The Red Promenade - she is done. This is a wonderful item from Hanne Falkenberg, and like all of her other designs, is a marvel. The rows are VERY LONG but it was a fairly simple knit and I'm very pleased with it. The colors are somewhat more saturated in person.
I finished this up the same day I posted the preceding post. It's cute but not anything I would really want to make again, mainly due to the elastic thread which was used. I don't believe it will hold up and that will be sad. In fact, the thread broke in the midst of construction. Maybe it was the big-eye needle I used to string the beads which caused it to break.
The pattern seemed like a good idea.
I am stringing about 3 yards of seed beads interspersed with some larger cube beads, for the Bauble bracelet from knitty.com. It will be knit shortly.
I made this bead last year sometime and have been waiting for the inspiration to hit. The necklace is a spiral technique if 11/0 seed beads which I had never used, from Carol Wilcox Wells' book The Art and Elegance of Beadweaving. The netted bead was from beAd Infinitum. The spiral technique necklace has a wonderful drape to it.
Here is the beginning of a very pretty victorian lace fichu! The pattern is from the lovely book by Jane Sowerby called "Victorian Lace Today". The pink wuxi scarf I made previously, is another pattern from the book. The yarn is very fine merino wool called Lacy Lamb, and is leftover from the Shetland Triangle Shawl I made a while back. There was 33 gms when I started.
This is a replacement necklace for an amulet bag I made some time ago. The original strap was a simple strung seed bead cord, but was not strong enough. This is a knitted i-cord with beads, done on #8 crochet cotton with #0000 dpns. Warning: VERY LABOR INTENSIVE technique, although it looks very pretty. The beads are inserted into each stitch every third row and are pulled through the knit stitch. If not pulled through, they will end up on the inside of the i-cord tube. Don't ask me how I know this.
These cuties were completed a few weeks ago, but were never posted to my blog. The pattern came from Jean Greenhowe's Jemima-Jane and Friends. They are fiddly to put together but not hard, but the embroidery of the faces was difficult at first. I used Vanna's Choice yarn which worked out well. Instead of buttons or safety eyes, I made very interesting french knot yarn eyes, following her directions, and they are wonderful.
This kit from Hanne Falkenberg is the most amazing combination of vibrant colors! It is a joy to knit as well, although I must say that it is a huge commitment of time. Each row is currently taking about 20 minutes to knit, because of the very large number of stitches and garter stitch compresses so that it seems that no progress is being made. I am a couple of inches away from completing the right side and then I will be able to see more. Ms. Falkenberg's colorways make me drool. If you would like to join in the drooling, check out her web page.
This gorgeous etched lampwork bead just arrived in the mail yesterday, and it has been calling to me ever since. So naturally, it all came together very easily, and quickly. The focal bead is breathtakingly beautiful.
This was also from my stash - pink quartz rounds and then lots of coiling pink and silver wire beads. My mom took it as soon as she saw it! The clasp came out very nice and easy to use.
This was so much fun to do! Each beaded bead is a different technique and color, and are mostly peyote stitch with embellishments. Then they were strung intermittently with the amethyst nuggets. I purchased it online at buythekit.com Many more kits may be found at that site.
This was a high quality kit I purchased online here.
Unfortunately the clasp which was included in the kit (a bayonet clasp) was so difficult to use, that I had to replace it with a magnetic one, which is great.
The tanzanite seed bead beads are made individually.
Again, I am attempting to use my stash beads! And the tornado toggle clasp I made a while ago. I'm happy with this one too, with the exception of the silver colored beading wire. Copper colored would have blended better with the colors.
Made with 26, 22, and 20 gauge wire, both brown and copper, plus assorted delica and seed beads. Just experimenting with different techniques, and using my stash (which is HUGE.) I think it came out very well, and I am pleased with it.
This is a free pattern available here . I used Knit Picks palette fingering yarn but changed the colors specified slightly, and am not totally happy with my new colorway. Live and learn I guess. My gauge is about 10 stitches per inch and the mittens are very nice and warm and feel good. I love the scallop edge.
This cute baby sweater is made from Louet Gems fingering weight merino wool. Took almost no time to knit, as compared to an adult size! There was no provision for a button in the pattern, but I think one of the picots will work just fine for a button hole.
I am a contortionist now, after taking my own pictures in the mirror. I'm not unhappy with them either, and the sweater cabling shows up nicely. The cardigan took almost 7 skeins of Louet Gems Merino sport weight in grape. The yarn is fantastic and has wonderful stitch definition, and is also machine washable and dryable. Not important for a garment for me, but for others, it would be.
This is the final project for my correspondence course from The Knitting Guild of America's Finishing Techniques. I learned whole lot and now have a wonderful notebook of samples and notes for my further study. I am now the queen of mattress stitch!!
Okay, everyone knows how I love acorns, so is this such a surprise? He came out really cute, even though he is quite stout. It must be those large acorns which cause his obesity!
Mr. Mio, our trusty portable GPS, needed a covering to keep him safe from scratches when being carried about. I used my sock-knitting prowess to design him a warm sock. The sock begins with a garter stitch bottom knit flat, and then picked up all around and knit until long enough. There are a couple of rows of garter stitch edging before binding off most of the stitches and then continuing on for the little button strap. It fits a multitude of electronic devices too.
This is the second tornado toggle I have created. Since I have no immediate plans for this toggle clasp, I thought I would leave it simply copper-colored, with no contrasting crystals. The technique is pure fun.
Just in time for the cooler weather, Mr. Teddy models his smart cardigan.
I took an online class from beaducation.com for this toggle clasp technique, and I'm very pleased with the course and the instructor. This is my first attempt and was a lot of fun to do.
I highly recommend this course!!! There are two pieces in the picture, in case you can't figure it out: the toggle and the ring. Since they aren't attached to anything yet, it may cause you some confusion!!
Sterling silver handforged links with gorgeous handmade (not by me!!) lampwork beads.
This is a steeked, stranded Norwegian cardigan for my granddaughter's stuffed animal. I'm using my own personal teddy bear as a model, but he doesn't look so happy. It must be because the sweater is not finished yet, don't you think?
I'm making this sweater up as I go, using traditional Norwegian techniques, and untraditional Lion Brand Vanna's Choice acrylic yarn leftover from alligator scarves. The neckband is the only remaining part to be finished now. I even found yellow buttons to match in my button stash.
This is the cardigan I am knitting for the final project of The Knitting Guild of America's course Finishing Techniques. The yarn is Louet Gems Merino Sport weight in grape, and is wonderful yarn, but very springy so that the ribs really contract. It does stretch alright but I'm wondering about blocking it. Time will tell. The pattern has the cables on the center front and just ribbing everywhere else, and is a V neck. It calls for 6 buttons but I may put in more, simply because I don't want the closing to gap. The pattern is free from Garnstudio web site:
http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=66&d_id=6&lang=us
More of the twisted wire bracelets. These bracelets are better if worn in the summer, when there are no coats to cover them up and catch.
This is the most amazing silk and merino yarn ! I bought it in Baltimore a couple of weeks ago during a boating trip, and have been anxiously awaiting inspiration. The scarf is from Victorian Lace Today, and was a very quick knit. Can't you just see how it glows from within??
This was so much fun to make. I had a little box of mixed beads and found the perfect colored wire to go with it, and twisted away.
These are also the first pictures taken with my newly purchased light tent. I have a feeling a new camera is in store for me soon too, as my current little camera's battery is failing, and it's expensive to buy a new one. The camera is a SONY Cybershot, and is quite a few years old, but just keeps taking great pictures.
This has a core of 10 mm periwinkle beads on a nylon C-lon base, with 2 crocheted wire and bead strands twisted on it, and then a final strand of strung beads on wire twisted around that.
