Tying up loose ends...

This is what I spent the last 7 weeks on. Actually, I spent the last 7 weeks making 2 of these. And there is no final picture - because I am a dork and forgot until after I had already delivered them.

The project was to reproduce 2 copies of an existing Christmas stocking that was more than 40 years old, from a pattern that is more than 50 years old. I was given a stocking, a photocopy of an old pattern, and asked if I could make 2 new close copies, with new names for new family members. They were knit flat for part (the leg and instep), in the round for part (the toe) intarsia for part (twin scary Santas,) stranded for part (names on both sides, and weird crossed candy canes,) stripes (the toe again,) and 3 jingle bells each. There was a back seam, seams on both of the heel gussets, a braid in 3 colors covering the back seam, and toes that had to conform to the original stocking, not the original pattern.

The part above is the section of intarsia where I was using 9 bobbins, butterflies, and balls of yarn for something less than 1 foot wide. It would have been 11, but I chose to add the 2 pairs of single stitch eyes in duplicate stitch.

The colors of the original were hard to match, but the person that commissioned them was quite pleased, thankfully. They are odd, but vintage. Interesting to make, but the finishing took about 10 hours - each.

I am trying this month to design 2 more crocheted bodice dresses, but I also am working on restoring an old crocheted afghan (I'm guessing from the early 1950s.) I WILL photograph the process, and I can tell it will be a very interesting challenge. Starting with loom-made daisies, I will be re-making parts of it, and I will then be repairing other parts. I was given lovely wool to match colors with, and I am so excited. Last month, I also worked on repairing another old crocheted afghan. I love repairs. It makes me want even more to go back to school to do textile conservation. We shall see...

In other news, I spent a couple of lovely evenings with a crowd of crochet folk. I was asked if I would be interested in starting up a local crochet guild, and I said yes. If you are in the Austin area, The Knitting Nest on South Congress will be hosting a gathering of people interested, and we will form a local chapter of the Crochet Guild of America. Save the date: Sunday, June 12, at 2pm. There will be food! Call Stacy at (512) 291-8866 to sign up, so we know how many to expect.

I had to cancel the Countdown to Harry Potter classes that I had designed - next to no response. I suspect Voldemort at work here.

I actually got on Twitter (@oceanofstitches) and I find that all of my postings are almost in Haiku form. My brain does not thrive perhaps on the 140 character limit. Or is it less?

I have asked my husband to keep an eye on my facebook and twitter accounts. I need to post more, and it seems easier to tell him what to post than sitting here assuming anyone is reading what I say. Right now, I am doing that but I might have him post soon. This space is mine, however. I may have him put up some photos for quick posts, but probably not.

I am trying to come up with classes to teach at both shops for the rest of the year. I am also trying to come up with whole series of knit and crochet courses. Occasionally, I sleep.

So there are my loose ends for the month. Let's hope I will be free enough to post more often!

In the meantime...

While everything else has been going on, I have managed to design a little sundress with a crocheted top and a fabric bottom - children's sizes 2-8 (US). The pattern includes a full, photo-rich written tutorial on how to measure for and attach the fabric skirt to the crocheted top. This little mannequin is sitting in front of The Knitting Nest in Austin, Texas - looking all calm, cool and collected in the already hot weather here.

You can purchase the pattern from Ravelry for $5: .

I will be teaching a class on making this dress this Sunday, April 10th, also at The Knitting Nest. If you are interested, call Stacy at (512) 291-8866 to reserve your spot.

Make your own ornaments!

Two knitted stars, an elf hat, a short-row pickle, a mini sock stocking, and a double-knit Norwegian Star snowflake.

An African Flower motif stocking, 2 crocheted stars, a curved crocheted pickle, a lace snowflake, a lace heart, and a little elf hat.

Starting November 26th and 27th, I will be teaching 10 different ornament classes. There will be 5 each of knitting and crochet (being fair to the various needle arts.) Above are the samples I created for each class. Call or visit The Knitting Nest in Austin Texas to sign up. Different ornaments will be offered on different days - knitted ones on Friday the 26th, and on Wednesdays thereafter; crocheted ones on Saturdays starting November 27th.

Escape the house, make your own ornaments (or gift toppers.)

I'll Be Teaching Next Week!

Starting next Tuesday, November 2, I will be teaching a Knitting 101 class! Tuesdays, November 2, 9, 16, and 30 from 7 - 8:30 pm at The Knitting Nest in Austin, TX. That is 6 hours of class time, in which students will learn how to cast on, knit, cast off, purl, knit in the round on circulars and double-pointed needles, increase, and decrease. A solid beginning course. The cost is $80 for six hours, plus materials. As I get the course fee, the store policy is that materials must be purchased at The Knitting Nest, so that classes may continue to be held there. Please come learn, if you are nearby; and support The Knitting Nest for giving me such a good venue at which to teach. Hope to see you there!

The next big thing...

I coulda been a contender!

I just wanted to say thank you to the many people who sent me cheering messages in the last few weeks. It was a huge help - and probably the very thing I needed. I was tempted to throw my hands up and quit the teaching thing, but I would have been quitting one of the things that I love the best. I really love teaching knitting, crochet, and jewelry making. I love seeing the spark of understanding and the frisson of inspiration spread to those I teach. I love to share what I do, and make more of us out there. I love passing the gifts of the incredible teachers I have had to the next person. Thank you for encouraging me. I want to say a special thank you to Stacy, the owner of The Knitting Nest (Austin, TX) for supporting my efforts and encouraging me to teach. I will, in fact, be teaching holiday ornament classes there starting in November - both knitted ones and crocheted ones!

I have been busy the whole time I was preparing for classes. The above mitts are for my brother Martin's birthday (I can say that - only my brother Nick actually reads my blog.)

I just finished some for Badger - leftover Malabrigo from his hat last year. Buttons to match.

Rose has some, also made from leftover Malabrigo, to match her hat from last year - which I will admit is probably still a bit big. I am starting on more presents for the holidays. I also have to make Rose a gnome costume for Halloween this week. I am making her a red, dotted skirt, a blue, flowered shirt, and a little white pinafore. This will all be combined with her gnome hat to make her the sweetest gnome baby. I might even embroider flowers on her pinafore - let's see how the week goes.

I recently got a care package from my dear friend Laura. It was chock full of lovely, but here is one thing that she sent - recycled yarn from Washington State! Yay! I even like the name - Smart Monkey. They are on Etsy if you want some yourself. There is a local group that does the same thing, and I will be checking them out soon.

Here is something else I have been up to - more jewelry making. This is a 1.5 inch wide wool felt rose, with glass beads, a silk and wool leaf with pearl cotton embroidery. I made it as a gift for my Chiropractor. She is a very nice woman, but she has really been an immeasurable help to me. I actually leave my house because of her. My back had gotten so bad, that I mostly did not leave the house. Now look at me - going out and teaching.

I made a wool felt, scrap silk, vintage button, and embroidered bracelet.

Lined in a scrap piece of linen.

And a pair of chandelier earring to wear when I feel special. These were actually class samples I made for the classes that I was to be teaching. I bought the supplies, and made them to my tastes. They are definitely mine. They are Bali silver findings and sterling silver wire, beads, and Swarovski crystal beads.

The crystal beads are my favorite color name ever - padparadscha. These are a sort of an orangish, brownish, reddish pink.

Wikipedia states that "Padparadscha is a pink-orange corundum, with a low to medium saturation and light tone, originally being mined in Sri Lanka, but also found in deposits in Vietnam and Africa; Padparadscha sapphires are very rare and highly valued. The name derives from the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom.^[8] Along with rubies, they are the only type of corundum to be given their own name instead of being called a particular colored sapphire. Padparadscha used to be a subvariety of ruby.^[9] "

So, I am on to the next big thing, which is good for me, and I hope for the good of all.

I wish I were joking.

No photos today. Just venting a little bit of frustration and disappointment.

I was going to be starting a new job teaching knitting, crochet, and maybe a bit of jewelry at the local Y. Well, apparently not. It might happen in January, or it might not. I was told that it was a bit "aggressive" of me to try to get classes going in the 3 week of time since I met with the organizer. Um - not my timeline. However, I was fully prepared - materials lists, class schedules. lesson plans, handout materials, cost spreadsheets, etc. I went to the Y the day before yesterday to put up a big demo/display for 5 hours, and had lots of interest. I felt like I was on display, but I always do. Now I am getting, in my opinion, weird half-hearted responses, and almost feel blamed for doing so much work to get things ready in time. I spent almost 40 hours so far preparing for class. Now, nothing.

Where do I go from here? I have no idea. I am going to try to get some teaching work at some of the local yarn stores, but I am afraid that they will have filled their schedules already. I cleared out 10 weeks of time for this - changed my schedule and everything. It couldn't come at a worse time for us. My husband was laid off almost 2 years ago, from a field he had been in for almost 16 years. He is still looking, but nothing so far. My family has been helping, immeasurably, but can no longer afford to.

We are going ahead with our printing press - but are concerned that we are going to be able to afford paper to print on. As you see, I've already put some of our handmade things up for sale on Etsy. (See Etsy widget to your right.) I don't need your pity or charity, but I could use some loving thought right now. And if you believe in some higher power, or the beneficence of the universe, please pray for us.

(Update - they asked me to send them a time sheet for all the time I spent preparing for 8 classes, and balked that it was nearly 40. They also questioned my experience and professionalism, and then said that I would not serve their needs. So I will not be working for them, obviously. I had hoped that we could come to some sort of understanding, but apparently they do not understand the time and cost of materials needed for 8 craft classes.)

I have been BUSY!

This little pile of fabric, felt and interfacing became...

I have been busy sewing my little fingers off. This weekend was that of the Best Little Yarn Crawl in Texas. I was busy making project needle cases that hold a few sets of double pointed needles, and up 3 circular needles. Just enough for a project, hence the name. They can hold dpns up to 7.5 inches long, or 8 inches, if you don't cover the tops with the flap. Any length circulars will fit.

Lovely, delicious scissor fabric...

Dress pattern fabric (tee, hee.)

Here is the lovely tree, flower, and fruit fabrics. From the scrap felt, I made...

Sock needles are tiny. They are thin and short. Perfect for losing and snapping in half. I thought that giving them a little padding and protection was a noble idea. Besides, I have lots of buttons and like to make things out of extra material.

Fern green and a deep, strawberry smoothie-colored pink. They will hold needles up to 5.5 inches long.

This is the inside of my project needle case. You can see needles already looking comfy inside. The button on the circular needle pocket keeps the circular needle cable from shifting when it is closed. It provides just enough pressure to keep things tidy.

Aren't they cute!

Here are the insides of the other project needle cases - red, strawberry, and fern green. I have four more of the brown ones to finish. There are also pink and yellow felt pockets.

Sales were a bit slow, but as it was day 3 of the yarn crawl, people were tired. I have been invited back to The Knitting Nest (Austin, TX) in November for their Ravelry party. November 13, some of the ladies from Ravelry will be in town for a visit. I will be there, cases (and beaded stitch markers) in hand.

I am also going to be teaching classes this Fall at the Southwest Family Y, in Oak Hill (Austin, TX.) Two levels each of knitting and crochet, and some quick, fun jewelry classes. If you are local - come sign up. We are going to be learning a lot!

Things are busy, but it looks like the next few months will be full of fun.

On Handwork

I saw this short video over on the Mason-Dixon blog site. The importance of it struck so deeply that I felt the absolute need to share it here as well.

Taking a long time - or time well spent.

My, my, I have had a busy few weeks. As you can see, progress progresses on the Little Bubbles Sweater - only sleeves and button bands left. It has been a lengthy project, one that I have not always enjoyed. I am, however, beginning to appreciate the concept of time well spent. The sweater is taking a long time to make - true. But Rose will be able to wear it this spring and next fall and possibly spring. I am being a careful crafter, so if it well cared-for and kept, another girl a generation later will as well. But I will say - there are a lot of stitches, a maddening lot. I, oddly enough, got a request to purchase the sweater after Rose outgrows it. Obviously I said "no," but I did offer to sell two grown-up sweaters to the two people who liked it. Time will tell. I'm glad that my handwork is appreciated for what it is.

At the top, you will see my sweet Badger knitting away on a garter stitch square. Part of his homeschooling is learning various craft skills. Knitting helps with mathematical thinking and hand-eye coordination, so I believe it is a good start. Good going Badger! He's picked up the knit stitch very fast, but I knit alternate rows for him so that he doesn't get discouraged by the time that knitting takes.

And the last photo is the chart the I just finished for a custom baby hat. A baby Racoon. In intarsia. Knit flat. In 3 colors. Due on Feb. 26. Ok, back to the knitting.

What I did this summer

Besides making various stuff this summer, I spent 8 weeks volunteering as a knitting instructor for our local library in Austin. Katie, pictured above, also started taking crochet lessons from me and is continuing through the school year. I had a blast doing this! There were anywhere from 10 to 16 students - both kids and moms - every week and we went from beginnings right through projects that they chose themselves. Katie, her mom Kathy and I met before class to learn crochet and amigurumi construction. She is a fast and natural fiberista.

I have to admit that I was unsure of what to expect of my teaching. I am fine working in small groups of 2 to 3 people, but I really am uneasy with big groups. After some trepidation, I got there and was happily surprised by everyone's enthusiasm. Yay! I would definitely do this again in a heartbeat, and would encourage other fiber artists to volunteer every now and then. I know that the work that we do is time-consuming and we are often protective of our skills that we have spent so long nurturing. However, I gained so much from helping others to develop their passion for knitting and crochet that I feel a spark of renewed energy for my projects and my craft.

I want to thank all of my students, but most of all I'd like to thank Stephanie at the Twin Oaks Branch of the Austin Public Library for giving me the opportunity to have so much fun! Thanks to you all and I hope to see you all again soon.