Lincoln Presidential Library

I’ve mentioned the research Jane and I did at the Lincoln Presidential Library and finding the pattern for the Spanish Opera Hood. I took the finished hood over to the Library to show the librarians who helped us. While there, they asked if we could bring some items they could put in the display. Here’s what it looks like (click to see a larger image):



They did a little write up about the display:

Jane and I want to do a vintage knitting camp and the research we are doing is to prepare for it. The idea is to have a long weekend of knitting and exploring the knitting in the time of Lincoln, seeing how things were done in the time and learning some of the techniques and patterns of our 19th century counterparts. Jane has a true gift for organizing and we both share a love of vintage knitting - stay tuned for more information.

If you want to try your own Spanish Opera Hood, just click on the link for the pattern.

And just as a bonus (because I like how the photo came out), here’s a shot of the Old State Capital where Lincoln served in the State Legislature. On the opposite side of this square is where Lincoln’s law office was.

By the way...
I would really like to know who hit the button on the time machine. The last thing I knew, it was April (which the last time I checked, belonged to the season Spring) but when I walked out the door this morning, it was to clean snow off my car, wear my wool coat, wool sweater and walk around through arctic winds. I don't remember getting into the Tardis (it's bigger on the inside, you know) and being flung back into December.

Shout out

Just a very quick post for a fairly new Springfield, IL, group that's doing good with their stitching. I learned about it from one of the ladies in the class on Saturday and I would encourage you to check them out. You don't have to live in this area to join in with them, even though they try to meet up as they kick off each new project. I know they would welcome anyone that wants to be a part of the group.

Springfield Stitches for a Cause

Definitely have a look.

A Great Group

I had my "Knitting With Jewelry Wire and Beads" class this morning at Lincoln Land. Eight lovely ladies with plenty of creativity and laughter. As in previous classes, everyone had their own take on colors and combinations and it was great fun to see what came off their needles.

I always try to do something new for each class to make it fresh and this is what I came up with for this class:

It's done with dark blue 26 gauge coated wire and dark blue short bugle beads. Quite fun, I thought.

Even when it's raining

it's springtime in my heart (and in my purse). It's amazing how quickly this pattern has gone. See what you get when you give the yarn its head? Umhummm...

This first picture hasn't the greatest color but it shows the construction of crocheting the 2 halves and connecting them with the green in the middle. That green space will become the bottom of the middle pocket which will be green and will be fairly simple but with a little bit of a lacy border that will stick out just a little bit from between the 2 outer sections. I haven't decided quite how I'm going to do the handles yet, whether they'll be crocheted, knitted or ready-made.

This gives you a little better view of what the final thing will look like. Robert the Bear approves.

Lincoln Land Class
I had good news today (in the midst of a pig of a day at work) that I've got 8 people registered for the Knitting with Jewelry Wire and Beads class at the local community college. I believe I had 7 in the autumn so it seems to be a popular class. I've got a couple of new things to show this group that I've been experimenting with.

I've also got a couple of ideas for classes later this year that I'm very excited about. Stay tuned.

Christmas Stockings
I'm now finished with Santa's face on the 7th of the Christmas stockings, 7th of 7 I might add. Once I get the foot section knitted, all I'll have left is stitching the faces and finishing stuff. I'm surprised to say that I've really quite enjoyed making them but I think I'm full. As I told someone the other day, I think I've done my part! I never got a photo of the first group of 4 but I will make every effort to get photos of these, if only to prove I did it!

Groovyness

I get laughed at. A lot. Especially when I insist that yarn is not inanimate. In my experience, and trust me I have a lot of experience with yarn, yarn knows exactly what it’s destined to be. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to make yarn do something that it’s dug in its heels and refused to be that.

The current project is a case in point. I bought this yarn last year (old reliable Cascade 220) when we went to St Louis (at Knitorious) for the Stitch and Pitch with the Cardinals. If I’m not mistaken, that was late last April or early May. April, I think. Anyway, I wanted to do a felted summer purse with these great colors and I had a plan. The best I can remember, it was to do a purse with wide stripes of color with contrasting large polka dots on it. I could see it so clearly in my mind and that’s what I bought this yarn for. On purpose.

I started it during the game but it didn’t really work. After I got home, it sat around until I ripped it out. Then I started a different pattern with it. Again it sat around until a week ago when I suddenly listened well enough to discover what it was supposed to be.

The stitch pattern was one I first saw on one of those PBS knitting shows but I don’t remember which one. They demonstrated it quickly and I came in on the middle of the demonstration so in all I’d say I saw about 25 seconds of them doing it but I fell in love with it. I don’t crochet much with yarn because I don’t much like crocheted yarn (except in a very limited exceptions) but I liked the retro look of this stitch. Then I was able to find it in a crochet stitch pattern book that allowed the plan to unfold.

Walking by the bag of abandoned knitting, I heard it. All the stars aligned, all the pieces were in place, destiny was happening right in front of my eyes. I’m doing 2 rectangular pieces that will be the 2 outer pockets of the purse and then I’ll use the green you see at the bottom to make a middle pocket. It will be just slightly larger than the 2 sides so it will be nicely visible then it will have 2 medium length straps long enough for over the shoulder. I’ll probably use the lucet with a strand of each of the yellow/gold/orange strands to make the handles as it makes a much firmer, less stretchy cord. Can’t wait to finish it and start using it. (Click on the photo to see a larger image.)

Spinning Report

I’ve been getting quite a bit of spinning accomplished lately. I have finally been able to get back to the tartanish-colored roving (I think it was called Black Watch and it's certainly got those color shading in it) I bought up in Wisconsin last year. I’ve almost got 1 pound of yarn spun so I will definitely be able to start on something with it soon. I’m hoping to get a swatch worked up this weekend so I’ll be sure to get a photo posted when I get a good swatch to show. I really can’t wait to see how it will look knitted up. I’m doing a medium singles and then Navaho plying to get a 3-ply yarn that’s not too bulky. I probably should have done a swatch before I plied all that I have but I didn’t know enough to do that and I’ve already jumped in with both boots so c’est la vie on this one!

Distractions

I have to admit that there hasn't been much knitting lately in my world. Although I've managed to finish 5 Christmas stockings (2 more to go and then I'm done done), not much else has happened. I did get a little more work done on my gansey, though and it's starting to take shape. I've got the gussets done and I'm well into the pattern. Somehow I must be in a diamond mood because I decided to do the first section as small diamonds. The second section, where I'm at now, is an argyle pattern. I think this is the first sweater I've done with knit/purl patterning. I don't believe I'm going to use any cables on this one but we'll see once I've got the back of the bodice done.

I still love the color and I do love knitting with Galway. I was going to do steeks, which would be perfect for this sort of yarn, but since I'm still not quite sure about the pattern, I decided to do the back and front separately. Less investment in case I decide to do something different. So far, so good.

Vintage Beaded Purse

I went over to one of the local auction houses a few weeks ago and found this lovely beaded crochet purse. Usually these things go for way more than I'm willing to pay but I must have been there on just the right night because there was nobody to bid against me and I got it for a steal. The lining is torn a bit but it's not obvious and the beaded section was complete and in good shape. There was some dirt in some of the beaded areas so I thought, instead of taking the chance of wetting it, I thought I would use a dry paint brush first. There's no telling what I breathed in but it worked a charm and cleaned things right up. A little wipe of the chain with a jeweler's cloth and I think it's cleaned up nicely. Certainly a pretty little thing. 1920's do you think?

A very full couple of days.

A couple of very exciting things have happened over the last couple of days. In fact they happened so quickly, I didn’t even have time for pictures.

The Car
The first is a follow up to the last post. Evidently it was going to cost me $500 for a new muffler. I almost had to giggle when the guy very solemnly assured me that it would have a lifetime warranty! Great, that makes all the difference. That’s a lot of money and with everything else, I just decided it was time to bite the bullet and get a new (for me) car. I’ve been doing lots of research of what I wanted and what the costs would be so I was somewhat prepared. Here was my list of criteria:

• Not a PT Cr uiser. Apologies to those who like the PT Cruiser but it’s my taste.
• Not red. Don’t know why, just don’t want to drive a red car.
• Manual transmission. Learned on a manual, have driven manuals most my life except for my Tracer. Love to drive a manual.
• Less than 30,000 miles. You don’t save any money anymore getting a car with higher mileage – at least not in today’s market.
• I’d decided I quite liked the Ford Focus, both the looks, the feel and the reviews and safety ratings I’ve seen on them.

No one in town, or hereabouts, had a Focus with manual drive, except brand new models (out of my price band completely). There were several low mileage 2008 models that were automatic. One was a really pretty blue color. So I looked and then I went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, I suddenly thought, “Why am I giving up on my manual so easily?” I got on Edmunds.com and out of the blue, my car showed up. It had never shown up before in all my searching but here it was. A 2008 with just over 10,000 miles, 1 owner who’d returned it to the same dealership because they wanted something bigger, manual, kiwi green and right in the expected price range. The dealer gave me twice what I expected for my trade in which put it right in the price I’d decided I was willing to pay and Bob’s your uncle. I have a new car!

According to the reading on the dash, it’s averaging 30 miles to the gallon so far (mine was getting less than 20 at the end) and it has all the mod cons. So I’m happy, I’m blessed. I don’t like the idea of a car payment again after not having one for 6 years but, if I have to have one, this is the car to have one for. It was really inevitable, anyway.

And the piece de resistance is that the backseat area has enough headroom for me to transport my Kromski spinning wheel!! Ha!

The Kids
So all of that happened on Tuesday. I had, or thought I had, a session at a local elementary school demonstrating spinning on Wednesday. It was part of an art night open house at the school and it was packed. No time to go into details but suffice to say I got a phone call at 6:10 saying that the event was actually Tuesday night! Yikes. So I said I would run home (I was still at work) and grab my stuff and come out (in my brand new car). Karen was going to come with me but she was out so I headed on to the school. I was only about 20 minutes late but as soon as I hit the table with cd spindles and roving dyed with bright Kool-Aid colors, I was surrounded for 2 hours with kids spinning bracelets. It’s something I learned from Susan. Have them spin shortish strands of a couple of colors of roving with the cd spindle and then make it a bracelet for them. They loved it! I did have the wheel and demonstrated it a couple of times but mostly it was the drop spindle. They were absolutely fascinated. I also had some washed fleece for them to see it from the sheep to their bracelet. The little boys were the most fascinated, I think, which really surprised the teacher who’d organized it. I felt bad that I’d missed the date but it worked out really well and having an evening with the kids was very rejuvenating.

All in all, I would say it was an eventful day. Did I mention I also did a little bit of work, too?!