2023-2024 -SEW

 catching up with 2023 and 2024

August 1 2023

Curtains for door below washing them the water was black!

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2024:DOUBLE KNIT STITCH

Finally re mastered the double knit stitch. Last time done was in the 80s and I can picture the ugly off white yarn pretty sure. Well no matter what video I watched or instructions I read I could not get the knack of it again. Today cleaning up odds and ends and weighing other yarns for other projects I went back to the bookmark of a youtube video and it finally clicked in my  head

simple my way- things to know in stitches-Knit, purl and slip one (English style)

cast on an uneven number of stitches. I did 11 stitches of my favorite wool which is now end scraps onto #10 circular needles.

1st row: knit one ( keep yarn in back)slip one purlwise-repeat to the end

2nd row: knit one, purl one. Repeat to the end

repeat those 2 rows until desired length. I cast off long style to keep things un  tight.

All other instructions made me feel like I had the yarn in the wrong hand and needed to do Calisthenics between rows with my legs in the air.

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2023: SEW- MASKS

Finally weather warm enough and ambition to sew. Then the machine screwed up and apparently I did not know how to thread the machine. I will have to re learn that each time it is so convoluted,

and the making of  a bobbin. LOL

The lawn cotton is VERY  flimsy and not easy to work with.

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2022-2023 SCRAP YARN SHAWL-5 months in the making

February 20

Started a shawl mid September 2022 using  yarn that was too small for any project like a hat. I do this about every 5 years as I accumulate the "scraps"

This one ended up with 165 stitches and is a triangle. that equals 75 inches x 45 inches x 45 inches. I used double strands so it is heavy and warm. Not something for formal wear. But nothing I own is for formal wear. I go for comfort At all times.

Used #13 circular needles . cast on 5 stitches and repeat this pattern to the desired length

slip first stitch every row. Knit one, yarn over, knit to end. It is slow going and once the needle is loaded with stitches you want to stop!. But I waited until I basically ran out of scraps.

next sunny day I will take another photo so the colors can be appreciated.

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February 20 set it out on the railing to get salt air and washed by rain.

we got plenty of rain

February 21

decided to let it dry on a rack so it did not get stained by the railing

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2023: NEW YARN-NEW PROJECTS leg warmers and hats

 January 21

Dara sent this gorgeous yarn likely will make one hat and one loose cowl

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January 20

finished a bulky knit hat from green yarn I got with a rewards card at Ocean State Job Lot

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above hat off head

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I do not see this yarn in Kar stash so no clue where it came from but it made a nice hat that  I have to mend a dropped stitch and weave in ends. and attach pom pom and close top hole.

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January 27

winding Dara's

January 28

yarn at Joann's for leg warmers

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I did not buy it but wonder how it works

I will google and hope youtube has a video LOL

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the video explaining O'Go

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February 1

was pretty chilly but I decided late afternoon to wind this multi yarn from Dara into a ball. Had to quit before finished because my hands were cold and the winds picked up.

lovely yarn.

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the above and the first yarn pictured here made this hat! not enough for a cowl too though as thought.

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okay Dara's purple yarn was lovely soft a beautiful color but apparently my knitting style and tension it is too loose. hats cowls all were too big and stretchy and towards the end I had ladder effect yikes so ripped it out

so cast on 50 stitches on to # 9  circular needles

first few rows staggered rib then knit one row purl the next do a long cast off so it is not tight. Finished April 8th and walked it to the post office that was a struggle

April 9th 

started leg warmers with that bright green yarn. 50 stitches on #7 do ribbing then connect and knit all.

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May 10

the above leg warmers are now 10 inches long and I am bored making the same thing every day. I may caste them off and turn them into sleep socks. They are a bit too narrow for over the jean leg warmers. we will see. Just tried on and not long enough yet ha ha

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June 8

finished these legwarmers. Yes they are smaller than what I usually wear for over jeans to protect hiking boot laces etc. But they fit fine to keep my legs warm underneath just about anything.

cast on 50 stitches onto #7 circular needles work a cuff of k2 p2 for a;most an inch or until bored with that stitch. then attach 2 needles and work on the round for 15 inches then do the cuff again k2 p2 then cast off using long cast off-  knit  2 stitches pass one stitch over the other and then pass that stitch back onto the other needle They are  about 5 inches wide meaning 10 in circumference . Used almost 5 ounces of yarn.

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2023:REPAIRS & REUSE

January 12 

So I bought this red & black checkered plaid polar fleece top  at Old Navy maybe 2 years ago on sale! It has always been uncomfortable with the zipper  catching at my neck- big brass zipper. AND for some reason I bought a Large not extra large. I layer things.I remember standing there and thinking I should have crossed the aisle to Mens. It is next to impossible to pull off over my head. LOL So I was ready to turn it into a seat warmer after wearing it to bed for a few nights. This morning decided to remove the zipper. Started out with the stitch ripper then got out the heavy duty scissors and went to  town.

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January 15

it was still too tight and uncomfortable so I will try to make a cut out hat or two with the body. The sleeves would make good draft dodgers for windows. we will see.Did not work as a draft dodger. I ended up duct taping the seams of the front windows and THAT works. I am thinking when I feel like it I will make a hat with this and hope I can use the hemmed edge as a brim- we will see,

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March 8

This sweater has seen better days but still useful in layering. I have stitched up the front and cut sleeves off a little above the elbow. Now to make it more comfortable I cut off the buttons!

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March 22

2 henley shirts that were uncomfortable so cut off buttons and save material for rags

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April 18

Heard the other day that a sign of a man growing old is him rolling the cuffs up of his pants. I looked down at mine and had rolled them. Does that mean I am a guy? or getting old. or what? LOL BUT Before the reporting of the gas leak I was ready to go below and clean off the glass table tops and fill another bird bath. I looked at my unraveling cuffs and decided it was time to cut those suckers. So win win- no hanging cuffs and I had two rags to use to clean table tops and did not use massive quantities of paper towels.

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 March 28

cut off sleeves- hope to make a hat 

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May 24

was able to make 2 hats! Polar fleece is a bitch to sew on a small machine though

Good enough

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June 25

Laundry day and ironing what I could. Putting away jeans and rotating stuff I finally decided to do something about the Canyon River Blues jeans I keep rotating and not wearing. They are huge now on me. Bought them at Sears around 2005-6. They were the only pair that almost fit right. But fine I usually layered with tights, long underwear etc so it filled up space. But the waist was almost like hip huggers.

So decided to turn them into cut off jeans. Not Daisy Dukes as that would be a sight on 75 year old legs. I rolled the cuffs.

Wearing them today those cuffs are uncomfortable. So...

I stitch ripped the seams I had taken in twice already. Was thinking of making them a skirt- but too much work. So will trim more off of length and fringe a bit. after a few washings they will self fringe and likely be too short and disappear into the trash someday. What I at first cut off is perfect for an iron rest so I will no longer scorch the ironing board cover.

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June 26 re do- ripped out seams from when I made them narrower, using a stitch ripper

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September 12

So yesterday I had planned on cleaning up my photo files a long process. I looked at my dresses drying on a rack by the window and thought- I better alter those. SO! 3 hours later 4 dresses shortened. I have one of them to finish off today. Now I have 5 inch wide material of different patterns all at least 36 inches long- waiting for inspiration. Window dressing? Lightweight quilt? or yard stick covers? :)

During all of this  I was sewing with an empty spool and did not realize it until half a hem was done. and on one pink dress I "caught" the hem on the dress. I did not rip out stitches but cut it away. who's to see it!? small hole.

oh and note to self- never use zigzag stitch- it was task stitch ripping that out.

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