For my own granddaughter and her doll

The patterns are from Ravelry, Cecily Glowik MacDonald, very easy.

A new sweater for a friend's granddaughter

Hello everyone! I had a great summer, including a week in Iceland admiring the yarns I could never use for Israel's climate. This sweater, on the other hand, is made of cotton, for a local five-year-old.

My first yoked sweater!

Pleased with it, although the fit feels very different from what I'm used to- there's enough over for a matching cardigan and I'm on a twinset thing at the moment.

Two more completed projects

Top: Cape and hat for American Girl doll
Bottom: Argyle vest for adult male living in London (Israel is too warm for vests)

Done, In Time For The CeaseFire

One soldier's hat: how I wish it would never need to be used, except for ski trips or other recreational purposes.

Serious deadline pressure *Updated*

*Update*
I finished in time (I hope). The sweater is in transit as we speak, and with any luck should reach its destination by the required date: Aug. 29.




This sweater was made from a combination of Creative Library patterns in Style Your Own Kids' Knits by Kate Buller, chosen together with my granddaughter Mermaid Girl during a visit last Spring. Still to be done: attach sleeves, knit hood, sew zipper, weave in a millions loose ends, block. It might not get to Canada in time for Mermaid Girl's 8th birthday, oy!

Back to virtual reality

Well, since I've been back in my version of the real world
not that much knitting's been happening.
I've had to grab a moment wherever I can, as you can see:

1st posting

hello everyone - hope all journeys went well, 1st time I've posted on a blog so thanks to Sara and Dorothy - yet another first arising from France. Still knitting sample swatches unfinished jumper looks huge.

Ball of Wool - glass art

Ball of Wool - glass art
Originally uploaded by savtadotty

I saw this today at an exhibition at the Land of Israel Museum, Tel Aviv. I must find out the name of the artist.

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone- We've got some good news- we exchanged contracts and are finally moving house next week. The best thing is that I've been very busy knitting in the meantime. Angst is great for keeping hands busy, if disappointing for weight loss. Making the most of it this week, as I'm sure I'll be too busy when we move in. After a summer of not getting much done, I've had a winter of scarves and general knitting frenzy. Here's a few of my favourite bits: so glad I've got over the guilt of scarves being too "easy", I'm really enjoying making them. We had a week in Boulogne before Christmas (what a huge coincidence, we stayed very near to the Phildar shop) so I was able to see how rusty my French has got since June.
My husband was thrilled to get this Bruce Lee tank top for his birthday, as can clearly be seen in his smile. What Bruce Lee themed birthday would be complete without a little Brucie (from "Knitted Icons")

the sideways socks I was so keen to knit- unfortunately, I didn't think about the lack of much-needed stretch- they are now in progress as "normal" knitted socks, as an experiment on the knitting machine.

my sister-in-law gave me "Mason Dixon Knitting" for Christmas and don't worry, there is no "special" reason for me knitting baby clothes, other than they're cute and quick.
the zigzag scarf is from Iris Schreier's Modular Knitting, the blue one in Phildar and the other one was bought from a lovely lady in St Omer, who had seen a programme about mince pies .
not quite knitted (not yet, but that's a spinning wheel behind them) our bunnies, otherwise known as the world's smallest farm enjoy their Xmas present from France.

Birds of Paradise

I'm happy to report that the older granddaughter received her sweater in time for her birthday. Now I'm making serious progress on the sweater for the younger granddaughter: she was three years old in July, so this one will be a Chanuka gift. She has requested both a zipper and a hood, so I guess it will be her very own unique "hoodie."

Guess what I've just booked?

I've done it! I went on Kangaroo last week and it took me by surprise that they're taking bookings already. Agonised for a week and now I've booked a place for June 2008. Motivation to get some of last time's stuff finished by June- so little time.

See any of you there?

Project Complete!

I sewed the shoulder seams before I finished the sleeves. The bear and the dog came out well, and they're on the front. I'm not as happy with the butterfly and the robin redbreast; my intarsia skills failed me a bit, but at least it's the back. In any case, this granddaughter's birthday is August 28, in Vancouver, BC, so I'm wrapping and mailing to be done right away.

A Knitter's Greeting

My best friend in New York sent me this card when I returned from France. The caption: To someone of rare ingenuity and resourcefulness.

bag story and other "after-workshops"

Hello everyone, it's Estelle ! I hope you went back home well. At last I found a moment to write on the blog. It's difficult, I haven't much time, these days. I don't forget you, Margaret ! But writing down the chart of my bag's design is not finished yet.
So, just a few photos to show you the result of the week :
the bag before and after 2 hours in the train.

Yes, there is a difference, I secured the loose ends...2 hours securing the ends... I counted them, so you can try to guess : how many yarn end did I secure ?
And on the other sides, here is the full bag :



I nearly finished it in the train. I know, I couldn't help knitting, I'm a knitting freak ! And now, I'll try to find a moment to line it. I think I'll take the purple material.
I must knit the strap too, and I haven't find out how to close the bag yet. So I won't use it before a while !
My crochet tank top has not grown much either. But I did a few pieces for my free form white shawl :
I love the leaf/feather forms. Now I want to make it a bit like big angel feathers. Well. I'll show you that in a few years... As Sara said, I didn't know what to do when I'm retired...
And finally, I made a sample for a kid silk haze cardigan, with a line of birch leaf pattern on the bottom of the sleeves and body. Here it is, in pearl, but I'll make it in dewberry. How do you find it ? I'm not sure it really looks like leaves. I'm not as pleased as I expected. Ooops the picture is upside down ! the base is supposed to be under the nearer from "sterenig".

I'm so glad to have attended the workshop, learnt so much and met you all !

Sarah's Sweater

Sarah's Sweater
Originally uploaded by savtadotty

This is the front. I'm working on the robin redbreast and butterfly that my 7-year-old granddaughter requested for the back, along with the ladybugs across the bottom. She has also requested ladybugs across the wrists on the long sleeves. A budding designer!

When my 3-year-old granddaughter saw me working, she too requested a sweater. That book, Style Your Own Kids' Knits by Kate Buller, has given me five years of bonding with granddaughters already. We spent several delicious minutes looking at all the possibilities and she chose birds (the "muver and fahver") and a border of baby birds. We went to the yarn store to pick out the main color and she decided on white: maybe not so practical for someone whose main diet is pizza and spaghetti, eaten with both hands at once, but definitely suitable for the climate.

The week through Sara's bleary eyes

here's what I saw during the week:

des poissons


purple


the one that stayed still long enough


trying to do geometric things


why does everyone find the pond slime the most inspiring


more purple


more geometry and purple


one for beadwork? I was wondering what to do when I retire


des canards


the now-famous lunch- seen it, eaten it, will knit the t-shirt


I WILL knit this, but not today


Jane's crochet- no, I'm not jealous at all


cake shop


cake


everyone thinks it's a bit strange how I introduce these photos- anyway, this is Elspeth, Dorothy and Caroline


this is Catherine, Claire and Estelle


this is Sandra and Nicky. Thank God for Nicky and her Swiss darning-as soon as I saw it, I heard intarsia fall out of my head forever, with a loud clunk


This is Sharon- I might knit this as a floor rug- maybe later


This is me, Anne and Helen, but you can see Nicky, Sandra, Sharon and Dee in the background


This must be Mary, Margaret and/orJudith?


Is this Pat's? They were over the other side of the room
I know that's no excuse


This is Kate's - we want to see the finished article- it must be ready by now- I envy her log cabin skills


This is Jackie's tank top- I also bought those buttons, amongst many others, and am doing a lot of overtime at the moment....


This is Luciana and Beatrice's table- can someone explain how to do those very complicated-looking swirls?


Not actual size. The miniature bottle I did buy came in a very nice little bag, perfect for a small project.

Watch this space as my many projects fly off the needles....I might have a little nap now.