I recently posted that I would be making a pair of espadrilles for my latest project. Good readers I can tell you I have made prototype one, and it is far too ugly to post! My enthusiasm got the better of me as it so often does, and I neglected creating swatches, or doing any research.
As some other ladies in our Ravelry group are joining my quest to make some espadrilles, I will now be conducting the proper research, and posting it here on the blog, so that others will not need a prototype, as we are naming the beast, and will be able to come away with a beautiful shoe.
In the mean time take a look at this Valentino Espadrille that has inspired me to try harder, and make something beautiful.
Take a look over the last 3 projects you have finished. Are they diverse in size, shape, and purpose or do you have a basket full of mittens, scarves and hats? Did each project take you down a path of learning to new techniques and materials, or are you floating in a sea of stockinette?
Whether a yarn addict or a casual enthusiast, it is all too easy to get stuck in a project rut. For most of the working population, it’s hard to be motivated into taking on a large, or complex challenge after a stressful day at work.
However I am determined to revive my knitting routine. Just as the beer bellied crowds head to the gym on New Year’s Day, I will be breaking bad habits & keeping my body of work healthy with “The Head to Toe Challenge”. It even sounds like a fitness boot camp.
The head to toe challenge is the task of knitting at least one thing for each body zone on the list below, before January 1st 2014, and I want to encourage all of you out there to join me. The rules are simple. There are 5 months left of the year, and 5 designated body zones;
Head / Torso/ Hands/ Legs/ Feet
Each month you will need to complete a minimum of one project per zone. Each pattern or project will need to present a new challenge. You can start at any zone, and work your way through in any order, but by January 1st 2014 you must have completed a project from each zone.
The challenge starts August 1stgiving you a few days to think up your first challenge. I have designated thisforum wallon Ravelry to those who want to join me. Here you can discuss & share project delights, woes and pictures. The best project from each category from each month will be posted on the blog.
Please share this around to all your knit or crochet friends, so that we can get a good group going!
When I was making and reviewing Lola Erhlich’s Turban from vogue knitting I wrote about the difficulty I had with putting it together. But I did manage to figure it out.
However there are still no sources out there to help others with the assembly of this piece, which is why I have drawn up a “HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR HAND KNIT TURBAN” chart.
*Note: These instructions tell you simply how I assembled mine. I cannot guarantee that this is the way the author intended it.
Anyway here it is! Hope this helps anyone who was looking for some help!
Here are the instructions:
1.Lay the band out around the flat crown. Put a twist in this side by flipping the band once.
2.Carefully sew the top of the band around crown. The “cut out” sections of the crown fold in to create rounded corners- like the net of a box.
3. Cross the left hand side of the band OVER the right.
4. Next loop the left hand side of the band back under the right hand piece (making a loop around right hand side of band). Sew the end of the left band to the remaining section of crown at the front of the turban.
5. Now take the right hand side of the band and loop it over the top of the left hand band. With the end of your band pointing down into the turban, adjust the length to your wish (depending on whether you have a tight or loose look in mind)
Recently I have been reading “Weekend Knitting” by Melanie Falick, so let me start by reviewing the book.
The Book
This book looks at knitting from a “lifestyle” perspective, fusing knitting patterns,with recommended literature and baking recipes, all intent on making for a perfect weekend.
However this book falls short of all that it promises. It lacks heart from the author and almost seems to have been pieced together, with the theme as an after thought.
Equally as all the patterns and recipes and provided by contributors, the only part of the book that gives us any insight into the authors personality are the blurbs, which are brief and lackluster.
The pattern for the brioche hat is an interesting one. And I must confess I have a love/ hate relationship with it. I really love the texture, the look of the end results, and the ease of the technique after the first few rounds. However, the cast on is incredibly frustrating, and the decrease baffled me, meaning that my decrease was not in pattern.
Both of these elements are no fault of the designer though I do believe that the instructions could be a little clearer. Equally the addition of some pictures would help.
I would recommend the pattern, however if this is something you want to try take these steps to prepare, to make it as easy as possible.
5 Tips to creating a brioche hat in the round
1. You only need the smaller circular needle.
Firstly the pattern in the book requires two circular needles, one larger than the other, but Ms Eaton’s ravelry profile for this pattern states that this is not necessary.
2. Watch some video tutorials
The “tubular” or “Italian” cast on is tricky. Once you have finally got all the stitches on the needles, the set up rows (first 3 rows) are a nightmare. I really recommend watching this video from cotton and clouds to learn the cast on….
… and then this video by lchilton275 to understand the theory behind the stitch.Whilst she does take a slightly different approach to the pattern itself, by watching this video you will be able to see whether your work was correct from the get go. Before watching this video I frogged my cast on rows 6 times!
(She also has a video on how to decrease)
3. Understanding the technique
If the videos don’t work for you here is an explanation from what I have learnt.
When you work a purl row (sl1, yo p2tog), the color you working with (purple in my case) will “sandwich” the other color. So once the row is finished you will have 2 dark stitches, 1 light all the way along.
If you put your yarn to the back of the needles, then slip a stitch and p2tog, it will make it easier to see this pattern emerging as you go.
The same is true the other way around, so on a knit row your light color with sandwich your dark stitches.
3. Find a quiet haven
Pick a time and a place to start this project. Because the first few rows are tricky you will need to concentrate and be patient. Once you get in the swing however, the pattern becomes second nature and you can easily complete it while watching a film.
4. Shaping
Before you make the pattern be sure you know what you want from your hat. Because the decrease is very rounded, it is not wearable as a baggy toque. If you want the option to wear it without the cuff you will need to make a steeper increase, or choose another pattern. The shape is well suited for males, and I found that adding the pom pom to mine made it much more feminine.
5.Colors
Really think about your colors before you approach this project. You will see that Ms Eaton takes great care to use a dark and a light color. I made mine in two very bold colors, which I love, and are suited to the my “ski bum” lifestyle.
** Extra tip!
I recommend plain colors. Using variegated yarn, or self striping will take away from all your hard work on the texture and will look messy.
You should be ready to go now, so happy knitting all!
Please post your pictures of this hat in the comments below, or ask any questions!
And as always if you have something you would like reviewed email knittygrittywhistler@gmail.com
It is complete. Two months, 1000 m of yarn, and very sore fingers!
But I am immensely happy with the result. I will be taking it out in the public eye tomorrow at the Function Junction Block Party, so please feel free to come and say hi and check out the work.
Copied below is more information about my work from the press release and some extra pictures for all you followers!.
HAND KNIT ART INSTALATION UNVIELED IN WHISTLER, BC
Tomorrow will be the unveiling of an exciting new art installation from creator Anna Lynch.
The “yarn mobile” as it has been affectionately coined by Lynch, will be shown in public tomorrow evening at the Function Junction Block Party, in Whistler BC.
The mobile art installation, is a depiction of Whistler’s ecosystem, hand knit on to a bicycle frame. But why a bicycle? Lynch says “There is no better way of depicting the beauty of this area, and the feeling of this town, than on something that residents here can really relate to. If you think of Whistler in the summertime you think bicycle. Whats more the art work itself shows the cycle of our ecosystem, and so I found it fitting to mirror this idea in the display”.
Every element of the piece was hand knit by Lynch, from left over yarn. “ I didn’t buy any new yarn to make this project. I simply used an array of left over strands from previous projects. Whatever the colour, or fibre, none of the yarn was ever chosen with this in mind. I worked with what I had”.
For those who are familiar with the trend of “yarn bombing”, knitting around a bicycle may not be a new concept. However, unlike any bicycle that has been detailed in this way previously, Lynch’s piece branches out from the frame.
“When the idea came to me to make this depiction, I knew it could not be constrained by the frame of the bike. The nature, and the wilds of BC, its mountain range, wild flowers and relentless weather cycles, would not be given justice if made to fit the frame like a picture. I wanted the overwhelming impact and beauty of the nature here to really jump out”.
When asked how much planning went into the piece Lynch says “After the initial idea, there was actually very little forward planning. I knew I would make the river and the mountains, but that was it. I had not thought of how I would make these pieces and what would come next. As these pieces became complete the bicycle began to take shape organically”.
The piece took two months to come to fruition, and used approximately 1093yds/1000m of scrap yarn.
Whistler Ecosystem Cycle”, or “yarn mobile” as it has come to be known is for sale on Lynch’s website.
“This piece is one of a kind. It was challenging and exciting to make, but will certainly be the only bicycle I create. I don’t know what my next project will be right now, but that’s what I love about creating art, you never know what form your next inspiration will take!”.
If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Anna Lynch, please email knittygrittywhistler@gmail.com.
This summer we are offering a series of workshops here at Knitty Gritty, called Farm to Fashion.
“The farm to fashion workshop series has been designed to inspire and encourage a greater connection between local artisans and the nature that envelopes the sea to sky corridor by teaching sustainable, ecological practices within the fibre arts. Combine new skills from all three workshops to progress a project from beast to boutique”.
The first workshop is SPINNING FOR BEGINNERS.
and as a bonus we will be conducting this workshop at an alpaca farm in Mt Currie!
Join the Knitty Gritty for a guided tour of Rainbow Forest Acres Alpaca Farm followed by a half day spinning workshop on the farms grounds.
Learn about the qualities of alpaca fleece, the processes taken to ready it for spinning and meet the alpaca’s themselves on a guided tour from farm owner Barbara Eslake. Then sit down with Renate Bareham and learn to spin using both the drop spindle method and spinning wheel, taking away with you a skein of hand spun yarn.
Transfer to/frm Whistler Village to Rainbow Forest Acres.
*Lunch is not included.
Why pick the Knitty Gritty Workshop series?
This is a really fantastic and unique opportunity, which will enable you to better understand yarn qualities and how they can make or break a project. This trip is at least $25 less than the cheapest beginners spinning lessons in Vancouver and half the price of most! Plus you get to meet the animals.
So in a bid to get the yarn mobile completed a little faster and keep you all in suspense, I have not posted some of my recent progress on the blog.
Recent updates include;
Covering all the frame in striped covers which took a total of 12 hours.
A rainbow which took 4 hours.
A whole host of maple leaves which took 8 hours.
And this little gem below. This took 5 hours.
This is a knitted and stuffed Inukshuk. For those of you that don’t know Whistler has several Inukshuks (if you have read the blog you will know we gave one a big scarf).
An Inukshuk, is a stone landmark used by the first nations of North America. It is often found in places with sparse land markings, and is used as a navigation tool or to mark a settlement.
The reason for the abundance of these in Whistler is that it was the symbol for the 2010 winter Olympics, and Whistler hosted several of the Olympic events.
We use our Inukshuk’s as a welcome.
I have been wanted to make a knitted version since last year, but never found the time. But the yarn mobile presented the perfect opportunity to make one.
I made it by knitting a number of rectangle boxes. Each was knit flat, like a net, then sewn together and stuffed. I will post a pattern to make this in the near future!
As for the project, I only have a few pieces left to knit now, so you may see the yarn mobile on the streets of Whistler very soon!
July is just around the corner and here at KnittyG HQ, we are gearing up for a summer of knitting.
With the launch of “Knit by the Lake”, our bonus knitting group session (3pm @ Lost Lake every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month), and the near completion of the yarn mobile, we in Whistler certainly have summer knit fever!
Now Open roads Intergrated Media has teamed with Abrams for a “Summer Knitting Initiative”. Together they are releasing a host of popular knitting books in a digital format for e-readers, making transporting your project with you on vacation ,or down to the lake, a breeze!
Also keep an eye on their blog (Click here) next week, as to kick off the initiative, Open Roads will be releasing free patterns from two of the books below, publishing recipes for iced drinks and making a playlist of summer songs to compliment your summer knitting bliss! And if that isn’t enough from July 3rd-10th these e-books will be available at a special promotion price from $4.99 and up!
The available books are
Knitalong by STC Craft | Melanie Falick Books
More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson
One More Skein by Leigh Radford
Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick
Knitspeak by Andrea Berman Price
Knitting for Peace by Betty Christiansen
A Knitter’s Home Companion by Michelle Edwards
Watch this space for reviews of three of the books above in the follow week!
I worked hard on the yarn mobile over the weekend, and so I have quite a few bits to post today. I have also started attaching the work to the frame. The bike is evolving into a depiction the Whistler Eco System. I have started to place items into seasons
These are the new parts.
Second Mountain
The second mountain to go on top of the frame. I decided to make this one more pointed. Again I used color work to show gradient.
Time Taken: 4 hours
Second mountain, made from acrylic & wool
Vine & Leaves background motif.
This section will serve as a background for the swamp lilies below. It will be part of the main frame. The stitch was taken from the Vogue stitchionary.
Time Taken: 3 hours
Leaves motif- Knit in wool in embossed vine & leaves stitch
Swamp Lilies
The first batch of many. These were fun to make. I made these on double pointed needles and then used short rows to create the shape. A nice quick knit too
Time Taken : 10 minutes per flower
Collection of Trees
The first trees. I have made two representations of fir trees and one cedar so far. All were knit free form with no pattern. I used both stockinette and moss stitch. The brown patches I have knit serve as the ground that the tree stands on.
Time Taken:
Ground- 1 Hour , Small Fir- 1 hour, Large Fir 1 hour, Cedar 1.5 hours
This tree is a fir representation made from wool & acrylic
Cedar Tree made from cotton and acrylic yarn
Large fir from cotton and acrylic
Made from camel yarn!
You will be able to get a small preview of the work on the frame on Thursday 🙂
As long as there has been knitting, there have been tangles. And so it is clear to see why a yarn dispenser is key to a knit-wits artillery.
Dispensers come in many shapes and sizes, from old mason jars, to plastic pouches, and each knitter has their preference. But all designs have two common attributes; A holder for the ball & a dispenser for the yarn to pass through. However when you take a closer look, one dispenser in particular casts a shadows over the competition. The yarn bowl.
It seems to have sprung up in the last few years, as if from nowhere and taken the knitting world by storm. Made from either wood or more commonly ceramic, each yarn bowl is as different as the next. And with endless possibilities for design, you can see why this ancillary tool has become so popular. Whats more the tool seems to be exclusive to the maker and artisan industry with no large companies within the ceramic or knitting industries producing any.
But with such choice, how do you make sure that you make the right purchase? consider the following features:
1. Size
If you regularly knit with large balls of yarn then make sure that the bowl you choose can fit these bigger skeins inside. If you have less room, or you knit with small thin yarn, then a smaller bowl may fit your needs better.
2. Weight
You need to look at the base of the bowl to judge it’s weight. A good yarn bowl will have a heavy base to keep it in place when you pull at your yarn. If the bowl is too light it will slide across your table and likely be more hassle than help.
3. Material
If you are looking for something portable, or you are a little clumsy then maybe consider a wooden or plastic bowl over ceramic.
4. Feed
If you move your project from place to place then find a bowl with an open slot yarn feed that the yarn can be lifted out of. If you choose a bowl with a loop to you may be committed to leaving your project in the bowl until the yarn runs out.
5. Pets and Children
Hollywood experts say never work with pets and children. I suggest you work around them. If you have a cat or another little terror in the house, then consider a yarn bowl that sits like a lid over the ball (as opposed to a traditional bowl).
6. Design
There are a lot of designers to choose from. Take time to find something beautiful to fit your personality.
I am a fan of ceramic, and have recently had the pleasure to work with the Chickadee Yarn Bowl, from Aaron Harrison AKA aaharrison.
It’s large size, allows for chunky yarns, and bigger balls to be placed inside, which I found to be a great attribute. The high sides keep the yarn inside the bowl even when it is moving at a rapid pace.
The bowl also has a curved “cut out” to place the yarn through, which has been smoothed and glazed to prevent “snagging”. I personally like this style of yarn feeder, due to my tendency to move my knitting project from home to work on a regular basis. The bowl is nicely weighted to keep it’s place on a table allowing all effort to be concentrated on complicated lace work.
The elegant aesthetics are the real draw for this bowl. It is clear at a glance that great care has been taken in shaping the bowl and chickadee that sits on top. The glaze inside is reminiscent of the inside of a sea shell, and the earthy color of the outside means this tool would not look out of place as an ornament on a shelf.
If this has got you hankering for a yarn bowl, you can find Aaron Harrison’s designs here.
Need more inspiration? Check out my pinterest board.
