Today is the first day of summer

It's summer, and all the baby knitting is finished for now. I will need to knit another girl sweater for the future, but not yet. This one is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Tomten Jacket. I used a cotton cone yarn as the base yarn and a number of odd balls to carry along. There is fuzz, there is glitz! All the yarn I used is gone from my stash. It really feels good to use the odd balls!

Some Sewing
I recently made a wedding dress for a client from beaded lace. A simple dress that came out nicely, copied from another dress she brought me. It has a very low back. I did not make the train,it came with the original dress but I had to find a good way to attach it.

She had a wedding dress made when she first got engaged. She didn't really like the dress. She didn't pick the fabric herself, and I'm not sure about the fit. The original dress was beaded all over, and the train was attached with hooks and thread eyes. The thread eyes had broken without the dress being worn. A bad choice, as there is too much danger of catching the beads with the hooks. I removed the hooks and attached two large tabs. "Whopper poppers" were sewn to the tabs and the inside back of the dress. Simple, effective, and strong.

I'm Back!

In addition to life getting in the way, my computer had a nervous breakdown. It was only 1 1/2 years old, but it appears that the mother board went crazy. We'd been having trouble getting online after rebooting. Then the keyboard started recording gibberish, I lost my sound, the computer started shutting down on its own. Two days later and much work by my live-in computer expert and things are much better.

Landscaping
The front yard looks good and will look better when plants mature.
The bushes on the upper level are blooming. Intersector Socks in progress recline by the Wintercreeper bush. This bush will top out at 2 feet high. These socks are now finished, in spite of pattern problems.

The orange socks are from a Vintage pattern, copyright 1944. SKA has a vintage sock challenge this month. I'm ready for something easy after the "bark" socks. Cabled clocks translated from an old pattern still makes for easy knitting. The flowers are Stella D"Oro day lilies.

Baby knitting
Girls are popular this year! Two neighbors had girls recently. I had two girl sweaters put aside, but I need one more, and I need to finish it in time to give before July 1, when the mother leaves town. The pattern is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Tomten Jacket, using cone yarn and a selection of odd balls. I'm using pattern instructions from both Knitting Without Tears and Knitting Workshop. Knitting Workshop has great instructions and a diagram for grafting garter stitch. Find the join. Time to knit sleeves.

Current secret project is some socks for South West Trading Company in their new solid TOFUtsies. The flowers are part of my "Little Henry" Sweetspire bush.

Illusion Knitting
I tried illusion design again, following instructions by Woolly Thoughts. The idea was to start simple, and maybe it could be a class sample. It worked! Something like this could also be a scarf.

Sewing business has been crazy. Prom dress alterations are finished, but bridesmaid dresses and wedding dresses are still rolling in and out.

I made a dress for a customer's daughter, who designed the dress. Here's the sketch. The proportions changed from sketch to dress, but the eighth grade designer is happy. The photo sure shows the tilt of the dress form. Many years ago, it had a collision with the floor, and has walked with a limp ever since.

Stitch and Pitch
The annual Knitters Day at the ball park was in late May this year. The Cleveland Indians lost, but it was a beautiful warm spring night and we all had a great time. The silly guy in the photo is our mascot Slider. I guess most mascots are silly, but we love them.

Thoughts on inanimate objects

Sewing machines
The human mind is an odd thing. This last week, I needed to have my sewing machine repaired. This is an industrial machine, so the head goes to the repair shop, while the table and motor stay put. I had been having trouble with skipping the last few days, and finally I gave up and called the repair shop Saturday morning. They were in and said to send it over. DH was available for transport, since I was working. Machine disassembled and trucked down to the car.

I have an extra machine in my shop, other than the one my employee uses. It hadn't been used for a couple of years since another employee left. I had to install a new light. The box had been sitting on the machine table since I stole the old light for my machine. Clean off the dust, adjust the tension, its good to go. As I kept working, I fiddled with adjustments, including table height. It's an oldie, but goody. I became comfortable with it.

Working with an industrial machine takes a little adjustment. When I first started, I was told that in time, it would become an extension of my hands and arms. This machine has the bobbin loaded from the side, rather than the front like my machine, using the left hand, rather than the right. The needle threads from the left rather than the front. Different hands here too. When I worked at the costume company, I used a machine like this, so the adjustment isn't too bad. The feel of the motor/clutch takes a little getting used to. Each machine is a little different. The more I worked on this machine, the more I got used to it.

Finally, on Thursday, I called the repair shop. By the time I connected with the owner and determined that the machine was ready, I didn't have time to pick it up. Luckily someone else was coming to the shop and could bring my baby to me. It caught up with me on Friday morning.

It took a while to put it together again. The belt guard is a pain and I always get it wrong, before I get it right.
I'm back on this machine, its working perfectly, but it feels odd! I had gotten used to the other machine and now this one took a little getting used to.

Front yard Part 3
The landscaper didn't come back and didn't come back. The flats of flowers needed to get in the ground. I found some time, so I did it. I really like playing in the dirt, but don't have much time. These are chocolate chip carpet bugle, a perennial ground cover under the bushes that edge the yard.

The center walk is edged with Impatiens this year. I would like to find some perennials, but not this year, I think.

We used to have a a thick row of day lilies on the tree lawn. We now have two small plants. The old ones were tiger lilies with tall orange flowers. The new are Stella D'Oro with yellow flowers. these will not grow very tall. Grass is under the straw. or it will be when it grows. The yard sat like this for almost another week. Rainy weather was part of the reason.

Front yard part 4
The landscaper returns! He brought creeping phlox. He brought Spirea and more yellow day lilies. He also brought some more bushes. I love the one with the colored leaves. I don't remember the name of it. The landscaper also brought topsoil for the whole area.

I was disappointed that the rubble still showed. It's good to hold the hill in place, but it's ugly. In time the plants will cover it, and we still have mulch to be applied. Part of the delay is that my neighbor wants to finish weeding before mulching.

Mothers Day
We had our usual breakfast at Bob Evans with all available family. DGS Chris was on leave from the Air Force so it was nice to see him. DD#1 used to drive in from Erie PA for the breakfast, but this year, she lives in Florida. DD#4 invited us for dinner at her house. Her son has been learning chess and playing with a friend at recess if the weather is bad. Grandpa is talking strategy with him.

Knitting
Sock knitting has happened. The brown socks for DH have one sock finished. I should weigh the remaining yarn, to see if I will get a second sock out of it, but I may live dangerously. The plan is to use up each color in order, and finish with solid brown if necessary.

The purple socks are a Cookie A pattern for SKA on Ravelry. I am finishing the toe on sock #2. I really will have to take new pictures.

I have more sewing to talk about, a little more landscaping, and a baby sweater. I also have a two day weekend, with Monday off.

What happened to our front yard?

Part I
This is a really bad picture of what the landscaping looked like in 2000. The big bushes were Rhododendrons, and were not the same color. They died and needed to go. A landscaper was working next door and agreed to do the job.

Oh, by the way, I can clean out this... and this...and this... We agreed and ended up with... a naked yard!

I went shopping at the garden center and came home with a car full of plants, discovered that the bushes I bought will never grow up to be very big, but I love them. Back to the garden center for more bushes that will be bigger.

Yes, the dog on the porch is cute. She's 35# of Australian Cattle Dog. Dog walks are my daily exercise and thinking time.

Part II
The bushes were planted and 2 day lily plants on the tree lawn. We used to have loads of big orange day lilies, but it was too much really. The rest of the plants went into our garage because of frost warnings.

This plant is one of a pair. It will have yellow flowers and stay fairly small. We will move 2 clumps of the big orange type of day lily from our back yard to the front. I may get more day lilies of different colors if I can find them. This is where the yard stands at the moment. More things should be planted later today, with luck.

Guild Toy
Every spring, our knitting guild has a toy competition. The toys are then donated for distribution to children in need. This year's toy is from Fiona McTague's Knitted Toys book. The yarns used are a combination of Caron simply Soft and Lion Brand Wool Ease, all from stash.

More socks
The socks I call Secret Sparkles are finished. This was a Knitty pattern by Cookie A. called Clandestine. The yarn is Dream in Color Starry, because it has silver sparkles in it. The pattern is very dense and the chart needs to be consulted for every row. There are 3 repeats of the pattern on the leg. The foot pattern is mirrored.

One of the Ram club selections, Intersector Socks, is next up in the pipeline. The yarn is from the Unique Sheep and is 4 variations of a gradient color, getting gradually darker down the sock. There was a problem with the pattern as it switched from rib to cable pattern. I figured it out and contacted the designer. She has fixed it in the latest version of the pattern. I'm going to make another change in the pattern, because I see that there are no decreases from the heavy cables to the heel or the toe. The sock looks too big in the pattern photo. DH has big feet, but needs a foot narrower than this pattern.

Sock Knitter Anonymous has a 2 part challenge as usual. Cabled socks, see above, and a mystery sock by Cookie A, We have 2 clues now, but I've 0nly done one so far. I did it twice, but that doesn't count. The first try was too small. My yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy.

Why is a Raven like a writing desk?

The Mad Hatter asked this of Alice. No one has the slightest idea, but I have a sock kit for Mad Hatter Socks. The yarn is Wool Candy dyed with Johnny Depp's version of the Mad Hatter in Mind. The pattern is mine.

I received a box from Woolgirl with the Alice in Wonderland Sock club, full of lovely gifts.
In addition to the yarn and the pattern, the box contained: an orange sock knitting bag with Mad Hatter print by The Silver Pumpkin, an Alice in Wonderland coin purse designed by Julia of Simbiosis: Super Cute Handmade Stuff, a large Mad Hatter notebook with a bookmark by Roberta of Pink Cherry Mama, a teapot tape measure, a Mad Hatter pillow box with Skittles inside also designed by Pink Cherry Mama, a set of 3 yummy tea flavors form Stash Tea, a teacup sugar cookie from Beaverton Bakery in Beaverton Oregon, a lime cupcake soap and melon berry lip butter (a Don't Eat Me treat) from Erin at Naiad Soap Arts, and a Mad Hatter gift tag. Quite a haul! Also included was a nice check paying for the pattern.

Sock progress
I am working on 3 pairs of sock right now. Crazy, I know, at least for me. I'm finishing up the Sockotta socks for Plymouth Yarn. The Clandestine socks are on leg #2. I've called mine Secret Sparkles, since the yarn is Dream in Color Starry.

The latest sock is a Ram Club selection from last September, called Intersector Socks. The club has sock kits for men. The yarn is Foot Prints from the Unique Sheep, dyed in "Gradiance" colors. Four small skeins of progressively darker colors were in the kit. There was a problem with the wording in the transition from ribbing to pattern. I contacted the designer, Sarah Wilson, and she has fixed the pattern. She offered me a free pattern, but nothing on her site excited me. The most interesting one is in a book I also designed for, so i have the pattern. It was a nice gesture though.

We are talking with a landscaper for some serious clean up of our front yard. Priority one is some dead bushes that need removing, and he will do a lot of other work too. I'll have to take before pictures in the next few days.

Family breakfast
We get together with our son and family on the first Sunday of each month at a restaurant. With a large family, it gives us some together time.

Son has a broken finger, caused by a misjudgment while splitting logs. The finger did not fit between the maul and the hammer when the handles were aligned. It has cut into his bicycle racing, brought it to a temporary halt.

DIL has started school for becoming a physical therapist and is having time management problems juggling that and her graphic design job. The hours are flexible in the job, but is sleep optional?

Granddaughter A is going to prom later this month. She brought her dress to my shop yesterday for alterations. It's tough being really short! She's talking about going to Brazil after graduation. That's where she was born. She and her siblings were adopted.

Grandson V is talking about his summer job. He has one, but doesn't know yet what kind of hours he'll have. Last year he worked at a swimming pool as a substitute.

Grand daughter L is not planning on working, but has a busy summer planned, including a lot of volunteer work at the Natural History Museum.

Plans are afoot for Mother's day, including a breakfast at Bob Evans and a dinner with DD #4 and family.

Spring socks and more

Green scarf
This was started in mid January. The pattern is called Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf. There are no knitting fairies to knit it when I'm not looking, so I'm still working on ball #1 of 2. The yarn is Noro Matsuri, a cotton/wool blend. The needles are glass, obtained at a TKGA convention.

Skew socks
Patons Kroy yarn works all right for these socks, but I like the striped ones I've seen better. The pattern is easy to work, but requires concentration in certain parts. It's very detailed, which is good. I heard that the socks ran a little tight, so I upped my needle size from US #1/2.25mm to 2.5mm needles. They fit nicely.

Secret Sparkles Sccks
The pattern is Cookie A's Clandestine Socks from Knitty.com. Yarn is Dream in Color Starry in Midnight Derby color. The needles are 5" square needles from Kollage. The 7" needles would have fit my hands better, but I like them. They're not slippery, but more like bamboo or Knit Picks Harmony. The pattern is fiddley, but not hard. It does require constant chart consultation. There are twisted stitches, lace, changing stitch counts, wrapped stitches, and the left sock is a mirror image of the right sock. Definitely not boring! I'm working the first heel/gusset.

The red sweater is finished and the machine knitting pattern is finished. I really need some replacement needles for my mid-gauge machine, so i can knit one for myself. I have contacted a dealer and ordered lots of needles. Now I won't mess up any more (Murphy's Law in reverse). I told her they were for insurance.

Guild Toy time
Every May our knitting guild has a toy competition, with the toys being donated. Knitters have a choice of dressing a ready made toy, or knitting a toy. I'm knitting a turtle from Knitted Toys by Fiona McTague.

April showers

Blue Socks
These socks were knit from my oldest sock yarn stash. The yarn and pattern were bought on a visit to my sister in 2003. Yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Jeans color. The pattern is Fiber Trends Walking Away Socks. The pattern has 3 designs, all with patterning only on the back. This version is called Reflections.

Secret socks
I'm working on socks for Plymouth Yarns. The yarn is Sockotta Limited, a cotton wool blend.

Skew socks
I seem to be a lemming, following a large group of other knitters and not really knowing where I am going. I saw this interesting pattern in Knitty.com. The SKA challenge for this month on Ravelry is to knit from an online magazine. Now was the time! I heard that the sock was a little tight and hard to pullover the heel, so I chose Kroy yarn, which is a little heavier than some sock yarns, and went up a needle size from 2.25mm to 2.5mm. It has worked well. The first sock goes on easily and fits. The pattern takes more concentration and counting than I gave it. There are a lot of stitch count adjustments in that one. It is finished now, and still looks strange off the foot. Sock #2 is on track through the toe. I'm working with the idea that my problems were user error.

Judy Garland Dress
Hong Kong finished seams were mentioned in the last post. A 1" wide bias strip of lining was used, stitched to the edge of the seam, turned under and stitched again.

To the left is the sleeve edge finish. Chiffon was used for this, bias cut 1 5/8" wide, folded in half and machine stitched to the outside, and turned inside. Hand stitching was used to finish the edge.

A 9" side zipper was called in the instructions. That turned out to be a little short, so I replaced it with a 12" zipper and hand picked it. The sleeve's bottom edge is gathered by hand and stabilized inside with seam tape. The lower sleeves has an outside tuck which is gathered. The sleeve head is organza, which supports the puffiness even better when a real arm is inside. These details were in the pattern instructions.

The belt buckle is a vintage one that I had in the shop. I gave the customer a choice of two buckles, or no belt at all. Working to a tight deadline and having no belt backing, grosgrain ribbon looked like it might work for a backing. This was a good thing as the belt is gathered a little in the buckle. There seems to be enough resistance to make it stay put. This buckle was not meant to have a prong.

The skirt was sewn with the lining separate from the chiffon, so that each could be hemmed by itself. Each layer has a tiny machine stitched hem. The skirt had hung for a couple of days before marking, and is basically cut on the straight grain, so it should not sag. A rolled hem was called for in the pattern.

On to the next "big" thing
This week, I'm putting new linings in winter coats. These have been shoved aside for a while. Two are finished and one still to go. I feel like I'm catching up on my backlog.

Teaching
Saturday was spent at Knitter's Fantasy in Youngstown, OH. I taught basic cables and chart reading. The responsibility for the event rotates around 3 guilds. This year it was my guild's turn to run it. As far as I know everything went smoothly.It's a great one day event! Knitters get 2 classes, lunch and vendors for under $50.00 for the day. Total attendance including walk-ins was almost 600 people.