Not for the faint of heart

Do you recall way back when I said I wanted to make a pair of argyle socks? That was over a year ago, and I did start to make them using some red and black Jawoll sock yarn. I know that's not entirely authentic; nylon didn't come about until the '30's, but I had the yarn and it made sense to use it because the person I'm making them for doesn't care that much about the authenticity. He just wants some bitchin' socks to go with his kilt, and really, who doesn't?

They look so benign...

They bad boys are from Weldon's 4D #17 c.1928 - Men's Socks & Stockings, which I got at my favorite place to shop for patterns, Iva Rose Vintage Reproductions. This is one of the earliest examples of an argylish style to be found. These are worked in the round, using only two colors (brown and fawn), which is what adds the "-ish" to the argyle. True argyles are worked flat, and notoriously in more than two colors.

Not too bad, right?

About ten hours of knitting got me this far. This is not a charted pattern, so by the time I got to the first cross-over in a diamond, I got cocky and thought I knew the pattern. And I suppose it doesn't really matter if it's the precise pattern, except the back of the sock has shaping, and I didn't (and still don't) like how that was turning out.

A nightmare, I tell you!

So... I didn't like it. You can probably guess from reading here over the years what comes next.

That's right. I took a trip to the pond. Just now. (After all, these should be done in time for some Christmas.)

It doesn't know what's coming, poor thing.

Riiiiiipppp...

Surprisingly easy!

Riiiiiipppp...

Even a bit fun!

Riiiiiipppp...

Hmm... did that suddenly get a bit short?

Riiiiiipppp...

I guess there really is no turning back now...

Riiiiiipppp...

...is there?

Riiiiiipppp...

I guess not.

Riiiiiipppp...

Eek!

...it.

A pause to reflect.

In context, except you can't see the look on my face.

Now, I happen to know it pays to not just rip all crazy-like down to whatever row. (Don't ask me how I know, I don't want any flashbacks.) It needs to be a chosen row. If it is not, then from that way lies madness. Madness, I tell you! Not that this is particularly sane. But it has its points.

I ripped it down to the first row of red yarn in the pattern.

Then I carefully picked up the stitches with one of the smallest needles I have, likely a 0 or 00 or something like that. Let's put it this way: I have never used these needles for anything but something like this. The benefit of using such itty bitty little death stabbers is that it puts less tension on the yarn loops so that stitches aren't dropped.

Sanity restored.

The actual needles used on this project are the Old US Steel Needle Size 12, a.k.a. modern US #1 (2.25 mm). It varies by brand a bit (I'm looking at you, German dpn makers!), but I happen to use some bamboo needles that are exactly that size.

That is a US #1 I'm pointing with!

So now, that wasn't so bad, right? Not that I'm going to work on them right now or anything. I think maybe I'll actually go do anything but knit, because my other WIP is this:

Cthulhu? The Flying Spaghetti Monster? Maybe.

I only have finishing left on V.'s "Cross Country" pullover. Whose bright idea were these projects, anyway?

Oh, right. Me on both counts.

Savage ends!

I'm making progress on the "Cross Country" sweater for V., although I'm starting to think I need more needles. That's always the refrain, isn't it? I need more. More yarn, more magazines, more books, more needles. But I do. The collar is supposed to be done using a circular US #2, something which I (lap knitter) would be very surprised to possess. I do have some circulars, but they are #0's, I think, because the thought of trying lace on multiple dpns made me want to cry.

I think I'll block it somewhat while it's in this flattened state

I have the arms on the body and the shoulders joined, as you see above. I tried it on the kid and it all seems fine. V. is a lean 4 yr. old, and any of you familiar with slip stitch patterns (such as this one) know that there is a LOT of give in the fabric.

What she is going to wear with it, I don't know. I've really only begun her winter wardrobe for this year. I have some stuff I've found at thrift stores and such that I'm rather proud of, but nothing that is basic like a pair of jeans:

This $2 thriftstore sweater is hand made in Ireland! With SHEEP!

The inside of "Cross Country" is giving me pause:

Not actually savaged, just not woven in. :(

I need to find my crochet hooks and address it at some point. That point is NOT today. I may, in fact, finish the Funky Sweater first. But this sweater will be cute in the end. I've laid it out so that you can imagine it better:

Imagine all those ends gone. I know I'm trying to.

Funky Sweater

In a previous post I mentioned that I was making myself a sweater for a change. I've thought about this sweater for some time, especially how it's not something I would wear to anything like work. (Unless I was a circus clown, I suppose.)

I had to stop when I ran out of red

I have a habit of picking up crafting books (heck, any kind of book, the more weird and obscure the better) at thrift stores, and that is where I found this pattern. It is from "Knitting" by the Editors of the Ladies' Home Journal (1977). I couldn't even get a photo of this book by Googling the name or ISBN. So I took my own photograph:

Now the world knows what it is missing

And then I snapped a couple bad shots of the joys to be found inside. 1977 was an interesting year for knitwear, because they didn't seem to realize how horrible Orlon acrylics were yet, especially as swimwear.

I have worse patterns for bathing suits. Trust me.

There was also no moderation as far as patterns were concerned, or color choices. They could have learned a lot from Buddha about the Middle Way, but I think they may have been too far into cocaine and disco by then.

.

Is a Tom Petty video coming to mind here?

Ugly, plus duck. Everything is better with a duck.

I have no words for this one.

There is just a hint of lingering 1920's nostalgia, which is one of the saving graces of this period. (Thank you, The Great Gatsby!) 

Getting ready to go punting on the Thames

But I have not completely lost my mind. I am heavily modifying the charmingly subdued sweater you see below:

I have no excuse to offer.

Instead of using ten colors, I'm using seven, because that was what I happened to have. This required a bit of thinking on my part, which may or may not work out. (At least I did a lot of the thinking before I cast on. Seems to always work out a little better that way.) The other modification is making it a hybrid of Paisley from Kim Hargreaves A Season's Tale; the body will be longer. There will be no cowl, just a deeper scoop neck.

Zebra Chevron

I've begun a new project, even though I have whole box of projects I need to work on. It doesn't require me purchasing any yarn, and it has been fermenting in my imagination for a while.

Maybe I should have warned you to wear sunglasses for this...

The swatch you see above, searing your eyeballs, is of a mosaic stitch called Zebra Chevron. I saw this stitch while leafing through A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara G. Walker, and it occurred to me that it just might be possible to make a tam in this stitch whereby the decreases are hidden in the chevron pattern. So, now we will see if that is doable.

Of course, I have spent the better part of the day wishing I had done the math before casting on. Instead, I knit a band in the desired gauge and size and then tried to figure out how many stitches I should be working in the round to make the Zebra Chevron pattern work out. Much muttered swearing and ripping of yarn and scribbling of long division later, I think I have it. And I think I'm buying a calculator.

The actual hat will be in the same brand and size yarn as the swatch, but the Lego blue is being replaced by a heathered gray which will hopefully temper the violent pink.

More funky socks

Way back when I made my first pair of funky socks I'd done it reluctantly.Then the praise started rolling in when I wore them out in public. (A lot of directed from my co-workers, a bunch of middle class, very straight-laced architects. I was baffled.) And, they were practical, comfortable socks. Soon they became my favorite socks and I even ripped out the top of them to use up the rest of the yarn.

Now the snow can blow up my pants leg all it wants.

I went out of my way to make these funky socks.

Well, if you count randomly stumbling across a yarn sale while waiting for an appointment going out of your way. But the moment I saw the yarn, I was full of intention. Yes, yes, I know that's how it is with yarn romances. It seduces you in the store and you totally have plans for it, sort of. But I really did it this time.

The wide band of tan at the toe goes on the BOTTOM

I started at the toe with a provisional cast on of 30 on my usual US #2 needles so that I could use up all the yarn by making the leg as long as possible. This was also my first experience with the toe-up heel flap, and I loved it. I tried to make the second sock match the first as much as possible, but I got the top on the bottom and the bottom on the top... and I had to have a little talk with myself about whether I really needed to rip the whole thing out and turn it over or not. I decided to let it be, but I still think about it. I just try not to look when I'm putting it on. I can cope. I think.

The quilt is equally chaotic.

They fit nicely, and they are definitely funkalicious. So funkalicous that I was baffled for most of the first sock about what came next, color-wise. It seems that the alternation of the blue stripes happens every other repeat of the entire sequence of colors. I've never encountered this kind of thing before. Was it a manufacturing mistake? Intentional? I don't know. But lucky me, nobody liked the how strange the skeins of yarn looked, so I got these socks for less than $10.

Close-up of foot in sock.

Winter is coming!

No, really. I know it's +80 degrees outside right now, and my air conditioner sounds like it might have a stroke, but winter will be here before any of us knitters know it, and then where will we be?

That's right - so desperately behind in holiday knitting that we will be forced to give our loved ones our own knitted accessories. Then we will spend all winter tucking our hands into our jacket sleeves and walking around like a hunchback in the snow, a cheap dollar store beanie on our head.

Ok, perhaps I mean I will, not us. But not this year!

I'm making this for V:

I'm taking a pass on the pants and the stick

This is from Tessa Watts-Russell's Nursery Knits, which I scored at a thrift store. Some of the patterns are very dated ('80's) but most of them are classic and worth having. This particular sweater is called "Cross Country" (I suppose the little tyke is cross country skiing...? Looks more like an Alps adventure to me.)

It's a very basic sweater with slip-stitched stripes. I was expecting to purl on the reverse, since that makes the second row of color go smoother (no moving the yarn from front to back every other stitch) but that's not what the plan is, apparently. I suppressed my desire to modify and went with it. The result is the texture you see in these photos.

Completed back and front. Those ends will probably kill me.

The hem is being done on US #2 needles, so it's a tight affair. I went up a needle size or two for the body because I was concerned. But so far, so good. The yarn I'm using is KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in sport weight. I confess, yesterday I had to order more. But that is alright, because I also had to order more of the same kind of yarn for a sweater I've started for myself. I am NOT freezing my tuckus off this winter. Really.

Nice, tight bottom... edge. (I obviously need to get out more.:P)

Vintage sewing

I received a surprise package in the mail today from my paternal grandmother, who has been following my crafting antics, mostly on Facebook. (Yes, like millions, I am on Facebook. I find it is the fastest and most efficient way to disseminate information to family about V., so they can have practically daily updates about HER three year old antics, plus photos.) The bulk of the package was these two throw pillows, which had a note on top of them stating that they were made by my mother for my aunt Mary. This particular aunt was the baby of the family, so she was still in school when my parents married. 

My mom made these for my aunt in the 70's

Lots of trims!

The rest of the package was composed of trimmings (lace, bias tape, rick rack, etc.), appliques and do-dads. There is quite a variety and I'm sure I'll find a use for it all.

And some cute appliques

Can't you just picture a toddler dress with some bees on it?

And while we're looking at these appliques, check out that black patch with the embroidered flower on it. I've got a blurry close-up photo of it below for your edification. That white thing in the photo, on the left? That's my thumb. This is some seriously tiny embroidery.

Blurry close-up.

 I had to take a look at the back of the patch to confirm it was real embroidery, it's so minuscule. And indeed it is, because it has a fabric backing on it. I've seen this before on other needlework. I'm guessing it's to help keep the ends of the threads in place. (A similar effect can be seen a lot of modern, store-bought children's clothing that have appliques or embroidery - on the inside a piece of interfacing is adhered over the area that was decorated.)

Back of patch

I especially liked the patterned bias tape, and this teeny weeny basket. It could fit on my pinkie!

Saving a buck

I've been thinking a lot lately about extreme frugality, and this thinking has driven some of my projects. It's debatable whether it's really worthwhile to mend a piece of kid's clothing that could probably be obtained from the thrift store for $1, but that's what I've done. V. has worn a hole in the knee of a pair of brown leggings she wears frequently. I decided to patch it. This grand idea was partially inspired by the butterfly pants I recently fixed up for her, and partly by the heart-shaped pocket on shirt that I just put in the "recycle" pile because it's outgrown. That heart would make a perfect patch. However, being stark white, it would look dingy in no time at all, so I decided to embellish it since I am on an embroidering kick.

I lightly inked in a design to embroider

Main embroidery finished

Blanket stitched onto the leggings.

V. chose the color of the flowers from my box of embroidery thread. I made the bow holding the bouquet of flowers brown (and the blanket stitching) to tie-in the design to the color of the leggings.

I have yet to try them on V., but I think they will be cute on her, especially with a lavender or purple top.

Butterfly pants

I've been thinking a lot about V.'s wardrobe for next year. When you're a single mother with limited income, it's prudent to think somewhat long term about these things. I've acquired quite a few things from free boxes and thrift stores, including a pair of khaki Osh Kosh pants in size 4t that were in excellent shape, save a hole or two in the knees. They were 50 cents, so I couldn't pass them up. Especially since I had a solution: applique knee patches.

I have about a half yard of a printed cotton fabric with butterflies on it that struck me as being perfect for appliqueing. I could had done some simple, classic square knee patches, but if there was going to be something conspicuous on her pants, I figured it should have some flair.

Butterfly knees!

I probably set this one a little too high

I had the flu when I started working on these, so I was in the mood for a lot of sitting around, doing needlework. I did more than just blanket stitch them on - I added details, like tracing the ribbing on the wings with back stitching.I am optimistically hoping that the additional embroidery will make them more durable.

Plenty of room to grow into them

I can picture her wearing these during the fall, or late summer, playing in the garden. I think they'll be great play pants, since they are sturdy and whimsical.

My own garden

One foible of living in a city  - especially a big city (Philadelphia has about 1.5 million people!) with a population density of something like 14,000 people per square mile - is gardening space. Fortunately, Philadelphia has a lot of community gardens, so some people can scratch that particular itch to a certain extent. But I want my own garden. And I got one!

I know it doesn't look like much!

I've been given permission to have my way with this disused, rather shady backyard  about a block from where I am currently living. There IS a yard at my current residence, but who knows how long I will be here? And even though I will not be living at this garden, nor own it, I have had a degree of autonomy there so far that I could not get at home. Also, I could move from where I am to anywhere in the neighborhood and it would make no difference to this garden. One thing gardens need is more than just a season; this way, I can get that.

 I've been working at the garden when the weather (and mood) permits, so it looks more like this now.

My housemate Bob, who has worked on clearing this backyard in the past and who hooked me up with the possibility of it, cut down the tree in the back of the garden and has been chopping it up for firewood for the garden's planned fire pit. The brick walkway was laid by one of the owners and their tenant several years ago - I simply uncovered it. I have been doing a fair amount of excavation.

And I've done even more since this photo was taken.

The plan? A somewhat shady garden with some organic vegetable and herb growing. Something to get me some exercise, get me some fresh food, get the kid a safe space to play in and a nice place for people to hang out around a fire pit.

Painting a tree + kid

While the kid was at preschool today I started an oil painting of a photograph I took of her and a tree in the neighborhood park. I took the photo with the intention of painting it - I was fascinated by the colors and texture of the bark - and of course, V. got in several of the shots. When I reviewed them later, i found that I really liked the composition of one of them. So my tree painting became a tree and kid painting, after all. I paint in sessions - spurts, I guess. It's difficult to do it when the kid is home, so when she is a preschool I paint. Today was Session 1, and hopefully soon, there will be a Session 2.

Raw beginning of Session 1

I like to take photographs of the paintings I do as I go as a way to gain perspective. It looks different in a photograph on the computer screen. This is sometimes good, sometimes bad. It helps me find the adjustments I need to make and also, alas, to know when to stop for the day because it's getting worse, not better.

A little progress

I should have stopped here for the day.

But I went on.

I hung it on my wall where I think V. won't touch it, but where I will see it so that I don't just back burner it and never finish it. I'm already itching to work on it some more, but the kid is home now (and literally on my back as I type this!) so I will have to wait until she is asleep... and hopefully I have the energy to not simply join her in slumberland.

Stovetop bread

I'm finding myself in the unusual position lately of not having a functional oven, and having no realistic hope in sight of it ever being repaired. This is a real shame, because I like to bake.

So this morning I experimented with making stove top bread. Yesterday, I started a batch of yeast dough, and let it sit overnight. To say it rose in this sub-freezing weather in this inadequately heated old leviathan of a house would be an exaggeration. It moved a bit, like it wanted to rise, (this yeast is fresh!) but it was really just too cold. Next time, I'm going to have to strategize a bit about where it can sit that is a bit warm... where ever that is!

I made the pieces of dough into palm-sized patties and fried them in butter. Which was my second mistake, other than the rising issue, because they turned out too thick. Next time I'm rolling them out.

At least there was good pan that didn't stick!

Not that V. minded. She was more than prepared to eat the dough as it was, and even ate some of the finished product, provided it was slathered in apple butter. However, I think this little kitchen helper will be much more pleased with the next batch.

"Yum! Tastes just like unsalted play dough!"