Anecdotal Knitting

Wed 13 Aug 2008

Crocheted Rag Sari & Yarn Rugs

Posted by camblog under crochet, Rag Rugs
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Now that the loom is gone, my goal was to empty an overflowing huge bin of cotton and silk saris - left over from the weaving days by crocheting them into oval rugs. I ripped the long lengths of fabric into strips, machine stitched the strips together and single crocheted.

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I wove this rug when I had just learned to weave, it is very sleazy - meaning not tightly woven, a bad weaving job all around, but I used the rug for years.

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Until it recently developed a hole after machine washing.

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I cut the warp away and crocheted the strips into an oval rug. It is a much thicker rug now..

The next goal was to use up all the leftover weaving yarn on cones and the yarn that I had over-dyed.
This rug is made of 16 strands of thick itchy rug wool.

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This rug is made with about 60 strands of singles lace weight machine knitting yarn off cones, it measures 3 feet squarish - the largest rug made here.

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This is the last of the yarn that I wound into skeins from cones and over-dyed.

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There is no longer one bit of weaving yarn or rags left in my studio! WOOHOO!!

Sun 3 Aug 2008

Studio Reorganization (Post Loom - see “End of an Era” below)

Posted by camblog under Studio
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Without the loom and with an additional 60 some odd square feet I moved all the furniture around. I think this is going to work well for me. The painting table is directly under the full spectrum florescent lights, the sewing table is in front of the window and the futon is in a cozy corner where I might actually use it for a change. I like the new floor plan, the studio looks a bit messy, but compared to normal, this is spotless!
Going around the room, as one enters and looks left

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the rest of that wall

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then turning right

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and right again and back to the door.

Fri 1 Aug 2008

The End of an Era

Posted by camblog under Weaving
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Sometime ago I realized that I no longer had the passion for weaving that I enjoyed for the previous ten years. I thought about finding a new home for the loom but hadn’t done anything about it until just a few days ago. I posted a note in a forum for a new Ravelry group devoted to swapping weaving equipment. The absolute perfect family of weavers contacted me who are members of a local weaving guild in Eastern Washington - the loom will be housed at the guild and many people will be able to use it. They drove over today with a trailer and picked up the loom.

They gave me a lovely gift basket.

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This is the last warp I wove on the loom, four rugs. It took me well over a year to weave, only because I just didn’t feel like weaving anymore. The purpose of these rugs was to use up as much of the wool yarn I had on hand, then felt the rugs in the washing machine. The warp and weft are multiple strands of wool. These photos are before felting.

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Coming soon, what the rugs look like once they have been machine felted.

Tue 22 Jul 2008

Sewing Tops - Eight

Posted by camblog under Sewing
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Butterick pattern B4548. Fabric is Quilters O.N.L.Y. from Daisy Kingdom, vintage fabric for bias trim. Finished July 22.

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Butterick pattern B4513, shortened to top length. Fabric is sari silk, the leftover scraps from a previous project. Finished July 20.

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I’ve left out the darts on these summer tops so that I wouldn’t have to sew in a zipper, also so they will be looser and cooler.
The back, looks just like the front.

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Butterick pattern B4183, shortened to top length, recycled an Irish Linen shirt for fabric, vintage fabric for bias trim. Finished July 17.

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I made a pattern by copying my favorite well worn bike shirt from REI and sewed two shirts using oversized men’s tee shirts for fabric. I preserved the neckline, shoulder seams and sleeve hems from the original shirts. I cut the front, back, princess seam inset and sleeves from the rest of the shirt. Finished July 13.

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Patch pocket on back.

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Vogue pattern 8027, shortened to make a top. I recycled a salwar kameez from my sister-in-law for the fabric - the top portion. Finished July 14.

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I added a pull cord to the zipper in the back, this detail was inspired by a Vera Wang dress I saw recently at Kohl’s.

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Vintage Butterick pattern 6965, purchased at a garage sale, made twice.
This first top was made from the same recycled salwar kameez from my sister-in-law as seen above, this time using the bottom portion for the fabric. Finished July 8.

Sat 24 May 2008

Dyeing Yarn

Posted by camblog under Dyeing
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I recently traded some yarn and hand knitted garments for more yarn. I dyed 36 skeins over two days and am now ready to combine the newly colored yarns into knitting projects.
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Noro before over-dyeing knit into a fair isle sample with a solid colored yarn.

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Five skeins of Noro Silk Garden and 2 skeins of Knit Picks lace weight: before and after.
Noro before color number 34

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Noro after over-dyeing in golden yellow, just enough to warm the colors slightly and to co-ordinate with the over-dyed lace weight below.

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Coordinating yarn Knit Picks lace weight merino before Grape Jelly

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After, a nice eggplant color

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Bulky yarns from left to right Jumbo Merino #260, Twilleys Freedom, Knit Picks lace weight Denim and Lamb’s Pride Blue Boy

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After over-dyeing in a combination of golden yellow, fire red, vermillion and black, so that the yarns would blend together better in a project.

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Six skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Chunky AL before in poppy - the original color was a bit too construction cone orange for me. I loved the color but would have found it hard to wear as a garment.

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After over-dyeing in a tiny amount of blue

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Two more yarns that were over-dyed in golden yellow
Jaeger Zephyr Merino Wool/Tussand Silk blend color before Lilac

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After over-dyeing in golden yellow

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Knit Picks lace weight in Sunrise

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After over-dyeing in golden yellow

Sat 3 May 2008

Concentric Vest

Posted by camblog under Knitting, Concentric Vest
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Pattern: Concentric Vest by Teva Durham Interweave Knits, Fall 2007
Started: 4.27.08
Finished: 5.02.08
Yarn: Jumbo Merino, 33 yards/50 grams, used 475 grams or 314 yards
Needles: #13
Gauge: 2.5 st/in
Ravelry link: Concentric Vest
Notes:
There is errata on I.K. site. I knit this with seamless construction, using a provisional crochet cast on for each front, knit both before knitting the back. I put the fronts on holders before the long extension was knit. I knit the back while picking up one live stitch from each front provisional cast on row and p2tog on RS rows, k2tog on WS rows, to avoid seaming.

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Graft shoulder stitches easing in front stitches to back stitches. Knit back extension while picking up one live stitch from back of neck on each row. Graft end of extension to held stitches from other front.

I Knit the smallest size first, it was too small, the medium size fits just right.

Mon 28 Apr 2008

Coquette Lace Tube Top

Posted by camblog under Knitting, Coquette Lace Tube Top
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Pattern: Coquette Lace Tube Top by Stephanie Japel from “Fitted Knits”
Started: 4.22.08
Finished: 4.28.08
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton, 60% Cotton 40% Acrylic, 98 yards/50 grams, 4 balls or 392 yards.
Needles: #4 & #6 KnitPicks Options
Gauge: 4.38 sts/in, 6 rows/in
Ravelry link: Coquette Lace Tube Top
Notes: I knit this top twice, the first time to fit my measurements, but it was too big, then again with 4″ negative ease and it is still at least another 4″ too big. The pattern was fun to knit and the yarn is very nice, so after a cooling off period I will reknit this for the third time, with 8″ negative ease.

Mon 21 Apr 2008

Grid Painting

Posted by camblog under Painting
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3/4″ squares, 12 x 12 grid on a 10″ x 10″ board.

Tue 1 Apr 2008

Grid Painting

Posted by camblog under Painting
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15 mm squares, 14 x 14 grid on a 9″ x 9″ board.

Thu 21 Feb 2008

Alexandra Ballerina Top

Posted by camblog under Knitting, Alexandra Ballerina Top
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This top is available for sale or trade - please contact me.
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Pattern: Alexandra Ballerina Top from Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel
Started: 1.9.08
Finished: 2.20.08
Yarn: Lion Brand Landscapes, 50% Wool 50% Acrylic, 55 yards/50 grams, Pastel Meadow, 550 yards
Needles: #10 & #10.5 one tip each
Gauge: 3 st/in
Ravelry link: Alexandra Ballerina Top
Notes: Moved center back shaping to sides of back, shortened sleeves to bracelet length.