Vintage Yarn + Hat Experimentation

I’ve been tweaking a hat pattern to come up with something new knitters can make on circular needles.  Most of my beginning students don’t want to work on a project that needs seaming up when the knitting is finished.  Many of my beginners would like to try circular needles………..as well as move on to making a hat instead of being stuck in the ‘scarf knitter only’ category.

I’ve made up 5 of these hats over this past holiday week.  An easy project, uses a minimal amount of yarn and is a great transition project for people who request a class to move beyond scarves.

I love this version, using a vintage mohair yarn I have been wanting to “play” with.  So much going on with this yarn, it needed a very simple pattern so it could show off on its own.

I’m anxious for some of my new knitting students to give this a try!

Just listed this sparkly number here in my Etsy shop!

Treasury Tuesday: yellow bright!

‘yellow bright!’ by mastakovairina

Hand Knitted Baby/Toddler Ca… NeslisHandcraf… $42	Hand painted coffee mug Came… artbyasta $24.5	Yellow Post Earrings Round S… LemoneRouge $11	Lion Children Mask, Kids Car… BHBKidstyle $13
Large ceramic bowl, orange b… azulado $148	Yellow ranunculus flowers ha… Segitanna $27	Soviet Vintage Thread Spools… theMomsAttic $6	Mustard elephant brooch yell… ucuspucus $18
Amarelo – Abstract painting … villavera $33	Mustard Yellow Lavender Bags… Gardenmis $20	Meyer Lemon Yellow Lollipops… SweetNothingsB… $22	Yellow Ceramic Necklace- Han… RossLab $48
Sweet Citron Green Tea | Loo… ArtfulTea $10	Yellow Lemon COOKIE SANDWICH… RustiLee $17.99	Vintage Cotton Yarn, Fingeri… StitchKnit $12	Handbag Trinity/full grain l… styleSOorigina… $253

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Fall = Scarves at Stitchknit

I’ve switched to turbo knit speed here at Stitchknit.  Fall arrived and I wanted to make some new items that were floating around in my head as ideas.  I hadn’t worked with huge needles for years & decided to give them a try again, to get something very chunky looking but truly lightweight…….

Light as air, bright red cowl

Cozy cowl…..warm, yet lightweight

And, since September is Nat’l Sewing Month, I have a stack of fabric slated for scarves too!  Here is the first one …………

Lightweight, extra large scarf……in a brilliant shade of orange!

See these in my shop now………..and watch for the new creations as they make it from my cutting table to the shop!

Finished Projects

Not sure which is more fun for me; finishing projects or starting new ones?   I’m thinking the finishing is more fun, as it is a certainty.  The project is done.  I love the detail work at the end of a knitted or crocheted piece.  And, a slot on my mental list of projects is magically opened up!

When starting a new project, I tend to go through a few false starts.  Often starting with the yarn I want to use….then, deciding what I would like to “see” the yarn become…..and finding an existing pattern, or creating from my head…..   Not an easy task for me.  I think I start at least a couple times for each time I truly get a project out of the fiddling around stage.  

Here’s a crocheted cowl that has been stuck at the finish line for months.  Stuck on the buttons.  These plain creme colored ones finally passed muster and I can say the cowl is DONE.  

Lacy, open work, crocheted cowl in creme and rose.

Trying to add to the shop before the holiday shopping season, my hope is to have a range of colors of these boot cuffs.  Knit with a ribbed design, one size does fit most!

Wear just inside the boot, or folded over like this….they add a layered look without wearing heavy socks.

On the needles:  

     My ever present pair of socks for me.  Still on Sock #1…..almost to the ball of the foot.  My things take a back seat when it comes to projects

     Always, but always have a Mary Poppins inspired scarf on the needles.  Who knew this would be my best seller in the shop? 

     Crocheted hat in winter white;  Still on the crown area,  Need to work on this when I’m not visiting with someone….at least until I get the increases done!

      Crocheted baby blanket using the Blackberry Salad pattern.  Slow go, due to the all over bobble design

From Dog Beds to Wedding Gowns

I go from one order to another each day here at Stitchknit and the variety is my favorite part.  That, and learning new techniques along the way. But, some days are just odder than others……..and today, moving from the custom dog bed to the wedding gown make over, made me stop and ponder the types of projects I see here.

Switching gears and not having a need to finish every project works for me.  I squeeze in the fixes…..the alterations, in between the bigger projects needing additional fittings before I’m willing to move forward.

So, a day would look a bit scattered to most………..and absolutely productive and creative to me.  

Almost finished….denim on one side & fuzziness on the other. Should be a happy dog!

Hemming the sleeves on a down jacket. Fortunately, no cutting required!

Finished the crochet cowl this AM, now just need to weave in the ends for pictures!

Sorry, no pictures of the wedding gown.  Still a secret from the groom.   Know that I’ve spliced in yards and yards of white silk and tulle, along with sequins, pearls and embroidered overlays…………all morning.  Everything wasn’t black, gray and tan in the studio!  

Jumbo Junket and Hans Moller

I fell in love with this when I saw it.  Bright, great fabric and yes, a touch odd.  The date was on the selvage, along with created by Hans Moller and the title of the creation, Jumbo Junket.   I’ve begun to research this gentleman, his art and his connection to the Association of American Artists.  

Things like this fabric surprise me.  I have always been drawn to vintage linens of any kind.  Any era.  If it’s fabric, I’m wanting to get all touchy-feely with it.  

This one even had the road map of sorts, printed right on it.  Research ensued.  Right away.  My favorite thing I learned about him was a line in an interview about how he couldn’t wait to get up in the mornings….    to decide what color to work with that day in his paintings!  

This bit of vintage fiber goodness is now in my shop, waiting for a good home!  You can see it here!

Off the Hook at Stitchknit

Love the color…………a blend of almost pink, a touch of gray and orchid.

Love the yarn…………acrylic, soft, with a bit of a halo effect

Love the pattern…………easy to remember, don’t have to concentrate on just my crocheting

See it here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/199409260/orchid-scarf-lacy-crocheted-scarf?

Off the Needles

Off the needles, blocked and waiting for buttons!

I thought I had just the right buttons for this…….but no.  I need something with more personality.  So, this goes in my bag of items that need something that isn’t in the studio here at Stitchknit.  The bag that needs to go to the store.  This poses a difficulty, in that I truly do hate shopping.

And, this………….it too needs buttons.  Nothing in the box of hundreds and hundreds of new buttons……..or the huge box of vintage buttons will work.  Love vintage buttons, but when the design needs 4, of course……..I can only locate things I like that come with just 3!

This is truly a tough one to get a picture of.  The yarn is a blend of wool and rayon and has the prettiest shimmer to it.

Off the hook here, just waiting for ends, then the border.

This is like the blanket listed here in the shop.  I love this diagonal design.  Easy to remember, great for projects on the go!

 

Fiber Art Scarf by Stitchknit

In Stock:  Knit scarf in multiple shades of blue.  Cuddly soft, fun to wear!    $48.00

https://www.etsy.com/listing/197213326/royal-blue-infinity-scarf-womens-circle

One More Work in Progress

How many projects do you have in the works at one time?  I don’t know if it is a good idea to count all of mine! 🙂  Here’s a crocheted scarf/shawl I’m making to replace one that sold months ago.  Yes, I am running very behind here at Stitchknit.

Great project for me this summer. Once I had the initial chain and the first row of floating chains done, I don’t have to count or think for this piece.  Perfect for me!  I love how loose this is and how intricate it looks.  About 10 more inches and this will be ready to put the border on.

Also in the works here at Stitchknit…………..my requisite pair of socks that ‘live’ in the van  Always ready for a bit of knitting when I am waiting for anyone/anything.  Still on sock #1, but at the arch of my foot……heading towards the toe.

Crocheted baby blanket in 2 shades of gray & a deep brick red.  Love having something a bit larger than socks to work on here at home.  Again, it is a no think, no count sort of pattern.  Perfect for right now.

Filling up my inventory of teensy tiny little hearts:

Just sold a couple sets of the pale pink ones and discovered I really didn’t have anything that was ready to ship.  Added pale pink, bright pink, navy, natural, yellow, white and have some peach and green thread in my project bag ready to work on.

All crochet projects!  Might have to even that out and come up with some knitting.  I’m old enough to have hands that complain if I don’t switch out the project types occasionally.