Thursday, September 19, 2019

Weavers' Delight

It's September!  Which means our first WSW weaving gathering--
always a delight to be with these gals--makes my head swim
with so many ideas and techniques I should try!
Of course,  there was a summer of learning with
new workshops.

Fern took a felting class couple months ago and
made this adorable rabbit!

He's so cute with his big ears 

and funny toes

She even did some needle felting with a new found friend--

Another workshop she did was silk painting--using
unusual materials

The surface is made with bubble wrap and underlay is
using plastic cleaner bags

The trim was done with shaving cream soap and stencils--
what fun!

Connie loves to stitch so she spent her summer
using needle and thread to stitch grids on her
linen fabric--then pulled up the threads before
indigo dyeing the fabric

Such precision to get such fine lines with her thread

She was also doing clamping techniques on
these linen/cotton towels

Nice lines and creative design

Pat showed her eco-dyed linen--asking for suggestions
on what to do next--we suggest some embroidery work and use
the fabric for a pillow

Penny was a sole weaver this summer!  She had natural colored
cotton on the loom to produce several hand towels--the handle
of the towel is so soft--these will go on her sale table.


Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Weavers--Heads Up!!

Convergence®

Convergence® is heading to the Smoky Mountains for 2020! HGA is excited to announce Convergence ® will be in Knoxville, Tennessee July 24-30, 2020 at the Knoxville Convention Center. Keep checking back to this website, watch for announcements in Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot and look for emails with more information about Convergence® Knoxville 2020. Save the Date!
I've marked my calendar for next summer!  You can download the registration handbook now--
and look to sign up when the website opens for registration!

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Let's Get Ready for Winter

Gloria Parsons of  Olde Green Cupboard and
Rhonda of Farmhouse Threads
are sponsoring 12 weeks of Christmas ornaments
adventure--this begins September 17

Looks like we have some fun to create!


FatCat Friends, at the request of her Facebook group members,
has created this super duper snowman quilt!  
In order to receive the pattern, you must be a member of her
FB group--so join by answering ALL the questions!
Answer all or you'll not gain membership--simple questions too!

Each week, on Friday a new pattern will be uploaded--you MUST
download each and every week--there are no repeats at a later date!

Instructions and yardage - Friday, September 13th. 
Block # 1 will be shared Friday, September 20 
Block # 2 will be shared Friday, September 27
Block # 3 will be shared Friday, October 4
Block # 4 will be shared Friday, October 11
Block # 5 will be shared Friday, October 18
Block # 6 will be shared Friday, October 25
Block # 7 will be shared Friday, November 1
Block # 8 will be shared Friday, November 8
Block # 9 will be shared Friday, November 15


I Love To Make Quilts is hosting a fun Winter sew along.
These blocks will be available on Wednesdays! 

Block 1 - Oct 2Block 2 - Oct 9Block 3 - Oct 16
Block 4 - Oct 23Block 5 - Oct 30Layout - NOV 6
Block 6 - NOV 13Block 7 - NOV 20Block 8 - NOV 27
Block 9 - Dec 4Dec 11 Show off your quilt tops!

Looks as though we have Wednesdays and Fridays covered in our Winter schedule--hope to see you there!

Monday, September 9, 2019

A. B. C. Murders!!

The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie--the read for September!  This is perfect as school is back in session--again, not one of the Agatha books I've read!


The plot contains a serial killer!  Beware--Poirot solves another!
Want to listen?  You can here and read along as well here


What to knit?  Easy--anything that contains the letters A B C!  Only to choose---


abc: alison's beginners cap--sounds perfect!  Artful yarn, beginner, cap!  My ABC's!





a knitting class in a hat*
Techniques:
- casting on
- the knit stitch
- the purl stitch
- stockinette stitch (alternating knit one row, purl one row - but when knitting in the round, knit all rounds)
- 2 x 2 ribbing (*knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches* repeated across entire row/round)
- knitting in the round (using circular needles and double-pointed needles to create a round piece of knitting)
- decreasing (knitting 2 stitches together to make knitted piece smaller)
- seaming
- weaving in ends
Materials:
- approx. 200 yds. worsted weight yarn
- 16" circular needle (US7 or US8)
- double-pointed needles in same size as above
- tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Gauge:
approx. 4 1/4 st./in.
If your gauge is a bit smaller, your hat will end up being a bit smaller. Larger gauge = larger hat.
Hat Measurements:
23" around, 7- 7 1/2 " high
Instructions:
Cast on 96 st.
Work back and forth in stockinette stitch for 5 rows (knit one row, purl one row, K 1 row, P 1 row, K 1 row). This will form a rolled edge.
Instead of turning work to continue, join the two sides to form a circle. When forming the circle be sure that 1) knitting is not twisted around the needle, and 2) that the rolled edge curls to the outside of the hat.
Now you will be knitting in the round.
Work 6 rounds in 2 x 2 ribbing (knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches repeated across the whole round for 6 rounds).
Continue in stockinette stitch by knitting all rounds until hat measures approximately 6 ½"-7" from rolled edge.
Begin decreasing in order to shape top of hat as follows:
*K 4 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (you should now have 80 stitches)
Knit one round normally.
Note: switch to double pointed needles when there are too few stitches to fit around the circular needle
*K 3 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (64 stitches)
Knit one round normally.
*K 2 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (48 stitches)
*K 1 stitch, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (32 stitches)
*K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (16 stitches)
*K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (8 stitches)
Cut yarn leaving 6" tail, thread yarn end onto tapestry needle and thread through remaining 8 stitches. Pull on thread to cinch stitches snugly together. Bring needle through the very top of the hat in order to bring remaining yarn to inside of hat for weaving in.
Sew small seam of rolled edge together.
Weave in yarn ends.
Enjoy your hat!
And for the adventurous, change colors as you like by dropping the old yarn at the end of a round and starting the new round with a different colored yarn. When weaving in ends, twist the two colors around each other once to close any hole that might have formed when changing colors and weave ends into their respective color areas.



Saturday, September 7, 2019

Fiber on My Needles




Okay, I'm a sucker for mysteries!  This one is mystery to make
mittens--something fun to knit for Halloween;
simple cable knitting, lot of colorwork and optional
beads--designed by  Hanna Kytta--you can find this free
KAL on Ravelry under group "Hanna From Sheep's Alley" 



Another mystery!! Socks is this one--Designed by Heidi Nick--
This is through the group--Sock Knitters Anonymous.
The sock has optional beads

Another free knit and crochet along (above is crochet)
is with Lambtown Festival Ravelry Group, which celebrates sheep, fleece and wool in California 
Life is Cozy--knit or crochet--both are lightweight, asymmetrical shawls
Begin from the corner in the shape of a skewed triangle--fast project and stash
buster!
Those should keep your needles warm and steamy!



It's Time--

 It’s time to think about greeting cards I’ll send out this year.  Most years, if I’m not feeling pressed, I’ll create my own cards.  One ye...