Shoulder Bag

bag made from recycled sweater
source

Since the weather has turned chilly, you have probably taken your winter clothing out of storage. In the boxes or bags did you find a sweater that had a stain or snag or don't fit anymore. If you don't want toss it in the trash or in the donation box, you might try transforming it into a shoulder bag.

A tutorial for this project can be found on Perched on a Whim.

Adding Fringe

Hem-stitched Fringe
source

Craftsy recently shared and article called, Six Finishing Techniques for Weaving Fringe. Some of the techniques could also be used for knit and crochet items.

The techniques discussed briefly in the Craftsy article were:

Overhand knots
Fancy knots
Beaded fringe
Twisted fringe
Hem Stitch
Hem

click on the link provided above for more information

Ending Crochet Hook Confusion

Most of us work on more than one project at a time, and some projects are stuffed in bags and neglected for weeks (okay, maybe even months and years).

pin that identifies crochet hook size

Theresa (Ordinary Lovely) crafted an idea that with a little preparation will end the confusion of determining the size of crochet hook that was used for all those abandoned projects. Perhaps it work for you as well.  Click on the link above for step by step directions to how she created these clever reminder pins.

Note: this idea can also be applied to knitting or even quilting to mark rows and/or repeats. Letter beads could be used to indicate rows, charts, etc.

Lander Sew Sistas

Nearly every month the Lander Sew Sistas meet at the Lander Library to craft, and several Guild members participate in this group, too.

Last week, the Sistas met to make three-pocket scissor cases.

Mary H. (Guild president) formed
the Lander Sew Sistas group

Ingrid T. and Brenda H.(Guild member) work on the October
sewing project.

Jeni V. (Guild treasurer) fuses the interfacing to her
fabric. Katheryn E. standing directly behind Jeni,
visits with Sheri H. All three ladies are
Fiber Guild members

finished October projects (three-pocket scissor cases) on display

The October project was constructing a three-pocket scissor case, and the instructions can be found here.

At the end of each meeting, the group has Show and Tell.

Jeni V. shares her drop spindle from the
Maggie Casey weekend

Jeni V. knit the shawl she wore that day and shows the
shawl pin, made from horn, that she purchased in Dubois 

Nancy L. made this block from her husband's old shirts

Brenda H. explains how she made
the mobius scarf

Brenda H.  

Mary H. made bowls on her sewing machine from
rope and fabric. 

American Sewing Guild Neighborhood Group - Lander Sew Sistas
meets at the Lander Library - 2nd Tuesdays of each month
10:15 AM until noon
(time & dates subject to change due to Library schedule)

For more information, contact Mary H. via the Guild email, given near the top of the righthand column

Charity Opportunities

Rachel B. displays the bandage she is knitting
with crochet thread for the
 D.O.V.E. Fund Bandage Brigade Project 

Rachel B. presented a list of potential charity projects to the Guild members during the October meeting.

Local projects:

•  Abba's House in Riverton, WY
accepting handmade baby clothes and blankets of all sizes

•  Wind River Lutheran Mission in Fort Washakie, WY
accepting clothing for adults, teens, children and babies. As winter approaches, warm blankets, quilts, hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens would be greatly appreciated. For more information, call 332-4537

•  Fremont County Public Health - Lander and Riverton, WY
accepting baby hats

•  Other local places that MAY take handcrafted items (please call first for their needs)
Sage West Hospitals - Lander and Riverton
Nursing homes - Lander, Riverton, Fort Washakie
Help for Health Hospice
Center of Hope Detox

•  Quilts of Valor - quilts presented to U.S. Veterans (many given locally)
contact Stephanie Logan (Sheep Camp Quilt Supply off of Burma Road near Riverton) for more details call 856-1468

Wyoming Projects:

•  Project Linus - contact information on website

Rachel holds two wool helmet liners she knit
for the Caps for Soldiers project

National Projects:

•  Quilts of Valor (see link given above)

•  Halos of Hope - hats for cancer patients, patterns and specifics on website

•  For the children of Pine Ridge  (Ravelry link)

•  Caps for Soldiers - accepting hats, lap afghans, etc. see website for patterns and specifics

•  Knitted Knockers - prosthetic alternative for women who have had a mastectomy, patterns on website

International Projects:

•  D.O.V.E. Fund Bandage Brigade - knit or crochet bandages for leprosy clinics in Vietnam

•  Wool-aid - items accepted changes from time to time, check website for details

•  afghans for Afghans - items accepted changes from time to time, check website for details

This list is far from complete. The opportunities to knit, sew, or crochet for charities are plentiful. Please feel free to send other links to the Guild email provided at top right.

Getting Organized - Needle/Hook Inventory

Imagine wanting to start a new project and discovering that you cannot find the right size needle or hook. 

After frantically searching every bag and bin, you begin to wonder if you even own that particular size. 

Now might be a good time to inventory your growing knitting needle and crochet hook collection. 

Start by gathering all the items that you can find: look in bags, baskets, bins, and vases. Sort the items by size, length, and type.

(click to enlarge)
PDF available on StitchDragon website

Find an inventory sheet like the one shown above. 

Ravelry.com

If you want to create an online inventory, Ravelry has a needle inventory database file available. Log in to Ravelry and click on the "my notebook" tab. You will see a box like the one shown at left - note the needles & hooks section.  

You will be able to enter the number of needles or hooks you have for each size and type. 

Note that you will also be able to print a wallet-sized card, but this information will also be available anywhere you have internet access. 

Show and Tell - Sewing

Mary H. shared the bowls she made with her sewing machine.
The bowls are constructed rope and fabric. The one in
Mary's right hand, used 60 yards of paracord. 

Under dress

Mary is a seamstress and often does alterations for individuals. She explained that this project was started by a beginning sewist and was never completed, so the girl's grandmother asked Mary to finish the dress and outer dress. The slippery fabric is challenging even for experienced seamstress, and not a good choice for a beginner, but Mary said that some of the dress was sewn when she received it.

Over dress

The over dress was in pieces when Mary received it, so she assembled them and put in the zipper by "hand-picking." The two dresses still need to be hemmed before presenting them to a grateful grandmother.

Show and Tell - Spinning

Cinde P. shared the boucle yarn that she spun
during the Maggie Casey weekend

Sandy W. does some supported spinning
during the meeting

Dana H. brought her drop spindle and yarn
that she is currently spinning.
Dana enjoyed the Maggie Casey weekend

Sabrina S. practiced the long draw technique after
the Maggie Casey weekend. She shared the yarn
she had created since September. 

Show and Tell - Knitting

Vicky B. knit a cute pumpkin.
The yarn that she spun at the Maggie Cassey
weekend, shown in lower left corner

Jeni V. wore a cowl that she knit

Kylie S. is starting a sweater and is
working on a swatch

Sabrina S. knit her sweater and is holding
the yarn she spun (long draw) following
the Maggie Casey weekend.

Brianna F. displays a shawl that she knit from yarn that she spun.

Rachel B. made this men's vest

Salli A. knit a mobius scarf

Colleen J. is knitting a Stephen West pattern

Colleen J. also knit a shawlette

Colleen J. designed and knit this hat that
incorporates tailspun mohair.

Laura B. is knitting a pair of socks with wool
leftover from a sweater

Salli A. shared a knitting "failure" with the group

Salli A. was given some wool and after she spun it into yarn, she intended to knit and full (felt) some mittens in return for the wool. Unfortunately, everything she tried to do to full (felt) the knit mittens would not work. She tried hot water, soapy water with agitation, and even threw them into the dryer, and beat on the mittens, but the mittens refused to shrink or full. A group discussion resulted, and members learned that the wool from some breeds of sheep does not shrink or felt.

Salli A. 

Supported Spinning Demonstration

Sandy W. explains a spinning
technique that she has tried since the
Maggie Casey weekend in September

During the Show and Tell segment of the Saturday Guild meeting, Sandy W. explained a spinning technique that she has been enjoying: supported spinning. She said that anything can be used to support the spindle, but that she has found that her favorite support has an enamel center which allows her to spin more quickly.

Sandy's favorite "support" has an enamel
center which allows her to spin faster. 

The yarn produced by this technique is very fine.

Sandy did a quick demonstration of the supported spinning technique for the members. Click on the center of the video to see this interesting technique.

More information about supported spindle spinning can be found here.

Meeting Reminder

Fremont Fiber Arts Guild will have a meeting on

October 17, 2015

10 AM

REACH Foundation
622 N. 8th W.
Riverton, WY 82501

Project Linus - Charity Opportunity

Want to give a sick child a lasting hug?  Consider making a blanket for Project Linus.  The blankets for this project must be handmade. While most donated blankets are sewn, they can also be knit or crocheted from washable yarn.

The blankets donated to Project Linus are given to hospitalized children, ages 0 - 18 years of age.

Wyoming has two Project Linus Chapters, but anyone can make and donate a blanket following these guidelines:

•  must be NEW, HANDMADE, and WASHABLE and free on contaminants such as mold, mildew or smoke. They should be cotton or cotton/poly blend fabrics. Cotton or acrylic batting is acceptable and yarns that are washable. Knits, double knits, and other fabrics not appropriate for a child's blanket may not be acceptable. Chapter coordinators can answer questions about acceptable materials.

•  blankets should be free of pet or animal hair, as hospitals will not accept these blankets, and they will probably be discarded.

•  do not add embellishments such as buttons that could be swallowed by a child.

•  since Project Linus donates blankets to children, infants through teens, many sizes are appropriate. Blankets can be as small as 36 inches x 36 inches. The majority of Project Linus blankets are about 40 inches x 60 inches (often called a crib blanket). Blankets can also be as large as twin size for teens.  Chapter coordinators can give more specific information about the size of blankets they commonly issue to children.

Patterns for Project Linus blankets can be found here.

If you have questions, ask a Project Linus Chapter Coordinator. Contact information for Wyoming Chapters can be found here.

Knit Bib Patterns

Grammy Duo pattern
Down Cloverlaine blog

Looking for a quick and attractive gift for a baby? Then look no further than Down Cloverlaine where Elaine generously provides her cute bib and cloth patterns (and a couple of sweaters and some accessories, too) free for interested knitters.

Click on the blog link above and then explore the pattern list in the righthand colum on Elaine's blog.

While bibs like the Grammy Duo, shown above, are decorative, many others have seasonal and/or delightful characters knit into the basic bib pattern.

You will find that most designs are available for both bibs AND cloths. For example, here are the links to a cute squirrel bib and cloth, and an adorable moose bib and cloth.  Bibs are shown below.

Oh, Nuts! bib design

Merry Christmoose bib design

Please observe copyright for Elaine's patterns:
    •  Permission is granted to make and sell items from Elaine's patterns provided that credit is given to Elaine as the designer.
    •  Permission is NOT granted to reproduce the actual pattern, or post it, or distribute it, without her express permission.   (Note: Elaine approved this post.)

Elaine and her designs can also be found on Ravelry where she is known as "cloverlaine." If you like her patterns, please send her a Ravelry message or email (given on her blog at the top of the righthand column)

Desktop Wallpaper

Autumn Desktop Wallpaper
Knit Picks website

Want to add some seasonal color and some fiber goodness to your computer's desktop?

If so, check out the photos available (two different sizes: 1024 x 768 and 1280 x 800) free of charge on the Knit Picks website.

Weaving Tips and Techniques

Looking for some weaving inspiration, patterns, or just a technique refresher? Weaving Today offers all that and more for the beginning and experienced weaver.

The following can be found on their website:

•  Free ebooks

•  Free online seminars

•  Free projects

•  Free articles on weaving

•  Free tips and techniques

•  Free information on weave structures

Sewing Clinic

Jeni & Mary
(photo courtesy of Lander Art Center)

Come for an evening of sewing projects. Learn how to hem your jeans, sew on a button, or mend your favorite clothes.

Are you stuck on a project? Bring it in.

Is your sewing machine giving you fits? Mary and Jeni check it out.

Having trouble reading a pattern? The Sewing Surgeons are here to help. Mary and Jeni will focus on a specific skill each night.

Some machines will be available or bring your own.

Learn some sewing basics in a fun and friendly atmosphere.

Registration and fees apply - Information can be found here

Knit Nights

Knit Nite is a chance for anyone to come and knit, crochet, or any other hand work. Groups are available in Lander and Riverton.

Lander:

Meetings are held at the Fremont County Library, Lander from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the Children's Theater - last Thursday of the Month

Knitting Social held at the Lander Art Center, 224 Main, Lander, WY -- October 2, 2015 through December 11, 2015 (registration required and fees apply) register here

Riverton:

Meetings are held at the CWC Campus in Riverton in Classroom SC100 (Student Center across from the Cafeteria) from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm EVERY TUESDAY that the College is open.

Afternoon knitting on Wednesdays 3 - 5 PM at a private home (Cinde P.) use the Guild email (in righthand column) to receive the location

Corrections to this list should be sent to the Guild email, given in righthand column.

Interweave Yarn Fest

It's not too early to register for the Interweave Yarn Fest in Loveland, CO.

List of classes/workshops can be found here

Information on the instructors can be found here

A preliminary list of vendors can be seen here

Registration forms can be found here