Not NaNo, Knitting

[tephra]

I know, you're all excited by both of those topics. ;)

I finally managed to get a spot of Not Raining to get some photos of my doll knitting.

First up, that doll shawl that has been done and blocked for months. It's been waiting so long for a photo it almost needs to be blocked again.





There are somewhere around 300 beads in that shawl, in two sizes. I omitted something like 500 beads from the pattern too.

The shawl doesn't really go with anything in Namid's wardrobe so I knit her an outfit to go with it.



Both pieces were things I made up as I went along. The skirt is ridiculously simple, just a tube of linen stitch with some decreases for her hips and some short rows at the back waist so she won't moon anyone when she sits down.

The top was knit from the neck down, using the spiral eyelet pattern from a doily I like. I just continued an arm of the spiral down each sleeve and added extra arms to it at the ends to bell the hem. The next time I make one of these I'll try taking a couple arms of the spiral down the torso too. I'll also have to make a version with cap sleeves because when it was a work in progress it looked really cute before I knit the sleeves.

Comments

[mel-redcap.livejournal.com]

Aw, nice! I am seriously impressed by your knitting-teeny-things skills. :)

[tephra]

Thank you. :) The top was relaxing to knit. It was on size 0 (2mm) needles which feel like normal everyday needles after using some 5/0 (1mm) needles for a while.

Now I just need to sit down and sew together the sweater for me. The sleeves have been done for a couple weeks but I haven't put everything together yet. I have fears the sleeves will end up too long, just because this sweater has had so many problems. I started it the first time in May of 2008!

[russtycat.livejournal.com]

They all came out gorgeous! I can't imagine doing all the bead work on the shawl.

[tephra]

The beads, ugh. I love the end result but I don't know if I'd do that again. The e beads were fine, my 11/12 steel crochet hook fit through those, but the seed beads... they're the cheap craft beads you can get in tubes rather than pricey Japanese beads so the holes are very inconsistent in size. I ended up using a bit of 28ga wire to make a hook to put them on and there were still a few that couldn't get over the fold in the wire to get down onto the stitch. The last beaded row took ages because there was a seed bead on pretty much every other stitch.

[luluna33.livejournal.com]

You are a kniiting marvel! Really amazing...beautiful work. You make it sound so simple...but I know it's not.

[tephra]

Thank you. :) I find the actual tiny knitting pretty simple most of the time. Generally it's when I'm doing the first row after the cast on, weaving in ends, or *shudder* seaming, that I wonder why the heck I use needles any smaller than 00 (which is the smallest I used in this bunch).

Unseen, her panties are the same yarn as the shawl and knit on 000 needles, weaving the ends was a pain on those.

[toshirodragon.livejournal.com]

NAmid looks MOST pleased to be outside! I AM in love with that sweater... I may have to send Shriara out to get one for herself...

[tephra]

It was a nice day after all the rain we've been getting. I would have probably finished the top and got the photos sooner if we hadn't been having constant rain. Why hurry if I couldn't get a photo? XD

I recommend that if she's going to visit that she come in warm weather. After that pair of eyeglasses a few years ago I don't like to have anything plastic coming through our postal handlers up here. :P

[toshirodragon.livejournal.com]

Oh I hear you...your postal carriers scare me...

Wonder if UPS would be better?