tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60735914534961096802024-02-06T18:47:48.695-07:00Jedi KnitsKnit. Sew. Quilt. Bake. Not enough hours in the day.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.comBlogger530125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-44308096857394055462015-05-22T09:27:00.000-06:002015-05-22T09:27:57.160-06:00More Colours in Twill<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMYnNfcsumw86KWcPRvL-D9CmxiOj4BdbT8-imLSMtyz_g2Vfu99-r5LAA7QIcFSF8k7rTibOaW3NJ2SKVVV2zQDMSqf7frJPKn8hJmX3nn8uvXrC4OX3tJaZKgNW0rbHUeE7SXHrhRA/s1600/MardiKelly+Mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDMYnNfcsumw86KWcPRvL-D9CmxiOj4BdbT8-imLSMtyz_g2Vfu99-r5LAA7QIcFSF8k7rTibOaW3NJ2SKVVV2zQDMSqf7frJPKn8hJmX3nn8uvXrC4OX3tJaZKgNW0rbHUeE7SXHrhRA/s320/MardiKelly+Mag.jpg" width="320" /></a>The last few towels flew off the loom, and I pretty much flew by the seat of my pants in deciding what colour combinations to use.<br />
<br />
For the fifth towel, I went with one in kelly green and magenta, which is definitely one of my favourites of the whole bunch. It's really bright and I like how the colours work together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgphNjlPuCmCNtplT0OrYqOGyKZFRhNem6YSyTiftlb_yQPmSg72IgHn6AOCQ96U58xjQPr2WAg502kE0mtHzAdbeegi20v11O8yi_w81_to4omnwnd6t97CFbgWozP-VwJe_IpsoWp8/s1600/MardiOrgPurp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgphNjlPuCmCNtplT0OrYqOGyKZFRhNem6YSyTiftlb_yQPmSg72IgHn6AOCQ96U58xjQPr2WAg502kE0mtHzAdbeegi20v11O8yi_w81_to4omnwnd6t97CFbgWozP-VwJe_IpsoWp8/s320/MardiOrgPurp.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
With the sixth towel, I realized that I was running out of towels to weave, and I wanted to get back to orange, since I had really liked the previous orange one a lot. Since I had done it with magenta already (and didn't want to do anything too tonally similar like the dark red) I matched it up with the dark purple. I like this one a lot too.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmFhLUoS496k-XZOj5KtWo8u9IjiA6aY1X-So8voE0SZvvZGNg7wFbxNhrKwCx3wLUUXHeLeomOjButP_5KRxALu_1R17SEy7RLcEFS4NBatv94KLIyB8FHvrUhLFCGVq-Ko_3SJfilw/s1600/MardiYellMag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmFhLUoS496k-XZOj5KtWo8u9IjiA6aY1X-So8voE0SZvvZGNg7wFbxNhrKwCx3wLUUXHeLeomOjButP_5KRxALu_1R17SEy7RLcEFS4NBatv94KLIyB8FHvrUhLFCGVq-Ko_3SJfilw/s320/MardiYellMag.jpg" width="320" /></a>The other light colour I'd only used once was yellow, and while I toyed with using it against the kelly green or against the orange, I was afraid that they just wouldn't have enough contrast to be visually interesting. I went with magenta instead, since both of my previous magenta towels turned out so pretty. In the end, I think it's a bit too similar to the yellow/red combo (until you see them next to each other they look pretty close) but <i>je ne regrette rien.</i><br />
<br />
I had to get them off the loom quickly because I have a time-sensitive project to weave - Handwoven magazine is taking submissions for designs for a new e-book and I wanted to weave up a sample to submit it - but once that is all done, I will hem and wash and iron these towels and show them off as a set.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-46515687179608928942015-05-12T10:23:00.000-06:002015-05-12T22:17:57.750-06:00Can't Stop Won't StopAfter doing <a href="http://www.jediknits.blogspot.ca/2014/09/celebratory-towels_18.html" target="_blank">the last colourful set of towels</a>, I really wanted to do another set in some different colours, and keep playing with the concept. I thought it would be fun to do a set in Mardi Gras colours (purple, green, and gold) so chose a couple of shades of each and used a weaving program on the computer to come up with a point twill stripe design that I liked. In the end, I also added a deep red to help balance out the darks and lights in the design.<br />
<br />
Once I had the green summer and winter towels off the loom, I couldn't wait to get started on this warp, since it's so colourful and fun (and the weaving is comparatively mindless.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDS14QV4mfA27W5wcMEq4lPN7jpCCflgvc-OjyAw3iG7PciHTT250LrwUWzqBLQx67UVcERkSivrYO20s4KFrh-56qMsMIpywY7uskWGHq0OgGIuPO2uTpAvMwVWk3FYPdUroZYjNvFw/s1600/MardiOraMag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDS14QV4mfA27W5wcMEq4lPN7jpCCflgvc-OjyAw3iG7PciHTT250LrwUWzqBLQx67UVcERkSivrYO20s4KFrh-56qMsMIpywY7uskWGHq0OgGIuPO2uTpAvMwVWk3FYPdUroZYjNvFw/s320/MardiOraMag.jpg" width="320" /></a>My initial plan was to do seven towels in total, with each of the first three towels in one of the three colour groups. I started with one in Kelly Green and Pistachio. You can see it at the bottom of the photo. The two colours are both relatively light, and there wasn't a lot of contrast between the stripes. It made an overall wash of green over the colours of the whole warp, which I didn't hate, but it wasn't what I was imagining. I decided to nix my initial plan to follow up with a purple/magenta striped towel and an orange/yellow towel. I wanted more contrast between the stripes to make the towels more visually interesting.<br />
<br />
With that in mind, I did the second towel in orange and magenta stripes. This one had a lot of visual pop and I was really happy with how it turned out. The colours have a good amount of contrast and they give the warp colours a lot of variation. I like how the twill diamonds alternate between columns when the weft stripes alternate between dark/light. In the green towel, they only show up distinctly in the dark warp stripes, since the greens are both so light.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuT8t-F2ZN7yty6iCCBl1b6LhtfPoeAQugW-2bxITLa7WRut99HmkfD8iqypm5g16arV-st9WlrVu6uv7KbnWZx_xnQFvC3dQXPGAenJtBUjKgrp4XcRZ5dboknMXBzGnY8YOaU2fTtY/s1600/MardiPistPurp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuT8t-F2ZN7yty6iCCBl1b6LhtfPoeAQugW-2bxITLa7WRut99HmkfD8iqypm5g16arV-st9WlrVu6uv7KbnWZx_xnQFvC3dQXPGAenJtBUjKgrp4XcRZ5dboknMXBzGnY8YOaU2fTtY/s320/MardiPistPurp.JPG" width="320" /></a>For the third towel, I stayed with high contrast and did a towel with stripes in Pistachio green and a deep Purple. Again, I think the contrast makes it much better and I like the green better here.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCchiNLU2f3wiEsg4wgq5o1zcoRJ10ACetGh5ravKaHbsyrIwV9EIDfHWguTkKPvUhVI6o8z5bIq0-8Aal8SRH0Do57hinApTMclV0c18KRsb0PcWm3WNDFhbUu8b_4gbotXBqj577JlM/s1600/RedYello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCchiNLU2f3wiEsg4wgq5o1zcoRJ10ACetGh5ravKaHbsyrIwV9EIDfHWguTkKPvUhVI6o8z5bIq0-8Aal8SRH0Do57hinApTMclV0c18KRsb0PcWm3WNDFhbUu8b_4gbotXBqj577JlM/s320/RedYello.jpg" width="320" /></a>I went with yellow and deep red stripes for the fourth towel. It is only subtly different than the previous one, but definitely still pleasing to the eye.<br />
<br />
That passes the halfway point for the towels, since there should be a total of seven. I have a couple of colour combinations planned for the last ones, but to be honest, I'm actually reconsidering doing the yellow/orange combo... and even the purple/magenta... what do you think?Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-10655616087061873832015-05-08T17:37:00.000-06:002015-05-08T20:17:28.631-06:00Tupelo CowlI got some sock yarn with the Cookie A Sock Club a couple of years ago, and started to knit up a pair of socks with it, but it just didn't feel right to me. The yarn is a mix of wool and silk, and it didn't have a lot of stretch but it did have a lot of shine. It also was a bit thick for my sock preference, these days, and ultimately I frogged the sock and set the yarn on the shelf. I thought I might knit it up into a little one-skein shawl, but the yardage was a bit short for even doing that (and I hate running out of yarn before the end of a project) so it sat and sat, waiting for me to have an epiphany.<br />
<br />
Enter the cowl.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J0tqbh3zEsx9rwEVweaJt4QJmmavDy9DLkt3vEq4WoBSSXtAKT9jzcUCnlLHARa72l3M44s0CJvASlyfYZ3SEgmKCA9lb9wbAo2Pac3NBCOxstEcZ1KFkjthBXj9FsvvkX4vExnY-fw/s1600/Tupelo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4J0tqbh3zEsx9rwEVweaJt4QJmmavDy9DLkt3vEq4WoBSSXtAKT9jzcUCnlLHARa72l3M44s0CJvASlyfYZ3SEgmKCA9lb9wbAo2Pac3NBCOxstEcZ1KFkjthBXj9FsvvkX4vExnY-fw/s320/Tupelo.JPG" width="240" /></a>I don't normally knit cowls, either (since I don't normally wear them) but something about this one spoke to me, especially once I came up with the idea of doing it in the lovely pink silky yarn that had been waiting and waiting for inspiration. I decided that a little shiny cowl would be the perfect thing for those cool spring mornings when you don't want to dress up too warmly for your walk to work (since the afternoon walk home in springtime is much much warmer and you have to haul all those wintery things back home with you when you just yearn to walk unencumbered through the warm sunny air.)<br />
<br />
So I spent a few days knitting up a cute little cowl and I've been wearing it off and on. The variegations in the yarn somehow ended up as stripes, but I'm ok with that. It's still silky and shiny and drapey and warm. I may have even converted myself to a cowl person. Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-9094368300550359802015-04-30T12:22:00.000-06:002015-04-30T12:22:00.415-06:00More of the Green Towels<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfI4TPfz5iY9oWiDjtovP4Mxi9395ofBxZYhqk19EXYYe4nbdcDdvE0r68ZQCmJPYYn6to1FIVMh_eIKf0HU6Kf3_N4WIc81-m7_lCjNciMUGaoC_cTt9Nh2ITQ7SMLtHXKXccQvyX9U/s1600/Leafy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfI4TPfz5iY9oWiDjtovP4Mxi9395ofBxZYhqk19EXYYe4nbdcDdvE0r68ZQCmJPYYn6to1FIVMh_eIKf0HU6Kf3_N4WIc81-m7_lCjNciMUGaoC_cTt9Nh2ITQ7SMLtHXKXccQvyX9U/s1600/Leafy1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>I finished weaving the green towels a while ago, and now they are all folded up, sitting and waiting for me to hem and wash them. In the meantime, I thought I might as well share a few more photos that will show each of them in progress, on the loom.<br />
<br />
I wanted to change things up with the second towel, so I did this variation in an X patterning. I like the way the Xs make a lattice to connect the pattern into a more unified design than the little unconnected Os. If you refer back to <a href="http://www.jediknits.blogspot.ca/2015/02/weaving-green.html" target="_blank">my earlier post</a>, you might be able to see the difference in the overall lattice.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrhBWW_9bpzPlUaNJ6SjwDvH3zmGGUGhhThmk4IZ9v99mtDKDHDWhKRUstMV2ALiryw612EfRA-aVCiOQYB0N4DoV1sz6elQErlcevoOPUtF-u0ZVo-Ds5hzsyHHReejXsJbR3V6NZF4/s1600/Squarey1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrhBWW_9bpzPlUaNJ6SjwDvH3zmGGUGhhThmk4IZ9v99mtDKDHDWhKRUstMV2ALiryw612EfRA-aVCiOQYB0N4DoV1sz6elQErlcevoOPUtF-u0ZVo-Ds5hzsyHHReejXsJbR3V6NZF4/s1600/Squarey1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>For the third towel, I went back to the Os (even without the lattice that connects the design I prefer their roundness to the thornier Xs) but with yet another variation on the design. This one made lots of little squares and some cool equal-armed crosses. I really liked the way this one looked, as I was weaving it, and I was almost sorry to come to the end of it. I think the negative space is interesting, and I look forward to seeing the reverse side, too.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO_L1mQCph0-UJqh1Ps_YNgecv4QtF-BSe4bLLWKsmO-MyUpx-7t2dQM0iSFxVA_Fy0hKvF4QsL3xiut0Z1FxmdhDF-ejNps5ibazpuNQhEV6RCernpOk2tvvEv28S6Gy5VgWtYfurgc/s1600/Dukagang1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqO_L1mQCph0-UJqh1Ps_YNgecv4QtF-BSe4bLLWKsmO-MyUpx-7t2dQM0iSFxVA_Fy0hKvF4QsL3xiut0Z1FxmdhDF-ejNps5ibazpuNQhEV6RCernpOk2tvvEv28S6Gy5VgWtYfurgc/s1600/Dukagang1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>With the fourth towel I finally did some dukagang. For some reason I always think I won't weave this structure for the sets I make (probably because it is so different from the others and I worry that it will stand out too much) but then I change my mind and do it. It always ends up my favourite, in the end. It has a very different look than the others, with a more vertical direction to the whole design, but I felt like it really worked with the sort of medallion shape that this tie-up variation has in it.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOTnG_G2HEPzCfdC-WhGSQmkSq0zIClJhSpHckr07p4o1OZIgL8xc6U_Fy9HM1Se4lx-tiW31K9oOlC_dUc9Gg5vM_sF2rrS0cY1WOfzKXUzoTW1k7QWBsg9whnOZZTpR3A0gM6kSRoE/s1600/Purple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOTnG_G2HEPzCfdC-WhGSQmkSq0zIClJhSpHckr07p4o1OZIgL8xc6U_Fy9HM1Se4lx-tiW31K9oOlC_dUc9Gg5vM_sF2rrS0cY1WOfzKXUzoTW1k7QWBsg9whnOZZTpR3A0gM6kSRoE/s1600/Purple.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>Having finished those four, I pulled out the purple pattern weft and started one for myself. I used the same tie-up variation that I used for the dukagang, but this time using the Os. I'm not sure I love the purple as much as I thought I would - the green background gets a bit muddied by using this colour for a pattern weft. It might actually have been better in dukagang, as well, since the colours would be more isolated. Live and learn.<br />
<br />
One of these days I will get around to washing and ironing them and then you can see what a difference finishing makes!Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-76119637817061090982015-04-17T11:23:00.001-06:002015-04-17T11:25:28.502-06:00So Many Socks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67e4IyQ4JFvWFBKUCUwhBzIVfH8OTIcsPA_CYnCjawuPanzuhRkFqiqQq2UVVcKx4gz6Pjz7yMXbJLR8zcTAmPVhW6UH0e4KzkfU5lBct-tEWVrCTy-icchtJ45NwHVVo1rVxBsDgQEk/s1600/Cozybunny.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67e4IyQ4JFvWFBKUCUwhBzIVfH8OTIcsPA_CYnCjawuPanzuhRkFqiqQq2UVVcKx4gz6Pjz7yMXbJLR8zcTAmPVhW6UH0e4KzkfU5lBct-tEWVrCTy-icchtJ45NwHVVo1rVxBsDgQEk/s1600/Cozybunny.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>As time marches on, here at Chez Crafty, I am completing projects at a much faster pace than I have been blogging them. I have had it pointed out to me that I am being remiss in keeping everyone up to date with my goings on, so here is a finished-sock round-up for you, to get things started.<br />
<br />
First a simple two-colour striped sock, as is one of my favourites. I did the usual 3:1 ratio of rounds, this time as 6 rounds grey to 2 rounds pink. I love how these turned out - they are a really cozy colour combination and so comfy.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9jp7PqEatC48hrtIdYAxalNGax1h7DTK7iwpnT8X3YOsY5AEeuStnD7FlojPLppCmSuOMu-wHqXC3kRANZbwFHqjY2SSwGNHQBMzQLuT3CzB2ibxW8Jcd-Ah6hO72z7pbQMG7S0CB5I/s1600/Tir+Asleen.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9jp7PqEatC48hrtIdYAxalNGax1h7DTK7iwpnT8X3YOsY5AEeuStnD7FlojPLppCmSuOMu-wHqXC3kRANZbwFHqjY2SSwGNHQBMzQLuT3CzB2ibxW8Jcd-Ah6hO72z7pbQMG7S0CB5I/s1600/Tir+Asleen.png" height="238" width="320" /></a>The second pair is one that I took my time completing - one of my knitting groups had decided to do a stranded colour work knitalong, and I chose this design. I pretty much only worked on them when I was with the group, so they took a long time. <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/roll-the-bones" target="_blank">The pattern</a> is a super fun one, that you build as you go - components of the design are printed off onto paper and made into dice that you roll to decide what the overall sock will look like, 10 lines of knitting at a time. The randomness of it and the anticipation of what the next section would add to the design kept me going on this one. Of course, stranded knitting makes some thick warm socks, so I probably will wear these around home on chilly mornings, and not so much in shoes.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2A-1JojsIOdAwFvdEvhQouCNxLTiqGueW95SwgX6cGHgubZaJuVhGpdXuZo5HrRiuC5ifRhBBuyq6pq5R40V_iUxbU-ESMagVw3IvYgOuhgUwhH5gKYqws72j_5ygTBeqq_onYqGgUlM/s1600/Clay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2A-1JojsIOdAwFvdEvhQouCNxLTiqGueW95SwgX6cGHgubZaJuVhGpdXuZo5HrRiuC5ifRhBBuyq6pq5R40V_iUxbU-ESMagVw3IvYgOuhgUwhH5gKYqws72j_5ygTBeqq_onYqGgUlM/s1600/Clay.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
When <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/" target="_blank">Knit Picks</a> reintroduced some new colours of Felici self-striping yarn, I couldn't resist picking up at least one colourway - this one is called Rustic Cabin and I fell in love with it. Didn't take long to make a lovely pair of stockingette toe-up socks. I will have to keep my eyes peeled for more Felici in the future. There is nothing I enjoy more than peacefully knitting mindless stockingette and having it come out in pretty stripes without any effort on my part.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnB4DCSoYCHqdVFAqszns3rOpgzaZA2WnNrkecpK0LpDOh4JXcZj4-kcGwoYg1zPrU28q0sj28s3boc9I0Ot2_WktxziDGBzfu_a5dWwo-9zGenlNolSvIdVQ2MuWGec9yOlTOp0Flbs/s1600/Silver+Fox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnB4DCSoYCHqdVFAqszns3rOpgzaZA2WnNrkecpK0LpDOh4JXcZj4-kcGwoYg1zPrU28q0sj28s3boc9I0Ot2_WktxziDGBzfu_a5dWwo-9zGenlNolSvIdVQ2MuWGec9yOlTOp0Flbs/s1600/Silver+Fox.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>Finally, <a href="http://www.hazelknits.com/" target="_blank">Hazel Knits</a> did a knitalong for March/April - this cool pair of socks were the recommended design. I thought they were super pretty and just happened to have some beautiful silvery Hazel Knits yarn in my stash, so I knitted some up. The original pattern had beads, as well, but I left them out. I think they're still really beautiful!<br />
<br />
Of course I have two more pairs on the needles right now. I will never run out of socks! Many other things are going on, as well, including completed weaving projects and new weaving projects, so stay tuned.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-5321062582377575742015-02-19T15:09:00.002-07:002015-02-19T15:09:53.370-07:00Weaving GreenThere are a lot of fun weaving structures in the world, but having tried Summer & Winter once, I have had a strong urge to keep playing with it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR2B0_011V-tRR43dpx_FuGpBO-t2Y2s-qd8i3TIco9lhVHtdlKGoD_yKy8X3MHZ0J9OFbqhNxIXwUnjYemOyazDL6vJYJtvFm2ulVrlc4jYA-zSlenJZ1nOMRF1Hmys6nAjNhsgrh0U/s1600/KungFu1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR2B0_011V-tRR43dpx_FuGpBO-t2Y2s-qd8i3TIco9lhVHtdlKGoD_yKy8X3MHZ0J9OFbqhNxIXwUnjYemOyazDL6vJYJtvFm2ulVrlc4jYA-zSlenJZ1nOMRF1Hmys6nAjNhsgrh0U/s1600/KungFu1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
I used another name draft to come up with this pattern, but then one of my weaving reference books reminded me that I can use different tie-ups with the same threading to make lots of variations on the same design. Since I am on a table loom, I don't actually use tie-ups at all, but rather make the variations line by line, as I am doing the actual weaving. This really opens up a myriad of possibilities for me, and as such, I decided to make a bit of a longer warp and do five different towels.<br />
<br />
I am about halfway through the first one, and really can't wait to see how the rest turn out!Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-85003786704216245722014-12-23T19:13:00.000-07:002014-12-23T19:13:18.904-07:00Wibbly Wobbly Doctor Donna SocksWhen someone has many passions, it is always fun to find little ways to overlap them. A while ago, I found a great little yarn dyer called <a href="http://www.nerdgirlyarns.com/" target="_blank">Nerd Girl Yarns</a>, who dyes skeins of yarn in lovely nerdy themes, like <i><a href="http://www.nerdgirlyarns.com/collections/hand-dyed-yarn/products/thrilling-heroics-squish-yarn-set" target="_blank">Firefly</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.nerdgirlyarns.com/collections/hand-dyed-yarn/products/221bbakerstreet" target="_blank">Sherlock</a></i> and one of my newfound passions, <i><a href="http://www.nerdgirlyarns.com/collections/hand-dyed-yarn/products/blueboxexploding" target="_blank">Doctor Who</a></i>. Even the hard heart of a girl trying not to buy more variegated sock yarn has to be softened by such delightful fare.<br />
<br />
One of the <i>Doctor Who</i> themed skeins was called Doctor Donna, the name of which will bring a tear to the eye of many a Whovian. After putting it in my shopping cart and mulling it over for a week or two, I finally gave in to my baser urges and decided it was best just to buy it (along with another skein which we'll talk about another day.)<br />
<br />
Doctor Donna has lovely portions of both a nice brown from Tenth's suit, as well as a beautiful deep Tardis blue and a deep auburn reminiscent of Donna's hair. I was hoping for the best as I began at the cuff, where the blue and brown seemed destined to make a nice path around and around the sock.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLz_dsg7A2_IOkvrhtluRW3wTnqptQhBvXl5b8meUQDxQ-J4Lw9ox3xXDe5_q2qqeK2W8o04XGj5LMtq4k0keswAWjcLSkEop43yFPzZ0NlwvkFgCSOPBiimG_VKHShwPqBbLS85w5dI/s1600/Wibbly1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLz_dsg7A2_IOkvrhtluRW3wTnqptQhBvXl5b8meUQDxQ-J4Lw9ox3xXDe5_q2qqeK2W8o04XGj5LMtq4k0keswAWjcLSkEop43yFPzZ0NlwvkFgCSOPBiimG_VKHShwPqBbLS85w5dI/s1600/Wibbly1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
By the time I was done the leg, I knew I was in trouble. The blue pooled at the back of the leg, and didn't make much of an appearance at the front. I shrugged it off because I knew things would change up at the heel flap and gusset.<br />
<br />
The blue appeared, making several stripey rounds of different sizes as the sock circumference changed. Then I got to the foot and realized that it was no good, the blue would somehow stay on the sole for the entire foot of the sock. As you can see in the photo (with a cat paw included not so much for a size comparison but because my cat is determined to become one of those viral internet cats) the blue only reappeared again at the toe.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6bvqGVxhwISapIwZjbGVdh3XNdkGcVfJBxZPYgu2yMqGzu6L3hkMRt1bwb3ABSTcGiEoplC7R7j9fJ_Bi8gD9nJIu7322nAmW0zVuQWAqPYYHJZMsJdk2Xv9NRd_5-tFtdXgT1aHFl8/s1600/Wibbly2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6bvqGVxhwISapIwZjbGVdh3XNdkGcVfJBxZPYgu2yMqGzu6L3hkMRt1bwb3ABSTcGiEoplC7R7j9fJ_Bi8gD9nJIu7322nAmW0zVuQWAqPYYHJZMsJdk2Xv9NRd_5-tFtdXgT1aHFl8/s1600/Wibbly2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>There is a second sock, though, I thought. Well, you can see what came of that. Somehow it turned out almost exactly the same.<br />
<br />
At some point I remembered a moment from one of my favourite<i> Doctor Who</i> episodes, <i>The Doctor's Wife</i>, and although it was the Eleventh Doctor in that episode, and not Donna's Doctor, it certainly applies here:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Doctor: You didn’t always take me where I wanted to go.<br />
<br />
The Tardis: No, but I always took you where you needed to go.</blockquote>
I guess the yarn took me where I needed to go.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-86984719843426773652014-12-19T23:32:00.000-07:002014-12-19T23:32:22.055-07:00Fire & WaterI started just playing around with different colour combinations, since I have a lot of colours to work with, this year, so I made a scarf with a combination of red/orange/yellow in the warp. I was going to do the whole weft in a lighter yellow (as you see in the bottom right of the photo) but decided that the light colour was washing out all of the vibrancy of the warp. I plopped some orange stripes in there, and that helped, so then I switched to some darker paprika stripes and liked that too. For the darkest colour, I also shrunk the width of the stripe, just to keep things interesting. I think the way it changes looks pretty cool.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHE9noCwzfxMJtpVVogMByIRl5OgccIjlkRDs__hA3u7ouwK3CChDP2OoeyzFi4D0H3WKvMPz46Bv3y2tGff42pFc_eWQ7XuKoQfbBRY-JifLePyGIw5ZT3k6WRuQxW2ewDxxnxEk3mv8/s1600/GirlOnFire.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHE9noCwzfxMJtpVVogMByIRl5OgccIjlkRDs__hA3u7ouwK3CChDP2OoeyzFi4D0H3WKvMPz46Bv3y2tGff42pFc_eWQ7XuKoQfbBRY-JifLePyGIw5ZT3k6WRuQxW2ewDxxnxEk3mv8/s1600/GirlOnFire.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Then I decided to try something with a greenier tone, so I put a couple of pale greens and a yellow in the next warp and wove it with a light blue and a darker blue/green, in an unequal ratio. The combination of colours makes me think of Aquaman, though I'm sure no kids today would even know who that is.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjTXxvyhVNo6k2lzT4pgUlemQOsikHN_PNoadTINh0cT5VeA1HeJtbcE6VQQABuoaJ2aX7pNYbDYBvGBt6fAVFP7ANjG_8n-grZ9weGVKYJDnm_JYXhg76Bz6FErb3cgiLfSbfS5EHaE/s1600/Aquaman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjTXxvyhVNo6k2lzT4pgUlemQOsikHN_PNoadTINh0cT5VeA1HeJtbcE6VQQABuoaJ2aX7pNYbDYBvGBt6fAVFP7ANjG_8n-grZ9weGVKYJDnm_JYXhg76Bz6FErb3cgiLfSbfS5EHaE/s1600/Aquaman.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-52512453793248609992014-12-12T11:49:00.000-07:002014-12-12T11:49:48.729-07:00It's Time to Light the LightsTwo more scarves for the kids:<br />
<br />
I was looking at an example of the clasped weft technique in one of my old weaving magazines, a while ago, and had an epiphany, that I could use it to make a cool zig-zag scarf. It didn't take long to get from there to the idea of a Kermit the Frog scarf, emulating the little green pointy collar he has around his neck. The technique worked perfectly and was so easy! Maybe I'll use it again sometime to do something more harlequin-y.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7J3mzMuNa3cfV3fIJ53_0-Vws35VJtrG5BfaWoh3t8kj5WEG4zOq5pDssBJNGeG8775ZyOFbgA9e10E16ihQiI0HQgAf2WbuDHc21ocn-jyWzXqXJRjCGH5KshQ025V2z1gVHIwrYNg/s1600/Kermit1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7J3mzMuNa3cfV3fIJ53_0-Vws35VJtrG5BfaWoh3t8kj5WEG4zOq5pDssBJNGeG8775ZyOFbgA9e10E16ihQiI0HQgAf2WbuDHc21ocn-jyWzXqXJRjCGH5KshQ025V2z1gVHIwrYNg/s1600/Kermit1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Having done a Kermie scarf, I thought the pink and purple one I followed up with might suit Miss Piggy, since it made me think of her purple opera gloves. I chose a bunch of colours for evenly spaced stripes in the warp and then did a two-colour stripe for the weft. It's nicer than this, in person, I just couldn't get the colours right in the photo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qMYw4-YLB-e5beS7yLPyhbAu8V7t0SC4DUzyDVF1mKE-AqDydpYb1yOtLrpnUt39TNgo97NVGw4SvQ6C-BqkRVo2EQlBMh9_Xo4osPQ498fO7L5W9GFXxZWfgY4ikBjbPKyYx0lwabY/s1600/Piggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qMYw4-YLB-e5beS7yLPyhbAu8V7t0SC4DUzyDVF1mKE-AqDydpYb1yOtLrpnUt39TNgo97NVGw4SvQ6C-BqkRVo2EQlBMh9_Xo4osPQ498fO7L5W9GFXxZWfgY4ikBjbPKyYx0lwabY/s1600/Piggy.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
More to come!Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-89043757857287171552014-11-28T13:47:00.001-07:002014-11-28T13:47:26.753-07:00The Season for ScarvesSo it's that time of year again, where I occupy my weaving loom (Miss Bennet) with a whole series of quick and fun and colourful scarves for donation. This year I inadvertently started out with a bit of a Disney theme, since my first inspiration was to weave a scarf for all the little girls who want to be Elsa, from <i>Frozen</i>. I just picked a handful of representative colours and did the warp randomly, and the weft in little stripes of two colours.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xgiAGirYvQ8m7rKGyhx1VBpUWooJ-LW8oIippjAo_JihwFfUxCdeBsKGBNzledGQNJ4cwmvEjuEJFO5IF8VAcWsOwjHTfGVwB_-AOyLr4F_6KN044eNSUn6gD0qSceFJqtXETGXX6jY/s1600/Elsa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xgiAGirYvQ8m7rKGyhx1VBpUWooJ-LW8oIippjAo_JihwFfUxCdeBsKGBNzledGQNJ4cwmvEjuEJFO5IF8VAcWsOwjHTfGVwB_-AOyLr4F_6KN044eNSUn6gD0qSceFJqtXETGXX6jY/s1600/Elsa.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Then my next thought was of a recent favourite Disney lady of mine, Merida, from <i>Brave</i>. I did a tartan-ish design (she's Scottish, so duh) and used the colours of her dress and hair to weave it. I really love how it turned out, particularly since I was lazy about it and just used two of the colours for weft, when there were so many more in the warp.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qG5p4W-irdC948s4RqAy2b9vH584nIFqdoBoZK2XxXAnE07hlbV7WCPlmtReeKKVR7d5elwTeZxwChmHMsp8Lh4pKcyvIBpPpahd1ntU3iDdNElQHttP2fUFXnLe8e-BYLqxDG4KbN4/s1600/Merida1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9qG5p4W-irdC948s4RqAy2b9vH584nIFqdoBoZK2XxXAnE07hlbV7WCPlmtReeKKVR7d5elwTeZxwChmHMsp8Lh4pKcyvIBpPpahd1ntU3iDdNElQHttP2fUFXnLe8e-BYLqxDG4KbN4/s1600/Merida1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lBXquAtJuIik3oG0Z_EdSqtZ2taHlWYw3yKy1uII5KXcvE92_2YRXycFsYODk5YGhTknikCl1U5uJV869VHjoZtjTo8oFz7D2XV0tlL4udmDRYNIVsxm_x0vu77c2sWQm-v6tRQ_Vqs/s1600/Merida2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lBXquAtJuIik3oG0Z_EdSqtZ2taHlWYw3yKy1uII5KXcvE92_2YRXycFsYODk5YGhTknikCl1U5uJV869VHjoZtjTo8oFz7D2XV0tlL4udmDRYNIVsxm_x0vu77c2sWQm-v6tRQ_Vqs/s1600/Merida2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
My third inspiration was Maleficent, from the recent movie version with Angelina Jolie. I used a bunch of darker colours in the warp (and again two in stripes in the weft) but this time did an inlay technique with a couple of shades of green (like green misty magic.) Well, the two shades of green turned out to be a bit too close, since they look pretty much like the same yarn, and the mist might look more like PacMan, but I still think it's really cool how it turned out.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDTTE-shlBeFoXE3ZILSl7vX9TPC6lMSi6MCLlMaa1yN5VLrC2802G-nDhACjJ9wPnprRJ9mIQ-tvVqRlgMR8Jf_J0-m9dURduOQAVjxknwGZ8H0kQhwMWCg1wTB1gv85zczMD93RV5k/s1600/Maleficent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjDTTE-shlBeFoXE3ZILSl7vX9TPC6lMSi6MCLlMaa1yN5VLrC2802G-nDhACjJ9wPnprRJ9mIQ-tvVqRlgMR8Jf_J0-m9dURduOQAVjxknwGZ8H0kQhwMWCg1wTB1gv85zczMD93RV5k/s1600/Maleficent.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I have another scarf on the loom right now, but am always looking for inspiration, if you have any ideas...Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-69826836832211103742014-11-05T16:49:00.000-07:002014-11-05T16:49:01.551-07:00Ariel Socks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSQx2kprUf7ZprlfYyjA5vhO0XqAz28wB16M7xwrFpjr-yLMbKkwuHi7EXgUUXi_rhKVvII6JshdO3Vn9RwaGeIA5H5NjP_ht04Z8Y6AAqCHsTjgnqwCPNxvYga5mCQ2zRdEGuiDkoQ4/s1600/Ariel1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSQx2kprUf7ZprlfYyjA5vhO0XqAz28wB16M7xwrFpjr-yLMbKkwuHi7EXgUUXi_rhKVvII6JshdO3Vn9RwaGeIA5H5NjP_ht04Z8Y6AAqCHsTjgnqwCPNxvYga5mCQ2zRdEGuiDkoQ4/s1600/Ariel1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>Even though I put a great deal of effort into knitting up my whole variegated sock yarn stash, last year, there are still times when seeing a particularly beautiful skein makes me weak in the knees. When I saw this yarn at the Loopy Ewe, a fuzzy warm BFL called Willow, from Huckleberry Knits, I noticed not only the amazing colours but that the colourway was named Little Mermaid. How could I resist that?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTNQRgBOqDlfMf5SKaZdhJonYAQ1omV-BWNd-xHJnZXUTy_DPeR8eQgsf6TM3PpzFliNVXlQM-mkF6V9ss387lkHUc_5XLwidHd0ZxorxyI5L1_2rWU7vkkXCTrJZ7bffwSCLbG1yvuA/s1600/Ariel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTNQRgBOqDlfMf5SKaZdhJonYAQ1omV-BWNd-xHJnZXUTy_DPeR8eQgsf6TM3PpzFliNVXlQM-mkF6V9ss387lkHUc_5XLwidHd0ZxorxyI5L1_2rWU7vkkXCTrJZ7bffwSCLbG1yvuA/s1600/Ariel2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>I started out using a 2.25 mm birch circular, on the first sock, but somewhere around the heel of that sock, the needle tip broke off (ugh) so I transferred everything to a 2.25 mm steel circular. Being as the needles were the same measurement, I never imagined that the two socks would turn out so different! You can clearly see the different ways the colours stack on each foot, and somehow it even looks like there's a limey green in the right foot (there isn't.) It turns out that my stitches are a wee bit snugger and tidier on a steel circular. This may change everything.<br />
<br />
I have another variegated sock yarn on the needles right now, and it's doing something even crazier, but that will be a topic for another day.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-18578048522037612852014-10-13T18:02:00.000-06:002014-10-13T18:02:11.365-06:00Jollyoly HatA couple of weeks ago, my HLM realized it's autumn. Soon after, he realized that his Opie Hat has gone missing, and requested another one. I told him that I'd get around to knitting him one, soon, and then, as I was motoring through the mall on the way to an appointment, I came upon a little craft store that had some yarn in the window. I popped in and grabbed a ball of some nice-ish acrylic to make his Opie Hat. Then I spotted a ball of lovely soft silvery nylon/acrylic sportweight and fell in love with it.<br />
<br />
I decided it needed to be a hat, and once I got home I started scrolling through the patterns on Ravelry to find something great. I found the Jollyoly hat and thought that it would marry up well with this particular yarn, so I started it as soon as I was done the Opie Hat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6-j5bxPWAMNSnWtszUGJwbI_0DmamhKMwRNQ5tfm81mBOJRGGpFTkpapeR-vydGleRpb3CgCdupYoAo-f9UbCaIcLGwGramMS40hN4p08yBOBLyys2hV7u2dDcCH3_E9TdUFndDSaR4/s1600/Jollyoly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK6-j5bxPWAMNSnWtszUGJwbI_0DmamhKMwRNQ5tfm81mBOJRGGpFTkpapeR-vydGleRpb3CgCdupYoAo-f9UbCaIcLGwGramMS40hN4p08yBOBLyys2hV7u2dDcCH3_E9TdUFndDSaR4/s1600/Jollyoly.JPG" height="320" width="262" /></a></div>
I got gauge right away and began to knit, only to discover after a few inches that it seemed a bit tight. Now, if you look at the original pattern photos, they show a loose, slouchy, chic hat. I scrolled through some of the finished projects and found a lot of snug toques. Not exactly what I wanted. So I improvised. I ripped it all back to naught and cast on again, this time for one size bigger, using a size bigger needles, as well. This time, the hat seemed loose enough for the fit I wanted. I added an extra repeat of the design, as well, to add some length, and was mostly happy with how it fit. Then I added the pom pom (made from a bunch of leftover madtosh tosh merino light, a pretty posh pom pom for an acrylic hat) and the weight of it helps the hat to hang just right.<br />
<br />
Ready for autumn.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-19168735036070216632014-10-09T14:46:00.000-06:002014-10-09T14:46:09.927-06:00Porthos Socks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmWMJJpkoy8E41lZ4eLMzK-JoZtAcgP7f7E0mIWtT4RwRjZJrOVlbk27CfK3Q5dpZNr7_szi-dsmttpeGCWUkqAKGa9NQPzhio2HkPoYRMTG-Il1lXhHCVD8cFjZIXEWgCfULrLRZ4Uk/s1600/Porthos1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmWMJJpkoy8E41lZ4eLMzK-JoZtAcgP7f7E0mIWtT4RwRjZJrOVlbk27CfK3Q5dpZNr7_szi-dsmttpeGCWUkqAKGa9NQPzhio2HkPoYRMTG-Il1lXhHCVD8cFjZIXEWgCfULrLRZ4Uk/s1600/Porthos1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>There's this great designer on Ravelry that goes by the name "<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/caoua-coffee" target="_blank">Caoua Coffee</a>" - this person cranks out beautiful patterns, mostly for socks and little accessories, and gives them all away for free! As someone always on the hunt for fabulous and fun things to make, I certainly won't even try to resist a whole flock of well-designed patterns that are free for me to enjoy.<br />
<br />
This time I chose a simple knit/purl design, no cables or lace or anything fancy at all. I matched it up with a lovely shade of Knit Picks Stroll sock. The photos really don't do this colour justice - it's called Jackrabbit Heather, and it's the prettiest grey brown heather.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNv4FkLLUwzFqahWF2XoN284mkgv-GCA6ivLmfxuDMDefabBKjUCms5zsoQ8pU0qUnMtwFTz47JD2rfRmWRkT8HhRwBB9mlMJ55HkyfreuDjGr33pwx3cFbnZLV7F_O6NRlWmnkRzk0Ts/s1600/Porthos2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNv4FkLLUwzFqahWF2XoN284mkgv-GCA6ivLmfxuDMDefabBKjUCms5zsoQ8pU0qUnMtwFTz47JD2rfRmWRkT8HhRwBB9mlMJ55HkyfreuDjGr33pwx3cFbnZLV7F_O6NRlWmnkRzk0Ts/s1600/Porthos2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>The socks were a lot of fun to knit, and looked really cool on the needles, the way the knit columns sway back and forth, based on the tension of the ribbing/garter stitch surrounding them. Once they're on the foot, the swaying is less pronounced, but they do make a nice manly lattice. Yep, they're for gifting, to one lucky dude.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-67136291944311083722014-10-05T20:04:00.001-06:002014-10-05T20:04:13.101-06:00Snowflakes in RedEvery serious crafter knows you'd better have your holiday ducks in a row by the time the leaves start changing, or you'll be caught in a mad panic, come December.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgdnaI1GR-Aen4qMU8er97PKURGnk6vwVHaKXjJ2efASK0ZIsAzCV-un7fsmsSWSToKckrp-ipodJUyWDltOQxhrorwqJLGbiIAnB6oRkCNtz6Lhr5C81VEVlWdLcWNrDgeBpPLvcpqo/s1600/RedSnowflake1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgdnaI1GR-Aen4qMU8er97PKURGnk6vwVHaKXjJ2efASK0ZIsAzCV-un7fsmsSWSToKckrp-ipodJUyWDltOQxhrorwqJLGbiIAnB6oRkCNtz6Lhr5C81VEVlWdLcWNrDgeBpPLvcpqo/s1600/RedSnowflake1.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a>I'm pretty well on top of things this year (it helps that I don't really participate much in exchanging gifts at the holidays) and am just enjoying this cute set of striped towels before I get serious about working on my charity weaving.<br />
<br />
Don't you just love 'em?Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-21361667606470561312014-10-03T11:19:00.000-06:002014-10-03T11:19:33.741-06:00Fair Isle HoodThroughout my years of making things, people have sometimes called me an artist, and I balk at the term, as I've usually considered myself a crafter, not an artist. It is something that has dogged me, actually - the dividing line between art and craft - and there are only a couple of times that I've made something that I might actually consider <a href="http://jediknits.blogspot.ca/2012/11/truth-love-laughter.html" target="_blank">art</a>.<br />
<br />
This is one of those times.<br />
<br />
I had an idea spark in my mind one day, and the more I thought about it, the more I was amused and entertained by that idea. The more I thought about it, the more I thought of little details (fair isle, buttons, short row shaping) that would make it perfect. And the more I thought about it, the more I really wanted to make it.<br />
<br />
It's wool, it's not really practical, and the button is purely decorative, since it doesn't even have a buttonhole under there, so it's not really a useful object in the end (is that what makes it art?) But it's awesome and I love it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1mUwNb-9OiUfM5xilqdpQMzBZl8vsi4nDY1hdznmFygkAfXw05Va0_Eb-CyVKZEdDLYPkJy11s-wbaUAayYlCjIL6-tlDzZdgyiM23HrftXdTNB-utT4AKUNY8k-XZ4cnoelAWDB-Ic0/s1600/hood3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1mUwNb-9OiUfM5xilqdpQMzBZl8vsi4nDY1hdznmFygkAfXw05Va0_Eb-CyVKZEdDLYPkJy11s-wbaUAayYlCjIL6-tlDzZdgyiM23HrftXdTNB-utT4AKUNY8k-XZ4cnoelAWDB-Ic0/s1600/hood3.JPG" height="320" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-43573829411340175652014-09-18T14:10:00.000-06:002014-09-18T14:10:26.859-06:00Celebratory Towels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So it's just another photo-heavy post to show off the completed, washed & dried & ironed towels, because I'm so delighted with how they look, both individually and as a set.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3l8NvyFSUVV8FJHg8w4CWAF4X1GC-UzxSMAmckhUx29tCMXeKaxnpTL0bYtHhe9Sg7k9awrHIhTMiWPwz77wjV2XUjSAPSGpoMLnwtuP-vKz0nEc2r7AH5CRl91MUN1mP9VVnYdTxlM/s1600/hot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3l8NvyFSUVV8FJHg8w4CWAF4X1GC-UzxSMAmckhUx29tCMXeKaxnpTL0bYtHhe9Sg7k9awrHIhTMiWPwz77wjV2XUjSAPSGpoMLnwtuP-vKz0nEc2r7AH5CRl91MUN1mP9VVnYdTxlM/s1600/hot.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXeS_dBBQ8tVuyTZDR-49pZO9dkHQIwfLI4VbuzFAZo2FVBj6Vy-H8umkoOtKONRvINIpxTxXzthv1YSwPtGQ-tk63aUogIQpyKIfDsPPGoqSeKNiNHZXJCMxH1bLmMngSGiaZi9xgCA/s1600/cool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXeS_dBBQ8tVuyTZDR-49pZO9dkHQIwfLI4VbuzFAZo2FVBj6Vy-H8umkoOtKONRvINIpxTxXzthv1YSwPtGQ-tk63aUogIQpyKIfDsPPGoqSeKNiNHZXJCMxH1bLmMngSGiaZi9xgCA/s1600/cool.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ItH43LM4fqUbiFqU55diSUyF0oTsIls2p1fP9uo8psVUoN3VSWqN_nwCt1uyfy9hVmubzU720cxtM54IOh30TKYdvsav0ChelfwZct_qxxpWICU4jlhO4gOdxq644TCvaUpsysY7JDM/s1600/white.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ItH43LM4fqUbiFqU55diSUyF0oTsIls2p1fP9uo8psVUoN3VSWqN_nwCt1uyfy9hVmubzU720cxtM54IOh30TKYdvsav0ChelfwZct_qxxpWICU4jlhO4gOdxq644TCvaUpsysY7JDM/s1600/white.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimigF3Q7pvfacvq4OKZLtG95TQC-bCvWUUTCox6btuLzw1JftNblmq4UazIUb9wglSRXdCXmUr1TI-HWmuiPJwoYygypkfYgWY1u0MH4UDLumoHa_A283qqkDvPfsxKZ08aC1I0np0eyc/s1600/rainbow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimigF3Q7pvfacvq4OKZLtG95TQC-bCvWUUTCox6btuLzw1JftNblmq4UazIUb9wglSRXdCXmUr1TI-HWmuiPJwoYygypkfYgWY1u0MH4UDLumoHa_A283qqkDvPfsxKZ08aC1I0np0eyc/s1600/rainbow.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzYwgQkK5BO6F3r1lgxvzdoq9G5yAn5NPlh5PACXM7CTIrK5lxB2CZZDcrwUWhDMTj0SMtODp-mQgq5vqPlzEcjTsXJe941vnWwQvaaxa42duNTnVyTzsSoV-SoiASJOkKM08P5Tixyw/s1600/rainbow2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzYwgQkK5BO6F3r1lgxvzdoq9G5yAn5NPlh5PACXM7CTIrK5lxB2CZZDcrwUWhDMTj0SMtODp-mQgq5vqPlzEcjTsXJe941vnWwQvaaxa42duNTnVyTzsSoV-SoiASJOkKM08P5Tixyw/s1600/rainbow2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /><br />
<br />
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-AfO_kiaGaDg%2FVBs5cMCnBPI%2FAAAAAAAADpY%2FCGklBaqqIL8%2Fs1600%2Fcool.JPG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXeS_dBBQ8tVuyTZDR-49pZO9dkHQIwfLI4VbuzFAZo2FVBj6Vy-H8umkoOtKONRvINIpxTxXzthv1YSwPtGQ-tk63aUogIQpyKIfDsPPGoqSeKNiNHZXJCMxH1bLmMngSGiaZi9xgCA/s1600/cool.JPG" -->Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-32549935125358535532014-09-16T12:39:00.000-06:002014-09-16T12:39:23.509-06:00More Twill TowelsFor the fourth towel, I changed to a different set of weft colours. This one had less contrast again, with a blue and black weft. What a change in tone from the previous three towels! All the colours are still there, but much more muted.<span id="goog_983634545"></span><span id="goog_983634546"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6McdjSpD5jW4N1UJVnu2mbQO5dZfz4nlRgr6_AosCn-OED_FgqOJLsXTflHL-CRTQQzbLIwvVbTqewz35aPD0c4dFpqB1QRX-YHTVI4EtldfhQqf2PH_3sIqZ8bCXTM9EfMG9MeHcAeQ/s1600/Blue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6McdjSpD5jW4N1UJVnu2mbQO5dZfz4nlRgr6_AosCn-OED_FgqOJLsXTflHL-CRTQQzbLIwvVbTqewz35aPD0c4dFpqB1QRX-YHTVI4EtldfhQqf2PH_3sIqZ8bCXTM9EfMG9MeHcAeQ/s1600/Blue.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Then I brought in the brightest colour of them all, the light green, and made the fifth towel with <i>all</i> the contrast, in black and green.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpYcQduTPh1qhyGes11RsIB3-zevJidKE9cmZwD1hHgikXNg-_cSEbfNCkzViedwDr3meJMK2ww3KbGl5Vs4kWIv0jxHlrA2SN_TR65RxjPOFlTfC5QX6Y9xULS-yyDFBdtB2Ly-S8io/s1600/Black.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpYcQduTPh1qhyGes11RsIB3-zevJidKE9cmZwD1hHgikXNg-_cSEbfNCkzViedwDr3meJMK2ww3KbGl5Vs4kWIv0jxHlrA2SN_TR65RxjPOFlTfC5QX6Y9xULS-yyDFBdtB2Ly-S8io/s1600/Black.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Then I did the last one in green and blue, a little less contrast and tonally more similar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-o-umfqyvVBhr5JKjN4hyphenhyphenhyxB5u855ZTkUFl9i1oZwsAUo8dMxNwEhtsOCDzV3dpgum5PX7pNkBkbJxo3UfT-J_MZB9MmWGdP4isXSLWFpfsJkZll42lXluj08wtfbj9hyphenhyphenl-7OVJkHQ/s1600/Black.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-o-umfqyvVBhr5JKjN4hyphenhyphenhyxB5u855ZTkUFl9i1oZwsAUo8dMxNwEhtsOCDzV3dpgum5PX7pNkBkbJxo3UfT-J_MZB9MmWGdP4isXSLWFpfsJkZll42lXluj08wtfbj9hyphenhyphenl-7OVJkHQ/s1600/Black.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
But wait! I finished the sixth and final towel only to realize I had tons of warp left on the loom. When I initially planned out the pattern, I thought the magazine allowed for an unnecessarily long warp, and upon getting to this point in the weaving, I realized that I easily had room for another towel. My first thought was to use the last of each colour to do a really variegated stripey weft, but I was sort of done with swapping shuttles and winding bobbins. I couldn't bear to waste such a pretty warp, though, all ready to go. I decided I'd use some spare 10/2 cotton I had, in white, without any stripes at all. This made something completely different and a bit unexpected and I really really like it. The colours are softened a bit, and the blocks look like changing transparencies of glass over the stripes of colours.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWyVt66LNEnejequ1WG57XHOaypyDBmegp51vR1ULaGh_eeKPjI_9vbfeavcBJAtPHRIsXQR8B3RKqJOsT-06HL-OIN2CRQffKr4mS2RL_Bq85x_Qsv9vk3uS4jsPk3e_z5XTCuNHZjk/s1600/White.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWyVt66LNEnejequ1WG57XHOaypyDBmegp51vR1ULaGh_eeKPjI_9vbfeavcBJAtPHRIsXQR8B3RKqJOsT-06HL-OIN2CRQffKr4mS2RL_Bq85x_Qsv9vk3uS4jsPk3e_z5XTCuNHZjk/s1600/White.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Now to finish them up!Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-15658190011429206122014-09-10T19:16:00.000-06:002014-09-10T19:16:05.204-06:00A Set of Twill TowelsI don't know if it's just because of the change in the weather, but I got a real case of startitis this week, and began a second pair of socks for gifting, an out-of-the-blue artsy knitting concept, and I really have my eye on a new slouchy hat for fall... maybe some fingerless mitts... not to mention <a href="http://brooklyntweed.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=314" target="_blank">this baby</a> from the new BrooklynTweed collection.<br />
<br />
But before I get to any of that, I should catch you up on my weaving. I did get the skully napkins off the loom (seemed like they took forever) but I haven't gotten to hemming and finishing them yet. Instead, I got really distracted with these babies, a set of dishtowels using a bit of colour and an irregular twill weave to add interest.<br />
<br />
There are six colours in the warp, and I chose two of those for the weft of each towel.<br />
<br />
The first towel had a red and pink weft. The two colours didn't have much contrast, but it still looks quite nice:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPKBqVFO34ciwbCREHQpX4yNvS9E7y3KID0FBW8J6j7gG2RBIYa8YD3RCNSmSRAM4HlGVJ5UUoP6_pmabxwZzcVTKvdD47SpHnwsRi9xB7-uc8rLi-W7HPOtcmNlA85OUmBkVn_s3dn4/s1600/Red.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPKBqVFO34ciwbCREHQpX4yNvS9E7y3KID0FBW8J6j7gG2RBIYa8YD3RCNSmSRAM4HlGVJ5UUoP6_pmabxwZzcVTKvdD47SpHnwsRi9xB7-uc8rLi-W7HPOtcmNlA85OUmBkVn_s3dn4/s1600/Red.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Then came a towel with an orange and red weft:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeApU8bv36VIyBilDB8CcfQMsBBg29cvc1-PyPYGingSF8ZXqOr8Y7TzDEutQ6uLK4g1H0HeaezEGCvCCs1EnDgxMzPfuunl0JvRkdKKEj9gmVR7BlCHsnABcWhC9B15QRqZwtYVfnG0/s1600/Orange.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeApU8bv36VIyBilDB8CcfQMsBBg29cvc1-PyPYGingSF8ZXqOr8Y7TzDEutQ6uLK4g1H0HeaezEGCvCCs1EnDgxMzPfuunl0JvRkdKKEj9gmVR7BlCHsnABcWhC9B15QRqZwtYVfnG0/s1600/Orange.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Then one with a pink and orange weft. It looks quite similar to the last one, again since there isn't much difference between the red and pink, but there is still a different tone to it:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-_7GjGlM5Cuv9gM7C9yjWFtjYyOmm-cC13tiWZjfwizfZJPVOv5c5ubHkEpxhRN41GB3bQYsn3og5-KRN4kL2qz7d5Odv2yBnCF9Q_SJpPVDi_pSdRf2lQtL5u2O4B_g-HwOXvHrxDk/s1600/Pink.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-_7GjGlM5Cuv9gM7C9yjWFtjYyOmm-cC13tiWZjfwizfZJPVOv5c5ubHkEpxhRN41GB3bQYsn3og5-KRN4kL2qz7d5Odv2yBnCF9Q_SJpPVDi_pSdRf2lQtL5u2O4B_g-HwOXvHrxDk/s1600/Pink.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That last shot shows the design most clearly, since it's nice and close. There are warp stripes in six colours, weft stripes in two, and the overall pattern is an alternating 3:1 and 1:3 twill. The places where the twill changes is offset from the colour stripe changes, which makes the whole thing much more interesting and gives more colours to the eye. I can't wait to see how much better they all look, once they're washed and ironed. <br />
<br />
Next time I'll show you the other weft combinations!Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-63928454708589018812014-09-05T11:11:00.001-06:002014-09-05T11:11:57.979-06:00Doppler Socks<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RLf-EFD4zf_H-PaPcBAOmkN4xT0TC2W84tMafHq9yZXhmb63xvJjk3ytUqnSJ6_p55xmgPoYv6rWy0HUFb_jSfchgmluZ2A_JqwcBHshiuRTk4eGjiPmn0JmewniRLyzRG-TXdg-OyM/s1600/Doppler.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RLf-EFD4zf_H-PaPcBAOmkN4xT0TC2W84tMafHq9yZXhmb63xvJjk3ytUqnSJ6_p55xmgPoYv6rWy0HUFb_jSfchgmluZ2A_JqwcBHshiuRTk4eGjiPmn0JmewniRLyzRG-TXdg-OyM/s1600/Doppler.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>It's hard to follow up on those fluorescent green socks, but I had a couple more balls of the bright sock yarn from Knit Picks, and decided to knit it up, too. These ones were blue and orange, which is another crazy colour combination (unless you're an Oilers fan.) I decided to mix things up a bit with the stripes, and went from one row of orange to two rows to three rows and back again, keeping six rows of blue between. It doesn't look as dramatic as I thought it might - perhaps varying the blue stripes would help, as well. No worries, they are still cozy and fun socks, and my sock drawer is starting to look pretty wild!Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-44719883604111081302014-09-04T11:46:00.000-06:002014-09-04T11:46:50.655-06:00Catching UpI've actually been working on so many projects lately that I don't even know where to begin.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4ClP83x7sHivGuNDP9pZ2DK9zqHba8k85DIYmjcTmQ0M_Sju8CVGh9F7DwfN5o839hcG8Go2s3BOpZY98-84iNw30eVyYjGEMy47FXReuHNcJOvzWBt4bkHXPWdOcBramt5NhPfK2Ao/s1600/Edge1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4ClP83x7sHivGuNDP9pZ2DK9zqHba8k85DIYmjcTmQ0M_Sju8CVGh9F7DwfN5o839hcG8Go2s3BOpZY98-84iNw30eVyYjGEMy47FXReuHNcJOvzWBt4bkHXPWdOcBramt5NhPfK2Ao/s1600/Edge1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I finished my third Camp Loopy project on time, last month - this one was a lovely garter stitch wrap called Edge (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/edge" target="_blank">Ravelry</a>), which uses short rows to make little wedges of colour. I used the <a href="http://www.theloopyewe.com/shop/g/knit-crochet/yarn/the-loopy-ewe/solid-series/" target="_blank">Loopy Ewe's solid series yarn</a>, incorporating a couple of neutral browns with a lovely clear blue for the accent colour.<br />
<br />
It took a fair bit of yarn and a good chunk of my August knitting time, but since it's garter stitch, it went pretty fast. The colour changes and short rows helped to keep it interesting enough, too, that it seemed to go fairly quickly, even if it took a few weeks.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A6sfP1eROn2BKd49jv0lL3MqvChkTFV_nltUIuo-RKZ6M5VGoBOuliB9HXD70lkzPNMfyNHhcTos0pp1E-wRPhDU-dL5_ZDzcrK6LV4nNVVjClsLbheS_9GsvkvF_xRmngiTrpTGnOw/s1600/Edge2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A6sfP1eROn2BKd49jv0lL3MqvChkTFV_nltUIuo-RKZ6M5VGoBOuliB9HXD70lkzPNMfyNHhcTos0pp1E-wRPhDU-dL5_ZDzcrK6LV4nNVVjClsLbheS_9GsvkvF_xRmngiTrpTGnOw/s1600/Edge2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>The pattern specified a particular type of bind-off, to allow lots of stretch for blocking, but I found that the bind-off was a bit <i>too</i> stretchy, since when I blocked it (and I stretched it out beyond the recommended dimensions) the edges still ended up a bit ruffly. Next time, I'd use a regular bind-off, probably. Yes, there will probably be a next time, since this one is intended to be a gift, and I would really love to make myself one in a different colour scheme. Lord knows I have plenty of sock yarn to make up something pretty for myself.<br />
<br />
Overall, I really like the wrap - it's nice and big, and the garter stitch is so squishy and comfy. I think it will be really perfect for cozying up in for a night of reading in the dark of winter.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-37947131348267863792014-08-21T16:35:00.000-06:002014-08-21T16:35:08.972-06:00Little Skulls All in a RowI decided a while ago that something I need in my life is a set of fancy cloth napkins. It's all because there was a cool project in a recent issue of Handwoven (Mar/Apr 2014) for some napkins with an allover mini-overshot design, and I really fell in love with them. Of course I had to change everything about the project to make it more 'me' and thus the skully napkins were born.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GUfzIH6QF0_Y4ZJynbH6txvMpeMSN4IC1_qaT8mZw-B16Pw9qAN9y1pSjMbWixFyN3spGks7U5vXpNMAn9eXRKLuyaJ97quzU6zYsmUBRB2p088rtiralHHJcaepge8vo6l8YPbRBI0/s1600/skully1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GUfzIH6QF0_Y4ZJynbH6txvMpeMSN4IC1_qaT8mZw-B16Pw9qAN9y1pSjMbWixFyN3spGks7U5vXpNMAn9eXRKLuyaJ97quzU6zYsmUBRB2p088rtiralHHJcaepge8vo6l8YPbRBI0/s1600/skully1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>For non-weavers, "overshot" is just a type of weaving where you weave a base cloth in plain weave (in this case, grey) while making a design within that fabric with another yarn (in this case, black.) The base cloth holds it all together, while the pattern makes it fancy.<br />
<br />
I took this particular design from Bertha Gray Hayes' book of mini overshot designs. She called this one "Gone With the Wind" but when I look at it, I see stacks and stacks of little skulls, like the catacombs of Paris.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-90939700570700091352014-07-30T12:33:00.000-06:002014-07-30T12:33:44.115-06:00Hudson's Bay-by Surprise JacketAs I was sitting there working on the HBC shawl a few weeks ago, one of my knitty girlfriends was working on a Baby Surprise Jacket. I was thinking about all the leftover coloured yarn I would have from the shawl and then I had an epiphany: an HBC BSJ!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgna1kQ7MWlSKymZE1ONsWmbA_4Oh9TB_R-NQ_ojJVwG99TGCE3B4cnhaU7Jd88pJfWfOY1uAjBnnO6TVkkEfyk_Gf6PH5hRmWv2qBuiod0fuIPKZ6UQrpROsPoyrQzjQvYybEI0_2gE/s1600/HBCBSJ1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgna1kQ7MWlSKymZE1ONsWmbA_4Oh9TB_R-NQ_ojJVwG99TGCE3B4cnhaU7Jd88pJfWfOY1uAjBnnO6TVkkEfyk_Gf6PH5hRmWv2qBuiod0fuIPKZ6UQrpROsPoyrQzjQvYybEI0_2gE/s1600/HBCBSJ1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
I was intending to wait until after the summer to start it, since I have a few time sensitive projects these days, but then I realized I have a bit of time before the August Camp Loopy project starts, and I couldn't bear to think of finishing the sweater I'm working on in this oppressive heat, and a BSJ only takes a few days... So I cast it on and knit it up, squeeing all the way.<br />
<br />
I thought about a few ways to incorporate the stripes, either right at the beginning (i.e. just after the sleeve cuffs) or through the main part of the body, but because the jacket itself is so wee, the stripes would have to be thin single ridges of colour to fit in most positions. In the end, I decided to put them in the "work the middle 90 stitches for 10 ridges" part of the pattern so they would just be in the hem area around the bottom, but had to upsize that section to 14 ridges to accomodate all of the colours in a 2-ridge width. The jacket ended up looking a bit long, but when I blocked it, I tugged it a bit wider and shorter and it turned out fine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZmh5gQvyg3ptMKnqa7vFv68NqEO5Clx78Rh3P-aOvZksjqvlxUwIUyo5KuTgirylEaFwYMcHGZSxv-Z4Xm1lnKdZJRanPaNc5XZ2-p3Ai2jbaNmkdrS9QK816QQ9jQgj43s_aLnPFns/s1600/HBCBSJ2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZmh5gQvyg3ptMKnqa7vFv68NqEO5Clx78Rh3P-aOvZksjqvlxUwIUyo5KuTgirylEaFwYMcHGZSxv-Z4Xm1lnKdZJRanPaNc5XZ2-p3Ai2jbaNmkdrS9QK816QQ9jQgj43s_aLnPFns/s1600/HBCBSJ2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
I was planning to get some little blonde wood buttons, but then I found these darker dyed wooden ones with little leaves on them, and they were so enchanting and perfect for a little outdoorsy baby that I bought them on the spot.<br />
<br />
I still have tons of yarn left over, so I might just make this my new go-to baby gift.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-70177975488706178882014-07-25T14:02:00.001-06:002014-07-25T14:02:32.427-06:00The 80s Want Their Socks Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_1qgCKr1aNdYpWJIG9PgHSNOx0yoUW65s6E6C4wKiWVGKmTsEtTmUvAWwXen8oXP_93WXC3axDxXTva_J2IiakRhABxPpjkJR_Ve6p47OQ_qz5U7Sj6TZJBvVmQso7qu5ANh_Q2rGJM/s1600/Neon1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_1qgCKr1aNdYpWJIG9PgHSNOx0yoUW65s6E6C4wKiWVGKmTsEtTmUvAWwXen8oXP_93WXC3axDxXTva_J2IiakRhABxPpjkJR_Ve6p47OQ_qz5U7Sj6TZJBvVmQso7qu5ANh_Q2rGJM/s1600/Neon1.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
I do love to have a stockingette sock on the go, ready to grab in an instant when a project is needed on the fly, or just around when I need some simple meat & potatoes knitting. One of the simplest ways to jazz up a simple stockingette sock is to pick a couple of cool colours and make a little stripe. My personal go-to stripe has been a 3:1 ratio, for a few years (that is, three rows of background colour to one row of accent colour.) I find that this ratio will use the two colours up pretty evenly, if the accent colour is also used for toe and heel and cuff. This time, I decided to keep that ratio but double everything, so I was doing six rows of background to two rows of accent. That way the accent stripes were a little bolder, as if these socks weren't bold enough.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrMAqqMJrYz7YpgSru9BmJ48zi5HYSwVrSWnpEred0jcd_uMwJrjbReeWQx787odmxsK5wFG-FBdiFmibGCUQ_TIQmYxGi-TcXB5CfJuis_9c1OosJjyx_dS_sfsip0tD8DjPdipa5tc/s1600/Neon2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrMAqqMJrYz7YpgSru9BmJ48zi5HYSwVrSWnpEred0jcd_uMwJrjbReeWQx787odmxsK5wFG-FBdiFmibGCUQ_TIQmYxGi-TcXB5CfJuis_9c1OosJjyx_dS_sfsip0tD8DjPdipa5tc/s1600/Neon2.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
The yarn is from Knit Picks Neon Stroll collection (now nearly sold out, but hopefully they'll bring some back, soon.) The green is the one that caught my eye, a true neon green that took me back 30 years or so, to the days of multicoloured rubber bangles and layered ripped sweatshirts, worn off the shoulder. I thought the purple would be the best colour to accent that green and voila! The brightest socks ever.<br />
Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-79067022789332620982014-07-20T15:12:00.000-06:002014-07-20T15:12:07.868-06:00HBC ShawlOf course, the thing that prompted me to finally write a post about the June shawl yesterday was because I have another shawl to write about today!<br />
<br />
Since I was a kid, I've always loved the iconic look of the Hudson's Bay Company point blankets: a simple off-white blanket with the four wide stripes of colour. It's an instantly recognizable symbol of Canada (though admittedly not always a good one.) As they cost hundreds of dollars, I've always relegated it to the "someday" pile.<br />
<br />
Much to my happiness, the second project for Camp Loopy was to knit something up (using at least 600 yards of yarn) that is somehow reminiscent of a favourite place. I instantly thought of the shawl <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/point-3" target="_blank">Point</a>, based on the concept of the classic HBC blanket.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfScMbZ9pufZvc_4GJKMo4iruzNuv1hwbSYZWkG4jNzVJx0pDNLO0GFqZuMJPX7cdH_Q5sZ_I8NzaBk_X7jSneCGFQlWGVniXBI7GC-ocxOCK2igoBNi8ntUxlhQQYiZxNG9zxZ5wb_M/s1600/HBC1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfScMbZ9pufZvc_4GJKMo4iruzNuv1hwbSYZWkG4jNzVJx0pDNLO0GFqZuMJPX7cdH_Q5sZ_I8NzaBk_X7jSneCGFQlWGVniXBI7GC-ocxOCK2igoBNi8ntUxlhQQYiZxNG9zxZ5wb_M/s1600/HBC1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
The Loopy Ewe carries about a million colours of solid fingering weight yarn, in 200 yard skeins, which make it easy to stock up for striped projects. I got one little skein each of the colours (and have just tons left over) and then three skeins of the Ivory. The pattern only calls for two, but since that would give me essentially a one-skein sized shawl (like the one I posted yesterday) I elected to upsize it a bit.<br />
<br />
The main body of the shawl is a little knit-purl pattern that adds just enough texture, particularly in a simple ivory colour, and then mindless garter stitch to make the stripes. Because I'd upsized the shawl, I also decided to make each stripe three ridges of garter stitch instead of two (i.e. six rows of knitting instead of four.) I really like it, since the stripes in the blankets are so fat and I didn't want these ones to be too thin.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWeTa_LfMmZ_TWHoB81nwl2rHzBTMWXylAcYlO-bUfC8PHkBIWc1zlj0M_mUGRUnAET5QqvlnJFmuzNoc8hB0oWI8VfziFnRq0sSHvL00z__hBXMo_e4FlhMg7MRNQnhIlZaJIQVX2jbg/s1600/HBC2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWeTa_LfMmZ_TWHoB81nwl2rHzBTMWXylAcYlO-bUfC8PHkBIWc1zlj0M_mUGRUnAET5QqvlnJFmuzNoc8hB0oWI8VfziFnRq0sSHvL00z__hBXMo_e4FlhMg7MRNQnhIlZaJIQVX2jbg/s1600/HBC2.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a>Much to my dismay, the red yarn bled a bit into the ivory as it was washed. I tried a second soak to minimize it, and while that did work to some extent, you can still see the little bit of red there, if you are looking for it. I suppose I'd better wash the rest of the red before I make anything else with it, and keep that in mind in future.<br />
<br />
Having pulled it up from drying on my bedroom floor, I couldn't wait even a moment to try it on for a selfie, without any makeup or even a sensible look on my face.<br />
<br />
Perfect.Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6073591453496109680.post-88149181137198822872014-07-19T21:17:00.000-06:002014-07-19T21:18:11.100-06:00By Any Other NameWhile I might be quite tardy in blogging about <a href="http://www.theloopyewe.com/sheri/2014/05/camp-loopy-glamping" target="_blank">Camp Loopy</a> this summer, I've been pretty timely about getting my projects done.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAZ4bP8mLz_Y7ooVLQNXeH_qny-kvGxMJs35WIWugQAPCsg2-kPqIw9NSPvYcWnTTjwFeVf8ldWKhOgdWLzbZnJNQWVQ_QAWgxgwaPCZ651OtbjDTnGRkd5_nnk8Q8-12YQVsrGFsR_I/s1600/ByAny1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAZ4bP8mLz_Y7ooVLQNXeH_qny-kvGxMJs35WIWugQAPCsg2-kPqIw9NSPvYcWnTTjwFeVf8ldWKhOgdWLzbZnJNQWVQ_QAWgxgwaPCZ651OtbjDTnGRkd5_nnk8Q8-12YQVsrGFsR_I/s1600/ByAny1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>The first project (the June project, that is) called for something smallish, only 400 yards, that reminds you of a favourite book/movie/tv series. I scrolled through my Ravelry favourites list for inspiration, and quickly came upon a little shawlette that I've been wanting to make for ages. It's named Henslowe, after <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henslowe" target="_blank">Philip Henslowe</a>, a real theatrical contemporary of Shakespeare, who was portrayed by Geoffrey Rush in one of my all-time favourite films, <i>Shakespeare in Love.</i><br />
<br />
I chose madelinetosh for this project - their fingering weight wool single called Tosh Merino Light - in a colourway they call Cherry, but I see as many shades of fragrant roses.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNkUG9N7VOA8qjmfNVIXcAiQfXE2KhEK9IvX9-v22fdWi5B9SnoMiZ4OLlYh4YcXMKWGgRdwR_4JUPYqaeNMcxBKCLf5FNzqqMu04n8vjrjifqszRbq4HrocUzwiI4TkYyZvAxSOAYXk/s1600/ByAny2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNkUG9N7VOA8qjmfNVIXcAiQfXE2KhEK9IvX9-v22fdWi5B9SnoMiZ4OLlYh4YcXMKWGgRdwR_4JUPYqaeNMcxBKCLf5FNzqqMu04n8vjrjifqszRbq4HrocUzwiI4TkYyZvAxSOAYXk/s1600/ByAny2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
I went down a needle size to get the specified gauge for the project, but having done so, it seems to have turned out a bit small for my tastes. It will work well as a scarf but isn't really sufficient for a shawl. It looks so lovely in this yarn, though (go ahead and click on that photo for a close up and try to deny it) that I am tempted to make another in a different colour, this time with two skeins, and make it both wider and taller in the garter stitch portion before doing the lace edging. Then again, there are so many things to make, that who ever has time to revisit something a second time?<br />
<br />
<br />Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054740173739191382noreply@blogger.com0