Mariners’ Stitch & Pitch
Originally uploaded by plainsight.

My son Jay just turned eight months old, and my husband, a big baseball fan, was chagrined to learn that I had taken him to his first major league game last night in Seattle. Why? Because it was Stitch and Pitch night with the Seattle Mariners!

The evening was great fun–the weather was wonderful–I was sitting among 1600 friendly knitters (and a few crocheters). The mariners did a great job including the knitting fans in the game–the mascot, a moose, threw balls of yarn to the fans; there was yarn trivia on the big screen, and they showed us all knitting throughout the night.

Many local yarn shops had tables set up with things for sale, coupons, and free yarn swag. There was also a group called Knitters Anonymous which, it turns out, encourages, rather than discourages stash building with their discount card and growing participating list of local yarn shops. (I admit it, I joined.)

As I was leaving–after the 7th inning stitch–an older woman in a mechanized wheelchair came up to my friend Hans who was pushing Jay in the stroller. She said “you’re the last baby of the night!” and handed him an adorable pair of crocheted Mariners baby booties! They kept Jay’s feet cozy all the way home. I wish I had gotten to thank her… so if anyone knows this generous hooker, please let me know so I can do so.

Oh–I was working on another kerchief while I was there, which I have almost finished (I want to embellish it with a flower. I’ll post a picture soon).

Crocheted embellishments and edgings like this one at Anthropologie are all the rage this season.

So, it was no suprise when recently a discussion erupted on the Crochet Partners e-mail list about how to make the holes in fabric necessary to add crochet to fabric. Lots of experienced thread crocheters use a tiny steel crochet hook to place the holes, but there are tools available as we learned from one member, Greta, who said I could reprint her post here:

“Wing needles (a sewing machine needle which makes holes automatically) and stilletto (a tiny awl used for sewing) are preferred for making ‘holes’ in the edges of woven fabrics like handkercheifs — they tend to pierce the fabric by spreading the fibers apart. The hole punches are ok for non-wovens, like fleece or felt — they tend to cut out a larger hole and will leave frazzled threads that pull and shift in the wash when it is done on woven fabric. Some linens and hankies also have hemstitched edges that are right ready to crochet into.

Also, consider if the edging is to be reused after the fabric wears out. I have collected some beautiful turn of the century pillow case edgings, some of which had been crocheted, and then sewn on, which could easily be removed and put on to other items; a few others that were directly crocheted to the material can’t easily be separated and have to be stabilized with extra stitches to be usable again. Sometimes you might want a ” breakaway basted” or less firmly attached edging so that you can remove a colored edging for the linen to be bleached, laundered, and or repaired and then rebaste it back on afterwards.”

I just love the idea of reusing vintage edgings. I had never heard of wing needles and stilettos, so I did a little research. Here are a couple of web sites that provide more info:

• How to add crochet to any fabric
• Stilettos from Clotilde Sewing Notions
• A web site selling wing needles

Technorati Tags: crochet stiletto wing needle technique

My daughter Selma is in Peace Camp this week and she has a very favorite counselor named Ariel who, I’m guessing, is about 15. She wanted to give her a little present on the last day, so I quickly made her this kerchief using some flag yarn I got just today from the Crochetville Sea of Yarn Swap.

Here’s how I did it.

Materials:
1 oz. or less worsted weight yarn (I used some vintage Dupont Orlon I snagged at Value Village, the orlon made the kerchif a bit heavy, it would also be nice in a lighter-weight cotton, but I went with it because I liked the color combination)
1 ball carrying weight novelty yarn–I used Red Heart Tiki in “Aruba”.

Tools: Size H hook, and yarn needle

Instructions:

Chain 4, DC in 4th chain from hook. Chain 3, turn.

Row 2, (do not skip a stitch) DC in stitch right next to hook, and DC all the way across. 2DC in last stitch (turning chain)

Repeat Row 2 18 times. When you’ve finished the last row, chain 42, turn, sc back to the corner of the kerchif and fasten off.

Join yarn with a slip stitch to the opposite corner. Chain 42, turn, sc back to the corner and fasten off.

Weave in ends.

You can block the ties so they lie flat, but I actually like the curly look.

Let me know if you try the pattern and have any suggestions!

Technorati Tags: crochet pattern free kerchief

My RAOK Picasso Potholder, originally uploaded by plainsight.

Have I ever mentioned that crocheters are some of the nicest people on the planet? the folks over at Crochetville have a thread called Random Acts of Kindess (RAOK) where you can list things that you wish you had, and sometimes, you get them!

A few months ago, there was a thread about this potholder–a beautiful, geometric amazing thread creation–it’s an antique potholder in the crazy cool Potholder Museum.Someone took the time to deconstruct and create a pattern for it which is also on the site.

I wished for one on my RAOK list, and today, my wish was granted! Fran Doreham of Arlington, TX sent me this beautiful potholder which will become the first piece of art to hang in my new kitchen. Thank you Fran!

I have a quartet of books to review, so before my stack gets any higher, here goes:

Fun and Funky Crochet

I like the look and concept of this book better than the execution… Fun & Funky Crochet by Sophie Britten has written a book aimed at a gen-x and younger audiance. The book has a great introductory section with beginner how-to guides. The pattern section starts in an original way with small motifs, edgings and inserts. There are some collars, cuffs and patches which are great ideas, but I’m not fond of the designs chosen for the book. The pocket patches, for instance, don’t even fit the pockets they’re covering which gives them a haphazard look.

There’s a helpful project index with thumbnails of each pattern in the book. The patterns I would be most likely to make are a great ruffle scarf, some cute wave stripe legwarmers and a beautiful mohair skirt. The skirt is a marvelous design, almost worth getting the book for–however, the author doesn’t say which brand of mohair was used, so some trial and error might be involved to dulicate the pattern.

Odd Ball Knitting

Truth be told, I was a tiny bit dissapointed to see this book appear because I’ve been imagining a similarly-themed crochet book for sometime, and once again, the knitters got it first. However, this book is delicious! The photography in Odd Ball Knitting : Creative Ideas for Leftover Yarn by Barbara Albright, is wonderful, and the book is full of ideas that will appeal to both knitters and “hillbilly knitters.”

The introductory section has great information about manging your stash (she even includes a pattern for a lavender sachet to keep your yarn smelling nice!) Ms. Albright encourages readers to be creative and subsitute different yarns for what she’s used in the patterns, because, afterall, that’s what the book is about–using up small bits of leftover yarn.

I find the small projects very appealing–a navajo inspired amulet pouch and a beaded party purse look like nice beginner projects. The “San Francisco Headbands” are fun and would make good winter ear-warmers. The book also has hats and scarves and socks, pillows and toys and throws–not original ideas, but Ms. Albright’s sense of design is modern and chic, while at the same time seeming comfortable and accessible.

Designing Knitwear, by Deborah Newton

Recently, I was involved in an e-mail discussion with other crochet designers about what books they like to use for reference when creating patterns. One of the most popular responses was Designing Knitwear by Deborah Newton. After reading the book, I can see why.

Originally published in 1992, the photos and designs in the book are a bit dated, but the information is timeless. I enjoyed Ms. Newton’s description of her design process. She loves to swatch and doesn’t see it as something keeping her from designing. She keeps meticulous records of her swatches and design ideas, and shares her method with the reader. You learn how to accurately sketch a pattern, how to create design schematics

This is not a pattern book, but she gives patterns for some of the designs in the book. She also has great ideas for what to do with all those swatches you make when coming up with designs.

The book includes sections on fit and shaping, and lots of instruction on the various details of knitting that are used to create beautiful garments (pleats and darts, interesting collars and sleeves). There’s a great deal of information on color and types of yarn.

Patternmaking for Fashion Design

The other book that came highly recommended is actually a textbook for fashion design students. Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph Armstrong (4th ed.) is a complete course in garment construction. The most recent edition even includes a DVD. Every type of garment you can think of is detailed, from cap-sleeved tops to ruffled skirts.

There’s great information on fit and color, and unlike Designing Knitwear, there’s detailed sizing information for men, women and children.

Neither of the design books will appeal to beginning crocheters or knitters, but if you’ve decided to start creating your own designs, they could become much-used references.

Technorati Tags: crochet book review design knitting

I jusr received issue #5 of Knit Knit. They describe themselves as “A biannual artist’s publication dedicatd to the intersection of traditional handcraft and contemporary art.” It’s a wonderful zine-style publication with article, interviews and amazing photographs of fiber ART. The current issue has an article about Sheila Pope’s crocheted sculptural installations which she crates sometimes from a scaffold–on the fly for the space she’s exhibiting in. In fact, ‘tho its called KnitKnit, this issue is filled with crochet. There’s an article about a group of inmates who crocheted hundreds of hats and the cords to display them on for an exhibit/charity project juxtaposed with some great pictures of crocheted food. There’s also a piece on political textiles and a travel article about Lily Cotton which includes a pattern for a knitted tie. This is not a how-to publication, but it’s inspiring nontheless. If you were lucky enough to receive one of the first two hundred copies of KnitKnit 5, yours came in a bookwrap designed and crocheted by Josh Faught.

They also host events, openings and parties in conjunction with the publication.

Articles from previous issues, and links to buy this one can be found at the magazine’s web site www.knitknit.net

Technorati Tags: crochet review art knitting

John’s Vest, originally uploaded by plainsight.

I just mailed this vest off today, it’s for the son of a friend of mine in Princeton. It’s made with two strands of Cotton-Ease and I used the measurements from a vest in Candi Jensen’s Candy Tots, but I didn’t follow her pattern which turned out to be a good thing–when I was taking a look at how she did her shaping, I realized, there were no armholes in the front if you followed her pattern to the letter!

I actually really like this book, and her other book Candy Babies because of how they are laid out. Each pattern has a sketch with very good measurements which means if you want to stray from the pattern, but still make the garment the right size, it’s very easy to do.

Nothing do do this Fourth of July? How about knitting a flag with 20-foot needles??

David Cole, the artist who created the flag has also knit a 14-foot teddy bear!