Catching up!

I've spent this week trying to catch up with all the 'other' work that I had, so I can be the artist for the month. One of the last jobs is a set of hats for a friend. She bought one, black with buttons that she's ordered four more, in the colours of her choice.

As you can see they're a fairly simple hat, it's the embellishments that make it a little different. I've had fun playing around, so much so, I might just make some for the stall.

Oh, and if you say there's only three, she already has one, it is Winter!

Sponge cake hat

Some relief from the weather. It's a bit cooler and is only getting up to 37deg C today.........

I did realise, yesterday, that I hadn't shown you the sponge cake hat. Well....

Remember this.

I turned it into this.

Then I did this, as well.

I decided I wanted to knit a sponge cake hat.

I have a very old pattern, early 50's, late 40's, which I've used before which uses stocking st and reverse stocking stitch to create layers, and has a very flat top. So I thought I would use that to create this hat.

I love it. It's just what I wanted and is suitably fun and suitably practical. It's now for sale on Etsy, as is the very large skein of the slubby stuff.

The tale of the fractal hat

This fractal spinning is strangely addictive. However, this time I wanted to change a few of the parameters.

1. Big blocks of colour that I wouldn't need to work too hard to split, and I hoped would show up the effect gained by all that splitting.



2. Thick spinning. To be honest, I just wanted to spin something that wouldn't take too long. I ended up with a yarn at 4wpi, and it was quick!







3. I actually wanted to make something with the resulting yarn, just to see what happens.

So I spun my yarn, and I knit a hat. I just love it. It sits very nicely, even though this is just a bit small for me. That's OK, because I have a big head....and yes, I've heard all the comments about that one.......

So a lovely couple of days spent making this and I've got most of the second skein left over. Just don't know quite what to do with it.




On the inspiration front, I am kicking myself as I missed the opening of the RMIT Studio Textiles and Screen Print Graduate Exhibition last night. (Don't know how, as I've been carrying the invite around with me all week) I will be going, just not sure when. It's always inspiring and you get to see really innovative and new work. If you can, go!

Unfold - RMIT Studio Textiles and Screen Print Design Graduate Exhibition
28th November - 19th December
Counihan Gallery in Brunswick
233 Sydney Road, Brunswick.
Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 5pm
Sunday 1pm to 5pm

PS I've added the blogs of people I know to my front page. There are regular and irregular bloggers and I like them all.

Objects

Yes, another hat. I think it's the last for the moment. I must get back to the weaving. Still not well, but it is Monday.

This one has a button on the back and the wool I used is the dyed commercial and the handspun of different unusual fibres. The colour does not photograph well and is really a lovely soft red.

I have also been reading one of my favourite magazines. I've purchased it twice, the first being lost somewhere between the coffee shop, supermarket and home.

This issue looks at artist' studios. Not the Vogue living studio, but real ones with mess and work and inspiration. Love looking at them. This New Zealand jeweller is amazing. Wouldn't you love a rock?

More hats

I have been having way too much fun knitting another hat, and starting on another one. Still not feeling well, so planting myself in the lounge with my yarn, not having to think too much is just what I need.

This one starts the same as before, but every third row I do four increases, (one for each end of both sides?) as I still consider that I'm basically knitting a flat piece.

I am using my picker yarn and am very happy with the result. I just did as much as one skein would allow and the last row was both 'sides' cast off together.

I'm going to add dangling buttons to this. I think all might end up with buttons. Everyone loves buttons.....should collect more....

Ailing hats

I'm not feeling very well, sore throat and headachy. I tried weaving but my heart wasn't in it, so I decided to knit a hat.

These are easy, just cast on the required number of stitches, knit for as long as you feel like, a rib band is nice to start with, then cast off.

This is a little big but still sits nicely on the head. I'm going to add buttons to the corners for a bit of added weight.

Variations are endless. Really making it long, increasing to make it more triangular....

House cleaning today!