filambulle

Down Under

2012-01-29T07:51:00.000+01:00

I am currently travelling in the south half of Australia with my threee children and my favourite botanist. You can have a glimpse at our adventures on my other blog (in french):

http://troisetes.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

A new pattern: The Urban Warmers

2011-09-01T11:17:00.004+02:00

After almost three years of procrastination, my new pattern is published:

The Urban Warmers
Intended to warm your arms and legs, those structured pieces are quick and fun to knit. They make great use of those tricky variegated yarn that are sometimes hard to showcase. Combined with a contrasting solid or almost-solid yarn, the hand painted colors really pop and shine.

One size fit most, easily adjustable.

TECHNIQUES USE:
• Long-tail cast-on
• Knitting in the round
• Twisted 1/1 ribbing
• Stripes in spiral
• Corrugated ribbing
• Sewn bind-off
I do not explain those techniques, but provide some tips all along the pattern

To celebrate, I offer you TWO promotions:

A special introductory price for the Urban Warmers pattern: 50% off until September 15, 2011. Buy now

20% off on my old but still good Rainbow Moebius until September 15, 2011. Beware: you have to buy it separately for the promotion to work. Buy now

link to the Urban Warmers pattern in Ravelry

I hope you'll like it. :)

sleeping bags from sarees - sacs de couchage en saris

2011-08-15T13:26:00.005+02:00

I am transforming some old sarees into sleeping bags. Getting to play with 5m long pieces of silk fabric is both amazing and tedious. But my wonderful Elna has THE tool to make this fun:

The Hemmer Foot

Je suis en train de transformer des vieux saris en draps-sacs (sacs à viande - sacs de couchage...) Faire joujou avec des pièces de soie de 5 mètres de long, c'est à la fois merveilleux et fastidieux. Par bonheur ma bonne vieille Elna a THE outil qui rend la tâche amusante et presque facile:

Le Pied Ourleur

I bought the sarees on ebay. Beware: only the one with PURE silk in the description are real silk. Guess how I know? I thought that I was careful in my order, but I still have two piece of beautiful but absolutely useless fabric sitting on my table.

J'ai acheté les saris sur ebay. Attention: seul les objets avec les termes "PURE silk" dans la description sont vraiment en soie. Je pensais avoir été prudente, mais je me trouve malgré tout avec deux magnifiques pièces de tissu inutilisable sur ma table.

For this kind of project, be also extra careful to choose pieces without beads or metallic embroideries on the main part of the saree. Those would be unconfortable to sleep in.

Pour ce genre de projet, choisissez des pièces sans perles ni broderies métalliques sur la partie principale du sari. Cela rendrait le sac inconfortable pour dormir.

If the ornamental panel is beaded or particularly beautiful, it can be used as a wall hanging, or maybe a big cushion.

Si l'extrémité ornamentale du sari est particulièrement belle, vous pouvez aussi l'utiliser pour faire tableau ou un gros coussin.

It is textile art AND (not but) - a sequel on the Rethinking Needlework symposium

2011-05-23T11:39:00.006+02:00

I don't know if the fact that the exhibition "Neue Masche" at the Museum Bellerive, Zürich did not really surprise me is good or bad. Maybe I share the same curiosity than the curators, and we browse the same sources (the web, the book "knitting art"...) and it is good to share our discoveries with more people?

But what bothered me (and therefore made me think) the most about the exhibition and the symposium "Rethinking Needlework" is that they where both largely based on the proposition "This is needlework/knitting/crochet BUT..." (it is huge, it is ironic, it is shocking, it is made of something surprising, it is controversial, and most important it is not traditional, it is NOT your granma's neeldework).

I must confess I am getting tired of this obligatory controversial or at the least ironic position the textile artist seems to have to take if her/his work is to be taken seriously and considered art. Imagine if each and every time you heard or read about a painter it said "This is painting BUT..." (this is not your granma's painting, this is tiny or huge, this is done with surprising material ,this is ironic this is controversial... etc). Of course some time the discourse on painting is also about the controversy, the new, the surprising. But it does not seem as obligatory and recurrent than it is in textile art.

Some would argue that this is because textile art is "somewhat new" in the Fine Arts department. Well I don't think so. When I look on photos from the exhibitions held at the Biennale de Lausanne or other textile art from about 30 years ago, the artwork and the critique does not seems so obsessed by justification, controversy and irony. And yet it was at a time where gender and social discussions where as burning as now, if not more.

Maybe it is time we start to look at the positive side of textile art. Let's say that the attention to needlwork and textile art has been justified enough. What if we let go of the BUT and try on the AND? Yes, this is needlework/knitting/crochet/patchwork AND it is stunning, thoughful, beautiful, moving, interesting, surprising, funny...

Rethinking needlework, a symposium

2011-05-23T11:00:00.005+02:00

Last week-end I went to the symposium "Rethinking Needlework", held in Zürich on the occasion of the exposition "Neue Masche" at Museum Bellerive, Zürich.

Rethinking Needlework.
Discursive threads in current art and design production

Friday, May 20, 7 pm
Museum Bellerive, welcome address followed by a tour of the exhibition with the curators

Saturday, May 21, 10 am–6:30 pm
Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Vortragssaal
Admission: CHF 25/15
Lectures by Matilda Felix, Petter Hellsing, Jessica Hemmings, Verena Kuni, Patricia Waller; artist interventions by frfr-international (Marlen Groher; Corinna Mattner), Regula Michell/Meret Wandeler, Rüdiger Schlömer; sampling threads, performance by Ines Bauer, Steffen Schmidt and Désirée Zappa, MAS/CAS study course, Cultural Media Studies ZHdK

The exhibition was great, with lots of different propositions and nicely put together. It was nice to see some of the artwork I knew from photos on the web in real life. I was a little disapointed though, and I will explain why in my next post.

The symposium was very interesting to me, even if most of the contributions where in german which made it harder for me to understand. It gave me lots of food for thoughts and inspiration for further research.

The positive result of feeling a bit lonely in this german speaking context was that it gave me the courage to go and talk to some of the other isolated persons (or the one I guessed would be the most open to a discussion in english). Three where particularly awesome to me.

I am very happy I met Jessica Hemmings, who patiently listened to my thoughts (see next post) and helped me with my chocolat cake. She showed us wonderful art that I did not know at all, was funny and clever and really interesting to listen and talk to. When I grow up, I want to be her and write amazing books and articles about textile art and artists.

The-gnittinK-Room project artist, Rüdiger Schlömer, is not afraid to play with the knitting needles. He seems fun and curious about everything that may be a link, a thread or a motive. I want to play the "what if" game with him and see what happens. (And Rüdiger, if you read this, you really should try to see what happens if/when you finish even the smallest or simplest project, a hat for example.)

Then artist Petter Hellsing moved me with his project "Little cabin in the wood". His tales - the ones he embroider (check his project "the living room") and the ones he tells - made me think a lot about the relationship between textile and intimacy. Textile is deeply rooted in the history of humanity. In fact, I believe that textile is one of the strongest root of humanity and culture. (I will save the these I have on this subject for another time.) Of that, I have been convinced since a long time now. But I don't think I thought that much about intimacy before. Really, of all the visual arts, textile arts only use the material that we allow to touch us intimately in a daily basis. That is a very inspiring idea for me.

I am very happy and thankful that such an event happened in my own country, not too far from where I live. I only wish I could be part of this textile world more often.

Itsy bitsy slow motion video, with textile

2011-04-29T18:31:00.004+02:00

What's not to love?

Itsy bitsy - an etsy treasury

2011-04-15T10:06:00.003+02:00

Apparemment je ne peux plus m'arrêter avec ces trésors d'etsy.
Celui-ci vous propose de l'art mini pour micro-appartements.

Well, apparently I cannot stop making treasuries.
This one is all about tiny art for small household. I want about everything in it.

I've lost my key (in red) - an etsy treasury

2011-04-14T15:26:00.005+02:00

J'ai perdu mes clés (en rouge) un trésor d'etsy.

Je perds souvent mes clés. Le meilleur moyen de les retrouver est de me demander : "Où et quand les ai-je vues pour la dernière fois? Puis de cesser de chercher. Et bien entendu un bon porte-clé, bien coloré, ça aide. J'en ai besoin d'un nouveau, et la poupée rouge me tente beaucoup.

I often loose my keys. The best way to find them is to ask myself: "Where did I saw them last? When?" And of course to have a lovely bright key ring. I need a new one. The little doll would be lovely.

Ocean love and fears - an etsy treasury

2011-04-12T22:30:00.004+02:00

J'espère que l'océan survivra à la pollution.
Cette sélection d'oeuvres trouvées sur etsy a été inspirée par le fil teint à la main de walkcollection.

I hope the ocean will survive the pollution.
An esty treasure inspired by the handpainted yarn by walkcollection.

Une chanson indispensable

2011-04-11T10:59:00.003+02:00

Une chanson qui parle de moi, d'elle, de toutes les femmes.
Qui s'adresse à toi, lui, tous les hommes.
Une chanson magnifique, indispensable, à écouter attentivement.

Liens:
Les paroles de la chanson.
Anne Sylvestre sur wikipedia, sur son site.
Pauline Julien sur wikipedia.

This is a wonderful song about women, written by Anne Sylvestre. As the lyrics are really too long to be translated here, I let you play the little game of recognizing the singers featured in the video. Wonderful women, they are too!

poupée dodo et son quilt

2011-03-16T16:20:00.001+01:00

poupée dodo et son quilt
Originally uploaded by filambulle

Cette petite poupée avec son mini-quilt a été l'occasion de mes retrouvailles avec le patchwork. Je l'ai faite rapidement fin janvier pour l'anniversaire de ma nièce de 4 ans, qui l'a aussitôt adoptée. Sa grand-mère veut la même!
Depuis j'ai enchaîné les mini-quilts. Peut-être que j'en ferai une mini expo ici même?

This little doll and it's mini-quilt is at the core of my renewed interest for patchwork. I whip it up in january for my niece's fourth birthday. She adopted it right away, and her grandmother wants one for herself.
Since then I have made a small collection of mini-quilts. Maybe i will show you them here soon?

Une première fois - une dernière fois

2011-02-10T09:40:00.001+01:00

Il a quatre mois j'ai démissionné pour la première fois. Mardi je suis allée dans ce bureau pour la dernière fois.
Je suis libérée. Pleine d'idées et de projets qui ne sont pas tous compatibles. Quelle porte s'ouvrira en premier?

Avec le temps, il y a de moins en moins de premières fois.

Blue as a swiss lake - an etsy treasury

2010-12-18T17:30:00.006+01:00

little piece of history (video): Switzerland's wedding gift

2010-04-23T16:52:00.006+02:00

Another eye-opening video from the great British Pathé database.
Happy wintertime!

A CHRISTMAS MONTH STORY (aka SWITZERLAND'S WEDDING GIFT) 1947

little piece of history (video)

2010-04-23T16:35:00.003+02:00

My oh my... the British Pathe films archive does offer some interesting pieces of history.

The second video I watched immediately took my attention.
SWISS WOMEN IN MOUNTAIN VILLAGE DRESS AS MEN IN FEMININE DEMONSTRATION

If the archive's informations are correct, the film was shooted in 1922... Not even a thousand year ago. The world has changed, isn't she?

I would love to know which "sweet mountain village" is pictured here.

Mon tube du w.-e.

2010-01-10T10:54:00.001+01:00

Bon, c'est plutôt l'original que je passe en boucle. Mais cette version plus d'jeunes est sympatique.

"Je ne fais pourtant de tort à personne, en suivant mon ch'min de petit bonhomme! Mais les braves gens n'aiment pas que l'on suive une autre route qu'eux."

Georges's not dead!

a very late SALE

2009-12-29T19:58:00.002+01:00

Hi!

2010 is around the corner...
As a very last minute gift, my Rainbow Moebius pattern in on SALE -20% on etsy.
Only until 2010... I believe! ;-)

So hurry up and click here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/filambulle

HAPPY NEW YEAR
I wish you all a rainbow of good surprizes for 2010!

Déchiffrer la trame

2009-11-22T10:54:00.003+01:00

Mon podcast francophone favori a publié en octobre une nouvelle fascinante qui plaira je pense à tous les passionnés des arts textiles:

Déchiffrer la trame de Jean-Claude Dunyach

Utopod est le podcast francophone des littératures de l'imaginaire. De grande qualité, il propose des lectures de nouvelles de science-fiction, fantastique et fantasy par des lecteurs excellents qui sont le plus souvent des comédiens professionnels.
Dites-m'en des nouvelles! :)

Fame "Murphy's Blues"

2009-10-07T22:21:00.001+02:00

This is why I love internet

2009-09-11T21:54:00.002+02:00

I received the nicest message from a raveller today:

"Hi - I was in a yarn shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma (!) this morning (I live near Tulsa) and saw your Noro hat knitted up. It had a tag on it with your blog site, so I looked it up as soon as I got home.
I love your blog!!
I’ve been mostly spinning my own yarn, but I love the Noro yarn too.
I think that I will knit this hat next!
Angelika
ps I also work part time at the Tulsa library. :)"

This is really what makes internet so great: the sharing, the (often nice) feedback and the serendipity of the world. :)

I also want to share some great news:
I am most honored to have one of my patterns in a newly published ebook:
"A Hat in Time, a charity knitting/crochet book with 35 different hat patterns celebrating the work of Save the Children while raising funds for this charity"
I hope it will be very successfull.
More information (also about the soon to be published paper version of the book) on the charity project's blog a hat in time

For all my friends librarians...

2009-03-13T23:11:00.001+01:00

Watch from 4m14s to 7m52s.
Now I know what to do with all the books cutted out I have been keeping as a "Museum of Horror" at the library. I may even become able to smile at them! :D

Les peaux de lièvres

2009-02-21T23:41:00.001+01:00

Une belle chanson, une animation incroyable... bon plaisir!
A beautiful song, and incredible animation... enjoy!

Filambulle - the shop

2008-11-29T21:28:00.008+01:00

What is blue green orange rose beige, gold and turcoise, never untie and can be knit with only three balls of Noro Silk Garden Lite?

The Rainbow Moebius ©filambulle

My Rainbow Moebius is ready for you to knit!

You can buy it either on Etsy (where you will have to wait until I send you the pdf) on Ravelry, or here, as a download that will come directly in your mailbox (it is managed by and through ravelry, but you don't need to be registred there.) : Just click! (and pay USD 6.50)

I hope you'll like it as much as I do.

Rainbow Moebius

2008-11-10T19:10:00.004+01:00

Rainbow Moebius
Originally uploaded by filambulle

To balance the tiredness I knit a rainbow.

Noro Silkgarden Lite
Design by Filambulle

ETA: Yes, I am going to sell the pattern. It is being test-knit by a lovely knitter right now, while I am figuring out layouts, how to sell a pdf... :D

Voulez-vous camper avec moi?

2008-08-17T23:15:00.002+02:00

Comme je retourne bosser demain, je vous offre une promenade dans le Jura vaudois, au paturage des Pralets, en dessus de Bassins. Venez voir toutes les fleurs et les sourires de mes enfants dans ma galerie flickr.

As I go back to work tomorrow, I offer you a "promenade" in the swiss mountain of Jura. Lots of lovely flowers and smiling children! "Rendez-vous" on flickr.

Creating with garter stitch

2008-07-05T22:44:00.001+02:00

baby sweater
Originally uploaded by filambulle

This is NOT the BSJ...

But a WIP I am so proud of, that I don't know if I will be able to give it away!

Baby surprise jacket - en français!!

2008-06-12T21:03:00.005+02:00

Edité le 17.08.08 pour ajouter:
Le lien fonctionne, et on peut le commander en français chez Schoolhouse press.
Il y a des coquilles dans la traduction (pas ma faute!!), mais disons que ça ajoute au charme.
***

C'est officiel!!! Le fameux Baby Surprise Jacket est publié en français!!!!

Vous le trouverez sur le site de la fille d'Elizabeth Zimmermann, fondé par sa fille, à la page des ventes de leaflets (feuillets):
http://schoolhousepress.com/spunout.htm

enfin!

Hints of spring: promenade

2008-03-14T21:01:00.009+01:00

On the 24th of February, we went with our friends M. and B. for a walk between Croy and La Sarraz.
It was a beautiful day, still cold but not freezing.

We were looking for the graceful Niveoles:

But we found many other hints of the coming spring :

Most of theses photos have been taken by A.J.
My favourite is this one:

Living Knits

2008-03-10T23:57:00.002+01:00

I have created a new set on my flickr account: Living Knits.
I want to collect there the photos of my knitted objects as they appear in real life, on real people.

Of course when the real people are cuter than any virtual model could be, the result is almost intolerably cute.

Of course cute is not always the right word...

(Can you recognize three of my handknits in this picture?)

But there are some little persons here no one can resist.

Beware! The cuteness is back!

unblogged: Good Friend Noro pullover

2008-02-25T21:28:00.003+01:00

I don't know why I never wrote a post about this sweater:

It is my second adult sweater (but I finished it before the Hourglass), and the first I knit without a pattern (but with my trusty Knitting Workshop always at my side). It could be a couple of inches longer, but I love the colours of the Noro Big Kureyon, the warmth of the wool, the rustic but not itchy feel of the single yarn. I am particulary proud of the not-quite-raglan line of the shoulder decreasing, a little bit disapointed that the special desiging of the bottom rib does not show more, and totally happy with the short-row placed neckline.

I am a little on the unblogged side myself apparently. Well if you really want to know, in no particular order:

I still knit. (like crazy)
I spin. (a little)
I have started experimenting with the knitting machine (It is irritating but very interesting. And it hurts my back.)
I have open my DMC yarn box again and embroider a little bit here and there.
The sewing machine is back on the dinner table....

and:

The garden is calling my name since it is so warm and sunny.
I have three small children who still wants me for this and that. (and that too. and this again.)
I am back to work and university. Two weeks of holiday where much too short to feel well-rested. But the sun and the snow helped a bit to cheer me up side after the exhaustion of the semester and the exams.

All this is pretty good in fact. But then again after all this I don't really want to take pictures of my projects, less even upload them, write a post aso... Sometimes I miss my blog. But apparently not enough to kick my butt and do it.
I don't want to close it officially however. Who knows? If I am stitching again, I may even blog more some day!!
I still read the other blogs though. And of course I am very happy when I get comments, even if I cannot answer to everyone (blogger does not help me in this).

Have a Sunny February!

I'll be back soon

2008-01-16T17:02:00.001+01:00

She needed a warm sweater. Now I want the same!

Happy New Year !!!

FO: Grey Drops Jacket

2007-12-10T19:56:00.000+01:00

I love my Grey Drops Jacket.

This is a free pattern from Drops design.

The yarn is a cheap Manor Home yarn: Leysin. This is a strange yarn: the core is in a blended synthetic, and pure wool (I think) is all around. It is bulky but light, and I hope it will age ok.
If not, I may knit this jacket again in a more luxuous yarn, because I love it and wear it constantly since I've finished it, in the end of october!
I am not totally satisfied with my choice of buttons (found in my reuse stash). but they are doing their job.
Oh, and I have finally had the nerve to wash my jacket. It has grown a little bit, but it is still totally lovable. Many thanks to the Drops design team for the pattern!

I have lots more details on ravelry. Sorry for the outsiders! Please ask me if you need more details and I will try to answer.

!!!Lien sur le modèle en français!!!

(pics by my then not-yet 7 yrs old daughter. She is now. Time flies and I own her a post here.)

Sewing a Saucisson (and a snake)

2007-12-10T15:39:00.000+01:00

In october, we've had lots of fun creating strange creatures from my daughter's old tights.

The one who has been the most excited about it is my 3 1/2 old one. Both softies shown here are his.

This is a very easy and fun thing to do. The children can help in choosing the colours, the shapes and the embellishments, and of course in stuffing the socks which is the best part for them. I was very happy to be using my big box of embroidery floss in all its colored glory.

It has been in use again yesterday for some Christmas Tree ornaments. Maybe I'll get a chance to show them here?

2 years and 2 days

2007-11-27T15:33:00.001+01:00

Of deep love.

What can I say?

Happy birthday my sweet and funny one.

unblogged: pirate's hat

2007-11-22T22:49:00.000+01:00

I cannot believe I never blogged about my Pirate's hat:

pattern: We Call Them Pirates by Adrian Bizilia from Hello Yarn
yarn: Sport 90 by Grignasco

It is my first stranded knitting project. I made it in September last year (!) for my then 2 year old son. To tell the truth I knitted it for me, but it was too small and his head is big too. He loved it imediately and has wore this hat with great pleasure on any cold occasion since. I am simply amazed that it never got lost. Hopefully it will last, as the hat will fit my son for a long time more, and the yarn is still in perfect condition.

In fact the hat looks nicer now than when I took this first picture.

I have more of this great yarn. It comes in many colours and it is strong and neat looking. (I have used it for my niece's BSJ too.) Now if only I could find my notes on this pattern I would start another one right now. I am hearing the stranded knitting call those days...

You can also have a look at the inside of the hat, or see an artsy shot of the top.

Can you guess that I love this hat? Thanks Adrian for sharing this amazing pattern with us.

FO: River rapids purple socks

2007-11-22T20:49:00.000+01:00

Pattern: River Rapids Socks by Sockbug (modified)
Yarn: Regia

I am a big fan of Sockbug's socks. This is the second time that I use her River Rapids sock pattern. I had adapted it for smaller feet, but this time I followed her a little bit more closely. Well not so much. In fact I only used the pattern and the number of stitches she recommends but that's it. I went lazy and used my generic short-rows heel and I added the same ribbing that I invented for my daughter's socks. I think it flows organically with the river rapids pattern.

These socks are knitted for bigger feet than mine either. I hope to find a worthy recipiend for them at Christmas. :)

As usual, you can find more images on flickr.

FO: Nine-to-five green socks

2007-11-21T16:16:00.001+01:00

Pattern: Nine-to-Five Socks by Nicole Hindes from All Buttoned Up
Yarn: Regia 4ply

Aren't they pretty? Unfortunately they are not for me. And as I knit them bigger, I can't even cheat and keep them secretly! I loved every thing about this pattern. I have added my personal touch by inventing a special toe for them. Basically the four stitches on both side go all around the toe without any visible joint. I am proud of my ingenuity! It was a joy to knit and it gives a very elastic and confortable pair of socks.

As usual, you can find more images on flickr.

Not-so-gnomey hat: one year later

2007-11-01T21:42:00.000+01:00

Do you remember my Not-so-gnomey hat?

Well one year later it still fits him:

About two years ago I wished I could knit to do the lovely gnomey hat.

Now it has been used and washed for one full year, and we still love it. (kiss)

Hand knitted hats are amazing.
Little boys too.

TKN 7 : knitting stainless steel

2007-10-31T16:14:00.000+01:00

The swatch I made for my Habu's Kusha Kusha Scarf is a tiny knitted sculpture.

I am 2/3 done on the scarf and predict hours of happy play when wearing it.

I bought the kit directly at Habu textiles.

I love the other versions I see here and there on the net.

Purl Bee offers the pattern for free on their website, but really it makes no sense to knit it without the steel.

There a still more photos of this swatch in my flickr account. Try a search with "kusha".

FO: Birch, with borders

2007-10-14T17:44:00.000+02:00

Fil: Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70% kidmohair, 30% silk) 225 yds / 25 gr.
Modèle: Birch from Rowan 32, with personal borders.
Aiguilles: 4.5 mm circulaires

I have received the yarn with my first subscription to Rowan's international club. 2 balls where not enouch for a full Birch, so Al and I made elaborate calculs to find out how many stitches I could cast-on for a diminutive birch, using as much of the yarn as possible. I knitted the shawl slowly, and left it alone in Alison's beautiful bag for many months, I must confess. I was not convinced by the colour, and something was wrong with the size of the shawl.
It is with great mortification that I must admit now that even if we are both proud of our capacities in mathematics, we where completely wrong. When I finally finished it, my birch was ridicully small, and I had much yarn left.

In July, I was anxiously waiting for my furnitures to start the Mystery Shawl 3. As I was in a crave for lace, I took back my Birch, and decided to do something with it. I thought and thought some more, then I decided to stop thinking too much, and to pick up stitches all around Birch. I found a pretty lace motif for the first part of my border in Folk Shawls, and began knitting it.
I repeated the pattern three times, then I decided I wanted a slightly frilled border to make sure it would not be too tight on the outside, and improvised a border on my own. The MS had awaken my curiosity for beads in knitting, so I found some nice trnsparent iridescent light purple beads, count them (rightly this time) and added them here and there, as my fancy guided me.

To finished it nicely (and again to be sure nothing where to be tight) I used (and learned) the crochet cast-off for lace.

I am simply enchanted by the result.

It is light as a feather, the silk and the beads makes it shines, it drapes graciously, thanks to the beads and the border and my modifications have not made this a buzy pattern. Of course it is not so graphic and simple "less is more" as the original Birch, but I don't think it is "too much" either. The border gives it a slithgly curving shape, that I intensified with the blocking.

There is only one little problem with this shawl:

You won't be surprised to hear that Al does not like it at all (it is an euphemism). He says that the color is "old looking" (I cannot help to feel he may be right here). He hates shawls. Again, "they look old".

Well yes, lacy fluffy shawls are certainly out of fashion. But I still love this one. I wear it a lot at home, the extremities simply knotted on the front. And I wear it outside home, a bit more like a scarf: I cross the knotted end once on itself and pass it above my head. This way I feel more confortable to wear it in public without feeling totally outdated.

And of course my daughter loves it.

FO: Rose Thé was its colour

2007-10-08T15:11:00.000+02:00

Fil: Twin Color (Lang Yarn) (60% laine, 40% acrylique) 85 m / 50 gr.
Modèle: improvised top-down raglan.
Aiguilles: 5.5 and 4.5 mm circulaires

It is the second sweater I have knit with that yarn. Maybe the third if you add on all the frog-and-reknit I did on both incarnations. It is too big, but I won't frog it again. Partly because I am sick of knitting with this thick cotton, and mostly because it has lost its wonderful colour after the first wash!

Yes, you read well. I washed it in the machine to clean it and maybe shrink it a tiny bit. It was with regular laudry, mostly old clothes that I was totally confident would not blead at all. I should not have betrayed my good separatist habit (white - reddish - blueish colours washed separately). I paid it the hard price. I have now a faded-greyish tea rose sweater.
At least I bought the yarn at a bargain.

Leasons learned:

1.- When knitting a cropped hooded cardigan, if you have a strange feeling that you are knitting for a teenager, stop right now and think: it is lovely. But will I wear it? Admit that even if you are young-looking at your age, your figure deserve a more feminine and mature form and frog imediately. Don't wait until you have knit the damned cardigan twice!

2.- Choose wisely the pattern when knitting with thick cotton yarn. Or avoid knitting with thick cotton yarn for what it's worth.

3.- Always stick to your washing rules. The colour always bleed - even after years of washing - if you give it the opportunity.

4.- Learn to knit non-raglan top-down sweaters. Read your Barbara Walkers from cover to cover and please try other shapes...

ps.: The photos on this post are before-wash.

Bronchitis weaving and knitting patterns

2007-10-07T21:15:00.000+02:00

Now that the camera is back from it's summer work, I have been finally able to shoot a few of my Fos. But my companion is exploring new possibilities in computer sharing... and could not download the pictures. When he tried, he forgot to shut down the camera, and now the batteries are down and I must recharge them. But I don't know where the charger is, and don't feel recovered enough to run up and down the house to make it work.
In short I am sorry to write that this post may be as imagefree as the last one*.

Since the 20th of septembre, I have started a new formation. My three children and myself have been sick and lost our voices one after another, and as I was running between working, parenting and learning, I had no time left to rest and heal myself. So I kept coughing. And coughing. As the itch and the pain in my right lung kept getting worst, I finally whent to the doctor (I hate that). I had an x-ray. Oh! Surprise! I have a bronchitis! Give me some antibiotics please! And some cortison. And don't forget the resyl and the fluimucil (or its twin).
It is getting boring. Since I was a kid, I keep having the same problems with the same lung, and using the same remedies to heal. Not always together, luckily, but still.

Anyway, I am wondering how and when I did finish all the projects I am so eager to share with you.

The last one may well be the most thrilling and my favourite. I finally used that simple weaving I bought for nothing in the charity thrifting store months ago. I had no manual, so I figured out how to mount the warp using sock yarn. (Regia yarn. I am all for strenght here) Then I grab a few odds and ends in my stash and whent from there.
The result is beautiful. I have yet to find a way to hide the fringes and to display it. But this technique is probably the best way to use the ends of balls and the strange yarn that most of us harbor here or there in our home.

If you have no yarn in your house, maybe you can play weaving nonetheless. My daughter loved weaving with paper. If I can I will show you what she made today. It is lovely.

In the mean time, if you only want to knit, I can suggest you those nice and fun hat and scarf patterns (go see the keyboard biologist for a nice picture of the last one). I knit both of them two times already. And will knit them again. A little bit more demanding but equally nice is this sock pattern. Which obviously I had to knit twice! And I am playing now with that scarf. I am using the same colours as the twisted knitter. It is unique, mysterious and beautiful. It's too bad tomorrow is monday. I could enjoy a second week-end. Don't you ever feel that way?

*It's not! I have a bad photo of my first zeebee hat! In Noro Transitions! Hurray!

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Je suis navrée de ne pas traduire systématiquement mes billets. Je n'ai pas vraiment le temps et le courage en ce moment. Bizarrement, même si le français est ma langue maternelle et que c'est mon propre texte que je traduit, c'est assez long tout de même.

En gros: les enfants et moi avons été malades au point de perdre nos voix. Débordée par tout ça, avec le début de ma nouvelle formation, je ne me suis pas reposée ni soignée, et le résultat c'est que j'ai eu une bronchite assez sévère.

Malgré tout j'ai fini pas mal de projets, que j'aimerais vous montrer si la chaîne objet-caméra-ordinateur voulait bien marcher. En particulier j'ai enfin testé mon mini métier à tisser, et si j'ai certainement réinventé la roue pour cause d'absence de mode d'emploi je me suis éclatée. C'est vraiment le moyen idéal pour utiliser tous les bouts de laine et les drôles de fils qui traînent dans tous les tiroirs des obsédées du textile.
Ma fille a tissé aussi. Mais du papier.

Et enfin si vous cliquez sur les liens du dernier paragraphe en anglais vous verrez une sélection des modèles de tricot que j'ai utilisés ces derniers temps. Tous en anglais, cependant.
La mauvaise photo est celle de mon premier Zeebee. En Noro Transitions, s'il vous plaît.
Bonne semaine!

Buster Keaton vs Shrek

2007-09-26T22:26:00.000+02:00

My daughter is finally old enough to join the world's best cineclub for children (called "La Lanterne Magique" - the magic lantern click on the link. It's a good one.) Today was her first showing. They always start with a comic movie. This year, it was one of Buster Keaton. She was totally enchanted. And hilare.
When I asked her if she had a favourite between Shrek 3 and The Navigator she blushed.
What do you think? She asked. I guessed correctly. She was not so radiating after Shrek...

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Ma fille est enfin assez âgée pour s'inscrire au meilleur cinéclub pour enfant du monde. La Lanterne Magique (cliquez- ça vaut la peine)
Aujourd'hui c'était sa première séance. C'est toujours un film comique, pour les mettre dans le bain. Cette année un film de Buster Keaton. Elle a été enchantée. Elle est revenue hilare, sautillante, bavarde...
Quand je lui ai demandé si elle avait un préféré entre Shrek 3 (que nous avons vu toutes les deux) et La Croisière du Navigateur elle a rougi. "Qu'est-ce que tu crois?" Elle m'a demandé. J'ai bien deviné. Elle n'était pas aussi radieuse après Shrek...

Buster Keaton 1 - Shrek 0

Stainless steel and silk lush

2007-09-25T23:59:00.000+02:00

Thanks to Alison's last post on her blog from Sixandahalfstitches, I am now totally obsessed by Habu textiles - or should I say Avril yarn? Yes, this is more accurate. I wish I could speak japanese, really.

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Grâce au dernier billet d'Alison sur son blog Sixandahalfstitches, je suis à présent complètement obsédée par Habu textiles - ou est-ce par Avril du Japon? Oui, ce serait plus précis. Si seulement je parlais japonais!!!

Scarf for Melanie: a beginner's scarf pattern with fringe

2007-09-21T20:05:00.000+02:00

This is a photo of the first longest (red) scarf that I kept for myself... I knitted a cream, shorter version with only two balls of yarn for my cousin Melanie's last Christmas gift, and of course I forgot to take a picture .
I offer here the "pattern" of this simple and stunning scarf, for the beginner knitter who wants a slightly more refined version of the plain garter stitch scarf, to give to someone he/she loves, or to keep for him/herself.

Yarn: HOME by Manor: Lena (39%Wool; 33%Polyacryl; 28%Polyamid) 65m/50g: 2 1/2 balls
Needles: 8.0 mm or US 11 (I used bamboo straights)

Notes:
- This is a very simple scarf, in garter stitch with fringes, that is designed so to show off the beautiful yarn. Very quick to knit on large needle.
- The border is engineered to be very straight, without the knotted aspect of the traditional garter-stitch border.
- The yarn for the fringes is cut in the beginning, before starting to knit. This insure for a peaceful finishing.

Circle the yarn 36 times total around the small width off your favourite magazine. Do not overlap the yarn, but lay it nicely close to the precedent loop. Cut the yarn and put the magazine on a safe place.

Cast-on 16 stitches loosely. I used the knitted cast-on, usually employed for knitted lace, as it is loose and match the cast-off well.

K15, bring yarn in front, slip last stitch purlwise.
*K1 throught the back loop, K14, byf, s1p*
repeat last row until you almost run out of your yarn

Bind-off VERY loosely.

Carefully cut the yarn looped around the magazine. You can slide one blade of the scissor between the pages of the magazine to insure a regular cut precisely along the edge and obtain totally even fringes threads.
As my yarn was a slow self-stripping one, I kept the order of the colors by laying the first thread on my left, then the second on my right, and carefully aligning each other yarn at each side. You'll have 18 thread on each side, and your scarf is 16 stitches wide. You will put two threads in the first and last stitch on each extremity of the scarf, and all other stitches will have one thread each. I kept the colors in order.
To put a thread on each stitch, fold the thread in two, use a crochet or one needle to pick up the fold of your thread through one stitch, then pass the extremities of the thread in the loop formed by the fold, and pull on the extemities to tighten the knot. If you take care to fold the thread precisely on the middle, and pull on both extremities held together, your fringe should be perfectly regular and need no "haircut" to be straight.

Here is my beloved baby modelling the scarf for you about one year ago. I love this scarf and look forward to wear it again this autumn. And yes, if you are feeling a strange sensation of "déjà vu", you have already seen those images.

I am back to school/De retour à l'école

2007-09-20T21:45:00.000+02:00

I am back to school too.
And I am exhausted, so I won't be telling you my adventures as a brand new student tonight.

Lets just say that in the bright side of this, I will have a lot more time to knit in the train.
Good night you all.
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Moi aussi je suis de retour à l'école.
Et je suis épuisée, alors les grandes aventures de filambulle écolière ce sera pour plus tard.

Disons juste qu'un des bons côtés est que j'aurai plus de temps pour tricoter dans le train.
Bonne nuit à vous tous.

She is back to school

2007-09-14T21:23:00.000+02:00

And this is the "serious" one now. I am having lots of second thoughts with this one, as it is so different as the one I've been lucky enough to attempt when I was a child. My school was in the public system of Geneva, but was a test-curriculum inspired by Rudolf Steiner and other Waldorfs currents. I loved it, and I so wish that my children could love school as much as I did, and live a happier childhood. For the moment, my daughter is going to the public "traditional" school. It was all right (but not ideal) when she was in the "enfantine" (preschool) cycle. But now things are going to a direction I do not like.
And she must travel two hours per day for that.
She says that she likes it. But let's face it: she already knows how to read and count better than she will have to at the end of the two-years cycle. She will have no possibility to do art or read confortably or dance or play when the other are learning what she already knows. And she has to be away from home almost 8 hours per day, with two hours of comuting to a school that is only two or three kilometer away... How can she not become bored and exhausted?
I am worried.

At least she will have beautiful hand-made home-made creations to remember her the spirit of our family. The Tomten is out of the wardrobe, and she has a brand new apron sewed by her mother with a machine bought by her grandmother, with a fabric that used to be her grand-grand-mother's.
I am smiling again!

And here just one more detail of the fabric, because I love it so much. You can have much more on flickr if you like it too!

What next?

2007-09-07T09:01:00.000+02:00

Another imageless post, I am afraid. Sorry!

I have finished both of my lace shawls.
The Mystery Stole 3 Have been finished and washed on Wednesday. I have no blocking wires and do not intent to buy some*. So I just patted it flat very carefully, fold in two as it is huge. The result is stunning. Not very airy, as it has not been pulled out. But a bit more casual, like a big beautiful beaded laced scarf. I may try to string block them the next time, because the edges are not as clean as I wish which hides the beads on the border.
Any way I hope to be able to take some good shot this week-end and show you what is so difficult to explain.

The Kid Silk Haze Shawl That Used to be Birch is having a bath right now. It came out much better than I hoped. I will pin block it, but I don't know how to show off the slightly ruffled border that is so lovely. I have tryed many things with that shawl, and I really think it's amazing how it turned out! I even made a crochet bind-off (scroll down)!

So now: what's next?
- I have the Bonita t-shirt on hold. It misses only one (tiny) sleeve and all the finishing. But I don't feel much inspired by a cotton t-shirt right now...
- I have this hooded cropped cardigan (found on craftsters, cann't find the thread...) that also miss only a few inches on the sleeves. But I have not the right needles for that one. I struggle with two circular INOX. Besides, I know that I will probably frog it at the end. I love the yarn, the color, the pattern. Only, you know, it's not really my style...

I would like to knit:
- Something easy to knit while watching some dumb show online (I need to stop thinking sometimes). A lace shawl is in my mind. (I can't stop that!)
- A cardigan for me, in a yummy wool I love, in a simple but interesting pattern.
- Something for one of my men, little or big. Cause they (mostly) diserve it.

I have some patterns in mind for all those three tasks, but I haven't made up my mind.

Or maybe just a hat, while waiting for the inspiration to come?

I will knit from stash. THAT is certain. So my favourite pattern from the latest Interweave Knits may well be out of the competition. I like this one too. The cabled yoke is pretty amazing. And that man's sweater I know I will knit once. Or sooner. I am not at all surprised by my selection this month. Norah Gaugham, Eunny Yang and Jared Flood are masters of their art, right? I like Kate Gilbert's latest design too. But I'll never wear something so close to my throat, neither would my sister or mother.
You will excuse me. I must return to my pattern browsing...
Have a really nice week-end, dears.

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* I am on a shopping diet. Like all the Refashionistas. Only without a pledge.

I am a follower

2007-09-02T11:39:00.000+02:00

... and I am in Ravelry.
In about 15 minutes I have been hooked. You know, I may even become o r g a n i s e d !!!
Will you bet?

I am very happy to be able to use my webname there too. You will find me as "filambulle". I would have been pissed if someone had registred this name before me.

The first project I put on there is my beloved Clapomitaines. I am still proud of the beginner knitter who has created those - myself!
Me myself and I send all the best thoughts to you dear readers. Have a wonderful sunday.

Still Spinning

2007-08-30T21:12:00.000+02:00

Yes I am still spinning.
To prove it today I will be proudly introducting three of my favourite skeins:

Enchanted Forest

Falkland Top by The Fiber Denn, two ply, wheelspun on my dear Suzie (Majacraft).
One is spun compressed, the other with lots of air. Just to see what it gives.
The result is ok but not thrilling texturewise although the fiber itself is great. I prefer the result when I spin two more similar singles to be plyed.
Anyway I love the colourway and the hand, and may use this on a yoke for a pullover for me.

Beauty and the Beast

Two skeins are half Merino from MaryJane's Attic, half Local Wool (offered by the very kind shepherd of the University's flock, who was stunned to be asked for wool by a spinner. First time in his life...). I washed some handfull of the fleece and spun directly from it. I must do some educating work on the gentle man, as he still have to learn how to minimize the quantity of vegetyble matter on the fleece...
The last skein is the rest of the merino plyed on itself.
The dark wool is very frizzy and bouncy. The colour is deep and lovely. The girly pink merino adds softness while the raw wool keeps the yarn from being too sweet'n cute.
I love the contrast. This experiment is a total success and i hope to try it again with a more manly colour, to knit a hat for the shepherd.

Wine Tasting

This one is my favourite.
This is from a mystery sample offered by the kind and elegant Twisted from Etsy.
She added this to my fill up the enveloppe on my first order to her! I don't know what this fibre is but it is heavenly to work with, and I am deeply in love with the resulting yarn. Can you see all the colours of the wines of the world in this yarn as I do? Do you not want to pat this lovely fuziness? Can you imagine the light and soft touch of the yarn?

I love spinning.

+ 1,... mètres

2007-08-13T08:52:00.000+02:00

... It was VERY wet!
... Que d'eau, que d'eau!

Estavayer-le-lac

2007-08-07T00:55:00.000+02:00

I am going there again. Can you blame me?
J'y retourne. Pouvez-vous me blâmer?

A Bientôt!

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I couldn't resist to add this image. It is not mine. Please go on flickr and add a nice comment if you want to congratulate the talented photographer! Thanks

Je n'ai pas pu résister et ai dû ajouter cette image. Ce n'est pas la mienne. Je vous en prie, allez dire tout le bien que vous en pensez à son auteur, sur flickr. Merci

TKN 6: two lace shawls in progress

2007-07-29T22:55:00.000+02:00

I am knitting two lovely and very different lace shawls.

One is the old Birch with Rowan's Kidsilk Haze for which I am creating a border as I go. This one is all fuzziness and fluffiness, freedom and a tiny bit of concern for the finished object.

The other is the new and not even totally published Mystery3 shawl. I am following blindly the instructions of the designer, and the cashemire I am using (Colourmart 100% cashemire in heavylaceweight) is much more restrained in its appearance, with an amazing stitch definition and in a modest charcoal color. I know that this one is going to be a wonder.

Both are very soft, both are a little beaded, and I am enjoying as much one as the other.

Knitting lace shawls is fun.

a border for Rowan's Birch?

2007-07-19T01:04:00.000+02:00

In order to keep me occupied while waiting for my beads to come (I have already swatched my cashemire and it is lovely), I have finished my very old Birch. It had been waiting very patiently in a lovely bag since ages because I was not happy with its size.

I don't know what we have been thinking while trying to figure how many stitches I should cast-on to be sure to finish a smaller birch with only two balls of rowan's kidsilk haze, but we may have to considerably lower our self-esteem in math.
Both me and my very clever man.

My Birch is tiny. She didn't even used a full ball.

Of course I may not frog this yarn. So I thought I may add a border to my shawl. Does anyone knows a nice border with a leaf motif? Not to complicate to compliment the simplicity of Birch? And if you have some advice on how many stitches to pick-up and knit for a sided border in garder-stitch,. I would be grateful. With any advice, actually.

If you want to get an idea of how she is looking, I have found a similar one at Sweet Georgia's. I hope she doesn't mind if I give you here a tiny link direct to her photo.
Thank you very much for your help!
Now I am leaving you, because a girl has to sleep sometimes too.

HELP needed / Aidez-moi à choisir

2007-07-07T22:24:00.000+02:00

J'ai commandé un cone de cashmire gris charbon:
I have ordered a cone of charcoal cashmire:

+ il me faut des perles. Oui, mais lesquelles?
+ I need some beads. But which one ?

Pour tricoter une étole mystérieuse. Aidez-moi à choisir! Je ne suis déjà pas en avance...
To knit a mystery stole. Please help me to choose! I am already late...

Et dire que je pars demain pour une semaine de vacances et que je ne pourrai même pas emporter ce projet! Que vais-je emporter d'ailleurs? Je vais de ce pas y réfléchir.
To think that I am leaving tomorrow for a week of vacancy without being able to take this project with me!!! What will I take with me btw? Must think of it right now.

FO: White Lotus Blossom Tank

2007-07-07T14:49:00.000+02:00

Fil: Sojabama (Schulana) (soy/bamboo) 110m/50g.
Modèle: Lotus Blossom Tank, from Interweave Knits.
Aiguilles: 4 mm circulaires
Taille: smallest, with changes

This tank is lovely, though I have had a few issues with it, and still don't really know how big it is yet, after two washing.

It is my fourth attempt to knit it! Last year I began it three times, and knit a big part of the lace part three time, always ending with a huge lump, impossible to transform into a wearable tank.

But when I bought this lovely yarn at a sad end-of-the-business sale of a RIP LYS, I wanted to find a lovely lace top to use it. And I fall in awe upon a photo of a beautiful LBT in white, on which the knitter had made lovely mods.
So I followed her.

1.- I forgot to change the needles after the lace (and I am glad I did). I used 3.5 mm to pick-up and knit the neck and armhole borders, and it really needs this for stability.

2.- The first time I wore this tank, it grew on me like thre sizes. I was happy to wear a bra! I have washed it, and it seems to be a little bit more stable now. But I could not give you any fixed dimensions now.

3.- This yarn takes ages to dry after the wash. But it is amazingly comfortable to wear on hot summer days (not that we had many here since may!). I regret not having bought the whole stock of this when the yarn shop was closing, because it is not a cheap yarn.

After all that knitting, I should have two or three Lotus Blossom Tank to wear, and I am not alone in this case, if you read the kal blog. I don't know how the designer managed to optain such a fitting little tank with her numbers and gauge, but I am very happy now with my white Lotus Blossom. I may use that construction again, but with another lace pattern. I have knit like a blanket worth of this stitch pattern, and even if it is lovely, I am sick of it.

A better week

2007-06-29T00:25:00.000+02:00

Well I have gathered a few nice flowers of happiness since last post.

- My new wheel is (finally) arrived. The american and the swiss post seems to have work hand-in-hand to make her trip as long as possible. But I don't mind because she is a beauty and works extremely well. I bet that you will soon have some good chance to droll over photos of her and the yarn we made together. (I am almost ready to buy a second camera for this house. I am too frustrated by the actual situation.)

- Sherwood has been found! My dear middle son has open his mini-wallet... and the pullover was hidden there! I was really happy and relieved to see it again. One can get attached to hose hand-made things, you know. Apparently the tiny one wanted to take this wallet with him on his last trip to their grandparents, his father put the sweater in it, and promptly forgot all about it. Shame! Hopefully he will be a bit more carefull from now on.

- We have been dining friday night with new friends and partying all saturday with old friends. Wednesday the whole school party was nice and well organized, but the best part of it was the secret surprize prepared by the children and their fathers. At the end of the little jungle-themed show the fathers got up and went dancing with their little ones. A fun, cute, hilarious, and moving moment. I am proud of my daughter and of her father too, of course. (Yes, why. Of course he was the best dancer. Although strangely my friend Lulu seems not to agree with me...)

And much more, but it is time to go to bed. I wish you a nice week-end.

The truth is my sadness

2007-06-21T12:40:00.000+02:00

Thanks to Alison's sincerity and courage, I take the strengh to post those words my blog now.

I am feeling exhausted and sad since weeks. And as i have no good reason for that, I don't feel the right to complain. But I have tears in my eyes, bursting for no reasons when I am alone. and it is not getting better. The everlasting sinusitis and hay fever may be in cause...

In two weeks and a few hours I will be in holidays. Hopefully that will help.
In the meantime, I will gather every little flower of happiness that I'll find on my way.

FO: Sherwood

2007-06-17T15:20:00.000+02:00

Fil: Tweedy (Phildar) (35% laine, 30% acrylique, 18% soie, 17% polyamide) 89 yds/50g, colori Bocage, 4? écheveaux.
Modèle: Sherwood, in Knitty, by Angela Hahn.
Aiguilles: 4 mm circulaires
Taille: 2 ans

Il n'y a pas grand-chose à raconter à propose de ce pull. Tout est allé comme sur des roulettes, je n'ai eu que du bonheur à le faire. C'est un modèle relativement facile mais très intéressant, qui ne demande aucune couture, ce que j'apprécie largement. Le seul problème: il est déjà égaré!
Espérons juste qu'il soit resté chez ma belle-mère (comme le suggère le père qui ne comprend pas qu'une telle désinvolture soit malvenue ici). Parce que je l'aime beaucoup, et qu'il va à mon Flocon à la perfection. Il faut même retourner les manches, ce qui veut dire qu'il lui ira cet automne. Parce que bon, là maintenant tout de suite, ce n'est pas vraiment l'habit le plus nécessaire de sa garde-robe.

Quelques détails quand même:

1.- J'ai ajouté un motif en haut des manches. A mon avis c'est beaucoup mieux comme ça, moins "mastoc" comme silhouette.

2.- Je suis particulièrement fière de la couture des épaules. J'ai fermé les mailles des deux épaules en les attanchants simultanément en fasant un "three-needle bind off" (= arrêt de mailles à trois aiguilles). Si vous voulez un tuto, demandez-le moi!

3.- Je n'ai pas de photos de la partie dont je suis la plus fière: J'ai tricoté les manches en rond, et pour faire les diminutions des dessous de manches et donner une structure à la manches, j'ai inventé une alternance diminution/mailles croisées sur deux rangs qui donne un résultat très pro.

Le meilleur pour la fin: Le fil ne m'a coûté que 2.-CHF la pelote. Trouvez-vous un convertisseur de monnaie, et devinez pourquoi je suis retournée en chercher deux pelotes en écru pour un futur pull pour mon Lupin...

A smile on my face

2007-06-15T22:48:00.001+02:00

This cartoon was one of my favourite when I was a little girl, with a black and white television... I am so happy to find this online now. My children love it too.

a modest basalt tank

2007-06-12T21:46:00.000+02:00

In its original incarnation, the Basalt Tank is a quite immodest pretty piece of art.
I absolutely love it, but I though that it may be better if I could actually wear my knitted piece of art at work. So I took inspiration in the clever modifications I found on the knitting nature's kal blog, posted by this talentful woman. Basically, I omitted the lower half of the two side hexagon, and added a garter-stitch / eyelets / garter stitch border at the bottom. I did not do her doubled borders in the neckline and the bottom. I thought they where a bit too heavy for my liking, and changed too much the logical, organic construction of Norah Gaughan's chef d'oeuvre.
It turned out to be really immodest. (no pictures here. I am a modest person)
But totally wearable on a white blouse. (no pictures here either. I am a lazy person)

What to do in the humid, warm weather? I really wanted to wear it alone.
First, I bought a bra.
Then I turned her frontside/back! And now of course I pretend that she was meant to be worn like that 'til the beginning!

1. basalt tank back, 2. basalt tank, 3. basalt tank, 4. basalt tank

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

I am entirely happy with this one. I used a cotton-linen blend I bought twenty years ago. (No, I was not a knitter at all! Apparently I was an aspiring knitter for a few months...) I followed blindly Norah's explications and advices, except when I did not as before-said. I had fun from the beginning until the end. I love wearing it, and it's already been washed two or three times. This one will be worn to death. And I am already looking forward to knit a replacement basalt tank!

Thank you Norah.
Thank you kal's ladies

---(deleted whinings about not having a prettier picture to show you my lovely tank...)---

Cute Kitten / Chatons Mignons

2007-06-06T22:09:00.000+02:00

Moustache,

PinPon,

et Minuscule vous saluent...

Ils sont alertes,

consciencieux,

et simplement irrésistibles!

500 ans de modestie

2007-06-05T10:36:00.000+02:00

Thanks to Beyond Utility for the link to this video and the title of this post!

Merci à Beyond Utility pour le lien vers cette vidée, et pour le titre de ce papier!

Whiplash splash cushion

2007-05-31T08:48:00.000+02:00

I am plunging now, and feel like i am cheating...

I bet that some of you have already sawn this little cushion, my most popular photo in flickr, and a most beloved object at home. I always smile when my eyes fall on him.

I love the colours, I love all the fabrics I used, I love the quilted circles on it, I love all its imperfection, I love the firm bumpiness of the cushion, and the fact that deep inside it is the my favourite cushion of my childhood. It has lived many lifes, but I remember the feel and the image of the dog that was on it, when I used to sleep on it in my parent's car.

This was the first patchwork project I've made with my (then) brand new sewing machine, and I could not be happier with the result. I used the funny trick that helps me make circles, and the nifty on/off button that frees my leg and helps me relax when sewing. The back is quilted in random lines.

So for my first apparition in the whiplash competition, I cheat and post at the last minute an "old" cushion made new. I love it. Do you like it?

(last picture with a baby jacket, only for the scale purpose, you see? Not for the cuteness factor, or for any colourplay. No. Really.)

--------------------------EDITED TO ADD---------------------
Actually I am cheating! I just saw that it had to be made during the month of the competition. I am sorry. I swear it was a whiplash when I made this. Just in a different timeframe. Sorry again... I don't know if/how I can retire myself from the competition. Just don't vote for me, ok? Thanks.

pretty peony - almost gone

2007-05-30T14:00:00.000+02:00

The weather has not been tender with my peonies.

It was summer,
They've grown faster.
Then back to spring,
Rain pulled them down.

I bow to their bent heads and find secret beauty.
The sun is shining (again).

TKN 5: sherwood sweater

2007-05-23T22:43:00.000+02:00

The Basalt Tank, is finished and already weared in a gazillion wonderful ways. I love it and will give it the post it diserves as soon as possible.
In the meantime, I give you a detail shot of my current (and almost finished) work in progress: the very green Sherwood, from Knitty. It is a blast to knit, too.

Basalt Tank est fini et porté de mille manière. Je l'aime énormément, et lui écrirai le billet qu'il mérite dès que possible. En attendant, voici un détail du très vert Sherwood, de Knitty. Un régal à tricoter, lui aussi.

---edited to add---édité pour ajouter---

Yarn/laine: Tweedy (Phildar) 005 Bocage

TKN 4: toddler soaker

2007-05-19T14:18:00.000+02:00

We are always trying to live a greener life. As I only have one child needing diapers, I thought it may be the good moment to try cloth diapering. I have tryed to sew one cloth diaper, following some online free patterns and instructions, but it was too bulky and I thought it may be a good idea to buy a couple of ready made ones. I found a very good and friendly local online saler, and instead of sewing a cloth diaper, I turned my mind on knitting a wooly soaker. I used my stunnning kool-aid dyed yarn (both blank yarn and kool-aid given by the most charming shan) and a great pattern (with mods, of course) Both the child and I are very happy with the result, although I could run an elastic on top of the soaker. I appear to be seing my sweetheart bigger than he really is.

Dans notre éternelle recherche d'une vie plus verte, nous avons récemment décidé qu'avec un seul enfant dans les couches, il était temps de tenter les langes en tissus. J'ai bien sûr d'abord essayé d'en coudre un moi-même, mais il était trop épais, et j'en ai conclu que le plus raisonnable était d'en acheter quelques uns, pour voir. J'ai fini par trouver une vendeuse locale online, très serviable et amicale. Et au lieu de coudre moi-même des langes, je me suis mise à tricoter une culotte en laine pour recouvrir les langes. J'ai utilisé ma laine teinte au kool-aid (grâce à la charmante Shanon qui m'a offert jadis et les sachets et la laine brute!), et un modèle excellent, que j'ai bien sûr modifié un chouia. Le petit et moi-même sommes ravis, bien qu'un élastique à la taille ne serait pas de trop. Apparemment je surestime mon doux coeur sur le plan du volume!

-------Edited to add the links.------

Je brûle (toujours) pour Polar

2007-05-14T00:57:00.001+02:00

Il a fallu que je m'inscrive à youTube pour partager avec vous cette chanson. L'homme qui la chante est un de mes deux plus chers amis d'adolescence.
Eric Linder, alias POLAR avait déjà cette voix lorsque je passais des après-midi à l'écouter, dans les sous-sols des écoles d'Onex. Je l'aime toujours autant.

She was not yet a mother

2007-05-13T22:08:00.000+02:00

Now she is way too busy to pose for a photo: my cat is the mother of three little balls of black and white fur. We are proud and exhausted!

102 + 105 + 74 = 281 gr.

2007-05-11T23:09:00.001+02:00

Il y a 281 gr. de cuteness (mignonitude?) à la maison. Trois petites pelotes noires et blanches qui couinent parfois, têtent beaucoup, fatiguent leur maman et obsèdent un peu leur humaine.

Ma Moulinette a fait des petits. Il sont déjà plus poilus que leur maman, et ont trois caractères bien distinct. C'est la première fois que j'ai des chatons à la maison; c'est émouvant et inquétant.

Méfiez-vous: vous risquez bien de voir apparaître quelques photos attendrissantes ces prochains jours. Je ne suis pas une grande fan des photos d'animaux de compagnie sur les blogs de tricot (à l'exception de l'inénarable dolorès, pour ceux qui fréquentent le panopticon), mais je ne suis pas complètement immunisée contre la scandaleuse tendance des chatons à être mignons.

En attendant voici un portrait de la mère, encore demoiselle à l'époque. La star!

Ah, j'oubliais: je chante ce week-end. Un concert cantate et parole à l'Eglise de Villamont à Lausanne, pour les curieux. Nous chantons du Bach,"Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen" BWV 43
pour être précise. L'ensemble vocal Hémiole, dont je fais partie, ne chante que le premier et le dernier mouvements de la cantate, mais c'est du tricot serré, genre mélange de dentelles et de cables avec des points fantaisies un peu partout pas piqué des vers. Vous pouvez écouter la version de P-J Leusink pour vous faire une idée.

TKN 3: rainbow heart socks

2007-05-10T21:25:00.000+02:00

I am knitting for the small feet of my heart. This is lovely.

Je tricote pour les petits pieds de mon coeur. C'est adorable.

TKN 2: basalt tank

2007-05-08T21:42:00.000+02:00

My actual most beloved WIP is the amazing Basalt Tank, from the amazing Knitting Nature, by the amazing Norah Gaughan. I am knitting it with the oldest yarn in my stash, a linen/cotton 3ply, in a tan colourway. I have great hopes, and I think I am in love.

Mon en-cours favori est le merveilleux Basalt Tank, tiré du merveilleux livre Knitting Nature, de la merveilleuse Norah Gaughan. Je le tricote avec le plus vieux fil de mon stock, un mélange lin-coton couleur peau. J'ai de grands espoirs pour celui-ci, et je crois bien que je suis amoureuse.

TKN 1 (tiny knitting news)

2007-05-07T20:14:00.000+02:00

My swallowtail shawl keeps shrinking and would need a good re-bloking. But it keeps me warm and happy on those beautiful spring evenings.

Mon châle swallowtail, se ratatinant à vue d'oeil, aurait besoin d'un bon blocage. Mais tel quel, il me tient chaud et me réjouit le coeur lors des si belles soirées de printemps.
------
Note pour les francophones: j'ai pris le parti de ne pas traduire les titres de cette mini-série. TKN = tiny knitting news = mini nouvelles de tricot. Et pour une fois, je m'en excuse! Mais du coup vous apprenez un peu d'anglais. Ce n'est pas si mal, non?

a blurry tomten/tomten flou

2007-04-27T14:10:00.000+02:00

EZ's fun Tomten Jacket is way more difficult to photography than to knit.
Le Tomten d'Elizabeth Zimmermann est beaucoup plus difficile à photographier qu'à tricoter.

I have finished it in march, and keep hoping to post a good image and some notes about it, but times fly, and I want to show it off now.
Je l'ai terminé en mars, et ne cesse depuis d'espèrer pouvoir poster ici une belle photo et quelques notes sur son exécution. Mais le temps passe, et je veux maintenant vous le montrer.

So you get a few of blurry photos of a six year old very active and happy girl.
Donc voici quelques photos floues d'une fillette de six ans, très heureuse et très active.

And a detail of the icord edging. I have some images of the making of this edging, and great plans for a technical post about it. But as you know me now, you can guess the chances of this being ever done.
Et un détail de sa bordure en icord. J'ai plein d'image de la technique pour tricoter cette bordure, et de grands projets pour un tutoriel sur cette technique. Mais comme vous me connaisez un peu à présent, vous vous doutez de quelles sont les chances que cela arrive un jour.

Maybe late, probably never.
Peut-être très tard, probablement jamais.
****
Now if only I could get nice buttons for my jacket...
Si seulement j'arrivais à trouver des jolis boutons pour ma jacquette...

My Noro hat, a free-form recipe

2007-04-18T18:20:00.000+02:00

Remember that hat?

Well, some of you had noticed it, and I have since regularly received queries for the pattern.
As I have no picture of my latest project, and nothing else to write about (hhhem), I thought that today was the perfect day (sooo warm and sunny) to offer you a recipe for my One Skein Noro Spiral Hat. Maybe the aussies will appreciate it. And yes, this is a very bad name. Any ideas for a better one?

INGREDIENTS
- One skein of Noro Kureyon. lovely.

- Needles. circular, double pointed... your choice, but usable to knit circularly. Of course I don't remember the number. Probably the size recommended on the ball band, or on other Noro patterns. Let's see (google, google...) I guesstimate size US7, 4,5mm. Of course I noted it on a notebook's page. Yes, but which one? Where is it? Oh! I just found this information...on my blog. I noted 5.5mm (= US9) but was uncertain. Beware!

PRELUDE
Cast-on 80 stitches. I used longtail cast-on. I almost always do. I am european, you know? Beware though: I have a BIG head, and my hat does not compress my head the tiny bit. Even slightly felted after two winters of moderate use and washing. It is big too. So you may choose to reduce the cast-on stitches by any multiple of 8 that you wish.

Join in the round. You can eventually do a small exchange dance between the first and last of your stitches to perfect the join, but I doubt very much i did this in my beginner days. I rarely do it now either. On a hat, where you have great chance to have that particular bit of knitting sitting in the middle of your forehead, I use the tail of my cast-on to close the gap and finish up perfectly the join. You may add a marker here if you dislike the looking-for-the-end-of-the-thread to recognize-the-beginning-of-my-row game.

If you want a non-curly border, rib on for a few rows. I did a 2x2 ribbing for 6 rows, but it is not my favourite part of this hat, and I would probably change this IF I do it again. I let you free here to use your imagination, or declare that you like my border and use it. Please, please tell me if you invent a great border for this hat. I would like to know.

Knit one row, remove the marker (or let it here, but it won't really help you unless you rewrite my pattern to include him in the explanations. Which is totally possible and may even be easy. But I won't do that today, thank you.)

FUGUE
Here starts my second favourite part of the hat:

* (yo, k6, k2tog) repeat until you meet a yarnover, then:
knit one row, until you meet a knitted yarnover. stop just before him, then go to *

repeat those two row until the hat seems "deep enough" for your liking. Mine is a bit too deep, so I would be very ill-come to give you some advice. For your information, I started my crow decreases at 15 cm high (google, google, about 6").

FINAL
And here begins that glorious best part of that hat. The part that makes me so happy that I would gladly have to bow to strangers, just so that they can see the top of my head.

(yo, k5, k3tog) repeat until you meet a yarnover
knit one round until you meet a knitted yarnover, stop in front of him.
(yo, k4, k3tog) repeat until you meet a yarnover
knit one round until you meet a knitted yarnover, stop in front of him.
(yo, k3, k3tog) repeat until you meet a yarnover
knit one round until you meet a knitted yarnover, stop in front of him.
(yo, k2, k3tog) repeat until you meet a yarnover
knit one round until you meet a knitted yarnover, stop in front of him.
(yo, k1, k3tog) repeat until you meet a yarnover
knit one round until you meet a knitted yarnover, stop in front of him.
(yo, k3tog) repeat until you meet a yarnover
knit one round until you meet a knitted yarnover, stop in front of him.

k2tog all around.

Cast-off snugly in the round (break the yarn and mimik a last cast-off stitch around the first cast-off stitch to end with a perfect circle). If you'ld rather not have a hole in the top of your hat, or if you feel insecure about my casting off in the round, you can simply thread through the remaining stitches once or twice and pull tightly. But you are lousy. (not really)

PS

I know, I know. This is a wordy recipe, full of "do as you wish" and strangely written. But hey, you can always ask me to explain it better. You can. I will try my best to answer quickly and clearly. I'll try, really.

Happy knitting.

---------------

A venir en français avant l'hiver. C'est promis!

catching up: my two-weeks spring

2007-04-16T16:29:00.000+02:00

I can't believe this: spring is already gone! At least it really feels that way here. We have been enjoying an early summer the last few days. The sun shines hard, and it is very warm. The tiny pool is set in the garden, and without the tulips, we could get lost in a temporal jetlag.
I have some technical issues with the uploading of photos and don't want to post without at leat one photo in my message, so I don't write often. If only you could here my mentalblog, it would be nice!

I have many finished object that I did not write about. Some I hope to catch up, some I will probably forget to write about. But there are so many great blogs now that I don't really feel you will miss my missed posts so much.(What an awful sentence! I obviously lack some training in written english. really should post more often...)

In the meantime, I offer you here a taste of some things I loved in my two-weeks spring, in no particular order:

My very first garden-growth tulips:

A wonderful trip to Villeneuve and the Chateau de Chillon. A total must-see for both the children and the grown ups. Almost the entire castle is open to the public, we where almost alone (because we arrived so late than it was supposed to be closed!), and my three-year old son was particularly impressed. So much impressed that he asked to go back first thing in the morning the next day.
We started the visit by the dreadful jail...

And ended at the top, with the most beautiful view you could ever dream off.

You can see how much my son was happy (and how delighted I was. It is not often that I feel so much in my element):

My beloved red hat is out of the drawer again. If we meet this summer, you will see it in all probability. It almost fits me and live only small marks on my forehead when taken off, contrary to all normal sized hat that one finds in the shops. I really should find a bunch of good patterns to make myself the hats I deserve. I hate to stay bareheaded in the sun.

Finally, for the textile-obsessed amongst you, a shot of the home-dyed wool I used in my last knitted project. A very practical one indeed!

one last round

2007-04-03T22:55:00.000+02:00

As you may already know I used to embroider a lot.
I even was, I think an embroiderer.

Well, I don't take this sort of needle so often now. The knitting and spinning have kind of stolen my hands away from the embroidery hoops (that I almost never used, in fact: I loathe it). But sometimes one lady hath to fullfill her engagements, therefore, I recently took my finest silks and golden needle to create this little buzzy cheerfull friendly place for a really nice lady.

Our Round Robin may not have ended as we all hoped it would, in a human point of view, the result is still stunning in an artistic point of view, I believe. You can see more photos of this particular toile on Sylvie's blog if canalblog condescend to work for you.

And if you have very good luck, you may be able to see some details of the other works in this ancien gallery.
I was very happy with my openwork here, and enjoyed to embroider thoses rivers and theses blue and pink rows very much too. I wish I had good photos to show you the rest of my contributions. I had a great time, and I learned a lot.

----

Pour les françaises qui regrette ma déplorable habitude d'écrire en anglais (non mais quelle idée), vous trouverez des images et des infos sur le rr tutti punti sur le blog de sylvie (une image à tomber de sa toile à l'arrivée), et sur la galerie tutti punti de lilootes.

winter is dead, spring is here

2007-03-15T21:51:00.000+01:00

One day, my sweet heart will be old and may well be ugly.
Un jour mon petit coeur sera vieille et peut-être moche.

But I do hope will still be laughing.
Mais j'espère bien qu'elle continuera à rire.

Make up is one of my favourite activity with the children. This time, even mr tiny sunshine had one.
J'aime beaucoup maquiller les petits. Cette fois-ci, même petit mignon a eu droit a des moustaches.

Middle angel had two. He asked to be scary, get scared, and cryed until I washed him up and painted some fruits on his cheeks. Unfortunately, I had to cook, and it was too late to take some pictures. So instead, I will show his proud when my mother offered him this beautiful red bicycle. I think that he passed the rest of the afternoon trying to manage the difficult art to take off and put on the "foot" of the bicycle. And he did!
L'ange blond a eu droit a deux séances. La première fois, il m'a demandé de le rendre effrayant. Il a eu peur, et il m'a fait un crise de tous les diables jusqu'à ce que je le démaquille, et que je lui fasse des jolis fruits sur tout le visage. Je devais faire le souper, et c'était trop tard pour le prendre en photo, hélàs. A la place, je vous montre sa fierté lorsque ma mère lui a offert ce beau vélo rouge pour ses trois ans. Il a passé le restant de l'après-midi à tâcher de maîtriser le difficile art de mettre et ôter le pied du vélo. Et il a réussi!

As the spring is early this year, the whole family is working on something new for us: seeding.
Let's hope for big carots and tasteful basilic in a few weeks!
Comme le printemps est vraiment en avance cette année, toute la famille s'est mise à la tâche pour quelquechose de nouveau pour nous: les semailles. Espérons que nous aurons des grosses carottes et du basilic goûteux dans quelques semaines.

In the mean time, some very strange flowers are blooming in the garden.
En attendant il y a vraiment de drôle de fleurs qui poussent dans mon jardin.

Singing filambulle

2007-03-11T23:08:00.000+01:00

Me? A pop star? Not really. But this is going to be a really beautiful concert:
Moi? Une pop-star? Pas vraiment. Mais ceci va être un très beau concert:

Come listen to me! (with my sister as solist soprano. She has a wonderful voice.)
Venez m'écouter! (avec ma soeur comme soliste. Elle a une voix magnifique.)

Backside of the flyer:
Le verso du papillon:

----edited to add-----20070612-----
Allez voir le tout nouveau blog que j'ai créé pour l'Ensemble Vocal Hémiole. S'il plaît au reste de la bande, il devrait rapidement se développer...

3 (thank you JJJ)

2007-03-05T21:16:00.000+01:00

Last week...
La semaine dernière...

Somebody turned 3.
Quelqu'un a eu trois ans.

Joyeux anniversaire mon coeur!

To celebrate, 3 little tornados invaded my parent's house. They turned everything upside-down. They morphed in all kind of silly animals, looking for the maximum fun during their three days with their grandparents.
Pour fêter cela, 3 petites tornades ont envahis la maison de mes parents. Elles ont retourné tous les coins et recoins, les vieux comme les neufs. Se sont transformées mille et trois fois en drôle de bêtes, afin de profiter au mieux de leurs vacances chez les grands-parents.

3 funny monkeys fought for the best spot.
3 drôles de singes combatirent pour le meilleur coin.

3 crazy mice crawld under a bed.
3 follettes souricettes rampèrent sous le lit.

Then they met for a 3-brain storming.
Puis ils se rencontrèrent pour un brain-storming à trois têtes.

And in 3 big splash, they all became terrible pirates!
Et plouf plouf plouf, ils se transformèrent tous en pirates terribles!

= 3 peacefull days for the blessed parents. Thank you JJJ!
= 3 jours de paix royale pour les parents comblés. Merci JJJ!

Fragile socks

2007-02-24T20:21:00.000+01:00

Seduced by the River Rapids Socks by Sockbud, I have adapted the pattern for my six year old and knitted them toe-up with my custom adaptation of Knitty's Widdershins.
Charmée par les chaussettes "River Rapids Socks" de Sockbud, j'ai adapté le motif pour les pieds de ma fille de six ans, et je les ai tricoté des orteils en remontant, en suivant mon adaptation perso des Widdershins de Knitty.

I have knitted them about two month ago.
Je les ai tricoté il y a moins de deux mois.

I took those pictures at the end of January.
Ces photos datent de fin janvier.

And they have two big holes to be mended when I get the courage (and a mending ball).
Et depuis le dernier lavage, elles ont deux beaux gros trous qui ne demandent qu'à être reprisés, quand j'aurai le courage (et la boule à repriser).

My daughter was in love with them. She weared them a lot. But two holes in less than two months? Au secours! (not to talk about the dreadful instant pilling)
Ma fille les aimait beaucoup. elle les a beaucoup porté, mais deux trous en moins de deux mois? Au secours! (sans parler du fait qu'elles ont quasiment instantanément été couvertes de chatons)

I may stick firmly to my trustful Regia in the future.
Je pourrais ne plus décoller de mon fiable Regia désormais.

Ready to go / Prêt pour le départ

2007-02-24T10:49:00.000+01:00

I had the knitting time of my life. Now my very first Baby Surprise Jacket is finished, ready to go with all its little colorful hearts to a little girl as cute as a doll.
I wish I could offer it hand-to-hand to her mother, but I am afraid that she outgrow the jacket if I wait too long. Babies can grow vey quickly.
So Elizabeth Zimmermann is a genius. You all knew that, right? Yeah, but the french-speacking people don't know her. They don't even imagine that someone as free-minded could ever exist in the knitting world. Her books are not translated, and you know what? I would LOVE to do it myself. So if you are willing to edit her in french, please ask me.

J'ai eu un plaisir fou avec cette petite chose. C'est ma première "Baby Surprise Jacket", mais je sais déjà que ce ne sera pas la dernière. Elle est maintenant terminée, avec tous ses petits coeurs-boutons colorés, prête à partir réchauffer une petite fille jolie comme une poupée.
J'aimerais bien l'offrir en main propre à sa maman, mais je crains que la petite ne le soit bientôt plus assez pour porter le cardigan si j'attend trop. Les bébés poussent parfois très vite.
Elizabeth Zimmermann, auteur de ce modèle est (était) un génie. Les anglophones le savent déjà tous, mais malheureusement pas les francophones. Je ne suis pas certaine qu'ils puissent même oser imaginer qu'un esprit aussi libre existe dans le milieu du tricot. Ses livres ne sont pas traduits, et devinez quoi? J'adorerais le faire. donc si quelqu'un désire l'éditer en français, qu'il me contacte, s'il vous plaît.

I believe that I have made absolutely no change to the pattern. I followed The Knitting Workshop quick explanation and all went smooth and well. I had figured out myself the ingeneering of the BSJ a few months ago, by looking at pictures and trying on a tiny scale, so I was perfectly ready, and understanding every line of the recipe as I read it. Which must help, because the short explanations ask for total confidence and faith in EZ.
I am very happy to know that I have a lot to knit with her, and lots of wonderfull experiences such as this one to live with Knitting Workshop, but it doesn't keep me from wanting now ALL of EZ's published work.
Add to this a similar wish for the Treasures of Barbara Walker, and a huge desire for a Little Gem, and you will know as well as myself how much I need to go to work.

Pour une fois, je n'ai pas fait le moindre changement au modèle. J'ai suivi l'explication sybilline du livre The Knitting Workshop à la lettre et tout est allé sans accroc. Il y a quelques mois, intriguée, j'avais déchiffré la construction du modèle à partir de quelques photos et je l'avais expérimenté à une échelle réduite. Donc j'étais prête pour la "surprise", et je comprenais chaque ligne de la recette. Ce qui doit certainement aider, parce que les explications et le simple schéma demandent une confiance aveugle dans le talent d'EZ.
Je suis très heureuse de penser que j'ai encore beaucoup de tricot à faire avec elle, et que j'ai encore de nombreuses expériences aussi passionnantes à vivre avec le Knitting Workshop, mais cela ne m'empêche pas de vouloir désormais acheter tous les ouvrages publiés d'Elizabeth Zimmermann. Ajoutez à cela tous les Treasures de Barbara Walker, et le désir toujours vif d'avoir un jour un Little Gem, et vous comprendrez, tout comme moi, à quel point il faut que je travaille.

But not this Monday. Because I have taken a week of vacancy to be with my children during this february's break. And I am Happy, happy, happy to be free to use up my time.
Yesterday we already have done a lot with my daughter. Al. is away for three days, B. is for two nights at my MIL, we are quiet and happy to relax a bit together with L. who is a charming and happy baby. I have installed my sewing machine in the kitchen, and we have re-created a little bunch of fun clothes that i could post in the Wardrobe Refashion blog had I taken the pledge. But as a working mother with three small children, I prefer not to take such a radical pledge. So I will do my best in my little corner of the world. It will be fun. And I am sure that if I don't HAVE to, I will make it more easely. Am I contrary? (Is it a good translation to "avoir l'esprit de contradiction"?) Me? noooooooooooo.

Mais je n'irai pas travailler ce lundi. Parce que j'ai pris une semaine de vacance pour rester avec mes petits pendant les vacances de février. Et je suis heureuse, heureuse, heureuse de pouvoir employer mon temps comme je le veux.
Hier, nous avons déjà fait plein de trucs avec ma fille. Al est loin pour trois jours, B. était chez mes beaux-parents pour deux nuits, et nous étions bien tranquilles, relax, avec L. qui est un bébé charmant et joyeux. J'ai mis ma machine à coudre sur la table de la cuisine, et nous avons raffraichi quelques habits.

And now that the camery is empty, I have some shot to make. I leave you in the company of my ever-so-charming boy. I miss him. But we are so quiet when he is away from home!

Et à présent que l'appareil photo est vide, vous m'excuserez, j'ai des photos à prendre. Je vous laisse en compagnie du plus charmant des enfants. Il me manque. Mais ce qu'on est tranquille quand il est loin!

technologically challenged / c'est dur la technologie

2007-02-15T09:49:00.000+01:00

A voir absolument. Vous savez tous que je suis bibliothécaire, non?

HELP DESK

Please, please click above. You know I am a librarian, do you?

hourglass sweater

2007-02-11T17:10:00.000+01:00

Personne n'a deviné...
Mon premier vrai pull, avec ses manches et tout son corps, de taille adulte et avec des aiguilles de taille normale, ça a été le célébrissime "Hourglass Sweater". C'est un des premier grand tricot que j'ai commençé, et il a bien failli ne jamais être terminé. Ce serait navrant, parce que grâce à lui j'ai maintenant un pull préféré.

Nobody has guessed...
My first true sweater - that is with both its long sleeves and full body, in an adult size and knitted with honestly sized needles - is the famous Hourglass Sweater. It is one of the first big knit I started, long time ago, and it almost ended in the frog pond.

Fil/Yarn: Silky Tweed (Elsebeth Lavold) (silk coton wool rayon) 131 yds/50g, #003, ? écheveaux/skeins.
Modèle/Pattern: Hourglass Sweater, by Joelle Hoverson in "Last Minute Knitted Gifts" (édité en français sous le titre: "Tendance tricot").
Aiguilles/Needles: a gazillion of different needles, but essentially inox circular in 4,5 mm

Je ne suis pas sûre d'avoir envie d'écrire un roman sur mes mésaventures et les leçons apprises durant le long processus de création de ce pull. Mais je suis bien contente de l'avoir terminé au stade de connaissance où je suis arrivée. La série de photo prise avec plus ou moins de bonne volonté par mon compagnon ne vous permet sans doute pas de voir les détail de mon exploit.
Je me suis sentie extrèmement maligne lorsque j'ai décidé de placer ici et là les quelques rangs raccourcis qui flattent mon buste, creusent la ligne du décolleté et empêchent ce dernier de bailler outrageusement, comme on a déjà pu le voir dans d'autres incarnations de ce modèle simple mais fabuleux.
Même Al l'aime. C'est dire!

I do not wish to write a full novel about it, how together we survived through a serie of terrible adventures and how together we learned a lot about knitting and about ourselves.
Let me just tell you how happy I am to have finally finished it, and this in a time where my knitting skills have so greatly improved. I was thus able to spice up this simplest of a pattern to make it a perfect fot for me. I was feeling incredibly clever when I added short-rows to give shape to my breast, and improve the collarline (I made it deeper on the front, and less plunging than some other I saw on the blogosphere). And it worked! For the first time on my life (or since I was maybe six) I have what I can call a favourite sweater. Simple, but fabulous. Even my Love loves it, can you believe it? (Btw he took the pictures, I am not so happy with them, and think he can do way better. Ah well, maybe next time?)

Il y a quelques autres photos sur ma galerie flickr, dont une particulièrement cocasse qui flatte bien plus le pull que le modèle. Et j'en ai dit deux mots (en anglais) il y a quelques jours, et il y a plus d'un an!.

More picture on my flickr gallery, even a very silly one that flatter a lot more the sweater than the model. More words in this old post, and this older one.

oui, chéri...

2007-01-30T17:23:00.000+01:00

Le tricot permet à une femme de penser à autre chose pendant que son mari parle. (Sacha Guitry)

Flash Back 1: Hot lava cardigan

2007-01-26T10:42:00.000+01:00

Fil/Yarn: Big Kureyon (Noro) (100% wool/laine) 175 yds/100g, #18, 4 écheveaux/skeins.
Modèle/Pattern: Hot Lava Cardigan, by Blue Alvarez.
Aiguilles/Needles: 8 mm circulaires

J'ai déjà beaucoup porté ce pull. Il a eu des boutons, que j'ai patiemment cousu, décousus, recousus, puis redécousus. Ces photos ont été prises par précaution avant de le passer à la machine à laver (programme lain délicat). Je n'ai pas vraiment le temps de laver mes pulls à la main, et heureusement il semble que les six pulls que j'ai lavés avant-hier s'en sont très bien sortis. Ouf!
Après avoir tricoté les manches, j'ai trouvé plein de critiques sur le net, sur la façon dont le cardigan fait des plis autour du cou, des bosses sur la nuque, des vagues autour des bras... J'ai tergiversé, perdu pas mal de temps, espéré une solution toute faite, puis j'ai pris mon courage à deux aiguilles, et inventé ma solution.
1.- J'ai réparti les diminutions du dos sur plusieurs rangs, à raison de deux diminutions tous les deux rangs, l'une en dessus de l'autre. Cela devait cintrer assez joliment la taille.
2.- J'ai aminci le col en faisant des rangs raccourcis. Combien? Comment? Si vous m'offrez de la laine ou de la soie, je pourrais envidsager de me repencher sur la question. Là, c'est un peu loin dans le flou de ma mémoire.
3.- Après tout ce travail et ces contorsions de cervelle, mon cardigan terminé, je l'ai essayé dans un sens... puis dans l'autre... c'est facile de se tromper. En fait, c'est même et surtout difficile de trouver le "bon" sens à coup sûr avec ce modèle et... BINGO! Je suis retournée scruter avec attention les diverses photos de la blogosphère. Et je vous le donne en mille (quelle générosité, je devrais plutôt vous faire payer très cher):

Le Secret d'un Hot Lava Cardigan réussi, c'est de le porter à l'envers!
Oui, Oui. Regardez bien ma photo. Les diminutions de la poitrine forment un arc qui remonte. Maintenant allez revoir la page de Blue Alvarez. Son cardigan a les diminutions qui descendent. Il est moins élégant. Celui si seyant en blanc, à droite, a l'arc des diminutions qui ... remonte!

Du coup je porte mon pull dans un sens ou dans l'autre suivant l'humeur et le style voulu.
Mes savantes diminutions et améliorations? Je ne sais pas si elles font une grande différence. Elle donnent sans doute un dos moins large et un autre drapé au col. Mais quoiqu'il en soit j'aime vraiment beaucoup mon cardigan. Très chaud, très confortable. Très original. C'est le seul de mes tricot qui a été remarqué et complimenté jusqu'ici.

Quand à la laine, depuis j'en ai recommandé dans deux autres coloris. Elle est très agréable et rapide à tricoter, les couleurs sont belles, et j'ai été agréablement surprise par sa douceur après lavage. Elle est devenue aussi plus douce d'aspect, s'est épanouie. En fait quand je regarde la photo, je trouve que mon cardigan est encore bien plus joli après lavage. Les poignets sont un chouia trop relaxés maintenant, mais cela ira très bien comme ça.

Je suis en train de me faire un sweater court et assez moulant avec cette laine. Je m'invente un modèle en avançant, sous le patronage d'Elizabeth Zimmermann (avis aux éditeurs: je suis volontaire pour la traduire en français). Sera-t-il à la hauteur de son grand frère? Bah, au pire j'aurai le plaisir de recommencer. Je suis zen, non?

Dernière remarque: c'est loin d'être évident de photographier un pull en étant soi-même le cobaye.
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In english when I get the time!

My Fabulously Red Scarf

2007-01-24T14:34:00.000+01:00

Sometimes a fuzzy, mostly acrylic, very colourful yarn may look fabulous when used properly. Don't you think so? I do.

I adore my Fabulously Red Scarf.

She is soft. She is long. She drapes herself marvelously around my neck and shoulders. She is perfect, and endure my bad treatments very well.

She even made me love fringes. Unbelievable.

In fact I love it so much that I have already knitted her a twin, in beige, that became a most appreciated Christmas gift for my beloved cousine Mélanie. But then, I had no time to tell and show you. I am trying hard to catch up a little bit, you see? I hope that you appreciate my efforts.

Tempus fugit

2007-01-24T11:20:00.000+01:00

Un vieil ami est passé par ici. J'en étais très fière, et je l'aime toujours autant.

aaahhhhh

2007-01-23T09:46:00.000+01:00

She is back!
Well, not me. But my favourite voice. What a beautiful morning.
Thank you Brenda for the warmth you bring to my knitting life.

The snow was to be here today too. But only the cold and the wind came.
You cannot trust the snow.

No untrusty promises today. Only my wishes to be really here again soon.
Enjoy your day.

It's getting late here.

2007-01-15T21:18:00.000+01:00

Of course there is no light at all. But even if I cannot share a picture, I thought I may share my joy of having finished my first "real" sweater - that is one with sleeves AND body, in an adult size - mine!
I had started it a long time ago. It was intended to be my first sweater. But I have had a hard time to find the good needles for him, and the second sleeve, knitted much after the first one, and with other needles was abominably out of gauge. I really did not wanted to knit the second sleeve with the double-pointed needles I used for number one, I was really frustrated, so I decided to use the yarn on another projec. My heart had been touched by the lotus blossom.
Again, with the lotus blossom, I found myself miserably trapped in a serie of gauge misadventures, This time it was not entirely my fault, as I finally understood that the gauge given by the pattern was a kind of dodo: no one could catch it.
After two (three?) half-knitted lotus blossom tanks, I finally gave up, and came back to the first intended project for the yarn. Fortunatelly, I had not frogged any part of it, excepted the ridicule tiny sleeve. I threw away the infamous tiny circular ady's that had caused me so much gauge (and hand) pain, and decided to give a try to two circular knitting, with the inox that ressembled so much to the original doublepointed needles I used for n°1 sleeve.
To my great pleasure and wonder, the gauge and the sleeve went both perfect. I had the joy to realize how much quicker I knit now than a year before, and encouraged by those nice auspices, I quickly came to the joining point of the pattern. Then I proudly found a way to give the neck opening and collar line a better fit. I had a lot of fun.
And that fit! I really am proud of me. The few short-rows added at the bust place had been suggested on the kal I consulted for the project. But I think that I have "unvented" the use of short-rows in this pattern, for the neckline shaping. (thank you EZ for the inspiration)
Now I am glad that I waited so long to finish this sweater. I am very glad I did not frog the body of the 1rst sleeve out of frustration. I am most happy with the result, and I am in love with the yarn I used: Elsebeth Lavold Silky tweed. If it washes well ( and I am all hope here), I have a favourite sweater for the next years to come. It is beautiful and totally comfortable to wear. Did I told you I love this yarn? I do, I do.

Are you curious now?
Well, I will show you this treasure of a sweater as soon as I manage to picture him as well as he deserves it. In the meanwile, I invite you to try to guess which pattern I used. Do you want some more hints?
It is in a great book.
I only sewed the underarms, but I modified the pattern slightly on all the borders.
I am not the first to knit him - by far.
Do you think you know? Give me a comment!
And if anyone would like to suggest me another fantastic, if you please?

Happy New Year

2007-01-03T00:14:00.000+01:00

A quick note to wish you all a very happy new year 2007.
Mine has started quite badly. I have been sick, and still not feel well. And the bad virus seems to have found some new guests in my family.

I dearly wished to send some of you a personal message, but as you may have guessed for my last message, my computer's keyboard is partly dead. That means that I am unable to write the password for my personal access to it, which means that I don't have access to my email's archive and adress book. Which sucks, pardon me.
Sooo, I am checking my mailbox every so often, hoping for some mails from you, to allow me to personally whish you all the best for this brand new year. Please add some nice words between all the spam I am receiving at: ducret AT freesurf DOT ch
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Un petit mot pour vous souhaiter a tous une tres heureuse annee 2007.
La mienne a mal commence, puisque j'ai ete salement malade, que ce n'est pas fini, et que deja le mechant virus semble avoir choisi de nouveaux hote parmi ma petite famille.

J'aurais souhaite envoyer un message personnel a ceux et celles qui ont embellliy mon annee 2006, mais comme vous l'avez peut-etre compris, le clavier de mon ordi est en panne. Ce qui m'empeche d'entrer le mot de passe de ma session personelle. Ce qui m'empeche d'avoir acces a mes vieux mails et a mon carnet d'adresse. Ce qui est chiant, pardon.
Donc, je verifie ma boite aux lettres electronique presque tous les jours, dans l'espoir d'avoir de vos nouvelles, afin de pouvoir a mon tour vous envoyer mes voeux pour 2007. S'il vous plait, ajoutez une pointe de gentillesse et de bon sens a la caravane de spam qui empoisonne ma bal a cette adresse: ducret AT freesurf DOT ch
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Redige sur mon vieux laptop qui foire les accents et que meme j'en ai marre parce qu'il foire aussi quand je poste, et que je dois tout eteindre et redemarrer, donc s'il reste des fautes, ce sera tant pis. Na!

Going classic

2006-12-19T20:33:00.000+01:00

The last four evenings have had a classic feeling. I wanted to try once knitting a sweater in the "good old way". Straight needles, classic yarn, classic colour, and a classic pattern from a classic designer, in a classic magazine...

I am loving it all. But I have some sewing to do now, although I couldn't resist to knit the collar in the round. Hopefully I won't hate this last bit of the classic path!

It's nice to write in here, even a tiny post. It won't happen soon, unless I can catch Al's computer again. Mine has been drinking some beer!!!! Argtkkkk

New favourite blog

2006-12-14T14:53:00.000+01:00

Do you think I am boring?
Go HERE!
I LOVE it

Si vous me trouvez ennuyeuse, allez-voir LA!
J'adore!

(im)patience

2006-12-06T20:37:00.000+01:00

I tryed to ply from both ends of a center-pull ball.
J'ai tenté le retors à partir des deux extrémités d'une pelote.

It is not my cup of tee...
Je ne suis pas enthousiasmée par le procédé...

But the result is nice enough to keep me trying again.
Mais le résultat est suffisamment joli pour me convaincre d'essayer encore.

48m./38g. Merino handyed by MaryJane's Attic.

Sorry for the crapy light. Let's just hope that the sun will shine tomorrow.
Désolée pour la pauvre lumière. Espérons que le soleil brillera demain.

une vieille amie

2006-11-30T22:39:00.000+01:00

J'ai commencé à tricoter il doit y avoir un tout petit peu plus d'un an, durant les dernières semaines de ma troisième grossesse. Une des raisons principales était que j'ai toujours eu une peine énorme à broder lorsque je suis enceinte, et que j'étais sans doute en manque de fils et d'aiguilles...

La broderie est une vieille amie qui revient parfois discrètement me visiter. Et ces quelques derniers jours j'ai eu le bonheur d'utiliser un fil de soie discrètement teint à la main en dégradé jaune soleil, sur un lin blanc, avec une aiguille plaquée or. Quel luxe. Un vrai bonheur. Même si ma patience n'est plus ce qu'elle fut, et que je ne peux faire que des sessions courtes.

J'ai travaillé une étude de points en monochrome pour une brodeuse rencontrée il y a bien longtemps sur un forum de broderie. Notre ronde s'est brisée, mais j'ai malgré tout eu un grand plaisir à complèter ma partie sur cette partition inachevée. Il y a un nombre de mois que je refuse d'envisager, j'avais déjà réalisé une frise pour le bas de sa toile, en hommage à l'initiatrice de la ronde et du forum. J'espère que le temps écoulé lui permettra, comme à moi, de prendre du recul et d'apprécier le meilleur de cette oeuvre commune.

Cette toile va tout prochainement prendre le chemin de son bercail. Il ne me restera plus qu'à prier les anges pour retrouver celle qui me manque, rangée (trop) précieusement pour le déménagement... Une autre "vieille" amie l'attend, très patiemment. Qu'elle soit ici remerciée pour sa gentillesse et sa compréhension.

le fil du jour

2006-11-29T15:05:00.000+01:00

Des chaussettes enfin finies, bien assez grandes pour l'heureux destinataire:

(Notons que l'Opal Hundertwasser n'est pas du tout aussi agréable que tous les Regia que j'ai utilisés jusqu'à aujourd'hui. Raide, râpeux. Il me reste une grosse pelote, mais je ne suis pas du tout sûre que je vais la retoucher. Les bouts noirs sont du Lang, doublé du fil de renforcement. Pas trop agréable non plus. Mes aiguilles sont sûrement trop fines. Penser à tester avec des plus grosses quand j'aurais fini les chaussettes de Plume commencées avec du Lang lilas sans réfléchir au problème.)

Au fil des jours, lentement, mon filage va s'améliorant:
(de droite lundi à gauche aujourd'hui. le blanc n'est pas de moi)

Petit flash comparatif:

Conclusion: il y a du boulot!

Un an et une heure

2006-11-26T21:24:00.000+01:00

Que Léon a posé son premier regard sur le monde.

Il a fêté joyeusement son anniversaire. Mais c'est moi qui ai reçu le plus beau cadeau:

Il a fallu bricoler un peu.

Et après bien des peines et des difficultés, j'ai réussi à produire un tout petit écheveau pas bien beau, mais ce n'est pas grave.

Précisons que je l'ai retordu avec le fuseau. C'est plus facile et bien plus rapide pour le moment!

One blue little not-so-gnomey hat

2006-11-20T21:48:00.000+01:00

Yes, yes I have been knitting a lot. Many hats for the family, one sweater for me, a shawl, two scarves...

Here is the little blue hat I knitted for my almost one year old son. Do you remember how about one year ago I wished I could knit to do the lovely gnomey hat? Well, now I have adapted the gnomey hat to my wool, needs and tastes. And I love my son's perfect new hat! He seems to like it too, as he never tries to take it away, as he does with other commercial hats.

Modifications to the pattern:
- took off the pompoms. They are nice, but wayyy too easy to take off and destroy, as B. has demonstrated on his hat and her sister's too.
- modified the shape of the flaps, and added a band and a nice button for firm stay-on. I often carry my son on my back, and do not really wish to knit again and again the same pattern and wool, as nice they may be.
- forgot to change the diminutions rythm on the top, then adapted myself and modified completely the end, to add a fun knot.

Maybe I change some other things. I have finished it the 23th of october, and have a short memory for some details (like how much short-rows I put in the first sock of the pair I am actually knitting...)

Things to note:
- it is perfectly possible to knit an i-cord on one long circular needle. You just need a very flexible cable, and quite a bit or patience.
- simple plain merino is the best for stitch definition and softness on top of baby's head.
- this hat is really perfect, in size, elasticity and form. I really should have taken better notes when doing it.

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On another side, I am trying to be patient, and use a very simple tool to create a very simple thing: yarn!

And just for the beauty of the colour, here is an old photo of a used-to-be WIP that has now taken it's definitive shape (except I must find him some buttons). Note that I love the way it is warming my body just now.

South Park Me

2006-11-15T10:30:00.000+01:00

I may be forced to realize a complete family of those portraits. They are just too much fun.
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Je vais peut-être devoir réaliser une famille complète de ces portraits. C'est trop amusant. Merci Ptinutz

ps.: The light is still too ugly to take any crafty pictures. Arghh...

des blousons courts et moulants.

2006-11-14T22:10:00.000+01:00

Imaginez un peu:

Si vous portiez un blouson matelassé blanc, court et plutôt moulant, et qu'autour de vous dans cette gare de périphérie sur 10 jeunes filles de votre âge 3 portent un blouson matelassé noir court et moulant, deux portent un blouson matelassé blanc, court et moulant, 1 un blouson matelassé brun court et moulant avec un col en fausse fourrure, et le reste se partage entre de vulgaires manteaux en lainage et autres vestes datant de l'hiver dernier. Que penseriez-vous?

1. Cool, je suis au top de la mode.
2. Le mien est mieux que le sien.
3. Bêêêêee.