Finally, my best #Yarnuary tip. If you're lucky enough to be bought an adjustable tailor's dummy for Christmas, make sure you take your measurements like I did, early on Boxing Day. You may be horrified at the time but now I feel smug knocking off a few centimetres without suffering too much dieting hell.
#dressmaking #crochet #freeformcrochet #textiles #yarnart #fibreart #fiberart #lifestyletips #diets #queenofdenial #tailorsdummy #mannequin #adjustaform #wip #workinprogress #yarn #wool
#Yarnuary favourite techniques / tools
* Circular needles over multiple sock needles and a grippy cable needle (not shiny plastic/metal) because I'm clumsy.
* Also 'cos I'm clumsy - boat shuttles for the looms over normal beater/shuttles - I can not get the hang of them!
* Addi swing crochet hooks for the easy grip (arthritis).
* A fine crochet hook to pick up dropped stitches is a must.
* Yarn bowls and project bags - these have made knitting in waiting rooms, and knitting on the sofa with cats soooooo much better.
I prefer the free flow of woollen drafting, but the results of worsted drafting when spinning, so I always tend to mix the two.
I have a rolling platform that my Ashford table loom-on-stand sits on with lockable wheels. It's the perfect height for weaving while standing - looking along the thread from front to back can make me motion sick. Looking down, they are all the same width, at the same distance.
A swift/ball winder has saved a lot of pain - so much better than winding by hand off the back of a chair. Ow.
A magnifying light has made hand sewing and knitting so much easier.
And finally, I wouldn't be without an adjustable height table on felt feet so it can be shoved up to the bench for a huge cutting/warping surface.
how is it the end of #yarnuary already? idk. time is weird.
I am planning a new linen sweater and I am arranging my color palette so I can make some plans. Rosie is here to help, because of course she is.
this yarn is from colourmart, I love their wind-it-yerself bargain bin. I think it's a fun challenge to start with a limited set of colors. left to my own devices I only buy jewel tones, but my clothes are mostly neutrals so buying a mix of both is perfect for me (and cheaper too!)
No. of brioche patterns owned: 2
No. of brioche stitches attempted: 0
This year will be the year I attempt brioche work.
First up will be this cowl by Liz Corke Knits because she has a photo tutorial at the end of the pattern, dealing with the various stitches involved:
This was a fasten off yarnalong purchase from, I was going to say last year but as it's now the new year, it'd be the year before.
Meaning swirl or vortex in Scottish Gaelic, Cuairteagan is a syncopated brioche cowl which blends and twists two different colours together in a faux cable. Inspired by flowing water, I picked blue and silver as my colours. Pick contrasting colours for a dramatic cowl, or different shades of the same colour for a more subtle cowl, the choice is up to you! The inside of the cowl is the inverse of the outside and is just as pretty so you can wear the cowl either way round or fold the top over to show off both sides at once. The pattern includes both charts and written instructions and has been tech edited and test knitted. Never done brioche knitting before? The pattern comes with a full photo tutorial for every stitch used, the cast on and the bind off and you can also check them out on my tutorials page! With one increase and one decrease, this is a great introduction to syncopated brioche knitting! Add to Cart
#Yarnuary goals ...
From experience, overcommitting is awful with chronic ill health, even purely self-imposed, unimportant goals. So, in 2024 ...
Progress on anything in my mountain of WIPs.
Try out at least one new technique - shadow, overshot, pickup and tablet weaving, embroidery, tapestry, and lace knitting (socks).
Spin sock fiber to learn to spin for a certain size of yarn.
Use my handspun in something knitted/crocheted.
And not exactly yarn, but ... sew some clothing.
#FiberArts #weaving #spinning #knitting #sewing #crochet #tapestry #spondyloarthritis #migraineur
Mandy Watson
Kymberly
rebecca ravenoak π³οΈββ§οΈ
ArtsandSocks π§Άπͺ‘
Ebly Pamplemousse
Vicki Davis
consumableJoy