More Hats!

When I was in Grade 5, our school introduced electives for the upper grades.  I chose knitting being taught from our lovely Liberian Mrs. Furtney. She taught us to knit a scarf. I finished it, fringed it and wore it for many winters. My mother can also knit, so I didn't see a need to knit much since she did it for me.
 When I was in my 20's, crocheting was my new past time and knitting was put way on the back burner. I always tell people I crochet, not knit.
Since the January post telling you how I plan on only making my wardrobe from now on, I felt that knitting had to be pulled out of a very loooonnnng retirement. Finding nice sweater patterns to crochet are really hard to find and I also read, that knitting is easier on your hands. (side note - my hand is actually getting better thanks to my chiropractor. He found some things out of place)

So here it is... my first knitting project in a super duper long time.

This was this morning.

And this afternoon!!!!!!

All I can say is I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT :)

Third time not a Charm.

About a year and half a go I bought a pattern from etsy and try as I might I could not get my hat to look like the picture of my boughten pattern. Every time I crocheted it, it looked like a Gilligan hat. I was going for a cloche. So I set it aside in frustration and ignored it, and thought "that'el teach it."
Last week for the third (or maybe fourth) time I thought I'd try again. I double and triple checked my yarn, my hook and the pattern and guess WHAT!!.... another stinkin' Gilligan hat. No cute little brim, that is supposed to just come to the top of my eyes just a a hat with an absurd brim waiting to jump ship.

So, what's a girl to do? Try and make her own pattern, thats what.

I took some things that I liked from the boughten pattern, checked youtube for other suggestions, checked the internet for more suggestions and came up with this.

( by the way, not a fan of selfies, can you tell)

Its not perfect and still needs tweaking, but I finally feel closer to what I was looking for. So here's what I'm hoping to do, get it to where I really, really like it, and then share the pattern with you!

So you also may be wondering why not just find another pattern? It's because I can't seem to find one like this. 

I'm kind of picky and sometimes picky can be a good thing or bad thing. I haven't decided which one this is yet. :)

Hello January!

I'm finding it hard to believe that Christmas was just a couple of weeks ago, and how when January comes along, everything feels new and fresh to me. Regardless how people say "its just a change of a calender, and nothing has really changed"in my mind it has and I'll go with that.
With that in mind, at the end of last year, I made the decision to only make my clothes from now on, and my fabric can only be sourced from what I already have, thrift stores, or a responsible manufacturer. This isn't by any means a resolution, it is something I want to change in my life.

Last year I began my search for old patterns to sew a new wardrobe, and boy am I liking this. Not only and I finding some very cool patterns, but I found myself being drawn to certain eras.

I'm a big fan of the 50's, but 40's and 30's are sneaking in there too. I thought I'd like the 60's, and although its ok....it's just not enough pizazz... I think?

 Take this dress, its a 1960's pattern.

I just wasn't feeling the love after I made it, but I'd like to try making it again in another fabric and see how I feel then.

I am however lovin' my hat, and the pretty little ice crystals stuck to the tree.

The hat is a secondhand find as is the necklace and the shoes.:)