Long Ruffled Standard Pillow Cases

Hello dear readers, happy Sunday!

Friday night I pulled out my old sewing machine and when I say old, I'm talking it's been with me since the early 90's. I've thought about upgrading a couple times, however, being the practical gal I am it's here to stay.

I know technology has come a long way with sewing machines the new ones seemed to do just about anything you want them to these days. Just about any darn stitch, and so many other fancy things. For me, well, I like the simple ways, so I sat down this weekend and did a bit of sewing. 

Making a few pillow cases out of some Osnaburg fabric 45" wide which I've had stored away for quite awhile.

I really had no idea what I was going to do with the fabric, it was on sale so I snagged it up. In fact I bought the entire bolt. I just took the photographs this morning the light wasn't the best and I haven't been studying any of the gadgets my new camera can do, shame on me.

I've actually been taking it easy this past week. Watching movies like The Butler, which was so good and just hanging out with my cat, Bella. She likes when I just lay back, if I'm busy she stays away and really doesn't like it has her own way of letting me know.

I am going to list some of the long ruffled pillow cases in my Ewenique Farm Goods shop here in my blog. They are Osnaburg, pre-washed fabric, fits standard pillows. All the seams are done with a French seam so there is absolutely no fraying that can occur. The ruffle is 12" long, the pillow displaying this particular pillow case is quite a bit worn and the stuffing is a bit flat. These will fit any standard pillow form easily, measures 20" by 26 to end of pillow as a standard pillow size then has the additional 12" ruffle.

I've also purchased some Cream Wheat House Check Homespun Fabric (above) will be making some long ruffled pillow cases with this fabric. They will be listed for sale also, along with the same fabric in Black Check H 54. I just love the homespun fabrics these are very high quality fabrics. Along with these I will be adding quality solid white and cream cotton fabric these will have 18" ruffles. The prices will be 49.95 for the Osnaburg set of two and 59.95 for the Homespun set of two all standard sizes. The Cream and White's will be 25.00 per long 12" ruffle pillow case.

Thanks for stopping in today and reading, have a great day!

Easy long tail cast on knitting tutorial

I am re-visiting a long tail knitting cast on. I know has been done many times in the past, however there are many people out there that still have not caught on to the idea, of exactly how it works. Maybe its' too tight, so you give up and do the traditional cast on instead. I know I did it many times too tightly, I've grown to love it and use it all the time.

Here I am beginning a new knitted hat using Wool Ease thick n quick yarn by Lion Brand.

Once you make your beginning slip knot and place it on your needle. Lay the yarn over your open, left palm (right if you're a left handed knitter) with the cast on needle behind as shown.

Open your four fingers as shown and place the yarn at the bottom of the photograph through your pinkie finger and close it. This will hold the yarn that is loose and coming off the ball of yarn.

                           

Here it shows you how the yarn looks between my third finger and pinkie finger. This is how it should look at this point with the cast on needle still in the front as in the first photograph.

 Now pick up the cast on needle take it around your index finger from behind, bringing it through your index finger and your second finger, creating a loop.

This is how it will look when the cast on needle is done correctly. The cast on needle with be in the front with the yarn through your index finger and second finger making the loop.

Take the cast on needle over your thumb and rest it a surface as shown. You will see now the yarn is going from the space between the index finger and second finger, over your thumb.

Pick up the cast on needle bringing it toward you around your thumb on top of the yarn, creating another loop. It should look exactly like the photograph. 

Next take your knitting needle point and put it through the yarn at the back of your thumb, lifting the needle straight up and off your thumb.

It will look something like this....

Simply pull your yarn and tighten the loop on to the knitting needle. That's it! I noticed this is a tight cast on which was the problem I had with this particular technique. So, what I did, if your using say a size 15 needle step down to a 13, it makes it much easier to get through the tight cast on and begin your row. 

Same works for all cast on needles. Cast on with a size 6, take a 5 and do your first row then go back to your 6, often I will do one more row with the smaller needle. I am a person when casting on and knitting my first few rows, does it too loose. This really helped me work it out. I hope this helps those who are having trouble with this technique, once you get it down, you'll love it!

Update...continue just wrapping the yarn around your thumb as in photograph number 7, once you put a cast on stitch on the needle, simply take your needle, give is a bit of a tug to release more yarn through your pinkie and index finger, wrap around your thumb to work another cast on stitch. and working it on to your cast on needle until you have the number of cast on's your pattern requires.

 As your knitting your cast on row it will often look like there is a big space between the stitches. This is okay, in fact, this was another reason I gave up, I thought it was to long and wrong. It's not, just pull it a bit tight and...

continue knitting on....