I wanted to do something modern and quick, so I came up with this flower design. It's worked in slip stitch using #5 perle thread on natural linen fabric. I might work the design up into a printable pattern to share if I get the chance.
30 August 2007
Flower Detail For Bag
29 August 2007
Purple Slip @ 12 Hours Work
Finally, after three different attempts, have gotten all the black outlining done on the purple slip.
28 August 2007
Pharaoh Update
Pharaoh is feeling a bit better. I got him to eat a couple of mouthfuls of food this morning. I went home at lunch with some Macca's and I think that got his appetite going! So I gave him some more chicken (he didn't want the burger). I got a proper hamburger for tea and he ate a bit of that as well. He also had a nice big drink of water.
25 August 2007
Cable Knitting Sample
After I completed block three of the Art of Knitting series, I had a go at cable. I got some cheap cable needles from the Op Shop and a $2 ball of 100% wool. I think they worked out OK for a first go.
My main purpose for the knitting drive at the moment is I want to make myself an Aran jumper. I used to have a really nice one but it got wreaked and I've wanted another ever since. The only way I will get one is to make myself one. Now that I know I can do cable, I am keen to have ago.
24 August 2007
Vintage Knitting Patterns
I hit the op shop looking for some vintage knitting patterns. I like the ones in the black and white cover. There are a couple of nice ones in the far right one as well. I have the very funny urge to make myself a nice twin set! How retro!
23 August 2007
Art of Knitting - Block 3
This is the third block from the Art of Knitting series. Not very hard. Crap yarn though.
22 August 2007
Pharaohs Sick Again
Pharaoh is sick again. I was up all night with him as he got worse and worse. Took him to the vets first thing. Poor little guy, he is very pathetic when sick. I hope they can fix him up again.
20 August 2007
Purple Slip @ 8 Hours Work
This is the purple slip at 8 hours work. I've changed the way I did the big leaves, to make the spines more noticable. Got started on the black outlining. Still enjoying the project.
19 August 2007
Purple Slip Pattern
This is the pattern for the purple slip. I'm sure someone with a bit of floral knowledge would be able to identify the flower. But I'm hopeless, to me their are roses, daisies, and flowers. That's it!!
18 August 2007
Art of Knitting - Block 2
This is the second block in the art of knitting series. It's a modified moss stitch (though that doesn't show up in the image).
I stuffed up the block at one stage. I had two bumps on top of each other.So I undid that bit and worked out what row in the sequence I was up to and started again - and it worked! I thought it would take me a few goes to get it fixed.
The block is a bit curly and needs blocking. Can you block acrylic?
One comment on the wool. The ball of wool is supplied with the pattern. This time, the wool had lots of breaks in it. I had to keep doing knots which I had to get to the back of the block. Not impressed by that at all.
17 August 2007
Rose Slip Complete
This is the completed embroidery on the rose slip. Only a small amount added from the last update (bud and leaves around main flower).
I've started on the next one, lots of purple.
16 August 2007
Pompeii
No sewing or anything like that last night, it was a bit of educational culture instead. Dad was still down due to losing his wallet, getting mad, driving half way home and finding the wallet at his half way resting point. So he came back, finished all the stuff he couldn't do because of the lost wallet and then wanted to go to a guest lecture on Pompeii.
I'd been tossing up whether to go to this anyway, so we went. I figured I'd run into a few people I knew from my days in the Classics department and I wasn't disappointed. It was one of the best turnouts I'd seen at one of these public Uni lectures. It was literally standing room only, they had to bring in four extra rows of seats and still didn't have enough. Anyway, it was quite interesting and they had a good mix from the wider community in addition to the usual Uni crowd.
I'd been tossing up whether to go to this anyway, so we went. I figured I'd run into a few people I knew from my days in the Classics department and I wasn't disappointed. It was one of the best turnouts I'd seen at one of these public Uni lectures. It was literally standing room only, they had to bring in four extra rows of seats and still didn't have enough. Anyway, it was quite interesting and they had a good mix from the wider community in addition to the usual Uni crowd.
15 August 2007
13 August 2007
Rose Slip @ 15 Hours Work
I should get the last of the colour done tonight, I might even get started on the next one. I think blue next.
I didn't get a chance to pick up my next Art of Knitting edition. Perhaps some time this week.
The weather was gorgeous on the weekend. So nice to be able to have all the doors and windows open to get some fresh air in the house.
8 August 2007
Rose Slip @ 10 Hours Work
Got the black silk thread from China, so I started doing some outlining last night. It really does make a difference. Now I can start on the flower! Yeah, colour!
7 August 2007
Vogart Transfers
This is the latest lot of transfers from eBay. Only a few Vogart ones but still worth it. Now I have to get rid of the Aunt Martha transfers.
6 August 2007
1930's Fabric
Nothing exotic about the packaging but it is very appealing!! Another buy from the US while the exchange rate is so go. If I was to buy this fabric here, it would cost four times as much, even taking the postage into account. So I am stocking up while I can. This stuff was $5US a metre, as compared to $26AU a metre. Most of them are half metre minimum cuts. So if I cut them into fat quarters, keep one for myself and sell the rest, I could actually end up making money on the deal. But more likely I will just swap them with people.
5 August 2007
Applique Flowers and Leaves
This is what I worked on over the weekend. All the flowers are done for the quilt. This is my second go at the flowers. I had the original flowers all cut out, but I wasn't happy with the shape and they were a bugger to prepare. So I dug out another flower pattern I had and they were the same size but a more symetrical flower shape. So now I have a heap of flowers cut out and I'm not sure what to do with them. I am thinking of putting some Vislofix on the back and machine appliquing them to make bags or something like that. I am now working on the leaves. Next step will be to start joining the block together. I am working on a design wall to help work out the placement of the blocks.
4 August 2007
Art of Knitting - Block 1
I went over town today to do some shopping. It started out OK, but after a couple of hours I was really depressed and agitated. I think it's the winter light. The midmorning winter light has this really post-apocalyptic feel to it. I know that sounds weird, too many 1970's end of the world movies as a child I suppose. Anyway, I couldn't wait to get home. But as it moved more towards midday, it was feeling a bit better. I'm sure if it had been overcast it wouldn't have worried me as much.
Anyway, I bought the first part of a new weekly project series called the Art of Knitting. This is the project from the first week of the Art of Knitting series. It's a magazine project kit that you get weekly from the newsagent. Part one had two balls of yarn (acrylic) and knitting needles to do this first block. I am still deciding if I will sign up for the full series. It;s about 90 parts. If I sign up within 10 days, you get lots of free gifts. I have been wanting to improve my knitting skills, and this might be one way to do it. However, the instructions in the booklet aren't the best. So I am still thinking about it.
Anyway, I bought the first part of a new weekly project series called the Art of Knitting. This is the project from the first week of the Art of Knitting series. It's a magazine project kit that you get weekly from the newsagent. Part one had two balls of yarn (acrylic) and knitting needles to do this first block. I am still deciding if I will sign up for the full series. It;s about 90 parts. If I sign up within 10 days, you get lots of free gifts. I have been wanting to improve my knitting skills, and this might be one way to do it. However, the instructions in the booklet aren't the best. So I am still thinking about it.
Art of Knitting - Block 1, originally uploaded by Jane Stockton.
3 August 2007
Bookmarks
I saw some bookmarks on a blog and had to make some. Nothing flash, but I got the bug out of my system.
2 August 2007
Vogart 141 - Two "Work-time" Aprons with "Play-time" Charm
Just got a new Vogart transfer pattern in the post from the USA. I am so going to make the heart apron! I'm not sure what material to use. I am obsessed with linen at the moment, but to be accurate, this type of thing would most likely be made from cotton. Only problem is, the only white cotton I have at the moment is fairly light weight and I want to start stitching NOW!
1 August 2007
Books
I managed to get my hands on a couple of very good books. They arrived today from the UK. The Kendrick one has some good info on historical embroidery and some solid black and white images. The Drury is perhaps the best historical embroidery overview currently available. Not alot of detail but a great starting point.
