Month: May 2025

Singularity Shadow’s Embrace socks

On By CarynIn Craft

I cast these socks on in April, 2024. I called them finished 13 months later. My eldest graciously said they could end below the calf (phew).

Photo description: crew length black, orange, and yellow hand knit socks shown on feet

The Singularity pattern by Jeny Staiman is amazing. The instructions laid out in a spreadsheet format are so much easier to follow and mark off than traditional written instructions. The pattern itself is elegant. My issue was personal: I chose mostly black yarn, knitted with black needles, and am not a fan of following a pattern line by line. I would rather have a general idea and knit for many rows, or maybe have a repeating pattern that I can memorize. It is a shame that the yarn also doesn’t show off the pattern. You can’t see the beautiful sweep and contours created by all those paired increases and decreases.

I have cast on a new pair of socks using a different sock method. This set shouldn’t take me over a year to finish (fingers crossed, but not while knitting.)

Buttons and pins

On By CarynIn Craft

My eldest gave me a button maker for Mother’s Day. I can now make cute little pins and magnets and other pressed together items with my chosen image.

Photo description: two button pins on a canvas bag, one with a Caryn’s Creations logo, the other with a “Sit and Spin” logo. Bag and pins designed by me.

The word “button” is used for so many things. I’ve been on a whole rabbit-hole excursion on the definition and etymology of the word because it bothers me that a button can be something used to fasten a garment, or as a pin with a slogan, or something you push. Knowing that word comes from a number of sources helps, somewhat. Ah, English.

Throwback Thursday: button art

On By CarynIn art, Craft, throwback

In September 2014 I made a button art tree by sewing colored buttons to a stretched canvas.

Photo description: tree on canvas made entirely with sewn on buttons

My button grandma had a high distain for anything that destroyed buttons, such as glue or cutting off the shank, since that makes them unsuitable for button collectors. So all the buttons are recoverable from this art, should they need to be. I do like how I used the lighter colors to indicate light direction.

Unexpected resistance

On By CarynIn Craft

I went to rinse and block my small twined cotton bag and was a little shocked when it held water. It wasn’t completely water tight, there was a slow drip, but it didn’t absorb water like I expect cotton to do. My hypothesis is that because I hadn’t washed it at all to this point, there may be some natural water resistance on cotton bolls. Not enough to keep the harvest safe from rain (as this cotton farmer describes), but some. Or the twining is tight enough and thick enough to resist the water for a short time.

Photo description: small twined cotton bag holding water over a sink

I’ll file this under “things that make me go hm.“

Concrete countertop

On By CarynIn Life Hack

I love the concrete countertops in our house. I don’t have to worry about setting hot dishes on them, and the installers finished them silky smooth. They had started to develop rings and water stains, though. I used a mixture of baking soda and olive oil to rub them down, then added vinegar to the paste before wiping it off. I wiped the whole surface with a wet towel to make sure the vinegar was gone, then applied a sealing product used for butcher blocks. The sealant is made of natural oils and waxes and is food safe. The counter soaked up the mixture, so I did two applications, then buffed it with a dry towel. The counter looks new again, and I tested the water resistance by sprinkling it with water. The water beaded up and did not soak in.

Photo description: brown concrete countertop with a lovely luster, Howard’s Butcher Block Conditioner bottle sitting on the surface

So here is another Howard’s product I can recommend. But no, I’m not paid to do so!