Clothing The New Textile Thread (or What to Wear and How to make it when TSHTF)

[packyderms_wife]

Anyone know where I can buy good quality stretch crepe fabric for making bras and the like? I joined this group on FB it's for curvy women who make their own lingeire, the gal sells the patterns on her Etsy store. Now that I'm losing gobs of weight and turning fat into muscle RTW bras don't fit me like they used to... of course weight loss and menopause did one hell of a job on my boobs as well as other areas of my body, lol.

RTW = ready to wear


https://www.facebook.com/groups/973203599530346/

 

[Martinhouse]

Would not this pictured bra be more comfortable with straps maybe twice that wide?

Very pretty fabric, but of course, I like blue.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Would not this pictured bra be more comfortable with straps maybe twice that wide?

Very pretty fabric, but of course, I like blue.

For some women yes, I'm now in a C-cup down from a much larger size. So this size strap works just fine for me now. I want this fabric, the creator said she bought it in the UK somewhere but couldn't remember where.

 

[Martinhouse]

I have only one big outdoor chore left for me to be prepared for winter. It needs to be done before the dreadful cold we're getting hit with tomorrow night, Nov. 9th. Then I can get out my knitting!

FINALLY!!!!!

Oh, and if I can get that big chore done today, I can be starting up this year's knitting tomorrow while smelling the wonderful aroma of the big turkey I'm roasting then!

 

[Faroe]

Supposed to get cold here tomorrow. We had a glorious fall day today. Absolutely gorgeous.

Started the sweater for BF's grand daughter. Basically guessing on size from when we saw her last - no biggie if it doesn't fit. The small sizes go fast, and I could use the practice on techniques. Purchased some steel 14" long knitting needles on Etsy, since I probably won't be getting the gansey kit (and I don't like the Prym's that they sent with the hat kit - the finish wore off the tips). Unfortunately, the Etsy vendor only offers US 1 and US 2, and the best gansey needle size for the Frangi. 5-ply is US 1 1/2, IIRC, 2.5mm. I bought both sizes 1 and 2. Hope the points are better than the Pryms. Anyway, I am currently knitting on shorter Brittany birch size US 2 for this child's version with acrylic WalMart yarn. "Chelsea's heart Gansey" p. 138 of BB-R's older gansey book. Kind of a loose take on it anyway, I've already changed a few details, and may or may not adhere exactly to the chart for the upper chest stitch patterns. It is nice to be knitting again, and I'm not worrying about the rare st/pearl mistake.

Sharon Miller has a kit for a traditional hap shawl I'd like to try. Will have to wait until at least December - I spent too much money on the new boa and related equipment this month. I also hesitate because her charts are rumored to be written in an unusual, and to me, confusing manner. My understanding is that she charts the back side as it is knitted, not as the work appears from the front. (At this point, I think Brits just don't know how to do charts.) That doesn't allow you to see the pattern as it appears from the front side after it is knitted. The shawl is beautiful, so I want to try it anyway after I get a sweater knitted that fits this little girl.

 

[Melodi]

If you need size 1 1/2 let me know as they have them here I use them for socks a lot.

Well my projects just radically changed at least for a bit - my socks are almost done and I started the 3x (54 inches) sweater for our handyman a lovely young man but rather tall and wide.

But my Native Elder Friend I wrote about sometimes, just lost everything in the Paradise fire (or probably did his entire area is burned out from reports) which means the traditionals I made him nearly 2 decades ago, the belts and leggings I wove for him etc are gone as is the beading loom that my father had as a little boy I gave him, his beads, his jewelry etc.

Rather than jump in and make fancy stuff, his wife suggested he will need things like socks, warm hats etc; she has no idea what they will do; usually she spends one month with him and one month with her kids on a small reservation - she is trying to get to Oroville to get him out but they have no idea where they will go.

I'm going to see if we can get the knitting machines going maybe this weekend (we are having a bad storm right now) because that would be a fast way to make at least homemade hats etc.

As friends who barely got out of the Oakland Hills Firestorm said when I went and got the wife some of my belly dance scarves so she had some, her husband said: "The Red Cross gives you money for underwear but it is all the other personal stuff you can't replace that hurts."

If anyone has extra beads or other small bits, let me know - they don't have an address at the moment but I'm working on it.

 

[Faroe]

I am sorry to hear about your friend. Can't imagine loosing everything like that.

I lost about three days of knitting, because I didn't want to deal with the tedium of charting the stitches out on graph paper, and counting stitches. All my office supply ended up disorganized trying to re-arrange some rooms. That is fixed, and I am on row six of the 18 row chart. It repeats three times in the finished sweater. I now have the girl's measurements around the chest, and for a tunic length. What I started should work fine, so getting the sleeves correct proportionally is my only concern. The book does have a basic diagram as a guide.

The house needs a big cleaning as BF is getting back tomorrow after a week visiting his son. I'll loose half of today, and most of tomorrow, and we are having guests over on Thursday, but I want this sweater finished in a week, by about the nineteenth of the month. I'm turning 50 this week (how did that happen?).

 

[summerthyme]

Happy birthday, Faroe!! I'll be 60 Thanksgiving week.... I can't figure out how THAT happened, either! Good grief, time flies!!

I wish I could get back to sewing and knitting... but I just finally got the Brussels Sprouts harvested, trimmed and frozen last night (every year I do a big bunch, I wonder why we grow them... but they're really my favorite vegetable, it's just that the cleaning and trimming has to be THE fiddliest job ever... heck, I swear they make shelling peas look efficient! LOL!) Anyway, there are still the 5 bushels of tomatoes in the freezer that must get thawed, run through the Squeezo and turned into soups and sauce, and then the gardens are *finally* done.

But... in the meantime, we're having Thanksgiving here (we trade off Thanksgiving and Christmas every year... we'll probably have a family Christmas celebration here as well, but not on Christmas. This gives the kids a chance to spend every other holiday with the inlaws, and everyone seems happy with the arrangement). And I swear, we haven't done a single big of housecleaning except for basic sweeping, etc since Spring. And it looks it!

So... after I make my major fall shopping run today (leaving in a few minutes, because I have to be back by 3 pm to help load 6 steers to go to the butcher), I have to get all my sewing stuff gathered up from around the great room and put away, and then get to organizing and scrubbing! Thankfully, hubby is always willing to help, however, his priorities tend to be different than mine... left to his own devices, he'll scrub away at one corner of one room until it's perfect and sparkling... but that means half the house doesn't get touched! LOL! And he also has a tendency to grossly underestimate the time required, so will say "Oh, I'm just going to go to the woods and cut wood this morning... we'll have plenty of time to get XX done this afternoon".. and then he can't figure out why "XX" actually needed about three full days to get done properly! Sigh...

Men and women really ARE different species. God love them!

So, I guess I'm just going to have to put the projects on hold... I've got a baby quilt to make (second granddaughter was born in September, but quilting this summer was NOT happening). A king sized quilt for my daughter that MUST be done by Christmas.... supposed to be a wedding quilt, but the pattern she chose... well, lets just say that by the time I got it pieced, we both "outgrew" it, and I may end up just tying it and donating it somewhere, sometime! Anyway, they're moving into their "dream house" by the holidays (at least that's the plan!) and I desperately want it done for that. I have an Amish lady all lined up to do the hand quilting, so I just need to get it pieced... big job, but doable in probably a week.

I've got several wool knit turtlenecks for myself (my "go to" base layer from early November until usually around April) cut out and ready to sew. Three pairs of long-johns for the toddler granddaughter in the same shape. I'm planning on making her a couple of fleece nightgowns, and also making some warm sleepers for her younger sister... because the babies were born at different times of the year, the warmest sleepwear for the oldest are going to be too big for the younger one... unless she keeps growing at the rate she is right now!

I also need to make a couple pairs of fleece boot socks for hubby... while not nearly as sexy and gorgeous as Melodi's hand-knit socks, he prefers them even to good quality store-bought wool knit boot socks. They are thinner, yet at least as warm, and since I make them from the best quality Malden Mills fleece, they hold up for longer than you'd believe... his current pair is getting thin and the seams started tearing out, but they're at least 3 years old. He wanted me to resew the seams, but I told him the soles were wearing so thin it wasn't worth it... and honestly, the pattern is SO easy to make that it doesn't make any sense to mend them.

If anyone is interested, it's a Green Pepper pattern...

https://www.etsy.com/listing/589058...MImf3My4rP3gIVCJyzCh3YEwgYEAQYAiABEgLoX_D_BwE

You need a sewing machine that will sew zig-zag (are there any that don't, these days?) and it takes a little practice in the beginning to get the seams to lay perfectly flat, but even those with "sensitive" feet (hubby is terrible...he still remembers his feet "hurting" from home-knit socks his grandmother used to make for them) have no problem wearing them.

Oh, yeah... hubby needs some new nightshirts, too. I think I'll try to get a couple made from a wonderful, silk jersey knit I've got. I found some a few years ago for $7 a yard, and grabbed 20 yards, which seemed like a ridiculous extravagance at the time. I looked recently to see if I could find any for sale, and the cheapest I could find anywhere was $45 a yard!! OMG... I should have bought a lot more! (yeah, right) The stuff holds up even under repeated washings better than you'd think, although it does wear out faster than a similar weight of wicking polyester or 100% cotton knit. It was a lifesaver during the first menopause years, as even when I'd get drenched with night sweats, I wouldn't wake up shivering. Silk and wool seem to have similar properties in terms of wicking and keeping you warm...

Melodi... your friend's loss is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, I think during my last major clean-and-organize of my sewing and craft rooms, I cleared out my old beading stuff... it was just gathering dust and taking up space. I'll check, though, but I don't know if anything would be worth anything to him.... just basic inexpensive seed beads. Having lost everything in a house fire once years ago, I completely understand the gut-punch that sort of loss is... but at least we still had the land and there was an intact community for some support. I truly can't imagine what it's like to have an entire town gone. Even those whose workplaces didn't go up in smoke aren't really going to be able to easily start over... just the lack of rental housing in the area is going to have a huge impact for a long time to come.

I find myself grateful to have a snug house that needs major cleaning!

Summerthyme

 

[Melodi]

He got to Chico and hooked up with his next-door neighbor; I've got a photo of him smiling at Goodwill getting donated clothing; his wife hopes to get up there tomorrow (she usually spends one month with her kids in Fresno and one month with him).

I'm sure he could use seed beads if you have them; my Dad's beading loom loss is merely sentimental though I am even sadder at the lost of the Mountain Dulcimer I gave him, I had got it at the First Mississippi Arts and Crafts Festival in 1973 when I was 16 and I got it from an old-old man who made them and who had driven down from West Virginia.

I could never play it well so I gave it to him before my Mom took up the instrument fairly late in life.

But these are just things, precious things but still material objects - we can't replace all of them but somethings can be sorted.

He owns the land the trailer (more like a large mobile home) was on, so it is entirely possible he may be able to get some help rebuilding or perhaps a FEMA trailer or something at least.

We already have friends on standby now with furniture, kitchen stuff etc for when the time comes.

Meanwhile while monitoring things and posting animal rescue stuff to the Meow Public Radio facebook pages I got a lot of just plain round and round knitting is done on the 3X sweater for our handyman.

And to add to our "hedge" of November Birthdays I just beat you guys I'm 62 today!

Melodi

 

[Martinhouse]

My post in answer to Faroe's post this morning disappeared so here goes again:

Faroe, Happy Birthday! To me you're a youngster and I'd give a lot to be 50 again. I will be 75 on Thanksgiving Day. I advise you try to get as much as you can out of each of your coming years, as each one will pass more quickly than the last one.

Summerthyme, you seem to do so much all the time, I can't decide whether I think it will keep you young or if it will just wear you out sooner! (:

I thought I'd be back to my knitting by now, but I keep forgetting how much longer it takes me to do things when the weather is so cold and because I'm just plain slower at everything these days.

Today I want to finish hand-washing the last of my "small things". Today will be socks and slippers. Then I want to cut my hair and shampoo it, and lastly, pick clean a 15 pound turkey I cooked Saturday, and boil all the scraps for the broth I'll use in my mashed potato soup. Don't know what I'll do with all those scraps after I've strained out the broth. I used to toss them at the back of the chicken run. Now that all my chickens have been killed, I should freeze the scraps until trash pick-up, but there's no room in the freezer until I get the mashed potatoes out. I saved them so I could make and can the soup when it got cold in the house and there were probably about fifty pounds of them. If I'd tackle that and get it done, my house would be warmer and there'd be room for another turkey or two and I'd love to buy them while they're on sale. MAybe I'll just thaw enough potatoes to make two or three batches of the soup.

Hope this doesn't disappear like my last Reply did!

 

[Martinhouse]

Happy Birthday, Melodi!

 

[Melodi]

Happy Birthday, Melodi!

Thanks, everyone and happy birthday a bit late or early to everyone that has them this month!

This photo was just posted of my friend who is now homeless - you can't see that much but I wove the armband, I think the trim on his bag and maybe the belt (he may have woven the belt himself).

His colors are mostly Red White and Blue as he was "born on the fourth of July" but he often adds a bit of yellow in as well; probably to not look quite so much like a flag.

Now all this stuff is probably gone - I gather he grabbed a few bits of clothing but his wife didn't say anything about his saving any of "Traditionals"

But it is a great photo; my copy of the one where he is wearing a lot of the stuff I made has gone AWOL but I will keep looking.

 

[packyderms_wife]

I am sorry to hear about your friend. Can't imagine loosing everything like that.

I lost about three days of knitting, because I didn't want to deal with the tedium of charting the stitches out on graph paper, and counting stitches. All my office supply ended up disorganized trying to re-arrange some rooms. That is fixed, and I am on row six of the 18 row chart. It repeats three times in the finished sweater. I now have the girl's measurements around the chest, and for a tunic length. What I started should work fine, so getting the sleeves correct proportionally is my only concern. The book does have a basic diagram as a guide.

The house needs a big cleaning as BF is getting back tomorrow after a week visiting his son. I'll loose half of today, and most of tomorrow, and we are having guests over on Thursday, but I want this sweater finished in a week, by about the nineteenth of the month. I'm turning 50 this week (how did that happen?).

One day at a time, that's how it happened! Welcome to the old geezers club kiddo! Happy Birthday!

 

[packyderms_wife]

Happy Birthday, Melodi!

Happy Birthday Melodi!

 

[Faroe]

Happy birthday (and Thanks Giving), everyone!

The child's gansey is progressing. The gussets are on stitch holders, and I am flat knitting the front and back upper torso. Not as hard as I thought, in pattern - the knit/pearl switchover isn't too bad. Looks like I won't have to twist any baby cables backwards from the wrong side. I like working with the Lion Brand acrylic, but the hem is already looking dingy, and a bit shop worn. I hope that can be freshened up with a gentle wash before BF's grand daughter receives it. Next sweater for her will be real wool, in Superwash. In two days, I should be finished with the main torso, and will be on the shoulder straps, and sleeves. Knitting up bigger than I thought, but of course, she can grow into it.

Splurged on a used copy of Alice Starmore's Stillwater book. LOVE the sweater on the cover, but that is probably a year's worth of knitting. She has three other patterns I would like to make, inc. a cute little girl's button up sweater with a ruffle at the hem. I would not put as much detail into the body as charted, but I do like the basic pattern. The book would be better if it each pattern included a straight forward drawing showing some detail - a couple of pieces don't show well in the photograph. Makes me think the publisher was only interested in graphic design, not knitting. Furthermore, I know Starmore sells her own yarns, but does the weight and yardage have to be some sort of trade secret? She gives no indications for what to substitute.

 

[Faroe]

Torso is mostly finished. I have one shoulder extension and join. (Was expecting shoulder straps, so that was a surprise.) After that, just sleeves and neck.
Not the best proportioned garment ever - I made it long based on her actual measurements, but when I cast on for the size based on length, the hem seemed much too wide, so went smaller, and that seemed to fit with her chest measurement with plenty of ease. Should have stayed wide. It was mostly a practice piece anyway, so if she never wants to wear it, I won't be put out. I'll make another better one soon, and in wool (sick of knitting this acrylic).

 

[Melodi]

I have about 15 inches of the 20 I need on the 3X sweater before starting sleeves and making the Yoke; recipient has picked vibrant red and dark blue as the main yoke colors (I have a bit of gold that will do nicely to avoid the American Flag look).

I still need to remember to do the last bits on my most recent pair of socks but things are going pretty well so far.

 

[Faroe]

3X men's? I would probably never finish it!

The child's size sweater is still dragging on endlessly...
I work on it every day. Am on the final bit of the cuff of the first sleeve. Still have the other sleeve, and the neck to do. I was SURE there was more than enough yarn, now, I'm not so sure. Fingers crossed.

Mostly been listening to Suzanne Bryan videos. Dry, but I want to master those techniques.

Been sick for over a week. Sick of being sick.

 

[Melodi]

Well it is a 54-inch sweater so may officially be 2X, I have about one more inch to go on the lower body (I'm doing 20 inches long because he's tall as well as wide and then I'll start the sleeves.

It is going pretty fast because it is just knitting in the round; once the sleeves are done then I'll do the patterned yoke which should be slower but less boring.

I do need to start a smaller project I can carry around with me though, I'm going to try to do the last bit of the toe on the green socks and then start another pair; possibly for my Elder Friend if I can find the right needles and yarn, I told him I'd try to make a couple of simple and warm pairs (almost oversocks) to get some done quickly.

I will wait to do the more decorated patterned ones until after he has a place to put things; husband has the Pipestone to make a new ceremonial pipe; he got enough to do a "practice" pipe for himself that is about halfway done.

As soon as our friend gets us the sketches for his new pipe my husband can work on that and I'd like to have some socks to send with it.

We shall see, lots to do and sweater is still taking longer than most (usually I can knock out a simple one in two to three weeks).

 

[Melodi]

Knee socks!

I used the child's pattern idea of making a longer top ribbing and folding it over to put elastic in the top to hold them up rather than using a garter; I will see how well this works later.

The pattern is waffle stitch 2 rows K/2 rows K2 P2 repeat for a very long time with a bit of leg shaping.

 

[Faroe]

Those socks are lovely!

Almost finished with the child's gansey. Took a break, but spent the last two days mostly knitting while binge watching aquarium videos. Sweater looks good, but the acrylic already showing a bit of wear, and will need to be laundered.

Anyway, got another Alice Starmore book: Fisherman's Sweaters. Her best book I've seen. Perfect classic sweaters. She has three children's sweaters I want to knit. I'll do the simplest one first, a basic gansey, and see if I like her directions. She has two others that are gorgeous, but will be complicated if I end up over my head. I think I have the yarn picked out for it too - a Blacker British wool in DK weight. I wanted gansey yarn (which IIRC, Blacker used to produce), but Frangipani colors look really dull on the computer. I only like the navy, and dark navy in Frangipani. Wendy sells gansey wool, but the guy who writes for Gansey Nation reports having problems with it recently - poor quality.

 

[Melodi]

They feel good too (socks) I am wearing them now, I also took a break; I tried a sock on 5 pointed needles in a larger test gauge and got it way-way off; it is big enough for a Christmas Stocking!

Since that was not my intention, I took about 48 hours off and now I will frog most of it "rip it, rip it" back to the design area (I don't think the upper leg is too big to not be OK with some elastic) and then this time drastically decrease by doing 4 stitches every few rounds instead of 2 (one each needle).

I am really glad I did the test sock though; because I figured it was better to figure out what the sizing would be using the size 3 needles on Aran yarn to make oversocks/heavy socks BEFORE making some for my friend in Paradise.

Once I get the numbers down then the "sock pattern" becomes easier and meanwhile, hubby and I have a pair of warm socks which we need.

I love the smaller gauge socks but each pair take between 2 weeks to a month to knit, and I need to do some "quick and dirty ones" for us and our friend - I mean I have some patterns that use bulky yarns and/or two yarns together that are really fast, but I was looking for a compromise as the bulky socks don't tend to last very long and are not always that comfortable except in boots.

Your sweaters sound lovely and I will look for that book; I gave up buying Alice Starmore when her "Celtic" books just started turning mostly into "art" books rather than anything practical - I suspected at the time that was a publishers decision and now I suspect that is correct if she's going back to basic knitting instructions and basic patterns.

Picture books are fun, but with the internet, the days of needing "knitter's eye candy" is less important for inspiration than it once was in terms of buying books for 40 dollars that have two practical patterns in them.

I don't blame Alice, her work is always lovely but I'm not spending a year on a sweater; at least nor intentionally.

 

[Faroe]

Fisherman's Sweaters is dated 1993.

As far as I know, her latest book is Glamorie, and it is ALL art. It got terrible customer reviews, because the the costumes don't have patterns, and sweaters offered as "inspired" by them, just aren't attractive. I got a used copy of FS for less than $20. I'm waiting for a copy of her Sweaters for Men (also older) to show up in the used market for a similar price. Found a recent listing for less than $10, but didn't order quickly enough. That is probably the final one of hers I'll source, I'd only spend money on the Celtic Collection if I could get it very inexpensively, and I have no interest at all (even for inspiration) in Tudor Roses.

Ann Budd books of basic patterns are probably the next foray. I'm getting close to where I can just look at something, and have a good idea of basic construction, a suitable yarn (and how much), the gage, and stitch count around for the final size. I can then chart out the stitch patterns myself, and not end up tediously crawling through the written instructions, line by line.

I also want to go systematically through Suzanne Bryan (spell?) videos for technique. The last video I watched she talked about how to avoid "splay" at the ends of cables when they hit another design in the vertical column. I need to just sit down and swatch with the video and take notes. All my knitting would be better for it (in fact, a lot of the professional knitting I see would be better for it) - her practices make the details much crisper, but that is not the kind of thing that is ever in a pattern.

 

[Melodi]

OK my entire post was eaten a few hours ago,

Just wanted to say that I recommend Ann Bud's A Knitter's Handy Book fo Patterns and Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting without tears to be a staple (in hard copy) for any prepping family.

Between those two books, even a family member with no experience or very little should be able to figure out knitting and make the most needed garments.

I also suggest keeping at least a small amount of yarn and a few sets (or interchangeable sets) of needles and a couple of sizes of double pointed ones for socks and mittens.

I am sorry to hear that Alice Strathmore's books are even worse than they used to be, I have to wonder if she is actually really designing anymore or if this her publisher trying to continue to make money?

 

[Faroe]

Not sure. As far as I can gather, not many of the biggest designers really do their own work. Kaffee Fassett seems to be pretty open about working with a team. Based on videos, he more or less just approves at various steps along the way. The quilts and knits can be pretty, but his style isn't my thing. I'm actually surprised there is enough money in it to support multiple people.

Knitting is DONE. I just have the ends to weave in - should be less than an hour's work. It is a pretty sweater. Hope she hasn't grown out of it by now.

 

[Faroe]

Ordered some Blacker yarn a few days ago, but still not in. The Woolly Thistle always ships promptly, but tracking shows this package still stuck in NH. Not sure what is going over in that post office.

Anyway since I was having withdrawal, I broke into the 1,000 yard cone of dark navy Frangipani 5-ply gansey weight to make some socks. (I'll buy some more for the men's gansey when I get to it.) I want knee-high stockings. 100 stitches around, and size US 1 needles.

Didn't bother with a pattern, so they will be a bit funky, but I'll pay more attn. to a pattern when I get to the heel. It has baby cables down the back of the calf, and a panel of 1X1 rib down the front. Sides are plain knit, but I might do a narrow short length of ribbing at the ankle. Enough detail to be interesting, but easy enough to go fast. I'm not concerned if the mate ends up not being much of a match, as long as the fit works for both. Why knit exactly the same thing twice? It's not like I work in an office, or anything. Not even much to see under a longish black skirt.

I like knitting socks. The heel turn is always nifty, the project has a beginning and an end, no need to worry if one should order 5 extra skeins, and they comfortable to wear.

Worked a very tedious channel island cast-on for this sock. I love that cast-on for a flat knit welt, but ran into problems joining it. I think working in the round right away means one is working on the wrong side, and my knits/pearls hit the wrong thick stitches on the cast on. I'll knit that flat for a few rows on the *matching* sock, and join once I have it right...hopefully that will turn out better.

 

[Martinhouse]

This is a good time of year for knitting, isn't it?

Today I finally finished making and attaching new patches on the soles of the slippers I've made for other people, as well as a couple new pairs for a couple of grand-nieces. Now I can finish up my canning and then start on my own knitting. I have a vest to finish and then I want to figure out how to make a shawl that is fitted so it'll stay on my shoulders better than a flat one, but that won't drag across the stove when I'm reaching for the knobs or picking up heated pots.

I need another sweater or two, as well and I hope I have time to make those this winter. I may have to just replace cuffs and put big elbow patches on the sweaters I'm using now.

 

[Faroe]

This is a good time of year for knitting, isn't it?

Today I finally finished making and attaching new patches on the soles of the slippers I've made for other people, as well as a couple new pairs for a couple of grand-nieces. Now I can finish up my canning and then start on my own knitting. I have a vest to finish and then I want to figure out how to make a shawl that is fitted so it'll stay on my shoulders better than a flat one, but that won't drag across the stove when I'm reaching for the knobs or picking up heated pots.

I need another sweater or two, as well and I hope I have time to make those this winter. I may have to just replace cuffs and put big elbow patches on the sweaters I'm using now.

Faroese shawls are shaped at the shoulders. That, plus knitting the ends long and skinny gives you ties to wrap around the waist. It will fit and stay put better. You can knit these from the top down, or from the wide base up. Top down means you can decide you are finished at any particular point if you run out of yarn, or if you get tired of knitting rows with 500/600+ stitches. Some people decide it is better to get the long rows out of the way first. There are patterns for both on Ravelry. I have found that shoulder shaping isn't essential if the shawl is tied at the waist, and while I like the structure of the faroese, the shaping means it doesn't fold as nicely in a flat triangle for storage.

Tin Can Knits has a free pattern on their site for a simple triangular shawl that starts with a "tab" at the neck, and grows out from the center as well as the sides. Directions are straightforward. I would knit that one again. While not shaped per-se, the sides angle out on a bias, so it fits well when tied in back, and is a good functional size for both a draped shawl, and a wrap around bunched up neck scarf (which is how it is modeled). I simply kept knitting more rows until I ran out of yarn, and it came out to be just the *right * size. My Oberle faroese is gorgeous, but rather large for housework and chores.


The lovely Blacker Classic yarn came in today. 8 skeins of 119 yards, 50g, and sort of a DK/sport weight. I might order a few more skeins just to be sure. Am dog tired, because it is pecan season. We had the trees shaken this morning, and spent all day raking pecans up, but I'll probably cast on this evening for the same child's sweater pattern I knitted in the acrylic. The sweater has a column of hearts up the center panel. They didn't come out that well defined in acrylic, and I don't know... hearts are a bit, trite? Not looking forward to knitting them again. I am going to go through some design charts and see if I can find an 8 pointed Norwegian snowflake (rose) that would be a good fit.

 

[Martinhouse]

Well, the forum problem just ate my post so i'll try again.

The things you guy describe sound so lovely! I'll have to try the websites recommended here. I don't know how to read knitting and crocheting instructions, but if I can see them, I can often figure out how to make something that is similar enough for my own use.

 

[Melodi]

I gave up on the white sock, I tried it twice and both times I hated it - and it was way too big; so since I had to have an emergency carry along pattern for the Christmas market table (something to do while helping housemate run her table) I started a red sock with about 2/3 rds of the stitches and the same basic pattern I've been using on the smaller socks - Row 1 - K, Row 2 - K3 P1 repeat, decrease 2 stitches every few rows on the back (at least twice to maintain pattern).

I like these a lot better so far, will give them to husband to keep the Yule Cat from eating him - In Iceland, the tradition is you have to have new clothing and in some areas socks; so the Giant Grey Cat called the Yule Cat doesn't eat you.

I can then use the basic pattern if it works to knit size 10's for my elder friend that just finally got an apartment with three other neighbors (all men) in Roseville.

His Wife has to spend one month in Fresno and one month with him because she has younger children from a previous marriage - they will have their own bedroom in the apartment but she won't be there full time.

The apartment only has bare walls so friends are collecting odds and ends; I can probably have heavy oversocks ready to mail by after the Christmas rush.

It gets cold in the Central Valley and I'm not sure exactly where Roseville is, but they won't let him into his part of Paradise yet to see if anything is left.

I took a break on the size 54-inch sweater, I am hoping to get back to it by the weekend; I think the young man understands it may not be done by the 25th but again I hoping to get it down and out of the way by early January.

Our wood/turf stove died, and we've had some other issues that have just eaten my time and not a lot of knitting has been happening.

We do have the backup stove in the drawing room but I do prefer cooking if the power goes out with an oven and a range top; not with a crane and grill in the Franklin Stove "Iron Fireplace" I can if I have too, but I'd rather do it by choice than necessity.

The shawls with extra long sides you can tie on are great, but don't work so well if you have are an "ample" bra size; on the other hand I love my hippie shawl (I will get a picture) and it has the shoulder shaping so it stays on better though it stays on best with a pin or broach holding it.

 

[Martinhouse]

I just finishing putting new knitted patches on the bottom of my daughter's slipper and I noticed that the slippers are soft and "floppy" whereas the first sweater I knitted for myself, using the same double strand yarn, is heavy and stiff as a board. Since I have no hot water and no dryer, which is what my daughter uses, my sister said she would wash my sweater for me in hot water and then dry it in her dryer. I'm hoping this will soften it so I can wear it. Right now the thick collar presses so much on the back of my neck it makes me feel dizzy and nauseated and I'd like to stretch it a bit to ease that problem. I copied the fisherman's sweater my mom made me years ago and it turned out the best of the sweaters I've made for myself. It's pretty heavy, but it looks like I'll be needing it a lot in the near future.

 

[Faroe]

Hard water?
Soap residues?
I would be tempted to rinse it with a splash of vinegar.

Melodi, I hope your stove is fixed by now. Winter is always nicer in a warm house.

About to start the pattern section of the sweater. So far, MUCH nicer than the first one. I dropped a stitch just above the initial at the hip, and didn't notice it until about a dozen rows later. Actually managed to knit it up, but the yarn got very tight mid way through, and I missed three bars on the back. I'm leaving it because it probably only shows to my eye, and the yarn pretty much felted during the repair. I may double stitch over the rows where the bars are, and snip the bars, because they pull the knitting in. We'll see how it blocks. Other than that, no other mistakes.

 

[Melodi]

No hope of getting the stove even seen until after Christmas but yesterday we go the backup stove going well (and I just had the chimney cleaned) so it only heats one room but I can cook in it on a crane and grill if I have to).

The heavy socks 2.0 are working perfectly now that I have the numbers of stitches figured out, I am glad I gave up on the first pair, they just were not going to work and I've found sometimes just starting over helpful anyway.

Housemate expressed interest in a pair of heavy socks for her to "keep the Yule Cat Away" - she knits her own socks but only on fine German sock yarns.

These socks I'm knitting now are an Aran weight yarn on size 3 needles, so they are a warm, dense but slightly bulky weight perfect for the inside of wellies (rubber boots) or worn as house socks.

More to the point, they only take about four days to knit a pair instead of 4 weeks...

Sweater sounds lovely!

 

[Faroe]

Hopefully, the weather will be mild. Aran weight socks sound fun.

Am 7 1/2 inches into the sweater, and 8 rows into the first repeat of the pattern. Another inch and a half, and the gussets begin. Chose a double diamonds figure to replace the hearts for the center panel - probably should have swatched to see what it would really look like knitted, but so far, so good. I also altered the farthest panels at each side. The original charts were a-symmetrical in a confusing way, and a close look at the photo shows the knitter followed a better variation on that design. (I really dislike it when the photo doesn't match the charts.) Going into this pattern again, I know ahead of time that the cable repeats are not in sync with the row repeats on the wavy line panel, nor do they match the diagonal and heart motif repeats. There was no warning foot note that the about the out of sync baby cables and waves. I think there should have been a heads-up on that; the chart is presented as a simple repeat. They look obviously wrong when knitted as presented, and I was VERY confused when I first encountered it.

Anyway, I really enjoy knitting a variation on an otherwise known pattern. Takes all the stress out. I am going to look at the feasibility of knitting this sweater with one of the Starmore *gansey* designs. Her sweater has a gorgeous choice of motifs, but from what I can tell on the photo, she is otherwise NOT using trad. construction for that child's "gansey."

BF is visiting his daughter's family in a few days, so I'll get to see a pic of how the first one fits. I don't think I'll be done with this second one before he leaves.

 

[Faroe]

I am up into the gussets, but haven't split the front and back halves yet. Knitting through about 2/3 - 3/4 skein per day. Pecan season, so I've had to spend time every day on that. Looks good, still a bit on the narrow side...grrr. At least, I can block this wool one.

Ordered some new needles for the full size version. I have 14" metal DPN's but they are bendy, and don't come in US 1.5. Also, I knit outside frequently, and I don't like the sun glinting off metal needles. Current sweater is on 10" wood Brittany US 2 DPN's, and I like knitting on wood, even if the stitches don't slide as easily. Decided to try some Likkee (spell?) fixed wood circulars, in US1, and US 1.5. I'll buy more if I like them. Hiyas are OK, but they are hard to find in normal points, and the sharp points are painful. I've also been frustrated by the screw-in join for the interchangables. Despite everyone else's reviews, they DO unscrew. Very nerve wracking.

Does anyone EVER get to the place where they finally have all the knitting needles they will ever need?

 

[Melodi]

I am up into the gussets, but haven't split the front and back halves yet. Knitting through about 2/3 - 3/4 skein per day. Pecan season, so I've had to spend time every day on that. Looks good, still a bit on the narrow side...grrr. At least, I can block this wool one.

Ordered some new needles for the full size version. I have 14" metal DPN's but they are bendy, and don't come in US 1.5. Also, I knit outside frequently, and I don't like the sun glinting off metal needles. Current sweater is on 10" wood Brittany US 2 DPN's, and I like knitting on wood, even if the stitches don't slide as easily. Decided to try some Likkee (spell?) fixed wood circulars, in US1, and US 1.5. I'll buy more if I like them. Hiyas are OK, but they are hard to find in normal points, and the sharp points are painful. I've also been frustrated by the screw-in join for the interchangables. Despite everyone else's reviews, they DO unscrew. Very nerve wracking.

Does anyone EVER get to the place where they finally have all the knitting needles they will ever need?

No, it is a universal law of knitting that you will never have enough needles; even when several people give you the entire contents of their grandma's knitting stash over the years.

A related universal law of knitting is that you will never have enough yarn; even when several people give you the entire contents of their grandma's knitting stash over the years...

I'm sure everyone here has similar "laws" they have experienced...lol!

The second sock is halfway down the leg; the nice thing about these is they go so fast! I want to get house-mates started now that she's left for Germany for a week.

She knows she's getting socks but not what they will look like - we are going to do our "gift exchange" on New Year's Eve, so I have time...

I don't think the US usually has the 1.5 needles - pity because they are perfect for many things including sock yarns.

 

[Freeholder]

Faroe, I saw your mention of Faroese shawls up there a bit and had to look them up. Our house is frequently chilly in the winter, and I often wear a shawl, especially if I'm sitting here at the computer. But the only shawl I have at the moment is a folded triangle (a very ugly shade of green, too, but nice and warm) and it's hard to keep it on my shoulders where it needs to be -- and almost impossible to keep it closed at the front without using a pin of some kind. The Faroese shawls sound like just exactly what I need....Problem is, I don't knit, and have almost no yarn on hand. I do crochet, but -- I was thinking, I have a bunch of fabric sitting around not getting used for anything. I think I'm going to take some of that and make lined shawls out of it. I'm better at sewing than at doing anything with yarn, anyway. I'll try to post pictures later, not guaranteeing quality because I have to take them with my tablet and it doesn't seem to take as good of pictures as most phones do.

I've also started fixing waist bands in several skirts that I made out of over-large dresses that were given to me a few years back -- cut the bodices off, intending to just use the skirts, but never finished the waist bands. I did one last night while I watched some videos on gardening and tiny houses and such (so much nicer to be able to pick what I want to watch on YouTube, rather than having to watch the garbage that's on TV). It's all hand work, which I enjoy doing.

Kathleen

 

[Faroe]

I have a square wool shawl from a 60" wide bolt of cloth. Unhemmed, simple woven wool shawls were popular during the Civil War. The fabric of mine is a gorgeous plaid, but the shawl is not my favorite. A better one would be to cut along the diagonal (for two shawls), and make large darts for fitting at the neck and shoulders. I would then wrap and tie the ends around the waist.

Mostly, my shawls get wrapped around the head and neck, and I wear over-sized fleece jackets to keep the torso warm. Allows for freer movement. A roomy tunic-length knitted cardigan is on the short list for knitting projects, but I have a men's gansey promised first.

If you can find men's cashmere sweaters at the thrift store, they make a good first layer as long underwear. An extra large one can be shrunk a bit for a better fit, and I've also cut the underarm seam for the freest arm movement, so the arm is only attached at the top. Even full of moth holes, cashmere can't be beat as a first layer. They are also available new relatively cheaply in after Christmas sales, and that is the best time to find the largest and longest sizes.

 

[Faroe]

No, it is a universal law of knitting that you will never have enough needles; even when several people give you the entire contents of their grandma's knitting stash over the years.

A related universal law of knitting is that you will never have enough yarn; even when several people give you the entire contents of their grandma's knitting stash over the years...

I'm sure everyone here has similar "laws" they have experienced...lol!

The second sock is halfway down the leg; the nice thing about these is they go so fast! I want to get house-mates started now that she's left for Germany for a week.

She knows she's getting socks but not what they will look like - we are going to do our "gift exchange" on New Year's Eve, so I have time...

I don't think the US usually has the 1.5 needles - pity because they are perfect for many things including sock yarns.

Well, good....I thought it was just me.
I think the traditional tools (knitting belts, sheaths, sticks, and size US 1.5 are becoming more in demand due to Beth Brown Reinsel's emph. on traditonal knitting, and the author of the Principles of Knitting (her son used to make and sell the leather pouch belts). The POK author (Dont' recall her name, I don't have her book, YET) has a recent interview with JucyKnitting on You Tube. Long video, but definitely worth a watch. I've ordered numerous things through Etsy from the UK, and the shipping isn't (usually) all that high. Never taken more than two weeks, either.

I used to think looking for half sizes was just being fussy, but the more I look at the fabric I'm creating the more I see a difference. I spend most of my time in the 0-3 US range.

 

[Freeholder]

I have a square wool shawl from a 60" wide bolt of cloth. Unhemmed, simple woven wool shawls were popular during the Civil War. The fabric of mine is a gorgeous plaid, but the shawl is not my favorite. A better one would be to cut along the diagonal (for two shawls), and make large darts for fitting at the neck and shoulders. I would then wrap and tie the ends around the waist.

Mostly, my shawls get wrapped around the head and neck, and I wear over-sized fleece jackets to keep the torso warm. Allows for freer movement. A roomy tunic-length knitted cardigan is on the short list for knitting projects, but I have a men's gansey promised first.

If you can find men's cashmere sweaters at the thrift store, they make a good first layer as long underwear. An extra large one can be shrunk a bit for a better fit, and I've also cut the underarm seam for the freest arm movement, so the arm is only attached at the top. Even full of moth holes, cashmere can't be beat as a first layer. They are also available new relatively cheaply in after Christmas sales, and that is the best time to find the largest and longest sizes.

The folded square is what my ugly green shawl is -- like you said, it's not my favorite, but I use it because it's so warm. Cutting two triangles on the diagonal is what I've just done for my first attempt, and made a gusset to go in the middle of the back, like the Faroese shawls. I am also going to dart the shoulders. I'm making it huge. I'm overweight (read, fat), and wanted one big enough to go over my head and still be able to tie around my waist AND keep my back covered; this is going to work. I am doing two layers of fabric; both are part wool. The striped lining is light--weight (dress weight); the tweedy-gray outer fabric is heavier. So it should be pretty warm, even though they aren't fleecy materials. If I had a quilt batting on hand, I would put that in between the two layers, LOL! Once this one is finished, I'm going to make a slightly smaller one for my youngest daughter (she's skinny and doesn't need one as big as mine). Then we'll see from there. Now that I have the sewing machine out, I might make some of the dresses I had planned several years ago.

Kathleen