I recently decided to improve my crochet skils beyond embellishments and edgings. So I borrowed Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker from a colleague and surprised myself by producing a presentable bag first off.
Now if I could only make as much progress with tatting.
It seems that my memories of my first trip to Sicily will be in the form of things that do not yet exist in their final form.
There will obviously be the online photo album and the new silver charm for my "travellers tale" bracelet just requires a jump ring but this is merely the tip of the iceberg.
In Cefalu, where we were staying, two things caught my eye; the number of shops featuring beaded and wire jewellery and a little outlet for a traditional weaving and textile business featuring shawls, crocheted items and what from a distance appeared to be skeins of yarn.
So one evening I arranged to meet my very craft tolerant other half in an establishment that purveyed beer and set off for a browse/shop/inspiration-seeking wander. Several jewellery shops later, having being intrigued in particular by what you can create with half a zip (watch this space), I stumbled across one featuring exactly the types of wires and bead/semi-precious stone jewellery I've been learning about. Even better it had a large basket of these:
Elasticated bracelets length loops strung with beads and stones which you could just wear as a bangle - or like me have mentally reworked into necklaces and earings by the time you reach the till.
And then I popped into the interesting textile outlet and made a fascinating discovery - in Sicilian terms all we knitters and crocheters have been wasting our time. If you want a scarf, all you do is takes a skein of yarn like so...
... tie a couple of strategic knots or add a piece of ribbon and lo, you have a scarf.
Me being me, I'm already unravelling the knots and winding the yarn so I can turn it into a different type of scarf.
Happy memories.
Meanwhile check out more of this week's Making Monday posts
There's a line from one of my favourite Van Morrison songs, Coney Island:
"Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time?"
And some days you just have that sort of feeling. That not realistic, if only money was no object, simple pleasures sort of day. Today counts as one of those because it was a proper Making Monday. I have reached late August without using a great deal of my annual leave so am having the odd day off.
Today was the first and I decided to make it about making.
So from experimenting with Fimo buttons first thing:
To finally dusting off my sewing machine to work on a panelled skirt.
And the post blog task of sewing in the ends and crocheting a neck edging on a knitted t-shirt. It's been all about making today.
Even lunch with my sister involved me delivering glass pendant I'd made her.
Plus I tidied up yesterday's projects:
Cranford mittens
Some stitch markers
And a recycling project. I have a multi-stranded turquoise on wire necklace from which one strand broke off. Not wanting to waste it, I had a bit of a play with what's in my findings jar and I now have accompanying bracelet.
Wouldn't it be lovely if evey day was about messing about with wire, beads, wool, and whatever else takes your fancy?
Well actually a little over 2m of shawl. Because it's in kidsilk spray it feels masses of lace but weighs less than 75g.
I tend to be a bit nervous of working in kidsilk because it can be very difficult to rip back because the mohair tangles up but I only actually had a problem on the crochet finish on the ends.
I now need to find it a home - doing 11 shawls I don't want to keep them all. This is very pretty - the pattern is Scarf with the No. 20 Edging from "The Knitted Lace Pattern Book," 1850 from Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby - but I'm not sure that it will suit me the best of the 11 so this will go to a family member or friend.
I have also realised that all 4 so far are rectangular stoles (of which I'm keeping 2) so I've put the planned number 5 on hold (another rectangle) in favour of a pure silk triangle followed by a half hexagon, and then perhaps a circle.
It has been a fascinating week reading about how other crafters interpret a theme.
I've learnt a number of things:
1. My knitting is very tied to ideas of family and place - I hadn't really thought about that before, but looking back through the last week's posts there's a lot about relatives and childhood.
2. One person's achievement or aspiration mountain - lace, 4 needles, cable - is another one's day-to-day crafting.
3. The humble freezer bag can really engage knitters.
4. Everyone loves merino yarn but kidsilk can really divide opinion.
5. There don't seem to be a lot of blogging public transport knitters.
It has also confirmed my belief that knitting and crochet are crafts were a few basic techniques can take people in a wide range of directions but give them something to connect over as well.
So thanks to Eskimimi for coming up with the idea and the themes (and get well soon).
Knitting bloggers of the world unite.
Organised by EskimimiKnits, the 2nd annual Knitting & Crotchet Blog Week kicks off in a couple of weeks. Join in to talk about your knitting challenges and triumphs, the yarns you love and hate and even your battles to organise your stash.
I've started thinking now so that I'm sure to have something to say and am looking forward to discovering new bloggers.
What do you do with those oddments of yarn, the 10 or 20g balls left over from projects?
I know of some sock knitters making blanket squares but I use all sorts of weights of yarn so that won't work.
On the other hand I've been saying for ages that I should refresh my crochet skills so the 4ply and the laceweight remnants are forming a plan to play about with embellishments, brooches etc.
Having just made a pair of lace gauntlets for a friend, I've had my first go with the remaining yarn - a Irish rose and button brooch.
