Posted on 11/02/2019 6:22:29 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The Monthly Fiber Arts Thread is a monthly gathering of people that love yarn and fabric of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first project, to experienced fiber artists and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
It is impossible to hijack the Monthly Fiber Arts Thread. Knitting, crochet, quilting, weaving, general crafting - there is no telling where it will go, and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our Fiber Arts Ping List.
NOTE: This is a once a Month Ping List. We do post to the thread during the month. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Fiber Arts fans are welcomed any time!
Thanks. I’m trying to make a wreath for each month.
Great Graphic! Let Happy Hour begin...
Speaking of which, one was reading to me today from For the Love of Knitting: A Celebration of the Knitter's Art (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Love-Knitting-Celebration-Knitters-Art/dp/B005UVUQRG) and it seemed wonderful. It has some poor reviews on Amazon from people who were expecting a pattern book. It's not.
I remember Rosie and his needle-pointing, LOL! I’ll add you to our Ping List.
Just saw this on another thread, a crocheter who once saw a baby blanket and had not seen the stitch before, then found it . I looked and found it the same way, cool stitch. After crocheting over 50 years I had never seen it either. Tiki just had to share this, maybe you’ll like this thread.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwQEsX-RbOk
Just beautiful!!
Some (heart) warming thoughts for a chilly day, with much colder weather due in Friday ....
I’m Not Lost
https://www.masondixonknitting.com/im-not-lost/
I love the MDK (Mason Dixon Knitting) site. I crochet more than knit and I’m trying to get my knitting speed up (transitioning from throwing to flicking - torturous, at the moment). MDK has some good articles & really great tutorials - I’m learning a lot.
So I had just posted the above when I saw this:
” .... the secret to CHANGE is to focus all of your ENERGY... not on fighting the OLD but building the NEW:
As I struggle with yarn/fingers, I’ll keep thinking ‘forward’ about how good it’s going to be & all the wonderful things I can knit when I finally get everything working in coordination. :-)
Back to crochet .... if you are not familiar with the designer Kirstin Holloway, she has some beautiful patterns. She posted her “Snowberries Winter Scarf” on FB today & I’m passing on the link. There is a video tutorial. It’s got “puff stitches” (ugh!!!), but with the other design elements, they make a really beautiful scarf. I would not make this for just “anybody”, but it would be a lovely gift for someone who would appreciate the work (or for yourself!).
Another of her designs that is more straight forward crochet, but really pretty .... the “Primrose and Proper Super Scarf”. At the bottom of this pattern link, there are links to a cowl & a hat in the same pattern.
https://kirstenhollowaydesigns.com/2016/11/pattern-primrose-and-proper-super-scarf.html
Those are really beautiful. The first one is more complex than I have ever seen with crochet.
Yep, that is the one that I found so easy and so beautiful. Thank you.
Knitting is underway!! I’ll have something to show you this weekend.
This the “something new” I learned to do on this project .... it was an adventure since I’m using circular needles with only a 29” cable.
How I use Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind-off knitted from the wrong side
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6AFEsAh75o
My original intent was to make Fingerless Gloves - Outlander Brianna. They were to be a gift to a friend who is reading Outlander for the first time. I'd not seen the Outlander Claire Simple Knit Arm Warmers pattern before – just found them a couple of days ago. Since Brianna doesn't appear until book 2, it seemed doing the Claire Arm Warmers would be more appropriate, plus my friend runs & I have no doubt she'd actually use the arm warmers.
So switching from throwing to 'flicking' while working on this project. has probably tripled my knitting speed. It's exciting because now I can get knitting projects done in a reasonable amount of time. Started the arm warmers Thursday afternoon & finished them Friday evening (all but binding off the last one & weaving in tails on both).
Here's the pattern for the Outlander Claire Simple Knit Arm Warmers
There were 3 changes I made to the pattern:
[1] Rather than knitting flat & seaming, they were done on circular knitting needles using magic loop technique – this is a very easy pattern to convert.
[2] Cast on per pattern was 40 stitches. Used 36 for 2x2 ribbing so it wasn't as loose around the hand, but on the first row after ribbing, increased 4 stitches evenly over all the stitches.
[3] Instructions were to bind off in ribbing. The bound off edge of ribbing on the upper arm end needs to be stretchy & binding off regular isn't stretchy, plus it can cause the ribbing to “flare”. First thing I found was Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off which I was planning to use, but then I found another video that uses this bind off on the wrong side for a really nice look.
A Stretchy Pass Over Bind Off (JSSBO)
How I use Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind-off knitted from the wrong side
The yarn used was Lion Brand 'A Touch of Alpaca' in Dusty Blue. The Alpaca content is only 10%, but the yarn appears/feels like a more 'natural' yarn than mere acrylic, which is the other 90%. It feels like it will be warmer, too. My only complaint - the yarn is pretty "splitty" and care has to be taken to make sure you're getting the whole strand, not just pieces of it. This drove me crazy on the bind off since I had to lift two stitches over one stitch during the process. More than once, I had a little strand sticking out & had to undo/do over.
Some pictures:
Beautiful! Thanks for the yarn recommendation. I’m currently working on cotton dishcloths. I take a basket of them with me when we visit Beau’s side of the family at Christmas and I let people take their pick - so far, well received.
Useful and beautiful. :)
I’ll use that yarn for the crocheted fingerless gloves later this season. I’ll post a few recent projects in a few.
Machine washing instructions for the ‘Touch of Alpaca’ yarn is ‘machine wash cool, lay flat to dry’.
When I looked up caring for alpaca yarn, the recommendation is for a mild baby shampoo - no Woolite, too harsh! The yarn is only 10% alpaca, but I’m going to get some baby shampoo & wash gently.
If your fingerless gloves are going to be “working” gloves (like going to the dog kennel), I’d just do regular old acrylic - something that you can easily wash.
I’m working on BHooked’s basic knit hand warmer (fingerless glove) - nice little pattern. My issue is my 5 bulky is not as bulky as her 5 bulky. I’m headed for AC Moore to get some slightly larger needles. I’ve already got a pair of the gloves done, except for the thumbs - I’m going to have to sit down with her tutorial before I try them and make sure I know what I’m doing .... plus, I’m not using DPNs, but circular needles again. AC has a 55% coupon today (plus Sun/Mon), so the new needles won’t break the bank. :-)
I just finished the blue-striped cowl the other day. It can be worn long or wrapped around your neck. I used Lion Brand 'Ferris Wheel' in 'Vintage Carousel.' One 3oz skein in a Shell Stitch, J hook. I'm short, so it's a good size for me.
The small quilt was found for a song at St. Vincent's and is in the kitchen now, giving my lighter-colored summer quilt from, 'The Gang at Jung's' a rest. I use it as a table runner, too. Useful and beautiful.
I almost always buy up a piece of quilting that I see at Thrift Stores, finished or not. Such a shame, because so much work goes into them and others don't appreciate it. But I will give it a Second Life!
Love quilts .... always wanted to do it, but just never made the leap. A cousin’s wife has gotten into quilting in the last year or two so I quilt vicariously through her pictures.
So the birthday knitting is done and ahead of schedule! Now I just need to make her a oouple of jars of Blackberry Merlot Jelly to go with the arm warmers.
The baby blanket has 3 more rows of border to go - baby due date is Thanksgiving.
Hairpin lace scarf has no due date ... long as it’s done by next fall’s county fair.
Rarely do I make things for myself, but I saw this Mobius Wrap & love the design. I’ve been wanting to make a shawl for myself; however, keeping it ‘on’ is the hard part. This mobius shawl wrap looks like it will stay on easily. I went to AC Moore to get my knitting needles, then saw some yarn on sale - the yarn used in the pattern is discontinued. Anyway, the ‘Grist’ (yards/ounces) of the sale yarn is exactly the same at ‘31’ so my 5 Bulky should work up the same as that in the pattern. I bought 2 skeins & the project is on my list to be done by Thanksgiving - I want to wear it to The Feast!!
https://naztazia.com/mobius-shawl-wrap/
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Grist: A Secret Measurement for Substituting Yarn
https://www.masondixonknitting.com/grist-secret-measurement-substituting-yarn/
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