acatherinenoon – Page 12 – Knoontime Knitting

Happy Autumn!

Inspired by Calligrapher Margaret Shepherd’s daily calligraphy blog, and her entry #223 Celtic Color and Line, I drew this up for our family’s dinner celebration today. In honor of J.R.R. Tolkien’s characters, we’re even having elevenses and afternoon tea!

Happy Autumnal Equinox for those of you above the equator and Happy Spring for those of you below it. May your cup runneth over and your nylons wear without runs, may your internet be hiccup free and your stove hoods avoid birds (long story, that).

Saturday Showcase – Me!

Now that we are moved and almost all settled in, (I unpacked the last box of books today!), I have knitting knews – and it’s HUGE!

I’m knitting again!

That’s right, sports fans, I started knitting again! My carpal tunnel is still aching, but it’s subsided enough to let me do some gentle tasks. I also started playing the piano again and am doing some finger-strengthening exercises from the Hanon book that are really helpful. I’ve noticed my hands don’t ache as much and I’m getting strength back in my fingers, though I still get really numb.

Wow. Get me talking about my hands and I sound like a little old lady. “My bunions are…” Yeah. Shaddup and git ta tha good stuff!

I bought some very ridiculously expensive suri alpaca and Merino wool blend, one hank of cream and one of … hmm. Mocha? Sand? Not sure. It’s pretty, whatever it is, and beautiful to work with. I wanted to do a pattern that set off the colors well so I settled on making a short stole with one of Barbara Walker’s patterns. Take a look at how it’s coming along:

I figure it will be long enough to wrap around the neck like a collar and then be secured with a shawl pin or something similar. I wish I had enough for tassels, because I think that would look cool, but there isn’t enough of the stuff unless I want to take it apart and make it more narrow. I don’t really want to do that, so a pretty shawl pin (or maybe even a button) it is.

Stay tuned. I have weaving journal pictures to share but I’ve been so busy with the move that I just haven’t had time. What WILL you do without me?

Knit!

Duh.

Kalos Graphe

There is something magical about using a calligraphy pen. We see the nib, and the paper, and the quality of the writing is changed, elevated.

I haven’t been practicing lately, for whatever reason. Today, while reading Week 6 of FINDING WATER by Julia Cameron, I thumbed through the chapters I’d already read and came across the quote above. I decided to play with the size of the words and my gosh if it didn’t turn out pretty spiffy!

“We cannot change anything until we accept it.

Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.”

~ Carl Jung ~

Round Like a Triangle

I decided to try a triangular box, with more or less successful results. A couple challenges presented themselves:

3″ triangles
the grid on the triangles themselves
getting the rectangles to match up with the triangles
edge stitch

Taking them in order, the first issue is that the largest triangles I could find are 3″ on a side. I checked the internet but that’s the largest one available that I could see.

I tried cutting the rectangular grids into a triangle, but the hypotenuse isn’t supported enough and it’s not straight. It’s like cutting a diagonal line across a piece of graph paper.

Because the base is 3″, the box is only 3″ in size. I decided to start with the lid and make it small. It worked well, as you can see, but then I got the idea to make the base very tall as an experiment:

I made the base much taller and I like how the base came out. Unlike the square box, I made the base with the “right” side facing out, since the inside is so narrow.

The next problem from a design standpoint is that the grid on the triangular pieces isn’t square, it’s successive triangles.

I decided to use a simple tent stitch on it, but it wasn’t easy to make it even and cover the plastic evenly.

The last two problems are part of each other. The first was getting the rectangles I used for the sides to match up with the triangles. It worked, sort of, but will take practice. The second is what to use for the edges. I used the edge stitching for the top of the box, pictured above. For the bottom, I used simple overcast stitching. The overcast stitching, which not as pretty, is much better to use for the project.

In all, it’s a successful experiment but I’m not as happy with the box as I want to be. I’ll have to try it again and see what works better.

The Return of the Rug

No, silly, not THAT kind of rug! A latch hook rug!

Wild Wings, from Herrschners. They have an incredible selection of kits and supplies for crafters, including some fantastic latch hook rugs that aren’t cheesy ridiculousities. This lovely piece was my birthday present this year and I’m having a ball working it. It’s huge!

My kid is tall, all six feet of him, and it nearly stretches to his knees! I can’t wait til this beauty is done.

One of the things that impressed me is that the project comes in its own plastic zipper case, like one you’d buy a pillow or feather comforter in. Each of the colors are in their own pouch, clearly marked with the colors. The yarn is acrylic and very soft. Makes me want to walk on it in bare feet.

The kits do not come with a latch hook; however, you can easily purchase one from Herrschners. I, however, found my original one from 25 years ago, made by Brunswick in England. I love it; it’s good quality and feels good in the hand.

I can’t wait to report my progress. I’ve got about 2 inches done so far. This will be a fun summer project, especially when it gets too warm to knit.

Round Is the New Square

Chapter Two in the Great Box Experiment is underway with… drum roll please… a round box!

The first challenge is to find round plastic disks to work with. Fortunately for me, I’ve used them many times before.

But, apparently, I didn’t read the instructions ver well because the first disk I made is an inch and a half bigger than the pattern. Uhps!

The round box is a lot of fun to make because has a liner inside the box and under the lid. I used an edge stitch around the lid, but the directions call for overcasting but I used an edge stitch, which is prettier but bulkier. This means the lid is a little too big.

Maybe I should try reading the instructions, eh?

I took a picture of the box but it’s hard to see how small it is; here’s another shot next to my ballpoint pen so you can see it.

If you set the lid on top, you can’t really tell that it’s too big, but the inside lip of the lid doesn’t really fit inside the piece below it. I think there’s two problems at work here: first, I used a 4.5 inch diameter disc and cut it down to 3 inches; and second, the stitching is too thick for the lid. In the next attempt, I’ll make a new base for this lid and a new lid for this box.

The underside of the lid is pretty too; this is a second piece embroidered and then attached to the top.

Here’s the piece with the lining removed so you can see all the parts.

And finally, a close-up of the lining back inside the box.

I had a lot of fun with this one. My inner critic is jumping up and down because it doesn’t fit correctly, but that’s okay. My inner critic doesn’t get a vote.

What do you want to make next?

Needlepoint Box

I have written before about fabric boxes. If you’re curious, there are four other articles here: One, Two, Three, and Four. I am enthralled by boxes, be they polymer clay, needlepoint, or wood. Recently I decided to revisit the boxes of Meg Evans, which I’ve made before. This time I decided to play with her exact design. And therein started the problems.

Hand-Stitched Boxes: Plastic Canvas, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Patchwork, by Meg Evans

Ms. Evans’ book is a delight. She has instructions for many different types of boxes, including some fun ones that fall open in a sort of puzzle-like fashion that I’m dying to make. They’re above my skills, and then it hit me: practice!

I bought supplies to make all the easy boxes with the exception of the kleenex box covers, since I’m not a huge fan of them. I started with the square box since I’ve made it before. How hard could it be, right?

This is the beginning of the design. It uses crewel wool and pearl cotton, held double. I had fun working out the cover and then started doing the central diamond.

Only one problem: I misread the instructions and was supposed to do a square 30 bars wide, but I cut it 30 squares wide. By the time I caught it, it was too late to fix it without taking the entire thing apart.

I figured, to heck with it, I’d just finish the top. In the image below, the top is along the top row, on the right.

Then I started working the bottom piece. This time, I added two extra lines of ivory squares to make up for the mistake in cutting the boxes too large.

I finished the design and realized that I’d forgotten to put in the center squares on two of the parts of the diamond.

I worked the walls of the bottom piece last and laid them out so you can see the design.

It sewed up fairly quickly. Here it is with the first wall up.

As I finished the rest of the sides, I realized something. You can see it in the image below. There’s a little face!

I showed this to a friend of mine and she said it looks like a little cat face. I think it looks like a little robot.

I used the dark blue to finish the top of the bottom part of the box as well as the edging along the top. It came out quite striking, especially when you see both pieces side-by-side.

This is the completed box put together.

I learned a lot from this project, but nothing I expected. I don’t really have a better idea of how to put the complicated boxes together, but I learned to accept my mistakes and keep going. The only part I took out was the one side I put on too tightly; the rest of it, I let stand because it made the box unique.

See, here’s the thing: I do this to relax, not to make perfect boxes. I don’t need to do make a box exactly like the instructions, I can play around with it.

Friday Weaver’s Journal – The End Is Nigh!

I’m at the end! I’m at the end! I can’t turn the weaving any more than it is. I’m so excited!

This is prior to the end, where you can see the dowel rod. It’s supposed to be straight. o.O… It doesn’t appear to have affected the weaving negatively, thank the gods.

This is a shot from farther away, after I’ve moved the dowel off the back beam and then moved farther.

Isn’t this pattern awesome? I’m so excited. It looks awesome. I’m looking forward to using the next colorway to begin the Belii Shawl.

This is the last little bit of the warp. We’ll cut the fabric off the loom and then tie the new yarn to it and pull it through.

This shot is taken from some distance so you can see the fabric’s sheen.

Here’s the fabric. I didn’t take it off the beam because I finished just as class ended, and I didn’t want to have to rush. So, next week, we’ll have the fabric reveal and start sewing. o.O…

—
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
– E.E. Cummings

Check out BURNING BRIGHT, available from Samhain Publishing.
Check out EMERALD FIRE, available from Torquere Books.
Check out “Taking a Chance“, part of the Charity Sips 2012 to benefit NOH8, available from Torquere Books.
Watch for TIGER TIGER, coming July, 2013, from Samhain Publishing.

Happy Stashbusting New Year!

Welcome to 2013! 365 days to knit, crochet, weave, or play with your favorite craft; 52 weeks of inspired ideas; 12 months of possibility; 4 seasons filled with opportunities for enjoyment; it’s a brand new year, kids, and we ain’t gettin’ any younger! So LET’S GET BIZZY!

My theme for this year is Completion. Here’s my plan of attack:

Define the parameters (i.e. what is my stash, exactly?)
Define the weaponry (i.e. what tools do I have, and what, if any, are needed?)
Easy wins (what’s already started or nearly done?)
Planned Campaigns (what’s already planned but not yet executed?)
Contingencies (what can we come up with that’s new?)

There’s a lot of play to do this year. Today I’m finishing the Celebration of Light and Color Shawl (it just needs to be washed and blocked), and working on the diamond wrap. Weaving class is Thursday and Michael and I are planning our next item for the Wardrobe of 2013.

What about you? What yearnings have you got buried in your little crafty heart? Trust that today is the day, and this is the year. Craft on!

Saturday Showcase – In the Garden with J. M. Cartwright

After I did the call for authors who craft, J. M. Cartwright contact me and mentioned she loves to garden. Given all the work that goes into creating a garden, I absolutely consider it a craft as much as knitting or woodworking are. I asked J. M. some interview questions and here are her thoughts on life, the universe, and dirt:

K.K. Tell me a little more about what crafts you do. What do you like to make?

J.M.C. My craft is gardening, which is a fairly unforgiving craft, since we depend on sunlight and water and good soil to be successful. Oh, and a boatload of elbow grease. Uh-huh.

K.K. When did you learn to do crafts?

J.M.C. Hah. Gardening is a learn-by-doing exercise in frustration. The gardens continue to evolve because the product is a growing one. Literally. I’ve learned from other gardeners and from a fabulous magazine, Fine Gardening. It helps to see what others are doing, learn from their mistakes and copying their successes – though I do tend to add my own touches to things. I like to take an idea and twist it, bend it, enlarge it, make it my own.

It struck me this season that my gardens are ten years old this year. Whoa. I look around at the beds around my home and I’m amazed. When I moved to this home in 2002, there were some good foundation shrubs and a bounty of beautiful deciduous trees, plus two gorgeous blue spruces. Most of the trees are probably as old as my home (55 years), so the shade, the shape, the impact they have on my home are substantial. My airconditioning doesn’t have to work as hard as the systems in other homes, which is mighty nice. So I’ve been actively gardening with ground gardens and pots for these ten years. Prior to that, it was baskets and pots on decks and balconies. However, I’ve been an indoor plant person for a lot longer than that.

K.K. Have you ever given a craft to a character? How did you go about it? What research did it require?

J.M.C. Absolutely! One of my first books, A Change Of Scenery, had MC Stephen owning and operating a gardening shop in a small city in West Virginia. I used my work experience of dealing with landscapers (designers and installers), plus my own personal experience of being a consumer. Lots of consuming going on there, let me tell you.

K.K. What effect does your writing have on your crafting and vice-versa? Does one fall off when the other is stronger, or do they synergize?

J.M.C. It’s definitely synergy. How can it not be? The more I do it, the better I can write about it. The more I write about it, the more I want to do it – and have my characters enjoy doing it, too.

K.K. What do you dream of making when you have the time or skills?

J.M.C. I’d love to have several acres where I could expand my gardens. Currently I have two distinct gardens, one full shade and one full sun. The other beds are a mix. So having more land to work with would allow me to create individual spaces that speak to the different loves I have for growing things. I’d create some outdoor rooms, which is what these spaces are now called. They bringing seating, tables, hardscape into the garden, allowing people to experience the gardens while performing life activities.

K.K. Where do you get ideas for your crafts?

J.M.C. Magazines, other gardens, my imagination!

K.K. Any other questions you want me to ask that I haven’t yet? 😉

J.M.C. In the last two decades, I’ve noticed a substantial increase in the number of people who garden. A garden can be three or four containers on a balcony or it can be several acres in size. The point I’m making is that more people are recognizing what a difference it makes, whether we live in urban, suburban or rural settings, to have beauty surround us. It softens our hearts, eases our souls, brings out the joy and kindness in us. We need more of that in our lives, not less.

So I say, grow, baby, grow!

Biography

A little bit of info…

I’ve been a mix of a dreamer and a doer for pretty much my whole life. The doer part is usually in charge. But I think it’s the dreamer that adds the spice, the panache and the zest.

My stories come from both sides – the doer helps me get the damned things done while the dreamer lets me express my creative, artistic side. My day job of running a small business appreciates both parts and I’ve learned to be more patient, more thoughtful as I go through the day-to-day tasks and interact with people. I’ve learned to appreciate a lot more things about my life since I started seriously writing, and I’ve had an entire world opened up to me from the day I was brave enough to click send and submit my manuscript.

Website | …where the romance is real | Chicks & Dicks Blog

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