Category: Craft

Nålbound hat in Aran Wool

On By CarynIn Craft

I spent last week watching as much of the Sweet Adeline International Convention webcast live as I could. This gave my fingers long stretches of idle time, which I filled with nålbinding a hat. My parents-in-law recently visited Ireland, and brought me back some Aran wool, which is lovely to nålbind because it tears apart easily and felts back together well.

Photo description: starting a hat with a cherry wood nal, Aran wool, and an Oslo stitch

At one point I ran out the door for school pickup and dropped my nal somewhere. Waiting in the car I crafted one out of a straw by cutting one end at an angle and making two slits at the other end to hold the yarn. It worked, but wasn’t as pleasant as my wool polished cherry wood nal. I’m glad I found it when I returned home.

Photo description: nal made from a plastic straw, convention notes in the background

I know to make wool items bigger than intended because as it is worn it will naturally felt and shrink some. I thought my initial circle was oversized, but as I stitched the band contracted, so I switched my plan and added increases, and decided to gather the first rows together to form the crown. Aran wool is very lightly spun Merino, and does not have the strength to draw together and hold, so I made a length of flax cord instead. The flax won’t break and will probably outlast the wool.

Photo description: long line flax twine on the nålbound surface of the hat
Photo description: crown of the hat gathered together tightly with flax twine

I didn’t want to finish the hat with decreases, so I stitched a free length of Oslo chain, spiraled it into a rosette, and stitched down the bottom edge.

Photo description: nalbound chain spiral with a steel yarn needle in the process of a securing stitch
Photo description: finished hat, before blocking

Blocking transformation

On By CarynIn Craft
Photo description: linen loop and twist net bag

I finished twining and stitching a linen string bag using long line flax and a loop and twist construction. I would twine a section, then loop that section, so the bag was made with a continuous length of string. I did not used any tools other than my fingers. As you can see in the photo above it looks a little wonky. I took it to the sink, gave it a soak in tap water, then laid it out to dry. The transformation was remarkable.

Photo description: same bag after blocking

The bias twist in the stitches eased and it straightened out nicely. What wasn’t nice was the rust colored stains on the top.

Photo description: discoloration at the top of the bag

I used a different batch of flax for the last few rows, and I think something on my well water reacted to something in the flax, which is disappointing. I washed it with gentle laundry soap and laid it out to dry again.

Photo description: same bag after washing with gentle detergent

The rust color lessened, and now it looks more like a different batch of flax at the end, rather than a stain.

I’m also not pleased with the string ties. They are functional, but would be terrible to use to carry anything with much weight. The flax would hold, but the thin cord would cut into the flesh holding it. I do have an idea how to fix it.

Coo coo for coconut

On By CarynIn Craft

My grocery store had a large display of whole coconuts in the produce section, full of husk fiber. I went a little bananas and bought eight coconuts… for the fiber.

Photo description: eight “brown” coconuts, but four are more cream colored

As I tore off the fibrous material from the coconuts I realized that maybe I didn’t need to buy eight. There is a lot of fiber! So I started with just processing four with the darkest color. I put the husk into a bucket, added water, and weighed it down with rocks.

Photo description: yellow bucket filled with coconut husk and water and two large rocks

I am also interested in making items from the coconut shells, so I found the one soft hole in the end of the coconut poked it with a gimlet, and shook out the water.

Photo description: coconut water in a bowl with the coconut on the right showing the three dents, only one of which is an actual hole, and a gimlet

On the fourth coconut I finally had a method for cracking the shell cleanly. I whacked them with a metal rod (my knife sharpener) along the equator, then took them outside to tap on the concrete. I actually managed a clean break! One.

To get the flesh from the shells, I cooked them in my pressure cooker for 5 minutes, then let them cool. I cut a small wedge from the side of the flesh, which gave enough flexibility to use a butter knife to pry out the flesh.

Photo description: small wedge cut from a cooked coconut

I removed the brown skin on the coconut meat with a vegetable peeler.

Photo description: coconut shells and peeled coconut meat drying over the kitchen sink

Next steps include cleaning up the fiber and polishing the shells. And figuring out what to do with all that coconut meat.

Three turtles

On By CarynIn Craft

The cop of yarn built up on a Turkish style spindle is called a turtle. In the photo below, you can see why. The balls of yarn look like turtle shells. I now have three single spun Southdown wool turtles from spinning as I walk. The next step is to ply the three together, but for that I will use a treadle spinning wheel and a secure way to hold the turtles.

Photo description: three turtles of single spun white Southdown wool

Turtles of yarn are center pull balls of yarn, and it is possible to ply the inside end and the outside end to make a two-ply yarn. It is even possible to walk and ply, but since I want a three ply, and don’t want to chain ply, my best option is to sit at a spinning wheel so I can closely monitor the turtles. I may see if my yarn bowl will be helpful.

Spinning Wheel Field Kit

On By CarynIn Craft, Life Hack

When I’m going to spin on a new-to-me wheel, I like to have a field kit of things I might need to adjust the wheel.

Photo description: clockwise from the right, tanned leather, cotton string, bamboo skewers, light machine oil, pure beeswax (not pictured, scissors)

Cotton string is useful if the drive band is missing or needs to be replaced. It can also be used to tie up loose parts, or slow the spin on a bobbin (for a Lazy Kate). It is always a good idea to have some string.

The leather scrap is there for making parts. Most often I need a washer to improve the fit, especially on older wheels whose wooden parts have sagged. A heavy pair of scissors and a scrap of leather can make many, many things.

Beeswax is used on the drive band to give it some grip. The most important thing to do with an unfamiliar wheel is to check the alignment of the wheel with the whorl. Then check the tension. A little bit of wax along the string can then give more advantage. Beeswax is good for wood, so will cause no damage.

Oil is for the bearings and places friction occurs, like the connections of the flyer, or bobbin, or spindle. I used it sparingly, usually just one drop is enough.

The bamboo skewers or toothpicks can replace a missing post pin, or be used as a wedge. They were an unexpected bonus to have when I was working with a Great Wheel. I think I will add tissue paper to my next kit, as a bit of tissue paper around a post end can tighten up the fit.

A scrap of cloth for wiping away dust and old oil would be a good idea too.