Thursday 26 April 2012

Day 4 - Seasons 3KCBWDAY4

No matter the weather I'll knit.
In summer when I'm in shorts and a vest I've been knitting a jumper.

Though I prefer winter, as you can be kept warm whilst knitting instead of over heating.


Just thought I'd share this photo from February, it snowed whilst we were in the art gallery, perfect knitting conditions.

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Day 3: Your knitting or crochet hero 3KCBWDay3

Hold on folks, this could be long winded....

I don't have just one crafting hero as there are a fair few people who've inspired me along the way, and no doubt there shall be more as my life goes on.

First off, well obviously my Mom and my Nan's who taught me to knit/solve dropped stitches etc. when I was little.
My Mom taught me embroidery one day when there was a bomb scare in the town centre, this wasn't long after a bomb scare/thing up the road from my house in the 90's. You don't think of Walsall as a prime bombing location, given that there aren't many people who could point to it on a map, though in relation to this post, Walsall is a town known for leather work and it's art/history.
Though thinking back to my earliest memories I have of these three women, there's always a craft element involved. Actually, thinking about it now, the women in my life have always been crafty to some degree, though the arty/crafty-ness is predominantly on my Mother's side as even her brother is arty, this aspect seems to reside in the women on my Dad's side, though the men can, they just don't use these abilities for fun, only when they have to.
That last sentence sounds like crafting is a super-ability.... though isn't it? Given how most people are shocked and awed by crafting skill, doesn't that make us Crafty Superheroes?

My sister and brother are both 'good at art', my brother also paints miniatures and my sister does leather stitching. My brother married a crocheter, and we pass books back and forth.

My Mom is brilliant at anything she puts her mind to, decorating/knitting/stitching/upholstery/painting (restoring) Victorian doll faces, the woman can do it. So it's no surprise she's a hero of mine.

Nan B (Mom's Mom) showed me how to knit, even though I knit as a lefty (I'm right handed)... I don't know what defines this but my knits look like knits so I'm happy. I inherited her a couple of her sewing/craft books and knitting patterns, if I can remember where I put them, drives me frickin' mad.

Nan R (Dad's Mom) who can no longer knit due to arthritis, gave me her needles, she amazes me with her knitting stories, telling me how she knit an aran sweater in less than a week! Mind blown.

So these are my crafting heroes since birth, let's get recent.

Starting my art course is probably the best thing I've done, this lead me to meet two amazing women who I admire to this day; Sam and Gill.

Sam (Sam Made) was a student tutor on my course, and it's her love of colour and vibrancy which you can see in her artwork as well as her vivid hair. I never thought that she'd be someone I'd have so much in common with, especially the love of Harry Potter.

Gill is the person who lead me to realise that knitting didn't have to be tired old baby clothes when she started to appear at college with fun pattern books such as Knitted Icons. She knit me my Sackboy and taught me to purl. If Gill hadn't been knitting at college, I probably wouldn't have picked up my needles again.
Gill and Sam, those beautiful, arty, crafty friends of mine.

Though these aren't the only people who've inspired me/are my heroes. In the past 6months - a year, I've discovered the online knitting community. The knitters who write comics like Brent (Skein n Bones) to the podcasters who inspired me to start my own, predominantly Elle (Miss Elle Knits), who although I've never met in person, I certainly admire, even though she's a Slytherin.

Finally, my fiancé, Craig, who learnt to finger knit for me, so we could do it together and who tried to knit with needles but wasn't for him, I'll always knit for him anyway.

So those are my heroes for now, who knows how many I'll have in a couple of years?

Tuesday 24 April 2012

Day 2: Photography Challenge 3KCBWDay2

I'm not much of a photographer, yes I did it at college, but it was a quick course. I prefer to draw, line art at that.

I've never done a proper photo shoot for my knitting, though I did devise one, when I was trying to come up with a banner for my podcast, even if I didn't use it, I still love the photos.

There are instances when I'll spot an opportune moment for a snap, but that's just luck.

Charismatic softies make photos so much more fun
My mother's décor makes for pretty pictures

Monday 23 April 2012

Day One: Colour Lovers 3KCBWDAY1

Colour is one of our greatest expressions of ourselves when we choose to knit or crochet, so how do you choose what colours you buy and crochet or knit with. Have a look through your stash and see if there is a predominance of one colour. Do the same with your finished projects - do they match? Do you love a rainbow of bright hues, or more subdued tones. How much attention do you pay to the original colour that a garment is knit in when you see a pattern? Tell readers about your love or confusion over colour.
Yarns that became hexipuffs

I love love love colour! Which I think is rather funny considering a couple of years ago you'd only find me in black. A goth? I guess so. A greebo? Yeah.

But now? Colour, colour, colour! On my nails, feet, torso....hair..... I love colour!

My bee keeper's quilt is going to be colourful, so is the log cabin blanket I'm knitting.

I find it far easier to knit colourful accessories or softies rather than actual clothes. But I love colour change yarns, if it's rainbow or gradient. I find it fascinating how colours interact together, how they affect your mood and how they suggest mood.

                                                              Although not my fave. colour, I love a good gradient. 

I'm comforted by the fact that when I feel low I can grab a ball of colour changing/gradient yarn and my needles and knit magic.



Friday 6 April 2012

Socks, socks, glorious socks.

Socks are fantastic to knit, why didn't anyone ever tell me this?

Wait, you did?

Why didn't I pay attention?

Well, I'm rather addicted now. This is the 3rd week I've been sock knitting, so I thought I'd show you the 2 pairs I've completed.



The red and green are from a Knit Now Magazine with Colinette booklet and are called Lace Panel socks. The yarn is King Cole Zig Zag in Rustic. I can't believe I managed to make them matchy matchy, I wasn't trying to.  The lace pattern reminds me of a dragon's spine.
I love this yarn and the best thing is I have a fair amount left over, at least half a ball.

The yellow ones are the Hermione's Everyday socks by Erica Lueder and knit in Regia 4ply from the Flusi the Sock Monster collection. I have very little of this yarn left, and the stripes go in opposite directions as the first sock was knit from the centre outwards.

I've enjoyed knitting these socks, and I'm looking forward to posting my latest pair on the needles, even if they look like clown barf.
I also have plenty of socks planned to knit!

Yay socks!