Fun pic's of Knitting and crochet through the decades


I picked up this book one of my trips to Uk in one of those reduced book shops, It really was a complete bargain at £2 or £3 pound.

Its' a fun book ,easy patterns(I think) and best of all, good illustration.

My pictures I appologise, I did this the easy way and used my camera/ scanning would have been the correct way and neatest way;-(.


Hippy
Boho
1950's
1960's


1980's


1990's
2000's!!!!!

Bags bags bags

Rag bag

I have gone bag crazy.
It seems that I'm not feeling inspired by my usual fantasy dress flow.

Ballet Pink Bag


Acrylic Red Heart Yarn Bag

Here in it's really early stage's, a few yarns lined up to make this an interesting fabric.

Other Inspirational bag ideas.......

Knitted ends bag.(I always keep the little ends when sewing up a project)


Alternative bag. (VHS)


I think that the bags will be a great start to my Etsy shop.
Below is the link to my empty shop that will soon be full of lovely one off original crocheted and knitted bags;-)
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6759693


Triangle shawl

Up close my pink edging stitch

I'm now thinking about what to use to hold the shawl closed, I test ran it this afternoon with a broach and I think that I will have to make at least one more row of triangles as the back part is sadly too short for me;-(.

But I still love it.........


HodgePodgeArts



Promoting.........

Karen Turner I discovered her on the UK Handmade blog, I think that she he defiantly worth taking a look at. Her fabulous delicate ceramics are very pretty, very inspirational.

http://ukhandmade.blogspot.com/2009/08/meet-karen-turner-of-hodgepodge-arts.html

Friday's


Friday Morning

Triangle shawl



So far so good, I have joined all of the triangles.
Brick built triangles.

Project bunting almost, I have made two row's. With the two rows
my plan is to then attach by a middle seam and then I have one more
ball of hot pink to edge the shawl.

If I decide that it is big enough, but maybe I need yet more triangle's.


The Land lord builder's, are definitely affecting my Mojo!

I'm keen to have the old house fixed up but the banging and the drilling and supervising the dog and the builder.

It is really affecting my knit and blogger Mojo I just can not concentrate;-(


Friday Afternoon

Friday 's International knit cafe




1st!

SIS knit cafe
Venue excellent, ticked all the box's
food = good
Company excellent

6 peep's (one bebe) And one guest star that being Angela(Quirky lil knits) my good friend from uk.
http://angelhatton-quirkylittleknits.blogspot.com/

She was here to visit for a few days so that we could chat and knit.


we have an awful lot in common (knit wise) so many similar idea's, so many knits/crochets

So little time......... but bloody Mary! when we fly..... a total freaky co-incidence.


A few of the projects

A lot of scarfs, the two differnt size needles (popular)
And so a few trip to Garn Studio.


My triangles,Angela (custom pattern) and Celines baby dress not to mention Sabine's bright green
felting for a !st attempt felted bag project

I think that we really got off to a good start.



Friday evening
Cocktails and Knits

Angela and I crocheting and knitting respectively whist sipping out Manhattan's
(Msssssss Hatton)
at the Hard Rock Cafe Stockholm.

Very funny two cocktails and not a stitch dropped, god damn we must be experts.


Photo from Knit cafe part two of Friday;-)

In Progress Yarn List for Colorwork

Here's the second yarn list recommended for colorwork so far. I added all the Elann and Knit Picks alpacas I like for stranded color knitting and a few others. It has occurred to me while doing this that I really don't have a lot of experience using non-wools for this purpose. For instance, I don't think I've ever used silk or a silk blend for two-color knitting. I've had some disasters with cotton and superwash wool though.

Fingering Weight
Dale of Norway Baby Ull superwash wool
Blue Moon Fiberarts Socks that Rock Medium Weight
Knit Picks Essential (wool/nylon)
Elann’s Peruvian Baby Cashmere
Elann’s Sock it to Me 4-Ply nylon/wool

DK/Sport Weight Rauma Pt5 Per Tryving wool/nylon
Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Heavyweight
Elann’s Pure Alpaca Fina
Knit Picks Andean Treasure (alpaca)
Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Cotton Solid (bamboo/cotton)
Worsted Weight Green Mountain Spinnery Mountain Mohair (mohair/wool)
Elann’s Peruvian Pure Alpaca

Anyone else have any recommendations? I'm sure I'm missing more sock yarns but I haven't used many of the newer brands for colorwork.

Fabulous Spring Garden Tees





Isn't this a lovely photograph? This is one of my favorite photos of a completed Spring Garden Tee provided by this fabulous knitter.

The Spring Garden Tee pattern has really been a hit! There are many wonderful versions to look through on Ravelry. Some have added the lace pattern on the bottom hem which is a nice touch (here), and other knitters even modified the top into a cardigan! (here, and here) What great ideas!

I'm so happy that this pattern has been such a success. The Spring Garden Tee happens to be the knitted garment that my daughter still gets the most use out of. It is a versatile look and also the Rowan Calmer that I made it out of is holding up so well! No pilling!

Here are a few more cute Spring Garden Tee shots for you, but please be sure to check out the rest of the awesome versions on Ravelry by clicking here.





--Photographs graciously provided by Rachelj, budaknit, jballanti, and seedsintosprouts.--


hanging on to summer

Can August really be almost over?... we have only just begun getting some really hot summer weather here. But the days are getting shorter, the crickets are chirping, some leaves are even starting to fall.

I have been picking blueberries upon blueberries. It has been a great year for them, and I have at least 30 pounds in the freezer. Last night I was picking more and thinking of all the smoothies we'll be drinking this winter--good news for my brain:
"In a USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity"
~ good news indeed!
As I picked I enjoyed the breeze in the pines, the birds singing, and the horses grazing nearby.

Inside, I've done a little sewing for the living room. Remember the stool covered in blue denim in front of the window...


...well the cover was fading in spots, and I found a project I knew would be perfect for it thanks to Clarice ~ an old grainsack pillow tutorial from Musings from a French Cottage...

I used a piece of inexpensive Onasburg cotton fabric and screenprinting ink that I had on hand instead of the fabric marker. I love the result and can't wait to try some pillows.
I also sewed a new cover for this little footstool with a fabric remnant I found at Ikea...


Some more painting projects are planned with the Light French Gray paint...


...which changes color with the light, sometimes more gray and sometimes this great blue...

Next up to paint {well, maybe once the floor is finished}is the green dresser in the hallway.

This week I have been mostly making......

This week I have been mostly making...........
Is a title I use loosely, if I have lots of projects on the go at once (I usually do)
Then I use this title to explain a little about them all.

This post I guess should be re-titled

Yesterdays Knits

Yesterdays Crochet

My morning

tram train, so plenty of time to wip up, a mini version of
Perfect little stitches
(with left over Ecuadorian yarn)


My late Afternoon project was the duckling.

Again tram and train time used to full potential as I had a school meeting and unfortunately didn't make my Tuesday knit cafe.


The Hours seem to be just running ahead, I seem to be chasing everything..........


Time
kid's
Builders;-(

And my naughty dog
Rasmus



Early evening

Triangle's


still working at the joining
of..........
I think that I have it, colour pattern etc

But your really have to concentrate or this happen, I managed to attach three wrong.

wrong side
wrong way up
wrong angle
You can not get, wronger than that!

So I frogged and left.(Not a harsh frog just the few that where wrong)


Quick mention here, my day I just edit the crap, house, dinner, chores,washing, momentous same old same routine, dog walk run........it's not all knitting and art.


Picture taken before I realised, side by side/not reversed(oj oj oj).

A complete tangle of triangle, this is not a travel project it can only be managed sitting at a table.



Blue ducking

Pleased to announce that a Face book fan page has been set up for this project.
I need to work out how to put the link, but if you have an account you can just search the title below.

Crocheted Plastic Ducklings For River Knit Graffiti




Gemma and William wedding seeds
, summer fast running out here;-( sadly.


These seedlings where a favours gift at my friends wedding, so I just want to say a quick how cute.


Seeds of love and all that..........

And that I hope they flower before Autumn.(keen gardener not!, but I try)


And to show Gem that I actually planted them;-)

Working on 2nd Yarn List



Even though it is cooling here I am still not back to my usual knitting productivity. So instead I thought I'd work on a new yarn list. Last year with everyone's suggestions I compiled a list of basic wool yarns for colorwork. The yarns on the list were non-superwash, smooth and plied 100% wool yarns with more than 15 or 20 colors to choose from. I also stuck the list on the Stranded forum's group pages HERE.

This second list will be yarns that knitters like for stranded color knitting that don't fit the confines of the first list. All non-wool yarns, wool blends, superwash, single ply, lumpy, etc. yarns will work here. I'll link them all up to their Ravelry yarn page. Let's keep the list solid color yarns and preferably at least 10 colors to choose from but other than that the sky is the limit. I appreciate any and all suggestions you have for yarns you've used for colorwork and I'll put my request (and the final list) on Ravelry's Stranded forum as well.

(BTW, the yarn seen above is Pakucho organic cotton in many different naturally-colored shades. I'm hoping to try it for colorwork soon. Aren't the shades beautiful? It is so dark here today that I thought the flash would go off when I took the photo; there's no way those colors would have shown up in our normal bright sun.)

As you add your comments here and on Ravelry I'll keep adding to the list on this page. Thanks so much! A list of yarns other knitters have enjoyed for colorwork is very helpful to those new to stranded color knitting. If you sell yarns you think would work for color knitting, let me know in the comments and I'll add them.

I'll start by adding the one yarn everyone wanted on the last list because it is very popular for colorwork. It is superwash though so I kept it off the last list.


Fingering Weight
Dale of Norway Baby Ull superwash wool

DK/Sport Weight

Worsted Weight

Traingles everywhere?

Triangles

It seems that where ever I look, I see triangles(haunted ;-)
I dreamt triangles..............


Sad I know but last night I sat with a piece of paper to try sketch just how,


How to have my triangles make a shawl.


Triangle and humps.


Branch Triangle

Up side down, in triangle in the tree.



On the concrete



Up side down on the bench


I think that I have colour scheme I like, pretty random and I know that I want to attach them with crcohet, that way I can stitch all the trailing ends as I go.

That much I do know...........




Sock funny


I saw this on one of my blog's that I like to look at every now and then. Had to post this picture for all those soak addicts out there................

It's just too funny


Sock summit!
http://www.bavgirl.com/

Started the Bandelier Socks



I started the Bandelier socks from the Fall 2009 issue of IK in Palette. Earlier this week I had the flu and picked out the colors. I really like the colors so apparently that should be my color choosing strategy in the future!

Tonight is another Red Sox/Yankees game - their games are often extra-long so I'm hoping it will go into 21 innings and 6 hours so I can finish a good amount of the sock.

Perfection, maybe baby


Hand bag heaven
Completed my perfect little stitches.


New stitch on the straps/sturdy stitches.



Perfection in a rainbow bag.

I love the colours

I love the shape


I love the texture


I love the bag


The £1 store corsage works well with the bag colour combination.


Traingle Dilema



What shall I do with my triangles?

I know that I'm making a shawl I'm just not sure how to set them out, I need to get my thinking cap on


23 triangles and counting.............