Changing data set

On October 2, 2021September 28, 2021 By CarynIn dog

We had Missy the dog’s DNA tested shortly after getting her over a year ago. That test result said cattle dog, miniature poodle, bichon frise, and mutt. Widom Panel updated her results recently and the profile changed. I imagine that as they grow their sample set and the computer algorithms get better, things are going to shift, but I was surprised at the 16% Chihuahua. Hm. Let me adjust that, I was happily surprised there wasn’t significant Chihuahua DNA in the first result, because the rescue said she was a Chihuahua mix. The rescue was right. Looks like dad was cattle dog and mom was a poodle chihuahua mix.

Full body picture of Missy, whose attention is glued on a ball

She is a neurotic little thing. Happy and cuddly in the house, just still afraid of everything outside the house. The backyard is a gray zone because chasing balls is fun, but the creatures outside the fence can be scary. She has given herself a job, which is good for the cattle dog half. She is officially the disrupter of cat fights. If she hears a hiss, or sees a stalk, she is over in a flash, putting herself between the two cats. Probably because she thinks they are playing and wants desperately to play too. Whichever the reason it is a positive contribution to the household.

Griffin, our older dog, doesn’t get an updated result; his DNA test is too old. I think his would still show mostly lab and schnauzer. The shifts would be in the single digit percents.

Leather journal

On October 1, 2021September 28, 2021 By CarynIn Craft

For a prop for a play set in the 1920s, I made a simple leather journal from 11×17 paper, goat leather, and waxed linen cord. I made a paper template to test the wrap and strap, then cut the leather and dyed it in a mottled pattern using a wool dauber. I finished the leather with a spray designed for leather and suede that should resist water and drying out and cracking.

I use 11×17” paper because the grain of the paper goes the right way when it is cut in half (8 1/2 x 11”) and folded. (Try this yourself: gently bend a piece of paper length wise and then width wise. One direction will bend more than the other; this direction lies along the grain of the paper and the paper will fold or tear more easily along the grain.) Each signature (group of papers to be sewn) in the book is made from four sheets folded in half together. I marked the outside of the six signatures with pencil and marked the matching spots on the leather. I then used an awl to poke holes at the marks.

Here is where I erred. I was hoping to sew the signatures to the leather without long lines of thread on the outside of the cover, but the goat leather was too thin to support the stitch I wished to do, so I had to change my attack. I made an odd number of holes, but for the new method, I needed an even number. Lesson learned: when trying a new technique, have an escape plan. I ended up skipping the middle hole, which is not ideal, but still made a secure attachment.

Edge of leather journal showing stitches

For each signature, I sewed up and back following the holes, which made nice parallel lines on the outside. To finish, I tied the beginning thread and end thread together before snipping the ends.

Journal opened to the center of one signature to show the stitches

I have taken book binding classes and can do a hard bound book, but this was quicker and we had all the materials on hand. Plus, it looks really cool.

Random knit pointed scarf

On September 30, 2021September 26, 2021 By CarynIn Craft

The Frabjous Fibers hand-dyed Blue Faced Leichester (BFL) and silk yarn I spun up in June has finally been applied to a project! I decided to do a random knit lace scarf, but with pointed ends rather than square.

“Balsam” colored BFL/silk random knit scarf

The random knit used a combination of increases (yarn over) and decreases (knit or purl two together) spaced with one to five knits or purls (depending on which side was toward me). The goal is to keep the same number of increases as decreases across the row. To do the shaping I added a stitch on each side of the knit rows only, then to narrow the end, I decreased on each side of the purl rows only. To keep the edges neat, I slipped the first stitch of each row.

I tried writing this all up in a standard knit pattern, but it then looks so much more complicated than it actually is. I will say that when knitting the technique using a block able yarn (such as wool or cotton) is key. It doesn’t look like much until I get it wet and pin it out flat on my netting and PVC drying rack.

Missed one

On September 29, 2021 By CarynIn Garden

Tiny ripe melon compared to melon still on the vine

I spotted a flash of round yellow on the ground near my garden. It seems that I missed slinging one of the developing melons, it grew too heavy for the vine, dropped to the ground, and ripened there. The neem spray did the job to keep the bugs away, and although it was small, it smelled and tasted like melon. Still waiting on the “large” melon to ripen!

Plying bits of color

On September 28, 2021September 26, 2021 By CarynIn Craft

I spun up some pure alpaca to ply with the balls of alpaca and sari silk, to see what that did to the color density. Rather than make three small balls and try to match the yardage, I spun up 9 rolags into a single ball, then plied the colored singles with the uncolored into one cob.

Singles with the most color plied with uncolored alpaca

Singles with the least color plied with uncolored alpaca

Singles with a little more color plied with uncolored alpaca

Diluting the color with the uncolored ply had the most impact on the single with the most color. I like the yarn with just touches of color, and reducing the percentage of color makes it even better for me.

I had a bit more of the uncolored than the colored, which was perfect. Rather than scrap the extra bit of white, I doubled it up and plied to the end. No waste at all, which is definitely a plus for making a two ply.

I wound up the plied yarn on my PVC niddy noddy and gave it a rinse to set the twist. I ended up with about 117 yards of two ply alpaca and mixed fiber sari waste yarn. It took five walks to spin and ply this yarn. (It is a good thing that it is the spinning and the process that makes me happy.)

Critters and Craft

Author: Caryn