Monday, December 10, 2007

Zipper Vest

Wow, almost a month has pass and I'm just now getting around to posting a picture of this vest.
It's Drops pattern #0-399.



I must have done something not quiet right at the neckline considering the jog in the moss stitch. Oh well, not a major problem.

I did modify the pattern a little bit. (go figure) The pattern calls for garter stitch around the bottom, on the front placket/neckline, and around the armholes. I used moss stitch instead. I just thought a firmer edge was needed on something worked in such a large gauge, and sme many strands held together. I also crocheted a slip stitch around the front edge and neck for a firm edge to sew the zipper on.

The pattern also called for some shaping/sloping on the upper back. It sounded to me to be a quasi-racerback styling. Didn't do it, just made the upper back "normal".

Oh yeah I also worked it in one piece...I don't do seams when I don't have to.

Materials:
Reclaimed heather green wool worsted wt. 2 strands held together
One strand each of a no-name mohair/acrylic blend cobweb wt royal blue and hunter green.
Total linear yardage. 324-ish yards.
Gauge: 10sts x 14 rows = 10x10cm (or something like that)
#11 and #13 needles

I like it, which is weird cuz I'm not a vest type person. I'm too dang cold all the time to have my arms hanging out nearly nekked, but I am comfortable in this vest, as long as I have a pair of elbow length gauntlets on. :o) The vest also serves it's purpose well under my coat.

Oh, speaking of coats....just you wait and see what I'm doing to my Grandmother's old red wool coat!!

There's Always Room for Jello

Yep, there will always be Jello on my pantry shelves from this moment on.

Behold....



Not a trace of stiffness this morning. No physical anomalies that would betray the dye from which these yarns sprung forth. I'm happy.

Next run to the store will include Jello, lots of it. There are plenty of other experiments I want to try. I have a morbid curiosity to find out just how far I can go before I actually ruin the wool.

While I was doing the sprinkle/smooch/zap method it occurred to me, "painting" with a thin syrupy jello water solution would yield an unbelievable amount of control as to the placement of the dye. Obviously the semi-gelled globs posed no problems in the end results (other than a more saturated color). I was also thrilled with the fact that the colors from one section did not readily bleed into one another. I was dreading the awful muddy mess that usually occurs between two colors that fight each other. Notice the green/orange transition...wonderful.

I don't think the center pull ball/crockpot method would work very well. The dye/color itself doesn't seem to leach/seep/wick very well, but your "normal" crockpot method should work just fine.

I only have a single box of Strawberry Banana on the shelf....sigh

I wanna paint a picture.

Jello on wool.