Needles & hooks

A project looking for a purpose

A couple of years ago my x-mas ornament was a small 3-D cross-stitch cottage from a kit by Meg Evershed. I was fascinated by this project because the final result was standalone and unique. The basic technique is that the sides of the house are stitched flat. Then they are assembled around forms made with plastic canvas to provide structure. Then the pieces are assembled into a single house. (I’m travelling, but I’ll post a photo of my ornaments when I get home).

There are several other kits in the series (and a whole set of Santa cottages) and she’s also written a book on the technique. I put this book on my Amazon wishlist a couple of years ago, but no one bought it for me. Recently I noted that it’s no longer in print and so I decided to finally order a copy for myself.

3-D Cross Stitch arrived last week and I find it utterly fascinating. The book builds upon the technique and improves it. It contains patterns for several small houses meant as sachets, a set of buildings that comprise a village, and larger projects like a gift box, a jewelry box, and a clock. Make sure to check out the link to the book. You can click on “Look Inside” and see some of the pages. Including one of the patterns, but not quite all the assembly instructions.

I love the idea of these projects, but I have no idea who I would make them for. They aren’t my style, so I wouldn’t make them for myself. And I can’t think of who else to give them to. Unlike many of my other projects, they don’t have much practical use.

And yet, it also fires my imagination. What buildings would I choose to do if I designed my own pattern? What other confections could I create with this technique? What other projects might I make? For now, I’ll just pet the book wistfully.

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Cross-stitch

Project Vacation

Thursday night I sat down to watch TV. I was frustrated with the Shawl Jacket sleeves and I wasn’t in the mood to do all the thinking necessary to plot out a full chart for it. So I picked up one of my other projects instead. Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about those. I worked on Marcel’s Sweater because it is only one ball of yarn and it was the only one I could do without looking closely at a pattern. And it was so much fun to have a change of pace, it was like a vacation.

Over the weekend, I got a little time to sit down with the Shawl Jacket chart and work on it. I got about 1/3 of the way through it and then my attention was diverted. And I was suddenly sent to Los Angeles for work, so that project is on haitus. I brought Marcel’s with me and started working the armhole decreases on the plane. I may actually be finished with the front of this thing by the time I get back. Then it’s just the back and I’ll be done!

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Knitting

So much for the sleeve

I finished the first sleeve. As I feared, I do have too many stitches on one side. So I’ve made copies of the chart and joined them together into one large complete chart and tonight I’ll sit down and plot what I’d really like it to look like. And instead of increasing 2 stitches at each side on every 6th row, I think I’ll change it to 1 stitch every 3rd row. We’ll see. All I know is, this isn’t fun anymore.

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Knitting

Endless Confusion

I’ve been working on the sleeve for the Shawl Jacket and what with increasing as specified and trying to work new stitches into a pattern that increases and decreases all the time, it’s all over the place. I’ve finished with the required increases and I think I have two extra stitches. I also think I may have increased more on one side than the other. I’m going to finish this sleeve as I’ve worked it, but I’m going to work the other one differently and perhaps better. I need to sit down with the pattern chart and figure out exactly what it should look like at the point where I am. I may spent quality time with a photocopier to make a chart of the entire sleeve. So much for a quick finish on this one.

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Knitting

Spring!

The weather was lovely and warm this weekend, a nice change from the snow storm we had all of last week. And the great weather meant good lighting for taking photos. The Bed & Breakfast sweater has it’s own project notes now with a suite of photos. But here’s what it looks like:

I also got a lot of work done on the Shawl Collar Jacket. The body is completed and the shoulders have been joined. I’m also halfway through one of the sleeves. It’s been pretty challenging, especially working the sleeve with increasing stitches on a pattern that varies the number of stitches each row. I’ve made project notes for this sweater too. But I’ve got something I’m pleased with. Take a look:

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Knitting

Happy Birthday Lisa!

It’s my sister’s birthday today. I’m still working on her sweater. A few more rows on the back section, then it’s on to the left side. My husband is going away on business for a few days, so it will just be me, the yarn, and TiVo. I might get it done by the end of the month. What with the weather, I’m certainly not going outside.

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Almost Random

Inspiration dashed

I tried out my inspiration for twisting the stitch that ends up gaping. It was easy to accomplish because I just used a crochet hook to undo that stitch for two rows and rebuild. But it didn’t seem to make any difference. So I’ve abandoned it. The gaping really isn’t that bad, I’m just picky.

I looked carefully at the front side that I finished with two extra stitches. I didn’t make any mistakes in the pattern, it’s just that the repeats worked out that way. So I’m waiting until I finish the whole body to take any actions, but I think I’ll probably rework the last row and take a couple of decreases where they won’t be noticed in order to make the stitches work out right for the joining and ribbed collar.

comments: Rob asked for photos of the B&B sweater. I’m waiting for a day with good natural light to reshoot it. I worked it in navy, so it’s really dark and hard to photograph well. Hopefully we’ll have some sun this weekend. But the pattern was really straight-forward and I don’t recall there being any errors or alterations that I did.

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Knitting

Flashes of inspiration

I was musing on the Shawl Collar Jacket while waiting in the lunch line today and thinking about part of the pattern that is a two stitch increase — effected by adding a stitch before and after the one on the needle using the stitch below the one on the needle. (sorry if that’s unclear, it’s the best I can describe it) While it sounds complicated, it’s rather straightforward. But it ends up leaving a hole where this one stitch has spawned 3 and been stretched out. So I had the inspiration that I might make it look better by twisting it. I’ll work up a test swatch tonight to see. The hardest part is that I’ll have to figure out which to twist 2 rows before I use it. I think.

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Knitting

In the groove…or a rut

Over the past few days, I’ve worked on nothing but the Shawl Collar Jacket for my sister. I’m making fantastic progress. I’ve worked the body up until the armhole split and I finished one side of the front. However, because the pattern varies the number of stitches per row, I’ve ended (on the row they suggest) with two extra stitches. I need to go back through and see if I missed a decrease anywhere, but I don’t think I have. Hopefully I can do the same thing on the other side and not screw up the pattern too much. There will definitely be pattern notes on this one, I just have to transcribe my pencil scratching notes.

I also sewed the velcro closings onto the Star Bunting and packaged it off to mail. Baby is due in two weeks.

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Knitting

Huggable or Horrible?

There is a “free book” shelf at work that I’ve grabbed a few novels from. Last week I hit the jackpot when someone left a pile of old knitting and crochet books. I snatched them up and the crowning glory was the Holiday 1986 issue of Vogue Knitting. Among a selection of very dated and scary sweaters requiring shoulder pads larger than my head, I found a few children’s patterns that made me realize that kid’s stuff is pretty timeless. Almost.

Because I came upon this:

In addition to the hood and the pom-poms on the sweater, the pants are knit as well. Opinion is heavily divided among people I’ve shown it to. Some think it borders on child abuse. I think it’s cute in a “A Christmas Story” kind of way. I don’t think I’d ever make a kid wear it. What do you think? Huggable? Horrible? Current Results Free Web Polls

And please, feel free to leave me detailed comments on this one!

Comments: 0 — Posted under: Almost Random