Wild Flowers and Landscape Summer 2017

From time to time I wander from the knitting pathway. This crochet project is one such example and has been a long time in the making. It's been in and out of the cupboard on numerous occasions. Started in July 2013 (see here), where did all the time go? 

First thing to mention is the hexagon motif, it's from Polka Dot Cottage Lakeside Forest Blanket by Lisa Clarke. I was originally  following this pattern but changed course after I'd made several hexagons, having a much reduced colour palette than the one suggested in the pattern. I moved on to making up my own colour arrangements and joining sequence.

Those with an eye for detail may notice this blanket isn't quite symmetrical.  The alternate rows along the horizontal lines number 9 and 10. There is a missing row of 9 hexagons along the top edge (or 10 along the bottom edge depending how you look at it). I was short of the creamy white colour which features in each of the hexagons. After a few online searches I couldn't find a supply of the cream, maybe discontinued? One of the pitfalls of taking so long to complete a project!

Here's some of information about the yarn etc:

Debbie Bliss Bluefaced Leicester DK 50g

grey#502

stone#505 (cream)

gold#506

lilac#512

pale blue#513

willow#516

crochet hook 4mm

total number hexagons 76

blanket measures approximately 124cm x 80cm (49ins x 32ins)

I can't claim to have been inspired by the summer flowers and  landscape here on the west coast of Scotland when starting this blanket in 2013. But the colours in summer 2017 do seem to be reflected in the yarn, distant grey mountains, golden Buttercups, mauve Orchids, white Cotton Grass, green Sedges, blue Forget Me Nots (and rarely seen blue sky).

         Orchids    Buttercups     

Forget Me Nots      Cotton Grass

Here I am on the home straight joining and weaving in all those loose ends...

There have been plenty of rainy days to work on this blanket. Glad to now see it finished and photographed on a sunny morning here on 1st July. Four years almost to the day since I started the project in July 2013.

Knitting & Crochet Guild Collection: Part 2

Following on from my previous post about visiting the Knitting and Crochet Guild Collection (KCG), I have some more treasures to show you, all crochet items. Well I can crochet a few basic stitches but am no expert. The following examples are stunning in their details and complexity.

Not having any knowledge of Irish Crochet previously, it was with anticipation I watched as white boxes were brought out and placed on the table. Somehow I had a feeling these would contain special items and was not disappointed.

White gloves were put on for handling the delicate pieces which originate from the Edwardian period.

Part of this Irish Lace collection was featured in Rowan Magazine Vol 55 February 2014. This particular volume also has a piece about the KCG history, collection and members.

There is a blog post by Katie Bevan which talks about the photo shoot for the Rowan article showcasing the beautiful Edwardian dresses and other items.

If you'd like to read more about the lace collection held at the archive and it's history, Barbara the Publications Curator at the KCG has a post about it on her blog - Knitting Now and Then - click on the image below.

Knitting Now and Then - Irish Crochet

Next this very large bedspread with lemon yellow and white daisies crocheted with mercerised cotton and originating from the 1930's. The pattern instructions describe it as a masterpiece, no exaggeration, it is truly a work of art and patience.

The stitches are so tiny and uniform, this must have taken some considerable time to complete.

More crochet from the 1930's, doilies were very popular and the collection has hundreds of these items. Here are two examples in mercerised cotton with a spring flower theme...

Close up of this daffodil dollie with hopes of the spring to come...
  

There are many more items in the collection, new items being added all the time. The aim is to preserve the history of the crafts and provide inspiration for the future. 

I was certainly inspired by my visit to the collection and hope to make many more visits there in the future.

Knitting & Crochet Guild Collection: Part 1

In my previous post I wrote about meeting with a group of knitting and crochet friends. On the Friday afternoon we had the opportunity to visit the Knitting and Crochet Guild Collection (KCG) in the village of Scholes, near Huddersfield. Having heard of the collection via a blog post by Kate Davies when she was researching a Shetland hap shawl, what I didn't realise was how close the collection is to my home in Yorkshire. So was thrilled to be invited over to the archive to be shown a selection of the vast number of items held there. (Thanks to Stylecraft and Juliet Bernard for arranging the visit).

From left to right: Kathryn (Crafternoon Treats), me, Angharad (KCG Textile Archivist), Sandra (Cherry Heart), Sarah (Annaboo's House), Lucia (Lucia's Fig Tree), Barbara (KCG Publications Curator), Phil (The Twisted Yarn), Jane Crowfoot (Janie Crow), Alex (KCG Volunteer).

The people who look after the collection are all volunteers. Here we are in the office with some of the staff and one of the items in the collection on the table, a box of knitted art by Jan Messent.

A selection of knitted and crochet items had been chosen by the staff, we were allowed to handle the pieces wearing white cotton gloves. There was a brief history of how the collection had acquired each item and details about who had made it and when.

Here's a sample of some of the pieces we were shown. Firstly, this colourful unmistakable piece by Kaffe Fassett. The pattern is called the Foolish Virgins circa 1980's.

As the retro them is quite popular at the moment, it was interesting to see this original crochet jacket in these popular 1970's colours. Note the price on the Sirdar pattern 7 1/2p...

Moving further back in time to the 1950's now with this publication from Vol 47 Vogue Knitting. Priced at 2/6 in old money, which I can hardly remember, let alone convert into new money...

One of the patterns in this Vogue book is a crochet shawl which has only recently been matched up to an actual shawl held in the KCG collection. 

Here's the colourful shawl, my picture doesn't do this justice. How very current these crochet squares are and the colours so vibrant. There are 250 squares in total worked in 3ply yarn on a size 13 hook, that's size 2.25mm in metric.

And finally here's a close up of that box of knitted art work which was on the table in the photo at the beginning. 

There will be more photos and details to follow later in a second post about my visit to the Knitting and Crochet Guild Collection Part 2...

Crochet Jungle Project

 

Image: Kerry Lord 'Edwards Menagerie' courtesy of Toft Alpaca

Caroline at Toft Alpaca has been in touch to let me know about their upcoming community and charity project.

The Toft Alpaca Shop, Dunchurch, Warwickshire would like to offer people the opportunity to take part in an interactive community textile installation and fundraiser for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. 

Kerry Lord’s 'Crochet Jungle’ project is designed to inspire imaginations and teach adults and children how to crochet.  It will become an immersive fundraising project where everyone is invited to pick up a hook and help make the space every little boy and girl dreams of falling asleep in.

Image courtesy Toft Alpaca

The #crochetjungle will initially be used as an installation at The Spring Knitting and Stitching Show at Olympia, London, to promote teaching young people to crochet and to fund raise by selling an exclusive monkey crochet pattern. After the Knitting and Stitching Show, the #crochetjungle will be taken on tour.

The Toft Alpaca Shop will be hosting drop-in sessions for anyone to help make the jungle.  The sessions will be on Sundays throughout February 2015. No skills are required, just enthusiasm, and all materials and tools are provided by generous donations.

Image courtesy Toft Alpaca

New mode of transport...

If you live in Yorkshire or have Yorkshire connections no doubt you will have heard Le Tour de France will arrive soon for Le Grand Depart. Constant news about this may have influenced my recent purchase of a new bicycle. However, I'm not entering into competitive cycling just yet and probably not on this model. This is to transport me to the local shop, gallery and cafe over in Torridon. Of course no shopping basket is complete without a string of handmade bunting. Thankfully for this outing it wasn't pouring with rain and neither was the track covered in mud. I think on those occasions the bunting will have to stay at home. The view over the loch on the way to Torridon is stunning on most days but on this particular morning it was especially so.

For my bunting I made some basic granny squares. The crochet flower pattern came from Attic 24 and the knitted triangles were made with the pattern 'Knitted Bunting Flags' by Green Mountain Mama on Ravelry. Then I joined them together with a crochet chain. For all I used Jamiesons of Shetland yarn.

If you are interested in bicycle themed knitting and crochet then this book may be of interest. I haven't seen this in person yet. I first saw it advertised on the Baa Ram Ewe website. Here's what they say about it 'Bespoke' celebrates the magnificent bicycle with 10 knit and crochet designs for you and your bike. I like this yoke cardigan called Woodrup by Ann Kingstone. But I must resist until I finish the yoke cardigan (Couronne) already on my needles in January and still needs to be finished!

Have a great weekend!

Image from Baa Ram Ewe

Debbie Bliss Blue Faced Leicester DK Review

I'm half way to completing a crochet hexagon throw using Debbie Bliss's Blue Faced Leicester DK in the colours above. They all have a subtle heather appearance. This is turning out to be a lovely material to work with so I thought I'd share some information about the yarn. I'm using the same size crochet hook as the recommended needle size 4mm (US6).

Here's a close up of the part finished crochet throw - more about this project once it's finished!

 

• The Blue Face Leicester DK comes in 108m / 50g doughnut style balls.
• 100% British wool superwash
• 22 stitches over 28 rows = 10cm (4ins)

The colour range includes 16 shades, some stronger shades as well as the pastel ones I've chosen.

The ball band includes a silhouette of the Blue Faced Leicester sheep. I found this description and image of the (male) sheep in my  little book called 'Know your Sheep'. It's a native British breed,  has the finest wool and is highly prized by home spinners. I am finding this yarn very soft and easy to handle.

So far so good with the crochet but what about the knitting? Being a bit short of time to make a full size jumper I came across a pattern for these tiny raglan sleeve sweaters by Greens and Jeans on Ravelry. I used 4mm double pointed needles to make these sample sweaters. I like the stitch definition on the tiny cable and on the colour work.

There's a pattern book for the yarn with a range of sweaters for adults and children. I picked out a few that caught my eye. I especially like the Fair Isle style of the sweaters and the simple classic shapes of the blue cardigan and the child's coat.

Image with permission Designer Yarns

Image with permission Designer Yarns

 

Image with permission Designer Yarns

Image with permission Designer Yarns

Hope you enjoyed this quick review. 

Have you tried this yarn or made any of the garments in the book?