Fascination Street

My friend Rosie and I are taking a hat course tomorrow. I’ve been looking forward to it for a while. I’m not sure what I’ll get to make. It’s only a day, well actually I think it’s only a 4 hour class. It would be so nice to make a felt fedora but, I know it just isn’t possible. I actually emailed the woman who is teaching the class to ask what I could make but, no answer. Apparently, when Rosie called her initally about booking she was a bit awkward or off putting. I also left her a phone message to which she never responded. She did cash my cheque very quickly though. Hopefully, I'm just being somewhat horrible and really she is just a very busy person.

For some inspiration I watched Philip Treacy's 2003 couture show on his website. http://www.philiptreacy.co.uk/ It was that show all inspired by pop art. I love the Andy Warhol hair hat but, the photographic image stuff didn't excite me as head wear.

Last night I finished off this fascinator. It's very tame in comparison!

I used chicken feathers from my parents’ birds. A while back the roosters where being roosters, and waking the entire neighbourhood, so in they had to go. It was always known that they'd have to go so, it wasn't too sad. They were very beautiful birds, so in that respect they will be missed. I think killing them wasn't so easy, as my parents decided to snap the necks instead of chopping their heads off. Supposedly, it's more humane and easier. I'm not sure about that.

Anyway, I asked for the feet too but, I never got them. I think my parents may have thought I was kidding when I mentioned chicken foot brooches.

Rave about it.

I've been off knitting in the wilds of Cornwall. I'm not sure where Pony has been.

Currently I'm working on a cardigan from this old Fleisher's Sweater Book:

It's just a black cardigan made with this knobbly "fiesta" yarn made by Texere Yarns. It's 100% wool and was bloody cheap at about £2 for 1 cone. I think it's 100 grams per cone. Definitely look at their website texereyarns.co.uk.

I also finally sign up to Ravelry. So far, I'm not really using the forums but, I have been looking. through patterns and checking out what other people have been making.

This Sunday is craft day. Yay!

Foxy.

More, more, more.

Oh my. I just love cherries. These lovely little bags are made out of this sweet cherry vinyl Mr. Man picked out at the local fabric shop.

I've been sort of racing to get stuff together for Christmas. With my family not being in England I've got to get this stuff out early.

I drew up the pattern for these and then made them out of photo printed vinyl, cotton lining cloth and 7 inch zips.

Let's get Purse-onal

I drew up the pattern for these little purses the other day. Then, while I was at my boot making course on Wednesday night (by the way the boots are coming along very well but, who knew it would take so long to put them together! It’s partially down to the fact that there are way too many people in my class all vying for the teacher’s attention and direction. I’m not sure I’d take another course at LFC because the classes do feel a little over crowded. Anyway, back to Wednesday night.) I found some bits of scrap leather hanging around. I took it home with me and made up these purses.
They have cowboy style pearl snaps and colored stitching for a bit of flair.

I know it's only November but, I am trying to get together an arsenal of goodies for the impending holiday. These would make quite nice little gifts. Even better if I stuff them with some of the jewellery I’ve been making. I’ve spent a bomb at The Bead Shop in Covent Garden recently. Eek.

Foxy.

Danny Glover.

Well, I started on a new pair of gloves. These ones are also being knit on two needles but are done on smaller needles and are mostly done in stockinette stitch.

These are for my Mr. Man though the pattern is actually a vintage ladies glove pattern. Now, he by no means has little lady hands, so I had to increase the size of the needles. The rest of it is custom. Each finger is knit as long or short as you need it to be.

This is the pattern:
http://www.knitting-and.com/wiki/Bon_Voyage_Gloves_%28Vintage%29

I decided to fore go the cables and just casted on 54 stitches on 2.75mm needles and knitted in a rib pattern of k3, p3 for 20 rows. Then I started with the ‘commence the thumb gusset’ part of this pattern.

As a side note, I went to go buy more of the Jaeger wool that I had started these gloves in. They didn’t have any at John Lewis. When I asked one of the ladies who works there where the Jaeger wool had gone to she informed me that they are no longer making wool. Oh my! I bought some Debbie bliss stuff that is the right size and color but it is softer than the Jaeger I was using. Oh well.

After I finish these I’m thing about doing another pair, with an intarsia knit pattern in them. I thought it would be great to have snake gloves!

Foxy.

The dress that came too late.

This was supposed to be my Halloween dress. Not a costume but just a dress for Halloween. Is that odd? I dunno. It seemed right at the time. Anyway, I started cutting it out before Halloween and soon realized that I did not have enough fabric. My bf bought me this fabric from some random fabric store he saw one day in some neither region of London. Meaning, I couldn't get anymore from him.

I looked on ebay and found what I thought was the same fabric. Ordered it and waited. When it arrived and I noticed it was the same print but a totally different fabric. Err. I decided that I wouldn't let that ruin the spirit of Halloween, even though it had already passed, and I soldiered on.

The new fabric was much stiffer than the old one. I think, it probably wasn't quite right for this dress. I mean, one arm on it is seriously puffy. But, overall it's not so noticeable.

The pattern itself is a vintage Betsey Johnson Pattern. I love Betsey. I'm in the shop so much that the girls that work there know me. Maybe I shouldn't admit that but, my love of all things Betsey has given me even more joy about my new creation. Oh yes. This dress rocks.

Get Together Craftily November 2008

Here is the flyer for the next one:

There may be some gingerbread house action going on and maybe some wreath making!

Found! and then some

Well, my lovely scarf has been found. Yay! It's been hiding out at The Boogaloo. No doubt it was a nice bed for Starsky and Hutch. (the pubs lovely cats) I've not seen it yet though, as Hanna picked it up for me. Hopefully, we'll be reunited tomorrow.

Monday was Jim's b-day and I baked him his favorite cake. A chocolate chestnut torte. MMM!

It's so so good. There is no flour in it though the recipe says to flour your baking pan. I ground up some almonds and used those instead. Fierce.

This is similar to the recipe that I used:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CHOCOLATE-CHESTNUT-TORTE-13203

I didn't put any rum or brandy in, my recipe called for brandy. Maybe I should have cause Jim would have liked that but, I like it better without. I also just made the icing out of some more melted dark chocolate and a tablespoon of butter. Actually, it's probably worth mentioning that I used Lindt 70% dark chocolate bars for this one. A little expensive but, very good. I've made this with Nestles choc chips once before too and it was still darn good.

Foxy.

Lost!

I lost my diagonal knit scarf. Damn! I think it was this weekend but, I'm just not sure where it could be. What a bummer. It hurts that much more when you actually knit it! Err.

What have you been up to?

We were out celebrating Halloween! And making a few things too.

I made these orange gloves from the remnants of my jack o lantern teapot cozy. My friend Rosie said that if I knit a mask out of the same yarn that I could have been The Thing (Fantastic Four) for Halloween. Too right!

Then I decided to try these in a different color:

I am officially on a glove knitting kick. These are both the from the same pattern but adapted to the smaller gauge needles that I wanted to work on. It's that Urban Rustic Glove that is up over on knitty.com The pattern is a little funny. I've got a few random holes that I'm not sure about. I think a more furry or chunky type of yarn would suit this better, though the gloves already fell quite chunky on. The woman who designed them did it with a multicolored yarn. Maybe I'll try that next.

Foxy.