Mingling Yarn

2012-01-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

More Wooly Goodness

2012-01-19T14:24:00.007-05:00

Completed a couple of weeks ago, but not shown -- Velynda, from Chic Knits . Knit in a now (sadly) discontinued yarn from Nashua Handknits, Julia.

The photo is not very well lit, but perhaps this closeup of the stitch pattern will show a little better:

Notice also the closely matching vintage buttons!

And then there's a project that languished on the needles for many months, no idea why, as it's lovely yarn from the talented dyer Carol Sulcoski at Black Bunny Fibers. The pattern is Beret Gaufre, available as a free download from the also talented Veronik Avery. Apologies for the lack of French punctuation.

A sewing free post

2012-01-14T14:58:00.006-05:00

The fleet of sewing machines takes a short break so that yarn can hit the spotlight -- there's always knit/crochet going on at Mingling Yarn, it just doesn't always make the cut as far as posts.

First up, a little cowl from Virtual Yarns -- Maud, part of a multi-piece set (cowl, gloves, tam). This was knit as a warm-up, practice piece for the main attraction -- the Oregon vest. I've had that kit in the stash for (mumble, mumble) years, and it's finally time. Or, getting closer anyway!

My two-handed, two-color knitting skills are quite rusty, so this was a nice little exercise for a bigger project. Not perfectly executed, but at least now I feel better prepared.

Next, a little crochet neck scarf/shawlette -- South Bay Shawlette from the folks at Lion Brand -- I'd link to the pattern itself, but I believe that you need to register for their freebies.

Quick, easy, but attractive pattern that is easily memorized. The yarn was given to me by Margaret, local knitting/spinning/weaving/just-about-anything-with-fiber guru, who used a good portion of it in a mystery shawl project. It's Seiku (sometimes spelled Sekku) from Noro, and is a blend of cotton/wool/nylon/silk - 420 meters in a 50 gr. skein. Typical of Noro are the exuberant colors, and the 'interesting' way it's spun -- while this is a lace weight yarn, it ranges from very loosely spun DK-sized slubs to tightly spun invisible strands. OK, maybe not quite invisible, but darn close - certainly very thread like. I like the way it turned out, it will be a fun little accessory, but I seriously doubt that I'll be using this again -- life is just too short to be holding your breath (against breakage) with every stitch. We won't even mention how Mr. Monty sat on it and broke a strand. Not to worry, he's still living, although he did not get to lick my ice cream bowl that evening.

So, the first knit/crochet project of the new year. Small, but delightful.

However You May Celebrate...

2011-12-24T14:25:00.003-05:00

...in this season of many holidays --

May you find peace and joy in all your days.

Thanks to all who stop by. We'll see you next year!

A recipe for disaster

2011-12-06T14:33:00.005-05:00

Take one (1) cute, Cavalier King Charles spaniel -

Add one (1) cute, gingerbread pig -

Result? One mysterious* fall from the tree, and voila -- Pig No More.

*Monty seems to be pleading the Fifth on just how the alleged pig took an alleged fall. Innocent (yet opportunistic) bystander? Or hardened felon? You be the judge.

As for me, I think I'll go with more of the crocheted snowflakes.

A slight relapse

2011-11-29T14:16:00.004-05:00

I can resist everything except temptation. Oscar Wilde

This weekend the local antiques mall had their semi-annual open house. Varying levels of 'sales' at each booth, and a very tasty array of food. Now, Mr. Minglingyarn cannot resist the lure of free, tasty food, and I can't resist, well, we all know what I can't resist!

It had me at turquoise.

It's a 50's era, straight-stitch only Janome -- which is a clone of the classic Singer 15 series. I'm hoping to pop this into a treadle once it's all clean and shiny and run it as a people-powered machine. The (current) wiring is just a bit suspect, and re-wiring is not one of my skills, so that seems like the safest plan. It came in a cute little table, so I suppose now I have one excess cute little table, and lack an empty treadle -- hmmmm, what to do, what to do?

It came with some non-original attachments/feet, but no owner's manual or any other clues as to its age. I've been told by someone on a vintage Japanese sewing machine list (don't act surprised -- there's an Internet list for everything!) that a similar model dates to 1958. That sounds about right for the look and feel of this one, although I suspect that it may be a year or two older. Regardless, it makes me smile to look at it, and thankfully, there seems to be room for 'just one more' (cue hysterical laughter from Mr. Minglingyarn).

Still in Love with Style Arc

2011-11-15T16:13:00.004-05:00

Still not tired of sewing with Style Arc patterns from Australia -- but really, what's not to like?

Description from the website:

SLIP-ON SUZIE: This is a fantastic fake wrap dress, it is easy to make and wear, just slip it on. You have the choice of a cap sleeve or a long sleeve so it’s suitable for all seasons and occasions Approx back length 106cm or 42”.

FABRIC SUGGESTION & DESCRIPTION: Jersey Knit with drape

My only needed adjustment with this one was to raise the neckline, and frankly, it could go a little higher. Next one we'll give that a try.

I know I go on about this pattern line, but I love the ready-to-wear fit/sizing, the current looks, and the well-drafted patterns that fit together so nicely. I have plenty of cheaper patterns in my stash, but when you find styles that you can make again and again, well, it takes the sting out of the purchase price for sure.

Cosy -- take two

2011-11-04T09:52:00.004-05:00

Stats: pattern - Cosy Cardigan from Style Arc fabric - a wool blend knit from Gorgeous Fabrics (may be sold out, but you're sure to find other lovely stuff, so take a look!) changes to pattern - none, however, it's fastened with only one clear, sewn-on snap at the top, rather than snaps down the front as in version 1

There was a bit of fabric left over from the cardigan, so I seamed it together to make a narrow infinity scarf -

The pants are another version of Style Arc Linda, this time made in stretch corduroy from Fabric Mart.

An apple a day...

2011-10-31T15:41:00.003-05:00

Seriously cute, yes? Wool blend felt coasters. Pattern from Purl Bee -- the blog of a NY fabric/yarn store. Many cute projects there, lots of them suitable for a small hostess gift for those who might be dining with others this Thanksgiving -- just sayin'! The store carries 100% wool felt packs, which I think I'll be ordering for some equally cute autumn leaves coasters. Resist the urge to make this sort of thing with poly felt -- just not as absorbent.

Shrinky dink

2011-10-30T13:02:00.003-05:00

Everybody needs an autumn 'knock-about' cardigan, right? I choose to knit a classic from Chic Knits -- Ribby Cardi. Knit in a worsted weight yarn from Elann -- Peruvian Highland. The knitting went fine, as expected. Bonne Marie Burns crafts excellent patterns, and this oldie but goodie from her line is no exception. My problems arose with my blocking of the finished product. I sent the sweater through the hand wash cycle of my front-loading washing machine -- cold water, no agitation, no other item in the load to provide any additional friction. And, in my defense, this is how I have laundered many other hand knit, and also store bought, knitwear in the several years I have had the machine. This time, not so good. Apparently Peruvian Highland yarn felts with great ease. Very nice if that's what you want -- sadly, I did not.

When the sweater emerged from its cycle it was about two sizes too small. So, not totally felted, just enough to make it not-my-size. Aggressive blocking (well, aggressive s t r e t c h i n g ) yielded something that looked a bit more me-sized, but not by much. I think I can still get away with wearing it around the house and yard, but I'm not sure it will show up anywhere else. Too bad, because I like the style. Lesson learned? Well, for sure I will be pre-treating swatches for anything else I knit, but I truly hate to give up the convenience of the machine for everything. Sigh.

Style Arc Ronnie Wrap top

2011-10-06T13:14:00.003-05:00

The 'virtual Australia' sewing tour continues, this time with the Style Arc Ronnie Wrap top. I had seen another blogger's version of this, and thought it looked really nice, so even though a little voice in my head said "maybe it's not the look for you" I went ahead and made it up. I've really got to start paying more attention to those voices!

Let me be clear -- there is absolutely nothing wrong with the pattern itself. It's (as usual for Style Arc) beautifully drafted, goes together easily, and fits very well indeed. It's just not something that I feel comfortable in. I like to just get dressed and then forget about what I'm wearing, and with this low wrap I know I would be forever fidgeting with how it lays, how it overlaps, and that would drive me nuts! I'm hoping that I can re-do the front pattern piece and keep the shoulder gathers -- which I like -- but make it a single layer scoop neck tee. We'll see how that plan works out. I also think the deep cuffs are a cute detail -- oh, how I wanted to love this one! Sometimes though, you have to know yourself well enough to let go and head on to the next possibility.

D'Oh!

2011-09-23T15:15:00.003-05:00

No matter how long you've been sewing, there will come a moment when you smack your forehead in disbelief at some silly mistake you've made. Today was my day.

I was making the Style Arc Hepburn Riding skirt, and was dismayed to discover that when I had things basted together the waistline was too big. I took it in a bit -- still too big. This was puzzling, as the many other Style Arc patterns I had made were very close to fitting right out of the envelope. I set it aside for a bit, and when I came back to it I had a little niggling thought that I should check the pleat markings. Yup, there it was -- a silly Sewing 101 mistake -- I had folded the pleat with no regard for the markings on the pattern! D'Oh.

Fortunately, it wasn't too hard to remedy, but man, did I feel stupid! Lesson learned -- no matter how simple you think something is -- check the directions!

And here it is:

Should be nice for Fall, don't you think?

Papeline

2011-08-22T12:38:00.004-05:00

Getting ready for autumn, with a pullover knit in Rowan Calmer. Papeline, from the winter/spring 2011 issue of Knitscene magazine. Sleeves and hip line have faced hems done in a contrast color. Waist shaping done through decreases/increases along the center of the front and back. For a change, I used the yarn called for in the pattern, and a very pleasant experience it was -- highly recommend Rowan Calmer. The only change I made was to add a pop of the contrast color to the neckline. Several reasons -- I thought it would look good, I wanted to cover up where I had picked up stitches around the neckline for the cowl, and, the neckline dips rather low, so a little extra coverage was called for.

To do this, I put the sweater on and marked the area of the neckline interior that shows when worn. Then, with right side of the garment facing out, I picked up stitches in this crescent shaped area. IIRC, it was about 44 stitches total. I then knit from one end to the other, but stopped short of the end of the row by 3 stitches -- I wrapped and turned and went the other way, each time leaving 3 more stitches unworked at the end of each row. When I felt it was high enough, I knit two final rows, picking up the wraps as I knit. After binding off, I was left with a little crescent shaped 'modesty panel' that fulfilled my requirements. Because I didn't want it to flop about, I worked the little panel in garter stitch -- I thought about using reverse stockinette (to mimic the reverse stockinette of the cowl), but in the end decided not to. Believe me, no one is going to be that close to me that they could tell the difference!

DAY 4 - The end is near

2011-08-13T10:07:00.006-05:00

The lining has been 'bagged' -- not without some hair pulling, muttered words and frantic Internet searches, but bagged it is. I had a devil of a time understanding just how to sew the lining to the outer garment shell in the area of the lower hem/front facing. My initial attempt resulted in a rather interesting bulge. Fortunately, the solution came to me as I was lightly dozing (hey, bagging is hard work!) -- had I but taken a look at my pattern pieces (where the seam line was clearly marked) it would have taken me a lot less time to understand, but I enjoyed the nap.

Also confusing to me was how to attach lining to sleeve hem. This was entirely due to my lack of spacial imaging -- in other words, I am absolutely rubbish at visualizing how something will fit together without physically putting it together. Makes for some interesting times in the sewing room, but we all have our weaknesses. I was helped in that regard by a tutorial at the Fashion Incubator site. Lots of good information there, even though it isn't geared towards the home sewist. Don't forget to leave a little something in the collection plate (i.e. the donation button) if you do make use of Kathleen's hard work!

And now, without further ado -- the styleARC Janet jacket:

I have yet to find a decorative closure for it, so technically 'not quite finished', although I think you could certainly wear it open, as is. It's a nice, basic jacket, which fits the way I'd like it to (after my pattern adjustments) -- still has a slim line, but not so close fitting that I couldn't wear a long-sleeved top underneath in cooler weather. Overall, I'm quite pleased, although I hope to improve on my lining skills. I also find final pressing to be difficult, but that may just be the nature of the beast. I'm thinking this might be nice in a no-wale corduroy -- or better yet, a faux suede -- but that's a project for another day!

DAY 3 - the lining

2011-08-10T17:19:00.003-05:00

I was hoping to find a cheeky little print to bring some pizzaz to the inner jacket, but it was not to be. So, Ambiance rayon it is -- in a somewhat similar color to the fashion fabric. Not even the zip of a vibrant orange solid to liven things up -- and yes, I did audition the orange and no, it was not a match made in heaven. Ah well, next time.

I decided to wash the lining fabric as a pre-treatment, although the jacket will be dry cleaned when done (if done?). I also spray starched the fabric prior to ironing it. I find that it's a lot easier to handle that way -- not so much shifting and squirming under the rotary cutter. The downside is that there are faint spray dots that are visible -- these should disappear with the first cleaning, and I don't anticipate anyone looking that closely at my lining. But do be aware of that possibility if you decide to try it yourself.

Onwards to making the same adjustments in the lining pieces (which are all separate pattern pieces in the styleARC line) as I did for the garment pieces. The sleeves weren't changed, so that stays the same. In comparing the lining pieces to the garment pattern pieces I see that the lining pieces are the same EXCEPT for the hem allowances. That simplifies things a lot -- I'll just use the previously adjusted pattern pieces, and fold up the appropriate amount at the hem. I love easy!

So, stitch up the lining, then comes the fun of melding everything together -- wish me luck -- I'm going to try bagging the lining instead of doing any hand sewing. But that's tomorrow's chore -- right now I hear some ice cream calling my name!

DAY 2 - Muslin #2

2011-08-07T16:04:00.004-05:00

Continuing on my jacket journey...

After adding some "wiggle room" to the pattern (about 2 inches in the hip, slightly less in the waist) I cut a new muslin. A more clever sewist would have made the first trial garment with larger seam allowances in order to tweak the fit, but... At any rate, still plenty of sheeting for a new version, and this time I also added a sleeve since I had gotten nervous about the fit in that area. Much better -- now I can exhale!

Satisfied with the fit of my muslin, I went digging in the fabric closet. I had in mind a lightweight wool purchased from Vogue Fabrics at a sewing expo -- maybe two years ago? I thought it would be a good weight for this jacket, but wasn't sure if I would have enough. If memory serves, this is a 100% wool (or very close!) It has a subtle woven-in design, and is an orange red shade -- I'd call it a tomato red, perhaps shading a bit to rust.

My luck held -- I have enough! Let's get this fabric pre-treated and do some cutting.

Since this is a woven wool, I want to do some pre-shrinking so there won't be any unpleasant surprises the first time I clean it. Some sewists take their fabric to the cleaners to be steamed, but I opted to treat it at home, using the instructions on Pam Erny's blog Off The Cuff Style. Check out her instructions there, plus her many other tutorials. I'll also be using the excellent interfacing she sells.

Comparing the fabric after treatment -- the hand and the appearance are the same as before, but there has been some shrinkage. I also spread the fabric out and gave it a hefty shot of steam from my steamer. That might have been overkill, but better safe than sorry.

So, at the end of Day 2 -- pattern alterations done, fabric prepared for sewing, then cut and interfacing fused. I still need to purchase my lining fabric, plus alter the lining pattern pieces to reflect changes I made to the pattern -- time enough for that on Day 3.

Heading Into Fall (and, hopefully not heading for a fall)

2011-08-05T12:22:00.004-05:00

You wouldn't know it from the weather (hot, hot, HOT!), but autumn will be here before we know it -- and what better way to usher in the change of season than with a new wool jacket?

So, in (more or less) real time, here's how the journey to jacket goes. I hope to finish up with a photo of me wearing a finished jacket that fits and flatters -- but if not, you'll see that too.

I've chosen a pattern by the Australian company styleARC -- the "Janet" jacket.

It's a close-fitting, princess seamed, lined jacket. No buttonholes -- front edges are meant to be closed with a hook and eye or frog closure, and no complicated welts -- that should up my chances of seeing the project through to completion. The shoulder princess seam is generally flattering, plus the more seam lines the more opportunities for fine tuning the fit.

DAY 1 - Pattern Adjustment

My experience with the styleARC Sara blouse pattern revealed the need for me to make a full bust adjustment. It's a typical pattern adjustment for me, but I pull out the Palmer/Pletsch "Fit for Real People" book to refresh my memory of the steps needed. OK, that's done, now to test it out. I'm going to make a muslin (trial garment) to test the fit. I cut out the body of the jacket, minus facings and sleeves, from a discarded bed sheet. The weight of the sheeting (it's a heavier sateen) approximates the weight of the wool I am considering for the jacket, plus it's a non-stretch fabric. Queen sized, there's plenty of yardage even cutting around the worn areas. As it turns out, there's plenty to make a second muslin -- luckily for me, because the first version reveals 2 problem areas.

Problem #1 -- the adjustment I made for fullness was fine, but, how to say this delicately? The fullness needs to be lower down -- gravity has not been kind. Back to the drawing board -- re-trace the pattern pieces, lower bust fullness, then redo the FBA.

Problem #2 -- I mentioned before, this is a close fitting jacket. styleARC patterns (at least in my limited experience) seem to have less ease than the major US players (Vogue, Butterick, etc.). So, while the jacket technically may fit, i.e. it meets where it should with no gaps, strains or bulges, it's just too close for my personal comfort. I want to be able to wear a regular top (i.e., not a tank top) underneath and still have breathing room. I like the neck/shoulder fit, so I'll be leaving that area alone and just adding to the waist/hip area.

Whew, that's enough for DAY 1!

September Morn

2011-07-15T20:11:00.003-05:00

Nope, it's still July, but here's another Doris Chan design - September Morn - a quick and easy little topper just right for layering over those summer tank tops. Crocheted in a very vintage stash yarn (yay, using stash yarn!) called Silky Look DK by Sirdar. And yes, that just might be a little advertising hype - Silky Look - um, no -- it looks perfectly fine, but bears little resemblance to silk. Pattern calls for Cotton Classic lite (light?), which makes perfect sense as it's from Tahki, but using a slightly heavier yarn seemed to do OK, and -- bonus points -- I was able to make a smaller size.

Onward towards autumn -- next up, from Knitscene magazine (Winter/Spring 2011) Papeline Pullover knit in Rowan Calmer -- now there's a yarn that lives up to its name! Details later, along with more Australian pattern fun!

Sewing -- Australian style

2011-07-04T13:14:00.004-05:00

It's hot, it's muggy, and sometimes you just need some quick and easy projects that don't involve loops of wool. I've been spending some time up in the sewing room lately, trying out some patterns from a new(ish) Australian pattern company -- Style Arc.

It wouldn't be much of an exaggeration to say that I've tried just about every basic slacks pattern from (most) of the major pattern companies, plus several of the independent ones. Time after time I've been disappointed in the fit, and even extensive tweaking and re-doing hasn't given me a pair of trousers I would want to wear in public -- until now. I don't know what magic those folks are employing, but finally, slacks that fit! Of course, living half a world away means high postage fees, and Style Arc patterns are only available in one size per pattern instead of the multi-size patterns we've grown used to, but sewists -- PANTS THAT FIT (that's huge).

Of course, the full pattern line contains lots of things besides pants -- like an almost instant knock-off of the famous Pippa's bridesmaid's dress from the recent royal wedding -- and besides two different pants patterns (Linda and Katherine)I've also sewn the Creative Cate cowl neck top, and the Cruise Club Kim sundress (all photos below). I can't help myself though -- pants that fit -- I'm still reeling!

A little more crochet

2011-06-21T08:28:00.006-05:00

So, I seem to be on a crochet kick -- not surprising, it seems to happen every summer. There's just something about quick to work, lacy designs that goes so well with the warmer weather!

This is a Doris Chan design -- "Leaves of Summer Vest" -- from the current (July 2011) issue of Crochet! magazine. The pattern calls for Tahki Cotton Classic Lite yarn, which is something I'd like to try at some point, however I went with a slightly heavier cotton from the stash -- La Spezia, by Schoeller+Stahl. La Spezia is a 100% cotton yarn with 115 meters per 50 gr. ball. It has a cabled construction (refers to how the yarn is plyed; Google 'cabled yarn' for further explanation) which gives it a slightly textured look when worked up. I'm really happy with the stitch definition when crocheted. Kind of makes me wish I'd stashed a few more colors of this yarn!

The finished length of the design is a bit shorter than I'd normally do, and I have a bit of a dilemma about the under layer -- in the magazine it's styled with the camisole extending beyond the vest's edging (and looks quite nice on the young, attractive model!), but for some reason I keep wanting to tuck in that layer. We'll see how it feels as I wear it.

Catching Up

2011-06-09T15:26:00.006-05:00

Humming along, getting things done, but not as much time to post. Here are a couple of projects, one knit, one crochet, that have made it into the Finished pile.

First up -- Ribby Shell from the wonderful Bonne Marie Burns at Chic Knits . Yarn is Sahara from Stacy Charles, color 'citrus' -- a closeout from Elann. I'm a big fan of the Chic Knits line, and this is the best fitting shell I've ever made.

Next, how about a little crochet love?

This is Diamond Sweater from the British crochet magazine Inside Crochet. Yarn used was Silk City Fibers Soft Stretch -- a 96% cotton/4% Elite blend in the color "beach". This one was modified from the original pattern somewhat. I'm not a big fan of straight-across boat necks, so I did a little shaping on the neckline. Also shortened the sleeves just a bit. I worked the front/back as separate pieces since I wanted side vents at the bottom hem -- of course, I could have joined them later and worked in the round, but I was steaming along nicely by then and didn't. I really enjoyed working with this yarn -- I don't know if it's widely (or even still) available, but it's a nice, light cotton and stretch blend that crocheted like a dream. And, since it's on a cone, it really cut down on ends to work in. Not sure how it would be categorized as to yarn type (i.e. fingering, DK, etc.) but it's a fairly light 1600 yards per pound. I had a 2.15 pound cone, and used a little over 9 ounces for this sweater, so this yarn will be turning up again!

There's sewing too -- but that's for later -- much too hot here for posing/changing/photographing.

Easy-Sew Crochet Hook Roll

2011-05-21T15:03:00.010-05:00

Materials:

1 'fat quarter' quilting cotton, trimmed to 17" x 20"
white, or other light colored fabric, cut into an 8" x 17" rectangle
1 piece interfacing - 17" x 10"
1/8" narrow elastic, cut 3" long
1 button - the one I used was 3/4", you could also use one that's a bit larger
(optional) Pigma fabric marker to mark hook sizes on pocket slots

I used 1/2" seam allowances throughout.

The hook roll that I made was specifically designed for Etimo (brand) crochet hooks. It should work for other hooks too, but be aware that you'll need to take your own measurements if making for a different hook -- especially in the width of the slots you'll make for the individual hooks to fit into, as hooks with handles can vary in width.

Your 'fat quarter' fabric is used for the outside of the roll, and is later folded over to form the inner lining. You don't have to use quilting fabric, or fabric measured into a 'fat quarter' -- it's simply what I had on hand and wanted to use. Regardless of what fabric you use, trim it into a rectangle that measures 17" x 20", then press (if needed).

The white (or light colored, plain) fabric will be used to make the hook pocket that will have channels stitched down for the individual hooks to go into. Again, use any fabric that you like -- I chose white so that I could easily see the hook size markings that I later added with a fabric marker. If you don't want to mark the hook size -- well, the sky's the limit on what you choose. I'll continue to refer to this hook pocket fabric as "white" in the directions though.

Trim your main fabric to 17" x 20". On wrong side of fabric, adhere interfacing to one half of the fabric. I used a fusible interfacing and removed excess from my seam allowances before fusing. If using a non-fusible, baste it to your main fabric.

Take your white fabric, fold it in half so that you have a 4" x 17" rectangle. With the right (public) side of your main fabric facing up, baste the white strip to the bottom of the main fabric, cut edges even.

Now, mark where you'll need to stitch channels to hold the hooks. For the Etimo hooks, I decided that 1" wide channels would work well. For other hooks, you'll need to determine the measurement for yourself. Here's how -- place a hook into the pocket -- pin a comfortable distance from the hook on either side of the hook, making sure that you can easily slide the hook in/out of the pocket. Remove the hook from the pocket, and measure the distance between the pins -- this will be how wide to stitch your channels.

The first line I stitched was 1 3/4" from the cut edge of one side of the roll. Why that much? Well, I wanted a 1" wide slot, I had a 1/2" seam allowance, plus I gave myself another 1/4" for 'wiggle room' because it was on the outer edge of the roll. From that point, I simply measured the rest of the markings in one inch increments from that original marking.

One side of my hook roll has a much wider pocket -- for a small notepad, gauge, pencil, whatever. I did this because I only needed 10 slots for my hooks -- your needs may be different. Depending on how many slots you need, and how wide you need to make them, you may not be able to have the last slot be the same measurement as the others. If this bothers you, have fun designing your own hook roll!

After marking, stitch a line down the pocket at each mark -- you may want to reinforce a bit at the top. It's a short distance, so easily 'eye-balled', but mark the full length of the line (with a removable ink marker) if you're feeling a bit insecure about stitching even slots.

OK, now that you've finished stitching the channels, let's close it up! But first, take that short, 3" length of elastic and fold it in half into a tight loop shape. Baste this loop -- cut edges of elastic even with cut edges of one side of your roll about 3" - 4" from the bottom of the roll. Now, this is important -- the loop of elastic is facing the interior of the roll -- cut edges are even -- nothing is sticking out beyond the cut edges of the roll.

Now, fold the entire roll in half -- right (public) sides together. Stitch around the outside edge, BUT REMEMBER TO LEAVE AN OPENING FOR TURNING. I left about a 3" gap on the bottom edge of the roll. It seemed to work well there, and that's what I'm recommending. After stitching, trim seam allowances and corners if desired, and turn the roll right side out. Press it nicely, and close up the opening you left for turning. I simply edge-stitched the entire length of the bottom of my roll, but if you like to hand stitch...

Almost done!

Mark sizes on the individual slots, if you want to!

Fold down the top portion of the roll, so that it will cover the top of the hooks, and help prevent them from falling out when the case is rolled up. With my hooks, I decided 3 3/4" was a nice fold down -- your mileage may vary. Press this down well -- you can also top stitch this fold if you'd like. My fabric holds a nice press, so I didn't feel the need to top stitch.

This is how it looks with the flap up:

The only thing left to do now is position the button. So, fold the case as you'd like, and mark where the button needs to go to be caught by your elastic loop. My finished roll is (approximately) 4 1/2" x 6" and looks like this --

There you go -- wasn't that easy? And now you're so organized -- happy stitching!

MD Sheep and Wool Festival

2011-05-07T19:00:00.009-05:00

A few random photos, then a few random thoughts...

Some things stay the same -- there are always cute animals:

And there are always crowds waiting to buy the latest Festival tee shirt or tote bag!

So, what's new? Well, I think the sign at the top of the post is new -- and the donation barrels are certainly new. This year the festival organizers are asking folks for a small donation to help with the costs -- seems eminently fair, all things considered. Also new -- a slightly different layout for the outside vendors -- seems more spacious to me.

The weather was absolutely glorious -- especially early in the day. Cool enough to enjoy walking about -- but not so cool as to be uncomfortable. Once again, Mr. Minglingyarn was an expert "line waiter/tote bag purchaser", giving him ample opportunity to schmooze with all those poor unfortunates who have to wait in line themselves. He was duly rewarded with some most excellent funnel cake, so please don't feel sorry for him! Besides, I rather think he enjoys all that (mostly) female attention!

Meanwhile, I was able to zoom through the barns and exhibition buildings. Luckily, I was even able to make about half of my purchases before the official starting time of 9 AM. Power shopping!

Actually, only a few things made the trip home with us -- some lovely Gita Maria shawl pins, Suffolk/Dorset sock yarn from the folks at Solitude Wool, some goats milk soap, honey and a couple of heirloom tomato plants. The usual line at The Fold (for Socks That Rock yarn) seemed shorter this year, but wow -- the line for those Signature knitting needles was crazy long. Some of you have definitely been saving up! All in all, a very pleasant way to spend a Saturday!

Find the Wildlife...

2011-04-30T13:35:00.003-05:00

It's that time of the year -- always a little surprise to come across when working in the garden. Can you spot the two mourning dove chicks in the photo?* It seems like a pretty precarious place to put your 'nest' (basically a few strands of dead grass on top of a slate stone), but this momma dove decided that underneath a teak bench among slate pavers edged with creeping thyme was the perfect place to raise her chicks. Hope they make it!

*Look right above the lettering if you're having trouble seeing them. They do tend to blend in with their surroundings.

Belting It Out

2011-04-27T21:46:00.006-05:00

Sometimes you need a little something to finish off an outfit, but you just can't find what you have in mind. No worries, just make it yourself.

I have a nice buttery yellow linen that insists it wants to be a tunic-length shirt, so here's a simple belt that will cinch it in and provide a little shape. Couldn't be easier to make -- woven trim is stitched to a backing -- I'm using an Ultrasuede scrap in this instance -- then threaded through a simple wooden buckle and stitched down. I first thought I'd use a grosgrain ribbon to back the trim, but couldn't find any of the right width. If I had used ribbon I probably would have used some non-fusible interfacing to provide some extra support. For the Ultrasuede though, it doesn't seem necessary. Next step? Make that shirt!

Another easy to make option is the gathered rayon batik belt I made to go with a matching skirt/top gee-that-looks-just-like-a-dress-combo.

Fabric scraps were cut into strips - twice the width of the finished belt, plus seam allowance, and a length that was roughly 2 and 1/2 times the finished length I wanted the belt to be. Sew up the long skinny tube, press and turn, then I ran some firm, wide elastic through the center. This one fastens with a simple interlocking belt buckle. The buckle's original finish was brass (or something very like it), and I wanted something a bit different. A quick spray with some metallic copper paint gave me the look I wanted, and it should hold up just fine.

You may notice some knitting underneath the photo of the belt -- that's a tank I'm working on at the moment. (S. Charles 'Sahara' - citrus color) I was kind of hoping it might work with the green of the batik, but I'm not so sure. Looks more yellow in the photo. Ah well, sometimes a serendipitous match, sometimes not.

So, there you have it -- minimal time, very little money spent, and two belts that give me just the look I want -- can't beat that!

From Deep Within the Stash...

2011-04-17T15:58:00.005-05:00

...some yarn from Canaan Mohair purchased at Stitches East, more years ago than I can remember, but back when the event was still being held near Valley Forge, PA -- and probably before there even was a Stitches Midwest, West or South! Knit up into a simple cardigan from Cocoknits pattern called "Marta". Don't see it listed on the website any longer, but I believe there are a few shown on Ravelry if anyone is into 'compare and contrast'. The only real change to the pattern was an I-cord edging added to the front edges. This added a tiny bit of width and enabled me to have a buttonhole/button.

Now, what will be the next lucky stash dweller plucked from the depths and turned into knitted (or crocheted) goods?

Yesteryear's Playthings

2011-04-08T12:09:00.005-05:00

Back in the day I was a major fan of paper dolls. I must have spent hours carefully and patiently cutting them out. Anyone else remember the monthly Betsey McCall paper dolls that were in the back of the magazine? Heck, does anyone else even remember McCall's magazine these days! I always went right for those, of course, but they also had an offer that you could send away for -- Betsey and a nice assortment of clothing, with Betsey offered on a heavier card stock, instead of the flimsy magazine paper. Oh how I haunted the mailbox until those came. My all-time favorites though, were ballerina paper dolls with gorgeous costumes from Russian ballets -- oh, the care and precision those needed. Many years later, I ran across what appeared to be a re-print of those very dolls -- perhaps through Dover publishing? I'll have to see if they are still around -- and yes, I would cut them out again.

The dolls pictured above are 'allegedly' Round About Dolls from the 1930's -- waaaay before my time, so stop your snickering! They certainly have a 30's vibe, but I doubt that they are all the same type. The two that look alike have both a front and back view, and are printed paper over a light wood. The middle doll is front view only, and is cardboard. Sharp eyes (click for bigger, if needed) may notice that one of them has the initials "AH" pencilled in on the front -- perhaps the little girl who once played with them? I have a couple more that are in better shape, and those I framed in a shadowbox and have displayed in the sewing room. I smile every time I see them.

And how about some clothes for the little lovelies?

Obviously cut out by some shaky, younger fingers -- the fashions have a front and a back, connected on the shoulders.

Hope you've enjoyed this mini-stroll down Memory Lane!

Edited to add: Sorry folks -- It's BETSY McCall, not Betsey.

Who knew...

2011-03-24T09:06:00.003-05:00

...I had a cotton 'crop' languishing in the garden?

My little experiment with growing cotton last season ended with (I thought) no actual cotton fiber from the tight, green bolls left on the plants as the weather turned cold. Imagine my surprise when Mr. Minglingyarn was out in the garden cleaning things up in preparation for some early planting and came back with a few opened bolls that were filled with fiber! After removing it from the bolls, taking out the seeds and fluffing it up a bit, it seems none the worse for wear -- hard to imagine after it spent the entire winter out in the elements.

There's not enough of it to actually do anything with -- even if I wanted to, but I think I'll take those seeds and plant them and see what happens this year. At least I know that those pesky woodchucks don't bother eating cotton!

Every Sewing Room...

2011-03-10T17:01:00.003-05:00

...needs a sewing mascot -

For reasons that may make sense to those who know me IRL, my obvious choice is a winged monkey. From the quicksilver hook of the talented Christen . Go, take a look -- if you don't see something there to make you smile you just may need a humor transplant!

At the moment he's one of a kind, but if you'd like your own adorable monkey, check out Christen's book "Creepy Cute Crochet" (you'll find an autographed copy in the Etsy shop too).

What???

2011-03-05T20:16:00.001-05:00

...you thought there would be a fourth post in four days?? Ha -- go knit something fun -- there's nothing to see here!

Handy Dandy Hook Holder

2011-03-04T16:34:00.005-05:00

We've been veering heavily to the sewing side lately -- how about an (almost) crochet drive-by?

OK, OK, I'm just messin' with you -- it's still sewing, but for crochet -- hooks, that is! Sometimes you just need something better for your nifty Etimo hooks than a $1 pencil case from the Mega Retailer that Everyone Loves to Hate. This one is just a prototype -- there are a few little details that need to be tweaked -- but so far it seems to be doing what needs to be done.

All folded up it just takes up 5" x 6.25" of space, so it fits nicely in the knitting/crochet project bag. This one only has 8 usable spaces for hooks (one is kept empty for ease in folding), but since I only have 8 Etimo hooks... I may make one a little wider to hold all my Clover hooks, however the small size of this one has its charms.

Diamonds from the Sea

2011-03-03T14:37:00.004-05:00

Two posts in two days? That's unheard of! I really wanted to share a photo of the latest project off the needles though -- Frost Diamonds from the Winter 09 issue of Knitty by Stefanie Japel. Here it's done as a smaller shawlette in Wolle's Color Changing Cotton in the "Seaweed" colorway. Aren't those colors lovely? I'm looking forward to wearing it over a light summer top once those warmer days are here again.

Pay no attention to those two loose ends that haven't been worked in yet -- soon, soon! How about a close up of the stitch pattern?

Top this...

2011-03-01T16:45:00.006-05:00

Isn't it about time to start thinking about spring sewing? I'm almost always madly scrambling to get things done in the season I'd like to wear them -- this year I thought I might get a few things done ahead of time. HAH! Still trying to finish up winter sewing, except for this one lonely item -- a light spring topper.

Stats: Kwik Sew pattern 3732 fabric: a herringbone weave solid tan cotton - I think from Gorgeous Fabrics. Even if it was, it's probably long since sold out, but I think it's always worth taking a look over there to see what new goodies Anne has posted! Only minor alterations - shoulders narrowed a bit, and the under bust seam lowered so it would actually be under the bust -- may have gone a bit lower than I really needed. Pattern doesn't call for a lining, but I lined the sleeves with some Ambiance rayon to make it easier to slip on and off. I think I would have been well served to actually line the whole thing -- ah well, maybe I'll try that with my next unlined project. Top button (and buttonhole) left off because I want to wear it with a faux lapel look, i.e. with the top of the front pieces turned and pressed back.

Edited to add -- Nope, it wasn't from Gorgeous Fabrics, but rather from Fabric Mart, and not only that, but it's linen and not cotton -- sheesh. Too much fabric, and no inventory control -- what's a girl to do?

Be Mine, Valentine

2011-02-13T16:40:00.004-05:00

I think I must have one of the sweetest valentines ever -- not only does he put up with my obsessive vintage machine collecting, he actually goes out of his way to enable it. Introducing the newest member of the vintage machine family --

That little darling is a Singer 221 -- otherwise known as a Featherweight. Such a cutie, and it's in beautiful condition. Well, that is the finish is in good condition -- there was a nasty tangle of thread in the bobbin area, and it will need de-linting. It kind of makes me wonder if it looks so little used because someone made a mess of threading/bobbin winding/or somesuch and just gave up on it, as it would seem that a machine of 1953 vintage should have signs of a bit more wear and tear. Not to complain though -- I'm quite happy it looks (and stitches now) as good as it does. Thank you, Mr. Minglingyarn!

At long last -- Falkenberg!

2011-01-25T15:27:00.005-05:00

Started back in the beginning of November, it's taken me until mid-January to finish -- whew!

Stats: Donna, a Hanne Falkenberg design in colorway 6. Shetland wool knit with size 2 needles. Knit in size L, and shown without (optional) buttons.

I'm thinking I could have knit this one a bit smaller -- it's not greatly over sized, but I think it would look better with a closer-to-the-body look. One thing I'll change will be to put the button loops and buttons on it to give it a more pulled in look. All in all, I'm pleased, but looking forward to starting something just a bit quicker!

Finally, sewing photos

2011-01-03T15:43:00.010-05:00

More sewing, rather than knitting or crocheting, has been happening around the casa lately and here are a few photos of the results.

First up, McCall's 6208, view E. Sewn from a sweater knit from Gorgeous Fabrics. Very simple layering piece, but it hits every color in my fall/winter wardrobe, so it should be useful. Rated as an "Easy" pattern, and I would agree with that.

Next, a little experiment using Vogue 8525 as a launching pad. I had admired a jacket sewn from felted ready-made sweaters, but was unable to find any suitable felting candidates at our local thrift stores. Hah! That's no problem for a knitter -- so, I simply created my own felted (or fulled) fabric by machine knitting up some yardage on my handy little LK 150 using some bargain coned Shetland yarn I had in the stash. A few trips through the washer and dryer and voila -- lovely, thick felted fabric. I wanted something easier than a jacket to practice on, so I used this simple pull-on skirt pattern. I split the front and back pattern pieces so I would have front and back center seams to do a little hand stitching embellishment, and left the hem unturned (would have been much too thick) and ran some basic blanket stitching around it -- mostly for looks, as it doesn't seem to want to ravel. I used a sportweight, superwash sock yarn for the hand stitching. It remains to be seen how this will hold up in subsequent laundering, but nothing much lost (other than my time) if it doesn't -- I'm guessing that the total material cost was around $6 - $7?

And finally, a dress -- Kwik Sew 3658, which I have previously made as a top. Made from a rayon/poly/lycra doubleknit. The scarf is a quick project from Vogue Patterns magazine -- ummm, two issues past? Usually called an 'infinity' scarf -- simple to make in many different fabrications -- and they make nice gifts, if you are so inclined.

Mid-December Already, Really??

2010-12-10T14:19:00.010-05:00

WHOOOOSH -- anyone else feel like life is passing by much too quickly? Wasn't it just Thanksgiving?

There are finished sewing projects to show, but sadly not photographed yet. Probably due to the very cold weather we've been having -- need the extra light you get from photographing outdoors, but don't really want to be outdoors! Later then.

How about a recipe for a holiday treat instead? Here's an easy to make version of caramel popcorn that's a near relative of the commercially available Poppy***k. Hmmmm, spelling it out that way makes it look like a slightly naughty word, doesn't it? Anyway, here it is:

Baked Caramel Corn

1/2 cup popping corn
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking SODA
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of roasted, non-salted nuts, if desired

Pop the corn, using your favorite method -- I use an air popper, and make it in two separate batches. Leave it plain -- no salt or butter. Place the popped corn in one or two large roasting, or cake pans. If you're adding nuts, just sprinkle them over the popcorn.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.

Into the melted butter, stir in the sugar, corn syrup and salt.

Bring the mixture to a full boil and while keeping it well stirred, cook for about 5 minutes. Take it off the heat, and stir in the baking SODA and the vanilla -- mix well.

Pour this mixture over the popped corn, and mix it up really well. Work quickly, as it thickens as it cools.

Place corn in a 250 degree oven and let bake for one hour -- stir it well about every 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and let cool.

ENJOY!

No recipe, but here's something else I was experimenting with -- homemade marshmallows.

They weren't bad, although I think my marshmallow guru Brendan does them better. He generously shared his recipe, and some tips, so next time they're sure to be fabulous! The thought was to coat homemade marshmallows with caramel and then dip them in some bittersweet chocolate. I got as far as covering the marshmallows with caramel before deciding it wasn't going to work as well as I wanted. Had a bit of marshmallow meltage, but basically it was a sticky (but tasty!) mess. Ah well, and on to the next experiment!

Knock It Off!

2010-11-16T18:51:00.003-05:00

So, I'm in a national clothing chain -- perhaps one named after the science of humankind -- and I see what I consider to be a cute, plaid skirt. Not being the target customer for this particular emporium, however, there are a few things about it that make it 'not quite' for my particular, oh, let's call it maturity.

All is not lost though for a woman with a sewing machine (or two), a yard of plaid, and New Look 6843. Trace off the front pattern piece -- draw a few curved tiers (don't forget to add those seam allowances!)breathe easily with a new, lower, thinner waistband, and voila:

Inspired by, but not a copy of, that cute, plaid skirt. Color me pleased.

Bobbing to the surface...

2010-11-09T17:08:00.005-05:00

...after being slammed by a nasty virus. Whew -- glad to be feeling better.

So, how about a couple of finished projects? First up, Cerisara by Bonne Marie Burns, the design talent over at Chicknits . Yarn: Classic Elite Premiere from the stash -- gosh, I LOVE that color!

Interesting, all-in-one construction. You may need to pay attention in a couple of areas, but trust in the directions and you'll be just fine. I'm a big fan of Bonne Marie's work -- very wearable clothing with a current look.

It's always fun to try a new yarn, and next up is a cute little beret from the folks at Quince & Co. The yarn is sourced from fiber produced in the US -- also spun here. I used Osprey, which is their aran weight. It was delightful to work with, but did lose a little color with wet blocking. I look forward to trying one of their lighter weight yarns in another project. This beret only needed one skein, so it was ideal for testing a new (to me) yarn -- the pattern was simple, and easy to knit.

No additional work done on the vintage Elgin sewing machine, but I hope to have it ready for viewing soon. Who knows? Maybe I'll even get it to sew!

Like looking in a mirror...

2010-10-23T10:59:00.005-05:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Can this patient be saved?

2010-10-09T19:07:00.007-05:00

So, I get a call from a friend -- this and that, and "Oh, by the way, I saw a treadle at a local junk store for $25" -- isn't it great to have such caring friends? I rushed over to check it out, and, well, what do you know? -- there were 2 treadles for $25! Not sure my friend even noticed the one in the back, but I sure did. And, despite the owners entreaty that I could have them both for $40, I came home with this:

I'm not sure why, but for some reason it really spoke to me. It's probably in the worst shape of any of the vintage machines I have, and I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to get it into working order, but I thought it was worth bringing home. The cabinet is in fairly rough shape too, but I like the Craftsman type styling of it. The machine head is raised from inside the cabinet by lifting the cabinet leaf -- there's a chain lift mechanism underneath (rusty as all get out). I do have the drawer knob that appears to be missing, and it has a few (rusty) rotary style attachments in one of the drawers. I managed to open the sliding plate, and there is an intact shuttle inside, and presumably a long bobbin, as there is a bunch of thread emerging from the shuttle. So, looks like my next project is all lined up!

And totally changing subjects -- how about a little old vs. new technology?

The new should be apparent -- the old is represented by the little sewn case. Yes, I am silly enough to spend a bundle on the Kindle, and too 'thrifty' to pay extra for a little case. So I took some scraps and cranked (literally) one out on my wee little Singer 99. Works just fine, used up some scraps, and you can't beat the price!

Sewing with silk

2010-09-15T14:31:00.004-05:00

Last year's trip to China by Mr. Minglingyarn yielded some silk yardage as a souvenir for me (isn't he thoughtful?), and I finally got some of it sewn into a project. I think it works extremely well for a lightweight robe, yes?

This was my first time sewing with charmeuse, and while it was certainly slippery and ravelly, it wasn't as bad as I expected. And, oh my goodness -- this stuff feels absolutely amazing on! It's made me think that a blouse from charmeuse would be divine. I have a small amount left over (of this particular fabric), perhaps I can eke out a camisole and 'unmentionables' to have a travel sleep set. It would have made a fabulous lining for a jacket also. Ah silk, the Queen of fabric!

Before the first leaf falls...

2010-08-31T16:58:00.007-05:00

...autumn knitting begins. First finished project of the new season -- Cross-over Rib Top by Sally Melville. Knit in Koigu PPPM and PM. Pattern available from www.Patternfish.com (I've linked before -- check previous post if you're interested in this pattern).

There was one small error in the pattern (a missing decrease), which hopefully has been corrected by now. I had emailed Sally about it, and apparently it was supposed to have been corrected some time ago, but had slipped through the editing cracks. Apparently Patternfish claims that they will notify purchasers of any patterns they sell about future errata -- this was not my experience, but perhaps others have been more fortunate.

And, as promised, a quick look at the latest vintage machine!

It's a Necchi BU Mira -- from around the middle 1950's -- straight stitch and zig zag, but none of the fancy stitches of the WonderWheel models. I'm toying with the idea of removing the motor and setting it into a treadle, but for now it's still tailed (electrical). There are some who dislike the green color, but luckily j'adore! At this point, there isn't that much room left for new acquisitions, so I'm thinking this is it as far as numbers go. (That hysterical laughter in the background - surely you can hear it? - is Mr. MinglingYarn. For some strange reason he isn't buying that last statement!)

Edited to add -- I received an email on 7 September from Julia Grunau at Patternfish apologizing for any inconvenience and explaining the (small) problem with the pattern. Thank you; I appreciate the communication. So that others will be aware of how the pattern updating works, I have copied a portion of her email below. I'll be returning to the site in future, and I hope others will check it out also. Karen

"Whenever an updated pattern is issued, the buyer will see a notice in their pattern stash saying that a new version is available, and the user just has to click to download it. We are very sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, but as far as we know, all is now well."

Eventually she hopes...

2010-08-18T12:02:00.007-05:00

...it will all come together in perfect harmony. Until then, here's a photo of the random pieces of Sally Melville's Cross-Over-Rib top.

You'll notice that the original is done in all one color of Koigu -- my version, however, is not. I'd like to say it was a deliberate design decision, but in truth, that's what I had. I've collected quite a few random skeins of Koigu over the years, probably with an eye to making socks -- or knitting something modular, but somehow they just never got knit. So, we shall see. It's an awful lot of knitting if it doesn't work out!

The back has a third color introduced, (a darker shade of olive), with the two yarns of the fronts blended at the bottom. This was done to tie together the colors of the front, and, more importantly, to ensure that there would be enough yarn to knit the back. Here's hoping!

Here's a closeup of the back -- (clicking makes bigger)

It will take a lot more knitting until it's finished (34 stitches x 40 rows per 4" goes slowly around here!), but I'm powering through, because I have some absolutely lovely Color-Changing Cotton from Wolle that I can't wait to get started on.

And who knows? Maybe there will be a photo of a sleek Italian vintage sewing machine to feast your eyes on soon!

Sew it goes...

2010-07-26T15:37:00.005-05:00

A new shirt -- Stats: PATTERN - New Look 6407
FABRIC - woven, non-stretch 100% cotton
ALTERATIONS to pattern - lengthened torso, narrowed shoulders (but maybe not enough - sigh)
BUTTONS - vintage (maybe 1940's?) medical uniform buttons - think high-necked Ben Casey type shirts (oooh, just dated myself with that cultural reference!)

There was supposed to be a cute cotton skirt to go with it. Hah! I was attempting a side-wrapped straight skirt from an OOP Stretch & Sew pattern. It was easy to sew, fit well, looked good...until I tried to walk in it, and then it made a silly little 'tent' with each step - not a good look! Ah well, sew it goes...

Meanwhile, take a look at these cute little zippers from Japan - (click makes bigger)

Hopefully there's enough detail for you to make out the cute little zipper pulls on the outer zips (that's scissors and a vintage sewing machine) and how the center zip has lacy edges (not as easy to see, sorry!). Found them while reading another blog - they're from an Etsy seller in Japan. Leave a comment if you're interested in knowing who/where and I may be kind enough to look it up for you. I don't have a clue what I'll use them for, but I couldn't resist!

Look Ma -- Crochet!

2010-07-24T18:09:00.004-05:00

See, I do still work with yarn -- and very lovely yarn it is too!

Stats: Color Changing Cotton 4-ply from Wolle. Colorway: Sunburst 2 Amount: 2 50 g. balls Pattern: a scarf from Ondori Crochet Lace, a Japanese crochet pattern book. Hook used: 4 mm - F

Of course you know there has been some sewing done -- but that's a post for another day.

Up and Running! (Or, does she even work with yarn anymore?)

2010-07-14T12:34:00.006-05:00

It is most definitely not pretty, but it's done!

Here's a closeup of the urethane belting I'm using instead of the traditional leather treadle belt --

Now the question becomes -- do I let Mr. Minglingyarn attempt a cutout of this top (so the machine will sit more conveniently flush with the table), or do we leave well enough alone? Understand, our woodworking skills are nil -- still,it would be more convenient. Of course,if I follow through on my attempt to get a serger up and treadling I would need (yet another) solid top for that. Decisions, decisions! At any rate, kudos to Mr. Minglingyarn -- it really must be love for someone with 10 thumbs to even attempt this -- love you babe!

You would think that perhaps I was done with sewing machine clean ups/fix ups, but no. There's a little matter of a Singer 500a (nicknamed The Rocketeer by collectors) that needs a bit of attention. That tricky enabler Margaret was responsible for this one -- she really wants to make sure I can never tease her again about her herd of spinning wheels!

It doesn't appear to be in very bad shape -- although Margaret mentioned that the previous owner had said that there may be a part missing. It will probably be a display piece -- at least for a little while longer. Too many actual sewing projects lined up at this point!

Lean, green sewing machine

2010-07-13T15:42:00.006-05:00

BEFORE --

Stats: Singer 185K, straight stitch only machine, three-quarter sized, formerly electrical - now with motor removed and operated by a (repro.) hand crank. Machine is circa 1958, and is mounted in its own wee table. This one is also from Kilbowie, Scotland, so I guess I have the makings of a clan.

As any long-time visitors will doubtless already know, I seem to have a bit of a problem when it comes to vintage sewing machines -- as in, I just can't seem to resist them! But really, take a look at her all cleaned up and tell me she isn't a cutie --

Took a bit of elbow grease to get her looking decent (inside and out) but she's well on her way. While I love the idea of hand cranking her, I'm not too keen on the (not so cute) look of the black crank with Chinese lettering, but there you go -- you do what you need to do. The original green hand wheel was swapped out for a spoked hand wheel from one of my other machines. There are instructions on line for drilling out a space for the hand crank 'finger' so that the original hand wheel can be used, but sadly my tool skills are not up to that (at least right now).

She was quite stiff and sluggish when I first got her home, but cleaning made a big difference. I removed a huge wad of felted lint from around the bobbin case, and now stitch quality is quite nice. Also while cleaning I discovered an old red label that stated "repossessed machine" -- how sad is that? I always like to learn a little of the machine's history, but the person I bought her from wasn't her original owner. In fact, although she sews, she bought this machine several years ago in order to use the cabinet as a table -- never even threaded her up. Ah well, different strokes...

Now, what shall her first project (with me) be?

A New Project

2010-06-19T16:25:00.005-05:00

My merry band of vintage machines has been growing, and we've reached a critical point -- I really need another treadle. I'd like to get the zig zag machine set up, and I have a mechanical serger (overlocker) that I'd like to try as a treadle too.

I've been searching around locally for something suitable (you do NOT want to pay shipping for a cast iron treadle!), but haven't been having much luck. These things seem to come up in cycles -- either there are many available, or there are none. Luckily for me, fiber pal Margaret has come to my rescue! She has generously given me a treadle stand from her mom's estate -- isn't that nice? It's been outside for a while, but is in pretty good shape for all that. A little online research leads me to believe it's from a Singer model 12 cabinet -- which would date it from some point in the late 1800s -- maybe the 1880s? At any rate, it's older than all of us, so wish me luck getting it all nicely cleaned up and running! I'll need to come up with a table top of some sort, which may be challenging for a gal with no woodworking skills, but we'll cross that bridge later.

There's been some knitting, and a little crocheting, but sadly no photos of that. So how about a little sewing photo?

McCall's 6122 sewn up in a silk dupioni. The fabric was machine washed and dried prior to cutting out, and it seems to have held up just fine. I'm not a big fan of having to dry clean blouses, so hopefully this will allow me to give it a gentle machine wash and hang to dry. The fit was pretty good right out of the envelope -- I think narrowing the shoulder seam was the only tweak I did. The hidden button placket falls a bit low for my taste, but a snap should solve that minor quibble.

And up...

2010-05-18T15:48:00.006-05:00

Finally managed to get the little wall hanging quilt bound and mounted in the stairwell. (Thank you Mr. Mingling Yarn for great ladder work!) Colors may be a little off due to the lighting. This was pieced using the small hand crank sewing machine, and quilted using the larger Singer 66 Red Eye treadle. Nothing fancy, it's from a kit (Tonga Dimes from Keepsake Quilting), but I think it will brighten up the stairs just a bit. I downsized the quilt to fit the space, so I have a few blocks left over that will (eventually) become a pillow top.

It was a real pleasure to do the piecing on this -- almost makes me wish I were a 'real' quilter! Lots of control over the work, and it wasn't a problem at all to manipulate the fabric while turning the hand crank. I'm really enjoying that little machine.

The actual quilting was a little more challenging. For me, it was almost like patting your head while rubbing your tummy to get a smooth treadling motion going while guiding the quilt under the pressure foot. It's not too bad I think, but I did simple straight lines and perhaps not as many of those as I would have liked. Not sure if it's that visible, but here's a close up of the blocks -- (clicking makes bigger.)

And in the garden -- here's what we're harvesting now!

If You Have the Machines...

2010-05-12T12:53:00.006-05:00

...you might as well use them. Here's a little summer top that was sewn with the smaller hand crank -- The pattern is "Sencha" from Collette Patterns. Sewn in a rayon batik, view 2 with neckline tucks. I lowered the neckline just a bit, and also lowered the waistline front tucks. I'm not sure this is the most flattering of styles for me, nor the best choice of fabric (it wrinkles like a maniac!), but the pattern itself was well drafted and easy to sew.

Also finished is the "Ming" jacket from Doris Chan's new book "Crochet Lace Innovations". I used Nature's Palette yarn from Classic Elite -- probably discontinued, as I bought it quite some time ago on closeout. The sleeves were shortened, and the bodice lengthened a bit. Another nice design from the talented Doris Chan.

In The Beginning...

2010-05-07T14:42:00.003-05:00

My fascination with vintage Singer sewing machines didn't begin with the 'people powered' treadles and hand cranks. No, it all started electrically --

This past winter I was having some major annoyance with my fairly new, top-of-the-line, modern sewing machine. So I started thinking "I need to get myself a good, reliable mechanical machine" and then started doing a little on line research about same. Cut to the chase -- a Singer 1200-1 on Craig's List. The 1200-1 is a version of the classic Singer 201 -- same machine, same motor, but a different foot control/knee lift configuration that was marketed by Singer as an "artisan" machine (think home sewing business, NOT industrial strength). Attractive price, good reviews -- bought it. Then started reading more about the machine and started getting very nervous -- specifically about the aged wiring/motor.

So, there she sat -- a classic vintage machine that I was too chicken to use. And that led to my current obsession with the non-electrics, which is a good thing, but I would still look over wistfully at what might have been. Until a few weeks ago when I contacted Jenny at Sew-Classic about something she had mentioned in a blog post. She replied, and in passing I mentioned the 1200-1. Long story short -- she cleaned and re-wired the old motor for a very reasonable price -- and now -- that old Singer purrs like a kitten and I'm no longer afraid I'll end up fried!

I can't say enough about how patient and gracious she was in the face of my total lack of knowledge about all things electrical. We aren't local to one another, so for her to work on the motor I had to remove it from the machine and send it through the post. Quick as a wink she had it back to me -- with a handy diagram and color coded wiring so that even a total numbskull like me could get it back together properly. OK, I may have had one small misstep, but she even walked me through that too -- thanks Jenny! I'd really recommend that if you have an old machine, or think you might want one, that you check out her site -- her blog is a gold mine of information about these classic machines, and she just may have that part or supply that you are looking for.

She may never win a beauty prize, but this ol' gal can sew!

I Can Stop Anytime, No Really...

2010-05-01T13:39:00.004-05:00

Apparently I wasn't quite done with vintage sewing machines. At least it isn't a heavy cast-iron treadle machine Mr. Mingling Yarn!

Pictured is a Singer model 66 "Lotus" hand crank -- aged 100 years -- not in bad shape for such an old gal -- some cleaning, a little oiling and minor tension adjustments and she cranks out a nice straight stitch. This model was also manufactured at the Kilbowie factory in Clydebank Scotland, just like her little sis Ailsa the model 99 hand crank. Here's a closer look at the vintage lotus decals --

Attractive, yes? The mister recently asked me "So, are you a collector now?" -- and that kind of stopped me in my tracks. I suppose I might be, but really, I prefer to think of myself as a rescuer of a tiny bit of sewing history. Obviously, for me sewing is a fun past time -- I don't have to do it, I don't need to do it -- no one will go naked because I haven't sewn them up some drawers, or hungry because I didn't meet my piece work quota. So here's a snappy salute to the women (and men) who've gone before -- we value your efforts, and we'll continue to value your grand old tools!

Photos to follow of a small wall quilt I'm working on -- it was pieced on the (99) hand crank, and quilting was treadled on the "Red Eye", and just as soon as it's bound I'll be proud to show off my latest "people powered" effort. Go Green!

And a few more little things...

2010-04-15T16:11:00.007-05:00

One of my fiber friends has been on something of a 'pioneer' kick, and her enthusiasm has drawn the rest of us into various endeavors. We've dyed fiber and yarn with natural plant materials, taken a class on simple cheese making, and now -- soap making. Well, if we're going to all the trouble of making our own soap, then I'd like it to be gift worthy. Hence the many facecloths. Hopefully we'll end up with lovely, sudsy soap (and no lye burns!) and can make up little gift baskets -- who knows, maybe I'll even throw in some of last summer's loofah harvest!

One skein of DK weight cotton (forgotten brand, possibly Elann house brand) yielded two crocheted cloths. On the left is a generic pentagon motif from one of my stitch dictionaries, and the pinwheel motif on the right is taken from a design in Doris Chan's new book "Crochet Lace Innovations" (Rosalinda top). (Excellent book, by the way, with several designs you'll see me working on in the coming weeks.) Perhaps it's a little too open for a cloth, but I loved it. In any event, it's for a face, not scrubbing out the oven, so...

Then there's a little fun project, a crocheted button necklace --

Nothing more than some buttons, leftover size 8 perle cotton, and a magnetic clasp.

Little things

2010-04-06T16:18:00.006-05:00

'Blue Ocean' scarf -- Stats: Waikiki pattern available free from the NaturallyCaron.com web site. Size F crochet hook. Yarn used is Color Changing Cotton (CCC 4) from Wolle's Yarn Creations .

And a dainty little facecloth -- Knit from Rowan Linen Drape (discontinued). Pattern is Petal Dishcloth from Dishcloth Boutique.

What a cutie!

2010-04-04T14:28:00.003-05:00

From the bonny banks of Clyde (Kilbowie, Scotland) meet Ailsa -- a Singer 99K hand crank, 3/4 sized sewing machine. This wee lassie was 'born' sometime after August 1, 1927. How she made her way from Scotland to a dealer in Texas to a new home in central Virginia is anyone's guess. She's a smaller version of the Red Eye treadle seen here previously, but powered by hand rather than foot.

Mr. MinglingYarn is probably hoping that this concludes the collecting portion of my current mania -- especially given the state of his lower back -- but you just never know, do you?

Poor, neglected Cassidy

2010-04-02T20:22:00.004-05:00

In all the excitement of trying out my new treadle sewing machine, I've totally forgotten to post about my finished Cassidy, although I did manage to get it up on Ravelry. So, just in time for it to be put away for the season...

Stats: Knit from Araucania worsted weight wool, purchased ages ago on sale at Elann. Pattern is 'Cassidy' by Chic Knits. No modifications to an excellent pattern, although I probably could have shortened the sleeves just a bit. If I'd finished knitting this one sooner it would have certainly been my "go to" sweater for cozy winter comfort. Love it!

Is it just me, or are we having a particularly nice Spring -- perhaps to make up for Snow-mageddon? Walking outside these days is like being in a ticker tape parade with all the cherry blossoms drifting down from above!

At long last...

2010-03-25T15:16:00.004-05:00

...some crochet!

Stats: free pattern courtesy of Naturally Caron (you'll have to Google -- too lazy to link!) 'Spa' yarn (acrylic/bamboo blend), smallest size. Mods: shortened by a pattern repeat in total length -- shortened sleeves by 4 rows. Another delightful Doris Chan design!

What a workout...

2010-03-23T16:50:00.005-05:00

...but I have my first TFO (treadled finished object) -- a napkin!

More to come, but I was so excited to actually get it working that I had to show it off. I'm not sure that the stitching really shows that well in the photo (no close up lens, but you can click for bigger), but I'm really pleased with it. What is actually showing on the top of the napkin is the bobbin stitch -- since I was making a narrow mitered hem I wanted to see what I was doing and had the back side on top. I could have gone with a longer stitch length, and probably will for the rest of them. Unlike modern machines there is no convenient little numbered dial to set that -- you simply turn an unmarked screw one way or the other to change length. That will take a little getting used to! I have a feeling that I didn't get the leather treadle belt tight enough, so that will need looking after, but other than that -- what fun!

Look what followed me home...

2010-03-20T16:05:00.003-05:00

...Can I keep it, Ma?

It's a circa 1922 Singer "Red Eye" treadle, not in the most pristine of condition, but I'd like to actually use it, rather than have it be a display piece, so that was OK with me. I've cleaned it up a bit, given it a nice drink of oil, and all that's left is to replace the leather treadle belt and the old girl should be good to go. I've been procrastinating on the belt replacement -- I'm not the most mechanical of people and recently almost set fire to myself while trying to repair a spinning wheel drive band (it was plastic; you need to melt it, yadda, yadda). Fortunately, no fire is involved in a treadle belt replacement, although I have read a hint about piercing the leather strap with an ice pick...

At any rate, I look forward to some 'green' sewing -- I shall laugh in the face of power outages! And who knows, maybe all that treadling will be a nice fitness regime? Heaven knows getting that heavy old cast iron treadle up to the second floor of our house was a real workout -- many thanks to Mr. Mingling Yarn who shouldered the lion's share of that load!

And on a seasonal note --dare we hope?

Oops...

2010-03-07T11:58:00.007-05:00

...I seem to have fallen down a rabbit hole again. How about a needle review to make up for lost time?

I have previously reviewed the Options Harmony (wooden) interchangeable needles from KnitPicks. To recap: LOVE the sharp points, LOVE the price, like the flexible cable and HATE the fact that the needles pop out of the metal connectors at inopportune moments. Yes, KnitPicks is very good about replacing defective needles, but that is small comfort when you are dealing with a lap full of slippery lace stitches. So, that's not a brand that I would feel comfortable recommending, despite some very attractive features.

My next stop at finding a reliable interchangeable needle was at Webs. Their Valley Yarns brand of needles are made from bamboo (a favorite material of mine) and are available in sizes 3US (3.25mm) to 15US (10mm). Two different cables are available -- thin, for needle sizes 3 - 6, and a thicker cable for all other sizes. They come in 3 lengths, 16, 24 or 32 inches, however for $1US you can buy connectors that allow you to combine cables (of similar diameter) for longer lengths. A set of all needles EXCEPT size 3 is available for $109US -- I purchased my needles/cables individually in a couple of sizes that I use frequently.

Hopefully you can see in this slightly blurry photo (click for bigger) the difference in point sharpness -- KnitPicks Harmony is the top needle, two different sized Valley Yarns needles are below. Can you also make out another nice aspect of the Webs needles? They have their sizes printed on the needle -- no more hunting for a needle gauge! At the very bottom of the photo you can see the part of the KnitPicks needles that gave me such a fit -- the metal connector, from which the wooden needle spews forth. Notice that there is more than one connector there, which represents more than one occasion that I've had a problem with them. Sadly, this doesn't represent every occasion they have failed, only the ones I didn't replace, or re-glue.

So, what's my verdict (and please remember that these are MY opinions, your mileage may vary!)?
Well, first and foremost, the needle tips are blunter than some others you may find in the marketplace. That might be a real deal-breaker for many knitters -- I thought it might be for me, as I really enjoy knitting lacier stitches. However, while using them to knit a lacy shawlette (Haruni) I didn't find the blunt tips to be much of a problem for me. Hmmm, have I been poking holes in my fingers from sharp points all these years for no reason? Be aware of this though, should you decide to try them.
Next the cable -- LOVE, LOVE these! They are clear, and hollow tubes, and they are nicely flexible. NOTE: I only used the thinner cables, as I was using smaller sized needles. The joins seemed nice and smooth (and SECURE) and nothing untwisted or came apart from the metal connectors while in use. Now, granted this was one use, however, my problems with the other brand showed up (in every case) during my first use of the needles. So, on that score I have high hopes for this brand. Fingers crossed!

All in all, I was very pleased with this purchase. Yes, they are blunter than I would like, and that may prove to be a problem for some projects, but I think for most applications (the points) will be just fine. Cables are great, connection seems good, good range of sizes, decent price (although a bit higher than KnitPicks) -- so, well done Webs!

I'll repeat, these are my honest, no affiliation, opinions. Your experience may be different, and I'd love to hear other knitters experiences with these needles, so don't be shy about expressing your opinion if it differs from mine!

And speaking of Haruni --

Stats: Jojoland Melody, slightly over 3 balls.

The Lost Weekend

2010-02-14T20:13:00.006-05:00

No, not the Ray Milland kind (classic movie reference), but rather hours of knitting time spent on a cardigan front band that turned out to be Just Not Right. My own fault entirely, but painful nonetheless. So, instead of a photo of a completed Chic Knits Cassidy, how about a couple of little knits heretofor unseen?

Basket Whip Cowl, a free pattern from Classic Elite yarns. Knit in Frog Tree Hollow alpaca.

Or how about Chic Knits Mondo Cable Cap? Knit in Mountain Colors Mountain Goat (I 'think' -- the label is long since gone), Ruby River colorway.

There was much more to show, however in a fit of computer housekeeping I seem to have deleted those shots. Why is it I'm never compelled to do actual house housekeeping?

A Little Something Sweet

2009-12-22T13:04:00.003-05:00

For your consideration -- a tasty treat that shows up frequently on the Mingling Yarn holiday dessert table -- "Juanita's buttermilk pralines"
Recipe clipped from a Houston newspaper many years ago, "This is a no-fail easy recipe that withstands even Houston humidity with relative ease. The mixture is initially a creamy white; the sugar caramelizes and turns brown as it cooks. A food editor-tested recipe."

1 cup buttermilk
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, soda and salt in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, to the soft ball stage, 234 degrees F. The mixture will foam up in the pan during cooking, so be sure to use a large pan and stir constantly to prevent boiling over.
When candy thermometer registers 234 degrees F., remove pan from heat. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Beat until candy loses its gloss and begins to thicken. Working quickly, because it will turn sugary fast at this point, drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Lift paper up from counter/table surface as candy cools to prevent pralines' breaking or shattering.
NOTE: if you have a silicon baking sheet (Silpat is one brand), that works really well instead of waxed paper. Probably hadn't even been invented when this recipe was first written! And the "no fail" statement above? I'm fairly sure it refers to the candy never failing to set up in humid weather -- certainly a talented fool could find ways to make this not work -- like using a too small pan...who me?

Winter Wonderland, or buried alive?

2009-12-19T17:01:00.003-05:00

Hard to believe this is central Virginia in DECEMBER!

No postings lately, because most of my production is for holiday gifts. Hopefully they will be well received, and photos will be posted later. I've been having fun doing lots of smaller projects -- it's amazing how gratifying it is to have some finished items!

To all who celebrate anything at all this season -- HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Bits and bobs

2009-11-03T14:47:00.006-05:00

Little projects have ruled the day lately. Another pumpkin? Nope, it's Raspberry Beret from the Sept. 2009 issue of Crochet Today. Obviously not worked in any shade of raspberry, but rather in an eye-popping orange (Cascade Eco +). This one should be handy to let the local hunters know it's not a deer out for her morning stroll -- at least that's the plan. The very open stitches certainly won't provide a lot of warmth as the days turn colder, but if it keeps one arrow from zooming past my head...

The next little hat is from a ChicKnits pattern -- Shaker Rib Hat. It's quick and easy and toasty. I've previously knit one in Noro Kureyon, but this one is knit from some of my beginner handspun. The wool fiber is from a Cheviot sheep, and it's a natural, creamy white. The 2-ply yarn has all the "beginner spinner thick and thin" characteristics, but I think it works in the Shaker Rib stitch.

And lastly, the second wristwarmer (yes, the first one has been knit too!) from a pattern in a recent Piecework. The yarn is again a 2-ply handspun, this time in a fingering weight (and with fewer uneven bits!) from hand-dyed South African Fine fiber from The Vildish Twist etsy shop. The beautiful colors somewhat obscure the subtle lace patterning, but for me it's all about the orange love.

A Plethora of Pumpkins

2009-10-19T20:48:00.007-05:00

I like to try something new in the garden each year -- this year it was a double header of pumpkin and corn. I actually interplanted the corn rows with a couple of pumpkin vines in imitation of early Native American plantings. Strictly speaking I should have added pole beans to the mix, but I stuck with bush beans in their own short rows. If you've ever considered growing your own sweet corn, let me just say -- DO IT! Even though we only gave over a couple of rows to the corn it performed superbly. Delish! The pumpkins did just fine also, so now I'm searching out tasty ways to add them to our meals.

Of course there's the obvious -- pie, but it's also quite delicious simply oven roasted in a little olive oil with some minced garlic and seasonings. I've used it instead of carrots in a hearty split pea soup, and find it works well in a wide range of recipes -- who knew? Pumpkins, they're not just for Halloween anymore.

Our little spinning group has continued to experiment with natural dyeing, and I was lucky enough to stumble across some black walnuts along a nearby country road. Into the dyepot with the husks, and hopefully there will be enough nutmeats to flavor up a nice loaf of banana bread. The spouse did yeoman duty and separated the husks from the nuts for me, and sacrificed his hands in the process. Yes, he used gloves, but the wire brush he was using to clean the nuts simply shredded them.

Never fear, he has been rewarded with pie.

To Dye For --

2009-09-27T14:32:00.011-05:00

Recently a spinning group I belong to decided to try something a little different. Instead of our usual spinning sessions, we thought we'd try out some natural dyeing. The original intent was to use solar power to heat the dyebaths (this was in the height of summer), but that didn't work out so well when I gave it a go. Not to be denied, we turned instead to a grill, and a hotplate. We met at a member's home (thanks Susan!) and proceeded.

Some of us used our own handspun, some chose unspun fiber, and I, being unwilling to give up my handspun to possible disaster, used Lamb's Pride worsted -- a blend of 85% wool/15% mohair, color - creme.

Herewith, for your viewing pleasure, are my results -- (as always, you can click for bigger)

One of the books we used for how-to information was "Wild Color" by Jenny Dean. With one exception our mordanting was done with alum, which is fairly safe (just don't inhale!). I did try making my own copper mordant solution, however this is a toxic substance so you need to exert great care.

It's been fun so far -- you just never know exactly what you'll get from any dyepot. We still have some lichen "brewing", and hopefully some other plants will catch our eyes before we're done!

And I'm Back...

2009-09-17T20:10:00.007-05:00

There now, that was a nice, relaxing break, but prime knitting/crocheting weather is approaching and it's time to get serious.

While away, I discovered a fun new yarn -- Color Changing Cotton from Wolle . Want to see what I made? Sure you do! First up, is a cute little shawlette -- Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante.

And then, with the leftover yarn -- a decorative little scarf from a Japanese accessory crochet book.

See how the yarn slowly changes color? (As always, click on the photos for bigger.) It's four strands of cotton that has one strand changing color at regular intervals, for a mesmerizing effect. Well, possibly I'm easily mesmerized (!) but it is fun to watch the changes happen.

The original scarf went off to the big city with one of the daughters, but I liked the effect so much that I'm now working on one for myself. Normally I hate to repeat patterns, so you can understand just how much I've enjoyed working with this yarn.

There's more to come -- including Adventures in Natural Dyeing -- whereby I tear up my yard looking for good candidates for the dye pot, so y'all come back!

See You In September...

2009-06-22T20:23:00.003-05:00

There comes a time when you just need to step back from the blogging -- when it's a chore, instead of something you look forward to doing on a regular basis. I think I'm there.

I started writing this as a way to keep in touch with my good knitting friend back in New Jersey. We both had Webshots albums for sharing and showing off our projects, yarn, etc., but I tended to be a little wordier, so... Back then she was probably my only non-family visitor, and even as more folks started to drop by she remained the primary 'audience' for my ramblings. This past January, at much too young an age, Valerie lost her battle with breast cancer. I don't think you have to be a psych. major to connect the dots -- at any rate, I'll be taking a break, and hope to be back with renewed enthusiasm in the autumn.

In the meantime, here's the latest knitting project -- "Buttercup", a shrug from Kim Hargreaves. Back in the day, it was sold in kit form, although I don't think that Kim is marketing her designs that way anymore. In any event, it fit the recipient, and she appeared to like it. What more could you want?

Those who know me...

2009-06-02T16:35:00.005-05:00

...in real life, know that I am not a major fan of odocoileus virginianus. But, even I have to admit that this little fellow is cute --

(click for bigger)

He was resting in the meadow in front of our house -- I got about 2 feet away from him, and possibly could have gotten even closer, but I didn't want to stress him too much. I'll save the stress for his grown up, ornamental plant eating, poop leaving, tick hosting relatives.

Birthday Boy!

2009-05-24T15:22:00.008-05:00

Now I'm 3.

How about a little color inspiration from the garden?

Lavender blue --

Cherry red --

Or maybe some fresh green?

It's amazing how much happiness you can get from a handful of sweet cherries from your own tree!

A Hint of Pretty...

2009-05-23T12:46:00.002-05:00

Tilli Tomas "Pure and Simple" silk -- Arts & Crafts colorway. Feels delightful as it runs through my fingers! Project details to be revealed later -- it's for someone else.

A Rainy Day in MD

2009-05-02T17:12:00.015-05:00

It's sheep, it's wool, it's MD Sheep & Wool!

(As always, click on an image for bigger)

Despite the overcast skies and intermittent rain, someone's out there stimulating the yarn economy -- my, what a full bag you have before the 9 AM opening!

A little dampness won't stop those determined "Socks That Rock" folks from lining up (also pre-9 AM)!

A fine flock of fellows wait for judging to begin --

Wet alpaca -- not so light and fluffy now, eh?

Who can resist a bunch of frisky kids?

There's always a black sheep in every group --

Awww, how cute are they?

And finally, for Brenda, who asked me to bring back a bunny -- here's a bunch!

Swag? Not too much. I went with no real shopping list in mind, and decided that I would not buy anything that was already in the stash. This limited me rather severely, but I did manage to find some super soft yak yarn. I'm hoping I have enough of the laceweight yarn to make a little lacy something for around the neck. It's naturally colored dark brown, so doesn't photograph very well, so use your imaginations! Besides, softness is it's calling card, and that photographs not at all. Add in some goat's milk soap, some local honey and a tomato plant, and you'd hardly know I was at a fiber festival. The long-suffering (in the souvenir tote bag/tee shirt line) spouse graciously shared some of his super delish funnel cake (it's his yearly bribe) so life -- in the rain -- was good.

Spring Fever...

2009-04-24T19:49:00.004-05:00

...at least that's my excuse for not posting much lately.

But here's a cute little number from the talented Doris Chan -- just right for those "still a little cool" days or nights right about now.

The pattern is free at the Caron International site (sorry, you'll have to use those Google skills -- I'm too lazy to make a link!). I lengthened it just a bit (9 rows) and left off the deep lace trim around the sleeve edge, replacing it with a simple scalloped trim.

Button Up!

2009-04-14T12:28:00.004-05:00

Just in time for spring -- a cute little necklace that will add a pop of color to casual tees -- and what better material for a sewist to use than buttons?

I happened to see this little project while catching up on some sewing blogs. Directions are available at Craft Stylish, "Make a Button Link Necklace..." by Susan Beal. It's quick and easy, and not too expensive -- most of us probably have the buttons on hand already! Add some split rings (in two sizes) a small amount of chain and a fastener and you'll have a cute little necklace. It's not Bulgari, but who needs that heavy stuff in the Spring!

And for something completely different -- how about a dog on a rug? See how nicely he blends with the decor?

A shorter Yank...

2009-04-08T12:03:00.005-05:00

...perhaps a Yank(ette)?

Another design from the creative mind of Bonne Marie Burns of Chic Knits . This one is from the book "Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines" rather than her web store.

Stats -- yarn: Gjestal Naturgarn, a long-ago purchase from Elann. needles: size 8 and 9 size: custom Modifications: yarn used is heavier than the one called for in the pattern, so numbers were re-worked to reflect gauge change. Shortened in length to make it more of a jacket, rather than a coat.

Color me pleased.

That's Sew Odd...

2009-03-31T16:17:00.004-05:00

I was browsing the patterns at our local JoAnn's, and came across a little top with a cute ruffle detail (which probably isn't showing up in my lousy photo!). Bought it, took it home, opened up the envelope and discovered -- I had the paper pattern for the pattern I bought, but the instruction sheet was for another pattern entirely. First time that's ever happened to me -- anyone else?

I probably could have stitched the top without instructions, but I really wanted to know how that ruffle was done, so the next day, back to the store I went. After explaining my problem to the clerk, we went back to the pattern display to see if they had another copy. They did, but when we opened that one up -- same problem -- I'm guessing this particular pattern was produced the day after a major drinking holiday! At any rate, the store clerk having no further clues as to how to help, I sent off an email to the pattern company. Imagine my surprise when I got a response the very next day! It was no big deal for them to fax a copy of the instructions to me -- hmmm, wonder if they've done that before? So, props to Alicia at Simplicity patterns (parent company of New Look) for helping out this sew-ist!

Sandrine...

2009-03-21T15:05:00.006-05:00

...who made her debut (last week) on someone else's blog actually.

Stats: Sandrine by Bonne Marie Burns of Chic Knits. Yarn is Rowan Lenpur Linen, color blanche. Sleeves were shortened from the original design.

Currently on the needles --

This one is also a Bonne Marie design -- can you tell I'm a fan? Not sold on the website though -- this one's from the book Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines. It's knit from Gjestal Naturgarn, which is knitting to a larger gauge than the called for yarn, so a little math is being done. I'm also shortening the jacket's length by a bit. It seems a little strange to be knitting with a heavy wool now that spring is finally here, but I'm thinking I'll be just a little ahead of the game come autumn!

And just to show a little crochet love --

Gotta love those Koigu leftovers! Pattern is from Interweave Crochet.

2009-03-17T19:23:00.003-05:00

Thank you, Beverly, and thanks for the tutorial on how to actually post this!

As always, there are rules, and here they are:

Copy the award to your site.
Link to the person from whom you received the award.
Nominate 8 other bloggers.
Link to these on your blog.
Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.

Well, it seems that most of my regular blog reads have received this, so I'm going to have to go with only 1 nomination. And that would be Vilde, who is a talented knitter, spinner, dyer, and all-round lovely person!

Sigh...

2009-03-13T19:15:00.004-05:00

And to update my last post -- I did call the retailer about the problem needles and cable. I spoke with a polite and helpful customer representative, and replacements are winging their way to me as we speak. Since I publicly vented about my frustration with the needles/cable, it's only fair to mention this top-notch customer service. I'm sure I will still feel nervous about those cables, but hopefully I won't have the same breakage as before.

ARRRRGH!

2009-03-05T16:15:00.005-05:00

So, I'm knitting along with a very splitty yarn (Rowan lenpur linen) on 200+ stitches on a long (about 36") circular needle when suddenly I hear a "pop" and I find myself holding a needle tip and the cable is heading south with quite a few stitches merrily escaping. (Insert your favorite curse right here)

I can't express how sad I was at that moment. Splitty, slippery stitches falling hither and yon. A deep breath, another muttered curse, and slowly I recaptured the errant stitches and managed to fix several runs.

Sadder still was the realization that I could no longer trust these needles. I mean really -- the cable breaks (or pops out -- I really can't tell) the first time I use it? Not good, not good at all. And this was after having to super glue the wooden needle tip into its metal connector before I even started the project. Totally unrelated problems by the way -- this is an interchangeable needle set -- the cables are sold separately from the needle tips. So, first time use of the needles AND the cable and both have a problem. I had such high hopes for these needles -- such nice pointy tips, such a lovely flexible cable, such a reasonable price! I've heard the retailer is good about returns, but frankly I don't want to spend the postage to send them back only to receive a replacement that may also go the same way. Really, how can you trust them once they've strayed?

On a happier note, the Slinky Ribs top has found its way to Charlestown, MA -- give a little wave if you see it passing by this spring. I really hope it fits its intended recipient (victim?) because it's a cute little top. Stats: Silky Wool by Elsebeth Lavold, from the book Custom Knits.

2009-02-23T16:22:00.004-05:00

Doesn't this just make you want to smile?

Stats: hand spun yarn from South African Fine top. Colorway: autumn Purchased from The Vildish Twist on Etsy. Spun to about a fingering/sport weight on a Schacht/Reeves wheel. Room for improvement in evenness, but I'm quite pleased with the results.

Just because he's cute

2009-02-06T09:44:00.002-05:00

Monty posing (reluctantly) in his new sweater. Knit in Noro Kureyon recycled from a previous Fashion Disaster (a poncho -- what was I smoking???).

Jewel

2009-02-05T22:40:00.003-05:00

Another little project from Everyday Crochet by Doris Chan. Stats: Valley yarn Longmeadow - 60% cotton/40% microfiber acrylic. Size I crochet hook.

It has taken me a while to get used to the directions in the pattern. There is a lot of flipping back and forth necessary, which makes it hard to know what you need to do next (at least for me). However, after working a couple of patterns from the book I feel that I have a handle on Doris' methods -- well worth the effort needed, I think.

"Isn't She Lovely...?"

2009-01-12T16:32:00.007-05:00

Stats: Schacht-Reeves 30" Saxony, cherry wood, double-drive, double treadle.
And thanks to spinning pal Margaret (who spent considerable time getting her up and running, because I am an idiot who could not properly thread the drive band) I am now able to produce some fairly nice yarn on her --

(Hand dyed roving from The Vildish Twist, Etsy)

And there's finished knitting too!

What's that you ask? Three mittens? Perhaps I should say I decided to knit a spare for that inevitable time when one goes missing, but the truth is my first effort in finishing up the pair resulted in two LEFT mittens. Ouch, that hurt! So, I knit a third. What's that you say? It's not the same color as the first two? Why no, no it's not. For some reason the idea of knitting a third mitten exactly the same as the other two (well, except for that thumb thing) made that little forehead vein start to throb, so I decided to make the third in the colors that came up next in the Kauni yarn (which has l-o-n-g color runs, for those who have not yet seen it).

See, the cuff of the third mitten picks up from the color on the tip of the second. Wild and crazy, free-spirited, right? Or maybe just nuts, but a fourth mitten is not in my immediate future.

What?...

2009-01-02T15:04:00.004-05:00

...You didn't think it would be a sweater, did you?

I really don't do a lot of household type knitting (or crocheting) but I was leafing through Mason Dixon's Knitting Outside the Lines and saw this knitted towel. Now, I wash my hands quite a lot while cooking, and hesitate to use the same towel I use for dishes (cross contamination) or paper towels (expense, eco-unfriendly) for hand drying, so this little items seemed a good solution for my dilemma. Small size, sufficiently different from the dish towel to avoid "which one do I use" confusion, and quick to make. Problem solved!

And speaking of Knitting Outside the Lines -- I bought the book solely for the pea coat pattern (Yank) by Bonne Marie Burns. I'd really like to knit that one -- maybe a bit shorter than shown. Since I have no yarn that will suit (I know, I can't believe it either) it will have to wait a bit.

Meanwhile, there's a construction job to finish. Here's a peek:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2009-01-01T12:11:00.001-05:00

What will be the first FO (finished object) of the new year?

Estes vest

2008-12-25T16:24:00.003-05:00

Pattern from Interweave Knits Fall 2008 -- knit in Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky, some trim in Lamb's Pride Worsted. Knitting a heavily cabled garment in bulky yarn reminded me just how much I LOVE working with finer weight yarns!

1/2 a FO...

2008-12-10T15:26:00.007-05:00

...is better than none.

It seems a shame that such a lovely little object isn't a finished project, but there you go -- unless you're Captain Hook it isn't done until there are two. The pattern is Hippocampus from the online magazine The Inside Loop. The yarn is Kauni Effekt, in colors EQ (rainbow) and ES (denim).

And the reverse side --

Also finished is one Noro Silk Garden scarf, which was so fun to watch as the colors developed, that I cast on another (pour moi!).

Obviously, some of us are too easily amused!

Soup's On!

2008-12-07T16:11:00.008-05:00

So, I was out in the garden a week or so ago, and noticed the Swiss chard was still looking good despite some frigid temperatures. Seemed a shame not to use it for something, so I cut a bunch and headed back to the kitchen.

I might have sauteed it in some olive oil with a bit of the home-grown garlic, but the chilly weather, plus a persistent cough, called for a nice pot of soup.

If you, like me, could live quite happily eating soup almost every day, perhaps you'll like this recipe too. I've adapted it from "American Whole Foods Cuisine" by Nikki and David Goldbeck. Quantities can be doubled if you need a larger amount -- since I'm cooking for just the two of us I like making this smaller amount -- enough for some leftovers, but you won't be facing it forever!

Lentil Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked over
vegetable broth and water, to equal 5 cups*
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 cups fresh chard, spinach or other leafy green, shredded -- You can substitute 1 cup frozen chopped spinach if fresh is not available
1/2 cup small, dried pasta, such as riso, or tubetini -- whole wheat is nice, if available
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
salt, to taste (I start with 1 teaspoon)
ground pepper, to taste

In a large soup pot, heat oil and saute vegetables and bay leaf until slightly softened.

Add rinsed lentils, liquids, tomato paste, and bring to a gentle boil -- then lower heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Add shredded greens, pasta and salt. Cover, and continue to simmer for an additional 15 minutes or so. Lentils should be tender, and pasta cooked. Add additional liquid if soup appears too dry, but be aware that this should be a thick soup.

Stir in vinegar, and adjust salt/pepper seasonings, if needed. Serve, and enjoy.

*You could, of course, use only water, but flavor will be richer and deeper if you use broth for some of the liquid. I generally use 1 can of College Inn Vegetable broth added to the water to equal 5 cups.

Whoa! ...

2008-11-23T20:47:00.008-05:00

...What happened to November?

Am I the only one who has fallen into a time accelerating black hole? Of course, several weeks were spent dealing with The-Cough-That-Would-NOT-Go-Away, but even so, how can it be almost the end of November?

So, how about a little jolt of color to bring us back to speed?

The yarn: Noro Silk Garden The pattern: the rage of blogland and Ravelry, Noro Striped Scarf from Brooklyn Tweed. It's absolutely amazing how 39 stitches in K1P1 rib can be so entertaining.

Biltmore

2008-10-29T11:25:00.004-05:00

So, we took a little jaunt down to Asheville, NC -- lovely area, you'd think I would have brought a camera, yes? Well, no, so you'll just have to imagine your own lovely place. One of the things we did (naturally) was tour Biltmore Estate, which bills itself as "America's Largest Home" -- although if no one lives there, is it really a home? But I digress. It's large, it's impressive, and filled with the sort of things you'd expect the ultra-wealthy of 1895 to have in their homes, but all I could think about? The only place in the entire pile that had decent light for stitching was the massive, cold, stone staircase! How did they manage? Even on a bright, sunny day with the home's lights on it was so dark -- thank goodness for today's abundant natural light and full-spectrum lighting!

The spouse came back with a nasty, brutish cold, which he graciously shared with me, so only little projects to spotlight. I did manage to finish the Selbu Modern beret, and what an attractive little hat it is. Worked in Koigu PPM/PPPM it was a nice re-introduction to 2-color knitting for me. The pattern was available free from Rosie's Yarn Cellar -- not sure if it was for a limited time only, or if it's still there, but poke around if you're interested.

I still need some work on properly controlling tension once the work leaves the circular needle and is on dpn's, but it's quite attractive nonetheless. Color me pleased! Hopefully, this is a practice run for the long marinating Starmore vest.

The car trip knitting was (no surprise) some socks -- and won't those colors brighten up a winter's day?

Caution: Crossed Fingers Are No Substitute...

2008-10-19T13:28:00.003-05:00

...for washing that gauge swatch! How sad to finish a project for someone else and find that it doesn't comfortably fit the recipient. And doubly sad because part of the problem was a length gauge change after washing the completed garment -- totally avoidable, and I'm smacking myself for not taking the time to pre-treat the swatch.

The pattern is the Basic Chic Hoodie from Chic Knits, and it's a good one -- no problems at all with the pattern. The yarn, however, is a bit of a different story. I used the Peruvian Highland worsted from Elann. I've used it before, with no ill effects, but this batch seemed to me to be loosely plied and more subject to pilling. So shame on me for using my unwashed swatch for gauge -- it's a hard lesson to learn, but maybe someone else out there will benefit from my mistake. For what it's worth, this would probably be a very good yarn for felting. I'm not going to suggest avoiding the yarn, because this screw up is squarely on my head, but please take the time to wash your swatch (and you do swatch, right?) so that you'll know better what type of fabric you're going to get before you invest all your time in making a garment.

So, pick yourself up, dust yourself off...

Sock-A-Palooza

2008-10-05T15:25:00.009-05:00

I've finished a lot of pairs of socks, but I rarely knit them as pairs. Huh?? What I mean is, like lots of other knitters, I get just a bit bored with the project after that first sock is completed. There's even a fancy name for the condition -- second sock syndrome.

The cure -- for me -- has been to just toss aside that first sock and go on to something new. Others try knitting two socks at the same time, or playing mind games like knitting the second sock first (you may need to think about that one for a bit).

For me though 'knit and run' works fairly well. On the plus side, I don't get impatient to be done, and when a few singletons are completed I end up with several pairs -- like now, just finished 3 single socks and now have 3 pairs -- woo hoo, like magic! I know, I know, I'm simply playing a mind game of a different sort, but whatever works... Of course, if there's a plus side, there's also a minus. One of the big ones is actually remembering any pattern tweaks or changes when that second sock inspires renewed interest. If I were organized, I'd keep a notebook, but since I'm not (and don't) I have to rely on the shreds of a once-proud memory -- and feet that aren't exactly the same size anyway!

And so, a gallery of finished pairs --

Up first, Waving Lace Socks by Evelyn Clark, from "Favorite Socks" by Interweave. This one got delayed not due to lack of interest, but because I misplaced the yarn -- yes, perhaps I do have too many project bags. Yarn is fingering-weight hand-dyed merino from The Yarn Yard. I love the soft greens.

Next is a mock cabled rib knit in Apple Laine's Apple Pie sock yarn -- absolutely lovely stuff, and I think this will be a toasty, warm fiber combo (65%merino/20%kid mohair/10%nylon/5%silk).

And, at last, the partner for Rock Creek Yarn Company's (formerly) Simply Sock Yarn (now Super Soft Sock Yarn) "Koi Pond". You all know I'm a fool for orange, and this colorway is aptly named. I can see those fish flashing through the water and pond vegetation, can't you?

There's been bigger knitting going on too, but that's a project for someone else, and won't be making an appearance here until it's in the hands of its intended recipient. Fingers crossed that it will fit!

A bit of success...

2008-09-20T15:24:00.007-05:00

...was achieved this summer making casual tops from patterns created from ready-to-wear items, but now it's time to up the ante -- slacks.

I chose a simple pair of J.Jill slacks whose fit works well for me. Let's hope their simplicity will give me a better chance at success.

As mentioned previously, I decided to try taping off the pattern pieces instead of tracing them. No pockets, no lining, not even a separate waistband, so it's just 2 pattern pieces -- a front and a back. The flat areas (lower legs) are simple. The tape is placed around the entire outline of each piece, and then filled in with overlapping layers. The real challenge comes from the non-flat, darted hip/waist area. This needs to be done with the shape filled in -- preferably while being worn inside out. Darts (there are two on each piece) are taped over, with each apex marked. After removing the taped shape from the garment, the darted area is cut from the center down to the marked apex. When the taped piece is affixed to a flat paper the slits will open up (hopefully!) to proper dart width. It was a real pain to get the taped shape from the garment to the paper -- remember wrestling with adhesive paper when lining shelves? -- but here's what I ended up with:

That's the front piece, and I think you can see how the darts opened up in a closer shot:

Because it seems to me that this method might result in slight shrinkage as far as size goes, you'll note I've given myself wide 1" (2.5 cm)seam allowances. I'll baste fit and make adjustments as needed.

The original slacks are made from a sueded poly/Lycra blend. I am testing in a denim/Lycra blend -- hopefully I'll be able to get a clear idea of the fit by using another stretch woven, although the original fabric has more drape. I'm thinking a stable knit might have worked as a test fabric, but you go with what you have.

Sew, will this work out? Or will it be yet another "wadder"? Stay tuned...

You spin me right round...

2008-09-04T18:22:00.007-05:00

So, a couple of years back I decided it might be fun to learn to spin. Took a couple of lessons, and bought a nice little wheel (Majacraft Suzie). Then, as sometimes happens, life intervened and the spinning took a back seat to other things. Lately, the urge has returned, and I've been taking baby steps back into the wonderful world of hand spun. I wasn't that proficient when I stopped, and I'm certainly no better with such a long layoff, but by turning to the spinning newbie's best friend -- that would be Blue-Faced Leicester roving -- I managed to produce some passable yarn. But what to do with it?

Now, in the past, yarn produced generally went right into the stash, with no thought given to any particular project. Since my initial goal was to sample many different types (sheep breeds) of wool, that wasn't surprising -- not too much you can do with many little 50 g. skeins of wildly different yarns. But now I'd really like to concentrate on actually making something from the spun yarn, so I set about swatching.

My first thought was a lacy scarf, and so I turned to "Zen and the Art of Stash Diving" from Crochet Me on-line magazine. I really liked how that pattern was developing, but quickly realized that I wouldn't have nearly enough yarn to make a scarf of the length I wanted. Rip-it!

Sometimes inspiration comes at you in a blinding flash, but usually I experience it as a slap upside the head -- why not make the pattern that most folks are coming to the blog to get -- "Could It Be Any Easier?" neck cozy. And so I did.

The roving is hand-dyed from the folks at Sakina Needles, and purchased through The Loopy Ewe. Colorway is "Mango", and fiber is Blue-Faced Leicester (BFL). Spun to (roughly) a worsted weight yarn, it's soft and absolutely delightful. Won't that be a nice pop of color for those grey winter days?

And since I still would really like a "Zen, etc." scarf, I started one of those in some hand-dyed yarn I picked up at Maryland Sheep & Wool this year. It's 55% mohair, 45% merino dyed with natural ingredients (osage, madder and cutch) by Juanita Breidenbaugh (who doesn't appear to have a website). Pretty, yes?

Last Gasp of Summer Tee

2008-09-01T16:20:00.004-05:00

It's late, summer's almost done, and I should be thinking of autumn wearables, but I just couldn't resist one more summer tee. The fabric is a rayon/Lycra blend from Emma One Sock. I'm late to the party as far as working with rayon knits, but once I discovered them I haven't looked back. They are lighter than cotton, and to my mind seem just a bit dressier -- not that they're fussy -- just a bit more refined for those times you want to look a little more polished.

This was another of my 'traced from ready-to-wear' instead of sewn from a commercial pattern. It's a nice technique for duplicating simple styles -- not sure I'd try it with anything too intricate, but it's ideal for tanks and tees. Basically I just fold each garment segment in half, line it up along a line on my 1" graphed paper and carefully trace around each piece, smoothing things out where needed. After I finish my half tracing of each piece I make any adjustments I think I need -- for example, the RTW top had a too wide neckline which I corrected on my pattern pieces -- then I add seam allowances and hem allowances where needed. Voila, a pattern piece. I generally use self binding on necklines, and often on sleeve edges, so for those pieces I just cut strips in the width I need across the total width of my fabric with a handy-dandy rotary cutter. So simple.

Of course, the value of this method depends on you actually having a RTW item that you like and that fits with only minor adjustment, but if you do, I highly recommend trying it.

I'm hoping to duplicate a favorite pair of slacks from J.Jill next. This time though, I'm going to attempt a pattern steal by using painter's tape to shape each pattern piece. I'll be following tips in an article from the Fall 2008 issue of SewStylish magazine, which itself is an extract of an article from Issue 120 of Threads magazine. They are a no-pocket, side zip, faced waist (i.e., no waistband) style, so they should be a good candidate for this -- we'll see!

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood..."

2008-08-27T13:01:00.003-05:00

Sunny skies, balmy breezes, puffy clouds? No, RAIN -- glorious, blessed rain! We've had no moisture in August until now, and the parched red clay soil was beginning to crack. You can almost hear it sighing with relief -- here's hoping there is more in store.

On the knitting front, one toe-up, gusseted sock is done, and here's what I've learned: 1)Although a 200 yard skein of fingering weight yarn is slightly less than I usually work with, it is entirely sufficient for socks with the leg length I prefer, and the foot length I need. Ergo, no need to knit toe up again for myself (well, except for the mate to this one!) unless I want to -- which I probably don't. Longer or wider socks, even less yardage -- OK, I'll do it then, but I have discovered that I really prefer knitting top down. The whole time I was knitting this I felt like I was twirling backwards!
2)It is possible to have a bound off edge that is stretchy enough to pull over my high-arched foot and feel comfortable around the leg.
I used this one: Work first two stitches in pattern. *Return these two stitches to the left needle, then knit them together through the back loop. Work the next stitch in pattern, and then repeat from the *. The last stitch leaves a bit higher gap, so take care in attaching it to the beginning when you're done, but there you have it. You'll notice in the photo (click for bigger, if needed) that the top of the sock is ruffled looking when off the foot. This disappears when worn, but may not be due to the bind off alone. I also worked the final few rows (4?) of the leg in garter stitch. And with bigger needles. Yes I know -- excessive, but then I'm a "belt and suspenders" kind of a girl. ("Belt and braces" to UK speakers, although maybe that's not a familiar colloquial expression for you anyway.) At any rate, it worked for me, although if I do another pair I'll try it without the garter stitch, but still using larger needles.

So, I'm calling exercise in toe-up a success.* Now, what's the next challenge?
*Fear not, that second sock will get knit at some point. We will leave no sock behind -- sometimes it just takes a while!

Create-Your-Own Clever Post Title

2008-08-11T19:33:00.002-05:00

This has actually been finished for a while, but I tend to procrastinate about sewing on buttons. The spouse never understands how I can spend hours in the sewing room and yet never get around to replacing his shirt buttons, but what can I say? -- I don't like sewing on buttons.

I think I've mentioned the basics before, but here's the specs: Pattern from a Japanese knit/crochet book (Let's Knit Spring/Summer 2008), up-sized (in width) by using a slighter heavier yarn (Elann Camila). Fewer pattern repeats needed for the length. Set-in sleeves, tunic length with vent opening at bottom sides. I made a wider neckband than called for and left off the final row of crab stitch (reverse sc) from the edging. Other than that, I hewed to the pattern charts. I absolutely love the attention to detail in Japanese patterns -- such as the slanted shoulder shaping (done with stitches of varying heights). All in all, I'm pleased with this -- wonder if I'll be able to wear it this season, or will it have to wait for the spring?

Even though we have weeks of hot weather ahead thoughts are turning to autumn knits. I'm thinking of Véronik Avery's cardigan in Vogue Knitting (blanking on the name -- Forestry maybe?) -- love the collar shaping. Or maybe it's time to crank up the Falkenberg Express? Time will tell!

Topsy-turvy toes

2008-08-10T15:06:00.004-05:00

So, a knitter walks into a Panera...

Nope, not the start of a joke, but rather what I did a couple of weeks ago -- I finally got around to attending a Knit Night at a local restaurant. I have really missed the camaraderie of a knitting group since moving and leaving my former knitting guild behind, but somehow never made it to the local S&B. It was a nice change to attend a purely social group, although the restaurant setting seemed a bit odd at first. I hope to be able to go again, but it's fairly far away, and with gas prices as they are...

In any event, the fun part of a knitting get together is seeing what everyone is working on. I noticed one knitter working on socks in a yarn I hadn't heard of before -- Rock Creek Yarn. The colors were fabulous, so naturally when I got home I did a little Internet search, which lead me to their Simply Sock yarn in the Koi Pond colorway.

When the yarn arrived, I noticed it has a bit less yardage than the sock yarns I've been using lately. Seemed like a sign that I needed to finally try a toe-up sock, to maximize yardage. I've shied away from that method in the past, figuring that my usual top down socks worked well, so why tamper with success? But a little change can be a good thing, so I started a pair of Fingering weight Toe-Up Gusset Heel Socks -- a free pattern available from Wendy Knits. Just click on the link at the top of her home page for a very nice selection of patterns.

So far they seem to be working out just fine. The true test of a good fit will come when I actually wear them, but I'm optimistic. And here's the heel:

I'm not always a big fan of color flashing and striping, but somehow it seems to work with this combination. Can't you just picture a koi swimming through the pond plants?