Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label knitting. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

New Card, fun socks

I've found myself posting (even creative stuff!) over at the Vale more than here - sorry!!

It took me awhile to get started making soul collage cards, & I still do it sporadically - but it's so fun!!
(In the beginning, I visited several frame shops & had them cut 8x10 card stock in half, so I had a stack of 'blanks' - I left some big, too.)
Last weekend at my grown neice's BD party, there was a participatory art project - a canvas on easel with acrylic paint 'background' - & lots of mags to cut images from, more paints, stamps, etc.

I brought along a little board for me, & a couple of the bigger ones for my granddaughters (who needed to come with us at the last minute) - so they could do their own art, with all those supplies! I did another card myself, (like the idea of painting on it first!! & acrylics dry fast) & they were SO engaged. Kayleen painted a small (~ 4x4") square on a piece of card she found, & on a magazine cover!! They glued some images, but loved all the colours!

Mine has to do with creativity - the crochet lace in a hand, the oriental painting & supplies, the bit of basket & on the other side a lovely rich brocate.

My daughter said I could put grommets & ribbon on the one I made, & sell them at the Sat Market!! (one wouldn't call it soul-collage!!) I thought of finishing them with beeswax, & perhaps getting a few of the encaustic colours sold at our great little art shop, & playing with those. A booth is only $15, & I believe you can sign up sporadically - which is much more my weekend style!

The other projects have been knitting lots of fingerless gloves. I finished a pair for my neice at her party, & while there, I thought of using some of the small 'left overs' for orphan socks, & of a way to incorp the heavier yarn with some fine (& harder to knit with) 'sock' yarn! I've finished the first pair (& a few heel & toeless anklets) & am having fun with that project!

The blue sock is one of the 'anklet's - which my dau suggested using for ballet!!
Here's a close-up of the heel on the blue, purple & red 0ne - I bound off the heel & foot, then picked up stitches around the openings, using a long crochet hook (that way I can replace the toe or heel in the future, if need be). The heavier yarn is wool with a bit of silk, the panda silk: bamboo, wool & silk. They are quite comfy in either style! I used a pair of my mom's bamboo needles - they are a bit long for socks; I intend to pick up some of the shorter ones on my next trip to the knitting basket! (there's my 'anklet' yarn in the 'triangle' box on the Rt!)
Since it's just around the corner from my office, I'm 'tempted' to go in often . . . .

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Handiwork

Yesterday I stopped by the local yarn shop (yummm) & picked up a few skeins from their discount area - a lovely lavender (alpaca & tercel) for a shell or top of some kind, & a linen blend for a bag!

My daughter brought me an 'ergonomic' bag that one of her work friends was passing on several months ago, & the fastener is wearing out - plus I seem to (always) overpack it . . . just keep putting in a few more things, . . . I was perusing the knitting books for a pattern, & saw several bags that looked fun, inc a book By Cat Bordhi (watch her cast on a moebius here) that adapted the points from a jester hat into a bag, for pockets!! I hadn't checked at the library yet, so did a search for bag patterns on-line, & found this lovely Bag list! They also have a list of hats & socks & . . . .

Fun to try to determine from the pattern names if it would have elements I can use for my own 'ergonomic' & practical bag! I love the look of felted bags, & want to do some of those as well - but the linen won't lend itself to that process!

Here are some favorite bags - Juli has done a nice job of creating a pattern for a larger bag - either for toting stuff to the gym, or for those LONG knitting needles. I like her use of buttons at the end of the I-chain handle.
I have a lovely collection of needles from my mama, inc some my Uncle whittled for her one afternoon, when she commented she'd like some wooden ones in a size she couldn't find in the shop!

How fun it will be to begin . . .