Cashmere! Crochet! Cushion

This was a pretty big achievement in crochet for me. My first foray into triple trebles (and beyond - up to quintuples I think, though by that point I had a good handle of the logic of it). Actually, 'working behind each petal' was much more of a stumbling block. It took a few trial goes of the first several rounds before I felt I was getting it. And I was so focused on the crochet challenge and happy to get it done in time, that I enormously underestimated the other challenge at hand, that of knitting the cushion cover itself in a few days. With the regrettable result that the very dearly loved person left waiting for a Christmas present was the same one who last Christmas received one sock and the promise of another before it would be cold enough to wear them. Oops.

Minor variations from the pattern: I didn't do the outer (chain) rounds of the flower because I just liked the simpler design. Similarly I liked the idea of doing it all in one colour instead of contrasting flower and background.  The wool is more of that lovely green Patons Romance. I  didn't follow the pattern for the cushion cover, I just (ha!) went for the size of insert I already had, and made it removable, with a button closure. (I think I've figured out the better way to do that since last time. That one was posed fairly nicely for the photo but actually tended to gape too much.)

And just "making it the right size" turned out to be not so easy. A lot of the delay came about because I was overly concerned about making sure the cushion would end up looking well-stuffed (so the flower would pop out nicely) and I overestimated how small the cover should be relative to the filling. I knit the whole thing once, way too small, partly in a pre-Christmas frenzy. Then when I knit it again, still aiming for a 40cm insert, I ended up needing a 35cm one instead. And all was well in the end.

Yes, I do knit tea cosies

Oy. Hello! Happy New Year! So I had a few weeks off work, during which I was first busy, and then very relaxed and kinda trying to be task focused but not really succeeding.

Here is a little tea cosy I made for my parents for Christmas. It's will not, I think, be the only one I make for them. I think I need to do something more outrageous and embellished. But they have at least three teapots (I went round one day while they were out of town and measured them all) so there is plenty of scope for that to happen.

I think I am a bit too easily tempted by small projects. I have several bigger projects on the go, as well as certain garments I'm just dying to make (and have the yarn lined up for).  But between the felting - another deadline/opportunity looms and I need to get in gear to make the most of it - and the tempting little gifts here and there, those bigger things spend so much of the time waiting (then becoming mental blocks).


Back when I was knitting my second ever tea cosy (by request), I was cranking it out at a party and someone said, with a pleased tone, 'oh, do you knit tea cosies?' Not if I can help it, was my instinctive response.

And it's not true, cause of course I can help it and yet here I am doing it again. I'm perfectly happy knitting a tea cosy. I just want to also make a variety of other things in between tea cosies.

Anyway, this is made from Noro Kureyon, using the Lizard Ridge afghan/blanket pattern designed for just this wool. I just started a square as written in the pattern, and when it was almost tall enough, did a couple of rows with decreases to taper it, and a row of eyelets. Did it all again for the other side and sewed the two together. It is a bit baggy, but my stunt teapot is a bit smaller than the target. Also I couldn't take the time, in the madness of late December, to reconfigure the pattern to be narrower.

I'd love to work out a feasible way to make a tea cosy in the round - so much of each side is the hole for the handle or spout that it seems easier to make two flat pieces. But the way this pattern works with the self striping wool meant that the two sides look very different to each other. The only way I can think of making it in the round would be to steek the slits in either side. I've never done a steek - could be a good opportunity to try it, though it seems like a lot of fuss for a tea cosy!

Unseasonable

I made seasonally inappropriate Christmas presents for my mum and sisters this year. After a couple of mild years, we are finally having a proper hot summer. We might even be edging into a heatwave. The current forecast is for over a week of consecutive days over 30 degrees, with a few in the very high 30s.

Anyway, Christmas will always be in summer, so I didn't worry too much about it. I had certain things I wanted to knit for them, and each of these projects was a follow-up in some way to a previous project this year.

Sister E's purple cabled cowl sat so nicely at first, but after a couple of wears it rolled up into a large doughnut, and she has to use a brooch to keep it positioned. We had settled on the cowl idea after talking about what she likes in a small scarf - something she can throw on and not have to pin, tie or arrange - so I was really disappointed (though she insists she still likes wearing it).
 
I showed her a few pictures and we both liked Sev[en]circle by Kirsten Johnstone. After the doughnut problem, the way this pattern uses the rolling tendency of knitted stockinette fabric was an added bonus. It's a really clever, and simple, pattern. All the circles are joined at the back - I forgot to photograph this, but you can see many examples on Ravelry. There is lots of casting on and off, other than that, beautiful mindless knitting, so it was a good travel project. It's also very easy to customise. Once you see how it works it's easy to amend it to have shorter or longer loops, or both. And I think I only did six circles. I also found (like others have) that eight rows was enough to make a good roll - the pattern calls for ten, but I was trying to make the yarn (Patons Romance merino/cashmere) go further.  I've just finished another one for me, and now everyone else wants one too! I think I'm likely to start another when I take a trip somewhere, or need a simple project in between other things.

Then there was the Teal leaves scarf, which is wearable, but in the smaller gauge it wasn't really what sister D had envisioned. I went in search of bulky wool and did it again (so quick!) as the designer intended. It's Naturally Harmony 14ply on 8mm needles. I was really looking for a colour, not white, but decided I could give it to her for Christmas and then offer to dye it later. But she actually liked it that way it is (and it looks good on her).


The pattern for Mum was easy to choose too, because she had originally pointed it out to me - not something she has really done often. These are the Mica Mitts by Laura Nelkin (sans beads). I had enough Katia baby merino leftover from Mum's Chadwick shawl, and I liked the idea that the mitts would match the shawl in colour, though not particularly in style. I don't like things to be to matchy-matchy.


This is a great pattern too, and the lace motif looks pretty fancy for how simple it really is to knit.  Mum's not too much of a lace person, but these really suit her.

They say you would not hurt a fly

I made this dinosaur for a new baby friend of mine. (I haven't met him yet but will very soon).
The pattern is Rebecca Danger's Basil the Boogie Woogie Brontosaurus. It is well written, and no more fiddly than it needs to be.

I don't think it matters if you think of him as a 'brontosaurus' or apatosaurus  or some other unspecified kind of dinosaur. K pointed out that his tail should stretch out behind him, and looking at the pictures, I suppose his neck and head should be more forward too.... but he wouldn't be as cute that way. Perhaps his upright posture is what makes him a boogie woogie dinosaur?

I used 5 ply wool and he came out quite big (didn't measure and he has flown away now, but the body might have been 20cm long?). In 8 ply he would be impressive.

Where everyone would love to drown

Last Saturday night, while drinking beer and eating Turkish food with good friends, the question was asked, what would you play if you were guest programmer on (long-running wee-hours-of-the-weekend music video show) Rage?

After a slow start, I hit on one of my favourite themes -- songs featuring male and female vocals together. I can't tell you why but it's always been something that really draws me to a song or a group.

A few ground rules: it doesn't have to be a duet with equivalent parts, but both voices need to have have a bit more than just a standard backing singer part. Also, they can be in a band together, it doesn't have to be a special one-off team-up. (But those are cool.)

We all tossed around ideas and came up with heaps, I only wish I had been writing them down at the time. Although if I had them all this post would be way too long, so here are a few of my favourites. If you like this kind of thing too, I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Johnny and June. Aw.

Continuing in the country vein, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.

Something from Jack White's album with Loretta Lynn, Van Lear Rose, Portland, Oregon. Don't you love her dress, in that context? 

(Unfortunately I wasn't able to embed all of the videos.)

Something from the beautiful album Raising Sand by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant has to be in here - try Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On).

Brad Paisley's incredibly depressing Whiskey Lullaby, featuring Alison Krauss, also deserves a mention. However, the official video, which I had never seen until researching this post, kind of  spoils the mood. If I ever made a music video I'd try to steer clear of such a literal interpretation.

From his bluegrass album, Paul Kelly and the Stormwater Boys, a song featuring Kasey Chambers. I like Kasey's voice much better in duet than solo. More recently, she and her husband Shane Nicholson have made two albums together that I really like.


Or maybe you prefer the Emmylou Harris version of the same song, with Ricky Skaggs? She toured recently, including a show in Canberra, and I really wish I had gone to see her!

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - you could pick almost anything from their three albums together - this is Come on over, turn me on.

Ok, is that enough country/blues/bluegrass? Let's turn to British band The Beautiful South. So many of their songs feature Paul Heaton and/or Dave Hemingway duetting with the female vocalist in the band at the time (over several years, Briana Corrigan, Jacqui Abbott and then Alison Wheeler). Good as gold (stupid as mud) or Perfect 10 or Prettiest Eyes or many others...

Ooh, how about the Pet Shop Boys featuring Dusty Springfield - What have I done to deserve this?

Although songs from musicals are less likely to fly on Rage, this is my blog and I'd like to throw in A Model of Decorum and Tranquility, a duet that turns into a trio, from my favourite musical, Chess.

Siblings often sound good together (think of the Bee Gees). Michael and Janet have the dancing gene as well.

Nick Cave has done some great duets - here he is with PJ Harvey.

Mustn't forget Fleetwood Mac.



And a final mention for Eurythmics' We too are one, though Dave Stewart's singing part is not huge, I just wanted them in this list anyway. 

Someone suggested blues and greens

And I realised I might have been on more of reddish kick for too long. I'm doing some sorting of the felting wool cupboard, having found some clear plastic baskets at the dollar shops (clear, so you can still see the colours somewhat through the glass sides and doors of the cupboard). Never fear, it will still be a loosely organised creative mess. I like it that way. I am just a bit sick of balls of wool springing out every time I open it. And I wasn't really seeing all the options that are tucked away in there.

Anyway, if you happen to be the person who asked at Craft ACT if I ever do greens and blues, these four are now available in the shop. (And I'm always happy to take custom orders).

Blogs I love

Wow! Thank you so much for your response to my last post, I am having a great time checking out your suggestions. I think it's only fair that I should also highlight a few sites that I love.

I don't really respond to many 'design' blogs, but I never get sick of the clever repurposing projects highlighted in Unconsumption.

This is another one I power through every now and then (it used to be Craftzine but then it was rolled into big brother Makezine). There is a lot of content so I usually just scroll through fairly quickly 'til something catches my eye. Quite a few of my past Christmas present ideas were inspired by something from Craft.

Sara Aires does beautiful things with felt and crochet. I can't understand a word of her posts, but I love her work. Same goes for doll stories by artist Neta Amir of Israel, and a long time favourite of mine, Ann Wood.

Since I found them in London last year, I like keeping up with Prick Your Finger's take on the woolly fibre arts. The post about the Shamanic Bed was a recent standout.

I also keep an eye on a few fashion/style blogs - some for direct inspiration and others just because they are completely marvellous, like Desiree at Pull your socks up.

Is blogging dead? Long live the blog!

I still read a lot of blogs, but many of my old favourites have gone dark, and I'd like to make some new connections. And I would love to hear from you, if you're still checking in here - who else do you read? People who make things? People who collate other interesting things? People who just write damn well? Bring on the recommendations.

All the colours

What my living room has looked like for the past week... working to a couple of (sort of self-imposed) deadlines.

Go karting!

 I was about the slowest on the track but it was heaps of fun.
 Getting lapped again!