Colorimetry Shetland Jumper Woven Scarf

The Colorimetry Woven Scarf in Shetland jumper is done. Its woven on my Kromski Harp Loom with a 10 dent heddle, it uses 36 different semi-solid colours as a colour study i semi-solid yarn. It was a quick and easy project and worked well with my current lack of concentration.

Trekking socks finally finished

After much ripping out and procrastination i finally got them done. The multicoloured yarn is Trekking XXL sock yarn and the grey is the now sadly discontinued Sirdar Town and Country sock yarn. They're knitted toe up on 2mm needles using 12 stitch seamless cast on and increasing to 90 stitches. The heel is worked over 50 stitches as recommended by Lucy Neatby. The fairisle pattern is semi-randomly generated by asking whoever was around at the time to choose 3 numbers which determined the number of stitches in each colour and the pattern.

Picture update

Kittens 4 weeks old and cute as ever ...

Weaving - scarf in progress. The warp and weft are Colorimetry Shetland jumper yarn that were the colour quality control skeins for 3 batches of dyeing. They are semi-solid colours and this is a modified version of the age old colour experiment this time using semi-solid colours to study colour interaction. There are 36 different colours in total. I have enough of these colours left for a fair-isle colourwork jumper probably ala Alice Starmore ... but need to get those fair-isle socks in trekking yarn finished first.

Here's the stained glass wallhanging nearly done. The top is complete and i just need to assemble the wadding and backing and hanging sleeve. The black fabric is a plain (fairly good quality) craft cotton and the colours are mostly hand dyed Colorimetry fabric. I have a second one set up ready for cutting out with a different picture ... watch this space.

Colorimetry Ravelry group

There's a group for all things Colorimetry on Ravelry called Colorimetry Fans with a chance to win a cup of yarn ... check it out!

Laurel Burch Fabric and stained glass update

Here's the stained glass wallhanging progress ... yes it dolphins

Here's a cozy for my ipod classic (i know ... but its the best mp3 player out there for podcasts and audiobooks even though itunes kind of sucks at times). Its made from Laurel Burch jungle songs fabric lined with fleece and interfaced with plastic canvas wrapped in cotton batting to make it sturdy. The button is made from fantastic felines fabric and is a Hemline metal self cover button (29mm size). The elastic closure is a snag-free hair bobble that i whip-stitched (using 2ply wool) in the middle so it fits the button snugly. The ipod sits tight in the pocket so i can listen to all my favourite sheepy podcasts on the go, if its held upside down the ipod doesn't slide out.

i braved cutting some Laurel Burch fabrics to make this shoulder bag. The flap is a fantastic felines panel.
i used some Jungle Songs for the back and back pocket.
This is the front pocket that the flap sticks to via the velcro tabs.
Here's the inside lining and zipped inside back pocket.

There's a wee side pocket for my mobile.

Here's the pattern i based the bag on. McCalls M5824. The pattern was easier to follow but i made a few modifications. i used plastic canvas to reinforce the gusset, front and back pocket sections, flap and the strap, this helps prevent the bag from being floppy. i used a single layer of cotton batting to wrap the plastic canvas in and used this in place of the fusible fleece mentioned in the pattern. i used heavy Vilene fusible interfacing on all main bag sections. The bag stands up on its own and holds its shape perfectly. i'm really happy with the shape and size. i was nervous about using my Laurel Burch stash but this project was worth it.

Kittens

Cocoa had three beautiful kittens yesterday. One is pure black and the other two have white socks. They're so cute and squeaky. It makes me think about how vulnerable baby animals are. i think one or maybe two of them may become permanent residents as this is Cocoa's last litter. It took a while to get a picture of them.

This is the best i could manage ... given a very protective mother.

Mostly they were hiding and got many pictures of various bits of Cocoa and her nipples (apologies to Cocoa for the picture)

Odd Socks

Here are a pair of deliberately odd socks that were knitted as a gift (apologies for the picture but it was taken while in hospital on my phone). The socks have different cables on them and were knitted as a 'Thank you' present for someone who really helped me through last year. They were knitted odd partly because i wear odd socks and couldn't knit a matching pair and partly because i wanted them to be totally unique. i used a simple toe up pattern with a couple of clever Lucy Neatby tricks for toe up heels.

Big picture update ...

When i look back over my creative journal from 2011 i realise i've achieved more than i thought and actually finished a few things despite feeling like i was "running in high heels through a river of mud" as Karine Polwart so eloquently puts it). Here follows some of Purplejen's creative exploits from 2011, finished and still in-progress.

1. Quilted fabric bag made as a gift (finished)

2. Reverse applique stained glass wall hanging (in progress). Most of the fabric for this was hand dyed. Will post pictures as it develops into the complete picture.

3. Purple/rainbow quilt (in-progress, as its a gift can't show whole thing until its finished).

There are 9 paper pieced purple ribbons representing the colour of the womens movement (was the colour representing the suffragettes) and it is worn by women worldwide to raise awareness about violence against women (printable pattern from Carol Doak), 4 fusible bias tape designs and some words made from fusible bias tape in silver. The binding is dark purple. The top is finished, its layered and needs quilted which is going to be quite a challenge to my poor concentration. The designs in fusible bias tape were drawn onto paper and the paper placed under the white fabric and it was easy enough to follow.

4. Modern mix flowers quilt made as a gift.

This was based on a kit designed by Esther at Purely Patchwork. The flowers were appliqued onto the background before assembling the top. The centre of the flowers was stitched using flower stitch sewing machine foot which is a fun to use once you get the hang of it. The main body of the quilt was quilted in the ditch and finished with freehand loops and vermicelli.

5. My dragonfly pin cushion

6. Top down set-in sleeve top ala Barbara Walker (finished but needs blocked and the ends woven in.

The purple sparkly yarn is a Old Maiden Aunt sock yarn (two strands held together) which has lovely subtle colour variation and the rest is Noro Kureyon sock yarn. The yellow wedge halfway down is the bust dart modification ala Ysolda Teague (Little Red in the City), i was a bit worried about the yellow wedge emphasizing a large bust but it works just fine. It was modelled by a friend but i failed to get a picture (to follow once its properly blocked and finished).

7. Twist and Shout Cardigan

Free Knitty pattern in unbranded pure wool coned tweed yarn. Quick to knit but sadly turn out too big so will either get a new owner or might try a controlled felting experiment (Note to self (!) - need to find the remaining yarn to test on first!)

8. Sandra's Mitts - P/hop Cranford Pattern in Old Maiden Aunt Sparkly sock yarn (no picture as gifted)

9. Geraldine's Odd socks (picture to follow).

Deliberately odd socks knitted in Ripples Yarn high twist Falkland merino/nylon blend in lipstick red. More about this later)

10. Preemie socks/mitts in Old Maiden Aunt Sparkly sock yarn (no picture as gifted)

Simple pattern i designed for a 6 week premature baby which fit as a tube sock just now and can be worn as mitts as the baby grows.

11. Williams Scarf (gifted so no photo but it was truly unique).

This was a pattern i made up to reflect a journey from one not so good place to a much better place. Might try and get a photo when i next see the recipient.

12. Nicole's Pixie hat (picture to follow)

Elefant

Elefant has been Jen's companion for quite some time now. He's quite a character and has been in a bad mood with me this week for no apparent reason. With this in mind i thought i'd give him a wee moment of fame to cheer him up. He appeared in Jen's rucksack one day seemingly out of nowhere (i struggle with amnesia and hope i didn't deprive a small child of their toy), so i decided a while ago to write a story about Elefant's identity and how he came to be. He wears a hoodie i made for him back in August. Its a pattern i designed for him, it includes a wee hole for his tail and a dart at the back to fit his bum. Its made from Lana Grossa sock yarn (he choose it ... otherwise it would have been purple!). He's usually very patient and definitely long-suffering. He puts up with me (enough said!) and looks after me when i struggle, also an elephant has a perfect memory (the opposite of me!). He likes swings and slides and hiding in my knitting and dislikes hospitals, girlie things and Flanders and Swann's Elefant Song.

Here's Elefant trying hard not to pose ...

He's the first part of his story ...

Elefant was spotted beside the till in the Britannia Panopticon charity shop one driech October afternoon. It was sitting on top of a small bookcase that contained a diverse selection of books labelled as ‘esoterica’.

No-one knew how Elefant had got there, it had simply appeared one day. At first they thought it had fallen out of a small child’s clutches and then been put on the shelf to avoid being trampled on in a dark corner, or had been left behind by the harassed young mother who was in the habit of leaving assorted possessions on the shelves as she tended to her infants whims. However as time went on the staff realised that no-one was going to claim Elefant so he acquired a name (Elephant), sex (male) and a price tag (£2.50).

Although he was simply made from some stuffed stripey fabric with white suede-like tusks and his bottom half filled with beans, he was much admired by the regulars. The staff became quite fond of his black thread eyes and floppy ears. He was very life-like and could seemingly pull a multitude of expressions depending on his pose. He could appear to be silly and happy to cheer a crying toddler, sad and patient when listening to the grumpy old man’s woes and wise and ready for an adventure when patted by the French student. He seemed contented and didn’t mind being handled by his many admirers.

It was a Saturday lunchtime the following week that Elephant was purchased along with a reprint of an old Ordanance Survey map of Pollokshields 1894, a 1940’s edition of Modern home needlecraft and a postcard that said “This would be really funny if it wasn’t happening to me”. It all happened very quickly so no-one got a chance to glimpse his purchaser or say goodbye. (to be continued ...)