crochet

Christmas gifts–Hand Crocheted RBG collar

| run-sew-read

In September, we lost Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was beloved by many for her words and values. Her passing inspired a trend of crocheted collars.

This picture is the cover of her memoir. Click the picture to go to the book in Amazon.

Hand crocheted RBG collars were the right gift for a few of my peeps. Here’s the version I made:

Supply list and product links:

*From one spool of ‘Red Heart #3 crochet thread’, I got three (3) of the collars described below.

Time commitment: Each collar took somewhere between 2 and 4 hours to crochet. If you like to watch college basketball, you can crochet while watching two games and you’ll likely finish crocheting the collar during the second game.

Work in progress.

My Version of the Collars (caveat: This is a listing of my rows and what’s in them, but not professionally-written crochet instructions.):

  • Row 1: Chain 77
  • Row 2: Turn. In every other chain stitch, single crochet + chain 1
  • Row 3: Turn. *Chain 3, single crochet in space between Row 2 single crochets, repeat from * to end.
  • Row 4: Turn. *Chain 4, single crochet in chain 3 space in Row 2, repeat from * to end.
  • Rows 5-7: Repeat Row 4
  • Collar end: Turn and single crochet 8 stitches along end.
  • Repeat two more single crochet rows.
  • Chain 8 for button loop, and attach loop to neck edge with slipstitch.
  • Neckline: In each chain 1 space, single crochet + chain 1 to other end of collar.
  • Collar end: Turn and single crochet 9 stitches along end.
  • Repeat one more single crochet row on end.
  • Add button at neckline and tie off thread ends.
Close up of the stitches and back closure button:

Shrink and block the collar.

  • To shrink, I soaked the collar for a few minutes in a cup of boiling water, and then tumble-dried it in a hot dryer. It came out in a compact ball.
  • To block the collar, stretch it back into shape by pinning it to padded cardboard, cover with a press cloth and steam it with the iron.

Then sew on the button.

For easy gifting, the collar fits in a greeting card. Hint: The flatter the button the better for mailing in a card.

Other patterns:

For ideas and inspiration, I studied these two RBG collar patterns:

MORE ABOUT RBG

Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Bader_Ginsburg

Notorious RBG tour: Take a virtual tour via Zoom, of this special RBG exhibit at the Illinois Holocaust Museum through February 20, 2021. https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/rbg/ (Pre-registration required.)

On the Basis of Sex (movie): “The true story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her struggles for equal rights, and the early cases of a historic career that lead to her nomination and confirmation as U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice.” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4669788/

Several of the usual streaming services offer this movie. Here is the link to stream on Amazon Prime. https://amzn.to/2WzmbRw

**The Amazon links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you click and buy, I may receive a few cents from Amazon, which will help me offset the cost of my blog, which I’m committed to keeping ad-free.

A dress to match the cuffs.

| run-sew-read

“Don’t buy a suit to match your tie,” is a proverb that has served me very well… except when it should be ignored, such as with this project.  It started with a picture of knit+crochet cuffs I saw online, which led me to grab knitting needles and some cotton yarn from my stash, and experiment with the design.  Soon I had a set of cuffs I loved, with nothing to put them on.

Cuffs RSR

So, with cuffs in hand and no plan except that I might like them on a dress, I went fabric shopping, and came home with this lightweight rayon plaid:

Fabric RSR

For a pattern, I decided on the “Coco dress” from Tilly and the Buttons.  The dress has simple, basic lines; is fast to construct; and worked well for me on a prior dress.

Coco-cover_grande

I sewed the dress and attached the cuffs before deciding what to do with the neckline.  At that point, the answer was obvious–make a collar to match the cuffs.

Collar RSR

The finished dress:  Tada!

Dress on form2 RSR

I’ve now worn the dress once, and am quite happy with it.  Here are a few thoughts on the dress and fabric:

  • The A-line skirt makes the dress bicycle-friendly.
  • The cotton cuffs and collar, and lightweight rayon make a very comfortable dress.
  • The lightweight fabric makes the dress fit easily under a blazer when called for at work, or under a jacket for chilly Fall mornings and evenings.
  • The weight of the dress feels quirky on the hanger because the fabric is lightweight and flowy, while the cuffs and collar are weightier cotton.  The weight disparity isn’t evident when the dress is being worn.
  • The rayon fabric is not very durable.  It will be susceptible to snags.  The edges of the fabric fray profusely, so I had to finish all of the edges first thing.
  • About that plaid.  I should have had my head examined for buying flimsy fabric with a plaid that had to be matched.  Eventually, I figured out a method that mostly worked, but not before several frustrated do-overs.  Marking a straight hem was a bear, too, because of the shifty fabric and the plaid.

A few more views:

The back neck closure was finished with two self-fabric covered buttons and crochet button hole loops.

IMG_20181021_105538520a

The horizontal plaid matching.

Match stripes 2

Hall mirror selfie.

IMG_20181021_175030488a RSR

Project Details:

 

Pirate Radio–what I’ve been watching (and listening to, and knitting to)

| run-sew-read

This past weekend I caught a nasty bug, which means I spent lots of time on the couch, under warm blankets.  When I would get tired of napping, I’d sit up and drink warm tea, watch feel-good movies, and work on this knit+crochet project.  It is going to be the collar for a dress which is finished…except for this piece.  Stay tuned for a finished garment post.

Knit crochet collar2

One of my most fave feel-good movies got another watch– ‘Pirate Radio–The Boat That Rocked‘.  It’s a fave for a lot of reasons, some of which are:

  • The unbelievable story of how the British government tried to ban rock and roll radio in the 1960s
  • The cool mid-1960s clothes
  • The great 1960s rock and roll music
  • The cast of cool movie stars, who all portray great characters
  • The great ending.

It’s a really entertaining movie.  Here’s the trailer:

For me, the best movies are the ones that give me something new to look up, or read or listen to, to continue the experience after leaving the theatre.  Sometimes it’s a biopic that sends me in search of the biography to read.  (Examples:  Walk the Line, The Aviator, A Beautiful Mind.)  ‘Pirate Radio‘ compelled me to order the soundtrack, and look up some of the gazillion album covers shown in the movie and credits.  Let’s say there were some surprises…

Most importantly, the movie led me to Radio Caroline, the pirate radio station the movie was substantially based on.  The station now streams online.  On finding the station, I became an instant regular listener, and still am.  The station is staffed by real live DJs from the pirate radio days.  Each DJ plays the music he/she wants; new and old.  If it weren’t for them, there are current artists and new music I would never have been exposed to here in the US Midwest stranglehold of corporate radio.  Back in the early days of Radio Caroline, it is shocking ‘who’ we music listeners might never have heard of if it weren’t for pirate radio.

“Without Caroline, we would not have sold a single record.  …  Sometimes the law is more than an ass.  Pirates?  They were angels.” Pete Townshend

“Radio Caroline was more adventurous than most stations around in its day.  It championed bands like the Kinks, who owe much of their early success to Radio Caroline and Tom Lodge.”   Ray Davies  (link)

The Caroline studio today is located in Kent, UK, but several times a year the DJs broadcast from their old ship, the ‘Ross Revenge’, which is now permanently moored in the River Blackwater.  The DJs broadcast, eat, sleep and hang out on the boat, and mix music with their stories and memories from the early days.  During one of these special broadcasts a few years ago, they offered a t-shirt for donation, that I couldn’t pass up.  It was a replica of a Radio Caroline t-shirt worn by Keith Moon.  It’s a fun thing to wear for just the right occasion.

 

(These photos are from the site wornfree.com, that once sold the shirts.)

I could go on and on about what a cool organization it is that keeps Caroline going strong.  But instead I urge you to explore their website, if interested.  They have an extensive online web shop, and they have a fun ‘daily quiz’, of trivia questions.

(Sample Quiz)Radio Caroline Daily Quiz example

In 2017, Radio Caroline commemorated the 50th anniversary of the UK’s enacting of the Marine Offences Act, the law that was intended to shut them down.  Coinciding with that 50th anniversary, the station was finally awarded its own official over-the-air broadcast frequency by the British Government.  Ironically, it was an old BBC frequency.  It was an emotional thing, seeing Radio Caroline finally recognized for its valuable contribution to our culture.

Wikipedia on pirate radio in the UK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_radio_in_the_United_Kingdom 

More Pirate Radio.

Coincidentally, Radio Caroline is doing one of its special broadcasts from the ship this coming weekend (October 20-21, 2018).  For your own real-time Pirate Radio listening experience this Saturday and Sunday, go to the Radio Caroline website, and click the ‘Radio Caroline North’ play button in the header.  I’ll be listening as much as my schedule allows.