Now isn't that a lovely sight?
A mini yarn mountain and a project poised on the edge of flight.
Thanks Knitinc!
Pattern: Howth Vest by Sinead Cahir
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Constant Knitter
Some time ago, the lovely R from The Constant Knitter challenged invited me to design something for Drops Alpaca yarn. Not one to resist a challenge or turn down an invitation I went home with two lovely yarns in my bag and a great idea for some fingerless mittens.
Oh those mittens were going to be lovely. So delicate. So fine.
While I have heard that yarn can decide for itself what it wants to be, I have had no experience of it until now. In this case however, I can attest to it. I began with a very clear idea of fine lace ruffled mittens in this most delicate of yarns, yet several days later I had something something completely other on my needles.
Something outdoorsy, dense and very warm. Something more suited to hauling logs or chopping wood than waving away suitors or holding a dainty parasol aloft. Something beautiful all the same, but nothing like I had intended.
Regular (and smart) readers will see where this is going, especially from the yarn colours shown above.
Yup, after many iterations the Tuar Mhic Eadaigh Mittens came to be and I also had an entry for this year's St Patricks Day Celebrations competition over on Ravelry. The rest, as they say,ain't geography is history.
Just goes to show where things can take you if you let them. In my book this is a good philosophy.
Of course, a runaway horse will take you someplace you don't wish to go, so please use your own judgement.
Thanks Constant Knitter!
.
Oh those mittens were going to be lovely. So delicate. So fine.
While I have heard that yarn can decide for itself what it wants to be, I have had no experience of it until now. In this case however, I can attest to it. I began with a very clear idea of fine lace ruffled mittens in this most delicate of yarns, yet several days later I had something something completely other on my needles.
Something outdoorsy, dense and very warm. Something more suited to hauling logs or chopping wood than waving away suitors or holding a dainty parasol aloft. Something beautiful all the same, but nothing like I had intended.
Regular (and smart) readers will see where this is going, especially from the yarn colours shown above.
Yup, after many iterations the Tuar Mhic Eadaigh Mittens came to be and I also had an entry for this year's St Patricks Day Celebrations competition over on Ravelry. The rest, as they say,
Just goes to show where things can take you if you let them. In my book this is a good philosophy.
Of course, a runaway horse will take you someplace you don't wish to go, so please use your own judgement.
Thanks Constant Knitter!
.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Oh Wow!
I am thrilled to show you this fabulous book published by the really really really talented Nicola Brown and her equally talented friend Chrissie Day.
There are so many things about this book that thrill and inspire me. Let me outline them in terms you will understand:
Row 1: (RS) It's fabulous.
Row 2 and every WS row: It's mine. Not yours. Mine I tell you (To get your own copy, go here. Seriously. Go.)
Row 3: It's full of *great photos, clear info, inspiring detail and fibre friendship ** repeat from * to ** as many times as you wish. What could be better?
Row 4: As Row 2.
Row 5: Love the book title. See Row 3.
Row 6: As Row 2.
Row 7: www.blurb.com. Self publishing. Love it. Great concept.
Row 8: Y'know.
Row 9: This is an inspiring piece of self-publishing. Me likey. (Watch this space.)
Congratulations to both of the authors. Or friends. Or 'fauthors' maybe.
Of course I don't know Chrissie Day (yet), but by evidence of a) her friendship with Nicola and b) her great contribution to the book I'm pretty sure that I would like her - a lot.
IDEA: Any chance Chrissie would come visit?
I'll make the tea.
.
.
There are so many things about this book that thrill and inspire me. Let me outline them in terms you will understand:
Row 1: (RS) It's fabulous.
Row 2 and every WS row: It's mine. Not yours. Mine I tell you (To get your own copy, go here. Seriously. Go.)
Row 3: It's full of *great photos, clear info, inspiring detail and fibre friendship ** repeat from * to ** as many times as you wish. What could be better?
Row 4: As Row 2.
Row 5: Love the book title. See Row 3.
Row 6: As Row 2.
Row 7: www.blurb.com. Self publishing. Love it. Great concept.
Row 8: Y'know.
Row 9: This is an inspiring piece of self-publishing. Me likey. (Watch this space.)
Congratulations to both of the authors. Or friends. Or 'fauthors' maybe.
Of course I don't know Chrissie Day (yet), but by evidence of a) her friendship with Nicola and b) her great contribution to the book I'm pretty sure that I would like her - a lot.
IDEA: Any chance Chrissie would come visit?
I'll make the tea.
.
.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
So much knitting...
...so little time.
Y'know, when things get quiet around here, it's far more likely that lots of knitting is happening rather than not much. I'm knitting several things that may be current and future designs so of course they have to remain under wraps.*
Of course that doesn't make Chez Nic a very interesting place to hang out, so I'm gonna show ya some bits 'n pieces where I can. That's if anyone out there is still awake.
First up are some swatches for a special gift-in-progress and hopefully a future design submission.
This is Manos Lace (yuuummmmm!) and is basically a lace sampler of knitting thoughts.
I haven't knit much lace before and not with proper laceweight and I am totally in luurve with the results.
Since this is not the destination yarn for the project and this is not the lace that I picked, I think it's ok to show here. (Geez, you'd think this was a top couture design house, eh?)
Y'know, when things get quiet around here, it's far more likely that lots of knitting is happening rather than not much. I'm knitting several things that may be current and future designs so of course they have to remain under wraps.*
Of course that doesn't make Chez Nic a very interesting place to hang out, so I'm gonna show ya some bits 'n pieces where I can. That's if anyone out there is still awake.
First up are some swatches for a special gift-in-progress and hopefully a future design submission.
This is Manos Lace (yuuummmmm!) and is basically a lace sampler of knitting thoughts.
I haven't knit much lace before and not with proper laceweight and I am totally in luurve with the results.
Since this is not the destination yarn for the project and this is not the lace that I picked, I think it's ok to show here. (Geez, you'd think this was a top couture design house, eh?)
But just in case. Don't tell anyone, ok?
* Just for clarification for those who may think that all this cloak-and-dagger is a bit over-the-top, knit/crochet designs are not accepted for publication either in print or online if ANY details have been shown in the public domain, i.e. on blogs, Ravelry etc. Fortunately this does not apply to self-publishing - in fact the opposite is true. The more exposure the better.
Monday, May 2, 2011
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