Wish this was how we always roll

I had a couple of things I wanted to get accomplished this weekend.  Normally how we roll around here is that I have things to accomplish and then end up doing everything but.

Not this weekend, though.  I actually got everything done that I wanted to do.

1. Finish my handmade roller pillow.  A while back, a friend at work was able to score me half a bale of straw to make a roller pillow from her father-in-law.  I had no idea how much straw it would actually take so I got a bin and started preparing the straw.  But then we had tons and tons of rain and I had to travel.  I was waiting for a day with sun and without wind.  That day was today. 
   
    

 See the tub?  See the pillow in the tub?  There is 2 1/2 times the amount of straw that filled the tub in the pillow.  You see, the secret is in getting it as dense as possible so it will hold the pins properly as you work.  Like this...

2.    I wanted to finish the baby sweater I've been making.  I finally got the knitting finished but it needed something to finish it off.  I finally found just the right button but I still couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with the bodice.  I tried embroidering flowers as I'd planned.  No good.  I thought about sewing a pretty ribbon around that section.  No good.  Finally I decided to go with a crocheted edging.

I haven't sewn the edging on yet until the sweater dries but I this this is going to be the perfect finish.

3.  Although not on the initial list, I've had some Shetland wool on the wheel started but not very far along.  I've been spinning it woolen long draw.  Long draw has never been a strength of mine but this fiber changed all that.  Where cormo is just a tease with a promise of pretty wool only to be maddeningly hard to spin, this Shetland wool is a dream and has really just spun itself.  I had 8 ounces to spin of this color and I've just got half a bobbin to go to have all the singles done.  I always think the plying is going to go much faster than it does but I can't wait to get it done and show it off.  Then I just have 3 more colors to spin for the fair isle project I had planned for this yarn.  Stay tuned.

Getting closer

I don't know if it's going to be too big but it's definitely too cute!

I'm thinking it may be a bit too wide but I think I can fix that with the ribbon I'm going to run through the top of the skirt.  The band of green under the cable is going to get embroidered flowers and then there will be 2 ribbon ties, kimono style.  I haven't blocked the lace section yet but I don't think I'm going to block it very hard.  Really it just needs a hot press and that will open the lace up a bit.

There are a bunch of ends to work in so I won't finish tonight but I love how it's coming out.  Next I need to use heavier yarn and larger needles and see if I can't work out an adult version.

Bobbins in action

I decided to try out my new bobbins tonight so I wound them up and started working. I just love the look of them and I was hoping that they would be functional as well.

So I wound the thread, and the first note is that on the next ones, I think I'll make the thread holding area needs to be a little longer.  Not much, just a little.

I think I will also add a bead half-way up the handle section.

But all in all, they worked great and having the open area allows you to tension them the a single finger.  They'll take a little getting used to but I think I can say they are a huge success!  I do have some glass beads bought for the purpose of the bobbins but not at hand when I sat down to work.

Now for a little experimenting!  hehe

Change as good as a rest

Of course a rest is pretty good as a rest, too.  I was able to take a couple of days off last week just ahead of a business trip.  I took the opportunity to wander through the back roads of Massachusetts and added 3 states to the number I've been in - now at 34 states. 

I find driving very, very relaxing and, of course, everything in that area is so close together that it's only a short drive to be in another state.  While I was driving, I had a little epiphany while I was driving as to how bobbins for lace could be constructed:

This was after I saw a lace bobbin in an antique shop marked at $120.  I haven't tried using them yet so I don't know how practical they are but I really like the possibilities they represent.

To make them, I cut a length of 16 gauge craft wire to about 8 inches.  I settled a wooden bead about halfway and folded the wire on either side of the bead to hold it tight.  After shaping the wire, I folded the ends in and then hid them inside another bead.  To add some rigidity to the wire, I took the bottom bead off and hammered the wire down the length on both side to avoid the piece arching.  Now it will be a little more durable.

I just need to try them out now to see how they handle or if they need to be adjusted.  I've already got a number of variations in mind.

The other things I worked on while I was away was a baby sweater.  I have a feeling it's going to be way too large for the baby I intended it for but it's been an exercise in design.  I started with a pattern I found in a magazine but once I got past the bodice, I've taken it a completely different direction and I'm really liking it.

It's not actually wonky  like this appears - it's on circular needles so it doesn't lie very flat.  The band becomes the sleeves and I may add a little cap on them but I like it the way it is.  The little green band under the braided cable band will have embroidered flowers around.  It's a cardigan and is being worked in Mandarin Petite, a very soft cotton yarn.  Now with the flounce working in this lacy pattern, I think it's going to be a really sweet little item.

I'm very, very tempted to work one for me.  I think I have some handspun that would be perfect for this pattern.  But first I want to get this one done and any design issues worked out before I start on a larger version.  I actually think working this pattern on larger needles with a heavier yarn will work really well and won't need much tweaking for the larger size.

That braided cable band will certainly need to be larger needles because this one took FOREVER!  Kind of like knitting edging for a shawl!

Back to Knitting

It feels like I haven't knitted anything for a year.  It hasn't been quite that long but it's true that I've been focusing on other things lately.  But visiting the lovely knit shops in Nashville last weekend, I got inspired to get started again.  I have a lovely California baby to knit for that hasn't had anything since the beginning so I found some beautiful Mandarin Petit, a cotton yarn, that I thought would be beautiful and bright.  But I couldn't decide on a pattern.

Here's what I finally came up with:

It's from the Lanas Stop Bebe Baby 0-3 Book #120.  It's a very cool multi-lingual book of baby patterns that I just couldn't pass up. Because I don't have that many baby patterns. That's my story, anyway.

So on to the sweater.  I'm doing the main body in this chartreuse green and I'm going to do the cable band in yellow and then use yellow buttons.  I think it will be ever so sweet and will work for her in California.  It's knit from the top down with the cable band worked side to side. Should go pretty quick, too.

A Day Out

Last weekend I took a trip to visit a friend.  It's been so cold around here do on my way back, I was so enjoying the rare warm day that I decided to doddle.  It was a perfect day for wandering off the beaten path and visiting some antique shops.  I've decided I need to start an antique shop blog, since I go to so many of them!

Anyway, I pulled into this little town in Kentucky but the first few shops I came across in their "historic" district were still shut.  Since I wasn't in the mood to wait around for them to open, I went a little further up the road to find a place to turn around, I came across a large shop that was open.  BINGO!

I wandered through and saw some interesting things until I came up to an area with a table that had a bunch of stuff on it.  Now, it's important to know that I usually power walk through these kinds of antique malls.  I'm pretty good at spotting things that might be of interest but mainly I just like to see what's there.

This time, though, I had to do a double take because there on the table, under a mile of dirt and grime, was a table loom.  I could see well enough to know that it was complete and sturdy.  Good bones.  This type of loom can run anywhere from $900-1,300 dollars purchased new and this one was a fraction of a fraction of that.  I didn't even have to offer the lady a lower price.  She volunteered that if I paid cash or check, she'd take 20% off the price.  There was no way in creation I could pass that up.  Deal!

I don't have any good photos of it with the pile of dirt but here's what it took to get it cleaned up:

I had brushes and cloths and furniture orange oil and canned air and screw drivers and more.  I spent almost 2 hours on the porch (where it was almost warm enough to sit on the porch for 2 hours) working on it, much to the confusion of my neighbors.  I'm still working on the reed and heddles but I'll finish those this afternoon. 

Just a note to say, I was thrilled that it came with a 15-dent reed, a size I don't have for any of my other looms.

Anyway, here are some pics of how it cleaned up.  I knew it was well made but I had no idea the wood would clean up this beautiful.

There are no company markings and as you look closely, you can tell it was all made by hand.  The only markings I found were some pencil markings on the back of the back support.  I can't read all of it and haven't got a good photo of it but the part that I can read says "William Workman."  A quick search didn't bring up anything about William Workman but I have access to some very knowledgeable people so I'll see if any of them are familiar with him.

I couldn't be more thrilled by this beautiful addition to my rapidly filling apartment.  Next time, I'll tell you the story of the half-bale of straw and the new bobbin lace pillow!

The Bug

I must have the spring cleaning bug because I'm finally getting things straightened up and cleared out (watch out Goodwill!).  As I was running around this morning, I was trying to think what to do with the little round table in my living room and it suddenly hit me.  Actually I tripped over it on the way to the kitchen. 

I had my beautiful antique wheel that didn't have a place to live.  He was just getting moved from pillar to post.  Was the base small enough to fit on the little round table?

Ha!  It does.  Add one of the vintage drawn work tablecloths I scored a while back and jibledy flippit, I've got the little spinning tableau I've always wanted.  Now all I need to do is figure out what fiber I'd like to display with it.  Although this wheel works and I will use it from time to time in demonstrations, mostly it's pretty and unique and I just want to be able to admire it and for it to feel welcome here. 

Now I can! (and it can)

p.s. - Do you love the little vase with the double pointed knitting needles?  It's a lovely little pot I bought from a potter at the Midwest Folk and Fiber Festival last year.  So sweet. And the picture behind it that you can't see very well because I haven't hung it yet, is a photocopy of a page from a January 18, 1868 Harper's Bazaar magazine.  It's a poem and illustration called, "The Stocking-Knitter."  Since the wheel is probably at least that old, it seemed fitting to display them together.