22 Jun 1942, Northern Ireland, UK --- It may seem a bit unusual for soldiers to be knitting on "tiny garments," but it does help to pass the time, and these US soldiers stationed somewhere in Northern Ireland, Corporal Robert Cozad, (left) of Red Oak, Iowa, and Private Manny Hamburger, of Des Moines, Iowa, find it a particularly useful hobby for their off duty hours. The boys are good, too! --- Image by � Bettmann/CORBIS
Knitting Nancys (a.k.a. French knitters, knitting nobbies, spool knitters, etc.) have become something of an obsession for me this week. I’ve been thinking about what …
Almost a shame to unravel these skeins of one-off handspuns, and knit them into garments; I sigh with appreciation each time I wind one off. Of course the acknowledgement of the wonder of the material is part of the process, so is the loopiness that creeps in when working long hours solely.
I get a lot of questions about why I`m not pursuing being published in a mainstream magazine. My main reason at this point is that I`m very deadline resistant. Two corporate jobs in my past had extremely tight time lines. I hope to get over this eventually but since I`m in charge here, I`m in no hurry. As for the online magazines, a designer told me that she has done better long term with self-publishing vs. online magazines. She`s not sure why but perhaps people don`t go back as much to older issues? She also feels that traditional magazines are likely to be a different customer base than online, I'm not so sure about that one. Part of the problem with all of this is that it's just opinion. Profits are so narrow in the Knitting industry that there is not a lot of market research going on. I recently worked on a magazine submission because I was given a very long time line for it but I discovered a few things during the process. Having an external time line changes the rhythm of the work. I'm not free to shift gears and explore new ideas as they come up in the way I normally do. I know this slows down my production but it also increases my creativity. I often work on several projects at a time as a way of "cleansing my palette". I find the off time from a project often allows my brain to work on solutions in the background and I come up with better ideas, both design related and technical solutions. Holding my own copyright is an issue for me. The pattern I did has copyright reverting back to me in 6 months so in this case it is not a barrier. I like collaborating with others but on the other hand some aesthetic decisions are changed to accommodate another persons vision, which may or may not improve the work. Ultimately it's just that the work is not totally true to me (maybe I'm a design diva?). The design has to be held to a preset level of difficulty, therefore details of construction may be changed to meet that standard. Most designs can be technically executed in more than one way. Normally, I just pick the one I think is best for that particular project and then assign level of difficulty based on what I did not the other way around. Having worked with more than one tech editor I can guarantee that they don't all agree on what makes a pattern beginner, intermediate or advanced. It's a difficult target to hit at the best of times. There is also the extra detail of conforming to their template, which may or may not be clear, as every tech editor also has different standards that don't always agree with the publication's standards. Traditional publishing also has space as a limiting factor. That means a lot more abbreviations and the possibility that the stitch patterns may be written or charted but maybe not both. When I self publish I often use both formats. It also means less detail is given to the Knitter. Advanced Knitter's may prefer this but others may appreciate more detail. Any thoughts?
A beautiful and unusual yarn crafted by Japan artisans. The stainless steel core is wrapped with a fine silk to give us a lace yarn which has a memory from the stainless steel! You can scrunch your finished fabric, twist it, and it will stay as is until you straighten it. Use it to give a gentle crinkly effect or a soft three dimensional finish to your handmade creation. Available in stunning colours our Silk Stainless Steel yarn has a very elegant sheen and lustre. There is a gentle softness too – surprisingly there is no stiffness from the stainless steel. Use Habu Silk Stainless Steel yarn to create a scarf, shawl, jacket, jewelry and textile art. 1 cone will make a large scarf. Or use it together with another yarn. Stainless Steel wrapped with Silk Strong and soft Crafted by small mills in Japan using traditional techniques The video shows the first sleeve of a lacy top which is knitted in stockinette stitch with randomly placed cables. We use 6mm needles and colour is Tea #5. The knitted fabric has wonderful body and will move against you naturally forming waves and crinkles. We love the lettuce leaf finish of the edges too. She is a stunner! I am using the Sea Tangles pattern by Kie Zuraw and available on Ravelry. The Blue sample shown is knitted in shade Sky using 5.0mm needles. Find out all the details about this scarf here Tin Roof Scarf. The Details 69% silk / 31% stainless steel Weight: 14gm / 0.5oz Length: 284m / 311 yards Thickness: approx 0.5mm / 0.02 in Lace Knitting needle: approx 2.75 – 4.0m / US 2-6 Suggested epi for weaving: 20 – 30 Habu Textiles A-20 Dyed with AZO-free dyes - eco-friendly and non-toxic Nice to Know All ORA orders are packed in a gorgeous unbleached, calico drawstring bag All ORA yarns are stored away from the sunlight and in a pet free and smoke free environment Care Dry clean or hand wash
I am still trying my hand at different medieval crafts. So I came across Nålebinding or needle binding. Needle binding is the precursor of knitting & crocheting. With knitting & crocheting you are using loops to form a fabric. With needle binding on the other hand you are using more or less complicated knots. For
My husband and I are mostly unpacked since moving into our new apartment this past fall, but it was only recently that we started the process of hanging up our art and photographs. We realized we have a lot of empty wall space! This includes my office/craft room. I finally…
Playing with color in knitting is all fun and games until you have dozens of tails to weave in. Learn how to weave in ends as you go!
Created by the Italian yarn arts group Sul filo dell'arte, I've been watching this breathtaking project unfold for awhile now and although I'm not entirely sure where it's headed or if it's complete - ie, is the plan to recreate the full piece in yarn? - there is enough completed that I'd like to share.
This is an in-progress piece from crochet genius Jo Hamilton, and I love it so much as it is. Everyone needs a (tad creepy) crochet mask for dance parties, right? LINK: JO HAMILTON
15 Weird Knit Gifts More Uncomfortable Than a Wool Sweater
Habu - 50% linen, 50% nylon
The male prisoners of the Pre-Release Unit in Jessup, Maryland knit hats and dolls for children in need.
Herczeg Ágnes a csipke finomságát fával ötvözi munkáiban.
DOROTHY LIEBES Dorothy Liebes was an American Textile Designer who pioneered modern weaving. Her weaving was particularly remarkable due to the unusual materials which she used, including wood, plas…
We’re head over (squeaky-clean) heels for our Corner-To-Corner Washcloths! One-of-a-kind and cheerful, yes, but behind…
The last few months (since September) I've done quite a bit of nalbinding and finishing old projects. Finnish Stitch 3+3 pouch from Imperial Tracie Too sport weight yarn. (My Ravelry project page for the pouch has general instructions for making your own.) Finnish Stitch 3+3 mittens from handspun yarn - mixed batts from Moonrover and SD Natural Colored Wool Rådmansö Stitch hat from Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky yarn Hand Warmers from Finnish Stitch 3+3 Stitch done with Imperial Yarns Tracie Too sport weight. Currently I'm working on a circular vest, inspired by the crochet pattern for the Pinwheel Sweater. Simply doing Oslo stitch to have more drape than the thicker stitches that use more loops. General crochet conversion instructions and tips for this vest are in my Ravelry project page. Has it really been that long since I posted last? Eghads! Well, to make up for that, I've updated the site quite a bit - new look, added a calendar of classes that I'm teaching, and a list of classes I have ready to go (I've had several inquiries lately and I thought this might help). (Update 12/28 - added in links to the project pages for the pouch and vest, since I'd has questions on them. The project pages have general directions for these projects, if you'd like to try to make them too.) What projects are you working on lately?
One reason I love fiber art so much! #knitting #fiberart #history
Cocon, fossile textile, carapace, trésor archéologique ou canular botanique, les créations Camille Dupuis parodient la nature comme les objets du
Ana Rosa ift.tt/17dqXVM
Carol Milne is a pioneer in the field of knitted glass. She says, “I see my knitted work as metaphor for social structure. Individual strands are weak and brittle on their own, but deceptively strong when bound together.
Explore our easy knitting patterns for beginners that are sure to hone your skills without being too intimidating.
I'm about ready to separate the arms from the body and have done the merge from the Spicery Shetland to this patchwork handspun. It required 2 tries but is now a nice transition. Still not totally sure about the funnel neck's flattering abilities, but it's not hemmed yet.
I absolutely love this Christmas Knitting Bingo card designed by Andi at Untangling Knots. Inspired by her Knitting in Public Bingo, which is also really awesome, she developed a new card for last-…
It wasn’t until I figured how to knit a hole into a spool-knit tube (see Spool Knit Wrist Warmer) that I realized that a spool knitter could be used to knit a flat panel. Why it took me so lo…
Habu Textiles I had the unexpected pleasure in August of dropping in on a Habu Textiles Trunk Show at Websters in Ashland, Oregon. On my way back home from meeting Debbie Bliss in Portland, I stopped in at Websters. Websters is always a must stop for me anytime we are travelling Interstate 5 between California and Oregon. I generally stop in for a Louisa Harding fix but this time it was all about Habu! Habu Trunk Show It was definitely a Habu weekend at Websters. Too bad I missed the party the night before my visit. There was a sushi party and book signing for Ori Ami Knits. Takako Ueki The best part of the Habu Trunk Show was meeting Habu Textiles owner, Takako Ueki. I had the pleasure of chatting with her and her friend Darlene Hayes of Nature's Palette for quite a while. Takako was born in Japan. She originally opened her Habu Textiles Showroom in New York City in 2000 for showcasing her beautiful hand woven textiles. Today she imports very unique yarns, like fine silk stainless steel yarns, from Japan. Curious me, I asked Takako what Habu translated to. She told me that it can be translated like this: ""ha" means the number 8 for lucky and the word "bu" means fabric. Lucky me for meeting her! Knitting with Stainless Steel? Kusha Kusha Scarf As a knitter, I had heard about Habu yarns for quite some time and "that" scarf you knit with stainless steel! It wasn't until I saw the Kusha Kusha scarf in person that I instantly became a Habu convert. That's the beauty of going to Trunk Shows. You get to see and touch the garments and yarns. Since I am not a big garment knitter I decided to start with the popular Kusha Kusha scarf designed by Setsuko Torii. I chose a tea leaf colored green merino to knit with the silk stainless in black. I named my scarf Sencha because it looks just like the color of my favorite Japaneses green tea. I started my scarf and it's an easy project. You combine and knit the two yarns together. The yarns are very fine and slippery so it takes a while to get in the "zen" to knit this scarf. I am on my way now and can't wait to finish the knitting so I can felt it. Once it is completed you gently felt in a sink of warm water and then it transforms into a beautiful work of Japanese art. I can't wait! Felted Shawl Kit -73 I was so enamored with Habu Textiles that I ordered Kit -73 to knit a Habu Felted Shawl. My kit finally arrived yesterday. Takako helped me select the colors for my shawl. Of course, it is a blue merino combined with black silk stainless steel. This pattern is the same process as Setsuko's Kusha Kusha scarf only on a larger scale. My Habu Felted Shawl is going to be a stunner...so I better get to knitting! PS: I'm not the only fan of Habu Textiles, Martha Stewart is,too. You can read more about the Habu Textiles Showroom on Martha Stewart.com.
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For many years, Annemieke Mein's art was dismissed as craft, but now the textile artist's work is the feature of a major exhibition celebrating the work she has created throughout her lifetime.
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