Category: crafting

  • dipped infinity scarf kits!

    Check this out – Tanis of Tanis Fiber Arts has put together some gorgeous kits for the Dipped Infinity Scarf! Each kit comes with enough of her beautiful fingering weight yarn for the project and a copy of the pattern as well. If you don’t see any in her Etsy store just at the moment, don’t worry – more are on their way!

    On the gift knitting front, the second lozenge pattern sock is well past the heel so that should be done soon. And I’ve started another project, this one’s a request:

    more red (and yellow)

    Can you tell by the colours? No?

    How about now?

    on the way

    Yep, it’s a Harry Potter scarf (Prisoner of Azkaban style, of course) for my sister. She put in her request early so obviously I didn’t get started until just this week! Ha! I’m loving the yarn I’m using – Cascade Venezia worsted for the red, and Misti Alpaca worsted for the gold. I’ve got about four repeats done, maybe 8 to go.

    But since this one won’t really be “due” until Christmas Day, I might need to get started on some other smallish gifties that need to be done before then! I’d better get knitting.

  • poppies, 2009

    I’m reposting this blog entry from last year, because I don’t think I can improve on it for 2009! Thanks to the people who have donated already for this year.

    Right after Halloween in Canada, poppy pins blossom on lapels across Canada. We have Remembrance Day on November 11th to commemorate the sacrifices of war.

    The poppy is a symbol of remembrance, and was popularized after the First World War due to a poem by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. Few poppies grew in Flanders, France, before the war broke out; rubble from bombardments enriched the soil with lime, and then the fields exploded with the blood-red flowers. Once the war was over, the lime became reabsorbed and the poppies disappeared.

    lapel poppy

    In Flanders Fields
    In Flanders fields the poppies blow
    Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
    Scarce heard amid the guns below.

    We are the dead. Short days ago
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe:
    To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
    In Flanders fields.
    – Lt. Col. John McCrae

    poppy

    So to help you remember, here’s a little free pattern for a poppy. It knits up very quickly in scrap yarn – I used aran weight black something, and triple-stranded Schaefer Anne for the red. You want to use a small needle so that it’s stiff. Finished size is approximately 2 inches across.

    Download Poppy.pdf

    Poppies are not bought or sold; people make a contribution for their poppy.
    Any donations from this pattern will be given to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund, which is used to provide immediate assistance to ex-servicemen and women in need. This may include food, shelter or medical attention for them or their families. Also, education bursaries are granted to children and grandchildren of ex-service personnel.

    More information about the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Campaign.

    DONATIONS CLOSED – please donate to your local legion!

  • honeybee lace cardigan

    Is it obvious that I love cardigans with all my heart? I don’t remember the last time I wore a pullover!

    I started this lace project quite a while back, but had a bunch of screwups that resulted in several ripping sessions. Now I definitely, definitely know how to knit this pattern though!

    honeybee lace

    This is the Honeybee lace pattern in Socks that Rock Mediumweight “Rose Quartz” (I think I posted a photo of the swatch awhile back). Took longer than necessary with all the ripping, but this has now become this:

    honeybee lace

    I didn’t know how far my yarn would go (I have 3 skeins) so I cast on provisionally for the body, knit up to the underarm, cast on provisionally for the sleeves as well and knit a seamless set-in sleeve for the upper body. I love it! The yarn amount situation is looking good, too.

    Now I’m going to knit the sleeves down a bit, then decide what to do with the body. The idea was to just have the lace from the waist up, but now I’m wishing I’d done the whole thing in honeybee! I love this pattern. But I think what I’ll do is keep it as sort of a cropped shape, with a wide stockinette hem at the bottom. Still needs button bands and a neckband too.

    kinda wish I'd done the whole thing in Honeybee

    The pattern for this one will eventually be released as well, but it’s going to be pretty complex to work out because of the patterning and the set-in sleeve! My math could probably use the challenge though.