Jabberwocky swap -- incoming

This post is long overdue, and I apologize to my partner. How awful for her to have to spent so much time crafting and not to have me post the photos in a timely manner. I did get them up on Ravelry right away, so I can at least plead that in my defense.

The theme of this round-robin swap was based on the Lewis Carroll poem "Jabberwocky." You know? That's kind of a toughie, but my partner came through.

First, look at all the prezzies! For me! Each one was labeled with a passage from “Jabberwocky.”

Because I am a giant Alice dork and have the poem memorized, I decided to open them in the order the labeled text appears in the poem.

Giant. Alice. Dork.

I started with “Twas brillig,” which contained the Dover edition of Jabberwocky. I have two shelves of Alice books, but didn’t own this edition.

At this point, had my memory failed, I could have checked this edition for the order of quotes, but I forged on. The next label read “Beware the Jabberwock.” I love how my spoiler used Tenniel’s images.

Look at this gorgeous scarf. Everything about it is jabberwockish, from the color, to the coppery beads, to the scaly lace motif, to the texture. Plus? She designed it.

I mean just look at it up close. Aren’t you jealous?

Next up came the “vorpal sword.” You may notice that I got excited and accidentally started to rip open the package before photographing it. I couldn’t help myself.

I adore Brittany needles and actually have a complete set except (and my spoiler had no way of knowing this) I had lost one of this size. I can take these to reenactments (you over there, crabbing about the fact that period needles had a bead on the end--just shut up, will ya?) and I love the smooth birch finish. Also, as an armpit tucker, I appreciate how long these needles are.

Next up came the “snicker snack.” You may notice that I was so excited by now that all pretense of decorum and self-control had flown out the window and I ripped open the package without even bothering to photograph first.

This package, “Oh fabjous day” looks like I didn’t rip it open, again forgetting to photograph, but I am afraid that what you see is an artful rearranging of shredded tissue paper.

It contained this beautiful needle-felted project bag from Frabjuous Fibers.

At this point, I got ahold of myself and managed to photograph “calooh, callay” before opening it, partly because I at least knew that it contained yarn.

Again from Frabjous Fibers, this yarn is so pretty. I am familiar with some of their yarns, but I hadn’t seen this one before. In fact, it wasn't even up on Rav last I checked. It's made from "peace silk," which means the caterpillars aren't killed in the process of harvesting the cocoons.

Finally were a few bonus goodies, thoughtfully selected to spoil me.

There were two knitting notepads, which I actually really needed for up in my craft room. I was always searching about for something to jot a note on and now I have it. There was also this great book of vintage knitting patterns, and I’ve already favorited about 7 of them. My particular favorite is a 1930s lacey bed jacket with a maribu feather trim. Really.

There was also this WPI tool made especially for me. It will help me to figure out the gauge of some of the handspuns I’ve accumulated, and I’ve already attached it to my notions bag.

Yay for my spoiler!

In Praise of the Novelty Scarf

Honestly, fun fur got me knitting again. I had been knitting for years, got a repetitive motion injury, then stopped knitting completely. I took up quilting.

Sometime in the winter of 2002, I discovered both Knitty and novelty yarn. I haven't stopped since. Picking up knitting again led me to blogging, to my job, to new friends.

Fun fur went out of style years ago, but you won't ever hear me mock novelty yarns

Right now, there's been a novelty yarn resurgence, and I've probably knit at least one out of nearly all the new stuff, partly as a way to be able to explain them to customers.

Most take only a few hours (or less!) to knit, cost about $15 to $30 to make, and I get tons of compliments* when I wear them.


Sure, they'll go out of style in a year or so, but so does half the fashions you see in the mall too.**





______________________
*Can't remember whether it's "compliment" or "complement"? For a handy mnemonic device, imagine that "i" in the middle as a gentleman doffing his cap by way of a compliment when he meets a lady. Hope that helps!

**Can't figure out if it's "but so does half the fashions" or "but so do half the fashions"? Remove everything else from the sentence except for the subject and the verb. Faced with "Half do" or "half does," nearly everyone makes the right choice. Not sure whether "half" or "fashions" is the subject? Remember that the subject will never be in a preposistional phrase.

Favorite Historic Era Swap -- Outgoing

The swap group I belong to has a strict no-drama policy, which I can appreciate. I'll just give a tiny whine here.

My incoming had some regifting (not that anything is wrong with regifting if it's appropriate to the recipient--this wasn't) and many of the items were decidedly the worse for wear. Then, my outgoing partner completely disappeared from Ravelry for several weeks. I had literally reached the point of checking the crime section of her local newspaper to make sure she was okay. Eventually, she finally resurfaced with only the most cursory of thank you posts. Sigh.

Still, I've had a good run of swaps, so a few mildly disappointing ones are bound to crop up.

Anyhoo.

For my outgoing package, I chose the theme of the American Civil War (shocking, I know) and wrote a long letter in first person, explaining the contents of the package as if I were writing to an 1800s school friend. I've really come to like writing first-person letters; it takes a bit of practice, but fortunately I have plenty of experience reading epistolary novels. I tried to make it relevant to events in my state and underlined some unfamiliar terms (like "Jayhawker" or "sanitary fair") in case she wanted to google them. I'm guessing she didn't bother.

The big pic (going roughly clockwise from upper left):

I included an afghan block using a historic stitch, some currency, a newspaper from 150 years ago, some soap, a pin cushion, some sport weight yarn in 100% wool, some patriotic envelopes, some CDVs, a box of matches, a shawl pin, friendship and reward-of-merit cards, steamboat tickets, and a knitted sleeping cap.

All of the paper goods were reproductions, of course, but I had fun gathering them, especially given the name of this blog. Naturally, when shopping for my swap partner, I picked up a few things for myself. The envelopes, in particular, were really exciting.


I also included a CD of Missouri Civil War songs, which was really hard to give away. It had a great booklet inside with tons of history.


My swap partner collects a block from each of her partners and is making an afghan. I chose an 1840s scarf pattern and went ahead and used an acrylic blend so that she could wash it. Go ahead, call me a farb.


For the hat, I drew inspiration from this photo:


Writing up this post has reminded me that I did have fun gathering the swap and I'm pretty pleased with how the package turned out. I've got one more swap this year, then I'll need to decide whether or not to take a swapping break.

But then there's next year's Mardi Gras swap. After that, I'll need to decide whether or not to take a swapping break.

Maybe.

Old Shale

When I was in Virginia a few years ago, I went on a quest for souvenir yarn. The LYSO had clearly been cornered by a Universal yarn rep and had almost nothing in the store not made by Universal or from one of their minor lines.

I spotted some Rozetti Polaris, a self-striping, single-ply yarn with a sequin thread running through it. A lovely scarf hung on the wall, but it took three skeins. When buying my souvenir yarn, I tend to buy only one.

So, I bought my one, then held onto it for awhile, trying without much success to figure out an appropriately glamorous one-skein project. The next time I was in Virginia, I went back to the store for more yarn, but at this point, the LYSO had clearly succumbed to the power of the Plymouth rep. She was out of the Polaris, natch. Not her fault.

I really did have to come up with something for the one skein. I considered striping it with some Cricket, another DK-weight, single-ply yarn I had rattling around in my stash.

Finally, on Sunday night, I cast on a scarf using the old shale pattern.* I figured I would do the ends in big bands of the Polaris, then stripe with the Cricket in the middle.

Before I got even six repeats in, I knew I didn't want a scarf, so I switched to a cowl and the yarn is much, much happier. I don't even need to use the Cricket after all.



It's just lovely as is.
_______________
*This very old pattern shows up in nineteenth-century coverlets and even miser's purses. Some people call this pattern "feather and fan." Apparently there are significant differences between "feather and fan" and "old shale." Believe it or not, I have no emotional investment in the distinction. Shocking, I know.

Button Lariat

Last post, I mentioned that I'd committed a cardinal sin of craft shows: copying a project. I also committed the cardinal sin of a comma splice, but I'd labored so hard to get all the photos up (blogger's been wonky of late) and properly spaced, that I didn't dare fix it.

I saw a beautiful lariat by Sparrow Studios. If you want one, you should buy it from her etsy shop

I have jars and jars of vintage buttons, so I was intrigued by finding a way to use up some of the more unusual ones. I had made several bracelets and some chokers, but was inspired by this design.



The hard part, as it turns out, will be to find the lariat ring. I visited two different bead stores and found exactly one ring at one store. Such rings, it seems, appear mostly at bead shows.



Fortunately, the one I found was black and I have oodles of black glass and metal buttons, as well as some grey shell ones, most of them singletons. Perfect for this project.



I'm liking it, I must say. I'd definitely modify it next time (and don't worry; I'd never make one of these to sell).

Finally, a little button history to finish:



Many of the two-hole buttons you find were used for undergarments, specifically for drawers. The decorative shell button on the left is not (shell tends to break when put under strain), but the two buttons on the right are certainly drawer buttons. The shiny one is glass and the matte one is china.

I'll definitely be making another lariat as soon as I find the right shell ring, but don't think I can bring myself to wear underpants buttons around my neck. Or maybe I can, and it will just be our little secret.

Another WIP

. . . or two.

• A cashmere neck warmer for LB. It was an improvised pattern, which I was really liking, but unfortunately, I put it down for so long that I can no longer recall my improvisation. Grrr.
• Yarn bombing the railing at my LYS. Two years ago, someone did a small yarn bombing on our light pole. A "neighbor" climbed on a ladder and cut it down, then took the time to tell the LYSO he'd done so because, as he said, "If you let that kind of stuff stand, who knows what they'd do next!" Really? Really? Look, you self-righteous bastard, I can easily find patterns for knitted vulvas, knitted pasties, crocheted vaginas, and more. I am, alas, contenting myself with just wrapping the railing in colorful knitted squares with the occasional crochet flower.
  

Never Say Never

Don't let anyone tell you "they didn't do silk ribbon embroidery." Look at this gorgeous muff, which mixes silk, wool, and other fibers. So pretty!

Obviously, make it match for your time period and impression, but never say never.

Obligatory knitting content:

• an elaborate work bag from the mid-eighteenth century.
• an man's eighteenth-century knitted cap.
• a very early knitted mitt.
  
• a knitted silk glove.
• a knitted purse and another one.
• hand-knitted linen stockings.
• 
  

If you have time, explore the whole exhibit and don't forget to zoom in.

Anybody Know a Three-Legged Baby?

Using the yarn I got in the Cavalier swap, I knitted a pair of Saartje's Booties. When I was done, I realized one was about half an inch bigger than the other.

My gauge had relaxed. I had to knit a third.

Then, in an attempt to avoid spare-bootie syndrome, I tried to knit a fourth by going down one needle size. Not surprisingly, it was smaller.

I finally just gifted the two booties, kept my mouth shut, and refrained from making any three-legged baby jokes to the mom-to-be.

I'm only telling you.

I should have known better

I should have known better. Hell, I work in a yarn shop for Pete's sake.

I had one skein of one-of-a-kind yarn that Rachel had spun, looked for a pattern that would show it off but be substantial, then finally settled on the Loopy and Luscious scarf. For my foundation yarn, I found one skein of Rowan Kid Silk Spray (sort of like a kettle-dyed mohair) in the sale room.

I briefly glanced at the pattern but decided my version needed to be wider, then cast on 70 stitches willy-nilly.

I bet at this point you think you know what went wrong.

I did not, however, run out of the one precious skein of Rachel's yarn.

Instead, I ran out of the Kid Silk Spray.

... a discontinued yarn

... a discontinued yarn that originally retailed for $16 a ball, not counting shipping.

Sigh.

I begged on Ravelry and finally found someone who was willing to part with a bit of her stash, and even just gifted it to me (Don't worry, I sent her some thank-you yarn).

I've learned my lesson.

... until next time.

And best of all, I had enough of Rachel's precious yarn to make a gynormous tassel the size of my arm (well, my forearm at any rate).

Better photos are here.

Process Knitting

I'm pretty honest about being a process knitter. I want to know how things work; I want to crank out the knitwear and don't so much care about the finished object.

I've found though, that knitting two socks at once on one circular needle is too much process, even for me.

I like the pattern and lovelovelove the yarn (Strong Arm Sock Yarn by Dyeabolical).

They languished for months, however. The last eight rows before decreasing for the toes took me about six weeks. I'd carry my knitting bag from place to place, then never work on the socks at all.

To knit two socks at once on one circular, first I had to carefully remove the project from my bag, then I had to untangle the two skeins from one another, then untangle them from the cables. Next I had to turn the work to find out where I'd left off. Knitting each side of the sock necessitated shifting the needles, then the cables, and often the yarn.

I don't suffer (much) from second sock syndrome, so I'm letting go of this technique.

Cavalier Swap #1

... and on to happier things:

Somehow, puppy dogs don't show up in the lyrics to "My Favorite Things," but "brown paper packages tied up with string” do.

Due to the flakiness of a swapper, I ended up with two swap partners and Sheila, from Ireland, ended up with me as a surprise partner.

She sent three different types of yarn. Three!

I have plans for two already and am thinking I may need to make mitts with the Irish tweed. The sock yarn will go towards socks for my husband and the pink to baby booties for my neighbor who is expecting a little girl.

There were all kinds of delicious treats for me and for the cats.

The chocolate was all melted, but didn't leak, and after resting in front of the AC, recovered well enough to be eaten, which is all that one could ask, after all. I feel a little bad, because I was too afraid to tempt customs by sending any foodstuffs.

Sheila found lots of thing that I love:

The Mardi Gras mask is a paper mache one she bought in London nearly 20 years ago.

She really spoiled Steuey too.

The duck toy has a quacker in it that makes a noise whenever Steu shakes it.

Plus, there's a pin-up photo of his new girlfriend, Lola.


Finally, she knitted a Tudora for me and a mini one for Steu and sent a french lavender sachet to keep them safe until fall.

I'll be humming "My Favorite Things" for the rest of the week!

Gird Your Loins

Prepare to Rubberneck, my friends ...

May 31, 2010
Wide-eyed Forum User: I am making a crocheted petticoat out of fingering alpaca/wool blend by looking at a period image and description of a petticoat and working up my own. [actual quotations will be indicated by ""; otherwise I will be paraphrasing]

Perfectly Lovely Woman: I admire your skill, but "I thought that the focus of this group was using actual patterns and fiber that can be documented as having been used during the Civil War Era."

WFU [probably missing the dig]: "Thanks so much hon! You made my evening!"

June 1, 2010
Doyenne #1: "You are right, [PLW]..that is our purpose on this list, and we need to be aware of that. Back to documented patterns and methods, folks! :-)"

Our Heroine [who has been sitting on clear evidence of exactly this "documented method" since mid-May, and who has been biting her tongue on whether or not fingering-weight wool is the "only" choice for said petti, and who has also decided against bringing up the "issue" of an alpaca/wool blend]: Wow what a great skill to have, WFU! Here is some documentation of your skill:

• Crochet Explained and Illustrated, by Cornelia Mee (1846): By cutting a paper pattern the shape of the article required, almost any thing may be made, by increasing or diminishing the number of stitches, as may be required. Crochet can also be used with great advantage for travelling caps, carriage bags, table covers, purses, slippers, ottomans, chairs, loose coverings of chairs, shawls, waistcoats, hearthrugs, flower mats, &c. &c., (pgs v-vi).

CWNeedleworks Forum: [silence. OH's post does not appear].

OH [aside]: How odd! Perhaps I hit cancel and not send. I will try again.

OH: Wow what a great skill to have, WFU! Here is some documentation of your skill:

• Crochet Explained and Illustrated, by Cornelia Mee (1846): By cutting a paper pattern the shape of the article required, almost any thing may be made, by increasing or diminishing the number of stitches, as may be required. Crochet can also be used with great advantage for travelling caps, carriage bags, table covers, purses, slippers, ottomans, chairs, loose coverings of chairs, shawls, waistcoats, hearthrugs, flower mats, &c. &c., (pgs v-vi).

Doyenne #2 [via email, not on the forum]: "Do you have any other supporting documentation for making crochet patterns by cutting paper patterns? I have checked with several other knitters and crocheters and none of us have seen anything like this. [emphasis added] Before suggesting folks do it (and I'm not saying that they didn't), it would help to have evidence that they did!"

OH [extremely puzzled at the call for documentation of documentation]: Do you mean you want documentation for my 1846 documentation? Here's a link to the actual book. Are my posts being moderated?

D2: "Everyone is on moderated status for our group."

OH: Why?

D2: because of spam. We don't often have other issues.

OH [aside]: Hmmmm. I wonder if I'm an "other issue." [aloud and trying to remain neutral]: "What a burden for you."

D2: Not really.

June 2, 2010
CWNF: [silence. OH's posts still do not appear.].

OH [trying on the forum again]: My earlier posts may have been lost in moderation. Here is some additional documentation WFU of your method:

• My Crochet Sampler by Frances Lambert (1844) : Crochet has been applied, with considerable success, to the production of numerous useful and decorative articles, such as shawls, table covers, couvre-pieds, pillows, ottomans, chairs, rugs, slippers, bags, cabats, purses, caps, waistcoats, and the like. (pg 10)
  Waistcoats, shawls, knee-caps, sleeves, comforters, mittens, gloves, etc. may be made, without difficulty in crochet. It has not, however, been deemed necessary in the following pages to give directions for any of these simple articles, as, when the crochet stitch is acquired, the modes of working such, and a variety of others, in daily use, will readily present themselves. A paper pattern, the size of any desired object, can easily be cut,- and the making a stitch at the commencement, or the decreasing in the middle, or the end of a row, and vice versa, render this work subservient to almost any form. (pg 11)
• Knitting, crochet, and netting By Eléonore Riego de la Branchardière (1846): Crochet shoes. Berlin wool, pattern No. 6. The shoes must be worked from a paper pattern the size required. (pg 81)
• My crochet sampler by Frances Lambert (1844): It is advisable before commencing a [crochet] slipper, to cut a paper pattern of the desired size and shape. (pg 87)

CWNF: [silence. OH's posts still do not appear.]

OH [aside, trying to be patient and not knowing how long the allegedly "anti-spam moderation process" takes]: We'll see if it makes it through. I don't mind open disagreement on the forum, but stifling evidence I'm not okay with.

June 3, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared. Topics move on to other things. WFU, having been shot down, also stops sharing her knowledge.]

June 4, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared.]

June 5, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared.]

June 6, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared.]

June 7, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared.]

June 8, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared.]

June 9, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared.]

June 10, 2010
CWNF: [OH's posts still have not appeared.]

##and curtain##

Are you fucking kidding me?

Credible scholars do not suppress primary source evidence. They're free to disagree with it or question the implications, but not to suppress it.

Being able to make a crocheted pattern by looking at an image is a valuable skill and certainly one that some nineteenth-century needleworkers were clearly capable of doing. It's not a skill I have, so there's no room to complain that I just want "permission" to do something I would do anyway.

The ripple pattern, employed by WFU, is a documented pattern to the time period both in patterns for petticoats and in stand-alone stitchionaries.

How is this any different from draping, a skill we ooh and ahh over for seamstresses? How is this any different than looking at the crocheted camp tam in Echoes of Glory and reproducing it?

I call bullshit.

Summer blogging

For a day or two I had this fantasy that I could blog this summer since I would be teaching summer school and be on campus twice a week. I forgot, however, that I would be teaching for six.straight.hours.


My throat hurts, which shouldn't affect my typing, but I'm going with some sort of metaphor for a strangled voice.


sooooo . . . I just have a photo of some reproduction sock blockers I bartered a knitted sleeping cap for.




The only other news is that I may be about to pitch a fit worthy of the Ravelry Rubberneckers about how the cwneedleworkers group on yahoo has been suppressing rock solid primary source documentation if it disagrees with their preconceived notions of what was done during the Civil War . . . that is if I can be persuaded to give a flying fuck about anyone who would destroy their own credibility in such a way.

. . . but I'm practicing restraint, can't you tell?

Yarn Weight

I love this CDV because it shows the wide variety of yarn weights available. (click to embiggen)

The boy's socks are made from what is likely a very fine cotton. That scarf is made from very thick wool, far thicker than worsted. It's variegated too!

Here's a close-up:

Edwardian Carrying Cape

My neighbors, Steve and Sarah, happen to be impossibly good looking. They look like they stepped out of the pages of a J. Crew catalogue. LB and I had a serious discussion when they moved in, worrying that their combined beauty would drive up our property taxes. Really, we did.

And now they're having a baby, who will surely be the most beautiful baby on the planet.

Their home, a twin to ours, is also beautiful decorated. Not my cluttered style, but spare like Pottery Barn. Not super modern but definitely nothing old.

What to knit for such a baby?

I had initially picked out this pattern using Reynold's Blossom, which I know in my heart they would use a lot more than what a finally picked.

Still, I loved the Edwardian Carrying Cape by Oat Couture.

Ann talked me into knitting what I love. What the hell. I can be the crazy neighbor knitting lady who knits impractical things for random babies if I want to.

Apparently, I can also be the crazy neighbor knitting lady who knits impractical things for random babies and then poses them on her dog to boot.