Rug Progress

Here it is so far. I must say, it's looking better than I expected. Needs to get at least twice as big, but I'm really moving at a good pace now that I have the hang of it. I'll also need to pick up some sort of rug backing.

The rug-to-be is photographed with my Kikki which I love. I only have 4 skeins - about 350 yards. I've been holding on to this yarn for months, terrified of wrecking it. But it's time to plunge in! My knitting needles are unpacked from the move and I can't wait to start something new. Perhaps a light shawl or capelet wouldn't require too much yarn? Suggestions anyone?

My Summer Sweater

Finally, something for me. I finished this in August and wear it all the time.

The pattern as pictured on the left, is from the July issue of Creative Knitting. Size 6mm needles and bulky wool are called for in the original pattern. For July! No way!

My version, on the right, is knit from super soft recycled cotton. The colour is actually a little lighter than it appears in the photo. I had to use 5mm to avoid a very meshy fabric and knit the largest size printed to make up for the thinner yarn. I'm super happy with the result. It falls beautifully and looks great over a tank or a long sleeve jersey. Wore it once in the evening with a long summery skirt and my white lace push-up bra. Add big jewellery and instant fabulous!

Groovy

I absolutely want to make this. It's from a 1960's British Patons mag. Oh yes, I have a small collection of vintage pattern books that I buy on Ebay and at rummage sales.

Three Questions:

1) Can I find a nice yarn? Not the scratchy acrylic of the pattern but something soft yet shape holding. Also, can I find said yarn on sale?

2) Is it wide enough to fall gracefully over the huge hips? I quit smoking recently and gained 10 pounds in a month!!! I refuse to stress about this. I now have more time and money for knitting - oh, I may live longer too.

3) How old are you when wearing cute sixties dresses stops being cute and just looks pathetic?

Corking Around

The snakes are going well (no current knitting projects due to having just moved). Some musings on fibre arts...
As I work on my mat, I remember corking with all my friends at recess during grade school. This was the early seventies. This memory always makes me think of the scene in Margaret Atwood's Cat's Eye, describing a similar reflection - it is called spool knitting in the book and Cordelia is pathetic at it. Has anybody else read this? This part of the story takes place, I believe, in the late forties, early fifties?
Now the daughter is helping with my mat. I bought her a great wooden corker - Canadian made, yay! - to replace the crappy plastic one that came with her craft book. She is becoming quite fast.
Anyway, she took her corker to school the other day and...you guessed it. "What's that?" "Show me how." "Can I have a turn?" Of course, this translates into "Mommy, can you pleease buy a corker for M? She really likes it and wants to make a hairband."
So, I bought two more. A spare won't hurt. I have visions of a circle of children, maybe even some boys in this scene, sitting in a circle on the grass...a knitting idyll. I love the continuity of craft, the tradition. Now I have a tear in my eye and simply can't go on.

Remember Corking?

I always called it corking as a kid, but have discovered recently that it goes by many names - french knitting, spool knitting and i-cord are a few
Several months ago, I dragged the old corker out of the sewing basket and started using up my scrap yarn. But, what to do with the results? I made several cute flowers for hats but that got tired quickly.
I've always loved rag rugs so I spent an afternoon researching rug making on line to see if corked "snakes" can be adapted into a traditional looking rug. Particularly helpful was a 1971 Mother Earth News article titled Snug As A Bug In A Braided Rug.
Here's the plan. . .After I get enough ropes made for a good start, I'll begin braiding and stitching them into a mat for my bedroom. It will be gorgeous! It will be tons of fussy work! Why am I doing this!
Updates will follow.

Links Day

I'm trying to learn a new part of blogging every time I log on. Today is figure out how to post links day. It's actually pretty simple.

I've chosen just two to start - both local Toronto independents. Beautiful stores each with its own flavour.
Knitomatic at Bathurst & St. Clair feels like a giant candy store...huge stash on shelves and in baskets. Impossible not to buy something. The proprietress seems to like colour as do I.
Lettuce Knit in Kensington Market is not as heavily stocked and feels more earthy. Shopping there, one senses the care with which each yarn was chosen. It's rather like choosing one piece of jewellry from the artisan's table when all the pieces are lovely.

We all could use some more yarn, right?

Poncho

The daughter doesn't get this one. She says it's ugly. Well, It is ugly but that's kinda the point. Got 2 balls of this acrylic sayelle. It's from Robinson's for heaven's sake! When did they go under? One simply has to make a retro seventies thing with such typically seventies yarn. I am quite pleased with the result.

I got the patterns off the internet - maybe about.com, but I can't remember exactly. They are printed and bindered so it doesn't really matter unless someone asks and who's likely to? Holy run on sentence Batman!

A Place For My Projects

For my first entry, one of which I am particularly proud.
The yarn is recycled thrift store sweater acrylic. The pieces are all based on old patterns but adapted for today's 18" doll.The model is Tabitha, my daughter's Tolly Girl.
This ensemble was completed this past spring and sold on ebay.