sides and shoulder seams, it's a good time to adjust the fit. I put my shirt on wrong side out and pinned the sides in a little under the armpit. I also measured the armhole opening and wanted it a little bigger, so I pinned my cutting line as shown.

Now you can cut your bias binding out of the sheer poly used for the top. Cutting on the bias means cutting at a 45 degree angle to the grain of the fabric
 

Here's a picture of how to sew the bias strips together for a longer piece. I used a "sharp" needle in my machine for sewing the sheer so it didn't snag the delicate fabric.
 

Next, pin the bias binding around the neckline.  Make sure you pin with the right sides together, meaning the right side of the shirt should be facing out, and the bias binding should be facing down toward it (so that the finished side of the bias seam is facing the shirt). I started sewing at one end, and left a 2" tail so that when I ended, I could fold the tail over on top of the part I already sewed, and overlap the end on top of that for a nice clean finish.



Here I am sewing the binding on right sides together.



Now fold the binding over itself to the inside, to hide all the raw edges. Sew it down, stitching close to the inside edge as shown. I moved my needle over to the left position so I could stitch as close to the left side of the binding as possible.

 

Cut two identical sleeves as shown above. The right side is folded over, and tapers about 1/2" to the left on both the top and bottom. Pin the left (open) edge and sew. No need to worry about finishing your seam allowance as it will get hidden in the sleeve.

After sewing the side closed, fold the sleeve in half long ways, so the long sides and raw edges match up. You can baste these together if you wish, or just pin the two sides to the armhole sleeve (right sides together)- keeping the seam you previously sewed on the bottom of the armhole (at the side seam).

Sew around the armhole and finish your seam allowance to secure your sleeve!

I hemmed the bottom of the shirt using a twin needle (for a more decorative and stretchy! finish). You can serge the bottom edge too, then fold it in and sew it down! To use the twin needle, I folded the bottom in about 1/2" then over another 3/4" for a finished hem. Then I pinned and sewed close to the inside edge of the fold on the RIGHT SIDE of the shirt- otherwise, your two rows of stitching won't be seen on the outside!

 

Your finished Color Block Shirt!

 

Color Block Shirt Tutorial Part One

Echo Bike Products New Color Block Shirt
This simple knit top will be part of Echo Bike Products line on etsy! This tutorial will enable you to make your own in whatever size you wish! The Echo version will have a little something special and will be available in a variety of color blocks to choose from!

Me wearing my Echo Bike top- it's stretchy to allow for easy movement whether you're riding your bike, or just lounging around. The fit is loose and breezy and looks great on you no matter what!



The fabrics I chose for the first Color Block Shirt: a turquoise poly stretch for the top, an organic lace knit for the middle and a grey heathered knit made in Canada for the bottom. You can rearrange the color blocks depending on your style!
The pattern requires 1/2 yard of each fabric.



Drafting the pattern:
I cut out a square from pattern paper that was as long as my shoulder to hip, and as wide as I wanted around my waist (which was 22" tall by 24" wide). Then I measured from the tip of my shoulder (where I wanted to sleeve to sit), to under my armpit for the armhole measurement of 9". I folded the paper in half vertically to find the center, and measured from the tip of one shoulder to the tip of the other. I made two marks equidistant from the center. Next I measured 2" from the tip of my shoulder to the inner top neck line for the shoulder measurement. Then I measured vertically from the inner mark to where I wanted the neckline to fall which was 6 1/2". This gave me the gentle slope for the neck. In order to make the shoulder fit well, I tapered 1" down from top neckline to tip of shoulder. I drew all my lines, connecting the marks I had made previously!
* The armhole slope is a kind of half U shape
* The back neck curves the same as the front, but I made it 4 1/2 " higher than the front.

Now cut out the pattern pieces and fabric!
The top pieces (colored shear) are 5" from neckline top to where they stop, the middle section (lace knit) is 12" high, and the bottom piece (heathered knit) is what is left over. Cut out all the pattern paper pieces and lay them on the fabric, so the fabric is doubled. This way you cut out the front and back at the same time! Note how I added my 1/2" seam allowance all the way around as I cut out my fabric pieces.



Here is the top front pattern laid on top of the shear colored poly. I added the 1/2" seam allowances all the way around when I cut out the fabric. You can add the seam allowances to the individual paper pattern pieces after you cut them out by re-tracing them onto another sheet of paper if you want before you lay them over the fabric.

Here is the middle piece laid on the fabric before I started cutting out the fabric.

Cutting out the back top. I weighted down my pattern pieces rather than pinning because the poly stretch is thin and tends to slide around!

Now let's start putting your shirt together!
Start by pinning the front middle to front bottom, and do the same for back pieces. Since all the fabrics are stretchy, I used my serger, but you can also use your regular sewing machine- just set your stitch to "stretch straight", or use a long straight stitch. Always use a ball point needle when sewing with knits!
*Don't forget your seam allowances are 1/2"!



Sewing the middle to the bottom using a regular sewing machine, ball point needle and poly thread.



Serging the seam allowance

Pressing the seam allowance toward the top

Now pin the sides together, placing the "right" sides together. Serge or sew the sides.

Pinning the top at the shoulder seams

The serged shoulder seam

Now, with right sides together, pin and sew the top to the middle!
*When you pin the back top to back middle, there will be a curve where the neckline was cut out of the middle. Just pin the top to the middle at the lowest point of the curve in the center and trim off the excess middle fabric to form a straight line.


That's the end of Part One! We'll finish with Part Two next week, and add the binding around the neck as well as the sleeves! See you then!