*Miscellaneous Talk, Questions, Announcements...etc.

I thought it might be a good idea to have a general thread for all the miscellaneous stuff rather than to start new, short-lived threads that we may miss in our reading. This would be one place to reach the whole group outside of our own individual threads. Have a question? Need some help? Want to offer something? Got an interesting article? One could also make a note here pointing other members to further info on one's individual thread....

The "Kitchen Hangout" thread historically has been a place to chat, too. Either thread would be okay.

Good idea.

Great idea!

As part of redesigning LibraryThing's Groups, several groups, including NeedleArts, have been identified as in need of administrator(s). If you go to the group page you'll see on the right-hand side there's an opportunity to volunteer to be an admin or nominate someone. As of this post there are 5 submissions (these could be someone volunteering themselves or nominating someone else).

Quoting from a Talk thread devoted to this topic:

The administrator can pin posts and edit the group description and pictures. Admins will also get notifications when new members join the group. These notifications will come to the Groups You Admin area. If it is in keeping with the spirit of the group, admins may wish to send a welcome message. Admins may also assign another admin and resign their duties. The idea being that the torch, as it were, can be passed from one member to another.

LT staff are now working to respond to those submissions and determine who should be designated as an admin. The list of volunteers is restricted to staff. On the Talk thread, staff member megbmore said they are "trying to pop into the groups to see if there has been a discussion within the group about possible admins."

We haven't had any discussion but 5 submissions is an indication of something! Does anyone have thoughts about the admin role for this group?

I admit to offering to serve as Admin for the group, and proposed Amber as a 2nd, as we've both been here keeping this alive for years and years. Lots of people have come and gone over those years, many lured away by the ease and audience of Facebook or Ravelry. To be honest, I value conversation over any number "Likes" any day (but that's just me). Seems the group page needs could use an update. We have a nice group currently, people are are interested not just in posting their own varied work, but seeing what varied things others are doing (and helping those asking for it).

However, I'd be happy for someone younger to have the job, too (I'm 65). Do we know if the position can be transferred?

>5 avaland: I think both you and Amber would be excellent admins for this group. Thank you for volunteering.

My understanding from the excerpt Laura posted in >4 lauralkeet: is that this new system will allow an admin to transfer responsibility directly to someone else without having to involve LT staff, which will be very useful.

>5 avaland: I'd be happy to co-admin with you, Lois! And I agree - I love this group.

I'm grateful for anyone who wants to volunteer. And I'm older than Lois so ...
I've only been here a few years. There was so much to learn when I joined LT that I never thought about it being anything but about books. It was great to find this group.

Lois, thanks for "owning" your submissions. I love this group too, and the admin responsibilities are not onerous especially for such a small group. And yes, as Julia said, the responsibility can be transferred which is indeed useful for keeping the group going over time.

I'd be quite happy for Lois and Amber to take it on. I also hope that anyone else who volunteered or nominated someone would be comfortable speaking up. I'm not sure how soon LT staff will get to naming the admins for this group, but it's great we're having the conversation!

Not on either Ravelry or Facebook, and find this group really interesting for the reasons stated in >5 avaland:. I'm happy with the idea of avaland and scaifea continuing if they are too.

>4 lauralkeet: I'm just wondering how LT came up with the groups identified as needing a new admin. When it happened in another group, it seemed to be explained as a glitch.

I volunteered to be admin and just got the offer (and accepted). I don't know if anyone else has been offered, but I hope so. I said I thought there should be at least two admins, but didn't give any suggestions as to who, since I had no idea if anyone else was interested.

I don't have any massive overhauling plans for the group: I thought pinning this thread and the Kitchen hangout would be a decent start, and maybe adding a new group info/group pic.
I anyone has any suggestions, feel free to post them either here, on my thread or as a PM.

>10 SassyLassy: It was explained in a thread that LT staff chose the groups based on ones that were active but had inactive admins.

>11 PawsforThought:
I volunteered to be admin and just got the offer (and accepted)
Good for you, Paws!

LT staff chose the groups based on ones that were active but had inactive admins.
Yes, that's basically the case. Every group was originally created by an LT member who then served as admin. The creator had a minimal set of privileges which I can't remember. Lois will know because she's created a few groups. Over time, group creators have left their group and/or LT as a whole and de facto admins have sprung up. It's worked okay, but having an official admin is an improvement.

Thanks, I got the note and accepted. Changed the wording of the group slightly. There was a question whether I wanted to upload an image for the group; I wasn't sure if they were referring to where the book used to reside in the upper left, or the photos on the right.

Also, I thought we could all take turns posting a photo on the left. If you don't read the group from the group page you may not have noticed that I have been posting some of your work on occasion because having the same photo forever isn't fun. I could make a list and assign a month to everyone. Post a photo of one of your projects.

I'm also going to post an introduction thread, just to make it formal ;-) I'd like to lure some of the old regulars back. I think some don't feel they produce enough to post regularly or have trouble with posting via the html href....

*peeks in, nods head, goes back to knitting*

>14 scaifea: Did you get an invite?

I just went back in and can clarify the image they were referring to were the group images on the right side of the header (they other one that used to be on the right has been gone a long time, LOL.

Congratulations to both of you and thanks for taking us on. Hopefully we won't cause too much trouble :).
There was a whole discussion in the "talk about LT" group about this. Basically what Laura said.

>13 avaland: - I know how to post pictures on my own thread (obviously), but I'm not sure how to post or change the one at the top. I was going to switch it to one of the others at the start of the year, but couldn't figure out how. I know, Lois, you've changed some and you weren't the admin so I know it can be done. WE may need a tutorial.

For administrators at least, the photo at the top can be changed by clicking on "Edit group" in the right hand side on the group page. At the bottom of the page is the image drop area. It's set to allow all members to post images. I don't know if it looks the exact same for non-administrators, but you should be able to post pics.
I don't mind having a fairly static image up top, but I'd like it if it was inclusive of many different things the members of this group do (in terms of needlearts).

>15 avaland: I didn't. Aren't they allowing just two admins?

>17 PawsforThought: Like Betty, I don't see a way to post a photo myself. I don't see an "Edit Group" link or icon. I see "Group Pictures" in the right-hand sidebar, and can click on a link to see all of the images, but don't see a way to add/upload.

Lois used to change the picture every once in a while so maybe she knows.

>19 lauralkeet: I thought that might be the case. I've combed through the help sections on adding pictures but they're out of date (2011) so not much help.
In the meantime, if you have an image you would like to add, make sure it's available to "snatch" (tick the box in your member's gallery) and let us know, then Lois or I should be able to add it.

>21 PawsforThought: - That's funny because the picture at the top is one from me and it's in my junk drawer and it's not checked as being able to snag. I think Lois grabbed it from my post of it, maybe.

ETA: I went and found it on my post and I noticed that if I right-clicked on it, I could "copy image address", which is probably how she grabbed it. But that's interesting about snagging. I never even noticed that block when I add pictures. Always learning new stuff here.

>22 dudes22: Yeah, if you post it in a talk thread anyone can grab it, but you can't do it directly from the junk drawer.

>21 PawsforThought: Thanks for the tip! I'm completely fine with that.
Are you following the Talk thread about the admin role? It's a bit of a hodgepodge with announcements, Q&A, bugs, etc. all jumbled together. But Tim posted a few hours ago about some new features for Admins, so thought I'd mention it in case it's useful to our Needlearts Queens. 😀

http://www.librarything.com/topic/328882#unread

Note: PawsforThought is the 2nd admin for this group. We have talked, and I have apologized for going a bit crazy, but there was no notice that there was a second admin accepted. Awkward!

re: photos at the top right. Since that feature first created that has allowed any member to post a photo. I get really bored seeing the same photo all the time (as one single photo never really represents the diversity of the group) and since I would post a photo from others' work from time to time. I learned my LT habits in its prehistoric era before "Talk"...etc so I still go to the group page. I suspect PawsforThought is better acquainted with the modern LT and I bow to her expertise.

Some of might remember the years where the only picture was a red book on tatting or lace-making (?) that bopeep put up when she created the group.

>25 avaland: - I like it when you change the photo.

>23 PawsforThought: - Ok. I prefer to keep most of my photos in my junk drawer so it doesn't create too much clutter.

>24 lauralkeet: I have been keeping an eye on that thread, but haven't read every message.
Thanks for mentioning it though, it's always helpful when others keep an eye out.

>25 avaland: As I said, no need to apologise for being excited and wanting to get going. It's all good.

>26 dudes22: Same. The only photos I have in my members' gallery are my profile pic and the bingo cards I made when I was in the Category Challenge group.

I think if you click on the picture, it will take you to a gallery similar to the author galleries where you can add a new picture. I could try adding one of my cross stitch projects and see if it works.

QUESTION

Ravelry and other websites targeted at the likes of us often have very transient postings. Yet when I would go to a woolfest (back before the world changed) and would see a lovely knitted something, the supplier would be happy to sell me the wool, but would tell me the pattern was available on Ravelry. This was often not the case; the supplier had made the article some time ago and now the pattern was gone. Consequently it was a disappointment to be left with a few balls of specialty yarn searching for another use.

Have others encountered this? Does the same thing exist on quilting sites, supplier sites and so on? How did you cope with it?

I have often seen a quilt on Pintrest that I would like to make that I realize was originally posted years ago and the line of fabric used is no longer available. Not that I care that much as I rarely make one using exactly the same fabric as a pattern shows. But sometimes there will be a fabric used in it that I particularly like and can't find. Once in a while, I've found some on one of the ebay sites. I also ran into one situation where I loved the pattern only to find out the book it was in is so long out of print that it's expensive even on Amazon. In this case, I happened to see that the library had a copy of a different book by the same designer and took it out to look at anyway and there the quilt was but in other fabrics.

I don't know that much about Ravelry since I'm not a knitter. Would it be something ebay might have on one of their smaller stores.

Have you tried a reverse image Search of the final piece or of the book cover? Sometimes that's helpful when I'm trying to track down patterns.

>25 avaland:
I'm an administrator for a different group.
There's a setting administrators can change under "Edit This Group" about who can upload group photos. The options are "any group member" or "group administrators"

However, the field to upload a photo is right below that, on the "Edit Group" page, which only admins have access to. Might have been an oversight when designing the new groups? I'm planning to ask about it over in Talk about LibraryThing.

>33 norabelle414: Yes, thanks, I do know this. Everyone has been able to do that (must have been the default setting when they changed things some years back); I just thought people either didn't care about what was posted or didn't come to the group by way of the group page like some of us antiquarian members still do :-) I changed them photos just as a member as I was not the creator of this group.

Let us know if you find out anything.

I'm trying to get the powers that be to delete two old groups I created in'09 that were used as workrooms until about 2012. Currently, the admin cannot delete a group that has more than 16 members. They are looking into it.

>35 PawsforThought: nice!

>35 PawsforThought: How nice. There has never been any problems in this group over the many years I've been here, unlike some other groups I've been part of.

>35 PawsforThought: - I think you should get a scepter and crown too :)

>36 lauralkeet: Yeah, I'm not anticipating having to use the banning function or closing threads any time soon. I've also been part of groups with deep issues and I really hope these new features will help those groups reach some balance and stability.

>38 dudes22: Haha! I'll mention that to Tim & co and see if something can be arranged.

For those of you who label your quilts, I was wondering how you decide on a date for the label if you don't finish it for a few years? I have a quilt that I started in a class in 2015 but didn't have it quilted and bound until 2019. I finally decided on a name for it and was going to printout some labels for quilts that need them, but can't decide how to date it.

>40 dudes22: If I think the start date is significant (like the person getting the quilt picked the fabric), I would include both dates (started: X / finished: Y). Other wise, the date I finished it is usually the date I go with. I hardly ever label my quilts.

>41 lesmel: - Thanks for the help. I've only recently decided I should put labels on my quilts. I have one that had one from when I was in a quilt guild and I put a quilt in a show and they required a label. But I've recently decided that in order to leave quilts to a particular person, I should put labels so it's easier to identify which one I mean.

>42 dudes22: I labeled the box of quilts that my MIL and Mom gave me from both grandmothers. I think it helps preserve the "heirloom" information for the next keeper. :)

>43 genesisdiem: - That's a good idea.

>42 dudes22: Your question about labelling reminds me that I am possibly going to be a total geek and add morse code to my big quilt and my best friend's quilt. Either the bindings or the backings. I even found a Morse Code generator to give me the appropriate dot-dash sequences for my labels. Yes. I am that nerd.

- .... .- - ... / .- / --. --- --- -.. / .. -.. . .- / .-.. . ... -- . .-..

(I am that nerd who has been trying to learn Morse since I realized my phone had a Morse keyboard.)

>46 melannen: My nerd friend! I taught myself semaphore and the NATO alphabet when I was 12ish. I only retained the semaphore for about six months; who am I going to practice with inland Texas?? The NATO alphabet comes and goes. I usually have to look it up now.

Ooh, I'm not the only alphabet nerd in the group! I taught myself the alphabets in morse code, Swedish Sign Language and braille (by sight, not by touch) when I was around ten. I've forgotten braille and most of morse code but still know the signs. And I think I know the NATO alphabet, but can't swear to it. We have our own version of that in Swedish, which uses men's names (Adam, Bertil, Cesar, David, etc.) I should probably learn the whole thing...

Another alphabet nerd here. I knew Morse code once, since long gone. However, my 2015 Club Read threads' theme featured nautical alphabet flags and meaning with an author for each letter. It was a fun year of good reading.

They would make great appliqué quilts with name spelled out.

Hello all. I had a thread in this group years ago, and would like to participate again. However, I became so frustrated by the difficulties I had in trying to post pictures on LT (not in this group) that I stopped trying to post pictures on LT years ago as well.
Is there an EASY way to post pictures (directions in very nontechnical terms)? I have pictures on IPad/phone, regular computer, and digital camera.
I decided this year to try to make a modified Baltimore Album quilt in honor of our 50th anniversary (the planned family reunion will not take place this year due to covid and I’m bummed). Posting my progress on a thread here might be a way to keep me honest.

Hi Deborah! Nice to see you here. Would love to see your work!

I also have photos on iphone/a Macbook/an old Apple aii-in-one desktop and a 35 mm camera. Basically, if I want to post I do it from my laptop so I airdrop the photo from the phone, or upload from the camera...etc. Once on the laptop, I upload the photo to my member gallery/junk drawer (on your profile page) for use here on LT (but another online storage site would also work)

I suspect there are others here who may be able to write the directions more succinctly, so I'll wait to see if they step up before I make the attempt. I've been doing it forever, it seems. It's not difficult but it takes some practice.

It can take a little practice. Perhaps you could tell us first where you would be loading it from: Iphone, Ipad, laptop, etc. I started to write something and then thought it might make more sense to know that first. I'm mostly a visual person and like to be shown, so I can understand how it can be frustrating.

ETA: I can't seem to load pictures to LT from my Surface Pro (Windows). But I can from my IPad. But I'm sure we can figure it out between all of us.

(message deleted).

Lois, your code doesn't show up for me, there's just some extra blank lines.

Here's another source in case it helps: a wiki page describing how to post images in Talk:
https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Basic_HTML_/_How_to_do_Fancy_Things_in_Y...

>50 arubabookwoman: Good to see you here too. Here is an LT thread from the Viragos group that I often use:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/59470#unread

>51 avaland: >52 dudes22: >54 lauralkeet: >55 SassyLassy:

Thank you all. I will check those links to see if I have anymore success than I have had in the past. I will admit it’s probably my technological illiteracy, as well as a personality not overendowed with patience that may have led to past difficulties. Hope I have better luck this time.
>52 dudes22: dudes22 I think my preference would be to upload from my iPad, since that’s what I would be taking pictures with. Do you have any suggestions/instructions re uploading from an iPad? Thanks.

When I take pics with my IPhone they automatically go to my IPad but I have also taken pictures with my IPad that I upload. I do edit the pictures first and I have to rotate them if I want them to show up the right way even though it looks like they are ok. Laura taught me that. Sometimes I rotate them 180 deg and save and then rotate them 180 again and save. Try it both ways. You can't tell how it will load until you actually do it. Lately, I've also tried adjust some of the picture elements (brightness, etc) to help the colors look truer. But you don't have to do that. And I really have no idea if it's making much of a difference anyway. Try not to get too frustrated. If you try and it doesn't seem to work, just come back and ask. I can do a few screen shot later. I'm off for my morning walk now.

>56 arubabookwoman: I often upload photos to LT from my iPad (and iPhone as well). The link I posted in >54 lauralkeet: tells you how to reference a photo in a Talk post but doesn't tell you how to upload it to LT.

Do you know how to access your member gallery and upload a photo?

Every phone and setting could be different, but there are a handful of things to review before you start taking pictures.

1. On your phone, is orientation lock on? This will keep your camera assuming the top of your phone is the top of the photo -- no matter what. Camera orientation lock may or may not be connected to your SCREEN orientation lock. For my iPhone 7+, the screen orientation and camera orientation are not locked together; but I know I have to pause to make sure the camera orientation has changed when I turn my phone to take a landscape rather than portrait photo

2. Does your phone have auto-rotate setting for camera or photos?

3. Can you rotate and save the photo on your phone before downloading it and that rotation is preserved when looking at the photo on the desktop? This requires testing.

4. Do you use a service (like Flickr) that will try to perform some auto-rotation magic when you upload your photos?

5. Can you review the EXIF data (this is the metadata of the photo) to confirm orientation?

There's a good explanation of image orientation values here: https://sirv.com/help/articles/rotate-photos-to-be-upright/

To access your member gallery:

Click your username in the upper right of LT.
This takes you to your profile page.
Click the Your Member Gallery link in the far right of the page. It is in the "Your Profile" section.
You will now be in the Member Gallery.
On the left are two links: Member Gallery and Junk Drawer. You can use either to load photos.

To load a photo, click Add Another Picture.

A lightbox will pop up on your screen.
Click Choose File.
Navigate to the file you want to load.
Click the image.
Click Open.
Decide on the rest of the options in the LT lightbox.
Click Upload Image (near the bottom of the lightbox).

To share that image in a post:

Click on the image you just loaded.
You will have a page where the URL says something like https://www.librarything.com/pic/###
Right click the image > select copy image address.
Now, go to the post you want to add the photo to.
In the message, you need to add a little bit of HTML code.

<img src="PASTE_IMAGE_ADDRESS_HERE" />

img = HTML speak for "show this image"
src = HTML speak for "this is where to find the image"

** If you are trying to post an image while using an iPad or iPhone, you may need to turn off the smart quotes.

On your iPad/iPhone go to Settings > General > Keyboard. Toggle Smart Punctuation off (from green to grey). Now, when you add " you will get straight quotes and not curly quotes.

>60 lesmel: Thank you! I was just able to add a photo to my member gallery! I was wondering if I can use the instructions to post from my member gallery to a thread on my iPad? I don’t know how to “right click” on the IPad, and does HTML work on an iPad.
My pictures are in the cloud. Is that the same as being online? I went ahead and opened a Flickr account and put one picture there and I will try to upload from there as well.
I hadn’t realized orientation was so complicated so I will have to study that as well.
I may be starting a thread soon, with at least one picture, which may or may not be upside down or sideways.

>60 lesmel:
Well, I started a thread, and I went on my computer to copy and paste the link. It posted the link, but not the image itself. Is there something additional I need to do to get the image itself onto the thread.

Thanks. (Sorry to be such a pest).

>61 arubabookwoman: My pictures are in the cloud. Is that the same as being online?
Yes, "the cloud" is a generic term for storage space on the internet. Apple has something called iCloud, which is their version of cloud-based storage. But it doesn't allow you to share photos like we're talking about here. For that, you need to store the photos either in your LT member gallery or on a photo-sharing site like Flickr.

>62 arubabookwoman: I took a peek at your new thread, and it looks like you need to put the link in quotation marks. Try that and see what happens.

>61 arubabookwoman: On iPad or iPhone, tap and hold on the image. You will get a pop up menu. Select Copy. Now paste that into the HTML code from >60 lesmel:.

edited: testing images from iPhone.

>64 lesmel: I was able to find "copy iCloud Link in my photos. I clicked on that, went to a post, began typing HTML language, but I don't know how to paste from iPad. How do I download the link I think I copied by clicking on my icloud photo into the post? Sorry to be so dense, I told you I was techno-illiterate.

>63 lauralkeet: Thanks Laura, I tried that and it posted, but took away the link altogether. Maybe I'm not putting the quotation marks in the right place? Or...?

>66 arubabookwoman: As soon as Flickr finishes processing my video clip, I will post it here so you can see the process for iPad/iPhone. You may be able to use the iCloud link so long as the photos or album isn't private.

Link to the video clip: https://flic.kr/p/2kKBCXe

I don't think LT will let me embed this, but I'll try. Nope. Just click the link. It will take you to Flickr to the video clip where you can play it and see the process.

To paste in iPad/iPhone, tap the screen where you want to paste. It should give you a menu bar with select, select all, and paste.

A Facebook post by PBS alerted me to the fact that today is National Quilting Day in the US, are any of our American quilters celebrating?

PBS also shared this short film about Quilt Week in Paducah, Kentucky, which I found really fun and interesting. https://www.pbs.org/video/quilt-fever-ywmgvw/

>69 PawsforThought: If by "celebrating" you mean sewing a quilt -- I'm on it! I'm about 1/3 -- maybe 1/2 -- of the way through piecing my double slice library quilt top. Only stopped because the four-foots were giving me The Stare of Censure for the late hour.

>69 PawsforThought: - And I spent some time sewing a binding to the back of a quilt.

>70 lesmel: How you celebrate is your choice, and working on a quilt sounds just right!

>71 dudes22: Perfect way to celebrate!

(moved from the newer thread I created; please mark to "ignore" that one. I don't see a way as an admin to delete it)

I've been cleaning the studio today. It needed reorganization, dusting and vacuuming (badly). It has 40 years of select accumulation in it. I managed to eliminate one good-sized basket, a couple of silly projects I was going to do with tiny scraps (what was I thinking!), a lot of hidden dust and fabric bits, an old pair of my husband's pants (now what were my plans for that?) and so on....

1. How many needlearts hobbies are you juggling these days? How many needleart hobbies have you 'left behind'?

2. Do you have a dedicated room or space for your hobby/hobbies? How small/big is it? How do you arrange or sort all your creative stuff?

3. Has anyone noticed how bins, boxes and shelves multiply? What do you store your goodies in?

4. Are you a die-hard packrat or a ruthless eliminator (or something in between)? Confess (please) And is your "stuff" accumulating as you age or have you been able to keep it under control?

5. What has been your most clever idea for storage or sorting, or anything else in your set-up?
-----------------------------------------------------------

Anyone should feel at liberty to add other questions or misc. topics to this thread.....

1. I've managed to limit myself to quilting and an occasional sewing project like the pillowcases and reading pillows that I do. Still - fabric oriented. Although I've been strongly temped to go back to some knitting when Laura posts her gorgeous projects, I've managed to resist. So far. I do have a couple of totes that have home dec fabric intended for pillows or valances or something that I should take a hard look at.

2. When we moved here, P sectioned of a corner of the basement about 12x16 and made walls and a door just for my sewing. One short wall has my design wall. One long and half another have those metal shelving units where I store my fabric. I have a small dresser for stuff like thread, interfacing, needles, etc. I have 2 6ft table in an "L" for my machine and cutting and one more on the other short side for stacking stuff.

3. Most are on shelves, but while I was cleaning my sewing area this yea, I started some plastic totes and box lids with specific projects (pieces of fabric).

4. I was a packrat saving fabric pieces that were way to small to be practical. I've since started to make sure I cut left-overs up for some charity projects. But I'm afraid I'm still buying way tooo much.

6. Nothing clever.

1. I keep thinking I'll return to everything eventually but I'm so busy these days that's all collecting dust! :(

2. I took over a spare bedroom and have cubbyhole shelves to hold art supplies and wire shelves in a closet for fabrics.

3. They are everywhere!

4. I really haven't purchased anything in awhile but there is so much already that I really need to go through it and toss out what is no longer any good. I have found adhesives and glue get dry and crumbly after a few years.

5. My husband made me a spool rack for my bobbins and one for my ribbons after we saw something on Antiques Roadshow.

>73 avaland:

1. Sewing/quilting, knitting, cross stitch. These are the only needle crafts I've done, so I haven't left any behind, I guess, although I rarely get the cross stitch out. *sigh*

2. I do! And it's ginormous and I feel lucky every day about that (you can see my space at the top of my thread).

3. I've got my yarns and fabrics (sorted by type of material) in the big plastic bins, my patterns (sorted by brand) in cardboard office filing boxes, and then stuff I've picked up intending to repurpose it (shirts and pants and curtains and such) folded and stacked underneath my sewing table.

4. Oh, packrat, absolutely. It's so hard to let go! I may need that some day!!

5. I was pretty proud of myself when I decided to sort my fabric by type (cotton, flannel, knit,...) and then *label* the bins. Ha! Not exactly ahead of the curve but impressive for me, at least. The other thing that I'm (slightly wickedly) proud of is that my MIL insisted, years ago, that we take *and use* Tomm's grandmother's dining room table, even though we didn't have dining room space for it (with the inserts it's HUGE). So, I put it in my sewing room, on risers, and it's the *perfect* sewing table. She's...not happy about that, which makes it even better...

>76 scaifea: - When my mother passed, there was a huge table in the dining room with lots of leaves too. I didn't have room for it either, but I used to take my quilts there to lay out and I so wished I would have been able to take it. Outside my sewing room in the basement, my husband has set up a large sheet of plywood so I use that for my larger quilts and it makes a good place to wrap Christmas gifts.

>77 dudes22: The plywood is a good idea. I've tweaked the table in a few ways to make it pretty much perfect: the risers really help, plus I've attached a tape measure all along the edge of one long side for fabric-store-style measuring.

1. I'm sewing and knitting. There are a couple of crocheting projects I want to do, but not enough to say I'm really crocheting. I want to try some felting, too.
I did some embroidery and cross stitch when I was younger (teenager) but I've come to the conclusion that it's not my thing. If a project requires it or would be better because of it, I'll do it, but not just for the sake of it. I'm too focused on the finished product for that.

2. I don't have the space for a dedicated room for projects. They're spread around my bedroom atm. If I manage to get a two bed flat when I move they'll be in the gust bedroom/office. I have a basket I try to keep them in, but rarely succeed.

3. I'm too picky (and honestly, cheap) when I buy things so never really manage to amass a lot of things. And I'm pretty ruthless at getting rid of stuff I don't use or like. I have two big boxes (moving box sized) - one for fabric and one for yarn and that's it, really. Though my mum has closets full of things I can take whenever I please.

4. I'm fairly ruthless if it's something I know I won't use. Besides a few yarn sale purchases I really only buy things if I know what I'll use it for so things rarely escalate.
And I'm fairly young yet so haven't had time to accumulate too much.

5. I haven't needed to be really clever yet, but I'd like to have a big closet for sewing and knitting things, with holders for knitting needles on the inside of one door and storage for sewing thread on the other. At the moment I'm using a vase to store knitting needles.

>78 scaifea: - That's a good idea. I think I have a cloth or paper measure that I could use.

>79 PawsforThought: - #5 - I saw one once in a magazine that had a sewing/craft area in a closet and also had a table that came out like a murphy bed does with two legs. and it could all be just folded up and put away if you had company.

1. I'm primarily a knitter, although I've recently started eyeing some dormant needlepoint, thinking about taking it back up. I used to do a lot of cross-stitch and, before that, sewing. My mom taught sewing in a fabric store, and then taught me, and for a brief period in college I actually made some of my own clothes, a set of coordinated pieces for a "professional" summer job.

2. I don't have a dedicated space, but then you can knit just about anywhere so that's fine. In our old house I had a closet dedicated to storing yarn and notions. The closet had a set of drawers in it, and I used one drawer for notions, one for project-ready yarn, and one for remnants (bagged and labeled by weight). I need to figure out how to organize things in our new house (but that's a little project I'm looking forward to).

3. I need to come up with a good storage system, and I think in this house it will be important to consider moth resistance. Ideas and suggestions are welcome!

4. I am not a pack rat. I am prone to throwing away things we need later (the subject of several marital spats, you'd think I'd learn). And yet, so far I've kept my knitting stash under control. I think that's mostly because I tend to buy yarn with a project in mind. Whenever I've bought yarn on impulse I've found I invariably don't have the right amount for whatever I want to make with it.

5. The closet I mentioned in #2 was not a "clever idea," in that I didn't dream up a storage solution, it was just there waiting for me. But the drawers were really nice, just the right size.

---

Related: I love the many different ways of storing knitting needles. I have a set of Della Q needle cases (matching of course!), one each for circulars, double-pointed, and a set of interchangeable circulars. I also love project bags.

This was fun, Lois!

Love all the answers. Very interesting how we adapt.

>80 dudes22: I had to look up "Murphy bed" because I wasn't familiar with that. Having a desk you can fold away is a smart idea if you're lacking space, but I tend to work on the floor if I need to do cutting, etc. I can spread out as much as I want there.

>80 dudes22: my mom used the spare bedroom as her quilting studio. She had some nice modular furniture with, IIRC, a desk area as well as the space for her sewing machine. AND ... it had an actual Murphy bed which is where we slept whenever we came to visit. It was a really nice setup.

>81 lauralkeet: I wish needlepoint canvases were more affordable. I think that's why I stick with cross stitch.

>86 thornton37814: oof, yes I agree Lori. I spent a lot of money on the currently-dormant project. I stopped working on it due to both poor lighting and the onset of vision issues in my late 40s. But lighting problems can be solved and I'm managing the vision situation, and the project is a lovely William Morris design so I would love to take it up again at some point.

1. I don't leave things behind! Sometimes I just kind of wave at them in passing, though. I think the weaving is getting put away for awhile now. I realized a month or so ago that I have certain things that I only seem to work on when traveling (I have a monochrome embroidery that has been around the world with me) and that's why I haven't felt like touching them for a year! I will definitely pick them up again, that's why I still need all the supplies.

(How many? Well... I don't do tatting or bobbin lace... yet...)

2. I currently have some space in a shared crafts room/guest room but between the guest furniture and the stash there hasn't really been room to work there. Working on putting together a space in the basement. I also have a hollow ottoman in the living room that has handwork that's currently in progress, so it's easy to grab when I'm just sitting there.

3. Yes! Whatever I can manage! I have a weakness for fancy little wooden or metal boxes and old tins though.

4. I am definitely a packrat.

My stuff is accumulating but it's not my fault!! People keep giving me stuff when they destash and that's my story! (Sometimes they ask to borrow it back, too, so I think my storage space is being taken advantage of...)

5. Keurig cups are almost the same size as spools of thread, so many things designed for storing keurig cups works for thread. I have several of those wire-frame drawers designed for Keurig stacked with my sewing thread in them, they work great and now that Keurig's not as trendy they've been cheap to pick up used.

There are jokes made here in Rhode Island about how people give directions. ("go to where the xxx used to be...). Anyway, I came home from errands today and wanted to tell my husband about a huge magnolia tree that I saw which was just beginning to bloom. Here's what I heard myself say.."you know where the pub is next to the pond where the dam broke a bunch of years ago, across from where the winter farmer's market used to be?" He looked at me like he was wondering if I'd finally gone around the bend.

>90 dudes22: Haha! I hear (and occasionally give out) those kinds of directions too. One that's stuck in my mind was when a friend's mum mentioned one of the parking garages in town and referred to it as "the Tempo garage". Tempo is the shop that used to be above that garage some 30 years ago, and there have been at least two other shops on that spot since. I was a year old and didn't even live in town when Tempo stopped existing. I've also heard people talk about the EPA garage, EPA being the name of the shop before Tempo.

>90 dudes22: Ha! This just happened to us today. Someone local telling us where something was located, in a super-local kind of way like "go past so-and-so's house, turn right at the rickety bridge ..." Who's so-and-so? What bridge?

>92 lauralkeet: And why is it rickety? lol

>93 lesmel: - good question.

>93 lesmel: yes, that too!

Those are the best kinds of directions! We still use "the place where the tree in the middle of the road was" as a major local landmark 20+ years later.

Of course then I sometimes catch my mom and I giving each other directions like "It's by the thing in the place - no, the other direction, near that store I can never remember" and realize we've known each other too long!

Okay, we've had a round of introducing what we like to do, I thought it might be fun to have a round of telling each other what we like to work *with*.

So, what are your favourite fabrics, yarns, threads and other materials? Are you into natural materials or man-made ones? Any other preferences? How many plys in your yarn, what type of textile, etc.? Are you into all kinds of cotton cloth or are you all about denim and poplin but won't go near muslin?
And of course, why?
Or is the answer to all of these questions "It depends"?

Tell us all about it. All the details.

I've been mulling this over since reading it yesterday, and what keeps coming back to me is: merino wool. You get all the benefits of wool (i.e., warmth) and it feels luxuriously soft against your skin.

I am not a fan of man-made yarns, except for special circumstances. I've made Christmas stockings with them for durability. And every time I think about making a dog sweater (which I haven't actually followed through on), I can't imagine using wool or anything else that would be hand washable. An acrylic blend would work well for that.

As a quilter, it's all cotton for me. Although I've learned over the years that not all cottons are created equal. The independent quilt shops carry good quality fabric, but some of the chain stores don't always. My understanding is that it's like buying sheets - the higher the thread count, the better the fabric.

>98 lauralkeet: - We had our first outside farmer's market this past weekend and the alpaca people had some fabulous colors of yarn. I should have taken a picture to show you. Maybe this week. (there was a yellow and pink and orange skein that was yummy)

>99 dudes22: ooh a farmer's market with yarn?! Nice. We have a local farmer's market that operates year-round but I haven't seen any fiber yet.

I, too, prefer to work with good cotton but I am also a glutton for sparkly threads. They're a pain to work with but oh, so pretty! :D

For myself, I also like natural fibers over man-made ones. When I knit, it's primarily wool (with exceptions for dishcloths that I've made in cotton, and socks which are often in a wool/polyamide blend).
Like Laura I'm a big fan of merino wool, but I like nearly all animal fibers - regular wool, lambswool, cashmere, alpaca, you name it. The one exception is mohair which makes me itch if I just look at it from across the room. I have been eyeing some cashmere/silk blend yarns that I'm going to buy when I win the Euro Jackpot or come into lots of money some other way.

With sewing it depends on what I'm making and what I have access too, but I often turn to cotton. I love linen but it has its downsides so it depends on the project. My heating pads are being made in linen, project bags in cotton. I wouldn't mind using silk sometimes, but the cost is prohibitive.

I try to get hold of cotton thread when I'm sewing but it's getting more and more difficult - it's almost all polyester everywhere now - at least where I live. If I've made something out of a natural fiber I want the whole thing to be natural fiber.

I am very envious of Betty having alpaca yarn at her farmer's market.

It's only one vendor and they also have made items - socks (I buy my hubby a new pair each Christmas.) One of the things they make are (I guess you'd call them) boot mats. Shaped like a foot, I think they're probably felted as they are about 1/4"-1/2" thick and they go in the bottom of your boot to help your foot stay warm. I've bought them as stocking stuffers.

I like the sparkly threads too! But once I work with them, I am ready to take a break from them for awhile!

>103 dudes22: Do you mean like felted insoles or like felted booties? I love both and alpaca ones sound divine either way.
Felted insoles are a must if you're planning on being outside a lot in winter here, and are ice-footed like myself. I have a pair that are regular wool, but with a core made of birchbark, which is waterproof. They're amazing, but a little too thick for most shoes.

>104 al.vick: Sparkles are nice to look at, but I'm glad I haven't had to do too much work with them.

>105 PawsforThought: - They're flat so insoles. It's not usually cold enough here that a good pair of socks isn't enough, but my husband has trouble with the cold so I bought him a set (a pair?)

>97 PawsforThought: I'm almost exclusively a quilter now. I'm all cotton, but I have a small stash of specialty fabrics scraps should I wish to return to Victorian Crazy Quilting. I keep saying I'm going to make a Christmas tree skirt out of them. I had successful carpal tunnel surgery a couple of years ago, so what's stopping me?*

(Apologies in advance for this trip down memory lane, and I feel like I've written this before....) I used to make lots of clothing, began about '68 with a cute cotton/poly keyhole dress, followed by light denim bellbottoms...etc. Over the years I've made many special occasion outfits.... from early 70s double knit bridesmaids' gowns to my own sleeveless wedding dress in white satin, and my 2nd wedding outfit which included a magenta silk jacket. For my oldest daughter's winter wedding (her 2nd, she eloped with the first) I made her a long hooded cape of black burnout velveteen with fur from an antique coat collar around the hood (don't ever let me do that fur thing again, what a mess!), That same daughter was in SCA (The Society for Creative Anachronism) for a few years, so there was a gown or two for that (before she joined the military). I have made a wool jacket, a crepe bridesmaids dress, a gauzey 8th grade graduation dress, a silver lamé prom gown (not fun), lots of cotton flannel PJs, nightgowns and nightshirts. The list goes on.

All that said, I work almost exclusively now in cotton now and have so for most of a decade. However, I am still using cotton and cotton-poly scraps from those historical projects in some of my scrap quilting.

*what's stopping me is likely that I have a roomful of cotton fabric; a stock that never seems to get smaller....

>107 avaland: No more silver lamé prom dresses you say? I guess I did my mum a favour by having her make mine in colour-shifting Thai silk (which can't be washed and gets ruined if water touches it).

The fur lined cape you made for your daughter sounds divine, even if it was a pain to make. Reminds me of all the winter coats I had as a kid - my mum always put fur lining on the hood. The same fur every time, a piece of racoon that was used over and over. I rather miss it - maybe I could dig it up and attach it to one of my coats.

>108 PawsforThought: The fact that she still made it for you testifies to her love for you!

Somewhere I have a picture of that cape. It came out well, although it was probably shedding hair the whole time....

A neat article about how scientists are studying knitting: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/math/a36276147/hidden-binary-of-knittin...

>110 genesisdiem: That seems to be available to subscribers only. We have a digital subscription at the library, but it doesn't appear in the latest issue of the magazine.

>111 thornton37814: It's from the latest issue. I'm not sure if this will be readable or not.

>112 genesisdiem: I guess there's a delay in getting the new issue posted online. It hasn't populated in our service. I may need to trouble-shoot the problem although someone else handles that tool.

Overdrive has it! Yay!

Just wondering...

What BOOKS have you used to make multiple projects from in your fields of interest? I'm not referring to stapled leaflets, magazines, or individually printed patterns...etc but BOOKS. What is your oldest and newest? What one do you value most?

Do you remember the first books you acquired in your major field of interest?

What is your most recently acquired needlearts-related book?

>115 avaland: I'm afraid I'm going to have to be boring and say that I don't have any books that I have used for multiple projects. I don't have very many books on needlearts to begin with and they're mostly about techniques rather than patterns and such.

It's only in the last couple of years aI've started purchasing my own needleart books, I've always defaulted to using my mum and grandma's patterns and books before. But the first one was a "Big book of knitting and crocheting" that I got at a flea market. Almost mint condition, and full of explanations and photos of nearly every technique and pattern you can think of.

My newest purchases are two booklets - one about wool and the other about twined/two-end knitting.

Those types of books are really what I am after when it comes to crafting books. I'm rarely interested in making multiple similar things but am very interested in different techniques and styles.

I've used The Quilter's Visual Guide over the years for lots of quilts although there are no patterns. But the advice I've gotten from it is great. I'll go downstairs later and look up a couple of books that I have used more than once. But I mostly buy individual patterns and nowadays download them.

And here's a picture of the alpaca yarn at the farmer's market this morning. J

>118 dudes22: I am drooling.

>119 PawsforThought: - I sent the picture to a friend who goes away for the winter to tempt her before she gets back this week. I'm trying to talk her into the yellow/orange/pink one to make something for her daughter.

>120 dudes22: They're all lovely, but I wouldn't be able to stay away from the one on the left, which looks exactly like my favourite type of ice cream: crema di mascarpone with forest berry ripple.

>116 PawsforThought: Seems books about techniques would qualify...?

>117 dudes22: How interesting about using online sources. I guess I should have expected that. So, books are not "in" any more? Probably I should have anticipated that answer, I admit being rather isolated (and delightfully so) thus I miss the current trends.

>118 dudes22: those skeins look luscious!

I use The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns: 4050 Pieced Blocks for Quilters by Jinny Beyer (2009) quite a lot these days. I find it very zen to sit with that big book and mull and meditate on possibilities.

Other books I have used for multiple quilts (bearing in mind I have been doing this for 40 years and have now made more than 100 quilts (about 40% of those are charity quilts, most of which are quite simple)

1001 Patchwork Designs by Maggie Malone, 1982 (this was the first quilting block pattern book I bought way back in '82. I let this book go finally when I got the Jinny Beyer one).

101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts by Judy Hopkins and Nancy J Martin, 1998

Scrap Quilt Celebration: 24 Fantastic Projects from Quilters Best-Loved Patterns edited by Karen Boesta, 2002

Quilts from the Quiltmaker’s Gift by Joanne Larsen Line/Nancy Loving, 2000. There is definitely one pattern in this book I have down at least three times.

Seems I have not bought or added to my library any quilting books since 2009 ....

I have books on most things I've done as I learned them all in the pre-digital age :-) (i.e. knitting, embroidery, clay sculpture, garment/special occasion sewing, historical dress, interior decor ...etc

>122 avaland: I haven't used any of them for multiple projects, though. Just for general learning and hopefully future use.

I have decent number of knitting books, both patterns and technique. I have some pattern books that I've never used for projects, and a few where I've made just one project. But there are a few sock knitting books I've turned to multiple times:

* Getting Started Knitting Socks
* Favorite Socks
* Sock Knitting Master Class

That said, Ravelry is a tremendous resource for patterns. While designers still strive to get published in magazines or books, they also sell their patterns on Ravelry. Since you can filter searches on a myriad of criteria, and then see projects others have made with a pattern of interest, Ravelry has become my primary method for finding patterns I want to knit.

I checked my books again for those that I've used more than once.

Stack the Deck by Karla Alexander is one where you take a bunch of squares of the same size, cut them into pieces, then shift top to bottom, top 2 to bottom, etc to shuffle them and then resew. I've used this a few times for baby quilts.

Lickety-Split Quilts for Little Ones by Laurie Bevan is another book I've used for baby quilts and the cover pattern makes a nice table mat too. (ETA: Actually just one block of the cover photo.)

Carol Doak's Creative Combinations is one that I mean to use that has a bunch of paper pieced blocks that you can combine for quilts. Paper Piecing is not one of my favorite techniques, but her stuff always looks so good.

I have a few that have machine quilting patterns in them that I use when I'm stuck on how to quilt a quilt. And some others that I've bought over the years for a pattern or two. I need to do a minimalizing on them.

>122 avaland: - I didn't realize there was a quilting pattern book to go with the story book. I might see if it's available at the library.... It was and there was a second book too which I also asked for although with things the way they are, it will probably take a week before I get them.

>115 avaland: It seems I've been collecting books on needlearts since I was about ten. Naturally they've evolved since then! Looking through my LT library, they cover knitting (43), rug hooking (50), needlepoint (14) and quilting (56). There are also books on dyeing, which I consider to be included under the same rubric. My books are a mixture of how to, patterns, social history, and just plain inspiration.

The quilting number is odd, as that is something I feel very tentative doing, and do very little because of that. However, I have loved quilts forever. I think my first actual book purchase in the area of needlearts was The Mountain Artisans Quilting Book.

Books I have made the most things from would be Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting and Stillwater, several Kaffe Fassett books, and Shawls and Scarves by Nancy Thomas.
Polly Minick's Everyday Folk Art and her Folk Art Friends with her sister the quilter Laurie Simpson have been used a fair amount, along with Hobo Quilts.

For sheer inspiration though, I go to Glorious Inspiration and Glorious Colour by the master, Kaffe Fassett, and Fruits of the Earth byHugh Ehrman.

I can happily spend hours at a time immersed in my books. Each time I look at them, I see something new, or come up with a different colour combination in my head, or a new idea for how to do something. Many of the books mentioned above are from an older time, but that doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I have been adding newer knitting designers lately: Emily Foden's Winter provided several patterns I've knit. There's also a duo, one from Argentina and one from Finland, who publish what I would term a journal each year (not a magazine, but not quite a book: https://www.interpretationsbyjojiandveera.com Swoon Maine also had me knitting several of its designs through the first Covid year.

My latest purchase isn't even here yet, only on order: Strands of Joy by Anna Johanna.

One of the things I like about the current crop of publications is that not only do you get the actual book, but you also get the downloads for all the patterns.

That's probably far too many books for a simple answer, but it is an area where I easily get carried away!

>125 dudes22: The Doak book looks interesting. That simple tulip block on the cover was the very first paper piecing I did. I made a couple of coasters (so long ago!)

There are two companion quilting books for The Quiltmaker children's books. Quilts From The Quiltmaker's Gift, and More Quilts From The Quiltmaker's Gift; I've used the first far more than the 2nd. I was looking at them recently as I was wondering if I used their pattern for the "Storm at Sea" quilt I did (and I just realized I never added that second book to my library). I've done the cover quilt of the first quilt book several times, a favorite.

>126 SassyLassy: I love all the Kaffe Fassett books, mostly they serve as color therapy for my mental health, and inspiration :-) I don't think I've ever made an official KF (or the Collective) quilt. I love his sweaters, too.

I picked up a dyeing book some years ago thinking I might get into that, but eventually talked myself out of it.

>128 avaland: Dyeing is a wonderful way to pass the time, and a great learning experience. I think I learned more about colour from dyeing than just about any other approach.

There are people who are incredibly scientific about it, and can produce batch after batch of the same exact colour, while others leave more to chance and get variations of a theme for that colour.

I suspect you have a well, like I do. In that case, the water will never be consistent from one session to the next, and you will get variation even with the same recipe, but I enjoy working it in. In rug hooking, for instance, which is where most of my dyeing goes, it produces great mottling effects for backgrounds when a couple of batches are used together.

Kool-aid dyeing might be a fun thing to do with your grandchildren - just a couple of new white t-shirts or undershirts and tie-dye technique and away you go. It won't really matter what the end effect is, it's just fun.

>127 avaland: - I've used that tulip pattern too. In fact, I think the quilt I used it on was one of the first quilts I made. I know it was the first time I did paper-piecing because it was a class I took. It hangs in my bathroom area now and I hate the fabric choices I used. I only recently made a label for it and when I take it down to attach, I'll take a picture and post it.

I requested both of the Quiltmaker Gift quilt pattern books from the library and the second one is already in transit. Since the libraries are holding books for "x" number of days until you can get it, it might be the beginning of next week before I see it.

>128 avaland: - I downloaded a pattern for a KF quilt and bought a bunch of his fabrics, but I don't think I'm going to do that quilt. (We'll see). It's kind-of a dresden plate pattern and a bit more organized than some of his quilts. I'm really not good at putting bunches of fabric patterns together in one quilt. Makes me twitch :) But I do have another pattern that I'm thinking of using them for once I get around to it. That's why I had some of his fabric to send you.

>129 SassyLassy: Kool-aid? I was actually pretty good at tie-dying in high school ;-)

>130 dudes22: The two here will go out tomorrow or Friday.

I buy a fair bit of KF fabric and have done so from the beginning, so my collection spans a couple of decades. I like an occasional Jacobs design but only a few. The KF fabrics these days are so much thinner than than stuff I bought early on.

>131 avaland: Kool-aid?
It's definitely a thing, Lois. I've seen it done with yarn, but here's something about Kool-Aid Dyed T-Shirts.

I agree this would be a fun grandkids project!

>131 avaland: >132 lauralkeet: One of the things you will have to watch out for is colour washing out. There is vinegar in this recipe (a good thing for colour), but vinegar is not a mordant. You might consider adding some citric acid from jam making to the recipe to fix the colours.

>48 PawsforThought: Oooh I'm an alphabet nerd too and have just seen your post. Please tell me the Swedish version of the Nato alphabet, I just need to know !

>134 CglenLibrary: I believe the official term is the Swedish fonetic alphabet.

A Adam
B Bertil
C Cesar
D David
E Erik
F Filip
G Gustav
H Helge
I Ivar
J Johan
K Kalle
L Ludvig
M Martin
N Niklas
O Olof
P Petter
Q Qvintus
R Rudolf
S Sigurd
T Tore
U Urban
V Viktor
W Wilhelm
X Xerxes
Y Yngve
Z Zäta (not a name, just how the letter Z is pronounced)
Å Åke
Ä Ärlig
Ö Östen

I was wondering if anyone here has a quilting machine and what kind it is, how hard to learn, what size quilts it will do, and how big it is. I may think about getting one.

>136 dudes22: Sorry, no. I have been tempted but have not succumbed.

>136 dudes22: Wish I could be of help, but my knowledge of quilting machines is so lacking it’s in the negative.

>136 dudes22: Are you talking long- or mid-arm machine and frame? Or domestic with a bigger throat/harp? I just have my domestic Bernina; but I was pricing frames that can convert a domestic into a mid-arm. Since I don't enjoy the quilting process itself; I can't justify the purchase even when the table-top frame is reasonably priced.

I am thinking about getting certified through one of the LQS's that offer quilt-your-own services. That way I can learn and see if I even like that version of quilting.

The table top frame I was pricing can manage everything up to a queen, I think. You have to quilt in sections; but it's doable.

>139 lesmel: - Thanks for that info. My machine that I took in for regular maintenance is ready for pick-up so, when I go tomorrow, I'm going to look at the ones they have there. There is an upgraded Bernina that does quilting with a large hoop that I was thinking about once. I may take another look at it. Too be honest, I'm not sure what I'm thinking about.

>140 dudes22: My guess? You are looking for something to make the quilting process more enjoyable. I'm right there with you. Even with the 40x40 quilt I just did, I was wrestling with the Quilt Worm. Even though my Bernina was marketed as "Quilter's Edition" nothing about it makes it ideal for quilting. Janome, Juki and other domestics make better domestics for quilting -- larger throat/harp, not many stitches, speed control, etc.

Juki has a line of machines (QVP) specifically designed for quilting and the price tag to prove it; but they also have several domestics that look like they work well for quilting.

I think I remember that we have the same Bernina - a 440 QE. The place I bought mine has a newer one that someone decided they didn't want which has a bigger throat and is the one I was talking about above that you can use a hoop and preprogrammed designs, but I'm not sure that's what I want.

>142 dudes22: Yep. 440 QE! It also can work as an embroidery machine with a hoop and software. That feature is wasted on me. LOL

>143 lesmel: - Me too!

Well I did it. I went to pick up my machine which was in for general maintenance and drop off the one that was still giving me problems and put a deposit on a Bernina 790. I've been looking at it off and on. It's used - someone bought it and then decided they wanted a different machine with more embroidery features. Karen gave me a good price and will take my 440 QE in trade so a good deal. I'll probably get it sometime next week.

(Hey - my husband just ordered a new truck so way less expensive)

>145 dudes22: Woo hoo! New toy! That's exciting. And much less money than a truck so yeah. Maybe you should buy two ha ha.

>145 dudes22: Wooohoo!!

Oooh, a new (to you at least) sewing machine! How exciting!

And a much more frugal purchase than a truck.

For sure! I'll post a pic once I get it. I just have to resign myself to the fact that I'm going to have to practice for a while. They are going to give me some classes too.

I thought this was a clever way to knit a striped sock. The number of rows in each stripe corresponds to one of the digits in pi (3.14159...)

Pattern photo of completed Pi sock:



Here's a work in progress, posted by a Ravelry friend, although I'm not sure if she's made her photos viewable outside Ravelry. It shows the top of the sock, first the ribbing and then stripe bands matching those first few digits (3 rows, 1 row, 4 rows, 1 row, 5 rows, 9 rows):

>150 lauralkeet: Oooooh, I LOVE that!!

>150 lauralkeet: That's a very clever idea.

clever! and nerdy! I love it.

I do like that! There are so many possibilities with colour: a different colour for each number which would have a repeating effect over time, different colours for odds and evens in shades of each in case you get say two or more odds together (159), shaded monochromes, on and on.

>153 al.vick: yeah I think it's the nerdiness that appeals to me, too!

>154 SassyLassy: wow. so many great ideas!

I'm going to mention this to my friend who knits socks.

Ooh, that looks really good! I did a Fibonacci scarf once (kind of like this one, only it was also a mobius strip) but pi seems a lot more manageable!

>157 melannen: Oh, I love that pattern, too! I may have to try both the socks *and* the scarf!

>157 melannen: - When you mention Fibonacci, it reminded me that there is a quilter/designer Ricky Tims who published a book called Ricky Tims' Convergence Quilts which are all based on the Fibonacci sequence in the way you cut your fabric. I even have two started that still need to be finished. Here's a picture I stold from the web of one:

>159 dudes22: Oooh, I like that one! Very pleasing to my balance-loving eyes.

>159 dudes22: I made at least one of those quilts.... (seems ancient history)

>161 avaland: - For some reason, I think mine are still in bags somewhere. I should do a search, I suppose.

A few months ago a woman in my guild recommended a fiber arts podcast called Haptic and Hue. I had kind of forgotten about it until a new episode came out today, and it was absolutely fascinating. SAMPLERS AND THE HANDS THAT MADE THEM "looks at how women in the past were united by their ability to use a needle skilfully", and how that ability was used differently by different social classes. And how that dynamic plays out today. The host even makes a literary connection with a particularly relevant passage from The Dictionary of Lost Words, a book I really enjoyed last year.

Listen via the link or wherever you get your podcasts.

>163 lauralkeet: Ooh, as if I didn’t have enough podcasts to listen to - I’ll have to give that one a try. It sounds like a really good episode. Thanks for the tip.

I recently began following the @WomensArt1 account on Twitter, and I've been meaning to post here about some of the beautiful needlearts works that they post. You can click the link on the Twitter handle to see it all but here is a small sampling:


Quilt art inspired by vintage photographs of African American people, by contemporary US artist Bisa Butler


Vera Shimunia, Russian embroidery artist known for her depictions of landscapes and skies


Yarn bombing the steps of Helsinki's Cathedral.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. There's also a photo of an entire piano covered with a fitted crochet garment that has to be seen to be believed, and many more.

>165 rosalita: Wow! That’s amazing! All of them are, but the one with the African-American couple just catches the eye. And the piano was terrific! Thanks for posting these.

>165 rosalita: - There was some very interesting art there. I particularly liked the octopus made from papercutting and some of the others. The yarn bombing above is also so great.

>166 PawsforThought: >167 dudes22: I'm so glad you enjoyed the photos! I've learned about so many beautiful artists in the short time I've been following the account on Twitter

That embroidery piece is wonderful!

We should all look as good as Ms. Hepburn when we're crafting!


Katherine Hepburn knitting on the set of Bringing Up Baby in 1938.

I don't know if anyone here might be interested in this free online webinar, but the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library (located in my Iowa town) is hosting a program called "A Successful Humanitarian Story Hidden in Belgian War Lace of 1914 to 1918." The program is at 6 p.m. US Central Standard Time (GMT -06:00).

The program description: "Recently retired from Stanford University, Evelyn McMillan will share her lifelong interest in textile arts. This program will discuss how the Brussels Lace Committee, the Hoovers, and the two major relief organizations came together to support the lacemakers of Belgium during WWI."

The program will be offered via Zoom, and registration is required but free.

Perhaps I'll "see" some of you there!

Has anyone ever printed a picture onto fabric? I've printed labels using Word but am not sure how I'd print a picture. I assume I scan it first. Then do I need to resize or tweek colors, etc? Or once I scan it, should I copy it into Word?

ETA: Before I used the white fabric with the paper back that can go through a printer.

>172 dudes22: The magazine Quilting Arts often has information on this process, or at least it used to. It doesn't seem to be available here. Anyway, from a technical perspective, I think I would scan the picture and then print from there. Copying into Word would give an image two steps removed from the original, and thus that much more likely to distortion, probably minor, but it all adds up.

>172 dudes22: Yes, I have many times but not lately. I have a large scanner/printer combo (bought ages ago), so I just put the photo face down on the bed and it scans & then prints on that special fabric sheet. I have also scanned multiple photos of various sizes arranged on the scanner bed to cover the area of the fabric sheet.

With just a scanner (as SassyLassy notes), it seems you would scan to a computer, and then send the digital copy to the printing.

I used to like putting little photos on the tags along with the other information.

>173 SassyLassy: - >174 avaland: - I found a couple of videos online that gave me a bit of info. I want to enlarge the picture just a bit, so I think I'll try it on paper first til I see what I think will work.

This article was written for weavers, but it has some useful tips for creating color palettes that apply to other crafts. This is something I struggle with, so I'll take all the help I can get.

Color Theory for Weavers

Crochet help please!

I went to a craft night last week where I (re) learned crochet. Now I'd like to try my hand at a simple solid granny square, using this pattern:
https://www.angelfire.com/mi/givinghands/simplesolid.html

I successfully worked the first step (ha):
chain 6, join with sl st to form a ring

I've made a couple attempts at round 1:
round 1: ch 3, 2 dc in ring, tr in ring, * 3 dc in ring, tr in ring, repeat from * twice more, join with sl st to the top of beg ch-3
After ch 3, I skipped over those and worked the first dc in the next stitch in the ring (one of the original 6 chain stitches). Each stitch after that was worked in the next stitch in the ring.

If I'm counting correctly, this round is 15 stitches: 2 dc, 1 tr, and (3 dc + 1 tr) three times. That would be more than two "laps" around the original 6-chain ring, and you wouldn't end up back at the beginning.

What am I missing?

I’m no expert on crocheting but when I’ve done granny squares I’ve never done the stitches *in* one stitches in the ring, but around the ring.

Are you set on using that description? Sounds unnecessarily complicatedly written. This one looks very beginner-friendly: https://sarahmaker.com/solid-granny-square-no-gaps/

>178 PawsforThought: thank you Paws! I like the beginner-friendly language in that pattern and will try it instead. The step by step photos are very helpful. Much appreciated!

ETA: I learned the stitches in round 1 are made by inserting into the ring, not into the chain. Big difference. I made some progress tonight.

Knitting advice, please! :(

I'm knitting a scarf with alpaca wool, and quite some time ago I was three balls through when I realised I wasn't satisfied with the uneven tension, so I unravelled it and was left with ramen yarn. In my way of doing things by half measures, I successfully straighten two skeins via soaking and the third I simply wound up in a ball and hoped for it to straighten... I'm on my fourth ball now and frowning at that third portion of the scarf full of unevenness and kinks.

Is there any hope for it to smoothen out if I soak the scarf for a couple of hours when it's done?

>180 Majel-Susan: My two cents is that knitting the third ball without straightening it like you have with the other two, means that the unstraightened wool still had kinks, which create different sized loops from one stitch to the next, unlike the even sized loops you would have with straight wool. Not only that, but if the alpaca has long staple fibres, which it probably does, the fibres that would normally form that lovely airy mesh between and around stitches (sort of like a halo), are now also kinked, and don't have much to lend to that airy effect.

Soaking after may help a bit, but it won't correct it entirely -- sorry to say.

One thing that might help a bit for that third ball, if you have lots of patience, is to tease the more egregious stitches into loops corresponding more to the size of the established unkinked loops.

Skilful draping of the scarf may work to help conceal it. Alpaca is such a beautiful yarn.

Having said all this - don't give up though until you have blocked it completely. I read this in a book I picked up yesterday:

Blocking is the magical move that takes an otherwise lumpy, curling piece of knitting and turns it into knitters' gold, a fabric smooth and even. Just as important, blocking coaxes out a yarn's best qualities, it plumps and adds loft to individual stitches and encourages a soft halo.

This was from Pam Allen's plain and simple, a book devoted to patterns using wool and alpaca blend. In another alpaca yarn topic, the author also says about possible stretching with alpaca

Alpaca is a hollow fibre, which means there is air in the core. How much air you squeeze out or encourage in makes all the difference in the final yarn. In a spinning system that lines up the fibres so that they are parallel to each other and squeezes them together, you push out the air and create a lank, inelastic yarn. However, if you spin alpaca on another system that throws the fibres together willy-nilly and incorporates air between them, you make a yarn buoyant and light.

Adding wool to the mixture will give you more elasticity and bounce, probably more important in cardigans and sweaters than in a scarf, but something to thing about on your next project.

>181 SassyLassy: I don't have any direct experience with this issue so I hesitated to comment. My only thought was about blocking -- as the excerpt from that book says so well, blocking can truly work magic on the finished look.

That said, I like your two cents perspective. It makes sense.

>181 SassyLassy: I'll admit that the third ball had quite a bit of kinks in it still and I was hoping that it wouldn't show, but I'll try soaking, blocking, and teasing it.
>181 SassyLassy: >182 lauralkeet: Thanks so much for the advice!

This is a bit of short notice, but I thought some folks here might be interested in this upcoming webinar from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in Iowa. The topic is "Unraveling Yarns About the First Ladies" and it will be presented at 6 p.m. CDT Thursday, Aug. 18 via Zoom. Here's the event description:

According to the event description, "Lou Henry Hoover and 17 other first ladies who, at one point in their lives knitted, crocheted, embroidered, quilted, cross-stitched, or sewed, are the focus of a new book, “Ladies, First: Common Threads,” by Debra Scala Giokas. Debra will discuss the research and stories that went into that work.

"Debra Scala Giokas is a professional member of the Crochet Guild of America. She earned her B.A. in English from Stony Brook University and began a career in marketing communications where she writes every day. She has been working in that field ever since. Debra enjoys learning and writing about women in American History. She taught a marketing course at a local college as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for 6 years, and still mentors students at her alma mater."

The webinar is free. You can register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c0dsTaJRTDSggc5DFsBx8Q. I believe in the past they have made the videos available for viewing after the fact, so it's worth registering even if you can't attend Thursday if you'd like to watch later.

>184 rosalita: Thank you! I would be so interested to attend this webinar. Unfortunately it conflicts with my monthly book club Zoom. I registered in hopes that I can access a recording later. I will definitely be on the lookout for the book.

This thread has gone quiet, so let me liven it up a bit!



The latest issue of Vogue Knitting Magazine arrived in my mailbox today. I saw this pattern and immediately thought of the crocheters in this group. I know Micky plans to try her hand at some garments next year.

Imagine my surprise when I saw that this wasn't a crochet pattern after all. You actually knit the granny squares! What the ... ?! That said, someone who knows crochet could probably figure out how to design something similar.

>186 lauralkeet: *whispers* I'm actually not a big fan of granny squares.

I am fascinated at the prospect of someone figuring out a way of knitting them rather than crocheting though.

>186 lauralkeet: - That's very interesting. I'll have to mention that to my friend. She just sent me a picture of a vest she made for her daughter for Christmas that's granny squares. And last year she made her a coat from different size squares. I think she'll be interested.

>187 MickyFine: I was intrigued by that too, Micky. I haven't read the pattern closely enough to see just how it's done.

>188 dudes22: Oh good!

>189 lauralkeet: - She said she's going to go look for that issue.

>187 MickyFine: >189 lauralkeet: I suspect there's a lot of intarsia knitting involved in this.

What is it about granny squares that ensures them a revival every few years? I've never quite "got" them, but the cream background in that pattern certainly is more positive than the old utilitarian black. In terms of design, I like how the yoke works on that jacket.

>136 dudes22: I thought it was crochet. I crocheted two temperature Granny square blankets a few years ago.

The only granny square blanket I've seen that I've been even slightly tempted to make is this one:



Link to pattern.

The rainbow effect and the cream borders are what win me over, I think.

>193 MickyFine: Hmm, that is interesting. After I finish my current project I might do a lap quilt with that general color block pattern....

>193 MickyFine: I made 2 a few years ago. My daughter lives in Minnesota and I chose a sparkle white for below zero and for my grandughter (her daughter) I chose a red for her temps about 100 as she lives in Texas. They are pretty, very heavy, large and colorful. I am thinking about doing another one for 2023.

In 2023 I am making 3 for 3 of my granddaughters in Minnesota. I will say it is easier to do 3 of the same colors than the 2 different states and colors.

I came across this article in a newsletter yesterday:

'Loose Ends' helps complete unfinished knitting projects left behind by loved ones

Their scope is actually broader than knitting, and includes both crochet and quilting. Volunteers from all over the world sign up to finish projects submitted by requesters. You can find out more about how it works on their website: Loose Ends Project

I'm toying with the idea of signing up to be a "finisher."

>196 lauralkeet: What a nice and thoughtful idea.

>196 lauralkeet: This is such a worthwhile thing to do.

Rug hooking groups often are approached by bereaved families with a partially completed project. It takes a long time to hook a rug, and families often want that last important one finished. My current group takes these on as a group effort for people in the community. Since we meet weekly, one person will take the item home and work on it for a week, bring it back and the next person takes it for the next week and on it goes. When the family members come in to receive the completed item, there are often tears, but it is definitely a happy event.

It is something though that makes you reflect on your own UFOs.

>196 lauralkeet:: That is so thoughtful.

Well ... I appreciate your comments but I haven't actually done anything yet! I'm still thinking about it and subscribed to their Instagram to get a sense of the organization.

>196 lauralkeet: that's a great idea

From the New York Times (no subscription required):
Knitters Say Stitching Helps Them Follow the Thread in Meetings

My working days involved a lot of web meetings. It was pre-Zoom with no individual cameras to worry about, so I did this all the time and easily got away with it. It definitely kept me more engaged in the meeting than if I'd been, say, checking LT threads. Not that that ever happened ... 😈

>202 lauralkeet: I had a student at Kenyon who came to me the first day of the first class she had with me and asked if it would be okay if she knitted while I lectured because it really helped her focus. I was, of course, completely fine with it!

Has anyone in the group been into making things (primarily clothes) from vintage patterns or based on vintage designs? I’ve been on a bit of a 40s kick lately but I’ve always been fascinated by the fashions of yore.
I’d love to make some vintage stuff, both sewing and knitting, and I’d love to hear about other’s experiences, tips, and ideas.

My absolute favourite thing I’ve learnt about is how resourceful people were during wartime. The prime example being the patterns that were created to show people how best to use up all the fabric in parachute panels if they happened to stumble upon one. I knew people made clothes from parachute silk but had no idea it went that far.
Link to the amazing parachute pattern.

>204 PawsforThought: I've not been making clothing (although I've thought about making some for my grand daughter. BUT, I have five boxes of clothing patterns dated from 1970s to maybe 2005. I did use the low-slung, big bell bellbottoms patterns more than once and again to make a costume for my oldest daughter when she was a teen. It's amusing to think of it as "vintage".

I was just reading one of my Nana's diaries -- for 1945. She and my grandfather lived on the southern Maine coast and while there were plenty of "summer people" during the summer, otherwise they were rather secluded. It was a year with a lot of snow, too. Her sons were in the Merchant Marine and Army Aircorp, their sister, my mother, was at home. My Nana recorded every piece of 'V-mail", where the men they knew were stationed...etc.

I am amazed how hard it was for my mother and my grandfather to get to work after or during a snowstorm -- they had to wait' for the plow to do the road and with them being so remote, it was very late when they got plowed out.

Regarding your note about resourcefulness, both my Nana and my mother was extremely resourceful. I do have my Nana's two quilts but they are not in great shape....

I hope to send this diary to the town or state (Maine) after I make a transcript for myself. My adult children seem not to be all that interested.

>205 avaland: Low slung bell bottoms were in again when I was a teenager (20 years ago) and I have fond memories of them. They were cotton jersey so incredibly comfortable compared to a lot of other things I’ve worn.

Your Nana’s diaries sound fascinating- I’m sure a local museum or similar would love to have them. Great resource for cultural history and the lives of everyday people.
Your grandparents issues with snow sound like modern day here! Even though we’re not remote at all, our street is not a priority so it can take a while before the plough comes.

Sorry to hear the quilts are not in great shape. I have some textiles my older relatives have made (grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great aunts) and they are mostly in mint condition. The kind of things that have just been collecting dust for decades.
My favourite story regarding resourcefulness: My paternal grandparents were sustenance farmers and living a very frugal life. So my grandmother took the linen from the sugar bags and made Sunday best suits for two of my uncles. She also kept the down from every bird my grandfather ever shot (whether it was legal hunting or poaching I’m not sure) and kept in a big bag to be used for filling pillows, etc. No matter the size of the bird.

>206 PawsforThought: Wonderfully resourceful! Do you have a sense of the size of those sugar bags were? Just wondering how much piecing she did beyond a typical home made suits would be.

>207 avaland: Very good question. They would have been around a meter by 0,6-0,7 meters. Enough to not have to do much piecing together. My uncles would have been maybe five years old at the time, so even the big pieces would have been quite small.

>205 avaland: How nice to have a diary and history of your family.

I got back a few days ago from a British Isles cruise with my daughter and granddaughter. I took some crochet hooks with me hoping to find some yarn in Ireland but only found at one shop and the yarn was stiff and not the yarn I use. I had the name of one shop in Dublin but we did not find it. Plenty of scarfs and gloves for sale which we bought at some shops.

>209 mnleona: What cruise line were you on? Was one of the stops Invergordon?

We were on the Regal Princess and yes we did Invergrodon. We did a boat tour on Loch Ness. I had been there years ago but not a boat tour.

>211 mnleona: I think you might have been on the same cruise my mom and stepdad were on. lol

>212 lesmel: Our cruise was May 8 for 12 days.
The ship will be sailing from Galveston, Texas beginning in October.
We had a great time.

>213 mnleona: Out of Southhampton? Portland, Guernsey, Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Invergordon, Edinburgh, Normandy, Southampton? Actually, I just looked. They were on the Regal Princess. That is hilarious.

>214 lesmel: That is funny. Hope they enjoyed it as much as we did. Loved the itinerary. It was a busy cruise. I used a scooter when I was on land as so much to see and do. I am 85 and walking can be limited and slow for me. I was with my daughter and granddaughter. I want to take my 4 sons and son-in-law on the same cruise.

>209 mnleona: It's not much in the way of reading, just comings and goings, weather...etc. My mother's diaries were terribly dry.

>211 mnleona: Have a wonderful trip!

Good morning.
It will be 92* F today and 64* F tomorow.
My temperature blankets get one more day of red and then getting back to the cool colors.
We are booked on the Regal Princess out of Galveston in November for my oldest son's 65th birthday. We will ask for out waiter we had on the British Isles cruise and look forward to seeing some of the crew we got to know.
I went to the Minnesota State Fair two times this year. We had really nice days but some days were in the 90s. We always go to the Creative Arts Building to see the needlework.

Wish I could say it will be 64* F tomorrow here in Ohio, even at night. Really looking forward to cooler weather.

I'm wondering if the members here would consider an additional "general" thread where we also post our work. I find I just can't get around to all the threads here anymore but I enjoy seeing what the clever artisans here produce.

We could just post what we are working on or the finished work. I think of this much like a thread like "What are You Reading Now" in Club Read..(members there also have their individual threads, too) ...maybe our general thread could be "What are You Making Now"....

What do you think?

>219 avaland: I think that's a good idea. It will certainly show the range of work people here are doing, plus there's no reason people can't continue to post on their own threads as well.

Well, that’s you and I :-)

>219 avaland: Sorry, I've been so busy that I haven't been round the threads in ages, but yes, I agree that this is a good idea! If I'm understanding correctly, then, the group thread would be for photos of finished projects, and our individual ones could be for chatting about progress and such?

I understand the idea, but I don't think I'll be posting my stuff there. I like having my projects on display in my own thread, and keeping track of whether I've posted something in one place or another is not going to end well.
And for me, it's easier to visit people's personal threads rather than going to one communal thread, where everyone's projects are mixed up. I'd prefer to be able to easy scroll up and down the thread to look at older projects without having to double-check who posted.

>223 PawsforThought: Ditto.

>222 scaifea: Yes. (Hey, Amber, remember when we resuscitated this long-defunct group)

>223 PawsforThought:, >224 KeithChaffee: Sorry to hear that.

>225 avaland: (I do!!)

Well, I vote we start such a thread and those who want to participate can and those who don't want to don't have to. What say ye?

Would you like to make the thread? I will post (if I get something done....)

(We date back here to 2011, time flies)

>227 avaland: Done! It's very bare bones because I'm on my lunch break at the library and not at home, but I think it'll do.

(It really does fly! It makes me happy that we're old friends, though, and that we have new friends here, too!)

I, for one, am very happy and grateful that you resuscitated the thread. It’s one of my favourite things about LT.

I would love to attend this event someday!
In Shetland, the Hottest Event of the Year Stars Sheep and Knitters
(from the New York Times, no paywall)

Oh Laura, wouldn't that be grand?

>230 lauralkeet: Could be fun!

I just started a thread - Finally Finished February - where anyone who wishes can join in to get some of those WIPs out where they belong!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/358075#unread

Question for everyone:

Do you have a travel sewing kit? One of those small ones with a couple of needles, some thread, a button or two and maybe a couple of safety pins.
Do you have a commercially made one or have you put it together yourself?
What’s in it? Is there anything you wish was in it? Anything you’ve removed because it wasn’t useful?

I’m thinking of creating my own and need some inspiration. I’ve always found the ones you buy (or get as an extra with other purchases) are too flimsy and don’t have enough thread (and have weird colour thread).

>234 PawsforThought: This reminds me of a trip I made to Israel over twenty years ago in which I was helping to embroider a part of a chuppah (Jewish wedding canopy). Airlines prohibited carrying scissors (a potential weapon, even small ones) so I included nail clippers for cutting the embroidery floss. It was a great project, done by members of the sisterhood of my synagogue. After it was completed, my younger son and his bride were one of the couples that eventually got married under it. While in Israel, I embroidered a piece of bark from a blossoming jacaranda tree right into the piece I was working on because it was also a tree (eitz chaim = tree of life). Small needlework projects are great for travel! So relaxing!

>235 SqueakyChu: That sounds like an amazing trip and a real memory for life.
I’m not planning on having embroidery with me on my travels - this kit is intended as an emergency kit if a button comes off or a seam breaks.

>236 PawsforThought: Yeah. I remember buying those kits. They had cheap items in them. I recommend making your own with just a few things you might need. If you're staying with someone, don't bother. Just borrow needle and thread (and a button).

>234 PawsforThought: - I have a small metal mint tin that I use. I can fit a piece of felt with 2-3 needles and 4-6 pins, a couple of bobbins from my sewing machine with thread, a couple of small safety pins and a pair of nail clippers instead of scissors. I haven't found a small enough pair of scissors yet to fit in the tin. I don't usually worry about buttons since they would inevitably not be the size of the one I lost. Like Madeline said - You could always just borrow.

I've used the cheap commercial ones, and they're fine - I wouldn't try to do a major project with them or anything, but they will sew a button on or fix a split seam just fine in a crisis, and you can usually get to a shop or someone you can borrow some (or home!) before you need more than that. They're also cheap and complete enough (And usually designed for people with extremely limited skill) that they're good for just tossing to other people who need to mend something but don't have the supplies. I keep one in the car glove compartment.

I have a super tiny super emergency one in my travel first aid that is just a needle threaded with black thread wound around it and a needle threaded with white thread wound around it and a small chain of safety pins and honestly 95% of the time that's all I really need; I have nail-clippers or a pocketknife if I really need to trim loose threads (and otherwise I use my teeth.) and button can be replaced with safety pins temporarily.

I have a larger but still smallish "mending kit" that's kept in a bag with the mending basket that has pins, a small pincushion, a variety of needles, scissors, a crochet hook, a bodkin, a measuring tape, a seam-ripper, a small bag of various-sized buttons, some hooks and eyes, a thimble, some fabric scraps that are good for patches, a card with a few colors of embroidery floss wound on it, a small embroidery hoop, and a variety of thread colors on small spools, with a full-size spool of white. That's enough that I can do most of the small/medium mending tasks unless I have to get up to get wool for darning. But that's far too much for a travel kit I think.

Thanks for the comments.

I think I was being unclear in my initial post so will try to explain myself better.
* I want to make my own travel sewing kit. I have several of the commercial ones and dislike them. There isn’t enough thread and the colours are not what I’d need.
* Before I start making one, I want to decide what to put into it so I can adjust the size.
* I travel for work, and when I’m on holiday I go on my own so can’t borrow from friends/family.

I have one in my a wallet that I picked up somewhere. It's just in a plastic envelope. it has 2 needles, some thread wrapped round a bobbin card and a couple of buttons. No scissors, they don't fit in the wallet well and then there's the travel thing.

I have used it occasionally. Thinking about it, I've had the wallet for ~ 12 years and I know I transferred the sewing kit from my previous wallet, so it's been travelling a while.

That might be smaller than you are contemplating.

>241 Helenliz: Yeah, that's the kind I've accumulated from who know where but that I think are fairly useless. I don't want to make something big but I've stared making a bunch of small cases/holder/pouches for various things I bring with me when I travel (medications, chargers, tea bags, etc.) and I thought it would be nice to sew one for a sewing kit too. And I've actually been in a position several times where a button has popped (not lost one, so far) or a seam has broken and I've wanted to fix it but not been able to. My very tentative plan is to make a sort of thin, wallet-type pouch that could fit a couple of sewing needles, some safety pins, a few pins, maybe a few clips, some bobbins of thread, maybe mini scissors, a needle threader and maybe one or two more things. Shouldn't take up too much space if arranged well.

>242 PawsforThought: this is a great idea. I have one of the cheap commercial kits which, as was noted above, has its limitations.

Ah yeah, those small flat ones aren't good for much except sewing on one button in an emergency. You can get more elaborate storebought ones, though - the one I salvaged the thread from was sort of like this one except with a few more thread colors, no idea where it came from: https://www.amazon.com/Embroidex-Sewing-Home-Travel-Emergencies/dp/B00MG5FZWA/re...

I thought the case was too bulky for what I needed so I moved the thread (and the other bits I actually wanted) to a hand-sewn pouch, though. Using sewing machine bobbins makes a lot of sense.

(Pretty sure the one in the car is one of these, exactly: https://ptlone.com/en-us/allary-travel-sewing-kit-in-zipper-pouch-s023b )

>244 melannen: I’m not necessarily after something more elaborate, but just better suited for my needs. I see no reason for a dozen different coloured threads for instance (black, white, beige, dark blue and maybe red should cover the bases).
And like you, I think the ones that have more than just thread and sewing needle are too bulky. The one I’m imagining is maybe 10 cm squared (4 inches) and a maximum of 2 cm thick.
I quite like this one: https://tulipsquare.com/product/sewing-kit-book-style-quilted-organizer-pattern-...
Although it it bigger than I’d want and has too much stuff (and I want a zip around it to make sure nothing falls out). Using hair ties to hold the bobbins is genius!

I took a commercial kit (one I got from a hotel) and replaced the weird thread colors with black and white.

>245 PawsforThought:
That one does look just the right size! And the quilted cover also serves as a pincushion. I think my mother's is pretty much like that, though she mostly uses it as a needle case these days.

>246 norabelle414: That's probably what I'd do if I wasn't set on the idea of creating my own.

>247 melannen: I think it's a little too big (I think it says 5x4 inches and since it has zippered pockets I think it's probably fairly bulky, but I like the general idea. I'm using it for inspiration and making a smaller, more slimmed down version - with less air between the items.

I just bought this from a YouTuber that I follow to use in quilting straight lines on my quilts without having to mark them. I started to quilt a baby quilt yesterday and I'm loving it. There are lines 1" apart and the back has a slightly gripping material so it doesn't slide. I only wish it had lines that were 1/2" apart on it too.

>249 dudes22: That's sounds really interesting and I can imagine it being very useful.

I have asked scaifea to co-admin this group in my stead. I'll be hanging around but I thought it better to pass my position to another long time member.

Good choice. I'm sure Amber will do great - and is certainly more present on the various threads than I've been during the past few weeks.

>251 avaland:

LOL!

They make some cute cross stitch designs for Altoid tins, so you could even decorate your tin to make it a stitchy tin! There are even some tutorials that show you how to make them. A lot of people use those for their travel kits. They make some really tiny scissors that will fit in those and not be a problem with most airlines.

>234 PawsforThought: I have one that has the folding scissors, needles, thread, safety pins and buttons that I take on my trips.

>255 thornton37814: That's a cute idea. Altoids doesn't exist here, so it'd be difficult (and/or expensive) to get hold of the tins. And I'm generally hesitant to include metal tins in my luggage as they tend to get flagged by customs (I've even had issues with thick books). I have a plan for how the holder I'm going to make will look - I'm now mostly trying to decide what things I want it to include to I can adjust the size/shape before I start making it.

>256 mnleona: Yeah, that sounds pretty standards. I definitely want to include some "regular" pins and possible some clips. And maybe a seam ripper.

I saw this beautiful quilt and wanted to share it! It's by Spanish quilter and textile artist Cristina Arcenegui Bono.



I love when an art quilt makes the quilting itself the whole point. Plus, what an appropriate image for LT!

There's a little spotlight with the artist here, which includes a larger image of that quilt and some other really beautiful work.

Wow! I really admire people who put the time and effort into quilts like this. I love the textures of the various backgrounds.

Wow! I really love the backgrounds that she did on this quilt. That spotlight had so many great quilts. It says she's going to be in New England in Arill but I couldn't find out where. I need to check that out.

That is a very interesting quilt.

Am I the only one here who is masochistic enough to keep trying to make things from a pattern in a language I either don’t speak at all or do speak, but nearly well enough to properly understand knitting (in this case) instructions?

Some of you may remember than I found a superb pattern for skate covers in Russian. I’m still planning to make those, but haven’t bought the right yarn yet.
Now I have started making a bed jacket from a pattern that is not only quite old (30s or 40s) and therefore trickier to understand already, but also in French. Unlike Russian, I do actually speak somewhat okay French, but knitting instructions (or really any form of crafting terminology) was sorely lacking from my French classes in school.

>262 PawsforThought: You are not alone! I will use knitting instructions in French, definitely, and will also try them in Scandinavian and Germanic languages, especially if they come with lots of charts. However, the idea of trying one in Russian would never occur to me! In your case, I would say not masochistic, but brave and fearless! Good luck!

>258 mabith: That is absolutely gorgeous - thanks for posting it.

>263 SassyLassy: I’ll take brave and fearless, thanks!

I’ve done patterns in Norwegian and Danish, but I don’t count that since it’s so similar to Swedish. I think I’d be able to handle German fairly well since it’s also similar, and I speak a tiny bit of German. Dutch might be okay to. The Russian pattern I just pulled through Google Translate and it seems to be okay, and it has a good chart which obviously helps.
The French pattern doesn’t have a chart, but does have a drawing with all the measurements clearly stated, and an image of what the actual pattern should look like from the right side, so that’s been helpful.

I haven't done this myself Paws, but I admire you for having a go! I might be able to figure out a pattern in French, and maybe also German. A friend of mine has used Google Translate on Nordic knitting patterns and to post questions in Nordic knitting FB group she's a member of.