Found: Abandoned Sock Project

I know this won't take the prize for the longest running UFO, but I think 2 & 1/2 plus years at least gets a nod.

Chequerboard sock found after being packed away for awhile

This is the first in a pair of Lucy Neatby's Chequerboard Socks. I started on the project back in April 2009, knitted diligently until May, and then set it aside because I didn't like the way the first sock fit across the instep. That was shortly after we moved to our homestead, and we've been so busy since then, that I didn't think much more about them until they were forgotten.

I found the project recently when I was cleaning out a box of odds and ends, and I recalled that I was going to correct the fit. I tried it on to see what the problem was, fortunately having had the sense to transfer the stitches to a length of yarn when I pulled the needles out. After slipping it on, I decided the fit wasn't so bad after all! Project resumed.

Found: Abandoned Sock Project © 15 November 2011
by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Hemming Dishtowels

I'm keeping my hat in the crafting ring by hemming the Summer & Winter dishtowels I wove in ....... 2007! I posted about them here, "Summer & Winter - 1st Dishtowels", and here "Summer & Winter - 2nd Dishtowels". They've been sitting in my trunk of handwovens all this time, just waiting for me to do something with them. Now that we're working on my kitchen remodel, I've discovered that they are a prefect match for my new kitchen colors!

New kitchen cabinet & handwoven dishtowels, yet to be hemmed

I wrote a post on this blog a long time ago, about machine hemming dishtowels (How Do You Hem Your Handwovens? along with a reader comment motivated follow-up, Hemming Handwoven Fabrics). These however, must be hand hemmed because my sewing machine has a broken bobbin case, and I haven't done any sewing lately to motivate me to replace it. Even so, I find handwork relaxing after a long day of gardening or working on the kitchen. :)

Hemming Dishtowels © 6 November 2011
by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Baby Sweater

I have been a very bad fiber blogger. But, I have finally completed something!

This is for my first grandchild, who is now 6 months old. Details on this post. I admit I wasn't in a terribly big hurry to get it done. The pattern was a 6 to 12 month size, and the weather timing hopefully works out so that it will fit.

What's next? Well, maybe some rag rugs. We've begun our kitchen remodel and I already have the dishtowels (here and here). What I'll need is upholstery fabric for the chairs and rag rugs for the floors.

How soon will I get to it? Who knows, my studio is currently stuffed with boxes full of kitchen stuff. Ah, the joys of remodeling.

Baby Sweater © 24 October 2011 by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

More Baby Knitting

Once Dan's socks were finished, I wanted to knit a baby cardigan to match the hat I gave my daughter-in-law for Christmas. I wanted to use the same self-striping yarn with a solid, and found just the pattern in Debbie Bliss Celtic Knits.

This is the from the Arygle Twinset on page 62, but I'm using the self-striping yarn instead of doing the stranded argyle knitting. It's a little quicker and will match the hat! Well, it won't match perfectly because the self stripes weren't intended to be worked over this many stitches.

The only problem with my idea was trying to match a solid color to the multi-color yarn. I looked for something in the same line by the same manufacturer, but nothing matched! Neither pink nor blue, and I didn't want to go with white. I settled on another brand of blue, same size, but a better color match.

I've got about a month before my granddaughter makes her debut, but this is knitting up quickly. It will be too large, and I can only hope that she'll hit this size at a time when she can use a sweater!

I'd love to do some baby weaving too, but with our house in a constant state of remodel/repair, my yarns and supplies are still packed away and spread out over several rooms. It's frustrating, but it's the way things are.

BTW, I have baby goats on the way too, but I'm not doing any knitting for them. :)

More Baby Knitting © 31 March 2011
by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

Socks & More

Hello! Hello! Anybody still out there? Probably not after all these months. Still, I've just finished Dan's socks and wanted to show them off, mistakes and all.

And mistakes there are many, but he's happy with them and I'm happy they're done. The pattern is the "Classy Slip-Up" socks from Betsy Lee McCarthy's Knit Socks! 15 Cool Patterns For Toasty Feet.  I first posted about these socks almost a year ago. One reason they've taken so long, is because I took some time out to knit this for my daughter-in-law...

That's right, I'm going to be a first time grandmother next month! The pattern came on the yarn label, such a cute little hat. I'm not much on pink, but it would seem that every baby girl ought to receive at least one pink thing. :)

I have a few other things to show off as well, though not the work of my own hands. The first, is Rascal's memorial prayer flag, woven by Theresa.

Rascal was a much loved and faithful companion, so this flag is very special to me. Thank you Theresa!

One other thing to show you...

A name drafted scarf, woven for me by Ellen Turpening. The warp was threaded in our Guild name, Western North Carolina Fiber/Handweavers Guild, for our annual retreat last year. She had some warp leftover, and treadled, "Thank you Leigh Tate for being our president." It was given to me at our November 2010 meeting, when I turned the reins over to our incoming president. I can't tell you how surprised and honored I felt. Thank you Ellen!

Three months is a long time in between posts. I'm still on the fringes of my fiber world, so I can't guarantee how much better I'll do in the future. Still, there are seasons in our lives, and this is one love I will always come back to.

Socks & More © 16 March 2011

by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal

No-Sew Roman Shade

When it comes to repairing and remodeling our 100-year-old house, the structural stuff pretty much falls to Dan. The interior decorating is more in my domain. In our newly finished kitchen bathroom, I wanted something besides mini-blinds. And definitely something other than this...

My first idea was a louvered shutter, painted white. I fell in love with that idea but quickly discovered how expensive a custom shutter would be. Then we added a small wall cabinet, which would be in the way of opening the shutter to clean or open the window. So that was out.

After scouring the internet and bathroom books for ideas, I finally decided on a Roman shade. At least I can make one of these. I found an excellent how-to website (now gone) called Terrell's Designs, read everything on it, looked at the videos, did all the calculations, and then decided to give this a try. I also decided to buy all the accouterments locally, which proved to be more difficult than I thought. Then I remembered that my sewing machine is on the fritz (bobbin case needs replacing), and so looked for a plan B. Ah, what would we do without those plan Bs.

I found several tutorials on no-sew Roman shades using mini-blinds, but this is the one I used.

Day 753's second try at The Newlywed Diaries

It had good photos, which I find infinitely more helpful than descriptions alone.

Disassembling the mini-blinds

Gluing the strips into place to make the shade's folds.

I used a thermal panel instead of a new piece of fabric. Yardage-wise, I didn't pay any more for it, plus it's already lined, plus it means I'll only have to cut and glue two edges instead of all four. I wanted a thermal shade because the bathroom is both farthest from the wood heater, and has no air vent duct work from the heat pump. We gain a lot of heat in summer through the window, and lose a lot of heat in winter. So, I figured this would help.

I was really pleased with how it turned out.

Shade open.

Shade closed. The picture on the left is a counted cross
stitch of blue irises. It was an inexpensive thrift store find.

This remodel turned out well and I think the Roman shade is the perfect touch! You can see the whole thing (with before and after photos) over at my homestead blog ... Project Complete: Bathroom.

No-Sew Roman Shade © February 2011 

by Leigh at Leigh's Fiber Journal