Thimble Hall Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 I sometimes knit on piano wire to get the sizes I want. but I can't reduce the shawl patterns I use as they are already very fine, they have almost 1000 stitches on to start, I work from the outside in. I do work under a magnifier lamp when making tiny sweaters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 Holly I have seen patterns for tiny shawls but they are too clunky for me. I want to recreate the baby shawls I make in miniature which I make on circular needles and I can't get almost 1000 stitches on anything that will work , or with any kind of yarn or thread, it would still become too big. I have tried many times. I can do it with everything else but not with my Shetland shawls patterns. Holly I just looked and I have that book, the blanket which she says can be used as a shawl is knitted in wool on size 1 needles. That is far too big. The only reason it is small is because it is a blanket, she is holding it on the picture, ir is just a blanket/ I will find a picture of one of my shawls and show you what I mean There you go. I have taken this picture off the net but it is one I do make. I just pulled out my pattern and this one starts with 768 stitches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 OK, what about using silk sewing thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldenrodfarm Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 I downloaded this 1:12 Shawl the other day it is done with size 80 thread, it looks lacy and I have a lot of DMC tatting cotton kicking around. It too a lot of different search patterns to find it, I was searching for doilies but got sidetracked onto shawls lol this was to give me an idea on size of threads and needles, I thought I might find a lacy pattern with larger yarn to shrink! she makes a square shawl/blanket too, but I didn’t care for it because of the edging, but you can easily fine it by looking at her patterns under the above link. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Hi, I recognize that Shetland stole design but it is impossible to get it to 1/12th scale the way I want it and keep the softness and the drape, I have silk sewing thread but I don't want a silk or cotton baby shawl. My point is, it can be reduced in size by taking out some of the pattern or by reducing the needle or yarn size. However the problem is I don't want cotton or silk, I want wool and my designs are already in 1 ply, I can take a sweater pattern down to fit a one inch bear and keep the stitch count the same so it isn't out of proportion as I can work in silk thread or ultra fine Egyptian cotton thread and I am happy with the sweater but I want my Shetland shawls in wool. I am super picky with those. I have tiny shawls that I have made that would be dollhouse size that are quite fine with wool but they are not like my Shetland ones.. This is one of those things I just have to accept as a no go . And I have tried. Any other garment I will do with pleasure but not those. Barb you are welcome to a copy of any of my shawls if you wish and if you work them on silk thread or very fine cotton it will give you a lovely shawl. The yarn they use is very fine but the needles are not unusually small so that would help bring them down . I have many shawls on thicker threads that you could bring down, if you give me an idea of what you want I can send you them.. Or I can send you copies of little ones, that I have taken from big doll patterns I think I would steer clear of the ones like the above picture I posted. They start with knitting the outside border and when it is about 16 feet long it is joined and then you pick up the required number of stitches off the side of the border on a circular needle and work from the outside in decreasing as you go, some have more stitches than others it varies between 700+ and to 1000., but you would have the problem of making or finding a tiny circular or doing them on 5 needles. You are welcome to the patterns if you want to give it a go. I think there is maybe a dozen or so made like that.. The above one is called The Gibbie but I have the Rose and Anchor, The Brora, I can't remember any more without digging out my file. There are also Christening gowns to match a couple of them also in 1 ply;. I also have some patterns for knitted lace edgings. It can be done just not in wool which of course is what I want. Done in cotton or silk they would be lovely but just not traditional enough to make me happy.. jut another quirk of mine. Pictured is a Sheelaugh shawl in progress, the second picture is an enlargement of the first showing the border in more detail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldenrodfarm Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 I guess the answer is to just spin some Shetland ultra fine, mmm I think I do have some Shetland wool roving around here somewhere because I didn’t use it all when I did the shawl I bought it for, but the trick would be to spin it finer then the usual Shetland shawl which is pretty fine! I may play with it. Beautiful shawl by the way! I have always loved the fine Shetland shawls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 If you can't find any Shetland wool, I have some here for you: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Kelly, I suspect they're talking about this kind of Shetland wool: https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=image+shetland+sheep&qpvt=image+shetland+sheep&FORM=IGRE The Kid is returning for his end-of-year visit tomorrow afternoon, and DS#2 & wife in another couple of weeks for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 But Holly - look at all the wool you can get off a Shetland Sheepdog! OK, I'll quit now. I just couldn't resist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Would bobbin lace making be a good technique for 1:12 scale blankets, shawls, etc.? Just wondering. Sold my Alessio Townhouse on Ebay today. I'm thinking about selling another dollhouse. Yesterday, everytime I walked through one part of the kitchen, my foot kept kicking something that felt like a strip of plastic, but because my tile has a very mottled brown pattern I just couldn't see the darn thing to pick it up. I must have kicked it at least 4 times yesterday and twice today before it finally stuck to my sock. It was a slightly crumpled strip of clear plastic packaging material. No wonder I couldn't see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 Yes I think bobbin lace would be very nice, but that is another thing I never learned along with tatting, and I do have some beautiful antique bobbins and a cushion thingy that someone left me in a will . It is funny that you kept the undercoat from your collie, I kept it from my Old English Sheepdogs for years in the hope that I would learn how to use my spinning wheel. Just look at those ponies, I remember my nieces one that used to pasture with us, he was called Mouse. Barb if you can get this wool finer than it is it would be a miracle but I hope you can do it. Shetland wool comes all different thicknesses. The ball I have in my hand is 25 grams and has 379 yards in it. This is cobweb lace wool. Can you make that smaller, it would be wonderful if you could and certainly something I can't do but if you find a way, you have your first customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueirishmoon Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 Chugging along just wonderfully on the needlepoint rose rug. I've passed the halfway point and am down to the last two colors; light pink, then cream for the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 Yesterday I sorted the box of filing that has been accumulating since before my move (think August). It is currently spread in organized piles all over the couch and coffee table. It is annoying me to have it cluttering up the living room and disturbing the holiday ambiance, so it is likely to find its way into the filing cabinet today. I shake my head in wonder at the little manipulations I need to effect on myself to get things done. Earlier this week I bought 4 sets of shelving for the garage. Can't set up the shelves until I move Lloyd's large construction into the library/office. Can't move it into the office until the filing boxes have been removed. Thus the move, finally, to do the filing, which I loathe. Once the construction is in place, I can restore the bit I had to remove in order to fit it into the packing box. I look forward to having it where I can see it every day. The quilt shop room box is in the library/office (as is the houseboat). The quilt shop contents are still wrapped for packing. Unpacking and setting it up will be the last step in "moving in" for this room. One step at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapchap73 Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 Sitting here with my morning coffee trying to convince myself to hang a bit more Christmas garland before work. Methinks it won't happen I have the 3 big trees up, fluffed and garland added. I use the cheap 9 foot garland from Michaels to fill in the bare spots on my trees because I don't like to see through them. It also cuts down on fluffing time. I also got the garland up on the back stairs, finally straight this year, and some other greenery around. I'm working 8-4 today and tomorrow, so hoping to get the ornaments and such done on Saturday. Then the boys can carry the empty boxes back to the attic so I can enjoy my pretties. My brain spasm moment of the week happened when I was getting ready to put the front stair garland. I looked at it and said to myself, "Where did this come from? My stair garland has lights and this has none." Completely forgot the 3 hours I spent last year cutting the light strings off the garland because they had burned out. Also was wondering why I had so many loose light strings, had to buy them mid season because the garland went out. At least I will remember not to cut myself on one of my favorite ornament this year. I put a reminder to myself in my phone last year after I cut myself...for the 3rd year in a row 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 DS#3, aka The Kid, arrives this evening on THE BIG DOG bus for his semiannual month-long visit that includes the Jazz Society's Christmas "Jingle Jazz" event the first Monday in December & usually finishes up the day after my birthday, when we load up all his Christmas loot and take him back home to Tallahassee, taking the rest of that day and part of the next for a mini road trip back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueirishmoon Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 My dad just went out the door to get our Christmas tree from a farm up in the NC mountains. Should be back in a few hours. Mmmm. Love that fresh piney smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 The wreath is on the door and the crèche is up, and that's it for Christmas decoration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewMini Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 I finally got my new to me beast of a Christmas tree up. I used to have a big pre lit on but it was kind of on it’s last legs so I gave it away a few years ago. I downsized to a smaller tree that I was never quite happy with. I looked at getting a new pre-lit but MY GOODNESS they are expensive. I ended up trolling craigslist and found a gorgeous, albeit old school, tree. The seller actually gave it to me for free! I got all my “good” decorations out and realized that I have apparently been really drawn to red white gold and siler ornaments for way too many years In other fun news, I tracked down not one but TWO sets of the extremely hard to find 12 Days of Harry Potter Christmas Socks advent calendar at Target. In addition to my own personal HP nerdery Im also a member of a HP themed running group (turns out the prospect of getting multiple HP themed medals is extremely motivating!). The whole group has been totally gaga over these sock advent calendars because you cant buy them online, you cant schedule them for pick up at your local Target and each store only gets, at most, two sets a day. I found some for myself over Thanksgiving but had a stroke of luck last night and saw another set which I immediately snatched up for my good friend and fellow Hufflepuff in AZ. I was so excited to track down that second set because she had absolutely no luck finding them. The new toy (AKA my Curio) arrives Saturday. I Cant wait to open it up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbnmini Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 blargh. Not feeling well this week. Second time I am sick this season- and it isn't even December yet! I was hoping to start putting up stuff this week(at least the door wreath!), but just walking to the bathroom is such an effort that I don't see any Christmas decorating happening just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NellBell Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 2 hours ago, SewMini said: I finally got my new to me beast of a Christmas tree up. I used to have a big pre lit on but it was kind of on it’s last legs so I gave it away a few years ago. I downsized to a smaller tree that I was never quite happy with. I looked at getting a new pre-lit but MY GOODNESS they are expensive. I ended up trolling craigslist and found a gorgeous, albeit old school, tree. The seller actually gave it to me for free! I got all my “good” decorations out and realized that I have apparently been really drawn to red white gold and siler ornaments for way too many years In other fun news, I tracked down not one but TWO sets of the extremely hard to find 12 Days of Harry Potter Christmas Socks advent calendar at Target. In addition to my own personal HP nerdery Im also a member of a HP themed running group (turns out the prospect of getting multiple HP themed medals is extremely motivating!). The whole group has been totally gaga over these sock advent calendars because you cant buy them online, you cant schedule them for pick up at your local Target and each store only gets, at most, two sets a day. I found some for myself over Thanksgiving but had a stroke of luck last night and saw another set which I immediately snatched up for my good friend and fellow Hufflepuff in AZ. I was so excited to track down that second set because she had absolutely no luck finding them. The new toy (AKA my Curio) arrives Saturday. I Cant wait to open it up! Very pretty I love Christmas decorating . I have put everything out but my tree is not done I seem to missing one box that has the bulk of the ornaments in it. We redid the garage and I am going nuts trying to find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Our manager came in once and wanted to know what was in all the boxes I had in the closet, because some would have to leave. I said, "My air conditioner, my miniature items, and my Hallmark ornaments." She said I would have to get rid of some boxes and since she knew the air conditioner was new and that I wouldn't give up my miniatures, maybe I could sell my ornaments. So I brought over the big Hallmark book with all the collectible ornaments in it and told her this was what I had. She goes, "Oh." And never said another word. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueirishmoon Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 We sort of do an everything goes tree, with lots of colors, and a variety of ornaments. My mom has a distressing tendency towards gold overkill like Goldfinger, but I try to rein her in (I usually prefer silver). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 The youngest son's bus was a tad late, held up by a train in Fort Walton Beach, but the driver made up some of the time, so only bout 15 minutes. He' usually starving when he gets here, so we take him straight to his favorite Chinese buffet restaurant and turn him loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 I am enjoying seeing all your trees and hearing your stories of Christmas, I won't be doing any of it this year so I is especially nice to see yours. Thank you. I like the trees that have all kinds of stuff on, the things the kids made in first grade, your ancestors old stuff etc. I never was one to follow the fashion for trees. . When I was in the UK during the 2000 -2010 decade there were two tree fashions that blew my mind, The Black Christmas tree and the Upside down one..I kid you not and upside down Christmas tree. Did they ever come across the pond to North America I wonder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 2 hours ago, Jeannine said: upside down Christmas tree. Did they ever come across the pond to North America I wonder I saw one in one of the holiday catalogs that arrived in the past couple of weeks. Unfortunately the catalog has already been recycled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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