Daily Drivel

Lots of hats and a drawing...

I met up with some crafty folk last night and we made some hats for the 'Big Knit' campaign. I only managed to finish one (very poor effort!) but here are the finished hats (not all made last night!):

I'm also going to share a drawing I did at my life-drawing class on Monday - I'm quite pleased with it - although I could have done with another hour to be able to finish it off more (this was a 45min pose and I'm quite slow! It's on A3 size paper):

I'm waiting in for a delivery today - new TV unit. Hope it arrives soon - I'm supposed to be going to a friend's for a coffee! We cleared the corner where the unit is going and it's surprising how much bigger that bit of the lounge looks now! Makes me want to have the room with no stuff in it - but that's not very likely to happen!

I saw a little wren in the garden this morning and also had a visit from a greater spotted woodpecker :-) Robin is around, as usual, along with lots of sparrows and a collared dove.

That was embarrassing!

Had my silversmithing class last night. Lots of possibilities for injuring yourself - big gas burners, saws, hammers, sharp things etc. So - I was busy sketching out my design for a silver ring when I knocked the metal ruler I was using. I went to grab it as it fell off the table - and one of the corners gouged the palm of my hand. Ouch. I didn't realise rulers where that sharp. It's not bad - just very embarrassing to have to ask your teacher for a plaster because you injured yourself on a ruler!

I've been getting stuck into the next module of my sketchbooks course today. I've done a painted colour wheel and also one using 'found objects'. I made a big space on our table and put some sheets of white paper down and then just kept adding things as I spotted them round the house. Here's the main photo I took:

I've also managed to get round to blocking damson.  Don't think I've done a brilliant job of blocking it - but I used every pin I could put my hands on (I seem to have lost a pack - not sure where they're hiding). I can always do it again if I don't like it. Here it is blocking: 

 

I managed to pick enough raspberries today to make a small flan for pudding - I'm really pleased with our raspberries - I think they've done really well and they're very tasty.

Little hats...

Tonight was knitting at the pub and most of us spent the evening making little hats for the Innocent Smoothie 'Big Knit ' campaign. We managed to complete 18 hats (I had already made a start and done about 4 before tonight). It was great fun - mine were all pretty boring but some of them were great! I took a few photos:

There's some more over on my flickr page

I've now got the info. for the next module of my creative sketchbooks course - it looks like it will be good fun - can't wait to get started! It's quiet a short module - they suggest you spend about 6 hours working on it - so I'm hoping to get through this one by the end of October (there are 10 modules and some of the others will take a lot longer to complete). I'm going to try and make a start on Friday.

I think I might be getting quicker...

Quicker at knitting, that is! I finished Ishbel in time for my friend's birthday and this morning I cast off 'Damson' - which I only started about 9 days ago! I really hope it grows a bit when I block it as it seems quite small. I'm just taking a break from having a tidy up to post this (I don't need much of an excuse for housework avoidance!). I've written a big 'to do' list - which I'm sure I won't get through today. I think I've almost done everything I need for module one of my sketchbooks course so I really want to get that sorted out and emailed to my tutor so that I can get access to the next module.

I really enjoyed my first silver smithing class - there are 12 people in the class - most of them have been going for quite a while (i.e a couple of years or more) and they've made some lovely things. Only 3 of us are beginners. We had a go at cutting some copper sheet with a really fine saw (the blades are very fine - I found it quite tricky to fit the blade but I did manage to use it without breaking it!). We then had a play with some of the different hammers to put some texture on the pieces. We also had a go at annealing the copper (using big gas torches - can't say I'm too keen on that part but hopefully I'll get used to it!) and then using a rolling mill (bit like a mangle) - you can put a piece of cloth, paper, etc (anything really - as long as it won't damage the rollers) onto the copper and put it through the rollers. Very cool. I was very surprised that you can use paper cut-outs to produce textures on metal. I want to try knitting some small swatches and trying them out. Anyway - here's my bits of copper from the first session. They are less than 2" high:

I need to work on some ideas for my first project - we are making a silver ring - and some other ideas as the tutor recommends we have more than one project on the go so you don't end up having to wait to use equipment etc. I've got a few ideas - I definitely want to make a shawl pin as I don't have one (and keep making shawls!).

Here's Ishbel (blocking):

and a close-up:

I'm pleased with how it turned out - although my cast-off could have done with being a bit looser. I think I might make another one (for me!). I'll have to try spinning some more laceweight - I don't think I had enough to manage another repeat of the 'AB' section - although I did have quite a bit left over. I didn't want to risk it as I had to finish it quite quickly. I must choose another spinning project - I haven't done anything much since I finished the yarn for Ishbel - except have a play around making some rolags and trying to do longdraw. Least said about that the better! Lst's just say I need a lot more practice!

City & Guilds revisited...

I started doing the City & Guilds 7922 certificate in hand knit textiles ages ago (by distance learning). I made a good start but stuff happened and I haven't touched it for a long time. So - I've decided to try again and tonight I've started looking at different cast-on methods. I know a few - backward loop, knitted, long-tail, german twisted cast-on, a couple of provisional cast-ons. In the course notes it says to do at least six samples showing different cast-ons & cast-offs (let me think about which cast-offs I know - knit, suspended cast-off, purl, knit and purl). Anyway - I'm now really curious about how many different cast-ons (and off) there are. I've learnt a new one tonight - the channel islands cast-on or knotted-edge cast-on. Thanks to lovely people who take the trouble to put videos up on you tube of these sort of things - much easier to follow than written instructions or static drawings!

So - I'll all motivated again now. Hopefully I can stay motivated this time and get the module finished. I really should go to bed now!

Finished something!

See - I do finish stuff, sometimes. Socks for A - regia galaxy yarn which he picked out when we were in Liberties when we went to London a while ago. I think they turned out pretty cool (although I did manage to mess up the heel reinforcement bit on one of them - muppet. They fit ok though).

Must cast on some new socks (well, I do have one on the go already, but you can't have too many socks OTN!) - although I'm rather distracted by my 'Mr Greenjeans' at the moment.

Knitting update...

I finished A's socks this morning. I did them toe-up, 2 at once. I separated them for the heel & gusset bits (after the heel flap) and I knitted the cuffs separately too as I knit in some elastic and I know I would have ended up in a tangle with 2 balls of yarn and 2 lots of elastic!

I can't remember which yarn I used - I think it might have been trekking but I'm not sure. It's a simple garter rib.

I've made a bit more progress on my Kiri too.

I think I'll probably cast on another pair of socks this weekend - toe-ups again.  I was looking at sock patterns on Ravelry earlier - there are SO many nice ones. I have added lots to my favourites. It's a great resource - but there are so many nice patterns - I can't make them all!

I should be cutting out my skirt pattern today too - planning to go shopping for some thread and other bits tomorrow. I might buy some more fabric as well.

Not sure what's going on with the weather today - we were woken up in the night by some nasty hail and it's quite windy too. The sun is shining at the moment but we've had a few showers too. We really don't need anymore rain! 

Right - time for a few more rows of Kiri now before I do some pattern cutting-out.

Weekend - yay!

I'm glad it's the weekend - especially as we're taking Monday off - which will make for a nice short week next week. Yay! I've been making some more yarnimals tonight - just some bodies in brown and black. Black Fimo is so much softer than the other colours - I have to leave it a while to harden up a bit before adding the other bits on. Hopefully I'll be able to finish them off tomorrow. I'm so low on stock right now it's not funny! There's just been too much 'stuff' going on recently. So - hoping 2 long weekends will give me some time to get a bit of stock built up again. The little oven seems to be behaving ok - the batch in the ' 'baking photo' came out fine.

I've got high hopes for my productivity this weekend - I really want to get A's socks finished - I've been knitting them in the car this week - I can get about 4 rounds done each way - I find it a bit trickier in the car, especially as I'm doing these 2 at once. I've got quite a bit to go - they are going to be my 'rugby' knitting!

I'm making slow progress on Kiri - but I think I'm finally getting the pattern in my head now and I'm really starting to enjoy it. I'm still a bit nervous of the laceweight yarn - and still worried it's a bit 'girly' for me. I'm sure I'll manage to snag it on something too - how do you avoid that! I'm always catching my Clapotis on something (eeek, that sounds rude!). Anyway - I was knitting Kiri tonight and thinking about having a go at designing a shawl. I've got some ideas but I don't know if it would work. Which reminds me - I must do a bit more work on my C&G course too - I did do a swatch and a bit of drawing last week. Really trying to do a little each week. It's going to take me ages at this speed but nevermind - there's no rush.

Right - time for bed. Going to listen to a podcast and get a few more sock rounds in before I go to sleep.

Just a quickie ;-)

Crikey - almost the weekend again. It's gone past my bedtime really, but as it is half-term the traffic isn't so bad in the mornings so we can get away with leaving for work a bit later than normal.

I made a few sheep bodies tonight (white ones - oh yeah! Show me the dust!) then did a bit of knitting - I'm hoping to finish my alpaca bedsocks this weekend - I'm just starting the heel flap of sock 2 - going to do a few more rows before I go to sleep tonight. Piccies soon! As it is going to be a big Rugby-watching day on Saturday I reckon I should get them finished easily. Then - I think I might just have to go for casting on that lacey something. Haven't decided what yet. I've been looking on Ravelry for ideas. I'm thinking a stole might be more practical than a triangular shawl - but then, they are so nice too. ARGHHHHH. I will have a good look at Ravelry again tomorrow. It's been a bit of a stressful week so casting on something nice will be my treat this weekend (jeez, that sounds sad - but I'm determined to stick with knitting from stash for now - and although my stash is pretty tiny I do have quite a few nice yarns to choose from so it should keep me going for a while).

Right - a few more rows then time for sleep.

Productive weekend...

Had quite a productive weekend for a change. I finally got round to making the cushion I bought the stuff for 2 years ago (eeek!) when I got my sewing machine for Christmas. It didn't take too long to make and I even managed to put the zip in ok (well, ok-ish - but it's only my 2nd ever zip so I'm pretty pleased with it!). It's a snowman pattern on one side and plain red on the other. I suddenly realised how I should be positioning my zipper foot while I was sewing it on - DOH! The instructions I was following weren't that clear and I think the foot was different to mine. My first time using basting tape too - very cool stuff - it worked a treat holding the zip in place. I think I'm going to make some more cushions soon!

I also made something else - but I can't put that up because it's a secret! I'm going to have to make myself one as well I think.

I did manage to knit a swatch for my course today too. I really do need to get on with it and try and get a bit more done. I need to keep the momentum up a bit.

I'm working on a pair of socks for my Dad for Xmas - first 'fitting' tomorrow hehe. I don't rate my chances of actually getting them finished for Xmas though. I'm also making slow progress on my Forest Canopy shawl - I keep getting it wrong. Very annoying as it is such a nice, simple pattern.