Hooked On Newton Fiber Art 2020-2021

Hooked On Newton has returned! One of the locations chosen to yarn storm is this fencing along Commonwealth Ave. at Ash St.  It's a well traveled area in and out of the city with high viability. It has the potential for a stunning impact because there is a LOT of fencing. The more of it that can get covered the better the effect will be. 

The fence slats measure 5.5" x 1.5" x 93" and can be easily covered with fabric where one side is approximately 11" (see photos of sample below.)

These patterns are provided to get you started but feel free to experiment with stitches, patterns and color – anything goes! More importantly, don’t fuss and  do not rip out anything you view as a “mistake."  Let whatever happens be the charm.

Email fiberart@newtonma.gov or call 617-796-1540 if you would like to drop off completed squares, have questions, or would like to learn more.

KNIT: 

1. Worsted weight yarn and size 9 needles 
2. Cast on 30 stitches 
3. Knit until the piece measures 11”. 
4. Bind off. Don’t weave in the ends! We’ll use them to stitch to other rectangles. 

OR 
1. Use any weight yarn and the needle size recommended for that. You can even use a needle size or two larger to make things go faster. 
2. Cast on as many stitches onto the needle as you want. The number of stitches on the needle will determine the width. Less stitches will make a narrow rectangle and more stitches will make a wider rectangle. 
3. Knit until the piece measures 11”. 
4. Bind off. Don’t weave in the ends! We’ll use them to stitch to other rectangles. 

Rainbow rectangles ready to be stitched together

CROCHET 

1. Worsted weight yarn and H or I hook. 
2. Chain 35 
3. Double crochet until the piece measures 11”. 
4. Bind off. Don’t weave in the ends! We’ll use them to stitch to other rectangles. 

OR 
1. Use any weight yarn and the needle size recommended for that. You can even use a needle size or two larger to make things go faster. 
2. Chain as many stitches as you want. The number of chains will determine the width. Less chains will make a narrow rectangle and more chains will make a wider rectangle. 
3. Crochet until the piece measures 11”. 
4. Fasten off. Don’t weave in the ends! We’ll use them to stitch to other rectangles.

I worked test samples to double check the pattern details and the results are incredible!

The back view of the fence from the carriage road

Zoomed in view from across the street

Zoomed out from across the street.  Now visualize all the slats covered!!

It's In The Bag

The other day I was going through my yarn stash looking for scraps to make comfort blankets for the local cat shelter. I came across a small ball of cotton yarn that had been used in an exercise of natural dying for a fabric structure class. Attached to the yarn was my note the yarn had soaked in a chrome mordant for 1 hour and a walnut dye bath for 1 hour 10 minutes. It's tough to see in this photo but the walnut dye has a lovely striping effect with the yarn.

I thought about throwing it into the pile destined for the cats, but decided instead to use it for making a new "It's In The Bag" bag. This is the perfect project for small scraps of yarn and when you have only one of a particular button.

I designed this pattern a number of years ago and it was included in the 2009 Crochet Pattern-a-Day Calendar. I publish it now as a free pattern.

"It's In The Bag" is a small crocheted pouch that holds one or two recycled plastic bags to reuse when shopping. I like to attach the handle of the plastic bag to the clasp of the pouch and keep everything all together.

IT'S IN THE BAG

Gauge: Don't worry about a gauge with this project!

Stitch Definitions:
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
fpdc = front post double crochet
hdc = half double crochet
sc = single crochet
sk = skip
sl st = slip stitch
st = stitch

Special Stitch Definition:
Shell: (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc)

Materials:
Worsted weight cotton
G Hook
5/8" Decorative Button

Pattern:
Rnd 1: Ch 12, 2 hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc across working 2 hdc in last ch; turn and working in bottom loops of chain, hdc across, sl st in beg hdc. (24 sts)

Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc throughout), dc in next st, *sk next st, shell in next st, sk 2 sts, dc in next st, sk 2 sts, shell in next st, sk next st, * dc in next 3 sts, repeat from * to * once more; end with dc in next st; join to top of ch 3.

Rnds 3 - 8: Ch 3, fpdc in next st, * sk 2 sts, shell in ch-1 sp, sk 2 sts, fpdc in next st, sk 2 sts, shell in ch-1 sp, sk 2 sts, * in next 3 sts work (fpdc, dc, fpdc), repeat from * to * once more; end with fpdc in next st, join to top of ch 3.

Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in same st; for this round only do not count the ch-1 spaces as a stitch, sc in the next 18 sts, ch 14, being careful not to twist the ch, sl st into sc last made, sc in next 5 stitches; join to beg sc.

Fasten off. Weave in ends. Attach button.

Replacing Grandma's Quilt - It's done

Actually, this quilt been done for a few months but I didn't like the photos I took, so I put this final update on hold.

Blogging and photographing my projects lets me share them with family, friends, and other crafters. Taking photos also helps me remember the details of how something was made, but it is a burden and does not come naturally to me. Frequently I have to make myself move on to other projects by accepting photos that are suitable, even when they don't look as professional as I would like them.

These are the final details about replacing Grandma's quilt.

• The name of the quilt is Quarantine Quadrangle Quilt or Q3 for short. It measures 90"x108".
• I sent the quilt top off to Nancy at Stitch After Stitch Machine Quilting. I HAD to choose this heart pattern for the quilting:
  
• Close up of the completed heart quilting. I LOVE it!
  
• I used my sewing machine's walking foot to stitch the binding.
  
• Nothing had been hand stitched on this quilt up until this point, so I HAD to sew the binding down by hand.
  
• This is the quilt on a double bed (in a room of our home that has more natural lighting.)
  
• Here is the quilt on our king bed (natural lighting in this room sucks!)
  

There is no doubt in my mind that grandma would love my quilt. Here's to you grandma. I miss you.

RBG Collar

I made this collar over a year ago in honor of RBG. Here's the pattern.

Stitch Definitions:
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
trc = triple crochet
st = stitch
sl st = slip stitch
ws = wrong side
rs = right side

Materials:
#10 white crochet cotton
#7 steel crochet hook
1 or 2 1/2" button(s)

Special Stitch Definition:
Shell: (dc, ch 2, dc)

Pattern
Ch 167
Row 1: (ws) Sc in 11th ch from hook (button loop formed) and each ch across row. (157 sc)

Row 2: (rs) Ch 5 (counts as dc plus ch 2), dc in same st, *ch 3, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st, ch 3, skip next 2 sts, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next st (shell made), repeat from * across.

Row 3: Ch 6 (counts as dc plus ch 3), dc in next dc, *ch 4, dc in next dc, ch 3, dc in next dc, repeat from * across.

Row 4: Sl st to center of loop, ch 5 (counts as dc plus ch 2), dc in same space, *ch 5, skip ch 4 loop, shell in center of next loop, repeat from * across.

Row 5: Sl st to center of loop, ch 5 (counts as dc plus ch 2), dc in same space , *ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, shell in center of next shell, repeat from * across.

Row 6: Ch 6 (counts as dc plus ch 3), dc in next dc, *ch 6, dc in next dc, ch 3, dc in next dc, repeat from * across.

Row 7: Sl st to center of loop, ch 5 (counts as dc plus ch2) , dc in same space, *ch 3, sc in next loop, ch 3, shell in center of next loop, repeat from * across.

Row 8: Repeat row 6.

Row 9: Repeat row 7.

Row 10: St st into loop, ch 8, sl st in 4 ch from hook for picot, **1 trc in same space, (ch 4, sl st in 4th ch from hook for picot, trc in same space) 3 times, *ch 3, sc in sc of previous row, ch 3, trc in center of next shell, ch 4, sl st in 4th st from hook for picot, repeat from ** across, end by working from ** to *.

Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Soak and block to open up lace.

Sew button(s) to top edge side on right side across from the button loop. Sewing on multiple buttons allows for the collar to lay at different lengths.

Replacing Grandma's Quilt - Starting Over

Previous: Replacing Grandma's Quilt - What Went Wrong

There is currently a coronovirus pandemic and everyone is social distancing or sheltering in place. I need a major project to keep me busy and occupy my mind. It's time to take grandma's replacement quilt out of the closet and figure out how I'm going to rework it.

I went looking for a new quilt pattern, trying to find one I liked which fit these two requirements:

• The pieces of the new pattern have the same shape and size as the old quilt.
• The two colors are more evenly distributed across the pattern (no large areas of the same color.)

I found this variation of the "exploding" square quilt block:

The pattern is a standard 9 patch block. I need to merge some of the patches together (in order to minimize fabric loss because of re-cutting) and then assemble each block a little differently but this pattern will mean minimum cutting of the pieces from the first quilt top. I'm going to embrace this and "make it work."

The top is DONE! I like it so much better than my first attempt. I can't take good pictures from my master bedroom because we have a king size bed in a small room with north and west facing windows (meaning not great light) but I think you'll get the idea with this photo:

Now it's off to Nancy, the fabulous quilter at Stitch After Stitch Machine Quilting. It's going to look even better once she works her magic. It's not a blue ribbon contender as far as quilts go, but it's a more than adequate replacement for my grandmothers quilt.

I do want to name it. Quarantine Quilt? QQ? Any better ideas? Let me know!

Coming next: Replacing Grandma's Quilt - It's done.

Replacing Grandma's Quilt - What Went Wrong

Previous: Replacing Grandma's Quilt - The Decision

My plan to replace grandma's quilt is to sew a very simple top and then send it to a professional machine quilter. I admire quilted items and I know how to do it, but my sewing interests and projects have typically been garments. I don't have the patience to hand stitch a quilt of any size (much less a king-sized one.) I don't feel compelled to make a quilt the same way grandma did and I am absolutely certain that she would approve of this strategy.

I'm going to gloss over most of the details for this next part because what I saw in my head was NOT what came out. This can happen to me for a variety of reasons and this time it was because I misjudged the scale.

I tried to reproduce this uncomplicated and easy design. Technically it's a chevron pattern, but I see hearts!:

What I did:

UGH. I made the fabric pieces too big and it threw the scale of the pattern off. I hadn't adjusted for the fact that my bed is king size and the one in the picture was probably double size.

I did not like the result and could not talk myself into believing that it would be fine when quilted.

I took all the stitching apart, threw the fabric pieces into a box, hid it the back of the closet and waited to calm down. All of this happened over a year and a half ago.

Coming next: Replacing Grandma's Quilt - Starting Over

Replacing Grandma's Quilt - The Decision

You know that one picture you have in your mind of a person? The one you always think of when you remember them? This is the one for me of my Grandmother Loretta. Here she is enjoying a beautiful Michigan summer day by sitting outside on her deck and quilting. Don't you love the "Harry Potter" glasses? She wore them decades before J.K. Rowling put them on Harry. I have many memories of my grandmother and her quilting is a prominent one.

Grandma made dozens (if not hundreds) of quilts for her family and she HAND QUILTED all of them! To this day, I don't how she did it. She believed quilts provide a function and purpose and she had one insistent directive when giving them - "Use it!" She didn't want her work stored away untouched and unseen. Through the years I received three of her quilts, two bed sized and one crib.

One quilt is in my guest bedroom. It is a double bed size quilt with a maple leaf pattern that is bright and cheery and has a vivid pink binding. The memory of my grandmother is passed on each time we have new guests and I tell the story about her and her quilts.

The crib quilt became a "blankie" for my daughter Laura, who loved wrapping herself in it. Enveloping yourself in one of grandma's quilts is ...... Wow, I can't find any words for that incredibly special feeling!

The biggest quilt is queen size but fits our king bed (pictured here on a smaller bed) and has been covering it for over 30 years. The quilt is literally falling apart and needs to be replaced (you can see some of the damage in the photo). However, the idea of sleeping under a store bought quilt doesn't feel right and I can't do it. I need a quilt that will continue to help me remember grandma and one that follows her quilting tradition. I'm going to have to make it myself!

My plan is to sew a king size quilt to replace my grandmother's quilt. How much of a crafting adventure will this be and what can (or will) go wrong? Follow my journey and find out!

Next: Replacing Grandma's Quilt - What Went Wrong

Coronation Cord and Pinwheel Bedspread - Tracking down Crochet History

This past week I struck pay dirt and finally found the answers to two crochet mysteries.

Mystery #1

I was intrigued by the wavy line of work in the middle of this crocheted edging. I had never seen anything like it before and didn't know how it was done. The answer is coronation cord. Coronation cord is a trim used in embroidery, crochet and tatting work and its use peaked during the late 19th century and early 20th century.

The crocheted edging was attached to a linen cloth that was probably originally used as a hand towel. The cloth was stained and worn so I removed the edging and I'm waiting for the right project to come along to reuse it.

I'd like to find the pattern for this piece but I've never seen a crochet trim pattern that called for the use of coronation cord so I'm going to have to try looking in some new places.

Mystery #2

Over 10 years ago I wrote a blog post about Crochet at Colonial Williamsburg and showcased this bedspread. I FINALLY found the pattern!

The name of the pattern is Pinwheel Bedspead No. 423 and it was published in the book Bucilla Hand Crocheted Colonial Bedspreads. The book has a copyright year of 1932 which fits right in with the time that the Rockefellers moved into Basset Hall. You can find this book and hundreds more vintage pattern books at the Antique Pattern Library