My First Knitting Machine Hat

I’ve been trying to learn how to use the knitting machine that my cousin gave me.  Of course, I don’t want to learn on my “good” yarn!…does anyone else do that?  “Save” your “good” stuff for later?

Some of the problem has been that I just haven’t really known what to make, and I don’t know what stitches to try to make said unknown project.  It’s really a bit of a switch, changing my mindset from hand knitting, and even then I pretty much only make washcloths and scarves anyway!  I am a quilter, after all.

I’ve hand knit several long skinny scarves with the hairy novelty yarn, so I’ve been trying to use some of those in the knitting machine, too, and have had a hard time with them.  One of my internet group suggestions was to run some “regular” yarn through the machine to make sure it is working properly.

So, I went rummaging around my stash of yarn and found some Lion Brand Fun 100% acrylic yarn that I’d bought at a ridiculously cheap price a couple of years ago, when I thought I’d make a Bronco scarf or something and never got around to it.  This hat is the result, and I’m thrilled with it!

The light doesn’t do it justice, it’s really darling!  I had no idea how big it would actually turn out to be, because I was experimenting, and it’s much too small for my small adult sized head, so I’ll give it to the church charity hat drive when I finish sewing up the side seam.

One thing about making round objects on a flat knitting machine is that you have to seam most of them to complete them, and I’ve found that is my least favorite part.  But I learned a lot on this project and had a blast doing it.

I’m Having a Giveaway!

I don’t normally go around advertising my birthday.  I like it just fine and I’m not concerned about how old I am, I just like to keep it low key.

But tonight I decided, at the last minute, to host a giveaway for a package of 100 – 2” charms that can be used in a Postage Stamp Quilt!

All you have to do is “Like” my Facebook page and post it to the Rafflecopter giveaway widget.  If this link doesn’t work for you, go directly to my FaceBook page and click on the Giveway tab below the cover photo.

I’ll need your email and mailing addresses, but I promise, I won’t share the information with anyone else.

Happy Birthday to me!

A Finish!

I just finished my first long skinny scarf  using one skein of novelty yarn out of my stash.  I used my Bond Ultimate Sweater Machine, which I've had  forever, and took me just under an hour!  That is, after the learning curve where I figured out how many needles to use and after I ripped it out the first time.   The trick was using every other needle and going very slowly. I was afraid I'd run out of yarn before I got it cast off so I actually could have made a few more rows before ending, but that’s also part of the learning curve.

I used 9 needles total, although I thought I had cast on more, but that was before I started over.  I think I may sew this into an infinity scarf as it will wrap around my neck 3 times, which looks like a faux fur collar.  I thought the weighted hem was really too heavy so I only used one weight bar on each side, and once it got long enough, I used my knees to support the weight.  Again, I can’t stress “go slowly” enough!  When it got really long I started using the claw weights.  I had to rip back a few rows a couple times, which was the reminder to slow down.

I have several more skeins of this, and some eyelash, yarn that I want to get out of my stash.  They make really great, fast, inexpensive gifts and add a pop of color to an outfit.  And yes, they are surprisingly warm, although you do have to get used to the fibers against your bare neck. :-)

New Year’s Day Goodness

I was invited to spend New Year’s Day with a group of die hard fiber enthusiasts….knitters, spinners and weavers…who quickly became new friends.

We were hosted by Mitzi Meyer, at her home in Sweet, Idaho.  I am ashamed to say, in the 8 years I’ve lived in Idaho, I’ve rarely been outside of Boise; I didn’t even know there was a town named Sweet! I truly enjoyed the drive, it reminded me of my native Montana surroundings, and the next time my mom visits I’ll definitely take her out that way.  Their home was absolutely beautiful and perfect for this get together.

Of course, I took more projects than I was able to work on, but my motivation was to take advantage of all of the expertise in the room to get advice for completing several UFOs including:

1. A 27 year old sweater that has been in “time out” (more on that later)
2. A spinning project that stalled last year
3. Instruction on how to ply my newly spun yarn

I showed off the hat that I started a couple of months ago for my DH, which is almost finished but didn’t make my Christmas deadline…and got a good laugh from everyone because it’s absolutely gigantic!

My knitting machine sample got some attention as well, and I spent quite a bit of time talking with Angie, who is also trying to learn more about how to work her own knitting machine.

It was obvious that this is a close group of friends, but I felt welcome and included and look forward to spending more time with this unique and talented group.

Mitzi also runs an online store, Mitzi's Yarns for Weavers and Knitters, where she sells mill ends and closeout inventory, and of course, we were able to peruse her wares. Mitzi had earlier showed off a scarf/shoulder cape she’d made, and written the pattern for, with a combination of two strands of yarn that I thought would work perfectly to keep me warm this winter.

I’ve been looking for this sort of pattern and I was able to get enough yarn for the pattern to make 3 different color options using a mohair /wool /acrylic blend. I’ll pair one of theses colors with the black wool blend yarn and see how it turns out before I decide on what I want to pair the next one with. If it goes like I think it will, I might already be ahead of next Christmas’ gift season!

This might be one of those projects that is the knitting equivalent of a PSQ though, since this is a lace weight yarn (I think) and I’ve never worked with something so small!  However, I had an idea that I might be able to ply these two yarns together using my spinning wheel and treat the resulting yarn as one strand.

I’m back to my quilting this weekend.  I hope you all had a great holiday and got time to spend with all of your wonderful creative toys.

My First Kenmore

Isn’t she pretty?  I picked her up for free from a Craigslist advertisement!  This is a Kenmore 158.521, and I’m learning a lot about her.

First…..she is DANG heavy!!  How do I know?  Well, she came with a cabinet.  A very nice cabinet.  But the previous owners removed the machine from the cabinet in order to facilitate transportation, and now I can’t get her re-mounted back into the cabinet.

See these tiny little pegs in the back slots?  They are what I’m supposed to put this machine onto, using the little holes in the back of the machine, and then tighten down the set screws.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Well, we’ve done that, and every time I rotate the head back into position either the machine moves and pops off the left side post (even after tightening the screw) or the mounting mechanism moves in its natural arc and when it stops, the back of the sewing machine doesn’t lie flush with the table.  All the while, either my DH or I are hanging onto the machine to make sure it doesn’t fall and smash someone’s toe!

I’ve posted my dilemma on a couple of online forums, gotten some good information and suggestions, but as you can see, the machine still isn’t mounted.  So, if anyone knows how to resolve this, please let me know, I’m at my wits end!

The second thing I learned is that this machine’s needle is “left-homed” .  That is, while using a straight stitch, the needle sits at the left side of the throat plate.  You can see what I mean on this photo, where the needle is just coming down through the presser foot on the left.  Using the edge of the presser foot as a guide, this starts the sewist out with a 3/8” seam allowance.  So, this is not the machine for a quilter who uses a 1/4” seam allowance because to do so means the fabric will only ride on one of the feed dogs, which will not feed the fabric through the machine evenly. 

She sure sews a nice stitch, though, and I’m looking forward to trying my hand at some other sewing projects that I’ve put off in favor of my traditional quilting projects.  Yes, in fact, I think I’ll use her to make the jean quilt I’ve been saving up old jeans for, and get those piles used up and cleared out of my sewing room (and garage)!

The Birth of a Quilt

The Birth of a Quilt.  That’s what my DH called it when he saw the first Postage Stamp Quilt block I made.    I like it!

My goal has been to work these units in while working on a “regular” project.  Lately, though, I’ve needed some mindless sewing, so I turned to these, which has been perfect.  I absolutely adore how it’s turned out.

Last night, I completed 2 more of these and I lined them up to show off a preview of what’s to come.

This is going to be one cool quilt!

Dog Panel with Satin Binding

My neighbor commissioned me to do a quilt for her from a purchased panel made from chenille and flannel.  She got this one at the same time she bought the pink and white panel, which I also quilted for her. 

I used high loft polyester batting with Sew Fine thread, which created a trapunto look. It’s quite cuddly and soft, and I think it will be loved for a long time.

She likes satin binding on the baby quilts, and while I understand why, they aren’t exactly the easiest thing to apply.   However, since I made the first quilt I saw a demonstration on TV by Nancy Zieman that showed how to sew the corners closed as you attach the binding, and I tried it on this quilt.

Of course, I wasn’t able to find the demonstration online anywhere after I saw it aired on TV, so it took me awhile to get to finishing the project.  I used a straight, rather than a zigzag and it finished up quite nicely, although it does leave a bit of a “lip” on the back of the quilt.  I think I’ll try a decorative stitch next time.  The only thing I wish I could have figured out was how to hide the seam that connects the ends of the satin in that corner.  Maybe someone out there can tell me of a better way?