After complaining that I hadn’t done any sewing last Sunday, I decided to finish up these linen Emerson Shorts. They were cut out. I only had to sew them together. They came out really nice, and they are super comfortable.
I finished up Bob’s Pride socks!
This photo shows the colors better.
I made a “make do” drying rack with netting and a frame, and am drying calendula flowers to steep in oil.
Have you finished any creative projects this week?
My volunteer sunflowers have been taking a beating, thanks to heavy rains and critters knocking them over. So I cut the stems for a bouquet. They look lovely in my raku vase from The Alchemist’s Studio.
I’m going to try to continue to post music with my YOP updates, as a way to keep up with listening to music intentionally. Here’s an old favorite.
This has been a Year of Projects Update. This is my final list for 2020-2021. I’m pleased with how much I accomplished this year. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link).
I finished my springy socks! We have an Iris blooming in the yard, and my socks match. Recipe based on Hermione’s Everyday Socks. Yarn from Bone and Birch. I do love plain sock knitting. Next up, I’ll try some Rose City Rollers (Ravelry link).
I have so many sweaters I want to knit, but I keep queuing cables and colorwork patterns. Then I balk because my brain is not up for that. I guess I’m still decompressing from the pandemic year. So I’ve decided to make a Milkshake Cardigan (Ravelry link). It’s the most basic cardigan ever, which I need to replace my thrift store cardigan that had started unraveling. Now I need to decide which DK yarn in my stash to knit it with. I’m leaning toward the Tunis yarn, because it’s so yummy. This is my first Joji Locatelli pattern to knit, though I’ve been following her patterns for sometime and have heard good things. I also purchased her new Straw cardigan pattern. It’s beautiful, but has cables on the shoulder seams. Nope. Not right now, anyway.
Part 2 of A Visit to Tarheelbilly Farm is live on The Just Craft. I had some sound issues, which I did not expect since recording in the fields — which I expected to be problematic — turned out fine. But recording on the porch of the house was much more complicated. It has me questioning my ability to make a good podcast, but I am going to try to think of it as a learning experience. I did the best I could with the sound in Audacity, reducing the noise and amplifying Charis’s voice. I felt that what she was saying was so important I had to do my best to get the episode out. She is very candid about her thoughts and feelings on racism in the knitting and fiber arts community (and the events of 2020 in general) and even though I struggled with the sound, I’m proud of this episode. I think I’ll take a break before I start the next one, though.
I’ve been steadily working on my felt art for the gallery show in September. Some pieces I really love, some not so much. Some get stitching, some don’t. It’s intuitive but I am finding that I tend to stitch on cultivated landscapes and don’t on wild ones. So there’s a method, even if it wasn’t conscious at the outset.
Oh, I forgot to mention I joined Kate Davies’ Bluestockings Club! Again, I think the first pattern may be a little more than I want to undertake at this time. But it’s lovely and I’m sure I’ll get around to it eventually.
I did not cast on any new knitting today, but I did sew myself a new dress.
Pattern is Raglan Dress by The Avid Seamstress. Fabric is Kaufman Manchester Yarn Dyed Shirting in Royal. I made this dress for $25. I’m not known for my frugality, but I’m pleased with that. And it has pockets!
This is my favorite pattern to sew right now. I think I’ll sew some summer PJs next, and finish some linen shorts that I cut out a couple of years ago.
I’ve started signing up for virtual travel events. I guess cabin fever is finally getting to me. Last night I attended a Barn Chat with Wing and a Prayer Farm that featured Gudrun Johnson and MJ Mucklestone sharing information on their knitting trips to Shetland. I missed this at Knit City Virtual, so was glad to get a second chance.
Today I attended a Spring Skye Woolly Meander. This was a warm and welcoming group that gathered for a virtual trip of the Isle of Skye. I was very unsocial, which I felt bad about, but I didn’t expect to be on camera as I was still in my pjs! But it was a beautiful event and Bob and I are looking forward to visiting Scotland in real life someday. I also learned about Shilasdair Yarns, so that’s on my yarn wishlist now.
Speaking of yarn, I purchased new yarn from Wing and a Prayer Farm for my Vintersoll (Rav link). My gauge swatch worked out. This yarn is a treat to knit with. It’s called Thelma and Louise and is naturally dyed and toothy but soft. I can’t wait to cast on. I love this golden color called Dawn achieved with onion skins and madder root,which will be the main color of the sweater.
But first I want to finish my Anker’s Summer Shirt (Rav link) in Blacker Lyonesse, which is also a very nice yarn to work with in wool and linen. The color is Serpentine.
I finished knitting my Water shawl (Rav link). It’s a lovely pattern and an enjoyable knit once you get the rhythm of it. Yarn is Quince and Co Finch in Bird’s Egg.
I haven’t been keeping up on my YOP updates. Since it’s been a while, I thought I should do that today.
Sewing
I finished sewing my Ophelia Overalls, and I love them. I’m going to sew a pair for each season. These are my spring overalls. I’ll sew a linen pair in summer, a corduroy pair in fall, and a wool flannel pair in winter. Pattern is by Decades of Style. Fabric is organic cotton twill from Koshtex.
Next I’ll sew another Raglan Dress in blue cotton shirting.
Knitting
Water is coming along. I get frustrated with the lace sections, so it’s in time out a fair bit. It’s not that it’s difficult. I think I’ve got it, so I stop paying close attention and then make a mistake. It’s not great TV knitting.
I’ve knit a gauge swatch for an Anker’s Summer Shirt (Rav link). AJ is knitting one, and it was in my queue, so I thought, why not? Impromptu KAL. My gauge is spot on in this Blacker Lyonesse linen and wool, so time to cast on!
I’m going to let Bob pick out some yarn from my stash, and then cast on a new pair of socks for him. He really likes his Valentine’s Day socks and wears them a lot.
Felting
I have a new piece finished for March, and meant to lay out my April piece today. But I’m tired after all the sewing, so I guess I’ll do that next weekend. I checked my wool colors, and I should be good to go. No colors to dye for the next one.
Design
My cotton and linen slub tee is coming along.
Podcast
My new episode “Grow Your Clothes: Rust Belt Fibershed” is available! I had a great time on this interview and ended up having to cut quite a bit, but may have enough left over for another episode. If you would like to give it a listen, look for The Just Craft on Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts, or you can listen at thejustcraft.com.
Baking
I made some banana bread today! I like walnuts in my banana bread, but can’t have them (tree nut allergy) so I added pumpkin seeds instead.
Shout out to Kelley of Ramen Needles / Dye Mad for adjusting my yarn club subscription when I asked her not to send me superwash if possible. She sent me this gorgeous silk and linen this month. 💙
I finished my Malabrigo Rikke Hat and I’m very pleased.
This shows you that you can knit a pattern in a different weight yarn and with different needles if you know how you knit. I’m a loose knitter, and I knit this DK pattern in Sport weight with needles one size down. But my first Rikke Hat is a little big, and I’m a loose knitter. So this worked for me. And I love the pooling on the brim!
As promised, here is a photo comparison of Spice Bush and Forsythia. What was I thinking? They aren’t the same at all, except both are yellow.
I received my Bougie Beaver Solo Fingering, along with a “sorry” gift. This made me happy. I can’t wait to cast on my Jessica Jones Cowl!
1. The extreme blocking worked wonders on the Getting Warmer cowl (Rav link). I sent a photo to the silent auction winner and she loves it. It is heading to Indiana this week. Yarn is Kenyan merino that I kettle dyed with acid dyes in vermillion. I will probably make another one for myself eventually.
2. I attended my first Rust Belt Fiber Shed meeting tonight. It was a meeting of natural dyers. It was awesome.
3. My friend James started a new podcast for people who want to learn how to podcast. He’s a genius. Listen here. I will listen and then maybe I will understand what to do with The Just Craft.
4. I will be attending the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival with Sarah and friends! I bought my plane ticket today! I don’t have any local knitting friends to go to fiber shows with. Isn’t that sad? I have local friends but none I would subject to a day weekend long fiber event. So I am saving up for Wisconsin!
5. I’m adding another KAL to my rotation. Magpie Fibers is hosting a Beav-a-long! 🤣 Learn more here.
I finished the Getting Warmer cowl in the Kenyan merino I dyed. I didn’t have enough yarn to knit the pattern as written. I had to make it a little smaller, and then I blocked the heck out of it. Fingers crossed for some squooshy garter stitch drape. I hope the auction winner enjoys it!
This is my first time using my Cocoknits blocking tools and it is so much better than using towels!
I struggled to get good photos today. But here I am wearing the new raglan dress I made, holding the yarn I ordered to knit a matching cardigan. It’s not a perfect match but I think it’s close enough.
Orange zipper for the win.
Pattern is The Raglan Dress by The Avid Seamstress. I recommend this pattern. I was able to sew mine in a couple of hours. It fits really well and I don’t want to take it off. Fabric is Mammoth Flannel in Adventure Blue by Robert Kauffman from Sew to Speak. I did try to match my plaids, but didn’t manage it as well as I would have liked. I’m definitely sewing this dress again. The only thing I didn’t understand is they don’t tell you to use interfacing on the neckline facings, but I did anyway.
My next sewing project will be these overalls in this brushed cotton twill. My goal is to make an entire wardrobe of loose clothing so I don’t ever have to wear anything tight around my waist again.
