Monday 27 September 2010

Lacy knitted tops - pattern variations

Here is a lacy knitted top; a simple pattern with ribbing at the waist, a lacy pattern for the main body, and then ribbing at the top and for the armholes.  I made this pattern first in cream:




I also made the same design in aqua:

Then I decided to experiment and adapt the pattern so that it was more lacy, but the same overall principle.  Here is the result in red:


Here is the stitch in detail:

Monday 6 September 2010

A favourite jumper

When I saw this pattern with different cables on it I just had to get it and make it!  It is a Burda pattern, worked from a chart.  I made the jumper in a gray double knitting yarn.



That looked a little dark, so I tried again with the "night time" option:


That's better, the stitch design can be seen more easily.
Impressive features available on mobile phones these days...

Here is a detail of the stitch:


There is a triple cable - one to the left, one to the right and one over the centre.  A real challenge and a pleasure if you enjoy doing cables...luckily, that's one of my favourite techniques.

Sunday 5 September 2010

Tatted collars

Tatting doesn't seem to be as popular now as it once was, but it is fun and easy to do and doesn't take much space to do or to store, so it is ideal to take on journeys.

Unlike knitting and crochet, you don't need to make a tension square, the thickness of the thread determines the size of the finished piece, the shuttles only come in one size.

Here are some pictures of a couple of tatted collars I have made.  They are the same design, just different colours.

Detail of a cream collar showing pearl button for fastening:




A little more detail of the collar:




Here is a peach coloured collar...I couldn't fit it all on the scanner!




Saturday 4 September 2010

Embroidered pictures: poppy field

The final picture in the set of four is the poppy field.


The poppies are in different sizes of French knots (larger closer to the front, worked with more strands in the needle, fewer strands further back) to create the effect of perspective. They peek through the grass in shades of green that is paler further back (perspective, again).

There are trees (satin stitch, straight stitch and French knots) and a mountain (in a shiny rayon thread) in the distance.

The trunk and branches of the fir trees are worked after the greenery by threading variegated brown thread between the stitches so that the wood of the tree can be seen between the leaves.  The entire picture is worked over net, with blue and white net showing through to represent the sky.

Embroidered pictures: sunflowers

Here the subject is a field of sunflowers, their bright yellow flower heads enjoying the sunshine and disappearing off into the distance.


Detached chain stitch forms the petals of the nearer flowers, with French knots in the centre for the part that will become the seeds.  The more distant sunflower, and any that are still in bud, are shown using French knots.  Straight stitch fields with tree and hedges of French knots lead to satin stitch hills in the distance, with a cloudless sky hinted at with blue and white netting.

Embroidered pictures: cornfield

Here is the second of the set of four embroidered pictures: the cornfield.


Again, the effect of the sky is created with net.  There are hills and fields in satin stitch, hedges in French knots, and in the foreground the cornfield with red poppies and blue cornflowers bobbing among the ears of corn.

Friday 3 September 2010

Embroidered pictures: bluebell wood

Some years ago I took an embroidery course.  There were several projects from which to choose, and I made several embroidered pictures.  This one is the bluebell wood, showing a path between the trees and bluebells all around.


The sky has two layers of net to create a hazy feeling under the canopy of the trees.  The trees were worked in chain stitch in several shades of brown and gray to create the effect of bark, the flowers and leaves were worked using French knots, and the foliage and path in straight stitch.

It was fun to do.  All the pictures are framed and have green mounts, but the framed pictures didn't scan too well, so I have had to ease the embroidery out of the frame and scan it with only the mount as a border.  I managed to get it back in the frame afterwards!

First visit to Stitch London

I joined a Stitch London session at the Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday 1 September.  I looked round to try to find the group...went to every level in the RFH...got to the stage where I thought everyone must have gone, so I thought I would freshen up before leaving and voilà! I found the meeting *behind* the shop in the RFH, so I joined in and enjoyed a pleasant evening.

I thought I would wear something I had made, so this is what I chose:


a green top with twisted stitch and lace pattern.

As I was taking the photo I saw another top I had made close by, so here is that one as well:


This is a Jacquard design, rather than an entrelac pattern; it uses a green tweed/marl yarn for the welts and sleeve edges, and Wendy Donna (green bouclé with mohair) and Dolce (cream and green brushed yarn).  OK, I confess, this was a stash-buster design, but I am pleased with it.

The diamonds are all the same size, but there is a pillow under the top, so I might need to take another photo.

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Nearly finished crochet waistcoat/gilet

This lacy crochet waistcoat is made from individual motifs, so there were a lot of ends to sew in!  I am going to work double crochet along the edges all the way round, then it will be finished.  This will add strength to the edges and stop them from curling up on themselves.


I popped a pillow case between the back and the front so that the lacy pattern could be seen, maybe when I've done the edges I will take of photo of it being worn with something pale underneath...too dark, and the pattern would disappear.   :-)

Mona Lisa jacket

Yesterday it was starting to get a bit chilly, so I wore the jacket I made in Paton's Mona Lisa yarn (bouclé yarn with mohair) with double knitting welt, collar and cuffs.  The colour variations are gold to brown; Mona Lisa is a variegated yarn.  I don't think Paton's make it any more, which is a pity as it is warm and snug!

Tuesday 31 August 2010

"Gothic windows" 4-ply top

This design is from an old Stitchcraft magazine (from the 1940s).



Here is a close-up of the stitch pattern:

Monday 30 August 2010

Lacy knitted top

This sleeveless top is knitted in a mohair yarn.


Here is the stitch in detail:


The lacy effect is achieved by winding the yarn around the needle several times, dropping the extra loops and knitting them together in groups, and then increasing into the group to return to the original number of stitches.

Sunday 29 August 2010

Crochet fish

The fish has a drawstring mouth because he holds a bar of soap!


I cheated with the tail, which is knitted rather than crocheted, but the dorsal fin is crocheted.  The eye is embroidered...does he look a little dozy, perhaps?

Saturday 28 August 2010

Knitted seal

This little chap looks as if he is just coming out of the ocean!

Friday 27 August 2010

Christmas teddy

A teddy bear wearing a jumper with a Christmas tree, for my vet's little boy's first Christmas.

Thursday 26 August 2010

Sunflower design in Hardanger embroidery

Here is a design that I created and worked some years ago.  It is a sunflower in Hardanger.


What makes this unusual is that Hardanger is usually worked in white thread on white fabric, giving a lacy effect when the threads in the fabric are cut and withdrawn.  The fabric is stabilised by areas of satin stitch known as Kloster blocks; these prevent fraying and unravelling.  The bars of thread remaining (some only vertical, others only horizontal) are woven with a finer embroidery thread in the same colour as the satin stitch.  The embroidery is worked in coton perle (pearl cotton), which has a lustre.  Here I have used a range of different colours to create the sunflower and the leaves.  It is pictured against a terracotta background to highlight the areas of withdrawn threads.

Tuesday 24 August 2010

Knitted guinea pig

Adapted a knitting pattern for a mouse to make a guinea pig as a present for my vet's young son.  I used an "eyelash" yarn, knitted the ears in double knitting and embroidered the features.

A close-up of ginger piggy:



He looks happy!


The finished toy is life size.
Toy piggies don't eat hay or grass, so this little chap is nestling in some green ribbon.

Looks like he made short work of that!