After over two years(!) as a languishing Work In Progress, I finally picked back up this Cloud Bolero. The pattern is no longer available (except via the Internet Wayback Machine) and has been rewritten as Liesel. And while this updated pattern really is far better in layout and ease of construction I just liked the look of the bulkier original better (and the raglan decreases). So I plowed on past the somewhat confusing amount of stitch markers, beyond the point where I had originally given up on it after repeated mistakes. I actually have this one completed now and just need to get finished photos, it was worth sticking with it.

This is just a quick TV-knitting, stash-busting project. Will be a Felted Flower Bowl that I’ve made in a smaller size to be a jewelry holder on my vanity desk. I only hate running a whole laundry load for one little thing to felt (being too lazy to do it by hand). I may have to make another hat to felt with it. See I totally justify my felt hat addiction.

And some tatting! It was kismet finding this cute pattern for Little Owl Earrings for an owl obsessed friend right before her birthday. Made using my tea-stained crochet cotton thread on a size 7 tatting needle.

And a picture of Mr. Floppy Ear, Aejaz – just because.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Perhaps knit up one of my Heart Rings. :-D

As my hat and millinery obsession continues I’ve been studying professional hat making techniques. Unfortunately the main tool of a professional milliner is a wooden hat block and these typically run at least $100 and up. So in the DIY spirit I started looking around my house and thrift stores for ordinary items that would create interesting hat shapes. And what did I block the buckram fabric frame on for this cocktail hat?

The glass piece in the above photo – it’s actually the lid to a large glass candle! The black plastic plate/candle holder is a recent thrifting score. A perfect brim block for $1! (as opposed to $95 like these near identical ones)

Here is the form blocking, held in place by a rubber band at the base. I used buckram fabric which is coated in a starch that when wet makes it malleable and then hardens again once dry. This isn’t true millinery grade buckram but just some I found a local fabric store. For my homemade attempts it suited me just fine.

Once the buckram was dry I lifted it off the block and trimmed away the excess. I also attached wire to the base using a blanket stitch (forgot to get a photo, oops). Next I covered it in my chosen fabric (post-Halloween clearance stretch fabric, love this stuff) and pinned it in place. Using small stitches I then sewed it to the base.

Once the fabric was sewn down I cut away the excess and then just traced a circle onto some black felt for the lining. And again because this is just for me, not something I’m selling professionally I cheated a little and just fabric glued this to the inside. For the hair attachment I sewed in this hair clip, a little comb would work nicely too but I was out. An elastic headband works as well.

Sine the fabric is busier I kept the embellishments simple. A little mesh netting strip gathered into a flower/pouf and few stripped and beaded hackle feathers.

Additinal Reading:
From the Neck Up: An Illustraed Guide to Hatmaking
Hats! Make Classic Hats and Headpieces in Fabric, Felt, and Straw
www.how2hats.com

Also, in other news my 1940s style title hat is a Craftster Best of 2011 Winner! Follow the badge link to check out all the winners, great stuff this year!

I realized I had started these back in July when visiting family for the 4th. Speedy knitter I am not. These were so worth it though! I love the finished pieces and found the pattern enjoyable to work as well. The lace patterns are easy to memorize but still interesting. The shaping in pattern is also very clever (Keep notes of how many repeats you end up doing to match for the second sock. The transition is so seamless it’s really difficult to find, found out the hard way).

(Oops, bow came untied in this shot. That’ll teach me to not double knot.)

I did use rljulie on Ravelry’s very nice mod for a third lace version, Extra Wide Gathered Lace. My lace just didn’t seem that “stretchy” even though I don’t think I have that great of calf muscles.

My other mods I detailed here. They included working extra repeats (final numbers after heel: 10 of narrow, 8 of wide, and 6 of extra wide), working the bottom of the foot in Stockinette Stitch instead of lace, and working on US Size 3 needles to get row gauge.

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Combined with a converted serving tray, hair and makeup and I had my Vintage Cigarette Girl costume!

The vinyl pillbox hat is one I made and posted about before. The top and hemmed skirt are thrifted pieces. The fishnets were purchased new as they are actually seamed stockings and I had been coveting them.

I attached a thrifted trimming piece from my stash to the tray with double sided tape and added a ribbon strap. About a month back I sent out a request to friends to start collecting empty cigarette boxes and I filled these with candy in addition to purchasing some “Candy cigarettes” which had cool retro boxes. I Mod Podged a little “tip jar” over a tissue box and filled a few metal cups with other assorted candies.

Of course I decided a couple weeks before Halloween that I really needed some vintage style gloves, because apparently I’m a crazy person and just can’t stick with simplicity. Eunny Jang’s “Ladylike Gloves” from Interweave Knits was just the pattern I needed. I had some Classic Elite Yarns Silky Alpaca Lace in my stash that worked perfect too.

My only mods were to work 5 rows of garter stitch instead of the applied I-cord edging as well as adding black seed beads to the backwards loop cast-on. I added them every other CO stitch, but wish I had done every stitch to make it a little more noticeable. These were down to the wire to finish, wove in the ends around 11pm the night before our costume party, ha. Total cost, around $10 (for stockings and candy cigarettes).

When a friend of mine decided she wanted to be Cleopatra I excitedly offered to help make the costume for her too. This was a fun one to create! We got a bed sheet from the thrift store that I cut up to make the dress, adding a graphic border in blue fabric paint pen. The blue veil and brown scarf for around the hips I had on hand. Then I got a gold fabric dress while thrifting to cut the collar out of, adding iron on interfacing to give it structure. The dress even had ties that I cut up into arm bands. Had fun decorating these with gold puff paint and gluing on craft jewels. She bought a headress, spray painted some flip flops gold and that was the finished costume!

I bought some party hats at the dollar store and “zombie-fied” them with some distressing ink, and a little black and red craft paint as well as scratching, ripping and crumbling them up. Everyone of our group got one and they garnered lots of comments and birthday wishes. All and all a $1 well spent I thought.

My zombie make-up. I was quite happy with it! Also did Mr. PieKnits make-up and two other friends.

In addition to all the Halloween crafting I decided I needed a new zombie outfit. We have attended Zombie Proms before but I wanted something less formal to be hanging out in outside all day. I bought a cheap thrifed t-shirt, cut/ripped it up, added some smears of charcoal to dirty it up and lots of fake blood.

The Birthday Boy Zombie.

My friend Treena does amazing photography and brought along her camera. She got some great shots and you can check out more of her fantastic work on her site FakePlasticDesign.com

I decided on a version of my Evelyn Tilt Hat pattern, this time in brown. Fast forward a bit and suddenly I realized in the midst of Halloween costume crafting that it was going to be due! Thankfully I finished it in time and also thought it would be a good opportunity to document my blocking process for felt hats.

This is what works for me; blocking hats is a bit of an organic process so take and use whatever is helpful for you.

The hat with knitting finished, pre-felting. I like to put this into a mesh laundry wash bag for the fulling process to help catch the shedded fibers. To felt the hat, place your washing machine on the hottest setting with the highest amount of agitation. Keep checking on the hat until it’s felted to your liking. I also like to take mine out when checking it and run it under ice-cold water to “shock” it into felting more/denser. Once it’s felted satisfactorily I let it run in the spin cycle briefly to just make sure it’s not sopping wet. You still want it damp though so don’t let it run too long.

Next, take the hat and place it on your chosen blocking surface. I recommend these Styrofoam heads/wig stands available inexpensively at most beauty supply stores (unless you just happen to have a real wooden milliners hat block, you lucky thing). Run your hands from top down along all the sides, smoothing the fibers down into place. Keep doing this as you work, it creates a smoother surface texture.

Then grab the bottom sides and pull it down snugly over the form. Repeat around all bottom sides, stretching it over the head block.

Start forming the hat into your desired shape, or it’s desired shape. Each hat will be slightly different and want to “do its own thing”. Just keep working with it. I flip up the shortest brim edge for the back. I’m also not above trying on a damp hat over a plastic bag on my head, no really.

To hold the edge of the sides in from where the brim flares out I tie a string around it. You could also use large wide rubber bands, a strip of cloth, anything that will hold the hat down in place.

Keep working the strand down into the place where you’d like it and pin it.

Add pins where ever the hat needs support. I pin through both layers in the folded up back as well as under the brim into the Styrofoam to hold up the front brim away from the head.

Now let it dry, preferably under a fan, until it is completely dry. Once it is, try on your new creation and start dreaming up what trimmings you’d like to add to it. If for some reason the hat isn’t quite the shape you would like it, no worries. You can always re-block it! Either dampen the inside of the hat with a wet sponge, or generously steam it with a steam iron and repeat the process. Felt if very malleable when wet, don’t be afraid to really work, stretch and pull it into submission.

The finished hat! I trimmed mine with a feather plume, thin black grosgrain ribbon and a silver button. I also like to give my felted hats a little shave before adding decorations, which I’ve posted about before.

The back view, with the flipped up brim. Mine stays in place just fine once dry but if you feel your hat could use a little extra structure/stiffness you can spray the inside with a fabric stiffener.

I was quite pleased with how this one turned out and almost sad to part with it, but I know it’s going to a great cause and hopefully a happy new home. :-)

Pattern: Evelyn Tilt Hat by pieKnits
Yarn: Lion Brand Fishermen’s Wool in Nature’s Brown
Needles: US 11 (8.0 mmm), US 13 (9.0 mm)

I’ve been really busy of late too. October is always a crazy month (the length of my “to-do” list is dawning on me) and you can see the WIP bar over on the side has exploded. More on that later. For now I did finish a hat, well part of a hat really. A friend of mine requested a two layer interchangeable hat, so it could be worn in warmer or colder weather.

I really liked the idea and after some discussion this is what we choose for the “outer” hat. Fortnight by Jared Flood/BrooklynTweed in Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage and Cascade 220 Superwash in red. My plan is to pick up and knit button “tabs” on the inside in the Cascade. Then for the liner hat (also worked in the red Cascade) it will have corresponding buttons to attach the two together. This might have to wait for Halloween costume stuffs to be completed though, sorry Lee!

Also I’ve updated my blog software and decided to convert over to WordPress, so please be patient with any bugs and design changes, thanks!