I know this "knitting thing" is quite a departure from my normal posts, but I did take up needle felting and stuck with that for a time too, until I got comfortable with it. And, I am getting more comfortable with knitting, sort of. At least my shoulders aren't hunched up anymore, and I'm not fussing at myself when I miss a stitch or finish something and don't like the way it turned out. I'd probably be pretty slow at learning calligraphy, too, but there's a lot that the brain has to process for procedures to become second nature. That's the thing with the brain. It learns something and allows us to carry on with whatever we're doing and not give it a second thought. Like learning to ride a bike. Or rolling your r's properly when speaking a new language. Like knowing that robin is a robin simply by glancing at it. And, trust me. I know the difference between purl stitch and knit stitch and when something doesn't look correct right away now! And, I can unknit pretty successfully, too. Unless its trying to unknit a K2tog (knit two together). Haven't figured that one out yet and there's no Youtube for it. WHY??? And, pssssst! I'm getting faster at this.
While awaiting the arrival of my second Little Darling, I decided to make them coordinating outfits for summer. This was going to be IT. I was ready. I'd gotten through the practice outfits and my confidence was high. What I had in mind was using Irene's "Summer Dress" pattern and using the Lion's Brand Baby Soft yarn she recommends. The "real deal". Irene is one of the Etsy pattern makers for Little Darling, and her patterns are well written. Sort of. But, I'll get to that later. I went for soft springtime colors in light yellow and green. I was also going to be creative and make a hat from one of her other patterns to go with the dresses. AND, I was going to skip that awful star-stitch and knit in a hat band where the brim meets the crown. You have to start somewhere when you're as adventurous as I am. 
I'm learning! I'm teaching myself how to do this. I have to exercise greater patience with myself than I normally do. So I've been a busy "patient" bee. This is all I've been doing. Knitting every single day. So what happened here? Why did I have to abandon the summer dresses?
First of all they are way too short (for my tastes). I fussed over adding crochet lace to the underside of the hems, but there were enough problems with these two outfits that I had to chalk them up as practice. The first one I made was the dress with the yellow bodice. The skirt turned out great on it, but the bodice had problems being too loosely knit. I figured I'd have to make it over again, but I was going to move onto the green bodice dress first and see how it went. The green bodice turned out great and I have no idea what happened to the yellow skirt. Frustrating, yes, but there you go. Its all good practice. Not quite ready to call it a "good learning experience", I tried the hat. Obviously using a cable stitch instead of the star-stitch didn't work. But, I learned. Next time, I will begin the stockinette stitch sooner. The problem with knitting is that you have to make the whole doggone thing to figure out what to do and what not to do. That's why you have to be fast and sure.
So I set that mess aside and began one of the other projects I had in mind. First of all, I've been purchasing these incredible, beautifully made porcelain buttons from Cindy Webb on Etsy. Using porcelain slip, she sculpts little buttons, then hand paints them with the many kiln firings required. She's amazing. I love her work so much that I could simply collect it for the fun of it. And, I'd purchased a set of Raggedy Ann face buttons. Its been a very long time since I've thought about Raggedy Ann, and Gruelle's beloved stories. Had to use these buttons! So I went back to the first pattern I knitted, the tunic, and mixed it up with a hat from another of Irene's patterns. The bucket hat was actually featured with the summer dress pattern I'd abandoned. And, of course, I was using the Lion's Brand yarn.
One of the areas I've had difficulty, and I don't know why, is when doing increases for the skirt at the hem of the bodice. I hope this annoyance goes away in time, but I've come up with a strategy for possible mistakes and having to redo that portion. To keep the stitches, or loops on the needle, fresh and easy to recover, I thread a piece of yarn on a large eye needle, through the bottom of the stitch against the knitting needle. Its like a place marker. If the skirt portion is looking sad or not coming out well, I simply pull out all the stitches to the place marker yarn, and put the needle back on the stitches. Also, if by chance a stitch is not seated right (twisted), I take it off the needle, insert the awl and turn the awl to the right which twists the yarn and place it back on the needle.
The colors of tangerine and aqua were selected after Johnny Gruelle's brightly colored illustrations. I have actually taken to photographing what I've done in stages for my own records. I need to know what worked and what didn't. Also if the pieces get tossed, and many do, I want a record of having done them.
The tunics were going well. They should. After you go through the pattern a few times, you could know it by heart almost. I've been sticking with Irene's patterns because I understand what she's asking us to do. I was looking forward to making the little bucket hat as it was something new to try, and I like making hats. I just like making hats, no matter what I'm making them from. And, the hard part was over. Both tunics were made and I could see the light at end of the tunnel.
So I'm knitting along happily and wondering when the pattern is going to call for the contrast color for the stripe. No instructions. Seriously folks? She photographs the hat with a yellow stripe on it and doesn't include the instructions to do this! So I wrote to her letting her know about this, and that was five days ago, and I still haven't heard from her. Here's my thoughts on the matter. Pattern makers like to find out how clever you are and if you're actually using their patterns and paying attention. Its the Where's Waldo of their patterns. (This is why I don't like using other people's patterns. I cannot stress enough how this annoys me.) So I just added a contrast stripe where I was just to see how it would turn out knowing full well I'd have to make the hat all over again. The mock up. I know a lot of pattern makers have an expert test their patterns, but this is not the best way for assurance. An expert might simply "understand" what is required, follow through, and not think the omission is a big deal. Give the pattern to an A type novice. Like me. I'll find every error imaginable. It isn't a criticism. You want your patterns to be the best and the easiest to follow. That makes big sales!
So I started a new bucket hat in the aqua. Now I was really going for the creativity. I wanted the hat band look. I had a mock up and I know how to count rows, and I know what the stitches look like, so I gambled on where the hat band should go, used my place marker threading just in case it didn't go correctly and proceeded. It worked out. Yay! And, I went on to reknit the tangerine hat. See? Now I'm having fun with this. The purpose is to make up my own versions. Not have copies of the originals.
I purchased this stretch lycra in Raggedy Ann red and white stripes and made some capri length leggings. Stockings would have overwhelmed the look and I was stretching the colors a bit just doing this. But, I had a vision. The Raggedy Ann face button would have red hair around it, so that would tie in the red of the striped capris.
For the buttons in the back, I chose purple. I'd been trying to figure out what kinds of shoes the girls would wear with the outfit, and I wanted a completely updated, contemporary look. Purple tennis shoes worked. They worked with the colors of the outfit, and they look funky and fun. So purple buttons to match the tennis shoes. They needed socks. Striped socks would be too much. I considered trying to make the little cuffs that the Russian ladies make that substitute for socks, but I've a feeling they create them in the round, and I don't know how to do that yet. I shuffled through all my knit fabric and ended up in my own lingerie drawer to cut up a pair of gray tights. Gray mutes the colors. It provides a nice and soft break in the bright colors and keeps them (the socks), from standing out, attracting the eye.
The only thing left to do was sew on the button and embroider red yarn around the face for Raggedy Ann's hair. Earlier I picked up a yarn that was part of an amigurumi project. The word amigurumi is formed from two Japanese words. "Ami" describes knit or crochet, and "Nuigurumi" means stuffed doll. (I was watching a Youtube on beginning a crochet amigurumi and really want to try this - later.) Using my awl and the red yarn, I made loops and stitches around the face. I cut out the first mess I'd made then did it again. Bangs were not doable as they would not hang down in front of a porcelain round, and I wasn't gluing them down, that would have been a disaster, so I made smaller loops around the forehead.
I'm happy with the way this set turned out. My new doll had arrived and we were good to go! Like Cindy's buttons, I've been purchasing amigurumi from various Asian and European artists. One of them made me a set of Yellow Lab puppies for my dolls and she did a fabulous job. Baby Dover puppies. I'm not ready for one, but there's no reason my girls should be denied their own.
I want to thank Geri Uribe for my beautiful new doll Kira, and for Polina, who I've had since last October. I'm very pleased with these two little models and will continue to make twin sets for them. I began a needle felted Camel with the Wrinkled Knees yesterday for one of them to hold, and the other might get the Lonely Horse from the same story. This gives me a break, seats me back in my studio (among my dolls), which I cleaned up as well, and just might inspire me back to the sewing machine. At least I have two knitted outfits now that I can display and be happy with. "Mission accomplished, Phelps."
Love,
Melissa
