Waist Not

 Once again, a bit of knitting has pleased me greatly.  This is the inside casing of a waist band.  Just look at those beautiful stitches where the inside is knit with the public side.  One stitch at a time it works so perfectly.

There was a time that I feared such fiddly work.  It just seemed so tricky and complicated.    Over time, and with faith in my own ability, making a hem  or casing look neat and tidy from both sides is actually quite easy.

First, I start with good light.  Whilst sunshine is my preference, a bright and non-glaring lamp also works well.  

This is one of those tasks that I avoid doing in the evening.  Body rhythm being what it is, history tells me to join stitches in the morning or early afternoon.   Late afternoon and evening are lacking in patience and make for much frustration with the process.

For me, the folded casing or hem is a "one fell swoop" task.  Unless there is and ample uninterrupted  space of time, I don't even put the first stitch in place.  Oh sure, I'll pop a marker in stitch number one and smooth things out to see how everything is aligning.  But no stitchy stitchy unless there is time, time and more time.

If you've never turned a casing the basics are actually quite simple.  

1. Knit stitches as called for - often 4 - 6 rounds or 1/2 to 1 inch or some other specified measurement.
2. Purl a round - or do picot stitches if it will show in the wearing.
3. Knit the same number of rounds as at first
4. Fold along purl row and line up stitches nice and smooth and straight.
5. Pick up (with left needle tip) a stitch from the cast on edge and knit it with the first stitch on the needle, making sure that the stitches are lined up and no skipping occurs.
6. Do that around until the last 10 - 12 stitches and work those with out picking up.  This leaves a hole in the casing so that elastic can be inserted later.
7. After the elastic is inserted, sew the casing closed.

From the public side, it looks this smooth.  The purl round (#2 in above description) makes a nice straight turning ridge.

Pattern:  Bell Curve Skirt by Kira Dulaney  which can be had on Knitty here.

Serpentine Beauty

Cashmere swath

A study in indigo

Twisting and turning

Winding into air

Wispy breath

From pointy ends

So full of holes

So full of warmth

Thou art mine, alone.

So Soft, So Warm, So Fun

 The kit followed me home.  All I was doing was chatting with the good folks at a LYS and this was on the shelf near by and then it jumped to the counter and then next thing I knew it was on the front seat of my car following me home.  

Yarn is a sneaky and mystical thing.  It has a mind of its own and goes where it wants to go.  

Any who - - one week after this kit from The Alpaca Yarn Company  followed me home the work was done and the joy was abundant!  It is a very simple knit to create a mesh pattern.  That would be warm enough - given the alpaca.  But no no no.  More to come.  Paca Cinta, a bulky woven yarn provided in the kit, is woven through the mesh, tied off, and fringed.  

Do please click on the photo and view in a larger size.  Owing to the color dyes on the Paca Cinta and the simple weaving, color undulates across and through the brown scarf.  The impact is very pleasing, even when viewed from the "wrong" side.  I consider this one to be reversible.  And I do so love reversible scarf patterns.  

While I was rushing to finish this gift, Bert was reduced to spending time in his too small travel cage.

Bert does not enjoy his too small travel cage.

What's a mother to do?

Bert received the dregs of the Paca Cinta and he used it to make his very own scarf!  Way to go, you crafty creature.

A Picture Is Worth.....

Back To Basics

 The extended holiday weekend brought me back to the basics.  The basics of home decor and practical string work.

Bert needed a new lovey/play cloth.  He is rather protective of this new bright blue cotton.   If you look close, you'll see that his seed supply is covered up for safe keeping.  Sometimes it even becomes necessary to sit on top of the cloth so as to protect the food supply from some unseen seed thief.  

Although it does not show up here, and try as I might Bert would not pose appropriately, the bright blue does bring out the tips of his tail feathers.    He does so enjoy being a color coordinated flight of fashion.

The same simple crochet for Bert became new dish cloths for me.   Clicking on the photo might embiggen it and then you'll notice the texture.  These are just single crochet (sc).  The texture comes from working one sc in the back loop of the row below, the next sc in the front loop of the next stitch and repeat across.  A little bit more textural scrubby than plain single crochet.

All this new practical basic string work took just a few football games.  And - here is the joy of it all - no blocking required!