Easter Show Knitting
The other big thing that happened last week was that I finally finished my Easter Show knitting. I had two entries this year: “St. Brigid” in the aran category and “Albert the Magic Pudding” in the knitted toys. I think they turned out pretty well!
St. Brigid is from Alice Starmore’s Aran Knitting, a book which is sadly out-of-print. (Used copies go for $300! No joke!) Luckily I know someone with a copy who was generous enough to share. This is my second Starmore after last year’s Na Craga. The wool is Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in colour 127 Posie. It’s a very pretty pinky red with little flecks through it. Starmore’s patterns are famously huge with lots of ease, so I had to play to get the right size. I actually used 4mm needles to get gauge and lengthened the body by an extra repeat. I also lengthened the arms quite a bit. The original version had fringe around the bottom (ew) and a mock turtleneck (ew ew), so I left both of those off. This is a very warm jumper, and I’ll probably only get to wear it a few times a year. But it’s beautiful and I made it and I love it. (More pictures on Flickr and more details on Ravelry.)
And then there’s the Magic Pudding. (No, Mom, he’s not an octopus!) He’s from a famous Australian children’s book by Norman Lindsay. The Snook read me this book, and I absolutely loved it. It’s a shame that kids in America don’t know it! I based my original design off a postcard with a watercolour of the Pudding by Lindsay himself. I was really tickled when the RAS volunteer who was taking my entries recognised him immediately. Maybe next year I’ll have to do Bunyip Bluegum? (More details on Ravelry.)
7 responses
they are both fantastic but ive got a feeling youre going to win big with that pudding!
I suppose it’s pandering a little bit, like knitting an “Uncle Sam” for an American knitting contest. Patriotism gets you points! 😛
I have my fingers tightly crossed for your St Brigid. So strong. Wonderful colour. I do hope it’s rewarded.
Wonderful! Looking forward to the Show.
The sweater is is just beautiful. I don’t understand the pudding – but he looks very cool, albeit kinda mad and scary. Good Luck!
“Pudding” is a weird concept for Americans. We mostly use it to mean a custardy-type thing. The UK/Australian meaning is of a baked or steamed stodgy cake-like thing. (“Bread-and-butter pudding” is an example.) His white hat is actually the bowl, and his face is the pudding. He’s a magic pudding that becomes any type you want, and you can eat and eat and he never gets any smaller. It’s a really weird and funny story.
Obviously Rodd and I are going to have to make some puddings the next time we go to the US!
You totally put my entry to shame! But I’m not sorry I finally gave it a shot this year. LOVE Magic Pudding, especially– super cute!