Well, this is embarrassing, I have been so busy with studying and finalizing my Master Thesis, that I haven't posted a single thing for two months! (i.e. you can blame them, not me xD)
Even though a new exam period is shortly coming up, I hope I will be able to post a bit more frequently. If only, I have been making (some) stuff and when I don't write about them soon after, I forget!
So, today I will write about a sweater I made in December (!).
For more than 6 months I had been expecting to leave the country permanently in October (last month) for a job offer in Zambia. I didn't mention it, because, well, things can go the other way easily. Some difficulties came up from the other side and now I am waiting indefinitely to see wether the plans will ever be completed or not.
The situation is a bit fuzzy and this delay is not entirely a bad thing, since I didn't manage to finish some things I planed for the University, but it still threw me off my preparation mode.
During studying I kept dreaming of sunny beaches and swimming, and thinking what my new bikini top should be, since my old one is falling big on me ever since I lost some weight.
I didn't have to ponder much: I came up with the idea of a crochet coral beaded bra!
About a month ago, I (lately) realised that on ebay one can find lots and lots of kinds crochet hooks on very low prices. (from China of course)
So since my collection of crochet hooks was very small, I decided to buy whole sets of crochet hooks and compare their quality and usability. Each set didn't cost more than 3-3.5 euros, so even if some of them didn't work properly, no harm done!
I have been quite productive in the summer crochet department, for more than a month now I have been knitting swimsuit tops.. some as custom orders, one for myself, and quite a few for the Etsy shop.
I hadn't quite realised how many I made until I started documenting my progress for the corresponding
Ravelry project: 10 bikini tops in different sizes and color combinations.
I think that from the very beginning I joined Ravelry I had my eye on this fringed top and even though I also had the appropriate yarn for it, I simply hadn't made it. Other more exciting projects were coming up and taking up my time.
But just a month ago, I needed a practically mindless crochet project to take with me while travelling to Chania. It had to be crochet since only crochet hooks are allowed on planes here. (Believe me I have checked, multiple times. Knitting needles, even bamboo ones are considered a sharp pointy object, therefore dangerous! What kind of knitter would ever destroy their marvelous bamboo needles to harm someone?)
In a few days I will be attending Part2jam, a jamboree organised by BEST Chania, where we will be needing a different costume for every day of the event. It doesn't need to be something fancy, mostly improvised, and since I don't have the opportunity to transport much clothing, I decided to make some small and easily transportable stuff.
A spring shawl just in time for spring!
Since 23rd of February a new cycle of classes have begun in Mouselin Patiserrie and I am very excited about them! One reason is because this time I get to provide all class materials, and have also the chance to create handouts for each lesson. Since the classes now last for 3 hours instead of 1!
Just a week ago I finished the biggest(probably) project I have ever crocheted so far. It is so big, that it's wingspan is approximately 2.5m and it's length around 1.5m. It's a white triangle crochet shawl and it took 400 grams of cotton lace to be completed.
If you ever happen to visit Iceland, even during Summer, you will definitely come across one for their most awesome woolly accessories: the Beer Mitt.
For Christmas holidays I made some Christmas ornaments, motifs, accessories and an amigurumi Santa Claus in gnome style!
More than one month later, I realise that I haven't written about my most recent published design. Ein kleines rotes Herz, which translates from German to 'a small red heart'.
Just more than a week ago, Helene Magnusson released a new cardigan pattern, Lopi Affection, and with it, a free Swatch pattern, to practice new techniques as well as an opportunity to participate in the Ravelry KAL, where the two projects with the most favs will win a sweaters worth of yarn for the Lopi Affection cardigan.
I have been finishing some random pieces of knitting lately. Firstly, I finally got the chance to finish my long legwarmers, which hopefully only took 1 skein of each color. ^^
I am very happy to announce the release of the Templeton Wrap pattern! It has been some time since it it's creation, but I am glad that I eventually found time to write it up properly.
I had three wonderful and very helpful testers [SamPixieDot, sanita60 and bobnlin on Ravelry] for a working process that lasted almost a month.
Since the design was originally created for the Knitty Templeton Competition, it’s main purpose is to highlight the Templeton square and it’s knitted qualities. It's worked in seven different parts, either in the round or flat, but features no seams: everything is knitted on the go, by picking up stitches.
The main body features variations of the main Templeton motif in order to accommodate the shaping of the garment. And there is a small crochet detail - the border all around the piece.
Full details are available on the Ravelry page and it is also available in my shop.
[instructions in English]
And now for the fun part, to celebrate the pattern release, I am hosting a pattern giveaway starting today until Friday 11th of October 12am (UTC +2)!
Participation is both active on the blog and my facebook page. You can participate in both to double your chances of winning!
All you need to do is:
- comment on this post [don't forget to include your email address! or other contact info]
- like and share this on facebook. [it only counts for that particular post!]
There will be 3 winners from each source, making it to total 6 freebies!
Good luck!
It's been two months and I almost can't remember how I came up with the idea of creating stitch markers. But one thing is for sure, it's a new love, and I wonder what kinds I can create more! ^^
