Super Secret Project Revealed!

For the past couple of months, I've mentioned a super secret project to some of my friends. I was really excited to try something "new" and something I hadn't seen in person before. I made a yarn wig. I was heavily inspired by Rocking the Frock's Steampunk yarn wig. It involves elements I know how to do - mostly knitting, crocheting, and sewing with nice big yarn strands.

First, I created a knit cap. I cast on 64 stitches in the round on size 7 needles. The yarn I used was really stretchy. I tried to cast on 72 or even 80 and...way, way too big. I did 2x2 ribbing around the edge for an inch and then just did knit all the way around, increasing the stitch count to 70 to accommodate my own hair. Once it got to 7" in height, I decreased once in the middle of each needle and at the end of each needle. On the sides, I added "mini" side burns to cover up my hairline well. I tried on the hat, put pins where my ear started and where the hairline went back up under the hat. I basically put ten stitches to each needle and the knitted triangles - with the right angle towards the ear- before the ear.

I then put the hat down and wanted to wrap some yarn around one of those long hot dog balloons to make curls. My original plan was to wrap the yarn, pour a water glue mixture all over the yarn, and then pop the balloon once the glue dried. That ended up not happening because the hot dog balloons were one to a mixed bag at the dollar store and not a single bag I bought (all three!) had a usable hot dog balloon. Either the balloon had a hole or it just wouldn't blow up. It might have been me - I'm sick with pneumonia (medication for the win!)- but I could get the regular balloons to blow up just fine. Anyway, then plan went bust. So, instead, I took some cardstock, rolled it up tight, taped it, and then wrapped it in plastic wrap. This served to wrap the yarn around and make the curls.

Above is one of the curls after I cut it from the rest of the wrapped yarn (I just measured about 3 1/2" and cut the yarn at that point) and shimmied the curl off the cardstock.

While I was letting the glue dry, I started to cut a lot of yard long strands of yarn to add as "hair" all the way around the bottom of the hat. I also added a second line of hair around the original bottom of the hat where the triangles were and the back of the hat. This gave an added amount of thickness. I didn't have to add any hair to the top since my own hair - which is about a yard itself- would be adding the height and stability to the hat.

The hat after the round of strands were added.  It looked a bit ridiculous.

The above are pictures of all the strands pushed back and around. It's already starting to look like...hair!  However, I still needed to add some pieces.  First, I took about 30 strands that were slightly longer than the distance between my ears across my forehead.  I braided these and put the braid right at the edge of the hat, draping the strands over it.  This gave a bit of volume right at the front of the wig.   I then carefully sewed the front strands to the hat - and more to each other than the knit hat really- to help create an even look.  In the back, I sewed a few of them down but also sewed the curls to the back of the wig.  I also added a braid to the back to give it more of the look I was going for.   Because it looked plain, I added a little "cap" to the front with a pink bow.

The nice thing about this wig is you couldn't see my hair at all.  Also, it was warm -which was lovely considering it was snowing when I left for the event.  Just flurries but still, it wasn't exactly warm outside.

The wig has a lot more volume on me and I'll try to get some photos up of me wearing the wig soon.

Knitted Fingerless Mittens (part two!)

Last year, I made a pair of wonderful fingerless mittens from some wool I got in Ireland.  Unfortunately, I lost them at a thrift store and I'm sure they will never be seen again.   So, this time, I used some yarn I bought at the thrift store to make a pair using my own pattern.

As you can see, they are very colorful.  :-)  I made them last week and wore them all weekend up in NYC.  They are big - so I can wear gloves easily beneath them for extra warmth if necessary.  The yarn is a mix of wool, mohair, and silk - very comfy and very warm.

A New Shoulder Shawl

I knitted this shawl out of some hideous late 1970's early 1980's yarn I got at the Thrift store. Navajo ombre was the color name. My Mom thought that was an insult to Navajos. My brother said the same thing I did - it was the exactly color of the couch we had when we were little (1980's) that Mom and Dad apparently got as a wedding gift (1977). So, that gives you an idea of how bad the colors were as just yarn.

However, as a knitted work? Not nearly as horrible. The yarn itself was easy to work with. It was less than a $1 at the thrift store. The pattern was one I made up. The finished work is quite warm and I was wearing it around the house with my pink and grey striped sweater - I clashed like nothing else.

The Pattern:

R1: Using size 10 knitting needles, cast on one.
R2: Knit that one back and front to have two loops.
r3: Knit those two.
R4: K1, Increase 1, K1.
R5 and all odd number rows, knit.
r6: k1, Increase 1, k1, Increase 1, K1.
r8: K1, increase 1, k3, Increase 1, k1.
r10: K1, increase 1, k5, Increase 1, k1.
r12: K1, increase 1, k3, P1, k3, Increase 1, k1.
r14: K1, increase 1, k3, P3, k3, Increase 1, k1.
r 16 and all even rows - the pattern is simple, each edge is done in a garter stitch with a k1, increase 1, k3, x amount of Purl, k3, increase 1, k1. Basically, you look for the last four of the row you are on, switch from purl to knit, and then knit 3, do an increase of one, and knit the last stitch.

Once it gets to the length you want, bind it off loosely. I would double knit each stitch and then bind it off to give it a bit more give.

Modern Clothing Post

I apologize for the horrible Iphone picture.  I'll get another one when I go to get my real camera.

I've been looking at a lot of the bohemian style clothing and more homemade modern clothing.  This is my attempt at it.  I knitted a yoke of pink yarn I had in the stash and then sewed on a half circle for the top.  The bottom is just a simple ruffle and I added pockets.  All the fabric was stash fabric as well.

For the front yoke:

Cast on 42 stitches

Row 1:  Knit one, y/o *k2tog, k2tog, 2 y/o* ending with a 1 y/o 1k
Row 2: 1P, 1K, 2P *1k, 1p, 2p* ending with a 1K, 1P  Basically, you want to knit the first y/o and perl the second part of it followed by 2 perls
Row 3: 1K, 1P *slip 1 knitwise to cable needle, 1K, Knit the one on the cable, 2P* end with a 1K, 1P
Row 4: 1P, 1K, 2P, *2K, 2P* ending with a 1K, 1P

Repeat the above twice.  Then finish off the first 4 stitches, slip the next 8 to a needle, finish the next 18, slip the next 8 to a needle, and finish off the last 4.

For the straps:

Pick up either of the needles with 8 stitches.

Row 1: 1K, y/o, k2tog, k2tog, 2 y/o, k2tog, 1k
Row 2: 2P, 1K, 3P, 1K, 1P
Row 3: 1K, 1P, slip 1 knitwise to the cable needle, 1K, Knit the one on the cable, 2P, 1K, 1P
Row 4:  1P, 1K, 2P, 2K, 2P

Repeat until desired length - about 13".  Do the same for the other strap.

Back yoke:
Cast on 4 stitches. Knit on the 8 stitches from the first strap, cast on 18 stitches, knit the 8 stitches from the second strap, cast on 4 stitches.  (42 stitches)

Row 1:  Knit one, y/o *k2tog, k2tog, 2 y/o* ending with a 1 y/o 1k
Row 2: 1P, 1K, 2P *1k, 1p, 2p* ending with a 1K, 1P  Basically, you want to knit the first y/o and perl the second part of it followed by 2 perls
Row 3: 1K, 1P *slip 1 knitwise to cable needle, 1K, Knit the one on the cable, 2P* end with a 1K, 1P
Row 4: 1P, 1K, 2P, *2K, 2P* ending with a 1K, 1P

Repeat twice and finish.  This will not go under the arms but adds straps to the blouse.

Warm Knitted "Gauntlets"

While at Pennsic, I finished my fingerless mittens from this pattern. While not period, they are WARM and I loved them.

I did them out of a lovely burgundy wool I got in Ireland a couple of years ago.  The one on the right is slightly shorter than the one on the left - only by one row.  The pattern calls for 14 rows to be knitted above the thumb gusset - which is way too much for me.  The left gaunlet has 11 and the right has 10.   Finished, they come to just above the elbow.

The pattern also calls for two rows of 8 knit between the increases for the thumb gusset (rather than going from 6,8,10 there is a second 8 in there).  I ignored that and went with only one row of 8. 

These mittens were a dream to have on at night when I went to bed.  It gets cold at Pennsic and I slept with these on.   The pattern is BIG but not unreasonably so.  I'd say if you want a close fitting mitt, go down two needles sizes.  If you want one that is a bit loose, go down one.  I could easily fit my entire hand through the finger opening without any issues. 

I am washing these to see if they will shrink a bit.  I'll try the pattern again some day with a smaller needle - they are simple but fun.  I'm not good with the complicated patterns and this was very easy for me to understand and knit up fairly quickly.