Odd Ball Knitting

Lacy Days of Summer

Pattern for the dress is 'Lacy Days of Summer' by Mari Lynn Patrick, from Crochet Today July/August 2007, and I made a hair-band using the remains of the yarn, and the stitch pattern from the dress edging.

Main yarn used is Plassard Tahiti (a light DK / sport-weight variegated cotton) bought last summer in France, and the contrast yarn is a cotton DK with some viscose, and came from Lidl a couple of years back (remember the 3 50g balls for £1.50 offer?)  I amended the pattern very slightly as the original pattern for the skirt has 10 increased treble stitches (US double crochet) per increase round, and this would have made the skirt too full, so I opted for 8 stitches. 

Also note that the sleeves are quite difficult to seam onto the bodice, the rows don't match up exactly, and have to be stretched to fit, so whip stitching or mattress stitching was not really an option.  I decided to get around the problem by lapping the two edges, and back-stitching along the chain edge of the bodice, detail below

Book Launch ...

eek! - Steeks ...

Warning - picture heavy post ...

How to hand steek

1) There's a column of twisted stocking stitch either side of the area to be steeked. Crochet (or embroider) a line of chain stitches up each column

2) Just showing off a bit here ... see how neat it is on the back of the work!

3) You pick up stitches just outside the crocheted lines ...

4) ... like this (in case you're wondering, this is the bit round the neckline)

5) Take a deep breath, and CUT! ... Courage mes braves, it's real wool, it won't unravel

6) See? ... still not unravelling ...

7) Fold the cut edge under if you like (for neatness), and loosely herringbone stitch it into place.  Now you can get on with knitting the button bands, or other finishing edges

Aragon Farm, and a mystery WIP

Aragon Farm, Sissinghurst - part of their herd of Romneys ...

... and a little something I'm working on ...

Hats & mittens ...

Warning - photo heavy post!

Sorry about lack of posting - am about to set that right with a number of picture heavy posts ...

1) not a Wormhead hat, but based on the designs / methods in the new book - yarn is Red Heart "Rag Doll"

2) 'Guimauve' from the new book - yarn is Twilley's 'Freedom Spirit DK'

3) Based on the Hex Hat design - yarn is Twilley's 'Freedom Spirit DK'

4) 'Rainbow Warrior' from the new book - yarn is Lang 'Mille Colori'

5) 'Sweet Winkie' from the new book - I added an extra panel for a fatter point.  Yarn is Twilley's 'Freedom Spirit DK'

6) 'Mittens for Kittens'  - design should be on the website in a week or so, and features tubular cast on / cast off (optional, but nice finish).  Fits small to medium, takes 1 ball of Twilley's 'Freedom Spirit DK'

Going Straight (to one's head ...)

... following the last posting, the book is finally ready, and available to order here ... Congratulations to Woolly Wormhead, on becoming a published authoress!

Nothing to do with hats at all ...

If you've been reading the Wormhead's blog over the last few weeks, you will by now know one of the things I've been doing recently ... so just to tease you all a little further, here are some of my photos of one of the photo-shoot days, featuring no hats at all! (sigh ... If you really must see the hats, then previews are up on Woolly Wormhead's blog)

1) Designer and photographer in deep discussion

2) Looks just like one of WW's hats, doesn't it?

3) MLQ letting Holly take a photo (notice the indulgent mother expression)

4) Man atttempting to read an LCD screen in broad daylight (Holly says he has a nice bum ...)

5) Photographer & models reviewing the day's work ... and well-earned drinks in the pub!

For Discworld fans everywhere ...

... I give you, The Luggage ... sadly, I don't think this one does the laundry as well

Twirly whirly ...

Emily has been hankering after these for some months now ... every time we go in to C&H Fabrics in Maidstone (which is probably every time we go to Maidstone ...), she's been dropping heftily unsubtle hints, so I decided to give in to pressure yesterday, as they're not incredibly expensive (between £2 & £3 a pair, depending on the size), and who knows? - it might just encourage her to actually use them ...

Meanwhile, I had spotted these at the I Knit London Stitch & Bitch Day, but they had run out of the smaller sizes, so I ordered them instead from the website, and they arrived on Monday ... wonder if I can convince Emily to have a go at crochet as well ...?

UK Stitch & Bitch Day

Just a few of the Stitch & Bitchers ... you can see Rain sitting on the right hand side of the photo (she's wearing pink), and Emily in the centre (with her back to us, also wearing pink).

Emily is seen here finger-knitting a scarf ...

... and here's Gerard, wearing the finished product!