Wednesday's Child - Hooked on Hooks

Every art has its tools. Crochet has crochet hooks. When I first learned to crochet it was recommended by the store clerks which ones were best to use. The old ladies were surprised to find the hook shapes were changing and always recommended the old, vintage hooks they were using

Whenever I recommend a brand of hook, inevitably I’m always asked, “Why? What’s the difference?  They’re all alike aren’t they?”  Well…no-o-o.   

I’ll start with my favorite brand: Susan Bates. The shape and range of sizes of the Susan Bates aluminum hooks makes them perfect for crocheting for newbies as well as old pros. The shape of the hook is streamlined and comes to a point, which makes it great for inserting through the yarn or thread without catching or snagging. The neck of the hook is steeply angled and the shape enhances the inside of the hook so it’s more difficult to drop the stitch while working. The handle itself is cylindrical with a flat spot for fingers. The size by letter, number, mm, and brand are stamped into the handle as well. 

Boye brand hook (left) vs. Susan Bates brand hook (right)

Boye is another popular brand which can found in most craft stores. This, and most other brands are very similar in shape. The head of the hook is rounder and blunter while it has a more rounded gentle slope at the inside neck of its hook. The Boye hook tends to be slightly larger and has a cylindrical handle with the size, letter, mm and brand stamped in the flat spot. When I have used this brand in the past, I found it difficult to work with. Needless to say, they were unused until I gave them away. I have since heard from others.

Regardless of the brand, the newer steel hooks are all made the same way. Their size and shape are more standardized than in the past, making it easier to use different hooks with the same results. For this reason, I will continue to use the older “vintage” steel hooks as I, too, become one of those “little old ladies.” 

Off Topic Tuesday - My New Full-Time Job

Wow! It's only Tuesday and it's already been a LOOOOOOONG week for me! I started a full-time job as a technical writer yesterday, and I have to say it's HARD to go from being a SAHM to a full-time work-away-from-home mom.

Don't get me wrong. I love being able to leave the house every day for something other than errands. I just wish, maybe, that it wasn't quite so early. I also really like the people I work with. Everyone is about my age and is super-friendly. Lots of smiles around the office! My boss is pretty awesome, too. Very easy to talk to and always happy to help me out with something.

On the flip side, it's SO HARD to leave my kids at daycare every day. I know it's only been two days, but it's really tough to come home to "I really missed you, Mommy." And there's nothing tougher than leaving my 4.5 month old. She's so smiley in the morning and I hate missing it.

I've been a SAHM since Katie was 6 months old. That was three years ago.

And dinner = nightmare! We all get home at the same time and we're all so hungry RIGHT NOW!

And I hate only getting to see them for 1.5 hours before they go to bed.

I would love to hear your comments on how you do it. Does it get easier once there's a routine? Good, fast meals?? Any advice is always welcome!

Tracing Patterns

I love looking at vintage patterns at the thrift stores, but even though I want to, I usually don't buy them. Why? Because the patterns have usually been cut. And if the pattern's been cut, sometimes pieces are missing. Shame shame shame!

So I trace my patterns. Every single one of my patterns is intact because I make copies of the patterns by tracing the sizes and pieces I need rather than cutting. Then again, if patterns are on sale for 99 cents at Hancock Fabrics, maybe it would be worth the money just to buy multiple patterns for the multiple sizes.

How do you trace it? I've done it at least two different ways, and heard even more suggestions via blogs and message boards for different materials to use. Here's a quick rundown of what I do:

You can:

1. Lay the pattern tissue on a light colored surface. If the surface is darker colored, you'll have trouble seeing the lines when you're tracing.
2. Flatten out the wrinkles with your hands by gently spreading the tissue. If you get a particularly reluctant wrinkle, you can wet your finger and press it on to the wrinkle while spreading the tissue. This works well for small wrinkles. If you have lots of wrinkles that really distort the lines of the pattern pieces your using, just iron the tissue on low heat while spreading the wrinkles out. Sometimes, I don't even worry about the wrinkles if they aren't to bad.
3. Grab a sheet of freezer paper that fits over the pattern piece and trace away, making sure to trace any grain lines, pattern markings, and hem and seam allowances. And don't forget to write the piece number (e.g. #10), pattern number (1792), pattern company (simplicity), piece size (size 8), what the piece actually is (bodice front), and how many to cut (cut 1 on fold).

OR you can:

1. Tape up your entire pattern tissue on a giant window or sliding patio door during the day, making sure to smooth out your wrinkles as you tape. I'm lucky enough to have a ginormous window.
2. Trace pattern pieces with freezer paper, or some other kind of large piece of paper that you can see through.

Another method I've heard us taping the pattern tissue to the TV with it on so the light shines through.I've also heard of using the paper that is on the exam tables in doctors offices.

When you're finished with the pattern, take a manilla envelope and store your new pieces in it Don't forget to mark the pattern number and size on the envelope so you can grab the instructions from the original if you need to.

Wednesday Child - Crocheting With Beads

 Ladies and Gentlemen…start your engines!  Today I will demonstrate crocheting with beads.  I am using #10 crochet thread, 5 6mm beads, a collapsible big eye beading needle, 6mm glass pearls (This is just what I’m using.  You can use any bead you want as long as the hole is large enough.), and a vintage #7 Susan Bates steel hook.

For other projects, you need to know the amount of beads you will be using on your project; but if you don’t know, it’s better to have more than you will probably need.  For this demonstration you will need 5 beads. The first thing you will do is to string all of your beads onto the thread by using the beading needle (it’s a bother, but you will have to keep pushing the beads away as you work until you’re ready to start beading). A regular small eye needle will not work and it’s better to invest the paltry sum of money into the collapsible needles than to waste your time trying to make something else work.  I know from experience. 

For your reference: 

dc = Double Crochet

ch = Chain

sk = skip

st = stitch

sc = single crochet

Enough talk! Let’s do a very small sample:  Thread 5 beads and chain 12  

1.  Dc into the 4^th ch from the hook, *ch1 and sk 1 ch st, dc in next ch st*.  Repeat from * to*.  You will have 6 dc (counting the first 3 skipped ch st) and 5 ch1 spaces.  Turn.

2.  Ch1 (now here is where we start adding the bead to our crochet!), *slip your hook under the ch1, through the ch1 space.  Slide a bead down, yo the hook and pull the thread back through the ch1 opening.  You should have 2 loops on your hook.

Make sure to push the bead under the hook toward the front, leaving the two loops in back. Yo and pull thread through both loops. 

Sc in next dc* and repeat from * to *, sc in top of last ch3.  Finish off. 

You should now have 5 single crochet beads and 6 single crochets (counting first chain 1).

Here is a tutorial video that may be of help as well.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MbLCuyfv-M

I hope my pictures are more helpful than confusing.  If you need more help or want to add anything, leave me a comment.  I would love to hear from you.

If you would like to see or read about something in particular, let me know!  Have a great week and visit me next week on Wednesday’s Child when I might be showing off a new manicure!  Ha ha ha!

Off Topic Tuesday - My Happy Mother's Day

And what a happy day is was!

Having discussed it the previous night with the hubs, I woke up and immediately headed down to my sewing area. I cleaned up and organized and prepared and pinned some pattern pieces for an order. While I was organizing, I realized I had left my hot glue gun on since...Wednesday...so that's, what, 4 or 5 days? Who's awesome??? This gal!

Then I went back upstairs and chilled out with the fam. (but really I was on the internet most of the time). After lunch I headed out for some Kohl's shopping to finish off a gift card from Christmas. I tried on a bunch of clothes while I was there and just ended up disappointed, so I thought maybe a new bra would make me feel better. But then I didn't want to try any on.

I detoured over to the shoes because you really just can't ever go wrong. Shoe shopping for me is rarely disappointing. I got two pairs for $55. Killer deal. Killer shoes.

 

I really dig super high heels. The second pair has 5" heels. And I can wear both with this dress I'm about to make to wear this weekend.

 

...from this fabric. It's a linen blend. I fell in love with it the second I saw it. Neutral, summery, light, perfect.

And then I came home to this:

Heartwarming and a total surprise that my husband thought to have them do it. And then I made dinner. HAHA!

Hope everyone out there had a lovely and relaxing Sunday as I did!

A Broken Blade

You know how all the sewing experts tell you not to run over your pins while sewing? Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. But this time, I was really trying to be good and remove all the pins. Plus I was using a serger, and you kind of have to if you don't want to damage something.

But, as awesome as I am, there was a pin hidden between the layers of fabric I was serging together. I was almost finished with a dress when it happened. BAM! The upper cutting blade snapped and flew at my face (it would have gone right over my head if I'd been sitting) and plunked me in the forehead. It didn't hurt and my ego wasn't nearly as damaged as my blade.

I took to the Internet and tracked down some parts that were supposed to be compatible with my machine and then decided to just wait until the next day to find the parts locally. So I went to bed. I even dreamed about the parts. Weird.

I called a few local shops including one I really dislike dealing with. She quickly insulted me by saying my machine might be considered "disposable" and she might not be able to get the replacement blade. Then she told me it would take an entire week just to research to see if she could get the part. Plus two weeks to then GET the part. I called a different shop and he called his supplier and called me 10 minutes later. He could get but wanted to wait until he put in his next big order.

So I just called Brother, the manufacturer. Why didn't I just do that in the first place? I like to support local businesses and it's nice to get the part you need right away. Turns out it would only take three days to get the part I needed.  And, as a bonus, I ordered a part for my sewing machine that was damaged by a ruffler foot attachment. Now I'll have to try out the replacement foot attachment that Hancock sent me and see if it damages the new part - Look for an update to that post soon. ;)

Wednesday's Child - Welcome, Wendy!

I want to welcome super-talented Wendy to Sew the Line! Today is her first blog post ever, but I think you'll be happy to the variety that she'll bring to the blog. She's an avid crocheter, and dabbles in art, sewing, and lots, lots more. Welcome, Wendy!

**********************************

Welcome to “Wednesday’s Child!” Let me introduce myself. My name is Wendy.  There are several reasons I’m calling today’s blog Wednesday’s Child:  1) Obviously, it’s Wednesday. Duh. 2) I love all things baby and children. 3) I was born on a Wednesday. 4) It sounds a lot like Wendy. 5) I just like the name!  ‘Nuff said.

I am the mother of three grown children of which I am very proud and three granddaughters of which I am equally proud.  I like to spend my time crocheting whatever takes my fancy but mainly I like to crochet baby items. Especially fancy baby items. The lacier, frillier, and frou-frou, the better. My sister-in-law calls me a foo-foo girl. Guilty as charged! I like to think of it as “romantic” style. 

I taught myself to crochet when I was in my early 20’s. Whenever I went to visit a friend, inevitably someone would always have a brightly colored afghan hanging over the back of the couch. ‘Ooooh…I want one of those.’ When I would ask about the afghan I was told “My grandma made it.” Then I would find out she could make me one too, but for a price. I had no money. My husband and I barely had two nickels to rub together! So, I went to a craft store, bought a book, some hooks, and some yarn and made my own afghan. Then I made some more. I really didn’t have a lot of spare time, so it wasn’t until a few years ago I was able to pursue making more than an afghan.

Wednesdays will hopefully be spent talking about my favorite subject: crochet! If you have questions, I will do my best to answer. If I don’t know, I’ll find out. I might even talk about what else interests me such as ballet, knitting, sewing, painting, drawing, embroidery, cross stitch…dada…dada…ya…ya…ya.  I will do my best to take pictures. That being said, next week I will try to instruct you, gentle reader, on the art of crocheting pearls!

Off Topic Tuesday - The Winds of Change

They're roaring! But I can hear them loudest when I open my closet door.

Up until now, I've been pretty happy over the last three years to not have to change out of my pajamas if I didn't feel like it and I wasn't going anywhere. Big, soft cotton tees became my best friends, along with my favorite pair of yoga pants.

Three years, three girls, and a few pregnancy-induced body changes later, I need an entirely new wardrobe to accommodate a new job I've just been offered (Whee!). But don't worry. I won't leave you. I love to share on my blog and I love to sew and since I usually do both at night anyway, I don't suspect much of a change in that aspect of my life.

This past weekend, I went shopping with my mother-in-law. She's a shopper. I'm not. My most favorite place to shop for professional clothing is EXPRESS. I hadn't been in one since probably 2009. As soon as I walked into that store I had what I like to call EXPRESS overload. Everything looked immaculate and trendy and oh-so-fabulous. As I tried on regular length pants (way too long for this short-stuff), waist-peplum tops, and some of the flow-ier summery clothes, it all came crashing down and I realized I just can't wear the same things I could wear 3 or 4 years ago.

With this in mind, I've begun a search for trendy, professional clothes to sew for myself. I'd like to add at least one or two perfectly fitting pieces to my closet every month, which might be a pretty hefty goal at first. But I did walk out of EXPRESS, Macy's, and Target with some cute tops, pants, and even a dress and a sweater to get me started.

I plan to take a couple of Craftsy classes, maybe some private sewing classes, and from some alterations sites I've come across. If you have any suggestions for web-sites, online classes, or even cute office-appropriate outfits, I would love for you to leave a comment.

***Oh - and don't forget - tomorrow we welcome Wendy to the blog as a writer! Look for her first post!

Looking Forward to Wednesdays with Wendy!

On Wednesday this week, we'll be welcoming Wendy to blog land and to Sew the Line as a regular weekly blogger. Wendy is the other creative mind behind Fancy Bird Designs and is what I would call an expert crocheter. She's also brand new to blogging!

Check the blog this Weds for her first post!

Off Topic Tuesday - The Necktie Onesie and Owl Bib

Yes, this post comes a day late - I've had a lot to coordinate lately (a good thing)! But I've also been trying to concentrate on gift-worthy items for boys. I have a whole outfit planned out right now. Look for that coming up sometime in the next few weeks, too, among other boy-focused items.

Don't you just love how androgynous babies are until you clothe them?? Ivy makes a good boy model :)