jewellery work - the belt for the costume

I'm starting to work on a convention/gamer/larp/fantasy/whatever costume for my own gratification.

I bought plenty of copper wire because I wanted to do something steampunk, but then I saw the goth belly dancers and that kinda sent me in a different direction.

Combine this with a request from a friend to make some ankle wear for their lovers and I found I really needed to reaquaint myself with the wrapped loop.

So, as a way to reaquire a skill I haven't used in ages, I'm working in the copper. If I don't do the wrapped loops quite so perfect or bodge remembering how to do chainmail it's no disaster, this is my costume, it'll be undergoing constant revisions.



These are the first pieces, the knitting needle is a 4mm needle, if you want a reference point.

jewellery work: the wrapped loop aka rosary turn

Finally, Wrapped Loop Technique in a video that's pretty clearly demonstrated.

I know how to do this, but it's been a while, so having a reminder is just brilliant.

Step-by-step photos:
How to make beaded jewelry's wrapped loop the pictures are clear, which is a nice step forward, too often the images are fuzzy and useless.

tension and realisation about knitting

So I have some mystery yarn a friend donated to me, burn test suggests lots of acrylic/nylon in it, with possibly a touch of wool. I'm going with the 5.00mm needles as I suspect it's an aran yarn (it's one of those huge 400g balls). I recall when I did some crochet with it that this fuschia stuff felt thicker than the teal stuff.
Thus the tension tube. I have close to 400g to make hats, I think, and perhaps mittens. Time to practice some stuff out of the Betty Barnden's how to knit with circular & double-pointed needles.

I realise now that I will never be a knitter who does large projects, knitting just takes way too damn long to get anywhere with it.

So, all the sweater projects I'm giving to a friend who only knows how to knit so she has stuff to do if she wants it. To which, I am grateful she has the willingness and patience to do it. I know I don't.

I'll always be a small projects knitter... everything else is just too boring for me.

Freeforming

I've been thinking and thinking and thinking and not doing freeform crochet. Until now, below are my second and third attempts. I've decided it's time to delve into all my wonderfully coloured Yeoman Cotton Cannele 4ply (US 'fingering') and play. I love spirals and I have to use a book to get them going, but after a certain point, I started going my own direction.



Another type of spiral, using instructions to begin with then going my own way past the directions point.



Currently, my intent is to build a shirt or tunic, we'll see how far I get.

Toasty is done

And, it's done, after all the drama over the bleepin' thumb hole, the rest of it was easy. Even the picking up the stitches and doing the thumb was easier than making the wretched hole. Go figure. Will I do a second glove? Not sure. Might try a different yarn. Just need some guidance on sewing in and this little beggar's done.

Knitting a Toasty

I love the vague shorthand that is often used in knitting. For example, in a fingerless mittens pattern called 'Toasty', she uses a 'CO'... now, 'CO' could mean 'cast ON' or 'cast OFF'... I assumed it meant cast OFF. It didn't. If you presume 'cast OFF' you get this:



Let this be a lesson to pattern writers, please include an explanation of your shorthand so those of us who don't have telepathy can know what you mean. Tah.

Other than that, I have been ok with the pattern, admittedly, it's my first glove ever, perhaps that's why I feel so frustrated with the 'cast On' 'cast Off' issue. Crochet is 'chain' to start and 'fasten off' to end. No confusion there.

And more about the magazines, leaflets and books

A few more images from the books. No, I won't photocopy these for someone, but I thought I'd present the covers and a few 'not quite close enough' inside photographs.

Phildar - this was given to me by a very kind co-student in my lace class. It has crochet stitch diagrams/charts for all the pieces in here. It does not, however, have any knitting charts.


The Harmony Guide books I got at the same time as the Weldons and Needlework booklets. I am collecting these as I like that they're lightweight and the pictures, instructions and charts are easy to understand. I have trouble with knitting charts, though, they just don't make sense like crochet ones do.

The Mon Tricot Knitting Dictionary I scored last year in a charity shop. Originally priced at GBP10/-, I paid a bit more, but it's still very useful. The stitch patterns are pretty clearly illustrated in black and white, except for the colourwork patterns. Also includes crochet, tunisian crochet and... what my fellow Americans call 'FSC' (foundation sc). However, it has a different name in this book.

From inside the Weldons booklet:

And from inside the Needlecraft booklets: