I started this project as my very first test knit for Shoshana Silberstien. It was supposed to complete within 1-1.5 month/s. But thanks to holidays (her’s and mine), guests at home (mine) and various other reasons, this got delayed. But here it is, finally done, edits and all! 😀
On a recent shopping expedition to Commercial Street, I found some undyed cotton yarn for knitting. I was supposed to be looking for lace weight yarn and mohair when I found this. Actually, I found the others as well, just added this also to my basket. But as I’d never dyed anything before (school days don’t count!), the shop keeper kindly helped me out with the name of a dyer nearby.
When I reached the dyer’s shop, he was very clear that all he had were acidic dyes, and they just wont work on cotton. He did give me instructions of how to use it though, always ending with the disclaimer that the color wont hold! 🙁
Anyway, once I got home, I gathered by supplies: vinegar, food coloring (just in case it works), salt, and a large vessel that I was sure I would never use for food ever. And finally courage: to be faced with something that might not work.
The food color experiment was a dud. But am very happy with the way the acidic dyes caught the color. After repeated washing (including in detergent) it stopped running color, and now looks bright and fresh!
So i now have 2 gorgeous hanks of cotton yarn: maroon and dark green! And I still have 1 hank remaining… gotta see what to do with it! 🙂
Recently I found myself hooked on Pinterest, and found a picture of a laptop case. Seemed like an interesting idea. In fact the person wrote about her experience of making the case, though not the exact design. So i figured out a design for myself. it was also an interesting experience to figure out how to mix-match cables to make the design work out.
I named this The Wannabe Case because the center design is not a cable design, but a lace design. Hence the name. 🙂
Every time I get down to knit something complicated, the designs call for stitch markers to help mark out the steps. Till date I’ve always used scraps of yarn tied into loops, and then disposed them when the need is gone.
Recently I saw a blog post by a fellow Raveler, where she spoke about making permanent stitch markers using beads. That got me thinking. I have the beads, I didn’t have the kind of wire she used, but I could use what I have. Hmm.
The thought had percolated in my mind for about a month now. And suddenly I decided I had to have the markers, and have them NOW. Dont ask me why, I haven’t figured that out myself. So I got out the stuff and made them!
Anywayz, so here is my effort in making my simple stitch markers. Happy Knitting!
This one started out as an experiment with circular knitting, with a side benefit of going up for a C/KAL in my Ravelry group. However, I ended up using the basic idea for another set of coasters and these went onto the back-burner.
This last weekend i fell ill. However, since I don’t believe in sitting back and doing nothing, out came this WIP (work-in-progress). And became an FO (finished object, wot did u think?)
This was made during my holidays in Pune. It took exactly 6 days to make.. a coaster a day.. keeps the fingers busy(?)!
I was actually trying something else.. and this worked out instead. Plus I liked the way the variegated color shows up in layers through the coaster. Planned to make a larger mat as a center piece, but ran out of holidays! 😀
Every trip to Pune isn’t complete without the requisite craft shopping trip.
This time it was to Samrat Stores @ Laxmi Road. And found the cutest variegated cotton yarn. Ma loved it instantly and said it reminded her of chocolate. And so I decided to make her something special with it.
The final result was a simple mobile pouch, with the cutest wood button (even if I say so myself!).
I’ve been struggling for some thing as to what to make for the current placemat/doilies/coasters C/KAL going on in my Ravelry group.
Finally decided to challenge myself and make a knit lace doily. Easier said than done.
I couldn’t work the delicate stitches on DPNs or Circular needles (which I was using for the first time ever!). So decided to make a ‘trial’ mat using spare DK variegated yarn. after 10 mins i realized this was going nowhere. I just couldn’t understand the design!!!
So my solution was to continue doing my last stitch over and over again till I got a coaster. And it worked!!! I just skipped the lace part, and kept repeating the center “base” part of the design. 😀
So I’ve finally got a quick and easy coaster. that takes approx 2hrs to churn out!! 🙂
Project Complete! 😀
This was made on a lazy afternoon, when I was fed up with knitting my shawl.. Well, not fed up per se, just majorly tired of doing it! 😉
So out came the superglue: Fevicol MR, stock of which had been left over by my carpenters. Followed by peices of knitting yarn left over from various projects.
The problem with this project is that I should have used embriodery thread instead of wool. And glue, instead of Fevicol. Fevicol is too stong a glue for this project. And the wool fibers kept getting stuck to my hand mnore than the bowl, which made a simple exercise a real pain.
So what I actually used was:
After covering the blow with clingwrap, I tried dunking short length of the yarn into the glue and then wrapping them in the bowl. This was a bad idea as the fibers were sticking more to my hand and less to the bowl. So strategy changed, and the glue was applied to the bowl, and i delicately laid out the wool over it.
My delicasy lost patience after half the bowl was completed. And the bowl was DONE! 😉
I kept it in the sun for a day to set properly. The next day i removed the salad bowl and left the yarn bowl to dry for 1 more day. Here i expected the clingwrap to come off. But since it stayed on, I just trimmed the edges to give the bowl a neater look.
It is now my ‘water-proof’ trinkets bowl! 😀
This was made as a part of my Ravelry C/KAL. And I dont think I’d ever have completed it so fast, if it wasnt for the deadline! 😀
There a few things about knitting that I also learnt with this shawl:
The design itself is a very simple one. It is called Old Shale and is and old Shetland lace design. It is a 4-row pattern, with only 1 row of actual work. Simple, with such gorgeous results!
So here are the pics of my first every lace shawl:
This was started as a gift to Mom.. in case I finished it on time. Which I didn’t. So it got put aside for some time. Finally decided to not only complete it, but also to make it “different” which means just about anything!! 🙂
So here goes:
After my last attempt to make a pouch in wool, I wondered if I could make the same with thread.. this time with knitting cotton. I did buy some knitting cotton, but more for the reason to try and make some tops to wear with jeans (for myself) or to try n make some doilies … again inspiration from the crochet work sis-in-law makes. 🙂
So this is the result from my attempts.
Pouch 1 was done in a single color… I took a guess with the size. It came out a lil squat, but actually fit a Blackberry like a glove. The design is something I came up with myself. Am not sure if it already exists, but I definitely didn’t see it anywhere! 😀
Pouch 2 was my first ever attempt to use 2 colors while knitting. Nice job, even if i say so myself! 😉 The design is called Bird’s Eye.
