Some socks

Yeah, I know I said I wasn't going to post a bunch of "Looky What I Mades," but I also said I was going to post every day. unfortunately, although I knit or do something else fiber-related almost every single day, that doesn't mean everything is post-worthy. In fact, most of it isn't.

Anyway, here is a pair of socks. Don't worry - I have another pair just like this one. Okay, that was corny.

The one on the left is made with Paton's Stretch Socks (41% cotton, 39% wool, 13% nylon, and 7% elastic). The one on the right is made with Trekking XXL (75% Superwash wool, 25% nylon). Both were done on size 3 dpns.

Although both are rated as lightweight sock yarn, the finished Paton's sock has a lighter feel - a nice 3-season sock, while the Trekking makes a nice, fuzzy, warm sock that will be best for cold winter days.

More More Wristlets

These are the wristlets I made this week. They'll be for sale at The Pen & Thread as soon as I finish the hang tags and a few other details.

More Placemat Bags

These are the placemat bags I made this week. The inside of the plaid one is plain black -- couldn't get a good pic of it. I stopped by the shop to see Mary Anna this week. She's been working hard to reorganize and it's beautiful! She's got tons of handspun yarns in natural colors and dozens of handspun, handknitted hats. I'll try to get some pics next time I stop in.

Kitschy Spring Fun

How's this for a fun little summer bag? I made it from a placemat -- one of the stiff, fabric-covered ones. I added a satin lining and attached the purchased handles with some sturdy ribbon. It looks retro to me. What do you think?

Jason's Purse

Jason asked me to make a placemat bag for his mother and this is what happened. I think I've finally got the knack!

Robin's Wristlet

So Robin was admiring my wristlet and I remembered that I had bought some of her old wool sweaters at a yard sale and they were all felted and sitting on my stash shelf. Now Robin has a new wristlet, too. Pink is her favorite color and pink and brown is her favorite color combo.

Nubuck Tote Bag

So I've been admiring my friend Robin's red leather Tommy tote. It's the perfect size to haul case files in our jobs as case managers. I happened to have some nubuck in my stash, so after much experimentation, I finally have a new tote for myself!

So then I was admiring my friend Dana's Coach wristlet. And while I was making the tote, I popped out a matching wristlet for myself -- again with some experimentation -- I've never been a fan of the zipper, but I think I have it down now!

More Bags

Rylan requested a bag similar to Karin's, but I only had one placemat in the same pattern. I made a half-size version by folding the placemat in half lengthwise. I used ribbon to attach the handles and I made the closure out of wider ribbon in the same color. I sewed a vintage button on by hand, but I used Velcro for the actual closure.

The green bag was a request by Jason for his wife. I folded one placemat in half like I did with the blue bag, but this one is lined with yellow broadcloth backed with fusible interfacing. The blue bag was self-lined as the placemat was backed with a plain brown layer of fabric. The green bag has a magnetic closure and the handles are attached with ribbons.

These are still prototypes. Each bag is an adventure because I don't use patterns. I prefer to wing it and see what happens. Mistakes are made, but I'm learning from them, so it's cool, right? Anyway, because these are prototypes, my friends get to be my guinea pigs. I let them pick the placemats and I have free reign with the rest. As soon as I get the wrinkles ironed out, I hope to start mass producing -- well, as much as handmade things can be mass-produced! -- and sell at local craft shows next year. I'd like to be really adventurous and open an Etsy shop, but I guess I'm still a little too timid to go there! Opinions welcome.

Placemat Bag Version 2

My second attempt at a placemat bag. Mistakes were made. Gimme a break. I'm still hammering out prototypes. For one thing, I should have stitched the tabs in green thread instead of brown. Brown thread would be an interesting designe element if I could stitch straight, but I can't. The tabs actually do match a very light stripe in the pattern on the fabric, but you can't see it very well in the picture. If you click the picture and blow it up, you can see it better. Karin claimed this one! Shelby suggested I try a diaper bag, as she is having her third baby girl in a week or so. I need to give that one some thought. Lots of pockets and compartments. I don't even know what goes into a diaper bag besides diapers. I've gotta go do some research!

First Stab at Placemat Bags

I know! I know! I'm a bad blogger -- it's been months and months and months. Get over it.

This is my first attempt at making a placemat purse. I got some nice heavy, pretty placemats. I used lighter placemats for the lining. I sewed them together, added a magnetic closure and ribbon tabs for the handles. Oh, and I sewed across the corners the bottom sits flat. This bag was made especially for Dana!

Alan's Sweater

Another UFO finished! I started this yoke sweater last year for DH but when I got to the neck, I put it down. I picked it up yesterday and finished it. Unfortunately when he tried it on, we both decided it was too "girly", so now it's mine. Back to the drawing board.

I used Lion Brand Wool Ease with 2 strands together on size 13s. It's knitted from the bottom in the round. I used the methods in Knitting in the Old Way. Love that book! This was my first yoke sweater. Next time I'll be more adventurous with the actual yoke . When I was finished I could see why they traditionally have all of those colors! When it's in a solid color, the decreases are pretty visible. Not that I mind that -- I think it adds an interesting texture.

Shauna's Poncho

After three years, I finally finished it. It's been a joke between us -- it was a birthday gift, but it wasn't finished. I gave it to her unfinished and then said, "Okay, give it back so I can finish it." The pattern came from Sally Melville's book The Knit Stitch. I love Sally's books! Anyway, Shauna finally got her poncho. My New Year's resolution is to finish my UFOs! We all know how that goes -- at the end of the year, we'll see how I did! :)

Alan's Scarf

This is the scarf I made my husband for Christmas. Okay, it's not the whole scarf! I need to take some pics of the finished product. The yarn is alpaca and I sort of made up the pattern as I went -- it's just 1x1 rib with a cable down the middle -- 2 p st on each side of the st st cable. Pretty easy and fun to do.

My New Scarf

Okay, I know it's been FOREVER!!! I've just been way too busy to keep up. Anyway, this is my new scarf. I got the pattern from my pal Dana. I think she got it from www.knittingpatterncentral.com. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the pattern. The yarn was part of one of those felted bag kits from JoAnne Fabric. They had a bunch of kits on clearance -- didn't care much for the bag but loved the yarn, so I bought it -- 4 skeins of single ply bulky wool for $8 -- couldn't go wrong. I wear this with a black pea coat and get tons of comments!

Chaos and Alchemy

Chaos and Alchemy -- these are a few of my favorite things! I've been working hard to get ready for Burnham Community Day which takes place tomorrow. Each year Warp 6 does a sheep to shawl demo there and Mary Anna and I have a sales booth next door. Below is my latest batch. The Chaos colorway is on the left and Alchemy is on the right. The Chaos skeins are Merino dyed with KA. The fiber for the Alchemy skein was purchased from eBay as a Mystery Batt. The seller had thrown all kinds of luxury fibers into the picker with a wool base. Beautiful, huh?

Batik Patchwork Bag

Okay, so I decided I needed a new tote bag. I LOVE tote bags! Actually, I love any kind of container. If you can put something in it, I probably love it! Anyway, I got these nifty 4"x4" batik fabric squares on eBay, and this is what I did with them. I had 40 squares, so I divided them in half and sewed them together to make the sides. Each side is 4 fabric squares deep by 5 fabric squares wide. Then I cut two squares of unbleached muslin the same size as the patchwork sides. I cut two smaller pieces of muslin, pressed in 3 sides about 1/2" and sewed homemade bias taped to the top edge. These are the inside pockets. Next, I sewed a pocket to each larger piece of muslin. I sewed each lining side to a patchwork side, right sides facing, and then I turned them right side out. Next I sewed the two lined sides together, again, right sides facing, and turned them. To make the squared bottom, while the bag was still inside out, I measured in about 2" from each corner and sewed across, forming a triangle. I made more bias tape from a separate piece of fabric -- the same fabric I used for the edging on the pockets -- and stitched that to that raw edge at the top of the bag. To make the straps, I cut two lengths of cotton webbing to suit me. I sewed two tubes of the same fabric I used for the edging. I cut each piece about 3" wide and a little longer than the webbing pieces. Fold each piece in half and sew up the long side with the right sides together. When the tubes are turned right side out, use a safety pin to run the webbing through the tubes. Leave a little extra tubing material at each end. Turn those edges over once and then once again and stitch. Now, making sure the webbing is lying flat withing the tubes, topstitch down each sided to keep webbing from moving around. Next, attach the straps to the bag -- first sew a square and then sew an X in the square. Click on the pictures to enlarge for detail. This was a pretty simple project. Please don't ask for measurements -- I made it up as I went! Here are some pictures. One shows the bag with the sides folded in -- This is how I usually use my totes when I'm using them as a purse or if they don't have much in them. Next is the bag in square formation. This is how I use it when I'm carrying files, etc. And the other picture is the bag turned inside out so you can see the lining and the pockets. I'm still considering adding some sort of closure to the top and maybe small pockets for my cellphone and iPod. I think I'll sleep on that, though! It's late. I'm going to bed! :)

Fire Piston Bags

Okay, I've been crafting -- just haven't been posting! I've been working at perfecting and making bags for the new Barnburner Fire Pistons over at Tangled Strands. Fire Pistons are a primitive method of starting fires. They are used by backpackers, Boy Scouts and other outdoors persons. More info is available at http://tangledstrands.blogspot.com.

I was charged with making the bags for them. These are made of nubuck -- it looks and feels like leather, but no animals were injured in the making of this product. Basically, I just cut 3"x18" strips of nubuck, folded down 1" at each end and stitched it down, and then sewed up the sides, right sides together and leaving about 1/2" open at the top. I just ran two lengths of cording through the casing, one in each direction, and then knotted the ends. I didn't bother to finish the edges of the casing. The nubuck won't fray and folding it over would make too much bulk.

Abi's Dress

I just finished this sun dress for my friend's daughter. Again, no pattern -- just some pre-shirred fabric and Abi's measurements. Sew it up the back, hem it and put on the straps.

Kool Aid Hats from Fiber Space Designs

Hats and bags are two of my favorite things to make with Kool-Aid dyed yarn.

This hat is a really simple, no-pattern thing I made up years ago. It's so easy to make and easily becomes as much a wardrobe staple as your favorite jeans. I've had strangers come up to me and ask where I got mine. It's an opp to hand out a business card!

Anyway, to make the hat, I CO 68 st on 10.5 circs and knit until I find a length I like by trying it on my own head. Then I k2tog once around, switch to dpns, and k2tog 2x until there are about 9 st left. Cut the yarn, leaving about a 6" tail and use a yarn needle to weave the end through the working stitches that are still on the needle. Tie off and weave in ends, and you have a rolled-brim slouchy hat that's nice and warm. There's no shaping on the crown and the fast decrease leaves an interesting star-shape on the top.

As with my yarns, you can find them at The Pen & Thread, local arts and craft shows, or directly from me.

The One-Hour $5 Skirt

I made this skirt last night in about an hour and it really did only cost $5. I got clearance fabric at $2/yd, and as you may have noticed, I'm not exactly petite, so I bought 2 yds. Another $1 for the elastic. No pattern and hardly any measuring or even pinning, thanks to my trusty iron!

Basically, I wrapped the fabric around myself one and a half times and cut. Since it was a plaid, I just marked it and cut along the line in the pattern. I laid it out flat and folded the top over for a casing that was slightly wider than the elastic. I used 3/4" elastic, so the casing was probably about an inch. Again, I used the lines in the fabric instead of measuring. Then I folded it over again. Yes, I know that's not the proper way to make a casing, but i was in a hurry! :) I just sewed it closely to the edge.

Next, I held it up and marked it for length. Again, I just used the lines in the plaid to cut. I folded it over twice, roughly a half-inch each time and sewed it again for the hem.

I pinned the two raw edges together -- the only pinning I did for the entire skirt -- wrong sides facing -- and sewed them together with a standard 5/8" seam. Be sure to stop just short of the casing -- it's important to leave that open so you can put in the elastic!

I attached a safety pin to the elastic and work it through the casing, making sure not to twist it. When it came out the other side, I put the skirt on and adjusted the waistband to suit myself and sewed the elastic accordingly. To ensure that it wouldn't twist later, I sewed vertically through the fabric and the elastic in the waistband in a few random spots. The last step is to close the openings in the casing. You have to sew this by hand.

And today, I have a new skirt to wear to work. Please feel free to contact me or leave a comment if you have any questions.