Rambles Around Knitting Today and Yesterday

Rambles Around Knitting Today and Yesterday

Wednesday, 29 December 2010

The yellow brick road

Finally! the first recreation of an old family favourite is complete just in time for Christmas 2010 and a perfect fit for our youngest grand son, baby George, aged 10 months. This brings the simple brick pattern which my Grandma used to knit for us down through five generations and lives which span across three centuries. This is like the one I was wearing in the 1950's photo on my earlier post “Down by the Sea”.

Looking at it with my sister she was relieved I had been able to complete it with just two yarns remembering how when yarn was in short supply after the second world war, the brick pattern jumpers might be randomly completed in different colours if enough of the original could not be found.

George’s jumper was put together from five strands of machine coned yarn wound together. The exact fibre content is debateable as both colours were remnants from a job lot acquisition.  I don’t think either the brown or the quite lustrous camel is natural fibre but they have combined into a soft but fairly dense fabric, making a nice cosy jumper.

After a few false starts the simple slip stitch pattern was really easy as you only have to carry one colour across at any time and the alternate colour comes up the edge. There are loads of possible variations but if you would like to see how I did this one click the knitting stitch pattern tab to see the stitch pattern I used.

Sunday, 12 December 2010

The house that Jack built tea cosy - charity auction for Crisis at Christmas 2010

The house that Jack built
Its just so cold out there! The thought of people having to sleep rough outdoors is really worrying. When the Crisis at Christmas leaflet came through the door, gently floating on a stream of warm centrally heated air it really struck a cord. Crisis can offer a lot more than Christmas dinner to the homeless if they have the funds they can offer a real turning point and direction to a better future too. I thought I would put something together to auction as an EBay.for charity item.

I quite like making tea cosies as a way of using up smaller bits and pieces in applique and patchwork but I have never knitted one. Thinking on a housing theme, memories of those odd "Tudor" cottage patterns you used see in Woolcraft sprang to mind. I'm rather fond of nursery rhymes too... next thing I know  I'm making "The house that Jack built" -  what a lot of characters!

Anyway this turned out be lots of fun. I've had a go at felting or strictly speaking "fulling" a big strip of  loosely knitted Shetland wool into a thick mat  for the walls, I've taken up the warmest seat in our house right between the radiator and my knitting machine to make the roof, got out my fabric paints and done some free embroidery on a sewing machine. I added one of my little designs on leather for the cock that crowed in the morn.

It's up for grabs now, the auction ends Sunday 19th DecItem number: 290511734935 Fingers crossed  it will find a new home and the proceeds will help some one out of the miserable cold this Christmas. A perfect present for "the hard to buy for because they already have everything they need"

The damsel all forlorn has perked up no end since she got kissed by the man all tattered and torn!

cheers
Woolley Facade