I can't believe August is all but over,
a friend of mine asked me if I still craft over the summer months, I
said I take it easy, can't spin with sweaty hands, don't want a bit
heavy piece of work on my lap, you know yourself. It was only
afterwards when I actually quantified what I'd made since my last
blog post at the end of July that I realised my version of taking it
easy and everybody else's may be a bit different.
Firstly – the continuing story of
Gina the wonderfleece!
I've dyed up more of her – red food colouring this time but I haven't had time to spin it up as yet.
I did spin up the lovely green (on my
Louet S15), I plyed it and I got 47m to 40g, not really enough for a
project but as it's my first real attempt at taking raw (off the back
of a sheep with farmyard bits still attached) and dying and spinning
it I was hugely proud of my efforts. I placed it in my knitting bag
and brought it with me to the Limerick Stitch'n'Bitch meeting in
Limerick's Milk Market two weeks ago. As my friend Liz and I had our
wheels with us we attracted a bit of a crowd (I think that's what the
market are hoping for as they have invited us and done everything to
encourage us to meet there) we were happily answering questions and
generally being our usual friendly self. We met a lovely German
couple visiting during a holiday, Gabi told us she knits but didn't
spin but her gran did and she hadn't seen spinning since she was a
young girl. Her adorable husband went back to their car to fetch a
shopping bag that Gabi had made – out of CapriSonne packets – it
was a stunning creation and so imaginative! We were all very
impressed and I decided to gift Gabi the small bit of Gina I had spun
so now Gina has come from Dunmanway, gotten a new do, a clean up and
spinning in Ballina, Co. Tipperary and is to make her permanent home
in Stutgard, she's a well travelled lady! The picture below is Gabi
and I posing for Lou to take our photo!
I have more of Gina spun and I'm currently working on plying her on one of my top whorl drop spindles!
What else now let me see,
well hot off the needles is the lovely number below:
It's the Iron Maiden by
Maiden Brooklyn (pattern $6 on ravelry), knit up with Debbie Bliss
laceweight yarn (I cannot remember the name and I cannot find the
ball label – typical!) It's currently being blocked on my bed, I
always prefer to take photos of lacework while it's being blocked, I
think it's only then that you can really appreciate how light and
beautiful the finished item is.
Above is a gift I have (finally) made for my cousin's son's first birthday. I say finally because his birthday was on 2nd of July. It's not that I didn't want to make him something, I really couldn't love the little guy more if her were my nephew it's the yarn/pattern combination I wasn't liking. I bought the yarn in The Black Sheep wool store in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary (lovely lady Sinead who owns it – I recommend supporting her if you get a chance also all independently owned retaillers) I liked the wool but I hate knitting stocking stitch, I get bored and need some colour work, cabling or lacework to keep me interested but the wool just fought with every pattern I tried. Eventually I came across Tama by Kelly Brooker, it may be stocking stitch but because of it's seamless construction it's an interesting knit and I have to say I really enjoyed making it. I also did him a lovely little matching hat – again on dpns so no sewing up – and I am (finally) pleased with the results.
I don't know about other knitters but I always like to have a stash of baby presents made up 'just in case'. I can complete a baby cardi in a night or two and as it's such a quick knit I find it very rewarding when my mojo is stuggling. But alas I found my 'just in case' drawer had emptied and I needed to make up some more – and yet again Kelly Brooker saved the day! Above are my current 'just in case' stash , the pattern is Beyond Puerperium ( a big thank you to Lou for introducing me to Ms Brooker), all of these (including hats) were knit with just one 100g ball of yarn, the buttons actually look better if they don't match so it's an ideal one to lighten the load of your button tin. So all it right with the world – Edell's 'just in case' pile is restored!
I've
also made a log cabin cushion cover and need to make another 3!
So
as you can see I've been taking it easy over the summer and I have
enjoyed it all!
Now
I've come up with a dangerous idea – a handmade Christmas – so
watch this space!!
