Ramblings

It has been awhile since I posted anything. My intentions were good, but I got distracted I have been making socks for a Buddhist Monastery. Really, I am not kidding. There is a Zen Monastery in the Catskills in New York. The monks receive a stipend sufficient to cover their personal needs, but it is hard to find commercially made wool socks. They all wear sandals as they must remove their shoes when entering the sanctuary so warm, comfortable socks are a big deal. Since I have no idea of the size of anyone's feet, I am making tube socks. I use a fine gauge sock loom. While you can make ribbing on a loom I prefer to pick up the cast on stitches and knit the ribbing with DP's after the sock is off the loom. I find using a loom much faster then using DP's and far easier on my hands.

Then, of course, there is Christmas coming up. Every year for the last few years I have sworn I would not make a bunch of stuff for Christmas. Well, I am sure the reader knows how that goes. You see a pattern and know someone on your list would love it, and you are off and running. Haven't made anything for myself in years, and I am not the only one. Why is that? We are always knitting for family and friends while that pattern we loved and planned to make for ourselves sits ignored and the yarn we bought to make it is now a beautiful sweater in our daughter's wardrobe.

Miss Marks

I was introduced to crafts by my third grade teacher, Miss Marks. A sign of the times, I went all the way through school and never had a woman teacher that was married. They were all spinster ladies who seemingly dedicated every waking moment to their students, Miss Marks was typical. A bit past middle age, dark hair cut into a bob, with the faint shadow of hair on her upper lip as so often happens to post menapausal women. Her well corseted body was always covered by a black dress, of which she seemed to have an endless supply, and, of course, sensible shoes.

Miss Marks had a project for every phase of our learning. When we studied the American Indian, she brought in frame looms as well as raffia and reed for baskets. One had their choice of weaving or basket making. Which ever we chose Miss Marks was prepared to teach us how. I ended doing both and have retained that knowledge to this day.

For Father's Day Miss Marks brought in pieces of wood about 1/4 inch thick, dowels, nails and glue. She also brought in the necessary tools, coping saws, hammers and sandpaper. Miss Marks told us we were going to make a hat stand for our father. Another sign of the times. In those days no man left his home without wearing a hat. We all went outside and sat on the paved walk that ran in front of the classroom. We cut and hammered and spent a part of several days working on our hat stand. The one thing Miss Marks did not provide was paint. She had been a teacher for many years and was too wise to turn a bunch of third graders loose with a can of paint.

My parents were divorced so I gave my hat stand to my grandfather. Years later I had occassion to go in his closet, and there was my hat stand on the shelf holding one of his business hats. Still being used after thirty years.

Miss Marks was evidently a feminist as there was no distinction made between what was a girl's project or a boy's. Everyone participated in project after project, each related to whatever we were studying at the time.

Sometimes one has a teacher they will never forget. Miss Marks was mine. She taught us all the subjects as set out by the school district and made it fun. She also taught us skills we would not have otherwise had, but more than that, she taught us to do our best.

Cabbage Patch Craze

In 1982 Xavier Roberts came out with the Cabbage Patch Doll. He and family members had been selling the dolls at shows and other venues for some time calling them "Little People" In the first year Cabbage Patch was on the market it sold 20 million dolls. They were so popular there was a lot of copyright infringement. I was back in the South during that period and found women were buying one doll, carefully taking it apart, and using the pieces for a pattern, were making dozens of dolls for sale at local flea markets. Roberts brought legal action against all those about which he knew and won each case. However, he finally just gave up and sold out to Mattel.

When I first saw the dolls I was taken with the technique used to shape the features. I bought some fabric called Doll Face, manufactured just for soft sculture, and began to work out a doll of my own. I came up with five models, one of which is pictured in this post. I had been doing doll shows for some time , but was stunned at the reaction when I first introduced these new dolls. Women could not get enough of them. They are large dolls. Although the clothes the models wear were made by me, the doll owner could purchase ready made clothes in sizes 6 months to 1 year, and they would fit. Which is just what many did, taking their doll to the department store and trying on clothes for the wardrobe.

I have since tried soft sculpture with my knit dolls. While the effect is not quite the same, it does enhance the average doll. One can do as little or as much as they like, of course. With that in mind I have started a section with links to my tutorials. The one on soft sculpture is the first posted.

The Cabbage Patch craze eventually ran it's course. I have no doubt they will end in doll museums if they haven't already.

Finished my first Amigurumi

Awhile back I ran across a blog, By Hook By Hand which I enjoy. The owner, Beth, is an accomplished doll maker and has put her patterns on the blog as free downloads. While not a fan of Amigurumi, I fell in love with the little puppies and decided to try one. I downloaded the pattern and scrounched through my stash to find an appropriate color. I finished the little darling today. I found the pattern easy to follow, and the only problen I had was getting my arthritic fingers to hold the tiny legs while crocheting. I plan to make seversl more, add a big bow, and give them as Christmas gifts, each holding a gift card in it's mouth.

Here is s picture of my puppy. Since I ended using such light yarn I thought I would add a bit of color by knitting a bandana for him. He is watching over my computer.

High School Fads and Follies

I am afraid I am as guilty as most "old folks" of making negative comments on the dress of kids in high school. However, something brought my own high school fashions to mind the other day. Plaid and pleated skirt, bobbie socks and the sloppy Joe sweater. For those who were not around in the late forties, a sloppy Joe sweater was a must for every girl's wardrobe. You went to the shops and found the biggest sweater you could find. I remember I barely weighed one hundred pounds, and my sloppy Joe was a size 42. The sleeves were too long so had to be pushed up but wouldn't stay up as the cuff was too big so you put a rubber band around the cuff. Then you folded the cuff up to cover the rubber band after which your sleeve would stay put. The things hung down almost to our knees and were completely shapeless which may have been the point in a society of girls embarrassed by the changes in their bodies and any attention those changes caused.

Everyone wore saddle shoes and white bobbie socks. In my school one wouldn't be caught dead in clean saddle shoes. They were supposed to be grunchy, every spot a memory. My dad, a marine, decided one day to polish all the shoes in the house. I was not home at the time, but later I saw my lovely, dirty saddle shoes now immaculate and shiny. Disaster! How was I to even go to school the following day. To tell you the truth I don't remember how this turned out, but I am sure my mother would not have thought clean shoes sufficient reason to miss school..

Every girl wore makeup. Generally just lipstick and the redder the better, and powder. The hairdo of the day was the pompadour. You achieved those neat rolls at each side of your head with rats. Really, that's what they were called. Found in every five and dime they were made of some soft substance and covererd with a netting material to hold it together. You put one on one side of your head and pinned it at each end with bobby pins. Then you rolled and tucked the hair around and under the rat. Same thing on the other side. It was amazing how all this stayed in place. Even a fast game of volleyball in gym class could not muss your hair.

Boys had their own fashion dictates. One year all the "in" guys wore corduroys to school. However, they had to be unwashed. They wore them until they were so stiff they stood up by themselves, and for some reason we girls thought that cool. Another fad taken up by the boys were the reversible coats. Somebody came to school wearing a tan, reversible coat, corduroy on one side and the other was a canvas like material that was waterproof. Everyone had to have one. The thing was, all this clean, blank fabric was too big a temptation. Soon everyone with a coat was having it signed by their friends on the smooth waterproof side. Of course, knowing what their parents would say, they always wore it with the corduroy side showing when at home.

I have just touched on a few things that come readily to mind, but the next time you laugh at an old picture of your Mom, remember your own high school days.

Christmas Knitting

As hot as it is it is hard to think of Christmas, but it will get here and for those that like to give handmade gifts now is the time to start. I thought I would list a few of the things my family likes and perhaps help someone come up with an idea.

Slippers are always a favorite. I ended tweaking several patterns and came up with this one They are fast and easy and can be a great stash buster. The mittens in the picture are crocheted and perhaps the easiest mittens I have made. They are made in one piece. No going back and picking up thumb stitches and no hole at the base of the thumb. (My nemesis) Both patterns are also good for charity knitting.
The slipper pattern can be found here. The mittens can be found here
In the free pattern menu to your left are a couple of patterns I have made over and over at the request of family members. The reversible beanie is a favorite of my sons and the flip flop socks are a favorite of all the younger women in the family who seem to wear flip flops winter and summer.











For other free patterns and some great ideas I recommend Knitting Pattern Central. The link is under Favorite Sites. For those that crochet there is also a Crochet Pattern Central.

The one who receives your lovely handmade gift will probably never know the thought, time and effort that went into making it, but everytime their hands are warmed by the mittens you made or a scarf you made keeps out a cold winter wind, they will understand the love that went into every stitch.

Charity Knitting

I know for all those in the country sweltering under unusual heat and humidity that it is hard to think of knitting cold weather gear. However, winter will be on us soon and there are many in this country who need warm clothing. There are many groups that take handmade knits for those in need. Bev's Country Cottage has an extensive list with contact information. I have started mittens for the Indians of the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota. This tribe is very poor and hats, scarves, baby items, mittens are all appreciated. I also knit for the homeless and you can get information from the Salvation Army on where and what is needed.

I have a policy of not donating to those groups that are very particular about pattern, yarn and color. My personal feeling is as long as the item is well made the rest should not matter. It will fit someone who will love it.

I haver a feeling I am preaching to the choir here. I am sure that many of you have your own favorite charity to which you contribute. Just thought I would drop a reminder.