Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Studio-in-a-Closet

This is just a little something I wanted to share for inspiration. We live in an apartment in an urban area so storage space is limited. My husband came up with the idea to convert our foyer closet into stash storage. (I had already taken the dining room as my studio and it was overflowing.)

I really wish I had taken before pictures. Imagine if you will a dark hole (really) with a couple of press board shelves instead of the bright welcoming closet you now see.

We stripped everything out of the space, added shelving, pegs, a cedar ceiling, a light and even a secret compartment in the floor for storing larger items. I hung an over the door shoe bag to provide extra yarn storage. Because we included the pegs the closet can still be used as a coat closet when we have guests!

This was a fun project for my husband and I to tackle together. I guess I should finish that sweater for him now.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Linen Pillowcase

This project for a small linen pillowcase arose from a need. I have struggled with serious headaches for years and they have only gotten worse. I've tried all sorts of migraine pills, changes in my diet and finally, a buckwheat pillow. Buckwheat pillows have been used for centuries in the Far East. I purchased a Serenity buckwheat pillow from Healthy Green Goods. It is definitely one of the best purchases I have ever made. If given the slightest opportunity I gladly share my experience with others suffering from headaches, back and neck pain or even restless sleep. I have not had a migraine for months now which means that I have more time to knit!

Now I have this wonderful pillow but it needed a special case. Yes they had some on offer at Healthy Green Goods but I wanted to make my own. Besides my yarn stash I have a nice little stash of fabrics. From this I chose a cream colored linen.

Here's how I made the case:

The pillow is very small, only 11"x17", so I measured and cut the fabric to 16"x26". A little long because I wanted to embroider and then fold in the edge to cover the back of the stitching.

Sew the sides of the case using a 1/4" seam. Sew another seam about 1/8" outside of the first seam. Trim. Make a small double folded hem along the open edge.

Next measure 4" and 8" from the hemmed edge and between those two marks make three evenly spaced marks. (All of these markings are made by placing small dots all the way around the case.)

Following the evenly spaced marks embroider three rows of simple running stitch using mercerized cotton.

Turn the case wrong side out and fold at the 4" line enclosing the embroidery. Stitch down by following the previously made hem stitch. Lastly stitch 1/8" from the edge of the pillowcase, along the fold.

Press and enjoy your new buckwheat pillowcase!





I think the next one I make will have a knitted lace edge. I'll continue to contemplate that idea.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Happy New Year!

Happy new year and happy new blog! It's a new year and I decided it is time to start this blog I've been contemplating for some time. I'll share current knitting or other fiber art projects that I am working on and occasionally free patterns.

Most recently I have been knitting piles of hats for Christmas presents. The always useful (but
quick to knit) hat! There has been a particular need for hats with ear flaps to keep out the cold Midwest winds and I have just finished a kid's version with a pocket on the back holding a tiny coordinating doll. The picture to the left is of the back of the hats. My daughter and I each knit one so they're a bit different. Mine has a rounded striped pocket while hers has a more pointy embroidered pocket.



Presently I am working on very cute children's mittens . The mittens began as a request from a local Irish kintwear shop for a customer but they are such a fun little project that I could knit baskets of them. Knitting time is under three hours a pair. And they have an optional crocheted "coat cord" to run through the sleeves of the youngster's coat.

Another project is to use up as much yarn from my stash as possible (so's I can buy more). There are lots of interesting yarns in my "studio-in-a-closet" as I call it, but some of them are becoming, well, stale. They're good yarns -they just need a new purpose in life. Sadly, I have forgotten what the original purpose was for some of them. I have more experience to go on now so I'm sure I will come up with a better purpose for them than the original.

Well back to knitting mittens and stash re-evaluating! Happy new year.