1) Soaked the alpaca for 2.5-3hrs in vinegar to mordant
2) after letting it semi-dry, put it into cochineal dyebath:
3) after around 3 hrs, i moved into a steel vessel and put it top heat on gas (no micro here)
4) I let it cool in the vessel itself. and once cooled, washed it with running water and hung to dry:
5) So when it dried it looked like this:
6) and finally got it ready to store, to be used for some future project
What I learnt:
* It’s great fun!!!
* It is work.. do not take shortcuts, the results will also be a shortcut.
* if you use expired/really old dye, dont expect the original color to show up. be prepared for surprises
* Learn to live with the surprise 😉 (I’m NOT a pink person)
This one is freshly completed, though it actually slid off my needles a couple of weeks back. Unfortunately, I’ve just not had the time to wash and block the garment, not to mentioned finish off the weaving in of threads n sewing on of buttons. But here is the finally product, and am really really thrilled with my lovely Pine Cardigan!
The design itself is a test knit run on Ravelry from the very talented designer/s Tincanknits. Its been fun, though the sleeves were boring… I mean how fun can 20 inches of stockinette be?! But the end result more than made up for it! 😀 <3
This project was part of Project-a-Month-KAL Group on Ravelry. The design was donated by Siew Clark for whom I had earlier completed a test knit: Twist-er.
There isn’t much to say about this project actually. It was made on Nako’s Makilenik lace yarn in light brown, the yarn held double for this project.
The scarf is actually the lace outer edge of the shawl. I wasn’t keen on making a whole shawl, sop the option of the edge itself was pretty cool! Also, it wouldn’t take to make as long as the shawl itself! 🙂
Yes, that’s the new skill I’ve managed to add to my knitting repertoire: sock knitting.
Sock knitting had always baffled me. So many knitters seems to churn them out at the drop of a hat, and yet the very vocabulary of sock knitting terrified me! It especially since it contained words such as: short rows, toe up, cuff- down, grafting and so on.
So when HiyaHiya KAL group connected with me asking me to join their cuff-down KAL, I decided to give it a go and conquer my fears. It further helped that there was a hefty penalty for not completing: I would have to pay up $5 as design price in case I didn’t complete the pair of socks before deadline i.e 30th Nov 2013. Ample time to learn, and enough motivation to get it done indeed! Also the clause that I had to complete a pair would ensure I completed both, not just one sock!
The first sock got done fairly fast. So fast, that I figured I should have cast on both at the same time, I’d have got it done together!!!
Anyway, i did finally manage to complete both socks, and here’s my final result. 🙂
In process: the in-stepin process: the heelHow it looks2 feet together! 🙂
The sweater is a part of Artemis Adornments group’s Design Along hosted on Ravelry. Its been a fun experience! The idea was that the designer, Anna, had designed a sweater, and written down the recipe for making it. Now there were no exact sizes to go by, but an idea of how to make it for yourself – hence: a recipe! 🙂
She even threw in the actual patterns that she used within the sweater, but basically encouraged everyone to select a “zig-zag” pattern. I chose something that made me think of seashells. It was a fun design, and actually pretty easy after the first 2 repeats!
The recipe provided a very different way of making a seamless sweater, which I was very thrilled to learn. Though Anna did give detailed instructions on making sleeves, I chose a shortcut and went in for a vest. Will probably make one with sleeves sometime though.
The neck-band was a design that I thought up though. Anna suggested garter stitch or moss stitch to complement the zig-zags, but I wanted an entirely different look, so I went with something entirely different.
I called the sweater Old Denim because of the colors. This is a new variety of variegated yarns introduced by Oswal Woolens. I did start another sweater called Regal with another colorway. This particular colorway reminded me of denim that had been washed enough to lose its color, as just that stage when it sports more than one shade of blue at different parts depending on how much wear it has seen. Hence the name Old Denim. 🙂
the design – pre-blockingWith the button – post-blocking
I dont really have any modeled pictures, but I do hope to put up some soon! 🙂
I have made 3 covers as yet. One was knit and the other 2 were sewing projects. While the knit project as well as the first sewing project were carry-covers, the 3rd cover was basically a stand to put my reader so that I’m not constantly holding the reader directly. But I wanted something that covered both these functions nicely.
So here’s the latest attempt:
The OutsideThe InsideHow it looks when ready!After fitting the Reader in
I think I’m too enamoured with the written word fabric. I really need to stop putting it front and center… I think that’s what spoiling the effect! 🙁
But overall, the dimensions are a bit short. But hey! This is a learning attempt!
After struggling to keep knitting through the last couple of weeks, I finally managed to get the biggest piece of Linda Marveng’s Regal Purple done. I’m calling it Regal, and it’s in a lovely set of reds. The yarn is from Oswal Fibers, though this is the first time I don’t see a tag on their yarns. But my LYS insists that these are Oswal’s yarns…
The reason I say biggest piece is because this is a seamed cardigan. I just finished the back. The remaining pieces are the fronts’, the sleeves and the button band. So there’s a long way to go yet.
The problem with reds is that they don’t seem to photograph well. 🙁 I havent given the shoulders in the pics, because, well, I’m not keen on a set of stitch-holders in my pics! 🙂
My brain’s working over-time! I have so many ideas and too few hands to make them work!
Having said that, I’m right now working on 2 sweaters. Yes, 2, like one wasn’t enough. One is a test knit from Linda Marveng called Regal Purple, and the other is a Design-Along by Anna (Kuduja on Ravelry).
Both are amazing – in construction as well as design.
The sweater for Anna has just got modified from Sweater to Sleeveless Jacket, as in the last 20 minutes. The yarn I’m using is from Oswal and has short color variegation in blue. This yarn called out to me sometime back when chopping with the In-laws, and always remind me of Old Denim… and that’s what it’s called! The premise is to make a completely customised sweater for oneself. So there are no fixed measurements, and one would have to check the size while knitting. This is definitely a very good learning experience for me. The only requirement of the Design-along is that the stitch pattern is supposed be a zig-zag pattern. There is a choice of making the exact one Anna made, or making out own. SO i opted for my own choice of pattern.
The front right panel with zig-zag patternThe back panel with the neck stitches on holder
The 2nd sweater I’m working on by Linda is really slow-moving. It is a traditional sweater with sleeve length options, and seamed. I don’t think I’ve made a seamed sweater before. Once I discovered the joys of seamless knitting, that has always been my choice. However, I’ve read that when it comes to sweaters, seamed is probably what lasts longer! Hmm. I just hope that with the effort going into this one, it does last!
I’m calling my sweater Regal (as it’s not purple 😉 ) and its being done is another Oswal variegated yarn, this time in reds.
It was a choice between color and clarity: I chose color! 🙁
Bothe of these sweaters need to be done by the end of September. While, I’m sure the old Denim will get done, I’m not so confident about the Regal. Here’s to fingers crossed! 🙂
This was a lovely quick project! I started a couple of days back, and here I’m DONE! 😀
This pattern has been designed by Elena Nodel, and was contributed to the Project-a-Month group on Ravelry.The hat is made with 2 colors, and is a great beginner project for using different colors as well as cables. Made with DK weight yarn, it definitely knits up fast! Of course, I didn’t really buy DK weight yarn, I just went ahead and used 2 colors of fingering weight held double. What a wonderful way of emptying my stash! 😉
It actually is paired with a cowl, which would help my chances of winning an exclusive dyed merino Skien from Elena, but I’ll have to forego that. I really don’t have the need for a cowl in sunny Bangalore! 🙂
I’m finally done with the Quadrant project. Unlike the original, I didn’t use so many colors, and I made only 2 quadrants. But joining the 2 parts, and then crocheting along the border were all new to me, so I’m pretty happy with myself!
Crocheting doesn’t really come naturally to me. I’m essentially a knitter. But i hope to also develop my skills in other crafts. This is just my first step in learning crochet. Sill a long way to go….
Here are the pics:
Before joiningA closer lookThe joiningThe color progression
Hubby gifted a Kobo Touch recently. An e-Reader has been on my wishlist for so long, and I was thrilled to get it in my hands! However, with Kobo, you don’t get any covers attached to it. This meant I had to make one.
Now the decision was actually whether I should sew one or knit one. Well, my decision was both! But sewing gets done faster, so the first cover was to be the stitched one.
Being a novice in the sewing department, I turned to the internet for inspiration. There were a few tutorials but:
I didn’t understand the instructions as they were geared for someone who knew what they were doing. I didn’t.
The instructions were geared towards cases for Kindle or Sony. I wanted spoon-feeding! 😉
Finally I found a tutorial here. This was truly a life-saver! And I got down to the serious business to making a quilted cover for my Kobo. However, I did not make the quilt with pieces from various fabrics. Instead It was a single sheet with design that I quilted using batting and lining material. I finally got to use it after a major shopping trip at RC Puram almost a year back!
Hmm. Batting. Not to mention that fancy lines ruler. I had no clue such things existed before this project. But then, I again wanted this cover now. So I managed to find some sponge sheet left over from some project. I used this in place of batting. Seemed to work well, but I really need to get to the market for some serious quilting material shopping if I have to get this right! I remember seeing something similar to that ruler at some store a long time back. Need to get back over there and check it out again. Ahh, my shopping list takes shape again! 😀
With the help of the tutorial, I managed to make my case. And here it is! 🙂
The finishing did leave a lot to desire. But then again, this is my very first sewing project (mobile pouches and repairs don’t count). So, I forgive myself. 🙂
the materialsThe front – after quiltingthe back – no awards for neatness though!And the final product! 🙂
Hubby has just returned from the Land of The Rising Sun, and got me this wonderful gift. When thinking of Japan, we think Kimonos, kokeshi dolls and goegeous hand-made fans. But this was a gift a totally unexpected surprise!
The main reason I’ve mention this gift here, is because of the beauty of this handmade product.
OBI bagThe back panel in self-design silk
This is a OBI Paccetto in handmade pure silk, made from vintage sash belts (obi). The upper pane features the design panel, while the rest of the bag is made in handmade black silk. The back of the bag is done is self-design black silk that feels absolutely decadent.
The Midori OBI Arts in Japan specializes in kimonos, and gifts made from the same materials geared towards tourists. So the bags are made from kimonos or, in this case, from the sash belts worn in the traditional japanese dress.
