Mason Dixon Knitting
Often when I crave a craft book, it is the cover that sucks me in, especially when ordering online. I’m a pushover for lush photography and the promise of enticing projects within. Usually, it’s a tendency that serves me well, but in the case of Mason-Dixon Knitting, which lacks a cover photograph at all, it almost caused me to pass up a real gem.
Had I never seen Gerri’s Ballband Dishcloths, I likely would not have given the book a second glance. But, as we all know, I did see Gerri’s dishcloths, and I did check Mason-Dixon Knitting out of the library (three times), and I did finally get my own copy, now that it’s out in paperback.
I’m sure the library is happy to have their book back at long last.
The projects
Since Christmas, I’ve had a small basket next to my spot on the couch, and in that basket has been a few balls of Peaches & Creme cotton worsted, and an in-progress Ballband Dishcloth or two. I started with kitchen colors, but have since moved-on to the bathroom. After that I plan to make a nice little pile in a variety of pretty colors to be used as hostess gifts someday. It’s the perfect project to have nearby for those unexpected moments when your hands are idle. You know those opportunities: you’re eating lunch in front of the tv, but your leftover Spanish Rice runs out twenty minutes before Martha is over. That’s enough time to knit another stripe. Or, two, if you’re faster than I am.
The book is more than washcloths, although there are two of them and two hand-towel patterns as well. Add a few rugs, a bevy of blankets, a curtain, a cushion, and a bib for your favorite drooly baby, and you get the idea. Mason-Dixon Knitting is very much a “knits for your home” kind of book, which is one of the things that sets it apart from other titles. There are no sweaters, hats, or wrist-warmers here, but there’s a chapter dedicated to log cabin knitting, featuring some surprisingly stylish and cozy blankets. The next time I find myself thinking I need a project that will keep me busy for six months, I’m casting on the Moderne Log Cabin Blanket. Seriously.
I’m also smitten with the Flying Geese Blanket, the Big Dotty Cushion, and the Absorba the Great Bathmat. The latter, with it’s use of chunky yarns and big needles is about as close to instant-gratification one can get with a bathmat. Plus, I could make it in colors to coordinate with my new washcloths, if I’m feeling matchy-matchy. (And let’s face it, don’t I always feel matchy-matchy?)
The stories
I’ll be honest. I don’t often read craft books. I flip through them, looking for projects that catch my eye, and then read whatever pages are necessary to satisfy my curiosity about those particular projects. This book, though, draws you in immediately. More than a pattern book, it reads almost like a shared blog. (Authors Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne have been sharing a blog for some time and it’s a format they are good at.)
I read this one from cover to cover, enjoying the stories about Ann’s mother’s attempt to de-tartify her Barbie doll with a knit cardigan, the amusing Timeline of Knitted History, and the descriptions of “places we have tried to knit and failed.” The book is peppered throughout with “rules,” my favorite one being: No project is too ambitious if you crave the result enough.
That’s something to keep in mind, next time I start daydreaming about a Moderne Log Cabin Blanket to drape over the back of my couch!
Intrigued? Check out these links for more
- Mason-Dixon Knitting: The Curious Knitter’s Guide (due out in Paperback this Tuesday, February 9th. Also available in Hardcover)
- Mason-Dixon Knitting blog
- My own blog posts tagged “mason dixon knitting”
- Ravelry projects from the book
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Categories: book reviews, knitting, show and tell | Comments (7)
My own personal vortex of time
I have not been managing my time well recently. For a while I had an excuse, but that’s all over now. For the past week, I’ve gotten to the end of the day wondering what, exactly, I have accomplished.
I see many areas in the house that need my attention. For one thing, new arrivals for the store are waiting to be put away and their boxes broken down & recycled. Right now they’re piled-up in the kitchen, of all places. Laundry is another issue. Most of it is clean, but little of it is actually put away. And dare I admit that my Christmas tree is still up? I’m considering decorating it with construction paper hearts and calling it a Valentine’s decoration. Somehow that seems easier than packing the poor thing up.
Creatively, I’m feeling frustrated and missing my sewing machine. Last thing I sewed was a coffee cup cozy for my sister for Christmas, and my fabric has been stashed away ever since. I got my polymer clay fix a few weeks ago, so I’m not feeling a real pull towards that right now. Knitting has become my main creative outlet, and that’s really only because it’s portable, and I can sit on the couch with it after the kids go to bed during my regularly-scheduled evening downtime. Not that I don’t enjoy the knitting. I do. I am having such fun learning new techniques – I made my first cable yesterday, as you can see from the photo. (That’s a pair of Dashing in progress.)
Right now I’ve got a growing itch to sew something, but I find it hard to justify making a crafty mess when I haven’t cleaned up the other messes around here. And I haven’t cleaned up the other messes because I am somehow being sucked into a time vortex during the day. Before I know it, it’s time for the kids to come home and I haven’t managed to shower! (which reminds me, I’d better do that today…) I don’t even know what I want to make. I just know I want to be back behind the machine sooner than later.
So, yeah, time management issues abound here. I know a few good strategies, I just have to actually employ them.
I guess that’s where I’m headed after this blogging break – to dust off Remember the Milk, update my abandoned task lists, and put some order back into my life. Oh, and I should probably take that shower, too.
New Publications for January
If you have been a PolyPubs subscriber for some time, you already know what this is all about. Go ahead and skip the next few paragraphs.
If you are a regular blog reader, you may have noticed one of these “publications” posts roughly a month ago. I didn’t bother to explain it then, so I thought maybe I ought to now. This is the latest entry in the monthly PolyPubs series. PolyPubs is short for Polymer Clay Publications and was originally a monthly mailing list I managed through Yahoo Groups. I’ve now integrated it into my blog, and you will begin to see it mixed in with my other posts.
I put my geek on last month, when I integrated all this, and I made it so that any posts in the “polypubs” category would have their own special formatting, and feel like it’s a part of a PolyPubs website. I think it’s pretty cool. You should click on New Publications for January up there and check it out for yourself.
You can learn more about PolyPubs, its history and its future here. And now, on with this month’s list!
Clay Art for Special Occasions
Hardcover Book (Island Heritage, 2009)
ISBN: 1597007552
74 pages
List Price: $19.95
Buy this Book
Soft air-dry clay creations require no baking and allow for complex and beautiful effects based on surprisingly simple handwork. Clay Art for Special Occasion shows crafters how to create a wide range of gorgeous flowers from plumeria to hibiscus, floral arrangements, leis and decorations for gift boxes, even seasonal ornaments. Author Yukiko Miyai provides basic instructions, materials lists, strategies for mixing colors, techniques for shaping the clay and making leaves and stems, how to attach flowers to stems, and more. Step-by-step photographs assure spectacular results every time.
Complete Book of Polymer Clay
Paperback Book (Taunton Press, 2010)
ISBN: 1600851282
224 pages
List Price: $24.95
Buy this Book
If crafts are big, then clay is colossal. From pins and pendants to bracelets, buttons, and embellishments, crafters of all ages are embracing the creativity that polymer clay inspires. This encyclopedic book by renowned expert Lisa Pavelka includes the latest techniques, handy tips, and trade secrets. Pavelka presents a sweeping overview of materials, how-to fundamentals, and construction techniques. She also introduces six original projects with complete instructions showing readers how to make pendants, curio boxes, a necklace, and a bracelet. Clear, concise, and comprehensive, this is an essential addition to any crafter’s library, no matter his or her skill level. For even more inspiration, this indispensable reference features a gallery of 50 original projects by Pavelka and other talented polymer clay designers.
Polka Dot Cottage Hearts
Downloadable PDF eBook (Polka Dot Creations, 2010)
6 pages
List Price: $10.00
Buy this eBook
Special note: 20 copies of this tutorial are available for the same price, at the Craft Hope Etsy shop, and another 20 copies are available through Hearts for Haiti at Etsy. Please consider buying your copy in either shop, as the proceeds are all being donated to Doctors Without Borders, when purchased through them. Thank you!
If you’ve ever been tempted to learn polymer clay, but were intimidated by the long list of necessary supplies, you’ll like these hearts. They are simple to make for the beginner, and no specialized or expensive tools are required.
You will learn how to condition clay, apply patterns, form heart shapes, and cure into a hardened pendant via a 6-page image-rich PDF.
You can leave the heart matte, paint on a shiny gloss, or, if you desire a more polished and professional look, instructions are given for sanding and buffing your pendant as well.
This pattern provides a simple way to get your feet wet with polymer clay, without investing in any expensive tools or equipment.
Metal Clay Artist Volume 1 Issue 1
Magazine (Metal Clay Artist, 2009)
List Price: $7.99
Buy this Magazine
Metal Clay Artist Magazine is a publication devoted to the metal clay arts. This magazine is written for and by metal
clay artists of all levels! It strives to share and develop ideas, promote education and increase appreciation for the work done by those at the top of the field. Featured are information, interesting articles, guides, tips,
artist profiles, and resources for metal clay artists.
Metal Clay Artist Volume 1 Issue 2
Magazine (Metal Clay Artist, 2010)
List Price: $7.99
Buy this Magazine
Metal Clay Artist Magazine is a publication devoted to the metal clay arts. This magazine is written for and by metal
clay artists of all levels! It strives to share and develop ideas, promote education and increase appreciation for the work done by those at the top of the field. Featured are information, interesting articles, guides, tips,
artist profiles, and resources for metal clay artists.
PolymerCAFE February 2010
Magazine (Scott Publications, 2009)
66 pages
List Price: $6.99
Buy this Magazine
PolymerCAFE is a full-color bimonthly print magazine dedicated to providing news, instruction, and events to hobbyists and enthusiasts in the world of polymer clay. The magazine contains columns that range from beginner’s instruction to professional level craft and business information. Other article types include how-to, profiles of polymer clay artists, hints and tips, children’s, and product reviews.
This issue’s projects include:
- Easy Snowflake Cane Earrings – Beth Curran
- Wrapped Hearts – Jeannie K. Dukic
- Elegant Necklace – Anke Friedland
- Alaskan Canned Red Salmon – Karen Ottenbreit
- Faux Jasper Cabochon Bezel Necklace – Marilyn Ray Knopic
- The Flower Power Challenge Winners
- Snow Lady – Elizabeth Frum
- Alcohol Ink Mokume Gane – Michelle Herren
- A Lovely Heart Coaster – Laurie Lecomte
Plus many other features!
Expected Soon
Perfectly Paired
Paperback Book (Krause Publications, APR 10)
ISBN: 0871162946
112 pages
List Price: $21.95
Buy this Book
Each stunning project in Perfectly Paired: Designing Jewelry with Polymer and Metal Clays explores the interplay of textures and colors by combining two beautiful media: polymer clay and metal clay. Clear, concise writing and thorough step-by-step photos make rich inspiration for aspiring polymer or metal clay artists. The elegant jewelry pieces laid out here include pendants, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, pins, and charms. More than 20 sophisticated projects include variations and ideas that showcase each medium at its best.
Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations
Paperback Book (Watson-Guptill, MAR 10)
ISBN: 0823099016
160 pages
List Price: $22.99
Buy this Book
Welcome to Sherri Haab’s home studio
You’re invited to bestselling author and crafter extraordinaire Sherri Haab’s studio—where her inspired jewelry designs come to life. In Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations, you’ll see just what makes Sherri’s pieces special, from concept to creation. Supported by the detailed, step-by-step instructions that Sherri’s readers and students have come to expect, these 25 projects will do more than teach you new techniques in jewelrymaking—they’ll encourage you to seek out what inspires you.
Sherri gathers inspiration from all areas of her life and shares how her childhood memories, personal collections, love of cooking and gardening, early crafting experiences, and favorite times of the year become the basis for her charming jewelry designs. There’s inspiration all around you, and Sherri shows you how to find it. Sherri also demonstrates techniques in wirework, resin, polymer clay, metal clay, and image transfer. You’ll discover the exciting new art of resin clay and a new eco-friendly copper-etching technique. With these tips and techniques at your fingertips, and Sherri’s help in seeing how your everyday life can inspire you, there’s no limit to the beautiful jewelry you can create!
Ruffled
Well, I did it. I knit myself a sweater. And I didn’t go completely batty with impatience, as I at one time thought that I might. And I even did it without making too many horrible mistakes. Two rather significant errors I made managed to cancel each other out, so no worries there.
I did end up ripping out the ruffle and re-doing it, but that only cost me a night of work, and given how badly I’d screwed it up at first was totally worth the effort.
I haven’t decided yet if I like it better with the shawl pin or without, but I think it can work both ways.
The details
Pattern: Lion Neck Cardigan from Wendy Bernard’s Custom Knits book
Modifications (aka Things I Screwed Up and Then Pretended I Meant to Do): Lack of proper swatching led me to knit the body in a smaller gauge than called for. Also, I misunderstood the directions and increased an extra 14 stitches on the back portion. Together, these two things evened each other out somewhat, although I probably would have gotten a better fit, if I hadn’t made either mistake.
I also left off the crochet ties and am wearing it either completely open, or held together with one of the shawl pins I made.
Yarn: Cascade Rustic (a wool/linen blend) in color 03, 4 skeins.
Needles: Size 11 40″ circulars for the body (should have used 13). Size 13 DPN’s for the sleeves. Size 13 40″ circulars for the ruffle.
I’ve been wearing it all morning and am happy with it. I’m especially happy that I didn’t end up using 2 of the skeins I bought, and so now my scary expensive sweater is just plain expensive. No more scary. Whew. Will I do this again? You bet. Maybe even the same pattern. And in the correct gauge, no less…
Lunch-making under the influence
I thought I’d have a little fun tonight, making my own snack packs for the boys’ lunches, using recycled bags I’ve been collecting from my (too) numerous trips to the local bagel shop. I filled one with cheese crackers, set one aside to fill with popcorn later tonight, and I put cookies in a couple others.
It was just after I wrote “PB = Peanut Butter, or is it Pookie Bear?” on a cookie pack that my nine-year-old suggested that I not make his lunch and drink Mike’s Hard Lime at the same time.
Fourth graders have no sense of humor. 
Have a heart
Last summer, I was asked to submit a beginner-friendly polymer clay project for the upcoming Craft Hope book. The book will feature pairs of projects and charities, the idea being that you can make the projects and then donate them to the charities.
I was honored to be included, and so I set to work and designed a heart pendant that was attractive yet simple, and then sent it off happily to the publisher. A few weeks later, I was disappointed to find out that the charity my project had been paired-up with was not interested in receiving polymer clay jewelry. They wanted “glass only.”
That was a really big bummer, of course, and it might have been nice if the charity had let their preferences be known up front, before I spent all of that time working on my project, but what can you do? On the bright side, I now had this tutorial written up, and all of these photos taken, and I only needed a place to use them. Well, last week (five months later), it hit me: these hearts started with Craft Hope, why not use them in that way now?
In case you haven’t yet heard, Craft Hope has opened an Etsy shop for Haiti. 100% of the proceeds from every sale will be donated to Doctors Without Borders. The shop is stocked with handmade items from all over the blogosphere (they’ll be accepting more items after they’ve had a chance to catch their breaths, if you are inclined to donate something yourself). As of this writing, there are nearly 170 items listed, and over 1500 ($27,000+) sold. In just a few weeks! I think that’s just wonderful, don’t you?
So I spent last Tuesday morning putting my instructions and photos together into a 6-page PDF, and am now pleased to announce that 20 copies of the Polka Dot Cottage Hearts tutorial are available for sale through Craft Hope. Please consider this little splurge, particularly if you’ve thought about playing with polymer clay, but were intimidated by long supply lists, or were put off by a need for expensive equipment. You can make these hearts with nothing more than a few colors of Sculpey III, an old kitchen knife, and a toothpick. Everything else is optional.
Alternately, I stumbled across Hearts for Haiti on etsy a few days ago, and since a heart tutorial seemed like the perfect fit for such a shop, there are now also 20 copies available there. Both shops are donating to the same charity, so please just feel free to purchase wherever you prefer. You may also get your copy directly from me at Polka Dot Creations, but I do hope that you will check CraftHope and HeartsForHaiti first and buy through them for as long as they still have copies.
Even if you’re not intrigued by these hearts, I urge you to head over to either shop and see what else may be of interest. Buy yourself a little something special and help make a difference in the world at the same time.
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Categories: polka dot cottage, polka dot creations, polymer clay | Comments (12)
Let’s talk sugar.
My friend Robin passed this video along. It’s an hour and a half lecture, which I thought at first would be too long to sit through, but it really sucks you in. Listen to it in the background while you fold laundry, eat your lunch, or whatever mindless tasks you have to do today, and then come back here because I have questions…
Ok, so let’s assume you buy the premise that sugar is a poison, and suppose you are like me – someone who doesn’t particularly have a sweet tooth, but who loves her daily can of Dr. Pepper and who has noticed over the last several months that there is sugar in everything you buy. I’ve been trying to limit our intake of high fructose corn syrup, replacing it with items said to have pure cane sugar instead. But if I am to understand Dr. Lustig’s point correctly, that is not acceptable either.
Did I misunderstand this? And if I did not, what is a person to do, when every product lining the supermarket shelves has some form of sugar listed on the label?
I enjoyed watching this lecture, I feel I learned something valuable (did you know that soda is as dangerous to your health as the same quantity of beer?), but I was so hoping that he would spend some time talking about alternatives. He never really touched on artificial sweeteners (which, I can’t imagine could really be any better for you than the sugars) and unless I was confused, he really didn’t say what we should be eating instead.
Essentially, passing on the soda and the fruit juices is an excellent (albeit entirely difficult for us) first step. And I suspect packaged convenience foods have to be the next to go. That’s another step that’s going to hurt a bit. Ok, a lot. I’m embarrassed how many mornings I just put prepackaged snacks in the kid’s lunch boxes. I’ve replaced Pop Tarts and Cheeze-its with Nature’s Path Toaster Pastries and Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, but is that not good enough?
I make my own bread (when I remember to do so) and feel really good about the health factor of the resulting sandwiches, but there are still Bunny Fruit Snacks and Nature’s Path Chocolate Chunk Cookies thrown in there to fill out the meal.
I guess what I am asking is this:
- What are some examples of healthy convenient lunches for picky eaters?
- What kind of snacks can I keep around the house that are good for nibblers?
- What healthy make-ahead snacks keep well?
- While fructose and sucrose are to be avoided, is there any kind of sugar on a package label that is OK?
- How do you avoid sugars in your diet without feeling deprived? Or resorting to artificial sweeteners?
I suspect I just have to do more making from scratch. I’m glad I watched this before I headed out food shopping today. I am going to be paying more attention to the labels, and will probably have more to say once I return. I’m looking forward to reading your viewpoints, especially those of you who already live healthy lifestyles and have a little knowledge about this kind of thing.
Me? I’m relatively new to this “eating well” thing, and there’s a definite learning curve to it all!
[edited: I should mention that I don't have plans to go completely sugar-free. I've always felt that moderation is key. Besides, Neil read this post and then called me from work to say that if I take away his sugar, he's taking away my internet connection, LOL! Penny commented with a link that gives another perspective. You should read it, if you're interested in this stuff. Frankly, it all makes my head spin, but in a good way - in a wanting to learn more way, as opposed to a bury my head in the sand and hope it all goes away way.]
Drowned Rat
It’s not so much that I mind the headlice – sure all of the laundering, freezing, scorching, treatment-giving, and nit-picking etc. is a royal pain, but I can deal with that.
I don’t really even mind driving the kids to their two different schools to have them checked out by their nurses before being allowed back into class.
I’m even ok with the fact that our little “patient zero” is still too nitty to go back to school today.
What pushes me over the edge is the weather. Flood warnings and wind advisories. Thunder rumbling in the distance. And me, running in and out of schools and drug stores, kid or two in tow, becoming more of a drowned rat with every errand.
Oh, the joy of wet shoes and jeans, and having to change all of our clothes when we walk back in the front door.
I’m taking a coffee break before I have another scalp treatment to give – this time I’m unleashing the pesticides.
After that it’s one more run through the rain with the six-year-old, back to school for yet another head check, on the off chance that he can catch the last few hours of class.
The phrase “not worth the effort” comes to mind, as I sit here, sipping my coffee, in my comfy and dry sweatpants… what’s another day of school missed, anyway?
What’s more fun than a box full of yarn?
Yesterday I opened up a box of Peaches & Creme from Elmore-Pisgah. Twenty-two little balls of totally affordable cotton worsted, in a plethora of pretty colors. Now, I don’t know about you, but when I am presented a box full of like objects, my first impulse is to sort them. So there I sat, on the floor, with my big box of yarn, looking for sets of three that were pleasing together.
I was soon joined (grudgingly at first, but enthusiastically before long) by my 6-year-old, who had his own ideas of what colors look good next to each other. We sat there like that for several minutes – making matches, jumbling them up, re-ordering – when someone suggested bowling.
And thus began an hour-long series of build-them-up and knock-them-down games that were surprisingly enjoyable for both of us. It actually felt like a real shame when I had to take away three of the balls to start my next dishcloth.
I love that kind of spontaneous fun that erupts from looking at a collection of objects in a non-traditional way. It’s like the game of Go-Fish that my 9-year-old and I played the other day with a big bowl of my medium-size clay buttons. “Do you have a button in the Triangles pattern?” “Nope, go fish!” Fun.
Before I go, a quick aside: have you heard about the Craft Hope shop at Etsy? I have a full entry about this nearly ready to post, but in the meantime, I think the shop can speak for itself. Go have a look!
Nit wits
The littlest member of the family brought home a gift for us this week. If you recognize that very fine-toothed comb up there, you know of what I speak.
I’ve always thought it was rather sweet how the boys end up sleeping together most nights, sharing blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. And I have never minded it when they wanted to spend the night in my bed while I am away on a trip. This week, though, I’m singing a slightly different tune, as every. single. soft. thing. those two have touched in the last week needs to be laundered.
I’m tempted to make everyone sleep on the cold, hard, kitchen floor tonight until every nit has been picked. Blech. My scalp itches just thinking about it.
This whole thing started two days ago with a call from the school nurse. The day before that it was surprise dental surgery for Neil, which landed him in bed (or on the couch) for most of the day sleeping off the anesthesia, and me in the car picking up medication and playing taxi.
So, yeah, kind of a busy-having, challenging, weird week. It’s taken me three days just to get a small pile of orders out the door, in between laundry processing, scalp treatments, and drug store runs (and if you’re one of my customers who has experienced a delay, I do apologize)!
On the plus side, I bought a rice cooker online, which arrived here in record time, and gave us the most delicious sticky jasmine rice for supper last night. Mmmmm.
Ok, well, I just wanted to check in and let you know I was alive. I owe email to a few of you who were interested in shawl pins, and I will get to it, I promise. For now, though, I have some laundry-related tasks to attend to. Oh, joy.
P.S. Not a fan of bug talk? You’ll be happy to know I’ve been sitting on a less skin-crawly entry since Tuesday, and I expect to get it posted in the next few days. Just waiting for one last little bit of information I need to add.
