Knitting, Fiber Art, and Lofty Thoughts
Hans has asked me to knit him a scarf. The symbols/lines have something to do with music. I asked him to draw the scarf so I would understand what he had in mind. He’s asked for it to be navy and gray, and we chose Woolfolk Far for its softness.
I’m not sure how to knit this. The background is gray and the designs are navy. Should I raise them in purls? Brioche? I guess I have some swatching to do!
I decided to jump in and join Year of Projects. I have been inspired by Liz’s updates, and I thought it might be good motivation for me to blog along with my ever expanding, massive list. I read the group rules, and it seems pretty easy going, so if I fail (indubitably) it will be no big deal.
Without further ado, here’s my list!
Fiber Art
Knitting
Oh dear. Hold on to your butts. If it is on this list, it means I have the yarn.
HAHAHA there is no way I will finish all of these projects in 2020-2021. But at least they are on a list now. And yes, I still have more yarn!
Knitting Design
My goal for design is to sketch a design 5 days each week, and knit one of my own designs in this 2020-2021 year. It can be anything. It might be a headband. It is not allowed to be a blue beanie.
Sewing
Fiddle
Tapestry Weaving
Remember way back in November 2019 when I purchased a tapestry loom? I also dyed some Cotswald SE2SE yarn with turmeric and it came out so beautiful. Well, I want to weave some placemats with it. The gold will look hideous with our pink tile, so maybe they will be gifted.
I think I may be on the 10 year plan for Year of Projects.
You may remember me saying I should sketch a knitting design every day as a matter of practice. Today is Day 1. I received a new journal in the mail, and today I wrote my first pages and made my first sketch.
I like this design. I would enjoy knitting it and wearing it. The sketch isn’t showing the increases to make the gently flared sleeves and body, so I’m assuming those are happening along the sides and insides of the sleeves.
Here’s another design I like from Interweave’s Wool Studio. I may knit this one someday.
I am looking forward to practicing my violin when my new strings arrive. I’m also practicing exercise and good eating habits.
Practice is having faith that if you focus enough on something, what you desire will manifest. But I must remember to take a day off to stare at the trees. I guess that’s a matter of practice, too.
This week I’ve been at Creation Hive looking at products and talking product development. Today we talked woolens, and as I had suspected, they are accomplished knitters!
Jane, middle, and Jacqueline, right, picked up my Bousta Beanie in Milarrochy Tweed and carried on where I left off. Jane then cast on her own hat using locally produced wool yarn. They don’t have circular needles here, but we’ve found a source for them.
I have great faith in these ladies developing a line of Fair Trade woolens in Kenyan merino wool yarn! It will support their textile economy as well. It’s a great solution and I’m thrilled to have played my little part in it. I can’t wait to see their creations and to bring them to the US through Global Gifts!
Three tassels for the win. Thanks for the feedback!
Three Tassel Thistle Hat
Solid Gold Pompom Beanie
Yesterday I received The Vintage Shetland Project in the mail. What a glorious book! Quiteayarnblog had posted about it and I knew it would be for me. It has knitting, history, and patterns! But my real reason for mentioning it is I want to ask you a very important question. Do you think I can pull off wearing puffy sleeves?
I know we all say, “You can wear anything you want!” But honestly, I think I may feel ancient if I dress in — what appears to me to be — a rather old fashioned style. I loved to dress vintage when I was younger, and it was easy for me to pull off. I think I may also have had a sweater like this when I was in my 20s.
Maybe I’ll start with the mitten pattern and use my Fairlight Fibers gift card. I’ll add it to my queue anyway.
Aren’t pics of images funny? How they distort and skew but seem real? There’s an art project in there. Postmodernism at its finest. It’s probably been done.
Today I was thinking I might challenge myself to sketch a design for a knitting pattern every day. That would be good practice.
Here’s a knitting fashion quiz for you:
1. Do you think it’s true “if you wore it the first time around, you shouldn’t wear it the second (or third) time around?”
2. Do you believe there is a “first time around” anymore? Have you seen fashion produce anything new lately that you would like to wear?
3. Do you knit things you would never wear just because you want to knit them? Do you gift them afterward?
Here are my answers:
1. As I get older, my experience is that I don’t look (or feel) good in retro or vintage styles like I did when I was younger. I look and feel better in classic and/or modern but more sophisticated clothing. In other words, my Mother was right.
But I will never get rid of my overalls!
2. I haven’t seen anything new in fashion since the 80s. Everything is a rehash, except the jeans with the clear plastic over the butt cheeks and I wouldn’t wear that. (ETA: Bob thinks this was only in a movie, but I thought someone tried to make it a fashion after that.)
3. I only knit apparel I have in mind for someone to use and enjoy. I love beautiful things but I am prosaically practical. I do occasionally knit art that is for looking at and contemplating, although it’s been a while.
Please leave your answers in the comments, or on your blog and let us know!
Bob and I got rid of an old couch we don’t need anymore and turned a corner of the living room into my craft corner. I’ve already broken it in with some jeans hemming. I foresee the shelves on the right slowly being taken over by craft supplies.
Just in case you were wondering, this is my tassel maker set from Katrinkles. I don’t make tassels very often, but these are so adorable I had to have them. I also signed up for her stitch marker of the month club!
Thanks to everyone who suggested I should color in the Winter’s Fern chart. Since the gold is my favorite color of the three, I made it the main color.
You would think someone with a degree in art would spend more time coloring, drawing, and sketching. But that is never something I think to do. I will try to do more of it when I am planning projects.
I’m going to finish up my Tread Hats and then start my Jessica Jones Cowl. What are you working on?
Today I took myself on an artist date to a couple of galleries in the Short North, an arts district in Columbus. It was a special day – Sunday Bazaar- when artists are working or talking about their work in the galleries and shops.
At Studios on High, an artists’ cooperative, I met Jennifer Jolley Brown, a printmaker. She was trying a new medium for her, woodcut.
We enjoyed chatting about art and life, and I love this image she is working on. She gave me some woodcutting tips in case I should ever try it. I must look like a serial enthusiast. (Is it that obvious?)
Then I came back to my studio and stewed in my juices a bit. After a long leisurely stare out the window, I opened my new planner/journal.
I had this binder made on Zazzle. This is a Carl Larsson painting. The knitting on the table and the textile on the chair, which must be Karin’s, inspire me. Really, the whole thing inspires me. It’s a home scene but so light and colorful — how I would like for my home to be.
I worked a little in my wardrobe planner. My aspirations are so modest here. Surely this is possible!
I was inspired enough to trace and cut out the Ottobre jeans.
The plaid is for the pocket bags.
I missed a few days blogging, but I did catch up on your blogs today!
You probably can’t tell from this photo, but on the edges of this border, I’ve been making a mistake: purling when I was supposed to be knitting and vice versa.
But since I’ve been making the mistake consistently, I’ve decided I like the way it looks and I’m calling it a “design element”.
We were supposed to go boating today but our lake excursion was canceled. What ever will we do today?
This went really fast and I love it. It’s the perfect beanie: a little tam, a little slouch, but not too much to be a beanie.
And I love the color!
Yarn: Malabrigo Arroyo DK Matisse Blue
Needles: 1 size US 4 16″ circular, 1 size US 6 16″ circular, Size US 6 double points, or size needed to obtain gauge
Gauge: 5 stitches per inch on larger needles
Begin Pattern:
Cast on 100 stitches on the smaller circular needle size. ( I use crochet cast on for elasticity.)
Place marker and join to knit in the round.
Begin K2 P2 and continue for 2 inches.
Change to larger circular needle and knit in stockinette stitch for 5 inches (total length 7 inches).
Begin decreasing on next round: K 18 K 2 together 5 times (until end of round).
K 1 round
K 17 K 2 together 5 times (until end of round)
Knit 1 round
Continue decreasing in this manner (decreasing 5 stitches every other round) until you are at K 12 K 2 together, or 65 stitches total.
Switch from circular needles to double points when stitches become too small for the circular needle.
Begin decreasing in the same manner EVERY round, starting with K 11 K 2 together, until you have 10 stitches total left on needles.
Break yarn, and use darning needle to run the tail through the remaining stitches. Tie off and weave in loose ends.
Voila! Blue Ribbon Beanie. Enjoy!
