Peacock Shawl finished

Happy Fibre Arts Friday! Today I have a finished project to show, yay!

This is a birthday present for my Ma who is turning 70 in October. I spun the yarn from some silver grey merino rovings from Bendigo Woollen Mills then dyed the yarn into mother's favourite colour. The whole project took a little over five months to complete, but I could have finished it much sooner if I'd worked on it consistently.

Pattern: Peacock's Tail by Rose Beck
Yarn: handspun merino and hand dyed, fingering weight, used 120g
Needle size: 5mm
My project page: here
Notes: I love the stitch patterns, they are very pretty and flow nicely from one into another. The construction is interesting where you increase at each end as well as fan out from the middle, creating a gentle crescent shape. The only thing I would change next time is to use a different cast off, the ones given by the pattern did not provide a stretchy enough border in my opinion as I had trouble blocking out the points. I might use EZ's sewn bind off if I were to make it again.

That's it from me, thanks for dropping by, please hop over to Andrea's at Wisdom Begins in Wonder for more fibre fun.

Dyeing with Eucalyptus and Sea Level Take Two

I've been wanting to experiment with eucalyptus as dye stuff for quite some time, then one day when I was out walking with the old man I saw this fallen branch lying on the ground, it was still fresh, so I brought it home (the old man walked a few paces behind pretending he didn't know me, ha!). It was my first time trying out this method although I've been reading about it, first I striped all the leaves and tore them into small pieces, next I soaked them for a few days, then I boiled and simmered the leaves in a pot for a couple of hours and let it cool. I used a skein of natural coloured merino/alpaca blend which I soaked in a vinegar solution, no mordant was used this time because some say you don't need mordant with eucalyptus (but I will next time).

The yarn was dunked in the dye bath, heated and simmered for an hour before being rinsed until water run clear. The colour is much lighter than I anticipated, well I didn't really know what to expect but somehow I thought the colour would be darker. The photo doesn't quite show the true colour, it really is a honey lemon sort of yellow. I wonder now perhaps I should have let the yarn soak for a few days before boiling, maybe next time.

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When I run out of yarn for the Sea Level shawl using my handspun many of you suggested that I should carry on and use a colour that matched the skein, I didn't have any matching colours in the right weight in my stash (would you believe it?!) so I spun up a contrasting colour using my home dyed fleece. But then I did a handspun swap and received a gorgeous skein made of Loop! Self Striping Spontaneous BULLSEYE which was perfect for the pattern.

It took me nearly three weeks to finish but I'm very pleased with the result. The pattern was written for handspun from the Loop! batts, having completed the shawl I can really appreciate the beauty of both the design and the yarn, it's a perfect match! My Ravelry project page is here.

Thanks for dropping by, there is more fibre arts fun at Wisdom Begins in Wonder. Indulge your creative side and join the party!

SKAL - Spin & Knit Along

I recently joined a group on Ravelry called Spin A Shawl, every three months the group work on a chosen shawl pattern, the whole project start from spinning the yarn to the finished item. The January - March project is a pattern called Sea Level, what's so interesting about this pattern is that the shawl is knitted with one ball of fingering weight handspun yarn in a gradient colourway, but its worked from both ends simultaneously to create a contrasting stripes pattern that gradually changes colour. I love the concept very much and ordered a lovely merino top just for this.

This is a superfine merino at 15 micron in the colourway of Ocean Flower, hand-dyed by the talented Nicole of Spin.Knit.Love. I spun this worsted and N-plied to a slightly larger than fingering weight at 13wpi, the yarn is super soft and has a lot of bounce. In my excitement to get on with the knitting I forgot to count the number of loops while it was still on the niddy noddy to I'm not sure of the yardage, it weighs 106gms so fingers crossed I should have enough.

Next week we are going on a road trip to the Central Coast in New South Wales, it's about 1000km each way so I'm hoping to get some knitting done when I'm not driving.

This summer holiday is disappearing fast, after we get back from this trip the boys will be back at school and the normal routine will resume. But that will mean less crafting time so I'm not looking forward to that, on the other hand I'll be waiting around a lot more in the car (between jobs, school pickups, etc.) so I might get more knitting done :)

What have you been up to this week?

Thanks for dropping by, there is more fibre arts fun at Wisdom Begins in Wonder. Indulge your creative side and join the party!

New Beginnings

Happy New Year my friends!  2013 marks a new beginning for me, just before Christmas I received an acceptance letter to my PhD application, so that's the next four years mapped out for me. I didn't get a scholarship in the first round (because I have never published before) but the letter says that I'm "on the priority list for any remaining scholarship considerations", well that's nice to hear and disappointing at the same time. I was wishing for a scholarship so that my life might be easier, oh well, one can't have everything, as my nine year old once said - "Be happy with what you have Mummy, because we are lucky."

My semester starts in March, so from now until then I'm going to cram in as many crafting projects as I can, because I don't expect to have much free time with studying and working and kids and all that...

New WIPs:

Tweedy Avast

Pattern: Avast by Jess Loesberg in Knitty Fall 2006
Made for: My teenage son.
We're planning a trip back to England next Christmas/New Year, the boy has not seen a woollie sweater in years, so I thought I'd knit him one for this trip (as well as spinning a jumper for DH, I might live to regret this). It's going to be a long haul project. He picked the yarn and pattern himself.

Cookie & Cream Blanket

Pattern: White Lily Blanket by Elena Fedotova
Made for: A friend who is expecting her first baby.
The blanket is made by joining motifs and there are many colour/pattern variations.

New FOs:

Handspun Beanie:

Pattern: Scarf Knitter's Beanie Hat by Anne Carroll Gilmour
Made for:  KOGO (Knit One Give One)
Knitted with my handspun, the yarn was my first attempt at spinning woollen long draw. The yarn is quite uneven but doesn't really show in the hat, I think soaking helped a lot. A very easy pattern and quick to make.


Amphitheater of Summer Seas

Pattern: Amphitheater of Forest by ShuiKuen Kozinski
Yarn: my handspun of merino/silk blend, solar dyed in jam jars and named Summer Seas.
Made for:  A friend who's in need of some comfort.
I love this pattern, the yarn is a perfect match. SK is one of my favourite designers, her patterns are well thought out, clearly written and always turn out beautifully.

Golly I have been busy, haven't I? It's amazing what can be done when you have a few days without the interruption called work ;)

Thanks for dropping by, there is more fibre arts fun at Wisdom Begins in Wonder. Indulge your creative side and join the party! 

My First Design - Mist Stole

I still can't believe that I am actually writing a pattern. My Mist Stole generated some interests on Ravelry and I have been asked for the pattern. As I have never written a pattern before, this attempt will be rather challenging.

I wanted an airy lacy stole with an easy pattern that’s quick to make, one that would give instant gratification. I have a crochet pattern book that I bought from China some time ago and it has many lovely stitch patterns, and this one always catches my eyes whenever I flip through the book, it has no name, only No.265

The stitch pattern is easier to do than it looks, it has a 15 st x 6 rows repeat, however to get symmetry one row should consist of multiples of 15 + 8 stitches. I added 3 stitches each side to make up the edges. The sample stole has 5 repeats, so 15x5 + 8 sts + 6 edge sts = 89 sts to start off (stitch count varies each row).
Yarn: any fingering weight yarn about 700 meters. (I used Patons Australia’s Mist, hence the name)
Hook: 4.5mm or size to get the fabric you like

Gauge doesn't matter in this project. My finished stole measures 20 x 68 in (51 x 172 cm), but it can easily be altered to suit your personal taste by doing more of less pattern repeats

Instructions  (American crochet terms)

Ch92, dc in 4th chain from hook (2 dc made), dc in each chain across. Total 89 dc.

Set up row: ch3 (= 1dc throughout), dc in next dc, ch1 (these 3 sts form the edge on one side) :: *4dc in next dc, skip next 6 dc, 4dc in next dc, ch4, skip next 3 dc, sc in the next dc, ch4, skip next 3 dc*, repeat  between * * 4 times ::  4dc in next dc, skip next 6 dc, 4dc in the next dc ::  ch1, dc in next dc, dc in top ch. turn.

Row 2: ch3, dc in next dc, ch1 ::  *4dc in next dc, skip next 6dc, 4dc in next dc, ch5, sc in the next sc, ch5, 4dc in next dc, skip next 6dc, 4dc in next dc*, repeat between * * 4 times :: 4dc in next dc, skip next 6 dc, 4dc in the next dc ::  ch1, dc in next dc, dc in top ch. turn.

Row 3:  ch3, dc in next dc, ch1 ::  *4dc in next dc, skip next 6dc, 4dc in next dc, ch6, sc in the next sc, ch6, 4dc in next dc, skip next 6dc, 4dc in next dc*, repeat between * * 4 times :: 4dc in next dc, skip next 6 dc, 4dc in the next dc ::  ch1, dc in next dc, dc in top ch. turn.

Row 4: ch3, dc in next dc, ch1 ::  1dc in next dc, *ch4, sc between the 2 sets of 4dc, ch4, 4dc in next dc, skip all the chains and 4dc in next dc*, repeat between   * * 4 times :: ch4, sc between the 2 sets of 4dc, ch4, 1dc in next dc :: ch1, dc in next dc, dc in top ch. turn.

Row 5: ch3, dc in next dc, ch1 :: 1dc in next dc, *ch5, sc in next sc, ch5, 4dc in next dc, skip next 6 dc, 4dc in next dc*, repeat between * * 4 times :: ch5, sc in next sc, ch5, 1dc in next dc :: ch1, dc in next dc, dc in top ch. turn.

Row 6: ch3, dc in next dc, ch1 :: 1dc in next dc, *ch6, sc in next sc, ch6, 4dc in next dc, skip next 6 dc, 4dc in next dc*, repeat between * * 4 times :: ch6, sc in next sc, ch6, 1dc in next dc :: ch1, dc in next dc, dc in top ch. turn.

These form the 6-row repeat of the pattern, repeat these 6 rows until desired length. Obviously on Row 7 you will not follow the instructions for the set up row, but by now you will have a clear picture of the pattern and your hook will know where to put the stitches. :)   Please refer to the chart if unsure.  

I finished with a Row 3, but you can finish with a Row 6 if you wish. 

End border: ch1, slip stitch in the next 3 stitches, *ch6, slip stitch in the last of 4dc, ch6, slip stitch in the next dc*, repeat between * * until only the 3 edge sts left, slip stitch till end.  turn.  ch3, dc each ch across. fasten off, weave in ends. 

Block and enjoy! :-)

Chart:

(Hint: work the chains between the groups of 4dc very tightly)

After thoughts: 

The end borders of this stole are really quite unimaginative, just plain old DCs. When I made my stole I was under time pressure and couldn’t think of a border that would compliment the stitch pattern, although I like the way it is I would love to see what other options you could come up with. 

My stole was made in one direction, but I think it would also work from centre out in both directions. I also thought about adding buttons to the sides on each end to make it convertible, the edge stitches should be perfect as button holes. 

Good job you're not a surgeon!

I am making the Multnomah shawl for my husband's aunt as a Christmas present. I really like this pattern, easy and clear instructions (especially now I have got the "(yo, k1) 6 times" part straightened out) and very effective; and I like the fabric taking shape on my needles. So here I am sitting in bed happily clacking away, then, there's one stitch short, how come?! I counted back along the pattern, ah! found that I did one extra k2tog. So I unpicked the stitches to the culprit and started again... then, there's one stitch out, how come?!! I counted back along the pattern, ah! found that I did one less yo. So I unpicked the stitches to the culprit and started again, this time counting each stitch as I went... then, there's one stitch out, what the *$%#! "Agh...!!!" I shouted. My elder son came running in "What's the matter? What's the matter?" "Oh nothing," hubby said reassuringly "it's just your mum getting her stitches twisted again." (see, I do have understanding husband!) Anyway, I retraced the stitches one by one and found the REAL CULPRIT - I'd inadvertently dropped a yo on the returning row. So I unpicked the stitches once more and remedied the situation with my faithful crochet hook, "There! All done!" I said in triumph and happily resumed my clacking. "Good job you're not a surgeon!" chirped hubby cheerfully, "imagine telling your patient you'd messed up with the stitches and having to redo them, three times in a row!"

He does always know how to comfort me.