FO Archives: 2008

In an attempt to speed the front-page download time, here I present the FO Gallery of 2008

Completed 2008
Click on picture and title - some include links to original pattern

Arisaig	Gaets	Theros	Felicities - Brown and Poiple
Swirling Gauntlets	Dashing	Sexy Vesty	Tareja
Corona II	Roxo	Lucania	Lovegood
Felicity - Stripey Slytherin	Alauda	Corona	Clementine
Flying Fox	Inspiration: Twiggy	Shoulder Cozy	Dolce far Niente
St. Blaise	Bee Tea Cozy	Hew	Le Lapin Noir
Garn Studio Jacket - in Pink	Bulky Capelet Hoodie	Tam	Self-Designed Sweater in Rowan Tapestry
Blue Collar	Hedwig

FO Archives: 2007

In an attempt to speed the front-page download time, here I present the FO Gallery of 2007

Completed 2007
Click on picture and title - some include links to original pattern

Annie Modesitt's Silk Corset - The Sequel	Felicity: Two	Garn Studio A-Line Jacket	Felicity
Santa Hat	Mini E, Mini Clapotis and Armwarmers	Golden Armwarmers	Silk Wimple from Lace Style
Pithy Hat - the Bulky en violet	Pithy Hat - the Bulky	Tangled Yoke Cardigan	Garn Studio Circular Cardigan
Alatus	Tilted Duster	Personal Take-off on Picovoli - Shorty Style	iPod Crocheted Cozy
Bergere de France - Take II	Annie Modesitt's Silk Corset	Retro Lace Shrug	Pithy Hat
Anne Elliot Spencer	Ester	Lady E the Second	Fair Isle U-Neck Sweater
Shedir	Cloud Bolero	Eiffel	Molly Ringwald
Argosy

FO Archives: 2006

In an attempt to speed the front-page download time, here I present the FO Gallery of 2006

Completed 2006
Click on picture and title - some include links to original pattern

Lady Eleanor	Ene's Scarf	Cleaves	Leaf T
Leg Warmers	Peek-a-boo Scarf	Central Park Hoodie	Prepster
Ponchette	Wings Sweater	Anthropologie Shrug	Hot Water Bottle Cover
Neck-Warmer	Retro 1940s Sweater	Dog Sweaters	Clapotis

Dolce Far Niente Due

Pattern: Dolce far Niente
Yarn: two hanks of Cascade 220 (for the Main Colour) and part-hank of another shade of Cascade 220 (for the Contrasting Colour)
Needles: 4mm circulars and dpns

Way back when I made my first Dolce far Niente sweater I said I wanted to do another one, only better this time.

I'm happy with how it turned out - the first one is cute, but something about this one (probably the more subdued colours) makes it a bit more "wearable" and less "look at me! look at me! I'm a child of the 80s!"

Other slight differences are the weight of the yarn (slightly finer) and the fair isle design (this time actual herringbone instead of what I thought would give me herringbone in the first sweater).

Witness the blanket of snow surrounding me. Also witness the slight blurriness to the photo - that's from my hand shaking. I think I may have lost some of my gloated-about hardiness with the winter.

I'm sure the numerous car whizzing by and people crunching through the snow were wondering why that crazy woman was photoging herself sans coat.

A fast and fun knit, this one was on and off the needles in less than 2 weeks. I want to squeeze as many knits into winter as possible.

Next up: my 70s sweater.
Uh, maybe... truth be telt, it's sittingly grumpily under my futon, multitudinous ends not woven-in and neckline not even begun. Hope the rising temperatures are echoed by a rise in knitting.

Me and winter are in a race, and I do intend to win.

Elements and Principles of Art: Geek Alert! - Colour

I like me my learnin', and one of my favourite things is when you have those magic little moments where your art and humanities education appears to have applications in real life.
And by real life, I mean knitting.

Elements and principles of art are a set of techniques used in and guidelines applied to looking at and creating art.
Slightly clarified, here's a list that may illustrate the point:

Elements of art include colour, lines, shape, space, texture and value.
Principles of art include balance, dominance, movement/repetition, rhythm, unity and variety/contrast.

This list varies slightly depending on who you ask, of course. I've just lifted the lists from my grade 9 sketchbook.

Not all these terms are particularly obvious when you're choosing a knit to knit for yourself, or even to design for yourself. But I recently realized these ideas surface frequently when I'm ogling clothing shopping and yarn fondling knit-planning.

Today is my first installment of elements and principles of art, and how yarn gets tangled up in them.

Colour is the particular hue that is seen when light is reflected off an object.
Yeah, no kidding. But colour is a huge, gargantuan and usually very fun element in knitting.
Colourwork has been much-discussed in knitting, with wonderful overviews here on Knitty and other resources on the interwebs (including this site that'll "do your colours" for you).
So what do I have to add to the topic? Not so much (as you can see, I chose a very easy topic to start with!)

All I can tell you is how it factors in to my knitting:

-no matter how attractive the colour combinations appear in that variegated hank, just don't buy it. Pooling is generally not your friend, unless the various shades in the hanks are so close to each other they're basically colour-on-colour (and note I say generally - I believe all yarns have a purpose, but when it comes to garments like sweaters, it's not so cool).
-black yarn, while it might be attractive as an overall neutral, is pretty much to be avoided (unless you have a retina-burningly bright light under which to knit). On the positive side, it hides a multitude of knitter-error. Ask me how I know.
-I love the look of colourwork, and if you have the pluck and fortitude to attempt it at its more complicated end, my hats goes off to you quite enthusiastically. If used properly/sparingly, it can create focus and interest in a knit. If used intemperately you might end up looking like a Victorian textile. I mean, I like sofas and curtains and rugs, but not wrapped around my torso.

Next week: Line!