Tag Archives: kimono

Needlepoint: East Meets West Kimono

Pattern: East Meets West Kimono ~ Designer: Margaret Bendig

This is my first needlepoint project. I attended my first needlepoint workshop Halloween weekend 2021 in Las Vegas with Margaret Bendig. I was told she would be an excellent teacher for my first project ever. And she was wonderful. She explained everything and came around checking on all of us students and made sure me and the other newbie in the class were understanding what we were supposed to be doing. The problem, I found, (and it’s a totally me issue), that my lines above are off. Reading needlepoint is a little different than reading cross stitch. It’s hard to explain. I’ll have to try to one day but suffice it to say I read the pattern wrong and my lines are all off above. So, I’m working my way from left to right to make sure those from left to right are correct. Then I’ll work my way down. Each of those blocks correspond to a number on the pattern and the blocks from left to right do not go in numerical order. So I have to figure out what number it is and then go to the appropriate page in the pattern (there’s over 30 pages) to determine what I’m doing. So far, I’ve been working on things that we learned in class.

In class, the instructor can’t go through everything. She started us off, and then went over the blocks that were different than “normal” stuff. So Margaret went over techniques that may be new for the average class attendee. Since it was all new, my brain exploded and I just kept going on what I knew. Also my lines were off and I didn’t want to jump to a different block and potentially put the stitches in the wrong place. During class I kept going with what I was doing. I tried to pay attention but I’m sure I didn’t catch nearly enough to get me started. Margaret was so nice and friendly. She told me to get in touch with her if I have any questions. Which really pleases me since I am positive I will need help.

~Happy needlepoint!

~Stay Safe.

~Melanie

My First Sweater

My First Sweater
10/10/2017

I finally finished my kimono that I’ve been working on these last few months.  This is my first sweater/cardigan/ jacket and I’m really happy with it.  I still have to weave in the ends but I’ll do a bit at a time until it’s all done.  I think I’m about halfway through at this point.  It’s still pretty hot here in Southern California but the mornings are getting chilly and pretty soon I’ll be able to wear this.  My next sweater I’m working on is a Harry Potter sweater for Kayla.  I’m working on the back and I’m about 25 rows in.  I’ll try to take more progress pictures and post them here for you to see.

~ happy crafting

~Melanie

 

Sunday plans

Yesterday was a very productive day.  I was able to do the first 5 items on my crafty to do list and interspersed other non-crafty tasks within.  Then we had a wonderful dinner catching up with friends we hadn’t seen since the beginning of summer.

Today will be a mixed day of getting ready for the upcoming week, crossing things off my crafty to do list and Game of Thrones.

Here’s today’s crafty list:

#1 – wash and fold new fabric

#2 – A Rainbow Garden – spend some time applique-ing the first set of pieces on.  Here’s a picture from my Sunday stash post earlier today.

A Rainbow Garden
Block 8 – cut the pieces and pressed the paper onto the wool fabric
8/6/17

#3 – Maxwell Bag – I wasn’t able to do this task item yesterday so it’s closer to the top of the list today.  The next steps are to cut the rope to size for the handles, cover it with soft and stable, make the fabric tube and cover the rope with the fabric tube.  I want to get these tasks done before my next bag class this coming Saturday.

The outer and inner parts put together
5/2017

#4 – Starting Point Shawl – Yesterday, I was only able to do one front row.  I’m in the section that does a lot of PTBL and KTBL (purl through the back look and knit through the back loop) and that takes a lot of concentration from me.  I only have 1 row left in this section and then I can move onto the next color which is much easier.  So today I want to do that last row and the next two rows in the new section.  I also need to take a new picture.

Starting Point Shawl
8/9/17

#5 – secret project – hand sew the binding

#6 – Raining Cats and Dogs – spend some time hand quilting this project and apparently take a new picture.  The last picture I have of this project was from last year.

#7 – Kimono – continue working on it. The plan is to do a right side and a wrong side on each sleeve every day.  I hope by the time I make it out to knit night at my LYS, I’ve got the right sleeve done and I can concentrate on the left sleeve.

#8 – Cross Stitch – work more on Mama’s Bukid.

#9 – August socks – do a couple of the 4-row repeats.  Yesterday I finished by 7th repeat so I need 5 repeats to do.  At that point, I’ll try it on and hopefully, I can start on the toes this week.

#10 – And if I have time, pull out my pajama pants and get to the next step.  To be honest, I do not think I’ll have the brain power to do this if I get to task #10.  But I notice that if it’s on my to do list, I will get to it at some point.

 

 

Saturday Musings

I’m back again!  Thanks for being so patient.  We were out of town last Friday – Monday and I’ve been playing catch up ever since.  Work is work and by Friday I finally felt like I was getting into a groove.  I hope this feeling continues.

This week’s line up is:

#1 – continue to work on my Kimono… sorry no picture as it’s just a jumbled mess of yarn at the moment.  I’m working on the right and left sleeve.  The plan is to do a right side and wrong side on each sleeve every day.

#2 – Secret Project – machine sew the binding on (the front) and start the hand sewing part (the back).

Central Park Socks
8/19/17

#3 – August Socks for the Knitting Expat New York Sock Club.  It’s called Central Park and I’m currently working on the foot.  I like a foot with about 48 rows which means for a 4-row pattern I need to do 12 sets of that repeat.  I’m currently working on the 6th row.  It was hard to take a picture of this but there it is.

Mama’s Bukid
8/8/17

#4 – Cross Stitch – work a bit on Mama’s Bukid.

Starting Point Shawl
8/9/17

#5 – Starting Point Shawl – work a bit on this one.  I like to do a front and back row a day but haven’t touched this project since our return on Monday.  I worked on this project a lot while away so when I returned set it aside to give some love to the Kimono.  I need to touch this again this weekend.

Maxwell Bag – The outer and inner parts put together
5/2017

#6 – Maxwell Bag – the next step is to cut the rope to size for the handles.

And that’s the plan for today.  We’ve got plans for this evening so I think these 5 projects will be plenty over the next few hours.

~happy crafting.

Melanie