HUGE BLANKET

I love this idea.

happy new year

My husband left to Barcelona a few days earlier than I did. I started wishing I had left with him when the snow had to create enough havoc to mess up my traveling plans. I was fortunate that Gerard was able to grab a flight on Christmas eve into London to spend Christmas with me! And now it's already 2011! Happy new year!

Long Scarves on the High Street

My very fashionable friend Josh sporting a long waffle-ribbed scarf I knitted him!

Gifts in the Mail

I love receiving surprise packages in the mail! Even when I'm expecting them. I'm not hard to please. Honest. These past few months have been the best of them! I hope it's just warming up before the holidays.

I received this package a few months ago from my friend Kay. The little packet at the top is a giant tea bag for your bath! Since it's getting colder, I think I'll be using it very soon. Who wouldn't want to soak in a giant cup of tea? She also sent me some mini-skeins of some wool. It's not much to make a whole project out of, but will definitely be welcome to add some accent to another project or a mini-project. And the jelly lens can be used for small digital cameras or even a camera phone. I'm thinking of attaching it to my LCA and seeing what happens. I definitely need to play with film more often.

And the following photo is what I just received in the mail earlier this week from my friend Anna. Strangely, there aren't many places in London that sells good affordable zines. Anna to my rescue! She even sent me some expired films she found at work. Expired film is a bit of a risk to work with, but perfect for Lomography. And of course she couldn't resist sending me some yarn! This kettle dyed merino wool by malabrigoyarn is luxuriously soft. I don't have a project in mind yet, but open to suggestions!

Cabled Scarflette

Admittedly, when I write out patterns, they're written in a language only I can decipher. My paper notes are covered in tally marks and strange abbreviations. But in an effort to put more of my patterns online, I've began to take more legible notes written in a language that most knitters can understand.

This is a relatively easy pattern, so don't be intimidated by the simple 8 stitch left cable. There are plenty of online videos to help out if you're a first-timer. This video by the Crafts Channel is particularly helpful.

I've made plenty of variations of this pattern, but this is the first time I've fully written it out.



These scarflettes were made as early holiday presents. Even though they are short scarves, they are definitely less fussy but still warm, which makes them great for places that don't get too cold.

Notes:

• I used a smaller gauge than recommended on the Big Wool package because I wanted a tighter gauge, but ultimately that's up to you. I think it's a bit too much effort to knit up a swatch for a small project like a scarflette, so don't let it worry you too much.
  
• With the above note in mind, my finished scarflette came out to 62x20cm.
  
• When it's all knitted up, you'll see that your scarflette looks a bit pinched where the cable stitches are. To fix this, pull some of the yarn through the cable stitches so they are more even.
  
• After knitting up the scarflette, and before sewing on the buttons, I like to lightly press and steam it with an iron with a cloth over the scarflette. I pin it to my ironing board if necessary. Be careful not to press hard! It should be gentle and light steaming. This helps to maintain a flat shape.
• I used two 3mm buttons, but feel free to make more button holes if you'd like and adjust accordingly for the size of your buttons.

Abbreviations:

• CO - cast on
  
• K - knit
  
• P - purl
  
• Sl - slip
  
• CN - cable needle
  
• BO - bind off
  

I used/You'll need:

• 100g of Rowan Big Wool in your desired color
  
• US 15/ 10mm knitting needles
• Large size cable needle or US15/10mm DPN
• Stitch counter (optional, but recommended, or take notes)
  
• Two large buttons
  
• Scissors
• Yarn needle

Using a DPN as a cable needle! Stitches are slipped on to the DPN...

And this is what it looks like when you knit four, and then knit four from your cable needle.

Pattern:

CO 18
Starting Rows
Row 1: K all
Row 2-6: Slip 1st stitch purlwise, K all

General Rows
Row 7: Sl purlwise, K2, Sl, K10, Sl, K3
Row 8: Sl purlwise, K2, P, K, P8, K, P, K3

Row 9-16: Repeat Rows 7 & 8 four more times

Cable Rows
Row 17: Sl purlwise, K2, Sl, K, Sl 4 sts to CN and hold to front, K4, K4 from CN, K, Sl, K3
Row 18: Sl purlwise, K2, P, K, P8, K, P, K3

Row 19-30 : Repeat Rows 7 & 8 six times

Row 31-32: Repeat Rows 17 &18

Row 33-44: Repeat Rows 7 & 8 six times

Row 45-46: Repeat Rows 17 &18

Row 47-58: Repeat Rows 7 & 8 six times

Row 59-60: Repeat Rows 17 &18

Row 61-72: Repeat Rows 7 & 8 six times

Row 73-74: Repeat Rows 17 &18

Row 75-82: Repeat Rows 7 & 8 four times

Row 83: Sl purlwise, K all

Button Hole Rows
Row 84: Sl purlwise, K4, BO1, K1, BO1, K9, BO1, K1, BO1, K2
Row 85: Sl purlwise, K2, Turn and CO2, Turn normal, K8, Turn and CO2, Turn normal, K3

Ending Rows
Row 86-88: Sl purlwise, K all
Row 89: BO loosely.

Weave in ends.

Additional Steps:

• Gently and lightly steam.
  
• Sew on buttons. I like to overlap the scarf and find where the button holes line up with the cables.
  

Wear it and enjoy!

Please comment or e-mail me with any questions you may have!

Postal Exchange: Monsters & African Handicrafts

This season, I've had a lot of inquiries from my friends about buying some of my crafts. But of course, I don't feel right taking their money (especially with the pound/dollar exchange). And I'm aware that some of the patterns I use, that are not my own, are for personal use only. So instead, I've been holding postal exchanges! Honestly, they're much more fun because I love the element of surprise.

This is a monster I made for a friend from university. Her brother was expecting a baby and she wanted to give him something personal and handmade. The monster is made using the dangercrafts pattern for Maddox the Monster BUT I did it in crochet! I'm glad about the way it turned out. I like that the skin of the monster is thicker, meaning more durability.

In exchange, she sent me some beautiful crafts from Benin. The pendant necklace is from the Bariba ethnic group. The metal disc is originally a child's bracelet, but has been transformed into a necklace with the brightly colored rafia. It's to ward off bad health. The scarf was handwoven and the bracelet is made from cow horn. I love the mustard color of the rafia rope and I can't wait to wear it this season!



I currently have plenty of exchanges in the works. I love getting things in the mail that aren't bills!

Craft Ambassadors

(Photo by Mae Wee @ the de Young in SF)

This is the very adorable Sidney, rocking the scarf I knitted her this past holiday season. I love that it looks so effortless on her.

Penguins

My brotha-from-anotha-motha recently graduated from a digital arts school and now has an AV job with Pixar! I'm so proud of him!

I few years ago, he lent his baby blanket to me because it was in severe need of repair. Sadly, it was beyond repair. Here are some tattered old photos of it I had taken of it:


He had spent his childhood nibbling on the corners. I couldn't do anything to fix it, so I returned it to him. But maybe one special day I'll recreate it for him. Well that'll be another day.

Sadly, I couldn't be there for his graduation, so I sent him a special guest instead:

Yep! It's an amigurumi penguin based on the penguin on his baby blanket! I originally bought the Amy Gaines pattern for the penguin, but I didn't like that it wasn't knitted in the round, rather it had a seam in the back. So, very loosely based on her penguin and with a mix of crochet and knit I improvised my own. Inspiration happens just like that!