ATCs: Black Or White

Black or white? Chocolate or vanilla? Shadows or highlights? Can you decide? "Black Or White" was the final theme in the FiberAntics ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap for 2013. Yes, there was a choice, but it looks as if most of the artists chose both... or just couldn't decide.

Lyrics from Billy Joel's "Shades of Grey" inspired this one:

"Shades of Grey" by Linda Smith

"Shades of grey where ever I go
    the more I find out the less that I know
       Black and white is how it should be
           But shades of grey are the colors I see."  —Billy Joel

Here are the other insightful and interpretive ATCs from this month's trade.

"Black and white and cute all over."
by Karen Downer

"Black and White" by Marilyn League

"Black and White" by Sharon Griffith

"Yin-yang" by Carlene Jacobson

"Black and White" by Lisa Howard

"Rudbeckia [Black-eyed Susan]"
by Veronica Hofman-Ortega

Make it faux

Have you ever knitted with a self-patterning yarn? It's so "faux" much fun! The "Twi-Fall" cap by Jennifer Stover (patten found on Ravelry) is a 2-evening knit (or one, if you keep at it).

"Twi-Fall" cap by Jennifer Stover in Classic Worsted Tapestry.

Using Classic Worsted Tapestry [Universal Yarn] in color: Party Time, this cap knits up in a pseudo Fair Isle pattern without the colorwork fuss… no floats, no charts, and only one strand. How easy is that???

A diagonal rib band is interesting yet is as easy as k2, p2.

You'll have to read how Jennifer came up with this diagonal rib pattern (ever try knitting in the dark during a double feature?). Cool effect and actually pretty easy. After analyzing the 4-row pattern, it's basically k2, p2 over an odd number of stitches. Note: Just ignore the beg of round marker as you come around each round and keep going with k2, p2... the two inch band will be finished in no time.

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Here's what this self-patterning yarn offers at the crown of the cap—a somewhat Impressionistic-style stripe-in-the-round. I'm also curious to see what this yarn will do on Tetiana Otruta's Star Noro Hat. I have about a half of the Party Time ball left… I may try it. Faux, faux, faux!

The magical burrito pillowcase

Need a gift for that favorite neighbor, the girl scout troupe leader, a special teacher or a sports-minded brother-in-law? Here's my answer to the "what-to-give-them?" conundrum: Pillowcases.

A menagerie of pillowcases for holiday gift-giving.

With all the colorful, fun and fanciful novelty fabrics available at your local quilt shop, pillowcases can be personalized with just about any motif or theme you can think of. Or pick a pretty floral, a wild geometric or a funky stripe… any of the quilt shop quality 100% cotton fabrics will wash up nicely and be soft to sleep on.

Novelty fabrics for pillowcases—choose a theme.

My original pillowcase tutorial is posted here. But recently, I discovered the "magical burrito pillowcase" method on Twiddletails blog that uses French seams and is a pretty cool technique. (I think we even had a guild program on this once upon a time.) You might give this method a try.

A note on directional fabric prints

Each pillowcase in the set has its opening and band on an opposing side.

Note: If you're working with a directional print, however, you'll want to pay attention to which side of the body you attach the pillowcase band. I like a set of cases in which each case has the band opening are on the opposite side. When the pillows are placed side by side, the bands fall to the outside of the bed and the motifs on the pillowcases are in the correct orientation (no upside-down kitties). 

My two new kitty pillowcases.
An antique pinwheel quilt hangs in the background.

However you decide to sew them, custom designed pillowcases are thoughtful gifts. They can't help but make you smile and the recipient will think of you every night as they drift off to dreamland.

And don't forget to make a set for yourself! I had to test drive the burrito pillowcase method on these kitty cases… which are now on my bed.

The Minnie Scarf: a potato chip project

Over the past several months, I've been industriously piecing tops and quilting quilts. With the few cold, winter-like days that popped up in December, however, my fingers started itching for yarn and a pair of knitting needles...

"Minnie Scarf" in Poems Chunky by Universal Yarn.

... so my quilt guild's annual holiday dinner and "handmade" gift exchange was the perfect occasion to scratch that itch. (Besides, there was a deadline.)

Are your knittin' fingers itchin' for some stitchin'? If so, then try Annie Lee's "Minnie Scarf" at Jumpercables Knitting. It's a fast and fun knit that makes a great gift for you or someone else. This one here—in shades of pink—was made with 2 balls of Poems Chunky [Universal Yarn] in the Mantra 904 colorway.

Good ol' garter stitch shines in this project. The yarn's color changes provide a tweedy look because of garter's purl bumps, but a solid color yarn would do justice to this project as well. Garter makes the piece reversible, lie flat, and is a great TV-knitting stitch pattern with a plush "squishy" texture—especially with Poems Chunky. The end-of-row bobbles keep the knitter from nodding off and bring a delightful decorative edge to this wedge-shaped, cool-weather accessory.

The Minnie is also a "potato chip" project—you can't make just one. Here are other versions and the multiple ways of wearing it. My multi-colored version (this scarf is for me) uses leftover bits of Poems Chunky (various colorways) wet-spliced together. The blue version is knit with a worsted weight Classic Shades [Universal Yarn] and a carry-along sock yarn from Regia in a Kaffe Fassett colorway. Both weights of yarn were held together to simulate a thicker, chunky weight yarn.

How can you wear this asymmetrical scarf? So many options:

Minnie Scarf: with or without a shawl collar.

Minnie Scarf: with a shawl pin closure.

Minnie Scarf: over the shoulder or both tails in the front.

Minnie Scarf: as a neck scarf or a shoulder wrap.

 And I guess you could wear it with the pico edge up???

In the blue version, a variegated sock yarn added the color changes to the monochromatic blue Classic Shades worsted weight yarn. This way, I could use the same needle size as when I knit Minnie in the chunky weight. Annie Lee's pattern calls for Aran weight—yet another possibility!

Yarns used for my Minnie versions: Poems Chunky
and Classic Shades carried with Regia sock yarn.

This week, my knitting students and I also had a holiday get-together. Of course, everyone brought Show and Tell... sweaters, scarves, hats, cowls, wraps... with slip stitch and texture patterns, color work, lace... we were all so impressed with each other's creations! Maybe there will be some Minnie Scarves added to the collection... or better yet... under the tree and in stockings this season.