Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Truckers knitting and quilting

There is an article in the Wall Street Journal about long haul truckers picking up hobbies like knitting. I think this is completely awesome.
I am one of those people you wouldn't think have a hobby like knitting. With the facial piercing, finger tattoos and hair that doesn't usually fit the norm, I look like the farthest thing from a knitter at times.
I would love to see more of the work of these truckers.
The gentleman in this photo, Kevin Abraham-Banks, is working on a sweater for his wife. That would be quite the gift, I think!
Like I've said before, and may others have said before me, knitting is a great hobby with which to pass the time. These guys are putting their down time to great use.


The original article is here.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Knitted Stop-Motion

Stop motion really seems to be blowing up all over the place. From music videos to commercials. This knitted stop motion (this is the making of) is amazing.
 

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

One more dishcloth, just for good measure!

I have finished yet an other cloth. This one is in the same Celadon colour I used for the scrubby cloth a little while ago. I paired it with white to match my kitchen, and it looks awesome! So spring-y and fresh. I think it's the bright white that does it.
That may be what my next grouping of cloths is. Any random, bright colour paired with white. I would need to get a rather large skein of white to work through the amount of the solids I have right now.
I am still working away on hats. I am trying to keep enough ready to bring into Made In Windsor on a regular basis. I have about four at home waiting to have their ends tied in and be priced. I think I may raise the price on them by a couple dollars. The cost of yarn seems to be creeping steadily upward and I don't want to lose money on any of them.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Blue and Yellow dishcloths

The stripey cloth I started ages ago is finally finished. It is a nice size at around 8 inches square. It isn't anything fancy like I said before, but I think the colours are quite nice.
As you can see, I have also started another cloth on the diagonal in the same colours. I am not sure where I am going with the groups of cloths in the same colour, but perhaps sets are the place to go. I think three cloths in similar colours bundled together would be nice. Once blue and yellow striped, one plain blue and one plain yellow, for example. Or maybe two diagonal and one horizontal? Suggestions?
I have no idea what colours to use, though. I don't have a whole lot of solid coloured cotton left, but if these go over well, I may purchase some more. What colours are your kitchens and bathrooms (in case you wanted to use them as face/wash cloths)? Or what colours would you love to see paired together?
I am always up for suggestions for this sort of thing!
I think I may give dishcloths for birthday gifts this year. My mom can always use more, many of my friends live on their own, and my relatives always seem to love anything I make.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Knitted Clothing

Okay, wow. This Dressy Sweater from Pickles is beautiful. I love the shape, and the simplicity. I really like the colours, but I think they would look absolutely awful on me. Pastels and I do not mix well, I think because I am so incredibly pale (for those who are in the know, I am the palest shade of Mary Kay everything.) I would love to have something like this in my wardrobe, but I really don't know how I would wear it. Or what colours to use. Or if I would do it in stripes or a solid colour. Or what type of yarn to use. Or if I would be able to make it symmetrical. Or if I would even finish it.
I doubt myself so often in my knitting. I need to really jump in to the deep end otherwise, I will never get started. This is yet an other reason I knit simple things.
Perhaps I need to start small, and build up to sweaters and socks and other stuff.
Perhaps I am destined to be a process knitter, and I will knit simple items for the rest of my life.
Either way, I really really like this dress.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Sick Sick Sick, Hats Hats Hats

I seem to have come down with some sort of ridiculous cold. I don't remember the last cold I had, I get them so rarely. Because of this, I am a total wuss when it comes to dealing with them. Rick is over for a few days because I don't have to work, and he has been making me tea a couple times a day. I am currently drinking one that I made myself, and it's not nearly as good as his. Maybe I should get sick more often, he takes pretty good care of me then.j

I brought two hats into Made In Windsor today. One was green that I don't think I mentioned on here at all, the other was brown. I am working on a grey hat now. Homespun and the grey I got from Zellers recently. I am trying to figure out other nice colours to start on after I finish this one. I really like the look of the Homespun, but it's not the manliest of yarns.
I am working on a few small projects to hopefully sell at Made In Windsor in the near future. They use a small amount of yarn, can be finished quickly, and are pretty enjoyable to knit. They should be shown soon!

Monday, March 8, 2010

More hats made

Hats are starting to become my main project. I have had a few of them ordered, and the first one has been given to the recipient.
The upper left in the image is a beautiful dark amethyst Homespun hat, for Kara from work. I haven't seen her to give it to her yet.
The brown in the upper right is from some mill-end yarn I bought last week. I am pretty sure it is Bernat Harmony, but I can't be certain. I just finished a second on in the same colour a few minutes ago. So very soft.
The black hat hiding in the lower left is a plain black worsted acrylic paired with a strand of Bernat Boucle if I remember correctly.
The blue in the lower right is supposed to be for Billy, but I haven't seen him in ages. Also, not sure if it's a little too feminine for him.
The grey hat in the centre is pretty awesome. It is the one that James bought, and probably my favourite of the bunch here. Three strands of slightly-thinner-than-worsted yarn in a wonderful charcoal grey. The fabric is a little stiff, but I am sure it will soften up with time. I am going to make more in that colour when I get home and have access to my stash.
I really hope I continue to sell hats for a bit longer. I am going to make some out of thinner yarn so they're not as warm, and can be warn during the slightly warmer weather.