I have to say though, I think I'm doing remarkably well considering I don't have a pattern. Mine looks a bit squished compared to the original (the center portion), but once blocked, that will stretch quite a bit.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Progress
I'm on my second round of pineapples. They will double in quantity each time I repeat the pattern. Right now it sits at about 30" in diameter. Only about 100 hours of work left...
I have to say though, I think I'm doing remarkably well considering I don't have a pattern. Mine looks a bit squished compared to the original (the center portion), but once blocked, that will stretch quite a bit.
I have to say though, I think I'm doing remarkably well considering I don't have a pattern. Mine looks a bit squished compared to the original (the center portion), but once blocked, that will stretch quite a bit.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Oh yeah...Christmas!
After posting my other blog entry, I realized I'd totally neglected to share the Yarnworks Christmas with you. So here is a brief photo journal of our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We each opened 1 gift on Christmas Eve and made a gingerbread house (okay, we assembled it...ever since the from scratch gingerbread house of 1999, Mr. Yarnworks and I have been perfectly happy to buy premade and assemble our gingerbread houses). Then on Christmas Day, the girls ripped into their gifts and it was general madness. Just like Christmas should be...
The Tablecloth
Now with the holiday brouhaha is over and Mr. Yarnworks is back at Camp Shelby, it's time to work on the tablecloth.
Back at the end of October, I was commissioned to turn a 15" doily into a 4 1/2 foot tablecloth...with no pattern to guide me. But you know how I love a challenge!
Here is the original doily. This woman's grandmother made it, but she has since passed away. In their family, it was tradition for the grandmother to make the bride a crocheted tablecloth as a wedding gift. This woman's sister just got married and has no tablecloth.
Here is my progress as of a couple weeks ago. I've added a couple inches since then, but haven't taken pictures yet.
The stitches look thicker and there are two reasons for that. The first is that the size thread that was used doesn't appear to be around anymore...it's thinner than size 20, but not quite as thin as size 30. Size 20 seemed closer, so that's what I went with. The other reason is that I believe it needs to be blocked. For my non-knitting/crocheting friends, that means it needs to be wet and stretched into its proper shape. That will open up my pineapples to look like the original. I will probably block it midway just to know that my measurements are correct. I'd hate to crochet it to 4 1/2 feet and block it and it ends up being 5 feet! Better to block it around 3 1/2-4 feet and see what happens.
I have no major plans between now and New Year's, so I'm hoping to get a significant chunk of this project done. Today will be spent mostly working on it...tomorrow too probably. I've already spent about an hour and a half on it today. I plan to take pictures later tonight or in the morning to share with you.
Back at the end of October, I was commissioned to turn a 15" doily into a 4 1/2 foot tablecloth...with no pattern to guide me. But you know how I love a challenge!
Here is the original doily. This woman's grandmother made it, but she has since passed away. In their family, it was tradition for the grandmother to make the bride a crocheted tablecloth as a wedding gift. This woman's sister just got married and has no tablecloth.
Here is my progress as of a couple weeks ago. I've added a couple inches since then, but haven't taken pictures yet.
The stitches look thicker and there are two reasons for that. The first is that the size thread that was used doesn't appear to be around anymore...it's thinner than size 20, but not quite as thin as size 30. Size 20 seemed closer, so that's what I went with. The other reason is that I believe it needs to be blocked. For my non-knitting/crocheting friends, that means it needs to be wet and stretched into its proper shape. That will open up my pineapples to look like the original. I will probably block it midway just to know that my measurements are correct. I'd hate to crochet it to 4 1/2 feet and block it and it ends up being 5 feet! Better to block it around 3 1/2-4 feet and see what happens.
I have no major plans between now and New Year's, so I'm hoping to get a significant chunk of this project done. Today will be spent mostly working on it...tomorrow too probably. I've already spent about an hour and a half on it today. I plan to take pictures later tonight or in the morning to share with you.
Why the big thrust before New Year's? Because we're all headed to G's house for a very knitterly New Year's. At midnight, G, J, and I will all cast on the Shetland Tea Shawl from A Gathering of Lace by Meg Swanson. Our goal is to cast on one challenging project each New Year's at midnight, and finish by the following New Year's. We all plan to work on the same pattern and the same time, but in different yarns. My yarn choice this time? This lovely alpaca/silk blend in "Eggplant."
Monday, December 24, 2007
Not A Creature Was Stirring....
No creatures stirring here. It's just the mad clicking of knitting needles as I finish up the last of the Christmas knitting. The big project is now done and I'm trying very hard to resist starting a quickie last-minute gift project. I'm a mad woman, I swear...
But the big project was Mr. Yarnworks' fingerless gloves to take with him to Iraq. When the days are 120 degrees, the 70 degree nights feel outright chilly. These were made with Knitpicks Essential in "Fawn." We even tried the burn test to see if the 25% nylon would melt it. Nope. It self-extinguishes like any self-respecting wool. His hands are at least safe from the yarn grafting to his hand if he finds himself in any trouble over there.
I have not tucked in the ends yet. My excuse is that I want to make sure they fit first. Yep. That's my excuse. Yes, I know I'll eventually have to do it. Yes, I know time will be limited from the time he opens the gift and the time he leaves. Yes, I know I'm asking for trouble.
Mr. Yarnworks is home from Camp Shelby, Mississippi for a quick visit before his official deployment to Iraq. He's been gone 2 months for training so far, so we're thrilled to get another dose of him before he leaves again...this time for a year or more.
Big Sister is VERY excited about Santa. This is the first year she really seems to get it. Baby Yarnworks just thinks everything (tree, lights, ornaments, presents, treats) is rather cool and will probably be crushed when it's all wisked away shortly after Christmas. Hopefully the remaining toys will make up for the loss.
But the big project was Mr. Yarnworks' fingerless gloves to take with him to Iraq. When the days are 120 degrees, the 70 degree nights feel outright chilly. These were made with Knitpicks Essential in "Fawn." We even tried the burn test to see if the 25% nylon would melt it. Nope. It self-extinguishes like any self-respecting wool. His hands are at least safe from the yarn grafting to his hand if he finds himself in any trouble over there.
I have not tucked in the ends yet. My excuse is that I want to make sure they fit first. Yep. That's my excuse. Yes, I know I'll eventually have to do it. Yes, I know time will be limited from the time he opens the gift and the time he leaves. Yes, I know I'm asking for trouble.
Mr. Yarnworks is home from Camp Shelby, Mississippi for a quick visit before his official deployment to Iraq. He's been gone 2 months for training so far, so we're thrilled to get another dose of him before he leaves again...this time for a year or more.
Big Sister is VERY excited about Santa. This is the first year she really seems to get it. Baby Yarnworks just thinks everything (tree, lights, ornaments, presents, treats) is rather cool and will probably be crushed when it's all wisked away shortly after Christmas. Hopefully the remaining toys will make up for the loss.