Now, although this is far from perfect, I daresay it already looks much more promising :)
29 March 2011
Needle felting
After the epic disaster last year, felting has been a no-go area for me. And understandably so, considering the miserable result of the aforementioned disaster! I reconciled myself to the fact that it was not my craft and that it would stay out of bounds forever. But then, some time ago, I could hear a little worm gnawing away my determination. Silently, gradually, out of nowhere, a thought was forming: how about needle felting? I mean, it's still felting but it's a completely different technique. And it involves needles. And I'm good with needles.... And then the right project came along - a plain, k3xp3 ribbed grey scarf for a girl that needed some but not much embellishment.
Now, although this is far from perfect, I daresay it already looks much more promising :)
Now, although this is far from perfect, I daresay it already looks much more promising :)
11 March 2011
Yet another pair of socks
I don't have much to say. It's pretty obvious! I've been bitten by the sock bug... Well, at least socks get worn out faster than scarves so they're supposedly more in demand ;)
Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Lion Brand's Sock-Ease in Sour Ball colourway
Project details: here
A great pattern, clear and well-written - enjoyed knitting it. A word of caution if you're planning to knit Jaywalkers: the zigzag pattern renders the socks very unstretchy so do follow the instructions and cast on the recommended number of stitches, no matter how scary the number may sound.
This is my first American yarn, I believe. Thanks to a friend, it travelled half the world, all the way from New York to Novi Sad, Serbia, where it was awaited with much excitement and impatience. And then it said on the label: Made in Italy! That's a heck of a lot of travelling for one little ball of yarn!
Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Lion Brand's Sock-Ease in Sour Ball colourway
Project details: here
A great pattern, clear and well-written - enjoyed knitting it. A word of caution if you're planning to knit Jaywalkers: the zigzag pattern renders the socks very unstretchy so do follow the instructions and cast on the recommended number of stitches, no matter how scary the number may sound.
This is my first American yarn, I believe. Thanks to a friend, it travelled half the world, all the way from New York to Novi Sad, Serbia, where it was awaited with much excitement and impatience. And then it said on the label: Made in Italy! That's a heck of a lot of travelling for one little ball of yarn!
25 February 2011
Ekstremi(teti) / Extremities
It took me years to muster the will and energy and sort out my stash. And then, after I'd done it, my friends showered me with yet more yarn! It seems I'll need another 30-liter box after all! Ain't life a bitch? ;)
But before the stash event and before I got those lovely, lovely birthday presents, I managed to finish two very extreme knitting projects. Extreme in every sense. A pair of socks (my first ever, would you believe it?!) and a pair of mittens to cover both pairs of my extremities - hence the title. The former in light fingering weight, the latter in super bulky - hence, too, the title.
The socks were an adventure I've wanted to plunge into for some time now but couldn't find any suitable sock yarn. And then, when they got PEKA Salo at my local yarn shop, I knew my destiny was determined! I got down to reading about different construction techniques, various cast-on methods, etc. and opted for Stefanie Bold's Amy Lee socks as they seemed simple enough, suitable for a beginner sock knitter. Besides, I got a self-striping yarn and didn't want a fancy complicated pattern which would only be obscured by the yarn.
And let me tell you one thing, socks are faster to knit than you may imagine, I finished the first pair in 7 days of light evening knitting. And they are certainly easier than they look. But what these first socks really did for me was that they made me fearless - I now know that I can knit anything! I mean, if I can knit a pair of socks in fingering yarn, what is there out there in the knitting universe that I cannot do?! At least this is how I felt when I finished them.
The mittens were an upcycling project. Once upon a time there was a hat. A beautiful hat. A warm hat. A loved hat. Knit in a fabulous, colourful yarn. But made for a head that didn't get along with it very well. Now, I'll avoid frogging finished objects at all costs but there was no point in keeping a hat I didn't wear. So, after a lightbulb moment, I decided to frog it and make a pair of superbulky mittens by Drops. You can choose what they remind you of: oven mitts or astronauts' mittens, but let me assure you that with this snowmageddon outside, they were certainly appreciated and got many an envious look :)
But before the stash event and before I got those lovely, lovely birthday presents, I managed to finish two very extreme knitting projects. Extreme in every sense. A pair of socks (my first ever, would you believe it?!) and a pair of mittens to cover both pairs of my extremities - hence the title. The former in light fingering weight, the latter in super bulky - hence, too, the title.
The socks were an adventure I've wanted to plunge into for some time now but couldn't find any suitable sock yarn. And then, when they got PEKA Salo at my local yarn shop, I knew my destiny was determined! I got down to reading about different construction techniques, various cast-on methods, etc. and opted for Stefanie Bold's Amy Lee socks as they seemed simple enough, suitable for a beginner sock knitter. Besides, I got a self-striping yarn and didn't want a fancy complicated pattern which would only be obscured by the yarn.
And let me tell you one thing, socks are faster to knit than you may imagine, I finished the first pair in 7 days of light evening knitting. And they are certainly easier than they look. But what these first socks really did for me was that they made me fearless - I now know that I can knit anything! I mean, if I can knit a pair of socks in fingering yarn, what is there out there in the knitting universe that I cannot do?! At least this is how I felt when I finished them.
The mittens were an upcycling project. Once upon a time there was a hat. A beautiful hat. A warm hat. A loved hat. Knit in a fabulous, colourful yarn. But made for a head that didn't get along with it very well. Now, I'll avoid frogging finished objects at all costs but there was no point in keeping a hat I didn't wear. So, after a lightbulb moment, I decided to frog it and make a pair of superbulky mittens by Drops. You can choose what they remind you of: oven mitts or astronauts' mittens, but let me assure you that with this snowmageddon outside, they were certainly appreciated and got many an envious look :)
20 February 2011
Birthday presents
The first surprise came on the day before my birthday so I was completely unprepared! And I still am! What I found in my mailbox was a gift token for Barka yarn!
Girls, you made me cry, that's how touched I was! Thank you for all the care and consideration and organization that you put into this!
And then, on the day of my birthday, while I was still at my morning coffee, the postman rang and these beauties arrived, a gift from Magrit and Olga. I was tempted to phone in sick at work, that's how much I wanted to stay at home and fondle the yarn!
Neizmerno ste me obradovale, hvala vam do neba! I nazad!
Girls, you made me cry, that's how touched I was! Thank you for all the care and consideration and organization that you put into this!
And then, on the day of my birthday, while I was still at my morning coffee, the postman rang and these beauties arrived, a gift from Magrit and Olga. I was tempted to phone in sick at work, that's how much I wanted to stay at home and fondle the yarn!
Neizmerno ste me obradovale, hvala vam do neba! I nazad!
10 February 2011
Nagrade / Awards
Evo opet nagrada, ovaj put od Hobiholičarke Tenchee. Prosleđujem ih svima koji ovo čitate :) Osećajte se nagrađenima! Iako je tek četvrtak, lep vikend vam želim!
Award time again, this time from Hobiholičarka Tenchee. I'm forwarding them to all of you :) Feel awarded! And even though it's as early as Thursday, have a great weekend!
Award time again, this time from Hobiholičarka Tenchee. I'm forwarding them to all of you :) Feel awarded! And even though it's as early as Thursday, have a great weekend!
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