January 4, 2017 · 1:25 pm

Blank Canvas

Swatch for my Blank Canvas

I have lost track of the number of times I have started to knit this yarn! It is Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Dk in Tease. My latest effort is here – I just seem to lose concentration and it all goes pear-shaped.

I decided to knit something without a pattern/texture/stitch design to see if I could get the basic jumper shaping thing sorted.

I did what I am calling a cheat’s swatch in the round (instructions were here) – I managed to get gauge (both stitch and number of rounds – miraculous! I am sure my swatch is lying to me) with the second set of needles I tried, so now I just need to get on with it.

One further concern is the volume of yarn required – I stashed 1394m and the pattern tells me I need 870m, but I have lost a bit of yarn in all of my previous attempts.

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January 1, 2017 · 2:03 pm

2017

Finished objects from 2016

First, happy new year to everyone!

So 2017? For me this is the year to be more thoughtful, to take on fewer projects, but to spend more time on each one – thinking about the process and the product. I aim to spend more time doing the things I love.

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December 29, 2016 · 4:19 pm

Holidays

How great are the days between Christmas and New Year?

Knitting, wine and reading (Jane Austen: The Secret Radical)

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December 20, 2016 · 12:20 pm

Selvedge – the Decorative Issue

Cover of the Decorative Issue

I love this magazine, but I rarely buy it for a few reasons: by the time it gets to Australia it is expensive (plus it is hard to find) and I am not always taken with every article (it costs a lot I need to read every word). However, this issue is perfect. There are articles on sequins, costumes, Opus Anglicanum and embroidery in literature and what that means (combination of two of my loves reading and embroidery).

Cosprop Costumes

 

Alice Archer – she is a embroiderer (machine) and fashion designer

There is a profile on Alice Archer (here is another article) – check out this skirt…

And I want to visit this store (I need to go back to London – an entire store devoted to ribbons!)…

VV Rouleaux

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December 18, 2016 · 11:38 am

Zipper Pouch

Finished 5 by 7 Zipper Pouch

I made one of the zipper pouches from my Craftsy course – Miss A did ask me why I keep making things brown and I think I have fallen into the trap of not wanting to use my ‘good’ fabric on a practice.

It came together pretty smoothly. A few things I need to remember for next time:

  • the design needs to be rotated 180 degrees as the hoop attachment on my janome is on the opposite side to whatever machine the designer used.
  • don’t iron over the labels if you have used an erasable pen!
  • there is a lot of wasted fabric and I could cut the pieces much smaller.

Next up I am going to try the 6 by 10 version – as this one is slightly too small (getting my phone in and out is a bit painful).

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December 13, 2016 · 10:57 am

A Finished Object Plus Some New Projects

Little Houses, Favourite Scarf and Nowhere Cowl

I finished my favourite scarf – it is currently blocking on my outdoor table. I am not too happy with the kitchener join – I think I should have had the pieces abutting each other rather than wrong sides together when I did it.

On the left of the image is the start of one of my Little Houses – I have to say working on the plastic canvas is surprisingly fun.

On the right of the image is my Nowhere Cowl – I don’t know if you can read it in the image, but there is quite a nice message about how the chart seems daunting, but is really quite easy. So far that does seem to be the case – it is quite easy to remember each row as I am doing it.

Craftsy – In the Hoop Gifts

I have also been watching my In the Hoop Gifts craftsy class – just the lesson on making zipper pouches. I do like the instructor – Sue O’Very -I am going to have to go and buy labels! I like how she has constructed her zipper bag and there a lots of little hints and tips I can use for other projects. Now to just get onto making one.

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December 6, 2016 · 7:57 am

A New Project – Little Houses

Little Houses

Little Houses

I know another new project – does anything ever get finished around here?

I found this project in the Christmas edition of the Family Circle magazine. I thought it might be something that the girls would like to do. You can find the project sheet here.

I have purchased supplies (I have no idea if my plastic canvas is the right size, but it was all I could find), wound the DMC thread onto the cards and now I am ready to go.

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December 1, 2016 · 9:29 am

Craftsy

inthehoopgifts_titlecard_cid567

I took advantage of the black friday sales and enrolled in this course. I had considered it a couple of times, but the only item that really interested me was the zip pouch. However, I am sure I will learn more techniques with the other bits as well.

Misti Alpaca Tonos Carnival - Symphony Blue

Misti Alpaca Tonos Carnival – Symphony Blue

I went to my local yarn store (it has new owners and now is much friendlier) and bought more yarn (because you can never have too much yarn!). This is so soft! I have decided I need to make something to wrap around my neck. My current plan is the Nowhere Cowl by Kate Atherley (I already had the Better Elsewhere e-book in my Ravelry library – because I seem to have an obsession with sock yarn).  So now I just need to finish my Favourite Scarf (I think my version is going to be incredibly long – maybe I should have made it wider?).

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November 28, 2016 · 2:36 pm

Resting Birds

Resting Birds are blocking

Resting Birds are blocking

The embroidery is finished! By the end it was terribly out of alignment – more a rhombus than a square. I have blocked it, but I suspect I will have to block twice.

I have been terribly grumpy all day today – for no real reason, but I feel angry. Two hard games of netball didn’t help although often a good run around can lift my spirits.

Anyway, to feel less wild, I decided to ignore my to do list and knit …

Favourite Scarf

Favourite Scarf

This is the second half and I don’t think I have too much more to do, which is great because I have subscribed to the Inspired by Islay club that Kate Davies is running. I always love her patterns (even if I don’t knit them) and her essays are fabulous.

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November 24, 2016 · 3:54 pm

A Return to Digitising

My new design

My new design

I know the above image doesn’t look like much, but this is going to be my new zip pouch. I measured my phone – because it is important my phone fits in – and then designed it around that measurement.

It will be lined and the front below the zip will have embroidery (although that might have to be done before rather than during the process of making this bag.

It takes a long time to digitise anything – even something as simple as this (it is essentially rectangles and straight lines).

I have this silk I want to use …

Silk!

But perhaps I need an allover design?

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