I had only enough scraps to make one string block (6.5” unfinished)
and only enough scraps for two improv blocks.
I'm ready for the October colour!
Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on SoScrappy blog.
Sunday 30 September 2012
brought to you today by the colour orange (and some near relations)
Orange was the colour for September in the Scrappy Rainbow Challenge. Like most people, I don't have a lot of orange scraps in my basket so I had to invite some browns and pinks to join the very small party.
I had only enough scraps to make one string block (6.5” unfinished)
and only enough scraps for two improv blocks.
I'm ready for the October colour!
Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on SoScrappy blog.
I had only enough scraps to make one string block (6.5” unfinished)
and only enough scraps for two improv blocks.
I'm ready for the October colour!
Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on SoScrappy blog.
Friday 28 September 2012
stitching with one needle
Looking over my last few blog posts, you would think that the only craft I pursued regularly was knitting and that my only other hobby has to do with my iPad!
It is true that that I use my iPad a lot, every day in fact. Why buy one if not to use it?
It is also true that it would be a rare day if I didn’t knit at some point – usually in the evening while watching television with WM.
I have a knitting deadline which is coming up fairly soon so I am knitting during the day. Technically my deadline is 20 October but I am aiming for 6 October, just one week away. For those who knit or hand-stitch, I am making a dark-coloured item so knitting this particular project under artificial light at night is not an option!
As explained in this post, sewing projects require much more preparation than knitting so when life gets hectic or I'm feeling overwhelmed, knitting is my choice of craft.
However, this post is not about knitting. It’s about works in progress that are being made with one needle.
My current class project is another bag. On Monday I completed the lining.
I’m pleased with the inside although I don't think I’d make those saggy pleated pockets again. This bag won’t stand up by itself so I had to pin it to the lounge and hold it open while I took the photo!
I am away at a conference all this long weekend, but next week I plan to make the outside of the bag and the handle, then on Monday 8 October I can put the two parts together in class.
At Caring Hearts Community Quilters yesterday, I completed one heart and started another.You'll have to look closely on the blue heart, the thread is a really good match! LOL
It was a slow sewing day because we had lots of Show and Tell. More importantly, it was our founder’s 70th birthday so we had a party! Happy birthday, Margaret! Even more excitingly for me, DD was able to attend her first meeting because SIL had the day off and was able to look after the Grand-Boys!
I have prepared my next embroidery project and will get started on it next week (after conference). Because I used a blue marking pen on a white background, I can't show you my preparation. Here is a picture of the pattern sheet.
I have also started another bag project (or maybe two) with these, my first foray into English paper piecing (and includes some fussy cutting):
The hexagon with the pink coloured spots (top left) was tacked by WM – wouldn’t it be fun if we worked on a project together?
And now, even though I’d like to work on my hexies or my embroidery, I need to get back to that “dark” knitting project before the light completely fades with the incoming storm!
Come back on Sunday to see some real-honest-to-goodness machine piecing!
It is true that that I use my iPad a lot, every day in fact. Why buy one if not to use it?
It is also true that it would be a rare day if I didn’t knit at some point – usually in the evening while watching television with WM.
I have a knitting deadline which is coming up fairly soon so I am knitting during the day. Technically my deadline is 20 October but I am aiming for 6 October, just one week away. For those who knit or hand-stitch, I am making a dark-coloured item so knitting this particular project under artificial light at night is not an option!
As explained in this post, sewing projects require much more preparation than knitting so when life gets hectic or I'm feeling overwhelmed, knitting is my choice of craft.
However, this post is not about knitting. It’s about works in progress that are being made with one needle.
My current class project is another bag. On Monday I completed the lining.
I’m pleased with the inside although I don't think I’d make those saggy pleated pockets again. This bag won’t stand up by itself so I had to pin it to the lounge and hold it open while I took the photo!
I am away at a conference all this long weekend, but next week I plan to make the outside of the bag and the handle, then on Monday 8 October I can put the two parts together in class.
At Caring Hearts Community Quilters yesterday, I completed one heart and started another.You'll have to look closely on the blue heart, the thread is a really good match! LOL
It was a slow sewing day because we had lots of Show and Tell. More importantly, it was our founder’s 70th birthday so we had a party! Happy birthday, Margaret! Even more excitingly for me, DD was able to attend her first meeting because SIL had the day off and was able to look after the Grand-Boys!
I have prepared my next embroidery project and will get started on it next week (after conference). Because I used a blue marking pen on a white background, I can't show you my preparation. Here is a picture of the pattern sheet.
I have also started another bag project (or maybe two) with these, my first foray into English paper piecing (and includes some fussy cutting):
The hexagon with the pink coloured spots (top left) was tacked by WM – wouldn’t it be fun if we worked on a project together?
And now, even though I’d like to work on my hexies or my embroidery, I need to get back to that “dark” knitting project before the light completely fades with the incoming storm!
Come back on Sunday to see some real-honest-to-goodness machine piecing!
Tuesday 25 September 2012
outside, outside
This is one place that Older Grandson loves to be.
For a few weeks, our backyard was a construction site so going outside wasn't very practical. It certainly wasn't a safe place for a very active two-and-a-half year old and his now-walking fifteen-month-old younger brother.
Although we are nowhere near finished with the landscaping, the construction is over and I give you …. (drum roll) … the long-awaited deck!
To give you some idea of scale, the deck is 5 metres long and 3.5 metres wide (16.5 feet x 11.5 feet). The photo was taken before the step was added to the left end. The stepping stone path has been realigned to go past the deck and join up with that paved area on the left (where the clothesline is).
The deck has been painted and new dining furniture has been purchased and installed.
So this is what it looked like last Saturday.
This is real life at our place. The washing is on the line (you can only see WM’s work shirts), part of the furniture is uncovered because we had morning tea on the deck, the cordless drill is on the deck because WM is installing the new umbrella, the tub on its side in front of the covered barbecue is there because that’s how Older Grandson left it and his mummy forgot to take it home!
And for those who might be curious, the two shrubs in the neighbours yard are Australian natives – the one on the left is a banksia and the one on the right is a form of grevillea. The nectar in the grevillea flowers is very attractive to many species of birds, but my favourite are the rainbow lorikeets – a small parrot, native to eastern Australia. They have just returned from their winter migration and it’s good to see them again even if they are very noisy!
The little bridge over the dry creek bed replaced our Japanese-style bridge.
It has been stained a similar colour to the deck (same stain, different timber) since this photo was taken.
Finally, this is the view from the clothesline through the flowering cherry to the miniature rose garden and swimming pool. The “lattice” you can see in the middle of the photo is the back of a bench seat in the rose garden and the two white arches above it are the “handles” for the swimming pool ladder.
Quite a lot on a small suburban block!
For a few weeks, our backyard was a construction site so going outside wasn't very practical. It certainly wasn't a safe place for a very active two-and-a-half year old and his now-walking fifteen-month-old younger brother.
Although we are nowhere near finished with the landscaping, the construction is over and I give you …. (drum roll) … the long-awaited deck!
To give you some idea of scale, the deck is 5 metres long and 3.5 metres wide (16.5 feet x 11.5 feet). The photo was taken before the step was added to the left end. The stepping stone path has been realigned to go past the deck and join up with that paved area on the left (where the clothesline is).
The deck has been painted and new dining furniture has been purchased and installed.
So this is what it looked like last Saturday.
This is real life at our place. The washing is on the line (you can only see WM’s work shirts), part of the furniture is uncovered because we had morning tea on the deck, the cordless drill is on the deck because WM is installing the new umbrella, the tub on its side in front of the covered barbecue is there because that’s how Older Grandson left it and his mummy forgot to take it home!
And for those who might be curious, the two shrubs in the neighbours yard are Australian natives – the one on the left is a banksia and the one on the right is a form of grevillea. The nectar in the grevillea flowers is very attractive to many species of birds, but my favourite are the rainbow lorikeets – a small parrot, native to eastern Australia. They have just returned from their winter migration and it’s good to see them again even if they are very noisy!
The little bridge over the dry creek bed replaced our Japanese-style bridge.
It has been stained a similar colour to the deck (same stain, different timber) since this photo was taken.
Finally, this is the view from the clothesline through the flowering cherry to the miniature rose garden and swimming pool. The “lattice” you can see in the middle of the photo is the back of a bench seat in the rose garden and the two white arches above it are the “handles” for the swimming pool ladder.
Quite a lot on a small suburban block!
Friday 21 September 2012
iPad as a knitting tool
Last Sunday I shared about using an app called "Errands" on my iPad to help me get organised. The post generated more than the usual number of hits on my blog for an individual post and a wide range of responses from those who left comments.
Thank you to those who were concerned that I would become too "addicted" (my word not theirs) to my iPad and related technology. The truth is that it is very easy for me to spend several hours on the computer or iPad -- I just love the things I can do on both.
But it is also true that since I found the app and loaded my projects into it, I have been on track with all the things I wanted to do and have even managed to finish some ahead of schedule. Now I just turn on my Ipad, touch the app and voila! I know exactly what I should be concentrating on today. The app may not be necessary or even useful to others but it sure works for me and I have felt a great sense of accomplishment in the last week.
So today, I want to share another free app which I have found useful in my knitting. This one is the "lite" version but it does what I need it to do so i don't feel any need to buy the "full" version.
Therefore, fellow knitters, may I present to you Knit Counter Lite? (It’s actually an iPhone app but works just the same on iPad).
This is what it looks like on my iPad right now.
The row counter tells me I have done 104 rows since I last showed you a photo of the Intarsia Blanket in progress and that I have done a total of 514 of the 700 rows needed to complete the project. When I hit the top plus sign (to go to 105 rows), the bottom one is connected so that it turns at the same rate. I programmed it to do that – making such “modifications” is very easy using the edit button (top right of screen)..
There are other functions built in too but I have no need of them at the moment so have not fully investigated them.
The app writers say that the full version is needed to keep track of different projects. If the projects were complicated I suppose that would be so but I have used this counter to count rows on other projects without losing track of my intarsia blanket.
Say, for example, I was knitting a sock and wanted to know how many rounds I had completed from the cuff to the heel (so that the second sock would be the same). I would just add another row to this counter, like this:
This shows that I have so far completed 43 rounds of the sock -- notice that it has not affected the row count for my intarsia blanket at all!
This app has been on my iPad for some time and takes no time at all to use – it took much more time to take photos and write the post!
So there you have it friends - the iPad is not just a toy, it's a very useful tool!
Thank you to those who were concerned that I would become too "addicted" (my word not theirs) to my iPad and related technology. The truth is that it is very easy for me to spend several hours on the computer or iPad -- I just love the things I can do on both.
But it is also true that since I found the app and loaded my projects into it, I have been on track with all the things I wanted to do and have even managed to finish some ahead of schedule. Now I just turn on my Ipad, touch the app and voila! I know exactly what I should be concentrating on today. The app may not be necessary or even useful to others but it sure works for me and I have felt a great sense of accomplishment in the last week.
So today, I want to share another free app which I have found useful in my knitting. This one is the "lite" version but it does what I need it to do so i don't feel any need to buy the "full" version.
Therefore, fellow knitters, may I present to you Knit Counter Lite? (It’s actually an iPhone app but works just the same on iPad).
This is what it looks like on my iPad right now.
The row counter tells me I have done 104 rows since I last showed you a photo of the Intarsia Blanket in progress and that I have done a total of 514 of the 700 rows needed to complete the project. When I hit the top plus sign (to go to 105 rows), the bottom one is connected so that it turns at the same rate. I programmed it to do that – making such “modifications” is very easy using the edit button (top right of screen)..
There are other functions built in too but I have no need of them at the moment so have not fully investigated them.
The app writers say that the full version is needed to keep track of different projects. If the projects were complicated I suppose that would be so but I have used this counter to count rows on other projects without losing track of my intarsia blanket.
Say, for example, I was knitting a sock and wanted to know how many rounds I had completed from the cuff to the heel (so that the second sock would be the same). I would just add another row to this counter, like this:
This shows that I have so far completed 43 rounds of the sock -- notice that it has not affected the row count for my intarsia blanket at all!
This app has been on my iPad for some time and takes no time at all to use – it took much more time to take photos and write the post!
So there you have it friends - the iPad is not just a toy, it's a very useful tool!
Wednesday 19 September 2012
still a bag lady!
Last week I showed you a small rectangle of linen stitch which was my preparation for a workshop held last Saturday at my local knitters’ guild.
The workshop was very well prepared and presented and obviously very inspiring since that little rectangle has now become this:
A fast and easy knit. I think the most tedious part was the linen stitch handle. I foresee some more of these in my future.
The bag even has my very first i-cord closure:
Thanks WM for modelling!
The workshop was very well prepared and presented and obviously very inspiring since that little rectangle has now become this:
A fast and easy knit. I think the most tedious part was the linen stitch handle. I foresee some more of these in my future.
The bag even has my very first i-cord closure:
Thanks WM for modelling!
Sunday 16 September 2012
getting organised on <s>paper</s> tablet
I have so many stitching projects "in progress" (read "started but going nowhere") that I have been feeling overwhelmed which leads to the easy option - fall back on the knitting and concentrate on one project! In this post in June and in this post in July, I listed many (but not all) of my WIPs. However, just knowing how many projects I had on the go wasn't helping me get moving on most of them any more than focusing on just one knitting project will see my sewing completed!
Privately, I tried listing all the things I needed to do to bring some of the projects to completion but that, as you can probably imagine, just made things even more overwhelming. Then, in the first hours of daylight last Thursday morning the solution came to me. What if I list each project and just the next task that needs to be done on that project? I could cope with just one thing, the next thing, couldn't I?
After trying my notebook app (which I love for taking notes and storing PDF files), a couple of spread-sheets and the built in reminder app on my iPad, and rejecting databases as too complicated, I decided to type "lists" into the search box in the App Store. I found lots of interesting things, and even tried a couple but the app I have finally settled on is simply called "Errands" and, so far, it does what I need it to do.
It's a full application, not a lite version (another app I tried would only let me list 30 items in total). With this app, I was able to list more than 30 items which I chose to put in two folders -- "works in progress" (meaning I had done something towards starting the project beyond planning) and "projects to go" which are projects I hope/plan to start soon.
The app had a place for me to write the name of the project and some details if needed. I was able to assign it a high, medium or low priority, and where necessary, set the date (and time) for its completion.
Then I was able to sort my projects according to priority, due date or just list them in alphabetical order (as seen here).
Or I could manually sort them according to my own personal criteria.
I could put a little star to tell me which projects I want to focus on and even have the app put an auto-star on the project for me (I have set mine to add the task/project to the focus tasks fourteen days before the due date but there are other choices). This then feeds into a folder called “focus” which is just what I need – something to help me focus on one task (not project) at a time. How can I not see what I need to be working on when it’s this clear?
I spent an hour or so on Friday morning setting due dates for my projects – this will help as they get closer and the app sorts them for me! Items like donation blankets and warm clothing don't need to be finished until the end of April. Likewise, all the quilts for Caring Hearts Community Quilting Group need to be ready to go by the end of March.
Each task can even have its own checklist within the notes section. Here are my notes for my Christmas Tree embroidery #2. These are the two thinks I need to do to complete this embroidery.
If I wanted to, I could have an alarm to alert me to the fact that a task is now due -- and there is a large choice of different alarm sounds! I could even choose what time I wanted to receive that alert!
The app has a logbook which records when tasks have been completed so I can look back and see how much I have achieved (or not) in a given time period! As you can see, when I took this photo I had only completed one task, and that was on Thursday afternoon – but give me a break, I only found the app and installed it on Thursday afternoon!
And the logbook tasks can be used to create another task for the same project. So, for example, I write that my next task is to cut and iron the binding for an I Spy quilt. I complete the task and check the box. I can then copy that project to a new task in the folder of my choice and change the task to machine-sew the binding to the quilt and set up a new set of time limits and priorities (if I want to).
I admit that it did take me quite a few hours to try different many ways of recording the projects I have underway and the next task needed for each of them but that was because I tried many different ways until I found the right app for me. This sounds like time-wasting but in the end, it should save me time. I like this kind of organisation – it helps me to see clearly what I need to focus on!
The only thing I would change about this app is I would love to be able to assign a different date to the next task and the due date for completion of the project. But this is not what the app is designed for so I’m asking a lot!
The app is very easy to use and the set up is so clear. The left side of the screen lists the folders available and the right side of the screen shows the contents (in my case, individual projects or tasks) in each or all of the folders. At the time this photo was taken, I had the “works in progress” folder open.
All in all, I'm very happy with the app so far (at the time of writing this post I had only been using it for about 24 hours). I'm not sure that David Mandell, the app writer, had craft projects in mind when he wrote the app but it's a comprehensive way to keep track of what has been done and what needs to be done and when! Best of all, it's a full app for free!
Thanks, David! I really appreciate your expertise. I, for one, would have no idea how to go about writing an app!
Privately, I tried listing all the things I needed to do to bring some of the projects to completion but that, as you can probably imagine, just made things even more overwhelming. Then, in the first hours of daylight last Thursday morning the solution came to me. What if I list each project and just the next task that needs to be done on that project? I could cope with just one thing, the next thing, couldn't I?
After trying my notebook app (which I love for taking notes and storing PDF files), a couple of spread-sheets and the built in reminder app on my iPad, and rejecting databases as too complicated, I decided to type "lists" into the search box in the App Store. I found lots of interesting things, and even tried a couple but the app I have finally settled on is simply called "Errands" and, so far, it does what I need it to do.
It's a full application, not a lite version (another app I tried would only let me list 30 items in total). With this app, I was able to list more than 30 items which I chose to put in two folders -- "works in progress" (meaning I had done something towards starting the project beyond planning) and "projects to go" which are projects I hope/plan to start soon.
The app had a place for me to write the name of the project and some details if needed. I was able to assign it a high, medium or low priority, and where necessary, set the date (and time) for its completion.
Then I was able to sort my projects according to priority, due date or just list them in alphabetical order (as seen here).
Or I could manually sort them according to my own personal criteria.
I could put a little star to tell me which projects I want to focus on and even have the app put an auto-star on the project for me (I have set mine to add the task/project to the focus tasks fourteen days before the due date but there are other choices). This then feeds into a folder called “focus” which is just what I need – something to help me focus on one task (not project) at a time. How can I not see what I need to be working on when it’s this clear?
I spent an hour or so on Friday morning setting due dates for my projects – this will help as they get closer and the app sorts them for me! Items like donation blankets and warm clothing don't need to be finished until the end of April. Likewise, all the quilts for Caring Hearts Community Quilting Group need to be ready to go by the end of March.
Each task can even have its own checklist within the notes section. Here are my notes for my Christmas Tree embroidery #2. These are the two thinks I need to do to complete this embroidery.
If I wanted to, I could have an alarm to alert me to the fact that a task is now due -- and there is a large choice of different alarm sounds! I could even choose what time I wanted to receive that alert!
The app has a logbook which records when tasks have been completed so I can look back and see how much I have achieved (or not) in a given time period! As you can see, when I took this photo I had only completed one task, and that was on Thursday afternoon – but give me a break, I only found the app and installed it on Thursday afternoon!
And the logbook tasks can be used to create another task for the same project. So, for example, I write that my next task is to cut and iron the binding for an I Spy quilt. I complete the task and check the box. I can then copy that project to a new task in the folder of my choice and change the task to machine-sew the binding to the quilt and set up a new set of time limits and priorities (if I want to).
I admit that it did take me quite a few hours to try different many ways of recording the projects I have underway and the next task needed for each of them but that was because I tried many different ways until I found the right app for me. This sounds like time-wasting but in the end, it should save me time. I like this kind of organisation – it helps me to see clearly what I need to focus on!
The only thing I would change about this app is I would love to be able to assign a different date to the next task and the due date for completion of the project. But this is not what the app is designed for so I’m asking a lot!
The app is very easy to use and the set up is so clear. The left side of the screen lists the folders available and the right side of the screen shows the contents (in my case, individual projects or tasks) in each or all of the folders. At the time this photo was taken, I had the “works in progress” folder open.
All in all, I'm very happy with the app so far (at the time of writing this post I had only been using it for about 24 hours). I'm not sure that David Mandell, the app writer, had craft projects in mind when he wrote the app but it's a comprehensive way to keep track of what has been done and what needs to be done and when! Best of all, it's a full app for free!
Thanks, David! I really appreciate your expertise. I, for one, would have no idea how to go about writing an app!
Friday 14 September 2012
stitching along
I have been stitching -- a bit of this, a little of that -- but not much that's interesting to show.
My last "stitching" post self-published while I was away last weekend at a very enjoyable Christian women's conference at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. The conference speakers were interesting, all the food was delicious (especially the Chinese banquet on Saturday night), the accommodation was comfortable even though very basic and the shower was hot -- which is always a bonus! But I think the best thing for me was the group of women whom I met -- what a great bunch of ladies. Thank you so much, M, for inviting me to go with you. I am looking forward to next year already!
Anyway, back to the stitching progress. My sewing machine has not even been taken out of its travelling case since class on Monday 3 September. I had a very full week last week, with no time for machine sewing. Unthinkingly, I allowed myself to become dehydrated over the weekend of the Conference so by Monday I had a raging headache and couldn't attend class.
Although there has been no machine sewing, there has been some handwork.
I completed the blanket stitching around two hearts at the community quilting group meeting on Thursday last week
and almost finished my second Christmas Tree embroidery in class this past Wednesday, but I'll leave a photo of that for another post.
On the knitting front, I completed one hat while I was away last weekend and another on Sunday night after I got home. The first is a twelve row k1, p1 ribbing followed by stocking stitch -- I didn't want to have something that required my concentration while sitting around the fire (okay, it was a gas heater) last Friday and Saturday nights. Turned out to be the right choice; as I said, the ladies in our group were great company.
The second hat was knitted at home in front of the television -- I was obviously tired because I had to tink back more than once in the first few rows! The pattern is the Crenellated Hat (Ravelry link) by J Wilson from Brainfork blog. I found the pattern on Ravelry and thought it was a good unisex pattern to go with my choice of chocolate brown yarn (which is nothing like the colour on the photo). The pattern called for two repeats of the Crenellated pattern but I only did 1.5 repeats -- WM thinks its big enough and it will certainly fit someone even though it's not as long or slouchy as the one on Ravelry! WM and I both like close fitting beanie-style hats.
I have been working almost daily on my intarsia blanket (I am looking forward to completing it, I feel like I've been working on it forever!) but I won't bore you with more "in progress" photos.
I have also cast on another Blankie for an animal adoption agency using yet more of the Patons Cedar yarn which was donated to the knitters at my MIL's retirement village, where they only knit baby items and I get the unwanted yarn. I didn't really want another knitting project on my needles just yet but DD and family came to visit yesterday and having twenty skeins of yarn within reach is just too much excitement for Younger Grandson; who is also fascinated by the metres of different coloured yarns hanging off the blanket. It's just easier for both of us if I have a one-yarn-project on the go when they're here!
Here is a small piece of knitting (16cm x 8cm) I started on Wednesday and finished on Thursday. It's in linen stitch which I had forgotten is very stiff and tight and should be knitted on larger-than-usual sized needles. I didn't and this is almost rigid but that's okay, I think it will suit the purpose for which it has been made .... Stay tuned! ;-)
These are the two sides of the fabric in close up. The left photo shows the correct side of the linen stitch but I also like the reverse side!
Today I will wind my new skein of yarn into a yarn cake and cast on my "secret" project -- my entry into the One Skein challenge run by the local group of the Knitters' Guild. These items will go on display at the meeting on 20 October and the winner will be chosen by popular vote. As I understand, no one is supposed to know who knitted what and since several people from the Guild read my blog, I need to be very secretive indeed! LOL
Are you doing any hand stitching?
My last "stitching" post self-published while I was away last weekend at a very enjoyable Christian women's conference at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. The conference speakers were interesting, all the food was delicious (especially the Chinese banquet on Saturday night), the accommodation was comfortable even though very basic and the shower was hot -- which is always a bonus! But I think the best thing for me was the group of women whom I met -- what a great bunch of ladies. Thank you so much, M, for inviting me to go with you. I am looking forward to next year already!
Anyway, back to the stitching progress. My sewing machine has not even been taken out of its travelling case since class on Monday 3 September. I had a very full week last week, with no time for machine sewing. Unthinkingly, I allowed myself to become dehydrated over the weekend of the Conference so by Monday I had a raging headache and couldn't attend class.
Although there has been no machine sewing, there has been some handwork.
I completed the blanket stitching around two hearts at the community quilting group meeting on Thursday last week
and almost finished my second Christmas Tree embroidery in class this past Wednesday, but I'll leave a photo of that for another post.
On the knitting front, I completed one hat while I was away last weekend and another on Sunday night after I got home. The first is a twelve row k1, p1 ribbing followed by stocking stitch -- I didn't want to have something that required my concentration while sitting around the fire (okay, it was a gas heater) last Friday and Saturday nights. Turned out to be the right choice; as I said, the ladies in our group were great company.
 |
| I don't know where the green came from - it is not on my original photo! |
The second hat was knitted at home in front of the television -- I was obviously tired because I had to tink back more than once in the first few rows! The pattern is the Crenellated Hat (Ravelry link) by J Wilson from Brainfork blog. I found the pattern on Ravelry and thought it was a good unisex pattern to go with my choice of chocolate brown yarn (which is nothing like the colour on the photo). The pattern called for two repeats of the Crenellated pattern but I only did 1.5 repeats -- WM thinks its big enough and it will certainly fit someone even though it's not as long or slouchy as the one on Ravelry! WM and I both like close fitting beanie-style hats.
I have been working almost daily on my intarsia blanket (I am looking forward to completing it, I feel like I've been working on it forever!) but I won't bore you with more "in progress" photos.
I have also cast on another Blankie for an animal adoption agency using yet more of the Patons Cedar yarn which was donated to the knitters at my MIL's retirement village, where they only knit baby items and I get the unwanted yarn. I didn't really want another knitting project on my needles just yet but DD and family came to visit yesterday and having twenty skeins of yarn within reach is just too much excitement for Younger Grandson; who is also fascinated by the metres of different coloured yarns hanging off the blanket. It's just easier for both of us if I have a one-yarn-project on the go when they're here!
Here is a small piece of knitting (16cm x 8cm) I started on Wednesday and finished on Thursday. It's in linen stitch which I had forgotten is very stiff and tight and should be knitted on larger-than-usual sized needles. I didn't and this is almost rigid but that's okay, I think it will suit the purpose for which it has been made .... Stay tuned! ;-)
These are the two sides of the fabric in close up. The left photo shows the correct side of the linen stitch but I also like the reverse side!
Today I will wind my new skein of yarn into a yarn cake and cast on my "secret" project -- my entry into the One Skein challenge run by the local group of the Knitters' Guild. These items will go on display at the meeting on 20 October and the winner will be chosen by popular vote. As I understand, no one is supposed to know who knitted what and since several people from the Guild read my blog, I need to be very secretive indeed! LOL
Are you doing any hand stitching?
Testing
I'm just testing if I can post from the Blogger app on my iPad. Last night I wrote a long post which wouldn't publish! Boo hoo!
Obviously I can -- if I don't put any labels on my post!
Obviously I can -- if I don't put any labels on my post!
Sunday 9 September 2012
identified finished object
Some garter stitch, a set of 5mm (US 8) circulars and 200g of Moda Vera Noemi, colourway “red” plus nine days of knitting have produced this:
An easy knit and a satisfactory finish.
And that’s two more skeins of acrylic yarn gone from my stash! Hurrah!
Ravelry tells me I have 60+ skeins of acrylic to go – but some of them are being used in theacrylic intarsia blanket – Ravelry just doesn’t know it yet!
Now back to the intarsia blanket before the weather gets too warm for knitting afghans!
An easy knit and a satisfactory finish.
And that’s two more skeins of acrylic yarn gone from my stash! Hurrah!
Ravelry tells me I have 60+ skeins of acrylic to go – but some of them are being used in the
Now back to the intarsia blanket before the weather gets too warm for knitting afghans!
Friday 7 September 2012
planning + preparation + process = product
There is a certain amount of planning and preparation that has to take place before embarking on any project, whether a craft, a chore or a home renovation.
In a recent post, Carla of Lollyquiltz talked about preparation in relation to making quilts for “free” from leaders and enders.
Interestingly, I had been thinking along the same lines myself. You see, yesterday was one of the two monthly meetings of Caring Hearts Community Quilting group. I needed a hand stitching project to take along with me. I had finished the last of the appliqué heart blocks last month so I knew I needed to prepare a few blocks.
So, on Wednesday I decided to prepare all the blocks for which I had already cut the fabric –- if i was going to get everything organised to do a couple of blocks, I may as well do them all, right?
It was during this time that I realised just how much preparation goes into quilting projects.
If you are not a knitter, you may not know that the planning stage for knitting and quilting is the same. There is the choice of pattern and materials (whether yarn or fabric) and the gathering together of the necessary tools.
But here the similarity ends. In most knitting situations, once the tools, the yarn and the pattern are gathered together, the knitter can cast on and go straight to the process of knitting. Sometimes hanks or skeins have to be prepared by winding into balls or yarn cakes, but that’s usually about it.
Compare this with the above mentioned hand-appliqué project. I had already cut 18 x 4.5” squares of fabric. Let me walk you through the rest of the preparation.
- Measure and cut 18 x 4.5” squares of iron on fusing.
- Set up the Accuquilt Go Baby, the die and the cutting mat.
- Put all 18 slippery squares through the die cutter. Throw the outer border in the bin, stack the curling hearts (yes, my fusible comes in a roll).
- Put all 18 fabric squares through the die cutter. Throw the outer border in the scrap bin, stack the fabric hearts face down.
- Turn iron on to heat. (The ironing board is always up in my sewing room).
- Pack up the Accuquilt Go Baby, the die and the cutting mat.
- Place one Teflon sheet on the ironing board. Place fabric heart (face down) on sheet, line up fusible, hold tight, cover with second Teflon sheet (I don't want glue on my iron or new ironing board cover), press.
- Lift top Teflon sheet, place another heart (face down) on bottom sheet, line up fusible, replace top Teflon sheet, press.
- Repeat Step 8 twice more.
- Lift top Teflon sheet, remove first pressed heart (which is now cool enough to touch) at end of ironing board. Repeat Step 8.
- Repeat step 11 until there are no more hearts left.
- Cut away any excess fusible hanging outside the fabric.
- Remove white fabric from drawer. Press.
- Take to cutting table. Cut 18 x 6” squares. Stack squares as you go.
- Take squares to ironing board.
- Place white square on Teflon sheet (still on ironing board). Remove paper from back of heart. Centre heart on square of white fabric using a 6” square ruler to make sure everything lines up correctly. Hold in position, cover with second Teflon sheet. Press.
- Remove top Teflon sheet. Pick up white square by corner (keeps the square clean and stops me from burning my fingers on the still hot glue) and move to skinny end of ironing board.
- Repeat Steps 15 and 16 seventeen more times, stacking the white squares between each pressing.
- Wipe excess moisture from Teflon sheets, roll and store.
- Take out the cases of stranded cotton and open them. (In case you are wondering why one is crammed full and the other is not, the case on the right holds the threads of my current cross stitch project).
- Find a thread colour that closely matches the fabric of each heart. Go for something slightly darker if an exact match can’t be found. Put aside any heart where no match can be found (a trip to the LQS or Big Box Store will be needed).
- Put the hearts that have been matched into the project case, put the matching bobbin of thread into a zip-lock bag.
- Put the cases of thread away.
- Check that there is a packet of needles, a needle threader, a pair of scissors and a container for scraps in the case before closing.
The eighteen squares are now ready for hand-stitching! I could have knitted a six inch square with a heart motif in the time it took me to do all that - just as well I love what I do!
Have you ever thought about how much preparation time goes into your sewing projects?
Monday 3 September 2012
you win some, you lose some
This post was going to be called “necessity is the mother of invention” but my prototype is less than spectacular!
You've seen my intarsia blanket in progress (here). This is the methodical way I lay out my yarns next to my chair.
This is the storage unit where they are kept when not laid out for work!
And this is my solution.
Looks okay, you think? It works to a point but the pockets are too small for full 100 gram skeins so I have to force the yarn in and drag it out (meaning I don't put the skein back in the pocket, I just drop it on the floor beside my chair). There are too few pockets for all the yarns I am using (some fell out of the bag and got left out of the photo).
I could have made something like this (picture from http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/handmade,oilcloth/Interesting)
but as the skeins got smaller they would fall out. Hindsight tells me I could have used elastic to solve that! I was trying to use what I had to hand to do the job and I didn't have any wide elastic. Perhaps in my second attempt, I will purchase what I need to be more efficient.
And I forgot to mention – I cut the binding at 2” instead of 2 1/2” then sewed it on at 3/8” instead of 1/4”! Therefore sewing down 132” of narrow binding took hours, put stress on my hands and could have been avoided if I had tried the pockets first before applying the binding!
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Linking up with Sew What Monday
You've seen my intarsia blanket in progress (here). This is the methodical way I lay out my yarns next to my chair.
This is the storage unit where they are kept when not laid out for work!
And this is my solution.
Looks okay, you think? It works to a point but the pockets are too small for full 100 gram skeins so I have to force the yarn in and drag it out (meaning I don't put the skein back in the pocket, I just drop it on the floor beside my chair). There are too few pockets for all the yarns I am using (some fell out of the bag and got left out of the photo).
I could have made something like this (picture from http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/handmade,oilcloth/Interesting)
but as the skeins got smaller they would fall out. Hindsight tells me I could have used elastic to solve that! I was trying to use what I had to hand to do the job and I didn't have any wide elastic. Perhaps in my second attempt, I will purchase what I need to be more efficient.
And I forgot to mention – I cut the binding at 2” instead of 2 1/2” then sewed it on at 3/8” instead of 1/4”! Therefore sewing down 132” of narrow binding took hours, put stress on my hands and could have been avoided if I had tried the pockets first before applying the binding!
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Linking up with Sew What Monday
Sunday 2 September 2012
Happy Fathers’ Day
Here in Australia, we celebrate Fathers’ Day on the first Sunday in September.
We are celebrating with a barbecue – DD, SIL and the Grandboys will be here, as will MIL.
Have a wonderful day, WM and SIL.
Of course, there are two special dads who are being thought of today.
We love you and miss you very much.
We are celebrating with a barbecue – DD, SIL and the Grandboys will be here, as will MIL.
Have a wonderful day, WM and SIL.
Of course, there are two special dads who are being thought of today.
We love you and miss you very much.
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