Origami Challenge

Look!

A sketch...

I wonder how far past this point I will get???

Not feeling terribly confident on this one - but I'm jumping in with both feet anyway.

So - it is for the Designers Challenge group over on Ravelry. Usually the Challenges run for one month, but this one is a Super Challenge... and runs for June and July.

Now for the details:

Object: top - There has been huge discussions over what exactly constitutes a top - so if you were thinking about joining in the challenge, you should check out the specific details over at Ravelry. As it happens, open fronted 'tops' will not qualify... so the one on the left of my sketch will be a no-go.

Theme: origami - The top needs to be inspired in some way by origami. I love origami roses, so I've chosen to add flowers to embellish the top.

Technique: stripes - I'm thinking garter st stripes at the hips, and maybe at the neckline...

So that's the easy part done.

Here's where the CHALLENGE kicks in...

I've never designed a garment before!!!

Wish me luck.

naughty goldfish!

I cast on for a new project. Someone spank me!

Led astray by Helena a gorgeous knitted girl's jacket featured in the latest Knitty.

Working it in a size 4 for my daughter.

while the cat is away...

the mouse will play!

Mr Goldfish was away camping last week. A traditional 'boys' trip, so of course the wife and kids were left at home to fend for ourselves.

I hadn't expected to get much crafting done. But the opposite was true! I have made fabulous headway with my commitment to finish ten WIPs by the end of this month.



The latest completion is this seamless baby kimono designed by fellow woolaholic Jacki. I made a few modifications to the pattern. Omitted the ties and used press studs instead. Added a single crochet border. Changed the Garter stitch edging to moss stitch. Shortened the sleeves a little.

And added a small heart embellishment. Not convinced it works entirely, so I might change that down the track. I had real trouble coming up with a feature that I liked today, so I'll look at it with fresh eyes another day.

carn the cats!

One down, nine to go...

the scarf is completed!

Admittedly it didn't need a huge amount of work done on it. But the point is I HAVE FINISHED IT.

Crocheted from recycled yarns. It is an alternative to the traditional style of football scarf. Kind of a boho style footy scarf... except that the two are probably mutually exclusive!

Worked in the Geelong AFL team colours of navy and white. Not a 'Cats' fan myself... but someone I love is, so this will make a fabulous gift.

it's a bit like a bra

Little Miss Three is so pleased with her new shrug... "it's a bit like a bra" she exclaimed excitedly

The pattern was designed by Rebecca Webster who is a fellow Woolaholic. It is her first design, and she has done a gorgeous job. Congratulations Bec!



Would you be surprised to hear that I didn't strictly follow the pattern? Of course not... you know me better than that by now!

My yarn choice was of course recycled wool. The pattern called for aran weight merino. I used one strand of DK wool in a dark pink, and knit it together with assortments from my scrap yarn basket. None of it was as fancy as merino, but it was all 100% wool.

I worked the main part of the shrug according to the pattern, omitting the picot edging and the ties. I then crocheted a picot edging all the way around the shrug, and also the sleeves... and crocheted the tie.

To be honest, the fit isn't fabulous on my daughter. I plan to make another one and next time I will work with about 10 stitches less across the back. As is, it seems to be loose in the body, but snug in the sleeves. If you look photograph of the garment on it's own, you can see that there should be a reasonable space between the left and right fronts. Does that make sense? But when my daughter is wearing the shrug, it pulls in tighter at the ties, which seems to make the neck then go a bit gapey. It might be due to my yarn choice since I wasn't using that recommended. And I'm a naughty knitter who doesn't check her gauge. Which is probably why I don't knit garments very often.

Overall... I love it. Little Miss Three loves it. I will definitely make another one.

And did I mention QUICK? Finished in an afternoon. Perfect project for me, since there is no time to get bored!

another random scarf

Just for the fun of it...

random scarf

Every now and then I love to go to my stash, grab a variety of different yarns and then set to work on a random scarf. Each row a different stitch from the last. Each row in an alternative colour. All different types of fibres mixed together. Cottons, mohairs, silks , wools, novelty yarns and blends. Whatever I have lying around. It's a wonderful way to use up all those bits and bobs.

bits and bobs scarf

still trying to work my way through my 'bits and bobs' bag... you know... all those little leftover pieces of yarn you have been holding on to for years and years???

so I thought I'd use some up in a one hour scarf

I worked with four strands throughout, just replacing each yarn as it ran out

and so we go... from this....



to this...

just checking

wanted to test out my one hour scarf pattern... just to confirm that it really can be done in an hour



indeed it can!

one hour scarf

in need of a handmade gift, and very time poor... I whipped this up



so quick and so easy... well under an hour to complete (including the wrapping)

scarf measures 145cm in length and is 12cm wide

worked in four different reclaimed yarns

using 10mm hook and all four strands at once, chain 80

row 1 - dc into 3rd ch from hk... dc in every ch to end... ch2, turn

row 2 - dc into every stitch to end, ch2 turn

row 3 - dc into every stitch to end, ch2 turn

final row - dc into every stitch to end, fasten off

speedy gift

I have resisted the lure of the calorimetry for so long... it has been such a popular pattern, and I didn't want to be working on it just because everyone else was!

but the truth of the matter is... I am a headband girl at heart

those of you who know me in real life know that I am rarely seen without one

so I finally launched into it... and was amazed at how quickly it worked up... less than two hours from cast on to full completion!



made a few modifications, as I had heard a lot of feedback about the original pattern resulting in too large a fit

used 4mm needles, cast on 100 sts... reclaimed yarn approx aran weight

actually came up a tiny bit too small, so I added a chain stitch loop for the buttonhole... and it's now perfect

pairs, schmairs!

what is it about knitting pairs that is so damn difficult?

I always manage to breeze through the first item... but really have to force myself through the second one

I think it has something to do with the lack of surprise... you already know how it is going to look and feel, so the excitement is gone

finally forced myself to finish the second fetching to complete this pair of fingerless mitts



made a few amendments to the original pattern...

worked five cable repeats at the wrist (instead of three)

worked two cable repeats at the fingers (instead of one)

used regular cast off (instead of picot edging)

finished all edges off with a round of single crochet

hats off

I almost forgot to make this hat!

Honestly... I really need to start writing things down...

I heard an online friend talking about a 'hat drive' she was organising for a six year old girl named Megan. Megan is suffering from leukemia and soon to commence chemotherapy. My heart went out to her, and I offered to make a hat for the gift basket which is being assembled.

So here is my contribution for Megan...



I plied together the reclaimed cotton from four different garments, to create this aran weight multi-coloured yarn. Being cotton, it shouldn't irritate her sensitive scalp. It is worked on 5.5mm circular needles... so there are no seams, which is also a bonus for sensitive skin.

It's made from a very simple hat pattern formula.

I cast on 60 stitches, worked in stockingette for seven inches and then began my shaping...

k8, k2tog to end... 54 stitches remain
k7, k2tog to end... 48 stitches remain
k6, k2tog to end... 42 stitches remain
k5, k2tog to end... 36 stitches remain
k4, k2tog to end... 30 stitches remain
k3, k2tog to end... 24 stitches remain
k2, k2tog to end... 18 stitches remain
k1, k2tog to end... 12 stitches remain
k2tog to end... 6 stitches remain

fasten off

I still don't particularly like working on circular needles... but the no seaming is fabulous!

vintage reds

decided to re-test my adorable ruffles pattern... with a few variations



this time I plied together the reclaimed cotton from a deep pink cardigan and a burgundy jumper... they blended into this gorgeous vintage red mix, which I used for the main part of the hat

to continue with the 'vintage theme' I added a simple picot edging... sc, (sc,dc,sc) in next stitch... repeated to end

I made a slightly different flower for the front this time... five petals, of course... don't know why it is? but I have a thing for five petals!!!

in the photo, the hat looks a little 'square' on top... my model today was uncooperative, so I had to improvise and put the hat on my lampshade!

I'm re-working the little miss two bag in vintage colours to match this hat... should be finished tomorrow

accidental hat

I've been working on a project to use up all those little bits and bobs of yarn I have lying around. Not the half balls, but all those really tiny lengths that I couldn't quite bring myself to throw out... I had quite a collection!

I am in the 'bag zone' at the moment and my daughter has been begging me to make her something. So I decided to go with a random striped bag using all those leftovers.

Yesterday I was sewing up the bag, when my daughter came over to see what I was up to...

"Is that for me?" she asked

"Yes"

"Can I have a look?"

"Sure"

She picked up the bag, put it on her head and said

"Oh, I love my new snow hat mummy!"

I tried to explain to her that it was actually going to be a bag...

"Don't be a silly mummy" she laughed

So a hat it is... an accidental hat... but she loves it, and it fits, and you can't ask for much more than that!




here's the pattern (if you can call it that)

(fits 2/3 year old)

yarns required

- whatever you have on hand!

- I have used lots if scraps for this one, mostly wool

also

- 3.0 mm crochet hook

- wool needle

let’s begin

ch 41 (the length of this chain will be the height of the hat, including a foldover for the brim… adjust number of chain if desired)

row 1 – sc into 2^nd chain from hook, sc to end (40)

fasten off yarn

turn work and join on new colour

row 2 – ch 1, sc in every stitch to end (40)

fasten off yarn

turn work and join on new colour

continue working rows of random colours until work measures circumference of head plus 2 cm

(you might like to refer to the standard head size chart here)

seam to join the starting and finishing rows

lay hat flat, with the seam in the desired position ( I prefer centre back)

tie together the ends at the top of the hat… this creates the tassel and joins the top at the same time

trim tassels to 3cm

fold over brim

sew in all remaining ends

adorable ruffles

Adorable sun hat designed to fit a 2 - 3 year old

download now