04-20-2020 Squaring the filet stitch reminder

Usually an EDC works better than a plain DC to make the filet square truly square.

05-30-2020 Apps that turn images into squares

Sources to turn pattern into squares

http://myphotostitch.com/
Can restrict the colors

Stitchfiddle. Can reduce the number of colors.

Knitpro
No color restrictions, but there will be so many inbetween blocks that it needs to be printed and hand shaded to reduce the colors.

If doing SC crochet chart, enlarge the height by 20% before inputting into graph maker software -- Paint works well.

I printed out the Knitpro output, then hand-colored it. It still seemed rather difficult to read, so I took the time to enter the Knitpro output into a spreadsheet. This house is a fair amount of rectangles and made it easy. The spreadsheet format allowed me to count blocks a lot faster, and estimate bobbins.

05-30-2020 Thoughts on yarns and threads.

I think a size 10 crochet cotton will work if I can find a brick red shade or a variegated shade.
Brick Red
Black
White
Gray
Sky Blue

If not, I can likely get DMC size 5 floss in enough shades

06-05-2020 Piece of felt needed

Need to get a piece of felt or heavy cloth to baste the first row of the project to. The first couple rows tend to twist a lot.

06-08-2020 Threads are ordered

Placed an order with Creative Yarn Source
I can use a brown and a mottled brown from my stash to supplement.
6 balls 102 wine (bricks)
1 Ball 144 variegated green (foliage)
3 Balls 109 bluish white (white trim and clouds)
1 Ball 127 black (window wells, windows in door)
2 Balls 167 cement (roof, window glass)
2 Balls 119 sky blue (sky)
1 Ball 162 mauve (front door)

06-13-2020

Half my thread order arrived today, so I began testing of a couple of things -- How the thread will perform -- how the colors look adjacent to each other -- practicing color changes -- and estimating how much yardage I’ll need for pools of color.

06-14-2020

Finished a swatch of 16 rows to get a feel for the threads and hook. Forgot to measure it before unraveling it, but if I need that information -- I had taped the swatch to a 3-M sticky note. Needed to unravel to figure out how many SCs I could get in each foot of thread. The brown I’m using is a different brand and I want to make sure it played well with the Omega brand.
Everything seems good to go and I did notice the brown used less footage -- maybe it stretches more -- it is not a tightly wound thread.

As I unraveled each thread, I counted out the SCs, and then entered the data into a spreadsheet to get an average count to use for bobbins. The brown is so different, I removed it from the average.

Everything is good to go to begin the initial bobbins and start that first chain.

Very surprised that a 2.50 Aero hook works well for this. I was expecting to use thread hook size 7.

06-18-2020 Start

Officially started today with the first stitch. I thought I’d just get the first row done, but I’ve finished 3 rows, placed stitch markers, and even got it temporarily basted to a piece of felt to keep the first couple of inches from twisting.

06-19-2020 End

Ugh all the progress I made today had to be scrapped. When I built the steps to the house, I made them wider rather than narrower. And I couldn’t really just rip back because I had already woven in the ends really well. I thought I could do this without the tedious job of counting out each line and making sure the math works.

The light on this bad news is that I wasn’t liking the look of the variegated green. It’s a good time to replace it with a solid.

I’m questioning the mauve as well.

Also the sky blue I chose is too green to work with the rest of the colors. Maybe I should check this blue with someone else. I’m a little bit color blind in the blue-green spectrum.

It certainly gave me a lengthy test of the concept.

06-23-2020 Re-Group

Spent a bit of time translating the pattern to working notes. Blocking out the bobbins of color, deciding when to change colors, deciding whether to carry a color for a few rows or simply cut and re-add.

I checked a couple of other threads to see if I could locate a gray for the windows. Looks like Handy Hands may have a Lizbeth thread for that.

06-24-2020 Re-Boot

Officially started up again today. I decided to re-use the chain from the previous attempt to start even though I’m going to use a solid green color. Putting stitch markers and color changes in the same stitch complicates changing colors because of the need to hold the old color while inserting a new color.

I’m hesitant to weave in ends because of the prior attempt, so for now the ends are being taped to the felt piece.

07-01-2020 The most complex rows

Ready to begin the most complex rows -- the 4 windows can begin once I wind the bobbins. I think I’ll try stranding the white frame behind the gray windows.

Row 19 has 19 color changes; row 21 where the gray windows begin has 39 changes. Row 41 is down to 3 color changes

I need a wider tray to hold the bobbins for those rows. The ironing board seems like a good temporary table because of its adjustable height and light weight. I’ll be turning the entire board before beginning each new row.

07-02-2020 Lost Data

Computer died yesterday and my spreadsheets for the project were simply on the Desktop. Won’t know for a couple of days if I’ve lost all the Desktop files, or simply have a virus. I can finish the project with what’s been printed and calculated but I’d love to have my spreadsheets back.

NEXT TIME

(..)
If I use thread again …
(1) The Lizbeth definitely ‘bends’ less; the Nazli Garden is softer and less tightly wound and feels fatter; the Omega needs to be ‘unwound’ more frequently.
The stranding technique used on the windows is made more difficult with Lizbeth gray because it’s a stiffer thread.
(2) The Lizbeth color cards are more accurately colored than the Omega and come in more shades. The price difference is between the two brands is significant and means bobbin estimation should be done up front to avoid costly over-purchase.
(..)
The image should have been stretched more than 20% in this case. I’ll need to get my calipers out and measure at the end to get a better idea of how squared off my stitches were. Should have checked this out up front.
(..)
Floss holders didn’t work well for this project because their irregular shape made it difficult to pull up more thread without pulling them out of the cups.
(..)
The piece of felt in addition to keeping the rows from twisting was a very useful place to hold the ends when attaching a new bobbin. The end was taped to the felt and provided 2 functions -- it held it in place for the first pull through and it then kept that end from getting tangled when reversing the work.
(..)
Dental Floss worked better as a stitch marker. It’s smooth and smaller than #10 thread and didn’t get tangled with the bobbins.
(..)
If blocking is critical (straight lines etc), then an acrylic thread may be a better choice so that the yarn can be killed into shape.

07-10-2020

Upper windows have begun. Easier than the lower level windows because of experience and the fact that there’s fewer color changes.

Rather tedious and before flipping to begin the next row, most of the bobbins need to have a bit of a straightening

07-13-2020

Upper windows are done. The rows should go quickly now. With the windows finished about 10 bobbins were dropped and now it’s just a solid red house up to the roofline.

07-25-2020 The Sky’s the Limit

Working on the final chimney and sky rows. Should be able to complete within a week.

08-04-2020 Fixing the bottom

When I restarted, I used the chain and Row 1 from the first failed effort. For some reason, my gauge on the do-over was different from the original. The bottom seemed very wavy and wouldn’t block and compress. I removed the original chain and its Row 1 and added 2 Rows. Looks quite nice.

08-04-2020 Blocking challenge

This will need very precise blocking to ensure the straight lines of the windows, doors etc all line up. Makes me wish I had researched acrylic threads because I could kill it into shape. The house is soaking now to clean it. The suds in the first soaking were gone in a flash. One of the brands of thread must have had an oil coating.

08-09-2020 what to do with the motif?

When I began this, I thought this would be a crochet inset using an vintage linen tablecloth. It just doesn’t look right. The thought of a relatively thick and colorful inset with a fancy linen tablecloth seems a bad choice.

It could be a wall hanging, but I do not like the look of the house being wider than its height.

I’m considering a table runner - the fabric comprising the runner part could be selected to subdue the bright colors which contributing to the festive look.

09-01-2020 Final Decision

After seeing some of the suggestions from fellow Ravelers, I’m going to try to make this a decorative pillow. Need to get a pillow and something that gives his name, location, and dates.

Postscript: Getting a pillow mold at a reasonable cost during the quarantine was impossible. It was an odd shape and deliveries were difficult/delayed/lost during this time. Went with a pillow mold from JoAnns which was close to $30.

09-21-2020 Finishing Steps

The problem of putting something with this to identify this as my Revolutionary War Patriot was solved with the purchase of an embroidered quilt square from an Etsy buyer, HappyToesGirl. https://www.etsy.com/shop/happytoesgirl

I noticed that the fabric in the square would allow the dark fabric to show through, so I sewed it to a piece of the same color.

This, along with my quarantine label, was then sewn to the pillow back.

For the pillow case, I finished the back piece and the front pieces separately before joining them.

To keep the crocheted applique from slipping, I inserted a piece of white felt behind it before stitching it to the pillow case front.

The final closing for the pillow case was done with hand stitching.

03-16-2021 It’s a Winner!

I was surprised to find Jacob Hilliard’s homestead won at the state level and was sent as Maryland’s entry in the Fiber Arts category. I was stunned when informed it placed 3rd place at the national level.
Now to figure out how to sent a photo of myself. My COVID hair!

08-18-2021 The County Fair

I’ve never entered any of my crochet into our county fair, but the woman in charge of the Home Arts is also a member of our unofficial Fine Arts group and she encouraged me to enter pieces.

I was pleased to see that Jacob Hilliard’s Homestead won a First in the Pillow category.