EASY-KNIT BED SHAWL

A knitted bed shawl offers comfort & warmth.

Spring may be just around the corner but we will still have cool nights for quite some time. And while we like to read, knit or watch television in bed, it can be just too cold in the bedroom to sit up in bed for more than a few minutes. Also, when we are ready to sleep, it's not easy to keep the heavy bed covers pulled up all the way to the head. So, while it may be considered an old-fashioned clothing item, a warm bed shawl is a great thing to have.

Here’s a practical pattern for a bed shawl that can be made up in less than a week working only a couple of hours per day. The wrap is put on over the head and worn just draped over the shoulders with out the need for buttons or ties. It's a kind of a short poncho, worn with the diagonal points in the front and back.

You can make one for yourself. It will also make a great gift for a family member or friend. I’m planning to make several in the next few months to give as gifts. This kind of wrap also offers warmth and comfort to people who are in need of special support as they face illnesses or other serious problems in life.

The bed shawl shown in the photo is a vintage item that I found at a thrift shop. (I haven't finished making one for myself but I'll post a pic of it when it's ready.)

I’ve studied this particular shawl a bit to see how it’s made. It turns out to be a very simple pattern that can go together fast. Here are my instructions for making this kind of wrap.

Bed shawl instructions
As before mentioned, I tend to give only general ideas about how to go about these projects. They are not full instructions, but general guides, given to encourage you to knit or crochet simple garments and other useful things for the home. Besides, once you get motivated, you will find dozens of detailed patterns on the Internet for knitting and crocheting almost anything that you can think of.

Use size 8 straight needles and worsted weight yarn in 4 different colors or, perhaps, for a more updated look you might choose varying tones of the same color. This is good project to help use up yarn in your project leftovers bag. It can probably be done with a total of about 12 ounces of medium weight worsted yarn. You'll work with a single strand. You might also crochet the squares. If you opt for crochet, it might be better to use a light weight worsted yarn and the corresponding hook.

The bed shawl is made of four 11-inch squares crocheted together. That makes for a total of about 24 inches square plus fringe. You can knit your shawl a longer length, if you want, and use any combination of colors for the squares.

To knit one very much like the one shown, you might use a basket stitch. But, lacking patience, the basket stitch is too complicated for me. So, I expect I’ll make the squares in a simpler way. Here I’m thinking about using either the twisted stockinette or the seed stitch. Most any stitch, simple or complex, will work out fine. You’ll find instructions for making different kinds of knit stitches in books and on the Internet. 

Begin the shawl making the first square. Cast on 48 stitches (or the number of stitches that you need to make the length you want). Keep knitting these rows until the piece is square. Then bind off the stitches. Make all four squares. Then crochet the edges of the squares with a simple edging stitch using the same or contrasting yarn. Remember you should always crochet edges on the front side. Weave the shawl together with the same color yarn as the edges, leaving a four-inch opening on all adjacent squares for the neck opening.

Finally, add an outer decorative edge to keep the edges of the squares from rolling up. You can put a simple fringe on the edges or you can crochet a decorative edge. Your shawl will look better if you use a bold color for the fringe.  There are plenty of instructions for making fringes and decorative edges on the Web.

When the edging is finished, weave in any ends of yarn. Wash the bed shawl in warm water, towel dry it, and block it by pinning it to a towel laid out flat. As it dries, check it to make sure that it maintains its overall square shape.

JOYS OF AN EDITED & ORGANIZED CLOSET

I remember a time - not so long ago - when shopping for clothes meant going downtown or to the mall with any excuse of "needing" some clothing item, or having no excuse at all. It involved hours of endeavor - all morning or afternoon - going in and out of stores, trying on clothes. And often as not leaving the stores with several items, even though I’d gone there looking for something in particular.

 

Ah, and those were also the days when our credit cards had room for a few more purchases – not minding the ever-growing balance of debt that accumulated. Shopping was supposed to be sheer pleasure. On that basis, we bought a lot of stuff. Our closets overflowed.

Today, things have changed for many of us. Shopping for clothes isn’t at all what it was.  We’ve rejected crass consumerism. We'd feel embarrassed to flaunt our exit from the stores carrying so many bags. We also know that we should carry a personal, reusable shopping bag, or at the very least, leave the stores with as few disposable bags - paper over plastic - as possible. 

 

Also, of late we’ve embraced the concept of minimalism – for the home and for the closet. We no longer like to see our closets spilling over with outfits. We’ve found that some well chosen clothes – maybe just 20 or 30 items often work very well. And we allow ourselves something new only when we’re willing to give away a corresponding item. 

My winter wardrobe of 25 ítems

 

Closet minimalism is a good way to go. I recommend it. And why worry about limited closet space when what you really need takes up just a small space? If you like the idea, start editing your closet right away. It’s easier than you might think.

 

Start editing

Take all your clothes out of the closet and inventory them. You'll see that you have more clothes than you thought. There are probably several items that you used to love, but have gotten shoved to the back of the clothes rack. Some clothes no longer fit, others show wear, and some need zippers or buttons.

To begin your inventory, make five piles of clothes on the bed or floor.

The first pile is for “keepers” - those that fit and that you absolutely love and wear at least once a month.  

The second pile is for those things that fit but require dry cleaning or some minor repair. If you plan to keep them, take care of these needs right away.

The third pile is separated out for donation, selling or giving away. It includes clothes that no longer fit, are out-dated, or those you just don’t like anymore.

Pile four is made up of torn or stained clothes that nobody is likely to want. (I never recommend throwing out clothes. You can wear them around the house or to bed, or cut them into rags (for cleaning or craft projects.)

Pile five is for seasonal clothes or exceptionally good special occasion outfits. Store them in a box or clothing bag elsewhere in the house. You’ll get them out when you need them.



 All the shoes in my winter closet. (Boots are in boxes.)

Hang the "keeper" clothes back in your closet by groups of items -- such as coats, outer wear, dresses, skirts, blouses, dress pants, exercise wear -- or in some other order that makes sense to you. You may also need to sort through and edit the rest of your clothes - underwear, shoes, and accessories - before returning them to their places. 

Then, if you think that you still have too many "keeper" clothes, here are some further editing options.

Extreme wardrobe reductionism.  

You can further reduce your need for closet space and stop wasting time wondering what to wear. Do this by simplifying your clothing needs to 6, 8, or 10 well-coordinated outfits. Keep clothes that are simple in design and of the same color scheme, so you can mix and match.  Since you are going to have fewer items, you want to choose totally comfortable items.  Get rid of the rest. You never again have to dig deep in your closet to see if there’s stuff in there that you want to wear.

You won’t need many items at all, if you adopt a personal uniform style – everything is usable, by definition. Your uniform should be one of your choosing – a look that represents your inner self or, at least, that part of yourself you want to share with the outside world. Eliminate absolutely everything else. For example, there are women who always wear a suit to work. They have 4 or 5 suits that are simple in style and neutral in color. The individual pieces of the suits can be mixed and matched to create their entire professional wardrobe. Another sort of uniform, for women who are homemakers or casual-dress workers, would be 3 pairs of khaki pants (or nice jeans) and 5 blouses or shirts in similar style but varying colors. This kind of uniform can be worn year-round. 

Don't accumulate useless stuff again
Regardless of your editing criteria, once you've reduced your wardrobe, don’t allow yourself to accumulate a lot of stuff again. Remember, your best wardrobe is one that is full of clothes that you love and wear often.

When you decide that you really need to shop, don't buy several items, when you only need one. Also, think about alternatives to going downtown or to the mall. You don’t have to buy new clothes. Nice, gently used clothes are easily found. Visit yard sales. Go to thrift shops or vintage stores. You’ll probably find something that you like at a great price.

 
Check your closets and drawers every few weeks to see if they are still in the best possible order. You’ll find that your edited and organized closet will be a long-term source of personal satisfaction and confidence.

Note
Due to "popular request" and to my compulsive need to document most everything, here is a list of the 25 clothing items and shoes in my winter wardrobe. Gym/yoga clothes and at home grunges are not included.

2 black skirts/different textures
1 blue jean skirt
1 dress pants/black
2 blue jeans
1 "dressy" dress - LBD
2 cardigans/black & grey
2 pullovers/grey & black
3 jackets/black zip-up, black snap-up & blue jean
1 blazer (still need to buy)
1 parka/black
1 trench coat/medium blue
1 hooded sweat shirt/dark grey
4 short sleeve shirts/assorted colors
3-3/4 sleeve shirts/assorted colors

2 tennis/walking and running
2 heels/ closed with tie and closed with strap
2 boots/hiking and snow
flats with straps
chunky pull-on flats (still need to buy)

Related posts. http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2012/09/things-to-downsize-right-away-case-1.html http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-consumerism-still-tries-to-fool-us.html

DECORATE A T-SHIRT WITH CROCHET AND BEAD CHAINS

Even though I’m a dedicated minimalist when it comes to clothing, occasionally, I'm inspired to adorn things in my closet. Last weekend was one of those times. And, in a crafty binge, I decided to branch out from my usual (of-late) crochet bracelet-making to include a design for an embellished tee. I’d wanted such a tee for some time and spent a little time figuring out how to make one for myself. Here was my thought. I generally don’t like to wear necklaces – especially in this super hot weather. But now and again I want to wear a decorated tee-shirt with something distinctive on the front. And, in a moment of inspiration, I decided to hang strands of beads on two buttons attached to the front of the tee.

Armed with one of my favorite $5 tees, 2 buttons, some beads and heavy nylon thread from my bracelet craft stash, I crocheted three separate strands of beads, tied together in  single chain circle that allows the beads to dangle from the buttons on the either side of the neckline. So, now I have a fancy t-shirt to wear with my two gathered waist, mid-calf skirts. With this new creation, I'll feel comfortably cool but still dressed up enough to go out to a friend’s house in the evening or to a restaurant for dinner. And since the beads are easily detachable from the shirt, there will be no problem for regular machine washing.

All-in-all, the project was an easy one. It took just me a little patience to pull all three strands into one single chain “hook” just the right size. I’m pleased with the results of my efforts.

So, try this idea to spruce up an old tee and create a unique top for a special occasion. The bead chains bring color and texture to the front of the tee without going through the sewn beading process that takes a lot of planning, patience, and skill. Beyond that, if you don’t have the crochet skills to make this project, you might get something of the same effect by wiring together two or three separate chains with beads or links (that you already have) and hanging them off of sewn on buttons. Also, I’ve seen beads that were glued on a tee to form a design. So, that might be another way to get the look of chains without the work of either sewing or crocheting.

How to make the bead-chain for the tee
Materials

Two buttons. I decided on rather plain ½” wood buttons. Flatter, simple ones work better, and won't come off so easily with multiple washings.

Nylon crochet thread - whatever thickness and color(s) you like

Bunch of colorful beads. I used different colors and sizes for each chain.

#2.5 crochet hook (or size that better fits your thread)

Craft needle to thread the beads

Instructions
- Decide how long you want each chain. (Mine dangled a bit, so they were about 14, 16, and 18 inches long.) Multiple that length of each chain by 7 to be sure to have enough material to finish out your crochet. If you're doubling the thread, like I did, then you'll need about 14 times the length of each chain.

- Make your crochet chains, adding beads as you go. (I like to start by tying in the middle bead and crocheting out on both sides. That way, I can make adjustments as I go and end up precisely at the length I've chosen.)  If you’ve never crocheted with beads, there are several good Youtube instructionals for how to do this. That’s how I learned.

- Attach the last two links of each of the three strands of beads to a final short crochet chain. Knot the chain together to form a ring just big enough to go around the button. Do the same for the other side.

That done,  put on your tee, hang the beads off the buttons, and you’re ready to go out in a one-of-a-kind shirt. Also, this would make a nice gift tee for a friend. Or just make up a gift “kit” of buttons and bead chains, along with a sketch or photo of how to wear the chains. Your friend can put it on whatever shirt she chooses and do her own (minimal) handiwork.

Related posts
MAKE A BEADED BOOKMARK FOR A FAVORITE BOOK
A FRAMED PICTURE COLLAGE MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING WALL DISPLAY
MAKE A FAMILY MEMORY BOX
A GIFT IDEA FOR A “CLOTHESLINE” WALL-HANGING MADE FOR A CHILD
DOING HANDICRAFTS IS USEFUL AND FUN
MAKING HEART-SHAPED PILLOWS FOR LITTLE GIRLS
MAKE BEAUTIFUL BEADS FROM RECYCLED PAPER
CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD

CLOSETS NEEDING DECLUTTERING? TRY WARDROBING.

Does wardrobing make sense for you?
Wardrobing is a system of acquiring clothes in a few basic colors - usually 2 or 3 - so that all pieces work well together in a well-defined and consistent style. The purpose of wardrobing is to create multiple outfits from a rather limited number of items. To achieve successful wardrobing, you'll have to pull out all of the items in your clothes closet and drawers, go through an editing process, and only put back pieces in your main colors. When you master the art of wardrobing, you will have enough outfits to feel comfortable and look good in any season of the year. As an extra bonus, your clothes drawers and closets will be almost miraculously decluttered.

My experience with wardrobing
I'll describe my experience with wardrobing to illustrate how you can achieve these goals. (Since I live in an area that doesn’t have a lot of cold weather, wardrobe editing has been somewhat easier for me than it may be for you.)

I picked 3 basic colors: black (true black and charcoal gray), blue (blue jean blue and medium-blue) and white. Most of my clothes are in solid colors, and the few that I have in prints include one or more basic colors. By careful editing, I've seen that every piece coordinates well with all the others. A few beige and pastel tops and shirts still appear in my wardrobe because I’ve yet to find their replacement in black, blue or white.

So, here is my wardrobe strategy. My wardrobe is made up of 40 garments. When I get something new, I simply pass on a similar item to family, friends or a charitable organization. With those 40 items, I now have a useful wardrobe for myself as a homemaker in my retirement years. I feel fairly sure that my wardrobe is correctly edited. Whether or not it represents a minimum number of pieces on a relative scale, either from a worldwide or an ecological viewpoint, is another question. (And, I don't want to think about that - at least not right now). Anyway, the 40 items don't yet constitute a capsule-wardrobe and are probably still more than I need. So, I may decide to further edited my clothes sometime in the future.

You may be interested in how I acquired this wardrobe, so I'll tell you a bit more about it. I bought many of my clothes in thrift shops. Other pieces came from discount stores. The more expensive clothes (black suit, little black dress, and leather jackets) were purchased on sale in department stores 10 or more years ago. Since these better clothes have classic tailoring, they have never gone out of style - at least not by my standards. At any rate, I stopped going to department stores about that time because I thought - still think - that we have to fight mindless consumerism in all the ways we can. Besides, for the past five years, I haven't even had enough money for downtown or mall department stores.

Other benefits
And there are some added benefits of having an edited wardrobe. There’s no need for clothes clutter anywhere since everything fits in: 2 big drawers, ½ of a not-so-big, regular bedroom closet, and one suitcase (for lesser-used pieces). Accessories, like scarves, caps, gloves, sleep wear, bathing suit, yoga clothes, etc., all fit in another big drawer. And, as to upkeep economy, only the 2 suits, the dress pants, the jackets, and the little black dress need dry-cleaning. Thankfully, the better clothes are only worn on rare occasions and seldom need cleaning. Absolutely everything else in my wardrobe goes in the regular home wash.

Shoes
My shoes are also edited. I have 6 pairs of black shoes: medium-heel for dress; nice flats; tennis shoes; cold-weather, low-heel slip-ons; low-heel sandals for warm weather; and rubber sandals for around the house and in the gym shower room.

The whole wardrobe package
Pairs of slacks - 4
- Nice black, lined; black, all-season; blue, all-season; blue jeans
Capri-length pants - 2
- Black; blue-patterned
Blue jean shorts - 1
Just under the knee-length skirts - 2
- Black, all season
- Blue denim
Sleeveless tops - 6
- 3 white
- 3 solid-colored (pastel shades)
Sleeved tops - 6
- 3 white
- 2 blue
- Nice patterned blouse in black and beige
Sleeved, blue denim shirts - 3
- Simple, long-sleeved
- Simple, ¾ sleeved
- Short-sleeved, embroidered
Nice suits (4 pieces)
- Blue suit, jacket and skirt
- Black suit, jacket and skirt (black lined slacks also go with the jacket)
Black leather jackets - 2
- Nice mid-thigh-length, winter
- Sporty hip-length
Dresses - 2
- Nice sleeveless, little black dress
- 3/4 sleeve black dress, all season
Nice light-weight, multicolored jacket 1
Cardigans - 2
- Black
- Beige
Pullovers for cold weather - 3
- Fleecy pink (also makes great sleepwear in the winter)
- Gray knitted
- Gray sweat shirt
Light-weight, black sports pants and jacket (2 pieces)
Total 40 pieces

Have you done something like this?
If any of you, my readers, have had similar, or somewhat different, challenges with wardrobe editing, I would like to hear about your successes (or failures).

A LOT CAN BE SAID ABOUT A GOOD SCARF.

The inspiration

One of the handiest items you can have in your wardrobe is a good scarf. All kinds of scarves are available in a variety of materials, colors and textures, but you don’t need a bunch of them. You just need a silk or cotton one in summer and a wool flannel or knitted scarf in winter. Choose a neutral color that goes well with almost any other thing you might wear. For even more versatility, you should have four scarves -- one large square and another oblong (rectangular) shaped – two for summer and two for winter. If you have as many as four scarves, one or two of them should be multicolor or otherwise have a pattern that adds more interest.

Even a simple and plain outfit can be made into something interesting with the addition of a scarf. They are handy and look beautiful, and these days, what with our lack of extra cash, we have to make the most of everything in our closets. So, instead of shopping for more clothing, let accessories, like the scarf, update your wardrobe. And, of course, as the really cold weather arrives, your scarves will keep your neck warm.

You need to learn how to tie and fold scarves in various ways. You can loosely tie it around your neck, or use it as a headband or head wrap or drape it like a shawl on your shoulders. Besides the more conventional uses, a scarf can also become a belt, a halter-top or even worn on your waist as a short sarong. Beyond that, to most everyone’s surprise, the square scarf is making a fashion comeback. Remember the classic Marilyn Monroe movie where she wore the white square scarf folded in a triangle on her head – babushka style? The same vintage look is back and it’s as elegant as ever. (Actually, Grandma Susan, as you might imagine, always chooses comfort and warmth over stylishness and never stopped wearing her scarves babushka style.)

Handcrafters find scarf knitting to be an easy opportunity to use their creativity. They can experiment with different threads, primarily cotton, wool and acrylics, along with colors, textures, shapes and sizes and come up with any number of dramatic successes. Lengths for scarves are totally variable. And, as for widths - a sheer scarf may be 3 inches wide, whereas a warm muffler may be up to 8 inches wide.

Some different kinds of scarves
Hand knitted scarves can be made from several different knit patterns. Here are some simple patterns that even beginner knitters can do. They are quick to make and much appreciated as gifts.

Horizontal Stitch Scarf: It is a very easy knitting pattern, which is knit from side to side, using just knit and purl stitches.

Condo Knit Scarf: This pattern uses two different sized needles on two different rows of the same project. Since it produces a light lacy pattern, a condo knit scarf is a perfect accessory for the springtime.

Cabbage Row Stitch Scarf: This is an easy double knit stitch, which adds a lot of texture and warmth. As a variation on the garter stitch, this stitch has the added advantage of looking the same on both sides – front and back - of the knitting.

The pattern
I’ll share with you the pattern for the horizontal stitch scarves that I just made as Christmas presents for my two little granddaughters. (I also made them warm, matching pull-on headbands, using the same yarn and the cabbage row stitch.)

I used size 13 needles and two strands of heavy acrylic and nylon yarn – red and gray for one little girl and brown and green for the other. Because of the big needles and the heavy yarn, this was a super fast project -- each scarf taking just a few hours to complete.

I cast on 11 stitches and used:
Purl 2, knit 1, purl 2, knit 1, purl 2, knit 1, and purl 2 for the front side.
Only purl for the back.

The scarves are 40 inches long (small child-size), not counting the 3-inch fringe on each end. Each scarf took only about 5 ounces of yarn.