Friday, February 02, 2007

More on the flower, stripes and bright socks!

After farting around a bit, I finally came up with a suitable flower for my Republic hat.  It’s the same pattern as the first one (the one in Wednesday’s post)…



Pink rose



...but where the first one was made with worsted weight cotton using a size G hook, this one was made on a much smaller scale :) I used a vintage (Lily SkyTone - I’d read about it but never seen it before acquiring it at a thrift shop) cotton thread in a variegated pink/cream along with a strand of very pale pink Madil Seta (kid mohair/silk) and a size 7 steel hook.  This looks much better on the hat and I haven’t entirely given up the idea of creating a couple more flowers so as to have a small bouquet kind of thing!

Actually this whole flower thing has me thinking about a purse or a bag of some sort - maybe a simple, basic shape covered with flowers!  It could be a lot of fun, I think.  Of course if you weren’t careful you might wind up with an item that looks like something your grandmother would take to the beach.  On the other hand…

I managed a little more on the second dishtowel (you’re excited, right?  You - in the back - stop snoring!), incorporating a multi-colored band.



Fuchsia and yellow band



The current plan is to do another band at the opposite end of the towel when I get there :)

I’m probably going to be doing a few new washcloths as well as I’m finding that my skin doesn’t like my scrubbie any more - you know, one of those nylon puff thingies?  I’ve always loved them but right now they are just to abrasive to be practical.  I know washcloths aren’t difficult or especially exciting, but it pleases me deeply that I both have the material and the knowledge to make them.

Speaking of materials and knowledge… I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t thank the universe for wool :) Seems silly hunh?  But I use my mohair blanket every night and even when the temperature is very low, it keeps me toasty and comfortable.  Likewise the Zen Garden Stole and my hats and fingerless gloves - particularly these which I wear indoors and out and find especially useful for driving.  And what really boggles me is that until I began knitting, all I had ever used for craft work was acrylic or cotton.  Certainly both of those things have their uses, but I hadn’t thought of wool, or if I had, didn’t believe I could afford it.  When I began realizing the real advantages of the home-grown stuff ( as opposed to the machine extruded stuff!), I determined that I would learn how to work with it and care for it properly.  I was worried about washing wool, but it turns out that it isn’t really difficult and just requires a bit of care.  And, thanks to sales bins, discontinued color lines and the profound good luck to be living in the same city as a mill, I can afford the stuff too.  Which is a good thing because I don’t know where I’d be without it!

I also started another pair of children’s socks.



Children's socks



The cuff is quite heavy as the yellow wool is stranded with a bit of the yarn from the Summer Garden Socks (scroll down a little).  These will be exceptionally bright, as you can see!  These puppies won’t be easy to lose :)

It’s not likely that there will be a post on Monday so I’ll see you again on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Take good care of yourselves, folks - and have a wonderful weekend!

Babbled by Robbyn on 02/02 at 01:05 PM
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  1. That is a really cute hat. Would you mind sharing the pattern for the flower (or have you already and I just missed it?).

    Incidentally, in her latest book, Knitted Flowers, Nicky Epstein has a rose-covered cushion. Very cute. Certainly wouldn’t go with my (lack of) decor, but would be really nice on a girly girl’s bed. Why not a flower-covered purse?

    Posted by Ev  on  02/02  at  12:18 PM
    Location : Kelowna

  2. Hi, Robbyn. Wear your hat with rose in good health.

    I’ve got a very old silk organza bag embroidered with little roses (not flat embroidery, they stick up like French knot might) scattered all over. The bag is shaped a little like your Peony bag. I bought it knowing I couldn’t use it, because it was so fragile. Bet a silk purse scattered with crocheted flowers would be pretty.

    Also, your sock, on my computer is apparently ‘way too bright—the computer would have needed shades to display it.

    Have a restful weekend. I hear Sunday is Stay-in-your-pajamas-all-day Day. Sounds good to me!

    Posted by  on  02/02  at  02:23 PM
    Location : Ohio

  3. BufPuf has a ‘extra gentle’ scrubby puff.  You may want to try that…

    gorgeous wash cloth

    Posted by  on  02/02  at  02:45 PM
    Location : s fl

  4. Ah.... that is the perfect size rose for that hat. I enjoy making wascloths. Here is a link for one of my favorite sites. I have used several of the patterns.
    http://www.jimsyldesign.com/~dishbout/kpatterns/knitting.html
    Hope you have a great weekend and stay warm.

    Posted by Maureen  on  02/02  at  04:09 PM
    Location : NH

  5. Ev - This is the link to the crochet flower pattern:

    http://megan.kiwi.gen.nz/StripMethodRose/

    It works up pretty quickly and is about the nicest crocheted rose I’ve seen :) For some reason, the above page is blank quite a ways down - just keep scrolling - you’ll get to the pattern eventually!

    Posted by Robbyn  on  02/02  at  05:07 PM
    Location : Swimming in the stash :)

  6. Mimi - Oh your silk organza bag sounds just absolutely beautiful!  What a find that must have been :) Okay, now that you’ve steered my mind away from the raffia flowered beach bag, I have a better idea of the direction this might go in :)

    Staying in my PJs and knitting all day Sunday sounds like a super idea!

    Posted by Robbyn  on  02/02  at  05:09 PM
    Location : Swimming in the stash :)

  7. Kim - Thank you for the suggestion - I’ll have a look next time I’m in the store.  I didn’t know such a thing was available!

    Posted by Robbyn  on  02/02  at  05:10 PM
    Location : Swimming in the stash :)

  8. Maureen - That’s a great resource, isn’t it?  Now I have to go rummage through my various cottons and see what might be fun to play with :)

    You stay warm too sweetie and take care of that shoulder!

    Posted by Robbyn  on  02/02  at  05:12 PM
    Location : Swimming in the stash :)

  9. umm, maybe a pouch-type bag with flowers all over the fold over flap of it- okay, so maybe i am definitely a candidate for ‘what not to wear’-

    i’m all in favor of making the lowly ‘waRshcloth’ as they are fast, easy, and best of all *useful*- wonderful ways to try out patterns and also keep a supply of items ready to toss into a gift basket for a ‘need it yesterday’ kind of present-

    take care- we’re all thinking of you-

    Posted by  on  02/02  at  06:45 PM
    Location : '...looking out on the falling rain...'

  10. Hiya Robbyn....making the rounds and had to pop in and see what you’ve been up to...You know, I love knitted wash cloths/dish cloths because they are short and sweet projects, I can take ‘em with me....and I can try out complex patterns on a small scale..good for my ADD, :) Lisa in Oregon

    Posted by Lisa in Oregon  on  02/03  at  10:42 AM
    Location :

  11. Lisa - Great to hear from you!  I always thought that too about washcloths - simple, small projects and I can try out damn near anything on them in the way of a stitch pattern :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  02/03  at  11:01 AM
    Location : Swimming in the stash :)

  12. Barb - No, actually I think a pouch-type bag might be a decent idea.  I need to give it some more thought but I’m so entranced with this floer that it’s a virtual certainty I’ll be doing something with it :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  02/07  at  10:47 AM
    Location :

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