My internet has been on the frits for several weeks. I am switching companies on monday. Since I started this blog I have had a several problems with my internet. Still, switching to another DSL company should allow me to add to the blog when I am awake at 4:00 on the morning.
Firstly I wold like to think Lynn for the gizmo. I have already been experimenting it. In recently months I have been experimenting with felting. Even thought this means that I must use a natural wool it is a very good process for making bags. Using the machine I have made a couple test swatches that could help me deign a felted apparatus bag. For those of you that know me that is the bag I carry my juggling equipment in.
I am currently putting together another a clown troop. I am going to have to make several new bags. Looking into the price of canvas if it takes less than 20 skeins it might be cheaper to make it out of wool. the only problem with this is the fact that it would take many weeks to make a bog and I will probably need to make 6 of them. Even as complicated as the bag is with it's expernal pockets there are only six angles on the bag and no button holes. I think I could make an entire bag in a couple days once I master the gizmo.
I may be heresy amoung some knitting circles but in the Circus circles it is what ever it takes to get the job done.
My wife is doing well and will be going back to school in a week. Sally and Zoltan are also doing well.
The new black bag is coming along slowly. I have decided to make it a little bigger. And since it will be felted it is going to be enourmous until it is felted. I have made one of the removable pockets and felted it. I am very pleased with the result. This first test pocket is one of the thing that makes me think it might be able to an Apparatus Bag from felted wool.
It is odd how some thing come full circle. I am told that this first bag that were used by my old circus just before the civil were felted wool much like Army Uniforms of the time were made from.
The only problem with the felted black bag is that I am forced to use a circular needle. I am apparenly the only person in the world that does not like them. And they do not like me. I just broke the one I am using today and I don't have another number 6 in the size I need. I will have to pick one up tommarrow. this further intensifies my desire to have a set of three and a half foot needles made. It may be considering the most insain madeness by most knitters, still, it is how I was taught. And a good set of steel needles never breaks.
I have found a welding company that is willing to take a crack at making these supersized needs. the old ones I used to have were just bare metal. Perhapse Rustolium would be strong enough to finish the needles. I do like the slightly tapered points on the Bryspuns that I have bee using. It should not be hard to replicate that with a grinder.
I have looked high and low an it looks as if no one makes such a needle anymore. maybe I am stuck in a bygone age. Still, they are easier.
5 comments:
I don't think it's heresy. I like my "gizmo." I used it just last weekend for a last minute baby blanket gift. I still prefer handknitting, but I'm a big fan of having a kntiting machine handy.
Look at the very bottom to see if these might be of use: http://www.schoolhousepress.com/needles.htm
They are only 16 inches, but that might be enough???
You could try making your own Circular Needles:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=25372.120
The excerpt about circulars so you don't have to read the whole thread:
"Yes indeedy, it's possible to make your own circular needles. I made a pair of 40" size 8's.
Following the advice of several folks in this thread, I made them and they work really well. I'm amazed as can be.
What I did was cut the dowels to short lengths, and using a really tiny drill bit, drilled a hole into one end of each dowel. I held the dowel in a pair of pliars since I didn't have a vice. I made the hole probably 3/4 inch deep.
Then I sanded the drilled end until it was about as tapered as I could get it to be. I found that the easiest way to get a smooth join is to sand more off one side so you have an oval shaped hole that you can see from the side of the dowel. I then glued in some weed whacker replacement cord into the both ends and let it dry. When dry, I sanded a little bit more, and then coated the ends where the cord goes in with clear nail polish (because that is what I had on hand) up about a 1/4 inch onto the needle. I let that dry, and put on 2-3 more coats of the clear polish. The join is VERY smooth.
Afterwards, I sanded down the knitting ends of the needles until I was satisfied with the amount of taper. I coated the needles in butchers wax and buffed them a couple of times, too.
They cost me less than 2 bucks to make, and that's including the cost of 40 feet of weed whacker wire!"
There's also the new KnitPicks Needles that everyone is raving about, which still cost more than $2.
Thank you for the suggestions. I must say I am surspised anyone reads this thing.
i am curious where one learns on 3.5foot needles?? you're writing "accent" sounds eastern european, but i am just speculating. i enjoy reading your blog very much, but would love to see some photos of your work sprinkled in. as for your apparatus bag: have you considered a large, commercially-made duffel bag? i dated a juggler for a year once, and all our juggler & circus friends (where i live, there is a circus school, dell arte), they all used duffel bags; sturdy & cheap.
keep writing!
Velma's World
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