Sometimes a knit or crochet scarf could do with a little something extra, and a classic fringe is an easy addition which suits many different styles of scarf, wrap, or shawl. The method I’m going to take you through below involves making ring hitch knots with a crochet hook, which I’m demonstrating on my cabled Melisma Scarf. This is a simple and secure method with plenty of options for customisation.
Read MoreIt's Makealong time!
I've teamed up with nine other knit and crochet designers and five indie dyers to produce a collection of summer accessory patterns, the Progress, Hope, and Happiness collection. My contribution is the Budburst shawl, a profusion of leafy lace in a pretty speckled yarn which was dyed specially for the occasion (you can find out all about it in my previous post).
One of the designers, Denise Voie de Vie, created a beautiful look book for the collection. You can read about the inspiration behind the event and our journey in putting it all together on Denise's blog here and here. The designs are individually published by each designer, but you can see the whole collection here on Ravelry: Progress, Hope, and Happiness Designs.
I'm co-hosting a Makealong on Ravelry for these designs from June 1st to July 16th, complete with prizes and even some surprises. I hope you'll join us!
These are a few of my favourites from the collection (all links are to Ravelry pattern pages):
Breeze of Happiness by Tanja Osswald
Dusk On TheMoor Shawl by Solène Le Roux
Chiguroo by Lana Jois
From Dusk To Dawn by Christelle Nihoul
This has been so cool to be a part of, and the Makealong is just beginning! Hope to see you over in the Ravelry group. :)
Ombré crochet: How to make a gradient square
I've started a new 'relaxation project'! I really like having something uncomplicated to work on when I want to pay attention to conversations/tv or when I'm tired - I'm all for multiple works-in-progress with a variety of techniques and difficulty levels.
I'm making another crochet blanket, this time made up of squares which I'll seam together later. In each square, the colours will radiate from dark-to-light or light-to-dark, alternating like a chessboard.
Read MoreUp for a crafting challenge?
Like any popular website with a big social element, Ravelry has its own traditions and special events. One of my favourites is Ravelry’s Ravellenic Games, held every two years to coincide with the winter or summer Olympics.
Ravellenics participants choose one or more projects that will be a personal challenge, and try to finish before the closing ceremony. The next Games are coming up in a few weeks beginning on the 5th of August, so if this sounds like fun you still have time to pick your projects. Joining a team is optional, but definitely adds to the fun in my opinion!
Last time around I crocheted a great big rainbow blanket (link to Ravelry project page):
I'm still super proud of it, and it's fantastic to have a real wool lap blanket in the lounge when it gets cold.
This time, I'm going to go big again and knit a Blank Canvas sweater (Ravelry link). It's DK-weight, with 3/4 sleeves, and using a pattern I've knit before, so it shouldn't be impossible to finish in two-and-a-bit weeks (I hope). But it will still be a stretch for me, since I usually take ages to finish a garment. My plan is to halt all design-related knitting during the Games and concentrate on making myself a new comfy jersey. :)
Swatching ahead of time is encouraged (by analogy to 'training' for an event), so I've begun my quest to get my gauge correct. This is my first swatch in Madelinetosh Longrider DK, which I need to undo and knit again on smaller needles:
Wish me luck!
A rainbow of lace
Well, my Indie Gift-A-Long knitting is off to a slow start. I somehow sprained my right index finger (don't worry, it's nearly better now!), so I've had a frustrating week of trying not to knit or use my laptop too much.
One slight silver lining was that I finally found time to watch some Craftsy class videos. I'm now in the middle of Miriam Felton's 'Lace Shawl Design' class, and I'm getting some new insights into how lace works. I'm looking forward to the 'fixing mistakes' video, a subject dear to my heart! Here's a Craftsy affiliate link to the class if you're interested: Lace Shawl Design
I clearly have lace on the brain, because I soon found myself browsing through lace patterns on Ravelry. Here's a selection, all by fellow GAL designers - some are more complex, some more simple, most are knitted, one is crocheted, some have texture, some have beads. There were so many that caught my eye, I started narrowing them down by colour, and a rainbow happened (links are to Ravelry pattern pages):
When The Leaves Fall by Lily Go
And for one final bit of lace, check out this amazing yarn-bombed tree! It's part of Yarn Corner's series of tree-cosies in Melbourne's City Square, all with a Christmas theme. The others were cool, but this one really wowed me, especially since I don't see much knitted lace yarnbombing around. The red and green striped under-layer sets off the lovely lace patterns beautifully. <3
