the v&a birthday card bag

This weekend I've been working on the grey bag from 'romantic style' with an intarsia candlestick design copied from a v&a birthday card. I worked out a pattern to fit the dimensions of the bag, 40 stitches across and 51 stitches top to bottom, the drawing above shows two different 'sides' and I decided to go with the right hand side stick on both sides. I knit the grey body of the bag in ryc baby alpaca dk, and the intarsia in the malabrigo, on 4mm needles. To get the contrast I skipped the light blue bits of malabrigo and just used the dark blue, which has lots of variation in shade. Its made the back rather messy, and the front is a bit bumpy, but some blocking and lining fabric should hide this.

On some of the lighter blue shades I've gone over it in darker wool with needle and thread to make the silhouette shape clearer, including the middle flame. I'm now knitting the plain back, and then the handles. I might knit one long handle to go from side to side rather than two small handles on each side, in garter stitch as in the pattern.

malabrigo

On the needles right now is the 'architect's scarf' from 'greetings from knit cafe' in gorgeous 'black forest' malabrigo, fresh from the amazing Get Knitted store in Bristol. Its a real treat to find such a big, airy, inviting, fresh and well-stocked knitting shop. I like their comfy sofas.

I bought two hanks of malabrigo in green and purple 'black forest' for the scarf for my homely hero (it'll take till october to finish it), blue 'alpine pearl' malabrigo and grey RYC baby alpaca dk for the 'romantic style' bag, and a hank of brown, red, gold and green 'loro barranquero' malabrigo for my stash.

a blanket and cranford

On the needles right now is the huge triangle shawl from 'Greetings from Knit Cafe' and has been since christmas. I'm doing it in 4ply wool so its taking a bit longer - I'm only a third of the way through and counting 200 stitches a row. But 'sheepish' cream coloured wool is too good to resist, it's gorgeously variegated, its 'oh so soft', and at £2.50 a ball its a bargain. I'm on my 3rd ball and have five more, and the wool store that sells them is over 200 miles away so it might be 'big' rather than 'huge'. I think I'll leave off the fringe though, and add a small fabric label near the apex on the inside, using some grey fabric with navy flowers on it.

I think the book is really fresh and has lots of realistic designs in it, I've already done the computer keyboard cover in red, and the socks, scarf and sweater are very tempting. I've already attempted the 'classic sweater for guys' and come foul of gauge problems, but with the right wool (big wool) I'll be having another go.

Huzzay for the new bbc mini-series this autumn - the cranford chronicles. I really love that both the 'miss brownings' actresses from wives and daughters will be in it, and of course michael gambon who played 'squire hamley'.

http://www.knitcafe.com/index.html

http://cranfordchronicles.com/

drink of the week: non-alcholic mojitos ~ lime and mint thirst-quenching heaven

flickr

I have a flickr account here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahomelyheroine/

with more knitting photos from the past year.

romantic style bag with V&A design

My first project from 'romantic style - knits and crochet to wear or display' by jennie atkinson is going to be the buttoned bag (without the buttons) in rowan scottish tweed dk grey mist, with a candlestick design in blue and green rowan pure wool dk inspired by a v&a greetings card.

I'm planning to start on saturday, after a trip to 'Edna's' in Bath.

hello

my new knitting diary, previously hosted by windows live spaces, and continuing with general triviality, and a bit more knitting.