A new year calls for a new look

New year, new look! Ha! So original right?! New year, new creativity! But honestly, I didn't do this on purpose. I was bored the other day and thought it was time for a change. I just happened to make that change around the New Year.

I've wanted a clean, semi-professional look to this blog for awhile. For the longest time I was convinced this wasn't possible with Blogger. I even went so far as to moving all my posts to Wordpress. I fiddled around with it for awhile, decided it was too much of a hassle and went to Google to find some alternatives to make Blogger do what I wanted. After some Googling I found New Blogger Themes and browsed through their many themes and finally found one that I liked. Then with a few minor adjustments I have a layout I'm really, really happy with. It is worth noting that to make even the most minor adjustments you'll need some knowledge in CSS and HTML.

Of course, what's a new year without a few resolutions, right? So, here ya go:

I started this blog with the intent to track both my knitting and sewing progress. And while I have been pretty good about posting my finished knitting projects, I've been less consistent with posting my finished sewing projects, which are adding up. And I'd love to show them off.

© Cheri Engel Chapman

The reason for that is, my sewn garments are a bit harder to photograph on my own than the hats and things I've been knitting. I can't hold the camera out away from myself to show off a dress or a pair of pants like I could with the cabled hat above. My main dilemma is that I don't have anywhere in the house to take quality photos. Yes, I've been doing my research and I know it's best to take photos outside, but when it's winter six months out of the year, that's not always an option. The thing that's really frustrating is that we have a lot of pretty walls in our house that would be fun to use as backdrops. But, the problem is, they're either in parts of the house where there is no natural light or they have large pieces of furniture in front of them. But when the weather warms up I already have a few spots picked out in the yard to test out.

You see? Some of those walls are really pretty and would work great to contrast some of the clothes I've made. After I took these test pictures, I've realized that my main hurdle is the big, heavy furniture in front of the walls. It's nor very practical for me to move a table or a couch every time I want to take an outfit picture. But, maybe there are spots, like in front of the purple wall, where I can just move some things around to permanent new homes. Then all I would have to do is figure out what time of day would be best to take photos so that the light isn't creating those harsh shadows. I don't know, these are just some things I need to think about more. But I hope to figure it out so I can share all my sewing achievements.

As always, I'll be documenting these things on Instagram and Twitter, so you should follow me there for any fun updates.

Old Hollywood eye candy

A goal that I've had for awhile is to have an entire outfit consisting of things I've made myself. And if you follow me on Instagram you'll know I'm currently working on making a pair of 1970s pants, that are turning out to have more of a 1930s/1940s look to them. So, naturally I've been on the look out for some 1930s, 40s and 50s vintage style sweater patterns. But, typical me has gotten side tracked in this search and have come across many pictures of Old Hollywood celebrities wearing some pretty awesome knitwear.

Below are some of my favorites, none of which are anything I have in mind to go with my pants, but they're pretty none the less. Is this more procrasti-knitting?

Everyone knows I'm a sucker for a good ole fashioned stranded sweater. So, it was only natural that it was love at first sight when I saw these two sweaters on Peter Lawford. From looking at vintage knitting patterns, these style sweaters seemed to be all the rage for both men and women in the 40s and 50s. 

I've been in love with Marilyn Monroe's Cowichan style sweater for a very, very long time. The Cowichan style was originated by the Cowichan people of the Vancouver Islands in British Colombia, Canada. It has been popular among both locals and tourists of the area. It's a lovely sweater, with the large gauge and drop shoulder construction it would be a it a super warm addition to my closet for this bitterly cold winter we're already having.

I've briefly talked about the sweater Sandra Dee wore in the early 1960s that I fell so deeply in love with. It looks so fluffy and warm and I know the stitch makes it even thicker and warmer, so, it's doubly wonderful. It was only natural that I immediately knew this was something I needed in my closet as soon as possible. And as you already know I plan on recreating the sweater using a vintage pattern I have in a booklet. Plan on seeing a lot more of this sweater over the next few months. Unfortunately, the pink and white stripes won't go with my red and gold plaid pants.

There's really nothing like a classic cardigan worn by some classically handsome men. It seemed to be all the rage for the teen heartthrobs of the 1950s, maybe in hopes of making them look a little more wholesome than they actually were. These sweaters are the closest thing on this list that would go with my pants. But I'm completely sold on a cardigan. If I do decide I'd like one it's super easy to find a pattern. 

I'm sure in about 2.5 seconds I'll be derailed from my pattern search and I'll find another handful of my favorite classic celebrities wearing some awesome knitwear. Which is why you should follow me on instagram, twitter, and tumblr where I regularly post my knitting inspirations.

Procrasti-knitting

Ordinarily, I don't set knitting deadlines for myself. I've found when I start a new project, baring any unfortunate mishaps I tend to finish them. Honestly, I don't have that many WIPs laying around the house. That all went to hell when I decided I needed to knit myself a Christmas sweater for our annual family Christmas. The key word here is, need. I don't really need to knit it, I want to knit it. But once I put that December 25th deadline in place it suddenly turned into a job that needed to be done. So, since I've put that connection together I've been procrastinating hardcore. Or as I like to say, procrasti-knitting. Not even last night's snow dump shook me out of it.

Here are just a few things I've made since setting my December 25th deadline:

Purple Rain Beanie

I'd been telling myself for months that I needed a lightweight slouchy hat for the cooler, but not too cool days of Fall. I'd also been telling myself that I needed a new show to watch. Enter Scandal and Purple Rain beanie. I both binged watched Scandal, starring the lovely Kerry Washington and binged knit my version of the Sock Head for a week straight. The hat, I love. The show is okay.

Pattern: Sock Head
Yarn: Cascade Heritage Sock
Skills needed: Cast-on, knit, purl, cable knitting, k2tog, ssk, weaving in ends
Ravelry Project Page

Innsbruck III

I've been on the prowl for some nice, soft yarn for sweater knitting. Malabrigo Rios is a yarn that's been on my mind for a long while now, and now's as good a time as any to use it, right? Why not. I didn't want to spend the money to buy a sweater quantity worth of yarn and run the risk of not liking it. I'm glad I did, because while I love the hand-dyed quality of the yarn for the hat, I'm not sure I'd be all too crazy about it for a sweater. 

Pattern: Innsbruck hat
Yarn: Malabrigo Rios 
Skills needed: Cast-on, knit, purl, cable knitting, k2tog, weaving in ends
Ravelry Project page

Two baby hats

With the new little niece around I've had to stop myself from casting on all the hats. It's not an easy task since she looks so damn cute wearing them, even if all she wants to do is rip them off her head and put them in her mouth.

Patterns: Both improvised by me
Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Worsted
Skills needed: Cast-on, knit, purl, cable knitting, k2tog, ssk, weaving in ends
Ravelry project pages: Purple hat|Pink hat

Like my procrastinating, my procrasti-knitting is very productive, but it's really time for me to buckle down and make some good progress on my Christmas Sweater. With that said, I'm off to go knit that pair of socks I've been wanting.

If you want to keep up with my procrasti-knitting follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr.

Fall is here!

I know I'm about a week late and dollar short, or would it be six dollars since I'm technically six days late. I don't know. But either way, I'm excited because fall is my favorite time of the year. And although it's raining today, it finally feels like fall outside. After, an 80 degree weekend that's quite the relief. Anyway, the lower temperatures today have finally gotten me in the mood to think about some of my fall oriented knitting and sewing goals. Here they are:

Knitting

As of late, I've had the feeling that I've been knitting a lot, but don't have much to show for it in terms of finished projects. So, my major goal for this fall is to finish the things that I've started. Two things I absolutely want to finish this fall are my Christmas Sweater and my Paul McCartney Magical Mystery Tour Sweater Vest. Both of which have given me tons of trouble. And both of which you will see more of as time and knitting go on.

When I'm done with those two projects I really, really want to try my hand at dyeing my own yarn. I've always heard of people dying their own yarn with Kool Aid. And after finding a tutorial from knitty.com and some videos from Chemknits, it seems something that's totally do-able. I even have a bunch of white Knit Picks Wool of the Andes yarn to experiment with.

Sewing

I really want to up my sewing game and transition it from a spring and summer thing to a fall and winter thing as well. I've always wanted to sew a pair of pants and that's one of my main goal for this fall. Being a huge fan of Soul Train, I've been a long admirer of the dancers and their plaid, bell bottom pants. So, when I found the Simplicity 5262 pattern, it was love at first sight. My plan is to also knit myself a matching sweater, after I finish my other projects I just mentioned, of course.

This is truly my favorite time of the year. I love it so much if I were more musically inclined I'd write a love song to it. Maybe I should pledge to work on my guitar skills so I can do that next year.

Anyway, I'm excited to get to work on some of the things I have planned this fall. As always, to be the most up to date with my fall goal progress follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Ravelry.

A Shoe's Eye View

I remember once in my Photojournalism class my professor told us a good way to make a photo interesting was to change your point of view. Often photographers will get themselves in a habit of shooting from only one point of view. Whether it's from a standing position or crouching position. I, for one, know I'm in a habit of only shooting photos from a standing position. So, the other day, I decided to change my point of view and spent most of a shooting day taking pictures with the camera on my shoe. This is what I came up with.

Attack of the Sewing Bug

And just like that, I've caught the sewing bug again. All it took was one giant flea market, two dollars and eight vintage patterns.

Let me back up. This past weekend was the 49th annual Marigold Days. It was my first time going and apparently it entails far more than I even knew when I was there. Over the two days of the event there is an antique & flea market, a baseball tournament, a car show, a quilt show and a flower show and apparently a whole lot more.

© Cheri Engel Chapman

© Cheri Engel Chapman

We (my mom, aunt and sister) went to the flea market on Saturday, where you can find just about anything. From antique furniture, to handmade goods. Modern clothes to what I would call junk, but another person may call treasures. There was even live music and a variety  of food trucks.

Even with all the variety at the flea market I came out empty handed. It was in one of the near by antique shops, Memorabilia Antiques, that I found eight vintage sewing patterns, from the 60s and 70s, all for a total of two dollars.

I haven't checked them for completeness yet, I'll get to that later this week. I know two of them are missing instructions, my favorite ones, of course. But even so, I got quite the deal. I figured out if I had decided to buy each of them off either eBay or Etsy I'd have spent about $60.08.

That's really all it takes for me to catch the sewing bug. With eight new patterns and a stash of fabric to go through, I might just have enough sewing projects to keep me occupied for the rest of the year.

If you don't want to miss what I'll be working on next, be sure to follow my Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr.

5 Vintage patterns this gal has to knit

As of late, I've been swooning over all things vintage knitting. But lets be honest, we know I love vintage things, and we know I love knitting. So, should anyone really be surprised? I've been favoriting so many vintage and vintage inspired patterns on Ravelry I don't think I'll ever have time to knit them all... But you can't blame me if I try, right?

Below are the top 5 vintage/vintage inspired patterns that I need to try as soon as possible.

© Knit Picks

Trolley Dodger I've been dreaming about having a letter sweater in my old high school colors for a long time. I'm not even sure why since I wasn't really known for my school spirit back then, or now for that matter. But the heart wants what the heart wants and I've been searching high and low for a pattern and I've finally found one. My dream of looking like a female, brown version of Wally Cleaver is one step closer to being realized.

© throughtheloops

Que Sera What a beautiful looking pattern. It found me just at the right time, too. When I first locked eyes on it I had just made up my mind that I should probably just rip apart my first sweater since it's way to big, and I don't really like it, and I'll probably never wear it. I think the purple yarn will be perfect for this project. Really the only thing that's stopping me from casting on is the intimidating stitch pattern that I don't feel like tackling at the moment.

© Patons UK

Fair Isle Pullover What can I say? I love a good stranded vest. Honestly, I haven't given this pattern too much thought. The only thing I know is I'm going to knit it in the round with steeks instead of back and forth like the pattern says. And I'll obviously have to do some math to make it my size.

© Felisher

Cable Pullover No. 3298 When I first saw this sweater during Tasha's at By Gum By Golly knit along I knew I had to have one of my own. I'd probably knit this one in the round as well, like Tasha did. But I see mine in either a deep purple or a dark green.

© Bernat

Bernat Style 177-96 I saw a picture of Sandra Dee wearing a sweater similar to this one and immediately fell in love. I'm going to adapt the pattern so it's a pullover instead of a cardigan, so it'll more closely resemble Sandra's. And I plan to knit it with pink and white stripes. There's no link to this pattern since I found it in my Bernat Classics for Women pattern book.

I honestly don't think I'll get to knitting any of these anytime soon seeing as I have a few other more pressing projects to get done before I even think of casting on anything else. But when I do get them they're sure to make their first appearance on my Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. So, follow me there if you want to see frequent project updates.