Summer Knitting

How to wear the camisole: in the woods and slightly disheveled?

Front View of the Pattern

Progress on the Pattern

The Pattern is from a Japanese book called 'Tricotage de Lin'. As I can't read Japanese, I'm using the pattern as a guide only. I have worked out the measurements and number of stitches, so I can make it fit the schematic diagram. However, I decided I'd like slightly thicker straps than the ones shown. The pattern also calls for crocheted straps and trim, but I'm going to knit the straps in, then trim them like the neckline. I'm using some cheap acrylic to try out the shape and my modifications, but if it turns out nice I'll make another one in bamboo or linen. Those should also drape nicer than the acrylic, which is a bit stiff and maybe too warm, but not unwearable. We shall see!

Of Birthdays & Happy Things

I just had a significant sort of birthday. A goal evaluation and re-setting sort of birthday. I celebrated quietly and went back to working on my essays. But today I got myself my birthday present: a Singer SewHandy Model 20 Sewing Machine. It came with its original box and instructional booklet. The booklet is copyright 1953, so I guess the machine is of a similar age. I saw it in an antique shop and it was love at first sight.

(Teapot is for comparative size)

With its Box, Booklet and Packet of Needles (empty, but original)

Yes, I will want to sew on lace, and ric rac

And of course children should learn how to make proper seams

The introduction concludes with this comment: 'You'll want to take your machine with you on vacations with the family, weekend visits with friends, and finally to college. Ever ready for mending or making a simple garment.'

Yes, I might just want to take this little beauty everywhere. Its really light (despite being a rather solid chunk of metal) and you never know when you have to do some emergency shirring or pin-tucking.

As far as I can tell it is in working order with all the necessary moving parts moving. But I will have to thread it up to see.

I think it needs a name...

Grey is Not Boring

Grey is Not Boring!

The love affair I have with grey continues. This delightful hat is made from handspun alpaca that I got from here. Its pretty rough handspun and still contains lots of little bits of straw that I had to pick out while knitting. The spinning is also uneven so some parts of the hat are thicker and some parts thinner. Also the colour is not consistent, if you look closely you can see the top of the hat is slightly darker than the edges. This is all part of the charm of handspun for me. This wool was spun by a human not a machine. A human with hands and alpacas and bits of straw everywhere and probably she stopped for lunch and the family dog slept on it as well. Its real and that's what I like about it. Wabi-Sabi sort of beautiful.

One of my professors recently said that the most rebellious thing you can do now in terms of design and art and theory is to simply make something because its beautiful. I like this because its something I've been feeling for some time. Why must art be ugly to be poignant and thoughtful and interesting? Why can't it be beautiful?

This wool is beautiful. I think the spinner intended it to be so despite the straw and unevenness. This I hope comes through in the hat. I just wanted a texture that would show off the wool as it is. The cables of the hat kind of fade away into the background and the wool and greyness of it come forward.

The pattern is called 'Gretel' by ysolda in the latest Stitch n' Bitch book. Even though I haven't done much cabling before the pattern was really easy to follow and went without a hitch (except for not being able to do the tubular cast on successfully even with 5 attempts!)

The Underside of the Hat.

The Trials and Tribulations of the Hat for the Mr.

The two photographs below present Hat Version 1 and Hat Version 2. At first glance they look identical and for the most part they are identical. I used the same width of ribbing, the same open staggered increases and decreases and the same bottom up construction. The key difference is the size. This is not a lesson in the importance of checking your gauge (I think sometimes you need to and sometimes you don't!) but in the possibility for a well-considered knitting project to still turn up something unexpected.

For this project I did check my gauge and I calculated the amount of stitches per inch and worked out the size accordingly. I even calculated for the stretch of the knitting at about 10% and so made the hat 10% smaller than the measurements indicated.

This is where I went wrong because the knitting was much stretchier than I calculated it at. I did think at first that this was due to the difference between a relaxed and a tight tension. But after thinking it over for a while I don't think this would account for such a great difference in measurements. The lesson here is the difference between gauge measured flat and when measured stretched. Unfortunately this little issue did not present itself during the making of the hat.

The hat was tried on many times during construction (with a patient Mr' wearing knitting needles on his head) and it fit just nice. But when I took it off the needles and bound off, it turned out about 4 inches too big! So after a couple of heartbreaking moments I resolved to undo the hat and start again. Because I chose bottom up construction I had to go back right to the beginning. I also discovered I finish things too well, as it took ages to find the ends I had so nicely woven in!

Remaking the second time was much faster because I: a) knew what I was doing and b) the hat was 4 inches smaller. This time the hat fits perfectly and does not make the Mr. look silly. Since I was remaking, I also took the liberty of curving the decreases at the top in a slightly more so as to reduce the bulk of fabric at the top of the head.

Hat Version 1. Sad Hat.

Hat Version 2. Happy Hat.

Ice

It's been cold here, but not too cold as long as you have plenty of knitwear (which, surprise surprise, I do!)

There have been a couple of good snowflake falls but my camera doesn't like to photograph very small white things

But you can see how delicate and lovely the snowflakes have been

We've had some magnificent ice-formations on our windows too

And a very cold door-handle to the balcony

I love the early mornings on cold days how the air hangs over the St Laurence River and all the building thermostats are working very hard to keep it lovely and warm indoors

Sunset through foggy windows reflecting off the building opposite made it glow and amazing orange colour

Clear blue skies in winter makes it seem so much better. This was the moon in the daytime a week ago

What happens when the snowflakes don't fall on my windowsill where I can photograph them...

Bird Watching

We finally got some interesting bird action here last month when what looked like a Hawk came and sat on the opposite building at sunset. Unfortunately the light was fading and it was starting to snow, so we didn't get a clear look.

But from the photo you can see the bird has a short probably hooked beak and a white breast and underside of tail.

Then about a month later I looked out the window to see another big brown bird sitting on another building, surveying the terrain. Not a pigeon was to be seen.

I managed to snap this photo just as it was taking flight. It has a huge wingspan and is really amazing to see in flight. It flew almost past my window :)

Then today I looked up and saw the bird again!

Today we had plenty of action as a Crow tried to scare it off by dive bombing and sweeping past really close.

But the Hawk didn't care. He just watched the crow nonchalantly fly past. The Hawk sat there happily looking around for at least 45 minutes before he flew off. A few minutes later I saw a large number of crows flying really sporadically much further down the street. I think it must have been the Hawk causing a ruckus.

I wonder if it is the same bird. I've read though this list at the Hawk Migration Association of North America and can't work out what it is. It looks like the Red-tailed Hawk, apparently the most common one in North America.

Books!

I've got some new books in recent months so I thought I'd share them with you.

The Black Apple's Paper Doll Primer by Emily Winfield Martin:

I brought this book for myself for my Christmas present. Its lovely. There is a few customisable paper people in the back where you can paper doll yourself. This I want to try. I think I'll have to make myself wearing a grey cardigan and red shoes with bows on them. Then I'm going to make a paper doll of the Mr and possibly the pet rabbit I want to have but don't. Then maybe I'll keep going and make a small village with a grocery store and a pet shop...

Jane Austen's Sewing Box: Craft Projects & Stories from Jane Austen's Novels by Jennifer Forest:

I got this book for myself for Christmas too. It has interesting history, contemporary illustrations and projects from the novels. Like who knew what a 'huswife' was? Now you can make one... I was very inspired by the little handbags.

Handmade Living: A Fresh Take on Scandinavian Style by Lotta Jansdotter:

This is for inspiration for my own apartment when I finally get to live in it. The Mr. and I are very particular, having several degrees in architecture between us but can agree that this is a very nice table. The Swedish meatballs in this book are also highly recommended to carnivorous friends.

Eat Love: Food Concepts by Eating Designer Marije Vogelzang

This is for school but its a fun book to look at. You will never see eating quite the same way again. You can check out her website which has lots of interesting stuff and a link to a talk she gave on her philosophy. Its good stuff.

Creative Paper Cutting: Basic Techniques & Fresh Designs for Stencils, Mobiles, Cards & More edited by Shufunotomo:

And this book which was also a Merry Christmas to me present. It has really lovely photographs of the paper cuts. I haven't made any yet, but the deer are very inspiring.

The Artful Bird: Feathered Friends to Make + Sew by Abigail Patner Glassenberg:

I also brought this book for my happiness present (the present you buy for yourself cause it makes you happy). Its nice. I think I need to make the wren or the lark with its nice tail. I think a peacock would be great or maybe an elegant grey dove. The penguin was love at first sight.

The Art of The Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware by Suzanne von Drachenfels.

They weren't joking when they called this a complete guide. I never knew there were so many different types of forks! This one is for school too (i'll tell you what for later on!)...