Just popping by

Knitting in progress, and Marilee modeling the finished hat.

I knit a hat! The pattern is from the book "Knitting from the Center Out" by Daniel Yuhas. I borrowed the book from the local public library. 

Beaded center and tatted earrings are something I'm currently having fun with. They remind me of mint candies! 

This simple square pattern was inspired by a vintage pattern, I think the same one I used for my "Victory" necklace pattern. I have not written up the pattern for the earrings, though.

The latest new hand dyed thread colorway I call "Angelonia", after the flower. 

By the way, I'm on Bluesky now too, at @yarnplayer.bsky.social 

Tatted daffodils and handknit sweater

From daffodil patterns in Christel Weidmann’s book "Ostern"

I brought out and wore my tatted corsage on Easter morning, even though the weather here today felt like more of winter cold! More about this corsage in a post from 2019:

  https://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com/2019/04/spring-corsage-in-3d-tatted-flowers.html

I'm happily wearing my tatted corsage.

The purple sweater that I began knitting in the fall of 2021 is finished! Here's some pictures of me wearing it.

This sweater pattern is "Spring Leaf" designed by Bronagh Miskelly, found in Knitting Magazine, April 2017

It has a curved bolero shape. The lace edging is knitted on.

The skirt I sewed from an old Simplicity pattern that I've made several skirts from. It's very simple with an elastic waist and has side seam pockets. I chose the fabric from Spoonflower and the designer is ruthjohanna.

 

One sleeve done

One sleeve done and the 2nd sleeve started! I'm feeling confident that this sweater will be done by springtime. I'm one of those people who feels cold all the time, so I'll enjoy wearing it on pleasant spring days and most summer days too. The pattern is "Spring Leaf" designed by Bronagh Miskelly, found in Knitting Magazine, April 2017. I found the magazine in the Pocketmags app.

Not as much snow here in southeastern Wisconsin as last winter, so far. Brrr! It's cold outside!

The "Star Capella" pendants have been very popular in my Etsy shop. The tatting pattern is a free download from my Free Patterns page. My video demonstration is on YouTube. 

Still needs sleeves

The sweater that I've been knitting since October, 2021 has reached the stage of starting the sleeves! They start with a band of the lace edging, then the rest is plain knitting, and I'll be quite glad at this time to do some simple knitting without constantly watching a chart. 

The pattern is "Spring Leaf" designed by Bronagh Miskelly, found in Knitting Magazine, April 2017. It's not the sweater on the cover.

Tatting a Clover Edging

Someone requested that I do a video demo of a simple edging in tatting. So, that video has been posted to YouTube Clover Edging. It also shows adding a new thread.

Tatted star in pink and knitting goes on

In 2 shades of pink from my stash of hand dyed threads, the "Star Capella" finished as a pendant. Actually the camera couldn't capture the true color of the darker pink, which is really a boysenberry shade. 

The sweater project is still in progress. I've finished the lacy edging on the right, and am at my second try of starting the left side, which is knitted from what I call the "back side" of the work. I've had to learn a new-to-me knitting technique called "purl 2 together through back loop" and it is even trickier than it sounds. I don't know why people carry on about tatting being hard - knitting is much harder, in my humble opinion - and I learned to knit much earlier in my life than I learned tatting.

Knit sweater progress and CWJ thinking

The sweater has reached the stage of stitch holders for the front sections while continuing to knit the back. In the photo it's with some new fabric that I purchased to sew a skirt. Included is the Shell Pendant from my Craftsy class and here's the reason I have it out (other than it coincidently does look good with the future ensemble!)

Someone asked for instructions on tatting the shell so that it would face the opposite way. Well, the easiest is simply to tat it as written, then turn it over - but then it's back side up (which most people wouldn't really notice) but we tatters do notice the details, do we not?

So mostly, "back side" up tatting means making the double stitches in reverse order (2nd half first, 1st half second) but then we reach the Catherine Wheel Joins (CWJ) on the smooth outer curve. A recent search of the Internet didn't turn up instructions for tatting CWJ from the back side, so I guess I'll need to do a video of it myself. Let me know if someone else does have a tutorial for "Back side" CWJ! Anyway, it's been added to the to-do list.

Weaving has not progressed very far but here's a photo for those interested.

It's quite jazzy with all the colors and pattern jumbled up together; I like it! Also it's giving me more ideas!

On an unrelated note - literally a music note - I just found out the musician's concert seating for the December 1st concert of the community orchestra I play cello in. I've been assigned to first stand! (The first row of cellos nearest the conductor.) So, it means I had better not skimp on the practicing!!! Ah well, all this excitement keeps my mind occupied with good things.

Weaving and knitting projects started

 

How long ago was the last time I prepared a warp for weaving? According to Google photos it was May, 2017, and it stayed on for 3 years. Well, since I only weave out of curiosity, there's no rush to finish, the discovery of "what happens if" is enjoyable in itself. I have not woven with Cottolin yarn (a blend of cotton and linen) before, but I love the bright colors, so this should be fun!

For those interested the loom I'm using is relatively small, a 24 inch wide 8 shaft table loom on a stand. I'm threading a pattern from page 39 in "A Weaver's Book of 8-Shaft Patterns" edited by Carol Strickler.  

Also I have started knitting a sweater, for myself. It's an open front cardigan with knitted lace edging designed by Bronagh Miskelly. The pattern is "Spring Leaf" found in Knitting Magazine, April 2017. The yarn I'm using is luxuriously soft, spun from Tibetan Yak hair. My first time using this fiber and I'm loving it! The color is Hokkaido, which is also the name of an island in the north of Japan. To me it looks like a medium toned, muted grayish purple.

Exploring other crafts is refreshing, and can spark new ideas for tatting, also. So do not worry that my tatting or hand dyeing will be neglected. In fact, I have a large batch of skeins already prepared for dyeing next week. The colorway will be "Stardate".

Knit slippers and another treasury

The knitted slippers are done! Because I used a multicolored yarn (see TattingChic's post for an explanation of the difference between variegated and multicolored) they don't quite match, but I think they go together, and I'm happy with them. The soles are sheepskin, so they won't wear out quickly the way socks do. I bought the soles ready-made at a local yarn shop.

It was so thrilling to find out this morning that another one of my Etsy items got chosen for a Treasury Showcase! Click here to see the treasury - as usual with these, it's only up temporarily, so the link only works for a while.

Old snowflakes and other fiber stuff

These tatted snowflakes with embroidered cloth centers are ones I made many years ago, I think over 20 years - back when I had the patience, LOL. They were starched with sugar starch, and are still white and stiff. No problems with bugs whatsoever, but then I live in a cold northern climate! I have since been experimenting with various stiffeners. There are a lot of ways to get things to be stiff - the extra-hold hairspray is next on my list to try.

Sometimes I do take a small break from tatting and dyeing! Here is a knit slipper top in progress:
The loom got warped again, this time with warm wools for a winter scarf. As usual, it's not really according to any plan...this scarf is the sampling! Its just for fun and warmth.