Dread Cyser Empress and Cider Barrel Wrangler
@alwen-lost-arts.bsky.social
I read and play with string, surrounded by vintage sewing machines.
Spinner, knitter, bobbin lacemaker, weaver. Sometime tatter, netmaker, chair caner.
Bread maker, weather geek, chicken photographer.
Spinner, knitter, bobbin lacemaker, weaver. Sometime tatter, netmaker, chair caner.
Bread maker, weather geek, chicken photographer.
This is a bad plan.
November 25, 2025 at 9:11 PM
This is a bad plan.
Did I ever post the Hamilton Ross chain stitch machine I got a couple months ago? It looks like this:
It was manufactured by Gibraltar Manufacturing of New Jersey, also available with Sew-Rite cast into the arm instead of Hamilton Ross.
(See the pic's alt text for more.)
It was manufactured by Gibraltar Manufacturing of New Jersey, also available with Sew-Rite cast into the arm instead of Hamilton Ross.
(See the pic's alt text for more.)
November 25, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Did I ever post the Hamilton Ross chain stitch machine I got a couple months ago? It looks like this:
It was manufactured by Gibraltar Manufacturing of New Jersey, also available with Sew-Rite cast into the arm instead of Hamilton Ross.
(See the pic's alt text for more.)
It was manufactured by Gibraltar Manufacturing of New Jersey, also available with Sew-Rite cast into the arm instead of Hamilton Ross.
(See the pic's alt text for more.)
So!
*slaps hands together*
This past week, I undid the cast off, and I ripped back for-ty.rows.
Clear back into the top of Edith, the three-petal motif.
Now I'm reknitting the outside with no decreases at the edges, just hex mesh, and at the end I'll do the bind off like Duchrow 73.5.
*slaps hands together*
This past week, I undid the cast off, and I ripped back for-ty.rows.
Clear back into the top of Edith, the three-petal motif.
Now I'm reknitting the outside with no decreases at the edges, just hex mesh, and at the end I'll do the bind off like Duchrow 73.5.
November 18, 2025 at 9:30 PM
So!
*slaps hands together*
This past week, I undid the cast off, and I ripped back for-ty.rows.
Clear back into the top of Edith, the three-petal motif.
Now I'm reknitting the outside with no decreases at the edges, just hex mesh, and at the end I'll do the bind off like Duchrow 73.5.
*slaps hands together*
This past week, I undid the cast off, and I ripped back for-ty.rows.
Clear back into the top of Edith, the three-petal motif.
Now I'm reknitting the outside with no decreases at the edges, just hex mesh, and at the end I'll do the bind off like Duchrow 73.5.
Way back when that jerk won the first time, I started knitting Edith and Elga, two Niebling patterns in Spitzenstrickerei I, as a round doily. The patterns as charted are used as edgings. I took the two flower motifs and alternated them. But I was not quite happy with the binding where I cast off.
November 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Way back when that jerk won the first time, I started knitting Edith and Elga, two Niebling patterns in Spitzenstrickerei I, as a round doily. The patterns as charted are used as edgings. I took the two flower motifs and alternated them. But I was not quite happy with the binding where I cast off.
How it started/ How it's going, jack o'lantern version
November 18, 2025 at 8:52 PM
How it started/ How it's going, jack o'lantern version
Happy Hallowe'en!
October 31, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Happy Hallowe'en!
Okay, the photo is blurry, but I went to my circular sock machine group meeting last weekend, and the project was a snowman. I was in no way ready to knit a snowman!
But they told me, "If you can knit a tube, you can knit a snowman!"
(This is the not snowman I started there, this is version 2.)
But they told me, "If you can knit a tube, you can knit a snowman!"
(This is the not snowman I started there, this is version 2.)
October 24, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Okay, the photo is blurry, but I went to my circular sock machine group meeting last weekend, and the project was a snowman. I was in no way ready to knit a snowman!
But they told me, "If you can knit a tube, you can knit a snowman!"
(This is the not snowman I started there, this is version 2.)
But they told me, "If you can knit a tube, you can knit a snowman!"
(This is the not snowman I started there, this is version 2.)
It works!
It works it works it works it works it works!
Eeeeeeeeeeee!
It works it works it works it works it works!
Eeeeeeeeeeee!
October 17, 2025 at 11:46 PM
It works!
It works it works it works it works it works!
Eeeeeeeeeeee!
It works it works it works it works it works!
Eeeeeeeeeeee!
Wool hammocks.
(Four lots of scoured wool drying on old gauze curtain panels on my clothesline.)
(Four lots of scoured wool drying on old gauze curtain panels on my clothesline.)
October 6, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Wool hammocks.
(Four lots of scoured wool drying on old gauze curtain panels on my clothesline.)
(Four lots of scoured wool drying on old gauze curtain panels on my clothesline.)
Here's a before-and-after-AI of that birds & flowers panel they put on the front:
October 6, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Here's a before-and-after-AI of that birds & flowers panel they put on the front:
And now with the AI assist on the third photo.
Notice that the treadle plate has lost both rows AND columns of dots.
The copper basin has somehow become large enough and deep enough to comfortably hold FOUR wine bottles.
The panel in the middle has noticeably morphed.
Notice that the treadle plate has lost both rows AND columns of dots.
The copper basin has somehow become large enough and deep enough to comfortably hold FOUR wine bottles.
The panel in the middle has noticeably morphed.
October 6, 2025 at 12:11 AM
And now with the AI assist on the third photo.
Notice that the treadle plate has lost both rows AND columns of dots.
The copper basin has somehow become large enough and deep enough to comfortably hold FOUR wine bottles.
The panel in the middle has noticeably morphed.
Notice that the treadle plate has lost both rows AND columns of dots.
The copper basin has somehow become large enough and deep enough to comfortably hold FOUR wine bottles.
The panel in the middle has noticeably morphed.
Here is the second photo, showing the depth of the inset copper basin.
October 6, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Here is the second photo, showing the depth of the inset copper basin.
Ohhh, I caught another one! There will be three photos, and here is number one, pre-AI. Notice the front panel, the legs, and the shape of the wooden appliques on either side of the front panel. Also, count the rows and columns of dots on the treadle plate.
October 6, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Ohhh, I caught another one! There will be three photos, and here is number one, pre-AI. Notice the front panel, the legs, and the shape of the wooden appliques on either side of the front panel. Also, count the rows and columns of dots on the treadle plate.
This one is more subtle, as there is no text, but look closely at the not-thread-spools, the "sewing machine" (that is apparently growing a leaf?), and the back of the chair.
September 17, 2025 at 1:51 AM
This one is more subtle, as there is no text, but look closely at the not-thread-spools, the "sewing machine" (that is apparently growing a leaf?), and the back of the chair.
So apparently AI is refinishing and selling sewing cabinets now.
For example.
"Flark's Mile Tend", yeah, that's not a thing.
For example.
"Flark's Mile Tend", yeah, that's not a thing.
September 17, 2025 at 1:47 AM
So apparently AI is refinishing and selling sewing cabinets now.
For example.
"Flark's Mile Tend", yeah, that's not a thing.
For example.
"Flark's Mile Tend", yeah, that's not a thing.
I took two silk classes from Esther Peregrine, her Wild Silk class and the one on making silk mawata.
Someone brought Atlas moth coccoons to the Wild Silk class because they raised them for their graduate project!
That was. So Cool.
Someone brought Atlas moth coccoons to the Wild Silk class because they raised them for their graduate project!
That was. So Cool.
August 30, 2025 at 1:03 AM
I took two silk classes from Esther Peregrine, her Wild Silk class and the one on making silk mawata.
Someone brought Atlas moth coccoons to the Wild Silk class because they raised them for their graduate project!
That was. So Cool.
Someone brought Atlas moth coccoons to the Wild Silk class because they raised them for their graduate project!
That was. So Cool.
Eco-printing class at Michigan Fiber Festival:
August 30, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Eco-printing class at Michigan Fiber Festival:
So the latest thing I made is this box to carry my Legare 47 sock machine.
More info in the alt text!
#CSM #circularsockmachine
More info in the alt text!
#CSM #circularsockmachine
August 30, 2025 at 12:50 AM
So the latest thing I made is this box to carry my Legare 47 sock machine.
More info in the alt text!
#CSM #circularsockmachine
More info in the alt text!
#CSM #circularsockmachine
Boy, they don't make 'em like that any more!
(Beautiful Gritzner with gold decals and tiny speckles of mother-of-pearl on the bed.)
#VinatageSewingMachines
(Beautiful Gritzner with gold decals and tiny speckles of mother-of-pearl on the bed.)
#VinatageSewingMachines
August 6, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Boy, they don't make 'em like that any more!
(Beautiful Gritzner with gold decals and tiny speckles of mother-of-pearl on the bed.)
#VinatageSewingMachines
(Beautiful Gritzner with gold decals and tiny speckles of mother-of-pearl on the bed.)
#VinatageSewingMachines
Chicago a little hazed in at the moment:
(from www.glerl.noaa.gov//metdata/chi/ )
(from www.glerl.noaa.gov//metdata/chi/ )
August 5, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Chicago a little hazed in at the moment:
(from www.glerl.noaa.gov//metdata/chi/ )
(from www.glerl.noaa.gov//metdata/chi/ )
I prefer the air I can't see.
August 5, 2025 at 11:32 PM
I prefer the air I can't see.
I have a National Two-Spool with a very low serial number & a faceplate that didn't match ANY of the manuals I've found.
Then I found one online:
(A little torn at the bottom, hard to see all the little wire loops.)
#vintagesewingmachines
This is how mine is supposed to be threaded!
Then I found one online:
(A little torn at the bottom, hard to see all the little wire loops.)
#vintagesewingmachines
This is how mine is supposed to be threaded!
July 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
I have a National Two-Spool with a very low serial number & a faceplate that didn't match ANY of the manuals I've found.
Then I found one online:
(A little torn at the bottom, hard to see all the little wire loops.)
#vintagesewingmachines
This is how mine is supposed to be threaded!
Then I found one online:
(A little torn at the bottom, hard to see all the little wire loops.)
#vintagesewingmachines
This is how mine is supposed to be threaded!
Alpacas in multiple colors.
April 16, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Alpacas in multiple colors.
Who needs a timeline cleanse!
(Everybody. Everybody does.)
From the alpaca show I went to Saturday.
(Everybody. Everybody does.)
From the alpaca show I went to Saturday.
April 16, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Who needs a timeline cleanse!
(Everybody. Everybody does.)
From the alpaca show I went to Saturday.
(Everybody. Everybody does.)
From the alpaca show I went to Saturday.
Hopefully this will be legible:
I had a lonnnnng gray zipper, so this bag is about 9x9 inches on the bottom.
And since it's a lined zipper bag, you have to leave an open seam somewhere to turn the whole thing right side out. I was piecing the lining anyway, so I left part of the lining seam open.
I had a lonnnnng gray zipper, so this bag is about 9x9 inches on the bottom.
And since it's a lined zipper bag, you have to leave an open seam somewhere to turn the whole thing right side out. I was piecing the lining anyway, so I left part of the lining seam open.
April 16, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Hopefully this will be legible:
I had a lonnnnng gray zipper, so this bag is about 9x9 inches on the bottom.
And since it's a lined zipper bag, you have to leave an open seam somewhere to turn the whole thing right side out. I was piecing the lining anyway, so I left part of the lining seam open.
I had a lonnnnng gray zipper, so this bag is about 9x9 inches on the bottom.
And since it's a lined zipper bag, you have to leave an open seam somewhere to turn the whole thing right side out. I was piecing the lining anyway, so I left part of the lining seam open.