Little Bit Halloween

Today is the first day of Halloween.

I picked up the Relaxed Raglan pattern from Patterns for Pirates along with the  Raglan Add-on pack to make some raglan shirts. I picked this pattern because it had several options - sleeves, hemline, and length - and the add-on includes hoods and pockets.

I went to the local big-box store to pick up some knit. These are all from Joann Fabrics. The Halloween prints were on sale for 50% off. Seemed like a good deal. I over-purchased what I needed because this fabric is 100% cotton. I bought a yard of each of them, except for the black 1x1 ribbing, which I only bought 1/2 yard. I put it all through the wash on warm wash/cold rinse, and normal dry. This goes against what the care label says. Why did it do it that way? Because that's how I intend to wash the finished shirts. I want anything that's going to happen to the fabric to happen before I spend hours making the shirt. It's a good thing, too. This fabric, when washed how I wash almost every stitch of clothing I own, shrank 20%.

Yes, you read that right, TWENTY percent. The one yard cuts of fabric that went into the machine came out measuring only 30 inches. This meant I couldn't make the shirts full tunic length (one is shorter by about 1", the other by about 2"). I also had to add cuffs to the sleeves because you need more than 30" of fabric to make the full sleeves without a cuff. There was plenty of fabric to do it that way, but it wasn't my original plan.

I traced the pattern onto my working paper and cut out two shirts. I cut the extra large and am considering cutting the large next time. I would have to retrace the pattern, but I might get a slightly better fit.

This was one of the best workouts my machine has had in a long time. Maybe I should make up some more fleece hats or something.

The fit on this shirt is definitely loose, but I want to be comfortable. And warm. Mostly warm. 

The sewing part of this project took about 45 minutes, with a 10 minute break to figure out how to thread the machine for the hem. I don't know how long it took to cut, but I would still put this project in the area of less than 1.5 hours from start to finish.

I think the next one I make will include a hood. I think there is some skull and crossbones fabric that wouldn't have so much of a Halloween feel but might still be on sale next week.

Tools (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Vitessa Advanced Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors

Charity Quilting

A couple more charity quilts I picked up at the last Annapolis Quilts for Kids workshop.

I usually quilt them in pairs because a single cut off the roll of batting is enough to do two little quilts. These are already trimmed and read for the next workshop.

According to EpochConverter I'm right on track for finishing one charity quilt per week for 2018.

I found the time to piece a simple quilt top, too.

2018 Charity Quilt Count: 41

Knitting Update

This is an unnamed shawl. I had an idea of a design I wanted to try. I also had 200 grams of superwash worsted. I decided it was time to test my idea. I worked on this when I didn't have to think too much about the knitting. Stitched in garter stitch, with simple short-row shaping, and a size 8 needle, it was a quick knit.

Here is the shape of the shawl before blocking. A somewhat wing-like shape.

I expected it to grow, but not by as much as it did. Still, a very satisfying finish. I have a couple ideas for how to modify this design to make it more striking. I'll have to play with the design, and maybe even write down the directions. I don't doubt I could do it again, but that isn't the same as directions someone else can follow.

With only 200 grams of yarn (I didn't have a label so I can't tell you how many yards that works out to) I think it is a pretty good size. Since it is garter in worsted it's pretty squishy and warm, too.

It works as a scarf, too.

Tools (affiliate links):
Knitting needles: Knit Picks Interchangeable knitting needle set
Blocking mats: Balance From Puzzle Exercise Mat with EVA Foam Interlocking Tiles
Blocking wires: Knit Picks Lace Blocking Wires & T-Pins
Knit blockers: Knitter's Pride Knit Blockers & Pin Kit

Large Format Printing

I recently ordered large format printing for a pattern I ordered online. In the past, I've done the print on my printer using letter sized paper and taped it all together. Many independent designers also offer their patterns as A0 size. That means you can print most of their patterns on three or four large sheets, very minimal or no taping required.

After doing a little bit of homework, I decided to go with PDF Plotting. I discovered they have super-quick service (they printed my pattern the day after I ordered it and shipped it the same day). Even with hurricane Florence barreling down on the East coast I had my pattern in a couple days. Ordering was super easy, even the upload was smooth.

How much to print my pattern? I printed the three sheets needed to print the Relaxed Raglan and Add-on Pack from Patterns for Pirates for $2.50/sheet, plus priority shipping. Totally worth it not to have to print the 30+ pages and taping them together.

Have you used a printer to make printing pdf patterns easier? I would love to hear about your experience.