Thursday, October 29, 2009

silky!



I'm making a pair of silk hitch hiker's gloves for my friend who can't wear wool. This is indie dyed silk, quite bulky. I picked it up a while ago and it's been crocheted and frogged a few times before it found it's calling. Goes particularly well with my pyjamas I thought.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Harris Haystacks (it's my wrestling name)



I'm making a jacket from the big dod of felt I created a while ago. I just went at it with the scissors. Well, you can't make an omelet without cutting chunks out of eggs, can you?

I was playing with Harris Tweed to see if I could make jewellery. These look like mini haystacks, don't they? They might have a part of play in the finished garment.

Felted flowers


Not a huge difference between felted and unfelted, in fact, almost indiscernible to the naked eye. This is Lamb's Pride. Thought it was supposed to felt at the drop of a tap? It certainly splices beautifully.

I only learned how to splice recently and in case, like me, you've lived to this age without the knowledge......

You unravel the two ends of yarn you wish to join always presuming it is of a suitable felty type. Then, the instructions I originally found said, you spit on it. Now I'm anti spitting. Violently anti spitting. If there are any spitting related incident on the TV I have to leave the room. I was explaining this hindrance to successful splicing to a colleague who does a lot of knitting in public and she explained the alternative. You enmesh the two unravelled end with each other and run then between your lips in a lady like manner. This particular pal makes her own roll ups so it's kind of like licking your Rizzlers. Much more ladylike than actually gobbing in your hand.

So..............having covered the wetting down aspect of splicing in more detail that strictly necessary, you rub the two wet ends briskly between the palms of your two hands and they miraculously felt together! It's my favourite party trick at the moment although obviously it doesn't work with super wash or yarns with a low wool content.

Still, I think I prefer the slightly more matt felted flower in contrast with the very openwork scrarf. I may chuck the flowers in the washing machine a second time or even give them a quick going over with the sander. Now there's an idea!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Spring is bursting out all over..............

Well not spring exactly...this is part of my Christmas knitting. I'm going to chuck these in the washing machine and see what happens to them. The plan is to use them to embellish a scarf.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Autumn

I'm having a bit of trouble walking at the moment which certainly makes me appreciate the beauty of the outdoors when I finally get there.


There are lots of crunchy things around.............



...and fluffy things.


Here's a ready made seascape I found growing on a bench. They do say this kind of lichen only grown in area where the air quality is good. I'm very lucky to have all this beauty on my doorstep.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Swaning around

There is some fabulous wrought iron in and around Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute. On the top of this lampost you can see the town crest.



Imaging building this house then going to the trouble of having all this ornate ironwork installed. Some of the poshest seagulls on the west coast of Scotland must live up there.





I love the colours in and around the harbour. Always lots of orange in marinas, isn't there?



Contrast the state of the art new ferry walkway in the background with the old fishing boats.



Mind you, must be hard for the locals to have us tourist gawping at them as they go about their ablutions.

Monday, October 05, 2009

Rothesay here we come!

We were off on our travels again yesterday.
I love the use of rope in and around the sea. Thought this was a particularly brilliant intervention.
There as lots of this going on...


Elizabeth Zimmerman's February baby sweater. Don't ya just love it?

Fortunatey I had the deckhand with me for the heavy lifting!

I think I'm going to collect images of ropey things found in marinas. My good buddy Digital Gran has been doing a wonderful series on circles. Check it out.