Knit, Swirl!

I've been doing quite a lot of knitting over the last year.  Hats, mobius scarves, wrist and ankle cuffs for a bit of added warmth at these pulse points, socks, lots of socks and I've become enamored of a new sort of jacket called a Swirl.  These were introduced in the book Knit, Swirl!  I learned about it when a LYS had a Ravelry post about a class for making Swirls.  So of course I did some research, found the book and really liked the look of the garments.  For several years I've been interested in a longer jacket sort of knit garment and this looked like a nice possibility.

After reading the book I ended up purchasing a kit for the Coat of Many Colors, in the Clemantis colorway.  I figured that a kit would let me try things out without having to do all the yarn selections myself, since this pattern calls for 9 different colorways.  This kit pushed my color preference boundaries, as it includes some colors, like orange and yellow-green, that I never wear.  But the overall effect from this while very colorful is of purple.  Purple is good, I like purple, so I went for it.  And with a few minor points of confusion loved knitting the Swirl with this yarn.  It is Mountain Goat yarn, by Mountain Colors, a wool and mohair blend.  This is not a brushed yarn, so while there is a subtle raising of fibers in the completed Swirl it isn't hairy like many times we think of mohair.

I found the knitting to be simple but interesting.  It starts out with the entire outside edge of the Swirl, so a whole lot of stitches, but then as the welts are knit and decreases made it gets smaller and smaller, and thus knits faster and faster.  Then after the outside edge and collar are done it switches from knitting in the round to knitting flat, back and forth, but now getting faster yet because in addition to the regular decreases at the markers the opening for the neck decreases are also being done.

There are all these mini-milestones.  The Swirls are knit with welted fabric, sort of like sideways ribbing.  Several rounds of knit stitches follow several rounds of purl stitches, 4 or 5 of each, to make this rich, flexible and visually interesting fabric that is extremely simple to knit.  Decreases are all k2tog or p2tog, dead easy.  So finishing a welt is a mini milestone.  Then switching to flat knitting is a milestone.  Then there is the milestone where all decreases for the outside Swirl part stop and you switch to knitting the bodice, which is knitted flat with increases.  Then come the sleeves, where rather suddenly the number of stitches increases quickly.  But this is a milestone and it's very exciting because by this time you are actually very close to being finished!

When the increases for the sleeves are done you knit straight for a while, this is the actual sleeve and cuff of the Swirl and it's a lot of stitches.  But you're almost done!  Part way through the sleeve section it's time to cast off for the back of the neck and do neckline decreases, so suddenly it's tearing along like gangbusters, faster and faster and faster and you're done!

Swirls are such great fun to knit, and are very beautiful.  I am really enjoying wearing my Coat of Many Colors.  So much so that I am currently knitting another one, a Strata Sphere in Lamb's Pride yarn in Jack's Plum, a very deep, dark purple.  And following that I plan to make one out of Cat Mountain Fusion yarns in the color Aurora Borealis.  Blue to green to purple, just my sort of colors!  The yarn is lovely and the skeins have been washed and are dry.  Just need to swatch to verify gauge and finish this Strata Sphere...

Springtopia Spring String Thing, more knitting

Over the weekend I attended Stringtopia's Spring String Thing.  This was primarily a spinning related event, but there were also knitting and color related classes, which is what I took.  Carol Sulcoski, author and owner of Black Bunny Fibers, did a wonderful job.  I highly recommend her classes.  I now better understand how to use various sorts of hand painted, variegated, self patterning and striping yarns.  This is a topic I'm quite interested in.  I enjoy knitting self patterning yarns, but it is nice to know more about how to manage the results.

I have some quite nice hand painted yarns that I have been trying to decide what to do with them, and these classes have helped me make some decisions regarding projects to best take advantage of them.

Currently I'm in the middle of a sort of sock analysis project.  Having several balls of the same brand of yarn, Regia, in different colorways, I am experimenting with how needle size affects durability in the toes, heels and foot.  Initially this will be in stockinette, later I expect to do some tests that use heel stitch or EOP (Eye of Partridge). Using Regia Blitz Color 02530, a grey-blue self patterning yarn I used 2.0 mm needles for the toe and heel, and 2.5 mm needles for the rest of the foot.

About the time I started to work on these socks I realized that I had missing gaps in my needles in the smaller sizes.  I had 1.5 mm (US 000), 2.0 mm (US 0), 2.5 mm (US 1 in some brands), 2.75 mm (US 2), 3.0 mm (US 3) and so on.  What I finally paid attention to is that it is possible to get needles in between some of these US whole numbers.  Note also that the size of a needle in one brand is not always the same as that same size in another.

Because of this I am stopping using US sizes to reference my needles and instead trying to simply use the mm size.  I also ordered more needles.  I now have 1.75 mm, 2.25 mm as well as a full set of 1.5 and 2.0 mm.

Since I prefer knee socks I am doing a concurrent experiment with a ribbing I read about on Ravelry.  It is quite stretchy and thus far I really like the bounce back that it has.

This ribbing is a multiple of 3 sts:
Rnd 1: k2, p1
Rnd 2: k1, yo, k1, p1
Rnd 3: k3, p1
Rnd 4: sl, k2, psso2, p1
(note that your st. count changes for rnds 2 and 3 and then is restored on 4)

Many thanks to author Barb Brown who posted this ribbing.


So, on the blue Regia 02530 socks I used that ribbing from just after the ankle (toe up) on up the leg starting with 2.0 mm needles.  At the point where I started to need more room for my calf I switched to 2.25 mm needles.  This really did give a lot more stretch than I expected.  However, as expected it wasn't enough for the calf itself, so I increased up the center back around the middle column of stitches.  This really made for a nice fabric.  Stretchier and more flexible than the same ribbing on the 2.0 mm needles.  I just can't believe how much difference there is between fabric made with 2.0 and 2.25 mm needles.

Above the calf my leg tucks back in below the knee, so I switched back down to 2.0 mm needles and also did decreases.  I took out half of the increases I'd put in for the calf, then continued on the smaller number of stitches up to right below the knee itself.

These socks with this ribbing stay up quite well.  I wear my hand knit socks mainly as bed socks.  Often hand knit socks will fall down unless held with a garter, but at least thus far this pair stays up.

To continue the experiment I want to know more about durability on the foot and sole, so my next socks, currently still in progress, are Regia Blitz Color 02526, a nice green with some dark grey and purple.  This pair I'm doing on the smallest needles I've ever knit socks with, 1.75 mm.  The gauge is quite dense, as one would expect.  I plan to use the same ribbing, although since I'm using smaller needles and thus more stitches on the foot I will likely adjust the needle size through the ankle and calf a bit differently.

After this I will probably take a short break from socks and work a shawlette/crescent before getting back to socks.

Things I still want to check:

- What happens when a larger needle is used on the instep?  How does this affect fit and durability?
- What happens when heel stitch or Eye of Partridge stitch is used on the heel alone?
- What happens when heel stitch or Eye of Partridge stitch is used on the whole sole?
- On the toe and heel?

Socks and such

Lately I've been knitting socks again.  I've always enjoyed knitting socks.  They are small projects, portable, and with enough things going on to keep me interested.  Cat Bordhi came out with a new ebook, Cat's Sweet Tomato Heel Socks.  This book describes using a new short row technique based on multiple wedges instead of the usual 45% angle wedges that result from traditional short rows.  I quite like the results and it is very simple and easy to do.  No wraps, just turns, and a very simple pick up technique to prevent holes.  This is probably going to be my go-to heel from now on, and what I've learned from this book will change how I look at all short rows and how I decide to construct them in future.

Some other interesting links I've run across are this one, which lets you upload images and get knitting charts.  And here is a link to a blog post with a lot of size information that could be quite useful when you are knitting for a foot you don't have handy to try things on.

A couple of days ago I learned that there is a fiber shop in a town not far from where I live.  It has apparently been there for a few years, but I've been so busy with non-fiber stuff that I haven't noticed.  Well, I also never go into the downtown part of the town, I just go through on the highway to the grocery and then home.  Anyway, the shop is Stringtopia Studio, in Lebanon, Ohio.  They have an upcoming weekend workshop the end of the month which sounds interesting.  They also have a couple times a week when they are open for people to drop in and work on their projects.  I'm hoping to get over on Thursday to check it out.

Life is moving along and I'm still stitchin'

Haven't posted in a while.  Things around my way are doing pretty well.  The dogs went to the vet yesterday and are doing fine.  Hawkeye Cat as well.  Yes, it's quite a production when we go to the vet.  Three dogs on multi length leashes arranged so they go diagonally across from shoulder to opposite hip on down to the dog(s), and a cat in arms, also on a leash.  The dogs enjoy the vet visits, especially since once in a while I'll take them over for nothing more than to just sit in the lobby for a while until they calm down, then take them back home.  None of them seem to mind getting shots, and all love kissing and being petted by the vet and office staff.  Even our newest guy, Chip aka Chipper.  (He used to be Charlie, but this fits him better.)  He isn't nearly as afraid of new people now, and is much faster to warm up and want to be petted.  I've been practicing doing baby talk to him since he growled at one of the ladies on staff one day when she had baby talked to him.  I felt terrible about that, since it had never occurred to me that might be a problem.  It was very clear that while he was unsure already, any sort of baby talking he took as a signal that Something Very Bad was about to happen to him.

I do wonder what he went through before he was rescued.  However, now he seems to take that in stride, along with feet touching him.  That also used to freak him out.  He was in fear for his life the first time I happened to raise my foot up at him to scratch his chest.  It took a couple of weeks, but now he's happy to be petted with feet, or see a human do some strange gyrations that include feet of the ground.

Cadee is no longer the extremely shy dog we rescued years ago.  She is still cautious, but she is also a very happy, cheerful dog.  She's happy to go with you anywhere, always dances with joy when it's time for a walk or to do something.  It was a turning point for her when she finally snapped at Chip when he was too intense and chasing her one day.  So many times before that she had this look like she wanted to, but didn't think she was allowed to defend herself.  When I saw her whirl and snap at the air in his direction, the doggy version of 'get out of my space!' I praised her and told her that she was wonderful, didn't have to put up with his stuff.  From that day on she has increased in confidence.  Now she'll even play with him sometimes, even though he tends to be much higher energy than she is comfortable being around.

Cadee no longer flops onto her back whenever someone wants to pet her, and sometimes she'll even take and eat a treat.  For quite a while she would take a treat if it was offered, but would then drop it and not eat it.  Now she'll even eat it.  And she'll come over for petting, sitting or even standing up for it.  Such a major change in her behavior.

On other notes I've continued to do some work on my linen things.  I have now hemmed 4 of the nice big violet handkerchief linen towels.  I use them all the time and they are fantastic for drying my hair.  I've finished one of the medium weight purple linen kitchen towels as well.  It is getting regular use as well.  I've started to hem the second of these and am alternating work on it with work on handkerchiefs.

I have 5 of the 100% linen hankies yet to hem, 3 of the smallest size and 2 of the medium size.  I also cut out some of the linen blend for hankies.  Six per width, so 12 total.  In the last couple of days during travel and meetings I have nearly finished hemming the first one.  I decided to make up some of the blend before going back to the 100% linen.  Interestingly the blend is whiter than the 100% linen.  While it is white, it is slightly more of a cream color. Perhaps there are optical whiteners on the other, not sure.  In any case the blend is a tiny bit softer and slightly more flexible.  That probably will change since linen just gets nicer and nicer, softer and more sheen, as it is used.  Regardless, the fabrics are quite nice, very easy to work with and make beautiful hankies.

I am also glad to report that the linen sheets and pillow cases are continuing to get daily use and are holding up very well.  It is nice to see something that one has planned out then made get that much good use and appreciation.

Recently I've been tempted to make myself a nice knitted coat or vest.  Something mid-thigh or even knee length for warmth when walking outside in the colder weather.  I'm still considering designs and yarns, but am leaning towards something like Meg Swanson's long rendition of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Rib Warmer as is shown in this newsletter.  I'm nearly certain I've got directions for it in either a Spun Out or one of the many books I've already got.  Not sure if I'll go for unspun Icelandic, Sheepsdown, or something else.  Who knows, I may decide to do both a vest and a coat.  I know I'd use them both.

Linen and fountain pens

The new linen fabric that I ordered for light weight towels and my DH's medium weight sheets is in.  I've cut out 6 towels, each 1/2 the width of the fabric which is wide enough to tie the short end around my neck sort of like a cape, for my hair to lay on to dry after washing it.  They are a bit over 41 inches long, which will be long enough unless my hair grows nearly to my knees!  These towels are made of a lovely violet handkerchief linen.  Violet the color of the flowers, so dark blue-purple.  I am hand hemming one, but haven't decided whether I'll hem all of them by hand or do some on machine.  I'm not in a terrible hurry, so probably they'll end up as hand work.  The first one is over half hemmed and I'll work on it more when I've got a chance.

The medium weight linen fabric for my DH's sheets is royal blue.  I had made him some from light weight linen last year, but they were just the width of the fabric and he asked for one that is wider.  I've finished one, by machine, and he's been using it since.  I didn't try to do a french seam, I just overlapped the selvedges and stitched them down, one line of stitching at each edge, so that should be plenty strong.  The cut ends I simply folded over about 1/4 inch and straight stitched.  Simple and neat.  The narrower sheets are going to my sons, who also sleep hot.

A few years back I got my old fountain pen back out.  I have always liked fountain pens, and I love the different color inks available these days.  My husband and one of my sons also have gotten into fountain pens, and they are all the 3 of us use, given a choice.  One of my favorite pens is a Pelican M201 which I purchased from Richard Binder.  Richard custom grinds nibs (the part of the pen that writes on the paper, delivering the ink) as well as sells stock pens.  He is very well known for his work on nibs, making sure that every pen he sells writes to very specific requirements.  Richard and his lovely wife Barbara run their business and are regular visitors at various pen shows.  I see them at the Ohio Pen Show in Columbus, Ohio.

One of the nice features of the Binder's online store is that you can purchase a pen body and select for it a nib to your specifications.  My first pen from him was the Pelican M201 with a Binderized Extra Fine (XF) steel nib.  No one else I know likes this pen/nib, because the very fine line requires an extremely light touch.  Any pressure on it at all and it will feel scratchy.  However, with a light touch it simply glides on the paper, leaving an extremely fine line which dries very fast.

My second pen from him, which was purchased at the pen show, is a Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point with a custom ground 5 mm cursive italic nib.  I love this nib and pen. The automatic thin/thicker lines make writing fun and interesting, with a very distinctive flair.

I keep both of these pens inked and in use all the time, unless they are being cleaned.  However, some time ago I noticed that the Pelican nib didn't write quite like I expected.  I decided that I need to get it to Richard to have him take a look at it and perhaps tune it up.  In the mean time I haven't been using it, but I miss it very much.  So I thought I'd take a look at his web site to find out what can be done.  Learned that he isn't doing much in the way of custom pen work these days, although he does do some at shows.  This particular nib was not very expensive, since it was my 'starter', and I decided it might be time to try another nib.  Richard has a whole range of customized nibs for the Pelicans and for the Vanishing Points.  I was tempted by another Vanishing Point, but decided that I'd stick with just getting a new nib for the Pelican.  I selected a full flex XF/XXF duo-point nib.  Duo-point means it has been specially ground so that held the regular way it will write one line width, in this case Extra Fine, and turned over, the other side of the nib writes XXF.

I inked it with Pilot iroshizuku asa-gao, a lovely morning glory purple/blue.  When using the XXF the color exactly matches the color on the box.  When I use the XF side it is darker, with color depth variation and looks more blue.  Really fun and beautiful.

I've been enjoying this brand of ink in several colors lately.  I first got a bottle of this brand of ink at the pen show in the color tsutsuji, the color of Azalea's, a really intense fuchsia/magenta dark pink.  I love the color in the flowers, and this is equally beautiful.  Very bright and not usually something I'd use at the office, but I've been using it in a journal for over a year and a half.  The color was beautiful, the flow and feel of the ink on the paper very nice, so I decided to try some other colors.  Like the asa-gao I'm not using in my Pelican.  I've got the 5 mm cursive italic Vanishing Point inked with syo-ro, Pine Dew, a lovely dark green with hints of teal.  I've got a Jinhao 111 inked with yama-budo, Crimson Glory Vine, a rich pinkish purple.

All of these inks feel very nice and smooth on the paper, the colors are rich with some variation, making it interesting to write with and enjoy. One of my sons loves reds, so he is trying out momiji, Autumn Leaves.  It is the color some sugar maple leaves get in the fall, a beautiful pure red.

So many colors to enjoy.  I'd love to have more pens inked at a time, with more colors, but I just don't need that many.  I'll just take the colors in turn, whatever appeals to me when I reink my pen, or decide to ink a different pen for some reason.

Sidetracked by pillowcases

I continued to make progress on the embroidered caftan until this week.  With the heat we are getting so early this spring I decided that it is a higher priority to make my husband a linen pillowcase to go with his linen sheet.  One of my sons has taken over the table I use for my sewing machine, so I decided that I'd just hand stitch the pillow case since that would also allow me to work on it during the drive to and from work.  I cut it out at home a couple evenings ago, using an old pillowcase as my 'pattern'.  All the rest of the work has been done in the car.

First I evened up the edge of the fabric that had been cut unevenly in the originally purchased fabric.  The cutters at the fabric store don't seem to care so much about such things.  I prefer to have square edges, so I pulled any threads that didn't go entirely across the end.  Then I finger pressed about 1/2 inch to turn under the make the doubled open edge facing, enclosing the cut edge.  Folded that over so there was a nice, maybe 4 inches, doubled area, pinned it in place and started stitching.

I did a running lock stitch across the folded side, not enough to be top stitched, but very close to the fold.  Once that facing had been finished I pinned the raw edges wrong sides together, so I can make a sort of thickish French seam enclosing the cut edges.  I didn't bother to cut off the selvedge, so I am making the stitching line about 1/2 inch from the edge, so as not to stitch in the selvedge.  After the edges are stitched together I'll finger press the seam, fold it inside out, repin and stitch the final seam.  Another day or so should finish it.

It would be much faster if I was doing this on the machine, or when not in a moving car, but that's OK.  I'm making great progress and finishing something that I wouldn't even have really started if not for the decision to make it by hand.

Linen adventures continue

I have continued to work on linen handkerchiefs off and on over the winter.  The embroidered linen caftan spent most of the winter waiting for me to get back to it.  With the short daylight hours I wasn't able to work on it riding to and from the office, which has been the times I was working on it.  Yesterday I put it back into the car and worked on it during the ride to and from the office, and again this morning.  I'm part way along the last short edge.  Feels good to get back at it.

I've been using the black linen caftan as my after shower breakfast outfit quite often, particularly after showering to wash my hair.  I use another linen cloth made of a beautiful deep blue to let my hair drip into it.  This blue linen is handkerchief weight, or possibly slightly heavier.  It is very thin and light, packs easily and dries very fast.  In fact, when I use it after washing my hair it is usually only at the most damp where my ends hit, often it is dry.  The really nice thing is that my hair seems to dry a lot faster when I'm  using the linen cloth.  It may be the combination of the cloth with the linen caftan, but even just the cloth really helps.

The smooth texture of the linen is also good for my hair, as it does not abrade the scales of the hair causing them to roughen up.  I need to make some more of these cloths.

The linen sheet I made for my DH has had a lot of use.  He likes it, and thinks it helps, but he would like one that is wider.  I need to get some more fabric to make him a wider sheet, and also pillowcases.  I sleep on a silk pillow case since that is very smooth for my hair, and I get cold easily.  He is usually hot, so linen is much better for him.  My sons are also interested in getting linen sheets, so I'll have to make several.

Progress is slow but continuing

I continue to make progress on my embroidered linen caftan.  I'm probably getting close to half way done with the outside hem.  Not sure whether I'll hand or machine stitch the side seams.  That probably depends on whether I'm at home when it's time to start them!

Pockets may be something to add to the caftans, either on the front in the 'usual' sorts of place, or I'm considering putting some in the area outside the side seams.  Simple patch pockets would go on the black linen quite well.  On the embroidered linen it may be a bit more of a challenge to not disturb the embroidery.

I happened to stop back at Hancock Fabrics last week and picked up the last yard of the embroidered linen.  It is so lovely and I think it will make a really nice bag, especially lined with the black linen with an interior pocket or so.  I may even consider adding a zipper to close it up completely instead of the simple open top on the black one.  I'm still doing imagination design trying to figure out what I want to do.  When I figure it out I expect it will whip up pretty fast, with the possible exception of the zipper, since I've not put zippers into anything in a while.  I know I've got some zipper tape around someplace.

More Caftans and other fun things to do with linen

I finished the black linen caftan the day after my last post.  I was too impatient to wait till the next week to stitch the side seams by hand on my rides to work, so I just whipped it up on my machine.  Wore it that evening, and quite often since.  It is very comfortable

Both other linen fabrics, the black with turquoise embroidery and the lovely blue, were washed and dried several times.  I have started on the embroidered one.  This time I used the full width of the fabric and I made the overall length longer, ankle length.  I'll have to pick the bottom up when I use the stairs, which I don't have to do with the shorter black one.  Because the length is longer I found that the outside edges ("sleeves") dragged the ground, so I cut the bottom hemline at a much greater curve on each side.  I'll see how I like this longer length after it is made, knowing that I may need to shorten it.

Like the plain black, I am hand stitching the hem while I ride to and from work.  First I did the neckline.  I cut this a bit differently than the plain black, a bit more of a curve in the front with a shorter slit.  As with the black I used a narrow, 1/8 inch hem.  I wanted this to be done first because the loose threads of the neckline were subject to rubbing around as I moved the fabric to hem the outside edge.  Taking the fabric out of the bag I'm keeping it in in order to hem it, and moving/folding it back to put it back away could result in too much fraying.

It took me a day and a half or so of riding to/from work to finish the neckline.  Once the neckline was hemmed I started hemming the outside edge several inches above the bottom curve on one side, moving across the bottom using the same 1/4 inch hem that I used on the black.  I found that I needed to pick the embroidery out if it was right next to the hem, otherwise the fabric and embroidery together were too thick to turn and stitch down for the hem.  Because the embroidery motifs are large and spaced apart I only needed to do this a couple of times.  I have finished one bottom edge and am currently moving along quite well up the next side.

Last weekend I decided that the extra fabric that I hadn't needed to make the black caftan would make a nice, simple carry bag.  This didn't take very long at all, stitching it up on the machine.  It probably took me longer to decide what size to make it and then cut it out than it did to stitch it up.  Finished size is 15 1/4 inches tall by 15 inches wide.  The folded top hem is 3/4 inch.  The 2 straps are 1 inch wide, made from 1 1/2 inch strips turned into tubes.  Each strap is 32 1/2 inches over all length, including the attachment, making the finished strap length 31 inches.  This is long enough I can hang it over my shoulder and still easily get things into and out of it.

I'm thinking that I'll make another, similar bag, out of a similar size of the embroidered linen.  My idea for this one is to line it with the plain black and put a small side pocket or so inside it.  I may make this one with a zipper or other closure, too.  It will be more substantial with the lining and look a lot fancier with the pretty embroidery.

Earlier this week I decided to stop back by Hancock Fabrics again.  I decided that I would make my husband a linen sheet.  He gets hot easily, and linen is so nice at keeping one cool and dry.  I've thought about this several times, but he always said no.  This time I decided I wouldn't ask, I'd just do it.  So I did! I came home with several yards of a very light weight linen in a pretty dark sort of rose red.  I don't even have a good word for the color.  It's not brick, but it's not rose, either.  He likes red, and it is dark enough not to stain easily, and it is a color I'm happy with so with the limited options I took it.

Usually I prewash all fabric before making anything from it, but this time I didn't see any reason to bother.  I got 5 yards, which is enough to make 2 sheets large enough for his use.  Pulled threads to make sure the fabric was true to the grain on the ends and also for the cutting line, then stitched a simple 1/4 inch hem.  Washed and dried after the hemming.  I didn't stitch the selvedges, just left them. If they start to fray at all I'll trim and stitch them as well, but this allowed me to get him something done very quickly.

Black linen caftan almost done

Yesterday I finished the hemming on my new, heavy weight black linen caftan.  It didn't take me as long elapsed time as I expected, in part due to several hours spent waiting at the BMV drivers testing station with my son last Friday.  Basically I stitched the outside hem down all the way around, then yesterday I did the neckline.  Most of the stitching was done riding in the car, as expected, which is a bit slow due to being bumped around a bit.  I used a sharp needle, which I usually don't with linen, and I won't again.  I managed to stitch my fingertip into the thread a couple times.  Probably wouldn't happen if I didn't have a nice callus on the tip of my finger, but still!  I like the way it came out.  The hemming is basically invisible on the right side, and the stitching nearly so on the wrong side.

I decided to wash it before finishing the side seams, so it is in the dryer waiting for me to get home tonight.  I've not decided yet whether to hand stitch the side seams, or if I should just do it on the machine.  It will take just a couple minutes by machine, so I'll likely do that.

Since I like the way this is turning out so much I stopped by Hancock Fabric yesterday afternoon to see if they have linen fabric.  The JoAnn I got this linen at only had a couple bolts, no fun colors and very little option in the way of weight, thus the plain black.  Lo and behold, Hancock's had a nice selection of 100% linen as well as some blends, in different weights and colors.  I didn't see any handkerchief weight in white, so I'll have to continue to get that online, but I found a very nice black with turquoise embroidered flowers & leaves as well as a beautiful bright medium blue.  I got yardage of each enough to make a caftan with some left over, even with shrinkage.  I serged the cut edges of both this morning before work, and the embroidered black is in the washer waiting to be dried.  I'll wash and dry each piece of fabric a couple of times of course, so it does any shrinking before I make it up.

I need to get pictures, too, of course!

The finished width is 44 inches, length is 46 1/2 (shoulder to hem). The bottom outside corners are rounded.  The side seams will start 8 3/4 inches from the shoulder seam, 6 inches from the outside edge, and stop 9 1/2 inch from the bottom edge.

Caftans - Simple comfort

A couple of years ago on a trip I purchased a couple of caftans, loose, flowing, simple and practical garments.  One was of rayon, which I love, and the other of, I think, polyester.  The rayon is black with huge, colorful vines and flowers on it, very striking.  The other is green and black spiky leaf patterns, beautiful to look at, but I won't get a polyester one again, no matter how beautiful.  I don't like the way the fabric feels and it gets static.  The rayon is lovely and flowing, light in weight, breathes well and very comfortable.  Normally I don't buy these types of fabrics, but the simple, comfortable garments and bright colors swayed me.

I've been thinking for a while that I'd like another caftan or so, but in other fabrics.  I understand that simple garments of this sort have been around for a very long time, so I did a little reading about them and decided that I'd try one out of linen, in a much heavier fabric.  I purchased 4 yards of a heavy weight, black, linen, serged the cut edges and washed and dried it several times so the fabric would do any shrinking before I made it up.  When I was ready I took out the serged stitching along one cut edge, pulled loose threads to get a true to grain edge and trimmed off any sticking out warp threads.  Using the measurements taken from the rayon caftan I cut out a rectangle of fabric to make my new caftan.

I took time to think overnight how I wanted to do the neckline, and ended up deciding to do a simple scoop of about an inch in the back, about 3 inches deep in the front, with a slit descending from the center front scoop another 4 inches or so.  This will give me enough room to slip it over my head, but not a wide open neck.  With the fabric folded so the outside corners were together I cut them into a semi-circle, giving a nice rounded corner at the outside bottom edges.

I am making a 1/4 inch folded over hem around the outside, and will do a narrower hem around the neckline.  So far I am doing this all by hand, as I can do the stitching while riding in the car.  Yes, I could do it pretty quickly by machine, but only if I'm at the house with it!  So it will take me much longer, but I don't really care.  I enjoy hand sewing and it is possible to do a very nice, nearly invisible hem by hand.

More Wrist Warmers

I like my Cabled Wrist Warmers (details on Ravelry.com) so much that I am using some other handspun Merino to make another pair. This project is serving a dual purpose, to make another pair of wrist warmers, and to see how the K1B technique may work with socks. These K1B Wristlets are a simple tube with no shaping or patterning. I'll get an idea how the fabric behaves with the K1B.

I've finished the first one of these, except for weaving in the ends, and started the second. A fast, satisfying and useful project.

I've found using wrist warmers/wristlets to be a great way to keep comfortable on a chilly day, indoors or out. Since these leave the palm of the hand open they work at the computer, too. Styles that cover the palm interfere with using a mouse.

Woolgathering

Sunday, September 21 was a lovely day to visit Woolgathering at Young's Dairy on Ohio State Route 68, north of Yellow Springs, Ohio. I took some of my young friends up to select yarn to learn to knit. One knit already, and plans to make some hats, the other 2 haven't knit before, but wanted to learn. We selected a lovely, soft, worsted-weight merino wool yarn, and 2 circular needles each to use the 2 circular method. Since one of them already knew some knitting, we jumped right in and started a from-the-top hat. I expect them to have to rip back and start over a time or so, since that seems to be the way of things, so instead of getting several inches of the full diameter of the hat and having to start over, we decided having to redo less made more sense.

They sure are doing well, each having a couple inches of fabric by the time it got too dark to see and I took them all home. They all go to school together with my son, so will be able to help each other if need be. With luck I'll get some photos of their knitting to post.

Spinning again

Over the weekend I finished spinning and plying the last of a dark gray/taupe CVM fleece on my Mazurka. This is the fleece I wanted to finish spinning before I started back on Spudnick's fleece, as both have been spun on the same wheel. The carded weight was 3.2 lbs. I've got 6 huge skeins of fluffy yarn. It was spun fairly softly, with lots of loft and will probably be knit on a size 8-10 US needle, maybe larger, when I get around to swatching. I've got in mind a mid-thigh length jacket/coat, probably garter stitch similar to some that Elizabeth Zimmermann or Meg Swanson have written up in their books. At least those were the books I ended up pulling off my shelf and finding what I was looking for!

Haven't decided if I should do some big cables on it, which would preclude the garter stitch, or if I should spin up some of the other, lighter gray CVM I've got around to make a contrast color to make it more interesting. Decisions, decisions!

Once I finished that on Sunday I got out all of Spudnick's carded fleece, putting part of it into the now-empty box that the dark gray/taupe was in. If I stack all 4 boxes/tubs that these carded batts are in they'll be about as tall as I am! Woohoo!! I got out some of the darkest set of batts, 3 or 4 of them in that bag, and started spinning to match my sample. The texture is a little different, not quite as smooth and soft, but otherwise similar. I need to get some pictures of the 2 shades crossing each other to show the color variation. I've really got my work cut out for me with this fleece, but it is so wonderful to work with. I definitely won't have my sweater done for this winter, but maybe I'll finish the spinning and knitting in time for next winter. Or the one after!

Ravelry

I'd been hearing about Ravelry, and after poking around a bit decided to put my name on the list to join. Yes, that's right, on a list. This interesting site is limiting entry to a few hundred people a day, to keep technical difficulties under control.

Yesterday I got my invitation, created my account and off I went. This is a nice site with intuitive, easy-to-use areas. So far I like it. I was able to very quickly put in many of my favorite books as being in my library. They were in the system already, I typed in a bit to describe one, and then selected from a list. It shows up as a nice picture of the current front cover. Most of them are the same covers as my own bookshelf, but some have been republished since I got them so my actual shelf has different ones! Regardless, it was quite fun to quickly get info into 'my' library online.

I started to put in my projects and needles, and of course even starting to put in my stash will take a long time! But it's started, and I am looking forward to seeing how well having such things easily visible, easily updated, will affect my WIP's (works in progress) and stash. One of my long term goals is to reduce my stash, get it knit up and spun then knit up. Anything that will help with that goal is all to the good!

Sweater Update

As I may have mentioned, I got partway along on the body and sleeves of my lovely gray sweater only to realize that there wasn't enough yarn to finish it as the yoked sweater I've been dreaming of. I put it down and went on to other things, trying to decide what to do. Well, as fate would have it, I was looking for some angora/silk/Merino yarn the other day and lo and behold, I found a tub with some wool in it! I brought it in, hoping and praying that some of the bags of washed fleece was the same gray fleece that I spun over the summer. Eureka! It is! I've got nearly-black, some more similar gray, and a 2-4 times the amount of darker gray.

Yay! I may rip back to redo the yoke with the dark as well as the light, but I should have plenty for a nice yoked sweater, no problem.

Well, other than preparing to card, carding and spinning, of course!

I've got one of the bags of medium gray carded. Took me a while to figure out the best process. I have got it to where I'm using a dog comb on each lock to tease/comb it open, then laying the carded locks all parallel. Once I've got a decent amount ready I'll run them through the carder. I've run all I've got done through once, but need to split the bats, thin them down then recard them to finish blending the silver & darker gray.

Hats and Socks

I got 4 mitts, 2 pairs, out of a single ball of hand spun yarn, with a little bit left over. The double kit fabric is thick enough to be cushy and warm, but not so thick as to be uncomfortable. Since I'm working on such things, I dug out a very old WIP (Work In Progress) and decided that the best thing was some Frog Stitching. This WIP was a Stahmann scarf that I was trying to knit up in hand spun quiviut but I just didn't have enough yarn to make it. This was the 2nd thing I'd tried to make from this small amount of yarn. I kept thinking I'd get some more fiber and spin up matching yarn, but well, it's been several years now and it isn't happening.

So Frog Stitched it, rewound it into a ball and started knitting a hat. I'd hoped to have enough to make a fine cap with ear covers, but no joy. Then inspiration struck. I remembered a similar weigh of yarn that I'd spun up not long after I got my first spinning wheel, the Lendrum. It is a fine white yarn of 50% superfine Merino wool, 30% Bombyx silk and 20% angora. After poking through my boxes of fiber and spun yarns I found it! Amazingly enough it is an exact match to the quiviut. I'm not sure I could have spun it that perfectly to match if I'd been trying. Ironic I did them the same at totally different times over several years. Running your fingers across the join between the 2 yarns the texture is the only thing different, and that's not by much.

I decided that I'd make a reversible, doubled hat. It's over 1/2 way done now, and I expect will use up nearly all of the angora blend. The taupe/brown of the quiviut should look very nice with a nice fluffy white brim.

I've also been working on the socks using Cat Bordhi's new book, "New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One". I'm using I think it's Riverbed, where the shaping is under the arch of the foot. The socks really feel good on my feet, hugging in on the area where they are usually a bit loose.

Sweater on hold; Making Mitts

Well, After I got a bit done on the sleeves and the body I decided I didn't like the way it was coming out. Things have been really hectic these days, so I haven't had time to figure out if I messed up my calculations, but that's what I expect. When I get some time (after marching band season) I'll redo my calculations. I expect to have to rip back a few inches of the sleeves and body, readjust and start that part over.

In the mean time I've been aware that the lovely warm weather we've had is not going to last, so I found a ball of natural cream color hand spun Targhee wool and invented/unvented a mitt pattern. My goal was to be able to knit or spin while keeping my wrists and the backs of my hands warm. I wanted my fingers and the palms of my hands free to work.

I started by hand-chaining a length of the yarn long enough to fit around my middle or index finger, put the loop on a wooden double pointed knitting needle, then picking up one side of 3 of the chains. Turned, then knitted across those stitches, knitting into the front and back of each loop, thus doubling the number of stitches. Then I started in to make a 2-faced fabric by double knitting. After the first double knit row (k1,s1 across, turn, repeat on the other side) I did an increase at the 2nd from the end of every other row.

When this ever-increasing triangle was long enough that it would fit around my wrist it also seemed to be long enough to cover the back of my hand, so I joined, crossing the first 2 stitches of each fabric face to prevent a gap. Once joined I knit on 6 dp needles until the wrist cuff was about 4.5 inches long, say 11 or 12 cm. Long enough to give good coverage for my wrist, but not so long as to go over the larger part of my lower arm.

After wearing them some I think if I make more that I'll change the increase rate for the last few flat rows (say 5 or 6 increases) before joining to every 3rd row, making the part of the back of the hand a bit longer before joining. They are working, but I'm finding that my thumb moving around as I'm wearing them is affecting how they ride on my hand.

Silver Spudnick sweater - Yoke into Sleeves & Body

Last night I was walking with my kids, dogs and neighbor while trying to work on my sweater. I was trying to count 252 stitches, decrease by 14 stitches around while putting in markers, listen to the conversation, and put in a comment or so when I had a thought! Didn't work very well. I kept loosing track of my count, or increasing instead of decreasing.

I ended up just sitting down with it later in the evening. Decided I didn't like the last half-inch or so. I ripped back a couple of rounds, did the decrease round earlier, to remove the extra stitches I'd added to make the color pattern area big enough to match the rest, put the markers in to tell where I'll break out the sleeves and body, then went to bed.

This morning I've gotten to the point that I'm ready to cast on the underarm stitches for one of the arms, and start to split the yoke into 2 sleeves and a body! Yay!

When I get home tonight I need to take the 2nd skein of yarn and wind it into a ball. I rewound the light silver-gray I had left after making the yoke pattern. Sure is a much smaller ball! I don't know if I'll be able to do the same pattern on each cuff again, or not. I guess I'll have to see when I get there.

Silver Spudnick Sweater In-Progress

I've still got a lot to do, but here it is as of this morning.

I spent 2 wonderful days enjoying the Cincinnati Celtic Festival, sneaking in a few hours up at Wool Gathering at Young's Dairy Sunday morning. This gave me quite a bit of time to knit on the Silver CVM Sweater as I wandered around.

As previously mentioned, I cast this on so I could knit both directions from the base of the neck ribbing. I ended up knitting a couple of rounds of the neck ribbing on the same size needle as the body of the sweater, then switched from US 9 to US 6 to tighten up the ribbing. I then left the neck till later, after I'd done the patterned yoke so I'd have enough of the light silver white.

I knit the yoke patterning, but didn't like the way it came out. I hadn't added extra stitches before doing the color pattern, and the pattern sort of bunched a bit around my shoulders. I also decided it should be lower, on my upper arms, instead of just on top of the shoulders. So back I ripped, taking out the patterning, then continuing in the dark silver. I had about half a handspan (wrist to fingers) from the neck ribbing when I Celtic Festival. I knit another 2 or 3 inches on the yoke, at one point during that I decided I'd better finish the neck ribbing so I could try it on better. As you can see I put 3 stripes of 2 rounds each of the light silver in the neck ribbing. I cast of on the US size 9 needles to give the edge plenty of flexibility while staying stable.

When I figured the yoke was long enough I added some extra stitches, enough that at the end of the 26 round pattern I'd have the proper number of stitches for the number of rows I'd have, then started the pattern. As you can see, it's coming along well. In one of the typical vagaries of hand spinning, even though all of the yarn was spun to the same sample various sections of it were a bit thicker or thinner. The silver white has been a bit thicker than the surround dark silver. The silver white is thus slightly more prominent in the yoke than the gray.