I just finished knitting this scarf for my daughter's friend. The pattern is called Baktus and I'm absolutely in love with it. First it uses one skein of yarn, so it's perfect for justifying the purchase of a single, hand-painted skein. Also, this pattern is ingenious in how it uses the yarn. You weigh your skein and, based on the weight, determine when you'll switch from increases to decreases. That means no leftover little bits to nag at you and make you feel like you should come up with something useful to do with 5 3/4 yards of extra yarn. Add to that the pattern is simple enough to be meditative. How much more ideal can a knitting pattern be? I'd be making a second one for myself right this minute if it wasn't for the fact that I'm half a sleeve away from finishing a sweater I promised my eldest would be done before the end of 2009 (note calendar date).
I'm just saying, expect more Baktuses(Bakti?)in my future, maybe even adapting this shape to create a sewn version. Who knows?
A year ago I don't think I would have made this dress in green, but I must be growing up.
I have been thinking about making this dress for way too long. It's not that the pattern is especially complicated, but I guess I just needed the right green fabric. I bought this yardage from Bolt 44, one of my favorite online fabric retailers and the pattern is Simplicity 2846. This is an easy, straightforward pattern and I'm especially fond of the way the sleeves are added to the body. I think it's a standard raglan-like construction, but there's something so logical about it that the process made me smile. The only modification I made was sewing down the darts along the collar. They just seemed to poof out a bit much for me. Being that this is Texas, I made my version in cotton, but I could see this working well in wool should you live in a geographic region where people don't scamper and hide whenever the mercury falls below 50 degrees.
Part of the joy of sewing this dress had to do with a new, green addition to my studio.
After almost 20 years of sewing I have a "real" sewing table. By real I mean not some leftover table that was destined for Goodwill or rejected by one of my kids, but a genuine meant-only-for-sewing table. This table includes a feature to set the sewing machine below the table surface so the entire table functions as an extended machine bed. The insert that matches my machine brand and model is on order so for the next few weeks I'll be using it much like I did my previous table, but my table and I are very happy together.
And ready for more green crafting.
24 comments:
I envy you that gorgeous green table! Wow!
LOVE the sewing table!! Did you make it yourself? (if you bought it, do share where you got it :)
Cute dress! And that table!! You definitely need to share where you got it from. Someday maybe I'll have a space and I'll want to get one too!!
Please do share where you found that sewing table.. I'm in love with it.. Especially the possibilities for machine quilting with that lower-the-sewing-machine feature!!
Oh my gosh!! I have been loving green lately too, thinking about painting one of the rooms and plan to call it the green room, it will be multi functional.
I'm intrigued by the Baktus pattern and started one a while back -- but after a few rows I decided the Noro yarn was driving me nuts! Keep meaning to start again in something less scratchy, so it's great to see your version.
I LOVE that table! I've been really wanting one just like that but by the time I found that one I'd already figured something out. By the way, for those asking what it is I believe it is an Arrow Olivia Pistachio Green Sewing Cabinet.
I am just "green" with envy. I love everything. But I just love the sewing table, too cute!
Very cute table! One of these days I'll get a table that's meant for sewing.
I love the greens! The colors of your Baktus are amazing. What is the yarn if I may ask? I need to make one of those.
I'm a little jealous of your sewing table. :( (happy for YOU though)
you totally made my day!! i have this great yarn from wollmeise which i don´t want to "waste" on socks and being not a very creative knitter did not know how to use it - thanks so much for the baktus pattern link!
Loving all your greens! I have seen ads for that table and it is just splendid!
Awesome table and my favorite color. On the must have list for sure.
I love the pin cushions. They are so fun.
The table is just so fun & pretty.
where oh where did you get that table! fantastic and so inspiring!
Thanks for all you nice comments.
I bought the table at a fabric store in Cedar Park called Ready to Sew Bernina. It's the Arrow Olivia Sewing Cabinet in pistachio.
I too love the table-especially the green! Please share where you bought it if-- if you did.
This table is ridiculously cute! oh my gosh i love the color
so glad to know someone else is as into green as I am. you know, I think I always associated you with green anyway, since you use that as a background color in a lot of your photos.
And I love your dress, especially with those cowboy boots (another obsession of mine)!
Someday maybe I'll have a space and I'll want to get one too!!
Work from home India
Hi Malka!
It was great to meet you today ... and to see both the scarf *and* the dress in real life! They're even cuter in person :-)
... Courtney
the table is terrific, but i am interested in that chair. looks like it was made from an old tractor seat? i want one!
Mild steel is the most common form of steel. It is not brittle. its really hard. It is cheap. It is often used when large amounts of steel are needed.
Post a Comment