Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}

I'm going to  have to skip one of the projects in this series and come back to it.  The tapestry or 'sewn' picture. My dose of the shingles followed by wisdom tooth removal disaster has put me behind with my course homework.  Having spoken to people who took this course last year, the tapestry is a challenge to finish even without setbacks!  Tapestry is a Class 4 project, so on to Class 5 - crochet!

In Australia crochet is introduded quite a bit later than in Europe (I'm not sure about the US?) And the main reason is because of the style of knitting that is taught.  In Europe, the continental style of knitting is introduced at Class 1.  It is actually very similar to crochet in regards to tension and how the wool is held, so by Class 2, these kids are ready for crochet.  Over here in Australia however, we learn the traditional technique of knitting and delay crochet until Class 5

In our class we were encouraged as the Class 5 kids are, to experiment with a flat piece of crochet, back and forth turning the work at each end.  Next we worked on a circle.  Instead of counting stitches in each round we were asked to feel whether the work needed more increases in stitches - ie. it was starting to curl up or needed fewer increases -  ie. it was starting to go curly. I have to admit that I counted my stitches and only increased as per a traditional circle pattern.  I can imagine this 'counting' being quite challenging for a 10/11 year old, so I completely agree with the method shown to us for teaching children. 

Once our circles were big enough we finished increasing and crochet until our piece was big enough to be a child's backpack.  This is exactly what the kids at our school make for their crochet project. It is so lovely to see them being used as their school bags.
 

There are a million crochet tutorials on the internet so I'm not going to go into the nitty gritty here.
And there is no real pattern for this backpack.  The flap is a made by working back and forth once the bag is deep enough and the strap, which is sewn on, is a simple rectangle.  My one went to the smallest of our family, Sadhbh, who will be starting kinder next year.  As you can imagine, I have orders for three more . . . !

See what other folk have been crafting at Nicole's place today.  

Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}

There's a little florist called Cecilia Fox near where I live.  I have to drive by it on the way to and from school pickup.   The last week or so there's been an exhibition featuring the woven work of Maryanne Moody.  

Alongside the exhibition is a project called Weave a While.  A (rather large) loom has been suspended in the shop window with a basket of very random wool underneath. Anyone is welcome to come in and have a go at finger weaving a section or two.  So at the weekend I went along and gave it  try.  I could have been there all day to be honest.  It is rather addictive, not to mention time consuming.  And the best bit  - I'm entered in the competition to win the finished piece.

Happily this coincides perfectly with the next project we are starting at craft curriculum this week. A woven picture, all be it on a much smaller scale.  I'm super excited to start weaving and sharing my work with you here.

See what other folk have been crafting at Nicole's place today.  

Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}

As the craft course progresses, the projects become bigger and more involved.  Class 4 fair isle knitting followed on from the cross stitch.   I guess this this is the culmination of the knitting projects as crochet is introduced in Class 5.  Crochet is introduced in class two in European schools as it is very similar to the continental style knitting taught there).



With 16 ply wool on 6mm needles ,we had some simple rules to follow. Only two colours per row and no more than 5 stitches in any one pattern repeat(to prevent long threads at the back) Other than that it was all about experimenting.  From the experimentation you begin to see patterns popping out and eventually, through the 'doing' you begin too find a rhythm to the patterns. I think the patterns at the back are quite beautiful too.  

 Usually I would work out a pattern on paper before I began anything like this, so it was refreshing to be allowed to simply experiment and see what happened.  I imagine it must be magical for the children to see for themselves. Following a brief steam with the iron,  I sewed mine into a tea cosy, but commonly vests, bags or hot water bottle covers can be made from the finished piece.  I also made a smaller sampler on 4mm needles with 8 ply (and bent the rules slightly using 3 colours on one row!).  I sewed this up into a wee doll.

 

See what other folk have been crafting at Nicole's place today.  

Yarn Along

Making progress on Tea with Jan & Bread. Using this beautiful dark handspun alpaca.  Its fluffy and delicious and I think it will turn out to be a fluffy delicious jumper.  She wants something "comfy that makes me want to stroll through the country side with a thermos of hot chocolate." I think it will fulfill that request.  Personally I love how there are lots of little bits of twigs and gorse stuck in the wool.  Do you love knitting with handspun?

We are well into Prince Caspian now.  Its shaping up to be a great adventure and the kids are delighted that young Lucy, Susan, Edmund and Peter are back for this one.

 Osgar has started a third day of Kinder this term.  Its made a huge difference to my week.  The balance has tipped and the two days we now spend together are precious.  I'm adoring and grateful for the extended time I now have with my baby big 2 year old.  She is as cute as a button, a little joker, thoroughly independent and... she naps.  Two hours if I leave her.  My house is a quiet, peaceful bomb site.  Almost bliss. Its a stunningly beautiful Melbourne winters day today, not a cloud in the sky. I went to the market this morning to listen to Dear Ceder sing, have a coffee with Belinda and knit handspun alpaca in the sunshine. Beautiful.  You can't help but be happy on a sunny Winter's day can ya? Is the sun shining where you are? Is there a simle on your face too?

Happy Knitting!

Yarn Along

Socks for Little Witches. A second pair of socks using this Poems sock wool.  These are for Tadhg for her 7th birthday (which is ages away).  I'm prepared early because I've just committed to a big knitting project for a client, which involves kilos of the most beautiful handspun alpaca wool and a lovely Heidi Kirrmaier pattern.

We finished The Horse and His Boy and the fourth Narnia book starts tonight. Prince Caspian. I can't say enough how thoroughly I'm enjoying these books.  Dubhessa, who's 8 1/2 is following along pretty well, Tadhg who's nearly 7 doesn't seem to be understanding so much of the detail, but shes happy to listen and is concerned and relieved in the appropriate places!  I'm delighted to be reading well written beautiful stories that appeal to both me and them.

The pile of knitted squares from Class Two Friday knitting sessions is growing steadily.  I'll be sewing these into a blanket before the end of term I reckon.  I was prepared for a reasonable variation in sizes from square to square, but it will be a challenge to make an even shaped blanket none the less.





 

Happy Knitting!

Yarn Along

I went wool shopping yesterday. I went here -they have all types of lush stuff.  I wandered around for ages, I'm so indecisive in places like that. Places where I just want to buy everything.  I once spent an hour and a half in a wool shop in Dublin. Is that normal? They we're nearly ready to offer me a cup of tea, in fact if I ever own a wool shop I think cups of tea for customers like me will be mandatory.  I'll have a kettle on the boil and a couple of nice comfy chairs and access to Ravelry all over the place.

Anway, I wanted some special wool for a scarf for my mums birthday. She's into pinks.  I wanted a little silky something, but all the Noro there was so dark.  In the end they had a sample lacy scarf beside the Zauberball stand and it looked pretty nice, so I went with that. I cast on three different scarves before I settled on this one. Its an easy repeat I can pick it up and put it down.  I'm still obsessing about Petra. I may just have to order some wool for it right now!

I'm reading my Frankie mag.  My beautiful sister got me another years subscription.  Its the best.

Happy Knitting!

Yarn Along

Geez, shingles, I don't recommend it. The pain is gone, but I'm still on my hands and knees searching for my energy under the mountain of dirty laundry. I haven't felt like this since I had a newborn, a 2 year old, a 3 year old and a 5 year old - all preschoolers - all at home.

Its school holidays, which means a break in the rushing around drop offs & pick ups, but it also means four kids at home. I came prepared this time with a couple of volumes of Alphabet Glue and I have to say, its helping. (On a side note, I've just noticed how often I tell people/blog about having FOUR kids! We love them all but we never meant to have four, it seems like a lot to me, the last little scallywag being a shock surprise.  I am clearly still overwhelmed coming to terms with the fact that I am the mother of a large family. I hope I don't seem to harp on about it)

 I finished Multnomah, Tiny Tea Leaves, and a couple of hats in the last few weeks    There is a positive to everything I guess (!) And I've cast on this Milo for Sadhbh.  I'm mad to knit a Petra sometime soon and I've got a few hundred yards of Bendigo (scratchy) Classic in charcoal which I need to make into something soon.   I had nearly settled on the Sage Remedy top, but then I thought maybe the neck looked to loose and big for me (I'm tiny) Have you made one? Do you love it?

We are enjoying The Horse and his Boy - CSLewis - Its a great adventure.

Happy Knitting!

Yarn Along

I'm in a very happy knitting place right now with three projects on the pins all at the stage of pick up and knit any time.  This is my absolute favourite place to be, maybe because I'm at home with small kids and anything (other than them!) that requires my full attention usually results tears.  Sometimes theirs, sometimes mine!

First up my handspun Milo which I'll be binding off tonight. This was an adventure and I'm not sure about how it looks right now.  I chose to do a cable, but the handspun doesn't really lend itself to cables too well.  It will keep her warm anyway and thats the main thing - right?

Second in line is a Tiny Tea Leaves, for Tadhg, for school in blue. I've knit this pattern so many times now, its knitting itself. Last but not least I wrangled my way through the heel turns of both my socks.  I attempted this toe up two at a time, but I had to resort to separating them out for the turn, it just didn't work for this pattern (which is not meant to be two at a time I think). Sock knitters out there - how does this work? And have can you recommend a good toe up two at a time pattern for kids? They are both back on the same needle again and I'm off on the cuffs.


We're nearly finished  The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.  I've also been finishing off How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - and I bought I Quit Sugar yesterday.  I need to get in on this IQS bandwagon everyone's raving about!

Happy Knitting!

Yarn Along

This is my handspun effort plyed and drying (very slowly in this arctic weather) by the window.  I really hope I've spun enough for the Milo I plan to cast on this evening (if it ever dries). It's turned out kinda fingering here and bulky there. Knitting with it will be a bit of an adventure.  One day I'll be able to spin evenly and to a particular requirement.  For now we'll have to settle for the rustic look!

 

You can't tell from the photo, but the roving was pale blue and maroon, a bit of an odd pairing if you ask me, but now that its spun and plyed its morphed into an all over purple colour, which is a pleasant surprise.  Good things can happen when you step outside your comfort zone!

Starting The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe tonight.  I'm so happy to finally know who they all are and where they all come from after 30ish years.

Happy Knitting!

Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}

 

I'd love, love, love to be a good at this, but every time I start again its like I'm doing it for the first time. Ok, maybe not the first time, that was a train wreck.  I blamed the wheel.  Troy bought it off ebay.  It is an Ashford, so I knew it had potential, but it had a piece of string for the drive band and some fishing line and elastic bands on the tension knobs.  I was sure herein lay my spinning woes.  I brought it down to the spinners and weavers guild for some advice.  They replaced my piece of string and fishing line with  . . . more string and fishing line! This is actually what they use - ahem.

 I think I've pin pointed my weak spot as of yesterday and its the draughting.  The gentle process of getting just enough fleece between your fingers before you let the twist take it.  I really struggle to get an even draught - and I over twist every time.  When I spun on a drop spindle I'd pre-druaght out the fleece before I spun it  - It took forever, but it worked and that process was OK for the smaller quantities that I spun on the spindle.   I can't see myself doing it for jumper quantities! For now I'll slog on and put my faith in practice and repetition. Any spinners out there - your words of guidance would be appreciated.

Yesterday I spun two bobbins worth of this pre-dyed Australian Merino.  I'm plying it today with my home made lazy kate - a shoebox with some dowel.  I'm hoping that will prevent it from pilling so much when I knit it.  I'll be casting on a Milo for Sadhbh tomorrow, who has all of a sudden grown out out all her winter woolies. Why I'm surprised by this I have no idea - they keep growing until they are 21 or something like that . . . .

See what other folk have been crafting at Nicole's place today. 

Yarn Along

Three kids at school and kinder and the littlest napping.  The sun shining in the window on top of me, a cuppa spearmint tea and a medjool date roll beside me. Bliss.

I'm knitting socks, toe up, two at a time on a big long circular.  I knit my last pair of sock using the Spice Man pattern and it was really good.  These socks are for the kids, so I got the Spice Kid pattern.  It doesn't detail how to do two at a time, but I saw a friend doing it a while back at knitting club so I'm giving it a go. I've got myself into one tangle so far! But since that I've been super careful to turn the ball so the separate strands don't get muddled.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do when it asks to redistribute stitches yet.  Any advice?

I got this ball of Poems sock yarn at the Kyneton wool shop a few weeks ago.  Its such a reasonably priced sock wool, and comes in a great range of colours, but its not fun to pull back.  The twist is quite loose and its almost felting itself together as you knit. Here's hoping I don't have to do much of that!

We're nearing the end of The Magician's Nephew.  Its been a great read. I'm loving this older children's fiction phase that we've entered.  I seem to have missed out on a lot of great books when I was younger. Looking forward to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe next.

Happy Knitting!

Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}

 

These are the first knitting projects that the kids undertake in Class One.  Some kids can already knit by this stage, but for the majority this is their first time with knitting needles.  At some schools the kids will actually make their own needles from some lengths of 8mm dowl sharpened at one end, sanded, oiled and finished with a bead, or gumnut on the end.   Kids of this age will use 16ply wool on their 8mm's in class we used 6mms and 4 ply.

The very first thing they will knit will be a square in one colour.  This square can then become a cat, a sheep, a bird or any little creature you can imagine with a little loose stuffing and sewing.   I guess to an adult we really have to use our imagination here, but to a child of 7, it really does look like a cat or a sheep.  Thats my sheep up there - looks more like a cat to me!  I struggled with the looseness of this little sheep, as my instinct was to sew it all up,  stuff it to the max and make it actually look like a sheep.  But I resisted.

The next knitting project, which will most likely happen a little later in the year is the shepherd or doll.   This is also essentially a knitted square, using more colours this time. A little finishing and stuffing, some knotted on hair and there you have it.   Below is the doll that my daughter knit in Class One last year.  She was so very proud of it and it is much loved.  You can see for comparison the size difference between the 8ply and 16ply wool.  Knitting is continued all the way through to the later grades in a Steiner school - I'm looking forward to the Fair Isle later this year.

 See what other folk have been crafting at Nicole's place today.

Keep Calm Craft On {crafting on}

 

My craft course introduced weaving recently. I have to say, I'd never tried it before and I just loved it.  We started with the Class One project. A flat piece woven on a wooden weaving board using 16ply wool.  This is usually sewn into a purse, but can also be used as a little mat. 

But my favourite was the Class Two circular weaving on the toilet roll tube. This one used 8ply wool and its just so clever and accessible.   If you wanted to try it, the warp, which is the white cotton that goes up and down the tube is wound around little, 1cm, slits that are cut into the top and bottom of the tube. You need an odd number of these warp threads for the circular weaving to work and the warp is held in place with some sticky tape around the top and bottom.  Use a wool needle to feed the weft, which is the 8ply wool under and over each piece of cotton.  Leave a little tail at the start and end of each colour and overlap each new colour slightly.  Push the weaving down as much as you can so that you get a nice dense fabric.

This can also be sewn into a little purse or bag. On but on a bigger scale this could be made into a recorder case by using a larger cardboard tube.  I'm going to have to check if I can get one from the post office as I think the girls and I are hooked!

 

See what other folk have been crafting at Nicole's place today.

Yarn Along

 I'm feeling a little calmer with my knitting load this week even though it seems to have increased. How did that happen? Last night I knit a wee jumper for Osgars doll, which is a gift for his birthday on Friday. Needs to be sewn up, but I'll be done in time. Yea.  I couldn't find a pattern for a good doll jumper  anywhere so I made this one up.  Lots of doll cardigans out there though.  If it looks ok when its finished I'll share the pattern.

The wool I've been waiting on for Troys hat finally arrived this week.  Its Malabrigo Chunky and its lush.  The depth of colour these guys achieve  really is amazing.  I got Cypress, which looked black when I ordered it, but its the darkest of greens, beautiful. Its the first time Troy's ever let me knit him something.  His childhood memories of hand-knits are not good,  so,  it has to be the best, most comfortable, sexiest hat ever.  I'm desperate for approval!

I finished my market bag - yea!  I'm still reading Second Chance Mother and we've also joined in with Annies Read Aloud Along.   We started Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH last night.

What about you.  Does your other half let you knit for them? Are you reading The Rats of NIMH?

Happy Knitting!

Rainbow Wool

Using the great tutorial over here, we got to work (it was quite easy actually) this weekend and dyed this lot up. I really can't believe the results. I think I may have to invest in a microwave just for this purpose. I've spent the whole day casually walking by and admiring it! The wee girls did the food colouring part and have decided they want rainbow scarfs. Highly recommend trying this.

Natual Plant Dye Tutorial

This is a great one to do with the kids. My two and four year old did most of the work. Waiting for the wool to 'cook' was the hardest part! And they were thrilled with the results.

Step 1.
wind the wool off the ball into a loose skein

Step 2.
peel the skins off some brown onions and place in an alluminium pot


I found that using an alluminium pot was a reasonable substitute for mordent, as I didn't want to use any chemicals with the kids.

Step 3.
wet the wool until it is soaking wet

Step 4.
put wool in pot with onion skins and fill with water until covered
The actual amount of water is not important.


Step 5.
simmer - but do not boil for up to three hours
Do not aggitate the wool or it may become matted.


Step 6.
wait!!!

Step 7.
pull wool out of pot and drain - then hang it up somewhere out of the sun to dry.


The ratio of skins to wool and the amount of time the brew is left to simmer will both impact on the depth of the final colour. We used 6 medium onions to 50g of white wool.
The fact that it changed colour at all was enough for my kids to be delighted!