The Papercut Patterns Ensis Tee

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When it comes to knit t-shirt patterns I'm a total sucker. They are relatively quick makes, they're comfy, and they're what I wear to work. A lot of the patterns I own are pretty similar, but the Ensis Tee by Papercut Patterns has a different look to it due to the awesome color blocking.

Both fabrics were purchased at the Mood Los Angeles store. The green is a lightweight knit (love this color!) and the tan is a little thicker, almost a sweater weight. I regret not buying more of the tan because it has the most beautiful drape and would make an amazingly comfy dress. Both were affordable at about $10 a yard. Funny story, at the time of purchase I was not 100% pumped on these fabrics. I knew that they were great quality, but I wasn't completely feelin the colors because I was in a pastel phase. Then, a few weeks ago I had this epiphany and suddenly decided that I hated pastels and was sooooo happy that I got the green and tan haha.

Ensis was a straightforward sew and I highly recommend it to people who are experienced or novices when it comes to sewing with knits. I chose to do the version with cuffs at the wrists and along the bottom. The only part where I struggled was attaching the cuffs to the sleeves. It was hard for me to line everything up and sew without accidentally sewing in little puckers. Annoying! I also had trouble pressing the seams open where the two colors meet, like the pattern recommended. I tried doing that, but couldn't get a good press. The end result isn't too bulky, but be careful if your fabric is heavier duty!


The sleeves were a bit long for me and in my next version I plan to shorten them. They might not look too bad in the photos, but that is because I had to cuff my cuffs. It has caused me to wonder whether I have T- Rex arms.

Two random notes: One, the weird dots on my shirt are water! It actually rained in California, yes! For those of you that don't know, we are in a drought and I could not be more grateful for the rain. My photos were taken under a tree in my yard, so it blocked a lot of the water. Two, my husband thinks I am a hippie, so I do peace sign poses as a joke haha! Expect to see more peace signs in the future.

Does anyone else have T- Rex arms? :)

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How I learned how to knit

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It seems like there are a lot of people who have expressed an interest in knitting, but haven't known where to get started. I'd like to share how I went about it, it's not as intimidating as you think!

A little over ten years ago I decided I wanted to learn how to knit. This was before the days of YouTube, so I found a website and printed out step by step directions. I only ever learned how to do the knit stitch, but it made me happy enough to churn out a few scarves. Fast forward to April 2013 when I was dealing with crazy anxiety. It was suggested that I knit to help combat some of the stress/anxiety that was overwhelming me. Even though I had not picked up my needles since I initially learned a decade ago I decided to give it a shot.

My completed projects from the Knit Lab class.

Rochelle turned me on to the Stefanie Japel Knit Lab class on Craftsy. Once I tried it I was hooked! I loved the Craftsy platform and how I could rewind/skip back to re watch techniques that I was having issues understanding. I loved the projects and I especially loved the instructor Stefanie. It's true that I could have just watched some YouTube videos, but I can't express how helpful it is to watch someone work on the exact same project as me and guide me through it step by step. Or stitch by stitch, rather ;) Plus, it is awesome being able to bookmark the techniques I struggle with and watch them when I need them.

I sewed myself this needle roll to hold my supplies. Leopard print is my neutral!

After getting down the basics I purchased other Craftsy classes by Stefanie and have since learned how to knit in the round, use double pointed needles, and use magic loop! I joined Ravelry, got addicted to Andi Satterlund's patterns, and made my first big color work project. All this knitting has been great for my anxiety and of course I don't mind the finished products either :)

My knitting bag. It goes with me everywhere!

There are so many amazing resources available on the World Wide Web and it's exciting to learn about a new hobby, especially a crafty one. I hope that any of you who are hesitant to learn how to knit will take the plunge. Whenever you learn something new there are bound to be mistakes (you don't even want to know how many times I've said, "shit!"), but the best part is that yarn will unravel, so you're not "out" a bunch of money, you're just out a little of your time.

To the knitters out there: how did you learn to knit? What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

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