Time Falls Back in Cold Spring

Janice and Adam went without power for a few days after another storm pelted the north east last week, but all is getting back to normal. Yet some of our friends are still in the dark. Unusual weather has become the usual in 2011. It’s autumn in Cold Spring and the clock is set back to give us one more hour of daylight. That extra hour is exactly what we needed this weekend — the porch is finally finished.

Janice told me that the boys asked why they didn’t get their Tony hats last year. I just thought they outgrew the home-spun gifts. So this weekend I made Jesse a ski cap, and Ellis, a ribbed watchman’s cap. After unraveling and joining all the swatches and scraps from Troy’s cowl there was even enough SWTC Saphira to make a small pompom for Jesse’s cap. To my surprise the boys were very excited. Don’t these little gentlemen look so handsome in their warm winter gear?

Janice and Adam are ready for winter too. The porch looks almost brand new after sanding, two coats of outdoor enamel, and replacing a few planks. I can’t say enough about the wonders of Bondo and a good quality paint — so shiny and clean. I’ll be back in the Spring to work on the front steps.

Every post has been capped and every rail primed and painted. Jesse made a winter-inspired Lego snowman that looks at home on this post.

We had excellent weather and some hearty family meals over the weekend. Janice made a Peruvian pulled pork served with mango salsa and stuffed acorn squash. I made a hand-rolled gnocchi dinner with garden fresh sage butter and lemon zest for Sunday dinner. For dessert we ate most of the Halloween candy — oops, sorry kids.

The mums are out but so are the hungry deer — may the twain never meet. The autumn leaves are now turning red and gold as the sun sets lower on this Hudson River town’s horizon. It casts a peach-colored glow that pushes long shadows down cold streets. I swept away the spider webs which hung with pearls of dew strung between the ivory rails and admired our handiwork. I said goodbye to the porch, packed up my tools, and headed back to Brooklyn.

A Ginger Spiced Pork Pie at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Antic

I made a few adjustments to my Kings County Pork Pie hat pattern using Rowan Wool Cotton. It still needed to be washed and pressed but I wanted to wear it to the Atlantic Antic to see Les Sans Culottes. This hat is so light-weight and breathable, but mostly it kept my head warn on this crowded, chilly fall afternoon.

Men in black— Jacques, Clermont, and Pomme grab a beer at Last Exit bar.

Band leader and French ex-pat, Clermont Ferrand, en route to the stage

Tous de la bande, Les Sans Culottes — Clermont Ferrand (l'homme de tête). Kit Kat Le Noir and Courtney Louvre (les chanteuses deux), M. Pommes Frites (la basse), Tres Semmé (la guitare) Johnny Dieppe (le clavier), Jacques Strappe (la batterie)

Madame Courtney warming up her vocals on a chilly day

The music was sweet, the street food was delicious, and the crowd screamed “Encore!” Notice the stroller brigade.

This crowd gets younger and younger each year. Where did their parents go?

Antoine, Janice, and family — this was a long day for the girls.

Adrianne looked surprised. I wonder what Katie just told her.

Tom and Michelle bobbed to French power-pop rock in a sea of people.

Troy and Pat hold court off of Court Street.

The youngest fan of all — Kit Kat kisses baby Delphine’s sweet little dancing feet. I wish I could have stayed longer, but my allergies were killing me. October is allergy season and I got the whole fall package this year — sneezing, itching, runny nose, dry eyes.

The gang went bar crawling and I wandered home sneezing. I made some coffee and revised my hat pattern with a simple side band. It’s optional but it adds an understated detail, and it accommodates minor adjustments within hat sizes.

Rowan Wool Cotton is a 50/50 merino blend that is so soft and elastic that it makes any hat feel like freshly baked bread. I particularly love this warm color (SH: 00965 / LOT: 3373). It’s the color of the best ginger snap you’ve ever had. Here’s a closer look with my friend Justin, he’s a busy man who wears many hats.

Trilby — A Study in Clothesline Crochet

This Trilby hat is a study in a corded crochet technique better known as “Clothesline Crochet.” This technique is actually the basic building block of Irish filigree crochet, where in a stiff cord is carried along a single-crochet row. Here’s a link to a quick tutorial.

The hat is eponymous with the tone-deaf heroine, Trilby O’Ferrall, from the George du Maurier novel (1894). Originally worn as a woman’s hat, it’s retro-popularity was resurrected by the likes of leading men Frank Sinatra, James Bond, of course The Blues Brothers and my favorite shady pathologist, Dexter.

The Tribly is similar to the Fedora but with a firm shorter brim up-turned in the back. I made this crochet hat with a more prominent grade to the front and an oblique oval crown instead of a classic teardrop.

This Trilby is made with Classic Elite Provence (100% mercerized cotton). I came up with a modified single crochet stitch that I call “Straw Braid” — it really does resemble the fine braid used on straw hats. The Clothesline Crochet technique keeps the crown and brim firm — a thicker cord on the crown than on the brim.

Firming Things Up — Clothesline Crochet Basics

The tail of the now downgraded tropical storm Irene has just left us. Although there was flooding in low lying areas, damage to the city seems minimal so far.  We stepped out for a drink with friends at Sharlene’s Bar last night but left when once weather turned. The sun is peaking out now and it’s  time to break out the clothesline.

Clothesline Crochet Demonstration
This technique is similar to the padded construction of Irish filigree crochet but used less decoratively. It’s made by carrying a thicker cord, such as cotton clothesline, inside a densely wrapped row of single crochet. For this demonstration I’m using Classic Elite Provence (100% mercerized cotton, 256 yds) over a linen burlap cord. The stitch in this demonstration is called “Straw Braid” — a modified single crochet stitch created by yours truly. After looking around on the web and Ravelry, I think I actually came up with an original stitch. Work slowly and adjust cord tension every two inches or so.

Step 1: With a loop on your hook, drape the cord over the hook. Insert the hook through the vertical strand closest to the hook’s tip and top chain of the next stitch on the previous row.

Step 2: Draw a loop through both the top of the chain and the vertical strand. You should have two loops on the hook.

Step 3: Now draw a loop through these last two loops while “catching” the cord. Now, you should have one loop on your hook. Repeat these three steps.

This technique creates a thicker, less pliable fabric that’s suitable for bags, baskets, backpacks, trimmed piping, the crown and brim of hats... etc., anything that requires more structure.

I used an actual cotton clothesline in the crown of this Trilby hat (left). It gives the Straw Braid stitch a padded look. The side band (right) is also made with the Straw Braid stitch without the linen cord. It has a flatter surface and looks more... well.. like braided straw ribbon.

Hats Off to Brett Bara!

The entire East Coast was just rocked by a 5.8 tremor... and now we brace ourselves for a hurricane? But neither earthquake nor the impending doom of Hurricane Irene can hold me back. Freshly pressed and ironed on this soggy day, I just sent off three Kings County Pork Pies to crafty maven Brett Bara for her book on crochet accessories (Interweave Books). I’m very proud to be included in her project along with many other talented folks.

This hat pattern is written for men's sizes small, medium, and large and includes special instructions for Tunisian Crochet. Now back to proofing more patterns for The Yarn Monkey store.

The Redhook Drifter Beach Hat

Justin B. and the Redhook Drifter — this beach hat has a generous crown and a stingy brim that can be worn up, like a Trilby, or down and around. It’s versatile and folds completely flat into your bag or jacket pocket. It’s reminiscent of bygone afternoons at Sunny’s Bar... good times, blue grass, and cheap beer. One might ask ”Where is Redhook Beach?” If you have to ask... beware of erroneous directions.

The Redhook Drifter is crocheted in a chunky tweed yarn, Ella Rae Kasbah, a light-weight cotton blend that feels cool and soft on your head on a sultry summer afternoon. I created a new stitch for this hat that I call “Straw Braid.” The Redhook Drifter comes in Marigold Tweed, Monk Parrot Green, and Van Brunt Red — each brim trimmed with linen/silk braid.

Run out and get one while they’re hot, at Ozzie’s on 7th avenue (57 7th Avenue), here in Park Slope this summer. Thanks again Justin B., for showing off my hat.

Tunisian Crochet in the Round

I don't really know the origins of Tunisian Crochet (a.k.a. Afghan Crochet) — but much like the Panama hat, it probably has little to do with Tunisia. From what I’ve read, its modern popularity peaked in Victorian era — used for household items such as cushions, antimacassars, embroidery ground... Afghans, etc. Tunisian crochet is made with a hook with a long straight barrel. Some have hooks on both ends (the Cro-hook) for more complicated constructions.

One way I like using Tunisian crochet is to work in the round by spiraling a narrow ribbon that travels in one direction — as seen in the crown of my Kings County Pork Pie hat above. It's a great technique for any tube construction... bags, backpacks, etc. This modification of basic Tunisian Crochet continually joins at the right edge of the previous row as as you make a ribbon. This technique is also knows as “Linked Double Crochet” when worked on the right-facing side. For this demonstration I used a standard US C (2.5 mm) hook to make a ribbon that is 2 stitches wide. I recommend any medium weight cotton or linen blended yarn — I ran two skeins of Louet Euroflax sport weight (#2 fine).

The Working Row: This ribbon is 2 stitches wide. With a loop held on your hook, insert it through the first vertical strand, then insert the hook through the front part of the chain on top. Pull a loop through the the top chain and the strand. Leave the loop on the needle. You should have two loops on your hook at this point.

Join & Return Row: Now insert your hook through the chain from the previous row. Pull a new loop through. Pull a loop through this new loop and the loop on your needle. You should have two loops on your needle. Pull a loop through these last two loops.

The marker in the photo above is at point of origin. Repeat The Working Row and the Join & Return Row in the round until you have an open ended tube. As you see from the Pork Pie hat at the top, I created a flat base then worked in the round to the depth of the crown. By increasing the stitch count on rows I gave the crown a slight taper to fit the head better.