Shopping – Sunrays Creations and Yarns

Posted on December 18, 2013 by mindovermanasa — 3 Comments

Regal – Finally Complete!

This sweater has been long time in the making. But yes, it’s been finally completed. I do thank the designer, Linda Marveng, for being nice to me by letting me take my time with this sweater.

This sweater is my first “assembled” sweater, where I’ve made all the part separately and then sewn them all together. It’s been a long journey to get it all together, and I’m really happy with the final result. 🙂

The yarn that I’ve used is a lovely variegated yarn in reds, and is of fingering weight. As is most yarn in India, this too is acrylic. The whole sweater is knit on 3.25mm and 3mm needles to give a lovely thick fabric.

buttonholes made with extra sts to give a slightly loopy effect :) — buttonholes made with extra sts to give a slightly loopy effect 🙂

Mid-week WIPs (sunraysartyarns.wordpress.com)
Finally – Progress! (sunraysartyarns.wordpress.com)

Posted on September 12, 2013 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

Cotton Apron

When I got up this morning, I promised myself that I’d get cracking on the sweaters that are pending work. However, once I finished breakfast, I suddenly decided i wanted a new apron. I’m not really sure why I want one though, i hardly use it!

But one thing was sure: the apron I already own has strings to be tied at the back.. and I’ve been enamoured by the professional chef aprons that tie right around to the waist in front. It’s just so cool! So that’s what I decided to make.

Another reason is that I desperately need to use up my fabric stash if I intend to buy more fabric.. So my project was for a good cause: to create space for more shopping! 😉

While I havent reached the level where I’m comfortable showing off my haphazard sewing /cutting skills in photographic detail, here’s the final product. Though there are a couple of things I’m proud of:

The neat way I managed to make the borders without having fabric lift up after the stitch line
My stitched apron strings. This is my second attempt, and I’ve done a great job (even I say so myself)

What I’m not happy about is the fact that the armsyce is different on both sides. I’m not really sure how I managed that, though I do remember thinking that one side seemed easier to stitch than the other…

Without any further ado, there’s my apron!

Final apron with the disbalanced armsyce — Final apron with the imbalanced armsyce

Posted on September 11, 2013 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

DIY – Flower Vase

With all the roses blooming in my home garden, I’ve always wanted a nice flower vase to show them off. Unfortunately, commercial stuff has either been too delicate or too bland. I just haven’t been able to find the one I wanted.

In the meantime, this has mean that all my flowers get shown off in glass bottles. I had an idea for dressing up the said bottles, but somehow I hadn’t gotten around to getting my supplies.

Recently on a grocery run, I managed to pick up all the stuff I wanted. 🙂 So here’s my DIY Flower vase

You need:

A glass bottle – I used old ketchup bottles
colored thread – you can opt for paper, cotton or plastic wire. I used a chinese brand macrame plastic wire.
Glue – use any multi-purpose glue. I used Fevicol‘s All-fix.
Any decorative sequins that you may wish to use.

How to do it:

Gather all your supplies

Apply the glue in a ring at the top of the bottle where you will start sticking the thread. Thereafter, draw lines along the length of the bottle. For a small bottle i drew 5 lines which covered most of the bottle

Notice the lines of glues along the bottle length?

Stick the start of the thread and hold it in place with your thumb and proceed to wind the thread around the bottle. This may be a bit messy, but is the most effective way. You need to hold the starting point only for a few seconds as the glue will act fast.
Keep winding around till you reach the end of the thread. Attach another string in the same manner as the start point and continue winding till you reach the end.
The lines of glue will hold the thread in place while you are winding. This makes the entire work less messy than if the whole bottle was covered in glue.
Cover the joins with sequins if you wish (I did!)

Sequin overload! :) — Sequin overload! 🙂

Viola! You have a brand new flower vase! 🙂

Posted on August 9, 2013 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

Crossroads Hat

This was a lovely quick project! I started a couple of days back, and here I’m DONE! 😀

This pattern has been designed by Elena Nodel, and was contributed to the Project-a-Month group on Ravelry.The hat is made with 2 colors, and is a great beginner project for using different colors as well as cables. Made with DK weight yarn, it definitely knits up fast! Of course, I didn’t really buy DK weight yarn, I just went ahead and used 2 colors of fingering weight held double. What a wonderful way of emptying my stash! 😉

It actually is paired with a cowl, which would help my chances of winning an exclusive dyed merino Skien from Elena, but I’ll have to forego that. I really don’t have the need for a cowl in sunny Bangalore! 🙂

Here are the pics of this lovely knit!

Posted on July 23, 2013January 20, 2014 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

Knit Scarf – Reversible

Am actually posting this again. This is the new update since I put the design up on Ravelry as a fresh design. 🙂

This is probably the only knitting item that I have completed within 1 week. 🙂

Size
About 7 inches x 66 inches

Gauge
About 4 sts=1″ in pattern stitch

Materials Size 6 Imperial (5 mm) needles
3 skeins of sport weight yarn
60% wool / 40% acrylic

Instructions: CO 36 sts.
Row 1: *K1, YO, k2tog; rep from *
Rep Row 1 until you are almost out of yarn.
BO and weave in the ends with tapestry needle.
Cut tassels measuring 3″ and tie at the ends of the scarf using crochet needle.

You can also Find it on Ravelry:

Posted on July 7, 2013 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

Works of Art: Midori OBI Bags

Hubby has just returned from the Land of The Rising Sun, and got me this wonderful gift. When thinking of Japan, we think Kimonos, kokeshi dolls and goegeous hand-made fans. But this was a gift a totally unexpected surprise!

The main reason I’ve mention this gift here, is because of the beauty of this handmade product.

This is a OBI Paccetto in handmade pure silk, made from vintage sash belts (obi). The upper pane features the design panel, while the rest of the bag is made in handmade black silk. The back of the bag is done is self-design black silk that feels absolutely decadent.

The Midori OBI Arts in Japan specializes in kimonos, and gifts made from the same materials geared towards tourists. So the bags are made from kimonos or, in this case, from the sash belts worn in the traditional japanese dress.

So now I’m off the enjoy my gift! 🙂

Posted on November 5, 2012 by mindovermanasa — 1 Comment

Multi-tasking

The fact of the matter is: I’m not really good at this particular thing.

In fact, I tend to start projects, and then focus on any one of them!!! In any case, I really don’t want to go into the new year with loads of unfinished projects. A fact that got drilled into me by a random comment by the DH: why are you making another shawl? I think I saw you make 2 more (UFOs, both) and haven’t seen you wear either! Don’t make any more! (Really??!! But then again, they aren’t complete, so how would you see me use them?)

But of course, the very next day I HAD TO sign on for 2 Mystery Shawl KALs. This is the first time I’ve signed on for something like this. The process is that the designer gives us clues (or rather parts of the design) spread over 1 month. Following the timeline, we need to complete the shawl. Missing the deadline means that the design goes paid, and you will have an unfinished shawl unless you complete on time! The plus side is that I can be sure to complete it by December! 😀

The first one is Crushed by Rachel (RemilyKnits), and she has provided us with a swatch. So here’s mine in 3 different variants.

variant One: done with nupps and a single color and looking blah!

IMAG0779 — Variant 1: cant even make out the nupps on the first repeat 🙁

variant Two: done with nupps in variegated yarn… much better!

IMAG0781 — Variant 2: at least the nupps are visible!

variant Three: done with beads in place of nupps, and prob the yarn I’ll use finally.

Posted on March 11, 2012 by mindovermanasa — Leave a comment

DIY Mini-Satchel

This one has been in the making for quite some time now. I started it, but then wanted it to be different from the previous one I made, and not just in design.

So I decided to jazz it up a bit. Also the handle is slightly different (metal wire for the beads). And the structure is also a bit longer than the last one. I think one can also use this as a crafts bag… threads and fabric in the back, needles in the front. 🙂

Posted on February 29, 2012January 20, 2014 by mindovermanasa — 2 Comments

Beaded Bag Handle – DIY

I’d made a cross-stitch mini-satchel for my sis-in-law. I had originally put in a handle using seed beads and ribbon. But that didn’t last too long :(. So the bag came back, and I need to think up something new and fresh for this bag.

Recently, while (finally) organizing my junk jewellery, I came by some old bead chains… the kind that look hip-n-happening if you’re wearing it in your early 20s.. which I’m not. So I decided to put it to work as the new handle.

The main problem with this is that the thread used in these chains are usually poor quality, and also there isn’t much leeway to attach it as a handle. So I re-threaded it.

What you need:

Long embroidery needle
Thread – I used cotton crochet thread
scissors
Bead chain of your choice
Patience

The entire process took not more than 30 mins. You can also glue one end of the crochet thread to the end of the chain. Then you can simple pull the other end of the chain, and the whole chain will get htreaded automatically. This will work only with thick beads through. I had a lot of small beads filling between, and so couldn’t do this.

And here is the new look bag! 🙂