Procrastination Cushion

I meant to clean my sewing room. But, I didn’t want to shove the cushion insert away (dead cover situation) so pulled out my tub of velvets. One of my tubs of velvet.

The orange velvet was a partly pulled apart garment my Grandma found in an op shop at least 30-40 years ago. It’s so beautiful I use it very carefully, but I’m glad to find a reason. The buttons are covered in it too.

I did fold and put away my pile of velvet but the floor is covered in fluff so I kind of went backwards, although one little job is off the list and the stash went down a little bit.

Rather than figure out a Drunkards Path patch, I just cut a piece of old brown paper into the circle, roughly drew the grid and shapes then cut them out, adding seam allowances.

 

My Career As A Knitwear Designer (ha ha ha)!

I’ve decided to make more knitting designs. Work is quiet, which allows me time to map things out and think things through and calculate. So I’ve made a cardigan design and graded it into 16 sizes, from really little little to fairly big big. 

I started with a kiddies version, quite successfully too I thought, (it’s cute and I’m happy about it), then set about to do the young adult size. Yay isolation!

This one has slightly different background colours. I did the body, bottom up to the underarms and just for a break, decided to make a hat. Again I’ve varied the colours and the patterning to showcase other possibilities (and not be bored myself). But, I ran out of the main colour. It’s from Shetland and I’m in Australia so whilst I was ordering I thought I may as well choose the colours for my bigger cardigan. Which I did. 

As it turns out, Scotland has a temporary ban on international postage, so while that’s happening I went back and started the sleeves to finish the other. 

I cast on and worked the cuff, then got into the fair isle band motifs before realizing I’d left out the first band. So I pulled it back to the rib and started it properly. I got back as far as I’d gone before, some 10 cm of pattern past a deep rib but it looked too baggy. Not what I want. Unpicked it. 

Going back to my original charts I fussed over all of the adult sized sleeves... which is really, really arduous because the program I then use is sooo slow on my stupid, stupid laptop and it kills me. It took ages to generate my new improved sleeve. An evening. 

Cast on again. 

I like to cast on with 3mm needles then drop back to 2.5 mm for the ribbing but I forgot so pulled it out.  Next day... Cast on properly with 3mm but (grrr) forgot (grrrrr) to (grrrrrrr) change down...

SO I started again. Inner calm, inner calm... 62 stitches. Yes. Managed a neat, well practiced cast on with 3mm followed by a beautifully tidy (deep) cuff in 2.5mm’s. Beautiful. The size looked right for a 6. Great. Sleeves don’t take long, I’ll be done soon.

I want you to know that all of this happens between many other tasks, train trips and work and family and perusing my emails. It’s a few of days of disjointedness. I thought, right, I’d Better Just Make Sure and pulled out the pattern to be 100% and hey! The pattern said (mother-flippin’) (stop swearing) seventy (mother-flippin’) two!!!! Not. 62.

Shoving down a rising beserk, I ripped back my little neat cuff. Again. For the 5th or 4th or 10th time! Unravelled it yet again...

I pulled out the original graph. The very original paper calculations, not the stupid, arduously made print out with my fair isle plonked in. And yes, guess what? 62 was in fact CORRECT! Time to tear up the wrong print outs, with vigor.

You’ll be proud of me because I didn’t swear (out loud) and I didn’t cry (on the inside). I either overcame my feelings of rage and disappointment and boredom, or suppressed them deeply and just got up, packed a bag for the train trip in the morning and went to bed.

Before I did go to bed I thought I’d get out a fresh ball of wool for the cuffs, since I’d worn the other ragged and it might be better to bury it deep inside the fair isle. So I grabbed another and saw that I was going to run out before I finished the cardigan and needed to order another couple. But Scotland... mail...

Never mind... suck it up (you stupid, stupid idiot)...

This morning I had a nice walk before I caught the train to the city. I listened to a great podcast about early female pilots in Australia, whilst walking through the pretty bush. Lovely! On the train I set up a show I’m watching on my propped iPad, cast on 62 stitches neatly with 3mm needles then dug in my bag to change to 2.5’s and guess what? I’d left them at home.

Two Would Have Done It But Bad Luck, I Made Three

These are very handy. One bowl for the bundle of colours (fair isle cardigan with 9 ish colours) and another for what I’m using, sitting on my lap or table. Stack them together out of the way later. 

I’ve taken to making new boxes and bowl as holiday projects, ignoring my huge list of things I have started, want to do and plan and just cutting loose. Ignoring the fact that I have more boxes than hankies. 

Follow labels below to tutorials, materials lists and patterns.

Or go HERE.

Berlin Wool Work Picture For The Shed Wall

 

I so love the Victorian Berlin wool work patterns. This picture was printed out (A3) then glued onto heavy cardboard, which is a bit of a pain to crochet but it’s also not a big job. I forgot to photograph the back but will after it’s stretched and the lace has dried.

My crochet is awfully ad hoc and obviously uneven, but I’m happy. I’m using up my perle and crochet thread stash. 

The picture is for the Bus Stop shed up in the garden. Or the kitchen, not sure.

What I want to do is paint a wash of dilute pva glue over the lace to completely stiffen it... but am not sure how to do it without glueing down the backing. Maybe cling wrap? Maybe that will pull off easily?

Or, I could lace it to four sticks, crossed at the corners. Hmmm... I could lace it to put the glue on... right...

Follow the labels below for tutorials, patterns and materials to make crocheted card (boxes) etc. if you want to. 

Thinking Of The Diorama

 I bought these gorgeous vintage millinery flowers from L’ucello in Melbourne’s Nicholas Building (Level 2). Thanks Leah and Michael for my gift voucher. I may have over spent. By a lot. But it’s the risk you take when you go in there with a plan (or without).

Just Did It.

 Following on from the last post...

It’s quite a good size, maybe could be a little lower? I might cut a nest of them to fit inside each other. They’re good have on your lap with the knitting. Better than a bag like when you go somewhere.

Once again, follow the label Crochet or Tutorial to find patterns, instructions and other ideas for your crocheted card experience.