Bali Bag and Boy Scout Quilts

Hi Knitters,

While visiting my family members in Michigan I went to a quilt shop with my sister, the quilter.  She took up quilting a number of years ago and the way I feel about knitting is the way she feels about quilting.  And I really get it!  She frequents a very special well-stocked shop called The Quilter's Garden in Fenton, Michigan.  With so many samples laying around and hanging on the walls you can't help but want to make something.  The owner, Carolyn, doesn't just have quilts in her shop.  She has lots of smaller projects for those who are just starting out-- totes, purses, clothing, baby supplies, wall pieces, etc.  Carolyn is well-known for her own designs and she has a gift for pulling fabrics in colors that make your finished project pop.  My sister has this gift as well and over the years she has made many special quilts for all the young family members.  Each of her 8 grandchildren have their first baby quilts that she made and one of her recently finished projects is two quilts made in the fabrics specially designed for the Boy Scouts.  The two grandsons holding their quilts are well on their way to becoming Eagle Scouts and we are really proud of them. 

Who would have thunk I would call something made up in Boy Scout fabric gorgeous?  But when I saw the quilts it was a real Wow!  The finished quilts are so beautiful and I think her two grandsons were really surprised and thrilled to receive them for their birthdays earlier this year.  The fabrics are designed by Robert Kaufman and it makes me feel patriotic just looking at them. 

Anyway it was a pleasure to visit Carol's lovely store and to appreciate her love of the craft of quilting in providing her customers with all the inspiration they could ever need as well as all the supplies to see the dream quilts in their minds come into tangible being to be touched, cherished and snuggled in. 

I don't exactly need another project right now and I certainly don't need to take up another hobby since my fingers can't seem to keep up with all the knitting I would like to do, but how could I resist this fun "Bali Bag" tote designed by Two Aunties (see above picture).  There was a sample already made up in the store and it's the perfect size for a knitting project bag or a beach tote or even an everyday purse and it's sturdy enough to load up with even heavy items such as water bottles and books. 

I left with the jelly roll in the picture above.  One jelly roll is just the right size for a medium-size tote.

The tote is made by wrapping 125 feet of cotton covered clothesline (My husband found it at WalMart, Mainstays, a brand recommmended on the internet) with 2 1/2" wide strips of fabric and sewing it down the middle.  Once you have all the clothesline covered you begin sewing the clotheline together with a zig zag stitch going around and around and around and aroooound.  This project eats thread!  Each tote takes at least three large 250 meter spools of thread.  I wound four bobbins for this tote before I started and used all of it.  The pattern has very thorough instructions but I did find it helpful to watch some of the videos posted on Youtube before I started sewing.  There are definitely some helpful tips.

One of the most challenging things is working with a 2 1/2" wide piece of fabric that is over 125 feet long and a clothesline that is just as long.  I found it getting so twisted after a while that I was having to stop frequently to untwist.  The method that I came up with that seems to work the best is to spread the clothesline and fabric out from my sewing machine at one end of the house letting it trail all the way down the hall and over our balcony hanging down in to the family room.  This way it doesn't get all twisted and I don't have to stop every couple of feet or so and untwist.

The cats throughly enjoyed the fabric and clothesline running through the house and had lots of fun chasing the line as I pulled it along.  I just let them have fun with it.  I don't think they could hurt anything since everything gets so tightly sewn together in the end.  Even if they did leave a few claw holes or bite marks they would all get covered up with the zig-zagging.

Here's the finished results of my first Bali Bag.

This one was made with the jelly roll I bought in Michigan.  I found these leather buttons at my local quilt shop.

I ended up using the wrong sides of the buttons.  They looked a little more irregular and hand-crafted on the other side, but I elected not to use the smaller abalone shell buttons that I tried out.

The tote was very thick and sturdy by the time it was all sewn up and I ended up having to use needle nose pliers to pull the threaded needle through as I sewed the bottons on to the tote.  Takes some muscle this project!

The only kind of disappinting thing about my first Bali Bag is that some of my favorite colors in the jelly roll ended up on the bottom of the bag.  For this project I sewed the strips together in the exact order that they came off the jelly roll.  This made for very quick sewing.  Next time I will think a little bit more about the way the colors will distribute as the bag comes together and take the time to rearrange the strips to my liking.

This week I bought some more batiks to make my own jelly rolls at the Savage Quilter in Oklahoma City.  They have two aisles full of batiks that made it easy to pull and it's hard to go wrong with batiks.  The colors are all so gorgeous and random and everything seems to work well together.  I just tried to follow the rules my sister said to follow when picking out fabrics for quilts.  Be sure to have a nice mixture of lights and darks for contrast and at least one or two interesting fabrics that really pop.

We'll see how this one turns out.  I'll keep you posted.

I am still squeezing in some knitting in between my adventures with clothesline.  I'll post more pics later.

Happy Knitting, Josey

New Yarn for Alice Bell's Boyfriend Socks

Hi Knitters,

You may remember a few weeks ago that I was very disappointed with the pair of socks on my needles at the time.  The further along I got the less I liked them.  Here is a great instance of how a wonderful pattern and a wonderful yarn are not necessarily compatible.  I should have been quicker to pull the plug on this one but you know how it is when you have already put several hours in a project.  I guess I thought if I kept at it long enough the poor pairing might magically transform into something more pleasing to the eye.  Wrong!  I finally pulled the socks off my needles and made it one of my missions while in Michigan to find a yarn that would renew my desire to make my first pair of Alice Bell's "Boyfriend Socks."  Here's the yarn that reenergized me.

It's hard to go wrong with a subtle combination of greys and blueish lavendars.  It's that kind of misty moor combination that I am always drawn to.  I found this skein within a few moments of entering the first shop I visited.  I was a happy camper.  It's amazing how your knitting slows down when you have doubts about the outcome of the finished project and how it speeds up when you feel you've got it right.

Here is my first attempt at the Boyfriend Socks: Not so pretty, right?  The color was too dark for the cables to stand out and the dramatic contrast and pooling of color didn't just look ugly, it masked the intricate design. 

Here is my second pair of Boyfriend Socks with the Cascade Heritage:

Better, don't you think?  The lighting is a little off in my photo but I think that you can tell how much better this yarn pairs with the pattern.  The cables pop and you can appreciate how they travel and intersect one another.

Pretty socks....

Not so pretty socks....

Here are the valuable lessons I learned knitting this project:

1) Dark yarns do not show off cables to their best advantage.

2) If you want to choose a painted or self-patterning yarn for an intricate pattern choose one with subtle color contrast.

3) Quit while you are ahead. Your time is too valuable to invest on something you don't love.   If your knitter's intuition is telling you that a yarn is not working with your pattern, trust yourself.  Cut your losses early, save yourself further time wasted, and head back to the knit shop.

Lesson learned.

Happy Knitting,  Josey

A Brand New Yarn from Schaefer

Hi Knitters,

I had the very fun privilege of knitting with "Chris" before it was introduced at TNNA last week.  I ocaisionally knit samples for Schaefer Yarn Company.  It's pure joy.  Not only do I get a glimpse of what's new as far as their yarns and color concepts but I also get paid in beautiful yarn.  It's a dream job.  The only difficult part is that sometimes it's hard to part with the finished project.  Oh, and it's also a little mind-boggling to choose my payment.  Just go on their website and you'll see what I mean.  Not only does Schaefer have the full range of weights and textures but each yarn comes dyed in an amazing spectrum of colors.  I've spent hours clicking back and forth on the website almost to the point of craziness when it was time to actually commit to a yarn.  Sometimes I think I should just say "Surprise me!"

Here's the Chris that came in my mailbox earler this year.  Oh, the feeling of seeing the postman head up my driveway with a box that I know is full of yarn!  I didn't know the name of this color while I was knitting but saw on the website today that it's called "Julia Morgan." 

Chris is washable wool, 80% wool and 20% nylon.  It feels all natural and has a smooth almost cottony texture that makes it a good year-round kind of fiber.  It knits like a dream, the yarn never split once and glided quickly on my metal needles.  I think the stitch definition is beautiful. 

Here's the finished sweater.  The pattern is Schaefer's  Linen Stitch Jacket . 

The Linen Stitch Jacket was available before in a different gauge but was rewritten specifically for Chris.  For once, it was easy for me to pick my yarn payment because this little jacket is completely charming.  I tried it on before I mailed it off and it felt perfect in every way.  I love the sleeve length that is a little shorter than expected, just enough above your wrist bones to be out of the way and to let bracelets show but long enough to keep your arms warm in the winter or in over-airconditioned places.  The short sleeves and hem make it a good sweater for the warmer months, but I think the pattern would be easy to convert to a tunic length if you wanted more warmth factor or simply like more coverage.  In that case I would probably lengthen the sleeves as well.

The bottom edge of the body and sleeves is knit in the full linen stitch, then the rest in half-linen stitch.  Isn't it pretty?

Blocking was a breeze because the linen stitch holds its shape almost like the garter stitch.  Just a few pins and a very light steaming.  A single crocheted edge around the neckline is a nice detail.

The pattern calls for a hook and eye closure but I had this mustard-color button from Joann's and thought it looked perfect.  Schaefer's resident designer/consultant, Laura Nelkin (loladesigns on Ravelry) liked the button and gave her okay.  Although the sweater would be beautiful either way I think the button adds a nice little pop.  I'll be making my jacket in the Gertrude Ederle color.  I've looked up hundreds of projects on Ravelry made in all of the different colorways and think the Ederle is beautiful. 

I'll be back soon with a couple of posts about knit shops I visited on my recent trip to Michigan.

For all you cat-loving knitters out there I am posting the picture below.  It's our youngest cat, Rufus.  He actively inspects every new yarn or project that comes into the house.   He tries to get his nose in every picture I take.  He is the reason I cannot leave my projects out when I am not working on them and that I cannot place any bowls or baskets of pretty hand-painted skeins of yarn out for their decorative value.  Natural fibers mean one of two things to Rufus--a chew toy or a scratching post.  I absentmindedly left a crocheted Sak purse on my bed a couple weeks ago and found it the next morning on the floor.  Rufus had enjoyed scratching and gnawing it into a soggy tangled mess.  He's lucky he's so darn cute.   

Happy Knitting, Josey

"Bamboozled"

Hi Knitters,
Nothing new to  post regarding knitting as I have been otherwise engaged for a bit.  However, I did run across a blogger's story that made me grin and hope it brings you a laugh as well. 

All knitters who have finally placed an order for some extra special yarn or accessory that they have been wanting for some time know that eager anticipation of counting the days til its arrival and the happy feeling when you finally see the package sitting on your front porch.

Enjoy the linked blog entry titled "Bamboozled."

I will be away for a few days but, of course, will be visiting a few LYSs while out-of-town so I should have inspiration and knitting news to share when I get home.

Happy Memorial Day and Happy Knitting, Josey

Classic Elite Farmers Market Pattens

Hi Knitters,

Classic Elite's e-letter arrived in my mail box this morning and I can't wait to get over to Gourmet Yarn Co. to pick up CE's "Farmer's Market" pattern book.  I like all the patterns but there are two "I absolutely have to knit that" projects.  The first is the Market Bag. 

Looks fairly easy and quick to knit and I think it would be a perfect gift for just about everyone I know--after I knit one for myself, that is.  They show it in Allegoro, 70% organic cotton and 30% linen.  I have never knit with Allegoro before but I am hoping like crazy that Gourmet Yarn carries it because the soft, springy colors are so lovely.   If not I think Berocco's cotton Vintage would work really well.

I am more likely to use my Market Bag as a purse and a project bag rather than an actual market bag.  I am not a big fan of stretching out knitted market bags to to maximum capacity so I will be lining it with some fun fabric from the quilting shop.  It's partly aesthetic with me--because the stretching usually distorts the pattern which attracted you to the project in the first place--but, also, I just like the support and shape that a lining provides.   I usually handsew some bias binding along the inside of the shoulder strap as well since, depending on the yarn and the stitch used, knitted straps can stretch an enormous amount and your bag could end up swaying around your ankles.

The other must-knit is the Sideways Lace Vest knit in Soft Linen. 

I can imagine throwing this on over a sundress or jeans and tee every day.  And although sweaters are a difficult gift to knit I think this is actually a sweater that you could surprise someone with as the design is such that sizing wouldn't be too much of an issue, a general bust measurement would be all you would need.   The colors of the Soft Linen are wonderful -- "Winter Pear," "Thistle Down," "Kentucky Blue," and "Bottocelli Pink."  The hardest thing for this project is going to be color choice.

Happy Knitting,  Josey

Oklahoma Weather and more Noro Kureyon

Hi Knitters,

The Oklahoma adage "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes" has once again been proved true.  We woke up to sunny skies and singing birds last Sunday morning.  We opened all the wondows to enjoy the fresh cool air.  Tim jogged and worked in the yard while I knit.  Later that afternoon I was sitting at my computer with both cats nearby enjoying the sunny views out the open windows.  Tim was a few steps away watching a game on TV.  The next moment the skies darkened, the wind kicked up dramatically, and hail stones began pelting our roof so loud and so fast we couldn't hear each other speak.  The cats ran under the bed, and we ran around closing windows just in time for a deluge of pounding rain mixed with more hail.  When the storm let up just a few minutes later our front yard looked like this:

Our back yard looked eerie.  I guess the icey hail combined with the warm ground made the mist. 

 

Everyone in our neighborhood and sesveral other surrounded neighborhoods needs a new roof, and many of us also need to replace screens, windows, siding, etc.  Fortunately our pets were safe and sound but I wondered how all the outdoor animals faired.  Sadly to say, my neighbor picked up several birds in her yard that didn't survive the storm.  We have had Mourning Doves cooing away just outside our windows all spring and I was so happy to hear them cooing away again yesterday.  I wonder where they weathered all the danger.  When we called our insurance agent Monday morning he said we were his 50th call.  Our street was abuzz all day yesterday with out-of-state roofers that must have loaded up their trucks and headed for Oklahoma while the storm was happening.  Signs are popping up on yards and I am sure we will be hearing construction noise for some time to come.   

Here's my current knitting project.  As I was knitting this I thought it reflected the colors of the stormy skies we had witnessed.  The pictures don't do the the depth and variation of the Noro colors justice.   The finished square is color #213.  It may be my favorite so far -- no surprize, with all the greens and blues.  No 254 is on the needles and looks like a winner as well.  Nine squares and counting!

 

Happy Knitting, Josey

Vanillajoy Giveaway - Flower Power Headband

Hi Knitters,

Kelsey Norwood is the enthusiastic crafter behind VanillaJoy, a wonderful website/blog with an assortment of fun info directed mainly at moms/crafters, but with a wide variety of interesting topics not necessarily limited to crafting.  Having gotten to know her a little from her blog I would describe Kelsey as fun, joyful, generous, and incredibly productive.   Crafters all know that hand-made, home-made, one-of-a-kind things bring sweetness and fullness to the everyday aspects of family life and this, along with helpful info on other subjects such as healthy eating and children's activities, is all reflected in Kelsey's blog.

I was really flattered when Kelsey contacted me to ask for the Flower Power Headband pattern to use as a giveaway on her blog.  It will be posted on her site next Monday so go to Kelsey's website to leave a comment or sign up on her blog to win.  I think you will love VanillaJoy and want to be a regular follower.

Here's a couple pics of the latest Noro Kureyon that I bought to make more Lizard Ridge squares.  Isn't Noro amazing?!  It's pure joy to watch the colors emerge as you knit. 

Happy knitting, Josey