This and That

With our old placemats getting worn out, I needed new ones and thought I might learn something by using someone else's pattern.

I ordered a "warp to go" kit from Vavstuga. The colors and yarns come already chosen and there's minimal math left to do. The result is seven placemats and a runner.

I've been wanting to knit a summer, lace sweater for myself with this cotton/linen yarn, Juniper Moon Farm, Zooey, for quite a while.

 Even though it turned out well, it's not what I had in mind.

So, for my next sweater, when I knitted up a small sample of the stitch called for in the Rowan pattern, Landscape by Martin Storey, with a a pretty, gray, tweedy yarn in my stash (Classic silky wool, a wool/silk/nylon blend), and didn't like the resultant cloth, I decided to go off-road. A pattern is not a rule, I can use it as a suggestion. There are no "yarn police".  

 A few trials later, and I found this stitch. To me, it looks tailored, like a herringbone.

And the stitch works perfectly with this boxy bodice and fitted sleeves!

I didn't expect to like the style on my body type. I don't. I love it!

How long has it been since I've used my marudai? Years! I brought it out to do some kumihimo (think fancy, Japanese lanyards).

I sewed myself a pair of pajama bottoms with a color coordinated, Karen-made drawstring. 

This is Sari silk. I don't know how it's made. My guess, based on no facts whatsoever, is that the old saris are used as curtains, couches and wallpaper. Then, a bunch of cats are sent into the room and allowed to have at it. Do you have a better idea?

And here's a pretty picture of Gingie showing off among the poppies.

On Suzie, I've spun up this RedFish 50/50 Silk/Superfine Merino.

And made it into 556.5 yds of two ply yarn.

Next up is this soft fiber I just picked up at WeFF.

I've dressed Julia with this gamp kit from Halcyon, but I've barely gotten started. I tend to be a monogamous weaver. Right now, I'm focused on the rugs on Sophie.

The original plan was to use up some stash warp and weft. Drab, I know. 

Then, I happened on this bag of Pendleton selvedges at WeFF. The colors didn't wow me, but I thought they might be okay with my blah warp. 

Just okay? It's great!

Taking my time

After finishing so many projects, I'm taking my time with the next ones.

And even taking my time, these baby blankets went pretty fast. They were all on the same warp and are all about the same size, but I didn't beat as hard on one of them. Can you tell which?

I didn't realize until I was trying to take some artsy pictures that this blanket's colors are the same as the colors of the bush and its flowers!

All the yarns are 8/2 cotton from my stash. 

The design is similar to one I saw on a Vavstuga video.

I've never woven from a kit before. It's like a mini-class, teaching me some fun facts about this kind of weaving as I go along. I ordered the yarn and pattern from Vavstuga. I'll have some placemats and a runner when I'm done.

I'm taking my time, knitting a sweater. 

Being somewhat housebound, I thought this would be a great opportunity to catch up a little on some of my fiber stash. But, I like to spin barefoot or in stocking feet, so when the house is cold I don't get much done. So, I'm taking my time spinning up this fiber, called Sari Silk. 

Getting Loads Done!

 Finally! I'm getting loads done!

I hemmed and gifted the placemats that were woven on Julia.

I've been wanting to try paisley baby blankets on my drawloom for so long! Go back to this page to see the prep.

These were So Much fun!!!

Vavstuga is offering a subscription to their Basics class with an online weaving school.

These runners are made with an 8/2 cotton warp and 22/2 cottolin weft.  I used a piece of grosgrain ribbon as a template for the stripes. It's an easy way to keep track, so that I don't have to count each weft throw.

I made two runners for me and a square (for Mom's little table).

Project #2 was cottolin warp and tow linen weft. I was nervous about using linen, but it wasn't nearly as difficult as I'd heard.
And by the way, both the towels and runners were stash busters!

The worsted weight yarn I ordered to make my younger son a hoodie didn't give me the cloth I expected, so I had to order some chunky. Instead of returning the worsted, I picked a pattern and knit it up just to keep my hands busy while waiting. Lucky for her, it fit Mom just right!

And then I made the requested hoodie. Finding a zipper online should be easy. It wasn't. I finally gave up and braved the big box fabric store (that shall not be named). Look how well the sweater came out! 

Some three years ago, I put this sweater in the naughty corner. It was done except that the front was curling underneath and I didn't want to deal with it. A couple weeks ago, I took the sweater out, planning to take it apart to reuse the yarn. My knitting, support group (Zoom) talked me down from that ledge.

I misted the front with some water and pinned it flat to dry. And during that same store excursion, I bought some decorative, grosgrain ribbon. In my button collection, I found these fun hooks and eyes (the label says: Istanbul Ant. Silver). It's a keeper!!

The knitted and felted clogs have been gifted. (I'm wearing mine right now!)

I made this 3mos size sweater for the soon to be here grandbaby.


And a reversible, double-knit cotton jacket.

Check out the different buttons on both sides!

And, of course, baby will need a collection of toys. Wooly Mammoth should do for a start.

And a mini me for baby's sibling.

Glacial Progress

I've been making glacial progress. My husband said, blog anyway. But there's not much to see here.

It's been so slow that I've gone backwards to junior high school. My mom's not sewing any more, so this pin cushion I'd given her (the pattern was called Sew-fie) needs to fly away.

I am training a new apprentice.

 

And trying to convince my daughter's bestie to become one as well. "...try it! You'll like it!"

I've been so good about not stashing yarn, but...

the owners of my LYS retired and had no place to keep their leftover buttons. I couldn't resist. Each box is full of buttons...

Buttons anyone? Begging.

I'm still waiting on a zipper for one sweater. Then, both of them need to be blocked.

 

 These are done, but they're gifts, so I'm not showing them, yet. Shhh!

The blankets are woven, but they need to be hemmed.

The toy needs to be stuffed and assembled.

 The slippers need something on the bottom to make them not slippery.

 

I took the placemats off of Julia, but they need to be finished. That means repair any errors, cut them apart and hem them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the good things that came out of the pandemic is that Vavstuga Weaving School in Massachusetts just started offering their Basics class online. They recommend it for all the way from newbies to experienced weavers.

I've learned so much! My first project is a runner. As you can see, it's woven, but unfinished.

And, my next class project will be some towels. Can't you tell?

In process

While I was collecting all of these pictures, I was thinking how much I'd gotten done, until I realized it's been three months since my last post and only two of the photos show a completed project.

My son's hoodie is almost done. It just needs to be sewn together, the hood knitted and the zipper attached. But, it's 95 out. No hurry.

My sweater is also in the slow lane. This is the second sleeve. Then, there's the neck edge to knit and the buttons to sew on.

I'm guessing I knitted this sweater for my nephew about 18 years ago. He handed it down to another nephew. It'll move on to my grandchild now that I've changed the letter.

I've been wanting to weave some lightweight baby blankets. The design I chose is another Pinterest find, printed onto graph paper and transferred by hand to a different size/scale graph paper.

Each square on the grid has to be either a dot, or not. Filling the squares in now, with the entire pattern in front of me, let's me see how best to make what will be straight lines look curved.

The last step before weaving is to highlight and outline alternate columns. This makes it easier to know where I am on the pattern and on the loom.

Tada!

And here's my happy ending with me and my daughter in these simple and fun to crochet hats.

Finished!

Look what I finished!

These baby blankets are the ones I was weaving on my drawloom.  This first one is the only one going into my drawer for later.

Two of my friends are becoming first time grandmothers, so this one  went across town.

And this one flew off to Texas.

My mother taught me how to knit. She also knit for me. I didn't have a store bought sweater until I was 16. A few months ago, Mom said she needed a summer weight cardigan. The yarn is Zooey. I started with the pattern, Winterfell, and made a few changes following Ann Budd's book. The biggest change was to go from raglan to a set-in sleeve. What an incredible gift it is for me to be able to knit for my Mom!