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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Small Projects Bags for Project Spectrum

I got this inspiration to make at least one bag for each Project Spectrum month. Last month was red, and this month is green. I got side tracked by the lovely Amy Butler print. It his some green and a blue green so I'm counting the two bags in.



Meanwhile Pookiebacca and Pookiewok are waiting for their hand-painted eyes and nose to come from UK. Seems Chewy has blue eyes. I used Sirdar Foxy for Chewy and he is way hairy, almost like Cousin Itt. Hey may need a hair stylist.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

DarthPookie

DarthPookie looks a little like a black dog. I wish I had made ribbing for the front of his helmet, but after fiddling so much I decided he is done. I had visions of Pookiebaca and PookieEwok, but since my new yarn came in my mind is on other projects.
I love having some Noro in stash and Sumptuous Yarn had Aya on special. It has a lot of cotton in it so I'm looking forward to trying it out. I still don't have a project,but I loved how Stitch Sampler Stole turned out so may do something along that lines.










Monday, June 20, 2011

Port Shawlette, FO


Pattern: Andrea's Shawl by Kirsten Kapur Published in Through The Loops Ravelry Store
Yarn: Madelinetosh Sock, colorway Port. Hand-spun Rapunzel. Hand dyed SW merino roving from Woolen Mill Street Yarns The fiber was a dream to spin.
Needles: size 6

Comments: I knit the medium mostly because I was too lazy to continue the 7 stitch edging. This was in spite of reading that the shawl came out small and knowing I was using a fingering weight rather then sport yarn. So it came out small and would not stretch much. My hand spun ran between a sport to fingering weight and knit up pretty well if I may say so myself. The shades of pink and purple matched well with port madelinetosh. The Madelinetosh was a nice and cushy in a dark purply plum. The pattern is well written and easy to follow. It is my first bottom up shawl. Unlike the top down and sideways shawls, one cannot try it on along the way. I'm think I like the sideways shawls the best, or a rectangular stole.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Pookie Jedi 2

Pookie Jedi 2 by acornbud
Pookie Jedi 2, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

Pattern: Pookies by Barbara Prime
Needles: size 4
Yarn: Cascade 220 hoodie and face, Ultra Alpaca for body.

Mods: going for the Yoda ears, safety eyes. The hoodie was a little small. No holes for the ears.

Very cute easy, well-written pattern.

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Totoro with Umbrella


Intarsia in the Round, yo method. I'm not sure I got this right as I had large holes on the turns. I was able to needle felt them shut a bit.
I down loaded the Anne Berk video, Inside Intarsia, and will try her method next.
In the final photo, I had a bit of fun with the PS "artistic" filter, sponge.





Totoro with Umbrella by acornbud
Totoro with Umbrella, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Intarsia in the Round

Knitting Totoro's tummy has always been a challenge. The easy way, knitting-wise, is to knit it separately and sew it on, but I was never quite satisfied with the results. The other way is to knit it in, which is called intarsia. I tried knitting it in the round and discovered as many knitters before me that it is impossible to knit intarsia in the round without having extremely long floats and a big mess.

So either one has to deal with a seam if knitting flat, or figure out a way to knit back and forth without a seam or gap at the color change.

I started with this video, but I could not see exactly which loop she was picking up to knit together on the turn. My turns did not look nice like the ones in the video.



Next I tried the yo over method Knitty has another description here. Perhaps I am supposed to join a second ball of the main color in this method too?


I have a problem visualizing words sometimes, and while it looked a little better then my first attempt, my turns were still unsatisfactory. (This link was very wordy so I had problems deciphering it)

Dawn Brocca lists some references for additional information, but I don't own any of them. Update! After looking through my books I found some additional information in Knitting in the Old Way: Designs and Techniques from Ethnic Sweaters by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts and Deborah Robson














This is PookieD2 showing his good side.



I still have the wrap and turn method to try next time. This method involves joining a second ball, sigh.

Anyone know of any other tutorials or methods to try?

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Quilt WIP



Awhile back I took a Shibori class from Darius Homayounpour at Kuni Island Fabrics. It was so much fun, I took it twice! The pieces have been marinating in stash since then, but yesterday I got going and hacked them up with wild abandon. I was inspired by one of my favorite stash designs, Harlequin, from The Weekend Quilt, by Leslie Linsley. I used the Fast Patch Method, by Anita Hallock, being very fond of speed, and the whole rolling cutter thing.

It's rather busy so I'm glad I decided to go for the plain navy squares and just happened to have the fabric in stash! Yay!

No doubt it will now go back to stash and marinate a while longer while I contemplate finishing. Sending it out for quilting is sounding mighty good.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Pookie Jedi

Pookie Jedi by acornbud
Pookie Jedi, a photo by acornbud on Flickr.

Pattern: Pookie by Barbara Prime
Yarn: Bits and pieces. The green is Cascade SW
Needle: size 4
Mods: I was going for Yoda. The ear's didn't come out right and he looks like a green sheep. I knit the bottom in green and then did a stockinette body and hood.
Comments: Well written, cute pattern. I think it can be adapted to Princess Leia easily. I need me some safety eyes.