tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16976019234672407122024-02-21T06:09:19.051-08:00Yarn in the MirrorLeft-handed shuttle tatting, knitting and other yarn crafts. Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-83948363557523415112020-10-05T02:09:00.000-07:002020-10-05T02:09:01.132-07:00Winding for Stash Gauging<p> This long weekend, I found myself clearing out cupboards, purchasing wardrobe space-mapping contraptions and organising the crap out of my yarn stash.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_f2e2_c509_efeb_a74f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kau-ZExabxlm-V6TOGO9kF9kD4BsuFkrVVbAYcAuHwaYETZ0JkL9skM72LAt5vY" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selection of wound balls, including a tiny back ball with white and apricot balls before winding. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>What I found in all of this was a whole bunch of wound balls that had been partially used for projects, but also grabbed randomly for swatching, so I had no idea how much yarn was in each, but they all looked about the same. I figured I'd chuck them back on the ball winder to tidy things up and was pretty surprised how small some of them were. The black ball was the most surprising, and inspired me to take some pics. It looked pretty similar to the apricot ball before I wound it and it came together so teensy tiny!</p><p>So here's the after pic of the white and apricot yarns. All of these are the same yarn in different colourways, and I think the tension was pretty even on all of them as I was winding. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" id="id_2206_b956_b8a_be0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/5DT76xNq4Vqz1OIF_Y3Md6utfBXMPxom58NTzpLWxevx66Icwsivxh4kxkfz8Gc" style="height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete collection of tidy, wound balls now more indicative of their yardage.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>It's not nearly as helpful as actually weighing balls, but it's so nice when eyeballing one's stash for ideas to have a more accurate look at about how much is sitting there.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-33302332563148643942020-07-18T08:00:00.000-07:002020-07-18T08:00:07.296-07:00The Triptyque Adventure<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1Ah1H8jN6wD9S5ViMtG-AQx5bpMj0rMqRFtpFO9mcU93Wt-n2cXYKSMDVTLtVengSZMRY1nnFxzqrYiaKVLEw0HF-yhSx-7t39O4n3vlEgCViNfFTHjWwurBPs_G-PEWLHPLhYVzahyB/s1600/IMG_5754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1Ah1H8jN6wD9S5ViMtG-AQx5bpMj0rMqRFtpFO9mcU93Wt-n2cXYKSMDVTLtVengSZMRY1nnFxzqrYiaKVLEw0HF-yhSx-7t39O4n3vlEgCViNfFTHjWwurBPs_G-PEWLHPLhYVzahyB/s320/IMG_5754.jpg" width="240" /></a>The first Big Thing I have gotten to knit for me! (Let’s ignore the Technicolour Dreamcardigan that languished on the needles.)<br />
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To create your own piece of fabulousness, take your favourite sock yarn in four stunning colours, add lace, add brioche, add some interesting construction and wave them around at someone who wants to buy you a present. Preheat during transit, then allow to incubate on top of your yarn stash until there’s a good amount of holiday time to really enjoy casting on. Knit happily for another four months while you completely fail to watch TV, block, fail to be capable of taking photos of such a huge thing without it looking dumb and instead start wearing immediately. Give it a shot, your results may vary.<br />
I think mine were absolutely brilliant. I put this on every excuse I can make up and only feel slightly silly that there is no reason to wear a winter shawl in this climate, and only vaguely guilty about the lack of photos.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMUS9pMGnyzkg_7rU3A3qFnxT83Hpnaj2kEnnJZ5w2-PggdD7LENvclKL5xxKdO1-oHtoDcnJKa_Gcyo4JT0hQefRKBpnvq15DGz1y5DlggS4gfDxzvQXhZKhmX7Td8PCdjbW5KxBqrKH/s1600/IMG_5541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMUS9pMGnyzkg_7rU3A3qFnxT83Hpnaj2kEnnJZ5w2-PggdD7LENvclKL5xxKdO1-oHtoDcnJKa_Gcyo4JT0hQefRKBpnvq15DGz1y5DlggS4gfDxzvQXhZKhmX7Td8PCdjbW5KxBqrKH/s320/IMG_5541.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
Bis-sock is one of my absolute favourite yarns, and now definitely not just for socks. So soft and squishy and knits perfectly, it’s perfect. I’m now the weirdo who responds to “Nice wrap” with “Ermagerd! It’s amazing you HAVE to SQUISH IT!” I’m lucky my local doesn’t carry the full range of speckles and tonals, the self-striping has already done enough damage to my wallet and stash space. I ordered the <a href="https://biscotteyarns.com/collections/kits-yarn-and-pattern/products/knitting-kit-triptyque-shawl">Triptyque kit</a> from the <a href="https://biscotteyarns.com/">Biscotte website</a>, which includes three full size skeins (Chocolat, Lagon and Terre & Mer), one half skein (Gris-Gris) and the Triptyque shawl pattern.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffjU8-Lfh5A0q1trBCLFTDbmiD-0L-PTDH2b-tYiLm0xDr68JBr6vI3XDyrWNgNba_9su4XzP1WSFbA9679yBwrhAeHeNifUZycGBhseTYjSDLJTWi3daQHhj13dOsd978xh4VicOztdR/s1600/IMG_5538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffjU8-Lfh5A0q1trBCLFTDbmiD-0L-PTDH2b-tYiLm0xDr68JBr6vI3XDyrWNgNba_9su4XzP1WSFbA9679yBwrhAeHeNifUZycGBhseTYjSDLJTWi3daQHhj13dOsd978xh4VicOztdR/s320/IMG_5538.jpg" width="240" /></a>I managed to get through an entire section before making a mistake, roughly 12 rows. This was certainly not to be the last, despite much referencing of Instagram photos. Such is to be expected when being as wonky as I am faced with an adventure such as this pattern. There was barely time to get the hang of the tricky new lace stitch before plunging back into some refreshing brioche then traversing something loopy in speckles. But the pattern is beautifully written and all manner of dumb is on me.<br />
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I’m a bit of a stickler for symmetry, so I complicated a few of the sections further by insisting on using mirrored decreases for the lacy bits. These are sadly not recorded and I have no idea how half of them happened. I must have googled how to slip-slip-purl at least 37 times and found the wrong two videos first every time. (If only there was some sort of tech that let us keep our place on the internet...) Thankfully I did make some videos when I figured out the one-pass increases and decreases, so they have officially helped at least one knitter!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEJzH7bOzrKq6UscixUHXaN9ukrMBEV5s7IViYj0Pt5_P94Fy1u85Fw7W-QL7-nVSvsBF6HM9L-x1XasesF6as8GhdsztJAQpW7iTNC_Y8VuM4TdVs3A_3oJYIoDhV32NsykRsd0tlkYp/s1600/IMG_5542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEJzH7bOzrKq6UscixUHXaN9ukrMBEV5s7IViYj0Pt5_P94Fy1u85Fw7W-QL7-nVSvsBF6HM9L-x1XasesF6as8GhdsztJAQpW7iTNC_Y8VuM4TdVs3A_3oJYIoDhV32NsykRsd0tlkYp/s320/IMG_5542.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
This was also a great chance to test a new brioche technique I’d been thinking of, which I should really make another post about. I’ve ranted enough about one-pass brioche, but I thought it could work using the Portuguese method to work the purls. Long story short, it totally works and is totally awesome and I’ve stolen a bunch of earring hooks to make (and lose a bunch of) knitting pins.<br />
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So, please enjoy the small snippets of shawl I have managed to get photos of, and if you're up for something beautiful and absolutely fascinating to knit, I'd highly recommend giving this pattern a shot.<br />
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Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-49275647338938611032020-07-04T01:15:00.000-07:002020-07-04T01:15:02.637-07:00The Magic of Charted LaceI don't know why I was always so intimidated by charts. Maybe it was the whole right-to-left, bottom-to-top thing that always threw me. Turns out, they're the best thing anyone every made for left-handed knitters. Yep, we get something in our favour!<br />
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Because we move stitches the other way, we get to read the chart the other way, from left-to-right, as you normally would. And with a little electronic magic, even the bottom-to-top-and-start-reading-the-wrong-line-mid-row is ameliorated. <a href="https://www.knitcompanion.com/">Knit Companion</a> allows you to upload a pdf of your pattern and gives you a nice highlighter to keep track of your row, as well as stitch and row counters. The paid version lets you do even more exciting things to keep yourself organised.<br />
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The upshot of all of these marvels is this amazing shawl from Anne-Lise Maigaard & Nim Teasdale: <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wild-swan">Wild Swan</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JnjRb-dSUoB4Q6PQK9zxJJYKeyw8juKJgk5GeYPd8PnNp-py2DhHSWJxFzvsPtbA_MfXOzh9SbHJOeUCbpGNaFRWmKp4BStZAz-wCV6KYO2NMFjPmPLsyz_pIk-XVlXJtM4NZFk6uieQ/s1600/IMG_3363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1600" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JnjRb-dSUoB4Q6PQK9zxJJYKeyw8juKJgk5GeYPd8PnNp-py2DhHSWJxFzvsPtbA_MfXOzh9SbHJOeUCbpGNaFRWmKp4BStZAz-wCV6KYO2NMFjPmPLsyz_pIk-XVlXJtM4NZFk6uieQ/s640/IMG_3363.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The yarn is Fiberspates Gleem in Blue Lagoon, a 50-50 Blue-Faced Leicester and silk blend. I was looking for something natural, to block well, and with a sheen to make it a bit of a fancy thing, and this fit the bill just nicely. And for all emergency blocking needs, I can definitely recommend <a href="https://www.yarngloriousyarn.com.au/">Yarn Glorious Yarn</a>, lovely ladies who understand that some Saturday afternoons you find you're in desperate need of a set of blocking wires and pins yet have no idea what to do with them!<br />
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This is my first foray into such a big lace project, and I thoroughly enjoyed knitting it. I've never been as excited to block something before, and it was wonderful to see how much Mum liked it.<br />
<br />Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-20251847126979722292019-03-13T13:01:00.001-07:002019-03-13T13:01:48.288-07:00Now Completely Reversible<div style="text-align: center;">
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Just when I thought brioche couldn't get any better, it has. Introducing:</div>
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Reversible Increases and Decreases for One-Pass Brioche.</h3>
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This is magic. This is groundbreaking. This actually has me excited to rip out a month's work.<br />
This is so much harder to explain than regular increases and decreases that I made videos. I know I've been saying I would for a while. Now you have them.<br />
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I'll start with why I'm so stupidly excited (other than that I get like that pretty easy.).<br />
With regular brioche, the increase or decrease is made with both knit and purl columns in the same stitch. While this gives a nice branching effect on the right side, on the wrong side, the columns suddenly stop and start, and the true pattern isn't shown.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVIJHb0xQuv1qKu7_Gsx0xRvyU8-CADKazoDZ7DjiCx8J9DUi9ZqeYN4F0bfsf3OgHeRQzUvVfFlKTqoBmCTqgOTb-stjXekxbp9sMEaKx5r4h6Dt9CQR6NjkBQFfAsjqW_LoSpr3jSyj/s1600/IMG_2478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVIJHb0xQuv1qKu7_Gsx0xRvyU8-CADKazoDZ7DjiCx8J9DUi9ZqeYN4F0bfsf3OgHeRQzUvVfFlKTqoBmCTqgOTb-stjXekxbp9sMEaKx5r4h6Dt9CQR6NjkBQFfAsjqW_LoSpr3jSyj/s400/IMG_2478.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half-made Interweave hat, showing both right and wrong sides.<br />
Regular increases and decreases start and stop abruptly on the wrong side (top).</td></tr>
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With the reversible increases and decreases, the stitches are rearranged and each column is worked separately, to give the exact same effect on both sides. So the pattern shows true on both sides on the piece making it truly a reversible fabric. Magic!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdJcGMgVsGBtDYqm0WU2mjQJajOGJEYLSNhYzyZfhrLfK3vJhmmI2hyphenhyphen4TBz0p-5czYrFQaTIe6PRuZ0AB3O4aBFWodylotHZwAbR8Hz0O9-XO5c3_vwNhj0-zyRts6vRAFeb3jd9kRoEj/s1600/IMG_2477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdJcGMgVsGBtDYqm0WU2mjQJajOGJEYLSNhYzyZfhrLfK3vJhmmI2hyphenhyphen4TBz0p-5czYrFQaTIe6PRuZ0AB3O4aBFWodylotHZwAbR8Hz0O9-XO5c3_vwNhj0-zyRts6vRAFeb3jd9kRoEj/s400/IMG_2477.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half-made Interweave hat showing both sides.<br />
Reversible increases and decreases are the same on both sides of the fabric.</td></tr>
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Then we're on to the exciting stuff. Increases. You'll need a cable needle or a crochet hook, just something to stash a stitch safely while you knit just one other.<br />
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Here's the complicated version:<br />
Knit, do not drop the old stitch, transfer it to the cable needle and keep in front.<br />
Move yarns as normal to prep for a purl. Purl the next stitch, again don't drop the old stitch. Draw out the new stitch and drop it to the back. Slip the original purl stitch to the left needle.<br />
Move knit yarn to back, slip stitch off the cable needle to the left needle.<br />
Move knit yarn to front, place loose purl stitch back on left needle. Check it's mounted correctly with the loos tail to the back of the needle, and tighten it up.<br />
Your yarns should both be in front, a knit and a purl column have been worked and the next stitch is a knit.<br />
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And finally decreases. The process is slightly different for each, but pretty obvious when you look at which way you want it to go. It is possible to work these with ssk, k2tog etc, but I find it absurdly hard with four pieces of yarn involved. Working the stitches individually makes it less likely I'm going to drop something and easier to remember which way the decrease will lean. Bonus for righties: easier to mirror if you want to!<br />
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Again, complicated version, Decrease Left:<br />
Knit, slip the purl stitch to the cable needle and keep at the back.<br />
Slip the new knit stitch back to the right needle and pass the next knit stitch over.<br />
Slip new stitch back to left needle.<br />
Place the cabled stitch back on to the right needle. Make sure your yarns are set up for a purl stitch and purl.<br />
Reverse the mount of the next purl stitch by slipping knit wise, then back to the right needle purl wise. Slip the new stitch back to the right needle as well, then pass the reversed stitch over.<br />
Slip new stitch back to left needle.<br />
Your yarns should both be in front, two knit and two purl columns have been worked and the next stitch is a knit.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V_01EpigWsU" width="560"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Decrease Right:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Slip knit stitch knit wise, slip the purl stitch to the cable needle and keep at the back. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Knit next knit stitch and pass slipped stitch over. </span><br />
Move yarns as normal to prep for a purl.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Slip cabled stitch to the left needle, purl the next stitch then pass cabled stitch over. </span><br />
Your yarns should both be in front, two knit and two purl columns have been worked and the next stitch is a knit.<br />
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I hope you enjoy these techniques as much as I do, and please get back to me with any feedback or questions.<br />
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Cheers!Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-70867325895476258462019-03-11T02:57:00.000-07:002019-03-11T02:57:32.136-07:00One-Pass Brioche Now with Videos!<br />
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Seems I'm making videos, I'll start at the beginning. I still haven't found a good video for my favourite cast on, so here's the Chinese Waitress Cast On, Left Handed.<br />
I use this for everything, including brioche, I just start working with the contrast yarn then tie and weave it in later.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1vQUgbrOy7s" width="560"></iframe>
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And here is the One-Pass Brioche. It gets such a nice swinging zen to it. While this is based on the Sockmtician's One-Pass Brioche method, I found that holding the purl yarn at the front consistently simplifies things significantly.</div>
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ov8RpjYBnA" width="560"></iframe><br />
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It's my absolute favourite thing at the moment. And it will just keep getting better... watch this space...</div>
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<br />Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-41601838690267570952019-03-01T18:32:00.000-08:002019-03-01T18:38:53.286-08:00Back to BriocheYes, it turns out I do get distracted easily. Pretty colours, luscious textures, challenging new techniques and gorgeous patterns just keep popping up everywhere and taking me off on tangents.<br />
This time it’s a combination of all of these that have me obsessed.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLff7Q2LaBhfvN-Gwn_x1EN1EPZ5D6lql_6pibVcV4c8e1Zk7uKn_zhOhjpiq6QXnOeM23If-VHN1D8RjXhF7ZxuZWCGq7QbSvd3M4kzzepTloyFEMry8S4xVwYbkUcFsjFzW9VCPc5f0y/s1600/IMG_2429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLff7Q2LaBhfvN-Gwn_x1EN1EPZ5D6lql_6pibVcV4c8e1Zk7uKn_zhOhjpiq6QXnOeM23If-VHN1D8RjXhF7ZxuZWCGq7QbSvd3M4kzzepTloyFEMry8S4xVwYbkUcFsjFzW9VCPc5f0y/s400/IMG_2429.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interweave hat in teeny sock yarn</td></tr>
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We have the beautiful Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock that my husband only wanted ankle length socks out of. I’m not one to argue when it leaves me half the skein to play with! I did love making them and he does love to wear them, so it’s certainly up there on my list of successful projects. This yarn is just gorgeous knit up normally, I was stupidly excited by the idea of trying it in brioche. It's just the most amazing combination of colour and texture.<br />
I picked this one up on a weekend trip to Launceston, a lovely yarn store called <a href="https://knitsneedleswool.com.au/" target="_blank">Knits Needles and Wool</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAt67_A8TEWpvYcg23cO0VWnvtVa2C-z0ZOl9v4q_54AuLZLNjAeYgDS8Trkb0_cDiPXGTqPyvXHER5FiUBogHnwzRe_E3KxIGsYsOF2ZUQEEeVKe_u8t8S27dSDuYrlyNu6AEQtXgksZ/s1600/PNG+image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1421" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAt67_A8TEWpvYcg23cO0VWnvtVa2C-z0ZOl9v4q_54AuLZLNjAeYgDS8Trkb0_cDiPXGTqPyvXHER5FiUBogHnwzRe_E3KxIGsYsOF2ZUQEEeVKe_u8t8S27dSDuYrlyNu6AEQtXgksZ/s200/PNG+image.png" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock</td></tr>
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On my next adventure, I picked up the contrast, also Misti Alpaca Sock in a gradient dye at the <a href="https://woolshed.com.au/" target="_blank">Woolshed</a> in Canberra. It’s now my mission to visit these little shops everywhere I go, they are all so wonderful!<br />
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I’ve had the <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/interweave-hat-2" target="_blank">Interweave Hat</a> in my Ravelry queue since my last affair with brioche early last year. I think there are another two or three pairs of yarn in my stash that are also slated for making this hat. It's so pretty and a very sensible pattern, once you get the hang of it. Of course sock yarn was probably not the ideal thing to try it out for the first time but I’m a deep end kinda girl. Same goes for my first attempt at one-pass brioche.<br />
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I found the <a href="https://youtu.be/y_dKbE7SL68" target="_blank">Sockmatician’s One-Pass Brioche</a> technique as I was learning early last year and immediately put in the Too Hard basket. As it turns out, it’s not much more complicated than regular brioche knitting per stitch, keeps things simpler with all the yarn at the same spot in the project, and really does get a beautiful rhythm to it.<br />
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It also turns out that the increase and decrease instructions I left for myself on my intro brioche post were terrifying, so I'll work on putting something much better together.<br />
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For now I keep my fingers crossed that I will have enough variegated yarn to get through this quite ambitious project, and in the meantime just really, really enjoy myself!</div>
Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-59326475869622683562018-12-31T01:00:00.000-08:002019-03-01T18:38:28.133-08:00Making Socks EasyI decided I was going to try making socks. Tried a couple of worsted weight, simple short row heels. Pictures of the atrocities are featured elsewhere. But I figured it could get better, but want to try some nice sock yarn. Enter my Mum at birthday time in a yarn store. She's dangerous because she is also a textile hoarder and just loves to say: "Yes, and why not get it in blue, as well?". Now all hell has broken loose. My husband has been dragged to yarn stores to pick skeins. It's bad.<br />
So here is everything I'm loving about socks.<br />
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<img alt="" id="id_54c5_bfa5_13cf_e4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWC9yI8_njnWGIFJykne1DbF1rWOapABKarv19o5umGt2vKNeOIalJ2n0ZxX_1fW80_-7_a9cU0tfa63ks2GlHI-oJzRPJwJPiFAzNgavdgZq3M5MJrRjQ2uM8k74g5eGnP-6_nABhei2m/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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Yarn</h3>
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<li><a href="https://biscotteyarns.com/collections/all/bis-sock" target="_blank">Bis-Sock by Biscotte Yarns</a>: 85% Merino, 15% Nylon - feels like warm satin clouds spun into yarn. Also self-striping in insanely pretty colourways. This is Arielle.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.malabrigoyarn.com/sock-28#.XCncNi1L1AY" target="_blank">Malabrigo Sock</a>: These guys have <b>the</b> most striking colours. They make me just want to pick them up and gaze while I pat them for hours.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mistialpaca.com/yarns/collection/hand-paint-sock-yarn/" target="_blank">Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock</a>: I could not put this skein down once I picked it up in store. So soft, so pretty. Alpaca/merino/silk/nylon, I cannot believe these are destined for my husbands feet. He had better appreciate them, though I am definitely going to enjoy the crap out of knitting them.</li>
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Needles</h3>
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<li><a href="https://www.yarngloriousyarn.com.au/products/hiyahiya-interchangeable-sock-set" target="_blank">HiyaHiya interchangeable sock set</a>: So tiny, so sharp! The cables are super soft and flexible and swivel so they don’t get twisty or undo the needles. A set of 5 sizes from 2-3mm with 4 circ cables. </li>
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Patterns</h3>
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<li>Eddie's <a href="http://roued.com/supersockcalculator.php" target="_blank">Super Sock Calculator</a>: This was the first pattern I tried with my worsted weight socks, and everything that was wrong with those socks was all down to my terrible knitting. It's the simplest, most perfect thing ever, and taught me how to short row.</li>
<li>Zhenya's <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mash-up-magic-toe-up-socks-recipe-mumtu-socks" target="_blank">MUMTU socks</a>: my first attempt with sock yarn and heel flaps, and the basis for my super happy simple pattern.</li>
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Skills</h3>
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<li><a href="http://www.persistentillusion.com/blogblog/techniques/magic-cast-on/magic-cast-on-2" target="_blank">Judy's Magic Cast On</a>: The best things my socks have going for me, even exclaimed over by a lovely stranger in a yarn shop. The super best thing is <a href="https://youtu.be/j1L2ZkUE0tk" target="_blank">Ann's beautiful Left-Handed video</a>.</li>
<li>Two at a time on Magic Loop: The concept that made sock knitting a possibility for me. I'm terrible at finishing projects and assume that if I tried to knit one sock at a time I would have an infinite collection of single socks. I would probably be a good patron for the local amputee association. So the idea of knitting both at once, and that they would then turn out exactly the same, was a revelation. And that I could then package them up neatly and take them anywhere was the icing on the cake. I cannot, for the life of me, remember where this amazing idea came from, however. Probably a half-asleep scrolling Pinterest lullaby that got processed and mushed up overnight. I'll get back to you.</li>
<li>Yarn Over Increases: Both the toes and the gussets are increased on alternate rounds. This makes the yarn-over increase the perfect way to remember where you're at. Yarn over on round one, knit the yarn-overs through the back loop on round two. When (not if) you get lost, look for the yarn overs. If they're there, knit 'em tbl, if they're not, chuck 'em in! Easy! Just make sure you do knit through the back of the stitch when you come back around, otherwise there will be holes. </li>
<li>Shadow Stitch Short-rows: makes picking up the stitches for the heel flap almost too easy. Like, 'I'm obviously doing this wrong and it's not going to work' easy. But it works perfectly. I'll get back to you with a left-handed version of this one, as I said, I learnt from Eddie's <a href="http://roued.com/supersockcalculator.php" target="_blank">Super Sock Calculator</a>.</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/DPCtWL7q0hQ" target="_blank">Purling Backwards</a>: The ultimate in smooth, zen heel knitting. By purling the short rows and heel flap backwards, you eliminate the stop-start arrhythmia of turning the work, and make the shadow stitches much simpler on the purl row.</li>
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The Super Happy Simple Pattern</h4>
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<ol>
<li>Dump all of the numbers into the MUMTU pattern; pick your primary stitch count and put the right numbers in instead of letters from the chart.</li>
<li>Cast on about two-thirds of your total stitches (E) using Judy's Magic Cast On and knit a round.</li>
<li>Increase until you have E stitches. Round 1 (each needle): K1, YO, knit till 1 left, YO, K1. Round 2: knit, knitting yarn overs through the back loop. </li>
<li>Enjoy knitting blithely until your sock is 8.25cm shorter than you'd like it to turn out.</li>
<li>Start increasing on one needle using the alternating yarn over rows from the toes. This is the gusset and will be the sole side. Keep going until you have D stitches.<br /><i>Up to now, it's basically just the MUMTU pattern. We'll stop working in the round and turn each heel separately. This is where the magic happens, it's when things get really lazy, and we're going to totally mess up the heel extension section. The G and J stitches are still going to hang off either sides, but in-between will just be worked in Shadow Stitch Short Rows. Don't worry about all that other jazz. </i></li>
<li>Knit until there are J+1 stitches remaining, make a shadow stitch so J stitches are left hanging. </li>
<li>Purl backwards until there are G+1 stitches remaining, make a shadow stitch so there are G stitches left hanging.</li>
<li>Now the short row section is pretty obvious, keep making short rows until there are K stitches left as singles. End heel extension; begin revelation.</li>
<li>Now we need to pick up L stitches on each side of the short rows. If it's an odd number, knit the first two shadow stitches together. Otherwise, knit through and treat every shadow stitch as an individual stitch, the purl back the same way so you have E-2 (or M) stitches, plus the G and J stitches on the side.<br /><i>Now we can get back to the ordinary, lovely heel flap.</i></li>
<li>Sl1, K1 and repeat till the end, SSK the last heel flap stitch and the first hanging J stitch together.</li>
<li>Sl1, purl back, P2tog the last heel flap stitch and the first hanging G stitch.</li>
<li>Repeat 10 and 11 until there aren't any hanging stitches left. If you like, bung in an extra Sl1 at the start of every second knit row for fancy Eye of Partridge stitch.</li>
<li>One the heel flap is done, you've got two less stitches on the heel needle than the instep, so make an extra one to the right of the flap, using a lifted increase. It will help close the little gap. Then do the whole heel thing from 6 to the second sock.</li>
<li>Once the second sock has a heel and an extra little stitch, get on back to the magic loop thing and knit across both insteps.</li>
<li>Add that lifted increase to the left side of the heel flaps, so you're back to your original stitch count (E).</li>
<li>And thats it for the tricky-fun part of socks. Go ahead and knit till you run out of yarn, rip back an inch or two and re-work that last bit in rib. You can probably find a better solution to the top of a sock than that, like measuring and weighing or using an actual pattern or some such.</li>
<li>Bind off with something super stretchy. The interlock stitch bind off is brilliant, but again, only a <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEss11/FEATinterlock.php" target="_blank">right-handed resource</a>. I have a list and some really terrible videos coming your way.</li>
</ol>
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Enjoy!</h2>
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Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-73106294394491667452018-11-24T15:37:00.002-08:002019-09-23T12:56:38.479-07:00Ankhar Earrings<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucncVzE0GfH3paN2_qFHd_wN0ZvRLVMGhVom7KaEb73T39rdrtXaE2CGbNPkYognCoOec8TRqeU4Oa3ZgteMXrreLL35OKQrMpEtZwKKEKo6-K-DidNDTwcBF5LqIUIbvNLL-Z1PFxjtD/s1600/%255BUNSET%255D" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="id_2821_57da_7a4f_ea8a" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiucncVzE0GfH3paN2_qFHd_wN0ZvRLVMGhVom7KaEb73T39rdrtXaE2CGbNPkYognCoOec8TRqeU4Oa3ZgteMXrreLL35OKQrMpEtZwKKEKo6-K-DidNDTwcBF5LqIUIbvNLL-Z1PFxjtD/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; margin-top: 4px; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br />These earrings are based on Karen Cabrera’s </span><a href="http://entrelanzaderas.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/clases-de-frivolite-tatting-lessons.html?m=1" style="font-family: arial;">basic ankhar tutorial #105</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. Karen’s videos are brilliantly made, even though they’re backwards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">This is an elegantly simple design, made just with rings on a single </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">shuttle. An 8mm bead is fixed to each earring as part of the finishing loop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Use the Larks Head join to keep everything smooth. Again Karen Cabrera is my go-to for this technique, I use the original #85. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Use small, decorative sized picots. There needs to be enough room to allow two joins, but still keep everything in tight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Don’t tat in the end at the beginning, use it to secure the bead and tension at the end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">R1: 16-8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">R2: 10+10</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">R3: 8+8-8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Repeat R2 and R3 until there’s 5 of each</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">R11: 8+16</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Cut the end long.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Thread behind each front ring and through R1 to the back to cinch the curve down.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Thread the bead on, loop over R11 and back through the bead.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Tie to first thread and stitch in ends.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>The ends can also be threaded back through between the rings to give a little extra tension and height, and tied around the base of R11 then just snip off closely. Fix an earring hook around the final ring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Make<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>the second earring the same way. When finishing,</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> make sure the rings overlap the other way around, and fix the earring hook to the other end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Last year, I was attaching findings to picots. Unfortunately, the hooks I use seem to have too big of a gap to be securely attached to a mere picot and couple of my gifts wandered off by themselves. I've now taken to fixing the hooks around an entire ring, so there's no chance of them going anywhere and I don't have to worry about adding random picots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The ankhar earrings pictured are made with #20 Milford Mercer in Black and 8mm glass beads. </span></div>
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Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-15079234554084190272018-05-01T02:10:00.000-07:002018-05-01T02:30:10.476-07:00Distracted by String<div>
<img alt="" height="270" id="id_a425_1e21_b7f8_ddf2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZeA1gaPQcQv_EqKob2YN2LDRXjlIsN6nH3uS5iix-pGUVqPlwYA7Cc5dr1dVgglG-tB2Hew6956IXeLDEhr1W4UYxL4mNlbUCBTQdU3ocGFEgixFDxBlhcaUTHMSkQ9fg27vJNxL7G8m/s400/%255BUNSET%255D" title="" tooltip="" width="400" /></div>
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I’ve been very lax in posting as I’ve been obsessively busy making things. I thought I had calmed down enough to spend a bit of arts and crafts time writing about arts and crafts but aparently not. So here’s what I’ve been making!<br />
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<img alt="" id="id_d1e5_8c7d_11_6972" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPoPEMtDDir_yXBZU9dXgv6N74yVsuQoj9V13u59Al_Q7R3BO1ZhcASR3E_P9MmwkbANEkHBzYDbIUYkLzHZB1URCLqAz4DFbW6TeHW5rQDL_ofiG0dIOLgW9hiCu08N-yXJ-TFK7szdn/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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A hideous pair of socks!</div>
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Mister has one foot slightly larger than the other from an old injury so I thought it would be nice to make him a pair of socks that fit both feet. Maybe with a couple more tries they could be wearable. </div>
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<img alt="" id="id_bcbd_7624_70b3_2009" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4ZxM0BqKtPpIg48FkO7w0tKqxarYQREG8wVIo2UKqlWJGee-nEic2gokkGmTiu9Px8h7bw-inWml3N-lWWZnfYLK7QWauJ1uzNHhWYCQ8IPWK1HZOi-pbi85fN2OSIH7HE6sSmJfiddp/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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A brioche scarf!</div>
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A gift for my father who will probably think it’s too shapey but, hopefully, will enjoy the squishyness. </div>
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<img alt="" id="id_9b86_d0d_86cd_fac6" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_lBdlfuqKIoVVBcGFQkIPunxOsdntG1WpXNbeltclijvz7QS-cPiV029Eur8NnBDvVYGBs2RaQPfx_NLYnuXLV4jtRfzHENwDj1Jc_OIWWUHR-K3r4LUblmb5FdWsnQ2CXFDxM_isT-N/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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A slightly less hideous pair of socks!</div>
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More practise still required. And a new bind off. </div>
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<img alt="" id="id_8b45_6dd4_f791_42fa" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLNxYa25xkUH0RXDEWxAktI5HJIz_MIQZzwqYGfqoXtBLt8ylqGKoj4OAbp9_P9qWu-kS9mcLFpLVPUMQwD-fWsH7n6sPHGsPhFuzLMPpqoZsQHZfrtBW_7CJfC7WXqLH2g59gJxT9Hdd/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></div>
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A lace cowl!</div>
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Turns out I can’t work a lace piece and a brioche piece at the same time, my fingers get confused as to what they’re supposed to be doing with yarn-overs. My own fault, I suppose, for trying to do everything at once!</div>
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<img alt="" id="id_740d_3cc8_3f00_d614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNtzx9PMYVC-2xm5kA1hFxJM9RoHfA4Wya0M-YIr1hfF_2a61XiZzz8c8rhE2pZrZH0hDQJQM7xf-fiqCwq8UCE7yz6wmo0wi2EstFqbUgS62EhST3WvAgSBW_Rjb3LLT3wv1PesjXBOHp/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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A necklace!</div>
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The piece-de-resistance and four weeks solid effort. Some happy tatting, but a lot of un-tatting and frustration. Many times did I happily finish a section, put it on and be horribly disappointed with the way it puckered, gaped or cupped. Even after three attempts at trial runs.<br />
All positive credit to <a href="http://yarnplayertats.blogspot.ca/">Marilee Rockley</a>, whose beautiful work hand-dyeing thread inspired me to attempt it myself and acutually get the colours I needed, and for her beautiful Beguile design on which this piece is based. It is only my inexpert additions and fuddling about that caused my issues. </div>
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I take my hat off to all of the designers out there, your efforts are amazing and it will be a long time before I attempt any such thing again!</div>
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This piece was made with Lizbeth 10 thread in what was originally Bright Dark Turquoise #663 and Turquiose Twist #142. However, I dyed over it with some half-strength Dylon Tropical Green to make a more greeny shade of teal to suit my Nan, to whom I gave it as a birthday gift. </div>
Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-51601646468722978922018-02-14T12:58:00.000-08:002018-02-14T12:58:37.095-08:00More TIASIt's coming together! Check out the game at <a href="http://tatitandsee.blogspot.com/">Tat It and See</a>.<br />
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As always, I'm enjoying working Jane's pattern. They are so well written and worked, I love how she presents backside elements.<br />
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The split rings have been so tiny and I had a couple of moments getting my head around some of the direction changes with the chains, but careful reading and following the thread has got me thus far without any dramas.<br />
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<br />Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-21686341502529954532018-02-10T21:52:00.000-08:002018-02-10T21:52:35.341-08:00Cool snap for cosy yarnsWe had a lovely cool snap last week that inspired me to pull out some of my cosy yarns and try some new things I’ve had on my list for a while. Enter two-colour brioche knitting.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hideously ugly but so much fun!</td></tr>
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This grabbed me the first time I saw it. Gorgeous patterns in vertical stripes of fluffy, squishy fabric. I’ve had so much fun with the colours even though I am absolutely terrible at it! I couldn’t find a left-handed video for this, but I did find a good few left-handed knitting basics: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b21msW3cS34&list=PL0374F35FF04347F2">CyberSeams Left-Handed Basics Playlist</a>. Hopefully I will get good enough as it cools down to make a video as well as something other than horrific swatches.<br />
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Here's my list of brioche basics:<br />
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yoS1: Always slip purlwise with yarn in front - gives the magic yo and leaves yarn A at the front of the row</blockquote>
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Basically, stitch shawled stitches, slip single stitches<br />
brK - Brioche knit: knit the stitch with opposite colour shawl as one stitch<br />
brP - Brioche purl: purl the stitch with the opposite colour shawl as one stitch<br />
As the pattern comes it its easy to tell which is which, but concentrate for the first few rows<br />
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Increase - brK-yo-brK brioche knit the same stitch twice, but put a yarn over in the middle. Like K1fb, but knit both through the front to avoid odd colour crossover. Pbk: Purl through the back of the yo to avoid lacy hole, if its a problem.</blockquote>
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Decrease Right: brS1-K2tog-psso: slip shawled stitch knitwise, knit shawled and single stitch together, psso</blockquote>
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Decrease Left : brS1-K1-psso-psbk-psno-psbk: slip shawled stitch knitwise, knit single stitch, psso, pass stitch back to right needle purlwise, pass next shawled stitch over, pass stitch back to left needle purlwise.</blockquote>
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Really keep track of exactly where your yarn over is. If it gets dropped or otherwise messed around, the odd yarn crossovers happen and you often can't tell until it comes out in pattern. </blockquote>
Swatch Pattern - What I was trying to do with the yellow (yarn A) and purple (yarn B) number.<br />
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Setup <br />
Cast on 17st w/ chinese waitress in yarn B<br />
0b: *K1 yoS1* … K1 (repeat sections in *asterisks* as many times as needed before the last stitch or as many times as noted)</blockquote>
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Start w yarn A - these rows 1 and 2 are the basic brioche rib<br />
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1a: S1 *brK yoS1* … S1 slide back to start of needle to purl yarn B<br />
1b: P1 *yoS1 brP* … yoS1 P1 reverse work<br />
2a: S1 *brP yoS1* … S1 slide back to start of needle to knit yarn B<br />
2b: K1 *yoS1 brK* … yoS1 K1 reverse<br />
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From here, all of the interesting things happen on the knit side of yarn A (odd # a), only one inc or dec per set, trying to keep it simple. Just keep track of where you’re at.<br />
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3a: S1 brK yoS1 brKf-yo-brKb yoS1 *brK yoS1* … S1 slide (inc at col 2)<br />
3b: P1 yoS1 brP yoS1 Pbk1 yoS1 *brP yoS1* … P1 rev<br />
4a: S1 *brP yoS1* … S1 slide<br />
4b: K1 *yoS1 brK* … yoS1 K1 rev</blockquote>
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5a: S1 *brK yoS1*x4 brS1-K1-psso-psbk-psno-psbk *yoS1 brK*… S1 slide (dec left at col 4-5)<br />5b: P1 yoS1 *brP yoS1* … P1 rev<br />6a: S1 *brP yoS1* … S1 slide<br />6b: K1 *yoS1 brK* … yoS1 K1 rev</blockquote>
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7a: S1 *brK yoS1*x6 brKf-yo-brKb yoS1 brK yoS1 S1 slide (inc at col 7)<br />
7b: P1 *yoS1 brP*x6 yoS1 Pbk1 yoS1 brP yoS1 P1 rev<br />
8a: S1 *brP yoS1* … S1 slide<br />
8b: K1 *yoS1 brK* … yoS1 K1 rev<br />
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9a: S1 *brK yoS1*x4 brS1-K2tog-psso *yoS1 brK*… S1 slide (dec right at col 4-5)<br />
9b: P1 yoS1 *brP yoS1* … P1 rev<br />
10a: S1 *brP yoS1* … S1 slide<br />
10b: K1 *yoS1 brK* … yoS1 K1 rev<br />
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Repeat rows 3-10, finish with set 1-2<br />
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To bind off, complete 1 row in pattern with yarn B, but without the yo (so K1 *brK P1* … K1) then bind off loosely in pattern.</blockquote>
These are a couple of the brioche videos I've been working from, unfortunately they are right-handed, sorry!<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gShw0g2D7V0">Explanation and basics</a> with Knitting Expat</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY9-qT8Lxnw">Basics, Increases, Decreases</a> with Sosu</div>
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Even though everything looks terrible now, I'm definitely going to stick with it. It's fun to work, feels so lovely and fluffy and squishy, and I can see so much potential for designs and colour combinations for winter pieces. In the meantime, it's warmed back up, so it's probably going back in the box for a while.</div>
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Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-26732696614712359642018-01-27T17:18:00.001-08:002018-01-27T17:52:16.529-08:00Tat It and See - Backwards!I’ve been so excited to participate in Jane’s <a href="http://tatitandsee.blogspot.com/">Tat It and See game</a>. I’ve been away, so I’m a bit behind the times, but it looks like I’m the only one so far messing this up by doing it backwards! I’ll be posting my attempts, failures, and what variations I’ve made. I’ve mostly found that if I ignore the diagram, I can work from written instructions with few dramas as long as I follow what my thread is doing. So far, that is the case with TIAS 18, but Jane’s designs are so fun and creative, this will surely get very interesting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOgOHkh3GqSTeW-rj9YeHLTpWBoXx3NPDjrQLr3T3IS4ibtyjgfjUVkC_QLNyEwlHqCn3deoNrvj_E67KRqxC603FfWN5yNLtAqZi3Zognc57ZN0Pw6WRu_CKaWOmjiFCbvlmL2RsJrZc/s1600/TIASd1-4.png" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Left-Handed TIAS Days 1-4" border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1351" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOgOHkh3GqSTeW-rj9YeHLTpWBoXx3NPDjrQLr3T3IS4ibtyjgfjUVkC_QLNyEwlHqCn3deoNrvj_E67KRqxC603FfWN5yNLtAqZi3Zognc57ZN0Pw6WRu_CKaWOmjiFCbvlmL2RsJrZc/s640/TIASd1-4.png" title="Left-Handed TIAS Days 1-4" width="640" /></a></div>
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Split rings and ring clusters are what I have found causes the most controversy when working the opposite way to which the pattern was written, but with the chains connecting things on Day 3, it's been okay so far. Again, as long as I worked from the instructions and not try to copy the diagram, when things started to get interesting on Day 2 there weren't any problems. But, my goodness, those Day 4 rings are tiny!<br />
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I've included the pattern here so my little seahorse can look at his reflection! My tail is a bit curlier, but I try not to argue with what the thread wants to do, especially when I have no idea what I'm trying to do, it works out much easier that way.</div>
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I'm working in Lizbeth 20 #149 Peacock Blues, another stunningly gorgeous colour way that makes me so happy!</div>
Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-25736641357455609682018-01-13T14:29:00.000-08:002018-01-27T17:51:30.746-08:00Mirror Vision<div>
<img alt="Mirror Vision Necklace" id="id_3cd3_caad_17d4_bcaa" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-XGcHH1GOGsFJqlpdFoyfieyZGeT5W5EcM9BQ5Ddme-G7yWOe538I-moyJAJBEiU_2i_-H2QPLoLlD1WAYA3ItWYtKRkOzkDqrz4tXr7f4cYDd1eOdZeWSkVXjgb6-RtstmZ7yEb9r-j/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="Mirror Vision Necklace" tooltip="" /><br />
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Marilee Rockley is amazing. I’m loving making her Vision necklace, which is available as a PDF from her <a href="http://yarnplayertats.blogspot.com.au/2008/12/vision-tatted-necklace.html">awesome blog.</a> It’s the perfect pattern for those of us tatting backwards, because it’s already a mirror of itself!<br />
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When working left-handed, just follow the pattern as it’s written and you make the right hand side of the necklace first. Then just follow the instructions to mirror it. As there’s only one ring cluster, and the first thing Marilee does is tell us how to deal with it, all you need to do is keep an eye on which side you’re working. Which is also super simple as the first thing you make is a huge ring of picots. It feels a bit big and a bit technical, but it’s so beautifully constructed, it just comes together.<br />
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I’ve put to use a few beading tips I’ve seen since I swore off the bloody things a couple of months back, and it makes such a huge difference. Paperclips and floss threaders. My gushing rant became too long and I need to take some photos so I'll leave you with that inspiration and make another dedicated post soon.<br />
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I’m already shopping for new yarn and beads to work this necklace up properly. It's so pretty and so much fun to make!<br />
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This test piece #2 pictured is worked in Milford Perle 10 in Periwinkle with 6mm large bead, squashed 4mm medium beads and size 12 seed beads.. The last rick-rack chain is missing because I ran out of thread on my shuttle and barely made it through the preceding split rings!</div>
Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-79635820099558414512018-01-01T11:57:00.000-08:002018-01-01T11:57:26.832-08:00Mary Konoir’s Spinning WheelI loved the flowing, twirling movement of the spinning wheel the first moment I saw it. I haven’t managed to get my hands on a Mary Konior book yet, but I’m hopeful. All of her designs I see have an elegant, modern flow that just grabs me.<br />
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I loved figuring out this pattern, working it was a joy and I am quite delighted that it came out spinning the opposite direction. </div>
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This one is worked in Milford Mercer 20 in the aptly named Ombré Purple. In this size it’s perfect for admiring through the bottom of a wine glass. </div>
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I worked from Sarah’s picot-less version at <a href="http://laceandbees.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/mary-koniors-spinning-wheel-glass-mat.html?m=1">Lace and Bees</a>. I’m also pretty subtle in the picot department as you can see. I did shorten the chains from the centre for this version, which resulted in the wheel having 8 arms instead of 9. I thought this could be fun to try with alternating coloured arms, as well as experiments with how many arms one could fit in if given enough central space.<br />
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I have a feeling that, depending on interesting yarn availability, I will soon own more coasters than is at all practicable.</div>
Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-51825962566245883242017-12-23T23:13:00.001-08:002017-12-23T23:13:40.532-08:00Dillmont Triangles<div>
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The <a href="http://tattingbythebay.blogspot.com/2017/02/pattern-for-dillmont-inspired-bookmark.html">Dillmont inspired braid</a> from <a href="http://tattingbythebay.blogspot.com/">Tatting by the Bay</a> was the first piece I got to play with split rings, and one of the most interesting so far to work backwards.<br />
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With her amazing design and tech skills, Robin has put together her diagram left-handed for us. </div>
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<img alt="Left-handed Dillmont Braid" height="216" id="id_5c44_20eb_93cc_f9e" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCewMoVsvZJxIRm8vstuvRfoVqXFUFvje5MdA0_wfrIOSKCIl4cw_eHga7V9mowgEUxZrATq0frZ27TkjgKqo473fDi5t4XKj4vmJxR6-iOUtgCdfpbtp8teZE1w_VRSTCL6uSB2J3wjlE/s640/%255BUNSET%255D" title="Left-handed Dillmont Braid Diagram" tooltip="" width="640" /></div>
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This is a two shuttle pattern, with the red worked with shuttle 1 and blue with shuttle 2. Once you’ve got the hang of the first few triangles, you can make so many things with this pattern. You just need to think about where the split ring will go. Robin includes on her blog the braid shown here, then, expanding from there, a bookmark, mat and hexagonal doily. I've used just the original braid as a bookmark and made a couple of pairs of earrings as well as a serviceable but particularly unspectacular coaster - learning is fun!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CwrurjoabuDw66LlpO91NDp3_cVU8k691GefIspQtNjUDn67OqMh6XAkkpGzJ6xXhPboRn-_6UmjodDFgGEaI3XtUQaZx042m-oIEM4k0B-T_6yS4s0f5FoYK22-Zsof_iZlEgR__Idd/s1600/fullsizeoutput_2f9d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dillmont Variations" border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1600" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-CwrurjoabuDw66LlpO91NDp3_cVU8k691GefIspQtNjUDn67OqMh6XAkkpGzJ6xXhPboRn-_6UmjodDFgGEaI3XtUQaZx042m-oIEM4k0B-T_6yS4s0f5FoYK22-Zsof_iZlEgR__Idd/s640/fullsizeoutput_2f9d.jpeg" title="Dillmont Variations" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tricky parts for these are the split ring, upside down larks head joins and second shuttle split ring joins. I haven't found a method for the last that I'm super happy with, yet. Be sure to sure to mark the shuttles if you have a matching pair, it gets confusing really quick! Great practice for working two shuttles, split rings and getting the right tension when starting new rings in clusters.<br />
I did complicate this for myself with my preference for frontside/backside and larks head joins, so if you're not so fussy it's a much simpler pattern.<br />
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The pieces shown are worked in Milford Mercer 20, Indigo and Black, and Lizbeth 20 #184 Rainbow Splash.<br />
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Thanks Robin!<br />
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Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-68043033045657840342017-12-09T15:54:00.002-08:002017-12-09T15:54:56.425-08:00Super Rainbow Florets<img alt="" id="id_b46b_ac07_2f74_62d1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwX_HWH2dZvF3XCmrZQyqSW49QXmBXN2MNTjLp_7qwFe7cWkniEj30kEgoUnB2Vp6HaWFOh-XHQcPTteU5-9LbZ3XvBdcyDg0Y34Yv7LaDQh7TJhPK3TiiCSSuFgWV1nXKtcnPeWcQgqrL/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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I am completely enamoured with this Rainbow Lizbeth thread. Amazon makes the world a much better place. The colours work absolutely perfectly within this adaptation of Muskaan's <a href="https://tipsaroundthehome.blogspot.com.au/2017/11/centripetal.html">Layered Extension of Simplicity.</a><br />
Her post about central picots and This Way or Tat series is fantastic, and has a brilliant explanation of the central picot. For my long picot, I measured back 5 double stitches. Unfortunately, it doesn't disappear because the colours are just too awesome. These photos do not do it justice.<br />
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Work with shuttle and ball, preferably starting from a continuous thread. I tied one of these first, but I don't like the knot. Better to loop together to get started, then knot on the backside and thread the tails in.<br />
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R1: 8 long picot 8 (I measured back along my work 5 ds)<br />
C1: 4-4<br />
R2: 8+8<br />
Join all of the rings to the central picot, I use larks head joins.<br />
Repeat C1, R2 for a total of 8 rings, and a complete round of chains.<br />
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These could be so fun with some beads, but I was just enjoying the colours.<br />
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<img alt="" id="id_98_6fc7_14d9_5cde" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJTpWUKKZGDnRa_4HEIyG-7rqqa5FXEzzqTWG03vrs-GtjZtDfE8oM_S4-t2UIU7aifpTrAUyXnDidJLgN0JgPCaT-aYKsSCIQ-I_99LARrYHcDoKgfVFWgRTZWCFOQHs7D1avxiSyqgb/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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Pieces shown tatted with Lizbeth #20 in Rainbow Splash #184.Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-19281378078659913992017-11-27T18:08:00.001-08:002020-07-24T15:39:15.782-07:00 Classic Earrings<div style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These earrings are based on the lovely Volta design from <a href="http://koronczarnia.pl/category/earrings-kolczyki/">koronczarnia.pl</a>. Apparently beads drilled to dangle aren't fashionable where I shop at the moment, so I use a triplet of seed beads at the bottom ring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I prefer everything to look even and perfect so I generally work frontside. It's nice and easy with this pattern, just the chains are backside. Larks head joins make this super neat and make it sit nice and flat without blocking or hardening. That does mean the chain joins are upside-down, but it makes it a bit more fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Edit: These earrings were gifted to my Mum, who felt awful when she suddenly wasn't wearing one of them. I've since stopped joining the hook fittings to a single picot, as the lost earring flipped up and slipped out. I'd recommend making a small thrown ring instead of the small picot at the top, or omitting it altogether and looping the fitting around Ring 2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 shuttle + ball</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">9 seed beads, 1 centre bead</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">lbp - long bead picot</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">jp - tiny joining picot</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">sdp - small, decorative picot</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">JC# - join to picot on chain #</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">JR# - join to picot on ring #</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">JR#B - join to long picot on ring # with bead</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(#beads) - move # beads to working loop</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(#b) - make picot with # beads</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">CL - close loop </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">RW - reverse work</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 seed beads on shuttle</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R1: 5 lbp 8 jp 3 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R2: 3 JR1 7 sdp 7 jp 3 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R3: 3 JR2 8 lbp 5 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">RW C1: 2 jp 8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">RW R4: 4 JR3B 9 jp 1 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R5: 1 JR4 9 lbp 4 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">RW C2: 8 jp 2</span><br />
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The next set is basically a repeat, just with the beads instead of the hanging picot and some different joins.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R6: 5 JR5B 8 jp 3 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R7 (3beads): 3 JR1 7 (3b) 7 jp 3 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R8: 3 JR2 8 lbp 5 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">RW C3: 2 JC2 8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">RW R9: 4 JR8B 9 jp 1 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">R10: 1 JR9 9 JR1B 4 CL</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">RW C4: 8 JC1 2</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cut ends long, tie off. Thread one end through chain join, thread seed, centre, seed beads on and thread through other chain join. Thread back through beads and tie off.</span></div>
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<img alt="" id="id_34a4_c8db_46d0_e977" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUn0WclramuZfUacgTChXH9FNu6QblhTyIxC2Sz00cVaWHT1VkxJfq95Ck0FYxcAlOmapcZKD_9L7arR8IYJrnAfdr7cYp21mg8OedfRDnEvWXEOjxlnOipVabaDggSF2YF1x-y7bX-RD/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The earrings pictured are worked in Milford #20 Royal Blue with size 12 seed beads and 6mm centre beads.</span></div>
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Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-55562673458769141242017-11-27T16:00:00.005-08:002018-01-27T17:54:42.370-08:0090% BackwardsI learnt to tat from YouTube, a great <a href="https://youtu.be/MzQG_5EudxA">beginner series by Esther</a>.<br />
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90% of general folk are right handed, as are 100% of the good tatters on YouTube. So I did it right handed too, terribly awkwardly, until I understood the basic stitches well enough to mirror it and work the right way around, with the shuttle in my left hand and loom on the right. </div>
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<img alt="" id="id_902a_d404_572a_c183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqY7pp8eH9LcTqLtfe97bHXuW-fsU44jXnJWuaPPVv0DMaIyjRWcKwaJ74-Qp8IGZPjODJghIdwnFBGsjWp4PDNZYjBYrN5mWfkPKfX60pWhjDtfM-69WW4uaHzJEE48_BirhJZGFcips/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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Then the fun really started. </div>
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No pattern worked. The rings wouldn’t face the right way and never lined up to connect to the next picot properly. Chains stuck out the wrong way and upside down. Every join I had to turn the whole piece around. </div>
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When everything is worked in circles, it really does matter which direction you go. Working left-handed means each ring is formed anti-clockwise, and the next element starts to the left of the last. Most patterns out there are worked clockwise from left to right. </div>
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Here is a rare left-handed pattern from a <a href="http://www.li.ru/interface/pda/?jid=5976758&redirected=1&backurl=/users/5976758/blog#post385239838">Russian site</a> I haven’t figured out how to translate.<br />
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<img alt="" id="id_7ebf_ba5f_215e_b885" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_jz1eVdTSzPNK5APADsCq96QeZOje2-H6HjeWqnf73yRYErlqT6rzda3HOEp5dQZURXT0EOQqZwYnLJit6OIJ0Sa_YNCy-d43tVzfcy8VoulBH-7pFyasKpUnag3AVTqichxL_uxF2tw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" style="height: auto; width: 353px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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All of the patterns I have worked and put up here are written out like this, to be worked anti-clockwise, from right to left. Hopefully I can help save someone from the brain-knarl of getting halfway through a pattern and not knowing which way is up anymore! </div>
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Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1697601923467240712.post-26149336551654721392017-11-20T11:48:00.003-08:002017-11-20T11:48:46.713-08:00Learning Left HandedWhen I was a girl, my Mama tried to teach me how to knit. My hands wouldn't work and I couldn't get my head around it. So she went home and taught herself how to knit left-handed, came back and tried again. Somehow, she managed to get me to figure it out.<br />
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I've picked up a few other yarn crafts over the years, but the single biggest hurdle I've had is learning how to learn from right-handed people. So I'm going to try to put left-handed things here, starting with patterns.<br />
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While knitting isn't so bad, tatting patterns have to be completely flipped, as when working left-handed each ring, and the whole piece, is created anti-clockwise. There is a lot of scrap lace floating around my house! Most of my patterns have been adapted from other blogs, which I will link to.<br />
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Please, enjoy and send any questions!Mirror Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16096728269510162842noreply@blogger.com2