Better Late Than Never

I was somewhere else - at least mentally. I am about six posts behind schedule (so much for schedules) but here I am, back at last, and I am going to talk about something I used to despise a lot and now only despise a little...

seams.

I don't know what it is but there are some of us (you see how I am making you an accomplice so as not to be the only one guilty) don't like the finishing on knitting. For me, it's because I never expected it. When we are learning how to knit, no one says, oh by the way, there's going to be some finishing work like seaming, blocking and there's also going to be math. They never tell you that up front. They always throw it in as an aside. "When you've finished casting off, sew in your ends." Why don't they tell us up front in the stitches and technique section of the pattern that you are going to have to come to terms with sewing in knitting. You will have to purchase a needle. You will have to thread the needle with yarn. You will have to work that thread and needle through the fabric you've knitted or you will not have a bag, sweater or soap holder.

They should tell us that.

But they didn't so I had to come to grips with all that and when I learned there was more than one way to make a seam, it got slightly more interesting and a lot more frightening. Which one do I use when? If I don't use the right one, will the finishing fairies come and take my Chibi away? (Not sure that's a bad thing.)

You know what made it all OK? Crocheting the seams.

I love crocheting the seams together. It's so much easier. The seams are neater and stronger and blend better. Once I discovered I could crochet seam just about anything, the other seaming stitches weren't so bad. I kinda like grafting. And I've turned the three needle bind off into a seaming technique that works really well. And mattress stitch will work when I can't crochet a seam (rare, I tell you, rare.) So, following is a small explanation on how you can seam your work together without fear.

First, make four swatches: two will be stockinette and two will be garter stitch. You will need these because your are going to mix them up and use them to practice your seaming. If your eyesight isn't the best or you just want to be able to see more clearly - use a big needle - like a thirteen. I personally would make the swatches with the needle size I use most often so I can get real time practice. So I would be somewhere around the 8-10.75 needle range. You'll use these swatches over and over as you practice your stitchery.

For now, we'll talk about my favorite method of seaming - crocheting you two pieces together.

1. You'll want the right sides facing each other unless you want a slight raised effect on the right side. You'll work from the right to the left.

2. Take your crochet hook (it should be the approximate size as your knitting needles) and push the hook from the front to the back going through both swatches. Wrap the working yarn around the hook and pull it back through to the front. You should have one loop on your hook.

3. Push the hook through the next two stitches (one from each side.)

4. Wrap the working yarn around the hook and pull back through to the front side. (You should have two loops on the hook)

5. Pull the first loop on the hook through the second loop. (You should have one loop on the hook.)

Repeat steps 2-5.

When you get to the last stitch, you will pull it through just like you would the last stitch of a traditional bind off.

That's all there is to it.

If you need photos or to watch a video, YouTube has a few you can look at or put 'crocheting seams' in a search engine and you will get plenty of results.

It's fast and easy and makes a great looking seam. If you do it in the same color yarn, it's an almost invisible seam and if for some reason you need to take it out, it rips out like a dream. I don't mind doing seams like this.

Hopefully you'll find it useful,too.


042004

Blog Fodder

Mr. Honey is like most people who are related to writers: he prefers not to be a subject of writings. But that's just crazy talk. There is a code that family members of writers are an instant source of material - just like being married to a comedian. For the most part, we leave them alone but there are times when a family member comes in handy for writing: like when we want to share sentimental stories, or when we have writer's block and need a way to unstop the drain or

when they do the following:

Get something to drink.

So, there I was on Saturday afternoon (yes, there's a reason it's in italics) sitting on the couch either knitting a hat or looking over patterns for another hat or doing something with a hat when Mr. Honey walked in. He had been outside and he was dressed in his coat and he was breathing deeply and he said: "This might be a good time to deal with the junk in your trunk."

Come again?

I know he wasn't talking about the booty that's on me so he must have been talking about the car trunk.
Did you hear me?
The car trunk.

Where the hidden stash of yarn and pillow forms. Pillow forms? That's right. Pillow forms. They were on sale two for one so I got four of them. Yes, they were so hidden I didn't even tell you.

Busted.
That's what he meant. He meant to tell me that for some strange reason, he was in my car trunk and he discovered what I had in the trunk and he was telling me he now knows so I can go and bring it in the house.

That's what I thought. Which ticked me off a little. What was he doing in my trunk? So I asked him, "Are you taking something out of my trunk?" No answer. "Are you putting something in my trunk?" No answer.

Leaving me to believe that's what he did - for some reason he went into my trunk and discovered my stash. Well, I continued on with the hat pattern and knitting because there was no sense in rushing out to take care of a hidden stash that was no longer hidden.

Remember, it's Saturday afternoon.

The next morning I had to leave for church a little early because there's an annual race that closes down a bunch of streets around Oak Park and you have to leave early to avoid the closed streets and get around. So, I go out to the car and I notice everything that was in my trunk is now sitting in the back seat of my car.

What the?

If everything is in the back seat of my car, then what's in my trunk? I opened the trunk and I see a tire and a wheel cover. A full sized tire.

I close the trunk and start looking at my tires. Sure enough, there's a temp tire on the back passenger side. Apparently, I had a flat and he changed the tire and put the temp on. Now, Mr. Honey was not at home. He walks to church a block away from our house.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Forget about the yarn stash being busted. Why didn't he tell me I had a flat instead of the junk in the trunk remark?

Because that's what Mr. Honey calls a sense of humor. I went to church because it is close to Sears where I was going to go after church to get the tire in the trunk inspected and repaired or replaced.

Which could have happened on Saturday because he changed the tire Saturday afternoon.

But wait...there's more.

After church, I go out to the car and I call home - because he needs to be yelled at (while I was in the throes of Christian love) and waiting until I came home would be too long. He answered the phone and conversation went something like this:

"Hello?"
"Repeat these words. 'Honey, you have a flat.'
"Honey, you have a flat!" (Said with an undertone of laughter.)
"You know, if you had told me that yesterday when I asked what you were taking out or putting in to my trunk, I could have had this taken care of yesterday and would not be driving around pot hole filled streets with a temp tire."

And do you know what he said?

"Oh."
"I am headed over to Sears to get another tire."
"Oh no, you need two tires."

Say what?

"What?"
"Two tires are bad. You need two tires."
"OK. I'm going to Sears to get two tires."
"Oh no, I'm going to take the car to the gas station where I know I can get a good deal. I'm taking the car there tomorrow. I'm going to call them."

It's not quite done yet.

I travel home and sometime later I say to him. "What gas station?"
"Park Ridge."
"The station that's open until midnight every night?"
"Yeah."
"The one I could have called last night and taken the car to get the tires?"
"Oh no, I called them. They won't have the tires until tomorrow."
"When did you call them?"
"Saturday afternoon."

This is why he's blog fodder.

041904

The Chicago Top Ten for the Week of Oct. 26, 2009

I had a brain freeze - somehow I forgot it was Monday. I looked on the calendar and there it is - time to list the top ten items I found while perusing the shops. My apologies for my lateness, I was having so much fun looking over the weekend that I forgot to share the goods with you. So, without further delay, and in no particular order, here are the top ten choices from local artisans:

Pom Junkie Necklace by bumblesea jewelry.
This piece seems delicate with great texture. It's a white pomegranate!

Evil Notecard
There are times when people just don't get it - and only a nice card with a great layout can get the message across.

Fairy Necklace by LibraLu
This is a vintage piece that has an old style look about it. That's probably why they call it a vintage piece.

Dubliner Earrings from urbanlegend
I love these as they are but if they had a darker bead, I would have bought them then and there!

Crocheted earrings by joyce is crafty
OK, I have never seen anything like this and that was worth expanding the geographical location to include Indiana - just this once.

Whew! What a week. If you've been reading the blog, you know I've gone just a little bit hat crazy. Keep your fingers crossed that they do sell. I tried a different pricing formula but that increased the cost on some hats and lowered it on others. I don't know. If someone out there has a good way to price their goods, please let me know. In the meantime, I am putting together a small tutorial on seaming. Yes, I am laughing too, but I can do it. You'll see!

Princess earrings by djewelsrfab
I have a pair or earrings that are like these - but they aren't these - which is why these are on the list!

Bella Jet Black earrings by lindab142
Yes, I've noticed the trend of what I'm picking this week - but have you noticed these earrings!

Kimonos by dolluxedesigns
Is that doll wearing a kimono?

Autumn Coasters from Creative Coaster Chick
For some reason, these remind me of 'Under the Tuscan Sun' where no coaster was even given a close up. Don't ask me why they do just be glad they aren't earrings.

Baby Pod by ventichai
You should see the rainbow and the one that looks like a football. OK, let's all say it together; "Aaaawwwwwwwww!"

Yes, I know there are a lot of earrings out there. But that just means you can grab a pair for yourself and I might not even notice you took them right out from under me. Psssttt...Christmas is eight weeks away. Not a bad idea to get over to my shop and these shops and start making that list - so you'll have time to check it twice before you check out!

Have a great week!