Monday Musing 06/26/2023: Is it a fail?

 So, I have an admission to make.  I consider that temperature blanket a fail.  I had plans to show the dyed yarn.

I was going to detail how I found my data points and did my math.  I was going to explain why I chose a modified Ten Stitch Blanket by Frankie Brown, and of course updates on my progress along the way.

I hit some road blocks.  Firstly, I thought I ordered worsted weight yarn when in fact I had ordered sport.  I had planned on dying extra anyway, it would just require some adjusting to make a blanket.  Not a deal breaker.  Gathering the data points and doing the math was tedious, but not horrifying.  I have made numerous Ten Stitch blankets in various weights and flexing the stitch count, so no problems there.

Then I started the actual knitting.  I hated it.  The colors were not coming together as I expected, determining whether to cut or carry the yarn up the sides was madness inducing, and weaving in the ends as I went an exercise in frustration.  Halfway through March's data I frogged it.  Sorry, no pictures.

I can pretty much guarantee I will NOT make another attempt at another temperature blanket.

It was not a total waste. When all else fails, make a Stephen West pattern.  Shawlography.

Temperature Blanket, Swatching

 Of course I decided to go with a rainbow.  But not really.  A trip around the color wheel gets me six colors while a rainbow is seven.  

If you ever had an art class in elementary school you are familiar with the color wheel. Three primary colors in various combinations make up all the colors.  For most of us that is Red, Yellow, and Blue.  In print it is Magenta, Yellow and Cyan.  I laid out my dye swatches into reds, blues, and yellows to make my choices.

All the swatches. Yes, there are a lot of reds.  Reds are tough, in my opinion, because "true" red is so subjective. 

Dharma Chinese Red,  Dharma Indigo ( the color, not the plant based dye) and Dharma Brilliant Yellow. To my eye, these are the classic red, blue, and yellow.

Dharma Deep Magenta,  Jaquard Turquoise, and Dharma Brilliant yellow. The turquoise reads Cyan to me.

I tossed Jaquard Fire Red into the mix and set up my grid.  Setting up a grid helped meant I didn't have to label all the way along, and using a standard ratio of dye stock to one gram of yarn meant I didn't have to keep detailed notes on how much dye I used.  When I swatch dyes I always use 1ml of a 1% stock solution.  Thank you again Rebecca from Chemknits, the grid system and standardized stock solution I learned from you.

My final swatch grid.  Labeled now, because all these lovely swatches will eventually be tossed into a plastic bag for future reference.  There were some surprises.  The Dharma Indigo and Dharma Brilliant Yellow gave me a green that put me in mind of pine trees. Both the Jaquard Turquoise and the Dharma Deep Magenta maintained their brightness, especially together. 

I decided my primary colors would be the Dharma Indigo, the Dharma Brilliant Yellow,  and the Dharma Chinese Red.  The choice between the Chinese Red and the Jaquard Fire Red was the most difficult, I found them both appealing alone as well as the secondary colors they made. What helped make the final choice was the nearly empty 1/2 ounce jar of Jaquard versus the nearly full 2 ounce jar of Dharma.  That was also part of the decision making between my two yellows.

So there you go! I have my colors.  Next step: Dyeing the full skeins.

Thanks for reading, Blessed Be Y'all.

Outta the Dye Pot

 When I first started playing around with dyeing wool I was using food color.  I can't take credit for the idea.  One of my favorite YouTube rabbit hole finds is ChemKnits Tutorials.  Rebecca is bright and enthusiastic, and she comes from a science background.  She explains things and conducts experiments that I find very inspiring.  Not my point here, but that's the shoutout.

I noticed on the package of neon food color a "recipe" for an apricot color.  Neon green and Neon pink equal apricot.  Of course I tried it on wool.  It worked.  Most of my dyeing then was confined to fiber for spinning, and as a beginning spinner I was hesitant to shell out money for those gorgeous batts and braids and bumps.  White and natural get old fast.  I tossed some fiber into a pot, threw in some food color, and wound up with some fiber that was apricot, and some that was splotches of green and pink.  I spun the apricot, then the splotched stuff, and plied them together.  Apricot for Deconstruction was born.

A few months ago I decided to revisit my very first colorway, but instead of fiber I wanted a three skein set that could be used together.  Then I thought "Can I recreate this with acid dyes instead of food color?', and an experiment was born.

I used six quart mason jars to make this an easy side by side comparison.  Refilling and emptying a dye pot six times would be inefficient time wise, especially since I was only doing one skein of each color.

I used Dharma acid dyes in Radioactive and Fluorescent Pink side by side with McCormick Neon Pink and Neon Green.  The food color is the top row, acid dyes the bottom row.  I let them sit in water and dye for about 10 minutes before adding citric acid to each jar.  Then into the microwave.

Laid out in steam pans after microwaving each jar separately to make sure the dye baths were clear, they were, but I covered and popped them in the oven to make sure each skein was heated through and the dye was set.

Here they are after drying and re-skeining. These photos don't 

really show how vibrant (polite term for obnoxiously bright) this batch of yarn looks.  I find the acid dyed apricot has some greenish splotches that make it look bruised.  At some point I will knit something,  maybe a pattern by Mr. West would be appropriate,  or just stick them in the Etsy shop and see what happens.

Thanks for stopping by,

Blessed Be. 

Temperature Blanket, Concept

 So 2020 is over, but it has me thinking.  I do that sometimes.  A lot of people agree that it was not a great year.  A lot have people use stronger language when expressing how they feel about 2020.  What most people can agree on is that 2020 was a year of  change, on a global level and a personal level.  I'm a knitter, and sometimes a dyer.  I'm not going to recap all the social and political and personal ramifications of 2020.  I'm gonna knit a blanket.  A temperature blanket.  I'm gonna dye the yarn for the blanket.  It's going to be about change.

If you knit or crochet and are on the internet you have seen temperature blankets.  I'm not reinventing the spinning wheel.  The first thing you need for a temperature blanket is data points, which in most cases is a temperature on any given day at a specific time, or maybe the high or low for that day. Maybe both.  Here where I am in Virginia, especially in the spring and fall, the temperature swings can be impressive. A heavy sweatshirt in the morning and a t-shirt in the afternoon, or vice versa if  a front sweeps into the area.  So, I decided my data points would be the difference in the high and low temps of each day.

I did a quick check to see what kind of range I would get, and by quick I mean I checked the highs and lows for the first and fifteenth of every month in 2020.  Then math. 

The day with the least change was August 15th, a change of 4 degrees.

The day with the most change was November 15th, a change of 29 degrees.

By breaking that down into five degree increments that gives me six sections to represent with colors.  Now we go to the swatches.  

Yes, I swatch my dyes.  Knitted swatches.  Don't judge.

What six though? Do I want a full on rainbow or a section of the color wheel? I did another project with six colors that I dyed using tea, do I want to do that again? If I go rainbow do I use red, blue , yellow or magenta, cyan, yellow.  Do I want a color to represent "special" days like birthdays or other life events?  So. Many. Choices.

I love it. 

This is getting long and we haven't even thought about a pattern yet. Next post will be about the dye process.  With more pictures.

Blessed Be.

To sell or not to sell?

So. A funny thing happened to me yesterday.
Our neighbor had stopped by, so I brought my round bottom bag out to show her and she said:
"Oh my gosh! I love this! Can I have it?"
and I said:
"Of course!"
Then she asked me why I wasn't selling my stuff.

I looked her in the eye and told her it was because I usually wound up giving them away.

She proceeded to tell me about a shop where she works and how people would pay $125 for a bag like that. I cried bull* on that one, but my husband was over there shaking his head and agreeing with her.
He explained to her that I would never pay that much because I knew how to make my own.

So what am I getting at here? There are a lot of reasons why I have not taken more steps to try to make a business out of my knitting:

First and foremost: Lack of confidence. What if I start a webstore or go to a craft show and nobody likes my stuff? That would suck. Whenever someone says they like something I've made, I'm thrilled.
Then I wonder if they are just being polite. It devolves from there.

Second: I'd have to put a price on it. I've been told (in some cases yelled at) for devalueing my stuff. When I try to put a price on something it is usually based on what they yarn cost me, or what it would have cost me if I had paid full price, which I rarely do.  I have a hard time putting a price on the time I took to make the item for a couple reasons- I am usually doing it while doing something else, like watching TV or being a passenger in the car or waiting for calls (my "real" job). It isn't work if you are doing something else, right? And what if it is yarn from my stash that I either inherited or is left from other projects?

Third: It would become a job. The picture above is of some projects I've got going on right now. I'm doing them because I want to, not because they need to be done by such and such a date. I can put down the blanket and pick something else up when ever I feel like it. I enjoyed making the round bottom bag. Would I enjoy it as much if I was making 2 a  week to keep them in stock? NO! I don't mind doing stuff on commision, in fact, it is a huge ego boost, but I don't want to get sucked into churning out blankets or bags like an assembly line. Much.

To boil it down:
Could I sell my stuff? Yes.
Should I sell my stuff? Probably.
Will I sell my stuff? Sometimes when I feel like it.
Ask me to make something? Please do.
Thanks for reading;-)

On the bias baby blanket

I wish you could reach out and feel how soft this blanket is. I made it with yarn from Mom's stash, using a technique I use for knit washclothes and afgans.  This was made for family friends who are having a baby in May. It was knitted holding 2 strands of yarn together. The one strand is a yarn that is no longer made, but it was a brushed acrylic yarn that had a mohair look to it in white. I used that yarn throughout, the second strand is the one I changed out to get the stripe effect, and that was Red Heart Baby.

Knitting on the bias is a super easy technique that gives great results. I've done a few afgans in the Loops & Threads Country Loom, and I will wind up doing some in Charisma as well. For washclothes I use a cotton yarn like Lily Sugar & Cream or Bernat Handicrafter cotton, but any worsted weight cotton will do.

To knit on the bias, start out by casting on 4 to 6 stitches, depending on the size of the project and  yarn size. For an afgan I like to start with 6. Knit across the first row, then turn, kfb (knit in the front and back) the first stitch of the next row, then purl across, increasing the stitch count by one. Turn, kfb the first stitch of the third row,then knit across. Continue in that way until you have the diagonal width you want.  Knit and purl the next 2 rows(if youstarted  your cast on with 4) or 4 (if you started with 6).  Knit 2 together on the first 2 stitches of every row and knit or purl across, decreasing a stitch every row until you are down to however many stitches you started with, then bind off. See? Easy!

 

If you want a more textured look you can use a garter stitch, which is knitting every row, but I prefer

the stockinette. A word of warning though: If you use an ombre or self striping yarn your stripes will get narrower toward the center.  If somebody comments on it, tell them it is a Doppler pattern and be greatful somebody took the time to make something for them;-)



Round bottom bag

I made this bag using Red Heart Super Saver in Black, Mediterranean Blue, Country Blue, and White.
The color effect is done by holding two strands of yarn together throughout the work, and changing one strand at a time to get the color change.

The pattern is one I developed myself, but this is the first time I've done it like this. I like the effect a lot and will probably make some other stuff this way.  The pattern is really easy,  just start with a circle, either crochet or knit, and then work up the sides on a circular needle. At the top do a yarn over, knit 2 together at regular intervals to draw your i-cord through, knit a couple more rows, then bind off.

I made this bag with a crocheted bottom, the idea of using double pointed needles and two strands of yarn was a bit intimidating.

 Chain 4, join together, then chain 1, and 8 single crochet into the loop, join at the first single crochet.

rnd 2: chain 1, then 2 single crochet in each single crochet, join at the first single crochet.

rnd 3: chain 1, *single crochet in first single crochet, 2 single crochet in the next  single crochet* repeat around then join at first single crochet.

rnd 4: chain 1 * single crochet in next 2 single crochet, 2 single crochet in third single crochet* repeat aound then join at first single crochet.

Continue increasing the number of single crochets before you do the 2 single crochet  in each round until you get the size circle you want. Notice the chain 1 is not counted as a single crochet. Double crochet would work also, but your bottom would be less dense.

Pick up stitches around the circle with a circular needle and join, marking the stitch where you joined, then begin knitting around. I find it helpful to have a floating marker at the beginning of the row, by floating I mean I slip it onto the needle and slip it over every round instead of marking a stitch. Keep knitting until the length you desire and then finish. 

Sometimes I work in a simple yarn over knit 2 tog lace pattern for a more open beach bag, but if you want to add in some cables or another lace pattern, that would work too. I'll talk about i-cords another time.  Thanks, and have fun with it.

Turtleback Jacket

 A Turtleback Jacket is a version of a shrug that is longer and bulkier. I made this turtleback for my daughter using Loops&Threads Charisma in True Red.  The inspiration is the book Easy Turtleback Jackets by Sue Childress and Frances Hughes.  In their book they explain how a turtleback is just a folded rectangle, and that the key to a good fitting turtleback is a rib pattern and a soft yarn. Charisma is an excellent choice for this pattern.

Instead of following one of the patterns in the book I used a 3-2 rib. By that I mean on the right side you knit 3 purl 2 across the row, and on the wrong side you purl 3 knit 2 across.  Most of the patterns in the book have a four row repeat, but I wanted something I didn't have to think about while watching wrestling matches.

This is actually the second Turtleback I've made, the first one I used Charisma in Lakeside, which has blue, gray and brown that works up in a striped pattern. I gave that to my Mom.  This red  jacket is really too wide for my daughter, but it gives her more room to cuddle into it, and hangs down to her hips when she is standing. When deciding how much to cast on make sure you have a multiple of 5 plus 3 extra stitches in order to get the sides the same. 123 is what I used for both the jackets I made, but keep the wearer in mind. For the length you want to measure from the back of the neck to about hip level, then add 4 or 5 inches for the cowl.

When you are done working it up, fold it in half, right sides together, so the rib is vertical, and sew up each side leaving room for arm holes.  This makes a great wrap for chilly early mornigs. Enjoy!

Convertable Mittens and Beanie

These convertable mittens and slouchy beanie are an example of  items I knit with Loops & Threads Charisma for my daughter. She chose the yarn. Did I mention my family's favorite color is camoflage? The pattern for the mittens is from bernat.com , here is the link:
http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=4631 . You will need to sign up on their website to access the pattern. Loops & Threads Charisma can be found at Michaels.com or your local Michael's store.

The pattern is listed as an easy for the small size, and intermediate for the medium and large sizes. These are done using the small pattern.  If you are thinking about making gloves but are nervous about fingers, this would be a great pattern to use as a starting point. I also made a pair for my youngest son in the Red Heart Super Saver camoflage, but they are either at the bottom of his locker or in the black hole he calls a room.

The beanie is adapted from a chemo cap pattern I found at lionbrand.com. By using a bulky yarn and larger needle size it worked up into the perfect beanie for my daughter to tuck her long hair up into it.
The link to that pattern is: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L0534B.html?noImages=0. The skill level is an easy+, and uses double pointed needles. It is knitted from the top down, and the pattern of increases gives it an interesting look. Enjoy!

About: Loops & Threads Charisma

Loops & Threads is the Michael's brand of yarn, and Charisma is one of my favourites. It is 100% acrylic, Bulky (5), and machine washable and dryable. It is very soft to the touch while working with it, and works up to a very cuddly garment or blanket.

The Good

Charisma is reasonably priced when it isn't on sale, and a cart filler when it is.  There is a large range of colors, both solids and combos. The combo colors range from fun and funky to earthy, something to please everybody. Easy care is always a bonus, machine wash cold, gentle cycle, no bleach, tumble dry on low heat.  The bulky weight makes it appropriate for heavier  weight items, but it is contained enough to show off patterned stitches.  Again, it is soft to work with and works up soft and snuggly.

The Bad

The only bad thing I found is that during a sale some of the more popular colors disappear very quickly, but that is normal. Catch it when you can. Or go to Michaels.com

I love this yarn for cold weather items.  I have sworn off afgans and blankets until Fall, but I almost can't wait to get back to knitting with Charisma. As always this is my opinion, pick some up and form your own, preferably not the color I'm currently stashing;-)

About: Patons Bohemian

Patons Bohemian is a Polyester 81%/ Acrylic 18% super bulky chenille type yarn. You can find it at patonsyarns.com and Michael's.  Bohemian is super soft when working with it, and depending on the stitch, works up feeling almost like a pelt.  I like it for outer garments and super cuddly throws or shawls.

The Good

The feel of the garment is fabulous, and the super bulky weight makes most projects work up quickly.
It also is an easy to care for yarn: machine wash gentle cycle, cold water, no bleach, tumble dry low heat.

The Bad

 There isn't a wide range of color choices that I have seen, but the way they blend colors is appealing. The ends can be a bit shreddy, so I wouldn't recommend using it as a fringe. It might be a bit hard for a beginner to handle because of the way the strands blend together, but I would say that about any yarn that is fuzzy.

So, if you are looking for an interesting yarn for a comfy garment or afgan, check out Patons Bohemian. As always, this is only my opinion and you are welcome to form your own.

Library Capelet

I consider this my 'biggest' project, not because of the size, but because of the actual work put into it.
The pattern comes from lionbrand.com , and although the skill level is listed as easy+, I found it to be very labor intensive. Of course that may have been due to my obsessive compulsion to get it done so I could see what it looked like. Here is the link to the pattern: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80394AD.html
 

 I used a different yarn than they reccommended (of course) and made a small change to the pattern (go figure).  Instead of using Lion Brand Homespun, I used Patons Bohemian in Hypnotic Haze, so the garment feels almost like a pelt. Or at least what I imagine a pelt would feel like;-) Instead of  using a seed stitch on the bottom and cowl, which I didn't think would show in the chosen yarn, I used the purl side of a stockinette stitch. It did come out looking larger than the picture on the website, but that gives it more room for cuddling. The dimensions are: Back 27" long, front 17" long,
not including the cowl, which is 6" at the neck, and the placket, which is 4".  I'm not going to go into the width, but I feel like this is a one size fits all garment.

The buttons I found at Joann's, after accosting some stranger and showing her 4 sets of buttons against similar colors in the store. This was one of her two choices, and also one of my daughter's two choices.  I wanted something fancy and elegant to go with all that work, but plain black plastic might have worked. I will probably use this pattern again come fall. I may even use the 'correct' yarn ;-)

Mini drawstring backpack

I consider this a great example of when to use Red Heart Super Saver yarn. I found a crochet pattern on the Lion Brand Yarn website, but wasn't sure if I would like it. I wound up making it smaller than the pattern called for (read that as got bored or distracted and wanted to do something else) but it is still a nice size for carrying a few necessities. The drawstring that closes it also becomes the straps.  When stretched out flat it is 15" wide and 11" deep.  Here is the link: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80406AD.html?noImages=

I also tried to find an easier way of making an icord, but have found that using two double pointed needles is still fastest and easiest, although tedious and hard on the hands. Keeping it even can also be a challenge, but it is just a cord. Be humble and go with it. Perfection is over rated;-)

Hello!

Welcome to my blog! I'm hoping to make this site all about creativity, and, well, yarn. My first post is a tribute to my Mom, who passed earlier this year, and is my inspiration. I can't remember a time when Mom didn't have some project going on, kniitiing, crocheting, sewing and other crafting.  I inherited a lot of her stash, so my first post is an item I made with her yarn.

I found this pattern at naturally caron.com, the name of the pattern is the Kansas City Cowl. I chose it because of the cabled medallion. I figured it would be a great way to learn how to knit cables and hopefully get over my irrational fear of them. The pattern rating is easy, and it was. I no longer fear the dreaded cable. Here is the link:www.naturallycaron.com/projects/kansas_city/kansas_city-1.html

I used Red Heart super saver yarn in Country Blue.  There was the back and sleeve of a sweater in Mom's stash, and I remember one of my son's having a sweater in that yarn and pattern, so I expect it was left from a do-over. Being locked in placed in the stitches gave a very rippled effect to the yarn.

About: Red Heart Super Saver Yarn

This is where I write about specific yarns, tools, books, or techniques.

The Good

There are some great things to be said about Red Heart Super Saver. It comes in a huge variety of colors, including my family's favorite....Camoflage. It is easy to find, and commonly stocked at most craft stores and Walmart. I remember my Mom using it to make me a vest and skirt set when I was 6, so it has been around a while. There is no dye lot, so matching is easy.  It is a great yarn for beginners, very easy to work with, and very reasonably priced, so not a huge investment if you are just starting out or teaching a child.  I use it when I am figuring out if I like a new pattern or not, or trying a new stitch. It is easy to care for garments made with this yarn: warm water, gentle cycle, mild soap or detergent, no bleach, tumble dry on low heat.

The Bad

Red Heart Super Saver is not soft when you are working with it, but it does soften up considerably when you wash it or steam it with an iron. Do I want it right next to my skin? Not so much. But it is great for afgans, bags, home decor and outerwear.

The one pictured is from my Mom's stash, Country Blue.

Always bear in mind that this is only my opinion, but if you are looking for a wide variety of colors at a reasonable price, Red Heart Super Saver is a good yarn to keep in mind.