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June 29, 2005
How many hours in a day?
Only 24 - not a single one more, or less.
I am behind with email, but I have emailed more recently than I have blogged, or knitted, so here I am. Soon it will be the weekend. It is painful to every fibre of my being that I am not currently at the Liberty sale at their cardholder's pre-sale event, but I resisted. There is nothing like a meeting with one's financial advisor to focus the mind. And besides, do I really need more yarn? I mean do I? With friends like these?
Mrs Pilkington whose turtle is so groovy (and you know, I wouldn't say that about just anyone), was selling some stuff on her site and I was able to bag my very own set of Denises! One can only admire the inventors. Also, a book, Drafting Made Easy, which alas didn't make it into the picture because it is being pressed into service. I like the attitude of any book with 'made easy' in the title. And Silky Wool in a beautiful denim blue. I think this will become a very long skinny scarf, a la my current muse, Mick Jagger.
Jacqueline is just this wonderful, magnetic personality, so warm and loving. I can't wait to meet her. She has sent me such beautiful yarn... we're discussing what it will become... more details soon! What I do know is that I'm going to have to get myself a copy of Scarf Style. When I saw Kris's turtleneck shrug I knew I had to have one.
Sunshine, showers... it's perfect growing weather. Something took root and has started to grow.
Limeleaf Kiri, started 23 June 05
Pattern: Polly's Kiri
I am really enjoying this. It's so satisfying making the little leaves stack up, the pattern is easy to memorise, the green is absolutely Kermit, and it feels just right for summer. And, the yarn was ridiculously cheap. Always good, never bad.
Finally.
From our own tree: it's first crop since we planted it five years ago. Aren't they beautiful?! Our first dear cat Tricky is buried under the boughs of this tree, but you mustn't let that put you off. And you know, if you think of them as lemons, they're really quite sweet.
Posted by Anna at 07:50 PM | Comments (18)
June 24, 2005
A Short Course of Therapy
It's very exciting, today in the post I got my credit card receipt, and confirmation of my place on a short course at London College of Fashion. It was quite expensive, but these things can't always be helped. Here is what the course covers:
- The knitwear industry
- Yarn awareness and selection
- Selecting stitches, textures, guages, and finishes
- Trend and colour
- Research and inspiration
- Concept and design development
- Drawing knitwear
- Building and refining a collection
- Knitwear design specs
I'm especially interested in 'building and refining a collection' and 'concept and design development' because so far all my design has been done in my head, no sketches or schematics, just knit and made notes of what I was doing. This can't be an efficient way of working.
I hope the course will be as good as the last one I went on. A couple of years ago I did a LCF-run course (pattern cutting for accessories), which was extremely good: lots of useful information, and attended by people from the fashion industry, which I thought was a good sign. I've since seen a classmate's designs selling in Liberty for hundreds of pounds.
And the last good things about it: It's near John Lewis and Liberty's for (ahem) shopping.
It's a week spent not at work.
It's happening the week of my birthday too.
Can't wait!
Posted by Anna at 09:42 PM | Comments (22)
Oh but that's not all
That was just the start of it. There's these too.
Grumperina's Tivoli, started 18 June
This is using up the leftovers from Sgt Pepper nicely. And there should be just enough red to make a bias edge (scroll down a bit) if the neck is rolling very badly. I thought of a crochet edge but in such a contrasting colour I doubt I could get a really neat finish. I'll finish the knitting today I expect, and hope to be wearing it next week.
Next up is Rita
Rita bag, started 15 June
Pattern: Mason Dixon buttonhole bag
This bag is going to be teeny! Notice the centre-pull balls: the yellow one was wrapped round a loo-roll which worked brilliantly. I've hardly used any yarn at all so far so I imagine I'll be making a few of these.
And there's what I should be working on, my design, my Debbie Bliss inspired summer cardi.
I'm feeling a little uninspired here. She was put on hold while I finished Sgt Pepper, and then we got a heatwave, and it still feels a bit warm to be working with angora. Maybe this weekend.
Finally, I've reached the sad conclusion that Land Girl is destined to be undone. I love the lace pattern, but the more I think the more I realise that this is just not a garment I will wear. I only wish I had considered the seriousness of this reality before I had knit both the front and back.
Posted by Anna at 08:10 AM | Comments (10)
June 22, 2005
Thumbscrews
Here's what's going on... it does feel better to have finished a couple of projects - for a while I have been submerged, and still feel a bit overwhelmed by the number of projects I have ongoing. I keep starting things and then losing interest slightly, skipping ahead to the next thing. Impatient.
Smoky jumper, started 7 June
Pattern: Charley, Rowan 37
I really wanted to work on something big. This was my main motivation for starting a jumper for Mr Raitte. Now my knitting for him has been a qualified success: a very unsuccessful 100% cotton cable pattern when we were first married (never worn, now ripped, still hanging from my bookcase, months later), balanced out by socks such as these, which have been a roaring success.
The yarn for Charley is a cotton blend called 'Washed Denim', but at home it just looks grey. My Darling's hair is an extremely similar shade of gunmetal grey, and I'm not sure if monotone is the right look for winter 05. I don't know. Maybe I could try dying it with a denim blue.
Next...
Leftovers from Mother's clap2, still unphotographed. This is enough for a Chickami, so it shall be.
Uhm, more yarn. I've been tempted by all the lace, so I thought I'd dip my toe in. I adored Larissa's Kiri , and this cotton was VERY good value. It will be lovely to knit from a deckchair.
Gosh, do you know, there's so much more. But it will have to wait til tomorrow.
Posted by Anna at 11:38 PM | Comments (7)
June 21, 2005
Roll call
Here are some finished things, to boost myself before dealing with the increasing number of started projects that are leering at me, menacingly. Have I got what Jodi's got? I commented to her post that I instill superpowers in my knits as I work on them: each one, when I wear it, I believe will make me funny at last, popular, successful, (etc etc ad infinitum). The funny thing is, sometimes they still maintain a shadow of their powers once they're finished; when they work out, and look just like I hoped they would. In other words, they help me to pretend.
Cricket belt, started 26 May 05 finished 20 June 05
Pattern: My own
I don't know why there's a white bit at the end. I had a little bit of white cotton. I think it looks 'right'. Call it punctuation. This belt is over several feet long - I dont know how long but taller than me with my arms right up in the sky - but only 13 stitches wide. It can also be worn as an extremely thin scarf, a la Mick Jagger.
Finished yesterday, worn today with pinstripe shorts, red sandals and a boy blue blouse to a client meeting today. I was nervous, but did fine.
edit to add: I'm reminded... the belt has real superpowers, due to it's judo-belt ancestry
Clapothree, started 5 June 05 finished 18 June 05
Pattern: Do we know it by heart yet?
In RY Cashsoft DK. And it is soft, soft and coccooning. I thought this might be just the thing for Florence, who is in the enviable position of having a blog dedicated just to her - imagine the luxury! But Mr Raitte assures me she is a 'winter' palette person. Florence? What would be your favourite colour? As my next closest female relative who has yet to receive a Fashionable Life handknit, you have one coming.
Finally, you asked for them, here she is and not without snap and crackle,
Chemistry shrug, started 31 May 05 finished 5 June 05
Pattern: Glampyre shrug
Posted by Anna at 08:32 PM | Comments (24)
June 18, 2005
sockapal2za
I'm very excited to be joined up for Alison's Sockapal2za... and this time as a fully-fledged sockknitter.
So once again I'm in a sock dilemma - as last time, I've been drawn with a sock pal who lives in a warm climate, but I'm itching to try fairisle socks. Not a match made in heaven. I think where she lives they do still get a winter of sorts, and maybe I can win her over with their beauty... let me share my plan:
I've long admired Knitty's Tangled Garden socks (not strictly fairisle but stranded, two colour), and while I was browsing Get Knitted for possible yarns (in fact I was looking for a cotton blend, but apparently they are only available in this country as self-striping yarns), I wondered what they might look like in these two colours:
Lorna's Laces Lakeview
and Neon
I'm fascinated to see how a two colour pattern will come out in two variegateds instead of solids.
Honestly... should I go for something a little more sober and/or practical? My alternative is to try and get hold of some cotton blend sock yarn (I have some Jawol cotton (which I also used for my Go With the Flow socks, but in white - perfectly practical for oneself, but utilitarian as a gift, wouldn't you say?), in some kind of lace pattern instead.
Posted by Anna at 10:13 PM | Comments (17)
June 15, 2005
Five more things about me
8. My real name is not Amelia Raitte. My real name is Anna. Amelia Raitte is a pseudonym, the name of a character in a story my husband wrote. I asked him if I could use it. If you say it out loud, it sounds like 'ameliorate', which means, to make or become better.
9. I can ride a horse. By which I mean I am a horsewoman, not that I can sit on a horse without falling off.
10. By day, I am a copywriter for charities. That means I write junkmail, but charity junkmail. I get paid, the charity gets paid, everyone's happy. One day I will get a full-time knitting gig.
11. I am from a long line of liberals, of which I am proud.
12. I take things to heart. Very much.
Posted by Anna at 01:02 PM | Comments (18)
June 13, 2005
With a Little Help From My Friends
I promise I'll stop with the Beatles references now.
Thank you so very very much to you all - I have received so very many kind messages about my Sgt Pepper... I'm having trouble keeping up with all the comments but I promise I will answer them all. It's really the least I can do; because I dont think I ever would have tried my hand at this designing lark if I hadn't stumbled upon the whole knit-blogging environment. You've been so inspiring, and motivating, and supportive: I honestly can't see that I would have pushed myself without you all!
So enough speechifying.
I had a paltry three balls of Cathay left after Sgt Pepper, and was wondering, in a desultory fashion, what I might do with them. Then I found Grumperina's Tivoli... have you seen it?... and my mood lifted at once. She's recently added the pattern in my size – so on Saturday, being in the vicinity at the VV Rouleaux craft market to lend my sticks to the Knit in Public Day cause, I dropped in at Peter Jones. As luck would have it they had another ball of black in the same dye lot. Most satisfying. I could even wear Tivoli with the Sgt Pepper, in a peculiar but possibly winning twinset combination.
You'll be pleased to know you've completely assuaged my fears about wearing Sgt Pep in public. I wore it to work today, and yes there have been one or two baffled expressions but hey, they'll get used to it. And screw em if they can't take a joke, right?
Posted by Anna at 01:00 PM | Comments (11)
June 12, 2005
For the Benefit of Mr Kite
Sgt Pepper, started 25 Apr 05 finished 10 June 05
Pattern: The Rebel, published by Alchemy Yarn
I'm really proud of how this turned out. I learnt so much about form and function in the making of Sgt Pepper. For example, the epaulettes are going to help these shoulders not to droop; the cabled cord around the collar will help prevent it stretching out; and the plackets (or whatever you might call them that the buttons are attached to), actually give the front of the jacket the structure it needs not to roll inwards, even with a hemmed band up the inside front sections.
Sgt Pepper is knit in Debbie Bliss Cathay, which was a good choice. It has the 'inelasticity' of cotton, but is not so heavy: all that embellishing in 100% cotton would have pulled on the knit fabric beneath it. I compromised on the buttons, again for weight. These are plastic, not brass.
This piece is all about the detail. The main body was knitted up weeks ago: my time since then has been spent on the finishing.
Inspired by the 'Shocking' Cardigan in Interweave Knits winter 04, the body of the jacket is made of seven pieces rather than the usual five, with much shaping. It's difficult to photograph, being black, but I love the tailored effect it gives.
And the most amazing thing of all, I think I'm even going to wear it. Garments like this (and in fact, to a lesser extent, Sally) require a kind of commitment from the wearer: you know that people's attention will be drawn to what you are wearing, so you have to be prepared to be the object of onlookers' gazes. But I wore this one out all day yesterday, and nobody actually pointed and laughed. Or at least, if they did, they had the good grace to do so behind my back.
Posted by Anna at 09:45 AM | Comments (65)
June 10, 2005
Something for everyone
Isn't it lovely, receiving yarn in the post? My Webs order arrived this morning.
First, for a Buttonhole Bag, inspired by Rita Marley and Dior 04. I bought the red in Toronto. For utter perfection the yellow would be slightly less orange, but that really is pedantic. I'm a 'good enough' girl.
Next: A box of Filatura di Crosa Elena, to make Interweave's Corset pullover. The people at Webs were very helpful but I think I came late to the sale: all of my first three choices of colour were sold out, but the price on this was right and I was ordering the Cascade anyway... well you know perfectly well yourselves how we can rationalise these things. But I do think it will be nice in blue. With a black wool pencil skirt, and patent heels, in autumn. I won't start it for a while, but I'm looking forward to when I do.
The pink is more Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran for yes, another shrug. I saw the pink one that Felicia made, I couldn't help myself.
Next up is Clapothree. I have no justification, apart from after knitting one each for sister and mother, I want one for myself. A small yarn section at the (mostly) beading shop near work has just expanded to include RY; this is Cashsoft DK in a sagey beige, not nearly so grey as it looks here. It is wonderfully soft but I'm slightly anxious that it may have a tendency to pill. In this picture you can clearly see the no-stitch-marker technique: the ribs are the stitches that will be dropped.
Finally, the belt has grown. Only about two foot more to go. (This one is going to wrap twice around the waist. No I have not considered lavatory logistics, nor will I until the time comes.)
Viewers, stay tuned. Sargeant Pepper has entered the building.
Posted by Anna at 06:14 PM | Comments (12)
June 09, 2005
Dear Anna
Please try harder to update your blog regularly. You dont only have to show finished stuff you can show other stuff too. And, if you want to, you can post about personal stuff too. It doesn't matter whether people are interested or not, this is your blog.
With love
Anna
PS: London area knitters - you are coming to the VV Rouleaux market on Saturday for a little knitting in public, yes?
Posted by Anna at 01:09 PM | Comments (9)
June 06, 2005
Chemistry
Thank you so much for your marvellous good wishes on the publishing of Sally. It was wonderful to be on a wave of such good feeling. Your support is truly valued.
I had hoped to be able to bring you pictures of a finished Sgt Pepper jacket today, but alas the finishing is interminable. However, it is looking more and more like a garment I want to wear and less like a bundle of rags and strings. The brass buttons are spiffingly present and correct, and I'm certainly motivated to keep going. I only hope I can muster the courage to wear him: this is where fashion meets costume.
So for now you'll have to be content with my little Glampyre shrug. Like so many of us I had previously considered myself not the 'type' to shrug (But a bolero? Maybe so.), but when this one is so neat and petite, I couldn't resist. Anoushka, who organises Knitting Hill (after the area of London named after the Hugh Grant vehicle) where I have been known to flick my sticks, pointed out that cobalt and copper is very My First Chemistry Set, and it stuck.
I can't decide if the copper is de trop. I suppose I must wear it and see if I feel overly shiny and glittery, or if the level of gleam is just right.
Adieus.
Posted by Anna at 10:13 PM | Comments (17)
June 01, 2005
Sally pattern
Some of you may be interested to know that the pattern for Sally is now available here.
THANK you to the wonderful Kerrie for publishing my very first pattern!
Posted by Anna at 06:03 PM | Comments (20)