VRWKNWC: Conservative Crafters of the World, Unite!

me | 12/7/06 | Knitting a Conundrum

[Knitting A Conundrum]

OK.

Who's still crafting?

What are you doing?

Got any pictures?

[Alia]

Diana -- Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce - sounds like my kinda recipe. Can I have yours please? :)

[proudofthesouth]

I haven't cross stitched in 2 years (and I used to be addicted to it). Need to get back to a project that I started so long ago. The fun part will be training my cat. I got her after I started my "break".

[Knitting A Conundrum]

There are several books for that around. Dilmont's Encyclopedia of Needlework has it. And do check out Lacis http://www.lacis.com .

Putzing around the net, I found the following sites:

http://www.wedcraft.com/netting.html
(it's an SCA site aimed more at making hairnets, but has some nice links and a bibliography for netting technique)

http://knotsindeed.com/links.html
another site dedicated to netting. This is the links page. it looks outstanding.

I bought the tools for netting that Lacis sells and have been meaning to learn, but it's another case of a round tuit...

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Ow!

I have a toe that grew kind of crooked. People have told me they bet I broke it as a kid...

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce

1 package dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup raspberry jelly that didn't set up*
4 cups ketchup
2 tsp. Worchestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp. dried, ground Chipotle powder (I used Penzey's brand.)

Heat through over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot, stirring constantly to blend. Don't let it boil because it makes a mess of the stove, LOL! Ladle into canning jars. Each batch made a scant 2 pints for me. It has a nice smokey after-taste but it isn't terribly hot. If you want it hotter, add more chipotle. Store in the fridge, or give them a hot water bath for 15 minutes or so to seal jars.

*I would assume you could use about a cup of seedless raspberry jelly. It'll all melt down together, anyway. I was just using up my non-jelling jelly so it wouldn't go to waste. :)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Charity Needlework sites
(Biased, I am afraid, towards knitting, but there is plenty here for crocheting and quilting, too)

Some of these are just patterns good for charity purposes. Some of these are sites to make things for military, some for preemies, and some for general those in need. One site donates things to Afghanistan.

Those of you who might be interested in reaching out might like this:

http://www.carewear.org/index.cfm
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/charity-links.html
http://craftyarncouncil.com/caps.html
http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~ebozak/knit/
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/bandages.html
http://www.geocities.com/giftsfortheunborn/patterns.html
http://knit4children.tripod.com/
http://www.bundlesoflove.org/patterns.htm
http://www.vintageknits.com/babyhat.html
http://www.dotdigital.com/sewingcharity/recipients.html#military
http://www.dotdigital.com/sewingcharity/recipients.html#military
http://www.dotdigital.com/sewingcharity/recipients.html#military
http://www.shawlministry.com/tipsheet.html
http://tlcforangels.tripod.com/tlcpatterns.html
http://www.touchinglittlelives.org/size.html
http://www.touchinglittlelives.org/
http://gailbable.tripod.com/
http://geocities.com/helmetliner/helmetliner.pdf
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks! I'll take that list to a few other boards if you don't mind. :)

[linda_22003]

Thanks very much! I'm definitely keeping that list.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Feel free to share. I just checked all the links to make sure they are live, and they are. Lots of good patterns and lots of good places to help out.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I also put it on my profile page in case anybody needs it later.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

For the historically minded:

The project Gutenburg text of

THE

LADIES' WORK-BOOK

CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS IN

Knitting, Crochet, Point-Lace, &c.

(this looks mid-Victorian, say 1850ish. The entire book online)

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16605/16605-h/16605-h.htm

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Crocheted edgings patterns (I love crocheted lace. It's the type of work my grandma started me with way back when I was 9)

http://home.inreach.com/marthac/edging.html

[linda_22003]

Very interesting! Lord, some of the projects women used to fill their time with!

I looked through it for clues on the date; all I can tell for sure is that since it specifies "Brooks' Great Exhibition Prize" brand of yarns, it has to be after the Great Exhbition of 1851.

[pinz-n-needlez]

I have no self control, I had to come peek.

Off to gather my spinning threads. ;-)

[abner]

I can't say what I am making. It is for someone here that I think is on the ping list. She is due in March and I want it to be a surprise. I think it will be pretty when it is done though.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

LOL!

[Sue Perkick]

That is so cool! I'm trying to teach myself to knit & I love it. Looking forward to the day the work will resemble something. LOL.

[Mamzelle]

I have done some spinning, weaving and sewing--and alpaca is an amazing fiber and my favorite of all animal hair and wool. I own a vintage sweater with absolutely no pilling--but the cashmere sweaters I own all age quickly and pill badly. I've stopped buying cashmere-baby alpaca is as soft, stronger, warmer and cheaper. Merina also pills and wears--but alpaca is practically forever. I have a alpaca-skin throw, a knit bathrobe, and woven blankets as well.

They sell some nice alpaca stuff at peruvianconnection.com.

[Jemian]

I have Dillmont's. I love this book! But, in regards to making the net, her instructions are less than clear to my mind. I'll keep working with it to see what happens.

My grandmother taught me years ago, but the skill has gone by the wayside.

[Jemian]

YES! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

I have the information I need. Just wonderful! Thanks. I will be a happy netter for the rest of the weekend and hopefully during the week I'll be able to get one piece finished (when I'm not practicing for the Messiah, that is. I'm conducting our little community's sing-through! HA!).