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Writer's pictureBobbie Olan Casiano
Oct 12, 202223 min read

#028 - Multicrafty madness

In this episode:


Craft for Thought

- My next knits, and a reason not to knit projects


Multicrafty

- Crochet: Sit Upon Chair Pads by Cal Patch

- Crochet: Simple Origami Baubles by Esther Chandler

- Sewing: Gabrielle dress by Seamwork

- Quilting: Tumbling Blocks quilt

- Basketry: Raffia basket from the Raffia Connection

- Natural Dyeing: failed trial with the black bean flower


Heart Full of Craft

- Natural ambience




Transcript

Greetings, knitting neighbours and crafty comrades. Welcome and thank you all for joining me for another episode of Bobolog. My name is Bobbie Olan and I am a knitter and crafter in Victoria, Australia, where I live with my partner. We are on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people and I would like to acknowledge them and pay my respects to their elders past, present and future.


You can also find me on Instagram under Platypus Knitting and I am on Ravelry under Bobbie Olan and I would love to hear from any and all of you on either of those platforms. I also have a bit of hobby shop on Kofi, and you're also welcome to just support me there if you feel so inclined. That would be really lovely. And links. The links to everything that I discuss in this episode will be down in the YouTube description below.


I think that is all of the housekeeping stuff out of the way. So let's just have a bit of a chat.



Craft for Thought

So since the last episode when I showed you my finished Flared Pullover, I actually haven't done any knitting. And initially, that was kind of because I was feeling a bit of knitting whiplash. Because for me that project was such a big epic one and I just needed to take a break from knitting for a while. I just didn't feel like knitting and I sort of- I think I was more after kind of like smaller instant gratification projects. And I don't know. Yeah, I just didn't really feel like knitting.


And then - so I've been doing other things which I'll talk about - and then it sort of got to a point where when I did start feeling like knitting again, I was getting so close to filming this episode that I kind of wanted to see if I could stay away from knitting until I filmed. So the last couple of days, my hands have been really itching to pick up the needles - because I love knitting so much and I had- was really starting to miss it but I just kind of wanted to see if I could not.


And it is also- like I say that I'm a knitter and crafter because knitting is my- my primary thing. My one true love. The thing that I really want to be doing all of the time if I could - most of the time. But 'crafter' because I really like a lot of other forms of crafting that I never get to do. Because I always just prefer to knit when that is also an option, which I think I've talked about before.


But because I was actually not feeling like knitting, I got really excited about doing all of the other projects that I want to do. So I have been doing a lot of other crafty projects. So for those of you who are only here for knitting content, you may want to skip this episode because you won't be getting it from me. So sorry about that, but for those of you who are sort of just interested in following along my journey and seeing what I'm up to then stick around.


I'm not going to be going into a whole lot of detail about all of the things that I have made. It's- I'm not going to be going into a whole lot of detail about all of the things that I've made. It's going to be more of just like a- just a- like a show with a bit of tell, not a full show and tell like I do with my knitting where I go into all of the little like tiny details of all of the steps that I took to make it.


Yeah, the last thing that I'll say about the Flared Pullover is that I did film bits and pieces of it as I went along. And I've started editing some videos for my Knit, Tink, Knit, Repeat playlist. It's gonna be a different format to the other videos that I've put on there because I had found that filming the whole entire project, and like doing the whole thing as a time lapse, it was a bit much for me, really. And yeah, it just wasn't quite working for me, especially for the really big projects like an adult sized jumper. So I guess when those go out - if you do watch those videos, I'd be really interested on your feedback of, I guess, just what you'd like to see in those project focused videos. Anyway, I'll stop going on about that.


The other things that I wanted to talk about are just- Yeah, so I think I think also part of the reason why I have procrastinated on picking up the needles is because I- like I said I am kind of really looking for those smaller, more instant gratification projects that- that I can whip out a lot quicker than a 60 hour jumper. But I before I let myself do any of those smaller new projects I really want to - or I really need to - finish some of the UFOs that I had been working on previously that need to become works in progress again.


So they include a a fix that I'm doing for the Greenwich sweater that I am knitting - or that I did knit - for my sister. She wanted the front to be a bit longer because it was one of those sweaters that's cropped in the front and longer at the back and it was like a huge difference in length between the two. So I have been working on re-knitting the front of that one so I need to finish that because it was for her birthday like a year or two ago or something like that. So I really need to get onto that one.


I also need to finish the Star Illusion Blanket that I was working on earlier this year. Which was really such a fun knit. So I am keen to to finish that one off and get it done.


And then the third project is the Jigsaw Shawl by Katrina Walser, which is probably lowest on the list of those three purely because it's for me, and I don't need it for a certain deadline. I just want to have it for myself. And I need to get those other projects done so that I can wrap them up and send them off and get them to their recipients sooner rather than later because they are both late gifts.


So I want to get all of those projects done before I start working on the other projects that I have planned and the other projects that I have planned. A lot of them are gifts as well so I want to knit a few socks for Christmas. Yeah, so that'll- that'll happen. And probably at some point today after I have filmed this and done all the other things that I need to do - all the errands and chores that I need to do - I'm really keen to pick up the needles. And probably I'd say the first thing that I'll pick up will be the Star Illusion Blanket because that was really, that's really a lot of fun. It was the first shadow knitting or illusion knitting project that I had done. Yeah, so I'm keen to pick that one up and show you how that one is going in the next episode.


Also thinking about things that I want to be knitting next and the smaller projects that I want to do for gifts - there are actually 3 beanies that were in that list that I have decided that I won't knit. Because I have been working a lot with stash yarn in the last couple of weeks because there are just yarns that- Okay, so- so what it is really is: I've kind of been like thinking about my stash and thinking about how long some of the yarns have been there. And also just how much I've got - and it's not a huge massive stash, but it's kind of been feeling a bit overwhelming lately. And I really, really, really want to get through as much of my stash as I can so that I can sort of start you know, building it up fresh with newer funner newer yarns or something. I don't know.


Anyway, so next year, or after I've made all of these smaller projects, my priorities on picking projects are going to be to knit things that- that I already have the yarn for and also that I already have the pattern for. And then once I've gone through all of those, I'll be prioritising things that I have the yarn for and I just need to buy the pattern for. So that's just a bit of how I've been thinking about that.


But anyway, back to what I was originally talking about. And that is that: So these 3 beanies that I had said to myself that I want to knit, I had picked them because I have some yarn in my stash that is an acrylic wool blend, which I had purchased because I was planning to make a sweater for one of my nephews. And it was going to be an intarsia sweater I think, so I have four different colours. And I chose an acrylic wool blend because I no longer really like knitting from pure acrylic. And I didn't want it to be 100% wool, just to be on the same size- same size? just to be on the safe size as - Oh my God, why can't I speak? Just to be on the safe side! Safe side for what the child could wear.


And this was many years ago, and anyway, I didn't end up knitting that project. I ended up working on a completely different project that used different yarns. So I have had these wool acrylic blends in my stash for a while. And I just haven't known what to do with them. Because it was a project for a toddler so it's not like an- another sweaters quantity unless I make something for a toddler again. It's just like one ball of each of the colours or something like that. And I've been struggling with what to do with them because I don't like wearing acrylic myself. And I, yeah. I just didn't know what to use them for.


So I was realising that I had a few beanie patterns in my library just by virtue of you know, building up my library of magazines, which I think is those ones there. And so I kind of said, 'Okay, I'll use these to make beanies for all my nieces and nephews because I'm- I think that'll be like a good use of them.' But then, recently, I have been thinking about all these, you know, these, these small projects that I'm going to be doing for the rest of the year. And I started thinking that I didn't really like that approach - that I've picked those projects and who they're going to go for purely - really purely because I'm wanting to get rid of that stash and not so much because I think these- these are really nice beanies that my nieces and nephews will like.


There's also a part of it that's like, I like giving handmade things because I hope to sort of imbue and appreci- an appreciation of handmade products, to you know, these little people who are like sponges and absorb you know, all the things and I hope that they gain an appreciation for- for the handmade through these gifts that I give them. Which I know- or I don't know- it's it's it's all just like high ideals in my head and whatever.


But yeah, I realised that I didn't really like that the reason for those particular gifts was more about me and what I wanted, rather than what I think they would like. So I need to have a think about you know, balancing those things a bit better when I am making gifts for other people. So I have taken those particular projects off my queue, and they are still nice beanies that I'll probably make at some point, but I'm just not in a rush to make them anymore. And I guess that stash will just- that yarn will just continue to sit in my stash until I do think- have an actual appropriate project for them, which is fine. They're not hurting anyone sitting in sitting in my stash.


So yeah, and I've gotten through a lot of other stash yarn working on other projects, which has been really great. So yeah, I- and they're actually, I- you know, I was able to get through a lot of stash making products that I think will actually be useful in our ac- are fun and appreciated. So yeah, that's kind of my- that's kind of what's been like travelling through my brain in the last couple of weeks in all of the projects and all of the project planning and stuff that I've been doing. So yeah, just a peek into the muddle that is my head.


So is that all? I think that's all that I kind of wanted to chat about with you, yeah, that's- that's sort of craft related.



Multicrafty

I have been having so much fun working on all the other projects. So I'm just going to show them to you now. And this is going to be a pretty short episode because like I said, I'm not going to go into a lot of detail about them because there's actually a lot to show you, which I'm really excited about.


I have been having so much fun working on these other projects. So I really think from here on I want to make more of an effort to incorporate these other projects into my regular sort of repertoire of crafting and not just be doing knitting so much anymore. I don't want to be so hyper focused and put so much pressure on my knitting projects anymore. So yeah, we'll see. We'll see how that goes. Because odds are I'll start knitting again and it'll just be full on full blown addiction and I won't be able to do anything else, but I will try.



Sit Upon Chair Pads

Anyway, let's look at some stuff. So the first project that I want to make you - make you? - the first- the first couple of projects that I want to show you are crochet projects. So for the little introduction for this first one here - a few years ago, I was gifted a couple of Caron Cakes, which are big 200g balls of a wool acrylic blend and it's like a really lovely gradient. So I was given two cakes of that in a purple colourway.


And it's one of those ones where - again, like the other yarn that I was talking about - it's a wool acrylic blend I didn't really know what to do with. Because there are some tops for me that I could have used it in that would have looked quite nice, but then whenever I went to start working on them, I would think, 'Oh, do I really want to be wearing acrylic?' And I can't- and I just can't go through with it. And it's the same thing for shawls. There are a couple of shawls that it would have been nice for but then I think, 'Well I don't love the idea of wrapping myself up in something that's like, got a lot of acrylic content in it.' So again, it never got cast on.


And then I decided that I would do a crochet project with them. So it's out of one of the Making Magazines. It's a design by Cal Patch and it's called the Sit-Upon Chair Pad. And I thought- When I was looking at that pattern it needs like super bulky yarn. And the trouble with super bulky yarn is it's such a spectrum of things. So I had sort of hoped that if I use this Caron Cakes held doubled - because it's a worsted (was a worsted) I think I was hoping that if I held it doubled it would be super bulky enough. But I think that the yarn that it actually called for was like really, really bulky. Like, like roving bulky.


So what I ended up doing was holding yarn held quadrupled for the most part, which has ended up looking really fun, but instead of each chair pad being like a gradient on its own, it's really more of a marled thing. So I made 6 chair pads. Five of them have the Caron Cakes held doubled, and then I'd run out for the sixth one and I could have not made the sixth one.


But the other yarns that I was using in this- this project was a whole bunch of other yarns that again, I wasn't really sure how to use. There's 100% acrylics in there. There's some baby yarns that I just did not have big enough quantities of and there are some- still some rug yarns that I had bought at a trash and treasure market many many years ago and which I had used a lot of when I made the crochet Boxet Bag which is also by Cal Patch. But I still had a whole bunch of leftover and because it's rug yarn and it's a bit rough - of course I can't use it to make accessories or clothing or any of that kind of thing.


So I thought putting it in these chair pads would be perfect because my intention for the chair pads is that I wouldn't put them on chairs. I would actually use them outside. So if I ever just want to go and sit outside and I don't necessarily want to be sitting on the grass or on the deck, I don't have to like bring out a whole picnic rug. I can just bring out a chair pad. So anyway let me show you. So much for not going into a lot of detail about all of these but I'll- yeah.


This first one that I'm going to show you is the number 6 one that doesn't have any of the Caron Cakes in it. So it's kind of the odd one of the bunch and it is also the only one that I used up a whole bunch of acrylic baby yarn which was fingering weight. So this one, in some places like I'm holding six strands together or more. Maybe it was like eight strands. I can't even remember. But for the rest of the project, everything that I used was DK or worsted, or possibly even- I think there's even a bulky yarn in here. But anyway, that's number 1.


So that's- I haven't blocked any of these as well. And I haven't bothered you know, like trying to hide- I like- I didn't make an effort to make like neat joins when I was joining yarn. So there's a whole bunch of knots. I have tried to keep them all at the back but you know. So that's number 1 there, and then all of the others - because they're made using the Caron Cakes, they have this purple thing going which I quite like.


So kind of in order from my least favourite to my most favourite-ish: That's another one there. That's another one there. I like- I quite like the yellows with the purples. Basic colour theory. This one actually has some acrylic mohair in the centre which I really don't like but the rest of it I think is quite pretty. I like the yellows and I like the bright blues on that. Sorry for my squeaking chair by the way. And my favourite one is this one here. I love just like little bits of neon in there from the speckled yarn that I have paired with this one.



So those are my 6 crochet chair pads, which if you find them in my projects on Ravelry I have called them Outdoor Tush Cush's. So that's what I'll be using them for so that's that one.



Simple Origami Baubles

The other crochet project that I did was another stashbuster, again using some leftover yarns that I wasn't sure what to do with. And these ones are 100% bamboo variegated yarns. So I- These are the simple origami bulb- bobble- Simple Origami Baubles by Esther Chandler and I was able to make 3 out of the bamboo yarns that I had leftover. And actually, I had to use a wee little bit of a different leftover bamboo cotton yarn, which you won't see because it's like in the inside of it, but these are the baubles here.



So for these two, the very tops and bottoms of them were all that I had left of this particular variegated colourway that was kind of tropical colours. And then the rest of them and this one is the same yarn in a different colourway that is these blues and reds and pinks.


So that- this was actually- it's- I'm not- I have crocheted. I can follow directions for simple patterns, and this one I- it was a bit fiddly. I had to look some stuff up to to get it all to work, but it- they've come out so well. I think they're so cute and I love that they've made like a nice squishy ball without needing any stuffing or anything like that. They just hold the shape.


I do actually kind of think- well they do look cool in this variegated pattern. The way that the pattern photos are shown is each layer- because this is made out of 6 layers that sort of fold together, I quite liked how it looked where each layer was a different colour. So the next time I make these I might aim for something like that but I do still think they look quite fun in- in the variegated yarn and I definitely want to make more of these.


I kind of think I want to make a whole bunch of these and then wrap them all up and at Christmas just go around doing lucky dips for people just because I think they're fun. When- When I gave the first one to my partner, he started using it as a hacky sack. And it didn't quite work because they're quite bouncy and they're quite light. But now that there's three he can juggle with them, because I don't know how to juggle. So that was quite a fun crochet pattern and I definitely want to use more of that and I'm very happy to have- I have none- none of this yarn left in my stash. So I'm very happy about that. So that's the second crochet project.



Gabrielle dress

The next project that I want to talk about is: I did some sewing. And I'm not the biggest fan of sewing, because I don't think I'm very good at it. But I really like the outcomes of what sewing can give you. But this project I actually found really enjoyable. And I think a lot of that is because I think the outcome came out really well. And it's with a knit fabric and the last time I had sewn knit fabrics but it didn't work out all that well. But this one I did using my overlocker which is the first time I've used that for sewing a project rather than just finishing edges.


Anyway, it's what I'm wearing. And this is the Gabrielle pattern by Seamwork which I believe is now discontinued sadly, so I'm glad that I have it. But I actually think- I think it looks quite nice on me. I think it fits me really well and I'm so super happy with how it turned out. And I do also want to say that this fabric came from a destash from one of my friends, Meg, and she- she's a big sew-er, she makes beautiful stuff and she's really into it and all that kind of thing. But she said that this fabric actually came from Mexico, which I thought was really really nice.




So I'm gonna get up and show it to you. So it's a skater dress. I'm getting up on my tippy toes so that you can see because I can't stand back far enough. But nice flowy skirt and then it's got a cute little like peekaboo detail in the back, cute little sleeves. There are some fiddly things about it that I did quite sloppily if you- if you actually look at how the sewing is done, but overall I'm so happy with the dress and I definitely want to make more of these. And I also still have heaps of this fabric leftover so I'm thinking maybe I'll try to get some leggings and either a skirt or another top, because there's so much fabric and it's really pretty. So that's that one.



Tumbling Blocks quilt

The other sewing thing that I have done is I- I am finally making a go of my first actual quilt. So at the very start of this year, I first tried quilting by making that cushion there. And I really like rushed through it because I was kind of like, excited by it and I was having fun. And I just rushed through it. And it's really really sloppily done. So this one I'm making a bit more effort into and I'm it's going to be an actual blanket. It's going to be just like a small one like a throw size possibly. I don't know. We'll just see how big it ends up being with all of the fabric that I used for it.



And yeah, like I can't really show you much but like these are the little pieces that I'm making. So they started off with making some strips and you can see I've sort of just like fudged sewing some fab- some scrap fabrics together to get some strips that were long enough. So you go from that to cutting them into these oblongs and then you cut them into these and it's going to be what's called a Tumbling Blocks quilt. So when you put it together - or when I put it together - they'll all kind of do- be that pattern all through out and sort of look like blocks all stacked up. So that's going to be my quilting project.



Raffia basket

And then what else have I done? I- Earlier this year - if you saw my episode from when I went to the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show - I bought a- a starter kit and a bag of like scraps from The Raffia Connection to make a basket or whatever, and I finally had a go starting that and that's been quite fun too. So that is this mess here. And I do really like how the- because I bought a bag of scraps. I do really like the colour changing that I've got going on in this- in this so far.




But trying to find bits that are all the same length to do this sewing bit thing is a bit tricky trying to go through the big bag of like jumbled tangled scraps. And also just like holding things together to like wrap around... It's a bit fiddly but it's still- it's still kind of fun and I'm excited to see like how big of a bowl I'll be able to get out of it. Because there was- it's- the bag was about maybe that big but it was like packed full and there's heaps in there and I want to try to make like, I don't know, a fruit bowl or something out of that. So I think that will look quite fun and pretty.



Dyeing with the Black Bean flower

And then the other thing I want to show you is a sort of failed project. I should have brought gloves but oops, didn't think of it. Anyway, I have done another natural dyeing experiment and it hasn't really worked out. This is using a black- a- a flower called black bean. And I noticed it growing on a vine and it's a black flower and I thought, 'Oh that surely will give like some really beautiful pigment,' and... kind of smells like cordial.


So that's it in the jar there. That has been sitting in the sun for almost a month I would say and you can see the beautiful colour that has come out of it. But since doing this, I have sort of tried to have a bit of a look around the internet and I saw one other person dyeing with black flowers and they said that while they like doing it, it uses- the pigment in it is some kind of variety that isn't colourfast - which I think must be the same that's in this - or the same principles apply - because let me show you.


You can see that beautiful, rich rich rich colour in that jar there. If I pull out - the flowers are all still in here. If I pull out a skein, you can see how bright that pink is. But if I give it a squeeze to get all of the excess- I've got a whatchamacallit. I've got- I've got a tea towel on my desk here to help me catch all the drips and I'm just trying to squeeze neatly.



So that's what that has looked- flowers falling everywhere. That's what that looks like after I have squeezed all of the water out of it. So it is still a bit pink. But I do suspect that - once I also give that a proper wash with some water and a little bit of detergent - that more colour will come out of it. So again just to show you the contrast - that's it out of the jar - it's dripping - next to the water squeezed out of it. So I left that in the jar a lot longer than I had intended to because I I wanted to show that in the video. I thought that would be a fun thing to show you.


Closing that up and drying my hands on this tea towel... Yeah, so that's all the Multicrafty things that I wanted to show you.



I have actually done a little bit more but they're projects that isn't really worth- aren't really worth showing because there really isn't much for you to see. One of them is I have continued spinning. But that's just a solid grey so it's a bit boring. Yes, spinning on my Electric Eel Wheel there. I have also done a bit of progress on my Kawandi inspired bag, which I don't think I have ever showed you but it's- it's one of these bags that's hanging on the window here and it's like a hand sewn quilting technique that I'm just applying to one of the many tote bags that I have. And then this other bag in the front here - this big one - that's actually holding all of my raffia scraps.


And then this little bag here has a cross stitch project which is my biggest, longest standing project. I started it I believe in 2008. And that's a cross stitch project. And I showed it, I think, in my last episode of last year or something like that, and I talked about how I was really excited to be getting back into it and I really wanted to finish it. And then I didn't work on it again until last night.


So those are the other projects that I have been working on. And that is my Multicrafty packed episode. Ah, okay. Yeah, I've been doing a lot and it's been really fun doing all of these other things. So it'll be interesting to see how I balance that out with knitting once I started knitting today.


Heart Full of Craft

All righty, last segment. Heart Full of Craft. This is one that I feel like is gonna sound a bit odd, but my Heart Full of Craft is for silence. I am grateful for a silence. Or actually to be more accurate - I'm grateful for sort of a lack of input? I don't- a lack of... Let me just explain.


So I whenever I'm crafting, I'm usually watching vlogs or- or Craftsy classes or something like that, or I'm listening to podcasts. And then when I go for my walks I'm also listening to podcasts and I feel like I'm always consuming content. And part of that is of course because I really love it. I love like watching everyone else's videos. I love hearing about everyone else's experiences and I just can't get enough of all of this crafting stuff, right?


But at the same time where- that I was feeling like I had enough of knitting for a while when I finished the Flared Pullover, I also kind of felt like I just needed to take a break from consuming as well. So like I felt like I always had like this stuff like coming at me and - by my own choice because I want to - but I've started feeling like I just need to take a break from it all.


So I've started like going on my walks without listening to anything and just listening to my surroundings and hearing the birds and hearing the creek and the wind in the trees and other people going by. And- And sometimes when I'm crafting you know, I don't watch vlogs all the time now. I only watch them when I really really feel like them or you know I only listen to the podcasts when I really really feel like them, and I've really just been enjoying like not being so multi-tasky. And just really like enjoying focusing on what I'm doing and enjoying the natural ambience.


Maybe that's it, not silence. Maybe I'm not grateful for silence. Maybe I'm grateful for natural ambience. That sounds a lot nicer.


Anyway. Yeah, I have still watched vlogs and I have still watched classes and I still have listened to podcasts but really when I- when I feel like it. If I feel like I just want to relax and be present and just be, it's been really nice not having something else on in the background. So I just thought I'd share that with you. And that's all I've got.



Thanks!

Thanks for tuning in. This episode has been quite different from my usual but I hope you have still liked it and if you have, please do give me that thumbs up on YouTube. And if you- And if you aren't already, I hope that you consider subscribing to my channel. And yeah, I guess that's it.


Hope to see you on Instagram or Ravelry or just here for the next one. And I guess I'll see you next time. In the meantime, take care, stay safe, be crafty, be curious, love, laugh, and all of that kind of thing. See you in the next episode.


Fare thee well.


Transcribed by https://otter.ai

 

Resources


Mentions

Electric Eel Wheels (EEW) (affiliate link)


Patterns (on Ravelry)

Greenwich by Martin Storey

Star Illusion Blanket by Katie Ahlquist

Jigsaw Shawl by Katrina Walser, Oliphant Kat

Sit-Upon Chair Pad (crochet) by Cal Patch

Boxet Bag (crochet) by Cal Patch

Simple Origami Baubles (crochet) by Esther Chandler

Gabrielle (sewing) by Seamwork

Tumbling Blocks quilt tutorial by Teresa DownUnder


Yarns (from my LYS, or on Ravelry)

Caron Cake (Lincraft Cake)


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