A few weeks ago I went to Southside Brown Owls. I was really interested to see how everybody acted when they were meeting in real life. Southside was a good group to pick because they have only met a few times - I went to their third meeting. It is run by Shannon Rowe and Katrina Higham. Katrina owns the Windsor Deli, which is where the meeting was. She writes a food/craft blog. Shannon doesn't write a blog but she seems like an avid tweeter which is just as important these days. At the meeting chatting about online craft things I got the sense that twitter was the way of the future just because it's less involved. Speaking from experience, trying to write this blog, I concur: you can easily get 'snowballed' with all the stuff out there. Too much information for one gal.
One of the things that I've wanted to do for a while was to write about the craft-ish blogs and sites that I read/have read.
Whipup.net
My favourite thing about this website is the 'roundups' of patterns they do. It's an excellent aggregate of cool/fun patterns, recipes, craft books or websites. Their crochet one is particularly good.
Sarah McNeil
Illustrations, sweet things. Pretty.
Camila Galaz
Camila draws illustrations of pigeons in greylead, which I find really endearing.
Mrs Robertson Presents
There are a lot of blogs out there, it is true. But when one stumbles upon a blog that is actually well written - that my friends, is a keeper. Recipes and anecdotes from nearly-country Victoria from the inimitable Mrs Robertson.
Purl Bee
Purl Bee is useful for finding patterns, much moreso than whip up is. I believe they have a bunch of tutorials.
Kootoyoo
I used to read this blog religiously because it had beautiful pictures and interesting projects that recycled old things into awesome new stuff. Not so much any more, but at a glance it seems to be continuing on in the same fashion. I also dug this blog because it wasn't overwritten with cheeriness.
Ravelry
This website is essentially an index of patterns, free or for a small price, online. You can add your own (I assume, I haven't tried) and favourite the ones you find, use and like. Quite a good resource.
Northern Craft Bonanza
NCB is another craft group that meets in Melbourne. I have tentative plans to go to a meet when I get myself organised - it's closer to my place than any of the Brown Owls groups.
Brown Owls
Orchestrated by Pip Lincolne, this is a really excellent resource for anybody with the slightest interest in craft anywhere in Australia. The idea is that anybody, anywhere can begin a group under the name 'Brown Owls' and use the website to organise it. On the blog there is a calendar of the forthcoming meets. There are 3 or 4 different groups around Melbourne, a bunch in Sydney and elsewhere in Aus, and some all over the world! Sew exciting.
Sew much 2 read.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
how to cast on a row of knitting
As promised, I have made a video about how to cast on a row of knitting. Before you watch, here are the basic steps.
First of all you need to make what is known as a slip knot. I do this by making a small loop with the wool, with the short end on top/across bit attached to the ball of wool. Bring the short end underneath the loop and pull it through the top. It should look a little bit like an A, and you should be able to pull the short end to make the loop smaller.
Put your slip knot on your left hand needle and pull it tight, but not so tight that you can't get your other needle through.
Put your the needle in your left hand underneath the right hand needle and through the back of the loop. Keep the loop close to the ends of the needles, but don't let it fall off. Wind the long end of the wool anticlockwise over the RH needle, from underneath the needle to the top.
Hold the left hand needle still for this next part, and keep in mind that the two needles should never be too far from each other. Pretend they are magnetic or something.
Bring the RH needle from the back to the front. You should be able to see the wool that you wound round it before as a loop around the needle. You can now pull the two needles apart slightly. You'll be able to see the loop properly now. That is your new stitch!
Hold the new stitch still on the right hand needle and use your left needle for the next bit. The left needle needs to go through the middle of the loop from the side that is closest to your hand. This move transfers the stitch back onto the left hand needle and completes the casting on process.
Carry on in the same way. Put your RH needle through the loop - or let's get serious and call it a stitch - underneath your LH needle. Wool round the needle anticlockwise from underneath again. Hold the LH needle still while you move the RH needle from back to front. Separate the needles and see your new stitch. Put the LH needle through the new stitch from the side nearest your hand (couldn't think of a better term for this).
You'll see in the video that I keep my needle in the stitch after I put it back onto the left hand needle. This is just a habit of mine that speeds up the casting on process.
There are a few parts where I accidentally move the knitting out of frame, so I might do a follow up video of these parts close up. I hope it is somewhat helpful.
First of all you need to make what is known as a slip knot. I do this by making a small loop with the wool, with the short end on top/across bit attached to the ball of wool. Bring the short end underneath the loop and pull it through the top. It should look a little bit like an A, and you should be able to pull the short end to make the loop smaller.
Put your slip knot on your left hand needle and pull it tight, but not so tight that you can't get your other needle through.
Put your the needle in your left hand underneath the right hand needle and through the back of the loop. Keep the loop close to the ends of the needles, but don't let it fall off. Wind the long end of the wool anticlockwise over the RH needle, from underneath the needle to the top.
Hold the left hand needle still for this next part, and keep in mind that the two needles should never be too far from each other. Pretend they are magnetic or something.
Bring the RH needle from the back to the front. You should be able to see the wool that you wound round it before as a loop around the needle. You can now pull the two needles apart slightly. You'll be able to see the loop properly now. That is your new stitch!
Hold the new stitch still on the right hand needle and use your left needle for the next bit. The left needle needs to go through the middle of the loop from the side that is closest to your hand. This move transfers the stitch back onto the left hand needle and completes the casting on process.
Carry on in the same way. Put your RH needle through the loop - or let's get serious and call it a stitch - underneath your LH needle. Wool round the needle anticlockwise from underneath again. Hold the LH needle still while you move the RH needle from back to front. Separate the needles and see your new stitch. Put the LH needle through the new stitch from the side nearest your hand (couldn't think of a better term for this).
You'll see in the video that I keep my needle in the stitch after I put it back onto the left hand needle. This is just a habit of mine that speeds up the casting on process.
There are a few parts where I accidentally move the knitting out of frame, so I might do a follow up video of these parts close up. I hope it is somewhat helpful.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)