All posts by Jackie E-S

Jackie E-S is the owner of HeartStrings FiberArts, a showcase for her growing roster of original pattern designs. As a certified master knitter and teacher, Jackie continues to share her love of knitting and knowledge through design and publication of skill-building pattern instructions, and conducting workshops, programs and demonstrations. Her interest in the fiber arts extends beyond knitting and spinning to include weaving, dyeing and all needle arts. She also enjoys contract bridge and music.
The Designing Day

Taking the art of knitting to new heights

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Here’s another exciting thing going on at my HeartStrings studio I want to share with you …

Knitted Lace Edgings

I just launched the KnitHeartStrings.com, a new membership site that I have envisioned for quite a while and am finally taking the leap. The focus of KnitHeartStrings is to take learning the art of knitting to new heights. Beginners to advanced are all welcome.

If you have been avoiding learning to knit lace because you think it is too hard, I am going to tempt you with darling little projects that will help you get over the hump.

Even if you already know how to knit lace, I think you will find the projects fun (and who knows, you might even pick up a tip or trick along the way). Or use the projects to help teach and encourage someone else.

I will treat KnitHeartStrings members with a little project each month (for free!). I am starting with a series I call Bits of Lace. Because all the projects are lace edgings done on just a few stitches, they are a practical way to explore the structure and techniques of knitted lace. Each project will take just a small amount of materials and time. I hope this will be perfect for the busy lives we all have!

The new KnitHeartStrings site is still pretty barebones. But since there were already several hundreds of knitters on my HeartStrings newsletter list already chomping at the bit to get started, I didn’t see any reason to hold off rolling out the first pattern of the 2012 series for Bits of Lace now. You can read about it here.

So grab this month’s free pattern now from the Free Content page of the KnitHeartStrings.com website. Not a member yet? Register here to join today to get the Free membership level.

I have lots of other features and content planned to add to the site.  Hope you will join in now to start taking advantage of it all. See you there!

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The Designing Day

the making of the Mardi Gras Bead Ball kits

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Remember when I posted about the Knitting Giant Beads for Mardi Gras last week? Well, that stirred up a lots of interest and appears to have inspired several people to make up their own. It’s always so much fun to hear that people are enjoying the ideas and photos.

I got to thinking about some people who may not have ready access to the supplies. So I decided on a whim to offer a Limited Edition supplies kit to make the beaded balls in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. Some orders have already come in, so I have been scurrying around today catching up on my promise to do these kits.

I made some pretty labels for the clear draw string bags. Wound the purple and green sock yarn from Lornas’ Laces (in the color Funky Stripe). Weighed and packaged the metallic gold beads (the good Japanese beads in the Miyuki brand that is on the top of my list of recommendations).  Weighed the fluffy non-allergenic stuffing. Pant – pant. And now I have a batch of kits ready to send out.

Mardi Gras Bead Ball Kits
Mardi Gras Bead Ball Kits

If you don’t otherwise have a good source to get the supplies (e.g. your local stores or even stash-diving), then consider the Mardi Gras Bead Ball Kits as a way to conveniently get the yarn, beads and stuffing. Kits are available in 2 sizes: the single ball kit (i.e. to make one ball) OR the multi-pack (to make 3 balls, which is a 50% savings over buying a 3rd single ball kit plus a savings on shipping).

There’s been lots more exciting stuff going on at my HeartStrings  studio, so I’ll be back to tell you about that in a day or two. Also, I have a meatless recipe lined up to share with you in a few days. Oh, where does the time go? See you soon. Take care.

 

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Promotions at HSFA

The new look of news from HeartStrings

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It’s been a long time a-coming that I’ve wanted to bring a new look and new features to my HeartStrings e-newsletter.

That is where my weekend was spent … TOTALLY in front of the computer. But I made big headway in not only laying out the new template, but also sending a newsletter in the new format to subscribers. After all, I was anxious to hear what other people thought, too!

The new look of news from HeartStrings

So far, it appears to be well-received. I am really appreciative of so many people having taken the time to write me or post comments on Facebook about the new look of the newsletter. There have been SO many comments, but just to give you a flavor …

From Donna:
” The new look is great. Quite enjoy the layout and navigable pages! ”

From Cindy:
” I love the new look! Very easy to read & graphics are great! ”

From Naomi:
” In the midst of re-design of my own blog, I was impressed by yours. All the elements, colors very engaging. And congratulations on all the recent success: wonderful reward for all your hard work over the years. ”

Barbara wrote:
” Love it! Very refreshing and up to date. ”

… and many more along the same lines. Well, it looks like the new newsletter format is basically a go. Let me know if you think of other ways or things you’d like to see. I can’t promise I can do everything, but it might be something I can and haven’t thought of!

All in all, I am feeling quite accomplished as I start off the week. Hope it stays that way, lol.

What do YOU think?

Also there have been several comments about the Yarn Bowl in this most recent newsletter:

Bonne wrote:
” I love this wonderful creation! This should be a mandatory item in a spinner’s, crocheter’s, knitter’s collection of toys, er…… tools. ”

My thoughts:
Yes, so true. I’m going to rename that newsletter column from “Tools of the Trade” to “Toys of the Trade”!

Lynne wrote:
” Thanks for featuring the yarn bowl. I’d seen them at craft shows but hadn’t known what they were because they were called string bowls. ”

My thoughts:
Ahhh! I bet that the craft shows were marketing them as “string” bowls so as to appeal to people who might just want to use them as a pretty thing to put their packing string into?

BTW, I’ve noticed that some of these type bowls only have a closed hole. So if you would ever need to take the string/yarn out of the bowl while you were still knitting (e.g. maybe to transport your project somewhere else), you’d need to cut the yarn. That might be ok for packing string (which you’d probably want to cut anyway). You probably noticed on the picture of this one, that the hole has a slit up to the top edge so that the yarn can be removed without cutting.

p.s. If you are not already receiving the HeartStrings newsletter, there is a convenient signup form in the sidebar of this blog page to do that now.

p.p.s. You can find the blog article I did about the Yarn Bowl here.

 

 

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The Designing Day

Austrian Lace Stirrup Leg Warmers pattern

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I am excited to announce that the new Austrian Lace Stirrup Leg Warmers pattern is now available. These dressy over-the-calf stirrup leg warmers (otherwise known around here at the HeartStrings studio as Sock-Not Leggings) omit the bulk of a complete sock since there is no heel or toe.

HeartStrings #A29U Austrian Lace Stirrup Leg Warmers in Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock yarn
HeartStrings #A29U Austrian Lace Stirrup Leg Warmers in Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock yarn, color #089 Mist

This is a “Classics Revisted” pattern republication of my Sock-Not Leggings from (would you believe this?) over 15 years ago. There is new, beautiful photography of samples knit in Tilli Tomas Artisan Sock yarn. And the instructions have been expanded to include both charts and written instructions.

Classics like this live on. And I hope you enjoy seeing and knitting this pattern, as well as the wearing.

My inspiration was to have a classy sock that could be worn with dress shoes. I think you will love these as a practical fashion alternative for warmth and wearability when you want a pretty cover-up.

Stirrup leg warmers fit great with dress shoes
Stirrup leg warmers fit great with dress shoes

Don’t be too intimidated by the seemingly complicated-looking stitch pattern. It actually is quite repetitive and easily ‘read’ after you’ve got a few rounds of the pattern underway.

Some other features that you will appreciate are

  • the way the twisted-ribbing lace patterns decrease in pattern to becomingly conform to the shape of your calf
  • there is a gusset underneath the foot that allows the stirrup to comfortably hug instep and arch
Nicely hugs calf and foot
Becomingly conforms to your calf and foot

One other benefit that is so cutely, well-worded by Julia Grunau, the Prime Minister of Patternfish (where, by the way, is a great source for this pattern and all the other HeartStirngs pattern): “and should last far longer than a conventional sock. Great for fans of invisible darning … you can invisibly darn the invisible heel and toe!”

Can you imagine invisible darning? Love it! Thanks Julia for that laugh.

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The Designing Day

Knitting giant beads for Mardi Gras

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I’ve been obsessed with making even more of the Beaded Stress Balls, but this time using Mardi Gras as the theme. I even worked up some simple variations to produce different geometric patterns on the surface of the balls.

Mardi Gras Bead Balls
Mardi Gras Bead Balls

Probably only people close-by in New Orleans, Louisiana will relate to these. Or those who keep up with Mardi Gras. Each year at Mardi Gras, it seems that everyone is trying to out-do last year’s largest throw-me-somethin’-mista beads of the carnival parades. I won’t be throwing any of these giant beads to anyone, though (I am keeping them!).

I’ve used Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in color Funky Stripe. It is a purple and green yarn. With the galvanized gold seed beads, I think it carries off the theme of traditional Mardi Gras colors pretty well.

In progress
Completed balls vs. those before being stuffed and closed

If you’d like to knit some of these yourself, I’ve written up the variations to the original instructions at my Ravelry project page. But you will also need the original Beaded Stress Ball pattern to use for the basic instructions. Besides the overall beaded ball in the original instructions, the Ravelry page has guidance for these 3 variations:

  1. Alternating sections beaded and un-beaded
  2. Outer edges of each section beaded and remainder un-beaded
  3. The negative of #2: Interior of each section beaded and the outer edges left un-beaded
The 3 variations
The 3 variations

I love how such simple changes can result in attractive and interesting designs.

Each ball only takes about 25 yards of yarn. So, out of a single skein of yarn, you could make a bunch of balls. Or undoubtedly you probably have some partial skeins/balls in your stash for which this could be a fun use.

I can imagine in my wildest dreams to make an entire giant “beaded” necklace out of hand-knitted beaded balls like this, but I probably should get onto some other knitting now. What do you think?

Happy Mardi Gras
Happy Mardi Gras!

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