Corset Companion

I've shown this - much more recent - garment before, but just lying on a towel, with its companion, my beautiful tiger corset.


Here it is on me - better this way, I think. This is made from Dee's beautful cashmere sock yarn, in the Safari I had to fight tooth and nail to nab. (By the way - have you seen her new Kid Silk Lace? It's a 30% silk, 70% kid mohair laceweight, with 450 yards per 50g skein, priced at £8.00. Have a look at her blog to see some of the upcoming colourways in this limited stock yarn... (Yes, I am trying to get you all there - I must stop buying yarn - so much - so if you do, I cant!)

I've been all Ravelled up...

...but now I have got most of my stash (not all) and projects current and past on there - back here I come!

Taking pictures of old projects is pretty entertaining - and I see I have, in fact, knitted quite a bit over the last couple of years particularly. I'm going to do a few posts now about different knitted items.
First one - this cotton rowan thing I made in 1990? 1988? Something like that. I remember it was on the back of the summer magazine, with a beautiful Black girl - in front of a tree, maybe? and I loved it. Might have been a Fasset, not sure, I no longer have that magazine.

I think it was meant to be in Rowan cotton glace - or a precursor - but I was a student, and all those balls of different colours would have been EXPENSIVE. So - I went to John Lewis in Sheffield, a department store, and rummaged. I ended up with two rowan yarns - a dark and a lighter teal - two Jaeger - black and red - and then some Jonelle, an own brand they used to do. This is where the error happened - I went with a dark peach and a lighter one, as well as an off white. Hmmm. It was quite a square jumper (of course, of its time), with one row stripes of different colours to start, then what i know now is stranded knitting doing zigzags with the pale teal and white. The bulk of the sweater was then made in intarsia blocks, with zig-zag edges - all the same, so that I didn't need the pattern with me all the time, as I could copy from prior rows. the neck had a stand up collar (not very tall) that would have been better if I had changed down a needle size, but worked, and the cuffs were like the hem of the body.

I'm pretty pleased with the knitting I did then - I don't think I'd ever heard of intarsia or stranded knitting, so I just did what seemed to make sense, and it came out really very well, not pulled in by the colours, no holes etc. A few knots on the back, but what the heck! I think I did pretty well!

I did wear it, but not as much as I would have if I had used lovely rather than cheap collars overall! I carried it round Australia for 5 months, almost never wearing it (a fleece was much easier and lighter). So recently, I thought - I'll overdye it, that'll work, then I'll be able to wear it all the time! Hmmmm. Orange. Looks much worse, and I took no pictures of it before dyeing it. I'm so sorry about that, as (retrospectively) I loved the light summeriness of it!
I might try to reproduce it in lighter weight yarn - cotton, or hemp, or maybe wool. One day, when I'm over the self-induced tragedy.

7 random things

Dee got me! I've been tagged for the latest meme - specifically: each person tagged tells seven random facts about themselves in their blog (and at the same time, reiterate the rules). Then you tag seven others, naming them on your blog, and leaving a comment on their blog so they know that they have been tagged. I've been tagged by Dee.

I drive around Birmingham in an orange splotchy smart car (love it!)

I don't like dry sandwiches, or soggy ones. Very picky about them.

I only get my hair cut about 3-4 times a year - it takes me several months to get used to each time.

I have got all of Georgetter Heyer's romances in crappy old paperbacks, and periodically re-read them.

I've been friends with my bestest friend since we were both babies - and our Dads were friends from their babyhood too.

My maximum heart rate is 195bpm (as tested on a static bike this morning, in preparation for a fitness campaign).

Although I am two years older than my brother, I always say 'when we were about 7' etc, as if we were twins!


Feel free to be tagged - DIY style...

My knit list

(Nicked from http://acunningplan.typepad.com/andsheknitstoo/ )

Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan/Blanket (baby)
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn (have to learn to spin first)
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental Knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book (you never know...)
Scarf
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca (My hands are still tingling!)
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair (why?)
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

I'll be back soon - probably tomorrow - I've just been away for 10 days. And went to Wonderwool - lovely! Of course, no pictures.

New Name - and Ravelry

Just a note to say - I've changed to my Real World name - easier all round. So that's Emily - I was using Ginny as an alias..... but I've got over myself.

Also, I've just logged on to Ravelry - the brainchild of Frecklegirl and her partner. I think I'll find it a very useful site on which to keep info about my horde - yarns, needles, patterns, books, queueing projects - and also to check out what other people have used a yarn for, or what a pattern has looked like. Of course, I can do all this with google, searching blogs and other sites, but this seems a very neat way of managing it all easily. And it'll move with me to Australia.

It's all good! I gather they are gradually sending out more and more invites to join - doing it that way in order not to suddenly crash as the partner is the only techguy, and he has a real job!

Posh sock - my name* on my foot!


Dee of Posh yarn has promised a 10% discount to buyers at Wonderwool Wales if they are wearing something made form her yarn - a challenge to get something done for me from her stuff! This isn't really a 'me' colourway (too pastel), but I'm actually liking it very much, and it is growing fast. I may pass it on to my pink-loving cousin after the show - and if it's warm, they may only stay on for a few momments and then get pinned to my bag!
Pattern notes: This is Crusoe, by the inimitable Curmudgeon. Done on 2.5mm needles, which are fine for this thicker, but very light Emily - 80% lambswool, 10% cashmere, 10% angora (I'm usually a 2.25mm or 2mm DPN girl for socks). I have cast on 56 rather than the suggested 44/48 stitches, and it JUST goes on my foot and fits perfectly - and my feet are UK 4/Euro 37/US 6.5. So be careful! I've also done 20 rows of the heel (rather than 14 or so suggested) to accommodate a high instep. I'm sure the problems are partly due to the lesser elasticity of the fibre in this lovely yarn.
*my name in RL is Emily, not Crusoe!

Finished Tuscany!

I've enjoyed knitting this very much (most the first half with the delightfully short rows and sense of progress as I added 2 motifs every 16 rows).











It's been amazingly quick, for me, despite starting as a surreptitious project (thinking C would comment on yet another started rather than dissertation growing).




It's Jaeger 4 ply silk, no longer made, and has a slight gleam but wonderful drape.













I love the 3-D effect of the zig-zags.
Just a quick few pix before I'm off out - some progress shots.

First, the twisted float/cocoon shrug from Autumn 05 VK by Annie Modesitt - one of her successes in my view. this was done in Lorna's Laces EXPENSIVE YARN, and I used instead - Debbie Bliss Maya, which BTW was a wonderful yarn, and very little like the dried out bland Soho that has replaced it. It was a soft, thick and thin but DK ish weight yarn, kettle-dyed in the most beautiful colours. I'm using all sorts of colours, browns and pinks and purples and oranges, with a blue/green yarn for contrast, and have got past the sleeves (the bright red part row you can see part way through the last colour). The 'public' (on the right here) and 'private' (on the left) sides are both lovely - I'll have to tidy it so I can do it either way, I think!










Then Amy Singer's Tuscany from the no Sheep book - I reckon I am about 2/3rds of the way through (and it has become quite laborious!)
I've also started a pattern from 'The Best of Knitter's Magazine - Shawls and Scarves' which is on p 76, called Corner to Corner Shawl - it's done in the book in a Kid Mohair, but I am doing it in Handmaiden Lace Silk , Renaissance colourway. It is a rectangular shawl, with long panels of lace patternwork in a garter stitch ground. Works well for this hand-dyed yarn!


Lastly, I'm using some Hipknits silk
(aran weight) to make a sea scarf for C, who loves the sea!




What, me? Like knitting shawls/scarves? Never!

'No sheep for you' review (picture heavy).

Loving this book! There are several things I'd like to try, which I'll discuss here.

Kristi Porter's silk modular top, 'Intoxicating', is a brilliant way to use silk in a garment. This uses Curious Creek fibers Isalo, a DK weight single, using 2 different modular patterns to create both beauty (particularly the wonderful maze mosaic pattern shown in green and orange here) and solidity. Having made the Angelica tunic out of hipknits silk, also a single but this time aran weight, I can testify that it stretches and loses its shape VERY QUICKLY, so I think this is a fabulous idea. (Modular knitting means knitting with only one colour in a row, and slipping the other colour where needed for the pattern on that row, so that 2 rows work togather. A crappy explanation, there are many better!) Unfortunately, the Curious Creek Fibers is $49US per skein, of which I would need 5. Hmmm. That's £125. Before shiping or tax. Don't think so. I shall keep my eyes open here - at Wonderwool, and maybe I will go to the Woolfest after all... if I've had no joy up till then, anyway. Unusually, I would like to stick fairly closely to this colourway.



I wonder if I could re-jig it for this hipknits - which would need overdyeing (the pale orange to be a richer, ruddy orange and also if poss a purple -separate skeins! - and perhaps increase the green-ness of the blue/green skeins as the base colour. not at all sure, though.


I also like Jillian Moreno's Eileen, though it wouldn't suit me (maybe C, show off her back tats. Might need a plainer (butcher!) lace stitch for her to feel comfortable, though!) That's in linen, which I haven't tried. The manly maze is a pleasant hemp jumper. I prefer the He Gansey by Jeanine Sims, though (dislike the wet-looking she-gansey, though). I might adapt some of the pattern to use for JKD's project 'denim' jacket out of aran weight, indigo dyed House of Hemp hemp. (JKD is my bro). If the drunken Argyle weren't in the dreaded PALE PINKS I might quite like that too... Tomato is nice enough, quite fun, though I'm really not sure about using a worsted weight cotton - so heavy. Then there's Peerie Fleur, by Zoe Valette. Not sure about the speciifics, but I like the idea of using Summer Tweed and being able to steek it! There's a skill I've yet to try!


I don't think I'll make Morrigan - impressive, not surprising as it's by the Rogue and Eris designer Girlfromauntie , but for me a bit over-complex. I'd like to see it in person! I'm also rather dubious about the socks in Rowan 4ply cotton - but may have to try them. The Wick isn't available here, if it were, I'd try it.






The thing I've started, though, is the 'Tuscany' shawl by Amy Singer herself. It's a bit obsessive, as shawls usually are. I know I said just a week or two ago that I don't like triangular shawls - but this one is very shallow, in that it's width (arm to arm, sort-of) is three times it's height, and I rather like this. it's a stash burner too - using some bronze Jaeger 4ply silk I've had for years since I found it reduced somewhere. I might overdye it to make it a little more bricky, we'll see.

The Knitterly Letter Swap

..is the brainchild of the Domesticat . This is just a simple letter exchange - I have been given the name and address of a knitter (in the USA - doesn't give away too much really, does it?) and must write to her by the 16th of April. I will also receive a letter by then - from a different knitter, thus netting myself 2 potential knitting penpals in one fell swoop.

I like this idea - not so much of the 'see how good I can look on your blog'*, but rather a genuine contact, and one for whom I invest the time it takes to write by hand. Theoretically on beautiful writing paper, but I've fluffed that - if I don't do it now, it won't get done in time (it is Good Friday today, so I have a few days off) and I don' have any beautful paper. So I am knititng a tiny sock out of the remains of my jitterbug, which may not be available to my letter recipient, so she can see what it's like.

BTW, here is the 2nd completed sock - much lighter than the other (though from the same skein) but WTF, I don't mind love both. Bright charcoal colourway. And the advice in red on the left - most excellent, specially when an essay is due!
*By which I mean some of the big 'stuff' swaps - I bet they can be fun, but not for me, i think. The dyers swap was totally different! (Honest).

40 - and Australia!

I've just lost a long post. So this will be a bit minimal.


A great 'cabaret' themed party for my 40th - I'm the blurred one, the second shoes from the left, and yes, we do have that wallpaper behind the delicious canapes!

Onto knitting - finished the I do shrug - and here's a pic of it with my corset. Better on than lying flat - I'll get a pic next Saturday for you.





And a detail of the sleeve:




I went on to write about my appreciation of opinionated knitters - examples being



and

M-H of http://manainkblog.typepad.com/ (the witty knitter).


I also spoke about agreeing with Alice about triangular shawls (give me rectangular, rhomboid, etc - not sure about round or square - better develop an opinion quick!)


And lastly - (picture courtesy of 'goaustralia' and - would you believe it - Victoria's Secret!)
Yep - C's job in Sydney starting Jan 08 has been confirmed. Twelve months there - and I shall spend it mostly on my City and Guild's knitting course!

What I'm up to - no pics

I've just posted 'Fat Rant' { or rather - I've tried - it'll probably appear three times on the blog tomorrow, but right now - click the link instead. go on, it's good.}- and recommend you watch it. It's good! I got the link from Mamacate, a cool blogger from my knitlist.

So, what am I up to?

- I'm up to the armpit of the other arm of the cashmere 'I do' shrug (from Knitty, as if you didn't know by now).
- I'm past the heel of the second Colinette sock
- I haven't done any more of Sapna's CTH Pomotamus mitts
- I've done a bit of the Conwy socks

- I've booked my Di Gilpin class at Wonderwool (are you going? Builth Wells Sat and Sun 19th/20th May - I'm going on the Saturday. Sounds great!)

- I've gone to a new Knit group (last Tuesday of the month, Lower Temple St, Birmingham, 6pm) which was fun

- I've got 'Fitted Knits: 25 Projects for the Fashionable Knitter' by Stephanie Japel (mmmmm - not so sure - all pretty big yarn - might make one or two things. Kind of seems to me she found her Shtick and didn't vary it much - and when she has, not so good. Might see if Shelley would like it - you out there Shelley?) in the post.

- also 'The Natural Knitter: How to Choose, Use, and Knit Natural Fibers from Alpaca to Yak ' by Barbara Albright, with which I was more impressed. Pleased to see House of Hemp (Brits! Not North American yarn makers!) got Debbie New, she of the Lace Coracle (in Gathering of Lace) and Unexpected Knitting, a fab book I own. I may unpick the bit of a start I made last summer on a hemp top in bright greeen and make the top she's done with it in there. A lovely book, great resourse. See Carol's great review - this by someone unafraid to diss books.

- I've got 'No Sheep for You' by Knitty's Amy Singer on order from this great little bead shop round the corner doing more and more yarn (she didn't have the other books available form her distributer). Cancelled the Amazon order for her - my bit for the small shop...

- bought some hundertwasser Opal sock yarn (Colourway: Wartende Hauser, or 637A) from her too Hundertwasser was this cool artist/architect/philosopher in Vienna (where my beloved Mutti was from) - he believed in
"Colourfulness, variety and diversity are by all means better than the grey, the average grey" - and how about this, his manifesto regarding "Window Dictatorship and Window Rights":

"According to the prevailing code, however, if window races are mixed, window apartheid is infringed. Everything is there: racial prejudice, racial discrimination, racial policy, racial ideology, racial barriers, with fateful impact of window apartheid on man. The apartheid of window races must cease. For the repetition of identical windows next to each other and above each other as in a grid system is a characteristic of concentration camps. In the new architecture of satellite towns and in new administration buildings, banks, hospitals and schools, the levelling of windows is unbearable."

See why I couldn't not buy it???

- And - I've ordered 2 Rosewood 40" Destiny needles in 3.75mm from the lovely Robynn at Purlescence to complete my Cocoon/Twisted Float Shrug (I'll use these for the bits without the twisted float, as otherwise they are larger in gauge than those with (using 4mm for them)). Mmmm, can't wait - a luxury for a 40 year old (as are all the above).


And Now - now I must tidy my study/knitting room so Voddy and friend have somewhere to sleep after the 'Cabaret' party......

Progress on the knitting..... and I let slip some news




So here's the progress so far on my knitty 'I do' with the Posh Yarn - going well so far, and very soft. Of course it looks like Assbeagle ((c) Rabbitch) unblocked like this.




And here's my Conwy-ish socks - I knit the knit column through the back loop to tighten the rib - knit in Opal I dyed with Voddy last year with evil Koolaid (and the blue is from tissue paper). Quite pleased, and love the pattern (you were quite right, Brenda!) I bought Knitting on The Road, and am very pleased with it, also the Charlene Schurch Sensational book. Loving those socks!

And last (but not least) here is the progress on the Jitterbug socks - one down (but I need to recast off - too loose, would you believe it) and one 3rd of the way through or so. Click for bigger, of course. Think I'll take this as my knitting on Saturday when I see Loraine at BMAG, as it is totally chat-through-able.
So that's where I'm up to! Oh, and I've just spent 30 quid on Amazon on "Fitted Knits", "No Sheep for You", and "Natural Knitter, The: How to Choose, Use, and Knit Natural Fibers from Alpaca to Yak". Well, it was my birthday, and a big one!
I'm thinking the No Sheep one might be particularly useful if we really do move to Sydney for a year in January - looks likely....

Cervinia - no travelling sock pics



So, we got back from our 2nd ski holiday on Sunday, having celebrated my FORTIETH birthday the day before - beautiful sunny sky, creaky snow under-ski, great company and wonderful food and drink. This was the view from our window - guess what, we didn't draw our curtains!


Stupid me, amazing opportunities for travelling sock up a glacier! Travelling sock bigger than the Matterhorn! (Called Monte Cervino in Italian, that's it up there with the sun on it). And I knitted every evening in the bar - but not one pic of the socks! Oh well. This is C on her board and me on my beautiful Volkl (umlaut on the o) skis, me in my Dale of Norway 'Dronning Maud' ski sweater which was brilliant. Don't you love it?
I'll do another Post about the knitting.....

Corset and cashmere, socks and mitts!

I'll start with the latter - I'm knitting with the colinette Jitterbug 'Bright Charcoal', which is keeping me amused with the colours despite a stocking stitch sock. I'm using 2.25mm needles which is getting what I think will be a hardwearing fabric - didn't like the gappiness in 2.5mms.


I've started the Pomotamus mitts in more potluck 'earths' from Cherry Tree Hill - these are for C's boss, Sapna, who is lovely and always admires my knitted things - so deserves these.

And - I've finished those Koigu socks! (Two minutes ago, haven't woven in ends. And probably never will - all the socks I've made myself have these ends to tuck in when I wear them!)

My favourite 2.25mm needles, and my own mistake rib pattern, using Widdershins toe-up adapted by Mel of Cabezalana for other sizes.


So - onto the corset! I have this beautiful one from Fairy Gothmother that C gave me for Christmas. I also have this Sophia sock yarn, 100% cashmere, from (of course) Poshyarn, which I think goes rather beautifully. A shawl/wrap? Or a little shrug? I'm tempted by the latter, but not sure of pattern etc.

I've got 360metres. Fun planning! Need it by the 7th when Voddy performs at Volupte for their afternoon tease.


Lastly - Anni says she's got away with bamboo dpns on several flights from the UK recently - I'll give it a try when I fly on 11th March. Thanks, Anni!

Saturday

I'm sitting/kneeling here in front of the computer with bright light flooding in from the 2 big windows in my study, knitting on the koigu seat-of-the-pants sock. It is bliss after Cablenet - the 2.25mm needles feel delightfully huge, and the mistake rib (I think that's the name - 3x3 but the purl is garter stitch instead) is easy to feel my way on - and to correct - after that complicated net of cables on 2mm needles I've left downstairs.

Still, I am pleased with my cabley sock, though not looking forward to the second one. I plan to move this one onto a thread when I am at the point where I would move onto the toe for my foot, as I think Mum's is a little bigger. That way, I can have the second one started and take it to france with me next week skiing, with lots of travel time to get some done, and Mum's foot available to try the sock on.




Meanwhile, my Rowan polar sweater (with the dykey labrys pattern) is soaking in the bath having finally had the ends sewn in and the arms seamed last night. Should be warm, and I hope I can block it a little longer and narrower to be more flattering - never will be very. But warm!






I'm also planning things to make with various yarns I have. I need to get back going on the cocoon shrug, but don't feel able/moved to just now. however, I do have some lovely merino/5% cashmere yarn I bought at Unravel in October - these three greens were dyed with Comfrey, hollyhocks and nettles respectively. Not sure what to do with them - maybe knit all three strands together in a bulky neck warmer; or do some sort of sideways knit scarf in a slip stitch; or a variation on Branching Out (knitty) or Backyard Leaves (Scarf Style). What do you think?


Then there is the handspun and dyed DK cashmere and the hand-dyed DK silk boucle from poshyarns - I plan a scarf/shawl feather and fan (starting form the centre but splitting the two



sides once it is wide enough and no longer increasing at the centre, to form a long scarf with diagonal stripes). I might also add in the occasional stripe of the rather bright orange mohair?!?

Voddy's whereabouts

You may be wondering where that blogger has gone? Voddy is still crafting (currently, I think, creating a corset), but is primarily Burlesquing (I'm sure that is not a verb, but go with it, just this once, please?)

This is a link to her Myspace page www.myspace.com/125272134 - she is, indeed, Lil Mischievous (her spelling). We shall see her perform at Volupte on April 7th - while we partake of tiny sandwiches, champagne, cakes and delightful fresh tea (I had Lapsang Souchong lasat time, mmmm).

No shit, Sherlock

Just read this article in the NYTimes - the suggestion is that we should eat FOOD not nutrients, and that the reason eg French diet seems healthier is as much about how it is eaten (smaller portions, socially etc) as exactly what.

Lets eat food our grandparents would have recognised (not necessarily mine - might be yours, I like Thai food, Indian, French, Italian as much as Austrian and English!), lets eat it freshly made and lets enjoy it!