The Izzies have landed!

In today's mail a lovely letter of acknowledgement from HPIC  for the latest batch of Izzies.

No need to write, really, but it's good to know they arrived safely.

If you can read the type, it explains again why we do this. And if course it's a little carrot, to continue.  This particular knitting donkey doesn't need a carrot to keep  us trotting, but we like seeing it there.

And all the readers in here cheering and encouraging, are part of the work, never forget that you're vital to this donkey!

In response to many inquiries, well, a few

I did get a couple of rapid questions about the teacosy, and I thought, rather than just say oh, just do it, it would be friendly to explain a bit more.

All very well for me to say oh, just leave openings, you say, but is it a state secret?  How?

 If it had occurred to me that people would want to know how,  I'd have done pictures. But this is 2020, and so's hindsight, sorry. Anyway, in text:

I knitted this flat, the plan being that one opening for the handle would be left in the eventual seam. Then a slit for the spout went in the middle of the work, which became the spout side, once fitted. I kept fitting as I went.

Soooo, 32 stitches made about 10" at cast-on, which became 11" after a couple of rows. I was working in rib to make shaping easy, so one inch of stretch to fit a 12" pot snugly seemed a good estimate. And so it came to pass.

I kept an eye on where to start the slit for the spout, then at that point worked only half the stitches, back and forth until the slit reached the top of the spout. I kept all the stitches on the needles, but you could use a stitch holder for the half that's waiting. Once the first group of 16 stitches reaches the top of the spout, I broke the thread then resumed knitting just the other group of 16 till it matched the first set. Next row you just work straight across to make the join and continue in pattern.

Now you look out for the point where you've reached the rim of the pot and need to start decreasing to fit across the lid. I did k2tog p 2 all the way across, keeping the stitch pattern. Then one row no decrease, then again a decrease row, then straight.

At this point on this pot I was ready to break the yarn, draw it through the remaining stitches, tight, and finish off. With this bulky yarn there was still room to slip the knob through, but you'd have to look out for that with a finer yarn and draw it just tight enough to still slip the opening over the knob.

Then seam up the sides of the work, noting where the handle needs an opening.

Fit it on. Done. This is snug. You might want a looser fit, but I was thinking safety.

The other nice point is that the cosy holds the lid in place, without the ladylike Victorian finger on knob gesture.

I was using a bulky yarn which knitted up about twice as fast as I expected, so I kept the pot handy to model the progress.

This took maybe an hour from thinking and finding yarn and needles to fitting on.

And you can see how simple fingerless gloves work. Not even shaping needed, just knit a rectangle to fit, seam up leaving a thumb opening, done. July and I'm thinking cosy gloves, why, why?

Technical problem solved

So here's the Little Teapot, Short and Stout, here's her handle, here's her spout

Clad in handspun, and looking um, cosy.

Tip me up and

Pour me out. 

Trala

Teatime technical problem and solution

Since covid, Handsome Son's appearances chez Mom, nowadays delivering the groceries for me, followed by a visit involving a pot of tea and homebaked items, have undergone an overhaul.

Instead of one serving plate of whatever I baked, and a large common pot of tea, we've adapted.

 Now it's two stations, each with its own baked goods serving plate, sugar, him not me, spoons and milk pitcher. And individual teapots.  One at each end of the coffee table.

Here's the technical issue: the handle doesn't work for Handsome Son's hand. It slips. He needs a napkin to keep his knuckles from hitting the pot, ow. He doesn't have a lifetime of experience in pouring tea. As the hostess I've always done it.

So now we need some insulation, and I think a tea cosy is called for.  Not to keep the pot warm, it doesn't get the chance to get cool, but to save the heir's mitt.

I have great insulation here, handspun llama yarn from Bolivia, from a woman's co-op. Paid fair trade for it, too, still not wildly expensive. And with the added interest of bits of Bolivian grass and seeds here and there.

If this keeps llamas warm at high elevations, it should work at our teatable.

So I measured the recipient, too bad to cover up this design, but oh well. Two needles, 32 stitches, double rib. I'll work without a pattern, just leave slits to accommodate the spout and handle. Not unlike fingerless gloves I've made in the past.

I hadn't planned on this little project, but last evening the piteous cries of the wounded offspring, well, more like an indrawn breath and snort, pressed the issue.

So here we are.

Summer jacket finishing

This is a really important process, finishing the neckline and seams, to look fitted and as if it's supposed to have been like this all along.

This fabric presses a treat, beautiful seams, and now I'm sealing the neckline with bias binding. Then the pins and the white basting thread come out.

 See how well the outside is shaping? I'm happy about it. The neckline is the most visible part, and I'd like it to look right.  Silk thread from a seamstress long gone, bias binding likewise, weaving from an artisan. Honoring everyone with the best handstitching I can do. 

When I wear this, I'll be in the company of women. 

Summer jacket shaping up

 Shoulder and back seams stitched, side seams pinned only, first fitting. This is starting to look nice. I like the drape. 

It needs to hang overnight and try on again before I press it and stitch up the side seams.

It's going to be a jacket, because I need another color between this one and my face. With a white shirt it will look good. 

I will have a good bit of work to do to finish the seams, because this weave frays. I'm thinking bias tape over the top to seal them.  Same with neckline and hem. French seaming would be too bulky, likewise run-and-fell, so I think bias tape will work better.

I like all the decisions at each stage of even a simple piece like this. If I also like the end result, I have the basic diagram on file.

You opened up a great little project with this fabric, Joanne, thank you. The leftovers will make nice facecloths and shower mitts, I think. Nothing will be wasted!

Off to my virtual knitting group now.

More painting

Painting kit ready. Always good to have it right there, so you can seize the impulse.

A couple more small works from this morning.

Alla prima watercolor

Ink and wash

 After being reintroduced to nature journaling the other day by a presentation of John Muir Laws on Zoom, I thought it would be an idea to do that again. Not like botanical illustration, but my own watercolor style.

What the camera saw, quite different from what I saw.

I took a workshop years ago, a daylong botanical illustration event, just as a personal challenge, since I don't work that way. Wonderful teacher. It felt several years long, but I emerged with this

The main part I did in class, spent five hours on it. The added life and movement around that solid flower, I added in a few minutes when the teacher wasn't looking. She would have disapproved!

I did a few more flower studies that summer, before deciding I needed to get back to my normal speed-of-light approach to drawing and painting.

 It was valuable to visit another way of working, like another planet, just for the experience. But there was no joy in it, no happy discoveries. For me, that is. So that was good to know.

Anyway I thought I'd do a continuing series of small paintings based on the patio. There's enough material there for a lifetime, and each time I approach it I can decide what to focus on and how.

 It will probably become an artist's book, more about the artist than the subject. This is usually true, no matter who the artist or what the subject.

The size, height precedes width in describing painting size, is 5 x 3 and 8 x 5 inches. Astute viewers will note these are the size of index cards. They're also golden rectangles, a great shape for an artist to work in. You can go bigger, following the Fibonacci series, adding as you go.

 If you aren't familiar with Fibonacci, the Other Leonardo, check him out. The universe is built on the Fibonacci series, well, the other way around. I'm thinking in these terms because of the comet, not visible to me, sigh, rain, clouds.

Using the golden ratio, the balance is already there before you even start work. This ratio, 1:1.6, feels natural to humans, since we're pretty much built on those lines.

So, one problem solved ahead of time. There are plenty more as you work, each stroke foreclosing on future choices, without getting too technical.

 But you can't do better than get a bunch of index cards if you fancy drawing a bit. They're your friends.

Debris after today's work

Good morning's work and experience. This afternoon it's stitching some straight side seams in my summer top.

It's all go. Art will save us all.

Lint and lilies

Yesterday brought treasures.

 In the mail more clean and lovely lint from the loom of weaver friend. On the front step, more spent oriental lily blossoms for my freezer collection, from neighbor friend.

This is all raw material for the paper making I plan once the heat passes. It might be my August adventure.

The presents are so appreciated. Art is collaborative. Watch this space for some results.

Fred and Ursula Bear

Fred Bear now has both boots

He likes them pretty well.

And, being a nice guy, asked if his friend Ursula could have a long scarf, only wind it round well so she doesn't trip.

Her scarf is Tunisian crochet, haven't done that for a while, and I do like it.  It's a cross between knitting and crochet. Ursula never looks pleased but Fred tells me that's just her way, and she likes her new fancy scarf.

Now I can get back to the summer top, working my way down the strata. Yesterday's painting enabled today's work. 

Change of pace. Painting returns

One of the issues a multimedia artist, such as your humble blogger, has to deal with, is the strengths and drawbacks of skills.

If you stay with fine hand stitching,  or  spinning, say, your skills are on point. You also tend to get a bit tight and seeking perfection. Same with any form requiring accuracy and consistency.

You need all these skills in order to continue.

 But some other, equally important, forms need looseness and the ability to let things happen rather than make them happen.

This is very upsetting to beginning adult artists, in painting and drawing, who have an idea of what they want their result to look like, and haven't learned to let it be the way it will. Then they think they've failed. Noooo..

 You still use your skills but as a student of the painting rather than its director.  Even a tiny painting has to have looseness, because that's where the life gets in. It's why you work from real objects or people rather than photos wherever you can. And you can't know ahead of doing it how it will look.

And an artist never wonders what to paint. Either it's right in front of you, needing only your unique interpretation, for better or worse, or it's in your mind waiting to be freed onto the materials.

Long preamble to today's adventure, where I finally, after thinking idly for weeks, about drawing and painting, did a bit of painting. I realized I was getting a bit anxious about accuracy and losing some joy in the process.

Clearly I needed to set aside the current projects briefly.

For now here are the strata of WIPs. 

Top layer: bear's boot, next down summer top, next Constellation. They'll all benefit from a bit of peaceful painting. 

Setup under way, after much excavation among supplies

What was in front of me

Colors arranged on a white plate, best for judging color as it will appear on white paper. No preliminary drawing, just  right in, alla prima. Tiny painting,  taped  up on cold press watercolor paper

Painting released. As you see, a loose interpretation of what's there, suggestion of what might be, leaves something to the viewer's imagination, at least that's the plan.

 You use the colors you need, to say what you're saying. You're not bound to the literal color that's there. I chose a large margin, to lend weight to the piece.

Pleased enough to sign and date it. Some successful areas, some areas showing the artist's rust, but overall okay.

I'll leave the table set up for more painting, not wanting to go through the search again to assemble the doings.

Painting takes a lot more mental and emotional energy than other forms. I can't stay focused for very long before fatigue sets in. That's because of the constant decision making and inner dialog, or argument, I believe.

I feel a lot more stable and back in balance now.

So that's where we are on a heat wave Sunday.

Useful Things and Not So Useful Ones

Improving the shining hour, like the busy bee in the poem, since there's a heat thing happening, indoors is it.

You know how something annoys you for ages then finally you figure out a way to fix it, then more ages pass, then finally you fix it? And wonder why you didn't just do it before, instead of spending energy being annoyed? Today. Bathrobe. Me.

The usual problem, silly little lady pockets that won't hold a phone or a book or anything useful. I like this robe, it's cheerful and it fits. But I avoided wearing it because I need to carry my phone always. A safety precaution for an ancient, I mean mature, single lady.

Then finally I got around to enlarging the pockets. I found a nice piece of linen I dyed for an artwork years ago, leftover bit.

Cut sections to insert into the pockets. Did so after making sure they would be deep enough for my hands and my phone.

You'll notice I preserved the bottom of the pockets, inserted the linen in the middle. That way the serging at the pocket edges was kept and it was still strong enough for purpose.

I now have two lovely pockets I can put my phone in and any other stray items I need to carry.

The linen is beautiful, like slipping your hand into an artwork.

Then  there are activities you just do because you feel like them, no redeeming social value, no serious artistic purpose, just a pleasant way of messing about.

I thought I'd try the EZ baby booties with a bear in mind. 

Stripes just because. 

He likes the first one and is looking around anxiously for the rest of the pair. He would also like me to remove his name tag since he's been living here about eight years. He tells me this means he's staying. Another thing to consider doing once I get around to it..

He may start jonesing for a hat. Or a sweater. I may have opened a can of yarns.

My tangents have tangents

Recovering from the Triumph of the Auto Inspection Decal, q.v. https://fieldfen.blogspot.com

And now in tangent mode.

Not ready to open Salon Zabette because of interruptions from scheduled online meetings, not yet up for a new squad of dolls, not able to focus on Constellation, then the mail arrived. With a card from beloved granddaughter, a Japanese woodblock print.

She's been writing to me weekly for years, no matter where she is, China or India on business, Banff on writing retreat, home in Calgary lockdown, she writes. And since she caters to my art life, it's in series, the Canadian Group of Seven, Google them, or Chinese tomb soldiers, or Inuit art, or Pantone color cards, and others.

When I taught artist's books for beginners, I made an accordion book of her series of Chinese art, which you see here on the mantelpiece, handy gallery space

And I now am reminded to make others. Inuit, Canadian artists, Japanese prints for starters.

Very simply hinged together with tape. Done. About within my current capability, always a plus.

This book form is popular with adult beginners who are a bit intimidated about doing stitching and folding and more demanding forms. And they see instantly that they can find plenty of art cards stuffed away in drawers and enjoy seeing them again displayed. It doesn't affect the messages on the back, important if you want to preserve handwriting from someone important to you.

All you do is select cards with images in the same orientation, horizontal or vertical, arrange them in a pleasing sequence and get to work with tape. You might fancy washi tape, I like transparent tape to focus on the art.  Different folks, different strokes.

You might like to try it though. Let us know if you do.

Needle pillow in action and a chance find

I finished the needle pillow and went in search of needles to install. And found I can not lay hands on either of my needle cases. Looked in bags, drawers, everywhere, not a trace. 

So instead I installed the miscellaneous needles I found stuck into various bits of paper, probably when I couldn't find my needle cases.

Including this much punctured knitting pattern for EZ  baby booties. I've never known a baby, EZ or otherwise, keep booties on. They might work for teddy bears, come to think of it.

I do have an impressive box of needles, all sizes, from the minute ones I used to use for miniature needlework, to ones for dolls, upholstery, carpets, bookbinding, needles for all seasons. 

But the new pillow, which I really like, is for the more usual sewing and beading. My crewel needles for stitching knitting are too blunt to go in here, and they have their own home in the Bag of Knitting Tools, Some Mysterious. 

After an exciting day q.v. https://fieldfen.blogspot.com this was a peaceful way to spend the evening.

Tiny hexie project

Since I don't have the bandwidth right now to continue with the constellation piece or the cut-out top, I started a little project.

I had a bunch of hexies and templates left over from a pillow, so I'm making a needle pillow.

 These two sides will be attached, pillow style, and stuffed, and I can slip needles in.

 I don't do well with needle cases, tend to get the pages pinned together. I like them but since I'm not traveling with my work right now, this pillow will do the trick. Also it's about right for my current ability. And it will keep my needles out of the pincushion.

Inside job

Here's the gang, cosy inside the inner envelope, ten Izzies ready to leave.

 At the post office I'll get a padded envelope to slide this into, and they'll be on their way.

The address on the inside is insurance in case anything happens to the outer envelope.  And there's a letter of good wishes inside. 

So we're good.

Let salon est ouvert

The Salon Zabette opened this morning after a long break. It's located on my dining table, and was the scene of designing, cutting and thinking about the top I'm making from my artisan woven bamboo and cotton fabric from the Atelier Joanne.

It was like being 12 again and remembering how to make a pattern for a top in school. We had a first class sewing  teacher who taught us how to make the basic paper block from which you created the pattern to fit yourself and then make the garment. And how from there you could make whatever you wanted to.

 We were young kids, getting the foundation of dress design. We also learned all the hand stitches used in sewing and tailoring, including fancy ones. We had to hand stitch everything for two years before getting near a sewing machine. I still do things Miss Harris taught us in 1952! And I remember her explaining the difference between handmade (quality work) and homemade (did her best but oh well). 

Anyway back to today and I made a simple design which, depending on how the fabric hangs, will either be a vest or a top. 

First time in I dunamany years. I've used a French curve to shape a neckline. 

Here's the designer deep in thought shortly before whacking a bit off the hem. You'll notice I curved in the side a bit from the underarm to the hem, to add a bit of shape to an otherwise bald and unconvincing, no, no, that's Gilbert and Sullivan, sorry, to an otherwise boxy design.

And I made use of the handy selvedges, since this is narrow fabric. There'll be a seam down the back, and either a seam or an opening down the front. I treated it like a one way design, cutting the backs then the fronts vertically one above the other. 

And here's two backs, two fronts, seam allowances cut by eye, likewise the curve for the front neck.

And the resulting debris, known in the trade, according to Bernadette Banner, who should know, as cabbage. French curve lying northeast of the scissors.

Now for a pot of tea and a corn oat walnut muffin.

Madame Zabette has pencilled me in for a first basting and fitting tomorrow, when she gets around to it. And we'll see whether the results are handmade, yay, or homemade, boo.

Doll Ten and other capers

So I seem to have committed a Christmas in July red and white doll. Playing candy canes.  Still in search of a shipping package

And here's the next caper, a draft of an idea for a top made from the lovely fabric from Joanne. 

Light not so good, but you can get the gist.

Watch this space. With any luck, a following wind, and the creek don't git up, this may become something. Note all the disclaimers.

Nearly ten

While I look around for something to ship the Izzies in, I've made a couple more, using the drive-by yarn and some lovely hand dyed red variegated.

Here's the next Iz in progress. As you see the shape is a simple rectangle. There's a bit of shaping for the hat, but the structure of the body is done after stitching.

And here's his predecessor, next to Iz #8

Blueberries fir the Fourth, and a discovery

Handsome Son is coming over later today, working the Fourth, so I'm seizing the day and the cake. Original recipe used strawberries, but I went for blueberries. See my valuable handwritten notes, now lodged in the Big Binder

This is from YouTube, make it in five minutes they said. Not counting the hour to bake it. Nor the fifteen minutes looking up grams to cups. But it did come out looking good. Later I'll cut into it. I want him to see it before it's cut. There's an extra pleasure in seeing it then.

And in the course of reading a Joanne Fluke mystery, I saw what probably everyone but me knew: you don't have to buy thousand island dressing. She studs her mysteries with recipes because her detective is in food. So I tried this today.

Ketchup, mayonnaise, sweet relish. Mixed up. Applied to hot dog. Really good

So this is another thing I don't have to buy, added to the list of buttermilk, brown sugar, curry powder, crumpets, crackers. That list is longer than I realized. It includes sweater racks, garden sprinklers, heddles and other things starting to come to mind now I'm thinking about the category.

Well, happy Fourth to everyone celebrating it, pleasant Saturday to everyone else!