Work of Our Hands2011

Triangles within Triangles ShawlBarb Scott

Pattern source: Heartstring Fibre ArtsMaterials: Knit Picks Shine Sport, 60% Pima Cotton/40%

Modal, colour Hollyberry.The storyThis shawl was made in the spring of 2011,using an online class at Needlecraft University..

This was my first lace project so instead of frustrating myself by using a lace weight or fingering weight yarn, I chose a sport weight cotton so that I could more easily see the stitches (and more easily frog them when necessary!!) and so that it would work up more quickly. Other than some issues in wrapping my brain around the chart repeats involved in knitting a top down triangular shawl, it went well and I am thrilled with the results. It took about 3 months to complete this project and I really enjoy wearing it.

Transverse Noro CardiganLesley Melliship

Designer:Anne Weaver

Pattern Source: Interweave Knits, Spring 2010

Materials: Noro KureyonThe yarn was purchased with a gift certificate to my favourite yarn store from my 3 sonsIt took about 4 months to completeThe pattern is knit side to side, which allows the Noro yarn to stripe vertically.

Modifications : Made the sleeves full-length instead of 3/4 length.I wanted it to be hip length, so had to add stitches to both sides

A bit of a challenge with the Noro keeping the striping in sequence - had to rip back the left front and re-knit so that when it joined the back the colours would be continuous.Found 2 great big buttons to finish it off

Patchwork ShawlRochelle Ribeiro

Designer:

PatternSource:

Sabine Schopf

Wollzauber 01/2010

Materials:Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball

The story:I started with 3 balls of Zauberball crazy and then ran out of before the end so I had to get a 4th ball. Now I've started anotehr one with another colour of Zauberall Crazy.

JOSEPH'S COAT OF MANY COLOURSJulia Bryant

The story:Tunisian crochet poncho, design based on an afghan pattern in Woman's Day Magazine over 30 years agoYarn from my stashWhen I had made up some of the squares for the afghan, I decided it was too nice to put on my bed, so added strips and made it into a poncho.This started my passion for colour inlay in Tunisian crochet, and I then wanted to make a sweater, but found there were no patterns out there so had to start designing my own. The rest is history!

Tiger LilyPat Eldridge

Designer: Mary Ann StephensMaterials: All jumper weight yarn from my stash

and 3mm needles. There are 5 orangy/gold background colours in the main motif with the pattern worked in pale peach. The bottom bands are worked in a rust/ brown/green combination.

Tiger Lily – The Story “Looks great in the golden late afternoon light of a fall afternoon”

I started with a border done in multi-colour garter stitch with a simple colour pattern. (This pattern was stolen from Alice Starmore’s ‘Firebirds’ design.) With the rumply texture, I like to think of the band as a little ‘rock garden’ framing the lilies. To effect a fitted garment I decreased stitches through the waist area at the two side ‘seams’ and increased again through the bust area. I also added underarm gussets for ease of movement.

When I commenced picking up stitches around the sleeve I was absolutely astounded to find that I had actually misplaced the under arm gussets. They are half a pattern toward the front rather than equidistant between front and back. Fortunately this is not very noticeable.

Vintage SuitIrene Reed

A knitted suit I made 25 - 30 years ago It was a Jacobsdale Pattern and their wool .

I thought of it the night Shirl was here talking about old patterns. I'am surprised I can still

get into it. Its a nice colour of purple ,to bad suit wouldn't come back in style.The

skirt is all ribbing and the jacket has some cable detail.

Aoelian ShawlJudith Hanninen

Designer: Elizabeth Freeman

Materials: Estelle Super Alpaca Lace Paints, and over 2000 seed beads

Took 6 Months to make, and surprisingly quite easy to make, no rip outs, as all the patterns fall over one another easy to see boo boos.

A little tedious towards the end as there were almost 1000 stitches at the end, but really enjoyed this one and will do it again.

Pine Tree Palatine ScarfWendy Mauzeroll

Designer: Galina Khmeleva

Pattern source: The Gossamer Webs Design Collection

Materials: Grignasco Merinosilk yarnThe story:I began the project as a knit along in September 2009. This was my first lace project but I was assured that with the support I would be able to handle it. Although it took almost 2.5 years I did finally finish the shawl and in the process learned a lot about lace work.

Six months into the project (about 1/3 of the way through) I came to the realization that I was half way through my 1400 yards and I was never going to make it to the end. I was faced with three choices - either adjust the pattern by removing repeats (which I felt would ruin the shawl), stop the project all together (which I was loath to do) or find more of the yarn somewhere. ... I was in a panic until I thought of all of the yarn stashes posted on Ravelry. I thought if I could find someone with it in their stash I could convince them to sell it to me. I found two knitters with the yarn in the exact dye lot – both were in the Netherlands. I was seriously considering buying from them and having it shipped here but I decided to contact someone in Montreal who had the yard but had not indicated the dye lot. Happily she had the same dye lot but she didn’t want to sell as she already had a project in mind for it. After checking around to see if she could find it anywhere else without success she took sympathy on me and agreed to sell me half of her ball.

Entrelac ScarfBarb Scott

Designer:

Materials:

Kate Atherley

Noro Silk Garden 45% Silk, 45% Kid Mohair, 10% Lamb’s Wool.

The story:Entrelac has always fascinated me and after several failed attempts to figure it out on my own, I took a class from the amazing Kate Atherley. I love the enterlac process so much that I have two more scarves on the needles for gifts. This one is MINE!

Beaded pin and braceletFlo Flory

Designer: Flo Flory

Materials: Farfalle beads

This isFlo Flory`s newest project. The picture shows a bracelet and pendant/pin. What is interesting is that these items are knit with farfalle beads. These beads are peanut shaped and add another dimension to the item.

Designer:Pattern source:

Materials:

Elaine Eskesen “Silk Knits” (2007, Martingale & Co).Noro Silk Garden

The story:I bought this book at the Creative Festival one year, specifically because I liked the look of the vest. It was very easy to knit. The only thing I would change is how to make the armholes. The pattern calls for using waste yarn to hold the stitches, but it would have been easier to use a stitch holder. This garment blocked beautifully. It has the advantage of being worn 2 ways as you can see in the pictures.

Circle VestLorna Aitkens

Designer:Pattern source:

Elaine Eskesen “Silk Knits” (2007, Martingale & Co).

Materials:Noro Silk Garden

Wearing it the other way!

Circle VestLorna Aitkens

CamisoleJudith Hanninen

Pattern source: Bergere de France

Materials: Esterelle - 100% Mercerized cotton

Took 3 months to make, had a terrible time sizing and ripped it out 3 times to get it right.

Really comfortable, worth the effort.

Felted Mittens with Fur CuffsBarb Scott

Patern source: TLC Yarn website

Materials: Patons Classic Wool andLyon Brand Fun Fur

This was my first attempt at felting and my mittens turned out perfectly! I know they are going to keep my hands toasty warm this winter.

Shadow ShawlRochelle Ribeiro

Designer:

Materials:

Maureen Mason-Jamieson

Two skeins of Zitron Trekking XXl and two skeins of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine

The story:I had no difficulty with the increases. When I got to the decreases I had trouble remembering to decrease. I also had more trouble with the knits and purls on the wrong side rows after I started the decreases. I do love the pattern though and when I have more time I hope to make another one.

Shaded JacketIrene Reed

Designer:

Materials:

Laura Bryant (Prism Yarns)

Lace Wool from Prism Yarns, two different of different variegated yarns( Col A @ B )

The story:

To give the shaded effect You start with 3 strands of A then change to 2A and 1B, then 1A and 2 B and finally 3 B. It was a fun thing to knit and watch the colours change. It has a crocheted edging around it to finish it off.

Swing JacketJudy Ponsford

Pattern source: Cabin Fever

Yarn used: Buffalo wool

The Cabin Fever swing coat is knit with white buffalo wool. White buffalo wool is 6 strands thick. Judy split it into two strands to knit this lovely, thick, and warm jacket

Katherine of Aragon PulloverPat Eldridge

Designer: Alice Starmore

Pattern source:Tudor Roses

Materials: Jumper weight yarn from Pat's stash in 15 shades of blue-greens, red-rusts and purples for the background, plus seven pale shades for the foreground. (3mm needles)

Katherine of Aragon – The Story I’m happy with my results

I knit this sweater previously in 2001 as half of a wedding gift. That sweater followed the designer’s palette a little more closely. It called for gold tones where I have magenta-plum tones on this one. This sweater is a Christmas gift for my sister and we picked some of the colours together. I worked duplicate stitch in cream over the Surf Blue border pattern.

Starmore presented cardigan and tunic versions of ‘Katherine’ and both of my projects incorporate the motifs I like from each of her versions and omits the motif I wasn’t fond of. My first Katherine followed the classic construction as given in the pattern with the dropped sleeves. Now that I have worked a number of Fair Isles, I have entirely stopped using dropped sleeve construction. I much prefer working a bit of a sleeve cap at the top of sleeves.

Garter Stitch JacketJudy Ponsford

Pattern source: 1934 Vogue pattern

Materials: Fibranatura 50% wool, 50% silk

The story: Judy took the vintage pattern and proved a classic shape and luxurious yarn are gorgeous even more than 75 years later.

Olive Heather SkirtMarie Houghton

Pattern Source: Knitting 24/7 by Veronique Avery

Yarn used: 3 balls Diamond Galway Heather

What a great skirt for $23.00!Modifications: Doubled height of waist band and used remnant yarn to do so rather than break into another ball for the sake of a few rows.Added two strands of elastic thread through the waist band as insurance against slippingAt blocking I just smoothed it out and let it dry as is rather than pinning 'hoping this would really solidify the negative ease Performance: So far there is no "seating" and I'm wearing a tight fitting body shaper rather than worrying about wearing a slip or fitting a lining to the skirt.

Ali SkirtRosemary Herman

Pattern Source BerrocoMaterials Noro Aya

Designer/Source: Gudrun Johnson/ Knitty Summer 2007Materials:Hempathy by Elsebeth Lavold (cotton, hemp, rayon)

The story:My intent was to make the skirt as long as possible… by using every bit of the full bag (10 balls) of yarn which I had purchased.I ran out with just 5 more rounds to complete.Cristina to the rescue!! She just happened to have this lovely Dark Linen colour of Hempathy in her stash. The dyelot was not the same… but certainly close enough.

The Hempathy yarn is not very sympathetic to work with… but after machine washing… the fabric is a delight to wear.The waistband is worked first, encasing the elastic… so that the garment can be tried on for fit as you progress. It’s a scallop-shaped pattern with increases on some of the scallop-shaping rounds. To make the skirt less revealing, Gudrun kept the yarn-over holes for the lower half of the skirt. These yarn-overs also provide some extra ventilation so that the skirt can comfortably be worn on hot summer days.

Hip in HempTamara Krievins (tamaralda on Ravelry)

MoebiusMillaisTamara Krievins (tamaralda on Ravelry)

Designer: Tamara Krievins

Materials: Louisa Harding Millais, Alessandra Filati Super Kid,Debbie Blisss Alpaca Silk Aran.

For this evening’s fashion show, Tamara is accenting her skirts with one of her favourite moebius wraps:

This version is knit in garter stitch using 2 strands of yarn held together: Louisa Harding Millais and Alessandra Filati Super Kid.

The crocheted edging is worked in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran yarn.

Good Karma Farmshort sleeve cardigan

Michelle Porter

King's HelmDenise Powell

Designer:

Materials:

Original pattern by Denise PowellCascade 220

Two garments that are part of a single patternThe King's Helm - a medieval helmet and aventail (chain mail neck guard) with built in crown

Viking HelmetDenise Powell

Designer:

Materials:

Original pattern by Denise PowellCascade 220

Two garments that are part of a single patternThe Viking Helmet - a more fanciful 'Viking" helmet with optional (and not historically correct!) horns, chin strap, and detachable beard.

Basic cardiMichelle Porter

VeneziaPat Eldridge

Designer: Eunny

Designer: Eunny Jang Pattern source: Interweave Knits Winter 2009.

Materials: Jumper weight from Pat's stash in 6 shades of blue-green for the background with white foreground and 3mm needles

Venezia – The story:My construction varied from the pattern. I started with a provisional cast-on so I could wait until the sweater was done before I decided how to finish the bottom. The original design was shaped to be close fitting, which I like. Frankly I didn’t try to plan out the shape in advance. I used the ‘try it on often and make it larger or smaller when you must’ procedure. When most of the body was complete I went back and decided I wanted additional length so I picked up the provisional cast on and worked downward.

I wasn’t happy with the bracelet length sleeves on the original, which were knit cuff up. After closing the shoulder seams I picked up stitches around the sleeve opening and shaped a small cap using knit/purl rows and wrapping the stitches when turning.

Sterling crochet mesh wrapMichelle Porter

SWIM SAID THE LITTLE FISHYJulia Bryant

The story:Tunisian crochet cardigan with knitted sleeves and bead design.4-ply crepe yarn from my stash, wooden beads. The bead motifs depict fish, waves and reeds.The body of the sweater was worked in strips which were then joined with a single crochet on the right side. The sleeves are knitted with a wavy lace design down the centre. The welts, cuffs and neck are worked in a twisted 2 x 2 rib, the front bands worked in single crochet.I really enjoy combining different techniques in one garment.

Swish SkirtTamara Krievins (tamaralda on Ravelry)

Designer: Josi Hannon Madera Yarn used: Yarn: Zoe (worsted weight: plant fibre / nylon)

The story:The finished garment is a wonderful souvenir of a wonderful vacation in California!!Josi is a stickler for fit: her patterns are custom-generated according to the measurements of the wearer.Negative-ease is necessary for the look and fit of the skirt – but there are also strategic increases and decreases for shaping in the tushie area.I thought that this skirt would be worn mainly for elegant / formal occasions… with proper hosiery and a delicate shoe.It has been a delightful surprise to be able to style the skirt with leggings, ballerina flats, and a denim jacket… for casual / informal wear.

Work of Our HandsThe End