Tara Miller Designs

Gruenetree Lecture Series- Vol. 2: Knitting Lace Tips

I have been knitting my largest and most complicated to lace project to date: Swallowtail Shawl from Fall 2006 Interweave Knits. It is not so much that it is very difficult, but just that I did not do any research beyond reading (well skimming, if we are going to be honest and I guess I will since you can't hunt me down and shame me in the streets) the pattern before casting on. I ran into many or really one difficulty. My count was off repeatedly and it was extremely vexing (was watching Pride and Prejudice last night). So I decided to dig out my lecture series and dust it off with Volume 2 Lace Tips

1. Stitch Markers-  Have many kinds of stitch markers handy and test them with your yarn for EACH PROJECT. Example: I am knitting the swallowtail with mohair (Kid Seta to be specific) and it is very fine. I am using jump rings that I fashioned into my very own highly fashionable stitch markers (for purchase here should anyone be interested). unfortunately as stunning as they may be, the mohair slips through the jump ring and thus making it appear as though my count is off. I now use a split ring stitch marker, as plain as it is, the ends over lap leaving no space for mohair to slip through. My stitch markers so work just fine for every other yarn I have knit with successfully.
2. Life Lines- If you are knitting lace without a life line you are either very brave, have too much time on your hands, are ignorant (no shame in that, obviously you recognize this fault and have decided to continue reading) or are an idiot. If you are an idiot, I am sorry but I am sure you are already aware of this by the fact that you commonly say "HA HA Watch this" before every disaster and probably should not be using slightly sharp wooden sticks except to skewer meat. Back to the topic. I love my life lines and am so paranoid (or is it tired to starting over 5 times) that I double up. I will knit one repeat, weave in my life line, knit another repeat and then weave in another. I do not take out the first and just move it up. I usually have 2 just in case I made a mistake and it has managed to evade my notice and climb up 2 repeats. I am not taking any chances, I like to start new projects, not old.
3. Needles- See lecture series Vol 1 for further details on needle specifics. Make sure you pick the right needles for your project. Take in to consideration the size the project will grown to be and the weight. If you are knitting with, say, mohair you will only need to take into mind the size and pick your length of needle or cable according to you preference. But if you are using a thicker fiber you also need to consider how heavy your project will become and probably want to consider a cable needle to distribute this weight to your lap instead of your wrists. Another yarn/needle combo you want to consider is slippery-ness and delicacy of the fiber. If the fiber is very delicate, like mohair or silk, than you might not want to trust you wood needles. As smooth as they may feel, there could be a rough spot that you do not find until you are 80 gillion rows into your project and it has caused a minor turning into major hiccup. Also, you want to reduce the chances of dropped stitches as much as possible so make that swatch and go with your gut.
4. Be confident. it is only knitting, you can rip it out. It is for fun and relaxing, no use stressing over it. How much are you really going to want to wear a shawl with bad memories. If it is too difficult just put it down and come back when you have more experience. If that is 2 weeks or 20 years. No shame in passing it down. Hey wouldn't you love to finish a project your mother or grandmother had started. Even better if you finished something they considered over their heads. Then you can wear it around and boast. Perhaps you can make a custom tag for it that says "In your face Mom/ Grandmom". Just a suggestion.

Enjoy your Lace and let me know any tips I missed.

1st Free Pattern

1234 I am so excited to share my first pattern. It is a bit simple but fun and handy none the less. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Free Reversible Fabric Mouse Pad

Right then.

Time Listed:  In 3 days it will have been a month.
Number of people who have looked at my house: 0
Yes, you did read that correctly. Zero. It is quite the opposite of people interested, it would appear that they are, in fact, not interested.
I know that there are lots, LOTS, TONS of house on the market now. And I know that we live in an area where, frighteningly, there are lots of homes on the market due to foreclosure. But I fail to recognize how they are competition for my house, which is in good repair, with fresh paint and flooring. They are, so I have heard, without interior doors, dead bolt locks stolen and discarded clothes everywhere. Mine is move in ready. In fact I have no doubts that once someone comes to look at my house, they will make an offer. The trouble appears to be actually getting people to my house. I recently did a search for my area, in my price range and found over 100 homes for sale. Any advice? Please, I really want a new sewing machine.
However...One of the many bright spots of my fine home here is my gardens. Take a look.

This garden always cheers me up when I drive up my driveway. That and the dogs greeting me. I have worked so hard on it and yet not so hard as to have all these flowers. I found out that my favorites, like the zinnias, from last year reseeded. I was overjoyed. They are more massive this year than last and they keep coming. One of the many reasons to be glad for long summers here (take that awful humidity! In your face.)

Designed by Gruenetree

I made this apron- from scratch. I hope to publish a pattern as soon as I figure out how to create a pattern. One thing at a time. First I will tell the story of why I created this apron and then I will tell the rest. Garrett is a motorcycle mechanic and where he works there are few women. So he rarely gets the chance to talk to those who dare work at the shop. I have asked him how he got to talking to his female co-worker about aprons, he could not remember but they did. He mentioned I sew and have made aprons before, showed her my blog. She liked those I had made before (Thank you Amy Butler In Stitches) and asked if I made full aprons. I sent him back in the next day with an affirmative. I set about making the pattern that night. I used a favorite dress for inspiration and the few tidbits that I could scrape out of Garrett. He said she was Tomboyish but since she picked out this fabric, which I would call girly, I figured maybe something practical but a little sexy. I hope it works.
Now, part 2. Let's face it people, I can't fend off Mothers and Mothers-in-law forever. Especially when I have over heard conversations that  include "cause distraction", " you hold her down" and "turkey baster". One day I will have a baby or several, whether by force or because I am ready. When this time comes, I will need something to do and money to keep me in yarn (and booze). I am hoping to lay the ground work now with pattern development and cool hand made objects that no one can live with out. I hope it works, judging from Blogland I am not the first but luckily it seems it is a fruitful endeavor at least in spirit if not financially. Fingers crossed.

Edit- This wench agreed to reimburse me for the creation of this apron for her and so far has failed to do so. I find myself thinking how people now-a-days fail to reconize that hard work goes into making such objects because typically they are so easily gotten at your local Target. I feel hurt and amd sorely tempted to Introduce myself and my outstretched palm later this week. I don't even know her so i surely did not do it as a gesture of friendship.

2 weeks and one Amy Butler Weekender.

So you are probably curious where i have been the last 2 weeks. Well... Since our house has been on the market for 3 weeks and approx 0 (zero) people have looked at it, i can't very well use that as an excuse. I have been making things, though. I made a weekender to take to Boston last weekend for a wedding. We left on the 7th, the wedding was on the 8th so the 4th through the 6th i was working on my Amy Butler weekender. I don't have good pictures but i do have adequate pictures. I will have good ones once i redo the weekender. that is right i am going to rip it and re do it. For one very good reason. DO NOT CHEAT ON THE WEEKENDER. I did and bought ready made cording. "Sweet" i thought to myself when i saw it in Joann's. Then i laughed an evil laugh and rubbed my hands together. However, notice the seam allowance on the ready made cording. it is a scant 1/4''. Not the 1/2'' plus that Amy's provides. this is not good and very tricky. Plus, when buying fore mentioned cording, in my excitement i grabbed one package in each color. Please note that one package contains 2.5 yards. Also note that the Weekender requires 5 yards of cording. Now according to my math, that equals 2 colors. So behold green on one side blue on the other.

In the bottom picture it is the morning of flight so it is really dark outside. You can still see the basting threads sticking out. They were all gone by the time we boarded. This bag holds ALOT of stuff and fits its name perfectly. I used a 30 in dual zipper. Once i chucked Amy's zipper instructions and used the Reader's digest sewing encyclopedia's, i was golden. I used Amy Butler Forest on the outside and i haven't decided on the inside yet. I had fun making it but it is alot of cutting even if you leave some pockets off.

The wedding was at Colt State Park in Rhode Island and i highly recommend it. It was so dreamy and beautiful. I reminded me of all those stories you hear about in the 50's when mom and kids would head to the beach and dad would drive in for the weekends. it was perfect there were huge gatherings everywhere with all kids of games (tag, croquet, badminton, volleyball) and kite flying. We already have plans to go back.

We also rode through Bristol, Ma. AKA Mainstreet usa back in the good ole days. It was such a great weekend.  
 

You've come a long way baby!

I really hate that saying. Probably because of the people who say it and when they choose to use it. Similar to the feelings associated with "Sounds like somebody has a case of the Mondays"!
well in this case is is appropriate because i want to show off some before and after. I wish i had thought to take more before pictures but at the time it was so ugly that you really don't want the memory and i had a thought that a picture that ugly might make my camera melt. I was wrong but it was a thought. What pictures i do have i have tried to recreate. Except one of the kitchen sink area because i need to get the dishes out of the sink and clean up from the Granita i made today. I disgress..pictures       

I also had some time to finish some projects this weekend which means i had time to start a new one or 2

  Here is my finish McCalls C5137. I used view C but only used 1 Contrast. I really like it and it was fun to make. I started it in May or April and had to put it on hold till the house was done. Then i finished up thursday night and wore it to work to much acclaim on Friday.

I also finished knitting up Glee from Zephyr Style in Knit Picks Sport Shine in Cherry. It is a great color but so hard to photograph.

And i had time to start and finish Prairie Girl from Favorite Things. It was fast and easy. I really love this print too.

And Finally...I started the Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2006. I am learning so many new techniques: Crochet Cast-on (don't use the instruction from the mag. Use the instructions from Knitting Answer Book, They are so easy and much better), Knitting more complicated lace and knitting from a chart! it is fun. I am on the 4th repeat from the 2nd chart. i am making it for a special someone. 

2 Bone Maggie and Gold Rush Murphy

Rawhide bones are equivilent to gold in my house. or More like Gold mines from the 1849 Gold Rush. Everybody wants one, then they want the other's and then they want both. If goes something like this. I open the cabinet, Dogs wiggle with excitment. I ask the dogs to sit, i then raise my voice "Sit!" dogs sit. I hand each a rawhide chip. They sniff the rawhide and lick it while i hold it. I tell them i will not hand fee them again and let go of the rawhide. Gold Rush ensues. Murphy runs with his into the living room. Maggie has hers in her mouth and follows me around the kitchen. I get something to drink and head towards the living room. Murphy is standing guard before living room sees me approach, knows i am coming for his bone (the one i just handed to him, though i don't remind him and make him look the fool) and runs ahead to get his bone. I sit and am suddenly no longer a threat. He drops and starts to chew. Maggie drops her bone and sits in front of Murphy and whines. He get bored and she claims his bone. Maggie walks around with 2 bones in her mouth. Little while later, Murphy steals back a bone, short time after that, bones no longer exist. It is pretty funny.
Garrett and i gave ourselves the week off since we listed our house on Sunday (Big cheer!!) so i have been knitting and sewing. It feels good and weird. I keep thinking of things i need to do around the house but then the part of my brain that would rather relax (90% of my brain actually) quotes my Brother and says: "F- that noise". I actually love that saying, no idea why but it makes me chuckle everytime i say it which, truth be told is probably more often than needed. I decided that what the house needed to say "I am cozy and you know you want me" were hand knit warsh cloths. So I finally busted out my cotton cones and here is my first. I am on the 8th out of 13 repeats now!!