all knit, all the time

chanel ensemble
Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

check out this little ensemble from the Fall 2005 ready to wear show from Chanel: all knit, all the time! how did i ever live without style.com?

fendi bag

fendi bag Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

how cute is this?! see the pattern on page 8 of the craftster forum page this week my horoscope is my favorite kind, extra prescient with sprinkles on top: America's first President George Bush, a Gemini who reigned from 1988 to 1992, had almost as quirky and paradoxical a mind as his son, who is the current leader of the free world. "I have strong opinions of my own," Bush the First once said, "but I don't always agree with them." Let that quizzical gem be your watchword in the coming days, Gemini. Disavow three strong opinions you've been proud of in the past, but which you no longer agree with. Try to get it through your beautiful head that you're not the person you were when you first acquired those old beliefs, and it's time to leave them behind. ... but if you are not a Gemini and want to read your horoscope you can peer into your own fortunes at freewill astrology what else is going on ..... i just finished a free pattern to go up on the knit-o-matic website. i seem to be specializing in filler material; projects you do when you don't know what to do. must be a response to customer demand. i'm doing a little re-model of the freebies and giving myself a bit more credit for my work. they'll get their very own page now instead of being buried in the blog. i'm gonna get some PDF downloads going once i figure out how to do that (must get a dummies book on HTML or something). maybe i'll get lucky and some generous indie knit designer with brilliant karma will have written a "how to set up your own PDF download web page" for knitters. must google.

kool aid crib sheet

kool aid
Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

i can never remeber how much of this & that is involved in dyeing yarn with kool aid.


6g kool aid (1) packet
28.35g yarn
227g water

or roughly 2 packets per 50g ball and a 1/4 litre of fluid

also check out Wilton food colouring: wilton.com. Available at Michael's.

pretty bag

maisie Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

I have the bestest friends, but my favorite are the ones i've met through knitting. Maisie, my crochet guru, popped into the store today and brought me this beautiful bag! It's made from a Bags by Mags pattern and is about the size of a skein of Fleece Artist KidSilk and I'm smitten! I didn't know felting could be addictive even when you aren't doing the knitting! Thank you Maisie, this is the most touching gift I've ever received. I have a new bad habit. Ms Snit has introduced me to the podcasts and I have a new universe of media to explore now! Of course, Knitcast was the first I hit and most relevant here. The march interview with Stephanie Japel (glampyre) was really good.

up & coming

vk fall 05
Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

so what else is on my plate? i'm doing some stuff for the mag, a baby bunting for stickgirl and i need some new fall & winter sweaters.

i'm making this one from the fall VK in Diakeito something or other, it's all yummy.

the design for the bunting is coming along well. i've got the concept and design together in my mind and on paper, have almost all the yarn (might have to dye some). the only thing i still don't get is where to put the slits so the thing will work in a car set. i can't find any pics on the internet. i'll have to read the yarn girls pattern closely to see what they've done, otherwise poor little melon's just gonna slide out of her seat!

thinking out loud

city bag Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

and the next store project is another felting one - the city sack bucket bag from Vogue Knitting Felting. They call for 3 skeins Naturwolle (tres chere) but i have been thinking about Manos ... there is also some slubby stuff around the store from last winter which will do nicely too for a monotone and much less $$$. Although, the Manos would probably have to be held double, so it would end up the same price as the naturewolle. The twilleys freedom wool would probably also make a more affordable version as a solid, you'd just have to watch it carefully in wash because it's so fluffy it'll shrink into oblivion. A single strand of Lopi bulky could do the trick, but its so coarse. perhaps a double strand of the araucania naturewool chunky? it's already in a skein and i could dye one of the yucky colours something nice. of course, there is some fleece artist slubby still hanging around from last year that is also ripe for a felt ....

market

market
Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

my maximized basket version of the frrench market bag has been finished for a wee bit. i had a bunch of measurements & stuff but i've lost interest since then in the minutae: basically it shrank about 1/2 in the height but much less in the width and in the handles. i felt like i had to stop because i'd already used 3 skeins in the main colour and more than one in the contrast. still, now i know why felting is addictive. :-) it wasn't felty enough for my liking so i ran it through the wash twice, which had a lot to do with the super shrinkage. i also trimmed the handles to make everything nice & pretty.

i think next time i'll do it without the handles, modify the pattern a bit and make it a real basket, and wash it with starch.

stole my heart

stole
Originally uploaded by knitomatic.

progress continues on my loop-d-loop stole. one more colour block and it's window dressing! it's actually making great knitting for subway, bus & walking to work (yes, i can knit & walk, as long as it's simple and i don't need to check the pattern). The barmitzvah scarf is also making good walk-stitching.