Showing posts with label coveted tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coveted tools. Show all posts

Saturday, December 19, 2020

The Variator-ator


Pattern Grading with the Variator.


I can't decide if this is brilliant or insane. But go read it.
And then head over to:


who of course has much information on this topic.
Ms Fasanella has a somewhat more practical grading tool suggestion than this, but being a tool freak, I have to dive too deep here.

    
                        https://fashion-incubator.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/variator.jpg

Including the instructions.
Just go over there and read this.

Of course, should you want one:


This is a warning that next year, I am going to unveil my  pattern drafting tool purchases. Because I love a system.

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Mending Sweaters, Mostly

Winter is sweater mending time.
"Where did you store this? How many holes?"
Not all of the mended are shown in this post
(mostly because most of them were black, and you can't see a damn thing).
Which is good. 
Photos lightened to show embarassing results

The first one is always dodgy. My duplicate stitch is not my strong suit.

 Then I lighten up the task, and it's more fun

There are many wiser folks working this topic.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/22/how-to-mend-moth-holes
Sadly, the iron-on moth patches are in short supply.
I don't have photos of the striped 'black hole' sweater but it looks like.....black holes all over. Not my choice, but I enjoyed the process, and they loved the results.

https://visiblemending.com/
has much mending goodness. And a Russian version of the Speedweve.

There is kind of a cult around the SpeedWeve.
https://tomofholland.com/category/darning/page/1/
https://tomofholland.com/2011/06/23/the-speedweve-lancashires-smallest-loom-directions-for-use/

They are not inexpensive. 
Yoinks.



I almost bought one of these at Value Village, and left it there because I was unclear on what it was. And someone else bought it with screaming glee, I am sure.
That's cool. 
I left a Rocketeer Singer there too.
I cannot own everything.
photo lightened to show actual lace tatting bit sewn onto hole.

The holes are one thing. The snags are another.
I have yet to use the Snag Nab It. It's like a really tiny drill bit that catches the snag so you can pull it through to the wrong side (no hook). 

We're going to use the tiny knit hook tool.
"A Spendid Tool For The True Craftsman"
(spelling error retained) 
I wonder how many things I've bought that hooked me with a similar line.

Snag isolated.


Poke in from wrong side. Grab snag loop.

Pull loop to wrong side. 
I know, you can't really see it. I had a lot of these to fix, so this is a compilation of Snag Greatest Hits In Green.
I've got them in red and brown as well.


Pick up some back of the stitch loops with a sharpish needle that has a largish eye. Whichever one you have, it won't be perfect but it will be good enough.
Pull snag through needle eye with threader.
Work snag into back side of knit stitches with needle
Work it back and forth to make it not stick up.
Resist the urge to cut it. That won't end well.
Repeat on the gazillion other snags on his sweaters.

Last but not least, there's just putting a rivet into a bag to repair a broken strap.
Oh no, make me go into Tandy's and buy stuff!

I figured out that I could buy two sizes of rivets, in two finishes
and one set of rivet caps in a third finish.
Which gives me three options on the finished side.
We swapped the mend for a Tiny Mars in a jar

I am leaving off the unders mending for another post as part of the 
#remakenine2019 both here and on Instagram.
The Green Violet started it! Go check it out!
https://thegreenviolet.com/