In my experience, most people want the bad news first.
DD and I did not get eight blankets finished by 1st September. We tried but it just didn't happen. Sewing takes twice as long (or more) when you are working around a toddler and a demanding baby!
We wasted a few metres of thread (and precious time) by not checking the back of the blanket. If we had done so, we would have noticed the bobbin thread was making loops instead of stitches.
I didn't complete the knitted blanket I began last week. I have knitted about 70%. I've found that I can't sew and knit and the same time! LOL
DD has also not completed the baby blanket she is knitting.
But the good news is, we went on the Angels for the Forgotten website and they exceeded their targets of 3000 bags and 1000 blankies by 31st August - they did it without us making a single contribution! They actually received 3361 bags and 1297 blankies.
The problem with the bobbin stitching turned out to be a bent needle and an incorrectly threaded machine - easily fixed!
I have learnt a lot about working with flannelette and passed that knowledge onto DD. We have both learnt how to make mitred corners in order to tum the backing into the binding. And that knowledge is useful and transferable.
Seven of the eight blankets we planned to make are now complete and the last is well under way. It just needs the corners mitred and the binding (machine) sewn down. I'm sure Angels for the Forgotten will not reject a "late" contribution!
There is now less pressure on us to complete things so we can relax and just enjoy the process.
And the downright ugly:
On Sunday DD and family had guests for lunch. They came with bad colds. Older Grandson succumbed first. DD and the Grandboys visited here on Wednesday (in an attempt to complete the blankets). By Thursday, DD, both Grandboys and I had heavy head colds. A virulent strain indeed!
This is the third time I have had a cold since I "retired"; I was rarely sick when I was working!
Showing posts with label Angels for the Forgotten. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Angels for the Forgotten. Show all posts
Friday, 2 September 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
two more baby blankets
Yesterday I went to my weekly quilting class.
My previous teacher always said it was better to try something new in class than to do things that could be done at home without help. I agree with her. After all, I pay the teacher so I can learn something.
The mitred corners were so much easier than I thought they would be.
I also changed the quilting slightly from the previous blanket with the same fabric - see those points!
I enjoyed the process very much - probably because it eliminates a whole lot of basting, pinning, marking, seaming and cutting; all of which worked well but added a long step to the process of making blankets and was therefore not very time efficient.
The colours are a bit washed out in the big photo, the one below shows the true colour. The thinner binding was a bit more fiddly but it was all the excess fabric I had!
BTW, I washed the first blanket - the one which the iron spat brown gunk on: the nine inch quilting was fine!My previous teacher always said it was better to try something new in class than to do things that could be done at home without help. I agree with her. After all, I pay the teacher so I can learn something.
So yesterday I took one of flannelette baby blankets to class. I basted it at home so I only had to do the quilting.
Then I learnt how to use the backing fabric as the binding!
The mitred corners were so much easier than I thought they would be.
I also changed the quilting slightly from the previous blanket with the same fabric - see those points!
I enjoyed the process very much - probably because it eliminates a whole lot of basting, pinning, marking, seaming and cutting; all of which worked well but added a long step to the process of making blankets and was therefore not very time efficient.
This 'new' method (to me at least) also eliminated that "turn it to the right side and manipulate the seams to lie flat" process which I find tedious (although I did discover if I press the seams open and flat against their respective fabrics, it works a little better!)
So, last night I ironed and basted another pair of fabrics - here is the final result; far from perfect but done (and the baby won't care!)
The colours are a bit washed out in the big photo, the one below shows the true colour. The thinner binding was a bit more fiddly but it was all the excess fabric I had!I think I've gotten flannelette under control now!
Monday, 29 August 2011
the wrangling continues ...
I finished the third of the eight flannelette baby blankets yesterday. Yes, I know it's slow going but I didn't sew all day - I have a life outside quilting!
So here is Blanket #3.
Notice the zigzag pattern of the images printed on the fabric?
So here is Blanket #3.
Notice the zigzag pattern of the images printed on the fabric?
Well, I'm very proud of my ziggurat-style quilting!
Wrangling Score:
Boss of the Flannelette (that's me!) 3
fabric 0
Will I get all eight blankets done before Thursday? I doubt it, but any number I make is more than they had before, isn't it?
Boss of the Flannelette (that's me!) 3
fabric 0
Will I get all eight blankets done before Thursday? I doubt it, but any number I make is more than they had before, isn't it?
Sunday, 28 August 2011
still wrangling the flannelette
But at least I'm winning now!
Thanks for your words of encouragement; I am learning a lot from all this wrangling!
I have two blankets finished so far but since they're both made from the same fabrics, I'll just show you one.
Oops, I guess I should have ironed it before taking the photo! I had it folded, ready to deliver to Angels for the Forgotten.
Anyway, this is the second of the two blankets - the one where I pinned it to within an inch of its life before cutting. This system worked fine for me so I'm sticking with it, despite it being quite time-consuming with all that pinning! Whatever it takes, right?
And, lest you think my quilting is not straight - I chose "organic" quilting lines to avoid the images on the blanket and to practise my curves! I told you I had wrangled and won! Sewing curves on sticky flannelette is not easy but I'm the Boss of Flannelette!
I also found a way to quilt the first blanket from side to side. I held it up, gave it one hard shake and laid it down. Wherever all the excess fabric fell (the top is slightly stretched and therefore larger than the back) is where I pinned it. And now that it's quilted, no one will know.
So, flushed with success of Round 2, I re-enter the wrangling -- I still have six more blankets to make before Thursday morning. Round 3 coming up.
However, before I go, I do have one question: how close do two layers of flannelette need to be quilted? My quilting lines are about nine inches apart because I want minimal quilting (it's meant to be a soft, cuddly baby blanket after all) but I don't want the blanket to warp in the wash.
Can anyone help me or will I find out for myself by washing one?
Thanks for your words of encouragement; I am learning a lot from all this wrangling!
I have two blankets finished so far but since they're both made from the same fabrics, I'll just show you one.
Oops, I guess I should have ironed it before taking the photo! I had it folded, ready to deliver to Angels for the Forgotten.
Anyway, this is the second of the two blankets - the one where I pinned it to within an inch of its life before cutting. This system worked fine for me so I'm sticking with it, despite it being quite time-consuming with all that pinning! Whatever it takes, right?
And, lest you think my quilting is not straight - I chose "organic" quilting lines to avoid the images on the blanket and to practise my curves! I told you I had wrangled and won! Sewing curves on sticky flannelette is not easy but I'm the Boss of Flannelette!
 |
| cute critters! |
I also found a way to quilt the first blanket from side to side. I held it up, gave it one hard shake and laid it down. Wherever all the excess fabric fell (the top is slightly stretched and therefore larger than the back) is where I pinned it. And now that it's quilted, no one will know.
So, flushed with success of Round 2, I re-enter the wrangling -- I still have six more blankets to make before Thursday morning. Round 3 coming up.
However, before I go, I do have one question: how close do two layers of flannelette need to be quilted? My quilting lines are about nine inches apart because I want minimal quilting (it's meant to be a soft, cuddly baby blanket after all) but I don't want the blanket to warp in the wash.
Can anyone help me or will I find out for myself by washing one?
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
stash enhancement
While checking the Angels for the Forgotten website, I saw that they had almost reached their target for bags but were only about halfway to their target for blankies.
The deadline is next Wednesday, 31st August, and there is no way that I can knit many more blankets. I have one on the needles (see yesterday's post), and I might get another one done before next Wednesday.
Imagine my surprise and delight when I reached the check out and found the yarn had an orange spot on it and was therefore reduced to 50% off the marked price - wool for $15.00 a kilogram; you've got to be kidding me! Bargain!
The deadline is next Wednesday, 31st August, and there is no way that I can knit many more blankets. I have one on the needles (see yesterday's post), and I might get another one done before next Wednesday.
I decided to buy some fabric to sew some lightweight blankies. Babies still need to be wrapped in summer, right?
So I bought this flannel fabric which is enough to make eight blankies of the required size (90cm - 36 inches - square) with the print on the front and the plain on the back.
I just need to find the impetus to sew between now and then - the sunshine is back but I still feel "woolly headed"!
While I was in the Big Box Store, I visited the yarn department. I found some Panda Comfort Wool reduced to $3.00 for a 100g ball. I'm not sure what the recommended retail price is, but $3.00 for 100g is a good price so I picked up all the balls they had left: six balls of blue, two balls of pink and one ball of charcoal.
 |
| two metres of each print, four metres of the blue |
 |
| two metres of each fabric |
I just need to find the impetus to sew between now and then - the sunshine is back but I still feel "woolly headed"!
While I was in the Big Box Store, I visited the yarn department. I found some Panda Comfort Wool reduced to $3.00 for a 100g ball. I'm not sure what the recommended retail price is, but $3.00 for 100g is a good price so I picked up all the balls they had left: six balls of blue, two balls of pink and one ball of charcoal.
Imagine my surprise and delight when I reached the check out and found the yarn had an orange spot on it and was therefore reduced to 50% off the marked price - wool for $15.00 a kilogram; you've got to be kidding me! Bargain!
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
new knitting on the needles
I don't know if it's the weather (it's cold and grey with occasional showers), my painful sinuses or something else but I am just not feeling the sewing-love this week. I want to sew (I've even added to my stash - more about that later) but just can't seem to summon up the energy to measure and cut and re-thread the machine and press and ...
All I've wanted to do for the past three days is curl up under a warm blanket in front of the television. This, of course, means knitting time. I have been feeling a bit "woolly headed" so I wanted something easy to knit. Angels for the Forgotten still needs blankies for babies (90cm - 36 inches - square) so I found a simple pattern with a combination of yarnovers followed by k2tog or SSK.
The pattern is written for Aran weight (10ply) yarn on 5mm (US 8) needles. I am knitting in sports weight (5ply) on 4mm (US 6) needles to make it more drapey. I modified the pattern so that I started in the corner on three stitches and am knitting diagonally. This way I know it'll come out the correct size and didn't have to worry about calculating my gauge.
I'm very happy with the way it's knitting up. It's not fast, but it has only one pattern row, two purl rows and three knit rows in every six rows which is not agonisingly slow either. I now have 164 stitches on the needles and the blankie is 58cm (23 inches) along the length.
What do you think?
All I've wanted to do for the past three days is curl up under a warm blanket in front of the television. This, of course, means knitting time. I have been feeling a bit "woolly headed" so I wanted something easy to knit. Angels for the Forgotten still needs blankies for babies (90cm - 36 inches - square) so I found a simple pattern with a combination of yarnovers followed by k2tog or SSK.
The pattern is written for Aran weight (10ply) yarn on 5mm (US 8) needles. I am knitting in sports weight (5ply) on 4mm (US 6) needles to make it more drapey. I modified the pattern so that I started in the corner on three stitches and am knitting diagonally. This way I know it'll come out the correct size and didn't have to worry about calculating my gauge.
I'm very happy with the way it's knitting up. It's not fast, but it has only one pattern row, two purl rows and three knit rows in every six rows which is not agonisingly slow either. I now have 164 stitches on the needles and the blankie is 58cm (23 inches) along the length.
Because the pattern rows alternate between k2tog and SSK, the stitches slant in alternate directions - I really like that little detail!
What do you think?
Saturday, 20 August 2011
a knitted item!
Today is the monthly meeting of the Blue Mountains group of the Knitters' Guild of NSW and I am tutoring a workshop in no-sew grafting.
So I thought it would be a good idea to show some knitting!
Here is my baby wrap for Angels for the Forgotten. I started it in "feather and fan" (also known as "old shale") but I got bored so switched over to garter stitch.
It's interesting that the ball I started with on the left pooled but the ball which started the right side striped! Ah, the surprise of knitting with variegated yarns!
I knitted it in two pieces so the curves went the same way on both ends.
I thought the straight edges looked bland so I knitted two borders of feather and fan and grafted them on with no sewing - I used the method I will demonstrate in today's workshop. This is the same method I used to graft all 128 pieces of the Pinwheel Blanket.
I know there's a line across the middle (which hopefully is not too apparent to you). It happened because I grafted the wrong side with the right side so I have made a stocking stitch row where there should be a garter stitch row. I didn't notice it until I had grafted on the first side border. By then I had grafted 656 stitches so was reluctant to undo it and fix it.
Yes, I agree, it's not perfect but it doesn't affect the usability of the item and the baby won't care. In the end I decided that there was potential for disaster in trying to rip out the grafting and that my time is worth more than one line across a blanket. I could fake one in the other direction, but what would be the point?
So I thought it would be a good idea to show some knitting!
Here is my baby wrap for Angels for the Forgotten. I started it in "feather and fan" (also known as "old shale") but I got bored so switched over to garter stitch.
It's interesting that the ball I started with on the left pooled but the ball which started the right side striped! Ah, the surprise of knitting with variegated yarns!
I knitted it in two pieces so the curves went the same way on both ends.
I thought the straight edges looked bland so I knitted two borders of feather and fan and grafted them on with no sewing - I used the method I will demonstrate in today's workshop. This is the same method I used to graft all 128 pieces of the Pinwheel Blanket.
I know there's a line across the middle (which hopefully is not too apparent to you). It happened because I grafted the wrong side with the right side so I have made a stocking stitch row where there should be a garter stitch row. I didn't notice it until I had grafted on the first side border. By then I had grafted 656 stitches so was reluctant to undo it and fix it.
Yes, I agree, it's not perfect but it doesn't affect the usability of the item and the baby won't care. In the end I decided that there was potential for disaster in trying to rip out the grafting and that my time is worth more than one line across a blanket. I could fake one in the other direction, but what would be the point?
Sunday, 31 July 2011
there are some bargains to be had
Firstly, if you haven't voted on my 500th post yet, would you please pop over there and vote - it's all for a good cause (or three). Voting will remain open until 8am (Sydney time) Saturday 6th August. Thanks heaps.
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Late last week I received an email from one of the two Big Box Craft Stores in my town saying that they were having a three-day-sale. The sale included 40% off all fabrics and 40% off all yarn!
Now, for a knitter who also sews, that was irresistible!
But then, I remembered that earlier in the week I had received another email giving me 10% off everything in the store, including sale items.
Doubly irresistible!
So, on Friday, I took myself across town to the Big Box Store. I went first to the yarn department. I have plenty of yarn in 8ply (DK) weight and really didn't need anymore. I wanted 4ply (baby) or 5ply (sport) to knit a couple of baby blankies for Angels for the Forgotten. I bought ten balls of soft 5ply yarn - they only had four balls of the same dye lot of the blue so I bought an extra ball of the cream; I estimate that I will need about 5 balls for each blankie.
I then went to the fabric department. I find too much choice quite difficult so decided to concentrate on the fabrics that were already discounted (before this three-day-sale); that is, the fabrics which had been hanging around in the store for too long because they weren't very popular.
I decided to be frugal (I'm not working and have just bought an expensive sewing machine; plus the Big Box Store has sales quite often!!), so I limited myself to ten half metres (20 inches) of a random selection of fabrics. I concentrated on finding fabrics with colours I like - notice they are mostly brights and mostly warm colours with some green and purple (my favourite colour) thrown in to the mix. I did not really consider the pattern of the fabric; once it is cut into two inch strips much of the pattern will be lost anyway!
I know this is not really the greatest choice of fabrics to work together, but they will be used to make string blocks for quilts for charity. Somehow those string blocks just work, despite the variety of fabrics used.
I'm not sure if that fabric with the white background was such a good choice, I may use it for the back of the blocks which will be made in a Quilt-As-You-Go technique (found here). I'm not sure if these will go to Oz Comfort Quilts, but they will certainly be used for quilts for people in need.
When I got to the cutting table, I had the first of two surprises. The sale fabric was included in the 40% off sale! That is, fabric which had originally been marked at $12.99 a metre and $l5.99 a metre and was now marked at $6 and $8 a metre, was still forty percent off; making them $3.60 and $4.80 a metre!
I then expected the sales assistant to total my discounted purchases (which also included needle threaders and thread) and then take off the 10%-off-everything-including-sale-items ! For example, say I bought $100 worth of fabric/yarn - with the 40% discount that would be $60, then a further 10% would be minus $6, giving a total of $54. That would have been wonderful!
But no ... I got forty percent plus ten percent off all the fabric and all the yarn! That is fifty percent off all yarn and fabric! I got the 5 metres of fabric for what amounts to 25% of the original selling price! I know some of you will not agree with me, but I have to say it: God is good! Normally, I delete my emails from the Big Box Stores without even reading them!!
I returned to the Big Box Store on Saturday but it was crowded and messy and I couldn't think so I ended up leaving without buying anything. I wanted to buy some fabric suitable for men but I couldn't find anything much on the sales table and couldn't get around all the people to look at the "full price" fabric!
There will be other sales and I'm sure I have more than enough to be going on with!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Late last week I received an email from one of the two Big Box Craft Stores in my town saying that they were having a three-day-sale. The sale included 40% off all fabrics and 40% off all yarn!
Now, for a knitter who also sews, that was irresistible!
But then, I remembered that earlier in the week I had received another email giving me 10% off everything in the store, including sale items.
Doubly irresistible!
So, on Friday, I took myself across town to the Big Box Store. I went first to the yarn department. I have plenty of yarn in 8ply (DK) weight and really didn't need anymore. I wanted 4ply (baby) or 5ply (sport) to knit a couple of baby blankies for Angels for the Forgotten. I bought ten balls of soft 5ply yarn - they only had four balls of the same dye lot of the blue so I bought an extra ball of the cream; I estimate that I will need about 5 balls for each blankie.
I then went to the fabric department. I find too much choice quite difficult so decided to concentrate on the fabrics that were already discounted (before this three-day-sale); that is, the fabrics which had been hanging around in the store for too long because they weren't very popular.
I decided to be frugal (I'm not working and have just bought an expensive sewing machine; plus the Big Box Store has sales quite often!!), so I limited myself to ten half metres (20 inches) of a random selection of fabrics. I concentrated on finding fabrics with colours I like - notice they are mostly brights and mostly warm colours with some green and purple (my favourite colour) thrown in to the mix. I did not really consider the pattern of the fabric; once it is cut into two inch strips much of the pattern will be lost anyway!
I know this is not really the greatest choice of fabrics to work together, but they will be used to make string blocks for quilts for charity. Somehow those string blocks just work, despite the variety of fabrics used.
I'm not sure if that fabric with the white background was such a good choice, I may use it for the back of the blocks which will be made in a Quilt-As-You-Go technique (found here). I'm not sure if these will go to Oz Comfort Quilts, but they will certainly be used for quilts for people in need.
When I got to the cutting table, I had the first of two surprises. The sale fabric was included in the 40% off sale! That is, fabric which had originally been marked at $12.99 a metre and $l5.99 a metre and was now marked at $6 and $8 a metre, was still forty percent off; making them $3.60 and $4.80 a metre!
I then expected the sales assistant to total my discounted purchases (which also included needle threaders and thread) and then take off the 10%-off-everything-including-sale-items ! For example, say I bought $100 worth of fabric/yarn - with the 40% discount that would be $60, then a further 10% would be minus $6, giving a total of $54. That would have been wonderful!
But no ... I got forty percent plus ten percent off all the fabric and all the yarn! That is fifty percent off all yarn and fabric! I got the 5 metres of fabric for what amounts to 25% of the original selling price! I know some of you will not agree with me, but I have to say it: God is good! Normally, I delete my emails from the Big Box Stores without even reading them!!
I returned to the Big Box Store on Saturday but it was crowded and messy and I couldn't think so I ended up leaving without buying anything. I wanted to buy some fabric suitable for men but I couldn't find anything much on the sales table and couldn't get around all the people to look at the "full price" fabric!
There will be other sales and I'm sure I have more than enough to be going on with!
Sunday, 17 July 2011
What would you do?
Before I explain my latest dilemma, I must tell Jessica (and any one else who's wondering) the answer - there are 63 different yarns used in the the intarsia jumper shown in yesterday's post!
Also, as far as the Pinwheel Blanket is concerned, WM was only able to get one of the two colours I need so I have to rethink the blanket design. I really don't like when someone sticks a bit of "nearly the same colour" yarn in and hopes no-one notices! I'd rather redesign the top and bottom edges than have it look 'tacky'!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, dear readers, please indulge me: what would you do in this situation?
I have worked on my Modified Feather and Fan Baby Blanket for about eight hours and knitted about 33cm (13 inches).
I am not feeling the love.
I don't like the way the colours pool in the variegated yarn. It's not that I am so naive as to think that the colours shouldn't pool, I just don't think the pooling works with the Feather and Fan pattern. I think they are competing.
Generally, I have fairly simple rules for knitting:
Stocking (stockinette) stitch isn't good for blankets, it rolls towards the 'right' side. Stocking stitch, moss (seed) stitch and basket weave all have 50% purl stitches, and that means slowing down the speed of my knitting - so I opted for a pattern which has only knit rows because I wanted a quick knit in this situation.
So, why did I break my own "rules"?
I really don't know!
After knitting the Feather and Fan for about 30cm (12 inches), I decided to knit plain garter stitch for 30cm. I want to knit the other side of the blanket separately and graft the two pieces together.
Why?
Because Feather and Fan has convex (curving outwards) scallops on the cast on edge and concave (curving inwards) scallops on the cast off edge. As "out there" as I sometimes am in my colour choices, I find asymmetry hard to live with so I want both edges to have convex (outward curving) scallops. This necessitates casting on twice and grafting the two pieces. Because both pieces would curve in opposite directions - the nature of the pattern - when trying to join them, I have decided to put plain garter stitch between them.
So, having made that decision, I found that the plain garter stitch not only looks better in my opinion (not that I have knitted enough to know how the colours will pool) but is also softer than the part of the blanket knitted in Feather and Fan.
Last night before I went to bed, I decided to rip it all off the needles. But I was too tired to do it there and then so left it on the lounge (couch/sofa). This morning, before I got up, I had decided that I would rip it out if the blanket was too wide; that is, greater than 100cm (40 inches)
What would you do?
After taking the photo, and without measuring the width, I have decided to leave it as it is! I can live with it - and some people at Knitters' Guild yesterday thought it was pretty (even if I'm not entirely convinced).
Also, as far as the Pinwheel Blanket is concerned, WM was only able to get one of the two colours I need so I have to rethink the blanket design. I really don't like when someone sticks a bit of "nearly the same colour" yarn in and hopes no-one notices! I'd rather redesign the top and bottom edges than have it look 'tacky'!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, dear readers, please indulge me: what would you do in this situation?
I have worked on my Modified Feather and Fan Baby Blanket for about eight hours and knitted about 33cm (13 inches).
I am not feeling the love.
I don't like the way the colours pool in the variegated yarn. It's not that I am so naive as to think that the colours shouldn't pool, I just don't think the pooling works with the Feather and Fan pattern. I think they are competing.Generally, I have fairly simple rules for knitting:
fancy yarn + simple stitch pattern **or** fancy stitch pattern + plain yarn.What do I think is a simple pattern? Well, obviously stocking (stockinette) stitch, but also garter stitch, moss (seed) stitch or even basket weave.
Stocking (stockinette) stitch isn't good for blankets, it rolls towards the 'right' side. Stocking stitch, moss (seed) stitch and basket weave all have 50% purl stitches, and that means slowing down the speed of my knitting - so I opted for a pattern which has only knit rows because I wanted a quick knit in this situation.
So, why did I break my own "rules"?
I really don't know!
After knitting the Feather and Fan for about 30cm (12 inches), I decided to knit plain garter stitch for 30cm. I want to knit the other side of the blanket separately and graft the two pieces together.
Why?
Because Feather and Fan has convex (curving outwards) scallops on the cast on edge and concave (curving inwards) scallops on the cast off edge. As "out there" as I sometimes am in my colour choices, I find asymmetry hard to live with so I want both edges to have convex (outward curving) scallops. This necessitates casting on twice and grafting the two pieces. Because both pieces would curve in opposite directions - the nature of the pattern - when trying to join them, I have decided to put plain garter stitch between them.
So, having made that decision, I found that the plain garter stitch not only looks better in my opinion (not that I have knitted enough to know how the colours will pool) but is also softer than the part of the blanket knitted in Feather and Fan.
Last night before I went to bed, I decided to rip it all off the needles. But I was too tired to do it there and then so left it on the lounge (couch/sofa). This morning, before I got up, I had decided that I would rip it out if the blanket was too wide; that is, greater than 100cm (40 inches)
What would you do?
After taking the photo, and without measuring the width, I have decided to leave it as it is! I can live with it - and some people at Knitters' Guild yesterday thought it was pretty (even if I'm not entirely convinced).
Friday, 15 July 2011
a new project on the needles
I ran out of yarn to finish the pinwheel blanket (afghan)! I'm hoping WM can get some for me on his way home from work this afternoon.
Last night, I should have been grafting all the squares I have knitted but my head is still not clear (from my head cold) and I was having trouble seeing to pick up the stitches on the dark triangles!
Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
A few posts ago, I mentioned a group called Angels for the Forgotten. They are trying to collect 1,000 baby blankets and 3,000 bags by the end of August. These items are given to "the forgotten" - children who are going into foster care. I want to help and have bought fabric to make some bags but don't feel well enough yet to sew.
Knitting is a different story - I can do that, even with my eyes closed. So, last night, I grabbed some 4ply (fingering) yarn and my 4mm (US 6) needles and cast on several times because in my dopey state I can't count!
After the fourth attempt, I had what I thought was 192 stitches. I knitted six rows for a border then began my modified "Feather and Fan" (aka Old Shale) pattern. I got twelve stitches from the end of the first row and realised I didn't have 192 stitches! I had 182. I had to unpick the whole row. Finally I did what I should have done in the first place - I went and got some stitch markers! I don't generally use stitch markers for such an easy lace pattern but my head is obviously thicker than I thought!!
Anyway, in case you are interested, here is my modified Feather and Fan pattern. I modified it so that baby's little fingers wouldn't get caught in the larger holes created by yarn-overs and it would be faster to knit having no purl rows.
Note: Pattern is done over a multiple of eighteen stitches. (my extra two stitches are now edging stitches - I was going to have a border of six stitches but I wasn't pulling all my knitting out and starting yet again).
Last night, I should have been grafting all the squares I have knitted but my head is still not clear (from my head cold) and I was having trouble seeing to pick up the stitches on the dark triangles!
Well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
A few posts ago, I mentioned a group called Angels for the Forgotten. They are trying to collect 1,000 baby blankets and 3,000 bags by the end of August. These items are given to "the forgotten" - children who are going into foster care. I want to help and have bought fabric to make some bags but don't feel well enough yet to sew.
Knitting is a different story - I can do that, even with my eyes closed. So, last night, I grabbed some 4ply (fingering) yarn and my 4mm (US 6) needles and cast on several times because in my dopey state I can't count!
After the fourth attempt, I had what I thought was 192 stitches. I knitted six rows for a border then began my modified "Feather and Fan" (aka Old Shale) pattern. I got twelve stitches from the end of the first row and realised I didn't have 192 stitches! I had 182. I had to unpick the whole row. Finally I did what I should have done in the first place - I went and got some stitch markers! I don't generally use stitch markers for such an easy lace pattern but my head is obviously thicker than I thought!!
Anyway, in case you are interested, here is my modified Feather and Fan pattern. I modified it so that baby's little fingers wouldn't get caught in the larger holes created by yarn-overs and it would be faster to knit having no purl rows.
Note: Pattern is done over a multiple of eighteen stitches. (my extra two stitches are now edging stitches - I was going to have a border of six stitches but I wasn't pulling all my knitting out and starting yet again).
Row 1: *K2tog 3 times, (M1, K1) 6 times, K2tog 3 times*, repeat from * to * till end of row
Rows 2-4: Knit
M1 = make 1; pick up thread between next two stitches from back to front and knit (this creates a small hole and doesn't twist the stitch)And here is a photo of what I have done so far - not much, is it?
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| 14 rows |
Saturday, 25 June 2011
an attempt at fabric shopping
While out and about on Thursday, I visited one of the two Big Box Stores.
Exclusively in Australia, Sp*tl*ght have the new range of Denyse Schmidt fabrics - "Picnics and Fairgrounds" - at $16.95 a metre; they had about twenty different fabrics at my local store. The quality was okay but I don't really like the range - not my thing at all. You can see a picture of the fabric line here at Red Pepper Quilts.
I was at the Big Box Store to buy some inexpnsive fabric to make another change mat for GS#1 - he is too big to use the change table and keeps rolling off the mat we have (it's way too small). But I couldn't find any fabrics that really excited me! He is not a baby anymore so "cutsie" just won't cut it and I'm already finding that nice "boy" fabrics are hard to get!
Fortunately, I am back at the Stitches and Craft Fair today so hopefully I'll get a chance to look at fabrics (as well as teach knitting and test drive machines).
So, I left the Big Box Store with this polar fleece fabric to make some ponchos for a local group home for disabled adults. They wear the ponchos whilst sitting outside in their wheelchairs waiting to board the bus. At least I can blanket stitch these by hand - if I can find out how big the ponchos are supposed to be!
While waiting at the counter I saw a request for bags (either tote or drawstring minimum size 40cm x 40cm) and blankies (minimum size 70cm x 70cm) for Angels for the Forgotten.
Now if I just had a sewing machine I could make these things ... I guess I'll have to knit or crochet!
Exclusively in Australia, Sp*tl*ght have the new range of Denyse Schmidt fabrics - "Picnics and Fairgrounds" - at $16.95 a metre; they had about twenty different fabrics at my local store. The quality was okay but I don't really like the range - not my thing at all. You can see a picture of the fabric line here at Red Pepper Quilts.
I was at the Big Box Store to buy some inexpnsive fabric to make another change mat for GS#1 - he is too big to use the change table and keeps rolling off the mat we have (it's way too small). But I couldn't find any fabrics that really excited me! He is not a baby anymore so "cutsie" just won't cut it and I'm already finding that nice "boy" fabrics are hard to get!
Fortunately, I am back at the Stitches and Craft Fair today so hopefully I'll get a chance to look at fabrics (as well as teach knitting and test drive machines).
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| two x 1.5 metres of polar fleece (148cm wide) |
While waiting at the counter I saw a request for bags (either tote or drawstring minimum size 40cm x 40cm) and blankies (minimum size 70cm x 70cm) for Angels for the Forgotten.
Now if I just had a sewing machine I could make these things ... I guess I'll have to knit or crochet!
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