Balvraid Hap in Samite

Last year I bought some Blacker Yarns Samite, a 4ply blend of wool and recycled silk, along with their pattern for the Balvraid Hap. I bought two shades of pink, enough of each to make the larger of the 2 sizes in the pattern.

In the middle of this year I decided it was time to take the plunge. I wound the darker of the two shades into balls and got knitting.

The hap is worked around a central garter stitch triangle.  The unusual element, to me at least, is the set of loops knitted into the edges, to assist in picking up for the border.It makes for a very neat join.   

The first layer of the lace edging is a twelve row repeat of a twelve-stitch fan shape worked around two edges of the triangle. Stitch markers kept me on-pattern. The corner turn, was, of course, the tricky bit.  

                 

When I bought the yarn I had the idea of mixing the colours in the lace border, but after discussing with my family experts, decided against it.Consistency seemed the better option.  

It hasn't proved to be my favourite shawl pattern. The garter stitch centre was a bit tedious to knit and although the repetition of the border aids memory, it too is a bit monotonous. Although I used stitch markers to mark off each repeat, and checked each one, it was really easy to drop a stitch with the number of stitches knit together, especially the ssk. Even with care and checking, I found 4 dropped stitches I had to tie off when blocking. 

The really tricky bit, however, came with the edging. Varying between 16 and 20 stitches wide, with a 20 row repeat, this is knitted vertical to the lace edge, picking up one stitch from the shawl edge every second row. That's a lot of short rows! Towards the end I got a rhythm and reasonable speed, but I had to keep following the written pattern. It didn’t stay in my head.

If I were to use the pattern again I think I’d work the centre in stocking stitch. Admittedly, the garter stitch opens up nicely on blocking.

 Turning the corner of the triangle took further concentration but was achieved relatively easily.

 

The outer edge border pattern was not easy to see as I was knitting but became clear as spread out.

I finished it around 10pm one night and set about blocking it straight away. Quite a lot of dye came out in the washing process. I used tepid water for washing and cold water to rinse, continuing until the water ran almost clear before squeezing out the water and rolling in a towel.

I’d hoped to mail it the next day, but it was still damp 20 hours later. I adjusted the pins and fixed the dropped stitches, accepting the need for patience.

I’m not entirely satisfied with the shape. I think the top edge would be better sloping the other way, so it fits more easily around a neck.

Nevertheless it’s a flexible, warm and elegant shawl. 

I rather like the knotted version but the scarf pin version shows off the lace a bit better.

It has a solid look when close against the body and a lacy look when it catches the light.

This is now on its way to the friend who rescued my website last monthI hope she gets pleasure and warmth from it.

While the pattern and kit indicated 3 skeins for this larger version, I did not completely use two of them. That leaves me with the possibility of getting three shawls from the six skeins I bought if I work one in two colours.

I'm still considering options. It might pay to set it aside for a bit. There are plenty of other knitting projects to take up in the meantime!

Library Kangaroo

 I made this Corinne Lapiere mouse back in June, finishing it while waiting at CMI Toyota for my car to be serviced. I wrote about it in my weekly blog back in June .As nice as it is I couldn’t see librarians getting excited about a mouse, however cute, as a library decoration given the time many of them spend keeping the real things out of their shelves.  This one is meant to have glasses. When I had trouble making these as instructed, I decided it was too much of a stereotype anyway. 

It did, however, set my mind racing with an animal idea that might appeal to librarians and also amuse young readers. The reading mouse will become a Christmas decoration.

I found and downloaded a free pattern for a felt kangaroo and enlarged it. I  then went shopping for grey/brown felt. Simela at Create in Stitch was very helpful. I ended up with a solid brown and a grey marle and began with the latter. The brown is yet to be tried.  

It took patience and concentration to construct. Thread proved a challenge. It was surprisingly difficult to get a good colour match. In the end an olivy green worked. My idea was to use the pouch to hold books.

I made the books more simply than those with the mouse. Instead of stuffing, I simply layered a piece of white felt between the coloured cover, one white piece for a thin book, three for a thick one.  The larger thin one was titled Skippy  and the smaller thicker one Grass.  

Simela helped me come up with the idea of the library bag. I toyed with a backpack, but it proved too complicated. 

Initially the library bag hung around the kangaroo's neck but finally fit across the chest and under one arm. I don't have a photo of that.

Even with the enlarged pattern, the joey is small. My idea was to place the joey in the library bag and the books in the pouch. They were made to be taken out and moved, on the assumption a child might play with them. In the end I attached the joey by a cord to the bag as getting lost seemed a high risk.

The hardest bit was weighing the base  to enable it to stand. I don't like useing rice for this purpose in case the animal gets wet. As I had done with the Penguin Doorstop some time ago, I used painted stones from the plant section of a hardware store. It works, but is hard to balance in this shape. The stones, padded with wadding, move around, overbalancing the kangaroo.

What is likely to work best are sinkers, from a fishing shop, which have holes and could be stitched in place. This one went to a library for assessment. It quickly found a use holding pages open in display books.

Yesterday, when the Embroiderers' Guild put out a plea for additional entries in the upcoming SALA Exhibition, I got out the felt and cut another one. It was a fairly rushed job, as I needed to deliver it today. I made a few refinements as I went. The cord on the library bag is a woven bracelet I made years ago in a class I have forgotten about.

I tethered the joey on a  long cord to the kangaroo, rather than to the bag.

The books are Skip and Emu (dictated mostly by the short deadline I had to make it!).

While the joey looks cute in the pouch,  for the purposes of the Exhibition, it rides in the library bag, along with Skip, while Emu  is in the pouch, handy for the mother to read.

I didn't have time to go out and buy sinkers, so it is once again weighted with painted gravel. Hopefully I can buy some sinkers soon.

I have delivered it to the Guild and given it the title Everyone is Welcome at the Library.  I hope it makes people smile.

A second Jewels of Summer tea box

 I've now finished the fifth tea box, using Anna Scott's Jewels of Summer pattern  for the second time.

Even the second time, it was a joy to stitch. Each section uses different stitches and demands precision.

It was going well, until I noticed I had stitched (right) the feather stitch leaf fronds either side of the central flower facing the wrong way.

(pattern left)

It seemed easier to extend the "fronds" into trailing vines than to undo them.

I enjoyed the exercise of working out the path of the vine. I also like the effect.

 

I debated which colour to use for the signature, settling on the palest green.

 

It washed and blocked well, removing pencil mark lines I used to keep lines straight.

The fabric piece was larger than than those for the other boxes, which, interestingly, made it easier to tighten. 

The completed piece fitted tightly into the box, so I only used double-sided tape on the corners.

It is now in the hands of the happy recipient. I've enjoyed making these lids and feel I've learnt a great deal.

Ripe Picking (or thoughts) tea box.

One of my granddaughters chose Ripe for Picking, Anna Scott's design of a galah on the branch of a vine for her tea box lid. I was aware, when I offered it, that it involved stumpwork. I was also aware that it was a small design and would require enlargement to do justice to a box lid.

I managed the enlargement by photographing the template, then printing it on to an A4 sheet. In the kit, the design appeared to be drawn on to a generous piece of pale green slk in archival ink. I turned the silk over and copied the enlarged design on the reverse side, mounting it, with it's calico backing, into a 10" hoop.

So far so good.

The branch embroidery was slow and meticulous. I could see the effect intended, which made it easier.

The felt padding was fun to add before the tricky bit began, the needle-lace body of the galah.

This is where I felt the impact of having doubled the size of the design! It took me quite a while to fill the whole body, and it was a relief to be able to move on to the crest.

My favourite bit, however, was the leaves.  I really enjoyed stitching them.

I had difficulty deciding which of the two shades of green was which from the illustration but settled for using the more vibrant shade in what I decided were the bits getting more sun (the top of the leaves above the vine and the bottom of the leaves below the vine). For the sides closer to the vine I used the more muted green.

Because I didn't want to hold a very small hoop in my hand to create the stumpwork wing, tail and head, I attached the linen fabric to a piece of sheeting so it would fit in an 8" hoop and worked from there.

That worked out well.

Placement and attachment of the wing and tail was relatively straightforward. 

The head took a little more adjustment.

By this point I was having doubts about the appropriateness of stumpwork grapes - 10 thread-covered beads - on the lid of a tea box. It seemed to me that these would likely be a nuisance on a box lid, likely to get caught and damaged in use. The recipient agreed, so I omitted them. The design (if not its name!) is fine without them.

I had a moment of fright when I blocked it. Rather than wash it, I attached it tightly to the board and sprayed it with water. Immediately the archival ink on the other side of the silk showed through! I went to bed planning how I would create more leaves and vine to cover it. Miraculously, in the morning, when I plucked up courage to look, the ink had disappeared!

By now I have improved my mounting skills! The new wadding I have bought is thick enough to require only one layer and I secured it with multiple pins before slowly tightening and securing the lashing. I have also given in entirely on the use of double-sided tape. It shouldn't be used with archival material, but without it an embroidery will not stay on the lid.

Again, I am very pleased with this result, which is now with its owner. The colours are  complementary. It is, I think, elegant, and thoughtful,

I hope it brings pleasure.

Stars of Winter Tea Box

This was the last of these designs Create in Stitch had in stock when I was choosing a range to offer as lids to the Tea Boxes I was preparing for family members. It was a quieter, softer design than the others I found. It didn't leap out, but I liked its subtlety. 

I was pleased when one granddaughter chose it ahead of other designs on offer. 

It was very enjoyable to stitch. As usual, there was a variety of stitches. 

Additionally, the colour contrasts and blends were a delight, especially in the central flower.

Each addition of sprig  or stem added both stitching and design interest and pleasure.

While the red lifted it, there was gentleness and perfection in the soft, pastels.

 

Rather than the small red bird (robin?) on the top branch, I decided to add a Superb Fairy Wren. This tiny Australian bird seemed more appropriate, defined and special.

I am very pleased with the result - and glad I made the switch.

It blocked well, and I padded it with two layers of some newly-purchased acid-free wadding. 

It probably didn't need the second layer, but it lifts the section behind the design.

I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favourite amongst these boxes, but this one fills me with joy.