Bits and Pieces

Hello loyal readers! Now that the quilt is finished, time yesterday was spent on planning the next projects for Planet Nice. Thank you to those who took the survey – it was fun to collect some data and it did influence the decision process. The most attractive time periods of design were post-World War II or Mid-Century Modern and the big block between the two World Wars with Art and Crafts, Art Deco, and Art Nouveau. The most popular project types were women’s clothing and home accessories. There are endless possibilities here.

After looking at the survey results, I started going through my existing supplies: books, fabrics, patterns, laces, kits, and everything else. I did want to have a project that was more portable this time, because I am hoping to make it to Needlework Night at the local library to spread the joy of Planet Nice! And, I would like to have a project that minimized the supplies necessary to be purchased. One of the motivations of Planet Nice is to start using the craft supplies collected over the years so in my brain, I feel like I diverge from that mission by choosing a project that requires substantial supplies at this time.

So, drum roll please…. I have chosen yarn this time. Specifically, these bits and pieces:

This yarn has been to 4 countries! I purchased it at Johnstons of Elgin when I was in Scotland last year for some volunteer work (www.johnstonsofelgin.com/us/). The weather was miserable the first week (rain and cold) just like today in Chicago so one afternoon we decided to take a side trip to Elgin to have a mill tour of Johnstons and then peruse the gift shop. I owe it to a fellow volunteer, Sarah, who spotted the yarn that was being sold as imperfect (but still quite expensive). After Scotland, the yarn traveled to Denmark and Sweden before settling in here at Planet Nice.

It is a chunky cashmere yarn, but as you can see there is not much of it. The instructions that came with the yarn say it is in oily state and needs to be washed to obtain the soft handle of cashmere, I am thinking I’ll do that after the projects are complete.

So, what to do with this motley crew of yarn? I looked through some of my vintage knitting books and nothing really caught my eye. All of the vintage patterns in my possession are very specific about the yarn so there is no information on weight or length – that is too risky for me. And for this voracious audience, I need to get going, not interested in a deep dive research project. So, I turned to Google. I did find a neat looking vintage knitted pillow pattern but I don’t have enough yarn for that project and though I appreciate all of the patterns out there for free, they may not have all of the information needed. The good thing is that there are many many current patterns for both knitting and crochet requiring only one skein, in fact there is book series called “One Skein Wonders” edited by Judith Durant. Knitters have these bits and pieces of yarn as leftovers from other projects. So, I went to the library today and borrowed 4 books from the series:

I also checked out the website Craftsy which has both articles and classes for one skein projects. I am considering this class:

Source: www.craftsy.com           

It has been awhile since I knitted and this particular class covers a hat, cowl, and fingerless mitts. I have utilized Craftsy videos in the past with success. But before venturing with the online class, I want to go through the books from the library and I hope to receive some feedback from an expert knitter.

So, that is what we are thinking here on Planet Nice. For those who wanted to see another sewing project right away, be steadfast. One of the reasons yarn was chosen is that there is the possibility of working on an entry for the County Fair in July – they usually have a sewing challenge that is a lot of fun.

Lastly, I want to draw everyone’s attention to an upcoming series on PBS called Civilizations, scheduled to air on Tuesday evenings. It is a survey of art from antiquity to the present on a global scale. Since it is a co-production with the BBC, it has already aired in the UK – the reviews there were a bit cynical but I think overall everyone agreed that the photography was very good. I am looking forward to it as I am hoping the more art I look at, the more I develop my design eye.

Take Care!