Saved by the Bell

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Screech kissed Kelly!

Spinning with Add-Ins

Here's what I've confirmed about adding objects, namely bows, into yarn. The best thing to do is to incorporate the item into a single, using the fleece as glue around a core thread. I tried adding bows in during the plying stage, and even tying them on after -which is only sort of cheating. These bows are actually sections of a plastic lei.

New Yarn Fantastic

I hand blended dyed fleece with white to make pastel shades. I used both hand carders and my own hands. I flicked the two together and used a yogurt top diz. The technique is only suitable for small amounts. It's also hard on my fibro condition but probably good therapy in the end.

Traditionalish Ullared Sweater

Before Emma Jacobsson became the knitting heroine of Sweden with her Bohus Stickning co-op, the Grand Dame of Swedish knitting was the 17th century Dane, Magna Brita Cracau. The techniques she brought to Halland created a legacy of knitwear that would directly influence those of Norway and the British Isles.


Halland sweaters became stranded in the 19th century as documented in the fantastic "Swedish Sweaters, New Designs from Historical Examples" by Britt-Marie Christoffersson. I used this book as well as Knitting in the Old Way, Designs & Techniques from Ethnic Sweaters", Roberts & Robson to experiment with all of the area's signature techniques.


My sweater is primarily in the Ullared style. I used traditional diamond patterns with a typically placed record of the year and my initials. These sweaters bore the wearers rather than the makers initials, in this case they are one in the same. I also followed the oldest tradition of finishing using crochet to work the neck and cuff edges.
Using assorted geometric patterns from "Swedish Sweaters" I inserted 'false seam lines' using colour to line up the circular knitting with the point at which the front and back began to be worked flat. I also made half gussets following Plan 1 for the Danish Blouse in Knitting in the Old Way and patterned them separately.
The main adjustments I made were to change the shape of the sweater to the Danish cropped style, or the Swedish Spedetroja look. I also started with a split welt hem. I don't suit a big boxy sweater.
Using worsted weight wool is a major modernization along with the use of red yarn. Traditionally, these (and most Swedish) sweaters would have been knit in black and white and then dyed red.
You see, I had to post this before it was too late!

Victorian Spinning?

I love my Louet Victoria spinning wheel, but wish that there were bulky attachments available. A larger orifice and wider flyer would be at the top of my christmas list. In the mean time...





I hope Santa knows his spinning terms.
ps Happy Birthday, Chris.

Birds, Bees and Handspun

I know more about the Flowers and the Trees.

Keith's Bottle Cap Trivet

How about a few simple acts of green in one go. Liberated Bottle Caps and selvaged ends of yarn combine to create a functional and zakka trivet. A trivet is a coaster that helps retain heat while it's main purpose is to keep your table top clean and safe. So reuse, recycle, and reduce the number of times you need to zap your tea or soup in the microwave with this free pattern.


Keith's Bottle Cap Trivet
©Morgan Forrester, 2008
Materials:

14 Bottle caps without dents
Small amounts of yarn and cotton. I used vintage scraps which are equivalent to:
No. 10 Crochet Cotton
DMC Embroidery Floss
Fingering weight wool.

To get a vintagey colour palate, try tea dying white, cream and baby blue. Tutorial here.

1.00mm crochet hook (larger for heavier wool)
Darning needle. -I love Chibi needles for their bent tip.

Pattern:
ch 10, sl st to form ring. (Do not opt for magic loop)
ch 4, tc in next ch st, *2 tc in each ch st* around. (20 tc) sl st in 4th ch to join.

Begin creating the pocket for your Bottle cap by double crocheting in each tc BUT do not complete the stitch -leave each dc on the hook. Your hook will only accommodate so many stitches. When this happens, simply yarn over and pull through all loops left on the hook. This will rapidly decrease the number of stitches on the next round. Join beg and end of the round with a slip stitch.

If you find this a bit tricky, you may try the following after the tc row:

ch 3, dc in each tc, sl st in 3rd ch to join,
This is a good time to insert your Bottle cap.

ch 1, sc2tog in each dc, sl st to join.
Rep this last row until a small opening remains no matter which decrease method you use(number of rounds will depend on gauge). If you look closely, you'll see that I used both methods project.
You may choose to leave this open; the Bottle cap is secure.
To close, sc3tog as possible, then tie off leaving a long tail. Thread this tail on a needle and sew close. Snip, but keep your tails!

Simple sewing attaches the Bottle caps together. When connecting two colours, sew with the tail of the lighter colour unless it is cream/white. White stitches stand out too clearly.

My trivet is a simple shape, but that means that little fibs really show up. Here's how I would connect the caps if I were being a fussbudget. This technique is a good one when dealing with crochet motifs in general.

Trace your caps onto brown paper in the following pattern. A vertical row of:

2, 3, 4, 3, 2

Assign your colours and note them.

Attach the caps in vertical rows. Next sew the rows of 2 to the rows of 3, and then connect the rows of 3 to the middle, 4 cap row.

Handi Amigurumi

I was late warming to Ravelry, mainly because I don't use patterns often. I can be such a stick-in-the-mud. The site has been a great tool; assessing yarns and their properties is easy now, and I'm often lurking around noting sweater fits and sizes on real bodies.
In preparation for an Amigurumi class I looked up patterns with construction styles I hadn't tried. Here are two great results. I also love these projects' functionality : practical whimsy!

Sprinkle Donut Pin Cushion
Free pattern at Crochetville.
Cherry Pie [T-pin cushion, great for blocking help]. *Whipped Cream is Icelandic Sheep Fleece!
Free pattern at Craftster.
I am pomoboho on Ravelry. Let's be friends.

Handspun

Think I spotted a reader of this blog downtown yesterday. If nothing else it told me I'd better post.
Here is some handspun. I think I'm finding my niche, but there are lots of different techniques that interest me. My current stumbling block is boucle. I've tried a few methods but can't happen on the look I'm going for. I think it's down to fibre type. I need a silkier something for the single that becomes looped.
These ideas came up in the mean time.
Simple thick and thin 2 ply, Louet "Karaoke" (50% soy silk), colourway "Rainbow"

Same as above (2nd multi combo "Playful")



Silk blend from Gaspereaux (purchased at Maritime Spinners Retreat), plied with DMC floss, German frayed ribbon, metallic flowers, paper flowers, tiny Indian bells and NZ merino (from a Top Knot)-more of this sort of thing to come.

Updates

Here are some goings on that have gone on this autumn.

Late September The Loop tended booth again at Pacafiesta, Halifax's Fibre Show and Alpaca love-in. It proved as strange and endearing as ever. I fell for a Schacht loom, and lost my heart to many pairs of bedroom eyes. Here are some friends...

Soon after came Nocturne, Halifax's first annual art at night festival. I packed up my spinning wheel (a Louet Victoria) and joined Mimi and Karla in the Loop window. Our living art installation kicked up good moods on busy Barrington St along with merry kinetic energy, luring people inside where Cathy hosted a charity knit a thon. Read about our nocturne yarn and donations here.

At the end of October, fellow Victoria spinner Mimi and I headed up to Cape Breton's Gaelic College for the Maritime Spinner's Retreat. Tanya has a great post-retreat write up here.
I learned lots about my new craft, but I may have come away with more questions than answers. That's a good situation though, happily sequestered as I am in novice land.

PS Any tips on photographing Handspun?