tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46258959473766914052024-03-12T23:50:06.706+00:00Sleeping dragonsJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-27677879605286012182017-11-23T16:14:00.002+00:002017-11-23T16:14:48.998+00:00The Totem Series: Selkie & St John's Wort<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsCLDCZalpB0lmXmRZvJtCnXo33SOdBQVObmAisWRiF_c1pnOf0fiCdiiH6OsoyruVIj5TXIOlw02fL1epzay5g3ozHqvEQjcQ8NT2gFhwuwDNsGlTgTLrdKrd9rTz8vlGf1CJM9VwBBH/s1600/Selkie+%2526+St+John%2527s+Wort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1596" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsCLDCZalpB0lmXmRZvJtCnXo33SOdBQVObmAisWRiF_c1pnOf0fiCdiiH6OsoyruVIj5TXIOlw02fL1epzay5g3ozHqvEQjcQ8NT2gFhwuwDNsGlTgTLrdKrd9rTz8vlGf1CJM9VwBBH/s320/Selkie+%2526+St+John%2527s+Wort.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
Selkie is the first of two of Scotland's genius locii that I included in my Totem series, two mythical creatures tied to a particular location. The legend of the Selkie isn't unique to Scotland, it's a Celitic myth so they're known about in Cornwall and Ireland. Selkies are creatures that can shapeshift from human into seal form by putting on their furry cloaks. There are similarities to the stories of Greek nymphs and their scrolls. Selkies are usually female and if a man finds her sealcloak and stashes it where she can't find it she becomes land bound and belongs with him. Nice. My first introduction to the myth was as a child long before I came to Scotland in the form of a little book my mum bought me and I remained fascinated by the myth. It is true, seals are curious beasties that stare back at us just as we stare at them and their curious unafraid gaze makes it seem possible that they are transformed humans. They are liminal creatures, between land and water in a much more dualistic way than seals, they only really come on shore to pup. As mythical creatures with their roots in the real world they stand between the border between legend and reality. A misty day, a seal pup crying, that could be a child crying. The selkie stands only just on the other side of that borderline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSX0tIwkZfHNgNUv8_Hu5B_K-Y_fqkj-ZvCZdqDPmaQ2oV269ZgBXEmzK3FtoBLeRBIqZUcrP2mnJnmbhSjtds4jK-fyEQGyDxxAkEa-d19JgbtoClJyg24n9vtSOMl9-YcPVzI4ieWahJ/s1600/16951676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="520" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSX0tIwkZfHNgNUv8_Hu5B_K-Y_fqkj-ZvCZdqDPmaQ2oV269ZgBXEmzK3FtoBLeRBIqZUcrP2mnJnmbhSjtds4jK-fyEQGyDxxAkEa-d19JgbtoClJyg24n9vtSOMl9-YcPVzI4ieWahJ/s200/16951676.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
One of the loveliest depictions of this myth is in Tomm Moore's achingly beautiful film Song of Sea, a boy has to save his selkie sister and bring the magic back to the land. Irish music, fantastic animation, beautiful artwork, stunning storyline, it has it all. My girl did a musical criticism piece on it and it stands up to intense analysis.<br />
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I liked the idea of my selkie being at rest, the irony is that she is wet but she's the one holding the umbrella. Her feet are still tucked into her selkie coat which is rucked up at the back of her - yes, she's happily naked - and reading, a favourite retreat of mine. It might also be that she's using the umbrella to keep the sun off herself. Even in Scotland it does happen that the sun is strong enough to burn white skin better suited to very low levels of UV radiation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_WeicTSsurtpC6WbRBkmtvbHRNVoA7MO4d4DzXokzqXPvwTAhSVTVezDWanryJgq8fZLcIhR_c8z0SIH1BW3EXggL6l2Mhmw7mYAtQKwHvg8kDj8ztXvgwBJN0rmxU2P6PqcsbHL3KeH/s1600/st_johns_wort_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="640" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_WeicTSsurtpC6WbRBkmtvbHRNVoA7MO4d4DzXokzqXPvwTAhSVTVezDWanryJgq8fZLcIhR_c8z0SIH1BW3EXggL6l2Mhmw7mYAtQKwHvg8kDj8ztXvgwBJN0rmxU2P6PqcsbHL3KeH/s200/st_johns_wort_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The St John's Wort <i>Hypericum perforatum </i>is one of the best known herbal remedies for depression, so effective that if you are taking St John's Wort extract you should not take anti depressants. It is also an excellent antiseptic, and a pretty small yellow flower believed in ancient times to resemble the sun and sunlight. In folklore the name <i>Hypericum </i>implies that it scares away evil spirits which I suppose depression can be seen as, melancholia could be viewed as possession by a malevolent spirit. The Greek etymology suggests <i>icum </i>means health so hyper or super health, again makes sense. <i>perforatum </i>is more simple, just meaning perforated. Because of the glands on them the leaves they appear perforated when held up against the light. As for the name St John's Wort, well, apparently in medieval times it was believed that if you put a spring of the plant under your pillow on St John's eve St John himself would appear in your dreams to bless you and keep you safe from harm for the year ahead. The wort suffix denotes a plant or herb that can be used for healing. St John symbolised light and St John's eve is midsummer, following the Christian tradition of appropriating pre exisiting festivals. My husband and I married on the closest Saturday to Midsummer's Eve so it has special significance for us. I am currently in remission from depression and GAD (generalised anxiety disorder) and St John's Wort was the first plant I chose when the idea for the Totem series began to form in my mind.<br />
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<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-27717846389975391672017-11-06T11:52:00.000+00:002017-11-06T11:52:56.829+00:00The Totem Series: Axolotl and Ginkgo<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Fjw84_PY3JcmjIDP8gmNqX2uW03D7Dyh01D9VZ38AIPn_WSwLBeBW7scdlLDBfbGpNnzhfNsvkxr7kBfmgpP4GoJZ4SJiUuj8NGJ_7axtcLGn5R4BjacpLzfJFmPl0VHwtaWbC0d3ibz/s1600/axolotl.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Fjw84_PY3JcmjIDP8gmNqX2uW03D7Dyh01D9VZ38AIPn_WSwLBeBW7scdlLDBfbGpNnzhfNsvkxr7kBfmgpP4GoJZ4SJiUuj8NGJ_7axtcLGn5R4BjacpLzfJFmPl0VHwtaWbC0d3ibz/s200/axolotl.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A white axolotl</td></tr>
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I have a favourite animal: the axolotl <i>Ambystoma mexicanum </i>(Mexican) or <i>Ambystoma tigrinum </i>(Tiger) . Ambystoma comes from the Greek <i>Amblys </i>means 'blunt' and <i>stoma </i>means 'mouth'. And axolotl comes from the Mexican for water monster. Like me it's a bit wierd but very well adapted for it's environment. The axolotl is a cave salamander also known as the Mexican Walking Fish. Which is a bit wierd because an axolotl is not a fish it's an amphibian, but unlike most mature amphibians it hasn't developed fully and has kept it's gills and fins so unlike most amphibians it rarely comes out of its home in the cave lakes of Mexico. And if it loses a limb can just regrow it.<br />
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I have an affection for salamanders in general, they are mythical<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjgKRsivhfxm-5sTWNjey1P1A3dIEW_oWKT62k_oi6AP6ppadPLwBARi8Zqda5aezmCZb6TDXmgrAb26LonqFRrSER__KeWr38WUcJIlUP_TUv0mz1H9QgB_njq9XEvpIkgkFZQpQ6tsi/s1600/fire-salamander2%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjgKRsivhfxm-5sTWNjey1P1A3dIEW_oWKT62k_oi6AP6ppadPLwBARi8Zqda5aezmCZb6TDXmgrAb26LonqFRrSER__KeWr38WUcJIlUP_TUv0mz1H9QgB_njq9XEvpIkgkFZQpQ6tsi/s200/fire-salamander2%25281%2529.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire salamander</td></tr>
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animals with a lot of legends attached to them, most notably the fire salamander which is a real thing. Most salamanders, like newts are a kind of muddy greenish brown colour for camoflage. <i>Salamandra salamandra </i>is clearly the archetypal salamander, the name simply means salamander twice. It is toxic, the bright yellow and black colouring is a warning to predators. It has rows of poison glands along its body that secrete neurotoxins. If necessary, it can spray these at an attacker.<br />
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Then there's the mythical fire salamander. Widely believed to have been born from fire it appears in mythology from across the world. It appears in right through classical and medieval mythology, Pliny the elder and Aristotle both talk about it. Small but mighty, a little fiery creature of great usefulness in making potions, toxic and magical.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbrxpldSS99IsMBROEIMwTE_WFvdJMNlo5GipWgDtDd8TQfOtqYFlJ029v6ZKmbbjgJ6kPLOoPmbp7T3sS5b1_siH6FSp-SFaFoFh0ff6qKkcW6qw2LnCdv_mr5PsiY6Sg8GzZn-ICQOF/s1600/Axolotl+%2526+Ginkgo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1587" data-original-width="1600" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbrxpldSS99IsMBROEIMwTE_WFvdJMNlo5GipWgDtDd8TQfOtqYFlJ029v6ZKmbbjgJ6kPLOoPmbp7T3sS5b1_siH6FSp-SFaFoFh0ff6qKkcW6qw2LnCdv_mr5PsiY6Sg8GzZn-ICQOF/s320/Axolotl+%2526+Ginkgo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The plant in this print is similarly wierd looking and extraordinary. The ginkgo or Maidenhair tree (named after the Maidenhair fern) is another living fossil. <i>Ginkgo biloba </i>is the last remaining survivor of a prehistoric genus of trees. In terms of its medicinal uses it contains large amounts of flavinoids and terpinoids: antioxidants that protect the cells from damage. It is resiliant, ancient and beloved of Buddhists. <i>Ginkgo </i>comes from the Chinese <i>gin </i>means silver and <i>kyo </i>means apricot. It is believed to clarify thinking by enhancing blood flow to the brain, but I just love its wierd shape and the fact that it is a Mezozoic survivor. <i>Biloba </i>simply means bilobed, describing the divided leaf that bears no resemblance to any other present day decidious leaf.<br />
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My axolotl is a cryptoaxolotl, I exaggerated those beautiful frondy fins and gave it those native american eyes. It is the print that has gone through the most alterations, it's always difficult to pay tribute to an animal and plant which mean so much to you.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-46052091950526841732017-10-31T11:40:00.000+00:002017-10-31T11:44:31.485+00:00The Totem Series: Fox & Beech<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz_xcqkvCl6EkKOWkBiLgFK5jH8xaV7eJjun2oVMj8t8pDSTGC3qvVWytXmOuKaHFjtLigJkBD19M8dTdif_mEKTQHimsSoZnOwzOD-6k9SU9z82JUmlFZgTqW4O0fjFXgylrHdWeSCdL/s1600/20171031_104525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="987" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz_xcqkvCl6EkKOWkBiLgFK5jH8xaV7eJjun2oVMj8t8pDSTGC3qvVWytXmOuKaHFjtLigJkBD19M8dTdif_mEKTQHimsSoZnOwzOD-6k9SU9z82JUmlFZgTqW4O0fjFXgylrHdWeSCdL/s200/20171031_104525.jpg" width="174" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vulpes vulpes</td></tr>
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<span id="goog_2012869862"></span><span id="goog_2012869863"></span>Foxes are nocturnal creatures and I love them. They are, pardon the pun, the underdog. Villified by farmers for frenzied chicken killing and by urban dwellers for their noisy dustbin rustling and courtship they are superb survivors. I think they are utterly beautiful brain and body, our red fox's latin name <i>Vulpes vulpes</i> just means extra foxy, it's as if they cannot be described any other way. This image is from the photograph <a href="http://www.nhmshop.co.uk/ice-fox-wall-print.html" target="_blank">Ice Fox </a>by Henrik Lund, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009 and encapsulates the bright intelligence of the animal, ears cocked, curious but unafraid.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOF0jkOPqL7lISB61un4CojlFm3Uk6eM2nVsUfpjJpxghkRP_nPcD-eO8l9RiiCCZddyeUqKFRAI_BXl7QUNI2WChouzew7xJsW6_3MeL-_sTkLvi7vafaHBN3kqkTSQYhGM50M5CsBQ_0/s1600/fQYSUbVfts-T7odkrFJckdiFeHvab0GWOfzhj7tYdC0uglagsDcT1evJTBlGfVTtFM5dLyAHbriayzJEV3jlXPIy6I4Vw0DRfGTBWTZ392mP-EacsMu_bad0f7e18SokkJ2lH1IZfN4Ith6nWELSQTNBqDdcf75CEcI4-gQRRyk-jH0da5OylLfC4LFDnF-vqieAslW3dcduqxPXfGo3riG4_w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOF0jkOPqL7lISB61un4CojlFm3Uk6eM2nVsUfpjJpxghkRP_nPcD-eO8l9RiiCCZddyeUqKFRAI_BXl7QUNI2WChouzew7xJsW6_3MeL-_sTkLvi7vafaHBN3kqkTSQYhGM50M5CsBQ_0/s200/fQYSUbVfts-T7odkrFJckdiFeHvab0GWOfzhj7tYdC0uglagsDcT1evJTBlGfVTtFM5dLyAHbriayzJEV3jlXPIy6I4Vw0DRfGTBWTZ392mP-EacsMu_bad0f7e18SokkJ2lH1IZfN4Ith6nWELSQTNBqDdcf75CEcI4-gQRRyk-jH0da5OylLfC4LFDnF-vqieAslW3dcduqxPXfGo3riG4_w.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vulpes zerda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsx8rYy9sXaCxeTj_UtR-cxIIkKXz92uFn51uKEvSGIJEIOwjINsLb-pNZ_llmj1Q2qCNznpR_1iRMNpP4VDLY51addhGDWo101doORSLeci5Yq7AeaMcOMCs8fwoy88jjI54WRs4cBcn/s1600/1d91839245bb55e05877041bb23bb6c4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsx8rYy9sXaCxeTj_UtR-cxIIkKXz92uFn51uKEvSGIJEIOwjINsLb-pNZ_llmj1Q2qCNznpR_1iRMNpP4VDLY51addhGDWo101doORSLeci5Yq7AeaMcOMCs8fwoy88jjI54WRs4cBcn/s200/1d91839245bb55e05877041bb23bb6c4.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teto and Princess Nausicaa</td></tr>
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In the UK we live with the red fox and I love all foxes but have a very special place in my heart for the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/f/fennec-fox/" target="_blank">Fennec fox</a>. Living in the desert it comes out in the cooler night and uses those enormous ears to hunt for bugs and grubs. Teto, the squirrel-fox like creature in one of my favourite studio Ghibil films: <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087544/" target="_blank">Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind </a>reminds me of a Fennec fox. The name Fennec comes from the Arabic fanak meaning fox. The latin name is <a href="http://eol.org/pages/328001/details" target="_blank"><i>Vulpes zerda</i></a>, comes from the Greek xeros meaning dry hinting at their desert habitat. By contrast, Teto is a forest creature.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsBNr0N2kZqKMa2XEd3gBYW9wV_cMqtnd4LDu71jBAzEZo1_Of7XBCVr4QfefB71IxPhQXg9OZaiAPyfJjyd5jlihNrsEdMvhy9PSiI1d37Vjo4_1hbvtVvluUc-NPXx9XB7_xU3XDKkM/s1600/Fox+_+Beech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsBNr0N2kZqKMa2XEd3gBYW9wV_cMqtnd4LDu71jBAzEZo1_Of7XBCVr4QfefB71IxPhQXg9OZaiAPyfJjyd5jlihNrsEdMvhy9PSiI1d37Vjo4_1hbvtVvluUc-NPXx9XB7_xU3XDKkM/s320/Fox+_+Beech.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Fox & Beech Print</td></tr>
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The second element of this print is the shallow rooted <a href="https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/native-trees/common-beech/" target="_blank">Beech <i>Fagus sylvatica</i></a>, another latin naming that shows that the tree is so iconic it is kind of named after itself. <i>Sylvatica </i>means of the woods. The beech is considered a native to the UK although it's thought that it only made it across Doggerland to the UK to <a href="http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/activities/trees/tree-species/beech" target="_blank">Scotland </a>during the Bronze age. Always used extensively for the wood the beech nuts are used to treat respiratory problems. I have summer asthma brought on by pollen so this chimed with me. Also, I was raised in Cambridge and much of the Newmarket area of East Anglia was covered in beech trees that were brought down during the great 1987 storm, they are shallow rooted creatures. One of my favourite places in the world is the beech wood <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/robert-macfarlane/32424/" target="_blank">Robert McFarlane </a>(one of my favourite authors) starts out from in his book <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/56083/the-old-ways/" target="_blank">The Old Ways</a>. It is a wood I played in as a kid sitting on the chalk rise behind Cambridge at the start of an ancient road leading to the south Downs and coast.<br />
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Details on how to buy my happy curled up fox at https://www.facebook.com/CarnoustieDriftwood1/<br />
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-45557705191714886142017-10-30T15:17:00.003+00:002017-10-30T15:29:28.338+00:00The Totem Series : Vampire Squid & Barnacles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZt_NcfyLBTOk_TfcEv5lxFpwrSCeDnP5BMs5nF3rHvl66WKZLzBlC-E5p1op9tjyFg-dIvdkZym9lL6wlKyCIvvWQW6VwiEH-s40g-APRDp30H9l8yjhBbpJU61-qqIuTXCyxx4uN6Sh/s1600/image014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZt_NcfyLBTOk_TfcEv5lxFpwrSCeDnP5BMs5nF3rHvl66WKZLzBlC-E5p1op9tjyFg-dIvdkZym9lL6wlKyCIvvWQW6VwiEH-s40g-APRDp30H9l8yjhBbpJU61-qqIuTXCyxx4uN6Sh/s200/image014.jpg" width="194" /></a> Spellbound, last night, I watched the first of the BBCs <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04tjbtx" target="_blank">Blue Planet II</a>
programmes, the BBC at its very very finest. I never knew that dolphins surfed, that fish could change sex or leap from the water to take birds out of the air. Attenborough's child like joy in this most exquisite of habitats almost made me cry.<br />
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And this was just about
the surface, so much to come, hope they'll be looking deep enough to
find my most curious of beasties. Something about the deep depths and
mystery surrounding this creature speaks to something in me. This close to Hallowe'en you have to have something spooky, and my second print from the Totem series is a living fossil that fits pretty well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDR2GkHSMiQHZNn_zGcpR_fb-02M9039fbvFgRZhmtuFMC26VyiPz2weAw2WOSfvjlTwZNprftCQImp9wDcG9Jujy6eINJOX19EJy_ZqbEA4oPgujfRanHFVJrScJwfSEhAtWHiny461al/s1600/vampire-squid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="518" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDR2GkHSMiQHZNn_zGcpR_fb-02M9039fbvFgRZhmtuFMC26VyiPz2weAw2WOSfvjlTwZNprftCQImp9wDcG9Jujy6eINJOX19EJy_ZqbEA4oPgujfRanHFVJrScJwfSEhAtWHiny461al/s320/vampire-squid.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vampire Squid moving into defensive mode</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: right;">
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Say hello to Vampyrotheusis Infernalis. The name means literally vampire squid from hell, is an ancient squid deep red in colour that effectively turns itself inside out as a form of defense. Beaks from similar creatures have been found in the fossilised belly of a Cretaceous plesiosaur. It has the biggest eyes in relation to body size of any animal and has bioluminescent ends to its tentacles.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMzHWPqm3usrhOGDpivhL6pap8mit0qN1X0zG3f_MSG4IgEMIkMomH5vtTpLXD5gFYSMy-cAiDMwVFKbZNqN3LAcUIp3HwPKgTx3-8AvCH5_XBMXQQyTJrXL538hSGCDzVJMGBkMkrhpv/s1600/Vampire+Squid+From+Hell+%2526+Barnacles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1587" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMzHWPqm3usrhOGDpivhL6pap8mit0qN1X0zG3f_MSG4IgEMIkMomH5vtTpLXD5gFYSMy-cAiDMwVFKbZNqN3LAcUIp3HwPKgTx3-8AvCH5_XBMXQQyTJrXL538hSGCDzVJMGBkMkrhpv/s200/Vampire+Squid+From+Hell+%2526+Barnacles.jpg" width="198" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vampire Squid From Hell & Barnacles</td></tr>
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Barnacles are definately surface creatures, depending on the tide washing over them to provide the food they sift from seawater. Their tenaciousness and jaggy nature made an ideal pairing in my mind with the vampire squid to represent that aspect of myself that is hidden from view, the subconscious that we perhaps fear but are also fascinated by.<br />
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<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-48678521706279099982017-10-26T15:16:00.002+01:002017-10-26T15:20:54.165+01:00The Totem Series: Magpie & Belladonna<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHHtT4bdW9e1uSd6SznhBegcxv_08gYZm9WSPk1uaHJQ7hoTpxHX4oMfVqNz0gRgpJMjKiDVb4nAEJN3aiA7-dIIK-vSPw3xHYUlkV6FvDLTkFWojaG2-ofrmlBVXKt7KmKa-tqn8iWKW/s1600/1200px-Magpie_arp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHHtT4bdW9e1uSd6SznhBegcxv_08gYZm9WSPk1uaHJQ7hoTpxHX4oMfVqNz0gRgpJMjKiDVb4nAEJN3aiA7-dIIK-vSPw3xHYUlkV6FvDLTkFWojaG2-ofrmlBVXKt7KmKa-tqn8iWKW/s200/1200px-Magpie_arp.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pica Pica</i></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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One for sorrow,<br />
Two for joy,<br />
Three for a girl,<br />
Four for a boy,<br />
Five for silver,<br />
Six for gold,<br />
Seven for a secret,<br />
Never to be told. <br />
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The magpie is a member of the corvidae family and like it's cousins the crow, jackdaw, rook, raven and jay it is a curious highly intelligent bird. Its latin name is <i>pica pica</i>, pica simply means pied. They have a reputation for stealing especially things that are shiny, and are considered uncanny creatures, associatiated with foretelling, luck and bad luck.<br />
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The magpie, in the guise of the Gazza Ladra, appears in one of my favourite Tintin books, <a href="http://en.tintin.com/albums/show/id/45/page/0/0/the-castafiore-emerald" target="_blank"><i>The Castafiore Emerald</i></a>,
featuring the great combination of the irascible ex sea Captain Haddock
who is so like my dad, and the unstoppable and formidable opera singer
Bianca Castafiore. The magpie is a great cheeky character too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04ltnVvoXLdyFNTqtwJWrb4DuGqCov1sD-4GG9qYremCl9NjYbma6vpJlsAEbRszSBHBP2Skek2KOP977kFjrD2b2ZTIH0Wi-Loj39SRRlXSCeXMaWbyc_pnoC2oe2Ge8ZSDYpy4nrt5B/s1600/main-qimg-247a9edf4fd371b781a47c3981b94fe8.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="602" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04ltnVvoXLdyFNTqtwJWrb4DuGqCov1sD-4GG9qYremCl9NjYbma6vpJlsAEbRszSBHBP2Skek2KOP977kFjrD2b2ZTIH0Wi-Loj39SRRlXSCeXMaWbyc_pnoC2oe2Ge8ZSDYpy4nrt5B/s640/main-qimg-247a9edf4fd371b781a47c3981b94fe8.png" width="640" /></a> <br />
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So, magpies are bright and curious to the point of getting themselves in trouble, pied in colouring and in character. A lot like myself. I had always felt an affinity for all corvidae. But the magpie as my totem animal stepped up when I was diagnosed with Aspergers last year. The lovely lady who was doing my testing was speaking about why many girls with Aspergers are missed. Boys with Aspergers tend to have fixations, intense interests. An aspiegirl like me is just as intense but we have 'magpie minds', we move from one thing to another ceaselessly curious, driven to learn more, to absorb, to grow in knowledge. And that's me.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNhoXdkHUpU4AEvg0Bq7SV5WzrB9isG1RBUXA8KGMe4qfgpQ1REARSX1BT3j7ewLeZmNNbJRa_hN6pcbT8p9GkC6nzskLDkUFXUNGKBRPznK6s1PU5lZ2kv_ixEoO30oPhWY7jo28kz_h/s1600/deadly-nightshade-atropa-belladonna-poisonous-plants-illustrations-B6AB4N.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="972" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaNhoXdkHUpU4AEvg0Bq7SV5WzrB9isG1RBUXA8KGMe4qfgpQ1REARSX1BT3j7ewLeZmNNbJRa_hN6pcbT8p9GkC6nzskLDkUFXUNGKBRPznK6s1PU5lZ2kv_ixEoO30oPhWY7jo28kz_h/s200/deadly-nightshade-atropa-belladonna-poisonous-plants-illustrations-B6AB4N.jpg" width="139" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Atropa Belladonna</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Belladonna is one of the most famous of plants that are medicinal but can kill, hence its common British name Deadly Nightshade. <i>Atropa Belladonna </i>treats pain and infection but its latin name speaks of its dual nature. <i>Belladonna </i>means 'beautiful lady' and distilled drops were used by women to make themselves appear more attractive by dilating their pupils. But <i>Atropa </i>is after Atropos, in Greek mythology the third of the Fates who cuts the thread of your life at your death. The berries are bright and tempting, children usually have to be warned not to eat them, and the flowers are an eye catching combination of yellow centres and purple petals. A beautiful plant with a deadly side. Like the dual nature of humans.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ilg0ODZmLD0itm6GgjhKycGMIB4r8aPfB_asUyRPgu_DTWK1ayvE_3wtHP86l9p8ZSH1cl9xIP5XwdgEK8ZX1MWF7-_74nfrdh6o-S0RxjGQVQnStjZb9i0c5N-CfV26uV1NT_2wdNQ/s1600/Magpie+%2526+Belladonna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1543" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9ilg0ODZmLD0itm6GgjhKycGMIB4r8aPfB_asUyRPgu_DTWK1ayvE_3wtHP86l9p8ZSH1cl9xIP5XwdgEK8ZX1MWF7-_74nfrdh6o-S0RxjGQVQnStjZb9i0c5N-CfV26uV1NT_2wdNQ/s320/Magpie+%2526+Belladonna.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magpie & Belladonna</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So, I drew lots of pictures of magpies and belladonna until I felt I had its essence in my head, and set about making it squarer and more like Native American totem. The beak became turned to the side in thunderbird style and the belladonna flowers and berries fitted around it keeping the image square. The eye is rendered in the style of Native American art while retaining the brighness of the corvid eye.<br />
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Limited edition (run of 25) prints of Magpie & Belladonna are available and you can find information about where they are for sale at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarnoustieDriftwood1/" target="_blank">Carnoustie Driftwood </a>Facebook page .<br />
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<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-26882858326921545352017-10-25T16:07:00.004+01:002017-10-25T16:08:52.730+01:00The Totem Series: Introduction<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GXtJyREvDaw3yaG3rop_OvuKyLVpugwUprt0IO68XZpqoTslXY28EqB1zmjR_MvP-qTH1Zo9VJ-VVyJfGje2ZE33vHizoWo7scip161npwX-jn5Pq2H3JQKHdZ8kEnXA4pGMYaQCxNab/s1600/maa_totem_pole_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GXtJyREvDaw3yaG3rop_OvuKyLVpugwUprt0IO68XZpqoTslXY28EqB1zmjR_MvP-qTH1Zo9VJ-VVyJfGje2ZE33vHizoWo7scip161npwX-jn5Pq2H3JQKHdZ8kEnXA4pGMYaQCxNab/s320/maa_totem_pole_small.jpg" title="" width="213" /></a></div>
Last year I began to create a set of lino prints inspired by the totem pole I saw many times in the Cambridge <a href="http://maa.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Arch and Anth</a>. museum. It made a powerful impression, the pole was placed in the middle of an atrium and up on the balcony you found it still towering overhead. I loved the stylised powerful animals stacked up like a kids toy, capped with the mighty thunderbird on top. There's a small piece on it <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/museums-and-collections/collaborative-projects/my-museum-favourite/totem-pole" target="_blank">here </a>by Allegra Jaffe.<br />
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I had always loved the art of printmakers and after a steep learning curve when it came to carving lino I decided to create my own totem pole based on this kind of artwork, made from a series of blocks which would be the same size and could be printed into the pole in any order. I was looking for animals that I considered to be my totems. In Native American mythology your totem or spirit animal speaks to you at different times in your life depending on the guidance you need. For myself I chose animals that spoke to a part of me.<br />
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I also included plants. All had to be plants that kill or heal, that are medicinal in small doses and lethal in larger. The creative is also the destructive. Curiously I chose 9 animals along with the thunderbird. At <a href="https://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-totems/" target="_blank">Legends of America</a>, never read before today, 9 is the number of animals identified as a person's lifetime spirit animal companions. <br />
<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-250132470116665822017-10-23T10:45:00.000+01:002017-10-23T10:45:20.374+01:00Carnoustie Driftwood <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpzoFjxafSDiysclnMtymyH25qjhl9DR6nlgopljfwLOXJgg_W9Hfn3SP28dwV5XTqXm0twQ5pYmOi6tBM-BiVDEjyI3N90kizMpgcfMJjIxsQvox8V9iVszf8Xs2u0GKo-xdMuB6BsBD/s1600/20171022_121252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpzoFjxafSDiysclnMtymyH25qjhl9DR6nlgopljfwLOXJgg_W9Hfn3SP28dwV5XTqXm0twQ5pYmOi6tBM-BiVDEjyI3N90kizMpgcfMJjIxsQvox8V9iVszf8Xs2u0GKo-xdMuB6BsBD/s320/20171022_121252.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Since last year my husband has been creating beautiful objects from driftwood gathered from the strandlines of our stunning coastline and last year he created a site for it at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarnoustieDriftwood1/">https://www.facebook.com/CarnoustieDriftwood1/</a>. It has turned into a family venture. For the past year I have been deepening my love affair with printmaking, resulting in a print series based around personal totems, post to follow. We are lucky to have had the fabulous Lunan Bay Diner take on our work and next month will be selling our items at Muirfield's Christmas Fayre in Arbroath. With the dreaded C work coming up I turned to making lino print cards, this is Scott hard at work assembling cards, envelopes, labels and cello bags to his usual high standard<br />
<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-25710206203850754192014-07-28T10:53:00.004+01:002014-07-28T10:54:52.786+01:00One down one to go...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFIAk1sizRh_t-s-xIbFux-o1GVziO3Y__7HQR6uQgVAI5rPWF6UKJueTROKz9z2ehFRvlS2fk8ow-YaFD2vaWaK9E1equYhZP5wFxLT8I_4M8fgx0DvJM3wXtkeAbz3Ob98pA98a0nlZ/s1600/2014-07-27+21.58.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFIAk1sizRh_t-s-xIbFux-o1GVziO3Y__7HQR6uQgVAI5rPWF6UKJueTROKz9z2ehFRvlS2fk8ow-YaFD2vaWaK9E1equYhZP5wFxLT8I_4M8fgx0DvJM3wXtkeAbz3Ob98pA98a0nlZ/s1600/2014-07-27+21.58.16.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful pattern, keep heart...</td></tr>
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Maybe I'm just slow but this has seemed a very very slow sock to make. Partly because it's the biggest sock I've ever knitted, it fits Scott perfectly so must be okay. I think in <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/op-art-socks">Op Art Socks</a> Stephanie van der Linden uses a slightly higher stitch count to get the beautiful results and the one sock done so far is just stunning. I've like the construction, these socks are top down with the vertical bars created by a clever slip stitch pattern rather than fiddly stranding. The heel is different to how I have created a heel before, creating a really well defined box shape and very sturdy with a slip stitch pattern that makes the fabric kind of a double layer over this most heavily worn area of the sock. Now I just have to do the other one without losing heart...<br />
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The black wool used here is a 4ply I had in my stash, however the orange is a beautiful ombre from DROPS Garnstudio called Fabel in #153 Tex Mex, it contrasts beautifully with the black and incidentally covers all the colours of his football team, Dundee United. The yarn came from the ever lovely <a href="http://fluphshop.blogspot.co.uk/">Fluph</a>, their Thursday night knit night is a welcome knitters sanctuary especially when I'm becoming discouraged by a project, always someone on hand to look over the bit of your pattern you're struggling with and help out.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-34830700932967242872014-04-24T11:41:00.001+01:002014-04-24T11:41:39.859+01:00Loveandpeas #3<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v3W-lgOR62g/U1jonIXOz1I/AAAAAAAACcs/ufqm5jEn1_4/s1600/DSC03450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v3W-lgOR62g/U1jonIXOz1I/AAAAAAAACcs/ufqm5jEn1_4/s1600/DSC03450.JPG" height="320" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funky squirrel!</td></tr>
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I haven't completely stopped my Loveandpeas makealong, stuff has got in the way a bit but here are two I have completed. Number three was this adorable squirrel, for this one the technique to be used was filling stitches and I just had the best fun. On the leaves I've used variegated 4ply wool in a satin stitch radiating out from the veins and then I've gone over the top of the veins in chain stitch in the same wool, part of the fun was trying to figure out which bits to stitch first. The squirrel is almost all stitched in long and short stitch, angled to go in the direction of the fur, and is a mixture of embroidery flosses and wools. The eyes and the lines on the face are backstitched in dark embroidery floss and the tummy is done with single short stitches scattered all over. There are french knots on the squirrel and the acorn, and on the background flowers and just a bit of stem stitch on the curling acorn leaf stems. What a lovely design!<br />
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Number two was a bit of applique and a deer design. As with most <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TyK3b7Pjiwc/U1jon27O5dI/AAAAAAAACdA/pi7x9tg-PRo/s1600/DSC03451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TyK3b7Pjiwc/U1jon27O5dI/AAAAAAAACdA/pi7x9tg-PRo/s1600/DSC03451.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty deer</td></tr>
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things in fabric design there are a lot of different ways to do something and I followed the instructions and used interfacing to stabilise my bits of fabric before pinning them onto the background and blanket stitching them in place. However, in future I will use fusible backing, something I've used so many times in the past but didn't think I had any (I did, it was hiding...). It basically glues the fabric onto the background and you don't even need to stitch, but I would have done the blanket stitch anyway, it does look so good. This time I did copy the embroidery pattern onto quilting paper, a flimsy substance like tissue paper which is strong enough to draw onto but tears away easily once you've stitch through it. Then I embroidered all the loveliness of the design in place, wool for the tree, french knots, plenty more practice. This was all done during the Boat Race and it did a lot to distract me from the rather awful result...Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-87841443282096834092014-04-24T11:14:00.001+01:002014-04-24T11:14:36.340+01:00A parrot for a little prince<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eQEHwrYAs50/U1jdrIGeVwI/AAAAAAAACa0/oYTSUwn4UJk/s1600/2014-04-16+08.49.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eQEHwrYAs50/U1jdrIGeVwI/AAAAAAAACa0/oYTSUwn4UJk/s1600/2014-04-16+08.49.37.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funky parrot!</td></tr>
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When I asked my friend Judith what I could make for her baby son Rhoan her answer was a little surprising but great fun. I'd asked her to go look on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a> and she picked out a parrot. It's been a while since I've made toys but I had plenty of spare wool so got to work on Rian Anderson's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/toy-parrot-with-pirate-accessories">Toy Parrot</a>. It was an absolute pleasure to work something that knitted up in such a short time and was so well designed, the pattern is full of clever increases and decreases which give the parrot his lovely fat tummy. And because tension didn't matter I just knitted in double knit (8ply) weight wool, which meant two strands of the finer stash wools I had in my needle. This allowed me to play around with colour, the red for the head and tail is two strands of the same wool, but the tummy is one strand of yellow and one of orange held together which gave a lovely variegated effect. I expected it just to look like two strands but no, they blended and unblended to look just like an ombre wool. Before I knitted I did cross stitch and you often blend two different coloured strands of embroidery floss in the needle, but this was the first time it had occurred to me to try it in knitting. I decided to embroider on the eyes as Rhoan is only little and was pleased with how they looked. Even the beak has clever shaping to get the hook shape. The wings were knitted with this amazing fuzzy yarn I had along with a strand of <a href="http://blueskyalpacas.com/yarns/alpaca-silk/">Blue Sky Alpaca Silk</a> #139 Peacock which was my maiden purchase from Dundee's newest knitting shop <a href="http://www.woolandco.co.uk/">Wool & Co</a>. I will just say that knitting with the novelty yarn was challenging and leave it at that, worth it for the effect but it was an experience! A perfect pattern for using up your stash.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-59726059641276531032014-04-23T09:12:00.000+01:002014-04-23T09:12:25.910+01:00Yarncrawl Dundee<div dir="ltr">
Router died on me after changing all my passwords last Thursday to try and keep my computer safe... So this is a bit delayed, but I wanted to put out a post on our excellent yarncrawl round Dundee. It really doesn't seem that long since pubcrawl was more part of my vernacular, I vividly remember the pub golf that was part of the initiation into Lip Theatre Company. But this was pretty exciting too, especially now Dundee has five yes FIVE places you can buy wool and indulge in one of my favourite postapocalyptic life skills.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby double knit from the Knitting Pin for Lexi's Jacket</td></tr>
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We got the number 73 bus in from Carnoustie, an excellent service that runs from just round the corner from us on Newton Road all the way to Ninewells Hospital, it is a lifeline for the carless and passes a good hour watching the world go by! We clambered on and up to the top deck and the bus picked up Marta (her account of the yarncrawl can be found <a href="http://mrsdaftspaniel.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/dundee-yarn-crawl.html">here</a>) and her two boys and the kids happily blethered away all the way in to the end of the Arbroath Road. We all got off there and turned up Albert Street to the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Knitting-Pin/249792755194830?rf=263565830472270">Knitting Pin</a>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2fjq-KaauS0/U0u-Y74bERI/AAAAAAAACY8/gZot80W0pX0/s1600/2014-04-11+15.01.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2fjq-KaauS0/U0u-Y74bERI/AAAAAAAACY8/gZot80W0pX0/s1600/2014-04-11+15.01.07.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pompom yarn from the Knitting Pin</td></tr>
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What a sight greeted me. A vast range of every type of commercial yarn all by type, I easily found the double knitting section and was able to take my time picking out four beautiful shades of baby double knit yarn for my next big project, Debbie Bliss' <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/check-and-cross-stitch-jacket">Check & Cross Stitch Jacket</a> for my neice's christening present. Caitlin was enchanted by the pompom yarn and picked out a ball to try I left knowing I now had a failsafe good yarn store to go to, that here I would find a selection of inexpensive wools and notions that would enable me to make up any project and that I would find service that was friendly and helpful</div>
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From there it was a bit of a walk down the town but in the spring sunshine this was a delight, down Albert Street to the Murraygate and along to the Forum Centre to shop number #2, Wool Craft in the Forum Centre. This is the shop my husband's gran used for wool and although small it has a wide range of commercial yarns, sundries, notions and stuff for other needlecrafts: cross stitch yarns, buttons and needles. There's not much to say other than this has been my go to Dundee wool shop for years and it's good value.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KcOJRufITsQ/U0u-VcpFG4I/AAAAAAAACWU/N4PEdGDzq8c/s1600/2014-04-11+14.55.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KcOJRufITsQ/U0u-VcpFG4I/AAAAAAAACWU/N4PEdGDzq8c/s1600/2014-04-11+14.55.13.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Wool and Big needles!</td></tr>
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A short hop then along the High Street to Union Street and down to the youngest member of the yarncrawl: <a href="http://www.woolandco.co.uk/">Wool&Co</a>. This opened up just the end of last month and currently stocks luxury yarns from Rowan, Erica Knight and Blue Sky Alpacas as well as beautiful birchwood knitting needles, tiny rosewood needles for knittting in the round and cones of yarn for machine knitting. The owner Laura shares my passion for British yarns and this is where I got the beautiful teal coloured Blue Sky alpaca/silk yarn that I am currently using to knit a parrot (!) for baby Rhoan from Rian Anderson's pattern <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/toy-parrot-with-pirate-accessories">Toy Parrot with Pirate Accessories</a>, a delight to knit up, Anderson uses shaping delightfully. Caitlin fell in love with a pair of mega chunky mittens, Laura had clevery designed the pattern to be used by beginners at a how-to-knit workshop so they would have something usable to take away with them. Caitlin bought the turquoise Rowan yarn and 10mm needles to make her own and Laura sent me the pattern, thanks to the wonders of modern technology I was able to check right away that her email had reached me!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HitXfWqGUZE/U0u-RVGSL8I/AAAAAAAACYY/GDuBfXoPDes/s1600/2014-04-11+12.38.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HitXfWqGUZE/U0u-RVGSL8I/AAAAAAAACYY/GDuBfXoPDes/s1600/2014-04-11+12.38.23.jpg" height="172" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fluph's spring window display, Totoro bottom right!</td></tr>
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Then a longer walk up through my personal history across the University Campus to Blackness Road, to <a href="http://fluphshop.blogspot.co.uk/">Fluph</a> and the warmest welcome from girl (Leona) and dog! We admired the beautiful window display and Caitlin and I particularly fell in love with Leona's little <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096283/">Totoro</a> and soot ball. Caitlin sat and knitted Rhoan's parrot while I got a very welcome cup of tea, then we hit the debit card: the last balls of wool for Lexi's jacket, a book for me and more wool for the child!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gl9UYtaainU/U0u-Vxt-rDI/AAAAAAAACYI/mH618JJQTpM/s1600/2014-04-11+14.55.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gl9UYtaainU/U0u-Vxt-rDI/AAAAAAAACYI/mH618JJQTpM/s1600/2014-04-11+14.55.45.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drops Big Delight, an Aran weight yarn for Cailtin to learn cables</td></tr>
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Fluph is the only shop that stocks <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en">Garnstudio</a> Drops yarn and for this alone I would love them. I discovered Garnstudio when I discovered <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry </a>when I was first starting to knit again and could not believe their generosity, they offer a huge range of free knitting patterns and their <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/pattern.php?id=4797&lang=en">Misty Vines</a> waistcoat was my first big project. I was unable to use their yarn as I like to touch yarn before using it, and our nearest at that point was Aberdeenshire. There is now one in Glasgow too but in total only three stores stocking Drops yarn in Scotland and I'm lucky enough to be close to one! Garnstudio are Scandinavian and since the 80s they have been producing delicious wearable designs, often scandinavian and nordic in style.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book, Drops yarn and I had to have a tote bag</td></tr>
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So I picked out four balls of Karisma yarn for Lexi's jacket, three white for the background and one dusty pink for the cross stitches. And then I spotted <i>Little Red In The City</i> by Ysolda Teague and fell head over heels. Thing that I love about this book</div>
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1. Micro cables</div>
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2. Hooded lace cardigan, I love hoodies</div>
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3. Pages and pages of how to customise a commercial pattern to your personal measurements</div>
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4. The friendly style of writing</div>
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5. The delicious photographs</div>
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6. The Scottish connection</div>
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7. And the thing that made me buy it, Teague photographs and speaks about two models, the girl on the cover models the patterns throughout. She is triumphantly rubenesque and shows how the patterns look on real people!</div>
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Fluph runs workshops too, I may be back on Thursday for their regular knit night</div>
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Refreshed we wandered along down Annfield Road to the Hawkhill and cut through to the Perth Road. Our final destination wasn't a knitting shop as such, but a shop I've often wanted to look into when going to or coming back from Ninewells on our bus. Creative Creatures is a small but perfectly formed craft shop that sells a wide range of, well, stuff, including the thing I spent last week searching for: buckles. Knitting yarn, felting tops, kits, buttons, embroidery supplies and much much more.</div>
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Tired out and satisfied Caitlin and I walked down to the newsagent next to the Queens Hotel and caught the number 73 all the way home from just outside the University's Tower Building.</div>
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All of these shops dovetail perfectly, they all offer something the other's don't and I hope they all survive and thrive. And we met some shop owners who were fired with the same adoration of the squish stuff as ourselves and were helpful and enthusiastic about our little crafty kids.</div>
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<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-5381256940878414502014-03-22T00:01:00.000+00:002014-03-22T00:01:39.594+00:00Loveandpeas #2<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvtq7f483RjsavMfItvRkrV4xurPu4RoQ_20MAbYKznCL0meDVxUDUyLvQaTdWoBzQf8WWl1TtiLlJKBdC1U4y91RiQT48hmWtz4ijjnLI0WGnBxYNiugrRMkgtyW557Grn-sYSxEW2zo/s1600/DSC03445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvtq7f483RjsavMfItvRkrV4xurPu4RoQ_20MAbYKznCL0meDVxUDUyLvQaTdWoBzQf8WWl1TtiLlJKBdC1U4y91RiQT48hmWtz4ijjnLI0WGnBxYNiugrRMkgtyW557Grn-sYSxEW2zo/s1600/DSC03445.JPG" height="258" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooped and on the go!</td></tr>
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The second piece of bunting was <a href="http://loveandpeascreations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/spring-project-week-2-embroidery.html">Blossoms</a> and a butterfly, and this time I transferred my pattern by sticking it to the window and using a fabric marking pencil. The white fabric I'm using has butterflies on in already, but I used the reverse as it's more subtle. I would like to say this was a deliberate choice, but actually it was just an accident with a positive outcome! I've hooped it this time and it's coming on. For the stems I used some leftover variegated 4ply (from last year's hats) and used stem stitch. The leaves are and will continue to be backstitch in green embroidery floss, the ones on the stems are worked with three strands in the needle and I will work the falling leaves in the background with just one which will hopefully give a perspective effect, make them go into the background a bit. The large flower is outlined in chain stitch with two threads of muted lilac embroidery floss in the needle, and the buds the same but either back stitch or single long stitches. I think the butterfly is going to be gold embroidery floss and the dots and flower centres the golden wool but it may well change... This is a joy to do, thank you Jenny!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR1GUQWsdnluPpqODa_sMGPIYnoXYzIE67Qdq45BbakPvCYEX0SiuGnZvLleg3rbnf_lULZ_wx0iuOAInIlKKtLgb_Eqj2hbJMrESjNteU3vN-Tq3U6mkpLwoD2i0XLfQTSEmEaUHS0G6/s1600/DSC03449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR1GUQWsdnluPpqODa_sMGPIYnoXYzIE67Qdq45BbakPvCYEX0SiuGnZvLleg3rbnf_lULZ_wx0iuOAInIlKKtLgb_Eqj2hbJMrESjNteU3vN-Tq3U6mkpLwoD2i0XLfQTSEmEaUHS0G6/s1600/DSC03449.JPG" height="245" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished and cut out with 1cm seam</td></tr>
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Well, that was Monday 17th March and I made myself sit down tonight and finish it off, I'd done the butterfly in gold 4ply knitting wool, some stem stitched, some couched, and had one flower, the flower centres and the lower falling leaves to do.<br />
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So an evening stitching away in front of the tv and it's done, just in time for the next one! I kept to my scheme and I like the way the gold dots stand out but not too much. I can never quite manage french knots, no matter how many times I practise! The little wispy flower stamens were done in five strands of embroidery floss in the needle, two brown, two gold and one white. Looking at it here I like it. Now, where is that <a href="http://loveandpeascreations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/spring-project-week-3-embroidery.html">squirrel</a>. So many favorite animals, after all this I may even feel brave enough to make up my own corbie design!<br />
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And there's a reason why it's on fabric I'm not even using. This is the wonderful prize I received from <a href="http://www.fairtradefabric.co.uk/">Fair Trade Fabric</a>, I could not believe it but I won one of their prizes of fabric bundles and I wanted to give them a big big thankyou. I will use it for something, I shall just put it on my shelf and stroke it for a while... It's wonderful to find companies that combine a passion for quilting quality fabric with ethical valuesJohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-21974809815148984132014-03-17T15:03:00.002+00:002014-04-12T11:43:06.445+01:00Dominic's squirrels<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqCN_gfO1cRfN0oje_yH5avohySzvy4XmrEsv52g3znWclIJaGMXyaK39cqRbyqEERyr2W2Amsqes4cS9JqaM6QJnglJ17DkOH3n2zMZl6QAGS8O8DzAwmFLpZVjm1GGUZKRpYfasiuhl/s1600/DSC03432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqCN_gfO1cRfN0oje_yH5avohySzvy4XmrEsv52g3znWclIJaGMXyaK39cqRbyqEERyr2W2Amsqes4cS9JqaM6QJnglJ17DkOH3n2zMZl6QAGS8O8DzAwmFLpZVjm1GGUZKRpYfasiuhl/s1600/DSC03432.JPG" height="309" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Front with shawl collar and fun cat and dog themed buttons</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">My husband's grandparents Margaret and Matthew died last year. They had long been the heart of his family, we visited at least fortnightly, their house was full of life and children. I'll always remember Margaret with her hands full of knitting, she knitted for all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as they came along. When we were clearing the house and her pattern book was looked at there was much laughter and remembering as the jumpers that were knitted for each family member were picked out. The family goes on, the newest member of the clan will be christened shortly and without Margaret I wanted to take up the role of new baby knitter. And baby stuff can be a welcome relief after doing larger pieces, quick to knit up and very very cute.</span><br />
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Our latest member is a wee boy, and Ravelry provided me with a sweet pattern called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/all-in-a-nutshell">All In A Nutshell</a>, a sturdy cardigan yoked with squirrels. Due to footballing issues I had to be careful with the colours, but luckily our old faithful Wool Craft in the Forum Centre had soft Jarol Heritage DK in a lime green (#37) and squirrel red (#132) - the best kind of squirrels, obviously!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcEpiamgGSaRc7XCpNEhuOUqrbGX9e8oFd5wSbJlMIha3KIEmgOd3pehyphenhyphenKzvHrDPflCYbTgkU_f-ZowPQwAhDw53yC6SlHBx6-YvYAM8tLTlDZO6ShEj1l1t4BXqfw2qAZSToITsuqnoe/s1600/DSC03436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcEpiamgGSaRc7XCpNEhuOUqrbGX9e8oFd5wSbJlMIha3KIEmgOd3pehyphenhyphenKzvHrDPflCYbTgkU_f-ZowPQwAhDw53yC6SlHBx6-YvYAM8tLTlDZO6ShEj1l1t4BXqfw2qAZSToITsuqnoe/s1600/DSC03436.JPG" height="320" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Details of squirrels on yoke</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjJ667li_5WmTONfF_B45Fu-BBMfjlz5MSiPQmVWKy65KpCaZzrcaKqrReMtIhXSS-ALgWs-j_LMQU7POrwEexSrONuzA7PccF0hwZRlwRpN1_Ga6IH7TzV7WpcGHWydPZPaXGyJxkgs6/s1600/DSC03429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjJ667li_5WmTONfF_B45Fu-BBMfjlz5MSiPQmVWKy65KpCaZzrcaKqrReMtIhXSS-ALgWs-j_LMQU7POrwEexSrONuzA7PccF0hwZRlwRpN1_Ga6IH7TzV7WpcGHWydPZPaXGyJxkgs6/s1600/DSC03429.JPG" height="320" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Cardigan from the back</td></tr>
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Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-20591684702873489722014-03-17T14:37:00.005+00:002014-03-17T14:37:50.928+00:00Inspiraton<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tangerine, and black...</td></tr>
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I have been really good, honest. Just one new book by <a href="http://www.flyingfishkits.com.au/">Flying Fish Quilts</a> author Wendy Williams and a couple of pairs of needles I really did need. And I had managed to resist all the delicious wool in Dundee's fabulous <a href="http://fluphshop.blogspot.co.uk/">Fluph</a> wool shop right up until the weekend, then I spotted this Garnstudio wool. It is destined to be made into socks for my darling boy, and if you know him then you'll know why this is going to be knitted up with black 4ply into one of the stunning designs from Stephanie van der Linden's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/stephanie-van-der-linden">Op Art Socks</a> which Caitlin and Scott very kindly got me for Christmas. <br />
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Fluph is a really friendly little shop, I was lucky enough to squeeze in last week for their <a href="http://www.dundee.ac.uk/revealingresearch/newsandevents/womeninscience/">Women In Science</a> week event. It's a sad truth that women in science need to be celebrated, still very much in the minority. There were patterns for red blood cells and the place was packed with people chatting away about knitting, crochet, crystallography, sickle cell anaemia, malaria, science, tea, cakes, yarnbombing, fibonacci sequences and binary bonsai, often in the same sentence. Just wonderful!Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-36188506958488249902014-03-17T13:57:00.003+00:002014-03-17T13:57:22.815+00:00Loveandpeas: a S-A-LThere are times when you have more than enough on your plate and you spot something and decide you need to MAKE space for it. I could have done this project myself but I doubt anything but a sew-a-long would have made me do it, just the same as it took a KAL (knit a-long) to motivate me to <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyL65TpyItXZPMi6IqB9V8inhS-1Q-GvXCupZRuBwk7T2cym9uCDj-KxcO36znolAHoTBdTGcYc2EqiEhp6quWIdv1fF8eWeP_3b3TwoXkicgl8LQ9uBWD4Pf7B0BkWpCrXCXYUHylGeU/s1600/DSC03409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyL65TpyItXZPMi6IqB9V8inhS-1Q-GvXCupZRuBwk7T2cym9uCDj-KxcO36znolAHoTBdTGcYc2EqiEhp6quWIdv1fF8eWeP_3b3TwoXkicgl8LQ9uBWD4Pf7B0BkWpCrXCXYUHylGeU/s1600/DSC03409.JPG" height="195" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stash fabrics, Anchor embroidery flosses and 4 ply wool</td></tr>
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make my first large scale knitted project.<br />
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I've loved <a href="http://www.jennyblair.co.uk/">Jenny Blair</a>'s work since spotting it last year up at <a href="http://www.peelfarm.com/">Peel Farm Shop</a> in Glen Isla as part of <a href="http://www.angusopenstudios.com/">Angus Open Studios</a> 2013. I stalked her work to her exhibition at Kirriemuir's <a href="http://www.bankstreetgallery.org/">Bank Street Gallery</a> and followed her on Facebook. Last month she announced a sew-a-long making bunting to her designs and I put all my to-read books back in the library and cleared my decks. For 6 weeks Jenny promised to print a design each week for us to stitch up.</div>
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Week 1 covered fabric selection and a <a href="http://loveandpeascreations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/week-1-bunting-flags-barn-owl.html">Barn Owl Embroidery design</a>. Thanks to many years doing cross stitch I have a vast range of embroidery flosses and was able to dive into my fabric and wool stash to find fabrics and threads that came together in my favourite Scottish palatte: golds, mossy greens, browns and muted lilac. </div>
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I thought I knew what a barn owl looked like but worked with a picture on my phone just to keep me in</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back stitch was used for all the lines except the flowers</td></tr>
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touch with the colouring. Because I made life hard for myself and used a dark green for this first flag I couldn't transfer the pattern with in any of the usual ways so printed it out and stitched through. Never again, the paper was a nightmare to remove at the end and I discovered I do actually have transfer paper so I would use that next time!</div>
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Once finished I pressed it, I hadn't put this one in an embroidery hoop as I forgot to and just cut out the bunting shape, luckily the paper stablised it. I'm not sure about the colours, but I know from experience to leave it and come back to it if I'm still not happy at the end.</div>
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Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-30049267348404573992014-03-17T13:30:00.001+00:002014-03-17T13:35:58.575+00:00Young Embroiderers' Guild book projectThis project is one I have taught a couple of times, first as a full day workshop with a group of <a href="http://www.youngquilters.org.uk/">Young Quilters</a> at the <a href="http://www.quiltersguild.org.uk/">Quilters' Guild</a> Regional Day and then as a two hour workshop with the <a href="http://www.youngembroiderers.com/">Young Embroiderers</a>, it was certainly interesting trying to adapt a day long workshop to a two hour one! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW28I173Tdj_Fx6ljheoB2-cjWleFgaMhT8Jd78kjtPWgvMxhHuCvaSoEgs6QWSWQ0l0PLOHBRzwBATWcxIzaUp1r7YpoKRrHjAmgyYfyngoL8paac9OaSEEh1xB9mqrMiKRK5z-2snAkO/s1600/DSC03446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW28I173Tdj_Fx6ljheoB2-cjWleFgaMhT8Jd78kjtPWgvMxhHuCvaSoEgs6QWSWQ0l0PLOHBRzwBATWcxIzaUp1r7YpoKRrHjAmgyYfyngoL8paac9OaSEEh1xB9mqrMiKRK5z-2snAkO/s1600/DSC03446.JPG" height="136" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granny's book of quotes, painting is also by her</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spine detail from Granny's book</td></tr>
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I learned how to make books at the wonderful courses I went on at <a href="http://www.franmarquis.co.uk/">Springfield Creative Arts</a> and used this knowledge to recreate a now rather tatty little book made by my beloved grandmother Peggy James to keep quotes in, one which has guided me since youth is one she wrote down in 1934:<br />
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<i>If you have two loaves -</i></div>
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<i>Sell one and buy a lily</i></div>
The book is constructed from a back piece and a larger front piece which wraps round the back to form the spine. The back cover is punched with eyelets and treasury tags threaded through to hold the hand cut pages.<br />
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The first version I did of this was just in cardboard, but with the project I have taught twice the cardboard is covered with fabric to make neat little books containing A5 sheets of paper and card. I use one to hold knitting patterns when I'm carrying them out and about, Caitlin has one with card sheets that she uses as a scrapbook for her completed origami creations from one of Klutz's ever fabulous books <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Origami-Fashions-Klutz-Eva-Steele-Saccio/dp/1591747457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395060987&sr=8-1&keywords=klutz+origami">Origami Fashions</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmr-gsdV8dq1RAkG7qzDAGyzReRODLqNCEsPJvpetdyM3twPYgwYFOYYaauASYw2OXESeErTd8072WEo85jDe-HYV3cq6XfJM_yuZVyGw7uKj6Ua2uq5VDe1PeVzsEgROoIDU_MNTZBIzr/s1600/DSC03410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmr-gsdV8dq1RAkG7qzDAGyzReRODLqNCEsPJvpetdyM3twPYgwYFOYYaauASYw2OXESeErTd8072WEo85jDe-HYV3cq6XfJM_yuZVyGw7uKj6Ua2uq5VDe1PeVzsEgROoIDU_MNTZBIzr/s1600/DSC03410.JPG" height="217" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My front and back covers from the Young Embroiderer's workshop. </td></tr>
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The version I did as a mockup for the most recent version was fabric from my mum's stash, I'm fairly sure it dates from the 1970s and was a skirt, great patterns for playing around with. On the front cover I followed the linear pattern and did a line of beading and a line of pekinese stitch in wool and tapestry cotton. On the back I followed the mad psychdelic paisley with beads and metallic threads.<br />
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So here are my instructions. For the day long workshop (about 5 hours in total) the Young Quilters were able to embroider their fabrics before putting the book together, but for the shorter workshop I made up the books to the end of stage 5 without decorating and they had to sew through cardboard, which wasn't easy but they made light work of it! For the Young Embroiderers project as my boards I used thin cardboard thoroughout, but for the Young Quilters' project I used 3mm greyboard for the back cover, this sturdy book board is impossible to stitch through so any embroidery would have to be made up before glueing.<br />
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1. Choose 4 fabrics for front cover, back cover, front lining and back lining.<br />
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2. Cut the fabrics:<br />
Front cover 18.50cm x 28.00cm<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Back cover 18.50cm x 24.00cm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Front lining 15.25cm x 24.75cm </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Back lining 15.25cm x 21cm </span><br />
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3. Cut the boards<br />
Front cover 15.50cm x 21.50cm - score two lines parallel to the short end, one 2.50cm in and one 3.50 cm in (these form the folds for the spine<br />
Back board 15.50cm x 21.50cm<br />
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4. Decorate - embroider, applique, glue, stick, paint, draw...!<br />
5. Glue front fabric piece to front cover, and back fabric piece to back cover. Apply the glue to the board rather than the fabric, and work well in. I use a stencil-style brush with a squared off end to work the glue well in. I used craft pva for these everyday books, it dries flexible, usually clear and you can stitch through it.<br />
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6. Glue the linings in place and finally bend the front cover along the creases of the front cover. Glue it in into place either inside or outside the back piece, nestling them closely together. Clip together, either with clothes pegs or the clips you get on the end of trouser hangers, and if possible leave to dry.<br />
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7. Punch holes in the back cover. I use an eyelet making kit and a hammer though this is hard work and eyelet punches are available<br />
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8. Cut paper/cardboard to A5 size and use a hole punch to punch holes in the shorter edges. With a piece of thread, wool or anything of the sort thread a lace through and tie the pages in place.<br />
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I've used various things for my laces, ribbons, even an old pair of earphones with the earpieces cut off.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoVeyh3GoMjfJTzPF1Ufjv8rcrdnrFJAyov1yZDfqKAmROTArvZg8zDXOsyv_BVSW2fxcq-WHrewhIBK8WzkiZUluXVXeBt7lpq-L-5cTKZUO8JTeN_6y3m6jD3W6E6rxQhgplzjfBC-d/s1600/DSC03411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoVeyh3GoMjfJTzPF1Ufjv8rcrdnrFJAyov1yZDfqKAmROTArvZg8zDXOsyv_BVSW2fxcq-WHrewhIBK8WzkiZUluXVXeBt7lpq-L-5cTKZUO8JTeN_6y3m6jD3W6E6rxQhgplzjfBC-d/s1600/DSC03411.JPG" height="320" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front cover beading from a red-themed multipack</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small paisleys embellished with blue metallic thread</td></tr>
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<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-49917462580324207012014-03-17T12:34:00.002+00:002014-03-17T12:34:35.362+00:00A dress for Emily<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflDUqbLO8E1EBswFFWpwgQLXVo4CUPL5gPImGfrRZpO95Mxgv9bIElZP4Uw7xKEVuMIIXoBKBBovyCCgrXcQTSzx97MD0ZEajs9nsETXUwcY18DMtgcH6Pvq4IjCXtOI1RT_UedqH7C-d/s1600/DSC03398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflDUqbLO8E1EBswFFWpwgQLXVo4CUPL5gPImGfrRZpO95Mxgv9bIElZP4Uw7xKEVuMIIXoBKBBovyCCgrXcQTSzx97MD0ZEajs9nsETXUwcY18DMtgcH6Pvq4IjCXtOI1RT_UedqH7C-d/s1600/DSC03398.JPG" height="320" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily sitting pretty on our shelves</td></tr>
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I find most dolls which have human faces frightening, but the two my daughter Caitlin has inherited are different. This is Emily, given to her by my mum and she has a sweet face and pretty hair. For Christmas I decided to knit her a dress from a book that I'd bought for Caitlin full of lovely knitting and crochet patterns to make for her dolls. Admittedly she hasn't done any herself yet but I'm sure she will. <br />
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<i>Dress Up Your Dolls</i> by Lise Nymark is packed full of delightful designs both knitted and crocheted, dungarees, cabled sweaters, day dresses, evening wear, all sorts of clothing that can easily be customised. The designs are for a standard 18" doll and Emily is bigger but it's fairly easy to add a row here and there, I added quite a lot to make it longer and I think it's still a bit short, but Caitlin loves it and I guess that's all that matters!<br />
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Emily's dress is adapted from the Safari Dress pattern. The purple wool is James Brett's Top Value DK, an acrylic that is nevertheless soft to knit with (#8431 Lilac). Purple is Caitlins' favourite colour and the wool came from the stash of my grandmother-in-law, the much loved matriarch of the family who died last year. For the trim I wanted something fluffy and this certainly was that, it's Beregere De France's Plume #2010. It was very slippery to knit with but was only for a short stretch.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-76207524978674311072014-02-02T15:31:00.004+00:002014-02-02T15:31:55.099+00:00And a final picture of those gloves!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BNsSoR6D3hYeMdl5UHYO3QcQwjur3bcXbXtUqyUvuFgUpZexPn8f0j2ICcznze9mOI-HX3QNv-Au_ZfCKJcB1ulbvfz6AK2B3M_NhcZfvgkEtkHOcQjGE0rJUyg7dPKNwgZZhjltANyi/s1600/DSC03362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BNsSoR6D3hYeMdl5UHYO3QcQwjur3bcXbXtUqyUvuFgUpZexPn8f0j2ICcznze9mOI-HX3QNv-Au_ZfCKJcB1ulbvfz6AK2B3M_NhcZfvgkEtkHOcQjGE0rJUyg7dPKNwgZZhjltANyi/s1600/DSC03362.JPG" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long cable gloves, much needed just now</td></tr>
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And I finally managed to get a picture of my long alpaca gloves made using <a href="http://www.alpacaloft.co.uk/">Alpaca Loft</a>'s supersoft dk yarn and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/123-21-long-gloves-with-cables-in-nepal">Garnstudio's free online pattern</a>. It is difficult to take a picture of your own hands, and gloves aren't easy to photo to get all that wraparound detail in. They are just so warm and in this weather are on most of the time when I'm out and about, though not gardening, just too good for that.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-38575952199818973072014-02-02T15:27:00.000+00:002014-02-02T15:27:02.453+00:00#2 Caitlin's cardigan<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeJKaRwaXPeyKQ_QK9PPGsZbLSSQB9A4Ki0aQaALaRlZLQ2RoAP-bV_bjNWfqgCcrhckfqZw7uNfE3SfMrRsh96iJbJ7dKQEtYUf7CF8d2ftQnKRU6O0AxmNHTSH8pRkkWg6Huv7SUOCW/s1600/DSC03363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeJKaRwaXPeyKQ_QK9PPGsZbLSSQB9A4Ki0aQaALaRlZLQ2RoAP-bV_bjNWfqgCcrhckfqZw7uNfE3SfMrRsh96iJbJ7dKQEtYUf7CF8d2ftQnKRU6O0AxmNHTSH8pRkkWg6Huv7SUOCW/s1600/DSC03363.JPG" height="320" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front, worn over a long-sleeved black t shirt</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8RryEm_F0-B_Wl1c1MsaJ841n0KB97l146nMNPM9NmDnPMkKNfEE43NLRquSaKmtHqJcG2Obh6EUEYPIkgArSgcT9RVh5dBQsuhXWrfXkfGppN1t1dTmvZ-TvLDQW-2HcondYzs6lMv0/s1600/DSC03364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8RryEm_F0-B_Wl1c1MsaJ841n0KB97l146nMNPM9NmDnPMkKNfEE43NLRquSaKmtHqJcG2Obh6EUEYPIkgArSgcT9RVh5dBQsuhXWrfXkfGppN1t1dTmvZ-TvLDQW-2HcondYzs6lMv0/s1600/DSC03364.JPG" height="320" width="126" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Button band and cables</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUPXNFS8M7NQTBw3Ov-iu_XWVSgymwBCK68mRUgiVc5Y9I9R-9knRjQTUDjP5QYzuNctXFC2uT9121N6XkZYAxwK-M1pFX4iKX8daLXLnvZxqYaQJxB0jd2FBXLsBhmgzAnyuViGOR3LD/s1600/DSC03365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUUPXNFS8M7NQTBw3Ov-iu_XWVSgymwBCK68mRUgiVc5Y9I9R-9knRjQTUDjP5QYzuNctXFC2uT9121N6XkZYAxwK-M1pFX4iKX8daLXLnvZxqYaQJxB0jd2FBXLsBhmgzAnyuViGOR3LD/s1600/DSC03365.JPG" height="320" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back showing colour changes and sleeves</td></tr>
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...I created Caitlin's cardigan. As I've said, it was pure pleasure to knit but the pieces curled and I had two options, to block before or after assembling. I chose after so I could check the fit and it was fine, but sewing up seams with variegated wool isn't easy, in the end I made the coloured stitches a feature where I couldn't hide them on the side seams. The little cap sleeves fitted nicely into the armholes and I was able with care to stitch them in invisibly, thank goodness I had experience sewing sleeves otherwise I might have been very confused. At least woolen fabric gives more than woven.<br />
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There are only two cable panels, simple plaits either side of the button band, and the rest was stocking stitch which I like better for this cardigan than reverse stocking stitch, the traditional background for cable panels. Stocking stitch allows those wonderful colour changes in the aran to show up, and I do love the different colours in the two front panels and back, collar, sleeves and button bands, something that would not have occured if I was knitting in the round. I really liked the details, the picot row at the bottom that folds up to be a little strong zig zag edge, the way no raw edge is left, all are picked up with button bands and collars, the way the button band pick ups merged under the cable bands and contrasted with them.<br />
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So it was tried on earlier in the week and was a little short round the chest but with plenty of give, cable panels are very forgiving. So I blocked it and at the weekend it fitted perfectly over a long sleeved t-shirt, and we went into Dundee to choose buttons. Caitlin within seconds found these orange cat buttons which perfectly matched the orange in the wool and I sat and sewed them on while she went swimming with her dad.<br />
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Just a perfect project for a child who never stops, the variegated colours are a vivid expression of her personality and the short sleeves mean it wont get mucky when she's playing.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-72553943579461621962014-02-02T15:17:00.002+00:002014-02-02T15:17:33.068+00:00Two finished projects in one week! #1 The mighty tunic!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaZA-ZGl6JFq_JFQlPt3eVZ4vdDM8Zwglb98VRTABzEQVyI8VQq4cT1ubT50_YTt44EP3Y6d6ZndoLJbvcIc6Vke6VO75h7Ezh-lRCkbFLpGVAQ3GNKlqM5cNFdYm_34JBZnyRKdOke2j/s1600/DSC03349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaZA-ZGl6JFq_JFQlPt3eVZ4vdDM8Zwglb98VRTABzEQVyI8VQq4cT1ubT50_YTt44EP3Y6d6ZndoLJbvcIc6Vke6VO75h7Ezh-lRCkbFLpGVAQ3GNKlqM5cNFdYm_34JBZnyRKdOke2j/s1600/DSC03349.JPG" height="320" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable tunic- reverse</td></tr>
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That's Caitlin's cardigan and my tunic finished, blocked and photographed all in <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPCDcHg14WFctcZMg3_LBgJqgh1MxXiAG6zDJf82VKnrXx_cPwyjCJchVbDijYsnhQDKZO8pBJe-EJhDqOSDpikF_jShHROta1l97uGuCFPukc-WJm3nS_U8MvdXj9Rf3Zp8RJz6wv8sP/s1600/DSC03353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPCDcHg14WFctcZMg3_LBgJqgh1MxXiAG6zDJf82VKnrXx_cPwyjCJchVbDijYsnhQDKZO8pBJe-EJhDqOSDpikF_jShHROta1l97uGuCFPukc-WJm3nS_U8MvdXj9Rf3Zp8RJz6wv8sP/s1600/DSC03353.JPG" height="320" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable tunic - front</td></tr>
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one week, this morning was a beautifully sunny if windy and cold day, idea for bringing out the cable detail on all three of my projects. It required balancing a camera on an ironing board and using the timer but I got there and am quite pleased with the results.<br />
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The purple tunic as you can see is really quite long, comes down to just above my knees and is ideal for wearing with leggings or thick tights and boots, I've got a sleeveless vest on here but it looks good over a long-sleeved one too. It's quite heavy so it hangs well and is beautifully warm and soft, not at all itchy.<br />
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Would I do it again, well, yes, it is beautiful but it is a long project and as it's created in one piece it gets very heavy towards the end. However, I really valued the lack of seams when...Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-28403265963941680842014-01-24T11:56:00.000+00:002014-01-24T11:56:14.631+00:00Blocking at last on the epic tunic<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuVnKUjVwHkMLasJw2mQW569LQT0DseTE3zAIoAQHIOw-FvpcFxcUv9hWH-Xy2f-2vll6dzePIR5hykjJE2C_N2wGLUmyzm2pLHTsv_I_74gOnlPvYCV-g6ugp2ff6p1NJDDWMX1YBONB/s1600/2014-01-24+11.17.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuVnKUjVwHkMLasJw2mQW569LQT0DseTE3zAIoAQHIOw-FvpcFxcUv9hWH-Xy2f-2vll6dzePIR5hykjJE2C_N2wGLUmyzm2pLHTsv_I_74gOnlPvYCV-g6ugp2ff6p1NJDDWMX1YBONB/s1600/2014-01-24+11.17.18.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blocking finally in progress!</td></tr>
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Am finally finally onto the blocking stage of my very lovely <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/the-art-of-seamless-knitting">Cabled Tunic</a>, the three inches of rib at the bottom in p2 k3 nearly killed me but I just kept telling myself it would be worth it, ditto with taking out and redoing the first sleeve after making a mess of it. It's been a joy to knit, watching the cables emerge twist from side to side, cross and spiral round each other, learning how to do the yarn overs properly and to have holes not too big or too small, and not getting bored as I tend to with plain knit. The purple <a href="http://baaramewe.co.uk/products/wensleydale-longwool-aran-100g">Wensleydale aran</a> (#54 aubgergine) I bought last summer at <a href="http://baaramewe.co.uk/">baa ram ewe</a> in Harrogate has been a pleasure to knit with though I would be brave and use a brighter colour next time.</div>
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For the most part the tunic fits beautifully but the sleeves turn under slightly so I decided to do something I've never done before and block it. My husband did look very blankly at me, he's from the knit and wear it school of knitting!</div>
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I looked online and found lots of excellent sources which took me through blocking, especially <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/how-to-block-knitting-tips-resources">Interweave's own blog</a>. I put the tunic through a wool wash in my machine, as it will have to put up with this kind of punishment if it is going to survive and rolled it in a towel. Then I pulled it out gently lengthways and widthways until the waist, bottom edge and length were the same as the sizes given at the beginning of the pattern. As instructed I didn't pin the ribbing, this damages it apparently. I then carefully pinned the sleeves to be straight across the top edge stretching them so hopefully they will dry without the slight curl, watch this space... </div>
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Blocking pins were a bit difficult to source, I biked about 12 miles into our local city to my nearest decent knitting shop but they didn't have any so had to buy online, from one of my very favourite stores <a href="http://www.barnyarns.co.uk/">Barnyarns </a>via Amazon. I was a bit worried there weren't many in the tin but it's been enough to hold the tunic in shape. Yesterday I went on a hunt for tights / leggings to wear with it, I dislike clothes shopping at the best of times but this was pure frustration, I eventually found some lovely patterned ones and am all set, now I just have to wait for it to dry!</div>
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After the slow work on this big project the work on a cardigan for my 10 year old has gone alarmingly fast. The Wensleydale, although an aran weight wool, was quite fine and I'm now working on WYS (West Yorkshire Spinners) short sleeved cardigan from their <a href="http://www.wyspinners.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=41&product_id=149">Works of Aran</a> patternbook in their <a href="http://www.wyspinners.com/bluefaced%20leicester%20yarn/Aran/Aire%20Valley%20Fusions%20yarn">Aire Valley Fusions</a> Autumn Mix aran, it's the one on the front of the book. It just has a single twist pattern on the front so is quick to knit up and the wool is thick, soft and beautifully variegated, just stunning shades. It's done the old way of front left, right, back and sleeves knitted separately and they have curled so I'll need to block them before joining them together. Am just loving doing something that is coming together so quick, and having a fraction of the previous 200 odd stitches on my needle. Knitting seamlessly in the round does have it's advantages, I don't think I could have faced knitting the front after knitting the back of my tunic, but it is heavy by the end! I really prefer to knit using British wool if I can to support the industry, after these two Yorkshire excursions I'm hoping to go to New Lanark this summer and buy some of their wool.</div>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-14016884933018785122013-10-27T08:18:00.003+00:002013-10-27T08:35:01.379+00:00Minions at Dundee Comics Day and cablingIn the afternoon yesterday we went to the <a href="http://www.dundee.ac.uk/english/news/2013/dundeecomicsday/">Starblazers Dundee Comics Day</a> workshop at the <a href="http://www.dca.org.uk/">DCA</a>, a <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOC7E6L4Bz_jZ0w_Q4P0f3GcN-coWTx1yKtvagenSjwap6hSm0k8FL91wGMt6fwNHXMT5F82FPFbikInSmsScmItA4GZCM63nC3WYDvMLUeR4vMO86dHH0MLls-6Pf7ZLIXUP9Y01BHZUa/s1600/2013-10-26+22.08.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOC7E6L4Bz_jZ0w_Q4P0f3GcN-coWTx1yKtvagenSjwap6hSm0k8FL91wGMt6fwNHXMT5F82FPFbikInSmsScmItA4GZCM63nC3WYDvMLUeR4vMO86dHH0MLls-6Pf7ZLIXUP9Y01BHZUa/s200/2013-10-26+22.08.27.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minion hat from the At Home With the Lunchbox Guru</td></tr>
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combination of two of Caitlin's all time favourite things and I'm not not keen either! She spent a happy 2 hours creating Doctor Who monsters, meeting real artists and blethering her head off and having some original artwork drawn for her. I sat on the sofa surrounded by comic artist greats and began knitting a minion hat for my friend's little girl, unfortunately I'm fairly sure it's going to be too small but it's been an education, mostly in how challenging (but fun!) it is to knit intarsia in the round. Just lets say I have a LOT of ends to knit in! The pattern has been straightforward and effective, thanks to Juanita McLellan for her generous free <a href="http://lunchboxofawesome.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/me-minion-hat-knitting-pattern.html">Despicable Me Minion Hat</a> on Ravelry. She has lots of minion patterns and I don't think this will be the last I make.<br />
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And I am finally getting on with that tunic, it is slow because you're knitting the entire thing in a <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_An0BpaEnmgbJACsuzW5Vzm1tjGBgMziYYEIDZAURuspreDFoJeWVBxr2KVOE2XKI0LtbKr3pWDFR69LH2F5EsV-2wfh3Cx_IrkqeTg73yQAfKfMgUZHl_Eurg25j7PwL5NziK4RYHqM/s1600/2013-10-27+07.47.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_An0BpaEnmgbJACsuzW5Vzm1tjGBgMziYYEIDZAURuspreDFoJeWVBxr2KVOE2XKI0LtbKr3pWDFR69LH2F5EsV-2wfh3Cx_IrkqeTg73yQAfKfMgUZHl_Eurg25j7PwL5NziK4RYHqM/s320/2013-10-27+07.47.11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of tunic, yoke done with sleeve stiches on holders</td></tr>
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single piece but I'm down beyond the yoke and on to the waist decreases. I went back to my Wensleydale as I realised what I'd done wrong, I was trying to follow the cable patterns back and forth as you would for a pattern knitted on straight needles instead of always backwards as you do for in the round. If you knit this kind of stuff you'll understand, if not that will be gibberish but basically it meant I was twisting loads of my cables the wrong way and the panels inbetween were wrong to an epic degree. Almost two balls in this already! I am really enjoying it, I realise now I need something complex like cabling, fair isle or small fiddly work when I'm knitting, I think actually, in any of my crafting, I get a little bored with plain knit. Caitlin and I inherited her great grandmother's stash of wool including an unmade-up bear body and Val Pierce's sweet book <a href="http://www.searchpress.com/book/9781844484829/knitted-bears">Knitted Bears</a> from Search Press' 20 to make series, so that's been made and we're working on an outfit, teaching Caitlin how to do increases has been challenging fun. No, not that loop...Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-55942923901475495552013-10-27T08:06:00.001+00:002013-10-27T08:20:44.056+00:00Meeting authors and getting inspired<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As our planet tilts on it's axis towards winter we have a combination of frankly horrendous days (Friday, damp feet and jeans, miserable) and stunning (yesterday, sun, a bit chilly but beautiful colours). Yesterday now 10 year old daughter Caitlin and I went to the <a href="http://www.dundee.ac.uk/literarydundee/">Literary Dundee</a> book festival and met Jackie Holt and Ruth Bailey, authors of <i><a href="http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/index.php/books/view/knit_your_own_scotland">Knit Your Own Scotland</a> </i>and the follow up <a href="http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/index.php/books/view/knit_your_own_britain"><i>Knit Your Own Britain</i></a>, both of which I bought despite the presence of Maggie Thatcher in the latter, if you're Scottish you'll understand! I bought it to make the marmite pot and make it into a pin cushion, I do love my marmite... Just need a marmalade one now!<br />
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Both authors gave a great presentation on how they turn their ideas into their stunning figures and how they made them, they are stunning, the faces of people recognisable (contemporary, obviously!) and the period costumes stunning. This comes from their background in theatre, both costume and prop production, and we got to touch and examine the models. You could tell most of us were crafters from the forensic examination and oohs and ahs over the quality of the work. They were wonderfully patient and kind to Caitlin when she went up (in her ghost bride Hallowe'en costume) to ask them to sign them.<br />
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<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-12747222108999161022013-09-05T10:29:00.002+01:002013-09-05T10:29:57.691+01:00Knitting warsWell, I'm currently wrestling with three knitting projects as well as thinking about my and Caitlin's entries for the competition for the <a href="http://region-16.quiltersguild.org.uk/">Quilters' Guild </a>Regional Day next weekend. I'm teaching a group of Young Quilters, this time we're making reverse applique t shirts but I think I'm there with what I need to do for them. The theme is Anything Goes, so Caitlin is making a TARDIS from a dress I bought for a night out in November last year, it's a size 16 and I'm now down to a 12, despite my best efforts over the summer holidays, and although I have taken it in it's still too big. I'm hoping to make a dress for one of Caitlin's dolls from my scrap basket, which for some reason never seems to go down, and I can't bear to throw any out.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD5gwz-Hh9L35mQlG1yt_6U1kRecoedG4V6cK6eaqmq4Qyqq4OryIeT914IZ8FqIG0m9QLxXA9h1RDLBajChvfwMpFHKhN8gZY5HijxL73vhkpIUIL2hyFSl5d8vMik1UgGIQuDS2oEaI/s1600/metro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD5gwz-Hh9L35mQlG1yt_6U1kRecoedG4V6cK6eaqmq4Qyqq4OryIeT914IZ8FqIG0m9QLxXA9h1RDLBajChvfwMpFHKhN8gZY5HijxL73vhkpIUIL2hyFSl5d8vMik1UgGIQuDS2oEaI/s1600/metro.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cardigan, though mine will be purple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The two projects I'm working on just now are a lacework cardigan (Meier cardigan) and a cabled tunic. Both are from delicious Interweave books, the tunic from <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/the-art-of-seamless-knitting"><i>The Art of Seamless Knitting </i></a>and the cardigan from <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/metropolitan-knits-chic-designs-for-urban-style"><i>Metropolitan Knits</i></a>, it's the one on the cover. Both are knitted in the round which I like, minimising on seams to sew up. Well, the tunic has caused me no end of trouble, I originally cast it on using Wensleydale Longwool Sheepshop Aran which I spent a small fortune (for me) on at the just wonderful <a href="http://baaramewe.co.uk/">baa ram ewe</a> in Harrogate when we were down in York on holiday. I did my tension swatch and it is a fine aran so I had to come down a long way on needle size, but when I began to knit I couldn't see it at all and after a bit of toing and froing with advice from friends online I bit the bullet and ripped it out, sob! It was then a trip into Dundee to get two huge 400g balls of Wendy Aran with wool which is a nice oatmeal colour, and it's doing fine, though as usually I have to go down about half a mm on the needles because I knit loose. However, to knit the ribbing for the cardigan I needed a 3.5mm cable needle, now, these apparently don't exist so I needed to go up to 3.75mm and guess what I was knitting the tunic on... Slipped the tunic onto double pins while I did the ribbing, which was completed last night while watching <i>The Hobbit </i>on DVD, much better viewing the second time round I must admit. We can't wait until December for part 2 to come out!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRn2QkoEbaVXSZEKmuNVuIaNGQ-IHDss1vFx-d8kT2bq41eQqPx_jj0fnHOy6yoV__5tulYvBfscgEjCBLHOk3Oa7Dgk8dannpSG9Opdw6werhkbppiQeCOMyHDcxCt_vy4GLnxOpyh5q/s1600/21-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRn2QkoEbaVXSZEKmuNVuIaNGQ-IHDss1vFx-d8kT2bq41eQqPx_jj0fnHOy6yoV__5tulYvBfscgEjCBLHOk3Oa7Dgk8dannpSG9Opdw6werhkbppiQeCOMyHDcxCt_vy4GLnxOpyh5q/s1600/21-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drops 123-21</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was knitting this pair of alpaca gloves in <a href="http://www.alpacaloft.co.uk/">Alpaca Loft</a>'s beautiful off white wool, from an <a href="http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/pattern.php?id=4668&lang=en">Drops Design</a>, a Scandinavian online company who provide the most wonderful free patterns. However, although I only have a finger and thumb to do on one glove I've stopped, just not inspired at the moment, though I will go back to it when I've got a bit further on with the big projects.<br />
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With the cabling for the tunic I photocopied the pattern and colour coded the different instructions, it has made it much easier to follow.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4625895947376691405.post-64520420072624333202013-08-22T12:19:00.000+01:002013-08-22T12:19:12.056+01:00My very first commission!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZRaOw9VyhI3ljMdohv5_YJ0sYy9yxlPsGDdePMKGKGK1h3qc-J6KHoPYLCrRfXgEvn3h8UA4tQTsb3IgPS3x26aYh05QSTg4C9xyLGxnhYqfWNdSTCGGHqXFs5056530Ithaxp-WyXZP/s1600/horse+unicorn.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZRaOw9VyhI3ljMdohv5_YJ0sYy9yxlPsGDdePMKGKGK1h3qc-J6KHoPYLCrRfXgEvn3h8UA4tQTsb3IgPS3x26aYh05QSTg4C9xyLGxnhYqfWNdSTCGGHqXFs5056530Ithaxp-WyXZP/s320/horse+unicorn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little horse that just wants to be a unicorn!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My 9 nearly 10 year old daughter wanted to embroider a
pillowcase for her horse mad best friend's birthday and it ended up
being a commisson instead, it took me three or four days to finish so it
would never have got done in time. She did, however, do the stitching
of the tie around the head so she can genuinely say she contributed.
She is a fast learning embroiderer, crocheter and knitter in her own
right.<br />
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The design is called <a href="http://www.urbanthreads.com/search.aspx?qs=i%20want%20to%20believe&df=Machine">I Want to Believe</a> and is from the wonderfully awesome <a href="http://www.urbanthreads.com/">Urban Threads</a>,
an American online provider of machine and hand embroidery designs that
is certainly not traditional. They have a huge range of steampunk
designs, I am currently embroidering a shirt with an outline version of
their steampunk raven but it got put aside to make the pillowcase. They
do the cutest interpretations of the gothic I have ever seen, chibi
type zombies and vampires are typical. The only problem is I want to
make them all and would need a few more days in the week to do so.<br />
<br />
I
transferred the design to the fabric using dressmakers carbon paper,
the fabric was too dark to trace through from underneath and I don't
have a lightbox. I used the yellow paper and the line showed up well on
the turquoise, it did not come off at all but was still a nice fine
line that was easily covered with stitching. I put the sewing in a hoop
when I was stitching, just an ordinary metal and plastic spring
embroidery hoop, it did still pucker a bit and I think I would use a
stabiliser next time. I stitched using DMC stranded cotton embroidery
threads and a metallic gold. The gold was a right pain to sew with but
it's worth the effort, you just have to use short lengths and lots of
paitence! I used a single thread of this for the horn and body band
with two or three threads for the outlines on the body band and wings. I
used two threads of the DMC on the face, ears, mane and string on the
head, three on the wings and body and four on the tail using two colours
in the needle, the body colour and a slightly darker colour. The eyes
are french knots in four strands, two of the darkest purple and two of a
dark indigo. The writing is two threads of DMC cotton as well.<br />
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I
really enjoyed using a sort of long and short stitch following the
contours of the wee horse with my daughter's favourite model horse
beside me to check on coat hair directions, it's really not what I would
have thought had I not looked at it! It was worth the work and I
think it's just so cute, and am dead proud of my first ever use of full
on hand embroidery, I'm always so nervous starting a technique for the
first time but all those years of precision with cross stich have paid
off, particularly knowing how to unknot a thread and hold it up to
untwist it before sewing.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09699076283947366457noreply@blogger.com0