Finished: Fall Hats!

Um, are you guys tired of me posting about knitting stuff here instead of sewing? Because I'm tired of it. I'm sorry.

But this is the last knitting post for awhile, and I know I have some knitters on here so I just wanted to share.

I designed 4 different hats over the last month or so, and I'm super proud of them. They all use Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn and they all use US size 11-15 needles, depending on the pattern.

It hadn't even started to cool off when I started thinking about these, so I was instead imagining what my idealized fall is like: bonfires, back to school shopping, apple picking, and lots of cables.

So with each of those things in mind, I designed hats around those themes, and I just love them.

Arosa Slouchy Lace Hat

Chutes and Ladders Hat

Wild Bramble Hat

Adirondack Basket Hat

AND I mostly wanted to post now because I'm hosting a Knit Along for the Arosa Slouchy Lace Hat. Like it? Want to make it? Want to make it with me?

Check out my post here for all the details, grab your supplies, and sign up to be a part of it. We're starting Monday, September 28th, and all level of beginners are welcome. (I'm even doing some video tutorials for the newbies!)

Otherwise, go favorite the hats on ravelry or add them to your queue. I hope you guys love them as much as I loved making them!

(Also, for the non-knitters, I also make these on etsy!)

Finished: Rockaway Cardigan!

So I'm officially all moved out of NYC. I still have a few things back there, and I plan on visiting, of course, but it's really great to be out of the city. It's not so great to everything on boxes, but hopefully unpacking won't take me too long.

Earlier this year, I came up with the Rockaway Cardigan, and it's one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe!  It's cotton, so I wear it all the time in the summer and even more now that the temperature is starting to dip. I really love it.

I took these pictures on Coney Island, right before I left and I think they turned out so beautifully. Remember when I used to only model things on the roof? Haha, I really like branching out and finding (unpopulated) locations.

Here's the ravelry page if you want to heart it or queue it up. And if you buy it before the end of tomorrow, you can get 30% off with the coupon code 30FOR30.

OH, so I'm offering the 30% off coupon because I turned 30 a few weeks ago. I've just been so busy that I didn't really have time to celebrate and I kind of forgot about it until just now haha. So the code works for everything in my shop.

Anyway, if you're not into knitting, you can buy it finished in my etsy shop. The 30FOR30 works there as well!

Finished: Catalina Beach Sweater (And a Giveaway!)

So I'm moving in a few weeks, and I've packed away my sewing machine in my mind already, which, oddly enough, makes me really sad, even though I haven't sewn in a few months. I guess the good news is that I'm itching to sew so I should have new objects by the end of September. Maybe.

Anyway, I've been knitting.

This is the Catalina Beach Sweater, and I am so in love with it.

I apparently have a thing for chevrons because that's all I've been knitting lately. This is clearly no exception.

I designed it at the end of July, and I probably unconsciously made it a sweater so I could still wear it for fall. Although, seriously, it's 95 degrees today - it has been for awhile, and I feel like I'm going to die.

But I managed to make it to the beach anyway!

Designed to be worn on those cooler, summer nights, the Catalina is knit with cotton yarn and designed with lace eyelets and chevron.

It’s oversized, with enough ease for you to slip it on easily over your swimsuit – or your button down.

The shoulders are dropped, giving it a casual vibe, and the sleeves stop at the elbows – perfectly cool for all seasons.

You don’t have to retire it at the end of the season. It’s perfect for layering in the spring or fall, over a t-shirt or a button down, and it’s perfect for school or work.

And even though it's 95 degrees, I dressed up like it's fall and modeled it, just for you. I hope you love it.

I'm giving away one copy of the pattern, designed by We All Knit Here (aka my knitting blog), so if you love it as much as I do and you want a copy, leave a comment below saying so!

If you just want to buy a copy and get started today (or bookmark it, whatever you do), here's the ravelry page. Use coupon code CATALINA50 for 50% off until August 25, 2015.

If you don't knit and you want me to make you, I will! Here's my etsy page for that. Use code NEWCATALINA for 15% off your custom sweater until August 30, 2015.

The giveaway ends August 22nd at midnight EST - and I'll contact the winner on Sunday so make sure I have a way of contacting you. Winner contacted - thank you to everyone who entered!

Why do you knit?

I'll get back to sewing news next week. This week, I want to take a moment and share with you - and it's actually perfect because there's a movement to show that just because pictures look perfect doesn't mean they are, and it's a wonderful reminder that everyone is human.

I try to keep it honest here, and while I don't go into many details, I know I've mentioned some of the obscene comments people make while I'm taking pictures, the sadness I sometimes can't escape in the winter, and the chronic illness that left me out of commission for a few months last year.

However, those are just quick comments at the end of post full of pretty pictures. I actually wrote a longer post about some of my struggles with depression and anxiety, and the Huffington Post published it earlier this week.

I was nervous when I got the email that it was going live. I really just wanted to share my story and maybe inspire someone who was in the same place I used to be in that there's hope out there.

But I was completely blown away by some of the responses I received. Here's just a couple:

I blocked out the names and faces because I don't know any of these people; they were just kind enough to share their own experience with me.

I'd love to know more about you: Do you knit? Why did you start?

(And if you want to start knitting, but don't have anyone to show you, I have lessons up at We All Knit Here. I walk you through everything from picking out yarn to finishing your first project.)

Finished: Siren Seafoam Beach Top

I finished this when it was still chilly out, but the weather is (almost) perfect now!

So in the spirit of stashbusting, I went through my yarn to see what new projects I could begin working on, and I found a large stash of Wool and the Gang cotton. It's been hanging out in my stash for over a year now because I couldn't see the point of cotton yarn... I mean, how is it supposed to keep you warm if it's cotton?

Then I remembered a season called summer (that's been getting rarer and rarer around these parts), and so I decided to make a fun top for the beach.

One of the things I dislike about summer tops is all the skin showing. I know, I KNOW. I just made a top with holes in it. But I'm rather self-conscious about my body so I love that this top has some structure and the skin peeking through is more of a peek-a-boo type thing rather than large cut-outs.

The top is cropped, which is perfect since I wear it with high-waisted skirts. I'm still a little shocked that cropped tops are a thing because I never thought I'd see them come back into style after the 90s - but I also never thought the 90s style would come back either. I now understand what my mother meant when she said, "I refuse to wear bell bottoms again. Once you live through it, there's no going back."

But I digress. :)

On a side note: You might think it's cute to pose with ice cream on a boardwalk, but it's not. Ice cream melts everywhere, and it's horrible. Also, dudes think ice cream resembles something phallic. Get your mind out of the gutter!

You can read more about it here, and my ravelry page is here.

Are you working on any summer knit projects?  I have one more that I hope to finish soon!

Finished: Chevron Fingerless Gloves

So even though I've been in my winter slump, where I mostly want to cuddle up in front of the TV, I managed to finally finish these gorgeous gloves.

If you've been following me on instagram, you'll know I've been working on them since before November. And it's not that they take forever; they're pretty simple after all.

It's more that I had to work and rework the pattern and then figure out the proper size because I can't just make something for FUN, you guys.

But these were a lot of fun. I love the design, and it was a challenge to figure out how to convert the chevrons to working in the round. (And weirdly, I was trying to figure it out for awhile. I took these on a plane ride, thinking I'd have hours to really study it when it just clicked before we even left the runway. So simple, yet so hard.)

(My weird head shot pose - but the gloves are so nice!)


I had a gorgeous photo shoot all planned out in my head, but the sun didn't come out for days (weeks?) and then this past weekend, when the sun DID make an appearance, the real feel temperature was -13F (-25C). I wasn't going anywhere.

You can check out my Ravelry page here, and if you're feeling the chevron like me, you can use the coupon code WARMMEUP until February 25 to download them for free! Definitely let me know if you make them because I can't wait to see!

Hopefully you guys had a much warmer weekend than I did, and you enjoyed your Valentine's Day!

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted Spice Gingerbread
Dress: Susana Monaco
Cardigan: Banana Republic

Finished: Knit Totoro Scarf and Hood

So two things for the die-hard Totoro fans before we even begin:

1. I know the leaf is on backwards. It was actually on correctly before we started and while I was ON THE ROOF, I was all, "Hm, I think this should be the other way." Of course, I was wrong.

2. The ears are no longer floppy! I thought I fixed them, and my lovely photographer had no idea that they weren't supposed to be floppy. As this was a gift, I had to fix the ears and ship them off with no time for a re-shoot.

Here's proof that everything is better:

That is my incredibly happy sister, who says she has not stopped wearing this since Christmas. Woohoo.

My sister had been dropping hints the last few months that she wanted an animal cowl hood type thing, and I didn't really get the hint until I was all, "Oh my gosh, I have no idea what to get her for Christmas."

Apparently, she wanted an animal cowl hood type thing.

I thought she was joking and continued shopping for her, but then one day I realized making a Totoro hat would be perfect for her.

(Good thing, too, because when I half-apologized on Christmas she said she only wanted me to make her something.)

For those who don't know, Totoro is a loveable forest spirit that, in the words of my boyfriend, looks like a scary monster. It's a really cute kid's movie. Think of Winnie the Pooh in terms of his loveability.

I decided to make a scarf and hood combo rather than a cowl and hood combo because I tend to overheat with things wrapped around my neck. Plus, they can be itchy so it was a no go.

The scarf ends each have a bit of Totoro's fuzzy chest and design.

The ears were fairly simple to construct. I used an I-cord combined with increases and decreases to  shape them.

I really hated the point on the hood at first and I tried to figure out a way to get rid of it, but then I realized it was perfect for balancing the leaf and holding it up.

 The leaf was a variation of a few different leaf designs I found on ravelry. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the leaf isn't permanently attached, but I safety pinned it on in case she wants to take it off.

Overall, I'm super happy with this construct, and I can't believe how relatively simple it was to design.

Knitting Fail: Tempting Fate

Guys, I really loved this sweater. I REALLY wanted to make it work, but I don't think I can. (Unless you brilliant ladies can help?!)

Look at the detail! I was so proud of my color work here. And guys, these are MOTHS. Putting moths on yarn sweaters is so brilliant. I was so pumped to make this.

If you recall, I had trouble early on because the size 34 was wayyy too big on my size 34 chest. There were also no decreases in the waist so when I went down a needle size, I added in decreases. They weren't enough so I started over again with even more decreases. I thought I had it all worked out, but look at this.

I'm touching my shoulder. And this is not supposed to be a turtleneck, or whatever kind of neck this has become.

I tried blocking it a couple of times. The last time, this past weekend, I took measurements for everything and pulled and pinched just so, but to no avail.

I mean, has this ever happened to you before? Is there anyway to fix this?

I don't really want to frog this sweater, especially since I've spent so much time on it, but it's unwearable.

Ravelry notes here.

Finished: Slouchy Lace Hat Knitting (And a Giveaway!)

Guys, I knit a hat! 

In the middle of August, when it was nice and toasty here in NYC, I decided to go to an even hotter Florida, and I thought, "You know what? I should knit a hat while I'm there."

(Side note: When I saw the pictures, I was like, "Gahhh, why didn't you tell me my collar was popped?" And the bf responded. "You always do weird stylish things. I've stopped trying to point them out." Thanks, I guess?)

So I took a ball of yarn and tons of different sized needles to Florida and set about experimenting to come up with a pattern for my new hat. 

I really wanted to make a lace pattern, but I was concerned about the holes being a bit chilly during winter. My sister, the queen of slouchy hats, assured me lace was fine so here you have the end result!

I'm really happy with how it came out. It was surprisingly easy, and it makes me want to knit up a whole bunch of hats - but as someone who rarely remembers to put objects on my head when I go out, I'm not sure that's the best idea. But maybe if I start to make them I'll start to wear them?

(Or maybe if it's abnormally cold again this year, I'll remember to bundle up!)

You can also check out the design here at Ravelry.

And, of course, I'm giving away a copy of the knitting pattern here on my blog.

Just leave a comment (and a way for me to get in touch with you) telling me what you're knitting for the holidays (if anything!) and you're entered. You can only enter once (duplicate comments will not count as duplicate entries). The giveaway ends November 9th at 11:59pm EST.

If you just can't wait and want to buy it now, I'm offering the pattern at 50% off for a week (until the 7th of October). Use the code HappyHalloween at checkout, either at ravelry or at We All Knit Here.

Congrats to Bobbi!

And just for fun, here's a shot of me suffering in the heat so I could get a couple photo sessions out of the way at once. Remember my prairie skirt? ;-) (Ooh, last minute costume idea since I'm not finished sewing my current costume idea maybe???)

Hat: My Design
Shirt: My Design
Skirt: My Design
Jacket: The Gap