Workshop Results

Marián´s shawl

Although much time has passed (better late than never) since we started the workshop by Erich Engeln Trachtentuch B are finally finished all three shawls and I'm very happy.

This was the first workshop that I organized and was attended by three friends of mine. This shawl, no doubt, was too complicated to begin with. I saw that right away because it cost them to start it and, incidentally, one was left undone. But after they took the trick, they opened the third knitting eye and Marián knitting even two of them.

Ana´s shawl

I hope that eventually we all learned something. Overcome you self, make realistic goals, read graphs, knitting for they and teach as do it. And I think this is not the end of our knitting story.

Marian´s first shawl

Textile fairs TextilArte

The next two weekends at the Hotel NH Nacional, Paseo del Prado 48, Madrid will take place textile fairs TextilArte.

Saturday, December 11 (11.00-20.00) + Sunday, December 12 (11.00-15.00)

Saturday, December 18 (11.00-20.00) + Sunday, December 19 (11.00-15.00)

There you will find fashion and accessories, also dolls, home textiles, books, yarns, equipment, etc.

Information about the fair you will also find on the website of the Association of the textile in Madrid, fair blog and Facebook.

Scarf XXL

Since a month ago at last I finished my scarf XXL of Latvian wool. I had begun in the summer, but I left it unfinished. And that was not for heat, but because the scarf already occupied so much room I could not put it in my needlework bag.

I made the scarf as Strawberries in snow, but without beads, of other material and larger. I still think it would make a pattern, but as you see I have not done yet.

As the yarn I used was fairly rough, I washed the scarf with shampoo and rinse with hair softener. It's an old trick but that works. Now it not itch so much, why I use it as a scarf.

My first spin

My first spin

Today I had a very inspiring experience: I've spin! Long ago that I wanted to learn it, learn this ancient and simply art to twist fibers that undoubtedly practiced and enjoyed many of my ancestors.

This desire is rare in our industrial world and at the same time usual and somewhat surprisingly late in the craft community. It has emerged thanks to the portal Ravelry and my desire for new challenges.

I also take this opportunity once again to say thanks to my teacher Lala and her textile study Indigo where you can find beautiful and unexpected things.

Big boxes, little boxes

Yesterday we went to pick up boxes that we had ordered the "Box Factory" where artisans are making it. We were very happy because the boxes were very nice and well crafted.

Already on the way to the car my husband tells me: Look, an old trunk. And it was there, with its locks, its wooden ribs, its metal reinforcement corners. The only thing missing was leather handles on both sides. They were cut for unknown reasons.

Beads

Yesterday in a Chinese shop that is close to my work I found these beads and, of course, can´t abstain. The colors are nice and the beads I've always liked a lot, so I bought a few sets.

It seems me that at least two types of beads in each box will fade the coulor after his first encounter with water or after a while in the sun. But I just won´t use them. The price of Chinese is nice enough so that one can afford such luxuries.

These beads I won´t  use in any knitting project . To that end I buy half a kilo in Pontejos and the beads which are also larger. With these I want to embroider. Or make a brooches like my  Latvian sisters of needle. Their work is fantastic. You can see them here and here too.

The postman always rings twice. Magazines

This week the postman brought me the Spinners' magazine Spin Off. It is full of interesting articles and enticing advertising. When I see this type of magazine I get, as we say in Latvian, a white envy  of the U.S. craftmen. They have it all. And with it I think not only the thing to buy, most of all those things we could get also living in Spain, but to continue that tradition - spinning, weaving, sewing, embroidery ...

By the way, looking at Wikipedia I found that spin off "is a Saxon word that refers to a project created as an extension of an earlier [..]." Sounds promising, right?

2nd Knitting Workshop

Last night we met at the usual place for the 2nd Knitting Workshop. Apart from the initiators, Ana, Teresa and Marie - this time also came Elsa and Aurora. We talked and knited and our good mood could not spoil even the unhappy and tiring waiter that we had this time.

With this workshop I understand that the lace is not as easy and simple as I have believed all my life, that there are people to knit something like that costs more concentration and effort. Knowing it I had not begun with so difficult design , but done is done, I think slowly, slowly we will reach the goal.


I am delighted to share my knowledge and I think organize another knitting workshop in the fall. We could learn patchwork, knitting Latvian mittens,  Turk's socks, some lace...

Silk flowers

Already, many times I've promised myself to not make small pieces, which can then be connected together, because everything that I have also initiated, has remained incomplete. But ...

Some time ago the projects in my Ravelry friend Daiga I found these flowers with a link to the blog of Petite Pimprenelle where he had posted the scheme.

When in a shop in Latvia I bought a fine thread of silk made in Italy, I decided to try them in crochet. And here they are - silk flowers. Yet I know that might come of all this, I have in mind a light jacket for summer with the French sleeves ...

Oh, gods and little fishes, help me to embody my idea this time in life!

"Leaves" and "Metro de Madrid"

After spending some time in my basket of needleworks, I finally hid the end of yarns, washed and blocked two progects, started a long time ago.

Leaves

It is made according to the pattern found here. The only thing that seems different is that I've used a finer thread (50% linen, 50% cotton). The necessary weight and fall have given by beads, and thanks to them the stole also makes a nice noise when you put it on a hard surface. Only the blocking gives me problems - I didn´t achieve symmetry...

The postman always rings twice. Yarns

During the Easter holidays I went to my country. As always, in Latvia I can not refrain from buying wool. I try not to get into the wool stores, but no matter, finaly good part of the contents of my suitcase is different fibers. In addition, we must recognize that in Latvia the yarn is cheaper than in Spain. Because there are maybe more knitters...

Silk and worms

I recently realized that almost everyone Spanish friends I know  as children have had  silkworms. Of course, in my country we have no silkworms (there are others), or mulberries so I have not had this childhood hobby, but when my boss told that the shoe box of his son had been born almost a hundred silkworms I could not resist and I said yes, I am ready to share house with some of them.

Now I have eight worms, I know how is a mulberry tree and eagerly hope my new pet convert in cocoons to try to get a thin silk thread. My English teacher laughs that I will only one thread of teeth, but the process of getting natural fiber now seems me more interested in the outcome applicable.

The postman always rings twice. Books

Some time ago, before Easter, I bought a couple of books and now at last I have them all.

Since I have a new sewing machine I have the desire to sew something and I've even bought a couple of fabrics. I began to look for patterns. I wanted something simple, but elegant at the same time. I´m seeing, searching and finally found - Nipponese sewing books. I made my first purchase from YesAsia (without shipping cost). Now I own Simple chic and Sewing talk of Machiko Kayaking, as well as recipe Sewing recipe by an unknown author. All books have a very good illustrations, and I have sewing experience, so I think that my non-existent knowledge of Japanese won´t bother me much.

Leaves

The previous shawl I could not finish because I lacked a bit of yarn. I ordered it and now I have to wait (15 to 30 days) until it arrives. Meanwhile I had to start another little needelwork. In Ravelry I saw this stole and it liked me very much. So much that I bought the pattern. With the pattern always happend the same - after seeing the charts you understand that with a little effort you had been able to understand everything just seeing the photos, but the human is lazy by nature ...

Stole "Metro Madrid"

I needed some knitting work that would to fit in my bag and that I could removed when I have a little free time - on the subway (hence the name), eating breakfast in VIPS, watching TV ... - because my previous project had become so large that I could not get him out of the house.

So, I started to look for something beautiful and interesting. I looked in Knitty, but there shawls didn´t convince me, so I looked to my Ravelry favorites. And there was the Print O 'the Wave Stole by Eunny Jang. Also free!