Tag: DIY

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The Dye Project .. again!

my updates on the yarn I (finally) dyed.

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)

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Knit Scarf – Reversible

Am actually posting this again. This is the new update since I put the design up on Ravelry as a fresh design. 🙂

 

This is probably the only knitting item that I have completed within 1 week. 🙂

Size
About 7 inches x 66 inches

Gauge
About 4 sts=1″ in pattern stitch

Materials Size 6 Imperial (5 mm) needles
3 skeins of sport weight yarn
60% wool / 40% acrylic

Instructions: CO 36 sts.
Row 1: *K1, YO, k2tog; rep from *
Rep Row 1 until you are almost out of yarn.
BO and weave in the ends with tapestry needle.
Cut tassels measuring 3″ and tie at the ends of the scarf using crochet needle.

You can also Find it on Ravelry:

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Quadrant : New Craft, New Project

One of my crafty resolutions this year has been to learn crochet. But somehow, I have been delaying this, on grounds that I’m just too busy with knitting.

In one of my Ravelry groups, a new C/KAL has been started: Motifated. This one looks are any item (garments, accessory,home needs) that can be made with motifs. Of course, there are a lot of motifs and large stuff made with knitting. But then again, crochet is on my to-do list.

Then came in the question of what to make. The motifs were very pretty, and plain gibberish to my knitting mind. For the life of me I couldn’t keep them straight in my mind. Then came in the Quadrant Blanket pattern. It was being made by another crafter. Having seen it, I figured there was only 1 stitch being repeated over and over and over again. the remaining are basic and design elements. But the stitch stayed the same. I’ve found my dream starter crochet project! 😀

Done with the first block 🙂

my basic motif
my basic motif
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Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013! ok, I’m a lil late, but so what? Happy New Year!!! 🙂

It’s that time of the year when we make resolutions and goals, in the fond hope that we’ll actually stick to them. 😉

Well, here’s my list for this year. Since last year didn’t have any resolutions, I decided to make some this year vis-a-vis my crafting life. So here follows my list:

Knitting:

Sewing:

  • Start! that is so important!!!

Crochet:

Learn a new craft:

  • Haven’t decided what.. but I want to learn something new and different; something not related to yarn!

Cross-stitch:

  • Complete my table-cloth, and design more bags.

What’s your resolution list?

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Peachy Keen

This stole was originally called “Stole of the Seas” and designed by Melanie Berg. This was only my 2nd test knit. And the first hadn’t yet completed as some details were missing, and communication was in progress. 🙂

Peachy Keen! 🙂

 

Anyway, I took this up since the design seemed to be fairly simple, and I was sure to complete it within the month assigned. Well, you know what they say about the best intentions!

The design was nice to see, but I just couldn’t keep the pace after 50%. It was just too boring to knit! 🙁 When I say that I mean that I can’t multi-task, which unfortunately is a primary concern with me. I normally read a novel, knit and listen to the latest music on radio/tv at any single point of time. I also sometimes catch up with the happenings on my favourite reality show! But doing this design meant I had to do any of those things… or knit. The design needed my full concentration, and unfortunately I ran out of concentration at 50%.

After leaving it on my shelf for almost a month, I found that someone else had completed their stole. While I was happy that I wasn’t the only late person, I was also ashamed as that lady had managed to complete, and I hadn’t.

So out came my needles, and this was done.

PS: I cheated just a li’l bit. I didn’t make the full length of the stole. Instead I added a large fringe to make up for length. But hey, it looks good!!!

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DIY Mini-Satchel

This one has been in the making for quite some time now. I started it, but then wanted it to be different from the previous one I made, and not just in design.

So I decided to jazz it up a bit. Also the handle is slightly different (metal wire for the beads). And the structure is also a bit longer than the last one. I think one can also use this as a crafts bag… threads and fabric in the back, needles in the front. 🙂

Cross-stitch Satchel