The bright bargello wave is coming along. The design area is 15" square and I've used 2 skeins each of 7 colours (DMC ) to get this far. I reckon there's about a third to go. The first set of 7 rows each cover 4 threads, the next set 5 threads, then 6 threads. I'll be almost at the edge by then and I don't know whether to go back to 5 threads, or go for 7. Got to get there first though!
One of my favourite blogs at the moment is by at Heather of The Patchwork Heart. (Have I mentioned her before??) Last weekend she recommended this Mandala book. I had a look on amazon, ordered it and it was delivered within 24 hrs. Wow! And it's a really good book too. I quite enjoy making them but what the hell do you do with them?! I have some DMC Natura in cream and 2 shades of peach somewhere. I might buy another colour or two and start making some - when I get time! They'd also look really good worked in the Sirdar Crochet Cotton I'm using at the moment - it's an absolute dream to work with! I'm so glad I chose it to make my summer cardigan. If we ever get a summer that is...
I mentioned very briefly last week that I was about to start casting on with a nice elastic foundation row. Well this is what that looks like. Never mind a line of chains and then work your first row into it. This cast on method produces a foundation and row one as one row. And it's nice and stretchy, unlike a chain cast on which (with my crochet) can be non-stretchy - not much good for clothes. Here's one link on how to do it, or just search online - there's lots of tutorials and videos out there.
In these two photos above you can see both sides of this foundation row. Th left hand photo has the "right side" on the right and the "wrong side" on the left. The right hand photo shows the bottom edge of the foundation row. See how it has 2 loops like a regular crochet stitch?? Perfect for working your edging into.
I had done a little test square and decided to work 210 stitches. This was quite clearly too many, so I re-measured and re-calculated and pulled out 20 stitches. Then I worked about 4 rows and measured again. Still too big... So I ripped it back and started again with 171 stitches. I think it's about right now.
The waistcoat pattern I'm using starts just below the bust and works up to the shoulders, then you work from the bust to the hem in a lacey pattern. I decided to work a few rows of plain trebles at the bustline before going into the mesh pattern. Being a waistcoat pattern, the armholes may come in too far from the shoulder but I can fix that easily with a couple of rows of trebles. The colouring in the yarn is so busy, it should blend in easily.
Not sure whether to do some more of this today, or get on with the bargello. Depends on where the cat is really, as she has now discovered the joy of playing with wool... I wouldn't mind so much but she's not even ours. Not that you'd know it as she certainly makes herself at home!!
I do have a little something else to show you but as it's a birthday gift that won't be given until tomorrow, it will have to wait another day. See you then!
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