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Category: Crafts

Craft projects of mine

  • Matt’s Random Striped Scarf

    Matt's ScarfRemember back in June when I launched my site redesign? Well, in exchange for making my awesome header, I agreed to knit Matt a custom scarf. He liked the look of Kelley Deal’s recycled scarves, so that’s where the inspiration came from. I used sixteen different colours of 8 and 10ply wool on a 4.5mm circular needle (knitted as a tube). Each colour was assigned a number and put on a bit of paper in an envelope. In another envelope I had a selection of bits of paper with 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 written on them (Fibonacci stripes). I’d pick a slip from each envelope and then knit the specified colour in the specified number of stripes. After all the slips were gone, I put them back in and mixed them up again. This assured that the stripes were random, but not too random. (I wanted a relatively even distribution of the colours.) I think it turned out really well! It’s about six inches wide when flattened, and about five feet long. (Another view.) Matt didn’t want fringe, so I sewed the ends shut. It’s now blocked and on its way to him. Thanks again, Matt! There are a couple other pics on Ravelry…

    And isn’t the Snook a natural male model?

  • Knitters Guild Camp

    Knitting Camp 2009This weekend was the bi-yearly Knitters Guild NSW Camp at the Kurri Kurri Conference Centre. I left work early Friday afternoon to catch the 5.15pm train from Central Station to Maitland with Fiona and Alison. It was a three hour trip, so we had a picnic dinner on the train and entertained ourself with – what else? – knitting. We finally got to the venue and settled into our rooms before breaking open the wine. I was happy to see that I had Optus internet access, albeit patchy at times, so I was able to twitter and keep in touch with the Snook. Saturday Fiona and I went for a run and saw lots of kangaroos! All day Saturday I taught my “Socks on Two Circulars” class, with Fiona ably assisting. Nearly everybody managed to finish their two sample socks. I even found time to cast on some new socks for myself! Afterwards I went to Alison’s excellent yoga session, which really helped to work out some of the kinks. Saturday night I set up the new Guild projector and helped Phyll with her presentation on the Guild Archives. Sunday I slept in before heading to my Knit One Below class. It was a challenging technique at first, but I soon got the hang of it. I made a couple samples. I suppose it’s good to know, but I don’t really see myself using it anytime soon. (The bulky textured fabric just isn’t for me.) I did another yoga class Sunday night, and then after dinner we had Show & Tell. Fee showed off her fabulous wedding dress to much acclamation. Then it was time for my “Welcome to the Knitternet” presentation. It went really well! We had quite a big crowd, and many of them chimed in with their own experiences. Fiona then did her “Colour and Knitting” presentation, which was well-received and even got some nods from special guest Prudence Mapstone! We finished the weekend with another run on Monday morning before catching an early train back to Sydney. I had a nice time, made some new friends, and hopefully even taught a few people a thing or two…

  • Cookie Monster Cupcakes

    Cookie Monster Cupcakes

    Cookie Monster Cupcakes

    It’s Cupcake Day for the RSPCA today, and I went all out. This was my inspiration, and I’d say they come pretty close! Tips for future googlers: I made plain vanilla cupcakes from a box mix. It’s helpful if you can fill the liners higher than usual; that way you get a nice rounded dome on top. The icing is just pre-made Betty Crocker vanilla, dyed to a brilliant sky blue with food colouring we got at Iced Affair. We also used the colouring to dye a bag of dessicated coconut the same colour. (Snookums put it in a big bag, added some drops of colour, and shook it all around.) So I iced the cupcakes and then sprinkled coconut all over. Then the tricky bit. I tried just cutting a slit and sticking the cookie in, but that didn’t work very well. So I started using a sharp knife to cut a smile-shaped wedge out of the top. I also used the knife to trim the sides of each cookie into a point (so I wasn’t ramming as much bulk down into the cupcake). That worked better. The eyes are made from large white chocolate buttons with a small chocolate chip stuck on. I used the knife to cut slits and then stuck the eyes down inside.

    Now I just have to figure out how I’m going to get 24 of these to work!

    Update: I sold out! Everybody loved them. So far I’ve taken in $78 in donations for the RSPCA. Not bad for a few hours’ playing in the kitchen…

  • Baby Cardigan and Tasman Summer Tunic

    Baby CardiganBaby Cardigan and Tasman Summer Tunic
    I finally finished off a couple lingering kids’ projects that I was working on. The first is a cardigan for my friend Venks’s new baby. The boy is named Vivaan and he was born about two weeks ago. The wool is Wired for Fibre’s “Elizabeth” sock wool in colour Serenity. The pattern is free and is knitted sideways (cuff-to-cuff). I got some adorable teddy bear buttons from the button shop in the Rocks last Saturday to finish it. I can’t wait to see it on Vivaan!

    Tasman Summer TunicNext is the Tasman Summer Tunic for my niece Indie. The pattern is by Just Jussi and is available as a free Ravelry download. I knitted the smallest size and used three balls of Morris Paddington (80% bamboo, 20% merino) in colour #611 “Dover”. I left off the beads at the hem, but other than that I didn’t change anything. The ribbon at the front is very cute, and I found a pretty star button to use as the closure at the back. I hope it fits her!

  • Child’s French Sock in Citron Pattern and Diaper Knitting

    Child's French Sock in Citron Pattern and Diaper KnittingLong name… for a fairly unsatisfying pair of socks. I dunno. I’m just not loving these. It’s mostly the colour, I think. The yarn is Wired for Fibre “Rita” merino sock in the colour “Opulent”. In the hank it looked like more of a semi-solid, so I thought it would be a good choice for this fairly busy pattern. Unfortunately when I started knitting it, the pink stripes really stood out and started to compete with the stitches. Not good.

    Anyway, the pattern is from Knitting Vintage Socks. I knitted both socks at the same time on 2.75mm circulars. Despite looking complicated, the pattern was actually very easy to memorise. I’m still not happy with my lace knitting though. (My yarnovers between two knit stitches are way smaller than my YOs between a knit and a purl. I fear this would be problematic in a larger piece.) I do like the way the diaper knitting continues down on the heel flap. I was finishing the socks at Morris & Sons on Sunday when Mrs Morris came by and admired them. “You like ’em?” I said. “They’re yours. Happy birthday!” At least they’ll go to someone who really likes them. (More pics on Flickr and details on Ravelry.)

  • Cranford Mitts

    Cranford MittsCranford Mitts
    I saw Lyn’s Cranford Mitts last week and realised they were the perfect project to use up the Noro left over from my ribbed socks. The pattern is available for free (but just watch out because there’s a missing YO on row 8). I cast on last week and had most of the first mitt knitted on Saturday, but when I tried it on I could barely get it over my hand! My tiny hands! My legendary tight tension strikes again. (And that’s with going up to a 2.75mm needle.) So I frogged it all back and started over with 60 stitches instead of 50, which meant I had a whole extra pattern repeat. That works much better for me. I lengthened the pattern a fair bit, adding in extra repeats before and after the thumb. I finished the pair of them in just five days. When I tried them on last night, I noticed that the opening around my knuckles gaped a bit so I had the bright idea to sew the sides together between my 3rd and 4th fingers. That made them fit much closer to my hand and feel a lot warmer. (Well, as warm as lacy fingerless mitts can feel!) I think they look pretty cool though, and they match my Clapotis. Yay for crafty accessories! (Ravelry details are here.)

  • Brycie’s Outfit and Noro Ribbed Socks

    Brycie’s Outfit and Noro Ribbed Socks
    Brycie's OutfitA couple finished objects to report! First up is an outfit for Andrew and Kathleen‘s new son, Bryson Burton. The whole set is knitted from two balls of the new Morris Empire 4ply in “Plumage”. Details for the vest, hat, and socks are all up on Ravelry. The vest was the trickiest, in that I was adapting a Sirdar pattern for 8ply. I ended up just knitting a bigger size and hoping for the best. It worked pretty well! I delivered the set (still a bit damp from the final blocking) to the happy parents on Sunday, and hopefully they’ll be able to post a piccie of him in it soon.

    Ribbed Noro SocksI also finished the Noro socks I started when I taught the Morris and Sons sock workshop last month. The pattern is Wise Hilda’s Basic Ribbed Sock, which I knitted out of Noro Kureyon Sock on two 2.75mm circular needles. (Rav details) I’m really pleased that I got the colour gradients to match up so nicely. (I wasn’t actually really trying.) I finished these off yesterday morning before work and put them straight on my feet. Man, there is nothing better than wool socks in winter. I feel my sock mojo starting to come back…

  • Rusted Root

    Rusted RootRusted Root
    I should officially move this one into the FO pile! I started Rusted Root in March as a palate-cleanser during the rush to finish Na Craga. I tweaked the pattern a fair bit based on mods I saw on Ravelry (using tubular cast-on for the neckline, adding a few rows in the sleeves, putting in hip shaping, etc). I was unhappy with the waist though, and at knitting camp last weekend I decided to frog it back and try something different. The girls suggested a simple roll edging (rather than a rib). I think it really works! It makes the whole thing just a little more casual, which is appropriate given that it’s really just a cotton t-shirt. I’m still not sure it’s the most flattering style for a large-busted gal, but since when has that stopped me before? I used 3.5mm needles for the ribs and 4.0mm for the body. The yarn is Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Buttercream, and I only used 4 skeins! More details over on Ravelry.

  • Plush Steve Jobs

    Plush Steve Jobs. Awwww, he’s so cute!

  • Cake decorating

    The SMH report on the cake decoration competition at the Easter Show, which they claim is one of the “fiercest contests.” See, this is why I’m not a huge fan of transient art forms. If I spent four months knitting Na Craga only to have somebody knock it over and ruin it, I’d never pick up the needles again.