Rainy Cloud

So, many moons ago my temporary flatmate (and permanent best mate) saw this in one of my Debbie Bliss magazine; MOCHIMOCHI LAND RAINYCLOUD. She was all “ooo ahhh ain’t it cute”. I mentally filed this piece of information and strove to make it for her 2012 Xmas present.

Cute little innocent little f^%ker isn’t it. “Oooo look at me all cutesy rainy droppy”. HARUMPF. There is nothing, I repeat NOTHING cute and pleasurable about knitting rainy drops on DPNs. I had to learn how to use them to make this and after 2 rainy drops decided that this project was going to have to wait till her birthday for completion. She finally got it tonight. Thankfully she liked it else there would have been death by rainy drop cord strangulation. Still, I forgive it. You can’t kick a puppy can you. I mean it meant I got to say some of the more surreal sentences of my life, my favourite being:

“I’m just sewing some eyes on a rainy drop”

Yeah. Course I was. What else does one do of an evening?

Anyway, a final close up of the bloody ‘darling’ rainy drops.

 

Top down…

In some people’s worlds, ‘top down’ would signify a nice little convertible on a sunny day. Not so for me, oh no, in the world of knit this means knitting from the top down. I’ve not done this before, but look at this beauty ;

Yeah, simple yet effective. It’s the ‘Still Light’ tunic by Veera Välimäki. So, it’s erm…with 4 ply on 3mm needles (cue slightly maniacal nervous laughter; that’s a LOT of knitting on VERY small needles). There is also mention of DPNs (shudders). Still, even if it does take eons (ready in time for Xmas 2013 probably), its a new technique and POCKETS. Who doesn’t love a pocket.

Magical Cardigan Times

It’s been a while, but finally, A REVEAL. Look how happy I am. So much so I had to fling myself against a wall in exuberant glee. This is the Debbie Bliss Ribbon Edged Cardigan from the A/W 2012 magazine, sans the Ribbon edging. I haven’t actually quite finished this as I haven’t sewn the buttons on, but I wore it anyway cos that’s just how I roll. A keerr-raazeee ‘cardigan with no button ‘ wearing knit-meister *ahem*.

As a reminder, the is Rooster DK on 4mm. There is no shaping through the body at all so I went with a small size to keep it more fitted (the ribbing/cable means it has give). I converted it to sewn on button bands with mixed success. They roll back, which isn’t the end of the world. I just decided the poppers and ribbon in the original design would make OTW (opportunities to wear) a bit limited. I give this project a 6/7 on a 1 – 10 enjoyment scale. It was OK, but lacking that odd satisfaction leaf patterns give. It’s the same pattern all over and actually pretty straight forward. I meant to take pictures when sewing in the sleeves for a mini tutorial (as that is hardest bit of making up) but totes forgot. I was in the ‘want-to-get-it-finished’ zone. I think my favourite thing about this project is the colour as it’s AWESOME.

Liberty Overload

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If you like a liberty print, you can feast your eyes to your heart’s content at SHAUKAT in Kensington. We were around that neck of the woods yesterday so went in for a look and a surreptitious photo or two. The basement is immense with rows upon rows of fabric from old and new Liberty collections more reasonably priced than from Liberty. I wasn’t there to buy, I was there to savour.

This bud print is one of my favourite. I may do my own variant.

Wandering the back streets of Kensington, the smell of wealth and affluence is almost overwhelming. I saw my dream home, lo, look at it basked in light like a biblical portent; “and lo, one day this WILL be yours”

Unless I suffer some personality transplant and decide to go into finance, I suspect I may not be able to live here *sigh*. I consoled myself with the thought that the neighbours would be rubbish anyway. Can you imagine me listening to Dizzee Rascal of a Saturday morning? They’d be round in a flash asking me to ‘turn-it down’ and to stop ‘lowering the tone’. Then I might get invited to stilted drinks parties in rooms bedecked in luxury white leather. Whereupon I get pissed and spill red wine. On the white furniture. Further ostracisation. Citizens of Launceston Place, you are quite safe for now.

Seam mending – not that thrilling

 

Doing more computer work after a day at the office takes will power. A lot of things take will power. Not eating my own body weight in crisps on a daily basis is just one example. Not buying absolutely every dress with a nice print I see is another. Today I felt like that quote from the bible (I think; being a heathen atheist I am not that familiar with it)…”Give me your tired, your weary”. I was tired, I was weary but I decided to play with some prints. Here I coloured using this picture. Not quite an achievement of biblical proportions, but experimenting is important. I’d like a print for a dress. This means less small and delicate, more BOLD florals. This means more intensive artwork…..

Bee Inspired

Like what I did there eh, eh? So for you UK folks, you’ll no doubt already know about BBC2s GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE (Got to admit…no idea what a ‘Bee’ in  this context is). Oh my, the humble art of home sewing promoted to the heady heights of prime time TV! I was mainly keen to watch this as a friend of a friend, Tilly, was a contestant! (brave girl). Turns out it’s great viewing with some great characters. Of course Patrick’s pretty face helps matters as well.

Anyway, I totally fell in love with the tailored jacket Ann made last night, so much so I am almost tempted to come out of sewing temporary retirement. Linton tweed? Don’t mind if I do, check this beauty (erm picture won’t post in – will try later!):

And it’s the Vogue 7975. Nice little nod to Chanel.Nothing like taking on a difficult project to er ‘ease’ yourself back into sewing eh? How hard can it be (famous last words)…

Castonitis

 

Weeeell, I have actually finished the red silk jumper I was doing so felt I could justify casting on yet another piece. How light and skippy and excited I am about it right now. Like the bloom of first love, it’s all about the rose-tinted glasses at the moment. I can’t wait to get home to spend some quality time with my beloved at the end of the day. Look at how much moss stitch I have to do; this is a love that is going to be severely tested halfway through the back. Still, one needs a mindless project for those days when ones brain is frazzled and perhaps one has imbibed a drink or two.

Dedicated followers of Haus of Huggie might remember my last project in Bella yarn and moss stitch ended up in disaster, said project coming out gargantuan. Then another I started in bella I realised was not going to suit me so that is languishing in the bowels of my ‘knitting drawer’. Third time lucky….I’ve sized down from a 4mm to a 3.75mm and am MEASURING as I go. Thus far all is well. This jacket is supposed to be a little sack like but I don’t want it like my own personal bedouin tent. Can I just say the yarn was a steal off eBay, it’s definitely worth checking out 55eileen, this was £3.25 a ball.

Over and out for now folks, this girl needs to show her sage green project some attention.