Rise of the (knitting) heretics...

There is a great thread going on over at the Knitter's Review forums about knitting heresy. I couldn't resist posting my confessional thoughts here. . . (join in...you know you want to!)

1. I don't like sock clubs. Actually...I don't really like knitting socks (only finished one pair so far).
2. I do like cheap and cheerful yarn, and I am not a yarn snob. I believe the project, the stitch is more important...in fact I get really irritated by yarn snobs who turn luxurious yarn into boring garter stitch scarves...be more adventurous people!
3. I have been known to take the dust cover off of my books.
4. I join yarn where ever it ends in my knitting, not 'at the end of the row'...and I KNOT. It's my knitting and I'll knot if I want to!
5. I don't really enjoy the Yarn Harlot's blog, but I LOVE Crazy Aunt Purl....
6. I own fun fur but would not impose a scarf made of it on any one....makes great toy hair though!
7. I hate plastic knitting needles because sometime they break! I agree that knitting needles sized over 10 is proof-positive the world is ending, because no one has faith enough to knit a project which might take longer than two minutes to complete...immediate gratification should have reasonable limits, and no NOBODY looks good in a top knitted in that chunky a yarn!
9. Sometimes I wonder about available patterns and the general ugliness that comes with them. Just because you can knit it, it doesn't mean you should. Or wear it. Same thing...
10. I dislike DPNs. And I am a complete magicloopy.
11. I dislike short rows. They trouble me.
12. I can't only have one project going....NOT happening!
13. I have not knit a clapotis, and i believe it will remain that way.
14. I love to start projects.
15. I can't contemplate knitting a blanket...to much commitment!
16. I think Jawbreaker is ugly.
17. I can count my Knitty loves on two hands BUT it is good for *some* inspiration.
18. Most Rowan patterns are designed by penguins on crack. Ugly. (original quote from the mother post...love it!)
19. I went into Waterstones and could not find a book worth buying for novel patterns. Seriously, where are the hip designers?
20. I am scared of knit-alongs because sometimes life gets in the way of projects getting finished. I also don't follow knitting trends on purpose...but accidents happen!
21. I knit in public... EVERY SINGLE DAY...
22. I have enough books and patterns available that my great great great great gran-kids may not need to ever buy any (hi honey!). Yet as I become more picky I will probably trade a lot of them. *watch this space*
23. I think about knitting AND make notes during work meetings. (or just most of the time really!)
24. I am addicted to blogs, and to LJ, but sometimes I sit in wonder...do people have really such strange taste or is there an agreement to praise anything, no matter how ugly?
25. I don't swatch
26. I don't block
27. I don't think I have EVER used the recommended yarn
28. I don't believe in designer yarn...or overpriced/overhyped indie dyers...or wannabe's who unleash their cool-aid loaded yarn onto Etsy. Lets face it: fluorescent green and pinks ar NOT a pretty 'grown up' combo...and certainly not for $20 a skein...

Confession is indeed good for the soul.

Gourmet Dutch mosquitoes

I think the mosquitoes in my house are having a contest aimed at locating the most annoying place for a bite, on a weekly basis.

So 2 weeks ago I was attacked in the palm of my (right) hand.

The following week it was on the same foot, both on top and on the tender flesh of the arch underneath.

This morning........well, suffice to say I can NOT open my right eye fully and closer inspection reveals I look like an extra on Rocky, or -possibly- seriously hangover...




It looks a little less bad now than first thing this morning...but SERIOUSLY though...what next? My tongue? (no....don't answer that)

In other news, my new bag design is coming out well....side one is done, moving on to side 2 and hoping for symmetry ;-)





Pattern to follow as soon as it's finished and lined !!!!

yeay for bank holiday!

£214,000

Apparently that's the 'average' price of a house in the UK today...

Suffice to say that if I ever thought i would be one day in a position to buy my own place, it won't be in the UK.

Maybe I should knit one ...

*runs off to think about weatherproof yarn*

Today at work

In Dutch 'Let's go eat'

me 'Ja'

'oh, so you speak Dutch?'

'No, not really'

'But you speak such good French'

I say nothing...my colleague (French) starts laughing... 'yeay, that would be because she is French'

Awkward silence followed by the compulsory 'no, really, but, no, seriously, blah blah' hihi, the usual..

'but does she speak good French then?'

'well actually, she has a bit of an English accent...well more like intonations'

I am MOR-TI-FIED....I mean come on i know i make words up in French ALL THE TIME...but the accent? New one on me...

The is no pleasing some people...

I am still on a high from finishing my pattern (see 10th April for details) and I am daydreaming about the use of the beaded ribbon...I see lace, I see beads, I see a bag, I see seriously summery colours....and a headache trying to design the lace pattern...but I will get there! I have even got the handle done already and a bit of the side...and i will have to beg for use of an i-cord maker...

Finished! (and grow your own cat)

The magic ball bag is finished... and the ball revealed it's final content: some gorgeous ribbon trimmed with dangly beads!

Oh...the love!

I although thought I'd include a couple of pics from the weekend before: flowers and cycling in sunny Holland!

And last but not least: available at a flower market near you: cat in a pot (just add water). Pretty cheap too!

The one where I got pooped on...

Days seem to follow the weather...

Some are really good (like 2 designers saying yes to pattern translation services and random networking on the train, as well as making knitting progress)...

and some not so great, like bills for £100+ arriving in flocks, friends vanishing into the sunset, bag sides not matching and pigeons deciding that my purple cardigan looks like a public toilet.

I take heart in the fact that it COULD have been my cashmere cardi... that the bag sides were crochet-ed on (so the joint has been frogged)...and that the bills will get sorted out...to some extent...

but I STILL have a poopy cardigan...

so i shall just go back to reading the ranting of Laurie about yard fart, and listening to L&V elaborating on possible recipes for recycled fridge mould (yum, mexican mold...now EXTRA SPICY)

------and then she drops a fork-full of tomato sauce on her trouser leg------

* resists the temptation to check out silk yarn AND cashmere lace yarn on jardindeslaines.com* ...and BREATHE....

The bag...and the pattern to go with!

You've seen the bag, and it is calling your name (yes...it's Monday...how did you guess?)

Want to make your own? Read on!

Materials:

Lana Grossa (silk/acrylic) Gala Print in colour 506 1 ball (50g, 90m)
Lana Grossa (cotton) Basics in colour HP No 31 1 and half ball (50g, 90m)
Needles: 4mm (straight)
crochet hook: 3mm

applique felf flowers...present from my magic ball swapper!

LOTS of pins

Main body:

With knitting needles, cast on 54 st (I used cable cast on for a more defined edge).

Row 1: [(KFB)3 times, (K2tog)6 times, (KFB)3 times]3 times (still 54 st)
Row 2: change to other colour, K1, purl to last st, K1

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have a sufficient length for the bag flap AND the back, minus say about half an inch, ending after a row 1.

Row A: change to other colour, K1, purl to last st, K1
Row B: Knit to end

Work 5 repeats in total of rows A and B (so you'll have 3 stripes of one colour and 2 of the other)... ending with a row A (so I guess that's 5.5)

Row 1: [(K2togKFB)3 times, (KFB)6 times, (K2tog)3 times]3 times (still 54 st)
Row 2: change to other colour, K1, purl to last st, K1

Repeat until front length is almost achieved (leaving about 1 inch). By now you can see that the bottom (folded along middle strip of the stock portion) naturally makes that scalloped edge (magic instant wiggly bottom!)...ending with a row 2.

Next row: [(K2togKFB)3 times, knit 6 times, (K2tog)3 times]3 times (36 st)

Carry on in stripey stockinet as before 9 starting with a row B for a total of 9 rows (last row is a WS)

Bind off. weave in ends.

If you want a neat finish (like me) now is a good time to sc along the edge with the pretty silk yarn...

Sides/strap:

(note: 2sc means '2 sc in the same stitch', sc x a means work in sc for a stitches, dc means decrease, number after - is the stitch count...just so we're clear!)
Using crochet hook, loop 1, chain 1.

row 1: 2sc in 2nd loop from the hook, ch1, turn-2st

row 2: 2sc, 2sc, ch1, turn -4st

row 3: 2sc, sc, sc, 2sc, ch1, turn -6st

row 4: 2sc, sc x 4, 2sc, ch1, turn -8st

row 5: sc in every sc, ch1, turn

work in sc (as row 5) until your arms fall off, or even, until you have a length sufficient for the strap AND both sides of the bag.

row 1:dc, sc x 4, ch1, turn -6st

row 2:dc, sc x 2, dc, ch1, turn -4st

row 3: dc, dc, ch1, turn -2st

row4: dc, ch1, turn -1st

fasten off. Tidy off those lose ends.

You could knit a similar strap, but crochet give a more sturdy finish. Decrease would work the same though.

Now for the putting together...and the many pins.

First line up the strap along the bag and mark on the strap where the top of the front panel comes too...for both sides...now check them against eachother to amke sure you have the same number of crochet rows from the tip...don't laugh, i had to frog the whole border!!

Now pin the tip of the strap to the middle stripe of the bottom of the bag and pin the front edge too.

Do both before pinning the back, and to make sure the bag flap seats nicely pin the back edge up to 1 row higher than the front.

Now get the crochet hook out again (yes, you can use a needle, if you must...) and sc the edge and the strap, starting at one tip (i worked from the strap to the body, ie pushing the hook through strap then body) all the way along the strap (it takes longer but it's SOOO much neater) down to the tip, and same again on other side.

If using pretty applique, you may want to add it now...

With some nice fabric, line your bag.

Tip: the bottom stands out better when in us if the lining stops just before the crest of the waves

This is a free pattern copyrighted to me. I believe in good Karma, so feel free to print it and share it, but not sell the pattern or the items using the pattern...unless it is for a charity (and no your yarn fund is NOT a charity)

I find the flap is heavy enough that it needs no button, but i may add a pressure clip just to be sure...

Voila!

Let me know of any pattern errata as it has not been tested...