K5RYU

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  • Hat for Charrie

    Between my two denim hat successes, I worked on this for Charrie.  She wanted a beret-like, slouchy kind of hat.  After a couple of mockups, I came up with this:

    Looked more like a tam and less like a slouchy beret.  While the hat is just a little small, it’s wearable…  BUT!!!   Unspoken requirements:

    1. needs to be WAY slouchier and
    2. loose enough to be able to pull over the tops of the ears

    Between new requirements #1 and #2, I drafted the new pattern.  The old one is on top, the newer one is on the bottom.  But once I got the second new requirement, I drafted a 3rd pattern (not shown here).

    Keep an eye out for #3 and hat from the pattern.

  • Hat – Success x2

    After the first one, I was tempted to make a fleece-lined one with earflaps that folded up into the hat when not in use.  I thought I had enough slack in the hat size to pull it off.  After making the fleece liner and denim shell (yeah, same torn-out jeans…), I felt the fleece I used was too thick, so I abandoned the ear flaps and just finished the hat.  I think it was a good plan.  I also used some heavy-weight stabilizer in the brim and some orange (pumpkin?) thread to contrast.  I found some similar colored bias tape for the band.  I triple-stitched the top stitching to make it stand out.

    All the parts are cut out.  I made a full-size crown to make it easier to cut the thick fleece:

    When lining the part up, I realized I had cut both side pieces in the same direction, and had to cut the right piece.  I have enough denim for maybe a 3rd hat, so I’ll use it there at some point.

    Liner assembled:

    Hat completed:

    Trying it on:

     

    Now to work on a different hat for Charrie, before I move to the next step in this project: getting the machine to embroider the crown the way I want.

  • Hat – Success

    After a couple of failed attempts, I finally got one that I like, and will actually wear!

    The pattern came from a book “Sewn Hats” by Carla Hegeman Crim:

    An old torn-out pair of jeans was used for the shell.  An old bandana is the liner.  I used a flat piece of plastic clamshell packaging to stiffen the brim and some black double-fold bias tape for the band.

    Finished hat:

    Looks decent enough to wear:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Paracord Wrapping a Cane

    Decided I wanted to add a paracord wrap to my cane.  After looking a a number of YouTube Videos, I settled on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VRznWfkukU&t=67s   I found the Turk’s Head explaination a bit difficult, but found:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDdQErjCQxU   So, after a couple of hours of wrapping (minus the Diet Dr. Pepper spill), I achieved:

    This has about 28 feet of paracord.  I started with 30 feet, and the entire wrap is one piece.  It took (est.) about 5 feet of cord for each of the Turk’s Heads, and the entire thing covers 10.25 inches on a 1 inch diameter cane.   I’m using the Titan Warrior Cord in Forest Camo.  (https://www.titansurvival.com/collections/warriorcord/products/forest-camo-paracord or  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IIOJSTY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1)   I found the cord substantial, but easy to work with.

    I wanted to add a wrist strap to free up my hand when I need it when carrying the cane, so back to YouTube, and I found two items to use.  The first was the Cross Knot Zipper pull: https://youtu.be/7CS7vYu-Gc4 and a Sliding Knot Friendship bracelet: https://youtu.be/bgNV9lmCeCw   After playing with these a while, I settled on 4 feet of gutted paracord.  I looped the cord through one of loops in the main body of the French Hitching.  A series of Cross Knots to make a strap, and finished the end with the friendship bracelet to let me tighten it up enough to keep the cane from falling over when I need both hands.

     

  • Ivy cap research

    Did not like the steep arc on the pattern I found.  Tore apart one of my old hats, similar to the tan one in my prior posting on hats and compared the pattern to the hat proportions I liked.

    The brim pieces are 2 different sizes.  The first two pictures are of one piece.  Quite different.  The third picture shows the other piece that almost matches the pattern.

     

    The side piece is VERY different.

    And the corresponding changes in the top piece.  The back part is longer, to match the sharper and longer curve of the prior piece.

    I’m planning on on creating a new pattern from the hat parts and build a second test hat.

    I also found another free pattern at Urbandon.  The arc looks like it’s also pretty steep, but there is nice information on sizing, fabric and construction.

  • Place-mats

    Charrie and I made place-mats, learning how to use a 3-hole foot and pigtail to add the yarn border.  The front is a cotton fabric, with the back a flannel to be nice to wood tables.  The original materials list called for a fleece or a felt, but I could not find any that went with the fabric chosen.  No, they are not made for Christmas, just happened to be two different colors of common fabric that we liked.  Our instructor, Karrie, was gracious to embroider the Celtic cat’s paw for us.  Charrie did the red, I did the green.

     

  • Coaster!

    We were working on our place-mats, in class tonight, but we only had one pigtail to run the yarn through for the border.  Since I had some time, I decided to try making a coaster that I originally saw at my Mom’s house.  Hers are circular or square, but you can make any number of shapes.  Regular shapes are probably the best.  The only site I can find with instructions are at: http://thecraftymummy.com/2013/11/simple-coasters-tutorial/

    The ones my Mom made are a little different.  Starting at the bottom:

    1. One layer of fabric, face down.
    2. Layer of batting (optional)
    3. Layer of fabric, face up
    4. the 4 folder, over lapped pieces.

    Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the outside.  Trim the corners  a bit to reduce the bulk, allowing it to lay flatter.  Turn inside out and press.

    All pieces are the same size.  Mine are 6″, giving a 5.5″ coaster.   This one was my practice, now to make the ones I promised Charrie.  If you have it, I would use a walking foot, since there are so many layers.  Sorry for the glare, the surface I was using was a bit shiny.

    Top

    Bottom, showing the overlap

    Inverted, showing the layers, after sewing and trimming.

    Close up of the end, showing the various layers.

  • IT problems at home

    I was untangling a cable, and decided to use the drop off the cat walk to assist in untangling the cable.

    I started to wind the 100′ cable on a cable reel, and it would not come back up.  I looked over the rail, and no cable!  So I go downstairs and find:

    I follow it down the hall:

    And around the corner in to the master bedroom:

    Around the dresser:

    And in to the master bath!

    Right at the loop is where the culprit in the above picture was caught with the loop in the his mouth.  I think he found the Mother of All Strings!  I figured I had to document his IT transgressions.  No matter how hard I try, the end users still stick things in their mouths or do other silly things. (sigh)

  • Ivy/Driver’s cap – 1st attempt

    Finally found a pattern I liked for a Driving cap. (https://aboutgoodness.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/mens-flat-cap-gatsby-hat-pattern-diy-tutorial/)  Took some scrap cloth and threw one together.  I was not particularly precise, nor did I have fabric for a lining or a ribbon to finish the edge properly.  I’ll need to tweak it a bit, but here it is, compared to one of my standard day-to-day hats (tan, on right).  But even with it’s many flaws, I’m pleased for a practice attempt.

  • Charrie’s Messenger Bag

    And here is Charrie’s Messenger Bag:

    Front

    Front, open

    Back

    Back, open

    Inside

    Closer picture of the pockets and inside print

    Charrie, modeling her new bag

    View of the strap

    Front, again

    Front, open