Kategorie: gestrickt

Pencil Warmers

Veröffentlicht am von Carina

As if I hadn’t known it all along: there is a tremendous amount of pleasure in valuing the simple things in life!

Jostrong’s pencil warmers based on Jesszy’s pencil sleeves just brightened my day. The warmers are knitted flat, the sleeves are worked in rounds. Click on the links for more detailed instructions.

If you’re more into crochet go ahead and crochet those little sleeves and if you like to knit a warmer for your favorite crochet hook even an iCord might work. The possibilities are unlimited 🙂

the warmers
the sleeves

COMPLETION (the day after):

As J was absolutely fascinated by the idea of having pencil warmers (and totally disappointed that those on the pictures weren’t ours but „only“ pictures) I knitted one when he was in bed and put it secretly in his pencilcase 🙂 …

pencil warmer
blue pencil warmer for J

… before I forget: don’t start making those … its truely addictive and you may not be able to stop …

And then there were two ...
And then there were two …

The Sky Scarf

Veröffentlicht am von Carina1 Kommentar

Thank you Knitted Art for introducing us to conceptual knitting and a very cool project! Here is what it is, copied from Lea Redmond’s homepage

„A Sky Scarf documents the weather outside your window. Each day – rain or shine – you will knit a stripe in colors that match the sky. It will be lovely to see how our different climates result in different scarves! I started mine in the springtime in Northern California and loved watching the colors evolve as the seasons changed. (…) The free pattern includes detailed instructions to make a five-foot Sky Scarf over the course of one year.“

If you need more inspiration, there’s a knitters‘ pool on flickr showing all different scarfs, wraps, and blankets and I am very tempted to to a „Berlin Sky Wrap“ starting January 1, 2014. It may have plenty of grey though for the first 90 rows …

However, if I had already started it, today’s colors would be blue. Blue as blue can be. Not a single bit of white.

Leafcutter Designs has quite a few other (free creative art) projects that really inspire me to light that „sense of whimsy and adventure“ within me 🙂 Maybe I’ll do the Mood Scarf (see picture below) and the Sky Scarf.

Monster’s Sleeping Bag

Veröffentlicht am von Carina4 Kommentare

I wasn’t all too happy with my friend’s iPhone sleeve, remember? Thinking of the „monster inside“ still made me laugh though, so last weekend I decided to knit a „summer sleeping bag“ for the unknown beast.

It had to be thinner but still protective (= rather knitted than crocheted), dark colored (= stain-resistant), hard-wearing (= no real wool), and – probably most important – less prone to pilling.

Fortunately, I came across Anastasia’s post on how to do the magic cast on when knitting a sleeve. Then Sonja’s idea (see comments at original post) of using cotton fired my imagination (even though she warned me of the material’s possible disadvantages …). This is how I started.

Against all odds, the „archetype“ turned out nice. Nothing wrong with nice, but I didn’t think nice would satisfy the monster. It had to be more than that. And when I came across Anette’s owl purse I instantly knew what I wanted!

See all three versions below. To me, the ultimate version is blue – that’s the sleeve I sent to Hamburg last night.

1st version in off-whiite cotton with bits of pink and pale blue
1st version in off-white cotton with bits of pink and pale blue
2nd version in off-whiite cotton with bits of pink and pale blue
2nd version in off-white cotton with bits of pink and pale blue and owl
final version in dark blue cotton
final version in dark blue cotton with owl

BarCamp / YarnCamp

Veröffentlicht am von Carina4 Kommentare

Now tell me the truth: would you be able to explain a BarCamp to anyone? Well, I wasn’t until earlier this week. But fortunately there’s wikipedia and here’s their definition:

„BarCamp is an international network of user-generated unconferences primarily focused around technology and the Web. They are open, participatory workshop-events, the content of which is provided by participants. […] The format has also been used for a variety of other topics, including public transit, health care, education, and political organizing [and has been] adapted for specific industries like banking, real estate and social media.“

Ahhh … that’s what it is? What is it again? 🙂

A BarCamp is a conference that isn’t a conference but an unconference. It’s when a bunch of people, all of whom are interested in the very same subject (i.e. yarn!) meet at a certain place and time to benefit from each other’s skills and know-how. No rules, no hierarchy, no agenda. At least not in advance. Because the content of all sessions is driven and created by all participants during the course of the event. So if I want to learn how to knit socks, or have others take part in my knowledge of crocheting flowers, or learn about possible penalties when yarn-bombing  – I can not only suggest any of my favorite topics but vote for them to take action. And it’s up to me whether I give a lecture or listen to others, whether I impart knowledge or gain skills or both. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

So why am I blogging about it?

yarncamp

The lovely Ms. Elise over at „Gemacht mit Liebe“ (= „made with love“) called my attention to the first German YarnCamp (ever!). Fifty tickets were available and – guess what! – I am going! Not sure (yet) how, but I am going! Well, part of me is going and needs to convince „the other half“ …

  • „It’s far …“ – „Take the train.“
  • „Someone needs to take care of J while I am gone“ – „Drop it! He’ll be with his dad. They’ll be fine.“
  • „It’s on a Sunday …“ – „Take Monday off then.“
  • „I’ve never been to any of those … (sigh)“ – „No one has. It’s the first!“
  • „What will I do there?“ – „Well … knit?! And blog about it once you’re back?!“

This is where I am at. But like I said: I am going. And I am happy 🙂