Hats for Christmas - Needle Felting

Have you tried needle felting?  It's addictive.  At a recent craft show I was participating in I received an order to make a special color (turquoise) needle felted hat.  Once I completed the hat I delivered it to a co-worker who had ordered it.  That turned into an order for five more hats.  Black hats.  I found out that black wool is not cheap!  The dyes are expensive making the black colored wool expensive.  So, I emailed Ms. Luna and she was able to send me four gorgeous batts of naturally black wool from her Shetland sheep.  The wool needle felted very well.  Once the hats were completed I again took to work to my co-workers who ordered them.  Doing business with friends and family is sometimes a delicate situation.  A comment was made that the "black" was too "brown."  A defensive emotion came to me but I had to be calm.  I explained that the Shetland black wool was natural from the actual sheep and the color was not going to be a flat commercially dyed black and that the dimension in the wool was a gift.  I sold 4 out of the 5 hats specially ordered!  One co-worker just couldn't accept the brown in the black.  I was disappointed but also took a deep breath and got over it.  The pics below are of the needle felting process and some finished hats!  Enjoy! 

 

Crochet + Felting = Hat

The end project is a hat called a "bucket hat."  There are patterns for the bucket hat on the web.  Two skeins crocheted together to make a think material of wool.  I followed the directions step by step.  I was happy with the shape but noticed the size was much smaller than it was supposed to be for a "man-size" hat. After a couple of rounds in the washing machine wash cycle I was happy with the felting.  After drying though the hat was much too small for any man's head.  I must confess, I didn't use the gauge or size crochet hook in the directions.  So, all of that work around and around in the back loop only, washing, felting and I ended up with a very nice...felted bowl.  I purchased a "P" hook and will be starting a new bucket hat following all of the directions including gauge and hook!  Enjoy the pics! 

Crochet Bucket Hat

Single Crochet with two skeins of 100% wool. 

Hat once felting is done. 

Nice felted bowl! 

What I'm reading now.....

Maggie Sefton writes a good murder mystery and entertains you with activities in her YLS discussing knitting, crochet, felting wool, spinning yarn in their classes while you're trying to figure out "Who did it?"  There is a series of 10 books she has written in the same fashion.  I have read three-quarters of the way through Skein of the Crime and I still haven't figured out who killed Holly.  One Maggie Sefton murder mystery almost read and 9 more to read.  Post a comment if you've read a Maggie Sefton mystery!

BaaBaa...

A long time friend of mine goes shopping and gives me a call.  This time she was excited and I could hear it in her voice.  She found a sheep with spinning yarn lingo on it.  She described it to me and told me the cost and of course I had to have it but I did not imagine how really wonderful this little sheep is until I got to see it.  Take a look at the pics.  I love the texture.  I love the wording.  I love the sheep. Thanks Cindy! 

My sheep is made of wood and measures two feet wide by about one foot tall.  

This pic is a closer look at the textures and of the word stenciling. 

And this pic of the face and horn may mean this my sheep is actually a little ram.  

Another Sweater Creation and Buttons too

I had an itch to create something purple.  I purchased "Purple" Vanna White yarn and chained away to begin my purple sweater.  I crocheted it the same method as the last one...three rectangles one for the back two for the front sides and added the sleeves crocheting in the round.  Not too bad for only my second garment. 

I wanted some special buttons for my sweater.  I had an idea to make my own buttons with polymer clay.  I rolled out a block of white clay, cut circles with a 1 1/2 inch biscuit cutter and gave them a mushing in between some embossing folders from my card making supplies.  Once out of the oven and cooled I used my Copic Markers to apply color to the buttons and then a layer of clear nail polish over the top for a little shine. 

Close up pic of one of the buttons I made for my purple sweater. 

Kromski Niddy Noddy

I'm pretty new to the world of spinning and fibers and all of the lingo that goes along with it.  I kept reading and hearing about "niddy noddy" and I ordered and received mine in the mail just a couple of days ago.  I watched the Kromski "Tim Talks" video on You Tube so I would wind my freshly spun yarn correctly onto my Niddy Noddy.  I think the skein looks really nice.  Tim taught me that the niddy noddy is a measuring tool - which I didn't know.  Mine is a two foot niddy noddy so that means if you wind 50 times you have 100 feet of yarn.  So, the niddy noddy not only makes your yarn beautiful and organized but it also helps you measure skeins that are equal for selling at the fiber festivals.  

Jane's Urban Cottage Roving Club

I joined Jane's Urban Cottage roving club for three months.  She's already sent me a Valentine roving sample that's very special.  Now, I really can't wait to receive my roving club merino.  I found her on Etsy - jacksbluejane.  I'll spin the merino with my Kromski Sonata spinning wheel as soon as I receive it so please check back with me and see how it turns out. 

My First Crochet Garment....for me.

I need a lesson in photographing garments that's for sure because this yarn by Vanna White Lion Brand in Barley is very nice and soft, a beautiful color with flecks of black and white chenille.  The photo doesn't give the yarn good credit.  I wore my sweater to work and the ones who commented like it very much.  This is my first project that's a garment for myself.  I picked up the buttons on a clearance stand in the craft department at  Wal-Mart.  They are very good quality buttons - not plastic - some sort of shell with a swirly brown color.  I enjoyed making this sweater and didn't read any pattern to make it.  I do read crochet patterns but this one just came off the hook!  I've wanted to write that for a long time - off the hook - ha!  Made of three simple rectangles, one for the back and two for the side of the front and then I connected on the sides and at the shoulders.  I crocheted in the round beginning at the side "seams" to form the sleeves.  I simply measured from the top of my shoulders to my hip bone and across my back to get the measurements.  This one measure 12 inches by 28 inches for the two front pieces and 24 inches by 28 inches for the back.  My next one will be the color purple.  I will be searching to find some wonderful big buttons for it. 

From Two Spindles to One...

A sea of blue colors being spun into a two skein yarn.  I purchased this roving in a "batt" or "bump."  I didn't know either meant at the time of purchase.  I was at my second fiber festival and I thought the blue colors were pretty.  When I began pulling the roving from the "batt" it was stiff and sort of sticky.  I wasn't willing to spin it for a while and then I decided to see what would come of it.  Once I started spinning the yarn was pretty and didn't look any different from fluffier roving.  I did notice though that my hands felt sticky.  Maybe someone is willing to explain to me what the sticky feeling is in the roving.  I would love to know.  Anyway the yarn is pretty and I'm hoping to crochet a handbag and felt it.  Because I love all colors of blue I'm looking forward to the final project. 

Oh....Lazy Kate

Since I've been plying my single ply yarns I ran out of room on the spindles from my Kromski to complete the yardage of the yarn.  Searching the internet I found several Lazy Kates but none that seemed to hold as much yarn I would like to be able to.  I had the idea to find some antique loom spindles at our local antique shops and that was easy peasy.  I found a huge basket in the floor of one booth full of all shapes and sizes of loom spindles.  I bought my eight inch loom spindles for $5 bucks a piece and the smaller ones with the really cool gears on them for only $3 bucks.  I had an idea of what I wanted the base to look like to hold my new spindles  The men in my house build motocross cycles, street rods and houses but when I have an idea or ask for help....they seem to disappear.  There it was an oak DVD holder at the Goodwill and just looking at it I thought just maybe it could be modified to hold my loom spindles. When I got it home and placed the loom spindles on the horizontal posts I could not believe how well the loom spindles fit.  I was a happy camper.  With the loom spindles resting on the horizontal posts I knew that when I went to plying my yarn the spindles wouldn't move easy.  So with some 5/8" dowel rods and much coaxing for some holes to be drilled in the sides of the oak DVD shelf the loom spindles are resting above the horizontal posts and spin smooth.  Sure I would have loved to order the beautifully crafted Lazy Kate that matches my Kromski but I got a whole lot of bang for not much money and a lot room to ply yarn from on my homemade version.  I hope you are inspired to look around and see what resources you have to create your own Lazy Kate.  

The board behind my Lazy Kate is not attached.  I'll publichs another post after I load up some spun wool on these loom spindles with some pics to show you.  I purchased some pretty reddish color paint to spray my Lazy Kate - not the loom spindles of course.  That's going to have to wait probably until spring because it is freezing cold in our garage - snow fell all night.  Snow day for the kids but not for me!

Wool Stash for Felting

My wool stash is stacked on a shelf in my work....play room so I can see it.  I love the colors!

Worsted....naturally woolie...

All sorts of ideas run through my mind when I receive a new package of roving.  Like a lot of people who aren't fortunate enough to live on a farm with sheep and chickens I have a full-time job that gets crazy at times.  Spinning helps me chill.  I purchased this roving on-line from Ann Walter.  I wanted to spin another color roving with this roving but the dark brown was so rich I decided to spin two Kromski spools full of single ply and plyed them together.  Since I'm pretty new to spinning I go with the flow allowing the roving to work through my hands.  The yarn is thick and thin in texture.  I'm impatient drafting because I love spinning.  My fluffy dark brown yarn is 9 wpi "worsted" according to the yarn gauge.  

According to the yarn gauge guide I spun a "worsted" yarn at 9 wpi.   

Spun Yarn and the Wooden Dough Bowl

My mom and I love to visit consignment shops and Goodwill stores for stuff...you know you need it when it finds you that kind of stuff.  While rummaging a Goodwill in Kentucky, my mom found this wonderful dough bowl and I begged her for it. Oh, mom...blah, blah.  She gave it to me.  It is about 14 inches across and not a crack in it.  

The yarn inside the dough bowl is the first yarn that I have spun ever.  The green is dyed from Jello lemon-lime flavor.  The orange and white is a pumpkin roving I bought from an etsy lady who lives in Virginia.  I plyed the pumpkin yarn with some white Merino yarn I spun from my Kromski Sonata,   and the brown varigated yarn is from some roving that I bought at the Indiana fiber show this past fall.  There is also some orange yarn peeking out from under the rest because it is my first attempt at spinning and it's bad - really bad mostly kinks.  

I asked Luna from Elizabethtown, Kentucky http://blueballmountainspindleneedleworks.blogspot.com  what is a good spun yarn and she answered, "If you love it, it's good spun yarn."  What a great answer. 

Bamboo From China

Again, shopping on ebay I found a wonderful bargain on bamboo yarn.  So many pretty colors and I bought all of the skeins on the auction - 16 skeins for only once cent or two cents per skein.  I thought that was a pretty good deal until I received the invoice and I owned $48 dollars.  I thought to myself, "Where did I purchase this bamboo yarn from China?"  And sure enough that's where I had bought it from.  Forty five dollars was for shipping and handling to the United States.  I have really enjoyed the bamboo yarn and the ebayer from China was very kind.   

Felted Tote

Foiled48 is the Ebayer that I have purchased quite a lot of wool yarn from.  At the end of the summer this year when visiting a fiber fest in Northern Indiana, I was checking out some wool yarn and recognized it.  Sure enough Mr. Foiled48 was standing there in person.  It is a small world.  The colors are beautiful and felting...it is the best felting wool ever.  Give him a try if you don't spin your own or if you do.
 

I crocheted this bag using two colors of wool yarn for the muted colors by creating a rectangle for the bottom and building up using only the top strand of the "v" in the single crochet to work the material straight up not out.  Otherwise you would get a bowl shape instead of a tote shape.  I crocheted to handles for the tote by chaining 100 single crochet and four rows, folding in half and stitching them together.  I felted the tote and handles in hot water my washer and shaped the tote using a cereal keeper (cheap $3 from Wal-mart) which wasn't planned but works great! Of course I took the cereal out before placing the keeper in the tote to dry overnight. 

The pic to the right is the completed bag after adding the handles.  To add the handles since the felted material is sturdy, choose where you want to place them poke a hole through the felted material with a pointy scissors.  Tie a knot to keep the handles in place.  I made it pretty deep so my stuff doesn't fall out and even my new Spin-Off mag fits in perfectly. 

My Kromski Sonata

I collected business cards and flyers during the Harrison County Fair Grounds Fiber Show.  I walked around in ah looking at the yarn successfully spun.  I wanted to buy roving but without a wheel I wasn't sure what was a point to buying, but I bought some anyway - some fluffy white merino.  Once home I made myself a top whorl spindle and began to wear out my leg spinning and spinning.  A couple of weeks passed and I really wanted to try the spinning wheel.  I pulled out those business cards from the fiber show and began calling spinners asking if they knew anyone with a used wheel for sale.  It worked out great for me because the someone who had my wheel for sale lived only 30 minutes away from me.  What a great lady - Sherry greeted me and told me to come on in and try out the wheel.  She explained how to use the wheel and take care of it. She showed me some of her beautiful spun yarn.  Oh, some day I hope to spin something that beautiful. She told me about "roving of the month clubs" which I haven't joined any yet but I plan to.  After spinning a short while I purchased my cherry finish Kromski Sonata (born in 2006) and packed her away in her green "Ninja turtle" case.  

 

70% Cashmere

Before I attended my first fiber show and discovered roving and spinning, I searched second hand shops for beautiful sweaters and harvested the yarn for just a few dollars.  This is one my of favorite finds.  I love the blue color and the texture is very soft.  When I first felt the sweater I thought it was a very soft cotton and then read the label cashmere and silk oh-la-la.  Here are a few pics.  I haven't crocheted anything from the yarn because I want to get much better at crocheting before I use it.  The size small sweater yielded eight cakes of yarn from the winder enough for something lovely to wear. 

From Sweater to the Swift

I searched the web for some ideas on a yarn winder and combined some different things that I saw and came up with the swift in the photos.  From this swift I wind the yarn to the yarn winder that makes the cakes from which you crochet from.  The winder above is made with PCV pipe.  I cut the pieces and my husband glued everything together.  My original plan did not have the round thing in the middle.  When my husband handed me my swift it was there.  When I asked him why it was there he told me that there needed to be a sturdy separation between my PVC "legs" or it wouldn't work.  So, I guess you could say that my husband and I both came up with this swift.  And it does work very well.


The puppy "helping" is Kiwi, my chiweenie.  She loves to steal away my natural fibers and really has no time at all for acrylics.  She's a smart girl although annoying when I'm spending time winding and must chase down what she has stolen.

Vintage Stoles and Shrugs Circa 1953

Look at this fab crochet pattern book I found at the Goodwill.  I rarely look at the magazine rounder by the front door, but I saw a couple of mags when I was walking out that interested me and this is what I found under a stack.  Oh, my goodness my heart started beating faster.  I would love to crochet one of the shrugs you know they are back in style anyway.  I photographed some of the inside pages for you.  

The caption for the "Party Girl" blue and white sweater says, "Short - quick - and easy to make...and just "deevine" to be seen in.  Teenagers everywhere just love, love, love stoles and shrugs."  I'm pretty sure that's not true in today's time but in 1953 it was probably peachy keen! The original price for this mag was a whole ten cents. 

4% Wool

I would usually pass up an acrylic sweater, but the combination of acrylic, poly and wool made the sweater so soft I just had to have the fiber.   

Once off the yarn winder reminds me of oatmeal warm and yummy.  I can't wait to crochet something soft and lovely with this fiber.  The yield from this sweater was four full size cakes enough to create a vest, scarf and gloves...that'll be in another post.