tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65821829654831178262024-03-14T01:56:54.544+05:00Umme YusufUmme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.comBlogger499125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-70184083450341127962019-03-17T11:36:00.000+05:002019-03-22T12:14:15.670+05:00Stashbuster Spirals III<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There have been a number of pairs of handknitted socks sitting in my mending bag for a very long time. Most of them were badly damaged and I postponed dealing with them for as long as I could. But spring brings with it an urge to spring clean and in an attempt to tidy up my craft space, I decided to sort them out. I frogged four pairs of socks, mostly dicarding the foot portions and salvaging the yarn from leg portions of the sock. I decided to reknit them. I got two pairs out of it.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxxP5eD3zeE/XItG-z9L13I/AAAAAAAAEkc/ns-O8TQT9i8KfVLCWgI8XXZLwgXEYfNkwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190301_020246_727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="597" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxxP5eD3zeE/XItG-z9L13I/AAAAAAAAEkc/ns-O8TQT9i8KfVLCWgI8XXZLwgXEYfNkwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20190301_020246_727.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
This is the first one. It is the third time I have knit <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/stashbuster-spirals" target="_blank">the pattern</a>. It is just a very good wzy to knit up leftover/ oddball yarns into a beautiful pair of socks.<br />
These turned out pretty good. I was a but worried how the socks would hold up but I have worn them for a few days and they are doing fine.<br />
I am almost done with the second pair too, and will show you in the next post.<br />
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P.S. The pattern is no longer published on the internet, but there is a internet archive link in the comment section of the ravelry pattern page that will take you to it.</div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-13776014875549254742019-03-15T11:19:00.000+05:002019-03-15T11:19:57.569+05:00Little Backpacks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few months ago, my daughter (the middle one) asked me to make her a little doll-size backpack. She drew me a picture to explain her specifications.<br />
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It took me a while to get to this project but she persevered all along, reminding me of the promise that I would make it "some day, soon". Impressed by her tenacity, I finally made the four-inch backpacks. Notice the plural, as her youger sister has to have everything that she has. Also, I made three as the prototype needed a few improvements.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Here are all three backpacks, complete with zippers, glue on pearls and all. The green prototype was gifted to a friend while my girls claimed the other two.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKAyOyu4Cmk/XItDRY4Qj8I/AAAAAAAAEkQ/kF332ufZkjAcr3V8GiG-tonqjGDcNnNPACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20190211_151405_668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1039" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kKAyOyu4Cmk/XItDRY4Qj8I/AAAAAAAAEkQ/kF332ufZkjAcr3V8GiG-tonqjGDcNnNPACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20190211_151405_668.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">By the time of this post, it has been several weeks since the completion of the backpacks and the girls have moved onto newer toys. But they had a good run and are still intact, just hibernating for now. </span></div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-39172881805998483952019-02-21T14:19:00.000+05:002019-02-21T14:19:23.640+05:00Northern Wind Cardigan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The only cardigan I knit this winter is for my eldest daughter. My husband picked out the color and yarn, while my daughter selected the design. The yarn is some Turkish acrylic from our local yarn shop. The design is a <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=7143&lang=us" target="_blank">free DROPS pattern</a>.<br />
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It was a fairly straightforward knit, nothing too exciting or boring. I managed to finish without running out of yarn which was a win. The real callange was getting the lower scalloped edge to not curl. I crocheted two rows of slip sts to counteract that and it works for now.</div>
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My daughter is happy with it and that is what I was aiming for. Next up are a few smaller projects.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-46022501820233337662019-02-02T16:46:00.000+05:002019-02-02T16:46:10.918+05:00Little Knits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This winter, my knitting has been sporadic at best. I just managed to finish a few small projects and worked on and off on a larger one. The first small project that got completed was a vest for my seven-year-old. It was entirely a utility project as my daughter needed a warm underlayer to her winter clothes and I needed to use up some yarn that I quite disliked. So there it is.<br />
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The second small project was a pair of fingerless gloves for my daughter's friend. The <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=7682&cid=17" target="_blank">design</a> was selected by the recipient. This pair knit up quick and again used up some of my stash.</div>
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The bigger project that is so near completion is a sweater for my eldest daughter. Hope to get it done this weekend and share it soon afterwards, <i>in sha Allah.</i></div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-5290238470765792542018-12-23T20:59:00.000+05:002018-12-23T20:59:13.192+05:00The Dollhouse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The dollhouse was finally finished last month. It took me fourteen months of off and on work to get it done. And it was the most exciting and enjoyable experience. It got a lot of appreciation from family, friends and strangers, which was very gratifying too. Here is the grand tour of the completed dollhouse for my blog.<br />
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This is the front of the house, which is detachable. The brick and stone detailing is all egg-carton painted and cut into form. The door and window panes are out of popsicle sticks.<br />
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The larger plants are from craft store while I made the flowers for the window boxes out of air-dry clay. These are detachable and the girls can rearrange them according to their preference.<br />
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My father-in-law made me the awesome hinges for the door. I fashioned the lock from my jewelry making supplies.<br />
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The night view.<br />
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The right side of the house is simply wall with some windows. Same goes for the back.<br />
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The left side of the housed is more interesting with a balcony and a chimney below it, which houses the batteries for the house lights.<br />
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This is the front of the house, detached.<br />
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And its inner view.<br />
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Coming to the interior of the house, it has a living room and a kitchen on the ground floor and the bedroom and the washroom on the top floor.<br />
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The circular staircase leads up from the kitchen to the bedroom.<br />
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I probably blogged about the living room earlier, but here it is again in its completed state.<br />
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All the furnishing were made from scratch, except for the flower on the side table which is actually an eraser and has been placed by my daughter as an accent piece.<br />
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The sofa turned out just perfect but as I was just starting when I put together this living room, the curtains and wood paneling are not very finely done.<br />
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The doorway leading into the kitchen. Again the stairs are a bit crude, them too being an earlier construction.<br />
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This is one of the cutest corners of the house. The dining set is simple and sturdy and the curtains tie together the look. I added the picture frame and the clock as last-minute details.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MzTjCym0zUQ/XB-l-BBriRI/AAAAAAAAEgI/tXayeWfo7PAylVM7C6bvLHUKNm3-z4wbACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-20181027-WA0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MzTjCym0zUQ/XB-l-BBriRI/AAAAAAAAEgI/tXayeWfo7PAylVM7C6bvLHUKNm3-z4wbACLcBGAs/s400/IMG-20181027-WA0019.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
The kitchen cabinents, sink and stove were all custom-made to fit into the available space. The shelf doors are a bit wonky (again the learning curve thing)but they do open, as do the shelves under the sink, the oven and the drawers.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DUhWudCxjQY/XB-muvMq6fI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/i5YZvNIBjfs-VTVM2c0giAtJhf2EvDaiwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-20181027-WA0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DUhWudCxjQY/XB-muvMq6fI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/i5YZvNIBjfs-VTVM2c0giAtJhf2EvDaiwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG-20181027-WA0021.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
There is the frigde tucked into the conrner. It was a tricky piece to make.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-50xq6APiI0c/XB-nH9qyb1I/AAAAAAAAEgY/l2H2xAQjXb0Vn_kdv8E_LOtBpiiDixPngCLcBGAs/s1600/20181105_010306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-50xq6APiI0c/XB-nH9qyb1I/AAAAAAAAEgY/l2H2xAQjXb0Vn_kdv8E_LOtBpiiDixPngCLcBGAs/s400/20181105_010306.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
Moving onto the top floor, here is the balcony. This is another one of my favorite parts of the house. It has large-sliding doors which lead into the bedroom. I thought it would be cool to have the vine climbing around to the side wall from the front.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ewCsCF8dfgw/XB-oDM-GCXI/AAAAAAAAEgk/VNYJxyICWIsYWa0CXeuH6zSl7t4mdntsACLcBGAs/s1600/20181105_010203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ewCsCF8dfgw/XB-oDM-GCXI/AAAAAAAAEgk/VNYJxyICWIsYWa0CXeuH6zSl7t4mdntsACLcBGAs/s400/20181105_010203.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
I made a lounging chair for the balcony,<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S1LhWANN5oo/XB-obDHymQI/AAAAAAAAEgs/PWKOkAof0LkBR2NwTnXARpYJ0UUEA8H1QCLcBGAs/s1600/20181105_010215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S1LhWANN5oo/XB-obDHymQI/AAAAAAAAEgs/PWKOkAof0LkBR2NwTnXARpYJ0UUEA8H1QCLcBGAs/s400/20181105_010215.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
...and a laundry rack. Both are made of popsicle sticks and are foldable.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_1tSmdsyCHw/XB-o3qhIDZI/AAAAAAAAEg0/TR3cFMm_78MZDmc-Vk3MqN4kJGKnHqwTQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-20181027-WA0034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_1tSmdsyCHw/XB-o3qhIDZI/AAAAAAAAEg0/TR3cFMm_78MZDmc-Vk3MqN4kJGKnHqwTQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG-20181027-WA0034.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Interior view from the balcony.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zEBZwcbFxt8/XB-pHN1h6mI/AAAAAAAAEg4/-DM8bxLTzwwYzMJdiTJrh53U6YMTbD7dgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-20181027-WA0035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zEBZwcbFxt8/XB-pHN1h6mI/AAAAAAAAEg4/-DM8bxLTzwwYzMJdiTJrh53U6YMTbD7dgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG-20181027-WA0035.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8xG1UtzMkDs/XB-pVeLHO2I/AAAAAAAAEhA/c0w6jdShlUsIlLdwW9T368PLOTrvUapRwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-20181027-WA0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8xG1UtzMkDs/XB-pVeLHO2I/AAAAAAAAEhA/c0w6jdShlUsIlLdwW9T368PLOTrvUapRwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG-20181027-WA0027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The bedroom still need a rug and I might crochet one some day.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TeBW7sNO3HE/XB-pmopvQmI/AAAAAAAAEhM/DApfXrntYZMKnwm8vr0Bw8vkFe-GGpdUgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-20181027-WA0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TeBW7sNO3HE/XB-pmopvQmI/AAAAAAAAEhM/DApfXrntYZMKnwm8vr0Bw8vkFe-GGpdUgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG-20181027-WA0022.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The bunk bed was a requested piece and the one which made me realize just how tall the barbie dolls are. It also made me revise the house master plan and construct a dormer window, as I did not want the barbie bumping her head against the low ceiling.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxPUIs-rKBs/XB-rIqe-2yI/AAAAAAAAEhk/ssDjP6sQEugSWDjPtbT0fFCB1r48gjGgACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG-20181027-WA0037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pxPUIs-rKBs/XB-rIqe-2yI/AAAAAAAAEhk/ssDjP6sQEugSWDjPtbT0fFCB1r48gjGgACLcBGAs/s400/IMG-20181027-WA0037.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
The wardrobe with sliding doors was also a requested piece but it has proven to be inadequate to accommodate the barbies' expanding wardrobe. We might have to add some more storage soon.<br />
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The dressing table corner is another cute one. It leads to the bathroom.<br />
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Of course the dollhouse MUST have a fully detailed bathroom, no matter that most of it is hidden behind a curtain (which is also a MUST, a doll needs its privacy).<br />
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This concludes the very picture-intensive dollhouse tour. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed making and sharing this project.<br />
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-66590704890882612132018-10-29T14:20:00.000+05:002018-10-29T15:12:51.524+05:00I'm Back<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This blog has been badly ignored, almost abandoned, for the last seven months. I have nothing better in the way of excuse other than that life got in the way. I put away my needles for the summer and all the other crafts also took a back seat to my family obligations. The next few months are also going to be busy but I hope to put up a few posts now and then.<br />
In knitting news, I only restarted knitting last month and have knitted only two pairs of fingerless gloves.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R21vbowCZIA/W9a_9qJ06ZI/AAAAAAAAEdE/utint0KPWgcBFtbGbmmJqcCUYkuOUuO9QCLcBGAs/s1600/20180910_160246_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R21vbowCZIA/W9a_9qJ06ZI/AAAAAAAAEdE/utint0KPWgcBFtbGbmmJqcCUYkuOUuO9QCLcBGAs/s400/20180910_160246_medium2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first one was a <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=2621&lang=us" target="_blank">DROPS design</a> that I made on comission. I always enjoy colorwork so it was a breeze. Once it was done, I wanted to knit another.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzMhYLtMXK4/W9bBk3otLhI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/Hq-KUQN5yw4AolqYoOf9y_oI18N_0Sj6gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20181029_131415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="640" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzMhYLtMXK4/W9bBk3otLhI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/Hq-KUQN5yw4AolqYoOf9y_oI18N_0Sj6gCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20181029_131415.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This design was reverse-engineered from an pin on pinterest. It has some embroidery too, in the form of a flower an the back of the wrist, and I add some pearl beads for good measure. I guess my eldest daughter will be claiming this pair.</div>
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In other news, my biggest project of the year (fourteen months to be exact), the dollhouse, is nearing completion. I just need to add a few minor things and take pictures.</div>
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Other than that, our life has been most ordinary and routine, Alhamdulillah. The weather is slowly turning milder and I feel knitting beckoning me once more. Letvus see how much I can manage in the coming months.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-36415419412569285982018-03-04T02:44:00.000+05:002018-03-04T02:44:40.900+05:00Spring Knitting And Sewing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The spring in definitely in the air, here in Islamabad. The winter chill is gone and we have days at a stretch, of warm sunshine, interspersed with spring showers. My latest projects suit this change in weather.<br />
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My old reader might know that I have a thing for girl dresses with knitted bodices. So, I recently got hold of two balls of cotton yarn, in light fingering weight, to make a couple of spring dresses for my 6-year-old. I bought the yarn online and was a bit worried about running out. But in the end, I managed two get both bodices done, using down to the last inch of both yarns.<br />
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Next, I went to shop for matching fabrics and thankfully found some suitable ones quickly. It took one evening to sew up the dresses and another to sew on the buttons.<br />
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I love these part-knit part-sewn dresses and would love to test some other stitch patterns in the futre, insha Allah.<br />
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In other accomplishments, I did an early spring-cleaning of my craft closet and it has made me resolved to use up some of my stash. I'm still undecided about what to cast on next, socks maybe, or a stole.</div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-9398791093134347502018-02-08T23:33:00.000+05:002018-02-08T23:33:33.467+05:00Gloves<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The past few months have been intense. Important family affairs took much of my attention, time and energy, so I had little to give to this blog. My crafts slowed down but did not halt, as I would be lost without them.<br />
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Coming to knitting, I got some comission work for the first time in my life. I used to dread knitting to someone else's specifications, but it was surprisingly pleasant. I knit some things, I would not normally knit and it was refreshing and fun.<br />
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As for the actual projects, these were fingerless gloves_ four pairs. The first was straightforward enough, a <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=3720&lang=us" target="_blank">DROPS pattern</a> which went fast and quick.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e4gpwMEdSEg/WnyPoEzqX1I/AAAAAAAAEac/ETXlw1FsGBAvRUIBXTIy3w7WuzxUT9kXgCLcBGAs/s1600/20171218_095814_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="485" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e4gpwMEdSEg/WnyPoEzqX1I/AAAAAAAAEac/ETXlw1FsGBAvRUIBXTIy3w7WuzxUT9kXgCLcBGAs/s320/20171218_095814_medium2.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
The other three I had to reverse-engineer from some photo the client sent me. There were two pairs of same design in different sizes.<br />
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The last one was unique in that main and contrasting colors were revesed for the two gloves of the pair and there were pompoms. Now while I know how to make pompoms, I have not had much practice. So it was an interesting experiment and I got them right in the second try.</div>
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Here is the completed comission in full. I am happy to report that it was well-received.</div>
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The glove saga does not end here, as last week, my son handed me some yarn (he has some of his own, isn't that cool?) and asked me to make a pair for him. He drew out the design for me. This one was simple enough to knit, but six rows of duplicate stitch took almost three hours. He is well-pleased with his design.</div>
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Hopefully these are all the gloves for this season. I'm eager to work on something new and have just cast on a different kind of project.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-17497889377909776902017-11-27T13:18:00.000+05:002017-11-27T13:18:33.679+05:00Winter Fantasy Cardigan <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a summer-long hiatus, this project was recently picked up again. At that point, it needed a few inches of knitting on the body and both sleeves. A few rows on it every night and it is finally done. I sewed the buttons on it last evening and wove in the ends this morning.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GuazMQ-UGkk/WhvHgqTLjWI/AAAAAAAAEZ4/fCueFsmiJJEr7PQlJttzL_oaEtHWGiC6QCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20171127_125032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="800" height="369" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GuazMQ-UGkk/WhvHgqTLjWI/AAAAAAAAEZ4/fCueFsmiJJEr7PQlJttzL_oaEtHWGiC6QCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20171127_125032.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I like stranded work so this was a good, fun project. Knitting top-down meant reversing the <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=4316&lang=us" target="_blank">instructions </a>and doing some recalculation to adjust gauge. The cardigan is on the smaller side, because I was tired of baggy sweaters (and perhaps am a bit deluded about my actual size). All-in-all it was a satisfactory project and just the thing to bring back the knitting mood.</div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-12189471752551757332017-11-06T23:29:00.001+05:002017-11-06T23:29:33.382+05:00Dollhouse Kitchen Highlights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kitchen was one of the most daunting part of the dollhouse, bathroom being the other. (I'm still figuring out, how to make a toilet.) What made it more challenging, was that the girls wanted it as realistic as possible. They wanted cabinets, drawers and fridge that could open and close. And, I had to made everything from scratch.</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WIi5NTiC2tA/WgAu37G1jFI/AAAAAAAAEY4/SCBrcQa6WeE4DxxcxPHiq5JpgV2bN6zcQCLcBGAs/s1600/20170911_225232a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WIi5NTiC2tA/WgAu37G1jFI/AAAAAAAAEY4/SCBrcQa6WeE4DxxcxPHiq5JpgV2bN6zcQCLcBGAs/s320/20170911_225232a.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I started with this set of drawers. These were a easy start, made with matchboxes, and popsicle sticks. I used beads for drawer knobs.</div>
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Next was the sink. It was trickier but turned out OK. The sink is made from styrofoam egg carton. The cabinets underneath were hinged, though it was my first attempt and they are far from perfect. But as my husband keeps reminding me, curbing my perfectionist streak, it is just a plaything for the kids.</div>
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The range was easy and looks cute. The oven opens too.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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The hinges for these wall cabinets took some time and effort. These turned out a bit wonky, which seems to be the theme for this dollhouse. The hinges made it possible to open the doors, but keeping them closed required some thought. Velcro was my solution.</div>
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Then came the wall tiles. These brought together all the elements.</div>
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The refrigerator was my least impressive piece and hated the making of it. But girls are happy with it, and I cannot bear the thought of redoing the whole thing, so is stays. Here too, velcro came to my rescue.</div>
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The girls found some food erasers to fill it with.</div>
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Lastly, the dining set with four chairs. The red cushions go with the window curtains.</div>
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Next comes the top floor of the house. At this point in time, I am almost done with the interior of the house, and am working on the exterior. The end is almost in sight.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-87087935219461709072017-10-13T01:17:00.000+05:002017-10-13T01:17:56.440+05:00Dollhouse: Living Room Snippets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Continuing with the dollhouse, the first room put together was the living room. I started with a sofa, made of fabric scraps and cardboard. It is upholstered in some leftover cotton from one of my sewing projects.</div>
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The I used the popsicles sticks to make a coffee table and a side table. These were later painted brown.<br />
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The rug took the most amount of time. It tòk me two weeks to latch-hook this thing. It used up one of the oldest yarns in my stash, but was a lot of work.</div>
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I also made some curtains. I'm not sure about them but the girls like them and my husband told me to move on.</div>
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Next I did some wall art and built a TV. (My six-year old want me to turn a cellphone into a TV so as to have one with some action.) And a table to go with it. And you can also see a clock there. I rimmed it with green crystal beads.<br />
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The wall art for the other wall.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">And lastly, I made a chandelier for the room, just yesterday.</span></div>
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The room in its enirety will be posted in the final dollhouse post. Next post, the kitchen highlights.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-40650259330728094612017-10-07T01:37:00.000+05:002017-10-07T01:43:53.764+05:00Making of A Dollhouse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It all started when my eldest daughter wanted a dollhouse and I offered to make her one. I had built one before, when she was smaller, but it was pretty basic. It was made of thin cardboard and was unfurnished. She had very little interest in dolls and their houses at that time. My younger one played with it, but it did not have a chance of lasting _ flimsy as it was _ in the hands of a toddler. <br />
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So, I thought now was my opportunity to improve on dollhouse design, and go the whole nine yards. This one is going to be for barbie-sized dolls and is going to be fully furnished. I am utilizing all available resources and skills at my disposal. At the moment of writing this post, I am about 65% done and it is coming together nicely. Not a masterpiece, but good enough for a child's dollhouse.<br />
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As for the materials, it is being constructed out of cardboard, popsicle sticks, paper and hot glue being the other essential components. Before actually starting the construction, I measured out the area where it is supposed to go, and calculated the dimensions of the whole thing, as well as the different rooms. I had a basic plan in my head and after a few youtube videos, and lots of inspiration from pinterest, I was good to go.<br />
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Now for some action shots, I started with a sturdy double cardboard base and then put up the walls. I wallpapered them at the same time.<br />
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These first windows were very tricky. Initially I tried bamboo sticks to make the window frames but those did not hold well. Later, I ripped them out and used the popsicle sticks. (These popsicle sticks must be the unsung heroes of the paper craft world. I feel sorry that I discovered them so late. And they are very inexpensive too.) At this point, the kids informed me that the dolls must have a staircase to get to the upper floor. To maximise room space, I attempted a spiral staircase. My skills were very rusty at that point and it is not very neat but I covered it in tape and it became satisfactory.<br />
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Next, I put a wooden floor in the living room, with the popsicle sticks. Because I ran out of paper for a wall, that wall got some wooden panelling. It was at this point that the actual magnitude of the project hit me. It was going to take me a few montns, at least, to get this done. Since then, I have been tackling it, one task at a time, and that has worked really well. Back to the living room, you can see the new window panes. The staircase fit best in the kitchen/ dining area, so it went there.<br />
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After sanding the floor ( that aiming-for-the-whole-nine-yards thing), I painted it with a mix of water colors and acrylic colors. I did not have a brown color then, and had to mix up red, blue and black. This shows in the color variation on the floor. It was such a relief when I actually got a brown, that I am OK with the vareigated look.<br />
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In the next post, inshaAllah, some more details from the living room, including curtains, wall art and furniture.<br />
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-90878745727255203082017-09-29T23:20:00.000+05:002017-09-29T23:20:06.696+05:00Reboot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have been terribly remiss in updating this blog of late. It has been four months since I last posted here and for that, I apologize to my 1.5 readers, if they are still around.<br />
We have had summer vacation, two Eids, a couple of weddings and first-term exams during this time. My youngest also started preschool this month. Also, we got a pet parrot (Indian red-neck) during this time, only to lose it to a brief illness, a month later. It was heartbreaking. Now we have got a cockatiel and are keeping it under a strict watch, so that it does not ingest something whichit is not supposed to. <br />
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In crafting news, I completed my 100-day hand lettering challenge on instagram, which was a lot of fun. I also continued trying out new crafts, like I mentioned in the previous post. The Eid sewing was a success and the dresses came out really good. And not more than ten rows were knit during this time.<br />
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However, I did start a big project, huge in fact, considering how new I am at it. My oldest daughter wanted a Dollhouse and my strong DIY instinct rose to the challenge. So I am making a dollhouse. I have been at it for more than a month now and it is still far from being done. Seeing how much fun I am having with it, and how it will be a work-in-progress for a long time yet, it is only natural that I blog about it. I am hoping to do a series of blog posts, recording the progress I make on this project. </div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-4876240245006370392017-05-23T11:49:00.000+05:002017-05-23T11:49:38.807+05:00New Ventures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been more than a month since I updated the blog. It has been tiresomely hectic. In addition to the mundane affairs of domestic life, the summer has arrived with quite a literal bang. We are having a few problems. These problems are not unfamiliar to my compatriots, and the old readers of this blog must also be familiar with electricity <a href="http://ummeyusuf.blogspot.com/2009/07/hot-and-without-power.html" target="_blank">load shedding </a>. It has been the norm for the last many years and worsens during the hot weather. The new twist to this old demon, this year, has been power surges or sudden fluctuations in voltage, which have fried a number of electric appliances at our home, over the last week. Our computer and modem have had to be fixed twice in this time period, and a fan and couple of lights have required replacements. In addition to this bewildering state of affairs, is a long-going water crisis. Islamabad has been in the grips of this poorly-managed water shortage for a couple of years now. This too, has worsened with the rising temperature.<br />
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All these day-to-day stresses tend to cloud one's creativity, as one figures out a triage of washing, cleaning, cooking and laundry with the limited water, and keeps an eye out for any unusual electrical activity. <i>Alhamdolillah ala kulli haal</i>.<br />
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Needless to say, it is still too hot for knitting my cardigan and I find myself little inclined to start some lighter fibre project. Instead, I have been exploring some new ventures.<br />
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I have been trying my hand at handlettering. I have wanted to do this (as well as some water color practice) for a long time and finally started last month. I have been posting some of it on my instagram.<br />
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The other thing I really went into, was jewelry-making. It has been so much fun and I made so many earrings and bracelets. Even my kids joined in the <s>circus</s> hobby. I have bought some new supplies and still have many ideas to try. I will probably get a few Eid gifts out of these.<br />
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And as if beads and wire were not enough, I tried some resin craft as well. And made a load of fridge magnets. This too is very addictive and I am afraid our fridge is going to run out of display space soon. I am thinking of doing a couple with buttons, as well.<br />
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Then, it is the time of the year when I sew Eid dresses for my girls. I have started on them and hope to get a major portion done before Ramadan, inshaAllah<br />
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So you can see how our summer problems have had an adverse ( or is it perverse ? ) effect on me and spurred me onto newer crafts. </div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-63089913820631647962017-04-15T10:33:00.000+05:002017-04-15T10:33:45.029+05:00Petite Pineapples <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As things continue to heat up here in Islamabad, my apathy towards my cardigan-in-progress persists. My creative urges are finding new, weather-friendly avenues like handlettering and art. ( You can find my beginner's attempts at handlettering on my i<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ummeyusuf/" target="_blank">nstagram account</a>). Yarnwise, I decided to switch to thread and crochet a new doily for my dresser. The <a href="http://ummeyusuf.blogspot.com/2009/05/oval-pineapple-doily.html" target="_blank">last </a>one was made about four year ago and has been out of use for a while.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AFvwpqfREJc/WPGuZmoH91I/AAAAAAAAEVg/gII7Js-OxVUxPz796DBiCBZ_5ZwEpFRSQCEw/s1600/IMG_20170414_195604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AFvwpqfREJc/WPGuZmoH91I/AAAAAAAAEVg/gII7Js-OxVUxPz796DBiCBZ_5ZwEpFRSQCEw/s400/IMG_20170414_195604.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://www.freepatterns.com/detail.html?code=FC01109" target="_blank">pattern</a> was straight forward enough, till the edging. The edging isn't charted. And trying to work through rows of instruction, with a toddler tugging at my shirt and another child jumping on the sofa, and someone else wanting a response from me, every other minute, was hard. Very hard indeed. My eyes and brain nearly gave out by the end of it.<br />
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In the end, it turned out just the right size and looks good as well.</div>
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Surprisingly, the younger girls had no interest in the fare now on display on the dreser, unlike the last time, when my oldest daughter was very keen on them. Perhaps because they already had access, however reluctant it might have been, to these things when they were stored in the cabinet. As for my oldest, she arranged the dresser this time around and half the stuff on it is hers anyway.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-19165060636401391102017-03-30T05:56:00.000+05:002017-03-30T05:56:20.139+05:00Smaller Things<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
With our temperatures rapidly climbing and the weather turing unusually hot for this time of the year, I have quite lost the will to work on my cardigan. Instead, I did reorganisation of my yarn stash and decided to knit up some cotton yarns to free up some space. Two potholders and two dischcloths later, I had managed to use an equivalent of only two balls of yarn.<br />
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The potholders are crocheted while the dishcloths are knit.<br />
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Anyway, the potholders are pretty awesome and performing very well in the kitchen. The dishcloths have not been used as of now, but I can foresee their use in the near future.<br />
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I am already looking for some other small knitting or crochet project. Any ideas? </div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-12239212715183735742017-03-16T14:21:00.001+05:002017-03-16T14:21:46.001+05:00Craft Break<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The final examinations are over and the school is out for the older kids, so I have a bit more free time, Alhamdolillah. I have been putting that time to good use by expanding my craft horizons. I have been indulging in clay art and jewelry making. Only a beginner in both, I have had a lot of fun with both. My oldest daughter joins in the fun and has been enjoying herself a good deal. We made some fridge magnets, candle holders and heaps of jewelry.<br />
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Besides all that and a bit of sewing, I also managed to start the colorwork cardigan that I was hoping to, in the last post. I have never made a colowork sweater for myself and had been wanting to for some time.<br />
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The pattern is a DROPS free pattern, but I decided to knit it from the top down. The yoke is done and I am halfway down the body now. It is looking good, though the progress has been slow on 3 mm needles. I am thinking of adding the colorwork to the sleeve cuffs. That should keep it interesting.</div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-10913716676661190752017-02-22T19:07:00.001+05:002017-02-22T19:07:21.173+05:00Driftwood Cardigan <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The plain black sweater is finally done and I have been wearing it for many days. It is warm and comfortable. Its construction was a bit weird in that the pattern asked for too many sts in the underarm area. Also, the neck was too gaping. I will have to live with the former issue, but fixed the later by doing a row of slip st crochet with a smaller-sized hook.<br />
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In the end, it has turned out almost just as I had wanted _ black, plain and comfortable. Next, I have some hankering for stranded work. I may already have cast on another cardigan.</div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-16686855741938728532017-02-03T20:18:00.002+05:002017-02-03T20:19:51.868+05:00Crocheted Moccasin: Toddler Version<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This winter, I had multiple requests for knitted/crocheted slippers from my kids. I had planned to make three pairs but due to the relative shortness of our winter coupled with my relative lack of free time, I only managed to make one pair. I finished these in December, well before our floors got really cold. Not that it mattered much, my toddler would not wear them for more than half an hour at a time. So, basically these are more to be looked at and played with, than be worn.<br />
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Still, they do prove one point. That is, my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crocheted-moccasin" target="_blank">Crocheted Moccasin</a> pattern can be successfully downsized to toddler size, with thinner yarn and hook. So they still might be worth something. Also, I made them to be a generous size and a four-year-old just might be more inclined to wear them than a three-year-old. We will know the answer next winter, in sha Allah.</div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-77484998412622984922017-01-24T21:39:00.001+05:002017-01-24T21:39:29.788+05:00Simple and Black<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Before I got caught up in sewing my daughters' dresses for a family wedding, I had cast-on for a black cardigan. I needed one for routine use, and considering how black (and sparkly black at that ) can be a difficult color, I wanted a plain sweater. And I wanted to knit contiguous sleeves. And I was feeling too lazy to figure out the details on my own. So I searched and found a free, contiguous pullover <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/driftwood-5" target="_blank">pattern</a> and chose to knit it as a cardigan.<br />
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This is how far I came, before the wedding sewing put the inevitable pause in my knitting:<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_U5j1Op5kI/WIeBrDR7eeI/AAAAAAAAESs/KPEUpKyFP18gYatTuOB4YlbrI44ilbCBgCLcB/s1600/20170124_211924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_U5j1Op5kI/WIeBrDR7eeI/AAAAAAAAESs/KPEUpKyFP18gYatTuOB4YlbrI44ilbCBgCLcB/s400/20170124_211924.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
As you can see, I have divided for sleeves and from now onwards, it is just rows of simple stockinette stitch, with a little bit of waist shaping. I hope to resume work on it in a couple of days. It is going to be an loosely-fitting, cozy sweater. For this season or next.</div>
Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-82471962984423295002017-01-07T00:01:00.001+05:002017-01-07T00:01:57.240+05:00Poppy II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So the first finished project of 2017 gets to be a hat. More specifically a school hat for mu pre-schooler. She would wear no hat except her older sister's <a href="http://ummeyusuf.blogspot.com/2012/01/poppy.html" target="_blank">Poppy</a>, so I decided to make her one of her own. This one too, is in DK weight, yarn probably being some ancient wool blend, I got from my mother-inlaw. It got done well before the preschool reopens on Monday, just right in the chillest and rainy part of our winter.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-9385376413191220892016-12-19T20:18:00.001+05:002016-12-19T20:18:59.519+05:00Lemongrass <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lemongrass" target="_blank">pattern</a> must be easy to adapt, because I successfully managed it with different yarn weight, needle size and guage, considering too, that I knit this adult-sized sweater for my 10 year old. The ease was for most part due to the top-down construction and loose fit.</div>
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I simply cast on with the sts for smallest size and winged it from there. I did do little math and worked out the number of sts I needed to have at the underarm, considering my gauge. (I do not remember the exact number, as it was mostly in my head). I also drove my daughter crazy, having her try it on several times along the way. Beyond the armholes it was all plain sailing.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dL5m9LIrkBs/WFe1YFZ-j9I/AAAAAAAAER4/fuB5JYOd8Lo49F5kW4tVTrCse1BB458awCLcB/s1600/lemongrass2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dL5m9LIrkBs/WFe1YFZ-j9I/AAAAAAAAER4/fuB5JYOd8Lo49F5kW4tVTrCse1BB458awCLcB/s400/lemongrass2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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The yarn is our good old acrylic. I am planning on adding a third button to the sides, to decrease gaping. Other than that, it is all done and looks good. </div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-61179698422473425662016-11-04T19:43:00.001+05:002016-11-04T19:51:03.239+05:00New Addition And Blue Flowers Cardigan <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I know this blog has been neglected for too long, but life has been crazy busy lately. It has been hard to find a moment to catch my breath and slow down, let alone find any time for knitting or other craft. Besides all the usual stuff taking up my time, there was one unusual (for us, at least) thing as well.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UFSEh4Fje00/WBtf_SQgTiI/AAAAAAAAERA/YMJCjGt3dR8MRVFCGqqP10-ndC82WYlhgCLcB/s1600/20161005_193009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UFSEh4Fje00/WBtf_SQgTiI/AAAAAAAAERA/YMJCjGt3dR8MRVFCGqqP10-ndC82WYlhgCLcB/s400/20161005_193009.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
Let me introduce the cutest and bounciest cause of my full days, the newest addition to our family, Ginger. We rescued it form the streets, couple of months ago. He was in a very bad shape, being very sick, weak and abandoned by his mother. After many weeks of love and care, we finally have him thriving. It is a full time job, keeping him out of mischief.<br />
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For the last two months, the only knitting I managed to get done, was a few rows here and there. The knitting was put on hold for several days at such points that required some mental calculation, because I was not free enough to sit down and do that. Extreme but very true. And thing look even bleaker for the coming months with ever-increasing loads of homework, exams, projects that need a hand, on top of all the housework and errands.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nP8mnvcQM7o/WBtSttW-VHI/AAAAAAAAEQg/H5FnKs9WXLQ2vx-LeOA4vnpvi4cKRU3bwCLcB/s1600/20161028_151132a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nP8mnvcQM7o/WBtSttW-VHI/AAAAAAAAEQg/H5FnKs9WXLQ2vx-LeOA4vnpvi4cKRU3bwCLcB/s400/20161028_151132a.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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For now, I have managed to finish a cardigan for my five year old. I had a hard time picking a pattern for this yarn. I finally took inspiration from <a href="http://img.kuailebz.com/forum/201201/08/1037227ffrdnn4rgfldfxn.jpg" target="_blank">a picture</a> and equipped with that picture and a <a href="http://translate.google.com.vn/translate?hl=vi&sl=zh-CN&tl=vi&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kuailebz.com%2Farticle-1291-1.html" target="_blank">Google Translate page for the pattern</a>, I set about knitting this cardigan. Other than the flower chart, I did not use the translated pattern but did my own construction,knitting a round yoke and other omitting the collar.</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-16SA16GcBCI/WBtSwGbe63I/AAAAAAAAEQk/7rSGfiNL1tYwkxfUhYcOr0NY3MYiE5f8QCLcB/s1600/20161028_151154a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-16SA16GcBCI/WBtSwGbe63I/AAAAAAAAEQk/7rSGfiNL1tYwkxfUhYcOr0NY3MYiE5f8QCLcB/s400/20161028_151154a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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It was an interesting knit and went smoothly for most part, except at the end when I forgot how to crochet. I kept holding my crochet hook and yarn like I hold a knitting needle and wondering why it felt weird. I had to do a net search before I figured out the problem. The little grey cells are really feeling the age.<br />
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My daughter is happy with the sweater and keeps asking when she can wear it. It will not be long now as the weather is turning cold now.<br />
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-11282231112016527492016-08-18T12:26:00.003+05:002016-08-18T12:26:29.999+05:00Boxy Lace Sweater<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Finally a post about the Boxy Lace sweater for my eldest daughter. This was the July sweater for my year long a-sweater-a-month plan. I got a little late in getting it done and later in posting about it.<br />
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Here it is, all done and worn (getting my daughter to wear in the heat and humidity of our monsoon season, was no easy task). It is a heavily modified version of the original pattern, downsized to tweeny size, with a lot of help and inspiration from the ravelry project pages. All the technical details can be found on my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/ummeyusuf/cancun-boxy-lace-top" target="_blank">ravelry project page</a>. The yarn is our local worsted weight acrylic.<br />
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For my next project, I am having a difficult time selecting a pattern. I have been searching the ravelry library and pinterest to find one. I did not get a pattern <i>per se</i>, but lots of inspiration. So the next sweater will most likely be a hybrid of different design elements and involve a lot of improvisation.<br />
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6582182965483117826.post-89682617973277686922016-07-30T18:25:00.001+05:002016-07-30T18:25:38.671+05:00Eid Dresses<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is the promised post about the Eid dresses I made for the girls. It took a few days to get cool and dry enough weather to get a photo shoot. The fabric for all three dresses was the same, though I used only two color schemes. (Could not find a nice enough color for the youngest, so used the same color scheme for her as the oldest). Fabrics are diamante chiffon for the tops and <i>dupattas</i> and <i>jamavar</i> for the bottoms. And <i>gota trim</i> on the shirts (<i>kameez</i>).<br />
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For the younger two, I sewed <i>Kameez </i>with <i>shalwar</i>/straight pants.<br />
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Now for the interesting part, and the star of my sewing _ the gharara. My nine year-old has recently developed in traditional flouncy pieces, so I offered to sew her a <a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gharara" target="_blank"><i>gharara</i></a>. Gharara is a traditional dress of the Muslim women of the indian subcontinent. Although no longer part of our day-to-day wear, it is one of the staples at weddings and makes a fashion come-back every now and then, with a modern twist. This year happens to be one of those years.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">It is essentially a pair of extremely flared pants, the lower part of which is cut on bias and gathered at the knees. The seam at the knee is adroned with some trim or embellishment. It is worn with a short (and sometimes long shirt and a dupatta/stole). Its construction is quite complex and tricky. At least it was for me, as it was my debut attempt. The slippery fabric made it all the more challenging. And I had no idea how much yardage I would need. All things considering, it turned out quite satisfactory. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">My daughter had a great time wearing it, so it was all worth it. She still wants a ready-to-wear lehnga (traditional flared maxi skirt) for the next Eid. (Losing interest in your mom's handmade stuff has to be the first sign of growing up, I had to bribe her with a matching hand-sewn clutch).</span></div>
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In knitting news, I am just starting on the sleeves of the July sweater and hope to get it finished soon.</div>
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Umme Yusufhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340326855329177957noreply@blogger.com2