Show your (craft)work

[wendy james]

I messed up my cardigan sleeves (increasing every 8 rows rather than every 6 ) so has to redo them but am finally finished.

This is why I prefer bamboo needles to metal. They bend instead of my wrists.

[smalex]

I didn't even know you could buy bamboo needles.

A friend of mine used to make really lovely decorated MDF gifts and cards, shes packed it in though and decided to get rid of her very extensive stock of undecorated bits, so she was offering bags of them, I requested a generic bag and we walked up and collected it from outside her house, I'm quite pleased. Something for W & I to pass the time doing.

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[Morganna]

Beatrix, have you tried circular needles? They come in different length tips, and you can often fit them in the palm of your hand. They might be kinder on your hands/wrists.

This is the progress on my fade set sweater. The changes of colour are more obvious in that light than in reality, but they are still more noticeable than I’d like. I should have alternated the skeins more than I did.

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[Morganna]

I'm not sure what Irish style is, unless it is the same as European-style, but kitting with circulars is no different, motion-wise, from any other kind. The difference is that the weight of the knitting is on the cord between the tips, and the tips rest in your hand without the rest of the needles to accommodate. You knit in exactly the same way as you would on straights, but a lot of people find them easier on their hands and wrists. You don't have to use them for knitting in the round, either - they can easily be used for flat knitting.

[wendy james]

I’m guessing Beatrix knits like me, with a needle anchored under an arm. For me, circulars are much slower and require more concentration so don’t give me the mindless activity to do whilst watching TV. I’m sure I’d adapt with practice but I CBA and I save circulars for when it’s the only option.

If that’s the case Beatrix, then yes - you might find bamboo better!

[wendy james]

Oh, I don’t think I’ve seen that method in action! So is it the left or right hand needle wedged?

I finished Elvis’s playsuit but she’s not about to model it. I’m sure it looks better on.

[ParisGal]

That sounds brilliant Do us a video of your method, Beatrix

[wendy james]

You can probably find some searching for pit knitting PG. I knit lever style, which I think I might have read before but it’s been a nice few minutes looking for explanations and videos.

The other ones dress is finished and she was awake. These two were outfits they’d requested earlier in the year rather than reappropriated/stash material. This morning Sproglette decided she didn’t want sleeves so I used bias binding to match the neck.

[wendy james]

I sometimes get a mystery parcel from my fabric supplier (Minerva). Last time it included (amongst things we’d actually use!) embroidery threads and a felting needle and pad. I now have some cheap felting wool in Christmas colours and some mixed colour Aida. We’re going to have a go a Christmas decorations and getting the girls (or at least Sproglette) to start a sampler. We’ll use my childhood one done at school for inspiration.

[Leap]

That’s a great idea! How old were you and how have you kept it that long?

I’ve been quiet as I started a new project with a friend almost by accident and it has been SO fun. He’s a graphic designer and joins in a voluntary project event with other people where they choose a word randomly from the dictionary, and then everyone creates a poster inspired by it. I follow it on Instagram and it’s far beyond my basic abilities, but I showed him my beach cross stitch when we were chatting one night and he suggested we work together on the next word as it was about to be announced.

We were worried about it being too contrived to blend the cross stitch idea with the word (which ended up being Dynamic), but after a brainstorming zoom call we came up with something we liked, he designed the patterns and then even joined in the sewing and prepared our submission for yesterday. We’ve been flat out completing it since the materials arrived on Monday as he’s working full time with 2 kids, and I’m working around Hop but It’s been so much fun. I’ve run out of time to explain the idea but I’ll be back. Here is a bit of it for now:

[wendy james]

About 10? I had another one that I also kept but it got some sort of weird thing (I think I said insect sac when I posted for laundry advice!) on it whilst in the loft that I couldn’t get off. The red one was the first one though and they were both done at middle school.

I look forward to the rest of the explanation!

[wendy james]

I got this white linen-type material in a remnants bag a while back. I’d matched it up with a jacket pattern but it wasn’t a priority so happily used it for Sproglette instead.

After success with the MBJM shorts pattern, I bought this dress pattern. There’s lots of variations for the fastenings, two bodice shapes and two skirt lengths. Sproglette opted for the straight bodice, halterneck long version.

Despite cutting age 7 (with age 10 length), I had to redo the back elastic across the entire piece (rather than just the middle bit) to get it to fit. The girl has such a tiny waist!

[ParisGal]

That looks fantastic, Wendy, and she looks thrilled too

[Morganna]

I love the floral fabric. Both the dresses are lovely - the linen one will be perfect for the summer.

Progress on my sweater has stalled. I blame the rubbish on the tv. I usually knit while I watch, but there is nothing worth watching just now, so I'm doing other things instead. I should get some done during Gogglebox tonight, though :highbrow:.

[Leap]

That looks so good! And must fit better than anything else in shops I bet!

I’m not sure if this will work, but if it it’s the finished product. A dynamic cross stitch pattern that you can choose dependent on mood. I sewed the master and A edited and animated the other pictures in, also sewing the coffee cup and the NHS logo.

[Link removed - see below]

[Morganna]

That could work as an interchangeable picture, if you put velcro on the background and on the backs of the motifs, so you could mix and match (or is that what you are doing?).

I used to make samplers for people's special occasions. i used the Jo Verso books for the motifs, and picked out ones that were particular to the person and the occasion. Musical instruments if they played, occupational motifs (a blackboard for a teacher, or a wig for a barrister - that sort of thing), a pub sign if they had a local, anything that suited their life. I made quite a few, and people loved them, as they were unique and personal. Their name and a reference to the occasion always got fitted in somewhere, too.

[Leap]

Ah I guess it didn’t work then! Yes, the pictures are interchangeable. He animated them to change in the presentation, but here are some screenshots:

[Leap]

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[Morganna]

. Fabulous!

[baargain]

Oh that is cool, leap!

The dresses are lovely, Wendy.