My First Skirt - Chemistry!!

Project Runway is one of my favorite TV shows.  I love the fashion, the creativity, and watching the designers craft something so quickly.  When I started sewing, I swore to myself that I didn't want to create (adult) clothing.  However, when I saw someone share this "Chemistry Lab on Navy" fabric, I knew I wanted to make a skirt for myself to wear to the March for Science.  I love my GENEie hats but I wanted to make my outfit even louder.

I found myself searching for elastic waste skirt tutorials.  When I found the Perfect Summer Skirt tutorial and found that it had POCKETS, I knew that I fond a winner.  The instructions from the pattern are fantastic. I'm only taking detailed notes for myself here so that I can repeat this again exactly if I want to duplicate this skirt in another fabric.  I could see how I could end up with a dozen of skirts by the end of summer!

I purchased 2 yards of the chemistry fabric and 1/2 yard of complementary fabric for the pockets.  I considered trying to be a little fancy with a stripe of a solid color on the bottom but realized that I should first try the pattern.  I didn't have time to do a test skirt and then a real skirt since the March for Science was less than a week away!

I wasn't sure if I should follow the normal instructions or the plus size instructions.  I tend to fall on the cusp where I am too small for plus size but still a little large for normal.  I did the calculations for both sizes and then decided to split the difference.  If the skirt felt too bulky I could always take it in some more after the fact.  Plus, I needed to make sure that I can sit down in the skirt without any issues!

2 yards was a good length of fabric to purchase for this project.  Although I only need 27" * 2 of length, the pattern scale is rather large so to get the front and back of the fabric to line up I needed to adjust where I was cutting.  I crossed my fingers that the pattern would still be matched up in the final skirt.

I clipped all 4 pieces together before drawing where I needed to cut.  This would allow me to cut through four layers of fabric at the same time and result in all of the angles being the same. I hate cutting lengths longer than my cutting mat.  Someday I'll buy a larger one.

I used the measuring tape as a guide to sketch the angle line.  (Keith helped me hold it in place.  I wouldn't have been able to do this on my own.)   Then I used my quilting straight edge and rotary cutter to cut the straight line.

I unfolded one of the cut pieces and held it up to my front.  I liked the drape of the fabric, and I was glad (at the time) that I didn't do it smaller.  I wouldn't have been able to go much larger with the natural width of the fabric I had (without inserting any panels!)  Future Rebecca would have liked to remove some of the bulk from the top of the skirt, while keeping the dimensions at the bottom the same.  (I'll discuss what I'd do next time more at the end of this post.)

The pattern contained a rough sketch on how to make the pocket shape.  I decided to make mine a bit larger and so used a tracing of my hand as a guide.  I even extended the pocket a bit future from my initial sketch, requiring me to tape a piece of card stock onto my pattern piece.  I could always make the pockets smaller after the fact, so cutting pieces that are too larger would work nicely.  I would need to cut four pieces but make sure there were two sets of mirror images.

This was a really large pocket... but I sort of like it.  We'll see how it works out in practice and if I end up editing it down (thankfully that could be done on the full skirt!)

1/2 yard of fabric was plenty to create 4 pockets (or even 8), but a fat quarter wouldn't quite be enough and 2 fat quarters would be cut in the wrong place, too.  Maybe I'll have to use the remnants to be pockets in another project someday!

The last piece to cut is the elastic.  According to the pattern calculations; Plus sized elastic: 39-5 = 34" long and Normal Size elastic: 39 + 2 = 42"

I felt like the 34" waist would be a little snug, especially if I decided I wanted to wear the skirt a little lower on my hips.  I certainly didn't think 42" would be worthwhile.   Splitting the difference would be 38".  38" it is.  This would still have negative ease but be super stretchy.  A note from Future Rebecca - I wish that I had gone with a smaller waistband.  The skirt fits great but when I put my phone in the pocket it gets pulled down because the elastic isn't stretched very much.  Next time I'd go for the shorter length.  

Next it was time to put the skirt together.

I secured the pockets in with a straight stitch and then a zigzag stitch (stitch 8, width 3.5, spacing 4.0)

I pressed the pockets so they were folded along the seam, but the skirt fabric remained flat.  I didn't brother to press in the rest of that edge.  I clipped the two halves of the skirt together and then did the same straight stitch followed by a zig zag down each side of the skirt.

I now had a huge tube with pockets!  Wahoo!

I followed the instructions to insert the waistband into the skirt.  First, I pressed down the top edge.  Next, I inserted the elastic and folded it over so it would be completely enclosed.  Finally, I stitched along the edge, making sure to move the elastic as needed until I could have the skirt completely gathered on the elastic.

After the wasitband was done I couldn't wait to try it on.  As soon as I put it on I realized that there are a few things that I wish I had done.  I should have gone with the plus size measurements, or at least for the waist and the top of the skirt.  Maybe I'd do the hem calculation the same as I did today, but make the skirt much more of an A-line shape.  The skirt is staying on (even with my phone in the pocket) but there is a lot of fabric around my mid section and it is not the most flattering thing I've ever seen.  I still needed to hem the bottom.

I don't have a full length mirror in my house, so I had to stand on a step stool in the bathroom to get a picture of the whole skirt.  It still needs hemming, but I think that I should be able to manage that!

I hemmed the skirt over an inch, which means that I could have gotten away with less length from the beginning.  I'd much rather be in the position to have to hem a lot than end up with a skirt that is too short, so I'm still pleased with the length.

Will I make some changes next time I make this kind of skirt?  Sure.  Will I make another of these skirts?  Absolutely.  The quilting cotton skirt is so comfortable in the warm summer weather... AND it has POCKETS!  With the modifications I mentioned above I think that I will be really happy with the skirt.  I've worn it many times after the March for Science.  I even have plans to make a slightly more complicated version of this skirt, but I will need to do some sketching and calculations first.  

Lucky Dyes Yarn for the First Time!

Dear Future Rebecca, when you are space dyeing and the colors aren't binding fast enough, ADD MORE VINEGAR!  Thanks, Past Rebecca.

Lucky really likes playing "ChemKnits Video".  He also really loves to do "projects" with mommy.  These projects vary from creative Pinterest activities to kits we buy at the craft store for $1.  I thought it would be fun to make a "real" video with Lucky and let him dye his very own yarn.  We would then use this yarn to make his hat for next winter.  Sounds fun, right?

Lucky requested to use "alley of the colors" on his yarn.  We used all 9 tablets from the Deluxe PAAS Easter Egg Dyeing Kit.   I wanted to space dye the yarn because Lucky would be able to drop the tablets into the pot with minimal yes but a lot of fun.

I did this video right after my last space dyeing video, inserting Easter egg dye tablets into a pre-wound cake of yarn.  If you look at my blog post for the video, I also started that post with a reminder to add more vinegar.  I think that in both cases I erred on the side of less vinegar to let the colors spread more, but in this case the colors spread much further than I wanted.  The yarn Lucky created is STUNNING, but it isn't the rainbow/all of the colors yarn that he hoped to make.  (Not that Lucky is disappointed or knows the difference, I'm the one that is disappointed!)  The final colorway seems very sophisticated for a 3 year old, so maybe it will turn into something for his Daddy.

Since I was trying to get the yarn ready to show Lucky ASAP, I was not as careful with this 100% wool NON superwash yarn as I normally am.  (The yarn was still hot when I was rinsing it.) The result is that the yarn is a little "sticky" to each other.  It is still not felted and easily separates, but it isn't 100% unaltered either.  (I can untwist a skein of yarn so the fibers are still ordered, and definitely unfelted and knitable, but it is worth pointing out.)

The whole time I was editing this video, I kept thinking, "I should have added more vinegar!"  I didn't want to add too much vinegar because I wanted to allow the colors to spread out, but by not adding enough the colors spread out way too much!  Make sure you check out the whole video.  There are a lot of fun 3 year old extra bits thrown in, too.

Even with similar amounts of vinegar, look at the difference between the two colorways!  These yarns were dyed with the exact same color tablets.  The yarn bases are slightly different, but these examples show that you can get a lot of variation out of an Easter Egg Dyeing kit!  

We will need to try again to get the rainbow.  It looks like these Easter egg tablets "want" more vinegar than other food coloring that I use.  There are some choices for the future.  Add a lot more vinegar to start with (I'd start with 4T next time versus the 2T I used here), or start with a low amount of vinegar, allow the colors to spread and then pour in a splash of vinegar later on.

The reactions to Lucky's video have been very positive.  Some of you prefer non-toddler dyeing videos, and I still plan to do a lot of videos without a 3 year old's help.  I think that it is fun to show what a pre-schooler can do to help with dyeing yarn, and how it can be a fun activity.  Maybe I should try to teach Lucky to spin next.  What do you think?  Have you done any fiber crafts with your children?  At what age did they start?

I took pictures as the colors spread out.  Check out the awesome progression!  I think sometime I'll add a big splash of vinegar around the third picture.

This post contains some Amazon Affiliate Links.  None of the product selections were solicited.  All selections and opinions are my own.  

Tie Dyeing for St. Patrick's Day

I love dressing up the boys for holidays.  I was also looking for an excuse to tie dye some more t-shirts.  I love buying St. Patrick's Day t-shirts for the boys since I have nicknamed my eldest "Lucky" on the blog.  I didn't see t-shirts that I liked this year that would come in 12 month and 3/4T.  Therefore I decided to make my own shirts, starting with a crinkled tie dye technique.  

I had no idea people would enjoy watching me tie dye t-shirts so much! My last tie dyeing video has a LOT of views now.   If people really are enjoying this then I will try to dye things that aren't yarn a little more often.  Like many other of my dyeing videos, I planned to make things up as I went along and cross my fingers that I would get some cool results.  

I used part of my really old Tulip Tie Dye Kit (from 2012!).  I still had some dry green dye and some blue dye that I mixed back when I did the Wellesley shirts in 2016.  

I've done a lot of complicated folds over the years, but this time I just wanted to create a mostly solid with some variation.  I crinkled the shirts up by pinching and scrunching them and then tied them up with rubber bands.  I applied the green dye all over and then the old blue dye lightly to one side for a little more variation.  

After 24 hours, the shirts were ready to rinse and wash.  They came out pretty differently, the onesie has a lot more blue than the toddler t-shirt, but I think this is a result of how much green dye I added to both of them.  

You can wait even longer than 24 hours to open up the shirts, but I was so excited to see the results.  They boys were pretty excited, too.  

We've taken pictures for St. Patrick's Day on this rainbow 10 hour afghan ever since Lucky was a baby. I considered appliqueing a shamrock or something onto the front of the shirts, but in the end I liked how they came out so much I didn't want to modify them further.  

Indy, maybe I'll make you your own shirt next year, too!  Rowdy was the most excited to take pictures this time.  Can you tell?  

Want to know more about this technique?  Watch the video to see exactly what I did!

I'm not done tie dyeing.  Soon I'll share with you one of my favorite tie dyeing projects ever, creating stars with creative folds!  

This post contains some Amazon Affiliate links.  All products were selected by me.  All opinions are my own.  

A Crochet Applique Resistor Headband

Heidi Arjes designed an awesome Resistor Knit Hat and Headband for the March for Science.  We both are knitters, and didn't have a real option for crocheters to create our fun science designs.  When I released Spliced, a crochet chain applique GENEie headband I offered to create a resistor version to Heidi.  With her blessing, I filmed a video where I appliqued a crochet chain to form a resistor headband.

The headband base is 20" long and I created it following the Spliced instructions. I used KnitPicks Comfy Worsted Yarn in Marina (19 g, 42 yards) and Light Blue (3 g, 7 yards) on a size H (5.0 mm) crochet hook for this project. The beauty with these applique techniques is that you could do them on any knit or crochet hat, headband, bag, or really anything at all.  I created a 40" long chain in a contrasting cotton color for the applique.  This was such a great way to do some craftivism and stash bust at the same time.  

The right side pinned

The wrong side pinned

You could achieve a similar look if you used some short crochet pieces and then one really long chain, but I thought it was worth threading the crochet chain in and out of the piece to create the vertical lines.

When I secured the ends of the headband together, you almost can't tell where the join happened!

Here is the join in the top center of my head.  Would you have noticed if I didn't point it out?

At the March for Science, a dear friend of mine (who was a physics major) picked this headband out of my extras to wear.  I was very happy to send this off to someone who would appreciate it.  

Are you ready to make your own applique resistor headband?  Watch the video to find out exactly how I did this.  

Here is a list of the video contents in case you need to skip ahead to a particular part.  

• [0:00] Introduction 
• [1:13] Materials
• [2:03] Pulling the chain through the fabric to make the "Battery" graphic.
• [7:22] Laying out the rest of the resistor design
• [11:41] All pinned
• [11:58] Sewing down the crochet chain
• [15:22] Preparing to sew the headband edges togther
• [16:47] Conclusions

I'm getting into embroidery and applique for March for Science wear because I can make the base with little attention.  It is a bit faster and easier to construct for more crafters who are intimidated by colorwork and cables.  I LOVED the way the DNA from the crochet chain applique popped in Spliced.  I want to add this applique to things that aren't crochet or a knit base now!  I decided that I would also film a video of the DNA applique from the Spliced GENEie Headband.  Enjoy!

Here is the table of contents for the Spliced GENEie applique:

• [0:00] Introduction
• [0:51] Materials
• [3:04] Arranging the double helix backbone and pinning it down
• [11:03] Sewing down the crochet chain
• [16:52] Embroidering the base pairs
• [20:48] Joining the flat headband together and finishing the embroidery design at the seam.  
• [26:47] Conclusions

GENEies March!

My family at the Boston March for Science

The March for Science happened just over two months ago.  The journey of designing the GENEie collection of DNA beanies, headbands and pussyhats was a whirlwind.  Not only are these some of my favorite designs ever, but you responded so positively to them, too.  The Boston March for Science was the first time that I saw someone wearing one of my designs... and I saw at least 10!  

The first time I ever found my designs on the street!  GENEies at the March for Science Boston.

I didn't take pictures with everyone I found wearing a GENEie (one of the kid speakers was wearing a plasmid headband!)  When I asked you, my amazing followers, to submit pictures of your GENEies that marched around the world, you delivered.  In Ravelry you can find pictures of many finished GENEies, but you don't always get to see them in action at the marches.  Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to submit pictures and give me permission to use them here on ChemKnits.  

GENEie Hats go Marching - Your Photo Submissions

Submitted by Reneta P., Boston, MA

Reneta P marched in Boston, too.  I didn't speak to her at the rally, but her sign caught my eye and when I realized she was also wearing a GENEie I was thrilled.  Reneta marched "because science is the way to understand the world and make it a better place."

Submitted by Jessica McGrath, Boston, MA

Jessica McGrath marched in Boston because "I'm a scientist and because science makes everyone's life better."  Puppies marched for science in GENEies, too!  I love the DNA helix of the GENEie Pussyhat in a contrasting color, it really pops.  

Submitted by Laura Patterson.  Washington, D.C.

Laura Patterson took a fantastic selfie at the Washington Monument.  "I'm from Sacramento, but I marched in D.C. representing California State Scientists. Critical thinking using empirical evidence is so important to tackling every issue we face, and I find the increasing disregard for science and facts as the bases for making decisions dismaying." I would have loved to travel to DC for the March for Science, but I am impressed by how many satellite marches there were.  

Submitted by Heather Kvale, Washington, D.C.

Heather Kvale also marched for science in Washington, D.C.  "me (headband), my husband (didn't have time to make him a hat), and our friend Katie (hat). :) Thank you so much for the patterns!"  It was my pleasure, Heather!  

Submitted by Bridget Shobe, Washington, D.C. 

Submitted by Bridget Shobe, Washington, D.C. 

"My name is Bridget Shobe and I marched in Washington DC. I knit several of the DNA hats for myself and friends! I am an environment science student at UMBC."  I love her slouchy version of the original cable GENEie hat!  I also love the picture of Bridget and her friends wearing brain hats.  There were so many interesting pro-science outfits at all of the marches.  It was wonderful to see what people created!  

Submitted by Lori Cambell.  Vancouver, BC, Canada

Lori Campbell submitted a photo she took while at the march in Vancouver, BC.  She didn't make or wear the hat, but she "did complement [the owner] on her lovelywork."

Submitted by Lauren Ross Feldman, Princeton, NJ

Lauren Ross Feldman marched in Princeton, NJ.  She has a PhD in linguistics and marched because "I believe in facts and research.  I do not believe that science is partisan."

Submitted by Lauren Ross Feldman, Princeton, NJ

Feldman added with her next photo submission, "I marched because my child - the one whose hand I am holding in this picture - almost died in October 2014 because of a mesenteric defect we didn't know she had. She is alive and well today because of science. Because of research and medicine. The first thing I said to my husband the morning after the election was 'How much federal funding do you think CHOP gets?' I am terrified for us and for all our children that there are answers out there, cures and treatments and prevention, that we desperately need funding & research to discover, and that this administration will set us back decades and we will lose lives and suffer quality of life."

Submitted by Lisa Hansen, San Francisco, CA

Lisa Hansen marched in San Francisco.  "We marched because we believe science is the best way to find solutions for problems, and that it has to be ALL science. You can't just pick the parts you like. Yes, science has got it wrong, but we always strive to be right. We study, we think, we challenge."

Submitted by Kathy W, San Francisco, CA

Kathy W marched in San Francisco with her sister-in-law, Catherine D.  I enjoy the peek of a palm tree in the background.  I'm not sure how the weather in CA was on April 22 but I bet it was warmer than Boston!  

Submitted by Katie Cabral, San Francisco, CA. 

Katie Cabral marched in San Francisco.  She took this photo at the UCSF pre-rally.

Submitted by Amy Replogle, Tacoma, WA.  

Amy Replogle  "marched in Tacoma, WA with a group of faculty, staff and students from the University of Puget Sound (it was my job to gather the contingent, hence the banner I'm wearing)."

Submitted by Rachie MGruis, Salt Lake City, UT

Rachie MGruis marched in Salt Lake City.  I love her crochet applique GENEIE (aka spliced.)  I still wish that I had been able to design a full crochet version of the DNA cable, but I'm glad that some crocheters liked the spliced work around.  

Submitted by Rachel Smith Gebauer, Klamath Falls, OR.

Some people marched with crowds of thousands of people.  Rachel Smith Gebauer marched in Klamath Falls, Oregon with "100+ marchers in a rural Red town."  Rachel said, "I wore it proudly at our local March. I wore my Science Not Silence button on the opposite side."

Submitted by Nancy Adams, Portland, OR.

There were so many different science hats representing many fields across the country.  Nancy Adams submitted a photograph of her daughter and her friends at the Portland, Oregon march.  "In addition to the GENEie hat are the Science March Forest Beanie and Swimming Bacteria hats."  

A post shared by Erin Huggins (@erin.hugs) on Apr 22, 2017 at 12:39pm PDT

Erin Huggins (@erin.hugs) marched in Columbia, South Carolina.

A post shared by Patricia (@madlycreativeme) on Apr 3, 2017 at 2:16pm PDT

Patricia (@madlycreativeme) marched in Seattle, WA.   Her science pins were really epic and really elevated the knit GENEie hat.

A post shared by Patricia (@madlycreativeme) on Apr 29, 2017 at 11:58am PDT

Thank you so much for sharing these pictures with me, and giving me permission to share them! Writing up this post I am feeling all of the feels. I love connecting with different knitters and crafters, but to connect through our love of crafting and our commitment to raising our voices was especially inspiring. Please don't forget to use your voice to speak up about the issues you care about. Take time to contact your elected officials (I like 5calls.org and I've heard positive things about Resistbot.)