Curious About Steeking

I love knitting color work sweaters and am knitting coordinated cardigans for two of my granddaughters. Many color work cardigans are first knit in the round, and then cut open to create a cardigan. This process is called “steeking”. I’ve successfully steeked and finished the first one, but have procrastinated steeking the 2nd cardigan. Why you ask? Who knows! As motivation this blog post documents the resources I’ve used and my process.

The Completed First Cardigan

Cardigan Details

Resources & Notes

Videos

Blog Posts

Steeking the 2nd Cardigan: My Process

Step 1: Incorporate Steek Stitches — Incorporate an odd number of steek stitches into the center front of the sweater. The center stitch will be the cut down the middle. For this sweater I used 5 steek stitches: P1, K3, P1

Step 2: Reinforce — Add reinforcement to both sides of the center steek stitch. I use a crochet reinforcement. See resources above for details and excellent photos.

Step 3: Cut — Cut up the middle of the center steek stitch. You can see the horizontal bars to cut between the crochet reinforcements. Snip away! The crochet reinforcements leave a nice, clean edge.

Step 4: Button Bands — Pick up stitches & knit the button bands. Once the buttons have been sewn on, I re-block the sweater and tack down the reinforcement to the inside of the cardigan.

Step 5: Enjoy — Wear your wonderful new cardigan proudly, knowing you are now a steeker. I’ll be gifting this one to GG #2 (GG == GrandGirl)

Happy Crafting & Stay Curious!

Episode #10 Parallel Play

Welcome to Episode 10 of the Curious Crafters FlossTube. We're two sisters who love handcrafting and figuring things out! In this episode Anna and I discuss what we're wearing, share our Sampler September progress and other WIPS, show two historic samplers from our extended family, show a few new shared supplies, and end with our Thumbs Up. Along the way there is lots of chit-chat and a toast. Ready? Let's Go!

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

  • Anna is wearing School Dress #1 (Simplicity 8570). She used a barkcloth fabric purchased from Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley. Anna loves how this wrap dress wraps in the back so that it stays closed.

  • Carolyn is wearing the Soldotna Crop designed by Caitlin Hunter. Carolyn used 4 colors of Farmer’s Daughter’s Juicy D.K, which she bought from Brooklyn General Store when visiting her son and daughter-in-law in Queens.

Parallel Play

Anna and Carolyn are having a blast stitching 3 of the same patterns at the same time — our version of toddler’s “Parallel Play”. Here are our 3 projects side-by-side

Seasons of the Heart: Winter — Designed by Brenda Gervais. Anna and Carolyn are both stitching this using Katie Strachan’s silk conversion kits. Anna’s is on the right and Carolyn’s is on the left. We are both loving the silks and Carolyn is having a hard time going to bed once she gets started.

BH 1820 — Designed by Queenstown Sampler Designs. Carolyn is stitching 1 over 2 on Lakeside Linen’s Vintage Bisque 36-count linen using the called for NPI silks for the original colors of the sample. Anna is stitching 1 over 2 on XJuDesign’s Light Nougat 36-count linen using the called for over-dyed cottons for the aged, antique colors of the sampler. We’re giddy with excitement seeing how the different colors faded over time.

The Fruits of Plenty — Designed by Modern Folk Embroidery. Carolyn is stitching 1 over 2 on Zweigart’s 32-count linen that she indigo dyed using NPI silk 991BB. Anna is stitching 1 over 2 on Zweigart Charcol 32-count lineent using DMC B5200. We are both finding our bi-weekly assignments to be just the right motivation to keep us going on this huge project.

Works In Progress

Jane Hardy 1840 — Designed by Hands Across the Sea Samplers and stitched by Carolyn 2 strands over 2 threads on Zweigart’s Light Sand 28-count linen using the called for DMC threads. Jane and Carolyn have totally bonded and Carolyn is convinced they would have been friends if they knew each other. In particular Carolyn loves Jane’s vibrant colors and her “go for it” attitude.

We’re Curious: Historic Samplers

In honor of Sampler September we wanted to share two historic samplers from our extended families.

The Farm Sampler — This sampler was stitched by Eliza (Holland Wright Fisher) in the late 1800s at a dame school when she was 8 years old. This piece hangs in our ancestral farm house from our father’s side. Anna loved this sampler as a young girl, and then charted and started stitching it in her 20s. Anna! It’s so fabulous — finish it girl!

YaYa’s Sampler — Carolyn’s husband fondly remembers this sampler from his cousin’s house when he was growing up. His uncle was a Greek who was born and raised in Egypt and this sampler was stitched by his uncle’s mother – YaYa – in 1908 when she was about 10. Thank you to the Marcou family for sharing this photo. Carolyn hopes to stitch this sampler for her husband.

Thumbs Up

Our Thumb Up prompt this episode was “3 inspiring things from the Flosstube community”.

  • Carolyn is inspired by the bold linen choices Olivia (OliviaB) and Sheri (ColoradoCrossStitcher) selected for stitching A Quaker Dwelling by Kathy Barrick, the master knitting skills of Megan (The Seattle Stitcher), and all the retreat news and hauls shared by many of you!

  • Anna is inspired by the visual feast of all the cross stitch she sees, the bond around a common love of stitching, and seeing the faces & gestures and hearing the voices on FlossTube.

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

Episode #9 Sampler September Plans

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Curious Crafters. In this episode Anna and I discuss what we're wearing, show our FOs & WIPs, share our Sampler September Plans, motivate ourselves to work on Fruit of Plenty, show a few new shared supplies, and end with our Thumbs Up.

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

  • Anna is wearing the Uniform Tunic designed by Grainline Studio. This tunic was part of a book that also included a knitting pattern, the Uniform Cardigan, which Anna has also knit. Hopefully she’ll wear them together once it gets a little cooler.

  • Carolyn is wearing the Colina top designed by Elizabeth Doherty. Here is Carolyn’s version on Ravelry. Carolyn is not quite sure why she doesn’t wear this top more often!

Finished Object

  • Autumn Bird — Designed by Satsuma Street and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on a Lakeside Linen’s Exemplar 32 count linen using the called for DMC. Carolyn loves how this piece complements Forest, which she stitched earlier this year.

Works In Progress

  • Oh Joyous Day — Designed by Blackbird Designs and stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart Light Mocha 36 count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads. Carolyn is enjoying all the variation in this sampler — from large motifs, to alphabets, to geometric borders & bands. Something for every stitching mood. Carolyn plans to personalize this piece with the dates of several joyous days.

  • Birds of a Feather — Designed by Modern Folk Embroidery and stitched 1 over 2 on Fox and Rabbits Up In The Attic 32 count linen using 4 different Classic Colorworks threads in the red/orange family. Anna found these to be just the right size for vacation stitching and visualizes them finished as a little cluster of bean bags.

  • Baby J’s Blanket — Carolyn is knitting a variation of Espace Tricot’s Chevron Baby Blanket using 6 different colors of Lovely Merino Treat by Rosey Green Wool. This blanket was the perfect project to keep Carolyn’s hands busy during teacher meetings before school started.

We’re Curious: Participating in Sampler September

Now that we know what Sampler September is, we’re all in! Anna and Carolyn both plan to stitch BH 1820 — Carolyn is going to use the colors from the back of the sampler (the original colors) and Anna is going to use the colors from the front of the sampler (antique colors). We’re going to stitch the motifs in the same order so we can compare the original to the fade colors. We’re excited! Carolyn also plans to continue working on Jane Hardy and Anna hopes to stitch both Mary Anne March and Strawberry House Sampler. Here are the photos of our projects, ready to go!

Shared Supplies

  • Highlights from our shared supples include Katie Strachan’s Seasons of the Heart Winter Silk Conversion & Bead Kit and a project bag from Hillside Rookery (Olivia B.)

Thumbs Up

  • Carolyn’s thumbs up are all related to FlossTube. She gives a thumbs up to taking stock in her projects every two weeks, having a shared project with Anna, and being part of the joyful and inspiring FlossTube community.

  • Anna give a thumbs up to sharing book recommendations, playing hand-eye coordination games like shuffleboard and corn hole, and being outside. By the way, Anna and her husband won a shuffle board tournament this summer!

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

Episode #8 Zooming Through Summer

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Curious Crafters. In this episode Anna and I are in the same time zone, but not the same physical location. We discuss what we've been up to, share our "Stitch It or Ditch It" decisions (see Episode #6), share our FOs & WIPs, and end with our Thumbs Up. Come join us!

Show Notes

Anna’s Trip To The Smithsonian

When Anna was in Northern Virginia she went to the Smithsonian in search of historic samplers and found 3 interesting ones in an special exhibit on “Girlhood”.

Stitch It Or Ditch It Decisions

In Episode 6 we each pick 4 projects we were stalled on and need to decide whether we should “stitch it” or “ditch it”. Here are photos of our 8 projects, with our decisions are below the photos. Thank you to everyone who expressed their opinions in either our YouTube Comments for Episode 6 or in our Instagram Polls. It was great fun for us!

  • Anna #1 Colorful Quilt Tops: Stitch It

  • Carolyn #1 Jane Hardy Cross Stitch: Stitch It

  • Anna #2 Unwind Studio Needlepoint: Ditch It

  • Carolyn #2 Cruden Vest: Turn it into a pillow

  • Anna #3 Polka Dot Throw: Ditch It

  • Carolyn #3 Crochet Blanket: Turn it into a smaller throw

  • Anna #4 Hinagiku Sweater: Stitch It: Either Anna or Carolyn

  • Carolyn #4 Jaycee Cardigan: Stitch It and give it to Anna

Finished Objects

  • Two Birds and a Flower — Designed by Modern Folk Embroidery and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Fox and Rabbit’s Up in the Attic 32 count linen using Old Red Paint by The Gentle Art. This design is one of 4 in the Birds of a Feather: Four Pincushions pattern. Anna is planner to stitch all four smalls in different reds and backing them with a strawberry fabric

  • Hay Girl Striped Socks — Carolyn knit a pair of toe up socks using self-striping yarn from Knit, Spin, Farm. The color way is “Hay Girl”, which makes us smile. The socks are knit from the toe up and feature asymmetrical toes and a gusset heel.

Works In Progress

  • Three Little Birds — Designed by Modern Folk Embroidery and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Fox and Rabbit’s Up in the Attic 32 count linen using Chili Pepper by Classic Colorworks. This design is one of 4 in the Birds of a Feather: Four Pincushions pattern. Anna is planner to stitch all four smalls in different reds and backing them with a strawberry fabric.

  • Autumn Bird — Designed by Satsuma Street and stitch by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on Lakeside Linen’s Exemplar 32 count linen using the called for DMC. Carolyn is hooked on Satsuma Street designs and loves how this pieces uses the same color palette at Forest. She plans to frame them similarly and hang them together.

  • A Patriotic Christmas Eve (not pictured) — Designed by Twin Peak Primitives and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Needle & Flax’s Thornfield 36 count linen using the called for threads. Anna plans to just stitch the Santa and the flags and is stitching this for a family member who loves patriotic and Christmas!

  • Baby J’s Blanket — Carolyn is knitting a variation of Espace Tricot’s Chevron Baby Blanket using 6 different colors of Lovely Merino Treat by Rosey Green Wool. It took Carolyn a long — and I mean long — time to find the right yarn and colors! Now that she has them, she is zipping through this blanket.

Thumbs Up

  • Anna gives a thumbs up to kiddie sized soft serve ice cream cones, watching East Coast thunder storms, and spending time with “Gen 3” (our children and their partners).

  • Carolyn gives a thumbs up to eating steamed blue crabs, the Broken Earth trilogy by N. K. Jemisin, and spending time with her 4 granddaughters.

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

Episode #6 Stitch It or Ditch It

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Curious Crafters. In this episode we've each selected 4 projects that we're stalled on -- sometimes for years! Help us decide if we should "stitch it" or "ditch it". We want to know what you think, so play along with our Instagram Polls starting July 22nd.

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

  • Anna is wearing No 3 Kastrup from How to Do Fashion. This top is made out of barkcloth, which is another fabric Anna is draw to.

  • Carolyn is wearing the Flow top by Nora Gaughan. This top has been a staple in Carolyn’s summer wardrobe since 2008!

We’re Curious: Stitch It or Ditch It

We filmed this episode in late June before Carolyn headed off on a 7-week cross country adventure. We decided to each pick 4 projects we were stalled on and decide whether we should “stitch it” or “ditch it”. Here are photos of our 8 projects and each is described below.

  • Anna #1 Colorful Quilt Tops: Anna is inspired by Tara Faughnan’s use of color and made these quilt tops while taking two online classes from Tara. Should Anna: Stitch It, Repurpose It (project bags and/or dress), or Ditch It? To find out more start at 7:14 in our video.

  • Carolyn #1 Jane Hardy Cross Stitch: This was Carolyn’s 2nd cross stitch project and her first multi color projects. Carolyn loves the design, but is unsure whether she should continue on this 28 count linen using 2 strands. Should Carolyn: Stitch It, Restart on Higher Count Linen, or Ditch It? To find out more start at 12:21 in our video.

  • Anna #2 Unwind Studio Needlepoint: Anna loves Unwind Studio. Anna ordered this canvas, which is a design from an artist Anna was following on Instagram, Johanna Rossi. The canvas came with the threads, but somehow the colors just don’t seem right. Should Anna: Stitch It or Ditch It? To find out more start at 15:07 in our video.

  • Carolyn #2 Cruden Vest: The Cruden Vest is design by Ysolda Teague. Carolyn started this project in 2016 and loves the color combination she chose. She reached the armholes and stalled out. Should Carolyn: Stitch It, Repurpose It (as a pillow), or Ditch It? To find out more start at 20:18 in our video.

  • Anna #3 Polka Dot Throw: Anna loves the idea of having small throws to use outdoors on chilly evenings. This polka dot throw was a kit from Alabama Chanin. Should Anna: Stitch It or Ditch It? To find out more start at 24:12 in our video.

  • Carolyn #3 Crochet Blanket: Carolyn has a knack for starting gung-ho on blankets, and then petering out. The colors of this blanket remind her of the beach. Should Carolyn: Stitch It, Convert It (to a smaller blanket), or Ditch It? To find out more start at 30:37 in our video.

  • Anna #4 Hinagiku Sweater: Anna stalled out on her Hinagiku sweater when she ran short of yarn. The yarn is available again, so she can buy more. Should Anna: Stitch It, Have Carolyn Stitch It, or Ditch It? To find out more start at 34:06 in our video.

  • Carolyn #4 Jaycee Cardigan: Anna stalled out on her Jaycee Cardigan because she is unsure of the fit and her yarn choice. Should Carolyn: Stitch It, Stitch It For Anna, Rip It Out, or Ditch It. To find out more start at 39:26 in our video.

Thumbs Up

What do we enjoy about traveling?

  • Carolyn gives a thumbs up to freedom from everyday responsibilities, the unexpected, and visiting craft stores.

  • Anna give a thumbs up to fountain cola, freedom from everyday responsibilities, and layers of shared conversations.

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

Episode #5 Fruits of Plenty

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Curious Crafters. In this episode we give an update on our Schools Out SAL, share a fully finished object & our WIPs, discuss our participation in the MFE 2021 The Fruit of Plenty SAL, and end with our thumbs up. This episode also features a special interview with our sister, Joan.

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

  • Anna is wearing the Gabby Dress by Tessuti. She loves the A-line silhouette of this garment and wears it as both a dress and a tunic. It features another floaty rayon that Anna purchased from Needles Studio. Unfortunately this pattern is no longer available.

  • Carolyn is wearing the Tilly top designed by This Bird Knits. She knit this top using the linen yarn, Sparrow, from Quince & Co. This is the perfect layering piece for summer! Carolyn also loves that she can pop it in the washer and dryer.

Fully Finished Object

Summer Bower Pillow

Anna used a combination of Vonna Pfeiffer tutorials, a color turning technique for corners, and ground walnut shells to finisher her Summer Bower as a pillow.

Summer Bower is designed by Modern Folk Embroidery. Anna stitched it 1 over 2 on 36 count Up in the Attic linen by Fox and Rabbit using Country Redwood by The Gentle Art.

Works In Progress

  • Seasons of the Heart: Summer — Carolyn had planned for this piece to be a Summer Solstice start, but it was way too hot! She is thoroughly enjoying the bling she added to her floss ring. Designed by Brenda Gervais and stitched 1 over 2 by Carolyn on Needle & Flax’s Thornfield, 36-count linen using the called for DMC and over-dyed cotton.

  • Handtuch Sampler — Anna has almost completed the motifs and is excited to start the alphabet. Designed by Threadwork Primitives and stitched 1 over 2 by Anna on Zweigart Platinum 36-count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads.

  • Silk Exploration — Carolyn was inspired by Katie Strachan’s Specialty Thread Tutorial Part 1 to learn more about silk threads. She plans to explore 5 different types of silk threads (100/2, Goblins, Paris, d-Alger, NPI ) on two different count linens (36-count Vintage Porcelain by Lakeside Linen and 40-count Mayflower by Fox and Rabbit). Carolyn will stitch two different band samples using the bands from The Bristol Monkey Sampler designed by Modern Folk Embroidery.

We’re Curious

  • Anna, Carolyn, and their sister Joan are all participating in the Modern Folk Embroider 2021 SAL, The Fruits of Plenty. None of us were able to keep up with the pace of the stitch along and Anna & Carolyn have both stalled out on this project. We are motivated to get going again and are curious how to sustain focus on a large piece. Do you have ideas? If so, please comment on our YouTube episode. Thank You!

    • Anna: Stitching 1 over 2 on 32-count Charcoal by Zweigart using DMC B5200.

    • Carolyn: Stitching 1 over 2 on 32-count Zweigart linen that Carolyn dyed using indigo. She experimented with a lot of white threads before settling on NPI 991 BB

    • Joan: Stitching 2 over 2 on 32-count mystery linen using 9 different colors of DMC.

Thumbs Up

  • Carolyn gives a thumbs up to her camping headlight for stitching, the Chapters feature in YouTube videos, and her neighbor’s sunflower garden.

  • Anna gives a thumbs up to exploring nearby San Francisco. fresh cut flowers, and family & friends text groups.

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

Episode #4 School's Out

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Curious Crafters. Thank you to all of our viewers and commenters – both on Flosstube and on Instagram — It’s been so fun getting to know you and your stitching!

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

  • Anna is wearing the Maya Top by Marilla Walker. She used a floaty rayon fabric and added a couple of inches to the length.

  • Carolyn is wearing the Tendril Dress by A Verb For Keeping Warm. She used a turquoise linen from Merchant & Mills. Since California can have 4 seasons in a day, Carolyn often pairs this dress with the Starting Point shawl designed by Joji Locatelli (Carolyn’s version on Ravelry)

#SchoolsOutSAL

We started our SAL on Wednesday, June 15th – Anna’s first day of Summer Break and Day 6 of COVID for Carolyn — and spent a lovely afternoon stitching together outside. This SAL celebrates the extra stitching time we have over the Summer Break, allowing us to dig into a larger piece. Anyone is welcome to join our celebration of Schools Out and it’s never too late to join. Simply pick a project and start on the day of your choice.

  • The Red Deer Sampler 1881-1886 — Designed by Gigi R and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Weeks Dye Works’s Confederate Gray 32 count linen using the called for over dyed cottons and DMC. Anna feels like this is the ideal time to work on a large piece!

  • Oh Joyous Day — Designed by Blackbird Designs and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart’s Light Mocha 36 count linen using the called for over dyed cottons. Carolyn spilled seltzer water on this piece one evening and ended up having to wet the entire piece to avoid water marks. It put a damper (pun intended) on her evening stitching plans, but has encouraged her to try wet blocking her pieces.

Finished Objects

  • Seasonal Etchings: Summer Fish — Designed by Heart in Hand Needleart and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on Seraphim Fabric’s Chai 36 count linen using the called for over dyed cottons. Carolyn is stitching each season individually and is looking forward to stitching Fall and Winter later this year.

  • Summer Bower — Designed by Modern Folk Embroidery and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Fox and Rabbit’s Up in the Attic 36 count linen using Country Redwood by The Gentle Art. Anna loved the symmetry of this smaller piece and plans to finish it as a pillow.

  • Seasons of a Heart: Spring — Designed by Brenda Gervais and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on Needle & Flax’s Thornfield 36 count linen using the called for DMC & over-dyed cottons. Carolyn is jazzed that she now knows what a Smyrna Cross is and loved the layering of color in the large flower border. Next up: Summer!

  • Forest — Designed by Satsuma Street and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on a mystery 32 count linen using the called for DMC. Carolyn loves how each tree has its own personality and the forest feels like a big extended family or a group of friends.

Works In Progress

  • Handtuch Sampler — Designed by Threadwork Primitives and stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart Platinum 36 count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads. Anna is enjoying the satisfaction of finishing each individual motif and reaches for this piece when life is busy.

  • Spring Moon — Designed by Plum Street Samplers and stitched 2 over 2 on Seraphim Fabric’s Regency 32 count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads. Carolyn’s hands don’t naturally gravitate to this piece because of the denseness of the stitches, but is determined to finish it. Note: Carolyn measured the linen and found it is stitching up closer to 35 count — that’s why it’s feeling so dense!

Shared Supplies

  • We shared a variety of patterns, books, fabrics, linens, and floss.

Thumbs Up: Things We’re Looking Forward to This Summer

  • Anna is looking forward to fresh sliced peaches, tidying and decluttering, and garment sewing

  • Carolyn is looking forward to iced tea, traveling across the country in our van, and unscheduled time.

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

Episode #3 YouTube Tutorials Rock!

Welcome to Episode #3 of the Curious Crafters. Thank you for your continued support and for sharing your crafting adventure with us! We so enjoy reading your comments, watching your FlossTubes, seeing your beautiful work on Instagram, and getting to know you. Inspiring! You can find us on Instagram @we.are.curiouscrafters.

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

  • Anna is wearing the Babydoll Dress designed by Nerida Hansen. The window pane cotton poplin fabric was purchased from Needles Studio. Anna adjusted the seam where the skirt and bodice meet to have a slight curve in front and to make the front slightly shorter than the back.

  • Carolyn is wearing Lizzie, another sweater designed by Julie Weisenberger of CocoKnits (my version of Ravelry). It’s knit using Shibui Knits Vine, which is a combination of paper, cotton, and silk. This was Carolyn’s first Cocoknits Method project -- from Julie’s Cocoknits Sweater Workshop book. This is a top down sweater with set in sleeves. Julie’s ingenious shaping techniques result in a fabulous fit for the shoulders and sleeves.

We’re Curious

Like many of you, Anna and I have an ever growing pile of finished — but not fully finished — cross stitch pieces. We were curious to learn how to finish these pieces ourselves and decided to start with a flatfold finish. Guided by the expert, Vonna Pfeiffer, we ironed, measured, cut, laced, and glue our way to two flatfolds. We are jazzed by the results! Are you curious too? Check out the tutorial, FINISHING: A Simple Flatfold with Vonna, The Twisted Stitcher. Here are a few photos from our flatfold afternoon.

  • Share Joy — Designed by Hands to Work and stitched & finished by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on R & R’s Espresso 32 count linen using the called for Weeks Dye Works threads. This pattern was part of Kitten Stitcher’s 2021 Advent Box.

  • A Merry Christmas Sampler — Designed by La-D-Da and stitched & finished by Anna. Stitch 1 over 2 on Weeks Dye Works’ Confederate Gray 36 count linen using called for DMC threads.

Finished Objects

  • Project Bags — Your beautiful project bags inspired us to sew a few of our own. We followed ElizabethAnnCanStitch’s excellent How to Make a Project Bag tutorial. All of our supplies — fabric, zippers, and fusible fleece — were purchased from Needles Studio. Did you notice? Anna incorporated leftover fabric from her dress in her bag!

  • Seasonal Etchings: Spring Bunny — Designed by Heart in Hand Needleart and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on Seraphim Fabric’s Chai 36 count linen using the called for over dyed cottons. Carolyn plans to finish this piece as a mini log cabin quilt block. This piece was so fun, she immediately started the Summer Fish etching block.

  • Sir Dandy — Designed by Hands to Work and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart Platinum 36 count linen using the called for NPI silks. Anna plans to personalize this piece with her grandchild’s name and birth year.

  • Mom’s Reading Shawl — Carolyn knit this shawl for our Mom, who requested a shawl to drape over her shoulders when reading on a chilly evening. Designed by Carolyn and knit using 3 colors of The Farmer’s Daughter’s Juicy DK yarn.

Works In Progress

  • Frederika — Designed by Carriage House Samplings and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Needle & Flax’s Pemberley 32 count linen using the called for NPI silks. Frederika now has a leg! Anna is wondering if the darker threads lie neater than the lighter threads?

  • Seasons of a Heart: Spring — Designed by Brenda Gervais and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on Needle & Flax’s Thornfield 36 count linen using the called for DMC & over-dyed cottons. Carolyn first tried stitching this piece on Fox & Rabbit’s Up in the Attic linen, but quickly realized the linen was too dark. She learned a valuable lesson about color “value” when choosing linen.

  • Vesle Vinterfjell Cardigan — Designed by Skeindeer Knits and knit by Carolyn using 3 colors of Tukuwool Fingering yarn. Wait a minute! Didn’t you say this is a cardigan? Carolyn will cut open the “steek” and add button bands to create the cardigan. .

#SchoolsoutSAl

  • Anna and I love our jobs as teachers AND are very excited for summer break. In celebration of more time to stitch we’re starting the #SchoolsOutSAL stitch along. Are you a teacher? Do you have kids or grandkids in school? Do you love the sound of kids running around the neighborhood in summer? Do you love your memories of the last day of school? If so, celebrate Schools Out with us by picking a project and starting on the day of your choice. Anna’s school gets out a few days after Carolyn’s, so we’ll start together on Anna’s first day of summer.

Thumbs Up

  • Carolyn gives a thumbs up to Best Press, @melthomass33 on Instagram (check her out!), and daily walks through my local public garden.

  • Anna give a thumbs up to the San Francisco Giants, drab colors — like DMC #611 — in nature, and her Gingher embroidery scissors.

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

Episode #2 Fraktur Findings

Welcome to Episode #2 of the Curious Crafters. Thank you for your warm welcome to FlossTube! We so enjoyed reading your comments and getting to know you. We’re also on Instagram, @we.are.curiouscrafters. Are you? If so, we’d love to follow along on your crafting adventure.

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

  • Anna is wearing an Inari Dress from Named Clothing in a Merchant and Mills linen. She added 8” to the length. It’s one of her go-to dresses.

  • Carolyn is wearing a Leonie sweater designed by Julie Weisenberger of CocoKnits designs. She loves the simplicity of Julie’s designs and her attention to design and fit. Carolyn knit the sweater in the summer of 2019 and it became an instant wardrobe staple - Northern CA is all about layers!

Finished Objects

  • Letters From The North — No 4 — This was Carolyn’s first cross stitch piece. It was stitched in the fall of 2020 and personalized for her oldest two granddaughters who were both that year.

    • Designer: Modern Folk Embroidery

    • Linen: Lakeside Linens’s Bisque in 28 count

    • Threads: Soie d’Alger silk, color 515

    • Stitched: 2 strands over 2 threads

  • A Merry Christmas Sampler by La-D-Da - This was the piece that lured Anna back into cross stitching in December of 2020.

    • Designer: La-D-Da

    • Linen: 36 count Weeks Dye Works’ Confederate Gray in 36 count

    • Threads: called for DMS

    • Stitched: 1 strand over 2 threads

Works In Progress

  • Seasonal Etchings — New start for Carolyn. She’s stitching these 4 seasonal squares individually beginning with the Spring Bunny. Designed by Heart in Hand Needleart and stitched 1 over 2 on Seraphim Fabric’s Chai 36 count linen using the called for over dyed cottons.

  • Spring Moon — Carolyn is promoting herself to intermediate stitcher now that she can manage three threaded needles at the same time. This made stitching the 2x2 squares on the house so much easier! Designed by Plum Street Samplers and stitched 2 over 2 on Seraphim Fabric’s Regency 32 count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads. Note: Carolyn measured the linen and found it is stitching up closer to 35 count — that’s why it’s feeling so dense!

  • Sir Dandy — The patchwork bird is taking shape for Anna - it has a head and half of a body! Designed by Hands to Work and stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart Platinum 36 count linen using the called for NPI silks.

  • Mom’s Reading Shawl — Carolyn is knitting this shawl for our Mom, who requested a shawl to drape over her shoulders when reading on a chilly evening. The shawl is almost done! Designed by Carolyn and knit using 3 colors of The Farmer’s Daughter’s Juicy DK yarn.

  • Handtuch Sampler — Anna is enjoying the satisfaction of finishing each individual motif. Designed by Threadwork Primitives and stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart Platinum 36 count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads. Anna learned that dye lots can change over time!

  • Frederick — Carolyn’s been experimenting with the greens for the stems and leaves. The greenery on the right is stitched with the called for NPI 967, which Carolyn felt looked too grey. She substituted NPI 975 for the greenery on the left, which she prefers — but not enough to rip out the original. Two different greens it will be! Designed by Carriage House Samplings and stitched 1 over 2 on Needle & Flax’s Pemberley 32 count linen using the — mostly — called for NPI silks.

We’re Curious

  • We are both fascinated with Fraktur folk art and were curious to learn more about it’s history and design. Carolyn has written a separate blog post about our Fraktur Findings, which includes lots of photos, information, and links to resources. It also includes a listing of many Fraktur inspired cross stitch patterns. We will continue to update this list as we all find more patterns! Curious? Read We’re Curious About Fraktur.

Shared Supplies

  • A few weeks ago we visited Needle in a Haystack in Alameda, CA. The shop is currently open for appointment only. Our goal was to kit up several projects each, which we accomplished quite efficiently in our allot 1-hour time slot. Such a treat to see the threads in person, especially since we wanted to tweak a few colors. Friendly service and easy to make an appointment! Here are the patterns we kitted up:

    • Carolyn: Oh Joyous Day by Blackbird, Seasonal Etchings by Heart in Hand, Seasons of the Heart by Brenda Gervais, and The Reverend Gourdon Squashbottom (replaced several of the DMC colors with over dyed cottons).

    • Anna: Sir Dandy by Hands to Work, Winter Wisdom by Cottage Garden, and Floral Motif Sampler by The Scarlet House

  • Pattens: Three more birds have flown into our pattern library, along with a Forest scene — thank you to the commenters who suggested these! These pattern came from 2 designers: Barbara Ana Designs and Satsuma Street. For a spectacular example of Satsuma Street’s designs watch Jess’s first Flosstube (littlebypikku), she has stitched almost all of the cityscape designs!

Thumbs Up

  • Anna give a thumbs up to her new cross body bag, the fresh squeezed orange juice machine at her local grocery store, and the woodpecker that hangs out on a telephone pole in front of her house.

  • Carolyn gives a thumbs up to her new granddaughter, floss rings, and her mini wooden spoon!

  • Anna & Carolyn both give a big thumbs you to you!

Until Next Time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious

We're Curious About Fraktur

Anna and I we’re both instantly attracted to Fraktur inspired cross stitch patterns and started a sister SAL to stitch Frederick and Frederika by Carriage House Samplings. Fraktur was a new word for both of us and we were curious to learn more. This blog post summarizes our findings, which we discussed in FlossTube #2 starting at 34:15.

History

In the modern world we’re used to letters being formed with perfectly rounded curves. But back in the day when scribes were copying manuscripts with quill and ink it was impossible to consistently create rounded letters. Instead they used short straight lines to give the illusion of curves resulting in letters that were fragmented. This calligraphy style was developed in the 1100s in France and within a couple centuries became the standard across Europe. The general name for this type of writing is called “Blackletter”. The German variation of blackletter starting in the 15th century is called “Fraktur”, which comes from the Latin word for broken. For me, I think of this as an excellent example of form follows function – the shape of the letters was dictated by the tools and technology available for reproducing written text.

So how in the world do we get from straight lined, broken letters to quirky colorful birds? We can thank the Pennsylvania Dutch for that! The Pennsylvania Dutch were German speaking immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania, starting in the late 1600s, bringing their German culture and writing style – Fraktur – with them. For their personal records, such as birth and baptismal certificates they combined calligraphy with lively and colorful decorative motifs – typically angels, birds, hearts, flowers, such as tulips, and a few mythical creatures such as unicorns. These decorative and whimsical design motifs can also be found in their drawings and on their furniture, such as chests and “clothes presses” (wardrobes). The Pennsylvania Fraktur folk art style was at its height in the hundred years between 1740 and 1850.

Cross Stitch Designs

A quick Google Image Search for Fraktur inspired cross stitch designs will reveal a variety of designs. Here is a sampling of four of these.

Here is a list of Fraktur inspired patterns. Do you have a Fraktur pattern suggestions? Comment on our FlossTube #2 and we’ll add it to the list!

Resources & Links

Curious to explore more yourself? Here is a list of resources we found interesting:

Image Citations

Here are the citations for the images we incorporated into this blog post and into Episode #2 of our FlossTube. This order matches the order in which the images were shown on Episode #2 and in the gallery of images above.

  • Blackletter Calligraphy: By Gerard Brils - Self-photographed by Adrian Pingstone, February 2005, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68618

  • Magdalena Drach: [Bernhard Misson (active c. 1808-1825)] - Decorator, [Bernhard Misson (active c. 1808-1825)] - Scrivener. (9/11/1823). Birth and Baptismal Certificate (Geburts und Taufschein) for Magdalena Drach. [Manuscripts]. Retrieved from https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/6485

  • Susanna Dock: Anonymous - Decorator, Anonymous - Scrivener. (ca. 1825). Birth and Baptismal Certificate (Geburts und Taufschein) for Susanna Dock. [Manuscripts]. Retrieved from https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/6706

  • Helehna Henkel: Anonymous - Decorator, Anonymous - Scrivener. (ca. 1801). Birth and Baptismal Certificate (Geburts und Taufschein) for Helehna Henkel. [Manuscripts]. Retrieved from https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/6439

  • Drawing (Two Birds): Anonymous - Decorator. (ca. 1830). Drawing (Two Birds). [Drawings]. Retrieved from https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/6245

  • Drawing (Two Unicorns): Anonymous - Decorator, Anonymous - Scrivener. (1799). Drawing [Two Unicorns]. [Drawings]. Retrieved from https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/6254

  • Dower Chest: Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/3396

  • Drawing (Pot with Tulips): Anonymous - Decorator. (ca. 1820). Drawing (Pot with Tulips). [Drawings]. Retrieved from https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/6223


Episode #1: Everything Birds!

Welcome to our inaugural episode of Curious Crafters!

Show Notes

What Are We Wearing?

Finished Objects

  • Anna’s First Sampler — Unknown design from the 1980s and stitched by Anna. This piece survived an incident involving a bird who had recently digested purple berries and now hangs safely on Anna’s guest room wall. Update: Several of our viewers have also stitched this sampler and one of them knew the pattern! It’s Leisure Arts Keepsake Samplers #280 that came out in 1983. The designer is Susan Dean Hartman. Isn’t the cross stitch community amazing?!

  • Songbird Sampler — Designed by Artful Offerings, stitched by Carolyn, and gifted to Anna a.k.a Birdie. Stitched 1 over 2 on R & R’s Winter Brew 36 count linen using the Country Sampler conversion. This piece will be framed.

  • J & S Wedding Place Cards — Designed and crafted by Anna

  • Share Joy — Designed by Hands to Work and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 1 over 2 on R & R’s Espresso 32 count linen using the called for Weeks Dye Works threads. This pattern was part of Kitten Stitcher’s 2021 Advent Box.

Works in Progress

  • Frederick and Frederika — Designed by Carriage House Samplings and stitched by Carolyn (Frederick) and Anna (Frederika). Both stitched 1 over 2 on Needle & Flax’s Pemberley 32 count linen using the called for NPI silks with one possible exception: Carolyn is considering using NPI 975 instead of NPI 967 for the grey-green leaves and stems.

  • Sir Dandy — Designed by Hands to Work and stitched by Anna. Stitched 1 over 2 on Zweigart’s Platinum 36 count linen using the called for NPI silks. Heads Up: There is an omission in the original chart — the corrected PDF file can be found here.

  • Spring Moon — Designed by Plum Street Samplers and stitched by Carolyn. Stitched 2 over 2 on Seraphim Fabric’s Regency 32 count linen using the called for over dyed cotton threads with one exception: Black Coffee was not available, so Carolyn substituted Weeks Dye Works Molasses. Carolyn is also contemplating changing 2 of the 5 smaller blue flowers to shades of orange to play off the brick orange in the basket. This pattern is currently a Fox and Rabbit exclusive.

  • Vesle Vinterfjell Cardigan — Designed by Skeindeer Knits and knit by Carolyn. This is the 2nd time Carolyn has knit this pattern, The first version was for granddaughter, M, and this one is for granddaughter, A. (The girls are 1 month apart.) Both cardigans are knit using Tukuwool Fingering.

Shared Supplies

  • Linen: Lakeside Linen’s Pearled Barley 32 count linen

  • Patterns: Themes include birds, the seasons, Hands to Work, and houses

We’re Curious

  • Carolyn is curious about the visual effects and the stitching rhythm of stitching 1 over 2 versus 2 over 2 on 32 count linen.

  • Anna is curious about different techniques for stitching in hand, as she has recently ditched her hoop.

Thumbs Up

  • Carolyn gives a thumbs up to her annual bag of jelly beans, keeping house plants alive, and silicon magnetic thingies.

  • Anna gives a thumbs up to chocolate dipped shortbread, walks at the Baylands, and Wordle

Until next time, Happy Crafting and Stay Curious