Amber's (scaifea) 2019 Knitting/Sewing/Cross Stitch/Crafting Projects

Hi, everyone! Happy New Year!

Today will be my first day of the new year with some time spent in my sewing room, so I thought this would be a good time to set up a new thread. I'm mostly in between projects right now, but I do have a sweater on the knitting needles that I should finish up soonish. I'll likely spend some time today working out what my next sewing project will be - I'm trying out new things for my etsy shop (this is the year that I *will* get serious about the shop), so it'll likely come from that list of project ideas. Here's a look at my work space:





Happy crafting!

That is such a wonderful work space. I can't remember how much space you had in your previous home, but you must have been thrilled to find this.

>2 lauralkeet: Laura: I had a fairly big space in the previous house, too, but this is definitely fabulous and even bigger. I also love that it's a better-finished basement than our previous one, so it's just a nicer space all-round, and I love that there's more room for Charlie to have his own crafting area, which he uses tons. He did more handmade gifts this year than I did by a long shot!

>3 scaifea: that sounds fantastic.

>4 lauralkeet: It *is*! It was a deal-breaker issue with me when we were house shopping - I had become accustomed to a certain crafting lifestyle and that needed to continue...

Love that Charlie was into the homemade gifting!

>6 mabith: Oh, he has been from the beginning. He loves making things for other people, the sweetheart.

That's a fabulously spacious studio!! And I like that Charlie has a spot of his own. Do you have heat down there? Your photo reminds me that I need to re-assess and then thin out my studio. For example, I have two dress dummies taking up room (standard & plus size), haven't used any since 2009 (I suspect my days of special occasion clothing sewing are over).

That's a great sewing area, Amber. I have a nice space in my basement that my husband did when we moved here last year. Only a little bigger than what I had before but I consider that a good thing. If he made it bigger then I'd have to fill it up. :)

>8 avaland: Thanks, Lois! Yep, it's heated.

I love my dress form. I've named her Mrs. Danvers and she lives up to the name (a little prickly but very useful).

>9 dudes22: Thanks! I actually downsized quite a bit before our move, getting rid of a few machines...

Okay, so in an effort to remember to post my projects this year, here's my first Thing I've Made this year. It's a prototype for an idea for a zipper pouch for my etsy shop - I used leftover fabric from one the the dresses I made for my nieces this past Christmas:





This one is just to test out a different design (with a flat bottom and tabs for the zipper) before making a 'real' one. I want to try using men's ties sewn into strips to make them for the shop. We'll see how that goes...

I am a sucker for pouches of all types and that one really hits the spot, Amber. I like the flat bottom aspect — it would be great for holding colored markers or crayons so that you can dig around and find the right color without upending the whole thing. Me likey!

>12 rosalita: Thanks, Julia! I like the flat bottom, too.

I have a bag similar to that. It's starting to look ratty and I was thinking about replacing it. And now I see your little pouch and I'm like neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed new pouch!! Very cute! Was the zipper difficult? I hate sewing in zippers. Ugh.

>14 lesmel: The zipper is really pretty easy, in fact, because you sandwich it between the exterior and lining fabrics as the first thing you sew!

I finished a knitting project - an H Is for Harry (Potter) sweater. It came out, well, just a bit wonky, but that seems in the spirit of a Mrs. Weasley sweater:



Next up for the knitting needles will be a pair of socks for myself using this self-striping yarn:

I like that tweedy yarn in the sweater. Is that for Charlie?

The sock yarn is very pretty. I just posted over on my thread, that I'm going to try an afterthought heel for some self-striping socks I'm currently working on. I just successfully did the bit, mid-sock, that will allow me to come back and work the heel after knitting everything else. Have you ever tried one of these? They are also sometimes referred to as forethought heels or peasant heels.

>17 lauralkeet: Laura: Ha! NOPE, it's foR ME!

I've never tried that kind of heel, but I'd love to at some point!

>18 scaifea: it's for ME! well of course it is, what was I thinking? 😀

As for the sock heel, I'll post an update on my thread when I'm finished.

>19 lauralkeet: Laura: Great! I can't wait to see how it turns out. I love the idea of continuing the stripe pattern and then coming back to the heel. Will you do a solid color for the heel, then?

>20 scaifea: I could, but I don't have anything suitable in my stash and it's not worth buying more yarn just for that. I'll probably just use what's left of the yarn I have, so it will have a striped pattern all its own.

I like socks with a contrasting toe and heel, and this technique would be great for that. Might have to knit some of those, someday.

>21 lauralkeet: I like the contrasting toe and heel socks, too, but I think you could do that without the later heel insert, yeah? If continuity of striping wasn't an issue?

>22 scaifea: yeah, you're right, you can just join new yarn as needed. Duh!

>23 lauralkeet: Ha!

Nice sweater for a fangirl! And I think wonky is just fine for this :-) Looking forward to seeing your socks. What inspires you to take up the knitting needles?

>25 avaland: Lois: Thanks! I think I first wanted to learn to knit as part of my need to create tangible *things.* I used to have long conversations with some of my colleagues about how so many academics are passionate about handicraft-like hobbies because, we decided, we worked in a job that doesn't make a physical, tangible product, and we were trying to fill a void. Or something. But I've always loves creating stuff through crafty means since I was a kid, so that can't be all of it. Knitting is just soothing to me, and I can do it while we're all sitting around the TV - I can't sit still without doing something with my hands.

The results of my tinkering with using upcycled men's ties to the zipper pouch, and I'm pretty much pleased. I even picked out the ties I though the ugliest from my stash (in case the thing didn't turn out at all) and I still really like how it turned out. The lining is made from a men's button-down:

>27 scaifea: I love that! How cute!

>28 lesmel: Thanks!

>27 scaifea: Dang. You almost make me want to visit the sewing room (other than to dust it0. That purse is really cute!

Nice, Amber! That's really creative, and I can imagine it would be fun to mix & match the ties into interesting designs.

>27 scaifea: That is clever! (and I am glad to see that I am not the only one cutting up men's shirts). Once upon a time I picked up a pattern for a quilt made from men's silk ties. I haven't done it, but if you would like the pattern I'd be happy to send it to you (not sure the address I have for you is still valid?)

In the last few years, I have gotten away from the having to do something with my hands while watching television. It might be because I have stopped knitting. We also watch quite a lot with subtitles, so that makes it difficult, of course. Yesterday I was sewing labels on a couple of quilts while watching/listening a news program (and I do most of the hand-sewing of binding this way, also). I once dreamed of making "art for art's sake" but life has not worked out that way. And I "blame" the legacy of a long line of industrious, pragmatic, clever women which I think is both a gift and a curse (it's also likely a vestigial legacy of the Puritan work ethic of my ancestors...but that's another story).

>30 Lyndatrue: Thanks! Wait, you *dust* your sewing room? Hm, maybe I should do that sometimes, too...

>31 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! I'm excited to do some mixing and matching now that I've sorted out the test pattern!

>32 avaland: Thanks, Lois! I use men's shirts for all sorts of projects. I love being able to give such things new purpose in life - seeing this kind of stuff languishing in thrift shops and garage sales makes me sad, and I hate thinking of how they eventually end up in the landfill. I walk into those places, look around and think, "Okay, what can I make out of this...or this...or this...?" I've lately been pondering the idea of buying up the unloved sweaters, unraveling them, and knitting something new, too.

I'd love the quilt pattern! I was just thinking yesterday that ties would maybe make a cool material for a log cabin quilt, too. Thanks so much for the offer! (I'll PM you my new address.)

I can see how subtitles would not be conducive to doing something while watching! I think I could manage a knitting project that was all purling (weirdly I can purl without looking but not knit), but nothing else. I used to do a ton of knitting and cross stitching while listening to audiobooks, and I still listen while sewing, but I generally feel guilty just knitting or cross stitching during the day - I always feel like I should be doing something else!

My mom is an incredibly crafty person, too, and I think I inherited the need to Make Stuff from her. That feeling of holding something you've made all on your own is so nice. Addicting, really. It makes me happy and I like being happy. *shrug*

>33 scaifea: I need to keep busy while watching TV, or else it's almost certain I'll nod off. So I knit in front of the TV all the time, and for the most part it works well. I don't work on anything complicated though, and I definitely get less done if the show has subtitles.

buying up the unloved sweaters, unraveling them, and knitting something new, too.
Ooh! ooh! That reminded me of something I saw quite some time ago, and praise Google I found it. AND this man lives in Columbus!
https://www.nextavenue.org/video-the-man-who-knits/

>34 lauralkeet: Laura: Oh, I agree that I can't be working on anything too complicated while watching something. Those are the only times I don't feel too guilty about knitting during the day, if there's a part of the project that needs my full attention and complete quiet around me.

And yay for The Man Who Knits! Very cool.

>35 scaifea: I remember in the early 70s when it made news that Rosie Greer (former football player) was doing needlepoint and macrame. I think he even published a book about needlepoint. (does anyone admit to doing macrame now?)

re the unravelling. I have memories of doing that and it being a royal pain to knit with the kinks in the yarn.... I have contemplated making pillows out of old sweaters....

I remember that about Rosie Greer too!

>36 avaland: Cool! My uncle used to do macrame! Also, I love sweater pillows!

>34 lauralkeet: and >35 scaifea: You brought back a (very) old memory. I'd crocheted a sweater for my daughter when she was perhaps two years old and a piece, and (no surprise) she quickly grew beyond it. It was made from a yarn that was multiple bright colors, and I simply couldn't give it away, nor toss it out. I finally unraveled it, and put it as a few rows towards the bottom and on the sleeves. I wonder if there's a photograph of it around somewhere...

When I noticed that the cuffs of the sleeves were starting to fray, I put it away in a chest. I keep meaning to buy a second cedar chest to put all those items I cannot bear to part with, so that they'd be easier to look at (and probably get rid of, if I saw them all the time).

I made the sweater long enough that it extended past my knees, and the sleeves had to be folded back to keep them from dragging in things. I do think it easier to repurpose crocheted works than knitted, by the way. I've done both, and the previously knitted yarn is just best used as trim. That crimping is much harder to work with.

>39 Lyndatrue: Neat story about the daughter sweater!

I'm still probably going to give the repurposed yarn a go and see how I manage.

Chiming in on the men and needlework theme. Daniel Peyton who used to live in the next subdivision over from me picked up cross-stitching from his mother's influence. He writes fantasy. His The Crystal Needle features a young adult man who stitches. Daniel discontinued the ebook version last year. I'm not sure why he discontinued it except that I suspected he felt he'd grown as an author and no longer wanted that one out there. I only read a portion of the book. I keep intending to get back and finish it. It's just not my genre. I see so much of his family in that book, although he denies it is them.

What I liked most about the man who knits video was that he sourced most of his yarn by unraveling thrift shop sweaters. When Amber posted about dong the same, I instantly imagined them running into one another in a thrift shop and possibly tussling over an especially good find.

>41 thornton37814: Lori: Neat story!

>42 lauralkeet: Laura: I instantly started daydreaming about meeting him in a thrift store, too! Ha!

Yesterday I worked up a prototype for a coin purse version of the zipper pouch. I'm pretty happy with it and think it'll go on the list of things to make for the shop:

That's so cute!

>45 dudes22: Thanks! I'm happy with how it turned out, and I like that it's small enough that I should be able to use all sorts of scraps to make them (I don't like throwing *anything* away).

>44 scaifea: That is so creative.

>47 mnleona: Thank you!

>32 avaland: More men's shirts. Recently I went to a gallery where there was an exhibit by this artist, Susan Avishai of Toronto:
https://www.susanavishai.com

Here is a detail from a piece called rapunzel, rapunzel:



Her pieces are large and draw the viewer toward them. As you approach, the details reveal themselves.

Here is the exhibition: http://www.craft-design.ns.ca/current-exhibition

>49 SassyLassy: Interesting!

Should have added above that I love your tie bags, but I was so fixated on getting images, I missed it. The first time I posted the message didn't appear to hold, but I see that it did.

>51 SassyLassy: Ha! Thanks!

>49 SassyLassy: oh, intriguing!!

What have you been working on in the last month?...

>54 avaland: *sigh* The short answer is "practically nothing." I generally try to alternate my days between writing and sewing/crafting, but lately it's been writing every day. I really need to finish up the project I'm working on now because I'm likely to have some copyediting stuff coming my way soon and I want a clean slate for that. So I've been neglecting my sewing in order to push through on the book. I *am* still knitting (a pair of socks and a baby blanket) in the evenings when I'm not too zonked. Hopefully I'll get back to the crafts soon. I appreciate you checking in on me!

I understand! Just checking on ya....

Sorry just catching up on the crafty threads - I want to say I loved your description of being used to "a certain crafty lifestyle" - and of course that craft room! It sums it up for me, once (if ever) I have a craft room I know I won't be able to ever go back to my boxes and random stashing. I've always loved recycled projects, even though I don't sew. I saw an amazing quilt just this week on a crafty Facebook group, of someone's dad's ties - in a spiral Dresden kind of pattern.

>56 avaland: I appreciate it! I did get the first sock finished last night, so progress!

>57 captainsflat: Thanks! I love my sewing/craft space and feel so grateful for it! I remember my sewing days in grad school, when I'd have to pull my machine out of the closet and make room on the tiny kitchen table for it...

Hey, I finished something! Woot!!

>59 scaifea: You finished something that's really lovely. They look very nice, and they're pretty as well. Congratulations!

>60 Lyndatrue: Thanks! I love the colors in this yarn so much (blue is my favorite).

Ooh nice! Love the colors.

>62 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! Aren't those colors pretty together?

Very nice. Love the colors.

>64 mnleona: Thanks!

Oh, love those colors together!!! I think winter is over, though;-)

>66 avaland: Oh, I wear jeans and long-sleeved shirts and warm socks nearly all year round. They don't come any more cold-blooded than I.

Nice socks. Love the colors.

>66 avaland: I still have a thin layer of ice on my small lake. The ducks have arrived and are swimming along the shore where the water is open. I am in Minnesota.

> I see you like "watching bad B-horror films". I get METV and they have them on Saturday nights.

>68 dudes22: Thanks.

>69 mnleona: We moved from Wisconsin last summer, so I hear you. This winter in Ohio has seemed so mild in comparison!

>70 mnleona: We don't have 'regular' TV, just Netflix and Amazon Prime. I haven't looked, really, but I bet I could find some good B movies on there somewhere. I can't watch actual scary movies because, well, scary.

>67 scaifea:, >69 mnleona: I was being optimistic! I was just up in Dover Foxcroft, Maine for a few days and they still have ice on the river and snow in the woods. It was 25ºF at 5:30 am Thursday when I left. Southern NH (5 hrs south, southwest from there) and my little bit of green was a welcome sight when I pulled in the driveway. Of course, four years ago, we had four feet of snow in the backyard and it took most of April to go away. We had more "mixed" precip this year.

>68 dudes22: My new get-up for all my outdoors work is a fab, lightweight pair of overalls I ordered from Duluth Trading. Nylon based, reinforced in all the right places, a million pockets, and a detachable apron.

>72 avaland: It's in the low 40s here today and gloomy, so yeah.

I *love* Duluth Trading Company! I miss the flagship store that we lived near in WI.

Ice is finally gone (end of last week) and now ducks and geese on the lake.
>73 scaifea: Do you still get the Duluth Trading Company ads on TV there?

>74 mnleona: We had a mallard duck couple in our yard last week! Love.

We don't have traditional TV here (nor did we when we lived in Wisconsin), just Netflix and Amazon Prime, so I have no idea about what commercials there are these days.

>72 avaland: >73 scaifea: This is a place I had never heard of and now you have me hooked on the website. First step, the shorts overalls for gardening. I'll see how long they take to get here

>76 SassyLassy: They're stuff tends to be fairly high quality, so I don't think you'll be disappointed!

>76 SassyLassy:, >77 scaifea: I agree with Amber, high quality stuff. Really well made.

Hey, I finished a project today! Socks!

Oh - those are cute! Love the color.

>80 dudes22: Thanks! I love that yarn, too.

>79 scaifea: Ooooo, I like those! What a lovely rich, deep blue.

>82 avaland: Thanks, Lois! I'm happy with how they turned out, too. I started my new knitting project yesterday (mitts and a matching cowl), which is a bit more involved and I hope it turns out okay:

>83 scaifea: a bit more involved, indeed! But very pretty. It's stranded, right? It looks like 5 colors, but only 2 in play on each row, yes? I'd love to see the colors you chose if you can share pics along the way.

>84 lauralkeet: Yep, just two colors at once, so not too bad. I LOVE the colors in this photo (the original pattern colors) so that's what I've gone with.

Those are some great colors and looks like a great project.

>86 dudes22: I know, right? I'm excited about this one.

I love those colors, too. There's nice contrast and the blue in particular really pops.

>88 lauralkeet: Laura: The combination of the colors is what I really love, too. Here's hoping I don't mess it up too badly...

For me, the biggest challenges are keeping consistent tension and managing floats as you carry yarn between color changes. Have you done stranded work before, Amber?

>90 lauralkeet: Laura: Yes, I have, and I agree! I'm especially concerned here because the mitts are worked in the round with double-pointed needles, and picking up a color after going round a curve, so to speak, has me worried about that tension.

Hmm, yeah I can relate. I had to knit a small round Fair Isle thing for The Master Hand Knitter program (see this post: https://www.librarything.com/topic/301121#6767140). It took me a while to get the hang of managing the yarn and the dpns. The mitts might be easier if you do the cowl first; by then you'll be comfortable with the design and the yarn, and will only have to master the smaller form factor. I'm sure you'll be fine!!

Is the mitt just a cuff or is there a buttonhole for your thumb to go through?

>92 lauralkeet: Laura: Ope, too late - I've already started the mitts first.

>93 dudes22: There's a thumb gusset.

Ha ha well I’m sure you’ll still be fine!

>95 lauralkeet: Fingers crossed. So far so good, though - I'm on the first red/pink section right now.

Oh, I love that! The pattern is lovely and yes, indeed, the colors are gorgeous. It will be fun to see it progress!

>97 avaland: Thanks, Lois! I love colorful knitting projects; it makes the actual knitting more fun to see the progress.

I finished up the fingerless mitts I have been knitting:



Next up on the needles is the matching cowl.

Those are fab. When you finish the cowl you should post a photo of you modeling your beautiful matched set!

>100 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura! We'll see about the photo...

And that's if I ever finish the cowl: I started it THREE TIMES tonight, and managed to twist the join the first two times. Gah! I haven't had that trouble in ages and I nearly threw the whole thing across the room!

>99 scaifea: those are gorgeous!

>102 bell7: Thanks Mary!

Those are great! Love how the flower is split into two colors. Well - it looks like a flower to me...

>104 dudes22: Thanks! And yep, I'm pretty sure it's meant to be a flower, too.

Part of me was thinking - "those look so heavy/hot". But it's almost 90 degrees F today, so it's all relative. I'm sure I'd be thinking differently in the middle of Jan.

Love the fingerless mitts! I do hope you preserve and make the cowl. It would be a lovely set and I think you will be very satisfied if you do.

>106 dudes22: Well, I wear long sleeves pretty much all year round, so relative is the key word here.

>107 avaland: Thanks, Lois! I'll get the cowl done eventually...

Okay, so here's me trying to be better about post here - my latest project for the etsy shop; they're made from upcycled flannel shirts:

>109 scaifea: lil pumpkins, right? They are cute!! I really enjoy seeing how you "upcycle" materials.

>109 scaifea: Those are great, Amber!

>110 lauralkeet: Laura: Yep! And thanks! I love finding new ways to use old things.

>111 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

Those are great. And I too love that you find a way to reuse stuff. Are you allowed to tell us what your shop is called? Or is it against LT policy?

>113 dudes22: Thanks so much! It's a mix of wanting to do right by the environment and my synesthesia, which makes me tend to think that everything inanimate object has a personality and feelings and such, so I can hardly stand to throw things away or let things go unused (which makes them, in my mind, unhappy in their work). Crazy? NOPE.

I'm hesitant to share shop info because I don't want to abuse LT in that way, which is also why I don't always post here what I'm working on for the shop, but I'll send you a PM with the address since you've asked (I think that should be okay, yeah?).

Thanks - got it.

>115 dudes22: *smiles*

>109 scaifea: Adorable! And clever. I don't do anything with flannel but I'll cut up shirts (skirts, blouses) from Goodwill to keep a nice mix of fabrics in the scrap pile.

Now how is that abusing LT if we are having a conversation between friends? (and particular since someone asked for it).

Well, I know I've seen things before about how authors aren't supposed to push their books, so I thought it was probably the same thing. I've gotten a spam or two on my reading thread like that. I agree about a conversation between friends, but I know there have been people who got suspended and I didn't want to run the risk of having Amber suspended. I figured PM was probably the safest way.

>117 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

I don't really think I'd get kicked off the site, especially since this is my own thread and I didn't set it up exclusively to promote the shop, but I also just don't want my visitors to think I'm trying to push my shop onto them. So I'm happy to post what I'm working on for it and then if anyone is interested, they can ask for the shop address. In this group especially, though, folks can make these wares on their own!

>118 dudes22: Betty: Agreed. PM is the best for such things.

>118 dudes22: Yes, I understand.

>119 scaifea: All true!

So, I finished a thing - the cowl I've been working on to match my fingerless mittens:





I love these colors so much, and the yarn is soft and lovely. I'm excited to wear them this fall!

That's really pretty, Amber.

>122 dudes22: Thanks, Betty!

That turned out great!

>124 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura!

Oh, that is lovely. And yes, the colors are very nice!

>126 avaland: Thanks, Lois!

The cowl turned out beautifully! I think a friend of mine made that pattern recently as well.

>128 mabith: Thanks! I love this pattern, so I'm not surprised if it's popular.

A sampling of what's been going on in my sewing space lately:







On the knitting front, I'm working on a pair of leg warmers for myself (I'm hoping to get them finished for our chilly-weather visits to the zoo):

Those are adorable skirts! Are they human or doll size?

I like the start of the leg warmers. Watching what you and Laura are doing makes me think about knitting again, now that I've had the carpal tunnel surgery in at least one hand. But, it's just thoughts.

>131 avaland: Thanks, Lois! The skirts are toddler-sized.

Knitting is the thing I do in the evenings while we're watching whatever we're watching; I can't stand just to sit with my hands in my lap!

>130 scaifea: ooh, more fair isle! Nice. The children's clothes are adorable too.

I'm like you Amber, I read in front of the TV. If I don't have something to do, I will nod off.

>133 lauralkeet: I can't read with the TV on because I'm too easily distracted. I wish I could though! I wouldn't fall asleep without something to do; I'm just too antsy to sit still, I guess.

>134 scaifea: I read in front of the TV too -- it depends on what's on: just keeping Chris company, not interested in the program=read; interested=knit

Sometimes I'm really interested and even knitting is a distraction, or I'm knitting something that requires more concentration, but for the most part it works.

>135 lauralkeet: That's true: I have to be careful if I'm knitting something that requires any significant amount of concentration + watching something that I'm actually pretty interested in. It gets tricky.

I hate to admit, but I usually sit with my computer and do jigsaw puzzles on it or do LT or Pintrest. The only hand sewing I have are those hand-quilting blocks I started last winter and mostly I have to pay too much attention to them.

>137 dudes22: It's dangerous to try working on something that takes too much concentration, though, so I get that.

Cute skirts and lovely hat!

I can't just sit and watch TV without keeping my hands busy, unless it's a foreign show. I joked to my friend that watching subtitled shows was a mindfulness exercise, but my therapist actually validated that.

>139 mabith: Thanks, Meredith!

And that's a great point about subtitles - very true!

>139 mabith: Very interesting

Okay, so here's what I've been working on lately - Charlie's Halloween costume for this year. He *loves* Neil Gaiman and was over the moon about the Amazon Good Omens, so...

Here's what we were going for:

That is amazing! Great work, Amber.

>144 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura!!

That's awesome!

>146 mabith: Thanks, Meredith!!

That's fabulous! (good job, mom!) Does he mind that few will actually "get it"?

>148 avaland: Thanks! And no, he didn't mind at all.

He's grown up so much! (the costume makes him seem even more!) Hard to believe he was the same kid that you were making pajamas and Harry Potter stuff for.

>150 avaland: Ha! (I still make him pajamas and HP stuff...) But, yeah, he's...TALL... He's only 11 but looks much older most of the time.

I finished these legwarmers a couple of weeks ago, but didn't manage to post a photo of them:

Those are cute!

Oh, those are lovely. I almost want to take up the knitting needles again...almost, but not (besides I lent the whole kit'n caboodle to a friend.

Thanks, ladies! I'm pleased with how they turned out, although I'm not happy that we have weather in the 60s this week, so no need to wear them...