Hankering for the Hook

Friday, May 28, 2010

I have been lazy lately on posting. I started the semester this week and I am really liking online classes. In knitting news, I finished my entrelac tee and I need to stretch it out just a wee bit. I knit it tighter since its Summer Tweed with the expectation of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g.

I started the Aran Necklace Camisole from the same IK issue. I just picked up stitches for the back tonight. The construction is great---you knit the cabled necklace first then pick up stitches in the front and back. Ingenious short rows. I really should practice more with short rows as I want to make shawl patterns that utilize them. I do think this tank is going to go fast. I will probably need another skein.

I am going to start looking for yarns this week to start the Mister's fair isle sweater. I am going to post a picture of it later this week. Its a true fair isle with patterning from collar to cuff. Lucky me but I will acquire the esteemed art of steeking with this project. Oh and the sweater is in goddamn fingering weight. Well at least I can use sock yarn:)

I really have a itch to crochet lately. I am loving the Julie cuff, Boteh scarf (Miss Babs),and Wavelength(Noro K sock). I am too lazy to link tonight. Oh and I am going to start the Chain Maille scarf tonight which is just chain st and slip stitch. I have some ugly yarn that will most likely pool in any other project.

Inspiration

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Blog about a pattern or project which you aspire to. Whether it happens to be because the skills needed are ones which you have not yet acquired, or just because it seems like a huge undertaking of time and dedication, most people feel they still have something to aspire to in their craft. If you don’t feel like you have any left of the mountain of learning yet to climb, say so!

This is extreme inspiration:



This is ma-cherie from Ravelry. A wedding dress. Crocheted. Floor length. Need I say more?

And this is a fair-isle sweater which I absolutely love. lorijo from Ravelry knit this. Beautiful colors and FAIR ISLE. I will knit a least 1 fair isle sweater this year. One for Drew and possibly one for me:)




What inspires you?

Starting out!

Monday, April 26, 2010

This is the start of a week long blog week hosted by Eskimimi Knits.

How and when did you begin knitting/crocheting? was it a skill passed down through generations of your family, or something you learned from Knitting For Dummies? What or who made you pick up the needles/hook for the first time? Was it the celebrity knitting ‘trend’ or your great aunt Hilda?

I began crocheting around the age of 5. My dad asked an older woman to teach my mother and me. I remember my great-grandmother crocheting as a child and I have many of her blankets. I crocheted lots of crochet booties that were basically rectangles that I sewed up. I was ambitious at that age even with some Red Heart---I wanted to crochet a blanket in candy apple red and white. Needless to say that it didn't get very far. I didn't pick up the hooks again consistently until I discovered real patterns that were new exciting and updated around the time that I learned to knit.

I learned to knit when I was 17 and my Latin teacher taught me. She even let me skip class one day to go to a yarn/needlepoint store about a block away from my high school. I knit like 30 scarves that year almost all of them with fringe and cheap cheap yarn. The ones I have given to a select few of my family still wear them even though I cringe when I see them. I also learned how to cable and knit in the round. I made many hats as well. I got made fun of by my family and some pals that didn't knit but now I have them begging for items;)

I have dabbled in many other craft mediums: beadwork, painting, papermaking, calligraphy, sewing, paper mache...well you get the idea. I really feel connected to my knitting and crochet. I love wearing things that I have made and I like giving them as gifts even those who don't really understand the love and care that goes into making something. Check out Knitterella's gift labels here and they are perfect for those sort of people.