Full On Norma Desmond

Well, it was bound to happen. After making (and wearing) wide, turban-style headbands it was only a matter of time until I tried the full turban.

Thinking it would be too artsy or costume-y looking made me pause, but at the end of the day I decided I just didn't care. My hair, my hair cover up. Anyway, who was going to see it and roll their eyes -- my family? Ha! Bring it people -- moms have their own deep wells of embarrassing childhood moments which could be easily retrieved to counter any snarks or snickers. If one were so inclined, of course.

At any rate, the pattern is Surimani by Opian available on Etsy or The Foldline and is listed as suitable for stretch or woven fabric. Two sizes available, with instructions in French and English. I used a large scrap of Art Gallery cotton/Lycra jersey to make my toile and made it up in the smaller size, figuring the fabric would stretch if needed. If memory serves (and it often doesn't) the finished sizes were 56 and 60cm -- translated to American -- about 22.04" and 23.6".

And the result? Not bad at all, in fact, kind of fun. It's comfortable to wear in a cotton jersey -- not too heavy or constricting -- not much more "head feel" than a wide headband. Added warmth might be a factor for some -- temperatures here are currently running in the high 80's, low 90's with heavy humidity (31+C to 32+C to the rest of the world), but I don't plan on being out in that anyway.  I like it worn back a bit on the head and with some hair showing around the face, but with the back hair tucked away.

The pattern itself is 6 pages in PDF format, but only 4 pages need to be taped together. Instructions are brief, but this is a fairly simple design so that shouldn't be an issue. It was a little unclear to me exactly where the back pleats should be started up from the band, but checking  a back view photo (on Etsy) gave me a good idea. I'm not sure how critical that is anyway. My only deviation from the instructions was to fused down the serged edges of the front opening to the inside of the turban so they wouldn't peek out when worn. I also tacked the small band (part C, called a "bow") to the seam allowance of the band so the seam of the "bow" wouldn't migrate out to the public side. 

Battling lassitude

Lassitude: a state of physical or mental weariness, lack of energy, lethargy.

It’s been a stressful few months for most of us, and creativity (for me) has dropped. Ironic, yes?  Time enough to make, and no real desire to do so. But lassitude feeds on itself and grows stronger with inaction, so, what to do? Here’s what I’ve tried to bring back some joy in the sewing room.

Just begin. A variant on the “Just Do It” ad I suppose, but without the pressure of a completed project. Just make a start — no deadline. One small step. I just finished a simple tee — it took me 4 days for something that would normally be a morning’s work. No matter, it got done.

Think small. Maybe now is not the time (for me) to embark on that tiny needles, thin yarn sweater. For some it might bring on a comforting, soothing meditative state, but for me it’s just another endless task. A lacy cowl, a cabled hat though — small, still interesting, do-able.

Rely on your “Tried & True”. Take comfort in the patterns you know work well for you. Give yourself every chance for a successful outcome. It may be “just a tee shirt”, but how much more satisfying than yet another “wadder”.

But don’t avoid the new if you can set aside that need for perfection. Just sample different stitches or techniques — play. Some things work, some things don’t. If they don’t please you not much is lost. If they do — a small creative spark!

These are things that have helped me fight against the hopelessness of “Why bother making?” A small thing in the larger picture of life in 2020, but I’ll take hope where I can find it.

Hair in the Time of Social Distancing

In the greater scheme of things the state of one's hair is extremely far down the list of current worries. Still, it's another small thing that adds to the malaise of 2020, so here's how I've been coping with that -- headbands.

I was last in a hair salon a few days before lockdown and closings.  I decided to get a new style -- a not quite pixie, but very short cut.  Good planning? Well, no. This was the sort of style that looks good when it's well maintained and trimmed frequently. The sort of style that often grows out -- oddly. 

No sense crying over something that temporarily can't be fixed, so let's go to a backup plan -- cover that mess! I considered a full-on turban, but then decided to ease into the style with a turban-like headband.  You can, of course, purchase a million different kinds online, but makers gotta make.

I have quite a lot of knit scraps that I fully intend to turn into - something? - in the future, so here was a good chance to get rid of a few. I looked at several tutorials, and ended up using the one from Dina's Daughter.  That link will take you to a measurement chart, and a further link to her YouTube tutorial. I used some leftover Art Gallery jersey and ended up with this:

Very comfortable to wear, and that particular fabric has plenty of "snap back".  Luckily it's also my favorite fabric for cotton tees, so plenty of scraps to choose from.

















Recently however I ran across a pattern for a woven fabric headband and decided to give it a try.  The tutorial is from Sew DIY - sorry, no direct link as Blogger takes me to the home page instead of to the tutorial despite typing the loooong address of the tutorial - which is sewdiy.com/blog/ulalouise.com/2013/07/diy-tutorial-turban-headband - but if all else fails - Google? It is apparently a knock off of an Anthropologie headband - the tutorial is from 2013, but the headbands are still being sold (if that matters to anyone). I can't say the tutorial is very clearly written, but it suffices - and my version looks like this:

Hmmm, I seem to like navy/white stripes, don't I?

Overall, I much prefer the knit version.  Because a headband needs to stretch, and woven fabric doesn't (much) any woven band will need to have elastic added to provide the stretch - and elastic will need to be covered by slightly gathered fabric. This adds an extra 'lump' to the back of your head, especially if your hair, like mine, is not luxuriously long - even if your fabric is quite thin.  So, while I love the fabric, and it looks good from the front - I can really live without that extra head lump! 

So, for now, my growing out hair will continue to be 'styled' with bands. Although in our locale the salons are re-opened, I won't be rushing off until things are more settled. Given the Metro area prices we pay I'd really like to not have my stylist working around required face masks when she's doing her precision cutting. Just me -- your mileage may vary.

Some fabric therapy...

...and a fabric disappointment.

It seems foolish to order fabric when you aren't sewing all that much, but hopefully that will change and nothing lifts the spirits like some fresh, pretty yardage.

First up -- some Telio Viscose Challis -- and how cheerful are lemons on a striped background?

I haven't used this particular challis before, and although it seems a bit thinner than my usual "go to" I think it will work quite well for a breezy peasant top. I'm thinking of Style Arc Anita and I'm hoping to find (or make?) some yellow tassels for the neck ties.















Because it is so lovely to work with, I indulged in some more of my favorite rayon challis --Cotton + Steel Rifle Paper Co. -- this particular pattern is "Wonderland".

It could be considered a bit whimsical -- with the Alice in Wonderland patterns -- but I don't think it jumps out at you.  Besides, what's wrong with a little whimsy these days?

Right now I'm planning to make a Loes Hinse Rochelle
but switching out the sleeve for a 3/4 length bishop sleeve.

This is a simple, classic pattern, but I like its floaty fit in a drapy rayon.








And lastly, a bit of a splurge --  Liberty Fabrics silk crepe "Marbelle Hall".

This was on clearance at Fabric.com for (not quite) 50% off, so why not? It is an absolutely lovely piece of silk and the pattern is not quite as twee as Liberty's ditsy flowers. Still pondering on the best pattern to use for this piece.

And now for disappointment:  I purchased some embroidered chambray to make a light summer dress -- Style Arc Lacey 

Doesn't look too bad from a distance, right?  The pattern itself is a good one for the type of everyday summer dress I was looking for. I lengthened the bodice by a bit (it's still above natural waist as the designer intended), and shortened the sleeves by an inch. I also used self-made bias binding on the neck instead of facings for no other reason than that's what I prefer.  So, no problems at all with the pattern.

The problem occurred when I took a close look at the embroidery.  What I had seen and assumed were French knots were in fact loose stitches. The embroidery is done entirely in chain stitches.  Chain stitching itself is not the issue, but the haphazard way it was fastened off is.  If you've ever unzipped a pet food bag you know that once you've pulled on the right end the stitching flies off.  

The yellow loops at the far left are loose stitches.  I've tried to fix the worst of them (and there are many motifs with this issue), but there's only so much you can do. So, I'm not really sure how long this will hold up -- there's no way a summer cotton isn't going to need to be laundered at some point. Sigh.  It even got a compliment from Mr. Mingling Yarn when I first modeled it.  Double sigh.

A little nosh

Taking some time off from downloading videos to indulge in a new food interest -- fermenting.

I've started out with giardiniera, an Italian vegetable pickle.  I think the original may be a vinegar based pickle, but I'm using the lacto-fermentation method that develops food rich in probiotics. I've followed the guidelines from Fermenting for Foodies as far as salt/water ratio, but used an assortment of veggies on hand instead of their exact recipe.

The red color of the brine is due to red onion and purple cauliflower -- eat the rainbow! I make it in small batches, as Mr. Mingling Yarn is the primary pickled food eater. That's a one quart, wide-mouthed canning jar with a fermentation lid. I invested in a fermentation kit from Year of Plenty  This is the third batch, and it has been well received.

Also being made is yogurt, along with cultured buttermilk. We've been trying various strains of cultures for the yogurt (from New England Cheese Making Supply Co. mostly) and so far Bulgarian seems to be the Mr.'s favorite and Creamy is mine. Actually, it's all delicious! Being able to make buttermilk as needed has been a great help. I really like using it in various bread recipes and it isn't always readily available in the full-fat version that we prefer.

I use a simple non-electric yogurt maker, which is basically a mason jar in a vacuum container.  Years ago I tried various electric yogurt makers (with little individual jars) and results were varied. So far results making one large batch (1 quart in our case) has been overwhelmingly successful -- coincidence, or are big batches somehow better?? One of my daughters uses a similar system but with a styrofoam container for the jar to keep things insulated -- mine is a stainless steel insulated container.  

It's not all healthy food though -- 

Easy Sugar Cookies from the Dessert For Two website of Christina Lane.  Plenty of tasty recipes (not just dessert) in small quantities. Yum!

Clubbing

Yarn clubbing, that is.  Every once in a while I get the urge to try something new, and I'll join a yarn club.  I'm generally very particular about what I like to knit, and what yarn I use, but it's fun to mix it up at times. My latest venture into the yarn unknown was the Knit Spot Bare Naked Wools Club 2020. Three installments -- from the website -- "Each one includes a 4 0z. skein of natural, undyed yarn and exclusive patterns by Ann Hanson..."

What I also enjoy about yarn clubs is that the projects are usually interesting, but small enough to provide entertainment without a lifetime commitment.  The first mailing was a skein of Friesian DK -- which is a sheep fiber I have never run across before, and the pattern was for either a hat or scarf.  That one still awaits the needles. The second project was cast on fairly quickly though, and I am proud to say was finished before the final yarn mailing arrived. I don't think I've ever managed that trick before -- OK, it was finished in the morning and the new yarn arrived that afternoon, but still!

The yarn used was Bare Naked Wools Shetlandia, which is a 100% Shetland wool, listed as fingering weight on the yarn label, but as a "light fingering" on its Ravelry listing, and is a 2-ply woolen spun yarn.  The pattern was Highland Spring by Ann Hanson.

I would quibble with listing the yarn as a fingering weight, and the particular skein I knit from ranged from maybe a light fingering (whatever that might be) to laceweight and even a cobweb weight in small runs. Still, it was pleasant to knit with and still had a nice, sheepy fragrance. The pattern was both charted and written out, and was clear and accurate.  The end result? A lovely, small shawl (or large scarf) that I will enjoy wearing in cooler weather.

And a slightly closer shot -- 

The pattern for the final club project hasn't been released yet, but will probably wait for a while to be started, as I have moved on to a crochet experiment. I call it that because it entails both machine knitting and crochet, and will need to successfully hit the dye bath in order to fit into my current color scheme. So far I have worked out ideas for the front, sleeves and back, but am still thinking about trim. Here's a sneak peek to what may turn into a garment, or may just be an attractive swatch!

Homeschooling - Machine Knitting Edition

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King, Jr.


While still resting in place, it seemed a good time to brush up on machine knitting skills (or lack thereof). Knit It Now (which I have a subscription to) was offering a lesson on shawl shaping, so I decided to try it out.  I have some yarn in quantities of small shawl/large scarf amounts so why not use some?

I decided on the "quick 'n easy" variation (there are three others) and quickly got to work. The yarn I used was from deep stash - a now discontinued Elann Limited Edition blend of 60% wool/25% cashmere/15% acrylic called Kashair. No idea on how long I've had it, but it was from the days before Elann sold out to Amazon -- so, old. Despite being predominately wool/cashmere it was not a pleasant feeling yarn to hand knit, which is why it was so long in stash, despite its pleasant color. Some comments on Ravelry mentioned it was nicer after washing, so it was a good candidate for machine knitting. 

I used my mid-gauge LK 150 to knit it. This is a plastic bed, very basic machine that requires hand manipulation for anything other than stockinette stitch. Nonetheless, it is very easy to use and fun to work with and my shawl body would be entirely stockinette, so the choice of machine was easy.

I cast on 144 needles (as you might guess, the machine has a total of 150) which was as many needles as I felt comfortable working. The simple pattern was, in fact, "quick 'n easy" and after about a half an hour I had a plain stockinette triangle. In order to finish it off, I worked a crochet edging around the two side edges. The (warning - math word ahead)  hypotenuse of the triangle, which would drape around the neck and shoulders, was left plain. It has a very slight roll - as you would expect from plain stockinette fabric - but because it was a bias edge (I suspect) it was just enough to look pleasant when worn.

I chose a simple pattern for the edging - from Around the Corner Crochet Borders by Edie Eckman (pattern 69). There are 150 different designs in the book, charted and written instructions, and best of all -- the corner shaping is worked out for you.  Excellent resource for anyone who likes to do crocheted edgings.

All in all, I was happy with how it turned out, and look forward to trying a different variation. Because this one is done - in effect - sideways, I was scratching my head as to how to add some patterning if I made another with this technique. 

My next attempted lesson - learning to use a garter bar - did not proceed as smoothly, but that is a story for another day.