V is for Victory

and D is for Darning.





















I have been wondering and hunting for some darning wool. I was beginning to think it would be impossible to find and I would have to attempt to dig up the stash of it I got at an estate sale when I was a child. If it is still in will all my childhood belongings at my parents' house. Then last week I went to Loopy Yarns to pick some more yarn for my Sartorialiste scarf (which I have completely frogged and have re-started) and there in the sock room in the back corner it was. A whole display of unassuming neutral colored cards of darning yarn looking exactly as I remember them looking when I was a kid. They are selling it more as re-enforcing yarn to carry along with your main yarn when knitting toes and heels but it is also labeled "darning yarn." I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. I wanted to buy one of every color. I stuck to just buying one, in a olive green, because I just busted a hole in a pair of green socks and have yet to actually try my hand at darning. I would say that it is relatively inexpensive at $3 a card compared to buying (or knitting) a new pair of socks. And don't forget the priceless joy of learning a new skill and reveling in being a grandma waaay before your time.

(F)inished (O)bject

FINALMENT!!! It feels so good to finish something. I might try and finish things more often :)

So here is the 40's Turban that I started in October.(Ravelry link here.) It is a Bestway pattern from the V&A archives. I used Knitpicks Shadow in a kettle dyed dark green. I bought 4 skeins and held the yarn doubled throughout. I knit 2 of these babies with the idea being that I would sew them together for a double layered extra warm midwest winter hat. But my head is too big for that so fail and I have 2 hats. You could easily knit one hat with 2 skeins and still have a bit left over.


This was pretty quick and easy to knit. You need to know knit, purl, increase, decrease and short rows. It was complicated enough to be interesting but boring enough to watch tv while knitting. I really like the yarn so far and don't have any complaints other than the fact that it is lace weight so balling it was a bitch. I don't own a ball winder or a swift so balling yarn is a bitch anyway. It is also a small project so easy to take with you. The pattern is not too confusing unless you think about it too much instead of just doing. There aren't any images or schematics either so you don't really know what you are knitting until you finish the first half. You wind up with 2 baseball cap shaped pieces like this:

You sew them together around the round cap part and then the ends of the "brim" together to form a loop. It is also the sort of accessory that once you put it on you don't want to take it off because (you look so damn cute!) it is kind of a process to put on. You put the cap part on your head and then twist around the front bands to make a "knot" and pull the loop over your head to the back. Best not to try this with a fancy hairdo. There is also a stocking stitch version that is constructed differently that might be less weird to put on.
I think the hat is a bit small for me. It doesn't stay on my head very well and doesn't quite cover my ears like I hoped it would. Not sure what I am gonna do about that yet. I think that could be easily remedied by using a slightly heavier yarn and going up a needle size. Maybe I will (gasp) frog all of it and knit another one with the yarn held quadruple through out. It is a quick knit so that wouldn't be so bad and it is becoming spring so there is time :) Now more work on the OD Henley I started 2 years ago!

something knitty...

I haven't had a knitting related post in awhile. My knitting is in a state of a very steady plateau. I have a core group of a handful of projects that sort of rotate in and out of my hands. This has sort of been the case for the past year or two. Occasionally a new small project will enter the bunch but I have been primarily working on the same few projects with out anything new for awhile. That includes buying yarn. I haven't bought yarn in awhile but I only buy yarn if I have project in mind for it (regardless if I actually make that project with that yarn or even at all.) I have a much larger fabric stash than a yarn stash.
I spent the night at one of my best friend's house a few nights ago and one of the things we did, well started, while her baby was napping was go through her knitting stash. She has a bunch of vintage patterns that she received from her uncle's mother in law. She didn't really know what to do with them because most of the patterns she either didn't like or didn't really think she would ever make. I suggested ebaying them. Keeping or xeroxing the few patterns she liked and selling the rest. Vintage is hot right now. She told me to take ones that I liked and I brought home these two:

I love the girls dress (made in the largest size as a tunic over leggings), the vest, and I am extremely intrigued by the bobble helmet and knee socks in the Blarneyspun booklet. The other booklet has some really wonderful late 50's cardigans as well as several men's patterns.

yarn*con 2009

Spinning seemed to be the main topic of the day, at least for us.

and needle felting pumpkin pins

and $5 mystery bags of yarn. the three dark pink ones were my bag (it was labeled as dark pink, that is why i chose it) all acrylic but i am happy with it. the little green one is leftovers from my stash that i thought contrasted nicely.

Oh, and have you met Simone? She is the lovely model above whose first attempt at spinning you are witnessing.

A Guide to Better Sewing

I am in love and obsessed with Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. The idea is based on this book from the 50's

which claims to be able to make you a better seamstress one project at a time. There was a line of patterns that corresponded with the projects in the book but were sold separately. Gertie has tracked down some/most of the patterns and is sharing her experience of working through the book and use of sewing techniques from the 50's (copious tailor tacks and hand overcast finished seams, anyone?).
The thought that i probably do not have to add for those of you who have been on this blog before or who know me even just a little bit is: I TOTALLY WANT TO DO THIS. I am generally not as much of a fan of the 50's as the 30's and the 40's (the huge skirts are fun but not so practical, same with the wiggle skirts) but the pattern's in the book and the projects of Gertie's that she has posted on the blog seem really nice and fairly practical. i love the portrait collar blouse, the background dress and of course the evening dress. The bow tie blouse and the shirt dress are of course classics. And initially not really taken with the slim skirt until i read Gertie's post about her slim skirt where she talks about the construction of it, now I want to make one whether or not it is flattering. The skirt is made with only one yard of fabric and has only one seam, up the back, and it is shaped only by a the series of pleats at the waist line. it is the vintage construction techniques that really get me. That is what I really want to learn. (and more on that later)

In other news, I am trying really hard to post something every week. Thursday seems to be the day with the exception of this week. i mostly have bits of vintage stuff i have found to show you as my own sewing has been a bit off and going slowly right now. I did pick up the green sweater i was knitting again and have just about completed the body and will start the sleeves soon-ish. I did sew up a dress a couple weeks ago but i broke one of the straps on it during our last trip and need to mend it. I will hopefully post that for you next week. I have also been working on the muslin for a shirt and it is going really slow. it has been hard to find my mojo in my new sewing studio. it is cute button down with short sleeves and gathering along the yoke. i think I want to make a shirt dress out of it too.

So in lieu of photos this week go check out Gertie's blog and report you thoughts back to me!

mystery knitting...

Slow Fashion Meet High Fashion

I have been wanting to knit this turban as my new winter hat. (I left my elf hat on the train accidentally while trying to meet up with a friend) I love vintage clothes and here I am thinking I am being semi-original and slightly demode and I find these on the Sartorialist:

I think a burgundy, marooon, wine-y color would be fab for my turban but my coat is that color and that i think would be a bit much. Maybe for wear with my brown down coat so I don't feel so dowdy...(the contrast of the turquoise snakeskin clutch leaves me completely done in by this look. Simple with some pop of color. I love it)

As elegant as I think white can be, as it is here, I think it would just get too dirty. And I think it would fail to make me happy in the dead of winter.

Skein 1

So here it is folks, my first hand dyed skein of yarn!


It is a 70% Merino 30% Silk blend hand dipped in Indigo. The whole skein was dipped to give it a light blue base and then I pulled out individual sections randomly several times and re dipped them for scattered darker hues throughout. It dried down a lot so it is overall quite light.

i am currently obsessed with this colorway from Three Irish Girls. I feel like i need a matching tam/beret, scarflette, and mitts set out of it. In something textured like moss stitch. it is my inspiration for the hand painting we will be doing this week in class.

DROOL...

Cat: The Ultimate Fashion Critic

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Handpaints by ME!

In just a couple of weeks I am taking a class on painting yarn with natural dyes. Handpaints are some of my favorite yarn. I am a sucker for anything that changes color. I don't always know what to do with them but i love them. achkoiguchoo. Need I say more? So I am super excited about this. Maybe I will start selling my very own handpainted yarn on Etsy and become one of those... I have also started being really interested in spinning. I spun once in college with a drop spindle and found it incredible annoying but i feel like picking it up again and trying. I found this kit on the MVFF blog. Its not expensive and the spindle is hand made on the farm where the alpaca are raised. Sounds right up my alley.