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Just because!
February 22, 2007
That is why I have started yet another project, for the hell of it. Well, I was getting annoyed with all the current ones, and wanted a break so I would feel refreshed. I have barely knitted in a month and I knew it would continue like that unless I let myself feel reinspired and start something new.
I thought about starting that little crochet bag in the new Rowan, but then I discovered it's actually quite big and requires 6 (YES SIX) balls of cotton rope - that's one bloody expensive bag. So I decided I no longer want to make it. I also decided I no longer want to make the wacky freeform crochet sweater. It only comes in 2 sizes, and given that my bust only measures 31 inches at its biggest point, there was no way that it would ever fit. I have a new favourite however, I don't know why I didn't notice it before:
I think it's lovely and the lacey pattern would keep it interesting. I could rip out a very old KSH sweater that I'm never going to finish (it's Icy if you look in the stash/current projects page), but ripping would be no fun and also I like that blue! Anyway this is one big tangent, because I wanted to show you all my new project!
Instead of practicing my crochet on the bag, I decided to start the Cold Shoulders capelet from the Happy Hooker book by Debbie Stoller. I had the yarn already, and I wanted a new project, so I jumped in:
That's how far I've got. My gauge is a mile off though - I'll have to do lots more rows to get it the right length. I'm just trying to decide if it's the right width! What do you think (input greatly valued)?
I think it might be ok? The reason I'm so off is that I automatically used a smaller hook than in the pattern, because I do that with knitting and it always works. But it turns out I'm not a loose crocheter! I'll know for next time, but do you think it matters here?
Posted by jen at 08:03 PM | Comments (11)
Cakes count as crafts?
February 18, 2007
Last week was rubbish! Adam went away for the whole week (and still isn't back) and I was working a long drive away from home, so not much fun happened. I had drawn up a big list of crafty things I should do while he was away (involving finishing various projects, and getting the sewing machine out) - if I'd stuck to the list I would by now have sewn a jacket and some jeans, sewn an edging on my knitted blanket, knitted another little cake and written up the pattern for the Tapestry cardi! However what I forgot when I was making the list was that I am NOT superwoman, I am in fact a very tired person who just wants to sit around doing NOTHING after a long day out of the flat! Hence I have no crafts to show you.
But I have some cakes instead! As Adam was away I spent valentines day on my own eating pasta and pesto (no time to cook) and watching dvds, which was a bit sad, but I couldn't think of anyone who is single to hang out with. So this weekend I made a cake for Adam as a late valentines day present, it is a plum cake and has golden icing sugar on top, which tastes really nice and looks better than white icing (on this cake anyway):
I made it at my parents house and transported it back, and I should have left the icing until I got home, because it got bashed and I had to redo some of it, and I didn't do a great job because you can kind of see, but never mind.
I also made some muffins! I made peanut butter and snickers muffins:
And also banana muffins (they are the darker ones in the tin):
All these things are from Nigella Lawson's Domestic Goddess book. I took the muffins to work, apparently you have to buy cakes for everyone when you pass important exams, which sounds ridiculous to me, but I like baking so I made some instead. I think people liked them, I hope so anyway!
Maybe there will be knitting next time!
Posted by jen at 06:09 PM | Comments (12)
Rowan 41 "review" and my new glasses!
February 10, 2007
My new glasses arrived this week! I can finally see what's going on, it's pretty amazing. Although what's even more amazing is that I waited so long to get some to wear all the time...
This is pair one:
They are the more professional, wear to work kind of pair. And this is pair 2:
I'm wearing them right now. Yay for new glasses!
This weekend I bought some ribbon to use on the Sublime sweater, I couldn't get the exact colour I wanted but I hope it's ok, and while I was there I got the new Rowan as well. It's such a cool issue this time. Last summer was my least favourite issue ever, and this one is such an improvement. I want to knit (or crochet) several things in it - whether I'll get round to it or not is another matter!
Some things are a bit bizarre and don't really work that well in my opinion, or are just not my cup of tea, but I don't think there is anything truely heinous!
These are my favourite things:
1. This cute wrappy top knitted in calmer with crocheted edging:
I think it's adoreable, but I probably won't make it, for the sole reason that it's a ton of st st before you get to the cool edging and I don't think I'd ever get it done! But it's so pretty!
2. This crazy-ass crocheted jumper:
It's amazing! And probably a lot of fun to make! You make all the flowers and things individually and then attach them together, so if I got bored and didn't finish, I could just use the flowers for something else. But I would make it in the new shade of calmer which is like a dusky purple. Also it only comes in 2 sizes and I'm tiny on top, but I'm sure it would look ok loose and I could just use a smaller crochet hook to make it smaller.
3. This crocheted halter:
I would wear that! It's in teensy weensy 4-ply cotton, but I don't think it would take too long to make because of it's size. I love the colour as well.
4. This loose jacket in summer tweed:
I probably wouldn't look as good in it as the model, but I really like the shape and colours and the way it's worn. However there is no way I would ever make it, just imagine the horrors of all that st st. IMAGINE! It's not going to happen.
5. This sweet little crochet bag:
Which I will definitely make, in order to get my crochet skills up to scratch so I can make some of the stuff above. Also I note with pleasure that cotton rope no longer only comes in yucky bright colours.
Also there is a very cool feature on reconstructing clothes, the projects shown are ace and I like the way knitting and fabric are paired together. All in all I like the issue a lot, best one for a while!
Posted by jen at 04:14 PM | Comments (8)
Some worryingly small knitting
February 06, 2007
Before I left for France, I finished the front of the Sublime sweater. I was pleased, but some things about it are concerning me.
1. It looks small. I know I am not busty, but it still looks small. But then I measure it and it's just slightly bigger than my actual chest measurements, so maybe it's ok?
2. The bottom keeps rolling annoyingly. Maybe it won't do that when it's sewn up, I sure hope not or I will have a cold belly.
3. It looks kind of slanty. Surely it can't be? Or is it?
4. If I have enough yarn to finish, it will only be by a couple of yards, and that makes me uneasy.
5. All these vague concerns mean I don't want to knit on it at the moment, what I really want is to buy the new Rowan and some new yarn, and start something new. But that would be naughty.
Have a look anyway:
And now (drumroll) is all the knitting I have done in the past 2 and a half weeks:
Is it any wonder I finished practically no projects in 2006? I suppose productivity isn't helped by the fact that for all of 2007 so far I've been super sleepy all the time! I really ought to do some knitting now, but I'd prefer a nap!
Posted by jen at 08:30 PM | Comments (12)
Back - finally!
February 04, 2007
I am back from France! It was a pretty good trip this year, so many things went wrong last year that I was dreading it, but this time it was actually pretty good fun (OBVIOUSLY not while we were working, the language barrier made that bloody hard work - "je voudrais un aged debtors analysis s'il vous plait" - blank stares all round!). It was too long away though and I'm very happy to be back.
Although I am SO deeply tempted to put photos of my drunk colleagues on my website, I haven't asked them if it's ok yet, so here instead are a few photos of other things.
Since the French don't really understand or cater for vegetarians, I mostly ate pizza or salad for 2 weeks:
I was very pleased to have a risotto last night! At the weekend we went to Mont St Michel, which was definitely a worthwhile trip:
Here is me in some gardens which directly overlooked the sea:
We also did eat a lot of galettes. Once again I felt like I would like to see the place in the summer, when all the restaurants are open and the town is buzzing.
When we were there I got my exams results and found out I had passed both my exams, so I am now a part-qualified chartered accountant, which is most pleasing!
In other exciting news (it has been an exciting weekend), I ordered some new glasses (it's definitely time to get some pretty ones I can wear all the time), I found out my submission for the Spring Knitty was excepted (Oh yeah!) and also Adam and I booked a 3 week trip to China for May/June time! I'll show off some knitting next time - I didn't do any while I was away, but I did some before I left that you haven't seen. And now it's lunch time!
Posted by jen at 12:14 PM | Comments (20)