Heels and Toes

Today I spent some time learning some new techniques for knitting sock heels and toes. Donna Druchunas has spent quite a lot of time researching knitting traditions in Lithuania. I can't wait for her book! I learned tons and have some samples to photograph and post. But I'm worn out...commuting is hard work.

Haute Knits

Showing up in fashion, knitters know how easy these would be to create...if you wanted to.

via Outsapop Trashion

Beer Squirrels

I've been wanting to make these for awhile, but I hadn't gotten around to trying to make a pattern. Fortunately, Jessica Correa did the work for me. Using her free pattern on Ravelry, I got started with these little fellows. They need to be washable, so I used Red Heart "Soft" in Toast and Red Heart "Fur Sure" in Camel. (I don't expect them to go through the washing machine, though.)

D&J Hobby in Campbell used to be my go-to store for googly eyes, but while I found 8mm sew on eyes, they are really phasing out the craft side of the store and moving towards radio controlled models. Affordable Treasures in Los Gatos is a good source, or I may just have to buy online.

About the squirrels, I made four so that you can have a few friends over for drinks, and everyone gets a cozy. There is plenty of the body yarn left over, there's almost 200 yards in a ball. I used small amounts of Cascade 220 Superwash for teeth and tongues.

There were lots of fiddly bits to knit. I knit the ears, teeth, and tongues directly on the body, but knitted the arms and tails separately, then sewed on. The pattern calls for a few different needle sizes, but I used just two: US 7 for everything except the tails, and US 13 for the tails (the long pile of the "Fur Sure" made it very difficult to use anything smaller).

Squirrel Beer Cozies

More Photos of the Hammock Quilt

Well, although the weather is cooperative, the hammock is put away for another year. But the hammock quilt is ready! Final dimensions: 54" x 56" [approximately].

It seems like there was a majority of the middle aqua tones. This is mostly random; I did "cheat" and try to mix up the colors and prints in each long strip. But I just stitched the long strips together willy-nilly. Here's a close up of the mix of patterns and colors, which shows off the wrinkles in high relief.

And here's a shot of the back. Yes, the strips are crooked. They are just applied to the surface of the darker fabric. I am super-lazy! Anything worth doing is worth doing fast just to get it done. I really rushed on cutting and sewing the backing. It was the home stretch and I could see the finish line.

I'm debating quilting along the long strips. And then would I use the light aqua thread or coral thread? Or a mixture? See, it gets all difficult.

Beer Squirrels

They're coming along nicely! Currently they all have bodies and ears. Now for tongues and teeth, then tails and eyes.

Four Squirrels, one still without ears, one modeling on the bottle

Aha!

It was 2009 when I bought the jelly roll. Quilting takes a lot of time and space. I can see the attraction of mini quilts. You get to play with color and pattern, but it doesn't take as much space. Perhaps I will try that.

Thoughts on the Hammock Quilt

I don't even want to think about when I picked out the jelly roll for this quilt. I'm going to say it was 2009, but it might have been 2008. I chose a pattern for it and started cutting the strips to size. Then a year passed...

via Amy Butler

I put the strips in order of color value, light to dark, so that each band of the quilt would at least have the same number of light and darker pieces. I didn't want to end up with a bunch of one value or pattern left at the end.
Putting the pieces together into long bands didn't take too long once I got started. Then I needed to press the seams, and that took some time to get around to. More months passed...
The seams were pressed, and then I needed to figure out how to arrange the long bands. I tried laying them out, but I didn't have enough room anywhere to really tell how it would look. My next strategy was to bravely sew the bands together randomly. That also went quickly, but then more pressing was required.

detail of my hammock quilt top

Originally, I had thought about using a small duvet from IKEA for the batting and an IKEA sheet for the backing. The small duvet worked, but none of the colors for the sheets worked with the fabrics. By now, the whole jelly roll fabric line was discontinued. So I took some extra strips to the fabric store to find something for the backing. I found two watery prints that worked, so I could piece them together along with some of the leftover bits of the jelly roll to tie the front and back together.

The pattern calls for making a kind of "sandwich" of the front, back, and batting. I wasn't sure about this...I thought that it might look better with binding. But I didn't want to make my own binding and none of the colors of pre-made binding worked with the jelly roll fabrics, so I went ahead with the "sandwich." Now I'm stuck at the point of top-stitching around the edges and closing the hole I used to turn the quilt.

And I need to figure out if I want to quilt it or not, and if I quilt it, what pattern? Decisions! Choices!

Quilting + Friends & Family Sale

Chronicle Books has the perfect book for those who are addicted to Jelly Rolls, etc. but don't know what they want to make out of them. Little Bits Quilting Bee has lots of great ideas and inspiring photos. Plus, Chronicle Books is in the midst of a Friends & Family sale, so take a peek and get inspired!

via Chronicle Books

It's Knitting Time!

New BrooklynTweed Look Book is out. And I want to knit them all...but Bedford is a favorite.

via Brooklyn Tweed

Hemp/Wool Cocoon

This is based on the Lion Brand Pattern with some modifications. Ribbing is 4 rows at cast on and bind off edge. Two stitches decreased in the center every 12 rows to give some shaping and decrease bulkiness in the back of the shrug. It has elbow-length "sleeves" and is about 36" from neck to hem.

Yarn: Hemp for Knitting #210 Hempwol, 2 skeins
Needle: US 8
Gauge: 20 sts & 24 rows over 5”

Thoughts on Creativity

Read and consider...

Quilt Thoughts

Maybe I will make the quilt without binding...It doesn't call for binding, but I thought it looked a bit unfinished. I picked out some binding, but I'm not completely happy with it. And then I saw this tutorial, and if I stitch along the edges real close...maybe that will work.

Wrapping Up Summer

Ha, ha! Summer probably has a ways to go, but I did finish a cape/shawl out of Cascade Sierra to help with the transition to cooler days. I picked up this yarn at commuknity in San Jose. These were end lots or discontinued colors of Sierra, so there were only single skeins available. I tried a striped version of the Kauai wrap, but I had trouble getting the carries up the side to look neat. And while I liked the way the colors looked together, there wasn't much contrast.

Using the pattern for Colonnade modified for the lighter weight yarn, I am please with the way it turned out, but the contrast between colors is certainly right out there! I found the perfect button at Green Planet Yarn. They have a great selection of tagua nut buttons in a wide variety of colors. I found one to match the Bermuda Blue and one to match the Waterlily yarn. I ended up using the first button as a fastener.

Button Love

I believe how close these buttons match the color of the yarn! And I didn't bring the shawl with me to the store! Found these tagua nut buttons at Green Planet Yarn (they have some other wonderful buttons, not to mention yarns).

I still need to weave in the ends and figure out where to put the button. And block the shawl thoroughly, but you can see where it's going.

After Pressing

Nothing like a freshly pressed seam...now I need to make the binding/border for the top and sew it on. Currently the top measures 52" x 54". I really need to win this.

Before Blocking

But after knitting! This project was just what I was looking for. I was thinking of knitting another Citron but that wasn't exactly right for these yarns. When I saw the sample was made out of yarns similar in color to what I had, I knew it was the one. Now I just need to block it.

Wonder if I have time to go to Petaluma this weekend...

Craftaluma - How the Craft was Won

As Promised...

Photo of the pool sign with resin coating:

This shows a glossy reflection in the upper left corner of the sign. It also shows a concerning "stain." The paint seems to be discolored in the middle of the sign. I think it's the white paint, but I don't know why it looks like it is dissolving...UV rays?

Hammock Quilt Progress

All of the strips are now sewn together! I did this completely randomly. And without really being careful about the seams or using pins. I'm not a quilter. :-)

Now I need to press the seams open and check to make sure that I didn't catch any of the cross-seams in the stitching.

It's great to see progress! I may work slowly, but if I like the project I'll eventually finish it.

Summer Poncho

Finished! This used up most of the Ella Rae Shibu -- I have part of a ball left. The garter stitch is very stretchy, and so I didn't use all of the yardage required although I did complete more repeats of the pattern than written.

Silk Poncho

Love this yarn! And I got two projects out of one shipment. It took just a little more than 3 balls of Ella Rae Shibu to make the larger version of Cool Hemp Ponchette by Lanaknits. It's the perfect cover up for a cool summer evening. The stitch pattern was easy to remember and the whole thing took about a week to knit. You can wear it with the point in front or in the back.

New Obsession

After working on an outdoor sign this weekend, I'm in love with resin! Well, it has a beautiful, thick, glossy finish, but it is soooo bad for the environment. So, my love affair will be secret and/or brief. For awhile there I was thinking of putting resin on anything that didn't move. :-)

Tips:

• Put the finish on when the project is new. The sign has been outdoors for 5 years and has some sun and water damage.
• Use enough resin to get an even finish. I skimped a bit (since I wasn't sure how much to get) and there are some low spots.
• Get all your tools together -- gloves, safety glasses, mask, stirring stick, pail large enough to mix resin and hardener, and a foam brush. And maybe an extra set of hands. It would have been nice to scrape out the pail to get every last drop.

Photos to follow later...

On the Needles...

Currently I have 3 active projects on the needles:

• Blue silk poncho
• Hemp/Wool "cocoon"
• Pink poncho for Jennifer

In addition to trying to clear my bookshelves of unread books, I'm trying to clear out my yarn stash, and it is Jennifer's b-day. I also have my "scrapbooking" knitting project that is another attempt to make something out of old yarn -- the French Scarf.

Below are the blue silk poncho and the French scarf in progress:

What's the First Rule of Dyeing?

Wear gloves! But the blue and green didn't seem to leave any color on my hands, why was the purple so bad? It's all gone now.

Used just one packet of each color, so the colors are pretty pale, but I still like the effect. I'm calling the color "heliotrope."

Kimono with Button

Here is the completely finished kimono cardigan -- all knitted, seamed, and buttoned!

via my Flickr photostream

Alpaca Kudzu

As soon as I saw this pattern, I wanted to make it. And I just happened to have some green yarn that had been lingering around. The yarn is West Valley Alpacas Classic DK in a dark green. I used US 8 needles, so the finished shawl is a bit larger than the original version. Here it is: Kudzu!

Block Party!

Since I had the iron out, I used it to steam-block a few of the shawls that I recently finished. This makes them a bit larger and makes the lace pattern really stand out.

From left to right: Wagashi, Wisteria, and Kudzu

Kimono Sweater

Finished! This is "Design #14" by Jenny Watson from the book, Noro Flowers, Book 4. I used Naturally Vero yarn in color #1, Jeweled. The yarn has more purple than I expected, but I am still pleased with the way it turned out. The gauge was right on, and I had a resin button from Stitches West 2010 that looks just right.

The construction of this sweater is unique. There are three rectangular panels for the fronts and back. Then the sleeves and top of the sweater are knit side to side causing vertical stripes. Finally, after sewing the top to the bottoms, you pick up and rib the wide collar. Pretty easy overall, and makes a loose-fitting kimono-style cardigan.

In progress, before under arm seams and button.

Online Sewing Classes

What a cool idea! And this project looks like a lot of fun. Too bad I'm a bit too busy right now. Maybe later this summer I'll have time to learn a new trick.

Solution for Blocking Lace

The Block and Roll reviewed in The Knitter's Review here: Knitting Needles and Tools Reviewed might be just what I need. I just don't have the space to lay things out without dogs getting involved. I've been thinking about a blocking system that I could size and fold to store...just need to make a prototype.

New [to me] Yarn Shop!

There ought to be some way I find out about new yarn shops! Oh, that's right...the Bay Area Knitters group on Ravelry. That's how I found out about the last two.

Now there's one in Princeton-by-the-Sea. My mom told me about it, and we're going there to check it out tomorrow. There's also a bookstore in the same plaza, so what a bonanza!

Mini Mochi Scarf

Fun knit with very little finishing. No blocking and only minimal trimming of ends; you work in the ends as you pick up to knit the mitered squares. Mini Mochi's color changes are long enough that they are almost long enough for an individual square. The three colorways I used had a lot of colors in common, so the finished scarf is not as strikingly striped or colored as it could have been. But the colors blend well together.

Mini Mochi wasn't all that great to knit with, though. It splits and gets fuzzy...don't think I would use it again.

Pretty Little Shawl for Spring

The Mezquita Shawl looks nice in the Wagashi colorway, but it needs a little more blocking. It turned out pretty well. I'd like it to be bigger, but didn't want to use larger needles. Overall, this is a quick knit and fairly easy, too. I might try the pattern again in heavier yarn. I used less than 400 yards of the Wool Candy Marzipan, so there is over 100 yards left over.

Mystery Shawl Time Again

Yes, I'm going to try another mystery shawl, and I plan on finishing! This time it's a bit easier because I don't have to consult the chart every stitch or so. And I started almost at the beginning, so I'm not behind yet!

I'm using HazelKnits Artisan Sock in Terrywinkle. I love the shading in the color and the elastic feel of the yarn. Yum!

Details can be found at Wendy Knits and on Ravelry.

Vintage Modern Knits

I bought this book because it was on sale through Interweave Press for $15! Such a deal! I loooove the Brigid sweater, but that was the only project I would make (although there are several other tempting ones), so I was looking for a deal.

I think I will use Elann Limited Edition Naples, a tweedy yarn in a mossy green, although I have SweetGeorgia  Superwash Worsted slated for the project on Ravelry...and I've been wanting to knit a project in a tonal yarn.

via Interweave Store

Another View of Curaçao

Curaçao, originally uploaded by toadncat.

Finally got a shot of the shawl on Miss Torso. With my iPhone...need to take one in better light.

I'm usually not a fan of the "flashing" that sometimes occurs with hand-dyed yarn, but the yarns in watery colors really look like pools of rippling water.

Another Shawl Wrapped Up

Curacao, originally uploaded by toadncat.

Let's see...this took two and a half months to finish, but it languished for weeks after I cast on the bazillion (363) stitches. I managed to knit the lace charts the week before April 16th. Then I put is aside again until April 25th. I figured the stockinette short rows would be good mindless knitting. Except that I didn't take into account the reduced number of stitches, and in fact hadn't worked the final decrease row at all. But after unknitting twice (after nearly finishing) I managed to figure out my blunders and finish the shawlette. It is a handy size. I have about 30 yards left of the yarn after working a couple extra stockinette rows.

Quilts 'n' Curtains

Time to press the seams open on my continuing project, the hammock quilt. In review, it is a "brick road" quilt based on an Amy Butler pattern made from a jelly roll of now-discontinued "Neptune" fabrics.

I figured I'd put some of the strips up on the curtain clips to see how they look. But it's not the best way to test combinations.

Maybe a quilt curtain...nah, the sun really wrecks the fabric. But I do like the shorter length so the dogs can run in and out without getting tangled up, so I'm using the bottom half of the curtains from the dining room.
:-)

Wrapping up loose ends

I finally finished the brush alpaca shawl/poncho I started just over a year ago! The endless seeming stockinette stitch was the first hurdle. Then seaming...I was so nervous about it! And it wasn't that bad. Then all that was left was picking up stitches and making the ruffle -- easy as pie.

Julie modeled it for the rest of us, and it looked so good on her that it was obvious that it needed to go home with her. Even though spring seems to be here, it can still get chilly in the mountains.

Yay! I just love a successful finished project!

Everyday Wrap by CocoKnits

Week 5: Last Week of Class

I've really enjoyed this class and seeing everyone's work, even though I never figured out how to access the Flickr group. The Facebook group was inspiring! And I can see some of the classwork on Flickr if I search for "Get Your Paint On."

I hope I keep painting and figure out what I want to paint and how. This week I really wanted to try some painting over an undercoat and something really "sketchy" (i.e. not polished but a little rough).

Voila, the Hare:

from a scanned image, acrylic on canvas board

Week 4: Composition

Well, I have two paintings that I worked on last weekend. They are "sketches" prepared for a final version on canvas. I like the colors and the boldness of both, but they look a bit unfinished. I need to decide what to do about the background in the final version, and I need to decide which one I want to commit to canvas.

Bananas & Blood Oranges in a Blue Glass Bowl

Chicken Vase with Vine-Ripened Tomatoes

Painting

Well, there's painting going on but it's the kitchen not my homework. I'm not sure that I like the blue...it's awfully blue. On the other hand, it makes the room feel cool and me feel calm looking at it. And it does look nice against the yellow walls in the living room and hall.

OK, back to work...

Week 4 - Composition

It's been a long time since I've painted anything that wasn't three-dimensional. I've been having fun smooshing paint around and trying out gel medium. Artist's acrylics are much more vibrant and have more body than the craft acrylics I usually use.

I'm not sure what to paint this week...I'm thinking of a still life, since I haven't done one yet. I'll check and see what's in the kitchen to paint.

Which is the most menacing of the parallelograms?

The Daily Show - You're Welcome - Balancing the Budget
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Just askin'

Did anyone accuse Micheangelo of hoarding marble? Monet of hoarding oil paints? Why the bad rap for knitters? We don't hoard yarn; we see the potential in every skein and ball.

Week 3 - Red Leaf Color Match

Week 3 - Red Leaf Color Match, originally uploaded by toadncat.

This was the easiest color to match. Mostly red with a little blue and yellow. And a little white.

The leaf is from the heavenly bamboo (nandina) in our yard. I love the color of it! It seemed really bright true red, until I tried to match it. Then I could see that although there was a bit of yellow/green at the base, the red had some blue in it.

Stitches!

My head is spinning from all the color and texture...we were pretty good. Didn't buy everything we wanted to, but just enough to sate the creative beast.

Quick run through the trends: sock yarn and small hand-dyers are still going strong. Also lots of indie pattern designers. It seems like there were more patterns for garments knitted from sock yarn...I guess there's just som many socks you can knit.

I thought (and Lara agreed) that the best and most interesting vendors were in the back of the venue, as usual. I have to do the numbers, but my impression was that there were at least as many vendors as last year. There certainly seemed to be plenty of customer participation! The parking lot was pretty full shortly after 10am. We had to bust through and open up the other half of the lot to ease the traffic.

I hope to return on Sunday to follow up first impressions.

Week 3: Get Your Paint On

I'm about a week behind now. I couldn't get a version of the first project that I liked, and then I got behind on project two...Oh, let's face it! I was having too much fun mixing paint and smearing it around to see how it looked on watercolor paper (translucent) and on the gesso studio boards (vibrant). And layering the paint!! Too much fun!

Week Three is all about color, but I've been playing with it all along.

Week 2: Get Your Paint On

This week we are supposed to paint something in the style of an artist we like. At first I really struggled to think of an artist I would/could emulate. Then I got to looking around the house, and decided to try a graphic style similar to Laurel Burch. I also like the paintings of animals by Bill Tossetti, Ron Burns, Dana Heacock and Sonia Paz.

For my subject, I select a photo I took of Jack (Ferguson) relaxing on the couch in the family room. It has lots of blocks of color and contrast. I sketched the main features and then colored in the blocks.

Now it's time for the details, or it will be once it's a little dryer.

Broad Street Convertible Mittens

I've been wanting to make these for awhile, and I've had the yarn for awhile, too. Finally got around to making them. The yarn is very nice to knit with and stripes subtly, but feels a bit thin for warmth. And right now the weather is too nice to really test them.

The pattern was fairly easy and straightforward, just need to pay attention to thumb gusset and fingers. And a tip from a Bernat pattern: knit the row for the mitten cap with a life-line or larger needle to make it easier to pick up stitches after you've finished the fingers.

Project 1: Inspired by Gee's Bend Quilts

So, Week One's project was a painting inspired by Gee's Bend quilts. I tried several versions, but this one is my favorite:

It is pretty much a copy of a quilt square; some of the orientation may be different. I was really inspired by the quilt color combos, but had trouble translating them into a painting.

This painting is acrylic on watercolor paper.

"New England Knits" by Cecily Glowik MacDonald and Melissa LaBarre

I've been waiting for this book to come out. There have been teasers featuring photos of the projects floating arount the Internet for awhile now.

Most of the patterns feature Classic Elite yarns, which are very nice and come in lovely subdued colors. There are a variety of projects -- hats, mittens as well as sweaters that are elegant in their simplicity.

I'll write more after I've actually started a project. :-)

Week 1: Day 1

Went to University Art today to pick up things I don't have for class. Turns out I have mostly everything, but I figured I needed some new paint and I didn't have anything to paint on.

Tonight I'll do my reading, and hopefully tomorrow, I begin some painting...

Yikes!

I just signed up for Get Your Paint On. Drawing and sketching was on my list of resolutions, and I've been wanting to learn more about painting. I just can't seem to figure out how it's done. The course seems to be just what I need: online, at my own pace, nearly anonymous...but I need to make sure I actually do something. :-)

Living is easy in California

70 degrees in January? Unbelievable isn't it? I've been to the coast twice in the past 4 days, and both times it was sunny and warm(ish). But it's supposed to get foggy again...I picked up the January 2011 edition of Country Living (British Edition) to get in a wintery mood. Aran blankets, wool knitted hot water bottle covers, a henkeeper's diary, listening to gardening stories, and a profile of Helen Swantson, the creator of Helkat Designs...ah...that's more like it.

New Year, New Knits

I've been reading more than crafting lately, but I did finish a few knits before the holidays. I didn't take any photos, though. What was I thinking? I also started two silly projects before Christmas: a dog sweater for a stuffed Westie from IKEA and a Christmas stocking that I've been planning for at least 3 years. There was no way I was going to get either finished, and no real reason to finish them.

First, the stocking. I had originally wanted to make a striped stocking, but I really don't like knitting stripes and carrying the yarn along, especially inside a tube. I ended up using the yarn for a couple of other projects, so I had to plan a little. And then it turns out, I received a pair of socks for Christmas with a similar color scheme. Great minds think alike. :-) My stocking has a short-row heel; that's why it won't lie flat.

For the dog sweater, I thought red would be nice for a white dog. I wanted to try making a one-piece sweater so I wouldn't have to work any seams. I started at the back end working towards the front. I worked the back for a few inches then added stitches for under the tummy and knit in the round for a bit. I separated for the front and back when I got to the front legs. The back was long enough once I got to the end of the leg opening, but the front need more length. I used short row shaping to increase the length in front after rejoining the front and back. The shaping looks similar to seams along the sides of the dog's chest. I also had to decrease the number of stitches at the front of the neck, so it looks a little blousy.

I'm pretty happy with the results, but learned that with dog sweaters, you really need to have the dog handy so you can check the measurements and hold up the sweater to the dog. Each dog has it's own shape, so each sweater needs to be customized.