tam

The vital statistics
Pattern: The basic tam from The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns: basic designs in multiple sizes and gauges; the size is basically that which I achieved with the yarn that I used.
Yarn: dark blue Shetland wool recycled from a jumper that I bought at Sacred Heart Mission op shop on Chapel St in Windsor.
Needles: oh dear, don't remember, bamboo dpns I think.
Start to finish: 30 May 2008 to 7 November 2008

Comments: I was very pleased with the yarn for this - I decided that I wanted to knit a navy blue tam for baby bear and went out to the op shop specifically looking for a jumper in navy blue. I found one the first time I looked and here is the result. I knit this at a very tight gauge in order to make it as waterproof as possible. If I were to make a tam from this pattern again I think that I would start at the top centre (not at the brim). Then you could knit for a while and work out what your gauge is and then know when to stop the increases. I had some trouble blocking this - I did it over a plate and the brim stretched way too wide so it took me a while to actually get around to putting some elastic into the brim.

Verdict: Hmmmm, not sure. The pattern is fine but the fabric that I have created with the Shetland is a bit rough. I'm not sure whether baby bear will enjoy wearing it or how well it will fit her because she hasn't shown much interest in putting it on so far.

slump

I'm in a bit of a slump. Baby bear is at childcare on Fridays and I spend the week thinking and planning and list writing in preparation for everything that I'm going to get done. Last night I fell asleep with grand plans about a day of solid making stuff. It's now 1:49pm and all I have managed is to wind some wool and sleep for an hour and a half. Hmm, perhaps that's just what I needed ...

I actually have some more finished projects to show. Yes, it's just a deluge of them around here. I've previously mentioned that my working style lately seems to be a lot of plugging away at various projects all at once, a little bit here, a little bit there, spreading myself rather too thinly. Finally a lot of these projects have come together and there are finished works to show. I'm trying my best to limit the new things that I am either planning, purchasing materials for or actually starting in order to have less things on the go at once.

So, before there are anymore finished projects, let's revisit some things that are still dragging on:

Baby ballerina cardigan - first mentioned on this here blog on 10 August 2007. Ouch! This was a me-vs-the-universe project because it was to be made from recycled yarn and I wasn't sure whether there would be enough. I have finished the back, fronts and collar and sewn it all up and it looks gorgeous. I just have to do the sleeves. Just. have. to.

Felted jumper bag - first mention on 7 October 2007. The tree and leaves are finished, I'm working (or rather not) on embroidering the birds. Then I'll affix them and actually make the bag up. Thank goodness no-one grows out of bags!

Childcare jumper - first mention ... hmm, never even got a mention? I think I'm going to rip this. It was supposed to be a thank you present to baby bear's childcare centre - in Melbourne. And not a we're-leaving-for-Seattle-thank-you present (which would be only five months or so late) but a thank-you-for-all-your-help-with-settling-us-in-to-childcare present. That would have been at around the six month mark. Eighteen months ago. It's finished of course, except for the seaming. I realised that the shoulders don't quite match up perfectly and that was enough to put me off. Yes, should just finish the bloody thing and give it to some deserving child.

Mavis puff-sleeved cardi - first mention on 21 April 2008. I have knit quite a lot of it but got an incorrect stitch count and put it down on 30 June 2008. Notice a pattern here of being easily discouraged by a small hitch?

Tam for baby bear - first mention on 30 June 2008 when it was practically finished. But I blocked it over a plate and the opening is now too large so I have to put some elastic in the brim. Said elastic was purchased on 31 August 2008. And it's cold now so she really could do with that hat!

Jeremy - first mention 7 November 2007 and it's finished! Oooh, only 12 months. I finished sewing the zip in on Monday evening. Photos? Have to go and get the car emissions tested first. What else to do on a crafty day?

something

My blog seems to be in a bit of a slump at the moment, it's all a bit random, rambling, lacking in focus. In this sense it is actually a very precise reflection of my life in general. I finally came to my senses and withdrew from that second uni subject - sigh, bittersweet - and was rewarded with a great sense of relief and wellbeing. Nature, however, not liking a vacuum, swept in with a million little things to fill the void and I somehow seem to be further behind myself than ever.

Part of that is of course a whole new slew of craft ideas and perhaps that's where I should focus on the blog, at least for the moment. Difficulty is that I haven't taken any photos (despite this being on my daily list of things to do. I completed the first thing on my list at 5:45pm today, just before the garage closed at 6:00, if that gives you any idea of what things are like). Might have to use some stock footage:

I love this book - Vintage Fabric Style: Stylish Ideas and Projects Using Quilts and Flea-Market Finds in Your Home (isbn: 1841724165). Love it. It's one of those books where almost every page has me wanting to dig out a doily or an old pillow case or go shopping at Value Village for second-hand bed linens, which is precisely what I did yesterday.

One of the things I love is that quilt on the cover. The simplicity of it - big square blocks, the bold colours, a bit of floral. And now that I know how easy it is to make a quilt (well at least by machine) ...

(intermission for update on roses quilt)

Quilting complete - hooray. Did it free-hand with a darning foot and loved it. Need to trim the edges now. Bought some fabric for the binding - green with small tan dots - and realised after the fact that I had bought the wrong colour (I wanted sage and somehow settled for moss). So I have ordered the sage online, having had no luck finding it in the Seattle area, and hope that it will be a good shade. If not, I can always go with the moss. Have also bought a Clover 2-inch bias tape maker gadget in preparation. I love the accessories.

(return to normal programming)

... I am planning my very own version of that very quilt. Yesterday I picked up a queen-sized fitted sheet, Ralph Lauren no less, blue and white stripe background and some pretty rose bouquets. Another fitted sheet - deep red. A curtain-type attachment thing (I think) - blue and white stripe on one side and floral on the other. I have a lovely blue floral pillowcase and a deep purple doona cover in the cupboard (but what will mum sleep under when she comes to stay if I cut it up?). And some lovely polished chintz somewhere, and two purple geometric floral-type print pillowcases. I'm excited.

I also bought an Omnigrid 15" square template which is perfect because I have calculated that the 36 blocks need to be approx 14" square. And some black hat elastic ...

(intermission for update on recycled shetland wool tam)

I knitted the tam, then I blocked the tam, over a plate. Perhaps this wasn't the best idea because really, it has made the circumference of the opening way too loose. Dismayed, I cast it aside thinking, oh, I'll buy some hat elastic someday. Yesterday was that day - Hancock Fabrics was having a half-price sale (or half-off as they say here) on all their notions and threads and what not.

(return to normal programming)

... so I'm just about ready to start cutting out some blocks. Which I'm going to do with my Clover rotary cutter and my Clover self-healing cutting mat (neither of which were purchased yesterday but as I said, I love the accessories).

Ok, I think that I have adequately put the craft back into the craft blog. On the right is a freebie arty photo taken at the Japanese Garden in Washington Park Arboretum. Those decorative carp are huuuuge.

vol ?

Alas, my series on Golden Hands: the complete knitting, dressmaking and needlecraft guide has been cut short by the fact that they are all buried away in a storage at present. I'm not sure but I think they were a British publication; if I do happen to see any over here I'll sneak in some shots (or something). In the meanwhile please do have a look back in the archives at the richness of volumes one to ten.

Happily, I have unearthed some craft projects which I have been working on. I had so intended to post more progress shots of my projects so here we are:
A child's tam from the basic pattern in The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns: basic designs in multiple sizes and gauges by Ann Budd. Yes, work in progress - I still have the little crochet loop at the top to go. That would involve finding my crochet hooks so it could take a while longer.

There has also been considerable progress on Mavis but unfortunately the stitch count seems to be off. Yes, off by a couple of stitches. A couple of stitches out of 280 in 4 ply - practically invisible. Can I live with it? Unfortunately, I doubt it but I certainly can't face ripping it just yet so yes, that one might take a while longer too.