DRAFT - straw badge Textiles

This is a draft of the straw badge for textiles.  The badge would take about 35 hours for an experienced person to work through (longer if you are still learning).  I'm posting it here for feedback and ideas.

The goal is to get a variety of different skills representing textiles with an emphasis on repair and things we use in our daily lives.  

NOTE: this is not the final list.

DRAFT straw badge Textiles


start a button jar (harvest buttons from old shirts)

harvest fabric scraps for future sewing projects
    - a clearly labelled box/bag showing “fabric scraps”
    - at least 6 pieces of old clothing get processed

sew on a button

build a textile toolbox (sewing kit)
   scissors
   scissor sharpener
   black, white, and grey cotton thread
   thimble
   needles
   straight pins
   cloth measuring tape
   safety pins
   needle threader (optional)
   seam ripper (optional)
   little knife (optional)
   sewing machine oil (optional)
   beeswax for waxing thread (optional)




good darning - invisible mending (pick one)
    - darning a sock or other knit fabric with knit stitch darn
    - reenforce woven fabric where it is thinning or starting to make a hole
    - invisible mending a small hole or tear

Ugly repair
    - fix a large hole in the fabric with creative or ugly patching, darning, or visible mending.  



Upholstery repair list (do 1)
    - repair the pad on a padded chair
    - repair the fabric on a couch
    - deep clean the fabric on a couch or chair using natural cleaners
    - repair a seat in a car
    - add new fabric over the worn fabric on a padded chair
    - add an upholstery cushion to a chair or stool


Monthly sewing machine maintenance
    - find or download the manual
    - clean lint
    - prove that you are using sewing machine friendly oil (hint, it usually says sewing machine oil on the bottle)
    - oil parts that need oiling (do not oil the parts that don't)
    - grease the parts that need greasing

Other repairs list (do 4 of the following):
    - patch or darn a blanket (prettily)
    - repair clothing like adding an invisible patch to a shirt
    - hem drapes/curtains
    - hem trousers or skirt
    - turn trousers into shorts
    - add pockets to skirt or pants
    - invisible darn a knit sweater
    - Replacing the elastic or drawstring
    - leather mending - patching or stitching
         - gloves
         - shoes
         - bag / briefcase / suitcase / laptop bag
         - belt
         - coat
         - shearling leather like a fleece blanket, bed pad, coat, or other leather with wool still attached.
    - leather maintenance (shoes, belt, bag, or another leather item)
         - describe the kind of leather and the technique used for maintenance and use this technique to care for the leather


make a small loom capable of weaving a belt https://permies.com/t/50910/  

Weaving List - Pick one of the following projects:
    - weave a belt
         - use backstrap or tablet weaving techniques to weave a warp-faced belt long enough to wear.  Create a simple buckle out of two metal rings or use an existing buckle.
         - be sure to finish the ends and make the belt long enough for you to wear.
    - weave a leash for a dog, goat or other animal, at least two yards long.  
         - Fold over one end for a handle
         - add a clasp to the other end.
         - at least ¾” wide.
    - weave a camera strap
    - weave a cotton or linen hand towel (at least 16” x 20” on the loom)
    - weave a small bag, purse, camera case
    - weave a baby blanket (30” square or bigger)
    - weave one of the following baskets
         - seedling protection basket
         - trash basket
         - grocery grass basket


Prepare fibre for spinning (do one of the following)
    - Prepare 500 grams (1 Pound) of wool:
         - skirting a fleece (remove faecal matter and sort)
         - washing a fleece
         - flick card, card, or comb fibre to organize for spinning
    - or 250 grams (half a pound) of cotton:
         - gin (remove seeds and detritus)
         - card into punis to prepare for spinning
    - or silk degum 50 silk cocoons and make hankies (way of preparing fibre for spinning)


make a simple spindle  

do one of the following.  You may use the spindle you just made or other tools if you have them.
    - 250g yarn (singles), wash and block the yarn - at least 400 yards
    - 250g plyed yarn (unfinished is okay) - at least 200 yards
    - twine - more than 50 yards
    - rope making - more than 25 yards


Stickwork List (do 5 points worth)

    - Knit a jayne cobb hat (1.5 point)
    - Knit or crochet a adult hat (1 point)
    - Knit or crochet matching scarf and mittens (3 points)
    - Knit or crochet a pair of mittens (2 points)
    - Knit or crochet a scarf (1 point)
    - Knit or crochet a pair of gloves (3 points)
    - Knit or crochet a pair of babby booties (0.5 points)
    - Knit or crochet a baby hat (0.5 points)
    - Knit a sock, knit another one (3 points)
    - Knit or crochet a (functional) grocery bag (2 points)
    - Knit or crochet a blanket (4 points)
        -must be at least big enough for a baby (30” square or more)


Create a cot-sized mattress (tick) stuffed with natural materials like wool, cotton, hemp, seeds ( https://permies.com/t/54526/fiber-arts/Straw-Mattress )

Small Quilting List (traditional or boro quilting) (pick 1):  
    - a christmas stocking
    - cozy (hot water urn, pot skirt ...)
    - Pillowcase
    - Baby blanket
    - small bag


Sewing List: choose and sew one of the following
    - 4 cloth grocery bags!
    - PJ pants
    - skirt
    - apron
    - shirt (woven cloth)
    - 2 t-shirts
    - Make sheets (top and bottom) and 2 pillowcases
    - 4 a cloth feminine pads
    - sew and stuff a doll or stuffed animal?
    - 4 zokins (japanese cleaning cloth with decorative stitching)
    - make a leather thimble
    - 2 pairs of panties/boxers/briefs
    - 4 Cloth diapers
    - sew a bathrobe?


Sew a pair of shoes or slippers from cloth or leathers (using natural or reclaimed material for the sole)

Create wax cloth for food storage

Dye 100g (total - dry weight)
    - can be cotton or wool - cloth, yarn, or fibre.
    - prepare the fabric, yarn, or fibre for dyeing - clean and organized.  Mordant if necessary.
    - natural dyeing
    - without mordant - rhubarb leaves, stinging nettles, arbutus bark, or avocado pits,
    - with mordant - other plants (list here)
    - test for dyeing - wash with something white after it’s dyed and if the white is still white and the colour is still there, then woot!

Felt one of the following:
    - Full/felt a pouch or purse
    - Needle felt a figure--plant, animal, mythical, etc.
    - Must be more complicated than a ball
    - Describe what you were trying to make
    - Must look reasonably like what you were trying to make
    - wet felt a scarf
    - Wet felt 3 wool dryer balls

(Vegan alternative for felting - choose another and different item from the Sewing List)

Have you considered adding repairs like replacing a zipper, snaps, or other fastening hardware.  

On your list of recycled fabric I would add sheets and towels.  Top sheets are a great source of fabric for quilt backs, curtains,  liners and other uses.  Old towels can be used instead of new cotton batting in some projects.  

Also keep in mind every sewing machine is different and not all of them require regular oiling as part of the cleaning process.  Please check the owners manual!

A seam ripper is a must have tool.  They are not only used to remove stitches but they are also used to open button holes.

Altering a piece of clothing to fit beyond a hem.   It is a great way to make used/vintage clothing usable.  Anything from redoing a bust line, taking in a jacket, or letting out a waist band are all really useful to know.

I would add repairing a damaged sweater is another great skill I wish I had learned when I was younger.
Replacing the elastic or drawstring in something is another repair for your list.

I would also suggest a more defined list for those that are vegan or in my case allergic to lanolin and natural oils in other animal based fibers.  Felting is out of the question for me due to allergies. Knitting is a lot harder to learn using cotton or bamboo than wool and wool blend yarns. Maybe have a do certain number of each list.

Also your suggestion of making a shirt as a sewing project should have a few perimeters.  A sleeveless top is a vastly different project than making a button down dress shirt.  

Thanks for having a look at the list.

Kate Muller wrote:Have you considered adding repairs like replacing a zipper, snaps, or other fastening hardware.  

good idea.  Possibly something for Wood level.  

Kate Muller wrote:On your list of recycled fabric I would add sheets and towels.  Top sheets are a great source of fabric for quilt backs, curtains,  liners and other uses.  Old towels can be used instead of new cotton batting in some projects.  

I'm thinking towels and sheets are already flat and ready-ish to use without any thought or skill, whereas reclaiming cloth from things that are sewn like cloth, takes a different skillset.  

Kate Muller wrote:Also keep in mind every sewing machine is different and not all of them require regular oiling as part of the cleaning process.  Please check the owners manual!

That's why we have

   - find or download the manual
   
and
   - oil parts that need oiling (do not oil the parts that don't)

Kate Muller wrote:A seam ripper is a must have tool.  They are not only used to remove stitches but they are also used to open button holes.

I always just use my knife, awl, or small scissors.  But I can see it would be useful.  

Altering a piece of clothing to fit beyond a hem.   It is a great way to make used/vintage clothing usable.  Anything from redoing a bust line, taking in a jacket, or letting out a waist band are all really useful to know.

great idea for wood level.

I would add repairing a damaged sweater is another great skill I wish I had learned when I was younger.

Replacing the elastic or drawstring in something is another repair for your list.

added

I would also suggest a more defined list for those that are vegan or in my case allergic to lanolin and natural oils in other animal based fibers.  Felting is out of the question for me due to allergies. Knitting is a lot harder to learn using cotton or bamboo than wool and wool blend yarns. Maybe have a do certain number of each list.

Felting has a vegan alternative.  

I think a lot of the vegan stickwork choices will be crochet as it's easier with cotton than knitting,  But then again, knitting with cotton is all about tension.  Once you get the tension right, knitting with cotton is usually easier than with wool.  There's also choosing the right yarn structure for the project.  

Also your suggestion of making a shirt as a sewing project should have a few perimeters.  A sleeveless top is a vastly different project than making a button down dress shirt.  

The parameters of the sewing projects are still being worked on.  

Looks like a good list, everything seems appropriate for straw level. I like that there are lots of options to choose from.

Is the cot mattress an essential part at this level or an option? Not everyone would use a cot mattress. Maybe making any mattress from cot size upwards would be better? And would making buckwheat hull mattresses from an open your eyes kit count?

Would making a sheepskin or goatskin rug belong in the textiles PEP?

Kate Downham wrote:Would making a sheepskin or goatskin rug belong in the textiles PEP?

I would like to have tanning a hide later on.  This would fall under that.  

Kate Downham wrote:

Is the cot mattress an essential part at this level or an option? Not everyone would use a cot mattress. Maybe making any mattress from cot size upwards would be better? And would making buckwheat hull mattresses from an open your eyes kit count?

The mattress is very much Paul's thing.  

I have one of these cot-sized matresses around somewhere.  We used it for camping and stuff it with wool or straw.  Then when the event is over, we empty it and use the stuffing for other things (like the garden or making yarn).  This might be something to make for when guests come over.

I'm suspect he wants something a lot bigger and more permanent for the higher-level badges.  To create a mattress that doesn't need to be fluffed up daily takes a lot more time, materials, and skill.  Most matress materials shift and compress.  Something like the open you eyes kit solves a lot of these problems.  

Probably a full-sized, permanent mattress will go in wood or later.  For wood, I want to keep the bigger projects between 10 and 15 hours so we can fill the gaps with more smaller projects.  

Cot mattress in Australia means baby/toddler mattress. If measurements are included in the BB it will help people to know how big to make it.

This badge is very exciting, lots of new skills to learn : )

I'm thinking of adding "knit a long sleeve sweater (5 points)" to the stickwork list.

Maybe if I include a hat it would be worth five points.  Hats are great swatches for sweaters so one usually knits a hat first to get the gage right (unless you really like swatching - but there aren't many in the world that do)

How long does it take you to knit a long sleeve sweater?

I remember it being a long process for me just to make children's sweaters in 12-14 ply wool, but I worked in small amounts each day so can't figure out how long it would have taken if I'd sat down and made it from start to finish. Maybe it's time for me to make more : )

Kate Downham wrote:How long does it take you to knit a long sleeve sweater?

I remember it being a long process for me just to make children's sweaters in 12-14 ply wool, but I worked in small amounts each day so can't figure out how long it would have taken if I'd sat down and made it from start to finish. Maybe it's time for me to make more : )

with aran weight (which I think is about the same as yours), I used to be able to do it in under five days.  It's about the same number of stitches and skills as a pair of socks.  But most sweaters are knit in a lighter weight gage and have some sort of design elements like colourwork or pockets.

Kate Downham wrote:Cot mattress in Australia means baby/toddler mattress. If measurements are included in the BB it will help people to know how big to make it.

This badge is very exciting, lots of new skills to learn : )

They mean that here in the US, too. I had the same thought as you when I saw it, but then remembered my childhood friend (who lived in a trailer in a tiny little room), had slept on a "cot." Maybe this would be clearer if we called it a camping mattress, or a camping cot?

The mattress is very much Paul's thing.  

If I've got this right, I think his big goal is that someone with a Iron level badge would be able to entirely furnish their home with handmade fibre stuff. They can upholster their chairs, make curtains, pillows, mattresses, etc. Anything in a house that's made of cloth, this person can make. And, to work up to a full-size mattress, it makes sense to start with a small thin one, more like the kind that people used in medieval times. (That stack of mattresses that the Princess and the Pea slept on, wouldn't have been nearly as tall as was depicted in our story books, as one of put mattresses is about as thick as 3 or 4 of theirs!)

   - Knit or crochet a adult hat (1 point)
   - Knit or crochet a baby hat (0.5 points

I'm wondering about this. It really all is a matter of needle and yarn size. I've knit baby hats that took longer than an adult hat, because they were on small needles. One usually uses really fine yarn for baby things because they are so small. The thicker yarn hats tend to pop off their heads. There isn't any difference in skill sets from a baby hat to an adult hat. I've whipped up an adult hat with size 10 needles, and taken forever on a baby hat on size 5 needles.



I'm wondering if we just have two levels of hats--quick hats and not-so-quick hats? Or just have knit hat, but require that if it's a non-adult-sized hat, it has to be on smaller needles?

Hmmm, I'm thinking more about the stickwork list. Like Raven, I've successfully knit with cotton, and one can chose to crochet the items instead of knit.

I'm wondering about the point system. If each section of the badge takes about 5 hours (35 hours divided by 6), then the points would be relatively related to hours, right? So a 0.5 task would take just 1/2 hour? Booties are fast, but they still take at least 2 hours. (I've knit quite a few at this point.) The socks and the sweater take far more time than 3 or 5 hours.

If we're thinking about weighing them by complexity, than a baby hat is the same complexity as an adult hat, and mittens is about the same as baby booties (different knitting skills, but you're really only learning one new skill for each).

Initially, I'd thought people could just pick from the list what they needed most or were making for someone. If someone wanted to go above and beyond and make a scarf, that'd count.

Designing these badge bits is hard, because someone can go above and beyond and take a lot more time, or they can do the minimum. But, both people get certified the same. Someone who carves an amazing spoon gets the rough spoon carving just the same as someone who carves a rough one.

Weaving something with thicker yarn would take a lot less time than with thin yarn, but use mostly the same skills, right? And knitting with larger or smaller yarn just makes it take a different length of time, but the skills are the same. I'm really not sure how we determine how much weight each task has.  

I wonder if a mattress topper might be a useful first mattress project? It could be made to fit any size mattress, uses some of the same skills as making a thicker mattress, and would be useful to people who don't need a guest mattress/baby mattress but might still want a natural topper to cover up a toxic mattress or make their bed more comfortable.

Maybe there could be a choice between mattress topper or camping mat(tress)?

When I knit a lot, my time and motion study, put one simple, medium, adult, ribbed, sock at 2 hours actual knitting time.

points system and stickwork.

the points represent the basic necessities to be a good sweater/glove/whatever.

Extra decorations are nice, but not needed for the basic function of the garment.  

Another idea for weaving projects is a rag rug.  I have seen videos of them being made on simple wooden frames and hula hoops.  They can be made out of any type of fabric and a good use for old T shirts.

Kate Muller wrote:Another idea for weaving projects is a rag rug.  I have seen videos of them being made on simple wooden frames and hula hoops.  They can be made out of any type of fabric and a good use for old T shirts.

Good idea for wood badge.

For the sewing list I can also think of "family cloth" (a substitute for toilet paper for No.1s for ladies) and handkerchiefs. Not very difficult, but saves on resources. Easily made from old shirts, towels, bed linen etc., ideally softer cotton like flannel.

I'll let you do the thinking on this project! Of course it's PEP, with the second P meaning Paul. You probably know Paul better than I.
F.e. I would never think of making a mattress. But now I read about it here, I think I will do it. I will make a mattress my dog can rest on, so it doesn't have to be on the chair anymore!

To get this badge of course wil take a long time. I will start making something when I need it, not sooner.

I have a question: I am doing textile handcrafts since many years. So I already have my materials and tools. I have a large bag filled with old clothes, sheets, etc. to use for future projects. Does this count for  BB (badge bit)? Or do I have to start collecting more???

Judith Pi wrote:For the sewing list I can also think of "family cloth" (a substitute for toilet paper for No.1s for ladies) and handkerchiefs. Not very difficult, but saves on resources. Easily made from old shirts, towels, bed linen etc., ideally softer cotton like flannel.

Hi Judith. I already have such cloths, which I call 'pee rags'. Indeed very easy to make, I think this should be in the lowest level (isn't that 'sand'?)

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:

I have a question: I am doing textile handcrafts since many years. So I already have my materials and tools. I have a large bag filled with old clothes, sheets, etc. to use for future projects. Does this count for  BB (badge bit)? Or do I have to start collecting more???

My understanding is that old projects count towards the BB ... provided you have all the needed photos to meet the requirements (which sadly, I don't).

As for the old clothes BB - the details of that will involve cutting up the clothes into useable flat pieces, saving the buttons, zippers, etc, and that sort of thing.  So, if a person already has a button jar, you can simply add the buttons to that jar.   That way the materials are right ready when you need them.  

r ranson wrote:

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:

I have a question: I am doing textile handcrafts since many years. So I already have my materials and tools. I have a large bag filled with old clothes, sheets, etc. to use for future projects. Does this count for  BB (badge bit)? Or do I have to start collecting more???

My understanding is that old projects count towards the BB ... provided you have all the needed photos to meet the requirements (which sadly, I don't).

As for the old clothes BB - the details of that will involve cutting up the clothes into useable flat pieces, saving the buttons, zippers, etc, and that sort of thing.  So, if a person already has a button jar, you can simply add the buttons to that jar.   That way the materials are right ready when you need them.  

Thank you R. So I can still get a BB with some of my old stuff ... I will cut those old clothes I gathered in flat pieces and collect buttons, zippers, etc. in my 'button jar', 'zippers box', etc. And I make photos and show them in the thread ... when you are ready for it.
Of older projects, like clothing I made, I don't have all needed photos. So I will start new projects (when I need to make something).

I decided to do my best to get those textile badges. I already have my first BB for the sand badge and now I will post my second project.
First I thought it wouldn't be fair if I do this, because I am not at all a beginner. But the sand badge is not only for beginners, it can be a 'step up' to the next badge. And my photos and explanations can be like a tutorial for beginners.

I'm excited to see the sand badge in your signature Inge, and I'm even more excited to see really good examples of the various badge bits.

Could the things under repairs also be done on test fabric as it were? because it's going to take an awful long time to wait for 4 of those items to need doing. I only own one blanket it's 20 years old and is showing no signs of wear! Perhaps also do not specify what colour thread people should have, but say 3 different or something like that, grey thread would be pretty useless to me.

(As an aside, buttons? do clothes still come with buttons, I don't have any clothing with buttons on other than trousers and they all have the rivet type that are not sown or reusable)

Again I feel the idea of these badges is good, but when I went down the list looking at it I found several things that would mean buying stuff just to complete the badge, things that would never get used and/or just thrown out after the photos were taken, which seems the antithesis of permaculture (the mattress and thimble come to mind)

I noticed as more people knew I played with cloth, more people asked for me to fix things.

I also find things for free or very cheap at yard sales and thrift stores that need mending.

And of course, once you get good at it, it's easy to charge people money to bring stuff to you to be fixed.  

I feel mending real clothes is a really important skill that wants emphasizing for the PEP stuff

I have quite a few button up shirts, and my husbands pants almost all have actual buttons. I find buttons come in handy for crafts, as well as mending (I had jammies that came with too-small buttons and so they never stayed shut, so I put bigger buttons on them). I have to re-sew buttons on my husband's pants, and even on some of my coats and shirts, quite often. Thankfully, it's a pretty easy thing to do once you know how.

I'm thinking one could go to the thrift store and look for a cheap shirt or coat with pretty buttons, and use them for decorating or crafts. I've used buttons on headbands and hats, as well when my kids wanted to make wet felted flowers. I'm glad I'd harvested buttons when I processed shirts into scraps, because I wasn't about to dig out all my old clothes to look at them to find a button. It's much easier if they're in a bowl or jar!

Edit: Finally located two of the four finished flowers, complete with their little buttons. I wish I had a bigger button jar, as my selection consisted of old boring shirt buttons and a really cool button that I found in the sewing supplies my grandma gave me.

I think it would be good to expand the repair list.  A Lot!

Any ideas what else could go on it?

r ranson wrote:When I knit a lot, my time and motion study, put one simple, medium, adult, ribbed, sock at 2 hours actual knitting time.

I'm wondering what weight wool you were using for this sock? I'm guessing 8 or maybe 10 ply? (DK and worsted, respectively.)

I knit around 30 stitches per minute, 35/min if I'm in a good groove. From asking around the internet, this seems to be a fairly average knitting speed. My foot is ~68 stitches around for most sock yarn weights. (Larger than the ubiquitous "women's medium", but not by much - most patterns have you cast on 64st for that size.) That's two minutes per round.

At 9 rounds per inch, that's 18 minutes per inch. At 16 inches of sock (not including a basic short row heel), that's 4.8 hours. So call it 5 hours for a nice round number, though a heel takes me longer than 12 minutes.

r ranson wrote:I think it would be good to expand the repair list.  A Lot!

Any ideas what else could go on it?

- Replace or repair the crotch in a pair of pants
- Turn a pair of pants or shorts into a skirt
- Cut down an adult shirt to make a child's dress or shirt, cutting around/hiding any stains or rips on the original piece
- Replace the cuffs or collar on a shirt (maybe best for a later badge, this can be hard to do well)
- sew the handles back onto a cloth shopping bag (or other cloth bag), reinforcing as necessary
- repair pinhole tears in fabric
- Make too-small pants/skirt bigger by adding a fabric strip down each outside seam
- Add length to pants or a skirt that is too short
- repair or replace a damaged waistband on pants/skirt
- cover a stain with an applique or embroidered patch to make the garment look nice again
- add a gusset to a garment (eg underarms or in the crotch) to make it fit better
- add a panel to a garment that's the right size in one area but too small in another, to make it fit (for example, add a panel in the bodice of a dress that's too small in the chest but fits fine from the waist down)
- add belt loops or suspender buttons (not both!) to a pair of pants/trousers
- repair or replace damaged lining fabric in a garment
- fix marks caused by improper ironing
- remove lint from clothes
- fix a gaping neckline (most common on knits or wool)
- repair or replace damaged/lost embellishments such as lace trim, sequins, beads, cords etc
- fix a worn buttonhole
- get icky smells out of a garment (sweat, smoke, that weird BBQ sauce your brother likes....) (this one could be hard to verify, but it's a useful skill to have.)
- remove damaged embroidery from a garment without wrecking the garment

I've done about half of these in the past. Some of them can be fiddly but mostly it's a matter of time and attention to detail, with a side order of Googling things you're not sure about.

Some more I just thought of for the repair list(or other lists?):

Turn old wool sweater into a diaper cover
Unravels old sweater into yarn for other projects
Turn old sweater into pair of baby/child pants

(These are all things my sister-in-law does, and seem so useful!)

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:

- add a panel to a garment that's the right size in one area but too small in another, to make it fit (for example, add a panel in the bodice of a dress that's too small in the chest but fits fine from the waist down)

I would LOVE to know how to do this! I have a medieval gown I'd made in 9th grade, and it still fits everywhere except the bust (obviously, I didn't grow much taller, ha!). I would love to be able to wear it again. I even still have extra of the same fabric, but I don't know how to do it correctly.

Nicole Alderman wrote:

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:

- add a panel to a garment that's the right size in one area but too small in another, to make it fit (for example, add a panel in the bodice of a dress that's too small in the chest but fits fine from the waist down)

I would LOVE to know how to do this! I have a medieval gown I'd made in 9th grade, and it still fits everywhere except the bust (obviously, I didn't grow much taller, ha!). I would love to be able to wear it again. I even still have extra of the same fabric, but I don't know how to do it correctly.

It's a handy skill to have, since so many people find they aren't the same size as the mythical "average" person a clothing company has used as their sizing template. Depending on garment construction, it can be as simple as opening up the side seams and adding a strip or wedge of fabric to each side of the front panel to make it fit one's new measurements. YouTube and Google are full of a good many decent tutorials (stay away from anything using glue though, those things are the devil).

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:

r ranson wrote:When I knit a lot, my time and motion study, put one simple, medium, adult, ribbed, sock at 2 hours actual knitting time.

I'm wondering what weight wool you were using for this sock? I'm guessing 8 or maybe 10 ply? (DK and worsted, respectively.)

Sock yarn.  My preferred needle size was 2.25 to 2.75mm for socks.

fix marks caused by improper ironing

Can you tell me more about this?

Some fabrics don't like to be ironed with the iron moving - they like to be pressed instead. Some need steam, some really don't like steam at all.

Or sometimes people leave the iron in one spot too long, and cause scorch marks. Or sometimes they iron something that plain shouldn't be ironed, or go against the nap of the fabric.

Some of these things are fixable, some aren't. I think it would be up to the individual with the wrongly-ironed clothing to work out what went wrong and if it's possible to fix it, how to do that.

Phoenix Blackdove wrote:Some fabrics don't like to be ironed with the iron moving - they like to be pressed instead. Some need steam, some really don't like steam at all.

Or sometimes people leave the iron in one spot too long, and cause scorch marks. Or sometimes they iron something that plain shouldn't be ironed, or go against the nap of the fabric.

Some of these things are fixable, some aren't. I think it would be up to the individual with the wrongly-ironed clothing to work out what went wrong and if it's possible to fix it, how to do that.

Fabrics causing problems when ironing are often synthetics, or at least with synthetics mixed in.