What’s everybody been working on lately? Finished any cool projects? Looking forward to starting any?
I’ve finished some little knitting projects lately, namely a really cool beret and some washcloths. I’m in love with both, mostly because vert chaud is the dominant color, and if there’s one thing I love, it’s hot green. You can read more about the washcloths here, and about the beret and another hat here. They’re both really simple knits, but so much fun to make and use.
I also finally finished a pair of stranded mittens that’s I’ve been working on roughly forever. They are Corazon from Knitty, and here’s what they look like. I knit them using Patons Classic Merino, in natural and worn denim. Very, very soft and practically luxurious for mittens. It took many tries to get them right, but the friend they are for will love them, I’m sure.
After that, I knit a pair of mittens for myself from the leftovers for that project. They are likewise warm and wonderful.
My next project is to recover my desk chair. Then I will finally finish my gloves for Plimoth Plantation, and cut out the pieces for my 1870s corset, which has been languishing since I fit the pattern in October.
As always, all crafts are welcome: sewing, knitting, crochet, carpentry, beading, motorized prosthetics, absolutely everything. So, c’mon, guys! Make with the pictures and commentary!
Love the beret! The mittens are so neat looking. I love the look of colourwork but it’s not very high on my list of things to learn, I enjoy appreciating others’ efforts.
You must share the corset when it’s further along! Historical undergarmenty goodness!
And my first project that was cast on and finished in this calendar year was a crazy scrap shawl. It’s cosy, too. And I finished up a sweater for my husband that’s been on the needles way too long because I was making one in the round, then that was way too big so I had to rip it all and… gah.
In case that wasn’t keeping me busy enough I kind of acquired a drop spindle and some bamboo fiber. Heh. Tis the season for staying indoors and crafting, I guess.
Ooooh, can I friend you on LJ?
I’m still a total beginner in knitting (I’ve done 4 scarves, a washcloth, a potholder and have two WIPs so far) but have learned how to knit and purl, change colors and how to increase (I’ll learn to decrease when I get near the end of one of my projects ;)).
My main knitting project:
This cute little head wrap! Perfect for when I don’t want to squash my hair. I didn’t buy the kit, though. Instead of the yarn they call for, I’m using Sublime extra fine merino wool. The main part of the wrap is in mocha (a pretty grey-brown) and the ruffle will be in thistle (soft lavender). Since it’s dk instead of sportweight (and I knit a bit loose) I’m using bamboo needles in size 4 instead of 6.
That yarn lives up to SUBLIME. It’s all wool but not itchy at ALL. It’s so gorgeous and smooth and soft. I’m about halfway through the main part and I hope I’ll have it done to use it at least a bit this winter. Luckily my mom can answer questions I have (along with knittinghelp.com).
I don’t have pictures of my two WIPs yet. The first one is this dino-themed piece for a friend at work; he had a son a bit under a year ago. His wife cross stitches (and did a piece for their daughter when she was born) but with a 4 year old an a <1 year old, that ain’t happening this time around. It’s a bad picture, but I’m doing the top left piece (in the yellow frame).
My other one isn’t online anymore, for some reason, so I can’t link it. It’s a pattern of a fractal, but it looks more like a spiralling vortex of abstract leaves. It’s going to be huuuuuuge when done!
Thank you! This was actually my first real colorwork project, and I learned a lot. Not the least because I knit the mittens six times before being happy enough with them to give them to my friend.
I will share pictures of the corset. At the pace I’m moving, it will be done some time around next Christmas.
Is the medallion from the Viking Knits book the Luckentooth medallion? It looks really familiar. Your husband’s sweater is also really nice – I like the neck opening.
Oh, rock it, ladybird. Go ahead.
That headwrap is bizarrely cute. And that cross-stitched rose? Holy cow! Nice work.
No, I did the luckenbooth medallion on one square that I didn’t photograph, but it looked like the picture on Girl From Auntie’s page I linked to- the knot on the square I photographed, from the Lavold book, is some kind of Norse cross. I think it was a St. John’s Cross. She has illustrations of it from carvings and jewelry, which is way cool!
Oh, such cute stuff! Makes me want to knit. zweisamkeit, that’s a gorgeous rose; is it over one thread of linen so that it’s 36 count? Or what? I’ve always wanted to do something with such small stitches, but when I tried it didn’t work right.
Here are all my latest projects. I’m obsessed with my new idea: bookbags with retro bookcovers sewn in. (Sorry; the pictures aren’t all very great since the flash makes the covers shine.) I’ve been haunting the library used booksale and ripping covers off my own books! (Note that they are all pretty worthless, ancient books that either no one reads or that can be easily gotten in better copies.) I’ve got a pile of old SF, 50’s romances, and a few childrens’ books. I’m on #4 now, it’s the brown one and the green will be the lining.
At the very bottom, you’ll see a dress I’m nearly finished with (needs featherstitching around the hem) and the wool coat I made my 7yo daughter. She’s also wearing the matching velveteen tam. Yes, I am insane.
Next project: Gnome messenger bag, only with cute Japanese turtle fabric and green corduroy!
Is this only for knitters/sewers or can wood crafters/toy makers jump in?
Last week I completed the last initial piece for my kids castle.
I built it to scale of miniatures we already had in the house and it includes working draw bridges. Removable balconies, removable tower tops with stands for the insides and 2 working trebuchets.
I really enjoy making wooden toys. I also completely a 9’ sweep (long oar) today for a wooden boat I help maintain. I gave it three coats of linseed oil to preserve it.
Purl, I’m in cotton mode myself. I’m loving the cloth! The mittens and beret rock it too!
What Exit? I cannot share that with my husband, he’ll then understand the Dope, and he’ll lurk. You woodworkers are eeeevil! But seriously? Awesome work! He would be all over that castle for his minis in a heartbeat.
Dangermom, I love that idea!
Great looking stuff everyone!
Recently finished items- Wash cloth for my mom 1 Wash cloth for my mom 2 Scarf for my mom
I made these for my mom’s birthday. (Today now actually.) Swiffer Cover Swiffer cover other side
I saw these on the net, and managed to cobble one up. Have another on the hook as we speak as well. Step mother’s scarf and washcloth
The scarves for my mother’s were made from bamboo yarn. I love, love, LOVE bamboo yarn! If I could justify the cost, I might just have to make a throw for myself.
From the pictures it look much like I’ve been hooking a lot. Yup, that’s me, a hooker from hell.
I am so in awe of people who can make a beret from scratch! I collect them and would die for the green one. I also love the headwrap. I’ve never seen anything like it! Covet! Covet! I just don’t know how to knit.
I’ve become a little dotty in my old age. A recent trip to the beach convinced my old college roommate and me that we were born mermaids. Since then I’ve made three mermaid houses out of assorted large glass containers. The mermaids live on small polished rocks, rough gems and shells. Each house is decorated with colored “corals” and “plants,” little gates and bridges, and so forth. One even has a tiny bowl of fish. And there’s a margarita bar, of course. It’s a fun alternative to an aquarium and so far there have been no dead mermaids floating on top. In fact, I don’t even add water. I guess I could.
dangermom, I keep scrolling back to the Basilisk cover and cracking up. It’s kinda indecent, but that’s a mighty fine booty on the green dude. And your daughter is such a cutie! She so lucky to have a mom who makes her such nice things.
Let me echo the amazement that What Exit? made his kids a castle. How cool!
Labelless, I love bamboo yarn. It’s like silk, but better, and I never thought I’d say that.
It is kinda indecent, but it’s such a classic fantasy-type cover that I had to have it. I found it at the booksale and presented it to my mom as a trophy of perfection. (She’s totally into finding me bookcovers, and triumphantly gave me this old Tolkien book the other day. Then we dug through a hideous dirty box of paperbacks and found Combat Nurse, which you will see if you scroll down a tad.)
Will it make you laugh more if I confess that there was a sort of handicrafts show at my church last weekend, and I put in the other two bookbags but not the Basilisk one? My friend thought I should, but I didn’t quite dare. Instead I hurried to finish that pretty-pretty blue one, which I’m very pleased with.
Mom has claimed Perelandra as a birthday present, but several people have told me that I should put the bags up for sale. I don’t know; I prefer to spend my sewing time making stuff I like instead of producing merchandise, but OTOH I now have 10+ book covers and the possibilities are endless. What do you think would be a fair price for a good-quality retro bookbag, if you’re at a nice crafters’ boutique?
Combat Nurse! I’m dying! All laughing aside, I really do love vintage sci-fi and fantasy covers, because they’re always so over the top. If the paperbacks were thick enough, I’d turn them into one of those books you can hide things in.
How much you charge for one depends on how much time you spend on one. $10/hour is probably the least you should charge; anything less and you’re undervaluing yourself. That works out to what? About $35-40? If you go to a craft fair or a church bazaar, then you have to charge less, because people who sell at those things tend to drastically underprice their work.
Just finished a baby blanket for my soon-to-be-born newest niece in this yarn (Garnstudio Paris, it’s a medium-to-heavy cotton yarn). Now I’ve got two big pieces of fleece on my sewing desk and I’m planning to make myself a hat, mittens and scarf set any day now.
Looking at projects makes me want to DO projects, but I’m in the midst of removing clutter and coming to grips with the fact that if I knit all day and cross-stitched all night every day for the rest of my life I will not use up all the materials I have.
What do you all think of a Doper Crafter stash exchange? Would it even be appropriate? Some time after my taxes are done I’d be happy to post a list of what I have and mail things off to whoever could use them. Or is that just asking for trouble?
I’ve been messing with dyes and such as a result of a jacket fetish I’ve developed (I turned an icky looking A-2 a passable, if slightly two-toned, dark seal brown). I’ve also redyed a few belts, and even shortened and retooled one.
My next idea is to begin sewing leather for repairs. I have a garden variety machine but need tips on what needles - hand and machine - will work best. No ordinary hand needle seems to work.
There are a lot of secrets in leatherworking. It’s as much a trade as it is a craft, once you get into the more finished, tailored pieces.
Instead I hurried to finish that pretty-pretty blue one, which I’m very pleased with.
