Cornish Frock is knitted and washed!

Washed, folded and ready to wear this spring!
 

I first wrote about this project here .

At that time, it was the first day of autumn in 2011.  Now as spring nears in 2013, I have finished the knitting!
It feels so good to have done this one! Much of it was in the last month while visiting Mom in rehab.
Yesterday , I stitched the pieces together, without blocking for once, measured and photographed the garment. See the first photo.  It was medium blue (as were my bamboo needles from all this indigo!) and 29 inches long.

 

Into the washer (with a regular dark load) it went.....and then the dryer.  What suspense! I went out to visit Mom and then made our dinner while it was in the dryer. (Steve was home, I didn't leave the dryer going  unsupervised!)

Ta-da!  It came out as it should, about 10 %  shorter all over.  I didn't measure the width....but it fits me quite nicely now....even if it also shrank horizontally....mostly though, it was a lengthwise shrink.
These garments traditionally have shortish sleeves, as the men at sea didn't need long armed sweaters weighting them down in their work!

It will continue to fade like denim jeans....and I don't plan anymore hot water washings....just to be sure...it will have cold baths. No more shrinking, we hope!
Thanks to Jane Gottelier  and the knitters of Cornwall traditions for a great pattern!

Another knitter's story. about knitting his Cornish frock....good information!

"Queen of the Ranch" fabric collage project

“Queen of the Ranch” cigarette card, date unknown.

An excerpt from the back:

--Such a girl, as she goes out to the round-up dressed cowboy style, and carrying a smaller edition of his weapons, is the idol of every man on the ranch. The cowboys are a rough lot, but no class in the world has higher regard for good women. Their one dread is if their employer has a daughter who is a local belle, that she will grow up and marry some “dude from the East.”

Courtesy of the NYPL.


At our last Q.U. I. L.T. quild meeting, our vendor was The Bead Ranch from Stillwater, Ok. I found this small cowgirl already printed on fabric and ready for an art quilt experience....she has led me to hours of fun already!

Above you can see the things I have gathered for this collage....including part of a pair of Levi's left over from making denim tote bags.  i think I will add some bandana print and some more lace....

It will be stitched together using acrylic felt for support and stabalizing, the felt is easy to "needle" and fibers don't come through to the top when I stitch.

I'll keep you posted on our progress with this art piece!