Hello!
My second blog post! Two weeks running, and I am sooo patting myself on the back for this amazing accomplishment. It’s not literally winning a gold metal or anything, but I take the little prizes when they come. There is a saying about beggars and choosers, but I had a glass of wine with dinner and am no longer sure of the exact wording.
Anyways, I have news! I have every intention of going to the Outlaw Craft Fair www.outlawcraftfair.co.uk on 5 April in Penzance. I say ‘intention’ because part of the rail line between London and Cornwall (aka me & them) has washed away in the recent flooding. Check out the drama: www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Violent-weather-leaves-trail-destruction/story-20631838-detail/story.html
If all goes to plan and I am able to make the trip, I am really excited to be teaching 2 workshops, ‘Revamp Your Jumper’ (a shortened nomenclature: I wanted to name it ‘Revamp that Jumper and Learn to Love Again’ but it doesn’t fit the title space with all that hyperbole) and ‘It’s the Knit! A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting’. I will also have a stand selling ‘Learn to Knit’ kits, and pom pom making kits, among other knitterly things.
Please let me know about your ‘Sweater Saves’! I would really love it if you would share your story of saving a beloved sweater from ruin, or rescued a fugly jumper from a horrible death. I am looking to inspire people to put a little work into something and come out the other side with a garment they will wear! Save Our Sweaters! I am thinking about embroidery embellishments, steeking to make cardigans out of pullovers, fancy darning, that sort of thing.
It will be only my second ever trip to Cornwall. My first was many years ago, and we had a wonderful time with perfect summer weather. I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up, what with the flooding and wind storms, but I can’t help but think of sunshine and holidays when I think of Penzance. Here’s hoping…..
Til next time,
R
p.s. if anyone knows about how to make proper hyper-links in wordpress posts, and actually put pictures in, I would be totally grateful for the advice.
p.p.s.s. 6 music is playing a Morrissey playlist. I am not listening to it in order to write this. I fear I may be missing ‘How Soon is Now’. I am going to download the Craft now.
The Asterisks Shawl
/0 Comments/in Hand knit patterns /by eastlondonknitMy pattern for February!
The Asterisks Shawl info:
I was recently feeling the need to knit something substantial that would wrap around me and then some. I
wanted an easy, satisfying knit; something that was interesting but easily memorised and didn’t require too
much attention to the instructions and charts. This shawl is just the thing for comfort knitting: it begins with
a top down garter tab cast on, and then grows from plain stockinette stitch to a dual-coloured open stitch,
ending with a super-simple lace border.
The Asterisks Shawl in all its bum-covering glory.
I was really keen to make the increasing in the shawl as simple and repetitive as possible, and I think I have managed that. One of the things I like about knitting is the aspect of physical meditation. There are times when I want to be challenged by the knitting, to pay attention and to make something that looks really amazing, and there are times I want to enjoy the knitting for the physical act of knitting. What I hope to have achieved here is an enjoyable knit that looks good. Y’all will have to let me know if I managed it.
YARN
MC: Artesano Alpaca, Inca Cloud 100% Alpaca, 131 yards (120 m) per 50g ball.
4.23oz (120g) 312 yards (286 m) used.
CC: Kona Superwash 100% Merino, 70 yards/oz (228m/50g)
8.1oz (231g) 560 yards (512 m) used.
Note: The two yarns used here are are not exactly the same thickness: the merino is slightly thicker and
has less halo than the alpaca. Neither yarn is readily available now, but luckily the shawl pattern is forgiving,
and any fingering or 4 ply weight yarn can be substituted.
The shawl is generously sized at 62 inches (182 cm) across and 33 inches (83 cm) deep. The pattern includes instructions to easily increase or decrease the size.
Asterisks Shawl in East London sun
The Asterisks Shawl Pattern on Ravelry.
Talk about getting in under the wire. Everything I do is a little last minute at the moment, but that will all change this month, when surely things will get done early and efficiently. A girl can dream…
ps do you ever get used to seeing your own face on patterns and websites? I assume the weirdness/discomfort passes?
Outlaw Craft
/0 Comments/in Outlaw Craft Fair /by eastlondonknitHello!
My second blog post! Two weeks running, and I am sooo patting myself on the back for this amazing accomplishment. It’s not literally winning a gold metal or anything, but I take the little prizes when they come. There is a saying about beggars and choosers, but I had a glass of wine with dinner and am no longer sure of the exact wording.
Anyways, I have news! I have every intention of going to the Outlaw Craft Fair www.outlawcraftfair.co.uk on 5 April in Penzance. I say ‘intention’ because part of the rail line between London and Cornwall (aka me & them) has washed away in the recent flooding. Check out the drama: www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Violent-weather-leaves-trail-destruction/story-20631838-detail/story.html
If all goes to plan and I am able to make the trip, I am really excited to be teaching 2 workshops, ‘Revamp Your Jumper’ (a shortened nomenclature: I wanted to name it ‘Revamp that Jumper and Learn to Love Again’ but it doesn’t fit the title space with all that hyperbole) and ‘It’s the Knit! A Beginner’s Guide to Knitting’. I will also have a stand selling ‘Learn to Knit’ kits, and pom pom making kits, among other knitterly things.
Please let me know about your ‘Sweater Saves’! I would really love it if you would share your story of saving a beloved sweater from ruin, or rescued a fugly jumper from a horrible death. I am looking to inspire people to put a little work into something and come out the other side with a garment they will wear! Save Our Sweaters! I am thinking about embroidery embellishments, steeking to make cardigans out of pullovers, fancy darning, that sort of thing.
It will be only my second ever trip to Cornwall. My first was many years ago, and we had a wonderful time with perfect summer weather. I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up, what with the flooding and wind storms, but I can’t help but think of sunshine and holidays when I think of Penzance. Here’s hoping…..
Til next time,
R
p.s. if anyone knows about how to make proper hyper-links in wordpress posts, and actually put pictures in, I would be totally grateful for the advice.
p.p.s.s. 6 music is playing a Morrissey playlist. I am not listening to it in order to write this. I fear I may be missing ‘How Soon is Now’. I am going to download the Craft now.
Tardy New Year’s Resolutions
/0 Comments/in beginnings /by eastlondonknitThis year it’s all about the Knit.
Now, I realize I am seriously behind on all of this. I don’t mean the fact that I am writing about the New Year’s resolutions on 9th February, but about the blogging thing and even the knitting thing in general. I love knitting, but not so much the social networking aspect. I love to read other people’s blogs and appreciate the large amount of work that goes into a good one. And although I am sloooowly coming around to the idea that this here is the place for me to show the knitting world what I am about, I am both extremely lazy and, well, a little shy.
But, as this is the year of the Knit and of the New Year’s resolutions that are adhered to, I am going to work on this blog. I am going to make it a thing of beauty, or failing that, a useful thing.
Not yet a thing of beauty or especially useful, this post is a statement of intent.
With this blog, I will learn to teach. My first series of photo tutorials will be about double knitting techniques.
With this blog, I will organize my unwieldy and random interests and research. I have a mile-long list of topics that I have been wanting to explore and the blog is a great way to process this research and share it. I think it could be the difference between having a look at something interesting on Wikipedia and really engaging with all the weird and wonderful things out there.
With this blog, I will document and promote my hand knitting designs and other works in progress. Keeping with the theme, I am taking the hand knitting seriously this year. I am going to publish one pattern a month (I really hope!) and here is the place to talk about it and, well, be held to account.
There is something about making public declarations. The declaration takes on a weight and significance when it is public. In this case, I really hope that means I will manage to do something interesting for you with this blog.
I have a ton of kinks to work out, so be patient, ok? And please, please tell me when you find them!!
So, see you here next week
?!