ssmartraggs

Susie Sad Eyes

2011-08-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

Susie Sad Eyes is new to our house. Vintage 1972, this little darlin' has had her toes chewed by some pet (or maybe a child) in her former life. Must have been well loved! Think her name will be Nibbles.Standing at 8", she is thicker of body than Blythe, and a bit shorter in the torso, but some of my Blythe items will fit her well. That's good; means a bit of tweaking of patterns here and there, but will be relatively easy to outfit the Susie Sad Eyes dolls for listing in ssmartraggs.etsy.com.

Argyle Sweater for Kelly doll

2011-08-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Just a little something I knit up for Kelly doll on 4/0 needles and lace weight misty alpaca. Traditional argyle would have separate balls of yarn for the blocks, which I did; but I stranded the background blue and then backstitched the XXXs across the blocks.. not authentic, but easier to do!

2011-08-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

Knitting for adults is such a treat for a change! I came across this super simple design in Ravelry by Martina Behm for a little scarflette that called out to be knitted up for fall wearing. The scalloped edge was a bit tricky at first, but after watching the video (link is in the pattern) and completing one or two scallops it was a piece of cake!

So, on a road trip I knitted up the solid teal 22.5 Degree wrap using 3 balls of vintage yarn from my stash... it's a bit heavier, being a sport weight, but a yummy texture using size 9 circular needles. 50% Kid Mohair/ 50% Wool blend.

The wrap is knitted from the top down; the last two rows are the knitted shell and bind off.

The designer calls it "22.5" Degrees as it is just that! Not the normal 45 Degree scarf, or shawl, which hangs long in the back, but, rather, it is intended to sit on the shoulders, wrap around the neck and be tied or draped. Perfect to add just a bit of warmth.

If you follow the pattern using sock yarn, you will end up with a width of 165 cm (65 inches), and a depth of 35 cm (14 inches). My first effort is using Ty-Dy sock yarn, which patterns beautifully and has a wonderful soft drape knitted up on US size 3 circular needles. I used up the ball and now the project is sitting aside as a WIP until I get to the local yarn shop for another ball.

2011-08-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

Hanging out at Ceder Camp, listening to NPR on the radio.... Clair never goes anywhere without her Pookie bear.

Unfinished Object now Finished

2011-07-19T07:29:00.001-07:00

This was a good day for getting to an unfinished project. My mom stitched the animals years ago. She used to stitch directly onto shirts for my brothers, but she's not here anymore.. so this is what I did so that they would have new shirts with "old stitching".

I ironed "heat N bond light" to the back of each stitched piece; then cut them to the desired shape. Basically, this means simply cutting around the design, leaving about 1/2 inch all around.

Note: Use "light" rather than heavy duty Heat N Bond.... the heavy duty will gum up onto the needle later when you stitch the design in place. Very annoying!

After the piece has cooled peel the paper backing off. Position the piece right side up on the center back of the shirt. I folded the shirt and gave it a slight crease to insure that the design would be placed in the center, and straight.

Then, iron again. I ironed from the front, then turned the shirt over and ironed from the back to insure a good bond.

Note: Ironing from the back of the shirt raises the stitching slightly giving it a bit of dimension.

Once the shirt with bonded on stitching has cooled you can move to the sewing machine. Set the machine for a 3.5 mm zigzag stitch with a buttonhole stitch length. On my machine, that's about #1. I put a buttonhole presser foot on the machine, mostly so that I would have a good visual of where I was stitching. Also you will want a size 12 or 14 needle in your machine.

Begin stitching at the bottom... keep stitching around the edge till you come back to where you began. Then, stitch over it a second round for better coverage. Trim threads, and Done!!

Voila!!
I used new shirts that my brother brought to me, and he selected which animal print for each shirt.... come to think of it... I have 4 brothers, and only 3 completed shirts! Did I agree to get the 4th shirt? Guess I'm not finished with this project after all!

The shirt with iron-on can be washed and dried by machine. Because it is stitched, it will not come off, in the way that it might if you simply ironed the design onto the shirt without the zigzag stitching. The stitching will probably outlast the life of the shirt. This could be a good thing!

When ironing the shirt (if you must), be sure to iron the stitched area from the back as your final step. Just turn the shirt over on the ironing board and give it a good steam/press.

2011-05-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

Dipping into my stash of vintage hankies, I found this wonderful blue with red rose border. It cried out to be used as the skirt portion on a sundress, so here it is! The bodice is cotton with beading at the neck edge; neck trim wraps to the back as straps. The sundress has a snap back closure. The skirt has a white underskirt with heirloom quality lace at the hem; the skirt wraps in front... matching scarf is super long and beaded at both ends. Great as a scarf, wrap, belt or headband!

2011-05-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

Newest Sundress... I made several of these; expect to see more at my table at BlytheCon 2011 in Portland. The artist "manni" is added here to show the backless back with snap closure. Huge red star button accents the front. The bodice is made from a wonderful cotton with textured stripes. I don't think you can see them in the photo, but the stripe is bordered by a metallic thread for a bit of sparkle. Subtle!

I make my bias trim for the neckline /straps from quilting cotton. Easy peasey! Cut strips 1.25" wide on the bias; iron to crease in half lengthwise, then open, crease again on each 1/2 of the strip; finally, close the strip and iron one more time!

Have I said before that the iron is the most useful tool in the sewing room other than the sewing machines of course! ??

2011-05-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

A day at the beach; Pt St George... perfect weather and Lola (dog) is wet and sandy. She will need a dip in the river on the way home. Actually... she got a bath, so she smells good too!

New sundress uses Milktooth fabric for the bodice; Seasick Sailor... in blue and cream. The sundress is my current favorite to make; it looks so cute with a wrap!

I made up several of this sundress; one has already been purchased and shipped with a blue wrap. I may have a few at BlytheCon 2011 in Portland... see you there!

2011-05-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Tshirt dressing for Momoko; this dress was actually made for Blythe, but fits Momoko to a "T". The nautical fabric has tiny ships wheels in an all-over print. The scarf is red plaid chiffon.

Dress has back snap closure, bataux neck, and raglan sleeves. The sleeves are 3/4 length on Momoko, full length on Blythe.

2011-05-07T11:21:00.001-07:00

It's a wrap! I'm having so much fun with knitting these little dolly wraps! They're perfect for wearing with sundresses, and great as a hair band too! The yellow sundress has already gone to a customer, but I will be making more.
The bandana print sundress is one of my favorites at this moment.
Who knew that the Blythe doll and the artist doll would be the same size? Blythe dresses fit them perfectly, so I am using them to model, although Clair is a bit nervous about their tiny heads.
More wraps in the colors of summer.. this yarn shades from reds to blues.

New Design for Blythe

2011-04-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

Thinking about the sunshine when it is still rainy is a bit "off" for me, but yesterday I worked out the details for this little number for Blythe. It only took three tries to get the bodice shaped just so for a perfect fit...

Love the bias trim that wraps to the back as straps! And, even more that the sundress only required one snap for the closure! Yay!

BlytheCon 2011 in Portland, Or

2011-03-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

Sweet little sailboat print dress with ribbon trimmed detached sailor collar, button accent, comes complete with a white eyelet underskirt. The dress has back snap closure.

I pre-registered for the Portland BlytheCon 2011 and scored a vendor table! Yay!

Uhhhhmmm, now what? The event will be June 20th; with a nautical theme.. guess that means red/white/blue with ... hmmmmm... I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

I have a stash of African cotton fabrics in red/white and blue/white. The cotton is heavier than quilting cotton, so lends itself well for a crisp garment. This is the first set made up in one of the red/white prints. Both will go to the event in advance as prizes. The sailor blouse fits both Blythe and Momoko dolls, as does the pleated dress.

White cotton twill was used for the sailor hat for Momoko; it actually is a perfect fit for Petite Blythe, so I will be taking some with me!

I made the Blythe Kozy Kape shopping bag; a few of which will go for prizes, and I will have more at my table. Made of the same twill as the sailor hat, and features Clair in her Kozy Kape earmuff. I hear there will be lots of Kosies there!

2011-03-02T13:16:00.000-08:00

Now THIS was fun! I was foolin' around with sock yarn and a doll in front of me... A pretty new Italian sock yarn to work with that shades from greenss to browns. Shown on Clair in the redwood forest out my kitchen door. I love how the colors blend into the forest!

I hate weaving in yarn ends and even more so to sew up seams once the knitting of a piece is finished, so I am forever experimenting with my patterns to eliminate seams and minimize ends to weave in.

This set is a versatile one.

The hat is shown worn 2 ways: tied under the chin, and tied under the hair in back.

The sweater is shown worn 4 ways: frontwards, backwards, and upside down both frontwards and backwards!

Awesome super big cowl neck "happens" when the sweater is upside down; and it fits as a middie, or tummy baring top.

I only put 2 buttons/snaps on it because I didn't want to interfere with the drape of the collar when worn upside down. The waist is shaped by eliminating some stitches for 4 rows, then adding them back.

The head wrap/scarflette is shaped by means of short rows so that it hugs the head no matter how it is tied.

I initially designed this hat for Momoko dolls; much, much, much smaller of course.

2011-01-31T10:24:00.000-08:00

Sewing for Clair and the newest member of the doll family, a Momoko, who is as yet un-named.

2011-01-25T11:02:00.000-08:00

Jenny and Momoko having a cup of tea ....

It has been interesting to see which of my patterns can work "as is" for Momoko dolls. The hat that Jenny is wearing was too big for the new girl; she has such a delicate face! So, I modified it a bit resulting in a perfect fit for Momoko. The hearts are in anticipation of Valentines Day.

The Blythe wrap skirt is a perfect fit; shorter than on Blythe of course, but not too short!

The sweater is a pattern I wrote for a Blythe tunic sweater; perfect!

This Blythe outfit works well for her too. The sunhat ties at the back under the hair; the halter top ties at the back waist.... I had considered changing this pattern to have a snap at the back instead of the ties, but the ties make it more versatile for other 1/6 scale dolls.

I need to make more of these in other colors to list in etsy.... so many fun things to do!

2011-01-22T18:25:00.000-08:00

The doll family is growing by leaps and bounds! Seems like I keep adding them, rationalizing that I need the variety of sizing for my knitting and sewing designs for etsy. (ha ha)

This photo includes Clair, my Blythe doll, as well as a new strawberry shortcake, a LPS petite Blythe, the twins aka: what's her face dolls, and the bodiless head I use for adult hats.

All the girls seem to be eager to get the new kid out of the box!

Blythe and Strawberry Shortcake

2010-10-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Clair (my Blythe doll) looks a bit peevish, as though she was a big sister made to dress like a little sister; well, guess what?

In this case, the Blythe sweater was made first, then modified for Strawberry Shortcake.

The sweaters have back snap closures. Strawberry's sweater has minimal shaping, but I gave quite a bit of waist and neckline shaping to Blythe's sweater. The yarn is a "bamboo from rayon" blended with wool and nylon... maybe it's a bamboo yarn, and maybe it isn't, but it's lovely to work with, and soft with a sheen.

The skirts are rayon; elastic waist with pink tulle underskirts attached; rickrack trim at the hem.

I'm not going to post the sweater pattern as I am not totally satisfied... it needs a bit of rework which I will save for another day.

2010-10-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

Room with a view; a FS Lookout in the Pacific Northwest.

Elevation: 4300 ft.

13 miles east of the Pacific Ocean; overlooking the Pistol River watershed, and the Gardner Ranch, which was settled in 1885 by my great grandmother Rebecca and her husband Ben. They had two children; Harley and Ina..

Ina was my grandmother; she was married to Jeff Forkner and had 4 children with him. They built a house on her 1/2 of the ranch; purchasing lumber from the mill on Carpenterville Road.

Later, she was married to Keith Dunning, and had 3 children with him. It was he who talked her into selling her 1/2 of the Gardner Ranch and moving south to the land of opportunity: was it Fortuna, CA? In any case, he left her there with the three chiildren and the 4 older children. I heard it said that the older boys ran him off.

Back in my own childhood, my parents would spend a couple of weeks each summer at the ranch, with all us 6 children in tow. They helped with shearing the sheep; we children played.... there was a very steep slope where we used to climp up to the top with pieces of cardboard and sliding down... someone invariably got hurt, but we loved it! Memories, memories.

We began going to SnowCamp LO in 1995; it was no longer "manned" or "staffed", but had been turned into a vaacation rental by the FS. It became one of our "go to" spots.

Later when the 2003 Biscuit Fire ran amuck, and burned the structure, we were among the group that volunteered to rebuild the structure. Since that time, Frankster and I have volunteered to "open and close" the lookout each season.

We couldn't have asked for better weather! Sunny, warm and no wind! Yay!

Often we are there when the winds are 40 mph, gusting to 80 mph. It made the job of putting up the shutters so much easier not to worry that one would be blown out of your hands and over the mountain! Our good friends, Stephen and Cris, were there to help us, so the job went quickly and smoothly!

Can't wait till opening next season!

Strawberry Shortcake

2010-09-28T16:02:00.001-07:00

Strawberry Shortcake wearing her original pants with the hat I recently knit for the Tanya doll; seems they both have 6" heads!

The little sweater is my newest pattern; much modified from my Blythe sweater pattern to fit Strawberry.

I made the first one to slip on over the hips, but doesn't work for her. I added a back opening and will add only one top snap. It would close completely, but I like the bit of flare.

Once I was happy with the pattern, I tested it out on about 10 different yarns! Why, you may ask? Well, they're so tiny and a bit like popcorn... make one, and you want to do another!

After I get all the yarn ends woven in and the snaps attached I will begin listing them on my etsy. It will be interesting to see how much interest there is in Strawberry!

Strawberry Shortcake

2010-09-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

I rescued a 2002 Strawberry Shortcake doll from the abyss of my granddaughter's room; she cleaned up nicely, so will be drafting patterns for her soon!

Tanya's Knitted Cloche

2010-09-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Tanya is the newest addition to my growing collection of dolls. She is from the Signature Collection from Barbara Lee. Measuring 8" high, she has a 6" head circumference.

This hat fits "What's Her Face" and will likely fit some of the other dolls with slightly bigger heads than Barbie.

My other hat patterns were either too small (Skipper, Licca, Momoko, etc) or too big (Blythe, Pullip, American Girl, etc).

So, this sweet little porcelain doll gets her own hat pattern.
Needles: size 1 DP
Yarn: sock weight yarn, shown: German Regia self-striping yarn, and turquoise Wildfoote from Brown Sheep Co. Both knit up at approximately 9 st per inch.

Cast on 54 stitches; join, be sure stitches are not twisted. (18-18-18)
Knit stockinette stitch for 1.75"( about 20 rows). then:

Decrease for Crown:

Rnd 1: "K4, K2 tog" across to 45 st. (15-15-15)
Rnd 2: Knit around
Rnd 3: "K3, K2 tog" across to 36 st. (12-12-12)
Rnd 4: Knit around (note: this is final round of knit only)
Rnd 5: "K2, K2 tog" across to 27 st. (9-9-9)
Rnd 6: "K1, K2 tog" across to 18 st. (6-6-6)
Rnd 7: "K2 tog" across to 9 st. (3-3-3)
Rnd 8: "K2 tog, K1" across to 6 st. (2-2-2)
Rnd 9: "K2 tog" across to 3 st. (1-1-1)

ICORD Topknot:
Knit the final three stitches onto one needle. Knit ICORD for 18 rows (54 st, if counting). End. Thread yarn thru a tapestry needle and weave into the center of the cord then trim; tie topknot. Weave in tail remaining at the beginning of the cap.

And, this is Tanya... she has glass eyes and real lashes. I don't show a full body photo... when I found her in an antique shop she was dressed in her original outfit which is bulky and cumbersome... Later, after making a new outfit for her she will appear again.

Note: Pattern is copyrighted and available for personal use only.

Dammit Doll

2010-08-31T07:46:00.000-07:00

Started out to design a rag doll to wear some of the doll clothing and knits that I make....

this one won't do it, but she's kindof fun anyway!

She's destined to be a "Dammit Doll".... to be kept handy for when you feel the urge to whack someone, but your better sense tells you "NO!"

She is made from decorator weight cotton, her ankles are perfectly sized for grabbing, and her body is firmly stuffed for good whacking on the car steering wheel, the tv, sewing machine, or computer; maybe the phone that rings during the 6 pm news.... Yell "Dammit, dammit, dammit" as you give the offending item a couple of good whacks. +_+

She has no face yet and hasn't been closed up at the top of her head, but she is soooo expressive with those long unstuffed arms! With arms crossed I am tempted to give her face raised eyebrows; then I shifted the arms and she looks like the morning after the night before..... :D

On the other hand.... perhaps she should be a "Mood Doll"..... to keep at your desk to forewarn the unsuspecting that today is NOT the day to mess with you!

Textured Fall Head Wrap or Scarflette

2010-08-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

I found this fuzzy textured yarn... it has been the rage for several years for those long skinny scarves; you know the ones! Anyway, I was inspired by the fall colors of the yarn... I added a strand of a German Crazy Zauberball self striping wool sock yarn to it for extra color.. Look closely and you will see a bit of blue in it! I also had in mind adding a natural fiber to the poly/acrylic stuff to give it (an me) integrity.... :D

The design is straightforward to knit; simply cast on three stitches, then add one stitch at each end on every row as in "K1, M1, K,... rib knit to the other side ending with P,K, M1, K1... yes, I increased on every row. Keep going until you are done, then stop! Mine ended up being about 8" x 20" excluding the braids.

Bind off loosely; add braided ties. The size is perfect for a head wrap or tied loosely at the neck for a pop of color over a jacket or sweater.

The uneven number of stitches resulted in an edge of knit 3.. with K1,P1 rib knit throughout. I had in mind to knit until the scarflette was wide enough to tie around the neck but changed my mind when nearing the end of the skein.

I liked the idea of the pop of color in the braided ties.

For the ties I wrapped yarn from hand over elbow and back again for 36 strands; cut; divide shaded yarns equally for each side. Slip the strands through the end of the scarflette and with ends even, begin braiding. You can be obsessive compulsive and count out even numbers of colors for the three strands or let them come as the fall... I fall into the obsessive compulsive route, so there ya are!

Happy knitting!

2010-08-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

Clair with the new snowman. Waldorf inspired knitted doll. Knit from wool blend sock yarns; wool batting inside, wool embroidered facial features; felted wool fabric scarf..... sorry, plastic button! Firmly attached, but makes it not suitable for babies and small children. Better used as a doll for your larger dolls, or as an ornament.

The too pink doll is knit based on the pattern in the book of Pocket Pals discussed in a recent post. The snowman is my own pattern. ..... significantly smaller at 2.75" rather than 4.5"; and I gave it some shaping.

The original doll can wear hats I knit for Skipper, Momoko, Licca, Jenny, Barbie, and What's Her Face. Way too big for the snowman, so I wrote a new pattern for the smaller version.

2010-08-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

Mini knitting is such a treat!

OK... it's tedious and tiny, and my eyes get buggy after awhile, but I keep coming back for more! I found this great little book of designs by Val Love...it's called Pocket Pals. She's taken an old favorite knitted doll and updated it... at least, I think that's what she did as knitted dolls have been around f-o-r-ever!
But they are so darned cute!

I knitted one with my morning coffee... didn't like that the pattern is written for straight needles, and I am in the process of rewriting it for myself for use with DP needles.

I hate sewing up, and will use circular or DP needles whenever possible. I am actually not going to finish this first one because I need some skin toned yarn to replace to too pink yarn I used, so will post a photo later of a completed one.
In the meantime, Happy Knitting!

2010-08-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

Now, THIS is a good fit! But in needed something to set them off, so I knitted up a pretty straightforward shrug. I so love this yarn! The shrug can be worn either way, depending upon which colors you want to have at the shoulders, which show mostly at the front of the doll.

These are the mini stockings that I spoke of earlier. I actually began making them early in July.. but most of the yarn is self-striping that I have, and really isn't suited to "pairs" of socks for dolls. These will likely end up as tree ornaments... again.. they're addictive! The pattern was purchased; but adapted to suit my knitting. I didn't like the ribbed top as shown on the green stocking. Why? Because it is so small it is difficult to open it up; I envision them on a miniature tree with mini candy canes... so, modified the top for a purled top; subsequent stockings are a bit different, with two rows of purls separated by two rows of knit stitches.

Note: The stockings are shown on What's Her Face; she has much bigger feet than Blythe or the other 1/6 scale dolls, so I modified the pattern again to fit Blythe.
Did I say I knitted mini stockings while on the PCT? ... my brain must have fried in the sun.... The yarn I took with me was a skein of self-striping sock yarn, and I made these little Topknot Hats. They are sized for Skipper, which means they will fit most 1/6 scale dolls, such as Barbie, Licca, Momoko, Jenny, and What's Her Face. They will definitely NOT fit Blythe! I have another pattern for her.
The hats are like popcorn... addicting! You must keep knitting to see how the next one will shape up!

2010-08-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

So... advancing in age as we are... we figured that there would be no better time to hike a bit of the Pacific Crest Trail.... it won't be easier next year, after all!!
Gathering up the newest equipment was the fun part! Lots of new lightweight things to get... I treated myself to the newest lightweight thermarest sleeping pad, coming in at 14 oz..... good thing! My pack weighed over 40 lbs, even after ditching some stuff the night before heading out. However, I must confess that some of the ditched items found their way back into my pack before we left. :D
We chose the section of the PCT nearest as we were shuttled back and forth.... beginning at Grouse Gap, about 10 miles east of Mt Ashland, and hiking to Wrangle Gap... about 10 miles or so. Didn't seem like so much, but it took us all day! When we thought we should be almost there we realized we had to go around Red Mtn... more uphill!! But the campsite at Wrangle Gap was great! So great, in fact, that we decided to stay put for 4 days; then hiked back out the way we came. Next year: lighter packs, and another section. At this rate, we will be hiking for 170 years to finish the 1700 mile PCT!!
While camping I knitted until I ran out of yarn.. I had taken only one ball of sock yarn, and knitted up some mini stockings with it. (It was worth its weight in the pack, believe me!)
:D

2010-05-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

The hat Clair is wearing is made with a green/gold/tan sock yarn that self-stripes. My pattern is shaped for a nice rolled brim for wearing as a Beret, but in this photo she wears it pulled to the back to cover her hair. The first few hats I made with this new pattern didn't have the topknot... but I added one to a hat for a test and like it so much that it is now standard! Easily done over 6 stitches on dp needles.

You know you are hooked on Blythe when you begin buying accessories and toys for your doll..... I found this adorable little Felted Teddy Bear in a Frog suit on ETSY.... see other treats in her shop: http://www.madebylaura.etsy.com/

The colors inspired the use of the green dotted fabric for the new dress. I was going for a Lolita style... with lace, ruffles and satin lacing in the front and back. Shown here with the green thigh high stockings I make with stretchy lace at the tops.

2010-05-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here you can see the patterning on the top of the beret, also the color blocking of the sweater. I found a perfect fabric for the leggings in my stash; I would have preferred a bit of lycra in it; but cotton jersey is good too! I listed the pieces separately on etsy; and have already sent a pair of the leggings out to a customer. I will make more of them!

I found this interesting yarn that is self-striping in shades of lavender... I love how it worked up! The hat is actually a beret with the classic roll at the brim, however shown here pulled down to frame Blythe's face... the better to show the yarn's patterning.
After making the hat, I moved on to a sweater... it ended up more of a "color block" sweater with different colors showing up on each piece. I will post another photo showing the whole outfit momentarily.

2010-05-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

A little dolling for a customer in Texas... the Lolita Dress was designed and made to fit her Momoko doll, which is somewhat smaller than Barbie. The dress is adjustible via lacing at the back and also at the front waist with ties. There is an underskirt for extra fullness; and the accessory pieces were too fun to make! I added a bit of bling to several of the pieces.
Now... I need to adjust my pattern to fit Blythe!

2010-04-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

Custom dress made for Blythe. Clair poses with the dress prior to shipping standing in front of a stack of fat quarters on my cutting table. Judicious layout of the pattern on the fabric resulted in a little sunflower at the neck. The customer wanted sunflower fabric, but not "heavy with sunflowers".

Busy, busy, busy!

2010-04-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

I got a note from flickr admin insisting that I delete all references to my etsy shop... it took me an hour! Not all photos had references, but you have to review each one which takes a bit of time!
The good news is: I will likely be posting more photos here! Yay!

2010-03-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the combination of the pink and blue in this little outfit I made recently, I dug around in my stash until I found a yarn that I "knew I had" and made a little beret.

It's a curiosity to me that I get here so seldom! Those who know me know that I love to talk about what I am doing.. I am a notorious interupter.. not that what I have to say at any given time is more important that whoever is talking; it's just that if I don't get it out quickly it may go away! :D

But I am here now with a new knitted beret I made for Blythe. The yarn is vintage, and a French cotton.. slubby and multicolored; a sportweight. It was a great yarn to work with! The hat is available at http://www.ssmartraggs.etsy.com.

I am seriously considering writing up my patterns.. (yes! I actually do take notes while knitting something on the fly!)

Newest Knitting Project

2010-02-03T10:37:00.001-08:00

Commissioned by the Juilliard School in NYC; this hat is one of four; each different, but all hats that might have been worn in the 1950's. They are for a production of an opera set in the 1950's.

The blue hat is made from a wonderful 70%wool/30%silk yarn that the school provided. I believe it is a Cascade yarn; bulky.

I made this one with a fair isle pattern; it has a 10-stitch repeat, and is 13 rows with a 5-row pattern above it; separated by a red/blue border of one row.
The yarn has a soft drapiness that called for more of a tassel than a pompom, so that's what I did. I think it was about 80 wraps over a 4" cardboard... tied, and another tight wrap and tie before trimming the bottom edge.
The pattern is one that I made up as I went along; starting on size 10.5 US circular needles for the garter stitch edge, then moving onto size 11 US circular needles for the body. I began decreasing after the fair isle pattern was finished; it didn't interfere with the pattern, but I nearly ran out of the blue yarn!! They picked great colors for this hat; I love how this particular shade of blue really makes the red "pop"!!

2010-01-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

I said I would post a photo of the baby pod with the cap... boy! Did it take me a long time!! The pod and cap was sold at the local Holiday Craft Fair. I wasn't sure how it would be received, but customers kept coming over to check it out! The customer who purchased it came back 3 or 4 times before purchasing it. She r-e-a-l-l-y wanted it!
:D

Baby Pod

2009-11-13T11:35:00.000-08:00

I made the Baby Pod (some would call it a cacoon, and perhaps when I make one in another color I may too)... in any case.. the pod is made using two strands of worsted weight yarn so knits up fairly quickly on size 13 needles.

Since I don't have an infant in the house I borrowed my granddaughter's "Bitty Baby" doll to use as a model. She is 15" long in total, but the pod is knitted to 17" before decreasing at the bottom and making a short i-cord for the stem. Perfect for a newborn to keep snuggled up in and toasty warm. An older infant would want to have arms free, but the pod should be great for about the first 4-5 months.

I will post another photo with the cap later.

2009-11-13T11:22:00.000-08:00

This Greenie Meanie is a plushy made from a drawing done by my 4 yr old grandson. I kept the shape he gave to the mouth and teeth, as well as the eyes!

I added legs... mostly because little ones like something to grab ahold of!

I will have some at the Christmas Holiday Craft Fair; but it can also be see at

http://www.ssmartraggs.etsy.com

Ben's Hat

2009-10-19T11:55:00.001-07:00

This hat I made for Ben, a custom order thru ETSY. I bought some dark red melton wool that I will be use to make a hat for me.
Ben sent some extra metal bands as part of our bargain, so I can make a few more hats in this same style.

This is Ben's Hat... he wanted a hat like the hat Brando wore in the 1953 movie "the wild one".... if you are old enough, you may recall that helmets were not required for bikers in those days. Brando played a rebel on a motorcycle and wore a hat much the same as this.

The hat is an 8-panel hat made from a camel melton wool. It is very thick and will be warm to wear, but I doubt it would protect you from head dents if you crash into a Redwood Tree!

I lined the hat with a creamy oxford silk. The brim is leather, as is the inside hatband. Ben provided the metal band for the front of the band... I anchored the band with two viintage metal buttons from my stash. The wool was too thick to use to cover the button on the crown, however I had another wool that is a near perfect match!

Handkerchief Angel

2009-10-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

They were really fun to put together! I used a bit of poly fiber fill for the head and a bit of hair. I have some "rainbow" organza that I cut into strips; each of the angels has a slightly different color combination. Four layers of tulle underneath give them a bit of fullness that I like. Since the angels are to be a memory keeper for relatives of Rose, I added a rose with ribbons. The angels appear to be laughing... I used a Mary Englebrit drawing as inspiration for the facial features, but I doubt that Mary herself could figure out which one as the embroidered features look nothing like the face in her picture!

A customer sent me 9 of her grandmonther Rose's handkerchiefs so they could be made into something to share "grandma" memories with other family members. Such a sweet idea! I suggested that perhaps the old fashioned handkerchief dolls used by mothers forever to keep little ones quietly entertained might be a good inspiration.

9 lovely handkerchiefs arrived, but were a bit aged; I brightened them up in a bit of a soak. I added 2 drops of Mrs Stewarts bluing to the wash water and they came out wonderfully! Bleach would have been way too harsh for the fragil fabrics.

2009-08-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

This bandana is made from a mottled yellow quilting fabric, with her name stitched added.

2009-08-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

Lola sporting her newest bandana... she's a happy dog! Now... off for a walk on the beach while the sun is still out!

2009-07-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Poor orphan! The mannequin I mean! Some of the photos are before I got her a wig. She looks much better with hair!

I have been making hats lately.... some can be seen in the ESTY mini off to the right; others I will post from time to time. It took several tries to perfect the pattern draft for the hat currently in progress. It is an 8-panel parachute pattern, in a modified aviator style that Brando wore in the 1953 classic "The Wild Ones"... camel melton wool; lined in silk oxford cloth with leather brim and sweatband. The customer provided a metal stretch band for the front. I am ready to begin sewing it up.... it should be hot!

Spring is in the air!

2009-02-13T08:04:00.000-08:00

Just a note to remind myself that I need to get busy posting! I have been working on making hats for fun and to list in my etsy shop..

A couple of full coverage hats that work perfectly for "chemo caps"... The blue twill hat is reversible and extra long sot that even rolled up you can have "full coverage". It reverses to black micro fleece; very warm! The organza pin gives it a bit of panache. :D

The Raspberry Mohair and Wool Felted hat was knitted on size 17 circular knitting needles to be extra large so that after felting it is still a full coverage hat. Incredibly warm! I felted it by hand rather than in the washing machine because I am a control freak. I shaped it to dry with a fold in the front above the brim. I was inspired by the Darrow Cloche.

The newsboy hat was a custom order made in black velveteen and lined with a fun red printed flannel for warmth. I also made one to list in my etsy shop that is lined with green and black checked flannel.

I found the head to use as a model in the local antique shop... she isn't antique, but maybe vintage. I am thinking that someone must have used it it a beauty school to test hair cutting; as you see, she has none! Prickly little 5 o'clock shadow on the head!

I found a wig to put on her so she is now happy.

What's new here?

2008-12-21T09:06:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it has been so long since last posting! Bad, bad, bad! I have been really busy on my ETSY custom orders, and am happy to say that all are completed, other than one or two that we agreed would wait until after the holidays! Yay!

So.... I am taking a couple of weeks to work on family items for Christmas and beyond... the beyond part includes cloth diapers for the newest addition to the family. Baby Idhalia was born on a frozen, snowy winter afternoon in Portland, Ore. Her parents are so proud and happy, as well they ought to be! She is, of course, very beautiful! I will post photos as they are received!

2008-07-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

Recently went to Sisters, Oregon for the annual quilt festival. If you haven't seen a whole town covered inside and outside with quilts from all over the country, then you have a real treat in store!!

Sisters is a very small community in the mountains near Bend. I am fortunate to have a friend there who has offered her hospitality and home so that Susan and I could attend the quilt show again this year. Wonderful time!

Camping over July 4th

2008-07-08T06:29:00.000-07:00

Camping at Red Mountain Praire, which is within a couple of miles of the trailhead to Vulcan Lake, southwest Oregon. As you can see, the view toward the ocean is a bit hazy with smoke from whatever wildfires are within range.

It is still spring in the mountains, so there are some lovely wildflowers in the meadow.

We pretty much did nothing but absorb the sun, take short walks, and throw the ball for Lola-dog.

On the way down the hill again I took a picture of Snowcamp Mountain, Collier Butte, to Game Peak, which is to the north. The top of the mountain was in a cloud, so couldn't see Snowcamp LO even with binaculars. It is the farthest range in the center of the picture.

You can see in the picture taken near the top of Vulcan Mtn that the undergrowth is coming back nicely, but evidence of the Biscuit Fire remains.

Baby Booties

2008-06-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

This pair of booties is made from a combination of fabrics by designer Mary Engelbreit.

Sole is lined with yellow hand dyed felted wool. Upper and heel are lined with a dotted red fabric. Really breit and fun!

ETSY seems to be down right now, but when it is back up, I will be listing these little cuties!

NEW***

2008-06-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to tell you about the new booties I am making! The booties are inspired by the classic ones we see everywhere, but my version is narrower to better fit the newborn foot. This first pair shows off a sweet rosebud cotton, and has oilcloth monkeys on the toe. The sole and upper is lined with hand dyed felted wool for cosy toes!

I have lots of fun fabrics to mix and match and will be listing them on ETSY as they are completed.

Boho Chic Small Clutch / Pouch

2008-06-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

This is a new design. Small enough to lay on the top of the table on a night out, but large enough to hold all of the necessities.

I made a mid-size bagg in the same fabric that has been very well received. One currently resides in Bend, OR; and another was sent to Seattle this past week. Each is different due to placement of pattern on the fabric to capture a specific section of the pattern. I love the colors and the weave. Very 1960's.................

Camping in mid-June

2008-06-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

Dry camping at the trailhead to Windy Valley Trail this past weekend; many wildflowers are in bloom. This nootka (sic) rose has only two blooms, but tons of buds ready to open!

This week activity

2008-05-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

Donation for Congressman Mike Thompson fund raiser... silent auction. ... to be held in Del Norte County, CA this coming weekend.

The bagg can also be seen on my ETSY site.

Follow-up note: The bag was won by Katherine M. and she loves it!

Another Camping Trip!!

2008-05-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is how we like to go camping! Hook up the little Casita (16") and go! We haven't left the yard yet; do you think the Barbie jeep will pull this thing? Sure makes the Casita look like one of the "Big Guys"!

So, here we are, doing what we like to do while camping... sitting in the sun, or shade if it is really warm. On this trip we didn't go far. Panther Flat campground near Gasquet, CA. The weather was in the 90's. The Casita held the heat like you couldn't believe!

We did very little actual cooking, so the cleanup, which I did at the picnic table, was minimal as well.

Lola the dog loves to go camping! She played all day with her ball, and we took several trips down to the river to let her get soaked to cool off!

2008-05-14T05:52:00.001-07:00

2008-05-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Little Duckling swimming on rickrack water..... and little duckling Bubble Bottom pants made from wonderful flannel!

Both can be seen at my etsy site:

http://www.ssmartraggs.etsy.com

I used the softest minky fabric for the duck applique, and both wide and medium rickrack for the water. The duckling has moveable button eye. Very Cute!

Christmas Ornaments

2008-05-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

This pair of ornaments is made using green ticking with oilcloth monkeys appliqued. Rickrack, vintage buttons and a jingle bell complete the picture. I am thinking that they will be fun for little guys who will also be wearing monkey shirts!

On these Victorian Ornaments I used some of my antique lace from the early 1900s. Vintage buttons in turquoise set off the damask-like taffeta. The applique is on decorator cotton printed in a blue ticking pattern. Note the jingle bell at the point of the toe!

Coasters!

2008-04-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm spending time today reworking my photos for my ETSY listings. I have taken so many and they are not well organized! I spend alot of time searching when I go to post a listing.

I have recently made some coasters to list.... they're easy and lots of fun! I use a squarish glass candle holder for the pattern. It isn't a perfect square, so the coasters have a quirky look that I like. I fussy cut the top fabric to highlight a flower or pattern, then layer the individual tops onto a sheet consisting of the bottom and the batting. After sewing, I cut them out, turn them, and give them two rounds of topstitching and some freeform quilting! Done! Since I preshrink my fabrics they are machine washable, warm... but lay them flat to dry.

2008-04-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Camping at Humboldt Spring; way up the Chetco River, Oregon

Lola is in heaven camping! We all stay outside and play with her all day!

Wild flowers.

While I work a sudoko puzzle and read, Frank makes the morning coffee. It doesn't get better than that!

Yes, that is a tennis ball in Lola's mouth! She has the uncanny ability to keep track of them in the woods, even though it has gotten disgustingly dirty! She loves to fetch!

Blue Linenweave Grapevine Bagg

2008-04-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

When I was making this bagg I wanted it to be more substancial than some others. I achieved this by using iron-on quilt batting and then freeform quilted both the front and back. It is a medium sized bagg with the following dimensions:

top width: 10"

bottom width: 11 1/2"

heigth: 9 1/2"

strap length from the top of the bagg is 37"

The second photo shows the inside, which is lined with navy blue coated nylon. You can see the huge front zip pocket, and there is one inside as well! Note the details: braided trim on web strap, with D-rings at both ends. I used two vintage buttons stitched together in the hemp macrame zipper pull and woven & fringed trim across the top of the bag.

This is a bag to wear with denim.... very relaxed and casual.

See more pictures at my etsy store:

http://www.ssmartraggs.etsy.com

2008-04-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made a pattern for a clutch purse that I call "Borsetta" because it is inspired by a vintage Italian clutch.

The Italian clutch was made with a zip top, no pockets... just a place to keep your stuff! I kept the zip top, but couldn't resist adding a pocket to the inside. I like a little pocket for business cards or cash.

I kept the diagnal pleats on the bag front. They give the bagg a certain panache, don' t you think?

Overall dimensions are:

top width: 12"

bottom width: 13"

height: 9 1/2"

For this bagg I used a softly patterned rusty brown mock suede fabric and added a top border of tapestry with acorns and pine cones. The lining is brown decorator cotton. I am listing it on my ETSY store today.

See it at : http://ssmartraggs.etsy.com

Spring Tapestry Tote

2008-03-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

This tote is a lovely spring floral. I had fun with the golden flower. I cut a duplicate flower and used it as a pocket on the front. The edges are frayed and I used Balger #16 braid in three colors to highlight the colors in the flower. Then I beaded the center.

The bagg is fully lined with a rose striped taffeta and has large pockets inside. One zips. I also added loops inside for attaching small items, and a spring clip.

Strap is a cross-body style.

If I were to give this bagg another name, I would call it Linda. You can see other images at my ETSY shop.

Coral Ruffle Scarf

2008-03-27T09:02:00.001-07:00

It feels like spring! No rain today, and although a sweater is needed, the scarf need not be wool!

I made this scarf from a cotton/poly blend. It is a pointel knit and stretchy, which is why I can ruffle the edges. See more images in my ETSY shop!

Tapestry Bagg

2008-03-19T23:03:00.000-07:00

I made this bagg to test my new pattern. It looks like a basic rectangle, but it is subtly shaped to be wider at the bottom; it is made with a complimentary fabric "wing" at the bottom sides.

The bagg is fully lined and has interior pockets, one of which zips.

Bagg is open at the top.

2008-03-19T22:56:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to work out a design for a new bagg. Instead, I cut out 7 new baggs... guess I will be busy tomorrow!! Same basic pattern, but some really nice fabrics! Wait till you see them!

Munchkin Costumes

2008-03-17T08:04:00.000-07:00

Wheewh!
I finished the 4 little costumes for the munchkins yesterday. I will post a picture of them later. I can't imagine how uncomfortable the little munchkins will be in them! They are made of felt; pretty heavy, and will be worn over turtleneck tops and tights. They have a back zipper.... think about 30 seven year olds (and under) running around backstage trying to find someone to help them get out of the costume so they can go to the bathroom!! Glad I won't be there!

2008-03-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

This is more confusing than I expected. I have done something wrong in setting up the blog because I can't find it from google.... needs more work.

Blog Startup

2008-03-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today I am setting up my blog. I will be using it to promote my online store at ETSY.com. See my shop at http://ssmartraggs.etsy.com

Later in the day I will be lighting a fire in the little jotul in my sewing studio, putting on a pot of tea, and getting to work on 4 little munchkin costumes for the local production of "The Wizard of Oz"....

ssmartraggs

Susie Sad Eyes

Argyle Sweater for Kelly doll

Unfinished Object now Finished

New Design for Blythe

BlytheCon 2011 in Portland, Or

Blythe and Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

Tanya's Knitted Cloche

Dammit Doll

Textured Fall Head Wrap or Scarflette

Busy, busy, busy!

Newest Knitting Project

Baby Pod

Ben's Hat

Handkerchief Angel

Spring is in the air!

What's new here?

Camping over July 4th

Baby Booties

********** NEW*************

Boho Chic Small Clutch / Pouch

Camping in mid-June

This week activity

Another Camping Trip!!

Christmas Ornaments

Coasters!

Blue Linenweave Grapevine Bagg

Spring Tapestry Tote

Coral Ruffle Scarf

Tapestry Bagg

Munchkin Costumes

Blog Startup

NEW***