Spontaneous scarf
24 May 2012 1 Comment
in knitting Tags: knitting, oddments, scarf
This is hardly the weather to be thinking about scarves (hurrah!), but as I’ve suddenly acquired a large stash of odd balls of wool from a friend, I thought it was worth trying out this pattern for a spontaneous scarf by Charlene Anderson.
The scarf is knitted lengthwise, changing the yarn every row and leaving a length of 7-8 inches of wool at each end that later forms the fringe. By using moss stitch (that’s British moss stitch, not American moss stitch*), you achieve an almost woven effect.
It’s so effective but so simple – certainly simple enough for me to be able to watch Scandinavian thrillers with subtitles without any problem while knitting! And because you change yarn every row, it’s great for using up leftover balls.
*Another example of two nations divided by a single language. In British moss stitch you knit one, purl one across the row, and then on the second row you purl the knit stitches and knit the purl stitches. Americans call this seed stitch. American moss stitch is alternating knit and purl across two rows, followed by two rows of alternating purl and knit.
3D nuno felting
21 Mar 2012 2 Comments
in crochet, felt, knitting Tags: crochet, knitting, nuno felt, silk, vessels
I’m currently working on a series of spherical felt samples, experimenting with different techniques to introduce additional texture to the form.
I started with straightforward nuno, enclosing the plastic resist with silk cut from an old scarf, felting over it, cutting it open and turning it inside out:
I also tried knitting with strips of silk scarf knotted together and then felting it – on a flat piece this time. I put some wisps of wool over part of the knitting to help it felt in, but it didn’t really need it. The silk knitting felted in very well, but I think the stitches needed to be more open to get the contrast between the felt and the silk:
So then I used crochet – first with 100% wool (Rowan Felted Tweed) and then with a mystery yarn donated by a friend. I suspect it’s synthetic, because it’s quite shiny, but I thought I’d still give it a go, because the contrast in texture would be very interesting.
The wool version did felt in, though it also went quite hairy. The other version didn’t felt in, but seems quite happy sitting on top of the felt. I may try stitching on top just to catch it in and make sure it stays in place.
I’ve got some lambswool yarn that is used at Morley for machine knitting – I’m going to try using that to see if I get a less hairy finish.
Felted entrelac
04 Jan 2012 1 Comment
in felt, knitting Tags: cord, entrelac, felt, knitting, pouch, washing machine
I’ve been doing quite a lot of knitting over the holidays, probably as a change from all the felting and embroidery I did before Christmas. But I don’t have the patience for big projects like sweaters any more, so I’ve been looking out for quick items that are still challenging or unusual, like the pinwheel purse.
So when I came across these felted entrelac fobs, I had to have a go. Not just because I’d never knitted entrelac (a stitch that looks like basket weave), but also because I could felt it afterwards.
The knitting instructions looked complicated but were actually fairly straightforward. The biggest problem I had was finding a set of five 6.5mm double-pointed needles – in the end I used four double-pointed needles and one circular one.
To felt, I put it inside a pillow case and washed it with a load of bedding at 60°C. Although it felted slightly, it wasn’t enough for my taste:
So I tried again, this time putting it in the machine with a large bath towel, without the pillow case, at 60°C. Much better result:
And here it is with the cord, made from twisted wool (I haven’t got hold of a key fob attachment yet). I think I might try felting the cord at some stage as well.
Knitted pinwheel purse
21 Dec 2011 3 Comments
in knitting Tags: knitting, purse, wool
As a break last night from sewing up purses/spectacle cases/Oystercard holders/smartphone cases, I picked up my (dusty) knitting needles and made this cute pinwheel purse from Frankie Brown.
It’s very simple and very clever – the secret is in the blocking (wetting it and pinning it out to dry). It would be a perfect wrapping for a pair of earrings or for keeping a few buttons or beads in.
Origin
22 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in exhibitions Tags: Crafts Council, glass, knitting, Origin, paper, shibori, Spitalfields, stitch
I was lucky enough to win a ticket, courtesy of Liberty, to the private view last night of Origin, the contemporary craft fair organised by the Crafts Council. It was a wonderful collection of 200 makers from every discipline – and a glass of something bubbly and delicious canapés helped things along!
There did seem to be an awful lot of jewellery (I’m not really a jewellery person, much to ESP’s relief!), but naturally I was mostly drawn to the textiles, though there were some fascinating lighting displays as well. Favourites below.
I’ve mentioned Michelle Griffiths before, so it was great to meet her in person. Her pure, pollen-inspired forms are rooted in shibori techniques of stitching and pleating, but she does use dye as well. She showed me a beautiful indigo shibori piece with a pattern based on a spectogram of a blackbird’s song. And she also makes lovely heat-set “bubble wrap”.
More shibori – Anne Selby makes the most amazing sculptural pleated scarves using the arashi shibori method. This is not just pleating – it’s double pleating and layering, steaming, discharging and redyeing that produces such exquisite pieces.
Johannes Hemann, storm series from Victor Hunt on Vimeo.
And now for something completely different. Johannes Hermann‘s ”Storm Series” consists of lamp shades and other objects that look like organic crystal growths. He makes them by using a fan to blow granules of styrofoam or other light plastic around a heated box. The combination of heat and wind causes the granules to clump together. Fascinating!
I guess you could call Jasmin Giles‘ work jewellery, but it’s more like wearable art. She combines knitting with glass, wax and resin to create bold statement pieces. Not something you’d probably wear to the office, but certainly wonderfully eye catching.
Joanne Bowles works in metal and ceramics – her work has a very Japanese feel. I love the contrast between the linear ridges of the metal basket and the smooth translucence of the bowl.
Gill Wilson works with paper, forming pulp into large-scale multi-layered geometric structures encased in clear perspex cases. Like Michelle Griffiths, she has trained in Japan, and some of that aesthetic purity comes through here.
Rachel Gornall combines layers, colour and stitch to produce textile artworks that remind me of stained glass windows – beautiful!
Finally, Claudia Phipps works in real glass. She was exhibiting glass wings, based on patterns from dragonflies and lacewings, cutting the holes using waterjets. It’s inspired me to think about felting a scarf in a similar shape.
Origin is on from 22 to 28 September, at Old Spitalfields Market, London E1 6EW, 11am-7pm. Admission £10.
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