March 2009 Archives

I have so many little projects going on here and there and many completed and simply waiting for a chance to photograph. Hoping the spring weather will energize me to get some stuff done as I've been feeling a little scattered lately. I'm so thankful for the extra hour of day light now; I might be able to do something other than weekends.



Speaking of spring, or spring cleaning, playing around in my craft room the other day I whipped up a couple of these super simple box bags. I had seen a great idea somewhere for using them to store onions and potatoes in the pantry. Easy, useful and perfect! I made mine from some scraps of muslin I had around, although linen would look really lovely. Our onions are always shedding everywhere when kept in their original large mesh bags but a plastic bag wasn't an option as they need to have air circulation. The open weave of the muslin was a nice solution. Basically it was formed like this tutorial.  You can see I just used the finished selvedge edge at the top to skip hemming too, 10 minutes start to finish.



So I also finished, or thought I had finished, a hat (Seamen's Cap) for my father. I had actually promised him one during Christmas and am only now getting it done. I had sewn in ends and blocked it only to discover this yarn (Knit Picks Swish Worsted) really expanded it's gauge after washing, more than I've ever seen before. Well I chose a superwash wool for ease of care and I don't know if that's what caused it or it's just this yarn. So now it's too big, even for a larger size head.

Do you think I'd have any luck trying to run this superwash through a hot wash and dryer to shrink it a little?? Or do I need to just suck it up, rip it out and redo? *wibble*

Be forewarned, this hat is ready to file a restraining order against me and my camera.



Yep, another mini hat! Oh how I love it so. I want to invent more excuses to dress up and where it. I adore the look of these wee hats of the Victorian era. Decorating them is also half the fun and really completes the hat.
This is a modified version of the Miniature Top Hat pattern by Lara Breese of Dark Twist and worked in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes.



Here is the hat after fulling and pre-embellishments. I printed out some victorian scrollwork samples to use as inspiration for the needle felting. (This is what I was practicing for on my other hat.) I unspun different weights of black yarn to form the lines. You may notice in the unmodeled pics the top of the hat was sinking in a little. To correct it I flipped the hat over and traced the top circle on some plastic mesh canvas (love that stuff, so useful!) and cut it out. I then pinched it in half and inserted it into the top of the hat and let it pop into place. Due to the shaping of that hat it stays in place perfectly without having to tack it down.



My modifications were to make this at about a 3/4 scale from the original. If I make another version I will probably work the side decreases rounds in quicker succession to make the sides shorter. I also used the optional i-cord bind off which I think gives it a really neat and almost rolled brim edge. The hat is held in place by a hair comb sewn to the underside of the brim, same as my mini tricorn hat.





For the embellishments I wrapped two ribbons around the base and made a ribbon bow with the sheer ribbon. Then I took some tulle netting, folded it accordion style then folded it in half to create a fan and secured it by sewing two buttons on top. To finish it off I stuck in some feathers and viola!



I have the feeling this may be the beginnings of a miniature hat collection...



Few more photos on my Ravelry page. And see my newest mini top hat here.