About Optimistic Crafts Studio

Hi Readers!

Back in November 2014 Optimistic Crafts' brick and mortar studio space softly opened with the goal of creating a crafty little haven on Saturdays here in Astoria, Queens, New York. Each Saturday is open studio - bring a handiwork project and work on it in our bright space. We've been a bit knitting-centric, but love all crafts. If you're in the neighborhood, bring something portable you are working on along and hang out with us.
You can also browse our mini shop that has a collection of yarn & notions for knitting and crochet as well as some fun embroidery kits and gifts and some garment care items. You can also look for project inspiration in our little library of resources we have for in store use.

A busy evening at the project table. 

March will hopefully bring some warmer weather and a new round of crafty goodness. We'll be starting Beginner Knitting classes every Saturday in March, so if you don't know how to knit yet, now's the time to learn! If you're in the New York City area, email optimisticcrafts@gmail.com to reserve a space for the 2 hour class starting at 12:30 pm. Your choice of Saturdays March 7,14, 21, and 28. Classes will be held to 6 person maximum. The fee of $45 gives you the skills to get going on a project and comes with yarn and needles. If you already knit, feel free spread the word to someone who wants to learn. We're cooking up some more fun events and classes, too. Stay tuned here and/or check out our Facebook page (the place with the most-posted details).

Meanwhile,

Stay warm and optimistic!

Elisabeth

Optimistic Crafty Resolutions

Welcome to February & belated Happy New Year!

I've been optimistically working on the agenda for 2015's projects. Since I  like to work on multiple things at once, and in multiple mediums, this is not an easy task! I do find the getting-ready-to-make- stage one of the most fun parts of making things though. It is not hard to come up with inspiration by looking at magazines, art exhibits, other people. I also find inspiration in material and patterns themselves. While some people have an organized process, I tend to just grab for what feels right. 
So far, tentative plans involve:
Sewing
I don't think I sewed anything in 2014, except finishing The Oranges dress from 2013 which I still haven't posted a picture of. So [sew] that has got to change this year. I would like to start with a simple black practical skirt. I have the pattern. I have the material. Somewhere under some stuff. And my sewing machine is under there too. Another goal: carving out a dedicated sewing space at home.
Knitting
I focused on a lot of knitting last year. This year will likely keep going. On the agenda, some small things to start: mittens, dish cloth, SOCKS - time to tackle my first pair! With knitting I will get out a bunch of yarn in my stash, lay it out and match it up to a pattern that calls for the yarn - or vice versa, starting with the pattern and then seeing what I already have to make it with.
Embroidery and/or Needlepoint - really want to do something in these mediums this year!
Crochet - a dust/sweeper cover, for sure. (No need for throw-away sweeper refills!)

What is on your to-make agenda? What are your sources of inspiration? ...Happy making, whatever you decide!
Optimistically,
Elisabeth

P.S.
Well, this has been a long post. Finishing it with some actually FINISHED knit items!!!

Pastel Color Play Baby Blanket/Throw
Michelle Hunter's book ... is SO MUCH FUN!! I highly recommend it for easy skill advancement with colorwork.

Coffee cozy cutie! I made this up by using an Oblique Rib stitch pattern found in a knitting stitch dictionary and using the cardboard piece shown as a template. 

Parallelogram Pillow Plus

Hi everyone!
Spending a rainy Sunday being crafty, well sort of. Lately it seems I'm doing more un-doing than doing. I picked back up on the wrap cardi knitting project. The lace was intimidating me, but now I am addicted to it! It is so fun, even if I have to undo some rows because I am forgetting some of the yarn-overs if I am not paying attention. For every 14 rows of the repeat pattern, I have to undo about 3!

70's sundress

And then there's the sundress I mentioned in the last post. The top part I was fussing over is figured out, but the side seams puckered like crazy after I did them. So I picked them out and am examining the machine for tension problems. Here's the pattern. I scanned it last week. 

And here is a picture of the parallelogram pillow I started as an easy project to take to Knitting & Boozing. Now it is almost finished, at least the knitting part. 
I found that parallelograms are a fun and easy way to add texture to a project! The parellogram pattern is for a multiple of 10 stitches. I cast on 42 stitches and alternated k/p for first and last stitch to make an edge.
I think I've achieved a square, but it is very stretchy so it looks like a rectangle. Next, optimistically, I plan to block it to see what size closest to a square it is--hoping for 12x12. Then I'll sew it to a lighter grey fabric back. Maybe the closure will be mix and match geometric buttons? We'll see.
Have you been up to anything crafty this weekend? 

March!

Well another week has gone by! Mine intermittently included some crafting. Met up with the Why Leave Astoria blog group "Knitting and Boozing" on Wednesday at Mosaic, a comfy bar/lounge, for some knitting fun. 2 new knitters and one pro... and me, wherever I fit in. The new people I met were great and I was able to work on my teaching skills! I was working on a pink cowl that I started on Superbowl Sunday.

just getting started Feb. 2013

and now it is being stitched up into a circle and then to block and finish. Almost there!
Besides that, I've been itching to sew something and couldn't figure out what to work on, so rather than starting something new, I figured why not working on FINISHING something already started. Striped Sundress, started 2 (maybe 3?) summers ago. I am going to LOVE this dress, but I think I'm afraid of making a mistake since I am veering off of the pattern. Instead of gathering and adding a band across the back, I put in elastic which looks great!

back of dress, with elastic

Then, for the front, instead of gathering, I put in some small pleats, which I am not so sure about. I made this dress once before and the gathering made me look busty and the band all the way around made it shifty and uncomfortable. Got my confidence up, but then realized I need some lightweight interfacing for the front band. So, will get back to that one. There's the optimism for today!
Hope you all had a great weekend. Until the next time...
...remember March is not just Craft Month, it's also Crochet Month! Let me know what craftiness you are up to.
xo

Knitting Class and When Will There Be Sewing Time?

Wow! This week I taught my first group knitting class--well, half of it--after hours at the office. We got through casting on and knit stitch. I think I left them hanging a bit when we all had to break for our evening commutes. Part 2 is purl stitch and the details on how to turn what they're doing into a wearable project--scarf or cowl!

Enthusiastic students and me at Knitting Class Part 1

NYC is already starting to have the excitement and hecticness of the holidays. Not much project time these days with a busy schedule. Over at Tilly and the Buttons I found Tilly getting ready to be involved in a tweet chat thisafternoon about finding time for sewing. How relevant! I've been squeezing in a little knitting, but that's about it.
Optimistic that the Thanksgiving weekend will have some time for sewing as well as showing you some of the knitty DIY items in progress.
Any crafty plans for Thanksgiving? Whatever you are up to, I wish you good times with family and/or friends. So much to be thankful for!

On to the next thing...

Well, I finished with project #1 for the Evernote Knit-Along! I was so excited to participate in this DIY challenge that somehow thought I'd do at least 2 of the sugested projects by the end of the month. Well, that didn't happen, but I did start another new knitting project from a vintage pattern book that I will reveal an upcoming post.
Here are the armwarmers. They were an easy fun project and the pattern is free at
www.redheart.com/free-patterns/lettuce-knit-arm-warmers

It's hard to be lighthearted about projects today. Fortunately where I live in Queens was not hit terribly hard by Hurricane Sandy, but I'm saddened by the devastation and worried for the people affected. Please reach out to help. Here are some ideas: Astoria recovers site lists needs and volunteer opportunities. Occupy Sandy is a link full of ideas. And there's the Food Bank NYC and New York Cares and of course the Red Cross where you can donate on their site or text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to their Disaster Relief fund.
Knitting and crafting can be a comfort in difficult times, have you ever used working on a creative project to help you come to terms with tough times?

Fall Knitting--DIY in Progress!

I decided a few weeks ago to participate in the Evernote knit-along. Oh yeah, but I've never used Evernote, am already working on another knitting project and am kinda busy. Well, kntting is great stress-relief, so I'm making progress!

Armwarmer #1 of the Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller Lettuce Knit Armwarmers in progress. And I'm learning that Evernote is a fun way to collect and organize info!
What is your latest work in progress? What have you learned this week? Do tell.

More starting, less finishing.

What does this optimistic crafty lady do on a hot day when confined to one room of air conditioning? Why, start more projects of course! Like cut out the pieces for this great lantern fabric!


and this "Jiffy" pattern that should be easy to whip up!

Forget about ironing those pattern pieces in this heat, or maybe finishing already started projects like this oranges dress (mostly finished, but needs alterations).

Nah. What else can I start?! 
Once I'm finished starting, time to settle down with a glass of wine and my knitting (Vogue Knitting wrap cardi)--a step toward finishing something!


Look how far it is getting--about 1/2 way across the back panel!





I hope your weekend is going great and you are staying cool. Are you finishing anything you started?

Started! A new knitting project.

Starting from scratch with this whole blogging thing, though I have been reading them for years! Today learning to create links! 
Began a great new knitting project from Vogue Knitting Magazine Spring/Summer 2012 issue. It's the cardi wrap. Making it in a forest green DK wool. Not so summery, but I love it! And I'm Optmistic that I may finish it by fall! Pics to follow soon.