Friday 19 October 2012

New skills in crochet and cooking experimentation

 My latest project is this dachshund from Knitting magazine September issue 106, i only bought the mag for this pattern as I had a picture just like it in style from a crochet artist for many years now and had meant to have a go at copying it but you know: there's never enough time! Then I saw this pattern for the exact same thing and there you go: HAD to have it. I'm doing it in Anchor magicline as I had lots in my stash.
 The body above is this really weird shape but a lady on Ravelry has also made it already and her shape was the same so it must be OK.

I'm also finishing the NORO boxy jacket this weekend because I finished the second sleeve last Friday and the yoke on the Saturday and even the front edgings have been done, I just have to finish the sleeve edges and sew all the ends in and locate the perfect button.
I've a ticket to a BALL next Saturday and it got me thinking about this dress I bought last year but have to do some re-making on. Not that I can get it done by next week but for the next dance  or Ball maybe, it's that season now isn't it? The dress is black strips of satin with net and it flares superbly but I had to remove the nylon lining as I'd be allergic to it and I plan to re-line it with royal blue cotton in the bodice- nice and cool for dancing- and royal blue satin lining for the skirt. And of course having bought it to fit snugly last November it's now a bit big as I've gone from a 14- 16 to a size 10.

I digress: I tried it on the other day and the girls said it was horribly ''GOTH'' so I got to thinking that I need to tone down the black even more with 'something'' down the 18 bands of satin.
I was thinking applique flowers or simple but striking embroidery? Or suddenly this morning I thought: BEADS! A crocheted beaded trim!
So off I went- away from my textbook on statistics I was supposed to be studying-to find my book on beaded crocheted edgings: Oya as they are called in Turkey.


This is the book and although I have had it for ages I have not as yet made anything from it.
I used Rowan knitting beads- again from quite a few years ago as I could not find a fine needle that was NOT a beading needle, and this allowed me to thread the beads with a fine tapestry needle. I used DMC BABYLO 20/12 and a 1.25 mm hook. I could face the 0.75 mm recommended in the book.

 A bit tricky and fiddly to do at first but I rather liked the result, except that the edging in the book was too unidirectional to be applied to a ribbon so in the bottom sample I present my own adaptation.
Am really pleased with the result, although it may need 8 beads in the centre , I will decide in the morning with daylight whether I like the effect on the ribbons. I would need to repeat my sample 72 times at least and for this will need more beads also.

Meanwhile we've been cooking up a storm at weekends as we don;t go out to save money etc etc. Austerity don't you know.
 This is my own recipe: totally three bean lasagna with a creme fraiche and grated cheese topping. Before and after oven shots.
 Got rated very highly and all dissappeared into family tummies pronto. Then there was the NIGELLA macaroni cheese a hot fave we haven't enjoyed since 2011.

the top one has bits of bacon added and the bottom one was made in a cake form so I can freeze it for the girls when I stay in Oxford for dancing.
 Divided into 4 for freezing as portions.
 Turkey meatloaf didn;t look so good but tasted just fine and dandy.
 This is a WW recipe and this is what is was supposed to look like:
 And here's me saying cheerio in a mohair cardigan I crocheted in early 2005, it's a bit big on me now but a great warm one for these chilly days! We haven't got the heating on yet.

Noro photos coming soon.

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