Fiber Fun and Crafting

Lipstick on Your Collar

Genevieve — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:02:17 +0000

After finishing the second placemat last week, I have decided instead of doing the rest of them just yet, to start on a project I’m very much excited about. I’ve started work on the “Lipstick on Your Collar” pattern from Doris Chan’s Amazing Crochet Lace. It’s a very nice loosely-worked tank top with ‘mini-sleeves’, and a detachable intricate lace collar. I am having to try to alter the pattern a bit; the largest size offered is still several inches too small for me based on finished bust size.

It’s a really lovely pattern, but even more exciting than that, is the absolutely lovely yarn I’m using. It’s called Ruca, by Araucania yarns – it’s a lovely celery color, super soft and silky-smooth, and it’s made from sugar cane! It untwists into its individual strands very easily, but despite that, it’s one of the loveliest yarns I think I’ve ever worked with. Just a joy!

"Lipstick on Your Collar" by Doris Chan

"Lipstick on Your Collar" beginning closeup

"Lipstick on Your Collar" beginning

First Placemat Finished

Genevieve — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:47:34 +0000

Well, I finally managed to finish the first of the placemats last night. It looks quite lovely, though it has a ruffle on the outer edge, which I am not sure if it needs to be blocked to get rid of it, or if the pattern should be modified. In either case, I will make one more just like it, then I will do a set of four with a slightly smaller hook, either an H or maybe even a G, and decide whether to follow the pattern exactly or modify slightly. I think that in row 9, if I did only 2 dc in each of the end spaces, that would fix the problem without significantly impacting the rest of the design.

In any case, here is the finished placemat:

Placemats

Genevieve — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:10:56 +0000

For months now, I’ve wanted to find some (machine washable) oval placemats for our table. It’s a small oval-shaped table, so big square placemats like we have right now do not fit well – on the long side, they’re ‘okay’, but on the short/rounded side, they do not fit and hang off the edges.

I searched stores in vain, before finally going “DUH!”, and found a nice pattern on Ravelry. Ours will be made out of cotton, natural/cream colored in the center, with a variegated light/medium blue and cream around the edge.

I have the center of the first one almost done; I hope to finish it by tonight.

Welcome

Genevieve — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:39:44 +0000

Welcome web travelers! This blog will be my repository of all things fiber – yarn (both stash and wanted!), projects in the works and (hopefully!) completed, and patterns. It will, of course, function hand-in-hand with my Ravelry page.

I look forward to sharing my delight in the fiber arts with you soon!