Getting Ahead...

I'm part of the Knottigham Trent Knit Society committee this year at uni. For this term we decided to ease the work load between us and organise a couple of the evenings each which would mainly involved sourcing a pattern/theme. I had an idea to get the society involved in some charity work specifically for pancreatic cancer. I wrote up a few snood patterns to get the society members knitting and sourced enough purple yarn (most from uni but the rest off eBay). I went with as chunky as I could get to keep the knitting fairly speedy. We started the snoods on the 24th of Jan. After talking to the people at Pancreatic Cancer UK we decided that to sell them ourselves would be a lot easier, under the name "getting aHEAD of pancreatic cancer", so watch this space...

Yarn and leaflets



The beginnings of snoods!



My snood so far. This is the basket weave pattern knitted on 8mm needles. I'm hoping to knit at least one of each pattern! 

And here are the patterns..
I'd recommend using 8mm needles but one size larger or smaller would be fine. It's quite nice that the society members have used different size needles as no snood will end up the same and some of them did their own pattern too!

Moss Stitch Snood (easy)

1. Cast on 41 stitches
2. Row one: K1, *P1, K1; Repeat from the * to end of row
3. Repeat this row until snood is desired length, 90cms is enough to go around the neck, you can do double the length if you would like to wrap it around again.
4. Mattress stitch the two ends together to create a circle 

Double Moss Stitch Snood (slightly harder)

1. Cast on 41 stitches
2. Row one: K1, *P1, K1; repeat from the * to end of row
3. Row two: P1, *K1, P1; repeat from the * to end of row
4. Row three: same as row two
5. Row four: same as row one
6. Repeat these four rows until snood is desired length (same measurements as moss stitch snood)
7. Mattress stitch the two ends together to create a circle

Basket Weave Snood (slightly harder)

1. Cast on 38 stitches
2. Row one: knit
3. Row two: purl
4. Row three: K2, *P4, K2; repeat from * to end of row
5. Row four: P2, *K4 P2; repeat from * to end of row
6. Row five: same as row three
7. Row six: same as row four
8. Row 7: Knit
9. Row 8: Purl

10. Row 9: P3, *K2, P4; repeat from * to the last 5 stitches, K2, P3.

11. Row 10: K3, *P2, K4; repeat from * to the last 5 stitches, P2, K3.

12. Row 11: same as row 9

13. Row 12: same as row 10

14. Repeat these 12 rows until snood is desired length (same measurements as before)

15. Mattress stitch the two ends together to create a circle

Garter Slip Stitch Snood (quite hard)

1. Cast on 41 stitches
2. Row one: knit
3. Row two: knit
4. Row three: K1, *SL 1 purlwise, K1; repeat from * to end of row.
5. Row four: K1 *YF SL 1 purlwise, YB, K1; repeat from * to end of row.
6. Row five: knit
7. Row six: knit
8. Row seven: K2, *SL 1 purlwise, K1; repeat from * to the last stitch of the row, K1.
9. Row eight: K2, *YF SL 1 purlwise, YB, K1; repeat from * to the last stitch of the row, K1
10. Repeat these eight rows until piece measures at least 90cm.
11. Mattress stitch ends together to create a circle.

Double Cross Cable Snood (hard)

1. You will need a cable needle for this in the same size as the needles you are using.
2. Cast on 38 stitches. The cable is worked over 24 stitches on a background of reverse stocking stitch. 7 stitches will be purled before the cable is started and will finish with 7 purl stitches (for the front) the same applies to the back but the 7 stitches each side will be knitted. The rows shown are for the 24 stitch cable only, so don’t forget to knit or purl before you start each row.
3. Abbreviations you may need to know:

C8B(F): means cable 8 back (or front) to do this slip the next four stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the back (or front) of the work, knit the next four stitches from the left hand needle, then knit the stitches from the cable needle.

C5L: Means cross 5 left, to do this slip the next four stitches onto a cable needle and hold at the front of the work. Purl the next stitch on the left hand needle, then knit the four stitches from the cable needle.

C5R: Means cross 5 right, to do this slip the next stitch onto a cable needle and hold at the back of work. Knit the next four stitches from the left hand needle, then purl the stitch from the cable needle.

4. Row one: (right side) K4, P4, K8, P4, K4
5. Row two: P4, K4, P8, K4, P4.
6. Row three: K4, P4, C8B, P4, K4.
7. Row four: Same as the row two.
8. Row five: C5L, P2, C5R, C5L, P2, C5R.
9. Row six: K1, P4, (K2, P4) 3 times, K1.
10. Row seven: P1, C5L, C5R, P2, C5L, C5R, P1.
11. Row eight: K2, P8, K4, P8, P2.
12. Row nine: P2, C8B, P4, C8B, P2.
13. Row ten: Same as row eight.
14. Row eleven: P2, K8, P4, K8, P2.
15. Row twelve: Same as row eight
16. Row thirteen: Same as row nine
17. Row fourteen: Same as row eight
18. Row fifteen: P1, C5R, C5L, P2, C5R, C5L, P1.
19. Row sixteen: same as row six
20. Row seventeen: C5R, P2, C5L, C5R, P2, C5L.
21. Row eighteen: same as row 2
22. Row nineteen: same as row 3
23. Row twenty: same as row 2
24. Row twenty-one: same as row 1
25. Row twenty-two: same as row 2
26. Repeat these twenty-two rows until piece measures 90cms, or longer if you would like.
27. Mattress stitch the two ends together to form a circle

Term Two..

Sorry for the lack of posting, this is one of the many reasons why, term two is taking over all things semi important including eating and sleeping. This is two parts of my outfit which has to be finished for the 7th of Feb, it was shown in the illustrations from the previous post. They are both knitted on a 10gg Dubied, the skirt is pleated and the top is striped zig-zag. I am very nearly reaching the end the cape to go with it is still in progress but getting there slowly but surely! 

Work In Progress

So been back at uni for a week now, haven't had much time to post anything a bit more interesting but as promised here is my attempt at some slightly better than normal fashion illustration.

Still haven't quite got the feel of the fabrics right yet but I guess it's a start. 

Stuck In A Rut

I do love drawing, once I'm into it. It's the sitting down getting the right bits out and getting started that I don't enjoy, I procrastinate when it comes to getting my drawings done. I think I'm yet to find a fashion illustration style that I like and enjoy, I've tried countless of different looks/styles yet have never been 100% happy with the final illustrations I produce, there is always something lacking.

Today, whilst trying desperately to get my google reader down to a manageable number, I got to this post from sea of shoes. To say it was inspiring is an understatement. The last piece of the post particularly caught my eye by Natalia Sanabria.

Her flickr page is amazing all the work is gorgeous and amazingly detailed 



I love the mix of collage, ink and extreme detail. Something I particularly struggle with is getting the feel of the fabric across and putting colour onto my initial pencil drawings. Natalia does this amazlingy well, you can almost touch it. Do check out her flickr the portraits are just as lovely too! Her particular style also reminds me a bit of Charles Anastase.

Charles Anastase For Dazed and Confused 2009

Feeling throughly inspired I've made a start re-working my illustrations I'll re-post when they're up to scratch.. if I'm ever happy!

Sales Wishlist

So the sales are in full force by now and us usual I can't be bothered. I normally do my sale shopping online, discover I have no money and end up buying nothing. This year I've put together a few of my favourite items in the sale online at net-a-porter, these will never be in my wardrobe but a girl can dream! 

Left to Right Clockwise: Alexander McQueen Skull Ring Was:£235 Now:£141; Willow Organza Top Was:£545 Now:£272.50; L'Wren Scott Leather Mini Was:£1,180 Now:£826; Sass And Bide Bullet Pannelled Leggings Was:£890 Now:£623; Proenza Schouler Cropped Jumper Was:£1,375 Now:£687.50; Acne Leather and Shearling Jacket Was:£1,560 Now:£780; Rick Owens Leather Leggings Was:£960 Now:£672; Rick Owens Leather Wedge Ankle Boot Was:£725 Now:£507.50; 
Centre Left to Right: Marc Jacobs Crushed Velvet Maxi Skirt Was:£1,570 Now:£1,099; Erickson Beamon Was:£525 Now:£367.50   

Left to Right Clockwise: Camilla Skovgard Ankle Boots Was:£380 Now:£266; Moschino Crepe and Leather Fringed Tunic Was:£1,405 Now:£983.50; Donna Karen Leather Patch Johdpurs Was:£500 Now:£300; Alexander Wang Goat Hair Boots Was:£820 Now:£574; Versus Pleated Velvet and Satin Skirt Was:£840 Now:£588; Acne Hybria Wedge Boots Was:£410 Now:£287; Lee Angel Multistrand Necklace Was:£615 Now:£308; D&G Sweater Dress Was:£285 Now:199.50; Alexander McQueen Brass Skull Bangle Was:£305 Now:£183
Centre: Julien Macdonald Chunky Cardigan Was:£1,785 Now:£1,071



Bye-Bye Blackberry

so my blackberry has been broken since the summer now and being too lazy/lacking in money I havn't managed to get it fixed yet but when I do I wish I could slip it into this beaut and protect it from any further clumsy damage!


3.1 Phillip Lim Studded Wristlet





Homemade Christmas

Happy new year and merry christmas, better late than never I guess, running with the late theme here are some photos of a couple of knitted presents. I'm always knitting while I am at uni so when I retured for the holidays with a giant IKEA bag full of yarn I felt a bit at a loss with nothing specific to do. I through myself into knitting presents. In total I knitted 6 presents some were slightly more laborious than others but as always I enjoyed it.  

This was the present for my mum. Vintage coffee pot with a handknitted cosy. As the shape of the coffee pot is simple knitting a cosy for it was quite easy. I knitted two panels of a cable idea I liked and simply stitched where needed leaving holes for the spout and handle. Eyelets are around the top edge for a cord to thread through and pull close. I especially like this yarn which is a chunky cotton. The pot is of course used for tea, with my parents probably drinking two or three of these pots between them a day, I thought it was a pretty decent size and not like my previous knitted presents this is actually being used. (It matches the new kitchen well to my mums suprise.) 

Cushion covers for the boyfs mum. I actually machine knitted knitted five of these to fit the cushions she always had. I wasn't sure if she would like them or use them but they are on the cushions in the living room as I type! The walls are purple and luckily I had alot of this chunky purple yarn which seems to match well. 

The boyfs scarf. Definitely a labour of love, this almost killed me, I must have a (slightly) more muscular right arm for it(!). The cable pattern is slightly more complicated than the cushion covers and took about two days to complete. Knitted in the same yarn as the cushion covers but grey instead of purple. I'm yet to catch him wearing this so I can get a good pic, hopefully soon.  

Other presents included: fingerless gloves, slippers, phone case and a mr Hat puppet (from south park)

In total it took me a week and a half to complete them all, wrapped up and ready so not too bad.

This year I actually recived a knitted gift which makes a nice change! My auntie knitted us cousins our own dolls. (mine is to the right of the monkey) I think they were very much appreciated by all of us especially for the time she has put in to get them all finished, I do love presents that are made and thought through maybe sometimes more than the extravagent ones!