Zelda Shawl

Well, it's been a long and busy year since I last posted (and more on that in later posts), but what better way to kick things off again than to introduce a new pattern?

Zelda Shawl

Flapper girl?

Inspired by the Art Deco movement and flapper dresses, Zelda has a simple beaded body flowing into a  a heavily beaded lace edging. It's available in two sizes, either of which can be done with a standard 100g skein of laceweight. More details can be found on the Ravelry page.

English Rose?

I'm so proud that it's finally up and out there (although I am now resigned to getting nothing done over the next couple of days as I Rav-stalk myself obsessively - anyone else do that?) I am so grateful to my wonderful knitting friends who have given me so much support, especially to my test knitter Kate's Twirl who wrote a fabulous blog post about Zelda, with lots of helpful tips and tricks, and my eagle-eyed tech editor Rachel.

Semmmilla

There are some days when the danger of working in a yarn shop becomes particularly apparent.

Normally, I have a good solid mental filter in place when it comes to all the beautiful yarn we stock at Loop. I had to develop a bit of immunity to the 'ooh, shiny!' to stop myself from sinking absolutely *all* my wages back into yarn. However, every so often something new and utterly gorgeous arrives at the shop, the filter disappears and the urge to possess kicks in.

Ooh...shiny...

Mmm, yarn

This is BC Garn Semilla Organic Lace. The colours are amazing ('I want that one...and that one...that one, too...ooh, and that one!' etc.) and it's 100% wool laceweight, which I've been coveting lately since my stash is full of silk. Naturally, this knitter always wants to knit with what she doesn't have....

Or..didn't have, any way...

...and has very little self control. It's all very well having rules and yarn diets but sometimes a little flexibility makes for a very happy knitter.

The Cabin in the Woods

A quick post: I went to see The Cabin in the Woods a few days ago. It was brilliant. Then I read this article which was also brilliant. You should all go and see the film, then read the article (but not the other way round!) My name is Jemima, and I am a Joss Whedon fangirl. Grr. Argh.

Granny Squared

It all started so innocently. There I was, planning the second lesson in the beginner's crochet class I'm teaching at Loop. I knew exactly what I wanted to cover: shaping, crocheting into chain spaces, slip stitches, working in the round. But we'd already spent the first week just working back and forth, practicing the basics. I needed something that would be finite, would involve all the elements I wanted to cover. Something easy, that could lead them into a full project if they chose. Something approachable, yet pretty. Something like...a granny square!

I confess, I'd never crocheted a granny square before. Honestly, the name doesn't sell it and I was always more of a lacy sort of girl. But it fit the bill and I knew the theory. So off to work I went, deciding I would spend the commute whipping up a granny square.

So I did. And then I made another one. And then I blacked out for a bit and woke up hours later under a mountain of granny squares with the train driver gently shaking my shoulder and telling me I had to get off the train now so that he could go home to his dinner, and what was with all the squares?

Ok, so not quite that bad, but there was a little bit of wild crocheting going on there. These things are utterly addictive and, I soon realised, the perfect solution to The Box.

Box, meet blog. Blog, meet Box.

The Box

 The Box contains all of the scrap pieces of leftover yarn from every project I've made. It lives under the bed with my stash, except pushed right to the back so I don't have to look at it every time I get some yarn out. But now I know how to get rid of it - a blanket of granny squares. I have a romantic notion of curling up under said blanket in front of a roaring fire (note to self: acquire fireplace and functional chimney) smiling fondly as a particular square catches my eye and I remember that sweater/shawl/sock that was such fun to knit. Or kept my fiance's feet warm. Or didn't fit properly. Or caught fire (this hasn't happened yet, but I suppose it is a possibility if I start playing around with working fireplaces).

Of course, this blanket is a long way off; for now, I am simply basking in the joy that is creating order out of chaos.

Rowan Bamboo! (Be warned - splits like a mo-fo)

Yellow!

Mohair!

The above is my favourite so far. I love the idea of playing around with texture and yarn weight. That's what is so great about granny squares. As long as they come out roughly the same shape, you try out anything. And they're so *fast*...

...I think I might have a problem.

The Ubiquitous and By No Means Original Granny Square

Begin by making a slip knot. Ch 6, then sl st in first ch to create lp.

Round 1: Ch 3, 2 tc, ch 2, (3 tc, ch 2) three times into lp, sl st in top of tch to close rnd.

Round 2: Sl st into next 3 sts to first corner, ch 3, (2 tc, ch 2, 3 tc) into ch sp for first corner, ch 2, *(3 tc, ch 2, 3 tc) into next ch sp, ch 2, rep from * to end, sl st in top of tch to close rnd.

Round 3: Sl st into next 3 sts to first corner, ch 3, (2 tc, ch 2, 3 tc) into ch sp, ch2, 3 tc into next ch sp, ch 2, *(3 tc, ch 2, 3 tc) in next ch sp, ch 2, 3 tc into next ch sp, ch 2, rep from * to end, sl st in top of tch to close rnd.

Round 4: Sl st into next 3 sts to first corner, ch 3, (2 tc, ch 2, 3 tc) into ch sp, ch 2, 3 tc into each ch sp to corner, ch 2, *(3 tc, ch 2, 3 tc) in next ch sp, ch 2, 3 tc into each ch sp to corner, ch2 rep from * to end, sl st in top of tch to close rnd.

You can continue to repeat Round 4 as many times as you like – making an increase in each corner by working two sets of treble crochets in the same chain space, then working one set in each chain space across the flat edge. 

Abbreviations used:

ch chain       sp space             tc treble crochet

lp loop          sl st slip stitch    tch turning chain

rnd round     st stitch

 
 Enjoy!
P.S. I feel I should include a quick public service announcement: You know how frogging knitted mohair is a pain, but doable? Frogging crocheted mohair? It. Is. Not. Doable. That is all.

Art for Art's Sake

This post was supposed to appear last week, but my usually helpful immune system decided it needed a summer holiday on Tuesday and left me open to a lovely little virus. Many varied and interesting symptoms ensued, and I'm only just starting to feel human enough again to sit down and start typing.

An Exhibition
 After a staff meeting at work last Monday I decided to make the most of my train ticket and visit the new The Cult of Beauty exhibition at the V&A. I left feeling almost dizzy with inspiration and the urge to buy a peacock (visit the exhibition and you'll see why!), although a nice cup of tea and a sit down in their beautiful cafe room helped calm me down a little. I'd never been to an exhibition on my own before and it was really freeing to take as much time as I wanted to experience it. The exhibition focuses on Aestheticism, an artistic movement which involved creating art for art's sake; beauty has intrinsic value, they argued, no meaning required.

This is a really attractive idea for me, although my interpretation of it is rather less high-brow. I like to surround myself with beautiful things and I like being able to create beauty in my life. That's one of the biggest attractions of crafts (or should I say arts?) like knitting and sewing, I think. There's nothing like the rush of adding something beautiful to your life. We can't all be Rosetti or Leighton, but we can create a little beautiful something that gives us pleasure every time we wear it or look at it. And that's worthwhile in itself. So the next time someone asks why you would spend all that time making a pair of socks or a sweater when you can just go and buy one, you can tell them that you are adding a little beauty to the world, and that the Aesthetes would approve.

 
FO - The Jan Sweater

Speaking of sweaters, I have a finished object to show off. This is the Jan sweater, a sneak peek pattern from the soon-to-be-released A Stitch in Time Vol. 2. I raced through it in about two and a half weeks and I am so pleased with it. I had to sew up about an inch on each side of the neckline to stop it from falling off my shoulders (the pattern has the front  and back attached only by the sleeves) but I think it's really flattering.
The yarn is the gorgeous Tern by Quince & Co, which is a lovely merino/silk blend that's drapey, but not so much so that it immediately looses its shape. Having said that, I think the ribbing might benefit from some elastic sewn on the inside..

You can see more photos and stats here.


Next time I shall tell you all about a certain Crazy Colourwork What Were We Thinking Sockalong with the fabulous R, but for now I will leave you with a little exchange that occurred on my way home from the exhibition:

Mr Suitey Commutey: "May I ask what you're making?"
Moi: "A sock"
Mr SC: "Just the one?" *confused face*
Moi: *equally confused face* "...no. I've just finished one. This is the second."
Mr SC: "Good for you!"
Exeunt

You are too kind, Mr SC. Although I rather wish I had replied, straight faced, "Yes, Sir, just the one. The other leg's made of wood"

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OPI Nail Polish Review

I've heard a lot about OPI nail polishes on the internet and spent quite a bit of time ogling the beautiful range of vintage-esque reds they have, but never got around to buying any until discovering them at John Lewis yesterday. At £9.95, they are a fairly pricey nail polish for me but are absolutely worth it

Colour
So maybe I'm just a sucker for advertising but I adore the name of this colour. "Vodka and Caviar". How evocative is that? It brings to mind a romantic Russian-influenced dream land: silk evening gowns and luxurious fur capes amid frosty blankets of snow. Lovely. It's a nicely balanced blueish red; not too dark, not too bright, but just the right shade to introduce a touch of glamour into the everyday.

The Brush
I'm very picky about my nail polish brushes, and they often disappoint (I'm looking at you, Chanel...). OPI are extremely impressive in this area, however. The brush is my holy grail of polish brushes: wide and flat, making application easy even on my extremely short nails. I'm also a fan of the chunky brush handle which gives even greater control. There are some things I'm quite good at, but painting my nails with my left hand has never been one of them, so I need all the help I can get!

Drying and General Wear
The superficial drying time was good, but I found it took quite a long time to dry properly. This is only a real problem if, like me, you find it hard to sit and do nothing for a long time. Either way, if you're using this polish I would suggest setting aside a fair bit of time to do your nails. A good excuse to avoid doing housework, perhaps? It also seems to have worn well, although I haven't been that active. The real test will be whether it lasts while I'm working.

 Overall
A really wonderful vintage shade with the best brush in the world, as long as you don't mind waiting for a while for it to dry. Go ahead and unleash your inner vixen!


From Russia With Love by Opalrose

Colour Obsession

Every so often I become obsessed with a particular colour, or colour combination. This usually manifests itself through yarn. One minute I'm looking at my stash and it's 90% purple, the next I've acquired 10 skeins in varying shades of light blue  (without quite remembering how it got there - a dangerous situation that is no doubt responsible for the avalanche of yarn every time I open the cupboard door).

My current obsession, however, is grey and pink. It may be influenced by the weather, of course, which has indeed been rather grey and gloomy here. A kick of fuschia pink seems just the thing to liven it up.

Pink and Grey by Opalrose on Polyvore.com


I'm thinking a cowl with fairisle in grey and pink is just what I need to face this new season. After all, I may not be able to afford that gorgeous dusky pink coat - but at least I can knit!

J.

(You see that OPI nail polish? Well, after eyeing them up on the internet I discovered that John Lewis carries them! I bought "Vodka and Caviar" (fantastic name! will go well with my MAC Russian Red lipstick) today. Review coming soon!)