shininess

Thinking about getting back to some mosaic work has been haunting me of late. So, I was very happy when my friend G. brought me some photos of a piece I had made for her many years back:




I had forgotten how pretty it was! Now I want it back. The piece is approximately 20 inches in diametre. To the best of my recollection, it was made using an old tabletop I found in some garbage area or other.

Speaking of garbage, I just learned about the work of Rod Humby, who is a real genius when it comes to making mosaics out of found objects. For example, this piece uses old chair backs:



This one was made using blocks stacked one on top of the other:



And this?


Everything but the kitchen sink! Anyway, check out his website,
The Joy of Shards Mosaic Resource. If you don't immediately rush out and buy some tile grout and cover a table or two in your place after that, there's something wrong with you.

Having said that, I won't be able to get back to any mosaic work today. Why not? Because I started work on Project Purple yesterday and am now obsessed. Sorry, no pics: I'm thinking about trying to get it published. It should be done in the next couple of days, everything being equal.

(What's that? You thought I was going to start on the Pheonix Rising by Sivia Harding? Hah! Approximately 23 minutes after deciding that, I changed my mind and hauled out the Silken.)

Speaking of Sivia Harding, she has just published a new pattern for the River Rock scarf, which was previously only available in the No Sheep for You book. This was my version, made last year:


This year, Sivia has outdone herself, coming up with four variations on the theme and providing a great bead tutorial as well:

The pattern is available for sale on her website. And, not to blow my own horn of fabulousness, but I have a small connection with this version: Sivia asked me if I had any suggestions about the pattern before publishing it, and has very graciously given me a credit!!

Which makes me feel all shiny and happy...

Happy Sunday!

River Rock scarf - done!

I do believe that this is the most beautiful thing I've ever knit. I may have to figure out how to attach an idiot string so that I don't lose it! Don't know if the photos do it justice, but here's a stab at it:

1. Aphrodite and her new scarf!


2. Detail: Peridot Colourway



3. Detail: Pewter Colourway

4. Where the colourways meet

5. The whole scarf again!


Specs

Pattern: River Rock Scarf by Sivia Harding (No Sheep For You)
Started: 23 September 2007
Finished: 29 September 2007
Made for: Moi (who else, really?!?)
Yarn: Handmaiden Silken - 1 skein Peridot and 1 skein Pewter
Needles: 4.0 mm Addi Turbo Lace
Beads: Dark Gold 6/0 by Earthfaire
Length: 55"

Notes:
- I started this project in part as my challenge for the Do Something New KAL. This month's challenge = knitting with beads
- in this regard, I picked a doozy. There is something like 1530 beads in this scarf!
- Do not knit this scarf if you don't want to end up with a habit for Silken that will bankrupt you!!
- the scarf was a relatively quick knit, aside from working with the beads, which were strung at the beginning and had to be pushed down all the way through. I got accustomed to this eventually but it is a bit of a hassle up front. Worth the bother though, don't you think?

Modifications

I went with the pattern as written (nothing wrong with it! ) except for the following:
- I used 4.0mm needles instead of the 4.5mm needles called for, because I liked the tension I got with the smaller needles better
- the pattern calls for 2 skeins of the same colourway of Silken. I had initially wanted to go with the Pewter only, but couldn't locate 2 skeins of Pewter - so I bought the Peridot as well. Initially I planned to combine them both throughout as the pattern calls for. However, when I started to knit with the Pewter the colours were so lovely that I decided I wanted to show each colourway separately in the scarf. I was partly influence in this by a co-worker/friend saying that the yarns reminded her of sunlight falling onto the lake (when she saw my photo of the yarn). So - I combined the two yarns only for 40 rows right in the middle of the scarf... the greyer Pewter is meant to be just before the sunrise, the Peridot just after! ;)

Now, back to my next UFO - the Back To School Vest from Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel:



I started this last evening. This will be my "entry" in Pieheart's vest KAL on Knittyboard.

The yarn used is Colinette Lasso (polyamide). Love the colours, hate having to wind the skeins by hand, but hey. The vest will be either for me or for my mother depending upon which size it turns out (I didn't do a tension sample). I'm making the second smallest size (35.5", it says in the book) but think it is coming out a bit smaller.

village idiocy and other weekend frivolities

Well, here are the fruits of my weekend labours, starting from worst (but since improved) to bad to good to knock on wood!!

1. Village Idiocy

This is the end result of a disastrous attempt of a beret I tried to make this morning - perfectly good pattern by Monahan on Knittyboard. It was supposed to look like this:
Flemish beret and I'm not sure how I managed to make my version look like something that some old rummy troubadour was strolling around with in the 1400s. It is at least 51 sizes too big for me. Made using perfectly good Jo Sharp Desert Cotton. Time spent - 2.5 hours approx.

I'm in the midst of trying some controlled shrinking right now - I have washed it on hot in the machine and it's now in the dryer (not recommended). In the worst case scenario, I now have an idea for my Hallowe'en costume!!

ETA: here is the post-shrinkage result... a lot better.

Now I just look as though I work at Michel Baguette. ;-) I suspect part of the issue is that I just cannot carry off berets with any panache.

It is a very cool pattern (thank, monahan!). Think I'll try it again with a stiffer yarn. Ideas?


2. Another experiment gone, er - so so


This is a pair of felted slippers I made for myself using a pattern out of Knit One, Felt Two. You will see what the original pattern looked like below. I tried slip stitch straight lines on this version realising that this would make the pattern narrower - but I was hardly able to get them on! I have managed to stretch them somewhat - the other problem is that the heel didn't felt for some reason! SIGH. Made with Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride - main colours Limeade and Blue Boy, 8mm needles.
Time spent - 3 hours approx.
3. Moral of the story: be less selfish

The slippers I knitted for JJ, by contrast, have turned out quite well (they're still drying in this photo):

His shoe form fits in them so I'm hoping they will be as cozy as they look! This was the original pattern from Knit One Felt Too - I think they were called "vintage chequerboard slippers". Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted, 8 mm needles. Colours are Red Hot Passion and Loden Leaf. Time spent - 3 hours approx.

4. Onset of River Rock Scarf!!

Finally I've managed to start the River Rock Scarf, my September project for the Do Something New KAL. The fancy necklace is actually all the required beads strung onto the two skeins of yarn. Maybe I should just leave it like this!! Will start knitting this evening after finishing a bit of work I brought home. One week to go...!

And - another photo of the very fancy beads!!!

After this is done, it's back to the sadly neglected Intoxicating - 1 1/2 sleeves to go on that, then I'm not sure what quite lies ahead.

sheer and utter lusciousness...

...because I detest the term "yarn pron" (although really and truly that's what this is if I take a good hard look in the mirror!)

1. Lace Silk

I, Kristina "I will never, never, ever, and I mean NEVER knit lace" B, have just acquired ... get this ... a skein of Handmaiden Lace Silk and TWO sets of Addi Lace needles.


The yarn looks to be in the Origin colourway although I can't always tell.

2. Silken and... Beads!


My beads arrived today from Earthfaire much quicker than I thought they would - thanks, Ellen for the great service. Aren't they lovely! I'm hoping to use knitting with beads as my September challenge for the Do Something New KAL... that is, if the blogmistress Tina will let me deviate from my original September challenge (learning to knit cables without a cable needle)! I'm so fickle. Either way, I plan to make the River Rock scarf by Sivia Harding in the No Sheep For You book.

Here is another container of beads I bought from Earthfaire and I like them ever better in person than I did on the website.


I'm thinking they will look very nice on the fringe for my Montego Bay scarf (says She Who Used to Detest Fringe). Fickle AND inconsistent. Hmm.


3. Sea Silk

This has been in the stash for some time now (if one can count a couple of months as "some time" in the parallel yarn universe). It is in the Ocean colourway (I think). I had originally intended to knit the Goddess top from Stitch Diva with it. However, I've gone off that idea and will probably make something lacy with it instead. I'm really far gone on the lace path, I think.

4. vintage Coats Crochet Cotton


I came across this when trying to impose some order on the stash. It was rescued from my yiayia's (grandmother's) house some time back - I originally intended to use it in needlework but am not doing any at present. It is extremely fine gauge and I don't know whether I can use it for lace or not, but will have to find something to do with it just because I love the colour.

And then there's all that Super 10... sigh. Far too many projects and too little time, methinks. Maybe my 6/49 numbers came up on Saturday... ?