Hi friends,

Today I'd like to introduce you to Glenna C., a talented Canadian knitter and blogger whose work is featured in the December issue of Canadian Living (on newsstands today). I've been a fan of Glenna's ever since I saw her awe-inducing Viper Pilots socks, and so I was tickled pink to have the chance to work with her as she developed a pattern for the lovely Mulled Wine Mitts you see below. She did a fabulous job of developing a pattern that's relatively easy to knit, plays up the natural beauty of the yarn and teaches a skill that might be new to you, the k1tbl (knit through back loop). I've already made one pair and there are more on the way!

Now available on newsstands - and a great idea for Christmas gifts!

To mark the publication date of this pattern, Glenna has posted an excellent explanation/demonstration of K1tbl/ktbl, (used extensively in the Mulled Wine Mitts), and she graciously agreed to answer some questions here on Make+Do. Read on to find out more...

Make+Do: How long have you been knitting and how did you learn? Can you think of any great knitting triumphs (or, ahem, teachable moments) you had along the way?

Glenna C.: I’ve been knitting for about six years. I did learn many years before that as a child, but my “real” knitting life started when I was a new PhD student looking for productive forms of procrastination, and my sister decided it was better to teach me how to knit than to listen to me ask her to knit things for me. Then I promptly became about a zillion times more obsessive about knitting than her, found the blogs, found more local yarn shops, found some ideas, and the rest has followed from there.

Hourglass sweater in progress.

My biggest triumphs have been the things that have made me a more confident knitter. Turning a heel for the first time or cabling for the first time and realizing it wasn’t so scary after all; the moment way-back-whenever-it-was when I realized I could substitute yarns and modify the pattern to fit me better; the first time I worked up the guts to go to a knitting night at a local yarn shop and overcome my shyness. All of these things led to me learning something new or meeting more people, which have rewarded me many times over.

Teachable moments? Heh…There was that time I sat down on my knitting and got stuck with a DPN…But really, I think my biggest triumph has simply been acknowledging the fact that I am a very impatient knitter. If I have too many projects in progress I will become unhappy because it will take me so long to finish a single one. So I’ve learned to minimize that and knit the things that make me the most happy at the time.

MD: What’s your favourite thing you’ve ever knitted? Do you have a pattern that you come back to again and again? Why or why not?

GC: My favourite thing is usually the thing that I’ve just finished! No, but seriously folks…I think my favourite right now is my completed Autumn Rose pullover (pattern by Eunny Jang). It was a real culmination of skill and challenge. It wasn’t my first stranded colourwork project but it was certainly a project that challenged me – I modified the fit and colour scheme and it all worked out very well. I was a happy knitter when I finished it. It’s an odd thing to finish a sweater made out of twelve colours, and end up simply throwing it on over a t-shirt and jeans.

The Autumn Rose pullover is stunning.

Another project that I love more and more is my Oyster Bay shawl, which I worked with Tanis Fiber Arts’ fingering weight in a bright fuschia colour. It is the combination of the pattern and colour that I love so much – I have often worn it wrapped around my neck and shoulders with a jacket and instantly feel like that elegant, cosmopolitan knitter we all dream of being. It’s something no one else out there owns except me.

Oyster Bay shawl - lovely lace.

Sometimes things that are quite simple are very satisfying as well – the Hourglass sweater was one project like that. It’s stockinette all over but I modified it to fit my body exactly the way it needed to fit (I’m tall), and made it in Malabrigo which is so soft and touchable.

Jaywalker socks

The pattern I have come back to most often is the Jaywalker sock pattern (by Grumperina). It is the sock pattern I always take with me when I go on a trip, because it has a 2-row repeat that would normally feel very tedious to me, but suddenly becomes very soothing when I’m stressed out waiting in airports or getting into planes and trains and subways one after the other. I can pull it out of my handbag at a moment’s notice and look at the colours lining up on top of each other and be soothed, 2 rows at a time.

MD: When did you start designing your own knitting patterns and why? Where do you find your inspiration, and what is your creative process like?

GC: The first pattern I ever designed was Ivy, in 2006, which was accepted for publication by Knitty.com. I was very lucky to be accepted on the first go. I designed it mostly because it was the sort of sweater that I wanted very much to knit for myself, but couldn’t find any pattern for that existed at the time. So I decided to make it myself, and it turns out that other people wanted to make it too – I still hear from knitters who are making their own Ivy sweaters, or ones to give as gifts, and it’s very gratifying. It’s taken me a bit of time to make designing a consistent part of my knitting process, but I’m enjoying it more and more.

As for my inspiration…It is so hard to predict that I have stopped trying. Mostly, it starts with some kind of question that I try to answer with, “but how would I knit that?” Sometimes it is sheer practicality, as with the Podster gloves from this past fall. I wanted a pair of gloves like that and thought that probably other knitters did too, so I made the pattern do what I needed it to do.

Podster gloves – perfect for that cold wait for the morning bus!

Other times it is the yarn itself that inspires me. I really believe the most useful thing you can do as a knitter is to buy yarn with colours that speak to you, and then take them home and swatch them up and see what they ‘want’ to be. Often it’s the colour or the stitch texture or drape that will give me an idea. This happened with my 14 Karat socks that I worked on this summer – the gemstone sort of colour of the sock yarns I was working with really made me think in terms of diamonds and delicate jewelry, so I made a sock to match that idea.

Jewel-toned 14 Karat socks.

Often, my fannishness shines through and I cannot help but knit it out. This is what happened with my Viper Pilots socks [see top of post]. I have a real fondness for a few television shows, and after a while the fannish addiction sort of takes hold in my brain and will not let go. The Viper Pilots socks were a design I mulled over for a little while thinking about Battlestar Galactica. When I look at them now I just love the way the twisted stitches look and feel and the way the pattern reminds me of the characters that inspired me. They certainly won’t be my last ‘fannish knit’, I can tell you that much! Stay tuned for more from that part of my brain.

MD: You’ve been blogging about knitting for more than three years. How do your blogging and knitting influence each other? What about Ravelry?

Glenna's Viper Pilots socks - a perfect Battlestar Galactica tribute.

GC: My blogging wouldn’t happen without my knitting. So, I try hard to let my blogging be driven by my knitting, rather than forcing myself to write blog posts when I don’t have something I’d like to say. It’s a hard balance to strike sometimes. I knit what I am drawn to, and blog from there. When I think about it, the reason I came to blogging was to be a part of that writing and picture-taking and conversation about what people are knitting and what does it look like, and what are we all learning about and what are we enjoying or being frustrated over…So when I blog I try to put myself into that conversation, and tell about what I’m working on and where I’ve been to in the world of knitting lately.

I love Ravelry and visit it most days. It hasn’t taken the place of blogging for me but it does complement it. I think blogs let us express ourselves more as writers and photographers and ‘roving reporters’, and it’s hard to replace that quality with different media. Ravelry is wonderful for connecting with knitters and finding information and ideas, and as an incredible resource and archive. There’s room for both Ravelry and blogs out there – and more - and I think everyone finds their own niche.

MD: What advice would you give a novice knitter? What would you tell someone who’s been knitting for a while and is looking to take the next step?

GC: If you’re a novice knitter, first I would say “Welcome to knitting! I hope you’ll like it here and stay a while.” And then I would say to just keep going and learning things one step at a time. As a novice there are so many challenges all at once and it can take a while to find your footing. Everything is difficult the first time – so just get that first cable or sock heel or sleeve seam done, so you can move on to the second cable or sock heel or sleeve seam when you’ll be able to say “Hey, I know how to do this!”

Let yourself go through it and know that after each project you make, you’ll have learned something that you didn’t know before – either a technique, or an opinion about the yarn you used, or something about how to make the garment fit you better – and the next thing you knit will be better for it. Knit things you want to knit and the learning will follow from there.

For knitters with a little more experience, my only advice would be to just keep on going and find a way to broaden your skills. Is there another way to do something you already know how to do? How about learning Magic Loop if you already know how to use DPNs? Have you tried steeking or short rows or lace? Also, is there a “dream” project that you have been shying away from making because you weren’t a “good enough” knitter? The only way to be that knitter is to knit that project – the twisted cabled sweater or the intricate lace shawl isn’t going to knit itself. You’ve learned a thing or two by now, so just get out there and knit your heart out.

Thanks so much for chatting, Glenna!

Want to try these lovely mitts? I've got a skein of Malabrigo Silky Merino to give away. Stay tuned...

Hi friends,

I'm sure that all crafters have faced this dilemma at one point or another: how much room is there for your crafts in your home decor?

I've got a big blank wall in my apartment and I need to do something with it. I'd like to make something to fill the space, but I'm having a hard time narrowing down the options. Here are the challenges:

• I live in a studio apartment, so whatever goes on that wall needs to look OK for bedroom, living room, studio and dining room;
• it's a big wall (about 8" by 12"), so I need something with "presence" that's also affordable;
• the wall is opposite a window, so I need something that either won't fade or will look fine if it does, or something that will be easy and (and cheap!) to replace.

My first thought was to hang a quilt on the wall, but after the hours of piecing and quilting, I'd be upset if the fabric faded. My second thought was to do a needlepoint, but considering that cost is a factor (and that I've already waited a year and a half), something like those wonderful Charley Harper tapestries is out of the question.

So right now it's down to these ideas:

• Stretch some of my favourite fabrics in embroidery hoops, like this, and hang them up.
• Make large prints of some of my favourite photos and hang them up (but I'd prefer something craftier).
• Try this idea, passed along to me by Lisa Fielding*. She sent me an email on the weekend and said: "I was just in a knitting shop in Burlington [Spun Fibre Arts] and noticed this on the wall – they've framed a bunch of swatches in complementary colours. Thought it was a neat idea."

I like it, and I have to say that the swatches are in the lead right now. What do you think?

*Remember the picture of Lisa's dog, Douglas, in that handsome bow-tie? If you have a haut dog, too, you might want to check out Lisa's Etsy shop, Longfellow's, where you can buy a handmade bowtie for the special canine in your life!

PS I still haven't heard from Carla, who won last week's giveaway. If you're out there, Carla, check your inbox (and maybe junk mail folder?) for an email from me. Or just drop me a line to claim your prize.

Hello folks,

It's crafty Q+A time again!

Nicole V. wrote: I have very little space, and I do not have the money to buy an expensive craft organizing bag/system. Do you have any ideas for organizing that are inexpensive and that I can put into as little space as possible?

And Cathy asked: I don’t like clutter. How can I keep all my craft contained in one area, when I don’t have one area?

This is a big topic. Because I know that Make+Do readers are interested in a variety of crafts, I was looking for a variety of organizational solutions, so I turned to my co-workers and fellow crafters and asked them to share the ways they organize their crafting spaces. They came through in spades, offering tons of advice for those of us who are looking for affordable craft storage solutions for small spaces.

Beverly Renahan is our Senior Food Editor and an accomplished crafter with lots of different projects on the go, from stained glass to needlework to sewing. Here's how she organizes her materials:

• "Stained glass (usually bought in 1-foot squares) are stored upright with colours separated by newspaper in an old sideboard. Larger pieces are stored flat between newspapers in upper silverware drawer. Equipment and smaller pieces of leftover glass go in small cardboard boxes in lower drawer.
• Wool and leftover fabric is stored in old trunk (which is a “bench” at the front door). Needles and hooks are in zippered cases with all sizes marked.
• Sewing supplies (thread, needles, pins, scissors, patterns, etc.) go in a small 1-drawer-and-cupboard unit (now with a TV standing on top). Pins are kept in small plastic boxes and on magnetic pincushion; needles in original plastic containers with array of sizes; bobbins in curved bobbin storage trays; thread spools in single layer in topless gift boxes (shirt size) piled on each another."

Tina Anson Mine is our Managing Editor and quilting maven, with a newly awakened passion for all things knitting-related. She's also an organizational queen, with lots of good advice to share.

• "I use hanging canvas shoe bags to store fabric. I took the doors off the closet in the craft room/office and have three of them hanging on one side. I sort roughly by colour, though sometimes I just group stuff together that needs to stay together (‘30s feedsack prints, batiks, my extensive collection of vegetable and fruit fabrics fat quarters that I was once obsessed with).
• I keep small scraps separate from larger cut-able scraps in clear Rubbermaid totes on the overhead shelf in the closet. Then if I need a scrap of a certain colour or size, I can root through and find one. If I need just a tiny piece, I take a look in the small scraps bin; if I need a larger piece, I don’t bother getting distracted by the too-tiny bits I can’t use.
• Over my cutting/sewing table, I attached two floating shelves. I pile up pin cushions and jam jars full of pins and other notions on them. I also have a bunch of tea cups from my grandmother’s china set with other notions in them. (The cups were too grubby or chipped to drink from, so they’re perfect for this.) Then, below that, I installed one of those IKEA metal kitchen rods. On it, I hung three of their plastic hanging cups (I keep more pins/tape measures/marking pencils in them) and a bunch of hooks, on which I hang my rotary cutters and scissors. This keeps them up off the table and safely away from my fingers when not in use. This is my favourite organization trick ever.
• I hang my rotary cutting rulers on little cup hooks attached to the wall next to the craft table.
• My craft table is my grandmother’s old kitchen table, and it has a couple of drawers (and a fabulous enamelled tin top — perfect for pinning a quilt top). In one of them, I tossed a cutlery organizer (an ugly one that didn’t fit my kitchen drawers and was destined for the garbage). I keep spare presser feet, bobbins and other sewing machine tools (e.g., the tiny screwdriver for changing the foot) in there. That way they’re always accessible when I’m in the middle of sewing. I don’t have to go hunt for them, and the organizer keeps them from getting too jumbled. It also prevents them from rattling around and possible getting damaged.
• I also have some of those wooden IKEA mini-drawer things I keep other craft supplies in. The small stuff is perfect in those drawers – scrapbooking scissors, beading supplies, paints, cross-stitiching thread, etc....
• For my cross-stitiching thread, I use those baggies on a metal ring devices. Each colour is in its own bag marked with the DMC number. I can keep whole skeins or small scraps in the bags, which I like much better than those bobbin things some people use to organize embroidery thread."

Lisa Fielding, one of my fellow copy editors, likes to sew and crochet – and does a mighty fine job of it. (I can't wait to show you the crocheted bow-tie she's making for her dachshund, Douglas!) Her organizational tips are short but sweet.

• "I’ve appropriated one corner of my unfinished basement as my craft nook. I bought a cheap work table, lamp and bookshelf from Ikea, put down a rug that would have otherwise sat rolled up in a corner, and arranged things as pleasantly as I could. Since it’s out of the way of our everyday living, I can leave things a mess when I feel like it.
• I use Gutterman thread, and I keep it in a clear plastic case (in colour sequence) hanging above my sewing machine. Means I don’t waste thread by having to cut apart a jumble of spools tangled in a drawer, and I can easily and quickly find the right colour."

Annette Waurick is the art director of Homemakers magazine, our sister publication, and is known for her beautiful handmade jewelry and handknit sweaters and accessories. She writes:

• "For the knitting projects I am working on, I use these beautiful fabric storage containers by Jenna Rose.
• The jewelry supplies I keep in Semikolon boxes, which don’t have any compartments in them, but look pretty and come in all different sizes and shapes."

As for me? I keep my pins and needles in recycled jam jars and my other sewing notions in old biscuit tins. My scissors and rotary cutter hang on a bulletin board over my desk. And as far as my ever-growing fabric stash is concerned... Well, that's why I love my ottoman-with-hidden-compartment so much!

Phew! Nicole, Cathy, I hope this helps. As you can see, we're big into recycling, repurposing and rearranging around here, proving that you can organize it all - without spending a big chunk of change. (Of course, if you're looking for something a bit more elaborate, Martha's got your number - and a label-maker, of course. Check it out.)

How do you organize your craft supplies?

PS Don’t forget to leave a comment on Monday’s post for your chance to win The Unibind PhotoBook Creator Starter Kit and coupon for two free products (with free shipping) from RocketLife. This week, I’m interested in hearing about your favourite craft to take on a road trip.

Hello, crafters!

It's another rainy May day here in Toronto (blech). While I wait for the sun to reappear,  I thought I'd answer another question from the list I gathered during last week's giveaway. Last week, Jeannine asked:

I want to make a bag out of plastic bags. I have so many plastic grocery bags…so rather than throw them out, I’d like to crochet a bag. How would I do that?

Well, Jeannine, today's your lucky day! I did a little searching around the Canadian Living website, and found you not one, but two, patterns for crocheted carryalls made with recycled plastic bags.

If you're interested in making this project but don't know one end of a crochet hook from the other, you'll probably find this crochet tutorial handy.

Like the idea of recycling yourself a new totebag, but fancy a sewing project instead? Why not try this juice-bag totebag?

As always, I'd love to see what you make with these directions – leave a link in the comments, or send me an email (agilliland[AT]canadianliving[DOT]com).

Don’t forget about this week’s giveaway: Hooked for Life: Adventures of a Crochet Zealot by Mary Beth Temple. Leave a comment on Monday’s post for your chance to win. Entries are open until tomorrow at 5 p.m.

Have a great day!

Hello, friends.

Thanks to everyone who has been entering Weekly Giveaway #3. There are some great craft questions coming up in the contest entries – it looks like I'm going to be learning some new things, too! I chose an easy question to start off with. This one's from Emily, who writes:

"I would like to try making a baby quilt, but I don’t really know how to go about it. I have a sort of pattern from a book (the Bend The Rules sewing book by Amy Karol). My question: is it worth investing in a rotary cutter and mat set? I have a decent pair of fabric scissors but it seems like it might be easier to do piecing using the mat and rotary blade. Then again I’m a novice so it seems like a hefty investment."

Easy question, easy answer: Emily, it's worth it.

When I started quilting, about five years ago, it didn't take me long to discover that I'm useless at cutting a straight line with a pair of fabric shears. After a single very frustrating afternoon of cutting crooked squares and uneven seam allowances, a rotary cutter, acrylic ruler and mat set made its way to the top of my shopping list.

My well-loved (and much used) rotary cutter, rulers and mats.

Using a rotary cutter enables you to make quick, straight cuts with reliable results every time. The super-sharp blade is capable of cutting through multiple layers of fabric at once, which is a godsend when you're working on a quilt with dozens (or even hundreds) of pieces. The self-healing mats and acrylic rulers come in many shapes and sizes, so you can find one that works for your workspace (I like the larger mat now, but the small one was ideal when I was living in a tiny apartment without a dedicated worktable.)

I bought my original Fiskars set for about $25-$30, and over the years I've added new cutting mats and rulers as I've needed them.  OLFA is the other source for excellent cutting tools, rulers and mats for sewers/quilters, and though their prices seem slightly higher, I think it's worth it. (Consider how long you're likely to be using the tools – and how much trouble they'll save you. I use them for all my sewing now, not just quilting, and I've been doing so since 2004. That works out to only $5 a year – not bad!)

If you're worried about the expense, it is worth checking the sales at stores like Fabricland/Fabricville, which often have big seasonal discounts, even on notions. And don't discount your local quilting shop – many of them offer packages for beginning quilters.

One caveat: be careful. A rotary cutter is as sharp as a scalpel. Never, ever leave the blade open when you're not using it. Keep your rotary cutter out of reach of curious kids. And if you drop it – jump lively!

Just a few other notes...

• Have something to add to the discussion about rotary cutters and cutting mats? Please leave a comment!
• If you're looking for a good resource book, I'd recommend The Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. It's an excellent resource for beginning and more experienced quilters alike.
• Don't forget to add your crafty question for the chance to win one of two copies of Sew What! Bags by Lexie Barnes.
• It's only a few more days until my e-newsletter launches. Don't forget to sign up!

See you again soon!

Hello!

Chances are that you've got your hands on a copy of the May issue of Canadian Living by now. (It's the one with the fabulous cupcakes on the cover – and yes, they taste just as good as they look!) This issue was exciting for me because it marked the first time I'd ever had a craft published.

Like the best crafts, that travel bag was invented out of necessity and refined over time. Since I moved to Toronto I've been lucky enough to be able to travel to see my family in Niagara fairly frequently. I keep my overnight bag ready, so that when the urge strikes to go for a visit, I can just take the bag with me on Friday morning, then head straight to the train station after work. The one problem? Remembering to pack my toothbrush! That's where this travel bag comes in. It's the perfect size to hold a weekend's worth of toiletries (and a spare toothbrush).

I think I made – and unmade – about five versions of these bags before I came up with something I liked enough to bring to work for show-and-tell.  It took a few more tweaks, such as adding the ribbon tabs near the zippers and experimenting with different kinds of interfacing, before I came up with the published version. (Don't tell anyone, but several of those test cases became Christmas presents!)

These bags are fairly straightforward and easy enough for a novice sewer; it's all straight seams. The one thing that I found difficult to explain was the process of creating the boxed corners. One thing that helped me was to mark the seam line before I refolded the corner, as seen below:

Doing this makes it easier to place and mark the seam line once you've refolded the corner. (The process sounds complicated, but it's like a game of cards: much easier when you're actually "playing a hand.") I found it easiest to fold, mark and pin all four corners at once; it was faster, and I could make sure the seam lengths were even without having to employ my trusty seam ripper.

Once all the corners were marked and pinned, it was quick work to sew and trim the corners before turning the bag inside out and starting to work on the lining.

I've made several of these bags as gifts now, and they're always a hit. Why not give one to your daughter as she heads away for her first sleepover, or make one for your husband's bowling shoes? A bag made up in a pretty fabric then fill it with fancy toiletries would be a nice Mother's Day gift. And while you're at it,  you could sew one for yourself to hold your yarn and knitting needles, so that your commuter knitting doesn't get all tangled up in your purse!

Have you tried this pattern? How did it turn out? Did you have any questions? I'd love to know - leave questions, comments and links in the comments section, or email me with your photos for the Great Results Roundup

Two quick notes:

• Don't forget to leave a comment on Monday's post to qualify for a chance to win a copy of Mother-Daughter Knits by Sally Melville and her daughter Caddy Melville Ledbetter, just in time for Mother's Day. One entry per person, please.
• Can't get enough of Make+Do? Sign up for "Get Crafty," my e-newsletter, set to launch May 11. The first newsletter is full of suggestions for things to make and do as we head into summer. Don't miss it!

That's all for now. Keep crafting!