Archive for September, 2010
Crocheting & Knitting in a Bad Economy
I ran across this very interesting article today. It is about women who have had to quit knitting or crocheting in the economic downturn. Honestly, I can’t even imagine that sacrifice and I was one of the “lucky ones” to lose their job after the huge collapse in the fall of 2008. However, my practices have changed. For starters, I only buy yarn that I “must have” which is defined as a skein that I will probably never see again at a great price OR something I need to finish a design that I could potentially sell. Second of all, I try to limit the number of new projects that I start until I finish another.
I have noticed a recent uptick in the number of LYS’s closing in my state. This saddens me tremendously – partly because I have always dreamed of owning a LYS and also because I don’t want this pastime to end. There is something uniquely different in buying a skein or two from your neighbor than a nameless, faceless online store. A relationship is formed. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am a sucker for an online bargain – however, I do try to support my LYS’s. I also go out of my way to publicize them here.
It seems to me, though, that there are ways to continue crocheting and knitting on a budget. Many of us already have huge stashes that could keep us busy for several months, if not years. Also, yarn can easily be recycled from old sweaters found at thrift stores and in our closets. If you are crocheting and knitting for the sheer pleasure of it, than you can use any type of fiber at your disposal to get the same therapeutic benefit.
Lastly, I think that I have turned to my crochet more in these economic times. One, I need the stress relief. And, two, I can’t afford other “big ticket” items like fancy vacations etc. So, I splurge on yummy yarn and take a “mini vacation” each day. After all, I get so much enjoyment out of creating with beautiful yarn and a $20 skein of a silk or cashmere blend can bring me weeks of pleasure.
Swiftly Speaking….
Well, I finally got my swift. You may recall the disaster I had last month with some silk lace weight yarn. That should not be a problem again as I now have the proper “tools of the trade” to wind any hank. 
I decided to give it a spin yesterday afternoon (no pun intended) and it worked rather well. I couldn’t get a good rhythm going, but I am sure that will come with practice.
The finished result was still a beauty, though.
Designer’s Quote of the Day
Don’t force the fabric. Let the fabric speak to you.
Words of wisdom from Naeem Khan, guest judge on last Thursday’s episode of Project Runway. And, this couldn’t be more true for crocheters and knitters alike.
Yesterday, on the drive home from work, a design popped into my head. I couldn’t wait to rummage through my stash for the perfect color yarn. However, after a couple of hours of total frustration, I realized where I was going wrong. I could see it clearly in my head but I just couldn’t make it happen with the hook. Basically, I was forcing a design with the wrong yarn. Forget color, it is about texture, weight, and drape today.
So, I have a few skeins waiting for me at the nearest LYS to my office. I am going to breeze over on my lunch break and pick one up. Hopefully, now I can really get cracking on this design!
The Weirdest Places to Crochet or Knit
Last night I found myself crocheting in a very strange place – the master bathroom. While it is rather roomy – in fact, it is bigger than my college dorm room – it is a bathroom nonetheless.
It all started rather innocently. At around 10:30 last night, my husband asked me to turn off the bedside lamp. It had been a long week and he wanted to get some rest in preparation for a weekend full of dance rehearsals and swim practices. So, since I am trying to be a more “loving and understanding” wife, I agreed. But, I did not want to venture out of my cozy room and I was itching to finish the sample for an online tutorial I am preparing on the crocheted origami toe.
At first, I tried to use the LED light that goes with my Kindle. That was almost like crocheting in the dark and I quickly gave up the notion. Then, I decided to venture into the bathroom. And, there I was at 11 pm at night, crocheting on the edge of the bathtub. Unbelievable! I feel like I have crossed over into a new dimension of crochet obsession.
So, where is the weirdest place that you have crocheted or knitted?
New Book Features Knitted Slippers Galore
Enter to WIN your copy today! See details below.
With the holiday season right around the corner, the quest for perfect patterns for quick handmade gifts is underway. Fortunately, the latest Annie’s Attic book, Knit a Dozen Plus Slippers by Amy Polcyn, is just what the busy crafter ordered. Filled with a baker’s dozen of lovely designs, these slippers work up in only a matter of hours. Best of all, there is something for each member of the family – from the adorable Red Sports Cars and Ballerina Slippers for little feet to the comfy Cable Clog Slippers and Ruggedly Warm Loafers for the lucky guys on the list.
Hands down, my favorite design in the collection is for the sophisticated yet comfortable looking Ballet Flats. These eye-catching slippers feature an origami toe which adds a tailored look to the design. For those unfamiliar with this technique, Amy stopped by to explain it a bit further and chat about the book as well as her fascinating background as a left-handed knitter.
I love your “Ballet Flats” pattern! I noticed that it uses an origami toe. Could you explain the concept of the origami toe and how it is constructed?
The origami toe and heel, for that matter, are techniques I haven’t seen used much, but I like them. They are similar to a short row toe or heel, in that short rows are worked, but there aren’t any wraps worked. Basically, on the first half of the toe (or heel), each row begins with a slipped stitch and every 2 rows you shorten the number of stitches worked by 1. On the second half, rows are gradually worked longer until all the stitches are being worked, and to close the gaps, lifted increases are made that are immediately worked together with the next stitch. The result is a toe or heel that looks quite like a short row one. I included both methods in the book for variety.
I love “how I first met knitting and/or crochet” stories. How were you first introduced to knitting?
For me, crochet came first and sparked my love of yarn. One day back in high school, I was admiring a little crocheted bookmark a friend had made. It was just a little spiral tassel with a crocheted chain, but I was fascinated. My boyfriend at the time noticed me admiring it and said, "I can teach you how to make that." That evening we went shopping for a hook and yarn, and the rest is history.
After a while, in my search for "cool" crochet patterns—hard to find in the early 90s—I came across some I liked in a magazine that was primarily for knitting. I loved the knitting patterns more, so I wanted to learn. Unfortunately, I knew no knitters, so I embarked on a frustrating journey to teach myself. I bought a little "learn to knit" book, which gave the unfortunate advice that left handed people should always knit continental. I tried and tried, but it didn’t click. I gave up, tried again after a while, and so on. Finally one day I decided to be "bad", ignore what the book said, and try the "right handed" way. I got it almost immediately. Turns out knitting with the yarn in my right hand (hardly just for right handed people!) was the right thing for me, which made sense after all that time crocheting left handed, WITH THE YARN IN MY RIGHT HAND. I’ve been crazy for knitting ever since; in fact, when my daughter was young, I used her playpen to keep my knitting projects away from her, rather than to hold the baby.
That is hilarious! Now, as a child, I have fond memories of getting knitted and crocheted slippers for Christmas from my grandmother. I can almost feel the fuzzy pom-poms on top of the soft bright pink yarn now. What is your fondest “knitted slippers” memory?
Any knitted slippers I’ve had, I made myself. So, I suppose my best memory of knitted slippers would be the first pair I made, when I was a fairly new knitter. They were felted, and made of bright variegated yarn. I wouldn’t have dared to put this yarn on anywhere but my feet, even though I loved the colors. I wore them until they fell apart.
My second best memory would have to be recently, when the box of slippers I knit for the book arrived back at my door. My 10-year old daughter was so excited when I told her she could choose one of the samples for her own use—the women’s samples as knit fit us both. She chose the Brightly Beaded Moccasins, incidentally.
I believe this is your first knitting book. Why did you choose a collection of slippers for your first book?
I love small, portable projects; in fact, they’re the only kind I usually make for myself (when I get a chance, that is!) To me, knitting slippers gives all the pleasure of making socks (don’t even get me started on my love of hand knit socks!) but in much less time and with a smaller investment, yarn-wise. A pair knit in bulky yarn (such as the Mary Janes or the cover slippers) can be completed in a couple of hours, which is great for busy people or those who like instant gratification, like me.
I understand that you left a successful career in education to become a full-time fiber artist. What was that decision like? How was the transition? What are the important considerations for budding designers to consider before making the complete transition themselves?
I’ll be honest, at first I was terrified! I was giving up a regular paycheck and benefits to try piecing together bits of income and hoping it all came out to be enough. The impetus for my decision was the fact that the amount of design (and tech editing) work I was getting was steadily increasing, to the point that the last year I taught, I hardly slept. I started wondering if I could manage without my teaching job, since I was getting a bit burned out on teaching and yarn was my first love – in fact, what I really wanted to go to college for was fashion design, but I didn’t have the guts to try. I figured I could fill in the gaps with tutoring or substituting, which I did for the first year after I quit.
At this point, I’m certainly not getting rich, but I’m busy enough with only designing and tech editing to do nothing else, which makes me really happy.
My advice to others would be to really think it through. It was 6 months between the time I decided I was going to quit and the time I quit. In that time, I saved as much money as I could, recalculated budgets to make them work on less income, and looked for ways to cut expenses – we don’t have cable tv, for instance.
Next to no one makes a lot of money designing, but if it’s truly your passion you may find yourself willing to sacrifice to make it happen. For instance, if I was still teaching, I would have gotten a new car in the past few years; but instead, I’m still managing with my (very) old Saturn. Also, before trying to design full-time, consider cutting your hours or switching to a part-time job if you can for a bit of reliable income while freeing up more time for designing. I’ll admit, for teachers this might be easier than in other fields—I mainly tutored online, even knitting while "on call" between students!
To get a sneak peak at all the designs in the book, be sure to visit the other stops on Amy’s blog tour (see the schedule below). The next stop on the tour is http://crochetcafe.blogspot.com.
Win A FREE Copy of Knit a Dozen Plus Slippers!
I am pleased to offer one lucky crafter a FREE copy of Knit a Dozen Plus Slippers! It’s super easy to enter. Simply visit each stop on the tour. Then, tell me which pair of slippers you plan on making first in the comment box below, along with your email address. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on September 30th! Happy Stitching!
Day 1 (Sept 20) – http://threesheeps.blogspot.com
Day 2 (Sept 21) – http://www.tottoppers.com
Day 3 (Sept 22) – http://knittin4britain.blogspot.com
Day 4 (Sept 23) – http://handsindelight.com
Day 5 (Sept 24) – http://crochetcafe.blogspot.com
Day 6 (Sept 25) – http://www.TwoSticksandaSheep.com/blog
Day 7 (Sept 26) – http://knitwithkt.blogspot.com
Day 8 (Sept 27) – http://rachelerin.com/myblog
Day 9 (Sept 28) – http://www.mondaymorningknits.com
Day 10 (Sept 29) – http://knittinggourmet.wordpress.com
Last, But Certainly Not Least
Without knowing it, I managed to save the best for last. I opened parcel #7 from my blog swap partner Nude Ewe and found these adorable embellishments. Unfortunately, my photography skills do not do justice to these, but the tags read “Made with love” – which, of course, is a spin-off from my motto, with love in every stitch.
The note Nude Ewe included with these further revealed that she has me pegged 100%. “Your family is obviously your greatest joy so I thought these would be a perfect addition to some of you projects,” she writes. Well, she couldn’t be more correct and I can not wait to attach these to the next set of creations that I make for my kiddos. And, I am already thinking of the perfect project for the cheerful buttons.
Thank you so much Nude Ewe for all of the goodies. You have been a wonderful swap partner and I have enjoyed every minute of it!
We Be Jammin’!
My blog swap partner Nude Ewe has done it again! I was so surprised when I opened parcel #6 today. I had no idea Nude Ewe was a master at making jam too.
The story behind the jam, though, it just as sweet as what is inside the jar. Nude Ewe, an ecologist, explained that she recently visited Fairfield Orchard which is currently under threat from development by a ritzy neighborhood. The trees in the orchard were full of yellow plums and she picked all that she could. A few red plums were added to the jam for color…..ummm, yummy!
Color, Color Everywhere!
With no time to blog this weekend, I painfully postponed the opening of the next parcel from my swap partner Nude Ewe. After finding a quiet moment this evening, I opened package #5 and was instantly met with an explosion of beautiful colors and textures. In an attempt to inspire me to scrapbook again, Nude Ewe sent me a collection of papers from The Japanese Paper Place (www.japanesespaperplace.com) in Toronto, Canada. I must admit, I am very tempted to break out some pictures and my old scrapbooking supplies right NOW….these papers are amazing! I even love the label – it reads…..
And, here is the entire assortment in all of its colorful splendor.
Catching the Sun
Today, I opened parcel #4 from my swap partner Nude Ewe and it contained a lovely sun catcher/Christmas ornament made by a local glass artist in Bedfordshire. I decided to use it as a sun catcher and placed it in the window by the piano so that I can glance up at it while my son practices. The sun catcher will always serve as a wonderful reminder of the friends I have made on Ravelry. Best of all, Nude Ewe has a green one hanging in her window too. We are connected, although several hundred miles apart, by the work of one artisan.
Fashion Friday – Crochet Steals the Show in NY!
The runway was ablaze with hot crocheted items at New York Fashion Week. It looks like Spring 2011 is going to be all about the hook. Some of my favorite looks were by Bebe and designer Vivienne Tam whose aesthetic for this collection can be classified as hand-made chic.
The Bebe Spring 2011 collection features a gorgeous white crochet crop-top paired with tan wide-leg pants (shown in the middle). And, Vivienne Tam’s collection is heavily sprinkled with crocheted dresses and tops throughout. Each garment was handmade, clearly with love and superior artistic dedication. Here is a peak….enjoy!
