Anyway, I'm planning to get my hands on some blue and then overdye that with grape (and perhaps the other way around too) to see if I can achieve some sort of dusty Parisian purple. (Speaking of which, if you happen to be visiting Paris, don't miss Le Musée des Égouts de Paris, yes, the Paris Sewer Museum. Perhaps one of the city's more bizarre museums but really interesting, and not particularly smelly. Dank, but not smelly.)
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
more kool
Anyway, I'm planning to get my hands on some blue and then overdye that with grape (and perhaps the other way around too) to see if I can achieve some sort of dusty Parisian purple. (Speaking of which, if you happen to be visiting Paris, don't miss Le Musée des Égouts de Paris, yes, the Paris Sewer Museum. Perhaps one of the city's more bizarre museums but really interesting, and not particularly smelly. Dank, but not smelly.)
Friday, 16 March 2012
what a duffer
The Vital Statistics
Pattern: Duffers - revisited by Mindie Tallack.
Size: I knit size US 3/EUR 33 but, unh, felted them until they fit my friend's three-year old (unh, not on purpose).
Yarn: Cascade 220 Wool in 7803 'magenta' (0.45 skeins) and 9404 'ruby' (0.5 skeins); 100 per cent wool.
Needles: I used two pairs of 8mm circulars to knit these.
Start to finish: 16 January to 19 January 2012.
Stash/recycle content: Nope, bought the yarn for this purpose.
Comments: I initially knit these slippers as a gift for a six-year old's birthday. The US 3 size would have been way too big so I felted them enthusiastically. Too enthusiastically. My sizing problems were complicated a bit by the fact that the largest size in the Little Duffers (children's version) is a US 11/EUR 28.5 whereas the smallest size in Duffers - revisited is the US 3/EUR 33. This leaves quite a size gap and better judgement on the felting than I had anticipated.
I am a bit concerned by how much the back of the slipper curves in but that may have been a result of the over-felting. Also, I do not recommend adding towels to the washing machine for friction when felting as you end up with the memory of them scattered all over the felted item in the form of unsightly little specks of cotton.
Verdict: Will try again.
balt.ic.ity
The Vital Statistics
Pattern: Felicity by Wanett Clyde, available for free.
Yarn: madelinetosh tosh merino in colourway 'baltic'; 100 per cent merion; 0.54 skeins.
Needles: 3.75mm and 4.5mm.
Start to finish: 29 February to 4 March 2012.
Stash/recycle content: Yes, from stash.
Comments: Oops, I didn’t read pattern carefully and neglected to purl the first row so this hat has a rolled edge instead. I knit a little more than 5.5 inches in length to make up for this. Nevertheless, and this may have to do with the yarn and needle sizes that I used, this hat is small, in circumference and volume.
Verdict: I knit this for a friend who insisted that she has a very small head but still, I think that the hat is too small. She also insists that it is just dandy but she's a kind friend.... Good straightforward pattern, would really have liked to achieve the intended slouch.
granny strap belt
Pattern: Granny Straps by Alice Merlino (available free online).
Size: I made a foundation chain of 111 stitches.
Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream in shades 18083 - cornflower, 18046 - rose pink and 1109 - yellow (not my choice of colours - this was a birthday present for miss bear's friend and the colour choices were hers).
Hook: 4mm.
Start to finish: 17 to 18 February 2012 - a quick hook!
Comments: This pattern is for a crochet strap but I decided to use it as a belt by adding two d-rings at one end. My strap/belt is one round wider than the pattern. I attached the d-rings by making the double crochets (British terms) over the flat side of the rings. I chose d-rings because I hoped that would make for easy dressing but the belt is quite bulky, perhaps too bulky for this sort of closure. If I do another one I'll use a regular belt buckle.
Verdict: Very pleased to be giving handmade gifts.
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
andrea's shawl
Pattern: Andrea's Shawl by Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops
Size: Large.
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in shade 50 'Sandstone' (1.6 skeins) and 24 'Claret' (0.6 skeins).
Needles: 4.5mm.
Start to finish: 25 January to 10 February 2012. But then it took me a month to get around to blocking it ...
Stash/recycle content: Yes! I've had this in the cupboard for ages.
- only worked the first three centred double decreases, and then worked ssk and k2tog either side of a central stitch on every third row
- worked ssk and k3tog every other row for the edge decreases (until I chickened out after 21 stripes and then worked regular edge decreases).
I did end up with a rather odd, diamond-shaped shawl but that blocked out well. As did all of those sweet little points on the lace edging - soooo many pins.
Verdict: It's big enough! This is a common complaint I noticed on ravelry about this shawl, that it's not large enough. So I can confirm, the largest size in dk-weight yarn is large enough. I really liked knitting with this yarn. The finished shawl has a lot of drape, kind of making the triangular shawl issue a non-issue. I even received a compliment from the hipster guy behind the counter at Molly Moon's, telling me that he really liked the 'doily edging' (and that he had crocheted the beanie that he was wearing).
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
thrift happy
Saturday, 3 March 2012
february reading
Found, Free and Flea: creating collections from vintage treasures by Tereasa Surratt - ah, to buy a disused summer camp and find it full of vintage treasures and to then supplement with the fruits of endless thrifting, flea market shopping and side-o'-the-road finds. Ah, to be able to afford to buy a disused summer camp in the first place (need to be an advertising executive at Ogilvy & Mather).
And to have the luxury of time to do all of that thrifting and flea market shopping and stopping at the side of the road (where do you get free time if you are an ad exec at Ogilvy & Mather?). The only thing that these people don't seem to have is kids - hmmm .... (although there is a cryptic note at the end welcoming Charlie and they can't wait to meet him/her. Maybe a baby, maybe a puppy).
Anyway, not to be churlish (ok, too late) this is a great book to look at and fun to read with a good central idea about turning any vintage item into a collection by acquiring more, similar items and lots of photos to prove it. The central approach of only acquiring said items by means of 'found, free or flea' is a welcome ethos.
Friday, 2 March 2012
the long game
Long rows. Long long rows, 600 odd stitches in twisted rib. Looking forward to the pay off.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
new fabrics!
Clockwise from the top is fabric from: Estelle of Fortune Favours the Thrifty, Kirsty of kootoyoo, Tania of myrtle & eunice and Tegan of Ink & Spindle.
I've also done some successful commercial fabric shopping recently. About six months ago I absolutely fell in love with an Isabel Marant blouse that featured quite amazing eyelet lace and I have been looking for something similar ever since. Here at right is the very best that I have found, in fact the only close thing that I have found. The difficulty has been in locating something with both a substantial deep and decorative eyelet lace portion and an expanse of plain fabric. This one that I bought at Stitches has both. Not so keen on the contrast embroidery thread but really, not even Mood had anything like this. I'll just make it work.
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