August 09, 2005

Would you like some soy sauce with those noodles?

Look at all those ends I have to weave in.
Don't you feel just awful for me?

Yeah, yeah. I knew I was gonna have to some weaving with the Flowery Cardigan and matching culotte, but STILL. If someone had shown me a picture of the wrong side of that cute little flower with all those blasted ends hanging out of it, just waiting to be woven in, I would have totally STEPPED AWAY FROM THE INTARSIA, dude.

Just kidding. But I still hate weaving in ends.

Speaking of which, why yes! I did sew the little diaper cover seams together using my sewing machine. I got up on Sunday morning, kicked back a cafe au lait, and revved my little sewing machine UP. Please note, however, that:

1) I used a special ball point sewing machine needle destined for knitted items.

2) I carefully basted the edges together, not pinned.

3) I sewed very close to the edge using a narrow zigzag stitch. (Thanks, Sil!)

4) I would NOT do this with all knits. Only the bad boy ones.

Voil�! It came out so nice I got brave and did the same with the diaper cover's matching cardigan. Now all I have to do now is sew these little leg bands onto the diaper cover using free-loop backstitch on the right side. No sewing machine for the leg bands, though. Some things are better off being finished the old-fashioned way.

Which reminds me...I started seaming the Flowery Jacket** already. I'm on a roll, people:

Yes, the old-fashioned way. By hand.
It's worsted cotton, after all.
I'll save the sewing machine for those bad boy fluffy yarns.

I love this little jacket. It reminds me of watermelon, or "wala wala", like my sister used to call watermelon when she was a girl. (And yes! In my home we still call watermelon "wala wala". It's like a rule.)

Alright. Enough with the knitting blab. How about some more Vacation Slideshows of Rabbit in the Loire Valley? Yes? Okay. Click the wee thumbnails to view the slideshows. Lots of cool things to see inside:

**Seems like I'm going bonkers with the knitting layette, doesn't it? I'm knitting for two babes, actually. One of these knits if for my brother's baby girl, and the other is for my sister's baby girl. Both items are knit in the same size, so they won't know who receives what until the gifts reach their destinations. Hee hee!

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33 comments to this entry:

Let's see...you're young, pretty, have an adorable boy and great husband, live in France, knit like a dream, sew like an angel, take gorgeous photographs.....Becky, I could seriously dislike you. But then I look at all those ends waiting patiently to be sewn in and I just think, "Oh, that poor child. Look at that task ahead of her." Thanks for sharing your vacation with us. You are giving me serious vacation lust. Oh, wait, we get to go off in a couple of weeks to tour colleges with my daughter. What a vacation....somehow I think there will be no knights in shining armor involved.

[Sarah R on 09 aug 05 @ 01:42 pm]

Sarah, you are so kind! Next time I wake up in the morning feeling like crap I'm going to come back and read your comment. Have fun visiting those colleges with your daughter. That is something I look forward to doing someday with my boy. xoxo, Becky P.S. Weaving in the ends this evening. Sob!

[Becky from fluffa! on 09 aug 05 @ 01:50 pm]

Yeah I agree with Sarah R up there, but she forgot to add you are also skinny as a rail, whilst eating all those fun sweets you get in the mail! :) Love the slideshow, of course, and those baby gifts are too cute.

[Punkie on 09 aug 05 @ 02:58 pm]

I've been WONDERING about all these little layettes; if there was some news we were going to receive soon. Now it all makes sense. That little watermelon jacket is seriously cute. Great pictures from the Loire; I love it there.

[ashbloem on 09 aug 05 @ 03:22 pm]

I cannot wait to see that cardigan and little bottom done! How precious! I've been dying some watermelon striped yarn... I think its so cute that you call it walla walla!

[Dani on 09 aug 05 @ 03:23 pm]

Your baby knitting is so cute! And thanks for the vacay pix -- I'm having some serious flashbacks to fun times in the Loire Valley. Sigh!

[Wendy on 09 aug 05 @ 03:27 pm]

I love how squishy/bouncy the diaper cover is. It's darling and you were so smart to sew it by machine. xoxo Kay

[Kay on 09 aug 05 @ 03:30 pm]

Ends, schmends. Its probably all done with now and forgotten in a haze of Kir Royales. Those layettes are so pretty, and quite worth a little pain.

[claudia on 09 aug 05 @ 03:34 pm]

So, so cute! I can just imagine two cute little baby bodies all dolled up in your creations.

[Jennifer on 09 aug 05 @ 04:01 pm]

Becky, thanks for sharing pictures from your vacation, especially Blois ! I was raised in this city, I love it and miss it... Hopefully, I'll go there for X'mas ;o) Love your knitting, love your blog ! happy knitting !

[Karen in Toronto on 09 aug 05 @ 04:19 pm]

Thank you for reminding me why I no longer knit intarsia! I know it will be gorgeous, but I'm really, really glad it's not me weaving in those ends.

[Chicago Evelyn on 09 aug 05 @ 04:52 pm]

Hey Becky! Nice intarsia work! It looks perfect! But ugh, the weaving in of ends -- that's even less appealing than seaming! =)

[Felicia from sweetgeorgia on 09 aug 05 @ 05:04 pm]

Becky, lovely job as usual! I love the little diaper cover....

[stefanie on 09 aug 05 @ 05:35 pm]

Using a sewing machine on knits made from bad-boy yarns is an inspired idea! Thanks for the tip.

[Bumblebee on 09 aug 05 @ 05:52 pm]

Those are seriously adorable baby knits! I love that you've combined some sewing into the knitting (next you'll be wanting a serger). The vacation photos - wow. Hubby and I are planning a European vacation and castles are high on the list of things to see (not a lot of castles in Vancouver Canada). Thank-you for sharing your beautiful corner of the world.

[Gaile on 09 aug 05 @ 06:47 pm]

Very nice. The next best thing to me knitting on vacation is watching you knitting on vacation. I always love to see where you guys end up going. Those diaper covers are too cute. I know who to bother if I need some knit-sewing advice! xox

[Julia on 09 aug 05 @ 06:59 pm]

Have fun seaming! I'm sure you'll zip through it...treat yourself to a savory snack to keep the seaming blues at bay. I love your vacation shots...especially the ones of Cap'n D with the caption 'AWWWWW!' So cute! Take care!

[Christie on 09 aug 05 @ 08:02 pm]

That cardigan you are working on is too beautiful. I love the colors.

[Robyn on 09 aug 05 @ 09:04 pm]

Please forgive me for doubting your choise of using the sewing machine. I'm so glad it turned out fine, and I promise to never doubt you again .... :)

[helene on 09 aug 05 @ 09:09 pm]

darling...too cute for words that layette! Bastille Day in Blois? Lovely I adored every single snapshot. What a lovely vacation!

[heather on 09 aug 05 @ 09:26 pm]

That's a lot of loose ends indeed! But the end result will (I am sure) justify all the pain.

[francoise on 09 aug 05 @ 10:43 pm]

Wow! Whenever I'm having a beastly day, I know to just hit your blog and experience a piece of your life vicariously. Thanks for sharing!

[Michelle 2 on 09 aug 05 @ 10:59 pm]

Wonderful baby stuff... I am trying to make some stuff for my Brothers soon to be new baby too. The vacation pictures are fab as usual!

[Michelle on 10 aug 05 @ 01:33 am]

Those baby things are soooo cute! And they look quick...well...the intarsia bit doesn't look too quick. I wish there were babes for me to knit for! Wait, no, they may be all grown up by the time I get around to it. Man, I'm so jealous of your wonderful trip! I miss France...especially the cool little medieval towns. I bet that knights and jousting show was awesome! Thanks for sharing your pics!

[Evelyn on 10 aug 05 @ 01:48 am]

becky, your site is so wonderful. i had serious mid-project depression before visiting you today, and somehow seeing all those gorgeous baby things only minutes (ha!) from life (It's alive!!!!) is very calming. i know we all hate weaving in ends... but isnt there still a part of us that loves the fact that all the big stuff is done? i love holding up pieces and dancing around with them (is that just me?)Mind you, i've never done any serious intarsia (and unlike you, am not the queen of super-fine yarns... how do you knit them so fast?!?)

[happy spider on 10 aug 05 @ 02:27 am]

Adorable baby knits and great vatacation pictures! The watermeon colours are so fresh, and even if the intarsia gives you all those noodles to sew in, it is for sure going to be worth the time spent on the task.

[Maud on 10 aug 05 @ 06:32 am]

I'm so very inspired to knit my livi bug a sweater now. Yours are turning out so Great! Way to go on the seaming. I want to try that some day. Thanks for leaving the tips!

[rachel on 10 aug 05 @ 07:02 am]

I'll be raising a Kir Royale to you as I join the end-weaving party this weekend! If I can just find some good buttons, hopefully I'll have a Becky-inspired Apricot Jacket to display... Love the baby duds. What lucky little nieces you have!

[Sarah on 10 aug 05 @ 03:48 pm]

I love your WIPs!!!! You are such a brave woman for taking a sewing machine to your knitting!

[Tara on 10 aug 05 @ 10:02 pm]

I'm with you on all those ends being a pain, but fortunately the finished item is usually worth it. In your case this trio of items for baby are soooo adorable & the colors are fab (as you are too!). As usual, always great knitting from you.

[janet d on 10 aug 05 @ 11:50 pm]

Good deal on the sewing job - all the right decisions. ;) I would NOT want all those ends - yikes! Have fun, lol. :D

[Alysia on 11 aug 05 @ 06:10 am]

Those are the cutest little baby sweaters...because they are so different & the colors are fabulous & refreshing for a wee one! ;-)

[Eilene on 11 aug 05 @ 04:26 pm]

I am so vicariously enjoying your vacation photos! What fun!! I am wondering how you accomplish so much knitting and sewing with a young one in the house. My daughter is 4, and I just don't seem to get much crafty stuff done when she's awake! What's your secret?

[Kate on 12 aug 05 @ 07:46 pm]

August 09, 2005

Would you like some soy sauce with those noodles?

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