Showing posts with label Accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Accessories. Show all posts

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Fairy Tale Socks



Here's a pattern I'm quite happy with. Mainly the chart and the colorwork. I wanted something fairy taleish and this is what I came up with. I used mainly stock yarns, left over bits, 10 different color in total.

Size wise these may not be the most practical ever, the pair I made would ideally fit someone with a size 39 foot and a very slim leg. For me the socks are snug around the calf and ankle and required some blocking. But here's the charts and rough instructions anyway, feel free to modify as you see fit :)

Instructions:

The socks are knit top down. Chart is read from top to bottom and divided in 2 columns for an easier read and possible printing.



Size: EU 37-39 (7-8.5 US, 5-6.5 UK) (may vary by your gauge) I'm a size 39 with a wide calf and these had to be stretched out to fit my calves, prepare for a very snug fit.

Yarn: Novita 7 veljestä (150 g = 300 m, 75% wool / 25% polyamide)
Gauge: 23 st = 10cm
Needle: 4 mm


Cast on 56 st. Divide them on 4 double pointed needles, 16st on each needle. *Knit 1, purl 1* for about 6 rows. Begin working as per chart repeating the 28 stitch pattern. The chart is read from bottom to top. When you reach the blue line at the top of the right hand column, make reinforced heel as per instruction or any heel of your choice, then continue the chart from the bottom of the left column.



Reinforced heel:
Once you reach the mark for heel knit (dark green) on needles I, II and III and then leave needles II and III waiting to be worked on later. Begin reinforced heel on needles IV and I. *Slip 1 knitwise and knit 1* and repeat this for all stitches on needles IV and I. Then turn to the the wrong side of the sock, slip 1 purlwise, purl 31. Repeat these two rows 14 times = 28 rows.

Then on the right side (still knitting slip 1, knit 1 on right side and purl on wrong side) knit until you have 10st left on the needle, slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over and turn to wrong side. Slip 1 purlwise, purl 8, purl 2 together and turn to right side. Knit in this manner until you have 10 stitches left total on the heel. Divide the remaining stitches on two needles. Continue in dark green and pick up 13 st on the side of the heel flap on needle I, knit needles II and III, pick up 13 st on the heel flap again on needle IV.


The gusset:
You now have 64 stitches in total. Continue working the chart from where we left off (heel mark). Knit 2 together at the end of needle I every second row and slip 1 knit 1, pass slipped stitch over at the beginning of needle IV every second row until you have 14st on each needle again. Note that the pattern on the decrease rows will disrupt at the decrease points but work the rest of the stitches according to chart. Continue according to chart.



Shape toe:
Once you've reached row 92 begin shaping toe.
At the end of needles I and III; knit the third and second to last stitch together and knit 1. At the beginning of needles II and IV knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over. On the remaining stitches knit a checkered pattern as per chart. When you are left with 3 st per needle cut the yarn and run the thread tail through remaining stitches twice; pull firmly and darn in the ends.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Knitted Felted Tote Bags

Ha! After tediously trying and testing over and over again I finally managed to do kitchener stitches! Kitchener stitch is a neat way to combine two pieces of knitting without seams and is handy for handles and such.

I managed to use it in two different kinds of bags, both large tote bags. The first I made was this lilac beauty with a long strap to wear around the neck. I don't quite know how I did it, but I did!

Then I moved on to try it on a bit of a more challenging piece. The pink bag has pretty plaited straps. I did them by knitting twelve (twelve!!) i-cords, 6 on each side. I plaited three together and then using kitchener stitch joined them with three shorter ones, creating a seamless plait handle. It was tricky but I did it! Don't ask me how, I still don't understand how I pulled it off, I just tried and tried until the stitches were right. If I ever fully come to comprehend what is the logic here, I will surely share it. Until then there is nothing to do but accept the mystery!


Saturday, March 17, 2012

New Hang Tags & New Bag

New and improved hang tags
Old hang tags
I'm getting ready for local craft sale by Keravan Käsintaitajat ry starting next week. I'm feverishly finishing new bags for the sale, as I don't want to put my Etsy shop on vocation mode as I did during Christmas sale. I've now got 3 new bags finished out of the 6 I was planning to make. Dead line is tomorrow. Ooops.


Anyways, I've made some new hang tags and am extremely happy with the way they turned out, make my bags look more professional and less hobby-y. I also made some iron on labels to go on the inside of the bags, unfortunately don't have a picture of one at the moment, but those turned out great also. So I'm almost ready to start the spring sale :)

Next up is renewing business cards, but I might just order them instead of making them myself, don't think my printer would love thick carton paper.




Monday, March 12, 2012

Knitted Felted and Embroidered Yellow Paisley Bag


 And now for something completely different; a yellow bag with free-handed paisley pattern.

I've noticed my bags all follow a similar style and themes and wanted to kick myself out of my comfort zone and attempt to do something completely different; paisley. Abstract patterns are not my forte, I have been stretching my imagination to tap into that abstract side of creativity. It's harder than I thought! It's a lot more easy to follow a more concrete idea than fill an empty space with what ever springs to mind. I think I'll stick to less abstract patterns from now on :D

Here's some pictures anyway of the process and the finished bag. As hard as it was it turned out decent enough.





Monday, February 27, 2012

Spring, Sweet Spring!

I am in the mood for spring!
I welcome spring colors with all my heart and in a romantic whimsy created this sweet spring bag. It reminds me off good old times, beautiful old Daher tins and Royal Albert tea cups, which I admit, have been haunting me quite a lot. My collection of beautiful vintage tins is expanding and they have no doubt influenced my work too, it's all so romantic and vintage-y.








It's just funny I should feel like spring.
This is what I see when I look out the window:
But this is what I think I see when I look out the window:
Am I an optimist or what? 

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Bird's The Word

Ha! I knew it! After finishing the beige bag I had an idea of embroidering a smaller bird in a little cage in same colors and BRILLIANT; it turned out absolutely gorgeous!

These two bags would go great as a set, for example for mother and daugter, sisters, best friends.

A great weekend indeed, two gorgeous bags finished! :) And now some well deserved PIZZA!

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Pink Bird On A Beige Bag

 Oh the sense of accomplishment! Is there any better high than finishing yet another craft, taking a step back to look at what you've created and see it's all good? I bet this is what God felt like after making me, lol!

False modesty aside, I am once again proud of my creation. The handle was a brilliant Etsy-find and suits this bag like a fist in the eye. I need to take some better photos though when the sun comes up, need good ones for Etsy. As you can see here, lighting makes a massive difference. All the process pictures were taken in in different lighting and they are not too good, sorry for that. I'm just so excited about just finishing this bag literally just three minutes ago I can't wait for natural light to share this with you :)

Edit: 28.1.2012 Now available in Etsy




Chirp chirp! The next bag will be same shape but pale pink, and I'm thinking I'll stick with the color scheme and motif, maybe do a bird in a little cage, that might be adorable, what you think?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tulips, Tulips, Tulips!

It's not yet spring, but it might as well be! With this beauty finished just now it's hard not to feel like spring is again one day closer. Gotta love tulips! The colors are a bit off in the picture, glad it's weekend soon so I can re-shoot this baby with some actual day light :)

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Two very different bags finished




I just finished two very different bags. The first in chic, sophisticated colors, the second in bright vivacious shades.

Though they are both beautiful in their own ways, there is no question, which one is my personal favorite. A bag with practically all the colors of the rainbow is just up my alley!


Which style is more your cup of tea? 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Feeling Blue

No matter how many bags I make, every time I start to embroider them I'm at awe at how therapeutic embroidering can be. Honestly, I could sit in a quiet corner for hours on end just embroidering. And believe you me, when ever I get the chance that's exactly what I do. I start off with a bit of Melody Gardot or Chopin flowing in the earphones, maybe some trad jazz even, a coffee cup near by and sit down to start stitching away. Coffee may go cold in the mug, my playlist end, but once I'm in the zone I wont even notice anymore. Once I get going I find my mind resting and heart beat settling, the world fades away and there is only me and my needle left. Making this piece was particularily therapeutic as I have been feeling a bit blue lately with no apparent reason. But with a tad of creativity I turned my blues into beauty. And I think I did a pretty good job.

What's your way to say bye-bye to the blues?

Monday, December 19, 2011

Wreath Bag in Black + a cry for help!

Since the reciever of this beautiful bag has already pre-inspected the work before me wrapping it up for Christmas, I feel free to publish a picture of it here too. Like mentioned earlier in a related post, I struggled with the theme for months. But it turned out magnificient if I may say so myself. I'm so pleased with the design I'm planning to make more of these, have already recieved one order. Only thing missing are the purse frames. I only bought one because I wanted to try it out first. But now I can't find them anywhere anymore!

If anyone happens to know where can I get great value purse frames, please help out :)

I'm looking for:
- purse frames slightly M-shaped (or straight)
- has to be sew-on
- steel color
- foldable handle loops
- plus if it comes with the chain.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Winter Frost Bag



Bring on the snow! Another gorgeous bag finished :)

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Make it PINK!

There just isn't anything finer than a nice pink bag :)
Loving the mistletoe-theme so much right now I even combined it with a hot pink bag. And it totally works!Who says Christmas can't be pink?

I like the subtle interpretation of the mistletoe here as it's not too literal. I think I see it now as a mistletoe as I'm so focused on Christmas and all things Christmassy, but I believe come spring I'll just see it as a pretty pink bag with leaves and white pearls. Though hopefully it'll be sold well before spring :)



Happy Finnish Independece Day by the way :)

Monday, December 5, 2011

Delicate Mistletoe

I'm full of Christmas spirit already.
I wonder if I hung this bag up would I get kissed underneath it..
Will definately have to test it at the Christmas shop :)

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Sneak peek in Santa's bag

I've almost finished making this beautiful black and white bag, but since it's going in Santa's bag I don't want to publish pictures of the finished bag just yet. I simply had to share my thoughts on the process this point because I'm super-excited with the way it's turning out!

The process of me making bags is truly a slow one. After knitting and fulling the bags they might mull in the cupboard and in the back of my mind for months, waiting for inspiration to knock me off my feet before I start working on the embroidery. This particular piece was knitted end of the summer and has been a troublesome one. Inspiration had nudged me several times but not hard enough, and my feeble attempts to grasp the little scraps of revelation and turn them into embroidery had miserably failed until I gave up.

I'm not a bona fide perfectionist, but inspiration does need to whack me in the head good time for me to actually be able to produce something to be really proud of. And eventually it did! With the holidays approaching and all things christmassy going through my head the picture of a beautiful wreath appeared before my eyes. It was if the heavens would have opened and choirs of angels sung, trumpets sound and a halo materialized above my head when the inspiration struck. Heureka! OMG I can't wait to show you all how it turns out!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Chirp Chirp!

I started working on this little pouch several months ago. I had given up on it and started working on it again many times to the point where the little bag was starting to get on my nerves. I don't know what it was, I just didn't seem to get it right. "The legs on the bird are too long, the beak is too pointy, the branches are too crooked." Sigh. So I abandoned it in the closet for two months until I had forgotten it even existed.

After the little creation had been hybernating in my Craft Closet (honestly, there doesn't seem to be a closet in this house that wouldn't fit that description) I discovered it again and looking at it with fresh eyes I actually could not understand why I had abandoned it to begin with! It was super cute and only needed a bit of work to be finished. Few more stitches here and there, added a zipper and the lining and listed it on Etsy wednesday evening. 12 hours later it was already sold!

Lesson learnt: The pieces that annoy you the most may be best left to hybernate for a while, even a long while, as in this case re-discovering it after months gave me fresh perspective and working on the item became fun again. I don't think it would've resulted this nice if I would've just pushed through the frustration, creativity flourishes in peace and calm and suffocates under pressure and stress.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

While waiting for First Snow..

It's supposed to be winter here in Finland. I guess winter is playing hard to get this year as we have not seen a sight of her yet. (I'm guessing winter is a "she", bitter and cold, yet mesmerizing in her fragile beauty.) It would seem she is keeping us on our toes in order to make a grander entrance when we least expect it!

While waiting for her to get her face on, wax her eyebrows or what ever she is doing while we anxiously wait, here's a little something to keep us in the mood for all things snowy and cold.

This little piece was, once again, knitted, felted and embroidered and features a cotton lining and a white zipper and is for sale here.


Friday, November 11, 2011

Berry Bag and other things lovely

Oh my.
Just this morning I was wondering if Santa might bring me a tripod for Christmas. I have no idea how pricey they are, but I'm guessing they don't grow on trees even at the North Pole, so I was wondering how much would it set Santa back.

Several hours later I was at a flea market, not looking for anything in particular and what did I find: a tripod. For just 15€! Bargain!


I've been struggling with my photos because I don't have the steadiest of hands and daylight is getting more and more scarce, with my limited skills it's really tricky to produce decent photos. Not anymore!


I just spent an hour playing with the tripod, re-taking some of the pictures and just marveling at the device, if I would've known what a difference using one has I would've bought one ages ago. It's deadly!!

Here's the proof:



Ps. Santa, I already got the tripod. Please bring jewelry.