471 replies to this topic

[tanabutler]

YOW.

[Lippy]

Are any of you actually skilled enough to make one of these?

[helena]

But of course:

[tanabutler]

Are any of you actually skilled enough to make one of these?

I wish.

[helena]

Technically this one won't be that difficult to knit - main challenge is to bring up fresh ideas.

[Cathy]

:gasp: Helena, those are magnificent. Hand or machine??

I confess that I've set aside the sweater I'm knitting on teensy needles for the immediate gratification of scarves on big needles...

[silvergryphon]

I'm like beans...lots of beautiful fabrics that I really want to make something with, but afraid to cut! Two flip top containers of wools, boxes of beads, jems, ribbons.

My problem is that I start something and can never find the time to actually finish in a normal span of time. It takes me FOREVER!!!

For Christmas this year, I made three shawls for gifts that I actually did finish! Black sheer with different flocked and sparkled patterns and long eyelash trims.

Still working on an afghan I started in the summer. Can't knit worth a damn, so I crochet...still takes forever!

s.g.

[mcj]

Back in the late winter/early spring of '98, a very close lady friend had mistakenly ordered a cross-stitch pattern. The completed picture of the pattern was mixed-in with prints, mugs, etc. Not being a crafts person, she was disappointed that just a pattern arrived. Oh well, everyone makes mistakes. Knowing her love of puppies (guess what the pattern was about) and being the friend that I was, I said that'd I'd look into it & see what it'd take to do this. Well, I did get started on it & worked at it while dog-sitting her beloved golden retriever. Unfortunately, he was struck with cancer that summer and the frantic race against time for his treatment began. There seemed to be a bit of hope for nearly two months, until it came back with a vengeance and took him. The pattern is still on a frame, somewhere, untouched ever since.
It's amazing how little free time there's been since then, but that unfinished work still bothers me. I have to find some time, somehow, to finish it. I'm also aware that, for her, it'll bring back those memories of when it was started... and why it was stopped. Memories that are never far away.

On a much lighter note: some years ago, I found a Photoshop plug-in for cross-stitching. Once your photo was in the computer & in Photoshop, you'd determine how many colours that you wanted to use & the stitch size and the plug-in would reduce your photo to a pattern. This could be very useful to those of you looking for new patterns as the results would be completely unique and very personal. I'm also thinking that the plug-in might also be compatible with GIMP, a free open-source program that has most of Photoshop's capabilities.

[jpr54_]

i enjoy crocheting which i do right hand
but
i am left handed- and knit left hand-just a beginner-
i tried knitting with right hand but just could not get the two needles to move in correct direction.

i am an intermediate level crocheter-i have been thinking of ordering wool online(ebay) but have been hesitant to do so-

[Cathy]

The sweater I just finished:



For once, I made a garment that looks better on. The yarn is a very soft alpaca, and I love the colors and the texture of the knit, but I will never again knit a sweater on size 3 needles.

I picked up some wonderful linen yarn for a slouchy summer pullover yesterday; it feels like dental floss, but apparently it gets soft after a machine washing. I'm working with 2 colors held together - a sky blue and a pale grey - and the effect is very nice.

Over the weekend, I bid on and won a pair of sweater wheels on ebay.

[clb]

Cathy, that is GORGEOUS.

Hand-dyed alpaca?

I'm inspired; I must get something to start before we leave for Scotland in a fortnight's time.

Be warned: knitting with linen is No Fun.

clb

[Cathy]

Thanks, clb! The yarn is Grignasco Top Print; not sure if it's hand-dyed.

The linen sweater is on size 10.5 needles, so it's going fast. I do miss the feel of alpaca or merino...or cashmere, the most wonderful yarn of all.

[MyKong]

Wow. Truly impressive.

[clb]

Thanks, clb!    The yarn is Grignasco Top Print; not sure if it's hand-dyed.

The linen sweater is on size 10.5 needles, so it's going fast.  I do miss the feel of alpaca or merino...or cashmere, the most wonderful yarn of all.

That Grignasco's probably one of those European yarns which skip the UK on their way to the States. Edit: I've found a site showing the colours. Did you use the Soft Blues or the Greens?

I've never knitted with cashmere. But it may be about time to go to Patricia Roberts again for some more merino.

Now if I could only find something I really want to knit for myself. I'm on an endless round of Elizabeth Zimmermann seamless in-the-round sweaters for children, with sweet little fair isle patterns round the neck. They just don't look as good on the over-12s.

clb

[Cathy]

I think I might have used Forest - I'll check a label when I get home.

Although I love EZ, I have never attempted one of her patterns. Maybe I'll start small with a Moebius scarf.