MaryBethMakesHats

Hatty Tuesday - Sasha Kagan's Scotty Dog Beret and More -

2012-02-28T11:58:00.001-08:00


Source: Scotty Dog Beret/Sasha Kagan's Classic Collection

New links for Things Hat-related:

Win yak yarn to knit an ultra-warm hat that not only looks cool, pretty but it's a great conversation starter. Try yakking about it in a bar, no?
Ways to wear your vintage hat. Correctly.
Vogue Knitting's newest slouchy beret in pink
Old millinery studio recreated....
What to do with more than 4,000 matching white hats? Check this out.

That's all for now. Ciao.

Hatty Wednesday - Bungalow Hat, Eugenia Kim, Anthropologie, Free Monkey Hat Crochet Pattern

2012-02-01T08:16:00.000-08:00


Bungalow hat, Knitscene, Spring 2012

The bungalow hat would seem to fit into Chicago, which actually has a bungalow belt. Not to be worn, it's a term that's actually unique to the City of Broad Shoulders. Some more hatty links:

Eugenia Kim has designed hats for Target, now she's taking her talents to Anthropologie. Check out her newsboy.
This unique 1940s tomato red straw topper is meant to be worn slightly off kilter, not straight on as in the photo.
Newsboy, how about a schoolboy from Goorin Bros.?
Horsehair ruffles make this vintage cocktail hat really pop.
Free crochet monkey hat pattern for tykes. Yikes!

Hatty Round of Links: Knitscene Tulip Slouch Hat, How to Spot Clean a Hat, Free Patterns

2012-01-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

Tulip Slouch Hat, Knitscene, Spring 2012

A new round-up of links...mostly hat-related because what's on the head is most fun!

A free hat pattern download over at Dress a Day. If the 1940s are your vibe, have at it.
How to spot clean a felt hat? Check this tip out.
Another free hat pattern of the toddler, knitting variety. Fair Isle too!
For random hats that need to be turned into light fixtures
A woman of many hats (and great make-up and photo styling too)

That's all for now.

Hatty New 2012: A Round-Up of Millinery-Related Links...Albert Swanpoel for Target

2012-01-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

From Cozy Winter Knits

Resolve to wear more hats, not just ones that keep you warm, in the New Year? Look at these links for inspiration:

This Sally Milgrim hat from the 1940s at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
A great way to hang hats...and hats as wall art
Shades of the 1960s - McCall's 6450 hat and glove pattern
Four royal toppers
Finally, delightful bold hats for Target from Albert Swanpoel; he takes his cue from the 1970s

Hatty Holidays LInk Round Up - Vogue Knitting Turban,

2011-12-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

Vogue Knitting, Vintage Chic, Turban, Designed by Lola Ehrlich

Vintage Chic, Vogue Knitting 2011/2012 Fashion Preview

A random list of cool hats, casual, fun or classy:

You've seen Chanel bags, how about a Chanel knit hat? Simple, no chains to weight it down.
The turban is back....classy or just a microwaved leftover? With or without hair. The Vogue Knitting models (above) show plenty of lush, long, wavy longs. They're just missing gloves, a cordette clutch, and a cigarette holder...otherwise, they look like 1940s starlets. Any ideas on the yarn used? Vogue Knitting won't tell...yet. Can I just contrast it to this actual 1940s jersey turban? Which would took chutzpah to wear? Vogue's patterns or the jersey one? A cocktail will help the chutzpah part, I promise.
Judith M Millinery has a 20 percent off coupon good through the end of January. She has amazing hat-making notions that you can't even find in New York City's Fashion District (sadly...).
What's a cute rain hat without a matching umbrella? Here's a how-to using oilcloth...which I think would a little bit stiff. Ripstop or a thinner water-repellant fabric would be a better choice. Still a great way to salvage a frame.
Thinking of last minute gifts? Have needles, will travel to nearest yarn store? Here's a round-up of last-minute hats to make on the double.

Linky Wednesday - Free embroidery tutorial, Knit Handy iPhone/iPad app

2011-12-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

Beret designed by Angela Combest of Fleur de Fiber Yarns

Rhinestone detail, Angela Combest beret


Side view, Angela Combest beret. Yarn: Acadian Two-Wheeler, also available at Windy Knitty

Here's a round-up of mostly hat-related links this week:

Here's a great interview of a Vogue Knitting hat designer Deborah Newton, who doesn't mind when readers call her designs ugly. Interesting!
Gosh. This special edition Interweave Knits Accessories, 2011, is practically a book with more than 40 patterns, and tons of hats! I've already taken a look, it's a great value at $14.99 and if you buy it before the end of the year at a local yarn shop, you get a rebate from Interweave.
Also from Interweave is the Knit Handy app by Ann Budd. I've downloaded it, and it's a great tool (along with my app Yarn U, of course).
Details matter. I love this French knot tutorial for 3-d hydrangeas, great for embellishing just about any hat, woven or knit.
Finally, eye candy at this Australian vintage shop, l'uccello. Buttons, vintage ribbons galore!

Hatty Holidays, Linky Tuesday - Yarn v2.0 for iPhone/iPad Lives!

2011-12-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Gone with the Wind Hat, Windy Knitty, Chicago

Hat knitted with Schulana Malawi yarn (now discontinued)


Leftover Malawi used to make Lacy Collar Designed by Claire Montgomerie

I made a second version of the Lacy Collar by Claire Montgomerie from the book Knitting Vintage. This collar is most addictive, and easily knit in sections. This one came out bigger than the first one even though it was DK weight just like the Classic Elite version and I used the same circular needles. Anyhow, here in no particular order some great links for this week. Most are hat-related, some aren't.

Yarn U v2.0 is now live with 260 yarns, 2,000+ yarns.
The scoop on the plush top hat. A little history.
By way of the Shop the District blog: "This Took Forever" labels...perfect for the hand-knit beret that was frogged multiple times and is likely to be lost after being worn once.
New hats over at Hats Plus. Check out no. 1 and this refined Borsalino.
Simplicity 1959 ...I don't usually like fleece hats, but view A is darling.

That's it for now. Happy hat-making!

Hatty Thanksgiving - a Round of Links - Quince & Co.

2011-11-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Milliner Joy Scott models her work at the Curly Tale Fine Art Gallery, Chicago

Scott used a multi-colored sinamay from London for her cocktail hat

Scott embellished her hat with a miniature paper umbrella. Brilliant!

Here's a list of links...

Can't decide if this hat is 1920s or 1930s? It must have been crocheted on a small hook using gim perhaps. The small palettes are tantalizing.
The dolan beret pattern at Quince & Co. Need to support Maine and independent designers!
Support urban knitting! Another beautiful beret pattern over here at Knit Picks.
Quick, dirty and local. Make a feathered hatband in this class in Evanston, Ill.
Former Chicagoan Midori Mame Tajiri was crowned the Queen of the St. Catherine's Day hat parade in New Orleans and will be the Grand Marshall next year!

The Tyrorean Hat Goes to "Hats...Art for Your Head!"

2011-11-17T14:14:00.000-08:00

Scarf? A Missoni-like fabric still at Vogue Fabrics, Evanston

Purchased at Silver Moon, when it was located on Halsted Street, Chicago

Modeled at Windy Knitty, Chicago

The tyrolean hat is often mistaken for another style. Some admirers think it's a fedora or a porkpie. But it's neither. It's a tyrolean style hat, when all things alpine were popular in the U.S. in the late 1930s. There were tyrolean jackets, suits, sweaters...and then hats. Mine is a thin black felt embellished with what looks like matching horsehair on top. It's a clever embellishment, very subtle: the felt and the horsehair are swirled together and cut at an angle (difficult to see here, but I do have a close-up somewhere). If I had that time machine that so many DIY bloggers talk about, I'd return and get this hat in a kelly green and fuschia. I get so many compliments on this simple hat I really do wish I could replicate it easily. But I'd at least need a hat block...and the crown vaguely looks like a Civil War soldier's hat, but the brim is short and sweet, typical for the Depression. I imagine this hat was very versatile during that time...perfect to wear with a suit or a princess-style black coat.

I hope to never wear this hat out it's so sweet. In any event, it's going on an adventure tonight at "Hats...Art for Your Head!"

Hatty Link Sunday - free Stacy Charles Takhi hat pattern

2011-11-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

Stacy Takhi Charles, free pattern

Plenty of hat love this week here in Chicago and nationwide.

1. Five milliners will be participating in "Hats...Art of Your Head," the opening is this Thursday, Nov. 17. I look forward to seeing Eia's and Jenny Pfanenstiel's work.
2. Optimo Hats has a new downtown location in Chicago's historic Monadnock building. The window display must truly rock!
3. Better late than never: check out this Amelia Earhart Halloween costume and a how-to on sewing jodhpurs if you're ever in need. The hat and goggles are flea market finds.
4. A self-fabric button how-to. Very couture. Handy for hat-making too.
5. The latest incarnation of the Tam, to be published in Interweave Knits and in stores Nov. 29. Looking forward to that...supposedly there's a review of my app, Yarn U, in there!

That's all for now. Over and out.

Hatty Saturday - Free Sockhead Hat Pattern, La Fete De Catherinettes, Philip Treacy

2011-11-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Sockhead Hat Designed by bohokits. It's free!

Sockhead Hat, Fleur de Fiber (Arcadian) at Windy Knitty

Designed by bohoknits, download free pattern here

These links are no particular order, mostly millinery-related, but not all:

Do your swim suits take a beating in chlorine-treated water? Do you fear they've become a little too revealing even though you're covered from here to there? Try sewing your suits with reversible laminate bright tricot Spandex. Not cheap, but it won't become sheer either after several dips in the pool.
I knew this was a Philip Treacy before I clicked on the link at OMG. Yes, Sarah Jessica Parker has a sense of humor.
Here pipe cleaners are used for gift wrap, but they make dandy cocktail hat embellishments. Think spider legs, leave stems, etc.
The buttercup beret, yes, designed by Sarai Mitnick of Colette Patterns. A knitting pattern, it's It's free here.
For fingering-weight yarn fanatics, here's an American-made line....and get this, it's tweedy! Great for vintage hat and sweater patterns. I give you (or rather Jared Flood) LOFT, not to be confused with Ann Taylor LOFT.

That's all for today, friends. Over and out!

Yarn U v1.9, now with locations, Twitter handles...and Happy Halloween and a LIst of Hatty LInks

2011-10-30T17:50:00.000-07:00


*Rat in Beret Made from Berroco Vintage Yarn searches for new yarn*

Rat stops to sniff...he smells a yarn he likes.

Just Another Day at Windy Knitty...Fiber-obsessed customer

Rats! The Blue Alpacas Sky Fine yarn is out of reach!


*Close-up of Beret, Made by Tara, a Windy Knitty Customer of the Human Kind*

I don't know how many rats wear hats, but I saw at least one of the stuffed 'faux' variety wearing one at Windy Knitty recently. He looked pretty fierce in a fashion-forward kind of way. I can't tell you too much about the pattern. I'm certain it was improvised, since most patterns aren't written for heads quite that small.

Now that it's Halloween, here's a round-up of hat-related links:

Pamoolah of Ravelry has a booklet of 1930s hat patterns at Etsy. If you like to knit with fingering weight yarn and you love hats, this might be up your alley and down your lane. Log into Ravelry to see to her own interpretations of these classics.
I'm loving this how-to for hat stands, which aren't cheap readymade.
La Fete de Catherinettes...once a big deal in France, now a 'niche' holiday that's fun to celebrate. Here's what happening in Chicago.
This quick-knit beret pattern has a 1930ish feel. Great price too!
Version 1.9 of my app Yarn U is now live. What's new? Twitter handles and locations for yarn distributors.

Linky Friday (with Hats, of course!)

2011-10-21T18:27:00.000-07:00

Crochet Beret by Jill (YarnOverChicago @ Ravelry) at Windy Knitty, Chicago

Beret Close-up, Dream in Color Classy Yarn


*Jill H. teaches how to crochet this pattern at Windy Knitty, for the schedule, check here*

This is a quick list of links I loved this week:

Anthropologie's newest hat collection...The Fuzzy Beanie one is my favorite, and I want to recreate it on my needles. Any ideas, any one? Any one?
The Zelda cloche from the latest Knitscene. Very 1920s. I might break down and buy this magazine.
This hat at Lorna's Laces is so much fun. The little tendrils are like hair...or dreadlocks. Perfect way to weather Chicago's fierce winds. Do it in a style!
Vintage 1940s hat with corn. Yes, corn. It must have been owned by a Midwestern farmer's wife. Must have.
For chunky yarn lovers, I give you the Cozy Warm Hat over at the Purl Bee. Cute, hard to screw up on the needles. Totally fun.

I realize this is mostly a link list of knit hats. Maybe I'll mix it up more next time. Until then...have a hatty weekend!

Fabric of the Moment: Shaggy Suede, available at Vogue Fabrics

2011-10-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

My favorite shaggy suede hat, made by me, at Windy Knitty

This fabric (one of more than 100 listed in my iPhone/iPad app Fabric U) is little known in the sewing world. If you like to sew, you know about fake fur. You might even know about faux sherpa fabric, the stuff of the retro World War II flight jackets. But shaggy suede? Probably not...even though it's virtually all over the RTW world. You'll see in cute children's jackets made by the Gap, or even a stylist coats like this one seen on the Sartorialist but it's not exactly shaking up the fashion scene even in Lucky Magazine or even Teen Vogue. Yet it's the coolest, most washable winter coat fabric out there. Here are some pros and cons for this fabric, also called sueded cuddle.

Pro:

Doesn't need to be lined
Machine washable
Edges don't need to be finished; use pinking shears to finish

Con:

Messy to sew with!
Tad on the expensive side ($21 a yard)...make an expensive muslin first with cheap muslin
Limited color selection

If you decide to bite the fabric bullet, I would suggest renting a sewing room when you're cutting this fabric. Otherwise, you'll be seeing lint all over your house for months. Maybe even a year. Here are some pattern ideas:

Kwik Sew 3390 (a hat and bag pattern)
Vogue 8753 (jacket)
Kwik Sew 3358 (jacket and hat)

Me? I've got a out-of-print Simplicity coat pattern that I want to use. Need to dig it out before snow falls!

Yarn U v1.8 now live...Linky Saturday

2011-10-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

Louisa Harding Design

Some links to consider on this gorgeous Saturday:

The Sunday pictorial hat, a premium for those who've purchased a Stitch in Time, vol. 2
How to roll Sinamay, a hat fabric, in this month's Hat Talk
Knit Picks' newest yarn, Stroll Glimmer, a fingering weight yarn perfect for vintage patterns
Yarn U v1.8 is now live...now includes prices. Next up? Locations for various manufacturers
Great selection of vintage hats at this Etsy seller. My fav? One made with petals made from petals.

Knitting Vintage by Claire Montgomerie - the Lacy Collar

2011-09-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

At Windy Knitty, Chicago, the Lacy Collar from Knitting Vintage

Row upon Row of Yarn Overs Makes This Easy for Lace Lovers.

Paired with the matching High Society Hat Designed by Annie Modesitt

The ribbon and button are from Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, IL

The lacy collar, designed by Claire Montgomerie

Tell us a little bit about this lacy collar. It looks a bit vintage. You know, it does look vintage, although in all likelihood a collar of this kind back in the 1930s and 40s would have been done in a fingering weight yarn or a crochet thread of some sort. I did mine in a DK weight, which makes it look a lot less delicate, but heck, it was leftover from another project so I went with it.

Do you frequently use your leftover yarns for new projects? All the time. Actually I should do it more often. I looked in my yarn bag recently, and I've found at least two other yarns lurking in there that I could use for multiple versions of this collar. I will make this collar until I get tired of the pattern. I give that at least two or three more times. Actually, if I retire it if for a while, it's easy to return to the pattern like I've never looked it before.

What kind of yarns would you recommend for this pattern? Oh, just about any will do as I said before. The book suggests experimenting, even trying beaded yarn, which I think would look smashing for the holidays. I could see even dressing it up with a little holly pin. It would be interesting to see this in a tonal yarn from Dreams Everlasting or Three Irish Girls. I'd imagine it would look especially retro and pretty in a crochet thread by DMC or Aunt Lydia's.

Anything else we should know? Try a rhinestone button for a little sparkle. I used a clear button because I wanted the pins I use to be the stars of the show. I can't wait to try out my vintage religious flower pin, and some things I inherited from my grandmother. Also be sure to wear the collar so it doesn't get lost on your clothes. It would look terrific with an angora sweater, a stretch lace top or a little black dress. Oh, it would look really great with a LBD...especially if you make it in white.

But it looks a little girlish...can women wear this to the office? It depends on your office. I think creatives could get away with more than those in the banking or investment biz. The collar is a bit bulky so it doesn't play well with jackets. But to answer the other part of your question, yes, women can definitely wear this collar. It's not just for teens. It's all about attitude and how you wear it too. It's certainly romantic but I think it could be paired with a pair of jeans just as easily as a tiered cream skirt embellished with Cluny lace.

Huh? Never mind. This collar is cute and washable, which necklaces aren't.

Annie Modesitt's Modern Cloche v2.0 - the Madison Square Garden

2011-09-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

At Windy Knitty, Chicago

Another shot at Windy Knitty.

The Knitting Today pattern plus Classic Elite Classic Silk yarn.

What can I say? I can only recommend two-thirds of this hat, the Modern Cloche?

Yes, I think I can safely say that. I loved doing the leafy sideband pattern. I think I could have gone on forever doing that. It was so pretty. The sideband pattern alone I think I could do again and again. And I might in a different weight of yarn...I might even just do it as a lace trim in a lace weight yarn. After the disaster of my first Modern Cloche (which ended up shaped like a bucket so it would fit my 22-inch head), I decided to drop down two sizes - to the 18" inch measuremen, figuring that my natural fiber yarn could stretch if I needed it.

That turned out to be a good call. I tried on the sideband after I formed a loop using the mattress stitch. It fit! So that would be recommendation to you if you're keen on making this hat. Drop a size or two unless you like bucket hats. I don't. I like hats with enough ease to get the thing on and off my hat. That's about it.

Oddly enough, the brim was the next thing to make on this hat. The brim is the last thing on the previous Annie Modesitt hats I've made. So I was a bit bewildered doing the brim before the crown. But I dutifully did I was told.

The seed stitch was easy enough...and I did it all on my circulars. I used my bamboo circs...and the size 5 Denise circular tips to do the I-cord Bind-Off. My yarn actually seemed to slip better on the Denises than my bamboo. I don't know why. Others who have made this hat complained that it was hard to do the seed-stitch with the doubled yarn, but that wasn't so difficult. The I-Cord Bind-Off was much trickier and seemed to go on forever...but I learned a new technique. I've never done the I-Cord Bind-Off. It's very pretty.

Now for some thoughts on the brim. I'm used to the 1930s-style short brims on Annie's other hats (The High Society hat comes to mind). It opens up a bit as it leaves the crown...but the brim on this cloche is very tight and completely covers the face, in fact you really can't see very well at all. It would be a traffic hazard to try crossing the street in this hat. The brim doesn't look that perilous on the model in *Knitting Today*, and I really can't figure out why. I also think the I-Cord Bind-Off makes for a very tight finish, it pulls the entire brim in, again making it hard to see.

Onto the crown. The hardest part is picking up the necessary amount of stitches. And that's always been the case on all my Annie hats (here's a link to her Gone with the Wind hat). It seems like I'm always desperate for stitches to pick up from the moment I dig in my circulars on the sideband. The lace pattern is positively a piece of German Chocolate Cake after that...easy to follow...and I ended up using my Denise circs again as the stitches decreased because I really don't like using DPNs if I can help it. Yes, there were two sets of circulars in the last few rows of the crown.

Would I make this hat again? Maybe...I really do like the sideband and the crown, but I would switch off the brim...actually that was my original thought when I did the first version. I was going to use the High Society Hat brim but then I thought it would be fun to learn a new technique. So don't be surprised if you see me making this hat yet **again** but with a different brim. I really like to wire my hat brims, and it was virtually impossible to do that with this hat. Annie did say in her earlier notes on this hat pattern (you can see them with the original pattern here on Ravelry) that she had suggested a wire brim to her editors, but they thought it was too difficult. I don't think it's hard, but it might make this hat even harder to get on and off with the already tight fit.

Which brings me to the Classic Silk yarn (also listed in my iPhone app, Yarn U)...I've loved using this yarn for the past two years. It's pretty and the pastel hues are great (and there are some new colors in the latest batch. I'd love to try the green but it's gone from my LYS and I'm ready to move onto another fiber now). The Classic Silk can be a bit splitty and it really really **despises** being frogged. There have been times when I thought I've frogged too much with this yarn, it's going to fall apart before my eyes! That hasn't happened, thank God.

Ok. I think I'm done. Modern Cloche? You were fun. You're cute, but I think you're going to stay perched on my model display head where you're safe and I don't have to wear you on my work or play. I like hats, but I don't want to my head crossing the street!

Linky Tuesday: Yarn U v1.7 is live-200+ yarns, 1,300+ pics

2011-08-30T14:23:00.000-07:00


The Scarves/Riva/Debbie Bliss

So more cool links to check out:

Want to try knocking off Anna Sui Oxaca lace skirt at Anthropologie? Try following this tutorial with 5+ yards of Cluny Lace.
How to make your Fabric prints using the sun. The possibilities are endless for silk, cotton jerseys, wool felt, faux washable shearling, etc.
Saturday, Sept. 17 "Hand Dyed is the New Black" trunk show and workshop sponsored by Three Rish Girls at Windy Knitty, Chicago.
If you like 1930s style beret and you knit, check out this saucy little number
New Debbie Bliss magazine for fall is out. Riva (which is in my iPhone app Yarn U) is sure to be included.

Link Love Wednesday + New Annie Modesitt Hat v1.2

2011-08-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

The second version of my Annie Modesitt Modern Cloche Hat (Knitting Today) in Classic Elite's Classic Silk.

A preview of new Stitch in Time volume 2
Stephen Jones hat contest ends today. I voted for my favorite millinery teacher, Eia.
Lining your garment with silk for a couture touch
Beautiful Anna Sui white wool knit at EmmaOneSock. I want!
Blue Sky Alpacas patterns as low as $4.20 at Jimmy Beans Wool

The Park Place Modern Cloche (Annie Modesitt pattern) Finished!

2011-08-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you on Ravelry, you can check out some more detailed notes on this pattern here. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/badges/redirect?p=modern-cloche-2"><img src="http://api.ravelry.com/badges/projects?p=modern-cloche-2&t=.gif" style="border: none;" /></a>

After botching the crown placement, (I attached it to the brim not the sidepiece), I am surprised I still want to do this pattern yet again. But I do. I feel like I know what needs to be done to make it outstanding the second time around.

Here are some preliminary thoughts on this great Annie Modesitt pattern, originally printed in Knitting Today. (She tells me she will be able to sell the pattern as a stand-alone on her site soon). Anyhow....

Needles. The pattern calls for DPNs, but since I really despise DPNs more than unsweetened chocolate, I went the circular needle route, starting out with a pair of bamboo circs I used for Modesitt's High Society hat. In fact, I would say it's my go-to set of needles for her hats which seem to call for size 5 needles. When I needed to split the hat-in-progress to two circs, I used my Denise needles...and I found the silk/cotton Classic Silk yarn 'slipped' better on the Denise circs. I also used the Denise no. 6 tips as DPNs when I was doing the seed stitch brim. Worked better than a charm and saved me the cost of buying new needles!
Ease. There's a lot of ease in this pattern which you don't discover when until you're done. I did the pattern for the 22-inch headsize, and I had at least four inches of ease on side of the hat. So, yes, the completed hat fits my noggin, but it's huge and not snug like the model in Knitting Today. I'm considering dropping down a size or two for the next rendition of the Modern Cloche. My hat looks more like a bucket hat (not the look I'm after) and less of a cloche. Oh well. Next time!
Yarn. The pattern calls for a worsted linen/cotton yarn, but I think that's too thick. I used a DK weight....but whatever you use you want something summery with a lot of natural fiber...which will probably stretch and contribute to that ease issue I mentioned earlier.

That's it for now. I'm already at work on the second edition of this hat...What to name it, I'm not sure, but I must be gone for now!

Linky Wednesday - Baby Phat ribbons, Stylish Helmets and More

2011-08-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

My Modern Cloche...before I stitched on the crown to wrong side!

Ok, here's a round-up of some cool stuff found on the Internet:

Stylish helmets, so cute.
The next installment of the Silent Film Society's Summer Film Festival: Sunrise with Janet Gaynor
Baby Phat ribbons in twill and satin in stock at Vogue Fabrics in Evanston. $1 for 5 yards each. I stocked up on 13 different ones.
Erica B's hotcha snake print jersey dress
six stylish bike helmets

That's it for now. Off to work on that hat crown and other stuff.

Linky Love Tuesday:...Hat Block Making Class, Liberty of London 1937 Catalog

2011-08-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

Another beret by Jill (otherwise known as YarnOverChicago on Ravelry)

Some random links:

There are still some spots in Jenny Pfanensteil's Hat Block Class on the 5th. I've made a hat block, it's just the thing you want if you are all about hats.
I'm on the fence with turbans. Sometimes I like 'em, sometimes I don't. The blogger at Advanced Style is having a hey day with them.
The latest version of my app Yarn U is now live. That would make this version 1.6 with nearly 200 yarns.
Liberty of London lovers out there? Check out this 1930s catalog for the classic prints. I think I'll have the white Siberian fur trimmed jacket, please!
And a blog new to me. If you're a knitter, you might like this too: Swatch Diaries.

Annie Modesitt's Modern Cloche, Hats Plus and More...

2011-07-31T09:07:00.000-07:00

This is YarnOverChicago's Crochet Beret (designed by Teresa Richardson). Yarnover used Crystal Palace's Cotton Twirl, now in the latest version of Yarn U, version 1.6.

Picture was taken at Windy Knitty, Chicago.

This slouchy hat was made in brown (hard to tell here in my Hipstamatic shot).

This man's hat is at Hats Plus on Irving Park Road in Chicago.

Another man's hat at Hats Plus. This is perfect for summer. Check out the store's Hat Chronicles.

Finally, my latest hat project: Annie Modesitt's Modern Cloche from a recent issue of Knitting Today. Yarn? Classic Silk by Classic Elite Yarns.

Various Links: Chicago Silent Film Festival and More

2011-07-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Today's overcast with rain...perfect for sewing, knitting, reading or dare I say it,
cleaning? Anyhow, here are arious interesting links related to sewing, hats, films and fashion!

Chicago's Silent Film Festival continues. This Friday is Why Change Your Wife?If you go early, stop by at Hats Plus Ltd. which stocks many men's hats, just like the one you see above.
Check out this 1930s sewing/knitting pattern. You can sew one version of this dress, knit the next. Hows' that for an interesting blog topic? It will only set you back at the minimum, $42, supplies not included.
It's hot enough to wear a crochet skirt on a daily. Check out this woman's long skirt on Advanced Style.
See how Nabby restyled a hat to make it more retro and 1930s.
This incredible Anna Sui Missoni-Style polyester fabric

Welcome Cherished Collections Summer 2011 Tour: my Vintage Yarn Stash

2011-07-20T04:44:00.000-07:00

1. My first skein of Evermatch yarn, a blue green skein, against a background of labels.

2. Mogor Gimp, part of a small collection of matching skeins I bought on eBay. Probably from the 1940s.

3. Glosilla Corde, scored at an estate sale, along with purse in a project.

4. More Evermatch yarn, this time in yellow. Probably from 1970s.

5. Published in April, but I just discovered it at the Evanston (IL) Public Library.

Welcome Cherished Collections visitors. I'm thrilled to share with you my growing collection of vintage yarns, which I actually use. What vintage yarn, you ask? Because I can, if it's out there and in good condition, I'll use it. There's a myth that all old yarn is riddled with moths, and just beyond brittle. Nothing could be further from the truth. Let's start with no. 1.

1. This is Evermatch Sport and Sweater yarn, which I got from my mother who's into knitting hats, socks for charitable causes. I told her I wanted to knit her a pair of footsies (socks without ribbing, for a lack of a better word). Did she have any yarn that I could use? She did, and this was it. After three skeins and a finished pair of socks, I was hooked on Evermatch Sport and Sweater, a discontinued yarn probably from the 1970s. I searched high and low for more skeins, nothing. I only found more back with my original source: my mother. Unfortunately, all the green was gone! But she had a motherlode of yellow, which I'll get into in no. 4.

2. Mogor Gimp. You've probably seen the crocheted bags from the 1940s in the antique stores, all faded black, brown and navy. That name of that yarn is corde (or cordette), it was extremely popular during World War II years for hats and purses. It's a rayon yarn with a cotton core, which makes for an extremely stiff material when crocheted (I haven't seen it used for vintage knits, but I'm sure there's an example floating out there). I bought this batch on eBay. What makes it interesting is that it's a light pink. I've yet to see a 1940s crochet bag or hat in this color, but here it is. I started to use this for a late 1930s handbag pattern, didn't like my stitch gauge, so I unraveled the whole shebang, but the whole batch continues to be begged to be used for something special. I would love, love to recreate Casey's grandma's bag someday. With a little studying and charting, that wouldn't be difficult. Corde is still made today for purses, but you would be hard-pressed to find it in a knitting shop. I've seen similar yarn in an online UK store, very expensive...the most comparable yarn widely available would be Berroco's Seduce.

3. Glosilla Corde. This was an amazing find at an estate sale in Chicago a few years ago. It was part of an incomplete purse project. It came with something like 90 like crocheted circles already made. Unfortunately, a good number of those circles got destroyed by my late cat. It was right after Hurricane Katrina, so how could I complain about something so minor in comparison? No, I couldn't wash the urine out without the ruining the yarn's sheen and composition. So I sadly tossed those destroyed. The good news? I still have the above skeins and enough circles probably to make a little handbag or a pillbox hat.

4. The Evermatch yarn in yellow. I trade some more contemporary yarns to get a whole bag of the Evermatch in yellow! I had something like 30 skeins, all matching! I made the Sun-Ray ribbing sweater last year. I started a cardigan from 1970s Stitch in Time, still not finished. Now most recently, I working on the Jan sweater from the second edition of Stitch in Time, coming out this year. I probably could squeeze one more yellow sweater out this collection of Evermatch, but I need a break. I'm thinking of something more contemporary like Dream in Color's Everlasting sock yarn or Three Irish Girls's Springvale Sock in Mimosa.

5. Knitting Vintage. Last but not least. A new vintage knitting book I just discovered at the library. It's in my hands, so I'm going to make a couple projects. My favorite for leftover scrap is the lacy collar, which I could make by the dozens with half-used lonely skeins in my collection. I see no one has uploaded any completed projects for this in Ravely. My competitive juices are in full gear. I better get started to be first! The collars should go well with the stretch lace (think Free People) tops I've sewed to date.

Finally, a commercial plug for my iPhone/iPad app, Yarn U. There's not a discontinued skein in the list of 170 yarns in this database, but there are score of ideas and plenty of contemporary yarns at a shop near you.

Pleated Skirts Make a Comeback

2011-07-15T14:40:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't noticed pleated skirts are coming back in a big way. Think Madame Grès, floaty, ethereal, and most importantly, silky. But you don't have to own a pleater to get this couture effect in your own sewing. Look no further than your local fabric shop. Vogue Fabrics in Evanston, Ill. custom orders pleated panels of your choice. It's not cheap ($34.99 a panel) but it's inexpensive considering the final product...which will look like a designer original. In New York City, there's Stanley Pleating, which I've never tried. The West Coast version? Try Ace Pleating. Near neither? You can buy one, but hold your breathe, they're not cheap.

A more recession-friendly approach to pleating your own fabric is to rent one,which you can do at Vogue Fabrics by the hour. Call the Evanston store's to arrange the rental.

Hats from 1930s, 1940s and 2003

2011-07-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

1930s hats

1940s hats, from a knitting pattern booklet

2003 poster for Eugenia Kim's hat line

Back later this week with more pictures from the Hipstamatic...

Wednesday Round-up of Links....

2011-07-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

I snapped this Hipstamatic shot at downtown Borders store. It's a birthday card for those born in 1934. Here are a few more hat-related links for you to enjoy:

A millinery class taught by Jane Smith, the milliner behind hats for "Harry Potter," "The Other Boleyn Girl" and other movies. Classes are small, so sign up quick!
A beautiful new skirt pattern from quince & co.
Make your own straight-leg jeans
A cocktail umbrella how-to. Stunning.
A woven-rope pendant lamp. Clever!

Happy Independence Day - Annie Modesitt hats and a link

2011-07-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Gone with the Wind Hat, no. 1

Gone With Wind Hat no. 2

High Society Hat

Having fun with my Hipstamatic documenting some of the Annie Modesitt hats I've knitted over the past 24 months. My favorite is still the High Society Hat you see above. I can't wait to try out Modesitt's Modern Cloche, winging its way in the mail now. Hopefully to land in the mailbox Tuesday.

Here's one last hat-related link I forget to put up the other day.

A new batch of vintage hats at Woodland Farms Vintage

Gone With the Wind Hat by Annie Modesitt, Plus 5 Hatty Links

2011-06-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

Gone with the Wind Hat, designed by Annie Modesitt, Romantic HandKnits

Gone with the Wind Hat, designed by Annie Modesitt, Romantic HandKnits

Gone with the Wind Hat, designed by Annie Modesitt, Romantic HandKnits

This is probably Gone with the Wind Hat v1.2, because I made it last year, was unhappy with how large it was, so I frogged it. I ended up having to buy more yarn (Classic Elite Classic Silk) to finish it. I love the pattern, but the silk was not right for this brim. It sags where it should be firm (sounds like copy for a plastic surgeon's office. I apologize.) Anyhow, I would love to revisit this pattern with a smaller brim. I love, love, love doing slip stitch , you will too 'cuz it's super easy yet it looks amazing.

Here's a round-up of other hat-related stuff making the rounds:

2nd anniversary of the Goorin Bros. hat shop in Lakeview (Chicago neighborhood).
Schiap Mad cap pattern, designed by Elsa Schiaparelli. A freebie!
Ascot hat at Mason-Dixon Knitting Blog
New workshops at Judith M Millinery
my next hat, Modern Cloche, by Annie Modesitt

Anna Sui Fabric for Anna Sui Vogue Sewing Pattern

2011-06-20T11:50:00.000-07:00


Anna Sui Silk, 2007 Line, Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, Ill.

Vogue Fabrics is not exactly planted in the middle of the fashion mecca, New York City, but it's not exactly fly-over territory either. Take for example this scrumptiously beautiful Anna Sui silk print for the unbelievable price of $2.99 a yard at Vogue Fabrics. Wouldn't get that kind of a deal in the Big Apple, eh? No, but you can use this silk for Anna Sui's line of sewing patterns, which originate in New York City. Get the fashion look for a fraction of the price using fabric from a few seasons ago. Thrifty! I think this particular print would look great with these patterns:

Gingham for Summer - the Selection at Vogue Fabtics, Evanston, Ill.

2011-06-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Gingham Fabric, Quilting Dept., Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, Ill.

More Gingham Fabric, Quilt Dept., Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, Ill.

Red and White Gingham Oilcloth, Home Decor, Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, Ill.

Navy Gingham Oilcloth, Home Decor, Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, Ill.

Gingham Spaghetti Straps and Bias Tape, Notions Dept., Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, Ill.

There is something about summer that just hollers 'Gingham!' Right now for me, this conjures up an image of Betty Draper of "Mad Men" in a 1950s red and white gingham shirtwaist dress with a petticoat. Naturally she wears white gloves embellished with tiny gingham bows which also happen to match the shoe clips on her stillettos. Now if she were modeling as she has done on the show, she would be posed next to a matching gingham oilcloth covered picnic table...serving slices of watermelon and cans of Coke. With red and white straws, of course!

Back in the world of reality I'm sort of caught up in the idea of making this retro 1947 Vogue 8728 in a stretch red gingham, so it clings in all the right places. Alas, I can't find exactly what I want although I once saw a bright red-and-white gingham print jersey in the remnant section at Vogue Fabrics so I know it's out there, it's just not in my hands. If I can't have it in stretch, I just might do it in a woven, which means I should naturally finish up other unfinished projects before I start a dress. But I do have a belt already, yes, I picked up a 1950s/1960s red gingham belt at the Antique and Resale Shoppe, which I felt was a sign that I should definitely make something in a check print this year.

Peacock Prints: Big 2011 Fashion Trend

2011-06-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

source: Vogue Fabrics, Home Decor Dept, Evanston, Ill.


source: thefashionpolice.net

If you haven't already noticed, peacock prints are in in a back way this year. Everywhere. Oversized feathers seem to rule in dresses, skirts, even knits. But that's not all. You'll see feathers of this bird on home furnishings too. Above you'll see the peacock print upholstery print fabric, designed by the model Iman. It's intended for armchairs, drapery, light bedding, sofas, etc...but wouldn't it just look fabulous as a coat? Now this is not cheap fabric. It's $30+ a yard. That said, it's 54" wide, so you wouldn't need much for a coat (by the way, I don't see this fabric online at Vogue Fabrics' website. You'd need to call and ask about it if you're out of town. I'm guessing a yard or so would do the trick?) This kind of a fabric would most definitely call for a shiny, turquoise lining. I think you could get away with something on the plain side, since the coat is the star of the show. Here's a round up of some peacock-themed attire I like best:

The Anthropologie Grosgrain-Wrapped Sunhat Your Way

2011-06-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

source: Anthropologie

Burda Style Magazine, latest issue available now (June)

I don't have the issue number in front of me, but the latest issue of the American version of Burda Style has a floppy hat pattern very similar to the pricey Anthropologie Grosgrain-Wrapped Sunhat. What Anthro sells for nearly $100 you can create for a lot less. Significantly less. Here are some basic suggestions on making this hat beyond what Burda mentions in its article:

The Anthropologie hat uses ribbon, but the hat name is misleading. If you look closely at this hat, each side of the ribbon has a set of 'teeth.' This is called Petersham, and this is what you want to use in your hat. It has wood fibers, making it easier to shape in a curve with your iron. Regular ribbon, without those 'teeth', will not shape as easily and will leave you frustrated in your efforts to make your hat. Best places for petersham? Vogue Fabrics, some New York City shops....or try Judith M Millinery online. Buy more than you need, a spool or two would probably do the trick. I'd buy the 5/8-inch width.
If you go the Burda Style route, which uses yards of printed bias tape, make your own bias tape. It's much cheaper. There's some beautiful bias tape (a gingham print one comes to mind) at Vogue Fabrics, but it's not cheap. I'd make it...or find some on sale. OR buy a yard or two of the pretty stuff, mix with the cheaper variety.
The straw part. I don't know how to improvise that part. I'm guessing a trip to a party store and a segue down the Tiki section might yield some finds.
Use some of that petersham to create a sweat band inside your hat. Yes, you want to protect your pretty new hat from sweat and make up. You'll attach to the part where the brim meets the crown. It's essentially where the hat meets your head. You'll slip stitch it around, not too tight. You'll want to remove it periodically to wash it.
Finally, put a name tag on your sweat bag. You should be proud of your work. Besides, it's an original. No one else has a hat quite like yours.

The Sideways Grande Cloche/Collar Designed by Laura Irwin

2011-06-06T08:17:00.000-07:00


This is the Sideways Grande Cloche designed by Laura Irwin, author of Boutique Knits. I turned the hat into a collar.

A close-up of the collar. The discontinued Lane Borgosesia yarn is probably a little less blue and more green than this photo shows.

My display model with a pair of sunglasses I bought at Factory Vintage in Evanston, IL.

Another shot of the display model with the $8 sunglasses. Colored sunglasses seem to be particularly trendy.

More shots are available at my Ravelry profile. I plan to try this hat again, making sure I have enough yarn this time around.

This is a wonderful pattern, mostly a rib knit, which is knitted flat. The stitches are picked up on top to turn it into a hat. The braided part is added last. This was completely refreshing to make after working mostly on wired brim hats.

Next time around here's what I might:

Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande
Rowan Cocoon
Cascade 220 (which is listed in my iPhone/iPad app, Yarn U)

That's all for now. Must run and make time for knitting later!

1950s-Style Shorts, vintage 1940s Belts

2011-05-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

1. 1950s-style shorts I made using vintage fabric, pattern.

2. Close-up of vintage buttons on the back of the shorts.

3. Assortment of vintage belts, two of which I made. Guess which ones are really from the 1940s?

1. I'm back with my sort-of-Memorial Day edition. The shorts I made from a tattered 1950s bermuda shorts pattern. I had this fantastic 1940s-era fabric that I bought from a now-defunct vintage clothing shop in Oak Park, ll. There wasn't quite enough for anything else but a pair of shorts. So I cut and sewed this, I think on my old Singer sewing machine, the one that's now sitting in my storage locker. I don't know where the vintage buttons came from, but they work on here. I must have used the button-hole attachment on my machine. The only thing I'd do differently today would be to make corded buttonholes, making cording by twisting three threads on my Viking Husqvarna using the bobbin winder (this only works on Vikings - the winder has to be external and front-facing). Then I slip the cording onto the little loop behind the buttonhole foot, making sure the cording gets caught underneath the stitching. The cording makes the buttonhole more three-dimensional and professional looking instead of lifeless and sunken as it appears here.

2. I'd also probably sew the buttons on using my machine. They appear to be hand-sewn here, and the stitching's not very strong. I think I could do a better job on the sewing machine. I'd hand-crank the machine for the first few stitches to makes sure I don't break the buttons, then off I'd go!

3. Here's a fraction of my vintage belt collection. A fraction. I have a lot more, most of them I've sewn using vintage buckles and fabric. I don't wear them as much as I should, but mostly because I'm not wearing skirts and pants suitable for them these days. Now guess which two I sewed? I'll give you a clue. The faux suede version is not one I could make on my machine, and I believe it's from a long-gone 1940s suit. It looks so much like the belts I see in my vintage Sears, Roebuck catalog. The boxy buckle with a circle cut-out was a popular shape during that time. Okay, so that leaves with the other three, two of which I made. The other is a bonafide 1940s belt, probably from a dress. That's all I'm going to say for now. Have a good weekend, I plan to sew and knit some of the time in no particular order.

Textile Studios Santa Monica Tee pattern, Worn Three Different Ways

2011-05-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

Santa Monica Tee pattern Worn With Anthropolie-Inspired Bolero Jacket

Anthropolie-Inspired Bolero Jacket, Back View.

Front View of Anthro Bolero, with Vogue Fabric buttons.

Crochet Detail, Anthro Bolero. Santa Monica Tee pattern, Spandex House stretch lace

Santa Monica Tee top worn with RW summer top

Another view. Shot Taken at Vogue Fabrics, Evanston, IL

Same Deal. Selvedge become sleeve and bodice hem. No hemming!


Worn With Stitch in Time Sweater Sun-Ray Ribbing, which I put on backwards

Quick Note on the Santa Monica Tee pattern:

Textile Studios is no longer in business, but you can still find the pattern online. Google it. I think it's still at Vogue Fabrics in Evanston, IL. At least I hope it is because I cut this pattern out in size XS...and I need to bump up a couple sizes for more ease.
This pattern is serger-ready. In fact, are in "serger-ese," however I sewed it using the Viking Husvarna in Vogue's sewing room. I rented the room as part of the store's Sewing Salong. $5 for the entire day!
This top could easily be sewn in an hour. Yes, an hour. There's a dart at the top of each sleeve, once done, you attach sleeves to the bodice, stitch up the sides. Done.
Speed up the process by using scallops or selvedge edge as your hem.

Yarn U iPhone App v1.3 available - 140 yarns with URLs for Free Patterns

2011-05-05T06:16:00.000-07:00


*Chickadee yarn, courtesy of Quince & Co.*

For those of you have iPhones, iPads and the Yarn U app, I'm very excited to announce the latest update, version 1.3, which has more than 140 yarns with links to free patterns. More than a few users have asked me, "Where are the patterns?" Since I don't have any patterns to offer myself and I can't publish other patterns without permission, I found a work-around: supply the URLs for free patterns already online! I hope you'll like this new feature, which is available in the drop-down menu on the app. If there's a free pattern out there that you would like to see linked, give me a holler and I'll see what I can do.

Here's a round-up of some other new features/items on Yarn U:

Berroco yarns. Several of you aficionados out there wanted these listed...and I've been working with Norah Gaughan to get as many as possible listed as quickly as my nimble fingers can type and upload. Right now, there are only two, but there will be many, many more in the next update, which will probably unleashed to the world by the end of the month.

Lorna's Laces. Ditto what I said above. There seems to be almost a cult following for this yarn company, which happens to be based here in Chicago. Lines form outside the door when there's a warehouse sale (which isn't often) and email inboxes explode when there's a naming contest for a new yarn. (A new sock yarn comes to mind.)

Hyperlinks Embedded in Slideshow. We're not quite at the tagging stage (although I've requested this feach), by you can use the slideshow to link you back to a yarn. Let's say you like the Design 10 top by Jenny Watson. You want to know what yarn to use...well, touch the words Silk Garden Sock at the top of the screen. Bingo! You're back at the Silk Garden Sock entry, where you can learn the pros, cons and more about this woooonderful yarn.

That's all for now. Download the update and enjoy.

Easter Hat..Some Tips for Royal Wedding Atttendees

2011-04-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

My Easter bonnet, minus the chick's head.

First let me say Chicago is not a hat-wearing town in the sense that New York is. We're the tops when it comes to making hats. In fact, the Windy City is the only place in the U.S. where you can get a degree in millinery (the School of the Art Institute of Chicago), but wearing hats, if the wind doesn't blow it away, is a trend that has yet to catch on.

That said, I was hoping that a severe recession would at least prompt more women to wear hats on Easter. No such luck! This is what I wore last year at Easter, just one of few women wearing hats. I attended a more traditional church on Sunday...while there was many lace head coverings, not too many hats. Darn.

Here's the back-story on mine. I just took my navy vintage hat and embellished it on Sunday morning. I bought the pipe cleaners at a 5&10 in St. Joseph, Michigan (a fun store if you're ever in the area). Cut those into 1/2 inch sections, and twisted them around the little panes on my matching netting. I put a bunch in the front, then more in the back for symmetry. I also wired a little yellow chick in the front.

Well, wouldn't you know that while I was putting the embellished hat on the display head, the hat fell to the floor and the chick's head snapped off? I tried using "glue pins" (a sewing type of glue) to put it back on. No dice. Even tried a bit of wire. No way, Jose.

But I wasn't about to undo what was done. So I just ended up wearing the hat even though the chick was headless. I hope children weren't traumatized looking at the chick. Actually, no one noticed until I told them. I got lots of compliments on my hat. Amazing, which led me to think about what lessons could be learned from the experience, especially for those attending the Royal Wedding on Friday. And they will be wearing lots of hats:

Don't sweat the small stuff. And it's all small stuff. If you've done your best to look your best, how can you help it if Mother Nature suddenly unleashes a shower and you don't even have an umbrella with you? Nothing you can do but laugh. Oh, on that note, I would suggest carrying a small plastic bag, the grocery store variety, in your purse. Something you can put your hat into if necessary. You don't want the rain to ruin your expensive hat!
Carry pins and safety pins with you. Stuff them in your little purse if you must, but they will come in handy for yourself and perhaps a friend.
If you wear a hat, make sure your make-up looks great. Some milliners think you don't have to worry about your hair as much since your wearing a hat, but I disagree. Fuss about your hair too. Make sure it looks pretty too.
Have fun. This falls in the "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" category.

Cool Links Friday - Amy Butler umbrella pattern, Liberty of London Prints

2011-04-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

I forgot the European yarn I used for this one. Pretty but scratchy. Both are improvised crochet patterns

The scarf is a Missoni like fabric from Vogue Fabrics in Evanston, IL. They don't have this colorway anymore (to my knowledge), but they have other colorways, particularly black and white. Call the warehouse to learn more!

It's a rainy day Friday and I'm finishing up work tasks so I can relax and enjoy Good Friday. I'll like go to CloseKnit to buy more yarn to finish up my Go Go Granny Square Tunic and I'll definitely cruise into Vogue Fabrics to get my fabric fix. Here are some good links to check out while it's drizzling outside:

I'm especially loving Amy Butler's matching umbrella and raincoats here. There's a how to recover an umbrella tutorial at Threads.
Blogger fuzzylizzie gives instructions, and drawings on how to recreate cool Liberty of London 1930s jacket.
Speaking of Liberty of London prints, Vogue Fabrics online has a great sale...hard to beat when cotton prices generally are skyrocketing. $5.99 a yard. Unbelieavably good.
An inside look at a woman's five-year diary, 1961-1965. An entry every day, amazingly enough.

That's it, folks. With a bit of luck, I might trick out an existing cocktail hat with a toy yellow 'chick' and a crocheted nest made from paper yarn. If I do, I'll take pics. If not, enjoy the weekend. Happy Easter!

This and That: Vintage Sewing Machines in Third-World Countries

2011-04-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ad at my local commuter train stop. A powerful message about how sewing machines empower women.


A close-up of the machine, a vintage New Butterfly. Does anybody know anything about this manufacturer?

I felt compelled to post these pictures after reading about Cidell and her newest acquisition to her sewing machine collection. I only have two machines, my grandmother's vintage 1950s grey-green Singer machine which now resides in my storage unit. I also have a Viking Husqvarna, acquired in 2004-2005 that I've sewed many tops, skirts, blouses, even hats on. I'm sort of afraid now that I have two that somehow I'll be acquiring a third sometime soon. I did ask a friend in water aerobics class if I could buy her Featherweight. No go. But I'm not giving up.

So it was interesting to see this ad on my way, to where else, but a warehouse sale for Vogue Fabrics. I love the confident expression on this woman's face. She clearly feels proud of her sewing machine, and her dress, which you know she sewed. She didn't need a fancy-schmancy computerized machine to make that! There's probably not a serged seam on that dress, maybe not even zig-zag stitches. Depends on whether she has (or even needs) the zig-zag attachment. It probably just sews a whiz-bang straight stitch, that's it..but oh my, the $$ that straight-stitch when it's unleashed on fabric for dresses that are made to be bought. And this is in a third-world country. Given the heightened level of discussion on entitlements in this country, I wonder what this very feisty young lady would prefer: a government check or a sewing machine? Methinks a sewing machine would bring my standard of living up much quicker than any government payment.

I find it interesting that so many vintage sewing machines are available here in the U.S. Somehow they survived the World I, World II scrap drives (maybe because they were seen as necessities, not luxuries.) It's even more amazing how old ones can be restored to their former glory.

For some more discussion on old sewing machines, check out Cidell rationalizing her latest acquisition point here. For some really good reading on the old Singers, see Heather Ross wax poetic here. Finally, here's a Burdastyle blog post on the topic. For those of who are experts on vintage machines, can anyone out there tell me where the New Butterfly machine (there's one in the ad above) were manufactured? Ok, I just found a link. It's made in China! Who would have thought? Is it still an old machine? The link isn't clear. I'm fascinated. I need to found out more. One inquiring mind wants to know more...

Hats: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall....Annie Modesitt High Society Hat, McCall Hat Pattern 3985

2011-04-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

My favorite winter hat...goes with anything that's green. I'd be better off with an off-white or even black hat.

A close-up of the green sueded shearling hat, which was trimmed with pinking shears.

Another hat, this was knitted using the High Society hat pattern in Romantic Hand Knits. I need some more yarn in this exact hue to finish. Know anybody with a stash of Gedifra Wellness (now discontinued, of course).

A side view of the High Society Hat in progress.

High Society Hat in progress, needs more yarn, some blocking and wire in the brim. Potentially smashing, don't you think?

I'm a bit of a hat freak. I love making 'em but I'm a bit lazy about wearing them. Somehow there's more excitement in making them. I cut up the fabric, sew, tada, I've got a hat. Sometimes, I've got something in afternoon, which is the case with the suede shearling hat above. I probably spent more time picking off the fizz off my clothes and my head then actually cutting and sewing. I've made precisely three versions of the green hat....all in the green you see above. I think two got lost, but I always scraped up more money (this was probably about $18 a yard when I made it, now it's closer to $22/yard) to sew another. It's so soft, just the thing to stuff in a large jacket packet or in a tote. Here's a link to the sueded shearling on the Vogue Fabrics web site (it's called sueded cuddle there. Here's a link to it in camel, olive, ivory and red.). This particular pattern is McCall 3985, now out-of-print.

I'm fairly certain it's the same fabric that Gap and other stores to make their faux shearling coats. It's hard to believe the stuff is machine-washable, but it is. This is a short list about what makes this fabric so amazing:

a little goes a long way. In the case of the hat, I probably used a 1/4 yard. Another 1/4 strip, trimmed with pinking shears, makes any insty, matching scarf.
use a teflon foot while sewing so the foot glides over the foot.
skip pattern notches, they only get in the way of your finishing touches with the pinking shears. Figure out another way to mark your fabric, perhaps use invisible markers which disappear after several days.
consider embroidery, ribbon and applique for embellishment just like the Gap does.
while the fabric looks like suede, you don't need a special needle for this fabric. I used a metallic stretch needle which worked fine.
save your scraps. Even a circle or 4-inch square can be used as a coaster

Now for the High Society Hat, I wrote about it initially on my other blog, The Lazy Milliner. It hasn't gotten any further since I wrote about it but I can't bring myself to toss it. It just needs a little more yarn. Specifically, Gedifra Wellness 2115, lot 9100. Even a half-a-hank would work. Have some?

The Darning Foot Cloche

2011-03-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures, which I posted over on BurdaStyle, of a hat I made a few years ago for a magazine submission. The project never landed in the publication's pages, but it sat on my daybed for a while, feeling quite dejected. But now that I have this display head I thought I dust it off for a show-and-tell. The hat is made from a boucle knit from Vogue Fabrics. I essentially emptied out my half-used Metrosene and Gutterman threads onto my sewing machine, attached my darning foot and did free-motion embroidery to create this stiffened fabric. I just cut a huge chunk of fabric and stitched away, layering color after color on it. It shrank under all that stitching, so I continually had to add more fabric. I'd try on the hat and then add more fabric. The beauty of this kind of stitching, it's almost like felting since it pounds the fabric together while stitching. The finishing touch? A set of 1940s black felt millinery bows along the side. I think the cloche is cute even though the display head wears it more than I do.

Try using the darning foot at home. Remember to drop the feed dogs and set the stitch length to 0 (YOU are the stitch length is how I remember what to do). Pick a woven fabric that can take the punishment of multiple layers of stitching and have a ton of fun. Keep your finger away from the sewing needle.

Harlem Avenue Antique and Resale Annual Sale Ends This Week

2011-03-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of the Harlem Avenue Antique and Resale Shoppe (and at least one Chicago Tribune reporter regularly raves about this off-the-beaten-path place), you really might want to drop by in the next few days for the big annual sale, which ends this week. Here's the deal: this store doesn't do discounts. Ever. So if you're want something there are a marked-down price, this is the only time of year you can get one. It's not a huge (20 percent), but at least it's something. And who doesn't like a deal? What you save you can spend at the hamburger/gyro joint next door. Or at least that's what I aim to do...and then I just order a cup of chicken noodle soup.

There's a lot of stuff at this store (so cutely called a shoppe). Old photos, cigarette lighters, picture frames, dishes, yearbooks, etc. I love how it's all nicely arranged with not a dust mite in sight. Not one. Everything is moved around on a regular basis. Really. Visit once, come back two weeks later and what was up in the store front somehow has moved to the back. I don't know how it's done without spilling the massive candy jar perched on the costume jewelry dresser ledge. Mice movers? When I go to Harlem Avenue, here's what I look for, and this is just me. (By the way, the shoppe is known for its huge and I mean huge costume jewelry collection arranged by color and theme).

1. Sewing Patterns. In the back, usually shoved under the clothes rack. There's usually a good selection of 1960s and 1970s Butterick, Simplicity and McCall sewing patterns. I love it when there's old patterns from the 1930s and 1940s. These are are around $3-5. Not bad prices.
2. Slips. I'm a bit old guard, I do like a nice slip with pretty lace trim. This is the place to get it. There's stuff as old as the 1930s, but most of it is probably more current, 1960s and 1970s rayon. But it's useful under skirts. I bought a pretty lavender one last year to wear under a transparent crochet skirt that I made. The slip was longer than the skirt, heck, in the old days that would matter ("Yoo hoo! Your slip is showing!" now it's just style. About $7 each.
3. Belts. Stashed in a hat box, I swear these are gems. I love old rhinestone brooch ones from the Depression, but the ones I end up getting are from the 1950s. Most recently I pick up a thin one red-and-white gingham one for about $5. I plan to make a gingham skirt...a blue and white one would be fund with red and white trim.
4. Knitting Patterns. I'm a bit of fingering-weight yarn nut, so these old patterns which call for 7 stitches to the inch are more of a must-have than the latest magazines, books from Barnes & Noble. I got a very nice Minerva pattern book for $2.50 a couple of years ago at the shoppe. I haven't yet made anything from it. Yet. Knitting booklets are $5 generally speaking.
5. Belt buckles and buttons. Like the costume jewels, these are all artfully displayed by color in flatfile drawers. You could bring a project and get just just what you need like those ladies do at Vogue Fabrics in Evanston. Which reminds me, if you ever need tea saucer sized buttons (someone on Ravelry said recently in a project post she had a hard time finding some for her thick yarn Twinkle cardigan project), this is the place to find 'em. Go for the old, 1940s coat buttons. They're massive. Usually black or brown though. Not a lot of color choices there. Buttons, $2-$5.

Leave Blog Post Comment for Free Download of Yarn U v1.2

2011-03-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

I've got hats on my mind because I want to have a hat completed for Easter...I'm thinking I might simply finish my re-do on the cranberry/oatmeal colored hat that I actually wore last year and found too large. Here are some other ideas. The first one is a Modest Hat by StitchDiva Studios. The other a hat embellished with twill tape at Loopy Yarns in downtown Chicago.

On a non-hat-related topic, leave a comment here and tell me what's your favorite yarn, your email contact info and I'll email you a promo code for a complimentary download of my app, Yarn U v1.2. If, in addition, you become a blog follower, I email you two codes - one for you and a friend.

Fingering Weight Yarn, How Much Do I Love Thee?

2011-03-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

Sabrina Mitts, designed by Cecily Macdonald. Courtesy: Quince & Co.

Knitting is full of surprises, like which yarns you end up falling in love with, which ones go barely touched straight to the church donations bag, and then the scrappy end-of-skein bits you horde, not sure you know what to do with. I fell hard for fingering weight yarn when I made a pair of booties for my mother over a year ago. I found a 1960s pattern on Ravelry, a free download. This would be my back-door entry into sock-making. We wouldn't call it a sock because that would sound hard. Who really needs to know the architecture of turning a heel? It's a bootie, for goodness sake. So I dove in, using two skeins of vintage 1970s Evermatch yarn that my mother gave to me from her church donation bag. Really, it was going to be a quick project. The yarn? It was I needed to get the project done.

Yet I hadn't expected to like this yarn so much. It was easy to work with, even on those pesky double-pointed needles. Easy to undo! Yet they didn't unravel when I wanted them to stay put. Better than a dog! And such great stitch definition. And amazingly, there were no breaks, no dusty spots...surprising considering this yarn was older than a Jimmy Carter for President t-shirt. Old! But I loved the stuff so much that I asked for more later (I had seen an obscene amount of this yarn in my mother's bag)...and learned that it was gone! All of it for socks for preemie babies or something like that. I was heartbroken. But I kept after my mother, and asked her if she ever got more, than I wanted a sweater's worth. Well, some months later, I got my wish. I had to giver her unwanted yarns in return, but I got like 27 skeins of buttery yellow Evermatch yarn. More than I could ever use. So I made a sweater from a vintage pattern. Still more yarn left. Now I'm working on another vintage pattern, a cardigan. Last time I peeked, some more yellow skeins smiled back at me. Will I get tired of Evermatch? Maybe. On second thought, nah.

Alas, my mother doesn't have more Evermatch yarn (called sportweight and sock yarn on the label) in other colors to give...so I've gone questing on eBay, nothing bubbles to the top in my searches yet. Still I've got fingering weight yarn on my mind. A little goes a long way, which is one reason why it was popular during the Depression. Now it seems like the top reason for owning fingering weight yarn now is to make socks. I don't know...socks don't intrigue me much. They fall down. They're often too thick for my taste. They can look peasanty with sandals. So fingering weight, in my mind, is meant for hats, gloves and glorious sweaters.

Since I don't have access to the Evermatch of my dreams, I've been looking at other varieties. New stuff still in production. Here's what I have my eye on:

Tern by Quince & Co. (Tern will haves own entry in v1.3 of Yarn U, the iPhone app)
Boreal by St. Denis (Veronique Avery got me hooked when she visited Loopy Yarns last year. I've yet to buy...but it's tempting me badly.)
Bijou Spun by Bijou Basin Ranch (Ultra-expensive...I'd just make a hat with one skein of this luxury fiber)
Shepherd's Wool (the fingering weight variety)

and the grandest import of them all, Excelana, coming all the way from England, and the backs of Exmoor Blueface sheep there. I'm more than three-quarters tempted to pre-order the second volume of A Stitch in Time, just so I can get a skein of Excelana and test it out on my size 2 bamboo needles. But it would be far, far, far cheaper just work up something made stateside (or at least in North America). Heck, why not just go for the KnitPicks fingering weight yarn by the UPS package and call it a day?

Yarn U iPhone App v1.2 is Live!

2011-03-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

Friends, I know it's Friday, late in the afternoon here in the U.S. I'm thinking about the weekend and no doubt you are too. I know I want to visit Vogue Fabrics to buy buttons, maybe scare up a hank or two so I can make more progress on my crocheted granny square tunic, maybe clean if I dare to get around to it. In any event I did want to tell you that the latest version of Yarn U is now in the iTunes story. There are now a grand total of 120 yarns, so there should be something you like. Something. Parting shots for today, most of the millinery variety -

Did you know that this Chicago building was the Millinery Mart Building? I wonder what kind of hats were made here. I was in this building, now known as 65 Wacker Place. Didn't see any milinery supplies or anything remotely hatty. One day I'll need to do research to find out who the most famous milliners to work in this building. Halston, maybe? Of course, I'll have to go to the Gage, another famed millinery building, now turned into a restaurant for post-research libations.

Check out this DKNY knit (incorrectly described as crocheted) hat, which I swear resembles exactly what Anthropologie sold several years ago. I actually bough the Anthro version, and returned it because it was falling apart. Good news: it inspired me to knit the High Society hat.
Last but not least is not time to think about the Kentucky Derby (tickets for which I understand are selling faster than I'm sorry I don't have a good analogy this late in the day. See the lovely hat above (removed 3/27/11 by request) by a former student, Jenny Pfanenstiel, of Formé Millinery

The Other Hobby: Rug Hooking: Pearl McGown Pattern

2011-03-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

I've been busily undoing some of the improvised crochet on my Crazy Lacy Cropped Cardi, mostly because I didn't like the look of a shell stitch on top of my ribbed collar along the front, even the art of undoing is difficult. Unraveling two threads at once (I was knitting double) calls for many curses. I plan to retain the crochet ruffle on the bottom of the cardi, add a button placket on one side and then some shell stitching on the opposite side. Finish the whole shebang with shell stitches on the sleeves. But I should really go get some nice buttons about now, before I go any further so I at least know how big to make those button holes. A trip to Vogue Fabrics might be in order tomorrow, a good day to go considering the store stays open until 9 p.m.

This blog post is about rug-hooking. Don't read any further unless you have an interest in this topic. I got in rug hooking because my mom was into it more than a decade ago. She was doing these awesome paisley patterns on a printed burlap. I just loved all that shading and I decided I wanted to get into rug-hooking too. So away we went to her instructor, whose love for wool was so great she stacked yards upon yards on it into an unused shower (I hope the pipes were disconnected, I mean who would want to lose all that great fabric with one twist of the knob?). Plaids, plain Jane solids, but no blends, it was all stacked up neatly in the stall, an amazing sight any time I needed to use the washroom. Anyhow, my instructor was big into Pearl McGown, a rug-hook extraordinaire during World War II. McGown was most renown for her intricate floral patterns, ranging from itty-bitty floorway entryway rugs to massive living room-sized mother of all rugs that take years to complete.

Since I was a diehard romantic with a huge interest in Jazz music and vintage clothes, I instantly took to Pearl, long dead at that point. I really didn't have much of a way to get to know her intimately beyond a dog-eared book. There was no real Internet at that point, so I had to learn everything about this woman and her approach to rug-hooking from my instructor, who when she wasn't adding to her stash, was out sailing with her husband for months at a time. I got so into rug-hooking that I bought the frame, hooks, a wool-strip cutting device, dyes and burlap patterns. I think I bought about five, and completed four when I lost interest in my fifth and most ambitious, pictured in part above. Oddly enough, it was swing dancing, also popular during World War II, that led me to abandon my hook, rugs and dye pots. I mean when it's a choice between hooking rugs in front a TV alone and dancing with handsome guys, wouldn't you pick swing dancing? All my stuff promptly went into hiding into closet, and somehow I must have given my mother the half-finished rug.

So now more than a decade later, my mother wants to finish the rug. And she is, with a half-hearted assist from me here and there. Mostly there. I'm outta rug-hooking mode even dancing too, now into knitting. But I help mom dutifully when she pleads and I'm visiting as I was last night, which is when I took a picture of the rug this morning on my iPhone.

In the decade between the time I started my rug and gained some other hobbies (I forget that I've since acquired a sewing machine and a serger), the Internet came to life. Now there are umpteen places to learn about Pearl: the McGown Guild, Cushing (the supplier for the dyes used for the wool. Eight different shades of the same color was one way McGown created depth for her hooked flowers. Dying fabric is almost more fun than hooking, but I digress), a McGown devotee's site and a heck lot more if I had my druthers to bother, but I don't right now. Anyhow, looking at these Pearl McGown patterns reminds me of my favorites. I was always drawn to the paisleys and flower prints, particularly roses and peonies, which called for a lot of shading and dye pots. I liked the finer cut of wools, not the thicker variety often associated with the early American rugs. For those who dig Pearl McGown, which rugs do you dig?

Yarn U iPhone App Update: 20 New Yarns, 100+ Images

2011-02-28T15:48:00.000-08:00

This is Knitpicks' Comfy Fingering Weight. I'm eager to try it if only to recreate Casey's success knitting her Stitch in Time sweater. Isn't it darling in Comfy?

I've heard so many good things about Shelter, I just need to try it sometime soon. The colors are just so rich. Besides, I adore this dress pattern, designed by TT820. I'm eager to do in at least four different colors, Missoni style.

The new Debbie Bliss yarn, Angel. Wouldn't you like a pair of fingerless gloves like this?

A gauzy long sleeve sweater, also in in Angel, just looks yummy. I have no idea how this feels, but I'd pair it with a contrast stretch lace long sleeve top underneath.

If I've been quiet as of late, it's because I've either been knitting late at night and watching Turner Classics or updating my newest app, Yarn U. It takes a lot of work to update an app. Not only have I corrected any mistakes I made the first time around, I've been adding new information, particularly fiber content and yardage. Plus I added new goodies and eye candy. I love all my new additions, but especially those with pretty pictures. Now I should tell you I haven't tried any of these yarns yet. Operative word yet. My stash is growing, it's not nearly as big as its fabric counterpart. The fun part about writing about these new yarns (and they truly are new for the most part, particularly Brooklyn Tweed, Quince & Co. and Debbie Bliss' newest yarn: Angel) is that I figure intuitively that I'll be adding all these online additions real-time sometime soon. I can't quite explain it.

Anyhow, here are some questions I've gotten and some answers to comments made in iTunes review.

How come there are no patterns?? I can't put patterns in this app. They are copyrighted information which I don't have permission to use (although many designers generously shared photos). I did my best to provide links to appropriate patterns, especially those that are free.
Can I tag photos? I wish. I've been asking the developers about this, but I've yet to get a response. It would be a great way to get ideas for future projects wouldn't it? I'll keep at it though. It's a terrific idea.
Why do you have discontinued yarns? There's no real good excuse here, except that I had access to the images, and I needed yarns to fill out the first version of my app, so there they are. However, I will eventually phase them out. But lots of them do have pretty pictures and I'll bet my Denise interchangeable knitting needles they would be great inspiration for future projects. Now you Noro fans, should be I getting rid of some of the late and great? You just let me know.
Why don't you have (fill-in-the-blank) yarn? Well, I'm working on it as fast as I can. Ella Rae, more Blue Sky Alpacas, Misti Alpaca, Berocco and others. They're all on my to-do-list. I'll get them in the app as soon as I am humanely able to. It's a one-woman shop here and I've got other projects on various stove burners.

I'm finished uploading 20 new yarns. After a little testing tomorrow, I'll turn it over to the developers and I suspect the next update will be live a week from now. Stay tuned! I'll let you know when the update is available. Keep those iPads and iPhones ready!

P.S. For those of you who have Yarn U and haven't written an iTunes review....I could use a nice 5-star review to mitigate the effect of a 1-star review. Many thanks in advance!

Just Like Starting Over: Crazy Lace Cardi Cropped Cardi by Myra Wood

2011-02-20T18:07:00.000-08:00

I didn't expect to be such a perfectionist when it came to the cardi, which was supposed to be the equivalent of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink soup (at least for me), but what can I say? It seemed like the mistakes were glaring. Like the errant puff stitches on the front which didn't remotely resemble identical triplets. Remotely! Or the raglan sleeve increases which meandered when I wasn't looking. I've no idea how that happened. Since I couldn't take the increases looking like crooked tree branches, I ripped back one stitch at a time, delicately removing the stitch markers one at a time since I didn't want to ruin what was good about my raglan increases. Personally, I prefer to take the whole shebang off the needles and riiiiiip back until I reach a spot I deem worthy of saving. But I didn't want to take that risk with stitch markers. So I undid, until I found myself nearly undone. It was difficult because I've been knitting double. I feared that I would be seeing double before long because I became so intent so focused on this task.

Through 12 Angry Men (not a pretty female lead in sight I tuned out), Lawrence of Arabia (ditto) and some other Turner Classics, I hit the remote and un-knit. So boring. At least Gigi was considerably more entertaining, and I actually watched more than I played with yarn. Finally this morning I accomplished what I set out to do: fixed the increases and banished the bad puff stitches. Now I don't know what I'll do if I catch a mistake 12 rows later, because this double un-knitting has me nearly swearing off Dream (which really does look beautiful knitted up). But I do think Dream, because it has so much stretch and terrific stitch definition, would look great in:

a pair of socks
stockings
a hat
gloves
a lacy collar

Yet there's a part of me that fervently hopes that I'll finish up all four skeins of Dream with this project (an improvised short cardigan, designed by Myra Wood. The idea is to cast on a basic design and improvise, and add stitches within the basic pattern). We'll see...I'm certain, as the sun will peek through the clouds tomorrow, that I'll be working a row or two tonight before I sleep.

P.S. I'm updating Yarn U, the iPhone app. So far I've added Opal and some Knitpicks yarn. I had a hoot and half uploading darling images for Debbie Bliss Angel yarn and the newest additions to Louisa Harding's line, Ianthe. What else would you like to see in this app?

Orange You Glad: Crazy Lace Cardi/Myra Wood

2011-02-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

I hadn't exactly planned on making a cardi, but since I bought four skeins of this psychodelic orange yarn from Village Knitwhiz a few weeks ago, and I had little else do but work on my Granny Square Tunic, I thought I give this pattern a shot. It's hard to go wrong since all the stitches are improvised. I figure it's a little like everything but the kitchen sink soup. You know the recipe - you go into the refrigerator, fish out limp vegetables like carrots, celery and parsley (but not rosemary and thyme like the Simon and Garfunkel song). Snip them up, slip in a bay leaf, leftover chicken and onions, turn on the stove, cook, boom! You've got stock. Strain, remove any bones. Fish around in the cabinet for some noodles. Pop a fishful of noodles into the broth. Add some green peas for color like I do. A few minutes later, chicken noodle soup.

Now this cardi, designed by Myra Wood, is kitchen soup in the sense that it's a little bit and a dash of that stitchwork. Here's a short list of improvisations made thus far. I used this pattern as my base.

I cast on 90 stitches on size 5 needles borrowed from mom
I doubled up the yarn as suggested on the yarn label (this is Dream, a Takhi yarn, now discontinued)
After two inches of 2x2 ribbing (which will be deliciously elastic since this yarn is mostly wool with a touch of nylon), I slipped the whole shebang on a set of Denise circular needles, an accomplishment because one of my New Year's goals was to start using these interchangeable needles purchased last year at Arcadia Knitting's going-out-of-biz sale
Then, as Stitch Diva Studios recommends, I started playing around with different type of stitches, I've got a inch or so of garter stitch eyelet followed by a modified moss stitch. I'm toying with doing some feather and fan stitches and puff stitches.
All this experimental stitching makes this almost a wearable sampler. I suspect many of the stitches, even the raglan increases, are a bit wonky. But if I make a pattern out of my 'designer touches,' I suspect no one will notice. If there's a charm in a five-year-old's crooked embroidered alphabet in a vintage sampler, surely someone will find my meandering raglan stitches interesting.
Other than tracking and ensuring my bodice front and back, sleeves have equal stitches, I'm just knitting merrily along.
I plan to hide some not-so-great front ribbing with some creative crochet, making a bunch of loops for buttons. Somehow I'm going to have got to go over to Harlem Antique Shoppe to dig into their incredibly organized button drawers (all by color, no less). What do I have in mind? Small orange buttons with rhinestone centers. Maybe that will be my adventure for next weekend.

That's it for now. I'm working on updating Yarn U with new yarns. I want to add Brooklyn Tweed, Berocco, Lorna's Laces....what else should I be adding? Not to worry Dream won't be in there because it's discontinued and I plan to eventually weed out all discontinued yarns in the app make it entirely about yarns currently in production)

Super Bowl Knitting: The Go Go Granny/Knitting It Old School

2011-02-06T13:16:00.001-08:00

It's just hours away from the Super Bowl, but really, all I can think about what's for dinner, what's on Turner Classics and I really can't bring myself to go outside again for just about anything. I'm terribly content simply to hibernate at least until the sun comes out again perhaps tomorrow. Not that the lack of sunshine has kept me from happily creating. I've been working on two projects: the Crazy Lace Cropped Cardi using Tahki Dream yarn and then making still more granny squares for the Go-Go Granny Tunic from Knitting It Old School. I just don't know how to keep making all the granny squares fresh. I've stitched up 32 squares (16 for each sleeve) and I've still got to make many, many more squares for the front and the back. This will entail buying more yarn, unfortunately. I've been using Takhi Cotton Classic, but I'm contemplating ordering the equivalent Knit Picks yarn so that I can pick up speed (I'm homebound most evenings while my broken ankle heals) and save money at the same time. With more cotton in hands, and a slew of Turner movies, who knows? I could have this tunic done within the month. In the meantime, I've had some really deep thoughts about the wisdom of crocheting cotton, particularly during Chicago's biggest, baddest snowstorm last week.

Crocheting anything cotton during the bleakest winter day is the ultimate optimism. Forget the groundhog, crochet cotton in plain view definitely means spring is around the corner.
Cotton crochet squares is extremely creative. It involves mixing colors much as one would blend spices in a cake recipe. You might not need a cardinal red like paprika in your concoction, but nutmeg (brown) is likely to be more appropriate with a unpredictable shake or two of lavender sugar (lilac).
Matching squares is a lot like match-making. Moving squares around for the smoothest, least jarring look is better than a game of concentration. And the results last far longer than a game.
What a better way to think about spring than to actually make something to wear to the beach, baseball game or barbecue? And since a crochet tunic takes a long time, the anticipation is high and drawn out. What will the tunic look like in the end? How will I wear it?
Nothing elicit more smiles and stories than a crochet tunic. It's just very difficult to talk about what's happening in the Middle East, or how the squirrels raided the garbage cans and left a huge mess when you're looking at a granny-square tunic. Try it sometime and let me know how it goes.
Accidents happen (and I know after my bone-breaker). That's why they're called accidents. But I should make completely out-of-place square. One that's eye-riveting, and makes any observant graphic designers say, "That's square doesn't work with the rest of the color scheme. At all." Of course, they'd approach me and say, "About that square...did you mean for that to happen?" Duh.
Crochet is easiest to do with feet and head propped up on pillows. Can't do that with knitting, which really demands a more upright position.
There isn't much more say about crochet and cotton, but that more knitters should do it even if the cost of cotton is rising.
What I am going to use for summer and spring garments if cotton gets so expensive that wool will seem comparatively cheap?
Crochet cotton will always be a part of my life no matter the price.

Working on the Go-Go Granny Tunic from Knitting It Old School

2011-01-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

This project has been a lifeline. It's been the thing that's pulling me into spring. You'd think the longer days, the slightly less cold temperatures even the cute cardinal couple that regularly visits my mother's backyard bird bathbath and feeder would do the trick. Nope. This Go-Go Granny tunic is it. Sunny, cheerful and so unrelentingly fun, it's pushing me to a future filled with sunny days, warm weather and beachy clothes. A time when I won't have a cast clamped onto my leg. Heck, I can even picture a pair of cute shoes on my tootsies even they're not high heels or wedgies. Maybe I could visualize myself in a pair of cherry red penny loafers trimmed with white piping and shoelaces. The tunic, loafers teamed with a pair of sailor pants. Maybe even a floppy hat. And if I'm wearing a boot at that point? Who cares? I'll be walking again on my two feet.

Back to the granny square tunic, which is straight from the pages of Knitting It School. I had fully intended to make it from leftovers from other Cotton Classic projects. And I have...but you know crochet projects, like sewing, always call for more materials. It's far easier to get more fabric especially if there's a bolt left. But yarn? A different deal altogether. You have to match dye lots, which is something I've never had to do in the world of machine sewing! Never. Luckily, crochet, particularly the granny square kind, doesn't need to match. In fact, it's best of if it doesn't. It looks less like it was stitched together by some crochet hook machine in China and more like something that was perhaps crafted in someone's Austin, Texas background perhaps fueled by a margarita or two. This is truly the kind of crochet that can be done while drinking. What's the worst thing that can happen? An extra treble crochet won't hurt it. If you care about symmetry, simply stay away from alcohol when you've got a crochet hook in your hand.

What you see above is one sleeve, minus a square or two. But it's looking promising, this sleeve. A lot of weaving in of ends. That's ok. I have plenty of time on this overcast Saturday afternoon with nothing more than dinner, maybe a movie on the laptop and more crochet on my schedule. Just think! I could be wearing this tunic to get my new boot or to my book signing at the Chicagoland Vintage Clothing, Jewelry, Textile Show and Sale next month (Sat., Feb. 26, 1 p.m.). The possibilities aren't mind-blowing but they do give me a goal beyond fishing out a snack from the refrigerator.

It's Winter? It Must Be Time to Make a Cotton Granny Square Tunic

2011-01-21T15:56:00.000-08:00

I was happily working on my vintage 1930s yellow wool sweater last week. I felt like I was in the last quarter of a football game (and a football game analogy is a little awkward because I'm not a fan, but I was watching a Packers game with diehard fan last week. Her team was winning, she was in a good mood as she headed home from the bar to follow the rest of the game at home. I felt flush like that with sweater.) I was working on the left front making major progress even if the sweater looks like it will fit a four-year-old. But then I got sidetracked by the book, Old School Knitting. I had already started making granny squares from Cotton Classic scraps from previous crochet projects. I thought, "I just need a little more new yarn and I can finish this by the weekend!" So I scampered downtown to Chicago's Loopy Yarns to use my birthday gift certificate. I breezed out of the shop, now located in an old train depot, with $40 worth of yarn.

I started working that giddy last fifth row on a number of the squares. Took some pictures uploaded them to Ravelry...and scooped up a bunch of squares to work while I was on the bus later to head to church in the evening.

Long story short, I never made it to church that evening. I slipped on the stairs on my way out the door, twisting my leg underneath me. By the next day, Martin Luther King Day, I was in the ER, my crochet bag in tow. A few x-rays and a examination later, I found out that I had broken my ankle in three places. Somewhat like the tin man in the "The Wizard of Oz," I learned that I would need a plate and screws to put my limb together again. Since surgery, I have been working these squares, trying to make sense of things, crocheting my life together again.

While I really don't need more yarn, I just felt like I needed something to give me hope, so today I went to the giant blow-out sale at Village Knit Whiz here in Glenview...I had a thin orange laceweight yarn and then a lemony yellow ribbon yarn, Chat from Takhi. I chose a big bag full of the Chat and left the orange thread behind. The yellow ribbon is lighter than my wool sweater in the works..but yellow is the color of hope and spring...so here I come April, May and June with something cute and sunny even I'm never able to wear high heels again.

P.S. Fabric U, my iPhone app, is free for the day. Enjoy!

Appy Birthday to Yarn U, the iPhone App

2011-01-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

Friends, I'm back in action, blogging after a long a while. This is the new blog, basically dedicated to all things DIY, but in particular knitting and sewing, my biggest passions. I'll also be promoting two of my iPhone apps: Yarn U (The newest baby on the block) and its older sibling, Fabric U. Occasionally, I will talk about Chicago's Fashion History (1865-1945). Now I won't be in constant promo mode, I promise, but I'm proud of these projects. They're like my children, I need to show 'em off! I do fully intend to get back in finishing projects, taking pictures of them and uploading them for you to see. I'm hoping the blog will prompt me to at least finish what I have started. There are more than a few UFOs that were started years ago and really need to be completed.

Back to Yarn U, the newest app in my family. We celebrated its first-month anniversary with cupcakes at Knit1 in Chicago on Wednesday, but the actual birthday was yesterday. And what a month it has been! In one day alone, more than 2,000 users downloaded it during the 24 hours I made it free last week. Amazing. Now I've got 34 reviews, giving it major 'traction' in the iTunes store.

And that's not all. I'm already updating the app so I can have a new version ready for the iTunes store in late February. I'll update all 100 entries to include fiber content breakdown, brand and yardage. I'll add at least 20 new yarns. (I plan to make this app the go-to-guide to the most popular yarns. There will eventually be 500 entries.) So bring on the suggestions on how to make this app the most useful one on your iPhone or iPad. (Speaking of the iPad, I had a chance to use one at Knit1. All the images on the app look amazing on the iPad. You can really see details. I highly recommending downloading Yarn U to the iPad.)

The suggestions about exactly what to add Yarn U next have been flying faster than bamboo knitting needles on sale for 50 percent off. Here's what friends and users are clamoring for. You can add more:

Lorna's Laces
Opal
madelinetosh
Ella Rae
Magnum (Cascades)
Misti Alpaca

As you can see that's probably at least 100 yarns right there, which should keep me busy for the next few months. However, don't let that stop you from adding to the wish list. I want this be an app with the yarns you love, not my favorites. I'll sign off for now with some more eye candy from Yarn U. By the way, if you're so inclined I will be speaking at Sulzer Regional Library on Tuesday, Jan. 18 to the Windy City Knitting Guild. I'm going to focus on Chicago's knitting history. If getting this slide show ready to go has been any indication, the actual talk should be a blast and a half. I plan to pass around vintage yarns, patterns, etc. for show and tell. Be there will with your knitting needles and yarns! Also I have some free promo codes for Yarn U. Message me for the code.

I forgot: as my blog name implies...I'll definitely be blogging about hats that I make.