Insubordiknit Workshop Samples

Insubordiknit Workshop Samples
Originally uploaded by Lettisia

Here's my awesome spinning from the Insubordiknit Workshop 20 and 21 March 2010.

Slightly Askew

My latest knitting project is Askew by Cheryl Kemp. http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTaskew.html

I knitted it as written for the 41" size blocked, basted it together, tried it on and eurgh! Just not right. I hate the clingy horizontal stripes on the back and the straps were far too wide set. I'd used 2 balls of silk garden starting in very different places in the colour repeat and that as quite unflattering too. The photo of the original has them quite close together - a little askew! It looked much better. I unpicked the side seam a little and that helped the front to look better. I suspected that a bias knit back would be more flattering so i but the top on back to front to check andit no longer clung to my back fat. The back needed to be a few inches thinner than the front leaving a gap under each arm to be filled in by a shaped gusset.

I frogged the back and one of the front sections then re knit the back on 28sts. I worked both halves of the back at once using two balls and twisting the yarns at the back intarsia style. I chose two balls that started at close to the same point. I then worked another front section with similar colours to the first. Once i sew the fronts together i'll try the top on and see what size and shape the gusset panels will need to be.



Here's what the fronts look like before and after blocking.

End High Fuel Prices!

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Yarn Pron!

Y'know i'm spelling it wrong for a reason, right?

Anyway:

This, my friends, is the yarn of doom. I finally wound it into a ball and took a photo.

You can stop drooling on your keyboard now.

Colinette Tao. 100% silk. Soft. Shiny

Look at Me!!!

I was fiddling round with my camera and i happened to take an actual nice photo of me so i had to post it here. Duh!

Now have a closer look behind my head... I like this photo!



Oh yeah. Here's the Bloody Stupid Johnson Hat! Looks bloody stupid, no?

Andrea's 50s Bolero

Ok folks, Andrea wants to knit a bolero to go with her gorgeous 50s style navy blue dress and matching navy blue polka dot heels. She has lovely, 8-ply natural white wool.

She wants to use this pattern.

I'm not so sure. I really like the stitch pattern, its simple and perfect and the border is pretty.

BUT Its all loose and floppy...*nose scrunch* I like the more fitted versions. At my place i have some authentic 50s bolero patterns! I think its the shape around the shoulder that i'm finding most annoying. The looser sleeves and bottom look fine but the vintage patterns all have set-in sleeves, some with a little puffiness at the top. Granted i'm most likely looking at 40s to early 50s patterns when i say that. Anyway i've put a few pictures with explanation here, on my blog,

I'd rather make this:

See its much more fitted. But Andrea doesn't have 4-ply Angora to play with (neither do i)

Now i was complaining about the topdown oversized raglan look. This shape is what was popular in the 40s and 50s

Look how square those shoulders are and the cleaness of the lines. Isn't she perfect? Fine unless you move your arms, of course!

Or you could make the shoulders even pointier and puffier, this is very 40s

I'm not suggesting these patterns in particular, i'm just making a point about the sleeves.
Oh and i really like that angora bolero. Now i'm thinking it might be fun to try it in a simple lace stitch but it does have weird shaping including short rows which might not be lace friendly.

Have fun Knitting Andrea

Swimming in Yarn

Oh do i ever wish i had the camera. I just put the one i got for christmas in for repairs. :( The reason i need a camera is to show off the piles and piles of yarn the i recently bought. I put in a big order at Bendi which didn't come till today and meanwhile finally made it to the Back Room at the factory shop and went a little nuts on the way back from confest.

I Have:
lilac cotton
harmony stretchy wool/cotton/lycra in wisteria (lots), mauve (lots), blue(200g), pink(200g) and pale gray green (200g)
8 ply baby wool (lots) in Raspberry which is incredibly soft and will be absolutely perfect for the Leticia Cardigan (see below)
Dusty pink/mauve 10 ply aran for a January Fishtrap Aran from EZ's Almanac made for Dad (7x200g balls)
5x200g balls mauve alpaca for my Lift an Separate wrap cardigan from Big Girl Knits
3x200g balls graphite rustic wool for my Melba vest
Some random complementary colours of wool for the December Lights Tam in Interweave nits Holiday edition 2007
10 balls burgundy sock wool, Jo has already stolen 2. (with permission)
2 balls blue/grey tweed lace weight baby alpaca from my Tea Swap partner
Cone of 2-ply wool in red and a cone of 3 ply in aqua for random lace making
A big bag of blended black/grey/white superwash sliver from Bendi all ready to spin.
A random bag of 5-ply wool in dk plum
Lots of 8-ply wool with 2 blue plies and 1 varigated pink ply spun into a three ply yarn. Very pretty and perfect for some EZ garter stitch work, i reckon. Maybe i could try a tomten jacket this has inspired me.

It may only be the 8th day of January but i really don't think i'll need to buy any more yarn this year!

The only thing wrong now is that i'm still waiting for my Joan McGowan Michael patterns :( Oh well they'll be here soon.

Till then i have plenty to knit and a 2-year old nephew to play with.

Ravelry Ate Me!

What can i do? I've been neglecting the blog. Ah well, the priveledged can see what i've been up to at http://www.ravelry.com/people/Lettisia

At least i've taken some photos of recent work...

Indigo dyed bamboo yarn:


Quant made from Anchor Magicline:


First pentagon of Doddy made with 70% Bamboo/30% cotton yarn

Sock... um... heh!



1/2 of EZ's rib warmer. Front is at left, armhole in middle, back at right.

EZ's Surplice Baby Jacket


Some kumihimo braid made from perle cotton. Note to self, two strands is the worst possible number for braiding cos when they twist and cross over its not smooth and circular. Argh. Here's what i use to braid.



That'll do for now... Oh yeah i'm off to the beach again this year for christmas and january and i'm heading to Confest for NYE. Spring Shawl Surprise is starting Jan 1, i'm looking forward to that. I need to pick a yarn and work a swatch. Dunno when with all the xmas kerfuffle.

Also i have some Yarn on the way from Bendigo and some Patterns and a signed book from White Lies Designs (drool.) The plan is to make the One Piece Wonder, Joan reckons it'll work. We'll see... She's posting some large cup size patterns on the yahoo group so i can make it fit me.

Oh yeah Joan McGowan Michael named a pattern after me! At least i'm claiming that she did.
Its super pretty too. I immediately ordered it of course. Oh, i have to put up a photo. Everyone buy Joan's stuff ok?

Buy This Pattern!

Big Rainbow

Hmmmm, either one foot is lots bigger than the other or something is wrong...

Blocked, measured sock tension. 32sts*36rows/10cm Pattern says: 30sts*42rows/10cm Ok, i see where i've gone wrong with the row guage but what's going on with the st guage, The socks are too wide as well. GRRRRARRGGHHH. Oh yeah, and how the hell do i knit square stocking stitches?

Oh well, the knitting got me through the trip to Katherine, almost i'll be back in Melbourne on Monday. Well, 5am Sunday morning actually but as if i'll be awake on Sunday after that. It takes about 18hrs to get from Katherine to Melbourne (orvice versa) Even with aeroplanes.

Square Deal Weave Along

Welcome to my first weave-it loom photos:
Here are my first 4 plain weave squares.
Sorry for the crappy focus! The yarns are: Pink, Cleckheaton country silk; Green, Patons Jet; blue/green/yellow, Some of the extra sock yarn that came with my first socks of doom, it felts so i'm guessing its wool.

And my very first 'loom bloom' courtesy Spin-off Winter 2005 (Jana's article)

Next i try the patterns!

Button, button, who's got the button!

They're Here!

What you've all been waiting for: Pictures of my Sockwars Socks!
And now for a close up!Oooooooh!

More things on which to perve!

My Lace yarn has arrived! The colours are far more pretty in real life, the orange and blue are much brighter, the white is that perfect creamy sheep colour, the grey is a real silver. All the yarn is delicious and soft.Thought i'd share this wonderful photo. I went to a proper high tea at a family friend's place. Yes it was as delicious as it looks.

By the way, Ravelry update:

• I am #44798 on the list.
• 11802 people are ahead of me in line.
• 2705 people are behind me in line.
• 65% of the list has been invited so far

Oh and a sock wars update, before i forget. Yesterday i frogged the toe of the first sock and made it longer cos i was being stingy. Now i know the socks will fit. Just need to knit a few more rows of toe, graft then weave in the ends. Then someone can assasinate me with all possible speed (please?)

Finally, i've got around to downloading those photos!

Me trying to be artsy with my half finished first sock:

More detail on the sock, see the pretty scars?


Ooooooh, look at the pretty! Guess who spun that? Me! Then i put wound it into a skein on my niddy noddy, put it on my umbrella swift and wound it into a ball on my brand spanking new (second hand) Ball Winder! Yay, i finally have one. Look at the pretty ball...
The yarn is from 50% merino/50% silk painted tops i bought at the Bendigo wool show. I spun it slubby, then plied it with thin silk thread to make it bobbly. Pretty!

Buy Nothing Day - how did i do?

Well, i had the basketmakers of victoria coming to plant craft cottage to hang out with our basketry group and it was bring a plate. I didn't have time and was far too stressed to cook anything so i bought an apple tea cake at our local, non-chain bakery. Even better i walked straight past the chain, over hyped cheesecake shop to get there.

In conclusion, i did have to buy something, but at least i shopped locally.

Oh yeah, Does bidding for second hand stuff on ebay count as buying stuff? I didn't win it or pay for it till today. In case you were wondering its a ball winder (finally) $46 including postage, not too bad.

I can finally wind some of those damn skeins!

Oh yeah, basketry yesterday. I was so tense that it took me 5 tries to get the arms on a corn dolly right but eventually i did and she is beautiful. She has fairy wings, a pink top, an aqua belt and aqua hair tied in a ponytail. She's almost to sweet to be a fairy! All made from corn husks.

A lady from basketmakers vic taught me how to make string. You can use corn husks or red-hot-poker for the natural look or recycle old bread bags for the colourful, shiny look. She was making a basket of bread bag string and blue computer networking cable. Awesome! The natural stuff is great for decorating baskets or wrapping presents.

I found a book in the plant craft cottage library about making Maori baskets from flax, it has so many diagrams that they could only fit two shapes of basket into the book! Now i just have to find someone to steal flax from (and finish my project so i have time) And it tells you how to prepare flax properly.

Y'know the guy that has a stall on Swanston street and makes crickets and stuff from flax? He happened to be having a walk in the gardens on the very day we were having our big combined meeting and working with flax. How cool is that? Anyway he showed us a few tricks and made something and talked about preparing flax and how to dry it nicely. I'll grill Philipa on the details next time.

People keep giving me stuff at PCC. Lois gave me her own copy of a book on basketry that has all the australian sources of material ie the ones you can actually find! Then she gave me a stack of red hot poker (she has her own plants so must have plenty) I also ended up with a bag of corn husks and some bread bag bits from the lady who taught me the string. Not to mention the books i can borrow from the library.

I must admit, i found Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitters Workshop in there and i'm not sure that they'll be getting that one back. At least not till i buy my own copy. And one for Jo for christmas. That book is amazing! Hail EZ! I'm gonna try the rib warmer with my handspun (the grey stuff) If the gauge is anywhere near at least. It would look so cute in hand painted mohair, the construction means the rows are curved so it'd show off the stripeyness well.

Sock wars update: 4 scars on second sock.

Lily Chin

I was reading Lily Chin's article, i think it was in Vogue knitting silver anniversary issue or something. I finally figured out why despite all her efforts at fitting, shaping, couture and the wonderful 'how to trick the eye to make you look good' article, i really don't like many of her patterns cos they're extremely unflattering. I figure most designers' have to start from what they know and know most about themselves so in a way design for themselves. Maybe i don't like many lily chin designs not because she's a crap designer but because i have the complete opposite figure type to her. Eg, she is skinny with big hips and tiny boobs, I'm not skinny (lets call it curvaceous) and i have tiny hips and really big boobs! Thus things that look good on Lily Chin (or her slightly perfected mental reference figure that she designs for) are almost guaranteed to look crappy on me!

That, and, i have the bead book and some of the designs in there are crap! Hey, everyone has their bad days! :D

Buy Nothing Day

http://adbusters.org/metas/eco/bnd//

Ok, I know being anti-consumerism is hypocritical for me given how much random stuff i buy. Well, it might be that i'm shopping addicted which is not a good thing.

Now, giving up shopping for one day shouldn't be too hard. I just have to not leave the house or use the internet. But what about, say, not shopping for one day a week? Can i do it? Have i done it recently?

Today's not going to be the day this week, i bought a weave-it loom on ebay which is being posted from America. Yesterday was not good either. I bought 7 cones of beautifully coloured 22-micron merino 2-ply lace weight yarn. (drool) It was posted today! Right... Sunday, i bought food and a cat toy. Saturday, dinner at Chantal's b'day and a train ticket. Friday, beads ($3 gemstone chip strands, i bought quite a few) and leather for slipper soles. ($7 for a nice pile of small pieces of expensive suede!)... Thursday. Sunspun, sufficient RYC cashsoft for a Debbie Bliss cardigan (gorgeous ribs and cable motif at center lower back)... Now Wednesday, i don't really remember wednesday. Oh checking facebook looks like i was here at uni until 10pm. On facebook. I don't remember that morning but there's a fairly good chance that i didn't buy anything.

Yay! I found a day where i didn't buy anything! (this really isn't looking good though)

I'm going to officially declare Wednesday a no buying day. I'll post here on Thursday so everyone'll know how well i do.

Weave Along

Found it yesterday, bought a loom today (ebay) I can start when the loom arrives if i've finished my research and my socks wars socks

www.eLoomanator.eLoomaNation.com

I put a link in my links bar too so i can find it again!

Speaking of sock wars, i finished (including toe grafting and weaving in ends) one sock. The second has ribbed cuff and 1 scar. I'm at uni so i can't post photos right now. Here's some others' socks so you'll get what a scar is.

Duh, i just checked yarnmonkey's blog (even if she ain't got yarnmonkey any more) Yarnmonkey is the Sockwars General. She's posted the pattern! Funny, that...

Ravelry

Well, i signed up...

Then i checked my place on the list!

• You signed up on Today
• You are #44798 on the list.
• 15045 people are ahead of you in line.
• 0 people are behind you in line.
• 57% of the list has been invited so far

Well, you never know. I might get on there eventually!

Apparently they're getting through 500-600 people a day at the moment so that makes say six weeks before i get on there. Perfect, i'll be finished my report by then.

Till then i have the tour:

http://www.ravelry.com/tour/peek

My favorite part so far is the yarn-porn! (photos of yarn, not photos of nekkid people with yarn, that would distract from the yarn.)

Sock wars begins

Look! Cuff!