Quilting in Black and White

Picking thread for a quilt is just as important, and fun, as picking the fabrics. In this case, I went with the lightest gray to coordinate with the white-on-white backing.

The quilting I planned and the quilting I got didn't match but I really like the result. 

Here is a view of the back of the quilt so you can see the texture. The wood grain ended up a little more organic than I planned but I really like the texture. 

Ready to box up and send by to the top maker for her to finish. 

And for anyone keeping track, yes this posted late (Thursday morning) because I hadn't moved it from draft to scheduled. 

Custom Masks

Another quilter asked if I could make a pair of custom masks for a bride and groom. I said yes.

First, I used the machine's built-in fonts to design the embroidery and make it the size I needed. I then learned about poor embroidery alignment on pre-cut fabric and how my embroidery thinks I want one color when I want another. It was a good test.

Then, I got it right on the second time. I even managed to get it similarly lined up on the second mask. 

Different lining for yet another visual indication of who each belongs to. 

Pressed and ready for top stitching. 

Top stitched and ready for their trip to the west coast for the happy couple. Don't let the pandemic slow you down or prevent you from making memories. I hope these help make their special day a little more special.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Creative Grids 4.5" x 12.5" Rectangle Quilting Ruler
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Rotary Cutter replacement blades
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
Clover 2-Type Bodkin

Custom Embroidery

Darling Husband asked for some patches for a live action role-playing game he was participating in on Saturday. He found the art and I worked up the design in my embroidery design software.

Using materials I had on-hand, I stitched the design onto white felt. Since he would be handing these out to the other members of his faction at the game, I covered the stitching with fusible interfacing and used hot glue to attach the pin backs.

I sewed patches onto his coveralls and matching t-shirt. Little details like this can make gamers happy. 

Then, I just had to clean up the super-sized mess I made getting to the finished product.

Tools and Supplies (affiliate links):
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Fiskars 4-inch Curved Craft Scissors
Dritz Large Seam Ripper (because sometimes there are mistakes)
Magna-Glide bobbins
Stanley Glue Gun (mine is likely 20 years old, this looks like a suitable replacement)

Knitting Update

This is an unnamed shawl. I had an idea of a design I wanted to try. I also had 200 grams of superwash worsted. I decided it was time to test my idea. I worked on this when I didn't have to think too much about the knitting. Stitched in garter stitch, with simple short-row shaping, and a size 8 needle, it was a quick knit.

Here is the shape of the shawl before blocking. A somewhat wing-like shape.

I expected it to grow, but not by as much as it did. Still, a very satisfying finish. I have a couple ideas for how to modify this design to make it more striking. I'll have to play with the design, and maybe even write down the directions. I don't doubt I could do it again, but that isn't the same as directions someone else can follow.

With only 200 grams of yarn (I didn't have a label so I can't tell you how many yards that works out to) I think it is a pretty good size. Since it is garter in worsted it's pretty squishy and warm, too.

It works as a scarf, too.

Tools (affiliate links):
Knitting needles: Knit Picks Interchangeable knitting needle set
Blocking mats: Balance From Puzzle Exercise Mat with EVA Foam Interlocking Tiles
Blocking wires: Knit Picks Lace Blocking Wires & T-Pins
Knit blockers: Knitter's Pride Knit Blockers & Pin Kit

Travel Knitting Holey Chevrons

I like to start a project at the beginning of any trip. This time I decided to make Stephen West's Holey Chevrons. I didn't want serious knitting and this qualifies. Simple garter stitch is perfect for travel knitting. No (or little) counting and you don't have to focus too much.

I grabbed two cakes of striping yarn I dyed in June. I just went with whatever color I wanted to use next.

I made good progress by the time we had boarded for the outbound flight. 

Once we reached our destination, I had make excellent progress. 

I had a bunch of time in the car, too, so I got even more done. 

By the time I was back in the airport for my return flight I was well on my way, though not yet to the second cake of yarn. Someday I will learn that most travel projects are better for one-skein projects.

We ended up waiting for the jetway to be fixed, so I got in another row while waiting to deplane. 

I kept working on it for a couple more weeks. Here and there, in little moments. 

I finally got to the chevrons part last week. 

A little day trip in the car and I was well on my way to finished. 

I finished the bind off before Labor Day. 

Here it is before blocking. 

And on the blocking boards. I love my blocking wires and knit blockers. Totally worth it if you knit or crochet as much as I do. 

I'm really glad I decided to strip the edging. I think it makes this project. 

With two cakes of yarn (about 200 grams of fingering) this shawl is decently sized. 

I might knit this one again. It's quick and a satisfying finish.

Knitting Dotted Rays

I started this shawl when I went to the 2018 Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. You can find the pattern in Stephen West's book WESTKNITS BESTKNITS NUMBER 1 - SHAWLS. I picked up my copy of the book at a local yarn shop and it included a code to receive all the patterns in digital format on Ravelry. You can also find it as a single pattern on Ravelry. I love Dotted Rays. Let me tell you a a knitting story (with pictures).

I knit at breakfast.

I knit in the afternoon.

I knit in the car.

I knit in the car some more.

I knit at breakfast again.

I knit in the car. I also knit in the evening but those photos never look good.

I knit until I ran out of yarn and had to dye more to match. This is totally true and one of the best reasons to dye your own yarn. This assumes you can remember how you got that amazing color.

I knit until I had finished the darn thing. This is pre-blocking. Because you can't see the magic of blocking if you don't compare the pre-blocked shawl to the blocked shawl.

I love pulling out the last set of eyelets to make little points on this shawl. It is so much easier than trying to get a gentle curve and I think the shawl has more impact.

Blocking opens up those double yarn-overs.

Each wedge has its own color story.

I used a little over 250 grams of yarn for this shawl. I think it is a great size for a shawl. 

Loads of fabric to wrap up in. I really like the impact of this as a finished shawl. Now, I have to decide what to knit next.

Pattern: Dotted Rays by Stephen West

All the Yarn!

Last week I shared about a yarn party I had at my house with a friend. Now that the yarn has dried I figured I should show you what I ended up with. All the yarn we dyed was from Knit Picks.

First up is this amazingly bright and fun yarn. This is Bare Stroll Glimmer. I haven't decided on what I'm going to do with this yarn, but I'm excited about this colorway. If I had to give it a name, it would be Poison Ivy. These were made using Jacquard dye.

These candy-colored hanks were mostly made to test colors before coloring a full hank of fingering. These are Bare Stroll Sport. I used food coloring for most of these colors. The black speckle effect was done with black food coloring. I think I'll make up small hanks (about 20 grams each) for color testing next time.

This is the first set of knitted blanks I colored. This one was done with all food color dyes. This is 200 grams of Stroll Fingering.

This was my experiment with the PAAS egg coloring kits. Two kits got me these vibrant colors.  This is 200 grams of Stroll Fingering.

The second set of knitted blanks was 300 grams of Stroll Fingering. I varied the length of the colors from one end of the set to the other. I can't wait to see how this one works up. I might make a simple half-circle shawl to show this off. 

Here is my full stack of fresh yarn. This will keep me busy for a long time. (There is a single hank of purple in there that I dyed to finish another project.)

I still have more than 10 more hanks of fingering to dye.