Tag Archive | shape

2025 in progress.

Jan5

I hope it’s progress, anyway. So far I just seem to be jammed with chores and projects left from 2024. Is that normal? I just rather thought I’d pretty much have the month of January off, a restful winter break. Ha! even Bah Humbug! Well, I broke down and made a LIST! I think here on Jan 5, I have managed to check off two things. It’s not that that’s all I’ve done, it’s just things on the list. I have manage to fill the day with chores in between list projects, some of which are at least underway. I think the problem is that I’m getting old. I used to be able to deal with all this and never even notice. Well, the Golden age is not living up to it’s name. It’s more like the Rusty Tin age! lol Ah well, enough bitchin’ for today.

I did manage to get one project woven on our invented circle loom. That was not actually on the list, just one of those things we’ve discussed in the past and it came up again while shopping at the GoodWill in Redding the other day. We bought a 12″ knitting loom. A plastic ring with pegs all around. I thought I could use it for a peg loom, but there turned out to be a few things I did not think of in my enthusiasm for the idea. Like that the pegs were only about an inch tall and there was no hole for the warp strings. But Himself came to the rescue and made a set of drilled pegs with dowels. The problem with the large circle is that there are too many warp strings in the center of the bottom to make a flat bottom. I was using some elderly Caron 100% Dacron rug yarn with the original price of 79 cents.  So the bundle of warp in the center was too big to bundle. I came up with a solution for that -after the fact- so it didn’t work very well here but I got a semi flat bottom to my bowl. I had planned it to be a basket but had to stop short this time. I’ll start from the bottom on the next one. I think it’ll work better. This one is only about 3″ deep. Himself thinks I could use this method to weave Rasta hats! I knitted one for my grandson years ago, like the 2nd one pictured. (That’s not mine, I can’t see to find a pic of it.) I guess it may be possible and I might try it later! The one with the braids definitely is a possible.

    

He’s making looms like crazy, I think he wants an entire years stock before the show season starts! lol I cannot keep up. Frankly, I’m not even trying to very hard. But I am getting things done in here tho they are still a little over whelming. Got the ceramic tree put back in storage. Got the houseplants back where they belong. My geraniums are all putting on blooms. I gave them a turn under the lights as they were not getting any sunshine from the widows lately and I didn’t want them getting really leggy. I guess the lights made them think it was spring. His 80 degree fires probably added to that! lol He can’t seem to get a Happy Medium. I just let it go out and rebuild when it starts cooling off but that is not the correct way according to him. I am not supposed to let it go out. Bah-Humbug! Ah well…We’ve only been married 40 years, I guess it takes time to get used to each others ways, huh?!

Just the two of us!

Okay, I spent a lot of time talking about how much I have to do so I supposed I ought to wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year and get on with my LIST! …and I do! I wish you all to accomplish just what you hope for this year and to stay safe in this chaotic world of today.

Hazel

Making clothing

Dec5

The subject of making clothing has come up in pin loon chatting recently. I posted a couple of the tops I’ve made in the past so thought I’d put them here, too. They are easy loom-shaped garments so can be made to fit just about any size. I used the 6″ Multi looms for both of these. My figure changed and the drape between the alpaca and the wool is also much different. I’d like to try one of these in a nice sock yarn, too, but that hasn’t happened so far. I added a  knitted ribbing to the waist of the orange wool one which gave a better fit and the brown alpaca has a 2×6 slide stitch woven waist band. (and the hearts have come off since)

This type of garment fits a little better on a slimmer figure for the most part. The drape of your yarn also makes a difference. The alpaca drapes beautifully while this wool made a bit stiffer fabric.

Another oldie.

Apr6

I finished this one in 2014. It’s a collection of my handspun yarns.  Woven on several looms, mostly, if I remember, the 7″ and the 3 1/2″ squares. Randy made the wood buttons.  The button holes are just an unstitched space between the little squares on the front band. I like 3/4 sleeves but these were probably a little wide and the bottom edges. It works okay, tho.

Just been going though older projects, posting to my 3 “social media” places, here, Ravelry, and the facebook pin loom group. I’m working on a new everyday sweater but thinking of reworking that idea. I’ve been weaving either 12″ or 10.5″ squares, can’t remember just now. Needless to say that last one woven was a couple months back! But someone posted about shape weaving the other day which reminded me of the shape woven I’ve done in the past. I still have the cardboard looms and am thinking I might just employ that method on this sweater. I seem to get a better fit with less blocks than the cut and sew method. I’m too big to get a good fit with the totally block woven things. The one above is cut and sew. This one is the shape woven. The yoke and the arm skye as well as the back yoke were shape woven. And a much better fit than the others I’ve done, I think. The sleeves as shown were cut and sew but both made from the same pattern. Well, I’ll have to think about this some more. I have a little time between now and my next deadline, I hope!

Winter work…

Nov6

It’s November even tho with temps in the 60’s as high and the lows just in the low 40’s it doesn’t really feel very wintery. Well, except for the rain and gloomy skies. And gloomy husband. He doesn’t do well in continual darkness and besides has jobs that need to be outdoors in dry weather so that’s adding to the frustration. I’m fine tho it worries me a bit that it’s not getting cold. We are still picking pole beans and when I cut greens yesterday there was a bee buzzing around in the borage. Not normal winter conditions for these mountains. Well, I guess we’d better start getting used to the “not normal”. They are suggest a vague possibility of some snow on Monday. Not holding my breath!

But meantime, with the WAL coming to an end, I got out my cardigan project. My favorite orange sweater is wearing out. When even Himself notices it’s sort of ratty condition I guess it’s time!  So I’ll be weaving 12″ squares for some time. I’m reusing a frogged knit sweater that turned out to be a bad idea, mostly a bad fit. And I have another one that is in line for frogging as well. I guess I’d better stick to weaving! lol I balled this yarn up but it hasn’t been washed before weaving with it. I’ll find out if that’s a good idea.

     

But today I have to finish up a batch of apple sauce and sand a couple looms as well. The sweater is going to take awhile to finish.

  And there’s enough apples  left for a pie.

 

July & hot again!

Jul8

But I am still weaving, of course. Took the computer to town yesterday to get it cleaned up and running properly again (I hope!) And Boy! Was it hot! Really glad to get back in my mountains! I thought we were hot up here the last few days but I was wrong! lol

Anyway, I have been working on a new patchwork yoke using some very pretty yarn I bought at Black Sheep Gathering. Trying something new. It’s taking awhile but I think it’s going to be pretty. It is inspired by this one. 

This is what I have so far. The 1st one is a sketch to give me a idea where I want to go.  The 2nd is what I have embroidered so far. There’s a lot more needed on it. And, of course, it changes as I work. That always seems to happen. The yarn is super-wash sock yarn and, you know by now that I love my washing machine, so I have done swatches that I’ve washed in the machine. I am using some of my big stash of needlepoint yarns for the embroidery and have also tested them in the machine. They don’t seem to shrink much, either, tho both fulled just enough to look good.

      

So that’s about all that’s happening here just now. Well, I am also designing a doll dress for our August WAL on Ravelry and trying to keep the garden watered. We turned off most of the auto watering when we got back from the trip so we can have a little more control as some places in this yard don’t need watering all summer while other places dry up almost immediately. Give us something to do! lol

Speaking of which, I have some loom shipping to do so better get on with it. Hope your summer is not too hot! If it is, stay indoors and weave!

More of the same…

Apr25

Still weaving the blue squares for the next top and working on things to share with the weavers in my proposed workshops this summer.  I need a production crew! lol I have so may ideas that will never get anywhere as there is just not enough time to weave them all. Well, you know what I mean, I’m pretty sure we all have that same problem, if problem it be. I’m trying to sketch them out as I dream them up but am fallen behind in that, too.

But meantime I am about to try the layout again on this one. I think I likely still have squares to weave but must be making a little progress. We have ball games most every night now and that’s my weaving time. The Giants even won last night! Beat LA! Yeah! lol

This stuff is a little difficult to weave because of the little loops in the yarn. I get the needle threaded though them instead of over and under. I did find a fatter needle that barely fits between the pins but it has a wider blunt end and so does not pick up the loops as easily. That helps it go a little faster.

And  you know it is gardening season again. Randy picked up pea seed in town yesterday and if it does not rain again (what’s chances!) I hope to get the first ones planted tomorrow. I got the bed ready last week. My fall planted cabbages are growing now, too. I am told that they won’t make heads but will just bolt as soon as it gets warm. I hope not, that was the idea of planting them late last fall, to give them a early start this spring. I have only grown them once, this past spring so am not very experienced  with their druthers.

The peaches bloomed in the rain so am not over confident about my peach crop this year. The apples are just starting leaves, so they may have a chance. It’s almost time for rhubarb but we can find no sign of Randy’s asparagus. I’m thinking of digging up the peonies and iris and planting tomatoes in that bed. I might make an iris border but the peonies are a waste of space. They make pretty flowers for a short time which all have weak stems and fall over. I like flowers who can take care of themselves. The iris, gloriosa daisies, pansies, marigold, and zinnias, day lilies. bee balm.. there’s lots of them I have one peony  in a wine barrel that does fine. It can stay. Well, that’s a lot of work so it may not happen anyway.

But hey! If you are hunting for the perfect place to spend your summer vacation I have just the one for you! Check this one out!

http://www.trinityalpsrealty.com/pre_search_trinity_center/results-125246p/detail-12R177534

Done at last!

Apr6

The sleeves are longer and looser than I had in mind but all in all I am pretty pleased with this one! Already planning the next one! Raining and gloomy today but managed an indoor picture that isn’t too bad, except for the old bag I had modeling it! Wish I had known about this when I was young enough to wear some of the things I would have liked to make! Well, I can make them for Madelyn I guess! For those of you doing this, I think this yarn would look good sewn like this and sleeveless if you can wear it without. The colors and the texture of the assembly method give it all the decoration it needs. I ended up sewing a facing of commercial fabric for the neckline, keeping it simple.

Okay, on the job again!

Apr5

My order From JoAnn’s with the fabric stabilizer arrived. I never saw anything that said how wide it was so only ordered 2 yards thinking it was probably was wide as the iron on interfacing of many ears ago, but it wasn’t so I just applied it to the top yoke part where I needed to cut. I think that’ll be fine and it really really helped with the cut and sew part! I wasn’t really sure what I was doing to it my all peel off eventually but it seems fine now.

 

I ran a top stitch around the neckline when i had it sewn together just to make sure noting starts raveling.  and then I basted the thing together and tried it on. It may be a little wide across the chest, it’s hard to really fit something to yourself, but it’s not tight, even in the sleeve. I won’t post everything here but if you have any questions let me know and I’ll see if I can answer them.  I zigzaged all the seams. One thing I discovered about my sewing, maybe it’s from making doll clothes, but I tend to run my seams too narrow, had to redo a couple.

So now I have to figure out how to finished the neckline. I usually knit or crochet an edging but  with the stabilizer that will be difficult. It could be worked  separately and sewn on and I am considering that. Or I might come up with a facing for it. But huge steps have been taken today!

 

But my helper has gone over the Rainbow bridge this week. I’m going to miss him.

 

 

It’s happening!

Mar19

I am assembling! If I were not already set on another path, I think this would make a very attractive baby blanket or light weight lap robe, maybe. But made great progress today, I believe. The bed is the only place I have that’s big enough to lay it all out. I got the rest of the strips to length, sorting though the skeins to find the needed colors. They don’t all transition smoothly but I’m satisfied.

Here’s the first bunch of strips sewn together.  I really like the way it looks. This is the top, the public side.

And this is the bottom, the underneath. Either side would work but I like the textured side. And besides. I think the smooth side will be better next to me.

More coming! Edited to say: More needed! After sewing the entire thing together I find the seams have taken up a bit more than I figured on so I need to add about 5″. I think two more rows should do it. At least that’s where I am going to start. Pictures are pretty much the same but maybe show detail a bit more. It really is a pretty rainbow, in non-rainbow colors! did I mention that the colorway is called Calming Desert? I guess it’s supposed to be spring in the desert, which is probably timely, tho I haven’t seen spring in the desert in a couple years.

What’s new?

Jan30

Not much here, I’m afraid. Going on as usual, spending the winter catching up on book work and restocking looms. And shoveling snow, but thank goodness for Himself! He handles that part because we have lots of it!

But I have been weaving a few 4″ squares along for the Shawl in a Ball project. The bag was getting into such a mess that I decided to do a little Organizing. Yes, really! This consisted of putting together an estimate of squares rows, trying to blend the colors and bagging each row separately. It looks better now and hopefully will encourage me to start sewing up the rows again. I have started. Oh yes, I also cut out a more permanent pattern with a long sleeve. This top isn’t going to have a full long sleeve but the plan is for 3/4 if I can stretch the yarn that far. Well, likely I’m going to have to buy another skein, anyway. That will make 4.  I need to make shorter tails. I have been using them in the sewing up but some are way too long.

Anyway, here’s my version of organization. It doesn’t looks like many all neatly bagged up but there are 7-9 in each bag.

organization

Oh yes, I did make another set of the soup bowl mugs. Got this skein of Red Heart acrylic in Team Colors and it is scratchy as heck so finally gave up the scarf idea and wove a couple mug rugs using the 3 1/2″ Tumbling Block. There’s enough left to supply the whole team with them! lol

dscn21501

Yes, and I did indulge in a little doll clothes knitting during the 4 day power outage. It’s fair isle and I find that is not my talent. It looks okay on your far away view but you would have no trouble finding the errors if you saw it for Real. I could not keep an even tension for the life of me. So anyway, I’ll go back to weaving my dolls clothing!
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