BSJ Hat:

I've been editing my BSJ pattern to create a spreasheet style pattern because I like to check off each row as I go.  I also want to make sure that the numbers are correct as written.   When I have the pattern perfect (or at least closer to perfect)  I will figure out how to upload a link for a  downloadable pdf, for others to enjoy.  In the meantime, here is a a pattern for a matching hat.

6 sts/inch makes a preemie bsj that is 11" around.
Changing the gauge to 4.5 sts/inch (4.5 mm needles, worsted weight wool) makes a 14"  preemie bsj, which is good for a 5-7 lb baby.  One ball of Red Heart will make the whole set.  I made the blue set out of a ball of ombre/paints (3 oz instead of 4 oz), and I had about 2 yards left. 

BSJ matching hat:
Hat is knit back and forth on two needles and then seamed.  Gauge should match sweater.

Cast on 64 stitches.  Knit 20 ridges (40 rows).
Decreases:
Row 1: (k6, k2tog) across row.
Row 2 and all wrong side rows: knit
row 3: (k5, k2tog) across row
row 5: (k4, k2tog) across row
row 7: (k3, k2tog) across row
row 9:  (k2, k2tog) across row
row 11:  (k1, k2 tog) across row
row 12: k2 tog across row.
row 13: k2tog across row.
Finish hat by sewing tail of last row through all stitches to gather.  Sew up side seam. 

BSJ matching booties:
gauge and needle to match sweater.
Booties are knit from the bottom to the ankle, in garter stitch. 
Make 2.
Cast on 35 stitches.  Knit 6 ridges (12 rows).
Toe decreases:
row 1: k15, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k15
row 2: k14, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k14
row 3: k13, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k13
continue in this manner until you are knitting k10, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k10 (23 stitches).
Next--eyelet row:  k2, (yo, k2tog) across row, end k1.
Knit 5 more rows.  Bind off wrong side, knitwise. 
Sew up back seam and bottom of bootie.

Ties (make 2):  Cable cast on 80-90 stitches.  Cast off.  This makes a tie that looks like an icord, but it is much faster.  You could use ribbon instead.  Thread through the eyelet row in the bootie, and tie in a bow. 

The spinning wheel--part 2

I made the flyer assembly holder, and it works when it is all strung together.  Or at least, everything moves the way it is supposed to when you move the wheel.  Tee hee.

Pithy notes:

 The flyer assembly has an elbow with a t attached.  The T goes onto the top of the wheel upright.  I cut the connector piece about 2" long, just long enough to connect the two pieces with very little showing, which lets the flyer assembly be directly above the wheel.  The upright part where the front of the flyer assembly sits is 4" long. On the top of this upright, I drilled a part hole (with difficulty!), and then madly sanded the whole thing, because it was rough and would make a mess.  It sits nicely in the depression now.

The piece connecting the t to the back elbow is 4" long, and can be adjusted back and forth so it will be in the right position for the flyer.  The hole for the back upright to line the whole thing up is at the 4" mark; it is a 3/8" hole so there is a little bit of movement for putting the flyer assembly into the flyer holder. I still need a brake assembly on the back of the flyer assembly holder, but that will happen tomorrow. 

Still thinking through the footman and pedal assembly.  My wheel doesn't turn on the front post--the post goes through the whole thing, and doesn't move, so the plan to attach the footman drive to the post won't work.  I need to drill a hole in the wheel to attach a footman upright and the pedal.  But, I can see it working. 

The spinning wheel--part 1

I want a spinning wheel.  I don't need it, but I want it. 

I've tried drop spindling, and it makes my hands ache from the twisting, and then I have trouble writing; drop spindling is not for me.   My mom offered me her wheel as a loan.  It is a traditional style Canadian wheel,  but the orifice is 17" off the ground.  I have to sit on a 6" stool to spin.  That was great when I was 10 and learning to spin, but I can't do that now with the way my hip keeps deciding not to work, or my knee creaks.  It is a great wheel for her, though. There is no way I can talk the man into a spinning wheel made of wood.  The least expensive one I have seen is about $600, and it goes up from there.  I also prefer the centered wheel style of wheel, like a Kiwi, or a folding wheel, like the Ashford Traveller ($800 to $900 where I am).  Definitely not in the budget with the older one going to university in the fall. 

So, in the spirit of "Can Do" that I grew up with, I started gathering bits and pieces and making plans to make my own wheel.  This is a record of my process; I don't know it if will work or not, but, hey, it is worth an experiment or two.  Right?

I've done a lot of research online.  There are not a lot of diy wheel plans, except for the great wheel style.  The great wheel is a spindle based wheel without a foot pedal drive.  It works well for cotton and fine yarns, but it takes up a fair bit of space.  The chakra spinning wheel is a smaller version of this wheel.  There is a more traditional style plan, available from a wood working site, but, well, I'm not going to talk anyone into turning a wheel for me.  And, the wood alone is more than I want to invest.   The electric spinning wheel here is a great plan, and those who have made it love it.  But, I want to have foot pedal  power that is not dependent on electricity. My goal is to make a babe inspired wheel.  I like the idea of their wheels, and the cost, and the light weight, but two or three hundred dollars is still out of my budget. Eventually I will get one, with a woollee winder.  Right now, I want to try and make a wheel of my own. 

You can make everything for a spinning wheel, including the flyer head and the bobbins.  The most reasonable plans for a flyer and bobbins I've seen are included with the electric wheel plans.  But, after looking a long time at the electric spinner, I decided that I was not going to make the flyer and bobbins.  Maybe with the next spinning wheel, or as a variation of this one.  I purchased an Ashford Traveller fly assembly and three bobbins, for about $85.  The assembly came with a drive band, a brake band and an orifice threading hook (yeah!).  The only problem with the Ashford flyer, though, is that the drive wheels are on the front of the flyer, and all of the pvc style spinning wheels I have seen have the drive assembly at the back of the flyer.  It was a small set back; my original plan had to be changed a bit.  Well, a lot.  The good part about this style though, is that the issues with the flyer head popping out of the front of the PVC holding pipe will probably be eliminated, since I'm expecting that the drive band will hold it down. 

The frame of the wheel will be made of 1" plumbing pipe--the cream coloured incredibly hard pipe that is very sturdy.  The short sides are cut 13" (so far); front long side is 18"; the back sides are 8 1/4" on either side of the T connector to fit the upright.  I've cut the upright 22 inches, and marked the hole spot for the wheel an inch above center.  The wheel is a 17" plastic wheel rim for a bmx bike, that cost me $20 at a second hand bike shop.  Including the glue and the pipe cutter, I've spent about $70.  (Yeah, I know--I could have bought a babe for that; but now it is the challenge of the thing, right).

Next--to figure out how to put together the flyer assembly, and the line it up with the wheel. 

Body of the dragon

This is the body of the dragon (one third of the whole thing!).  It is way bigger than I expected (about 23 inches before the head or the feet).

Olympic Sweater, but the gold was wishful thinking.

Like the last time, my goal was to knit an olympic sweater.  Perhaps if that had been the only thing I was doing, I would have made it, but I also made another sweater this month, and part of a dragon. 

Here is the   olympic hoodie, not yet blocked on its intended recipient:

I got the hood half way done, and realized that it would not make the closing ceremonies deadline with two sleeves to go.  So, this week, my goal is to finish the sleeves, put in the zipper, and work on my other unfinished projects (including my dragon).  

Crochet Blanket of Doom

Well, hoping to use up stash, I started this:

 

I'm a third of the way along, and so far, so good (but I'm still a knitter at heart.)

Knitting again

DD1 found some soon to be recycled yarn in the mysterious bags and asked to learn to knit again.  Yippee.

Explore

I love the idea of a single word focus for the year. It lets you evaluate all your goals, and simplify your thoughts and ideas.  My touch word this year will be Explore.

1. explore new horizons, and learn 10 new techniques in knitting, like knitting with thrums, and double knitting
   
2. explore a new technique and craft: learn how to crochet, including reading patterns
3. explore my stash of stuff, and what it can do for me, and what I can do with it, letting go of what isn’t helping me explore the possibilities, and explore the things I can do with what is left.  This is a ten out before a ball or pattern or yard of fabric in kind of goal.
   
4. explore a consistent goal of one sweater a month, and the discipline of being focused for a long period of time
   
5. explore how to connect with others more often in RL (join a knitting group, have people over to play cards once a month, be part of a community)
6. explore a healthy lifestyle–including going to the gym, eating more vegetables, and learning how to destress from work, which is really important for me, as I teach middle school children and I prefer little ones
7. explore life as debt free–work on establishing habits that let my debts decrease, and my life be full without stuff

Cleaning, and sewing...

So far, I've cleaned out the front hall and the front closet.  It is easy to get rid of stuff that is too small when the youngest can't even get the snow pants over the hips LOL. And, because the youngest is also wanting to make her new toy (a doll house), the basement got cleaned so she could build the house on the basement table.  It was a good thing--but it took a day to do.  Thant makes two car loads of stuff gone from the house.  It doesn't feel like that much, but now the cupboards are holding what they need to hold, and there aren't piles everywhere.   Thank the good lord for my hubbie, who is willing to drive stuff to the good will to get it out of the house.

I've also started sewing my SWAP, except, well, I started with something that may or may not work into the whole thing: a brown stretch velvet cowl neck turtle neck shirt.  Next up is a pair of lined, wool pants.  Between the 30 minutes of sewing a day, and the spring cleaning, I'm doing things slowly but surely. 

Shepherds and Angels

A thought came to me Christmas eve, about the angels and shepherds story.  Why did the angels appear to the shepherds? 

I'm not going to get into the literal and mythical issues about the birth stories of Jesus.  If angels appeared, I actually don't think that the angels appeared only to the shepherds of the day.  Given the importance of the event, I think angels probably appeared all over, but in all the clutter and noise of Jerusalem and Bethlehem they could not be heard.   Think of the time: the movement, the noise, the need to find a place to sleep and put all the stuff of travel since everyone was going back to where they were born for the census.  Is it any wonder that there was no quiet, no space, for the angels to be heard?  Not that they didn't sing in Bethlehem, but that their song could not be heard over the clutter and noise of the day.

Sometimes, I think that my life is like that.  Not that God isn't speaking, but that perhaps my life is so cluttered that I can't hear anything over the noise. Time to tidy, thin and make space.