Our house has been a tad bit owl obsessed lately...
First off...I started this sweater (ravelry link) in June and I finally managed to sew on all 44 buttons and weave in the ends at the beginning of August. Thank goodness for a sewing machine that sews on buttons! I don't know what I would have done if I had to sew on all of those buttons by hand. Instead of following the pattern, I followed Elizabeth Zimmerman's recipe for a yoked sweater and then used the owl pattern in the yoke section (modified to use purl stitches in the owl's body). I shortened the sleeves on the pattern too, because wool sweaters just get too warm for me in the winter. It either has to be a cardigan or short-sleeved for a wool sweater to work for me. This was a quick knit and it was so nice to knit with thick, sheepy, Cascade Eco Wool!
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Next, my youngest sister, Rachel, and I got together for another sewing lesson. She found this bag on etsy and we copied the design to a T. Rachel did all of the applique on this with a zig zag stitch and she did such a great job on it! It's been a lot of fun having a fellow crafter over to make projects together.
When we were younger, we pretended we were on Martha Stewart's cooking show whenever we cooked together. We would stand behind the peninsula in my parents' kitchen, talk to the camera and set up all of our ingredients in miniature bowls so that we could toss them into the bowl (just like on tv). If she keeps up with these mad sewing skills, we'll be ready to start our own "crafting show" on the side too. :)
Ack! Major owl cuteness! I love the sweater - I've been wanting to do one, but have been scared of it. And that bag is darling! How fun to have someone to sew with - and I'll definitely watch your show ;)
Posted by: MichelleB | 23 August 2009 at 10:57 PM
wow! they look fantastic! i especially adore your sweater! and- a sewing machine that does buttons? i didn't even know such a thing existed! amazing!
Posted by: CMV | 23 August 2009 at 10:57 PM
That is the cutest sweater ever! Absolutely gorgeous.
Posted by: Melissa | 23 August 2009 at 11:17 PM
44 buttons! That's so crazy! Good thing that sweater is so incredibly cute. Looks great on you too!
Fun that you sew with your sis. Aren't sisters wonderful?
Posted by: Trisha | 23 August 2009 at 11:38 PM
LOVE that sweater!!! Yes a sewing machine that does buttons is a MUST. But to make something like that sweater, I'd have to have a knitting machine, or it would come out with 3 armholes! You really knit beautifully.
Love the bag too - how great you get to sew with your sis!
Posted by: Allie | 23 August 2009 at 11:58 PM
The sweater looks fantastic! And that bag is too cute.
Posted by: Oiyi | 24 August 2009 at 12:56 AM
I've always liked that owl sweater :) You did a great job on it! And that bag is way too cute. Love owls... always reminds me of one my aunts who's obsessed with them hehe
Posted by: Audrie | 24 August 2009 at 01:08 AM
love the sweater!
and the bag!
and the story about the martha steward cooking show!
(i guess this post wins three thumbs up from me, heh heh.)
Posted by: melissa | 24 August 2009 at 01:26 AM
OWLS!!! I LOVE OWLS!!! I have the same sweater pattern waiting to be started, glad to hear it was an easy knit. Love the changes you made. That owl bag is soooo sweet, you two should have your own show, I'd watch! Happy Monday:)
Posted by: Stephanie | 24 August 2009 at 07:42 AM
i love the purl stitches on the owl body--the resulting zig-zags sort of remind me of Owl from Mr. Roger's show. The bag is totally awesome too. And your talk about pretending to be on cooking shows reminds me that my sister and I used to pretend that we were on commercials for cleaning supplies whenever we cleaned the bathroom (which of these products gets the mirror REALLY clean?). ah, memories...
Posted by: abcgirl | 24 August 2009 at 07:54 AM
I swear my grandma made me a version of that sweater when I was younger except it was yellow and I LOVED it. I still have it but it doesn't fit. Yours is completely great!!!!! I've been having sewing lessons with my sister recently as well. Fun, but I'm not sure if I'm swaying her to my crafty ways yet!
Posted by: jessica | 24 August 2009 at 08:15 AM
Both of these are so cute!! Love them!
Posted by: Amy Hodge | 24 August 2009 at 10:25 AM
Just a little obsessed :) Your sweater is amazing!! and the owl bag is really fun!!
Posted by: Amy - parkcitygirl | 24 August 2009 at 11:20 AM
look at all those cute owls! love the sweater! would be an adorable baby sweater too!
Posted by: montague | 24 August 2009 at 11:58 AM
You made the owl sweater! It looks great.. and so does that bag! What a cool idea.
Posted by: Rima Aranha | 24 August 2009 at 04:32 PM
how cute - that sweater is amazing!
Posted by: Amber | 24 August 2009 at 09:34 PM
The bag is fantastic and the sweater is so cute! Great job!
Posted by: Dallas | 25 August 2009 at 03:44 AM
You're killing me! That sweater is fantastic. Owls remind me of my childhood - my mother had a HUGE collection of them on our family room wall - very 70's. I have to link this to a knitter friend and leave huge hints about my birthday...
Posted by: Wendy | 27 August 2009 at 10:38 AM
Love your sweater. I had to take a second glance when I read owls!! It is adorable.
Posted by: pamela | 29 August 2009 at 12:31 AM