Wherein we have moved sewing operations…

Posted in Writing by Sue

In the time honored tradition of Sewists the world over…I have taken over the dining room. I’m sure many of you can sympathize. The move was initially born out of the purchase of an oversized scanner for my photo organizing business …which meant that the task of digitizing images could not co-exist with a hobby that produces lint, lots of lint.

Add to this the pandemic necessity of making several hundred masks and my compact sewing space upstairs was no longer up to the task. It is nice to be in the main part of the house within shouting distance of the hubs who is WFH in the living room and really nice light during the day. There is also far more room to spread out.

This past season has not seen a great deal of sewing happening but there has been pattern prep and toiles constructed and looking forward to more sewing now that the weather has turned here in New England.

But first…the mending pile…

Hoping to share more soon! What are your fall crafty plans?

29Sep2014

In the Studio: knitting a Scottish Reel

Posted in Craft, Fiber fun, Handmade, In the Studio, Knitting by Sue

Last summer I was able to spend a weekend at Squam Art Workshop (I’m super excited that I went for a whole week this year!). During the Vendor Faire, I spotted this gor-ge-ous cowl at the Knitspot/BareNakedWools booth. It looked so complicated, it was beautiful, I even loved the name…Scottish Reel…so romantic! I thought there was no way I would be able to make it (note to self: you know more than you think you do) It’s even beautiful draped on a mannequin… f55adef2704ab2be80586d968cbfb0d7.image.450x337 The lovely gal who helped me was so encouraging… her: Can you knit and purl? me: yes, definitely her: have you ever knit in the round? me: of course her: then you can make this, it’s only knit and purl me: whaaaat??? no way… I’ll take one !

So all last fall and part of the winter, I worked on my Scottish Reel…with this beautiful ghillie yarn (which is fingering weight…very fine!) on size 4 needles (I think the smallest I’ve worked on yet). I knit watching TV, at friends houses, at karate practice, on airplanes…everywhere! And I finally finished it….this spring…and it’s sat in my studio waiting to be blocked and be ready to wear this fall. Aaaaand finally….it’s all done!! So excited to wear this as the cooler weather sets in, I have more yarn leftover to make a smaller version or something else. It’s so pretty and I will say, hides some of my patterning mistakes quite nicely thank you! It’s also lightweight and warm and big enough to wrap around twice and still be able to pull part of it up for a hood….love love love.

Here is the link to the pattern from Knitspot for the Scottish Reel Cowl and the beautiful ghillie yarn or you can buy the whole thing as a kit!

Now, go make something!

10Jan2014

and so we start

Posted in Craft, Crochet, Every Day Life, Family Fun, Fiber fun, Make Stuff by Sue

Lily received a crochet kit for Christmas from her Grandpa to make these super cute stuffed animals….except neither one of us knows how to crochet (!) I knit but never crocheted.

and so we start….the two of us together on the sofa, my 1970’s era Reader’s Digest “Complete Guide to Needlework” and You Tube videos by our sides…I grabbed some scrap yarn and crochet hooks and we dig in.

We worked for an hour and honestly, I think we did pretty well considering neither of us had ever done this! Next it is off to the craft store tomorrow for some yarn and hooks that go together, my hooks are a little small for the yarns that I had making it difficult to pull the yarn through. Lily liked it and was working away ! I found it much harder to control the yarn and hold everything than knitting but I’m sure that will come with practice.