Reusable Duster Cover

Honestly, I feel a little silly posting a pattern for what is essentially a garter stitch rectangle, but I did find it helpful to have finished measurements to shoot for. Basically, I wanted the cover to be wide enough, but have a lot of negative ease so it wouldn't slide around on the swiffer. I also considered adding some kind of bobble or attachment, but the fuzz on the Scrubby helps keep the cover in place.

Last winter, my mom asked me to knit her a swiffer cover when I was visiting. We went out and got yarn and needles, and I was able to work one up pretty quickly. Later, I spotted some Red Heart Scrubby yarn and thought it would make a perfect cover.

Scrubby Swiffer Cover

Approximate Finished Size: 10.5' x 6"

Materials:
Red Heart Yarns Scrubby: 1 skein
Needles: one set of US 8
Yarn needle to weave in ends
Gauge: 4 sts per inch

Abbreviations:

CO: cast-on or cast-off

K: knit

Directions:

CO 40 and k 49 rows or until cover is 6.5" long. CO.

Wee Protesters

I knitted nine pussyhats for the women's march in January, then offered to knit some Geneie Pussyhats for anyone who would buy the yarn (I'd used up all my pink stash). Several friends planning on going to the March for Science took me up on it. One is about to give birth to triplets.

She had sent a giant skein of Red Heart, so with plenty of yarn to play with, I thought I'd whip up some tiny pussyhats as a surprise gift and a fourth one for her two-year-old.

I was surprised when I went on Ravelry that I didn't find any patterns for kids' sizes. There were about 5 patterns for brooches and a few for dolls, but nothing explicitly for newborns and toddlers.*

So here's mine:

Pussyhat for Wee Protesters

Materials:

• worsted weight yarn
• size 4 DPNs
• stitch marker
• tapestry needle

Techniques

• knitting in the round
• kitchener stitch (there's a ton of great videos on YouTube)

Gauge:  5 st/in.

Instructions for Preemie Size

• CO 48 stitches on DPNs and join in the round, being careful not to twist stitches and using a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.
• K2P2 for 4 rounds.
• Work in stockinette stitch (knit every row) for 16 rounds, or until work measures 2.75" from cast on.
• Cut yarn leaving a 30" tail so that you have plenty of yarn to work with.
• Redistribute stitches so that you have 24 stitches each on 2 DPNs. Use kitchener stitch and the tapestry needle to close the top.
• Weave in ends.

The pattern could also be knitted flat and seamed, but I don't like seams in baby hats. You could also choose to close the top with a 3-needle bind off or by casting off and seaming the top closed.

Babies come in all sizes. Since I'm assuming these triplets will be pretty tiny, I made a preemie size (to fit an orange). Newborn babies have grapefruit-sized heads (at least that's what I was told when charity knitting). You can adjust this hat to be smaller or larger by simply subtracting or adding stitches in multiples of 4.

Instructions for Newborn Size

• CO 56 stitches on DPNs and join in the round, being careful not to twist stitches and using a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.
• K2P2 for 5 rounds.
• Work in stockinette stitch (knit every row) until work measures 3.5" from cast on.
• Cut yarn leaving a 36" tail so that you have plenty of yarn to work with.
• Redistribute stitches so that you have 28 stitches each on 2 DPNs. Use kitchener stitch and the tapestry needle to close the top.
• Weave in ends.

Instructions for Toddler Size

• CO 64 stitches on DPNs and join in the round, being careful not to twist stitches and using a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round.
• K2P2 for 6 rounds.
• Work in stockinette stitch (knit every row) until work measures 4" from cast on.
• Cut yarn leaving a 48" tail so that you have plenty of yarn to work with.
• Redistribute stitches so that you have 32 stitches each on 2 DPNs. Use kitchener stitch and the tapestry needle to close the top.
• Weave in ends.

Thanks so much to Kat Coyle for inspiring the original pussyhat project.


*Both sides take their kids to protests. I'm not invested in whether anyone thinks kids should protest or not. If you don't want your kids to protest, don't take them. Don't worry about how other people parent their children.

Obligatory Knitting Content

I actually have been knitting and knitting a lot. I need to reach a certain income threshold due to Missouri's butt-headed insistence on turning down Medicaid expansion, and knitting is helping me do that.

Commission after commission has flowed from my fingers, the latest being the Katniss vest/cowl from The Hunger Games. My sister now wants one, and I do too. One of my friends said I looked badass in it, a good thing to be now and then. This one is going off to live with one of Steu's trainers.

I've got two more commissions in the pipeline, but am taking a break to knit for myself for a bit.

I picked the Revel Modular Kerchief, for which I picked up some souvenir yarn in Warrenton, VA this past Christmas. In many ways, it's a very simple pattern: just a garter-stitch triangle with a knitted-on garter border, all designed to make the best use of the long color repeats.

The pattern is so simple, however, that I have managed to mess it up three times, accidentally skewing the center increase. Hours of work down the drain. I'm finally back on track, but may stick with the fiddly stuff in the future. Harder is somehow easier.

Jane Austen Swap -- Incoming

I had said earlier that some of the Jane Austen packages were really random, so once mine went out and I began to wait for my incoming package, I started getting nervous. I knew how much trouble I'd had finding good Jane Austen stuff, and I had confessed that I didn't really like some of the more obvious Jane Austen items.  My spoiler ended up doing an awesome job though.

Tons of purple packages:

Pride and Prejudice  note cards:

Chocolate, loose citrus tea, a tea ball with a beaded fob, and recipe cards:

Exquisite scissors with a beautiful fob and mohair-blend yarn:

One of my favorite things was this shawlette, made of Jade Sapphire cashmere and silk. I've hardly taken it off since I got it, wearing it like a bandanna around my neck:

The last item, my spoiler considered a failed project. She had bought the fabric to make a reticule for me. Since she couldn't quite pull it off, she sent the uncut fabric. What she didn't know is that I had just returned from JoAnn Fabrics, where I had bought the exact same fabric for myself.  It's like she stalked me so well that she knew what I was going to want even before I knew myself.

Mind blown.

A Scarf Pattern for Your Pup

For one of my craft-it-forward projects for this year, I opted to knit Sir Riley Brown here a scarf.

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease (basically, you want something washable) (For a toy dog, you could work in fingering weight yarn, adjusting needle size as needed).
Needles: 8-10 straights and DPNs in the same size
Notions: 2 stitch holders, yarn needle
Gauge: doesn't really matter

• Cast on 10 stitches and work in 2x2 rib for approximately 3" (you do not want the scarf too long as it could trip the dog). 
• kf&b into each stitch. Using a stitch holder and a DPN at the same time, transfer the first stitch onto the DPN and the next onto the holder. Continue to alternate between them until you have transferred all of the stitches. When you are done, half your stitches will be on a holder, and half on a DPN. You can return to your straights at this point if you prefer.
• Working only from the DPN, return to your 2x2 stitch pattern and work a flap approximately as long as the scarf is wide. Eventually, you will be rejoining your flaps into a tube for the scarf to fit through. You don't want it so wide that the scarf will slip out, but you don't want it so narrow that the scarf gets bunched up. You will probably knit between 8-12 rows.
• Place the flap stitches onto stitch holder #2 and return the stitches on holder #1 onto a DPN or straight needle. Work the same number of rows as you did for your first flap.
• Holding both flaps together, you will work your stitches back down to 10 stitches on one needle.  Put your needle into the first stitch on the front needle and straight through into the first stitch on the back needle. Knit them off of the left hand needles and 2 stitches have become 1. Repeat across the row. Don't worry about sticking to your stitch pattern in this row; just use the knit stitch.
• Return  to your 2x2 stitch pattern  and knit the scarf long enough to go comfortably around your dog's neck.
• Measure the length from your cast-on row to the far end of the flaps. Continue knitting that much longer, which will give you enough length to fit through the tube and allow the scarf ends to roughly match in length.
• Cast-off in pattern.
• Weave in the ends and add fringe.

Note: I am sure I am not the only one to come up with this pattern, but I can truthfully say that I am not yet aware of any similar patterns. I was inspired by the 2 items: a fleece scarf a friend made for her dog and the neck-warmers my great-grandmother used to wear.  If you knit this, I'd love to see a photo of your pup in your finished scarf.

Jane Austen Swap -- Outgoing

I struggled with this one more than I expected. I wanted to send Jane Austen Knits, but it cost $15, half of the swap budget.  It also seemed harder to find theme items than I would have guessed. I wasn't the only one, apparently. There were some truly rando swap boxes this time.

Instead, I sent a copy of Piecework's historic knitting issue, a selection of trashy romance novels, and a JA quote book. I can always count on our art museum to have some great gifts like this little quote book.

I had my genius friend Suzanne craft some stitch markers, and also included shortbread, a JA bookmark, vintage hankies, and a miniature watercolor set.

I couldn't decide what Jane Austen yarn might be like either, so I went with a color palette that seemed appropriate. My hand-crafted item was this amigurumi doll, with whom I totally fell in love. I don't really do toys, but I could imagine her setting up residence in my craft room.

Dots

The bits and bobs of life have piled up, and I had forgotten how useful dots are to clearing them out of my head. I have ambitions to say more about each of them, but shall fall back on that important axiom of "better done than perfect":

• I finished all of my craft-it-forward projects for 2014 (some neckbows, a dishcloth, some punched paper, a scarf) and decided to pick up a few more reciprocal swaps. At the moment, I am making my fourth attempt at Calorimetry, each time taking out anywhere from 8-16 stitches. I don't see how the designer ever managed to make it with 120 stitches--it's massive in width and height. I'm down to 88 now and think this one will work. Finally. Please god.

• I have been obsessed for some reason with a mystery dishcloth KAL. I've done every one since August and have been stocking up on solid-colored, cotton yarn. I don't even use knitted dishcloths, so my obsession makes no sense. Still, last night we got invited to a last-minute birthday party, and I was able to grab two cloths as a small gift. 

• I saw Franklin Habit speak on Weldon's Practical Needlework. It wasn't quite what I had hoped for, but it was an enjoyable evening.

• I've committed to do a bit of charity knitting (bibs or hats for an orphanage in China) and am considering a charity sock monkey KAL as well.

• I did a KISS (keep it simple) valentine swap, which called for a card and a project only.  I opted to make a crocheted heart dishcloth, but now am beating myself up when I see all the creative projects coming in. My swap idea board is here if you are looking for a quick valentine project.

• I got this very cool project bag all the way from Canada.  The fabric is sort of a poly-blend twill with a really nice hand, and I love how it isn't all pinky-pinky. I asked for the pattern, but my partner just winged it, she said.

• Speaking of pinky-pinky, I made this project bag for a book club attendance prize. As a teacher, I can be quite punitive about attendance and preparation, but for grown-ups whom I can't grade, I'm a firm believer in bribes. Pattern by mairuru. She does hers by hand, but by leaving room for seam allowances, I was able to do this one by machine.

• I finished and mailed my Jane Austen swap, which I'll save for another post. I also finished reading Sense and Sensibility for the first time.

• In spite of my tendencies towards quicky projects, I decided to sign up for a Celestarium KAL. It's a beaded pi shawl with the beading laid out as a star map of the Northern Hemisphere. Ambitious, but some knitters have taken it father and used different sized beads to indicate order of magnitude and knitting in a band for the milky way. Simply following the pattern shall be enough for me. I've ordered my yarn, picked out my beads, and it all gets started on March 1.

• I sold a knitted cap online, so I've got a little paypal funds to play with. I bought this hat pattern, which I fell in love with on Pinterest.

• I caned my panniers last night and had to rope LB into the task. It was a royal pain in the butt, but today if the house ever warms up, I hope to finish the waistband and be done. This chemise (third down) is up next as soon as I get paid and can buy the pattern and linen.

• I spontaneously decided that Steu's nosework trainer needed a snood for her standard poodle. She'd posted a photo of him after the groomers, and he just looked so magical and snowy white that I knew he needed a unicorn snood. Steu helped model.

• And here is the beautiful recipient, looking like the magical creature he truly is. The trainer comped me a free class as a thank you, so crafting it forward was wonderful all around.

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things I Love about Winter

1. The way the animals want to snuggle. The pup will sleep under the covers, and I sometimes end up with three pets curled up with me in the armchair.
2. I can indulge my hermit tendencies without guilt. Other than feeding the chickens, I can stay indoors for days at a time.
3. Our ventless gas fireplace. It heats most of the first floor for pennies a day and is lovely to look at.
4. God, I love mohair. I pretty much live in it all winter long.
5. Frost on the windows, which is probably a sign of some sort of expensive house problem, but I prefer to imagine fairies skating over the glass.
6. I keep a twin-sized down comforter on my arm chair. The dog curls up under it, and I have my own little furnace. Every hour, he'll pop out, gasping for air, go guzzle some water, and then climb right back in.
7. Switching over to flannel sheets is one of my favorite moments of the year.
8. Our dual-controlled heated mattress pad. Much nicer than an electric blanket. I'll crank it up an hour before bed.
9. A few years ago, my metabolism changed, so now my internal thermostat doesn't seem to be bothered by the cold very much.
10. Bare branches against the sky.

I don't really mention knitting because the joints in my hands are bothered by the cold, but I do find myself wearing an awful lot of it.

Cavicorn

I'm in the midst of a gap in my knitting. I've finished up some major projects (Dreambird, Catkin, swap items) and am holding off on my UFOs so that I will have them to work on during the Olympics. I found myself in need of quick projects.

I cranked out this unicorn snood for our dog trainer's standard poodle, Howl. Steu has to wear snoods for goopy foods, but he also wears them in his nosework class. If he doesn't, I can't reach his face. The trainer loved Steu's snood, and her poodle is simply magical looking, even without a unicorn snood.

There's about 7 hours of work in it, with quite a few fiddly details and a mixture of knitting and crocheting.  I may need to make a Steu-sized one. This one had 60 stitches on size 8 needles. I also added a looped tab at the neck so that a collar can go through it.

First FO of 2014

Only the right one actually.

A few years ago, I knitted a pair of mitts for a musician friend, and he eventually lost one. He seemed appropriately heartbroken, and I was lucky enough to have a bit of the discontinued yarn left in my stash. I'd made up the pattern though, so I had to rework it from memory and by using the first mitt as a guide.

It took a few attempts, but just in case he loses it yet again, here are my notes:

Super Bulky Fingerless Mitts

yarn: GGH Travertino (on the thinner side of super bulky)
needles: 6

CO 28 stitches and join in the round. K2P2 for 12 rounds, then begin thumb increases every 3 rounds 3x. Work 8 rows in pattern. Put thumb on holder. CO 2 stitches and rejoin in round. Work 12 rows in ribbing. Cast off. Pick up 2 extra stitches for thumb and work 3 rows in pattern. Cast off.

Waterloo Bridge

A very winding yarn follows.

A few months ago on my way back from a gig in Tennessee, LB and I stopped in Paducah, KY where I found this great billikin charm.

Not being from St. Louis, the woman in the antique store didn't recognize it for what it was, so I scored it for only $8. It's likely carved in Alaska from walrus ivory and has a gold nugget embedded in its belly. I was just thrilled to find it and posted this photo to Facebook.

There, someone I had never even met told me that a similar billikin charm is a recurring symbol in the film Waterloo Bridge. Wanting to check it out, I went to Netflix and ordered Waterloo Bridge. Oops, there are two versions of Waterloo Bridge, and I had accidentally requested the 1930s version, out of a collection of pre-code films. Fortunately, I'd never complain about watching a pre-code film. They're saucy! And this one even had knitting.

The heroine, a former chorus girl who now ekes out a living as a prostitute, meets a WWI soldier and resolves to change her wicked ways. To show her attempts at reform, she takes up knitting.

You can tell by her knitting technique, especially by the way she's squinting past her fag, that she's not likely to succeed. She had spoken of learning to knit socks, but she's actually working on a balaclava, a relatively sensible first project.

She knows the relationship has no future, but he badgers her into travelling to his family's estate for the weekend. Of course, he has a family estate. Of course.

His mother knits as well, and it's fun to watch the relationship between the two women. They're surprisingly frank with one another. The heroine realizes she will never really fit in to this world and flees back to her squalid little flat where she immediately snaps her yarn, rips out the needles, and unravels her project.

I won't spoil the rest, and besides, that's the end of all the knitting.

As for me, here's a teaser for a project I'm currently working on:

They're for my mother, so no spoilers please.

Chickens in the Bathtub

Last year at this time, my bathtub was full of baby chicks. This year, although I really really really wanted chicks again, I opted to use the bathtub for seedlings instead.

The chickens will lay for three more years, whereas last year I never managed to get in a garden at all. This year, LB used the shower curtain rod to rig up a grow light, and yesterday our first seedlings spouted, cabbage.

I've been using Sprout Robot to help me schedule my planting, which seems just low key enough for my needs. I find seed catalogues overwhelming and confusing. I have well-founded fears of investing a lot of cash in seeds that I never end up planting. So far, I've invested less than $3 by making my own seed cups from egg shells (cute, eh?) and only buying seeds as I need them. Tomorrow, I will stop by the hardware store and pick up some chive seeds.

Knitting has been happening, but I've largely just been noodling around. For some reason, I've had dishcloth urges.

I don't question these urges. I just knit.

We've also recommitted to our resolution to entertain once a month. It took until yesterday, but we did fit in our first guests of 2013 for a vegan/wheat-free brunch with the following menu.

• parfaits layered with almond-milk yogurt (which didn't suck as badly as I feared), assorted berries, granola, and sorghum
• tofu scrambled with onion and bell pepper
• hash-browned potatoes
• roasted asparagus
• optional poached eggs (which our guests were willing to eat because our chickens are so happy)
• and mimosas, of course!

I didn't subject our guests to an obnoxious photo shoot, but perhaps with the next batch.

FOs

Behold the last FO of 2012 and the first of 2013:

My friend Tempest Tea gave me some beautiful Plymouth Bazinga for Christmas, not knowing that I already had one ball in my stash. I was able to get this shawlette out of the three balls.

The other item is half of a pair of nineteenth-century undersleeves, suitable for second mourning if needed. I've made three pairs in this pattern now and really like it.

Teacher Training 2012

Teacher training is tomorrow, and I've written about the various annoyances of it practically every year since I started blogging. Mind you, I've actually been teaching for twenty years, sometimes at multiple institutions per year. That's a lot of teacher training.

This year, because I teach an inter-disciplinary class (meaning neither department gives a rats ass) and because my former supervisor was replaced, and because the program is rumored to be vanishing anyway, I somehow fell off the mailing list and didn't get any reminders about the dates. Technically, I don't have to go at all. Technically, I also don't have a desk this semester, but that's another issue.

Still, training pays about $75 (Eventually. The check will show up sometime in mid-September) and as whorish as it feels to say this, I can sit through a morning of lectures for $75.* There's even a free lunch, which I really, really, really need right now.

The real problem, however, is as always ... what to knit. While I've been concentrating on UFOs, they're UFOs for a reason. Too bulky. Too fiddly. Too wtf-was-I-doing.

The answer is generally socks, but again there's a problem. I'm tired of boring ribbed socks. I don't have access to a printer for my pattern. LB really likes toe-up socks, preferably two at once.

I'll let you know what I decide.

_______________________

*ps--don't tell anyone, but I usually enjoy parts of teacher training and almost always get 1-2 valuable tips. Shhh.

Needling the Inventory

Last week, I sat down and did a needle inventory, which ended up taking several hours. In the process, I forced myself to deal with my UFOs, something I'm still grappling with. I darned a pair of socks for LB and  made myself frog several items, which felt great.

Pitched or frogged and re-integrated:

• Blue Whale by Steven West. I ran out of a OOAK yarn, found a solid to make it work, but with every stitch, I knew I wasn't happy. Yes, my gauge was off a bit, but I have serious doubts about whether this project was ever possible with the yardage recommended.
• cashemere hand-dyed. I was improvising a neckwarmer, set it aside and forgot what I was doing.
• charity hat, which sat out in the open too long. I stripped it off the needles and tossed the yarn. No creepy crawlies allowed!
• a ballet sweater in chenille. I ran out of yarn on the sleeves and need to do some re-thinking. There's enough for a sweater, but not a ballet sweater. 
• A giant yellow shawl in lumpy bumpy Pagewood. I had done this on 50s, knew I'd never wear it, and subsequently picked up a lime & purple yarn which will look great with it. 
• A mitten shaped like an alligator foot. Really? I threw away the finished one months ago for sitting out in the open too long.
• A tiny teddy bear. I picked up this kit during a visit to Iowa. What the hell do I need a tiny teddy for?
• A hemp tank. It wasn't working for me, then I thought I'd turn it into a tote. Now it's frogged and I'll probably make some dish cloths, towels, etc.

There's still a few more items to tally up, but in the name of accountability, here are the UFOs so far:

• a purple and green scarf out of alpaca lace. I've really lost interest, but am not far from finished. If I can find the pattern, I may make this a car project.
• sock yarn blankie, which is clicking along. I got some more nubbins from Ann today, a few from Rachel last week, and am feeling more energized.
• silk ribbon necktie. This yarn came to me from Dr. Knitter and I just got side tracked. It's a cute project and I have no excuse for setting aside. That said, I sort modified a pattern, so I don't know if I can remember where I was.
• Mardi Gras shrug in cotton. I am really close to being done on this one, but also haven't worked on it for ages. I know I bought the yarn 3 yarn crawls ago.
• Swan's Down Hood in white lace weight. I started this on a whim and decided there was a pattern error (it's a Civil War pattern). I will probably frog.
• Doug's mitts. A favor for a friend, which I've needed to finish for ages and ages (as in y.e.a.r.s.)
• a sock in Dyeabolical Bling. I only did the cuff and lost interest in the pattern. I am wanting to do some new things with pooling yarn. I will probably frog.
• shrug in Caliope. It's a boucle yarn and really hard to work with. That said, Rachel is dying ribbon and this closes with ribbon ties. That fact alone may be enough to make me restart.
• a sock flat. LB really likes long socks and hates when nubbins are left over. I decided to do this one toe-up, which practically made knee socks. One is done, but it looks like I added some increases in the calf, so I'll have a tough time figuring out what the hell I did.

Trust me, there's more to deal with, but I am feeling like the UFO pile is a little more under control.

UFOlympics

I had high hopes for that animal sitcom (dressed monkeys! poop jokes! that perky lead actress! lots and lots of adorable animals!), but I have to say, Meh. It wasn't worth delaying The Who for over an hour. Plus, the tiny little dog barks at animals on television. 

I'm feeling about the same way about the UFOlympics. I've been hugely unemployed this summer, so by rights I should have a ton of knitting done, especially with the Olympics on. I did finish up a few things (the Rivulet Shrug, a sleeping cap, a broomstick lace dealie) and made pretty good progress on my sock yarn blankie. Still, I am beyond broke and have been numbing my angst by making liberal use of my neighbors' wifi (we have permission).

I just haven't felt like doing much of anything. Hopefully, with the start of the semester in a week, the busy work will boost my drive.

Garden of Live Flowers Swap -- Incoming

I almost didn't sign up for this swap, but I'm really glad I did. The theme was Garden of Live Flowers/Looking-Glass Insects, which isn't one of my favorite sections of the Alice books. My partner did a wonderful job with it though.

First, she filled the box with flowers and attached some of those little bugs that blow up in a glass of water. For some reason, the very morning the package arrived, I had wished for some of these. Really.

Everything was wrapped in tissue paper in my favorite color combination, mardi gras, and look how many packages there are.

For knitterly goodness, there was a magnetic pattern board, which I've already put to use, flowered stitch markers, and ... HELLO!!!! ... Madelinetosh sock yarn. I'm totally open to suggestions on what to make with it, as I've been looking all day and am somewhat stumped. It's got lots of lovely olive shades in it. My partner had asked me to suggest a yarn, and I said to trust her instincts. Didn't she do great?

Then there were some other lovely goodies.

As far as handmades, there were four! First was a tote bag

a bread-and-butterfly scissors holder

a flowered pin cushion in Mardi Gras colors

and best of all, she designed this amazing tape measure cover. First, look at Tenniel's image of the snapdragonfly.

Now, check this out:

Sooooo cool!

Hot Springs

Last month I was down in Hot Springs for a couple of rock star gigs. While the band was rehearsing, I explored the town. LB swears we spent a few hours there on our honeymoon, but I have no recollection of ever being there before. It was a lovely honeymoon, but there's no way I was that starry-eyed as to forget the awesomeness that is Hot Springs.

Anyhoo, with the assistance of the internet, I managed to score six pressed pennies, but totally without the use of the internet, I managed to find a relatively new yarn store, Knittin' on the Corner. I'm amazed I even stumbled across it because it's not on a corner; it's tucked up on the back of the second floor of a little shopping complex.

It was a lovely, airy shop, with heavy stock  in Feza, Plymouth, and Tahki.

After looking and looking, I came up with this wildly exciting skein of brown yarn.

I actually am excited about it as I had been looking for a worsted weight in a natural sheep color for a thrummed cap.

Also while there I checked out a Civil War exhibit and spotted this beautiful dolly.

Family history says she came from France to Memphis in 1850. Later, the owner gave the doll to her niece in Pine Bluff, Ar. Check out the wee knitted hose.

The weekend gave me the chance to do my thing is this gorgeous ballroom. Here's hoping I get to go back next year.

Old Times (part 2 of 3)

After the event, we toured the Hunter-Dawson home and I photographed a few gems, including this blue glass darning egg (prob. 20th century, but still lovely)

There was a beautiful silk embroidered doily (likely also from the early 20th century)

This 1840s portrait of the owner and her son shows one of my favorite accessories: a coral necklace.

Upstairs were some exquisite little baby things (perhaps from a variety of mid- to late-19th century dates)

Just look at the details on this tiny coat

One room had some mourning items, including this necklace

and this watch fob

The tiny little man got a chance to display himself as a font of knowledge and I got to see a a few of the garments he had made for the display. He has a coarse hand and has fortunately given up sewing.

... more to come ...

Old Times (part 1 of 3)

One of my first events this spring took place down in New Madrid, and I am finally getting around to posting the pix.

LB and I had gone to this event a few years ago and were bored out of our skulls. The organizer, a lovely gent, had planned all these "scenarios," but they were geared towards the military. We spent most of the day hungry and with absolutely nothing to do, except for 10 minutes here and there where we had the pleasure of being accused of spying. All this fun and a five-hour drive too.

This time, I knew what to expect, so I left LB home, took a pile of mending to work on, and made up my mind to create my own good time. Of course, after I got all the way down there, I discovered one of my least favorite reenactors was in attendance: a tedious little man overly fond of complicated scenarios, whom I try to avoid when I can. Still, my resolution stuck, and part of my enjoyment of the event involved spreading period-appropriate rumors about the little man, trying to get him in trouble with the officers.

I had my own projects to work on, but I let it be known ahead of time that, in exchange for shelter from the army, I would be willing to darn socks, an activity I genuinely love to do.

Some were in worse shape than others, but I did the best I could. The one below sparked a discussion about variegated yarns (which this isn't). To match the thickness of the yarn in these socks and mend the toe, I had to hold 3 strands of thinner yarn together. I did what I could with the colors already in my workbasket. I have seen original yarn that was plied together using 2 different yarns (not exactly the same as this), and I'm okay with this kind of fix.

Taking in darning would help explain my presence around the occupying troops and would still allow me to sit and work on the porch of a beautiful antebellum home. It also meant that a local pup, who had been spooked by the thunderstorm the night before and gotten lost, spent the day with me before her owner came and fetched her.

The mornings were very chilly, so I moved from the side porch to the front, chasing the sun as the day went on. I kept my hands warm by drinking some tea out of one of my favorite possessions: a handle-less teacup.

I thought I would amuse myself by seeing if I could read my tea leaves, and look what I got!

The event had a small sutlery, and I sold a few knitted things, which basically paid for my gas and let me buy a few things of my own. I ate the whole box of worm pills in one day and didn't notice any ill effects (they were Good & Plentys, which I love).

...more to come...