Patterns | S Type Creative

A Pen, a Mac, a Printer, and voila!

November 15, 2009 in Artist, Design, Favorites, Fiber, Patterns

hangover sweet dreams

For the past several weeks I’ve been sketching again; drawing whatever comes to mind, whatever is sitting in front of me, or ideas for future projects.

Tonight, in the midst of pouring 120 large candles for a corporate gift project, I played. While waiting for each batch of wax to melt I sorted through several of my drawings from the last few weeks and even some from the last few years.

Now back up a few steps, over the past week I’ve also been sewing, making gifts to sell here in the gallery. I’ve been making heat packs to soothe tired muscles, draft dodgers to keep out the cold, wine bottle bags for gift giving, and the list goes on.

My biggest frustration has been the lack of available cool fabrics that fit in with my personal design sensibility. I want something different. I’d heard rumors about being able to print on fabric using an inkjet printer. Tonight I tested that rumor and found it to be true!

Armed with little more than my iMac, a stack of drawings, a list of ideas, an iron, a few yards of prewashed-unbleached muslin, an inkjet printer, and a box of freezer paper I got to work. I cut the fabric into 8.5 x 11 pieces and ironed them onto a piece of freezer paper cut to the same size.

A few hours of playing with layout and design on the computer yielded 3 designs I was pleased with. Into the printer went the muslin ironed onto freezer paper and out came some fabric that made me yelp with joy. Giddy as a goofy school girl I heat set the fabric with my iron, cut out my rectangles of fabric, and stitched together these snazzy heat packs filled with rice.

Heat these bad boys in the microwave for a minute or two and you’ll have a muscle reliever, stick them in the freezer and voila’ a hangover cure. [And still the candles cool]

Feeling a little crafty yourself and you want to make one on your own? See the basic instructions below.

Not feeling the least bit crafty? Don’t feel bad, just buy one of mine!

Hangover $15 [quickshop:Hangover Heat Pack:price:15.00:shipping:5:shipping2:4:end]

Bed Bugs $15 [quickshop:Bed Bugs Heat Pack:price:15.00:shipping:5:shipping2:4:end]

Counting Sheep $15 [quickshop:Counting Sheep Heat Pack:price:15.00:shipping:5:shipping2:4:end]

To make your own you’ll need:
2 pieces of fabric cut to 6″ x 11″
Coordinating thread
scissors
sewing machine
iron
18 oz organic rice

Place the right sides of the fabric together. Keeping a 1/2″ seam allowance, and starting on a long edge, stitch around 3 sides of the fabric backstitching at the beginning and end. Clip the corners. Turn right side out. Make sure your corners are turned neatly. Press the seams flat. Top stitch along the sewn short side approximately 1/8″ from the edge for extra security. Fold in the open top edge 1/2″ and press. Fill with 18 oz of rice. Pin the open edge. Stitch approximately 1/8″ from the edge to close the pillow.

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Sheep to Chic

May 2, 2009 in Design, Fiber, knitting, Patterns, Uncategorized

Hand Dyed BFL for sweater

For all the time I’ve been knitting and designing, I’ve been intrigued by the sheep to garment process. I’m not quite at the point of raising sheep in our turn of the century church-home (though I have asked for llama and been rebuked), but I have been venturing into the world of spinning.

To be able to handle the raw fibre, dye it to any color I want, spin it into any texture I’d like (or honestly, am able to manage at this point), then knit it into any garment I decide…well…it’s the ultimate process for me.

I now have a deeper understanding of how the dyes work similarly to watercolor but completely dependent on the fibre and the process. Spinning each ply and controlling the length of each color run or simply blindly grabbing the next nest of fleece from the basket and flying blind is indescribable. Choosing two different plies and spinning them together into a single strand, watching in wonder as they nestle around each other in ways I could have never guessed. It’s an art, a craft, and a touch of magic all wrapped up in one.

I’m still on borrowed time with Lorie’s spinning wheel – the Ashford Joy. And it is a joy. Unfortunately, I’m also almost out of fleece.

A few weeks ago at the Black Swamp Fibre Festival I purchased a pound of BFL (Blue Faced Leicester), 3 shades of Acid Dye, and went home with the determination to make something. I dug out the pound of Mohair I had purchased last fall (not knowing what I was going to do with it at the time) and had a 6 hour dye fest.

This weekend I spun. I used the techniques learned at the Fifth Stitch Retreat (thank you again Arlene) to pre-draft my fibre and started spinning my heart out.

The pile of nested pre-drafted fibres on the coffee table (and all around me) inspired me to paint. I’ll be working on a new painting showing the beautiful progression of colors in the next week or so. For me, one craft always inspires another until a downhill avalanche begins.

I’ve now started knitting. As I get through the knitting process, I’ll keep you updated. Hopefully, the knitting will be finished tonight as the yarn is chunky, the needles are big and I’m all jazzed up about the dress I want to make to go with it.

[nggallery id=21]

Tags: color, defiance, Design, dye, handcrafted, knitting, ohio, rebecca, rebecca sweinhagen, s type creative, sheep, stypecreative, wool
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Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend

April 27, 2009 in Fiber, knitting, Patterns

For years I’ve been fascinated with the process of entrelac knitting. It looks so complicated, but in reality, is very simple if you can just maintain enough attention span to finish a row in a sitting. It’s really only a pain when I sit it down mid-row and don’t remember which direction I’m working when I pick it up again.

Entrelac knitting looks like a woven fabric when it’s worked. When it’s felted, though, it looks like diamonds – similar to argyle without the extra stitches.

Entrelac is a technique that can produce either the most stunning effects, or make me woozy with the vomitous color combinations chosen. There is no in between for me. Occasionally I wonder, was the knitter blind to have chosen that combination? On the other hand, I more frequently wonder, how the knitter had the amazing patience to complete such an intricate project.

A few years ago I did a sweater this way. Ambitious, I know. That was my first entrelac project. If I ever find the photos, I’ll post them.

During the process, I realized that intricate is a bit of an overstatement. Really, the question should be, how is it possible that the knitter remained uninterrupted long enough to finish each row. It requires nothing more than basic knitting skills, patience, and the abilities to both read and count. A lot. I know. Some days, nearly insurmountable obstacles for my attention span, but I finished and am now enjoying.

Recently the need for a cool tote bag and a desire to work a more challenging pattern led me back to entrelac and a classic colorway. Rather than knit the bag back and forth, then seam it together, it is knit entirely in one piece from the bottom up with three skeins of Universal’s Deluxe Worsted Wool.

Want to knit one yourself?

PDF Pattern ::: $5.50 [quickshop:Entrelac Tote Bag Red Tan Black:price:5.50:shipping:0:shipping2:0:end]
Printed Pattern ::: $6.50 + SH [quickshop:Entrelac Tote Bag Red Tan Black Printed:price:6.50:shipping:2:shipping2:1:end]

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For the love of shoes

April 9, 2009 in Crochet, Design, Fiber, knitting, Patterns

booties-3

Why should adults have all the fun when it comes to great shoes? Little people should have stylin’ shoes too, right?

Recently, I’ve been in the mode of knitting little chicken and bunny egg cozies for the Defiance Society of Artists fundraiser. The instant gratification of these little projects is so satisfying when there are so many different projects going on at once. I feel a sense of accomplishment after a short while loafing on the sofa watching the tube and making something little.

Crochet has been recapturing my fancy of late. I learned when I was three. I crocheted like a fiend through much of my childhood and upon learning to knit, dropped it like a hot potato. Fickle master that I am, I ran off to the greener pastures of knitting.

Now, after 10 years away, I’m starting to rediscover my love of crochet. The gratification of a project quickly finished. The spontaneity of sculpting with a hook and some fiber.

The result of my most recent forray can be found here. The most versatile bootie I’ve found. Dress it up, dress it down. Add a touch of glitz if you desire. Funky buttons, or serious cashmere. Whatever choices you make, you’ll enjoy this simple project almost as much as you’ll enjoy seeing it on a baby’s tiny foot.

Worked in worsted weight yarn on a size G crochet hook for size 0-3 months or size H hook for 3-6 months.

PDF Pattern Download ::: $5 [quickshop:Mary Jane PDF:price:5:shipping:0:shipping2:0:end]
Printed Pattern ::: $6 + SH [quickshop:Mary Jane printed:price:6:shipping:2:shipping2:0:end]

Not interested in making them yourself? I’d be happy to make a pair just for you.
Finished booties size 0-3 months $18.00 [quickshop:Mary Jane Bootie - Gray Alpaca Wool:price:18:shipping:3:shipping2:0:end]
Finished booties size 3-6 months $18.00 [quickshop:Mary Jane Bootie - Gray Alpaca size 3-6 months:price:18:shipping:3:shipping2:0:end]

booties-4

Tags: bootie, jane, mary, shoe
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