Of the many items my mother sewed for me, the one I most often wish I still had is a doll’s quilt she fashioned from scraps of fabric. When I visualize the quilt in my memory, I see 3-inch squares … Continue reading
Mary Jane Mucklestone will conduct a Strand Knitting Traditions Workshop 9 a.m.- noon Saturday, March 23, at Stephen Puillips Memorial Library, Searsport Marine Museum, in Searsport. Stranded knitting, organizers said, occurs throughout the world, including the Shetland Islands, Scandinavia and … Continue reading
Several weeks ago, a reader from Etna called to ask if I had instructions for making boxes out of old greeting cards. She and a group of other women get together to make items to take to those who are … Continue reading
Here are reviews of several books crocheters and knitters might find either useful or amusing: “Connect the Shapes” by Edie Eckman puts 101 motif designs at crocheters’ fingertips. These motifs have little in common with the well-known granny square, although … Continue reading
A bird in the hand is worth two in the tree. Recently, I created The Early Bird, hoping to capture on paper what I saw in my mind. My idea was to make a series of drawings to offer … Continue reading
Several weeks ago, I wrote about the shenanigans of my cat while I tried to sew tea wallets, but I neglected to say what a tea wallet is. That prompted several readers to call to inquire. A tea wallet is … Continue reading
Monday, Jan. 21, marked the 10th anniversary of the By Hand column. How did all that time go by so quickly? When I began this column on Jan. 21, 2003, knitting was being rediscovered by a new generation and interest … Continue reading
The seven Conley sisters, who grew up in Portland as part of a family of 11 children whose parents were Mike and Mary Conley, have a special way to keep themselves threaded together. Each year for the past 10 or … Continue reading
After many weeks of never finding time to sew, I found an hour in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday. I set up my sewing machine on the kitchen table and commenced a tea wallet project for a … Continue reading
It was only a few days before Christmas in the late 1950s. My father, who worked in the woods every day and really had no excuse, had yet to bring home a Christmas tree. My sister and I were 11 … Continue reading
