W.I.P.Stitch

Weaving in the ends.

2011-04-18T10:22:00.000-04:00

Finishing. It's arguably the most important step in any craft, particularly in garment construction. But finishing any project is what turns it from a project to a finished piece. (By "finishing" I don't mean completing, I mean weaving in ends, sewing seams, etc.) I am more of a process knitter. I enjoy the process of knitting, but it's the actual clack of the needles that I find relaxing. It's watching a pattern emerge that I enjoy. This isn't to say I don't like seeing the finished product, but if it turns out wrong, or just not the way I expected, I have no problem walking away from it (or giving it away) and moving on. But the finishing...

It the hardest part of any project for me. The part I find least enjoyable and the part that I am not particularly great at. I mean, I'm not terrible - I can seam two pieces of fabric, knit or otherwise - but I just find it to be tedious.

Obviously I'm writing this post because I am in the middle of finishing a project and am procrastinating.

I'm using online tutorials to (hopefully) create better seams. This one seems (ha) to be pretty good, though I haven't actually started seaming yet. Right now I am weaving in approximately eleventy billion ends. The only way I know how to do that effectively and neatly is to duplicate stitch them in. I haven't found a good explanation of how to weave in ends invisibly and quickly, other than duplicate stitch. It's a good method, but time consuming. I suppose I should get back to it...

Shoes.

2011-03-30T15:06:00.000-04:00

So this isn't craft related, per se, but I just ordered these shoes: Seychelles Stand and Deliver Flats. They are gorgeous, man-made and I already have an outfit in mind to wear them with. Now I just need a warm evening, a bottle of wine and an outdoor concert to complete the look.

Last day for the yarny raffle!

2011-03-29T15:36:00.000-04:00

Today is the last day to enter the yarn raffle in support of Emily! Great prizes being given away, but more importantly, a great oppotunity to help a woman fight both cancer and discrimination.

For more info, go here.

Super secret sneak preview.

2011-03-22T15:33:00.000-04:00

Much of this month has been occupied with sample knitting. This is my first foray into the world of pay-for-knit, and I've got to say, I kind of love it. I mean, it's got pros and cons. Pros: paid to knit - hey-o!, get to work with yarns I might not otherwise have used, fun new patterns to try out and correct, my name in a knitting book and a free copy of said book! Plus, watching my friend develop and release her own yarn line! Woo. Cons: deadlines, deadlines, deadlines, I'm not designing anything, just doing "grunt work" (not complaining though!), less time for personal projects.

All in all, I'm really enjoying it and I think this might be a good way to earn a little extra cash for yarn purchases when I transition to full time housewife. It's pretty awesome.

Since the yarn line and pattern books haven't been released yet, I can't show you what I've been doing other than this super sneaky peek... I'll say this, the yarn is delightful to knit with - it's got a soft sheen and is wonderfully soft and squooshy, but is also sturdy. You can put tension on it without worrying about snapping the yarn. It's pretty luxurious stuff and the put ups are fantastic. I'm not much of a photographer, but trust me when I say the yarn was divine.

For Emily - donate to a good cause and win amazing yarn.

2011-03-20T21:04:00.003-04:00

Re-blogged (with permission) from my friend Ann (Fidget Knits). Not that a ton of people follow this blog, but getting this info out to even one more person is a good thing. Here's the deal:

A Request, For Emily (Win Crafty Goodies!)

So. My best friend in the world, Erin, has a sister, Emily. This is Emily.

Emily is sick. Very sick. They thought her liver was failing and she was preparing for a transplant last month when they discovered she actually has liver cancer -- which makes her ineligible for a transplant. Emily recently began chemotherapy, the first leg of her long journey to fight cancer. When she beats the cancer, she will still need a liver transplant.

When she is healthy, Emily works as a school teacher in my hometown in Kansas. Unfortunately, Emily's health insurance does not cover prescriptions. And because Kansas does not recognize gay marriage, Emily cannot get on her partner's insurance to help cover some of the costs. Right now, her prescriptions are running about $1,000 a month -- $35 a day -- which doesn't include co-pays for other medical treatments. She is hoping to raise at least $20,000 in the short term to help cover these costs. Emily keeps journal at CaringBridge to chronicle her fight against cancer.

I’ve put together a small fundraiser to help Emily get the money she needs for her fight. And amazing crafters from across the Internet have rallied to help out, too. Just look at the bevy of goodies for the winners! (Please note: the actual goods far exceed my photographic skills.)

My good friend Elspeth, of Wry Punster fame, will knit you a sweater!
* One winner will receive a sweater, knit by a former knitting teacher, to her (his) measurements. The winner will provide the yarn (worsted weight or heavier) and Elspeth will develop the custom pattern in consultation with the winner. The winner will receive the sweater and the pattern so that she (he) can knit additional garments to the same specs.

KFI Yarns donated a ton of yarns, most in sweater quantities. Including Louisa Harding Grace, which is a kissing cousing to Sundara Aran Silky Merino or Lorna’s Laces Lion & Lamb. Desert Island Yarn, for real. But wait, there’s more:

Top: Louisa Harding Grace; Queensland Collection Pima Fresca; Elsbeth Lavold Hempathy; Louisa Harding La Salute.
Bottom: Arucania Milodon & Louisa Harding Kashmir Baby; Louisa Harding Kashmir (baby, dk and aran weights); Arucania Milodon; Queensland Super Aussie Merino & Elsbeth Lavold Bamboucle.
These will be divided as follows:
* One winner: 9 hanks of Grace in Berry
* Two winners: 9 hanks each of Grace in Tangerine
* One winner: 5 hanks of Grace in a chocolate-covered cherry colorway, plus 10 balls of Kashmir Aran in Merlot
* One winner: 10 balls of Kashmir Baby in green plus 10 balls of La Salute in black
* One winner: 10 balls of Kashmir Baby in pink, plus 10 balls of La Salute in ivory
* One winner: 10 balls of Kashmir Aran in teal, plus 10 balls of La Salute in red
* Two winners: 10 balls of Kashmir DK in teal, plus 10 balls of La Salute in red
* One winner: 10 balls of Kashmir Baby in navy, blus 10 balls of La Salute in red
* One winner: 9 hanks of Pima Fresca in Ivory, plus 10 balls of Kashmir DK in rust
* One winner: 3 hanks of Arucania Milodon in purple, plus 4 balls of Kashmir baby in violet
* One winner: 10 hanks of Arucania Milodon in green
* One winner: 9 balls of Queensland Super Aussie Merino plus 5 balls of Elsbeth Lavold Bamboucle in celadon
* One winner: grab bag, including Elsbeth Lavold bamboucle in celery, plus 4 balls of Sublime Cashmerino dk in assorted colors, plus a full bag of unlabeled bulky ivory yarn.

Kathy at WEBS-America’s Yarn Store, has generously donated to the cause.

* One winner will receive a $50 gift card to WEBS, plus the two hanks of Huntington sock yarn in a deep purple pictured above, plus one set of size 2 bamboo dpns.
* One winner will receive a $50 gift card to WEBS and one set of size 2 bamboo dpns.

You know I’m a sucker for Fiberphile yarns from early on in her shop-days. Georgia’s colors are so amazing!

* One winner will receive a hank of 2-Ply Squooshy sock yarn in Concord.

Likewise, my girl Sundara has generously donated a hank of Fingering Silky Merino. One hank is 560 yards – plenty of yarn for a shawl or scarf.

* One winner will receive a hank of Fingering Silky Merino, Colorway Flower Studies #5.

My good friend (and lunch-buddy) Pia dug into her own stash for these highly coveted goodies.

* One winner will receive a hank of Wollmeise Twin in Frosch.
* One winner will receive a hank of Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga, colorway Autumn Tiger Beetle.

I decided to match Pia's generosity.

* One winner will receive a hank of Wollmeise sock yarn in Veilchen.
* One winner will receive a hank of Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga, colorway Cuban Cockroach.

The amazing and generous Caro has donated a box bag from her shop, Splityarn.
* One winner will be able to pick a box bag – print of the winner’s choosing. (I’m partial to the spiderpig box bag myself.

With so much yarn to be won, there can’t just be one bag, right? Jen from YarnPlayCafe has donated to the cause as well.
* One winner can pick a tote bag (exact kind to be specified soon!) from her shop.

The incomparable Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops fame has generously offered up her designs.
* Three winners will each receive gift certificates to the Through The Loops pattern store, good for three patterns each.

The inspiring, phenomenally talented force behind Cauchy Complete has created a wonderful mini-quilt.

* One winner will receive a handmade mini-quilt.

Remember Elspeth at the top of this list? Her mother, an accomplished beader, has graciously contributed.

* One winner will receive the handmade, double-strand labradorite necklace.

Here’s how to participate:
1. Go to Emily’s donation site at Give Forward.
2. Give an amount you feel comfortable with. With your donation, leave Emily a note of support. Let her know the knitters are cheering her on, or share an inspiring quote or a song lyric. Or just share the cheesiest joke you’ve heard lately – something to make her smile.
3. Come back here and leave a comment with your donation amount. For every $10 you donate, you will receive one entry into the raffle. If you donate at least $20 and mention this fundraiser on your blog, public twitter account, or flickr, you’ll get an extra entry. (Make sure you include the link where it’s mentioned.)
(3.5. Important! Make sure that your comment information includes how to reach you if you win! )
4. Comments will be accepted until Tuesday, March 29, at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be announced the next day.
(4.5 Fine print: Taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Winners who do not respond to their notification within 7 days will forfeit their winnings. International entries are okay but will be shipped at the cheapest rate.)
Finally, a note about giving: There is a lot of tragedy in the world today, and I recognize that everyone has many opportunities to give. This is not intended to detract from any fundraisers for other worthwhile causes. If you do choose to give to help Emily, your donation will go directly to help her fight against liver cancer. And for that: THANK YOU.

Sample knitting.

2011-03-09T10:02:00.000-05:00

I have recently discovered the miraculous world of test and sample knitting. Did you guys know about this?? I haven't test knit anything yet, but I have been working on some projects for a friend who has 30 patterns coming out with a new yarn line. It's pretty exciting stuff and honestly? I'm a little star struck by her. I mean, she's an amazing friend but she also happens to be a knitting rock star.

So, sample knitting. I volunteered to do some sample knitting for this friend, because hey - new knitting and helping out a friend! Best of both worlds! But as it turns out, you get paid for sample knitting! Paid! I mean, granted, it's slave wages in terms of hours worked, but getting paid to do something I would have done for free is pretty amaze-balls. I'm still trying to figure out how to turn this into a full time gig...

Having said that however, I will also say that having a deadline for your knitting can be stressful. Thankfully, though, I am a last minute knitter anyway, so almost all my knitting is "deadline" knitting. I have discovered that I am turning into a knitting monogamist, much to my surprise. I have 5 works-in-progress right now and that, more than anything else, is what stresses me out. But I'm actually feeling proud about it, if you follow what I mean. Yes, it's stressful to me to have so many knitting projects unfinished right now, but I really feel like that is a sign that I am growing up as a knitter. I am a finisher! I do not like to have WIPs all over the place! I have (hopefully) beaten the startitis!

Fingers crossed, anyway.

The problem with blogging...

2011-02-24T15:02:00.000-05:00

The problem with having a crafting blog and being a bad/lazy photographer is that it makes for a boring blog. I want everyone (all two of you) to know that I'm not purposely ignoring this blog. It's just that I have very little patience for photographing stuff (because I'm not great at it and it is labor intensive), and posting on a crafting blog without photos doesn't really work. I'm trying to find a happy medium.

Thus far my attempts have been unsuccessful. ::sigh::

I'll try harder. Promise.

Shawls are for boys, too.

2011-01-25T09:59:00.000-05:00

Shawls are, as a friend once said, a "very knitterly thing." You don't really see shawls out in the public sphere, unless they are worn by knitters, or little old ladies from the Old Country. I actually didn't really see the appeal of shawls until I started knitting in earnest. But now... Oh, shawls, how I love you!

The great thing about a shawl is its versatility. I wear Dover Castle as my Winter scarf. It has more surface area than a typical scarf, so it can cover more of my neck. Plus, I love the way the little point of the shawl kicks out, even when I have it wrapped around my neck like a scarf. It's just a little touch of sass that makes me smile. And shawls don't have to be just for Winter. Knit up in a lighter weight yarn - like cotton, or Hempathy, or Rowan Lenpur Linen - they can be the perfect little shoulder cover for a breezy evening, or a super air conditioned office.

But I digress. The main point is that typically, shawls seem to be a decidedly feminine accessory. It's not hard to see why. Most of them are very lacy, and even when knit in a bold or "masculine" color, "lacy" does not evoke images of conquering mountains or chainsawing huge logs in half or whatever other manly imagery you can come up with. (Apparently, when I think "manly", I think "lumberjack".) However, and I don't know if this is a recent phenomenon or not, but there seem to be an increasing number of not-lacy shawls making the knitting rounds. Some of these are designed by men - Stephen West, for example - but not necessarily all of them. Enter the shawl-for-a-guy.

There are so many great things about shawls-for-men. First, there are myriad ways to make it a structurally and visually interesting shawl without lace. Second, there are millions of color possibilities to explore - even pink can be masculine in the right setting! Third, you get the size, coziness factor and fun of knitting a shawl without it being a feminine accessory. I recently made Clockwork (by Stephen West) for Allen and it is fabulous. He loves that he can wrap it around his neck a million times and cuddle down into it when the bitterly cold wind blows in his face during his morning commute, and I absolutely loved picking out colors and knitting this fabulous, uh, I mean manly, neck warmer.

So, if you are a knitter and you are looking for a manly scarf to make for your significant other, don't be afraid of shawls! You know how much fun they are to knit! I would recommend calling it a "scarf" around the house though. Just to keep up the manly facade.

KALs are the best.

2011-01-18T13:54:00.001-05:00

My new favorite thing in the fiber world is the knit-along. Or maybe it's knit-a-long since the acronym is KAL? At any rate, there are so many great things about them.

1. They let you knit with a friend or a group, even if you can't be in physically the same place while knitting. It brings a sense of community back to your knitting when you can't get to your LYS for knit-night, or when you are traveling, or any time you find yourself with a stretch of lonely knitting.

2. If someone else is knitting the exact same thing, it's really easy for you to help each other out with sticky spots. Most patterns have one or two places where the instructions are vague, or you just aren't getting it. If you are knitting it with a friend, they can help explain funky spots to you - or vice versa.

3. They keep you on track and on target. Oh, startitis. You foul temptress. It's so easy to give in to your siren call. Unless you know you are going to have to compare progress on your KAL with someone else. Then, rather than be embarrassed by how little you have completed, you put down the skein of Sanguine Gryphon you were just fondling and pick up your knitting instead.

A few things to consider when contemplating a KAL...

A. It's better for everyone involved if you are close in skill level to your fellow KAL-ers. This is not to say everyone has to be a newb. If you have someone in the group who is more advanced, they can help point out pitfalls that the novices are likely to fall into. But if everyone is on approximately the same level, there is less embarrassment at pattern snafus or knitting speed. Also, if someone in your group is a crazy fast knitter (not mentioning names here... and no, it's not me), it's not much of a knit-a-long. It's more like a game of catch-up.

B. Pattern. Kind of obvious. But it should be something that everyone is interested in knitting. As a corollary, you might want to check out the pattern beforehand to make sure it's worth knitting. Everyone has had a moment where they bought a pattern, bought the yarn and cast on, only to find out the pattern is a hot mess and un-knit-able. Or un-crochet-able. Ask me how I know. Or read back in the archives.

C. How often will you be checking in? My friend and I sent each other email updates fairly frequently to check progress. If it's a short term project, like a cowl, maybe daily check-ins? Long term project, maybe weekly?

The beauty of the KAL is it's totally up to you! There are no rules and no deadlines, but I found that it definitely kept me on track and on task when I got to that "endless stockinette" portion of the pattern. I can't wait to do another one!

The fruits of our labor! (P.S. The KAL in question was Rosamund's Cardigan. Not too tough for beginners, but interesting enough to keep you occupied for not-beginners. Heart!)

So sick I can't even knit.

2011-01-03T19:36:00.000-05:00

How sad. What a terrible way to kick off the New Year! With the worst cold ever! (Well, the worst since I had this same cold last year...) I called out of work today, but even with uninterrupted couch time, I was too sick to knit more than a few rows of my Rosamund's Cardigan. I started this cardigan as a KAL (knit along) with a friend, and hers is now blocking while mine still needs 3 waist decreases and 2 sleeves. I am loving this sweater though. There's a ton of plain (reverse) stockinette, so it goes fast, but there's enough to keep track of with cables and shaping that it doesn't get boring. I'm knitting it in some gorgeous Sanguine Gryphon Free Range in the Indian Peafowl colorway. I bought the yarn at Rhinebeck in October and I love it so much, I ordered 2 more skeins to make Allen a Clockwork! If my nose stops running I may actually finish Rosamund this week.

My first cast-on of the new year will be a pair of convertible (flip top) mitts for Allen. Since my long-suffering husband has yet to receive any of my knitting handiwork, I figured it was time. He's actually getting a set: convertible mitts, a koolhaas and Clockwork. I'm trying to fly through the mitts and hat so I can get to clockwork before it warms up! My goal is to finish Allen's "commuting set" before February 1. Hurry up fingers! Knit faster!

The amigurumi that we knit for our nieces went over really well. I'm very pleased with how they turned out and how easy it was to modify the clothes for each. Allen's Hep Kitty is my absolute favorite, and our niece almost didn't get a Christmas gift from us as a result! So tempting to keep it for my own! Allen has promised to make me one though. And the Little Man Vest I made for our nephew came out adorable and fit him perfectly! Which, actually, is a bad thing since he's one and a half. He'll basically get to wear it this winter and that's it. Luckily, my sister (in-law) has another on the way so maybe it will get some more use!

Look at those adorable crafts! Uh, I mean kids! Happy New year and happy crafting!

Resolutions.

2011-01-02T19:11:00.002-05:00

1. Knitting project bigamy. No more then 2 projects on needles at any given time!

2. Blog more. And include photos.

3. Run.

4. Be thankful, be positive, look forward.

Amigurumi!!

2010-12-06T09:24:00.000-05:00

I have a serious crush on all things Japanese. Well, maybe not all, but I love the design aesthetic in general, and the cutesy, cutesy in specific. Enter amigurumi.

Amigurumi are dolls that are either knitted or crocheted, usually with oversized heads, that are anthropomorphic, but generally feature animal elements - like bunny ears or a tail - or are animals with anthropomorphic features. You get the picture. The bottom line? They are cute. Like super cute. Makes you squee and scream a little cute.

They are also a pain in the ass to make. I am speaking from experience here. Like any project, the devil's in the details. Amigurumi are endlessly customizable, but also require so many little touches to make - like embroidered eyebrows, or a fun fur wig. And anyone who has ever even looked at fun fur knows, it ain't actually all that fun. Poorly executed amigurumi look downright creepy, though, to be fair, some of them are intended to be creepy. And because amigurumi are so customizable, they can easily be re-purposed into the counterculture crafting category. (Go alliteration!) One of my favorite examples of this is Strawbeary from Beth Doherty's "Amigurumi: Super Happy Crochet Cute!". Someone re-imagined this sweet little girl/bear as a bad-ass punk chick (Ravelry link), complete with hot pink mohawk. I. Love. It. There are endless variations, from Captain Jack Sparrow (seriously?! so cute! I wonder if Johnny Depp would return my phone calls if I sent him one of these?) to Star Wars characters and ZOMG Futurama! (She also has Lord of the Rings characters. I heart her.)

Having recently completed a Strawbeary of my own, I can appreciate that anyone can make a cute amigurumi, but it takes some special attention to detail to make it "super happy crochet cute". My fun fur wig, for example, sits just a bit too high and forward. It should, ideally speaking, cover the top of the head form and come down to the back of the neck. I should have stretched it around a bit more, or been less lazy about repositioning it. But once I got that monstrosity on there, I really wasn't up to pulling out the stitches and trying again. It falls into the "not perfect but good enough" category.

Now that I have some experience with it, I'm thinking about re-imagining some of the designs in the book - the Punk Bunny, for example, as a girl with leggings and tunic. (Keeping the skull, natch!) I'm also imagining Hep Cat as a girl. She wears black and patchouli perfume and she is bored with your affectations of culture. I'm pretty excited about making her. In fact, the beret looks so good, I think I'll make some for my actual cats. They like stuff on their heads, right?

Baby clothes.

2010-11-22T10:23:00.000-05:00

And now for something completely different...

My husband and I recently made a huge decision. We are ready, really ready, to start a family. I don't want to get in to too many personal details - this isn't that kind of blog - but the short version is: we've decided to start adoption paperwork. We discussed adoption as a way to grow our family long before we got to the point where it was a viable option, and adoption was always a part of our family plan. We assumed we'd have some kind of blended family, and so far, that's still the "plan". Well, as much as anything like this can actually be planned. I'm sure any parent will tell you that once your child enters your life, all your carefully made "plans" fly right out the window. I can't wait!

So, we decided to jump in with both feet and start the adoption process. It takes a long time, and we're at the very beginning, but since it's something we always wanted to do, why not start now? There are myriad details left to work out. Private adoption vs. agency, International vs. domestic. Once we choose an agency and start the home study process, I think we'll have a more concrete plan about the wherefores and how-tos, and presumably, the social worker assigned to our case will help us figure those things out.

The crafter in me is already brainstorming themes for a child's room. Will it be elves and dwarves and dragons? Will it be Steampunk? Will it be wizards and witches and magic wands? So many options! In general, I love craft projects that revolve around kids - they are usually faster projects, though they can get really involved. But you can also explore a whole range of themes that is usually left out of adult projects - except maybe on Halloween.

It will likely be a year, or longer, before we bring home the new addition to our family, but you will start seeing a lot more craft projects geared towards children in the coming months. I'm trying to balance my unbridled enthusiasm and excitement with the reality check that this is a waiting game. But I am so excited to start this new chapter of our lives, and I wanted to tell the whole world. So, I figured I'd start with my little corner of the Internet. If anyone has been through the process or has some tips or advice to share, please feel free to contact me! I'd love to hear your story!

To quilt or not to quilt...

2010-11-15T08:55:00.002-05:00

As you may know, I love quilting. As you may also know, I have an ancient sewing machine. I guess, technically speaking, it's not "antique" ancient, but it's from the 70's. And while it's a perfectly serviceable sewing machine in most respects, there are some things that I find extremely difficult to accomplish with said machine. Like quilting.

Sewing fabric together, in general, is a task my machine can handle. But once you get more than two pieces of fabric in there, you really have to muscle it around to get it to sew properly. And starting at the edge of the fabric usually results in bunching and occasionally some tearing. It's not a pretty sight.

So, like I said, I can sew quilt tops together pretty easily. Some of the more complicated blocks get, well, complicated to sew because of the bunching problem, but all in all, it's a fairly manageable task. Actually quilting the thing is another story altogether... Quilting involves layering the top, the batting and the backing together like a quilt sandwich and basting to hold them roughly in place while you sew through all 3 layers. Quilt bats come in a variety of materials and thicknesses, but I tend to favor fairly thin, organic cotton bats. When I get all three layers together under the needle, I have to grip and pull pretty hard to get the fabric to move through together. Usually, a walking foot is all that is needed to accomplish this task. A walking foot will help keep the bottom fabric moving along with the top fabric. I have a walking foot, but that doesn't seem to solve the problem. I think the main issue is that my machine was designed to darn socks and sew clothes, but not to quilt. The short answer to the problem is that I need a new machine.

Which brings me to my main issue for the day: I have a quilt top that I sewed and love, and gave as a gift to my husband on our second anniversary - well, our second dating anniversary. So I've had this quilt top finished and waiting to be made into a beautiful bed cover for 4 years now, but I was afraid that if I quilted it myself, I'd ruin it. I've quilted on that machine before, but I get little areas where the fabric hasn't move along the way it should and bunches up. I did not want that to happen with this top, so I took it to my local quilt shop to have it professionally quilted with a long arm quilting machine. I've seem this woman's work before and I know the top will come out beautiful, but I'm still feeling a bit of guilt over it. I mean, I picked out the fabric, I sewed the top together, I cut the binding strips and sewed them together, and I picked out the batting and backing fabric. She is going to put it all together, quilt and bind it. So can I still say that I made the quilt? I always feel like I need a bunch of caveats - like "I made the top, but I had it professionally quilted."

On the one hand I feel like it's cheating a bit to have it professionally quilted, but on the other hand I know that a) it's going to be beautiful, b) the actual quilting step is difficult and requires both time and skill, and c) many quilters send most or all of their tops to be professionally quilted. Particularly for quilts entered in contests and such. So maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself for sending my top to be professionally done. I don't have to do every single bit of the project in order for it to be "mine". I'm not growing the cotton, or dying it, after all. And, if nothing else, I'm supporting a small business, right?

Anyone else want to weigh in?

Apropos of nothing.

2010-11-14T12:13:00.000-05:00

But I can't stop listening to this song. I'm off to watch 'Up' now...

On patterns and editing.

2010-11-12T22:26:00.001-05:00

I'll admit it. This is a pet peeve.

There are literally thousands of resources available to the home crafter nowadays. You can find patterns in practically any media imaginable, from the Internet (hello Ravelry!) to magazines to independently produced single patterns. And not just knitting patterns - sewing (make your own corset!), quilting, cross stitch, the list goes on and on. Given the number of free patterns available, and given that I am experienced enough to make my own pattern in most (but definitely not all) cases, when I buy a pattern and pay actual money for it, it better be 1) awesome (it is or I wouldn't have bothered to buy it) and 2) tech edited. Pay special attention to 2). We're going to be discussing this at some length.

I also have some very definite opinions about the price points of patterns, particularly knitting patterns. I generally feel that small or easily constructed things (unless it's something new and clever) should be less expensive than something large or complicated. A cowl pattern, for example, should not cost as much as a sweater pattern. Some of this opinion may be based on garment size, but in general, a cowl is a fairly simplistic garment while a sweater isn't. Having said that, the more I pay for a pattern, the higher my expectations in terms of both ease of understanding and overall correctness in terms of editing.

Now, having a few years of knitting under my belt, I am continually shocked by the lack of editing in patterns. If I pay $8 for a pattern - which is a lot, by the way, especially for a child's garment - I expect the pattern to be correct. I will temper this rant somewhat by saying that we are all human and make mistakes, and I am very accepting of people who sell patterns and post errata on their websites. Errata = good. No errata plus a pattern full of mistakes? Bad. Very bad. If I purchase a pattern that is either unintelligible or poorly tech edited - or ::gasp:: both! - then not only am I pissed, but I am telling everyone I know who knits about it and I am never buying a pattern from that "designer" again. Not the quotation marks there. It's on purpose.

I recently purchased such a pattern - an absolutely adorable pattern that I was willing to shell out $8 for - rife with errors (sizing crochet hooks in cm rather than mm, incorrect stitch counts, inconsistent decreasing throughout the garment). Because the "designer" was kind enough to exchange several emails with me to try to help me understand her pattern, I won't name names, but all in all, while I find the garment to be absolutely adorable and unique, I will never purchase another pattern from her.

With an eye to the path ahead, where I will likely be coming up with my own patterns and designs, I am particularly critical of mistakes in patterns. And I'm becoming a much more discerning buyer of patterns as well. If I've downloaded a free pattern, I'm not going to complain too much. It was free after all. But if I pay you for a pattern, I expect you to have had it test knitted (or crocheted) by a third party, and edited for content! I mean seriously! You can't have your neighbor or sister or husband or whatever read your pattern to look for basic typos?! Come on people.

I am particularly frustrated by this lack of care recently because of said aforementioned pattern, but I really think it's a problem in general now that we have the Internet and Etsy and the like. Anyone can release anything under "Joe Smith Designs!" and get at least one or two people to purchase it. But I think it's incumbent upon all of us as consumers and crafters to demand better tech editing and to warn each other about bad designers. Or "designers" rather. Admittedly, I'm withholding the name of the designer I had an issue with, out of courtesy because she was so quick to respond to my queries. And also because I think that the Internet is a bit dangerous in that respect, in that you can basically anonymously slander anyone with or without just cause. Got a bit sidetracked there, but seriously, designers, edit your stuff!!

What do you think? Am I alone in this frustration or has everyone experienced the unedited pattern fiasco at some point?

Steampunk, how I love thee.

2010-11-09T13:43:00.008-05:00

Okay, so for the 5 people left on the interwebs who haven't heard of Steampunk, let me 'splain. No. There is too much. Let me sum up: it's a blend of goth/Victorian era style, plus gears, robots, pocket watches, chains. Throw in some balloons (hot air variety not helium) and dirigibles and you've got a basic idea. It's a pretty popular theme in Japanese Anime. Maybe it originated there? Can't swear to that but it seems plausible.

I am totally enamored with this style. Like, crazy in love with it. My style tastes really run the gamut, but two of my favorite themes are Asian influenced and gothic influenced. Steampunk definitely falls into the gothic influenced category, and since I watched Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland last night, I definitely have goth on the brain.

Cue me wasting hours on the internet looking up Steampunk related fashion, weddings, accessories and cakes. The end result? I am now convinced that I need to sew some Steampunk clothes. Yeah. It's like that.

I should preface this with the fact that while I own a sewing machine, it's old. Like 1972 Singer teaching model, old. I use the heck out of this machine to sew (and occasionally quilt) quilt tops, but it is not a user friendly machine. It's old and cranky and makes my hands hurt because I have to wrestle with the fabric. Another fact that bears mentioning: I have never sewn garments. Ever. I have *knitted* garments, but that is decidedly not the same. So what does this mean to my new Steampunk obsession?

That I've decided to sew my own corset, dress and bloomers, naturally.

Hear me out! In my defense, I have sketched no less than 3 separate designs this morning and bought a book on Amazon about how to construct a corset. First step in any new creative journey? BUY STUFF! I'm trying to decide what to do about fabrics and such, but I think I'm going to go to my local fabric store and try to find some scrap pieces so I can see how different layers will work together.

One of my favorite inspiration photos (courtesy of Jen at Epbot):

The bloomers plus ripped tights? Love it. Add a funky underbust corset, a frilly white shirt and some chains and I'm yours. Plus some distressed boots (leather-free, of course) to seal the deal.

There are tons more fun inspiration outfits on the Epbot blog, so definitely check it out. And incidentally, Jen also runs the infamous Cakewrecks website (which has made me snort liquid out my nose on more than one occasion) and featured some fantastic Steampunk cakes. These postings combined have really gotten my creative juices flowing. And possibly salivating...

In the process of sketching out the designs I have in my head, I have realized that I am not an artist... Hrm. I might work on that a bit as it could get costly to try to actually *make* all of these ideas. Particularly with my "skillz". Next stop: Googling "how to draw fashion designs".

Counterculture crafting

2010-11-04T18:23:00.004-04:00

You wouldn't know it by looking at a gallery of the projects I've done, but I am a huge, *huge* fan of subversive or counter-culture crafting. I'm also firmly in favor of reinterpreting the meaning of "traditional" and using modern themes in traditional crafts. As such, some of my favorite knitting/crocheting projects are amigurumi, or amigurumi of TV characters (Nibbler and Bender imagined as toilet paper holders are just brilliant), colorwork with Space Invaders or robot themes. I have also recently stumbled upon Quiltsryche, which is a punk/hardcore rock take on traditional quilting.

In a word: I love it. Okay, that's technically three words, but Oh. My. Gosh! This woman took a traditional handicraft and turned it completely upside down in a brilliant way. I mean, even if you aren't a hardcore metal fan, you have to admit that her designs are pretty inspired. When I see designs like these, whether they match my personal style or not, I feel like an explosion of creativity is just around the corner. If you can turn "Rock out with your cock out" into an heirloom quilt, I'm pretty sure you can do just about anything. First, crafting, next, the world!

In less exciting, but explanitory-type news: I am a terrible photographer. There. I've said it. It's kind of hard to make an interesting crafting blog without pretty pictures, but honestly? I find the whole photo thing to be irritating. It takes me a long time to take them, then upload, then place them just right... Whine, whine, whine. I'm making a concerted effort to include more images in my posts - um, starting with the next post... I promise... I should warn you though: they will be overexposed, or underexposed, or blurry. I fell like I am an all-around creative person, and fairly good at the creative projects I pick up, but photography just isn't one of them. But I'll try to put something up, at least!

O Hai!

2010-11-04T09:02:00.003-04:00

I love starting blogs. I seriously have 4 or so on my blogger dashboard. Some are dedicated to travel and so only get updated when I actually travel, and others are well-intentioned "it seemed like a good idea at the time." I enjoy blogging and I certainly enjoy reading blogs, but I find that I am shy about posting. I'm trepidatious about putting too much personal information on the Interwebs, and while I think that I am creative and talented, I would never claim to be expert in any of the crafts I enjoy.

I think the short version is: I need to get over it. The great thing about blogging is that you don't have to be an expert. So, I'm going to try to get back in to the swing of sharing my creative projects with the world. I'm really hoping that this will be a growing experience for me. I feel like I'm right on the cusp of tapping in to my inner creativity and I need a little oomph, a little *something* to push me into the abyss, you know? I'm pretty good at following directions, so I can create something using someone else's pattern - be it quilting or crocheting or knitting. But I'm getting to the point where I want to create my *own* designs. I have some ideas swirling around, I just need that spark to ignite the flame.

So, with that in mind, Hi! I'll be posting more regularly. I promise. (Though, to be fair, much of the non-blogging blame has to go to Ravelry. That site is so awesome and I've been knitting so much, all my recent projects get posted there!)

A lesson about frogging...

2009-06-09T09:08:00.007-04:00

The problem with having a blog online and posting all about everything you are ever thinking of doing, ever, is that it's very hard to keep secrets. I've been working on several projects lately, but reluctant to post about them for fear they will be discovered by their intended recipients. However, since one of said recipients is 2, I think I'm safe to post about the project I've been working on for her.

I'm crocheting a Lime Corset Halter, designed by the queen of adorable clothes for little girls, Alla Koval. The front part - the lime slices - went really fast and was surprisingly easy. Next comes the sides and back. That was... less easy.

I started the first side and ended on the wrong side of the join between two motifs (lime slices = motifs). Frogged. Tried again, this time starting in the opposite corner and patting myself on the back for my ingenuity. I ended on the wrong side again and then realized that I had started at the wrong point altogether - thought I was in the right side corner, turns out I was in the top divot. Grr. Frogged. Started yet again, this time in the correct right side corner. The instructions are to start at the top of the first motif on the right side of the fabric, but that didn't work for me, so I started in the join between the first and third motifs on the wrong side of the fabric. I was so proud of myself - I made good notes about the changes I was making to the pattern and even started to compose a smug little blog post about my brilliance in crocheting in my head. Until...

I ended on the wrong side. Again! That's when I realized: if you start at point A on the right side and then switch to starting at point B on the wrong side (opposite from point A) you end up in the same place!! Grr! Frogged!

At this point, it is really late, I'm really tired and I have to be up for work really early. But I wasn't going to let the crochet beat me so I picked up my needle with a stubborn set to my jaw and gave it one last go. I finally figured out what I had been doing wrong, but even ending in the correct spot, I somehow ended with fewer double crochet sets than the pattern called for. I should also mention that my gauge was a bit off, so instead of doing 12 rounds for the lime slices, I did 14, which, according to the pattern notes, put me in between a size 5/6 and a size 7/8. However, the 14 rows made the slices about 5 inches wide, which is actually midway between a size 3/4 and 5/6.

I have a master's degree in physics and can do differential equations, but yarn math stymies me every time. Well, any crafting math, actually. Ask me how many times I have had to "fix" a bad quilting calculation. Actually, strike that. You don't want to know the answer, I promise. It will make you feel like our university system is failing at math on a fundamental level. And it isn't. It's just me.

So, while the numbers are off, at this point I don't care. It looks okay, which is the only part I really care about. The only possible fly in the ointment will be trying to repeat the exact sequence of mistakes on the left side. ::sigh:: It's going to be another late night...

Edit: 11:21pm. I just finished both sides and have blocked the top. Tomorrow I'll be putting on tank straps, embroidering the details and finishing the edging. I should note that not only was I not able to repeat the mistakes of last night, I apparently have enough experience with the sides to have done it correctly when I did the left side. Although that meant I had to frog the right side AGAIN so that I could correct it and make them match. Guh. That's frogged 4 times for those keeping track at home. I should point out that while it seems that I have had a hard time with this pattern (true), the pattern is very well written overall and has been super fast and easy to make. Well, I'm stretching the truth just a smidge on the "easy" part, but honestly, if I wasn't an idiot I'd be done with the top already!

More Log Cabins

2009-05-12T22:14:00.008-04:00

A few more samples of log cabin quilts I've done. The are relatively quick projects and get easier and quicker each time you make one. They are also endlessly customizable, so they don't get boring!

'Ivan T.T.' (top)
'Pink is for Portia' (bottom)

Two kid size quilts. Log cabins are easily adjusted to any size - just add or subtract blocks as needed!

'Arizona'

I love the pattern in this quilt. It's kind of Southwestern/Native American, and the dark blues really stand out against the lighter orange/peach tones. Larger quilts give you more options for patterns.

The hardest part in making a log cabin, for me, is picking out the fabric combinations. I have a difficult time deciding because up close some of the fabrics aren't necessarily the same tone. However, once the quilt is together in a cohesive whole, you can see that minor tonal variations don't seem to affect the overall appeal of the quilt. Granted, I'm not impartial, but what I'm trying to say is don't get too hung up on picking the exact, perfect matching fabrics. Pick things you like and try it out. The two kids quilts above were made from various fabrics I had leftover in my stash, so I definitely didn't buy them all at the same time or place with that intention of creating a quilt with them in a specific combination. I understand and have great respect for people who meticulously plan out their quilts, and sometimes I do that too. But it's also okay to just jump in and see what happens!

The First Quilt

2009-05-02T13:27:00.006-04:00

I started quilting in the Fall of 2006. My very first project was a bed quilt for my Mom. I had several terrific resources to help me through the first quilt journey: 1) my local (at the time) quilt guild, Lake and Mountain Quilters. Those ladies (and a gent or two) were lifesavers! I can say unequivocally that having a group of crafters to spend time with will increase your skill level by leaps and bounds. I asked those wonderful women question about everything from number of stitches per inch to how to bind off. They were a friendly, helpful group and I miss the monthly meetings since I moved. 2) Quilt in a Day: Log Cabin Pattern, by Eleanor Burns. Granted, my first quilt did not take one day, but the book is a fantastic step by step for beginners. And I would venture to say that every (or almost every) experienced quilter has made a log cabin quilt, so it's easy to get help if you are confused or make a mistake. Though, having said that, mistakes in fabric placement sometimes serve to make the quilt more interesting...

So, the first quilt. My Dad was up for a visit and we spent an afternoon perusing junk shops, where I found an old (1970's) Singer sewing machine, set into a sewing table. We purchased it for $25... And then had to take the sewing machine to a repair shop for another $75. All in all, not a bad price for a first sewing machine. I haven't upgraded that machine yet, so it's been the workhorse for all the quilts I've done so far. I picked out some reds, pinks, whites and cream colored fabrics from various locations - fabric stores and such, opened the Quilt in a Day book a dove in. I have a tendency to pick projects that are way above my skill level, but the log cabin style is a great beginner's quilt. The squares are sewn assembly-line style, so you complete them all at the same time. I've done several log cabin quilts since this first quilt because it's such an easy construction and looks great when you are done. You really can't go wrong with a log cabin. There are also several patterns that will appear in the finished quilt, depending on how you orient the squares. I chose a starburst pattern for this quilt. Quilters traditionally name each of their quilts, a practice that I find charming, but one that I am bad about implementing. So I guess for posterity, this quilt will be known as "Mom's Rose Star".

One thing I learned from this project: never use stripes or plaid. Well, never say never, I suppose, but if I ever use striped or plaid fabric again, I will be much more precise in my cutting and sewing. On a small scale it's not a big deal, but if you look closly at the plaid, it looks like the fabric is off kilter. The fabric is straight, it's just the pattern that's off kilter... Lesson learned.

When I took this quilt to my guild for "show and tell" and to ask how to finish the binding, the first comment I got was, "My. It's so... Big!" :-/

Oh yeah. I eventually made a pillow to go with it. (Leftover log cabin squares.)

Some Background

2009-05-02T13:21:00.003-04:00

I am not an expert in any craft technique. At all. Not even a little. I love craft projects however, and have some skill in various areas. I'm one of those knows-a-little-bit-about-everything kind of people, as opposed to an-expert-about-several-things kind of person.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, the main point of this blog is to share projects I'm working on or have completed and discuss crafts in general. I want to increase my skill level in three main areas: knitting, crocheting and quilting. I'm interested in learning new things, exploring new materials and would love to have feedback from the community in general. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you found something interesting while you were here!