Felting (fulling) knitting

I am undecided on how to proceed with the 'selkie coat'. As soon as I bought some linen, as gorgeous as it is my brain goes, no wool would be better. I had been thinking how good felt would look, that is hand felted and shaped, but i'm a bit daunted about making such a large project. So I though about maybe knitting something then felting or 'fulling' it. Fulling shrinks the knitted or woven fabric and matts the fibres together to create a more even surface. This first test is: Undyed 8 ply merino knitted up in stockinette on 5.5 size needles. I did a little scrubbing in between washes (with other clothes). Some advice I had read on the internet suggested to knit up the yarn on larger needles (which I did) because the fulling works better with some room for the fibres to mesh. After the first wash though, it looks as though I made it too big. So the next test, I think I will use larger needles with a few strands of yarn.

Knitted h20 x w18cm

First wash h15 x w17cm

Through washing machine a second time h12 x w15cm

Through washing machine a third time h12 x w14 cm

Sewlution

Did I finish my Sewlution? No mistress of the jar, I didn't, woe is me. However I did start an ambitious (for me) project and I learned and did a whole heap of new things, so I don't feel dissapointed with myself, infact I feel quite pleased.

What has the Audrey in Unst Cardigan taught me so far? I can follow a pattern...who would have thought! I knitted for the first time with a 3 ply yarn, knitted acres of Twisted rib, tried my first simple lace stitch and Increased and decreased when told to...mile stones for me.

The knitting came to a halt when it was time for the sleeves, around October. I knew I would need some clear hours of concentration to work out that part, hours which haven't been available so much at the end of the year (and it's much hotter too). 

I will finish, but it was the Sewlution that got me started. Thanks Karen!

CAIU so far, plus cat feet

Serendipitous knitting circle (Audrey in Unst update)

Since I was in Woden early I decided that I would buy some buttons for a skirt, the skirt that up until now I have been wearing with a safety pin. On the way to the fabric shop there are opshops and a yarn shop (deadly). I just happend by Stich 'n' Time when a knitting circle started...I had my Audrey in Unst in my bag, so I joined in for a bit. Good to meet you Ladies!

Audrey in Unst, the back grows

Audrey in Unst, the lace

I think it might be time to check in with my Ravelry account and up my percentage of project completed... Great fun making the shape change and doing the lace. Knitting time on the drive from Canberra-Sydney-Dooralong-Canberra

Audrey in Unst begins to start taking shape

A very exciting part of my first 'complex' knit. Separating the front and back, shaping the armhole and starting the lace bib section, woot!

Unst lace bib beginning

See that lace section...separate from the rest

Audrey in Unst...inc stitches

I have decreased and now I increase...slowly does it with help from the cat

Heather stellar beret

Despite my sewlution, the Calendula Audrey in Unst (CAIU)I find myself starting a new crochet project. I bought some yarn at Stitch n Time in Phillip ( oh wondrous Suburb) because I have identified a gap in my wooly wardrobe, well it has only just appeared as a friend from Sydney who needed to borrow a warm beanie when visiting last weekend took it back with her...so while the weather is chilly (-6) the other night I need something other than my Selkie beanie which is rawther too lacy to keep my noggin warm.

After flicking through Ravelry I came across the Stellar beret...which it seems is going to be as much as a challenge in crochet as the CAIU is in knitting. Yikes, crochet patterns are full of more jumbo jumbo than knitting ones.

Stellar beret by Linda Permann

Learning how to do a magic circle

A surprising day out in Phillip...

The first year of my BVA (studio Glass) I gave my Dad a very wonky blown glass 'beer mug' for Father's Day (in September here in Australia). It became a bit of a tradition, you can see my progress in glassblowing through 4 years of 'beer mugs'. This year I'm out of class and I do more casting than blowing...

So I had this idea to make Dad a cast 'Display' tankard for this year's Father's Day. I thought I would find a tankard I liked the shape of, make a rubber mould of it, pour a wax, add some design elements and then cast it in glass. I have decided to go for an English woodland theme. Oak leave and acorns with, if it works 3 woodland animals; a fox, a hedgehog and a squirrel.

So I have been searching all the op shops in Canberra for tankards of any description as long as they 'fit' my aesthetic (see pinterest board dad's tankard).

I have found 2 specimens so far...

The surprise about the suburb of Phillip is that I went there for op shopping and found, 2 sewing machine shops, 1 fabric shop, 1 yarn shop, 1 beading shop, (2 paper supplies shops I didn't even get around to looking in) and a few decent looking cafes...in one of which I had an excellent coffee (not the easiest thing in Australia's Capital City).

I was pleasantly flabbergasted, mostly because, in Sydney Spotlight and Lincraft have driven out the independent stores. I bought yarn, industrial sewing needles and oil (yes I do want a litre of it) browsed fabrics, buttons and beads and found somewhere that will take a look at my aged Elna.

Awesomesauce!!

Let's twist again...

I stayed up until 1am to finish the twisted rib section on the body of my Calendula 'Audrey in Unst'. Though it can be seen that some of my twisted rib is dancing. Twisted ribbing involves knitting or purling through the back of the stitch. This technique raises the rib slightly making the design more prominent. You can see that every now and then (or more often) I have totally forgotten if I was twist purling or knitting creating a shifting twist. Ah well, one lives and learns...my next one will be better.

I will only frog if the mistake is major

Calendula Audrey in Unst

So at last I have cast on my Audrey in Unst and started on the twisted rib (had a conversation with the other half about the name...as a Scot he is confused about the link with Unst and Lace, not about Unst lace makers but his own memories of Unst I think). With the gauge problem I have decided to go with the needles the pattern suggests and add 4 rows every 10 cm's as the gauge width is perfect and I don't know what else to do.

These leggings are really warm! Great for a Canberra winter.

Audrey in Unst gauge and stitch test.

On the drive to Charlestown for the great opening of Disability Care I knitted up with larger needles the stockinette and Unst Lace stitch. I eventually worked out the lace stitches, a few sudden dives for the iPad were required to check out stitch explanations. All I have to decide is which size needles to use as neither 3.75 or 4 give the swatch the right dimensions.

Infinity 'plus' scarf

I don't why it hadn't clicked with me, about infinity scarves and cowls, but with that twist you do 'magically' crochet on both sides of the scarf...it's uncanny!

This was a really quick make with one skein of NORO. I let mine have more than one twist because I was having trouble not letting it do so. The resulting twists I quite like, it shows off the yarn blend well. The stitch is a single but crocheting into one side of the stitch rather than the whole as usual. The scarf wraps around twice, coming up reasonably close to the neck.

Preparations for 'Audrey in Unst'

Audrey in Unst PDF pattern, I ball of wool, assortment of needles and notes from the helpful woman at the Woolshed

In Sydney I know where to get knitting notions, but here in Canberra I wasn't so sure, especially as I am not so sure what I'm doing myself (apart from challenging myself).

I'm so glad I went to a specialist shop as I would have been at a complete loss in a chain store like Lincraft or Spotlight. So before the monthly Studio clean up at the Canberra Glassworks I stopped off at The Wool Shed in Manuka to buy my knitting needles. As the lady in the store carefully went through the instructions to see if I could merge any of the 6 different needle sets supplied, my confidence started to wither. I have REALLY set myself a challenge or one could call it jumping in at the deep end.

However the point IS to challenge my knitting habits;

I will have to concentrate,

follow the pattern,

take out mistakes,

follow the pattern,

learn new stitches, techniques AND follow the pattern!

Wool day at the Old Bus Depo Markets, Kingston (Canberra)

Eventually I chose this yarn for my attempt at the 'Audrey in Unst' cardigan. A step forward in my 'sewlution' made early this year on Karen's blog @ didyoumakethat

'Selkie' crochet beanie

Tonight I finished off a piece of crochet that has been hanging out in my handbag for a month or so. It started off as a play piece, messing around with my new favourite stitch 'Shell stitch'. I had an idea of a lacey-ish beret kind of beanie in these gorgeous sea colours with a scattering of sparkle on the crown. Since I wasn't following a pattern it got stitched and pulled back (is frogging, frogging in crochet too?) quite a few times. The last few weeks or so it has been totally ignored, what with the first draft of the paper due, installing at Stills, working in the studio etc... But I needed an evening to relax in (after the previous few days leading up to the first draft deadline) so I finished my Selkie Beret exactly as I wanted. Its even got the subtle sparkle with a scattering of sequins I bought in Singapore and some very tiny Maria George seed beads.
The other thing I was trying to make up my mind about was the picot stitch around the edge...to picot or not to picot? Eventually I realised I could have both!

Picot edging on one half, plain on the other

note the subtle sparkle...

Hooked on crochet

mmm Like no one has used that title before...
But I am, addicted to crochet at the moment, especially shell stitch. A scarf for Mikyoung, a farewell present as she leaves Australia. Made out of two 'balls' of silk garden by Noro in muted heathery tones.

Crochet

So after all these years of being able to knit, albeit somewhat simply I have learned to crochet. Taught by You Tube. After practising with a few samples I crocheted a beanie/beret. Using Noro yarn and a selection of stitches (single, double and treble) I kind of made it up as I went along. I used the treble stitch on 2 different rows to make a kind of ladder that I could thread a ribbon through. I can't believe it has taken me this long to try crochet, it seems to be free-er than knitting and so much quicker. Except of course if you are making granny squares...then of course you need to pay attention to the number of stitches, something I'm not very good at. My stitches tend to come and go at whim.