Build your stash relatively inexpensively

...or How to knit with better yarn than you otherwise might have done.

or, How to support your habit.

A big portion of my stash has not been acquired in the conventional way (walk into the yarn shop & buy). I can't often afford a sweater-quantity of Dream in Color, or Malabrigo Merino. I do have a few tricks that help me to knit with the fiber I want to, while shaving something off of the cost.

1. Purchase yarn from or trade yarn with knitters on Ravelry who have changed their mind about a purchase or have excess yarn.
2. Purchase yarn on ebay from shops like Cucumberpatch UK, ColourmartUK, Catnip yarns, Yarnbow, & Arpat_yarn store for Addi Turbo needles...
3. Purchase or trade for yarn on Etsy.
   



4. Ask for yarn as a gift! Act nonplussed when people question these requests.
5. (With a smile in your heart) purchase nice quality yarns that have been donated at the thrift shop. It's rare, but it does happen. Yarn may benefit by overdyeing. In my own unique value-system, thrifted yarn might be a good thing, while shiny new acrylic yarn is most likely not a good thing.




6. If a member of your local fiber guild has an estate sale, or there is mention of a weaver or knitter liquidating their stash, you've struck gold. Arrive early. Bring cash & be ready to spend it.
   
   
   
7. Wine & dine the local fiber community. joke!
8. If you're a pretty accomplished knitter, offer to knit models for the LYS, or test knit on Ravelry in trade for yarn.




9. To state the obvious, shop sales.
10. Frog & reknit. Yarn may benefit by overdyeing.
11. Deconstruct high quality* sweaters from the thrift shop. A Niddy Noddy comes in handy in this case for calculating yardage. One pass around equals 1 yard. Yarn may benefit by overdyeing.

*cashmere, cashmere & silk blend, Shetland or merino wool fiber.

Be selective. Some of these practices should be undertaken in moderation or you'll lose all sense of proportion.

I told you I'm a scavenger!

Miss Alice slouchy beret

I am in a slouchy hat phase. It has just begun, but I'll have to make at least two before I move on to something else. My first example is this pattern designed by Carrie Strine; Hand-Me-Downs on Etsy. This pattern has the lace-magic thing going. The pattern opens up when the beret is blocked & really looks beautiful! I learned a new little beret blocking trick on Ravelry. Once the wet beret is stretched over a dinner plate, I threaded a string through the knit stitches on the cast on row & cinched the hat in. This just made the finished opening (the ribbed edge) nice & small & perfectly even.
Modeled shot to come.

Giveaway Winners ~ Oh, happy day!

The winner of the Mini Birdcage is Stephanie! Congratulations & thank you for celebrating with me! Please contact me Stephanie & I'll get your mailing address.

The winner of the Scandinavian Mitten pattern book is Spillyjane who says she's obsessed with mittens, & I believe her!

I've had the happiest Blogiversary ever! This Blog-party rocked all week. I enjoyed it so much that I won't wait a year to host another giveaway. My vintage pattern collection is formidable - stored by decade. Please check back for periodic pattern giveaways here ~ I'll post a heads-up on Ravelry & Flickr too.

Mid-Century Monday

Paul McCobb.

Botanical Stitch Markers ~

Some new old favorites; soldered sterling silver jump rings, for use with needles up to 6.5mm/ US 10. Lightweight & cheerful :)

Unique Again!

Blogiversary Mini Birdcage Giveaway

Just recently I passed my two-year Blogiversary. I've loved meeting & talking with all sorts of funny, interesting, encouraging & kind people with interests similar to mine. I want to mark two years in some small way, & I've decided to do so by giving two little things I love.

If you'll leave a comment, in one week I'll draw a name & contact the winner. You may leave a comment on one or both posts.

Blog Giveaway ~ Scandinavian Mittens

Happy Blogiversary! If you'll leave a comment on this post, in one week I'll draw a name & contact the winner.

This is a special copyright 1948 knitting booklet; Scandinavian Mittens by Kajsa Lindqvist. It contains patterns for all of the designs pictured on the cover - seven patterns for adults, two for children, & two for babies. Complete with graphs and Illustrations.

(First and second annual Mitten Day Celebration)

Baby Knits

For Olive whom I'm sure will love to read and will make an excellent conversationalist.

The sweater is a favorite vintage pattern of mine (Vogue Knitting, 1936). It may be worn with the ribbon tie in the front or back. The hat is adapted from an adult hat pattern 'The Republic', available free here.

I modified the pattern in the following ways to make a newborn size:

Tension: 8 stitches = 1 inch

Using size 3 needles & fingering weight wool cast on 91 stitches. Work back & forth in garter stitch until desired width (to accommodate my buckle). Cast off 11 stitches for tab, join & work in the round in st st. Knit until hat measures 3.25 inches from cast on.

Crown:

row 1: K8 K2 tog across row (72st)

row 2: Knit

row 3: K7 K2 tog across row (64st)

row 4: Knit

row 5: K6 K2 tog across row (56 st)

row 6: Knit

row 7: K5 K2 tog across row

row 8: K4 K2 tog across row

row 9: K3 K2 tog across row

row 10: K2 K2 tog across row

row 11: K1 K2 tog across row

row 12: K2 tog across row Break yarn leaving a tail approx 16”. Gather stitches, finish off.

Mid-Century Monday

Little People come out to play today!

Little People Valentine cards.

Beautiful color on a foggy day ~

Look! Click on individual pictures for larger view.




























I was casting about in my fog-surrounded home this morning, looking for something colorful. The most wonderful book jumped off the bookshelf; colorful & timely too; inspiration for my doll project! Each figure wears a colorful layered folk-costume. The costumes pictured are tremendously varied in pattern & style.

I can provide no information about this book other than its publication date of 1965. Although over half of the book is text, it is Russian. A quick check on my magic computer tells me that Russian is one of the world's most widely spoken languages, used in numerous countries including Chechnya, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Mongolia. Hmm (thoughtful absorption).

All of these potteries are dated & labeled, but alas they remain a mystery to me. And that's ok.

Nether Garments

Today's progress. Later; a blouse or dress with smock, boots, cap or bonnet. I think I'll give her short hair. I'm completely surrounded by fog & really feeling the grey-ness of the day. My inspiration has sort of greyed out.

The Waldorf doll continued...

This doll will be for a very little girl, so in dressing the doll my challenge is to create clothing that is difficult to remove without using traditional fasteners like buttons, hooks; or even snaps! The doll itself is made with all new materials, but I plan to use recycled fabrics & sweaters in the clothing. Since it's winter time, her look will be very layered. Think of Heidi.

This morning I've been working on her one piece undergarment. This is the piece I especially want to have stay on well. I've made a second & slightly larger body (torso & legs) & that seems to work pretty well.

More later!

Mid-Century Monday