the never ending project

And I mean never ending in the best possible way. One of the women in my knitting group has been working on a sock yarn blanket for a few years. It's basically a time capsule - it's little squares of bits of yarn from every pair of socks she's ever made. I believe she's a 30+ year knitter, prolific at socks to boot! There's something about projects like that, that are a piece of your life, your history, that I just love. Like the quilts made from baby clothes, or concert t-shirts, or denim scraps. (A lot of those are on my lifetime project wish list too.)

Here is the original project. Cool, right?

I favorited the project on Ravelry about three months ago, but I've been thinking about it for longer than that. It looks like the original was made with an end in mind, and the knitter solicited yarn donations to make that happen. That's kind of cool too, the community contribution. But for me, the project will be personal. It's the kind of project that I'm not sure will ever end. I don't plan to buy or acquire anything specifically for this project. I want it to grow organically from yarn I've already used, or plan to soon. Just a little piece to keep, as so much of my knitting doesn't end up staying with me. So the other night, with yarn leftover from my toddler socks, I started a square.

Each one only seems to take an hour or so. It's pretty mindless, and will probably go quicker now that I've memorized the simple pattern. Once you have two squares, you start joining them together.

The blue yarn is for some preemie hats that I intend to knit. I have for some time, but I haven't been able to get myself into a baby knitting place recently. I wish it had done a color transition in the square, but it didn't. I'll have to add another one when I've made a few hats. As you can see based on the scale of my (slightly overexposed, slightly actually that pale) legs, this is going to take awhile. And that's cool with me. I don't have a plan for it at all. I plan to let it grow sort of amoeba-like, in whatever direction. I plan to leave it out once it gets large enough, to actually be used while under construction. I'll just knit a square now and then when the mood or the materials strike. This one is going to be around for a long while - I'll post an update in a few months and see where it's at!

Basement update

So last time I left you with a basement update, we were framing out the walls.

Since then, we've been making slow progress. We typically only get about one weekend day every two weeks to work on this, so that pretty much explains the lack of speed of renovation. While we've had several work days, many of them were filled with boring but necessary things like electrical and ductwork. All I'll say about that is that the drill bit on the left is the worst and the one on the right is the best.

I had to put my full weight on the first one to get anywhere, and the other just went through like butter.

So here is the current state of things - pink!

We've started putting up the insulation, and the drywall is on deck. Hopefully one more day or so of work and we can start laying up wall board, and the end will be near! Or at least...you might be able to picture an actual room?

We've made progress on that funny corner too. In the image above, we used to have a duct transfer on the right hand side of the room near the doorway. We would have had to drop a soffit down there to enclose it, but that was going to be a bummer because the ceiling height in this room is just over 7', and we didn't really want to drop the height right at the door. My husband was able to pull the transfer across the room to the left and hide it in the one soffit we already had to make. Remember my little sketch?

And here we are so far!

The soffit encloses the duct work and a gas line that came down below the joists, and you can see the framing for the removable bench that houses the water meter.

Slowly but surely...maybe by the end of summer?

Handmade Dolly

I've done several projects recently that are simply awaiting photos before I can add them to the blog, however, the weather seems to be matching my mood lately which makes photographing outside somewhat impossible.

And while we have been making progress on the basement studio, where someday taking photos will be a snap, we're nowhere near done yet. (update coming Thursday!) So, I just snapped a few quick ones inside, and we get what we got!

Back around Christmas time, I was itching to make a ton of stuff, and top of my list was handmade dolls. Well, cut to June, and I finally got there! I had flipped through a ton of websites, tutorials on Pinterest, patterns at the craft store, and nothing was really speaking to me. When I saw Hilary Lang's book from a few years back called Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love, it was just what I was looking for. I have at least three dolls I want to make from this book, but I started off with the Tag Along Doll

She's called Tag Along because she fits in an apron pocket that a child can wear, but I wasn't feeling that as much as I just liked the little girl herself. I changed the skin and hair color to match more what we've got going on around here. Ironically the fabric I chose for her dress matches the canister in the background of the book photo. I didn't notice that until I was putting these pictures together!

Overall, the pattern was written super clearly and was easy to follow. I wish I'd stuffed her face a little more firmly so she didn't have those premature chin wrinkles, but I suspect that she may have gotten them eventually anyway from some rather intense hugs. The only thing that I don't really like is that the dress is attached right to the doll. I finished this up late at night, and so I completed it as written. However I think I'm going to go back and cut the back of the dress and add some velcro so that she can be dressed...and undressed...and dressed...and, well, you get the idea. I'll try to follow up if/when I get around to that.

She fits right in around here, going "nigh-nigh" as all our friends do several times a day. I can't wait to make a whole group of these dolls and the other patterns I love from the book. Here's hoping it doesn't take me another 6 months to get there!

(p.s. In the spirit of full disclosure, this post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means that I may get a small commission if you decide to purchase anything by clicking on the link. I only recommend products that I use and love myself, so I know you’ll be in good hands)

It's going around - Liebster Award

I think using the word "award" is a little off, since this basically amounts to a get to know you survey. But I suppose being nominated for a survey isn't that exciting? So....I've been nominated for a Liebster Award by Heather from Nearly There and Leyla from Silk and Wool

So there are rules.

Rules:

1. Post 11 random facts about myself
2. Answer 11 questions the awarding blogger has asked
3. Nominate 11 blogs with less than 200 followers, add their links to this post, and let them know that they have been nominated
4. Create 11 questions the nominated blogs have to answer
5. (and post these rules!)

I'm probably going to break the rules, most notably the nomination of other blogs. I'll do my best to call some out specifically, but I'm also very open to self nomination. Want to participate? Comment or email me at cozycapecottage {at} gmail.com and I'll add you to the post. Oh, and I'm also ignoring the follower rule, because I can't actually figure out how many people follow THIS blog, let alone others. I'm just tagging blogs I like or people who have left me some comments recently to get to know them better!

Random facts about me:

1. I hate driving. The self driving Google car can't come quickly enough for me.

2. I like the idea of traveling much more than the reality of it. I love seeing new places and doing cool things, but I tend to lose MY cool on the last day or two of a trip, no matter the length. I'm a homebody for sure.

3.  I swam distance on the varsity team as a freshman in high school, but I got such horrible repeated ear infections that I had to quit.

4. I've never seen several movies that seem to shock people, such as Star Wars, The Godfather, Goonies

5. I'm definitely an "oldest child"

6. While I enjoy writing, I'm terrible at correspondence.

7. I had to get bifocals this year. I'm 31.

8. Other than the mortgage, we should be debt free in 2015.

9. I'm a terrible morning person. I used to be a night owl, but now I love to go to bed around 9. What does that make me....a midday person?

10. I can remember specific things from a meeting a year ago, or full movie monologues, but I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday or what I'm supposed to be doing tomorrow. If it isn't on my calendar, it doesn't exist.

11. I love my cat and dog, but I don't think I'm an "animal person." I'm also not sure that I'll get more pets later in life....it would be nice not to have pet hair all over everything all the time.


Questions answered:

1. How important is your blog to you in the big picture of life?

 Minimal to medium. I enjoy it, or I wouldn't do it. But it's firmly a hobby for me. I appreciate it for keeping record of what I'm working on, and getting to know people. I never want to think up projects or whatever "for the blog."

2. What are the things that help you relax most?

Knitting, yoga, wine, naps. Quiet time is very important to me.

3. How much do you agree to the saying “If you are good at doing something, you shouldn’t do it for free”, especially related to your favorite craft/hobby/passion ?

I disagree. I'm not saying to give everything away for free, but money isn't everything.

4. What are 2-3 things you are most proud of, in regards to your favorite craft/hobby/passion? If you have posts/pictures, please add those.

I'm pretty darn proud of the chair I reupholstered, imperfections and all. (Ok, the imperfections totally bother me.)

 

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I'm also going to be pretty proud of this dress when it's finished. Beyond the image below, I've attached the sleeves and have the front flap complete and part of the yoke. It's also imperfect, but it doesn't bother me as much. Growth?

post

5. Do you ever get presents from friends or relatives related to  your favorite craft/hobby/passion?

Yes! Most recently I got the Knit Kit because my husband felt bad for how I was always fumbling for my scissors or darning needle. (That's an affiliate link. It's something I'm trying out)

6. Do you like sports? Which kinds?

Eh, not really. I don't mind the occasional baseball game or superbowl party with friends, but there is nothing I follow. I'm fairly entertained by the fights at hockey games. Are there no rules at all?

7. Do your ever dream (in sleep) about your hobby?

Not that I recall

8. Do you have a favorite dish? What is it?

Tomato soup + grilled cheese is my comfort food.

9. What things do you prefer visually? (Any given colour? Bright multi-colour patterns? Simple patterns? Busy patterns? Any particular style – e.g. steam punk, oriental, baroque?) Be as general or as specific as you like.

Simple, neutral, geometric for sure. I appreciate the rustic, collected look, but I can't pull it off yet.

10. What are your goals for the next few years, related to your favorite craft/hobby/passion? Do you have any?

I suppose continuing to grow and develop new skills. I'd love to do something with colorwork, like one of those scandanavian stranded sweaters that look adorable on kids. Cables are on my short list too.

11. Are you a process or end-result oriented?

Both, but halfway through the process I usually get pretty antsy for the finished product.

Questions for others:

1. Hot or cold weather?

2. Dream job?

3. Skill you are totally jealous of?

4. What is your guilty pleasure indulgence?

5. Proudest accomplishment?

6. Favorite place?

7. Drink of choice?

8. Describe your current home

9. Describe your dream home

10. What do you pretend to like because you should, but actually don't?

11. What does your life look like in 3 years?


Phew....that was a lot harder than I thought it would be! So I now nominate:
1. http://utahpackerfan.blogspot.com/
2. http://craftingintherain.com/
3. http://www.kathewithane.com/
4. http://awritersworkbench.blogspot.com/
5. http://kitchengirljo.blogspot.com/
6. http://www.avisiontoremember.com/
7. http://www.hiitsjilly.com/
8. http://handmadebymeagan.blogspot.com/
9. http://swoodsonsays.com/
10. www.thekimsixfix.com
11. http://agracefuldisaster.blogspot.com/

And hey, I got to 11! But I'll still take write in self-nominations. :)

Book Review: Metropolitan Knits

Would you believe that I don't own a single knitting book? I get most of my patterns and skills from various blogs, podcasts and Ravelry. I frequently check books out from my local library, and occasionally end up purchasing single patterns via Ravelry or Etsy. While many books are beautiful, I don't find more than one or two patterns that I feel like I MUST own. 

That is, until I picked up Metropolitan Knits by Melissa Wehrle. I love this book. I love well over half the patterns in this book. I've renewed it two times from the library and either plan to buy it myself, or to hint liberally that someone should. 

I love, in no particular order, the cover sweater, the Meier cardigan, which looks great for work 

The Brooklyn Bridge cardigan is a fingering weight that would be great for summer days

The Carriage house cardigan is even lighter in lace weight, though I think I'd omit the ruching from the back and just let it hang loose

The cobblestone hoodie will be a weekend staple. I would make it long enough to cover the tush so I could wear it with leggings

I had a sweater like this several years ago, and still love it. It's the magnolia cafe, and I think the chunky cables look so cozy

Speaking of a cozy chunky knit, the Washington square cardigan calls for bulky yarn, and would be perfect for winter 

Another sweater perfect for pairing with leggings if I make it another inch or two longer is the Skyline tunic

Perhaps one of the first things that I will knit is this super cozy looking cowl

And finally, perhaps my first adult cardigan that I already have the yarn for is the Bleeker street cardigan. I'm not sure how I feel about the pockets, but they are attached as one of he final steps so I can make that decision later

So there you have it! The knitting book that captured my heart enough to become the start of my library!