Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Knitting AND Crocheting

 
I am yarning along again, with Ginny and the rest over at Small Things.  At least it keeps me blogging regularly ;)
This week, for your appreciation, you can see a really cool book I found in a local antique shop, Janet Marsh's Nature Diary.  The title caught my eye, and I grabbed it up to keep it.  It is similar in some ways to the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, only a bit more modern, and set up a little different.  It is still English though :) If I didn't actually squeal when I found it, I felt like squealing!  The other book, the new Abs Diet for women, has been sitting in my library basket for a while.
As for my projects, well you can see I haven't got very far with my cardigan.  It is in LACEWEIGHT so, not really a surprise I guess!  Here is a nice closeup so you can admire the yarn.  It only took me a few tries to get a good photo.

Isn't it pretty?  That is Cousteau, from Madelinetosh's 'Tosh Lace' range.  I found a lovely online shop that I bought it from- they had it shipped out VERY quickly.  Eat, Sleep, Knit was their name :) and I just wanted to give them a shout out.

 

My other project is more experimental than anything else.  I am sure many of you who crochet have seen and admired the crocodile stitch projects out there.  Well one, very kind person sat through the videos and made up a free scarf pattern (ravelry link) to make one.  It is a fairly easy and fun stitch, with a great ruffled texture.  The yarn, which is Serenity Garden from Deborah Norville's range, is not the best for crochet, but it looks good!
Now, I finally remembered to take a photo of the 1930's lace top pattern I made ages ago.  You can purchase the pattern from the Vintage Pattern Place on Etsy.  If I were to make it again, I'd add an extra inch to the ribbing and an  extra pattern repeat because I would prefer it just a little longer ;).


And finally, I will leave you with a couple of photos from inside the Nature Diary :)  If you want to see more, you shall have to get your own copy ;)







29 comments:

  1. Love the book, love the yarn and color of your new cardigan and LOVE how cute your new hairstyle is.

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  2. Thank you Jill :) The book was a very thrilling find!

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  3. LOVE that lace top and I tried the crocodile stitch I guess two years ago and gave up! I guess I need someone in person to help me too lol. Don't you love it when you find cool books like that, it makes me squeal too.

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  4. I found myself pottering around EatSleepKnit earlier this week when my mother-in-law asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I ended up on the Madelinetosh lace page too, though it was the "malechite" that caught my eye. Though your "Cousteau" is lovely too!

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  5. All really beautiful work Rachel and that book was such a lucky find!

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  6. The lace top is so cute :)

    Love the yarn you're using for your cardigan. I also admire your patience - I don't think I could knit a garment out of laceweight!

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  7. What lovely illustrations there are in your new book :-)

    Your crocheting looks great - I'm trying to learn at the moment... although I had a 3 year old go a bit crazy while I was getting shown how... see you next week :-)

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  8. Wow - love all of your projects. That lace top is so beautiful!!

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  9. Lovely! All of it!
    The vintage top is just too cute! My niece would love something like that.

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  10. Ooh that book looks like something I would like, I love the Edwardian Lady book and the style.

    Lovely blues in the cardigan, and I love the crochet scarf pattern - crochet is still in it's infancy with me. Lovely yarn too.

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  11. I just had to pop back to your blog as I have just looked into the nature diary book to find it was written about the Itchen Valley.

    I will be picking a copy of this book up as I actually live along the Itchen Valley in Hampshire, England - how about that for a coincidence. Thank you so much for sharing the book, I'm looking forward to reading it now.

    Dawn x

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  12. The start of your multicolored ruffle scarf looks fun and pretty! I look forward to seeing more of it next week.
    AND that lacey top......beautiful!!!!

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  13. What a wonderful book to find! I love when little surprises turn up in unexpected places.
    Thank you so much for the photo's of your top, it is beautiful!

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  14. Your cardigan is coming along just great...I've never tried lace weight yarn....I'm scared :) LOL Your lace top is gorgeous!

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  15. Fantastic job on the sweater and that book looks awesome!

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  16. Love that scarf pattern. Looks like fun, will have to check it out on ravelry!

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  17. Thank you for the book recommendation! Such lovely illustrations. I just bought a copy from Amazon for 99 cents (plus shipping, ugh). Anyway, thank you. And I love Eat Sleep Knit - that's where I've gotten MT yarns too. That colorway is gorgeous - reminds me of the shimmery tail of a mermaid. Your top is so pretty. I would agree with wanting it longer. I like the flounce at the sleeves.

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  18. You're right. That is a great shade of blue. I look forward to seeing the finished sweater.

    You did a great job on that top.

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  19. Oh my you and your top look marvelous! The yarn is beautiful; thanks for the closeup. Thanks for the online shop info too. I need another place to feed my little addiction to yarn and knitting.
    Again, thanks for your sweet advice. One day I will be a competent knitter!
    xo,
    Ang

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  20. OOOh that nature journal sure looks a must have!!!

    Love the blue wool

    Leanne Nz

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  21. what a great find! It looks like a beautiful book! And I have to tell you that top is gorgeous! Love the lace pattern! And what a fun scarf! Happy knitting!!

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  22. The colour of your cardigan is gorgeous! I'm still to nervous to knit with such fine wool.
    And I love the 1930's top! How awesome is that?!

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  23. Oh goodness, so many comments. I knew I shouldn't have left it all day!
    @Crunchy: thank you :) The stitch works out IF you have some good visuals. One of the various sites out there had some really good photos to show how, and that is really how I know :) I shall try and dig out the link for you :) I DO love finding books like that. I think my husband thinks I am crazy though ;)
    @Jessica: oh, isn't it lovely? I had such a hard time choosing which colour. I really liked the orangey reds, but wanted something that might actually go with the rest of my wardrobe LOL
    @Mia: thank you :)
    @Pink: (I totally typed punk initially LOL)I am determined to do it because I really like the Tosh yarn :) Lace was the only one in big enough yardage with the right stitch gauge ;)
    @Happy: They are lovely aren't they? As to crocheting, well I understand the 3 year old thing LOL I learned when I was 7 though, my Mum taught me, and my Nan showed me how to knit at the same age. Actually Mum showed me both first, but I couldn't get knitting until I sat watching Nan :) My kids are 4th generation knitters and crocheter- isn't that cool? :)
    @Lee Ann: thank you :) The pattern for it really drew me in!
    @Kaylana: Thank you :) It was a a surprisingly quick knit- even considering it was in fingering weight yarn!
    @Dawn: If you liked Edith Holden, then you will like this too :)
    And thank you- crochet is just as fun as knitting, but it can be more challenging to get it looking as 'neat'. However, it is perfect for those ruffled projects and lacing edgings :)
    And how fabulous that it is about the region in which you live! I am so glad I remembered to mention it here then :) She makes the area sound so beautiful, and gives me a much needed taste of home (I miss England sometimes. Not right now when it is cold and raining here though LOL I usually think of this weather as 'English' lol).
    @Marfa: Thank you. Hopefully I will get more of it done LOL
    @Tracey: It was a fun find. I am afraid I walked around hugging it to myself. And told my Dh that I WAS getting it ;) And thank you for the compliments on my top!
    @Kristen: Thank you :) It IS a very scary yarn, but I did some crocheted lace with thread last summer, so laceweight is not so scary anymore ;)
    @Meadow: Thank you :)
    @Mamashara: Thanks- it IS fun. I even managed to do some whilest giving my 7 year old her reading lesson LOL
    @Ellen: I hope you enjoy it :) The shipping always kills me too, but this time the cost was all in the book itself :) I was lucky to find it hardbound and in great condition! And Eat Sleep Knit were fabulous. I shall definitely use them again! It IS a sea-like colour, which, I guess, is why they called it Cousteau. But then, all the MT colours are so pretty ;) As to the sleeves- I wasn't sure how they were supposed to sew up, so I left them open because I liked the flounce too ;)
    @Jen: thank you :) It is also REALLY soft and lovely ;)
    @Angela: Thank you- and you are very welcome. I know I like to see these things better too ;) The shop was really nice!
    @Leanne: that's what I thought when I saw it ;) Thanks!
    @Alisa: Thank you and thank you :)
    @Kristin: Thank you :)
    @Corrabelle: Thank you :) It takes a little practise- and casting on is the worst part ;) And thank you- the top is pretty special to me ;)

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  24. Your sweater looks great, I love the shaping :) Madtosh is fantastic yarn, one of my favs and I have ordered from the same online shop-they are super fast!!

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  25. OK that top is ADORABLE! So awesome! And eatsleepknit is one of my favorite shops. Did you join the "marathon"? I tried last year but only got to the first gift I think. Not for me this year, I'm on a destash!

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  26. LOL! I'm so used to seeing amorphous swatches of yarn since Marina usually has a few projects going at the same time. Love the color for the cardigan! You're keeping very busy!

    Peace and Laughter,
    Cristina

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  27. @Swanski: yes, they are super fast :) Thanks!
    @Lia: LOL glad you liked it :)
    @Cristina: thank you :)

    And for those interested:
    http://lostandfoundlane.blogspot.com/p/croc-stitch-easy-way.html
    is where the crocodile stitch pics can be found :)

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