Clothing The New Textile Thread (or What to Wear and How to make it when TSHTF)

[summerthyme]

I hear you, and understand... as i get older, I find I'm much less comfortable replacing "older", but still useful stuff with new. In my case, I can so much stuff over the year (several hundred jars, including dog and cat food), it made sense.

But FYI, the All Americans have a dial gauge... AND the weighted "rattle" regulator. I love it, because you can see at a glance what the pressure is. But you don't have to stand around and watch it to maintain the proper pressure.

The other benefit of the "no seal" canner is that you won't end up with a lid stuck on! BTDT with the Mirro, probably because the seal was getting some age. It sure isn't fun if it happens with a canner full of jars!

Summerthyme

 

[Melodi]

My Yule Cat socks are done and on my feet, wearing well so far and I've got a simple pair (no cats) on the needles, I found two sizes 3.0 larger circulars at Lidle's yesterday so I moved them off the two sets of double points.

Once I finish those I think I can salvage the socks I put aside for my friend in Paradise CA and then sort the 54-inch sweater, I'll probably keep socks on the needles just to have small projects to travel with - the sweater is far too heavy to take to meetings or the Drs. Office.

Looks like the kitchen work is finally happening next month so I may have a certain amount of sitting around waiting time for knitting, just being there in case the workmen have a question etc.

I am also hopeful about a new heating stove soon, maybe this week or next week.

Also stocking up on a few things like giant bags of Tea and coffee beans since I suspect that IF the UK crashes out of the EU with no plan (I think this is unlikely but could happen) routes for goods coming into Ireland will need a few weeks to sort themselves.

There are already upgrades for Irish ports etc to allow the cargo ferries to come over directly from France and Belgium but the usual flow of trucks going via the UK route is likely to back up and/or get all tangled up in tariffs and the like.

Probably not a long-term emergency but I know from past experience during other shutdowns, strikes etc that the first things to "not arrive" sometimes for weeks are: cat litter, pet foods, vegetables and sometimes things like tea/coke/coffee and some medications.

Things it doesn't hurt to have extra of anyway because they will get used.

 

[Faroe]

Glad you have some warm socks. (Talk of some sort of a crash here too, is becoming more widespread.) Hope that stove gets fixed before any crisis makes it harder to get parts for.

I know what you mean about heavy sweaters, even the last little gansey seemed like a lot of bulk on my lap that was always sliding off by the time I was on the arms. PITA.
Felt more like I was working on an afghan. There is that advantage with knitting in sections. I know the sleeve is going to attach smoothly from the start if I pick-up-and-knit it down directly from the body, but the knitting would be more pleasant with it knit separately up from the cuff.

I've knitted and blocked several swatches for BF's gansey. Looks like US size 0 is giving the best fabric, and gauge for the size needed. Of course, I didn't have THAT one in a circ. so it is on order. Currently knitting a large pattern swatch to test out the motifs. That should be done in a couple of days. At this point, another cone of the same yarn would be prudent, as so much yarn has gone into swatches - but I want to be fully prepared on the details before launching into this. I can knit stockinette all day without a care, but those predominantly pearl rows that come once the front and back are split are going to be slow and tedious.

 

[Faroe]

Still trying to get pics. I want my OWN camera, that I set up. Grrr....

Anyway, finished a big swatch that was several inches of the gansey pattern over the entire front, and I finally have it charted correctly, and I know how to proceed. I'll cast on when the size 0 circs arrive, because the big 2X2 ribbing in the size 1 is just coarse and ugly. The body will probably be knit in size 1 after all, but not sure yet. This heavy tight fabric is just easier to deal with on a straight needle, and I don't have 14" DPN's in 0. As far as I can tell, the only place to get them from is Frangipani in the UK, and they will ship here, but that isn't in the budget for January. Oh, and the place I bought this yarn from now says they are out of stock for more. Yikes. I may have to rip the swatches, to finish the sweater.

In the meantime, am practicing "lace" with some VERY fine merino. Feels like a cloud, but I don't yet have the hang of handling it. It's like learning to knit all over again. Ravelry has a forum for fine Shetland lace knitting. I honestly don't know how knitters get through these complex patterns, and on square shawls that can block out to 6' on a side. I'm finding my plain garter stitch crescent shaped shawl to be quite a challenge, and it is full of mistakes, split stitches, and messy I-don't-know-what-happened-there type problems. It is beautiful anyway, just because the yarn is beautiful, but am no where near ready to follow a lacy pattern.

 

[Faroe]

Am on third cast-on attempt to try to get this gansey started. First time, I realized my calculations were four stitches off for the round (each pearl side seam stitch needs to be framed by another K2, which means both sides of the sweater need an extra K2 in the round), second time, there was a twist in the round - despite extreme care, and repeated checking. 294 stitches isn't the quickest thing to put on the needles, and requires patience to get the tension even, and the count correct.

Also, none of my domestic sources have returned e-mails to locate another cone of this yarn in the same dye-lot. At this point, the first cone is noticeably smaller, and I doubt there will be enough to finish the sweater. If it were mine, I wouldn't mind a slight color change near the end, these working sweaters were repaired repeatedly, and the old ones aren't all one color anymore. However, BF will mind that.

This is the LAST time I EVER even consider knitting anything for someone else.
I've had it.

 

[Martinhouse]

Faroe, too bad you can't do something like a broad stripe, or all the cuffs, or both, with a slightly different yarn, to give you enough to complete the sweater. Something that looks like it was planned, not done out of desperation. Like maybe both body cuff and sleeve cuffs, then a stripe that is a stripe's width above the cuffs and then the same size stripe across the chest, back and upper sleeves?

 

[Faroe]

Thanks, Martinhouse.
If I can't get a good match, I'll probably alternate the two blues, and weave in a lot of ends. This is actually suggested for modern knitters using true indigo dyed yarn for this garment. (AFIK, only Upton is offering actual 5-ply gansey yarn in indigo, and the warning is that there is variation between skeins. Not sure the original yarns had that problem, but that sort of dying is now a cottage industry only. The woman who owns Upton creates beautiful yarn, but it is expensive, and I don't want to support her liberal politics.)

I finally got a cast-on that wasn't twisted, and knitted an inch of very good looking ribbing....and, it turns out my count is somehow off again, and I now have one side seam mis-placed by twenty stitches - I place a marker every twenty to keep track of the numbers during the cast-on, and must have missed a marker while counting. That can not be fixed w/o completely starting again.

I am ready to burn this yarn, all my stashed yarn, and all my needles.

 

[Martinhouse]

Faroe, maybe you need to put the knitting away and not require yourself to do anything so stressful for a while. Go sit with your special little babies, your little friends, or whatever you call the beautiful creatures you've surrounded yourself with. Maybe even discuss your knitting frustrations with them...who knows, maybe the answer, the patience, will come to you that way.

Life makes enough disturbances without us creating more with things that should be only done with peace and satisfaction.

 

[Melodi]

Yeah take a break, I have for the last two days; the other choice if you really want to knit because it usually if fun is to do what I do did with those socks, put em away for a few days and make something else! Ditto the 54-inch sweater.

I fully intended to finish both projects but they were starting to feel like a millstone around my neck especially the socks that just wouldn't work (like your Gansy).

Three pairs of working socks later (almost I'm still working on my second pair) I am starting to feel like I can deal with the partly frogged objects that are the original (gift) pair.

I have higher standards for gifts than I do for my own or even family socks; so taking a break meant getting to figure things out when it didn't matter so much.

In your case, I suggest a break for a day or two followed by casting on some simple for you that you want; a hat, a dishcloth, a pair of simple mittens whatever - just simple and for YOU.

Then go back and see about counting cables with yarn you are starting to dislike...

 

[Faroe]

Thanks, ladies.

I have a correct cast-on today, and almost an inch of ribbing.

 

[Melodi]

Thanks, ladies.

I have a correct cast-on today, and almost an inch of ribbing.

That is great news!

 

[Martinhouse]

Melodi, what's the latest on your stove? New? Repair? Is it done? Or just scheduled?

I hate it that you've had to wait so long and that super cold weather might be headed your way!

 

[Melodi]

Melodi, what's the latest on your stove? New? Repair? Is it done? Or just scheduled?

I hate it that you've had to wait so long and that super cold weather might be headed your way!

New (to me) full reconditioned stove will be delivered on Wednesday all going well; serious cold is expected to hit tomorrow though we are already having some at night.

I am extremely grateful to my father in law who are buying this for us - the shop that rebuilds this is taking our old stove away as "trade it" (they can restore it and re-sell it) and will do all the installation and plumbing to get the radiators (or at least some of them) going.

If this stove works as well as my old one (it is the same one except it only has 2 "doors" instead of 4 and I couldn't see paying 300 dollars for doors we don't really use anyway) I will also be able to bake and do slow cooking on this; my old stove used to bak the best bread until it just got too old to regulate or heat the oven properly.

In the long run, this might all be to the good because these stoves are not being made much anymore or sold in Ireland because they are "banned" in Dublin and three are "proposed" laws (think EU here) to "ban" most forms of solid fuel.

But my thoughts are even if for a couple of years we are only "allowed" to burn "eco pellets" or something ghastly expensive, we still have the stove and if the power goes out for a week in Winter and/or the Ice Age/SHTF shows up; we have a working stove as long as we keep it cleaned and working.

Use now and apologize later if a real emergency comes up.

Knitting is about the same, I got some work done on the socks and then took another day off; this time of year my fingers don't always like playing with string.

I did get a lovely almost "fantasy" jacket/coat made out of felted wool that is supposed to be some designer label (Zara?) that had the pockets still sewn shut (I didn't know they did that) and was only partially lined.

But it has wonderfully asymmetric and flared triangles at the side and looks great on my short and somewhat "different" looking figure; it needs some lining and for some reason the idiot that "designed" it thought that making a felted, wool coat/jacket WITHOUT a button, clasp or even belt to keep it closed was a good idea.

The housemate who can do professional level tailoring has the pockets open and is going to help with cut out a proper lining for it she also has garment snaps.

Closed it is perfect for the cutting winds we get out here in Winter but constantly flying open it doesn't look "sexy" it is just cold.

Me I'm thinking of weaving some trim for it; it isn't proper for any historical period but it looks "artistic" and I think a bit of handweaving might enhance that effect.

I'll try and get a photo later.

 

[Faroe]

I love clothes that start out like that! Making it functional sounds like a really fun project.

 

[Faroe]

I'm almost eight inches up on this sweater. Not yet at pattern, will be starting that a bit higher on the chest, as in the Gladys Thompson book picture. Looks good, but I am relying on faith that my math is correct, because this is all bunched up on a 24"cable, and it looks like a small circumference. The knitting is firm, so far 7 1/4 spi.

Been binge watching videos of people living in vans and camper trucks while knitting this. Told BF we should just get one (or two - I need extra space for the pets) and camp on our land that is out of town. This town is CRAWLING with addicts and house breaking criminals, and I do NOT want to spend another summer in this place. The library behind us is nothing but a hang out for loud shit-heads, and local police do absolutely nothing. Frankly, I think they are in on the money making activities, but there is also a heavy influence of lefty nepotistic BS - one of the known criminals is a relative of the Mayor. I want OUT of this town!

Anyway, a gansey is a slow process, but I don't think this one will be much trouble. I'll run life lines once I'm estimating where to start the gusset and split the top. I'm not sure exactly where place those, since I'm not working from an actual pattern. If I get bored with it, I'll work on some lace for a while. It needs to get done, however, I want a cardigan for myself.

 

[Martinhouse]

Melodi, I've been thinking about you all the time these last few days.

Sure do hope you've finally gotten your new stove delivered and installed. There's so much cold coming!

 

[Melodi]

All going well should be Monday morning; thanks for asking and I'm hoping it all gets sorted soon as well!

 

[Martinhouse]

Well, poo! I thought it was scheduled for last Wednesday. Sorry you're still waiting.

Do stay warm as you can!

 

[Faroe]

Good luck, Melodi.
Hope the *new* one works well for you.

 

[Melodi]

It was supposed to happen last week, "work" crew gave about a dozen excuses and finally drove off while the husband was getting plywood so they could walk the stove in the muddy yard then told their boss "there was dog poop in the yard we couldn't go in there."

I was simply too angry to write about it at the time - they started with "you need to take down about 1,000 Euros worth of fencing" and it went on from there- the jerks got a "free" day off with pay.

Today the yard is so clean you could sleep in it, the dogs are locked in the stable for the night and my handyman is spending the night in case there are any more excuses.

This isn't the stove company itself but their contracted installers - I hope it is a different two guys I wouldn't trust the first to not to mess things up on purpose even with the warranty.

Not much knitting we lost power last night during an unexpected wind storm - we were "lucky" this time that it took down an entire power pole but in our next door neighbor's cattle field - 30 prize milking cattle with a pole full of live wires on the ground made us jump the line in front of the other 10,000 plus people without power last night and this morning.

The drawing room stove was wonderful for keeping warm but we went to the village shop for coffee since my housemate with the car was home.

It is supposed to go down to about 26 degrees by Wed with possible snow; so I am really hoping the kitchen stove really goes in tomorrow - that will be a lot easier to cook on it heats the kitchen just fine even when the electricity is out.

I will keep everyone posted; meanwhile I'm still knitting on the socks...

 

[Martinhouse]

Sounds like the "good old boys" we discovered when we moved to Arkansas. People say they will be here and then never show up, never call, or anything.

We finally learned to live with it as a side effect of the much lower costs for what we were having done,but it's still very frustrating. Right now my sister has a huge branch overhanging the corner of her house and she is going to be calling a third tree trimmer, since the first two who said they'd come out for an estimate just never showed up or called back.

 

[Melodi]

And here it is! Today's crew were experienced, professional and did a great job (even when it was slow and complicated)

They told me not to cook in the oven for about a week due to fumes left over from the reconstruction but it looks great and is really starting to heat up now.

 

[Martinhouse]

Finally! I'm so glad for you! A warm kitchen!!!!!

 

[summerthyme]

I love the color! And yes, a warm kitchen is a true blessing!

Our forecast now includes a winter storm watch, temps of 10 below zero or colder, winds up to 45 mph, and the potential for 18" of lake effect snow.

Hoping the worst goes through this week and then moderates, as hubby is scheduled for his 6th eye surgery next week, and I'll be doing all the outside work for a few weeks. Not quite sure how I'm going to manage it, as I've been fighting a slipped disk in my spine that just doesn't want to heal.

Looking back at my journals, I note that we had crocuses blooming on Valentines day in 2013... just about a full month earlier than normal! Looking forward to seeing the snowdrops blooming, but we've got at least 6 -8 more weeks of real winter left. And February and March are often both our coldest and snowiest months.

Summerthyme

 

[Faroe]

Beautiful stove. Hope it works as well as it looks!

Warm and sunny weather here. I actually wish it were colder. We took the dogs out to run the land today, and we all came home hot and tired. I can not wait to move out there! Whole different energy.

I took a break from knitting for a few days. It can hurt my wrists if I'm not careful. Am about 10 1/2" up, and it is time to start the cables. If I can just get that marked out today, I'll be able to forge ahead for the next several inches until determining where to begin the gussets.

 

[Melodi]

So far working well as a stove, radiators are not heating yet but then the water heater is just getting warm; if we still have zip in the radiators tomorrow I may call the company but at least we have a warm kitchen and warming water without boiling it in the electric kettle or on the stove.

 

[Melodi]

26 degrees predicted for tonight and the new stove can't work properly because something is wrong with the chimney! Trying to air the house out while it is only "freezing" this afternoon - there are days when I want to stop the world and step off!

Specialist is supposed to come to look at the situation tomorrow (when they are predicting snow and heavy rain so they may not be able to) - I think I will just keep sitting here by the fire in the drawing room and knit.

grrrrr....at least we can sleep in here tonight if we have to...

 

[Faroe]

Melodi, when was the last time anyone cleaned the chimney?
I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, but....it's a chimney. Not a whole lot going on up there, perhaps a stuck lever that controls the draft? We clean ours every spring (if we have used the stove that winter). We use a long wire brush with an extending handle, and also a long heavy chain. We get on the roof for the straight section, and dis-assemble the curved parts in the interior. Messy process, but that gets the gunk out.

 

[Melodi]

Right before the new stove was put in it was cleaned, these are 200-year-old chimneys and actually, a number of things can go wrong with them.

Our hope is that this is being caused by something simple like the installation causing something to fall off and block part of the area; something either our local guy couldn't reach or the stove installation engineers couldn't see from the ground.

We have one chimney that is cracked and can't be used (for about 1200 dollars I can have a pipe put in but it goes to my office and I don't have the cash right now) the one to my husband's office is sideways believe it or not (makes it very hard to clean and maintain) but we haven't had any issues with the kitchen one until now.

If the insides are totally "gone" or cracked they can do the pipe thing and my FIL will help sort that because without the chimney working the stove is pretty useless but I'll settle for a new or mixed blockage that hopefully isn't the top of the old chimney falling in or something.

We have bird guards on most of them but sometimes storms blow those off and if that happened recently a nest is also possible which would need removal and a replacement top.

Think houses on the East Coast from the US Revolutionary War period that's when our house was built (just after) and they did a lot of wonky stuff back in those days.

I guess we find out tomorrow - I hope; I hope it isn't like the actual water tank heater where the plumber says it is electrical and the electrician says it is plumbing and neither will do anything - we've been at that stalemate about three years.

It doesn't help that with the Dublin building boom getting such professionals can be nearly impossible; I don't really want to wait for the next economic downturn to fix stuff but we shall see.

Meanwhile, I'm warm in the drawing room which has the one working fireplace.

 

[Faroe]

Our house is an old adobe (supposedly Billy the Kid got his groceries here). BF's family lore claims 140 years, but I'd want to see some written records on that - people exaggerate. Anyway, our chimneys are pretty straight forward, and our big issues are plumbing related - esp. the sewage pipes. I love old houses, but they can be a PITA, for sure.

The stove pipe off our pellet stove has a short horizontal run, and I was in a gorgeous old Victorian ("ghost town" of White Oaks) that had at least four feet of horizontal, and drafted just fine.

The thing is, if your chimney was drafting ok before, I can't see why just switching out the stove would have changed that as long as the connection between the two is good. I would be inclined to check that connection first. Also, is there anyway your husband or roomie can run a light down from the top? You might also try chucking a bit of fire brick down from the top, and listening for where it lands, if it doesn't fall straight through to the stove. Are you sure the problem with the previous stove wasn't with the chimney all along? Anyway, wish I could be of more help.

Hope is is a simple fix.
Stay cosy.

 

[Melodi]

Ok thanks for the ideas but the old stove was having similar problems pretty much out of nowhere which is why I had the chimney cleaned first - it was determined the old stove was a wreck and everyone thought that was the problem but it isn't.

And no, no one is going three stories up on the roof except a trained chimney sweep or gutter cleaner; like a lot of old Georgian Houses it is quite high and the stove in question is in what used to be the basement before it was dug out by a previous owner.

Personally, I would have left it as a basement (easier to seal off in case of fallout etc) but it is nice to have some natural light in the area.

Normally the chimneys are not that big a deal until suddenly they are; the largest destroyer of older homes here are chimney fires which is why we are being so careful - the dang things are so large, open and tall that they tend to get easily blocked.

These are not as bad as the ones at the real castle we rented our first year here and simply needed too much restoration for us to buy- the ones we had cleaned there went back to the 17th century (we didn't try to clean the 15th century ones in the tower house but would have if we had stayed) there was about four feet of branches and birds nests in the bedroom to clean up.

I don't think any of ours is that bad because I've had even the blocked fireplaces (there originally was a fireplace in every room) at least cleaned from the top several times over the last 20 years or so.

If TSHTF and we had to open them it might be a chore to clean out the mounds of dirt and nests at the bottom but the old chimneys should still be functional (though in need of another cleaning before being used).

The chimney in my reading room/office is cracked and would need to be replaced by one of the 1200 dollar interior pipes if I decided to hook up the stove I got for it - I may do that eventually or just move the small stove I got used.

Old houses are fun, but they do take work - 140 years is totally possible for your house, but again that can be hard to know for sure without good records.

 

[Melodi]

OKit is 11:00 am and I am done adulting for the day- chimney is totally fubared and the only way to run the new stove is to do the pipe and insulate the chimney thing for several thousand.

I will speak to my father in law and hopefully, he can help, if not we will just have an expensive paperweight in the kitchen until we can scrape up the money.

I'm not even going to try knitting until I calm down a bit, I knit too tight when I am unhappy.

 

[Faroe]

Ugh. That sucks.

Is there any way you can safely set up a temp. rocket type stove? They can be build in a short amount of time from scraps if your area has them available. You could possibly remove a glass pane in a window for the outlet. Their chimneys are less of a fire hazard because they burn so efficiently, and thermal mass inside gives off sustained heat.

Something WILL work out.
Tomorrow is another day.

 

[Melodi]

OK three times I have tried to post that it looks like my FIL will cover this, he knows the stove won't work otherwise and that I tried to have this sorted (and thought it was) with our usual village chimney sweep.

The Rocket Stove is a good idea, not sure anyone in our household could build it (except maybe part-time housemate the engineer) but it is a good idea.

Lets see if this posts!

 

[summerthyme]

Glad you've got some family resources to help you out. But... how long is it going to take to get the chimney rebuilt? It doesn't sound like the winter weather is leaving any time soon...

Summerthyme

 

[Melodi]

I am waiting for the estimate, if the weather isn't raining hard or snowing they can probably do it - it really involves running a pipe down the current chimney and then insulating it - I typed that before but it kept getting eaten.

And yes we are very lucky on the family resources, otherwise, I'd just have to wait it out and try for a credit union loan and hopefully sort it by next year.

At least, we have the other stove in a pinch; my FIL is also helping with the kitchen redo that is already supposed to happen this month - my kitchen was officially condemned when the Island started to fall apart and the electrician disconnected everything until it is replaced (the stove top alone could have burned the house down).

Oh well, life is what it is; time for some more knitting...

 

[Faroe]

I have about 14" knitted from the bottom. Will be time to start the gusset soon. I went into the storage Connex box, and dug out a large thrift store sweater that is approx. the same weight. I'll have BF try that on for fit, and work from there.

While in the Connex, which is an ABSOLUTE DISORGANIZED DISASTER, a ceiling high stack of boxes toppled onto my head, bruised my eye socket and messed up my eye glasses. Not sure if the headache is due to the injury, or the fact that I can't get the frame bent back quite correctly, and left (non-dominant) eye doesn't have good focus anymore.

I KNOW... a prepper ought to have at least 2 pairs....but they were so dang expensive to begin with! I may see if Zenni will still take the prescription.

I ordered another gansey book, and a Bavarian stitch book, and Women's Work, 20,000 years of textiles (or something like that). The last one got some mixed reviews, and I have reservations about it from the enthusiastic reviews (sounds a bit feminist), but found it used at a good price.

Hope you are managing to stay cosy, Melodi.

 

[Melodi]

Women's Work and the author's academic work called Prehistoric Textiles are amazing books, my husband was dubious but even he found the very useful - I'm sure the criticism is because the author makes some "educated guesses" that others have run with as "facts" but the basic ideas in both books are really-really interesting and I use them a lot when teaching various classes.

We've managed to stay mostly warm by keeping out of the kitchen (which was so cold our hands hurt after a few minutes even with a space heater on) letting people make sandwiches and the like to eat upstairs and huddling by the drawing room stove or in front of space heaters.

I haven't gotten any knitting or textile work done because my hands hurt some even when warmer and I just didn't have the energy.

Thankfully it may go into the high 40's today and only down to about freezing tonight (so it is thawing out) tomorrow I will call about both the kitchen upgrade and the chimney repairs.

The sweater sounds lovely and I hope to get back to the socks and the 54-inch sweater very soon.

 

[summerthyme]

Faroe... Zenni will take any prescription... they've never asked for a date on it...

Summerthyme

 

[Faroe]

Good to know. Thanks.

Not much new to report with the gansey. I work on it some every day, and am inching my up to the mid-point of the gussets where the front and back split, but not there yet. Am also eyeing this ever dwindling cone of yarn. I have another, but not sure if it will be enough. I e-mailed several vendors. Everyone seems to be out of this particular dye lot.

Fruity Knitting posted their most recent episode featuring a gansey designer. I thought it was one of their best interviews, although I don't care for the more modern sweater knitter is currently designing. She showed some examples of local (Northern Scotland?) patterns and stitch designs which were VERY beautiful. I'll have to re-watch the episode when I get a chance to design my own - I haven't come across that specific lacyier (spell?) style in any books.