Quilty and Shiny and Soft

A place to rest your head...


a pillow to throw...


a useful first-quilting project...


(well, not really quilting. Cutting and piecing, and rather sloppily at that. But that's how I roll).
Just a quick update re: latest crafting progress.
I've had my head full of quilting day-dreams.

Scarves Abound

Or, in this case, two scarves abounds.
Can just two scarves abound?



Pattern: Lady Eleanor, from "Scarf Style"
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden, #245 , 4 skeins
Modifications:
As you can see, it's wee. Using only 4 skeins left me with enough to make fringe, and a scarf that can wrap around my neck once. Usually I prefer longer scarves, but the colours on this Noro are too beautiful to pass up (and, truth be telt, I cut out one of the colours. For shame! you shout, and wave your fist in the air. Noro knows what it's doing when it so artistically, beautifully and sophisticatedly combines it colours into a palette which ensues to dance with chromatic delight on the rods and cones of the viewer's eye. This is true. But it is also true that I dislike baby blue.)



Pattern: Knitty's Clapotis
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, #164 , 4 skeins
Modifications:
I made it thinner according to the instructions so thoughtfully included in the pattern by the designer.



Pattern: Hurry-Up-Spring Armwarmers from Stitch n' Bitch Nation
Yarn: Noro Kureyon (and you'll have to forgive me, I can't recall the colour)

I started these many, many moons ago and only just finished off the thumb tonight. I've yet to decide if they're destined for a Christmas gift. The colours are very particular - not sure I can rightly pick who'd like them!

Christmassy Apartment, or Apartmanty Christmas

Christmas is my second favourite time of year.
In accordance with this, and my recently-gained apartment-dweller status, I have endeavoured, over my week-long holidays, to Christmas-up the place.


My lights for those long dark nights.


Reminders of Christmas past.


Reminders of Christmas present (the golden bear made by an artful friend!)


And my tribute to the glittery, nearly-ostentatious, and quite possibly tacky Christmas wreath.

I do promise that I'll be updating with my actual crafting work. The all-encompassing holiday spirit has spurred me on to creating Christmas gifts, which I shall not be blogging about.
There are too many repercussions, and I do like a surprise!

Fleece Artist, Romni Wools and Me

Many a year ago (and truly, it's gotta be going on two and a half of those), I took a trip to Romni Wools with a good knitting friend and stumbled across the most prettiest yellow and golded shades of Fleece Artist Merino 2/6. This yarn's first incarnation was the Pithy Hat. Amazed as I was, I had a substantial amount of yarn left over when I completed this beauty.

I love me my 3/4 length sleeves, and short sleeved shirts. This poses a problem, because of the sometimes chilly climate of my fair province, and my always chilly climate of my fair workplace.

Hence were born the golden lacy armwarmers.



Pattern: my own, and it's truly quite simple
Yarn: Fleece Artist Merino 2/6
Things I love:
Their functionality. I was envisioning what I actually got. That's a rare happening around the sanctuary.

The lace pattern I used was the "Oriel Pattern" from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. This is a wonderful book, filled with dream-inducing lace stitches and other patterns. It comes highly recommended by Ms. Canary.

I don't think I can give you the pattern here, but I'll tell you how I made it:

gauge: 6 st = 1"

Oriel Lace Pattern:
multiple of 12 sts plus 1.

CO 42 on straight needles.

1x1 rib for 1 cm.

Work straight for approximately 65 rows.
When working this section, you insert your lace pattern. I only put the lace pattern on what would become the top edge, because as many of you know, I am, how you say, a Lazy Knitter.
If you are not a Lazy Knitter, you can do your lace pattern the whole way round.

I then increased gradually over the next 60 rows, bringing the stitch count up to 51.

When the piece measured 11 inches, changed to 1x1 rib. Do the rib for 1 cm, then cast off.

Now, all you have to do is stitch up the long edge of the armwarmer, making sure to leave space for your thumb!


Here I present you with Butters. Not a fan of the camera. Or of being disturbed during sleepy-time.

What to do with leftovers? or - the Silken Wimple

This one's been a long time coming.



Pattern: Never Wimpy Wimple from Interweave Knit's "Lace Style"
Yarn: Art Yarn's Regal Silk (left over from Annie Modesitt's Silk Corset)
Things I'd change, and things I changed:
I used a yarn that is quite a larger gauge than the one called for in the pattern. That was easy enough to mod for, because the pattern adds the measurements you need to create this one-size-fits-all garment (quite helpful! I love when they do this).
I knit it flat, with teeny needles (I think they were 2.5 mm or possibly 3 mm). The tedium of knitting with slippery silk on such small needles made this project last longer than it needed too. I was determined, though, to have it for the cool weather, and I have triumphed!

It actually turned out nicer than I was suspecting. Just a wee bitty of blocking and it fits quite nicely over me huge noggin. I doubt I'll wear it as a wimple - it makes me look like a large-headed golden turtle.

I still have plenty of Regal Silk left over. Now, what to make with golden silk? The wheels are turning, my readers.

Stay tuned - another FO to come quite soon.

Wanna Trade?

As of late, I've become nostalgic and wistful for the good ol' swap days. I've fallen out of the habit ever since I moved in March.
It's occurred to me that a swap may be palatable to some of you, my wonderful readers!

So, here is a sampling of what I've got:





I've also some small bags, which will be photographed and posted within the week.


If anyone is interested, just leave a comment here with some way to get in touch with me, and we can talk. I assure you, I am a very trustworthy swapee.

In other news:
Newest obsession is beaded/ribboned knits. More details to come, but for now I'll say this "I'm designing patterns for myself, thank-you-very-much" attitude is alive and well.

Tangled Yoke: A Tragedy in Yarn

Finally, having found a more-than-appropriate end, I can blog about the Tangled Yoke Cardigan.



Pattern: Tangled Yoke Cardigan, Interweave Knits, Fall 2007
Yarn: Jamieson's DK in Port Wine
Oh lord, things that I'd change:
But what?
I'm not exactly sure where I've gone wrong here. My gauge was actually smaller than called for in the pattern, yet I knit a tent. A tent with a phantom-hump in the back.
The cable is beautiful - it turned out lovely. And I think my new favourite rib is garter! But this knit turned out absolutely terribly (and I'm not taking the blame this time. I maintain that sizing in the pattern is the issue. What else could it possibly be?)



For shame! Criticize a pattern? Yes, I do feel bad for saying it, but this is truly a no-fault-of-my-own issue.

Mods: As you can see, I've shortened the sleeve length, and to reduced the effect of the phantom hump, I threaded some chocolate-brown ribbon through the back.



I wore this one day to work (because I refuse to let go) and everyone said how great it was. But really, I knew how frumpy it made me look.

And so,

I had my mom try it on, and with a few adjustments, it fits! She says she'll wear it (I hope so!), and I'm sure I could not find a more appreciative recipient. (Can you believe my boyfriend suggested I give it away to Salvation Army? I'd rather rip the whole thing out than do that!)