Shetland Shawl Turned Vest

Just a quick post to show a recent finished project. This is my adaptation of Véronik Avery's "Shetland Shawl Turned Vest", from the beautiful book Lace Style.



I knit it at a different gauge using Jo Sharp Classic DK Wool. I changed the lower edge, the bodice pattern, and the shape of the bodice.



Here's a close-up of the lace pattern in the skirt, which is the same as in the pattern.



Here's the lace pattern I devised for the bodice.



And here's how I've worn it!



I'm so happy with how this turned out. It's terribly flattering, comfortable and easy to wear. I think I may need to make more sweaters in this shape.

Elizabeth and the Swamp Thing

Early this spring, Elann was selling R2 Rag yarn for 80% off its original price. I'd been wanting to work with this yarn for several years, but it was always stupidly expensive and never seemed like a practical choice.

If you're not familiar with R2 Rag, it's a very bulky cotton yarn made from bias-cut strips of jersey-knit fabric. I rarely work with either cotton yarn or bulky yarn, so I could never quite bring myself to pay for it. When it was suddenly affordable, I was excited by the opportunity to work with it. I designed this sweater specifically for this yarn, in this colour. It was a fun knit, it turned out very much as I had planned, and and I love the way it looks. For obvious reasons, it's called the Swamp Thing.



One fun thing that I did with this yarn was to sew the end of each ball of yarn to the beginning of the next, using red thread. This eliminated most of the yarn ends, which would have been impossible to weave in nicely, and I like the way the red spots look in the olive-coloured fabric. I left any remaining yarn tails hanging, which suits the look of this yarn well.



Unfortunately, I didn't love the sweater on me. It fit the way I had intended it to, it just didn't do me any favours. I am usually pretty aware of what my body is like and how it looks in clothes, and I can usually plan garments that suit me fairly well. Sometimes, though, I'm just wrong. I have had this sweater sitting in a basket since then. I couldn't bring myself to rip it out because I just love it so much, and could not imagine a better design for the yarn.



Later in the spring, I met my dear friend Elizabeth. In the last few months, Elizabeth and I have realized that we are not dissimilar in clothing size, though we are differently shaped. I know that a lot of people have friends with whom they can swap and share clothes, but this isn't the case for me. When it does happen, it's quite a treat.



Elizabeth was over at my place recently and somehow the Swamp Thing showed its face. Elizabeth loved it, and tried it on at my insistence. I absolutely love how it looks on her; it might as well have been made for her. It flatters her much better than it did me. She was persuaded to take it home with her. And so, the story has a happy ending.

Two Necklaces

Bound

This is the newest necklace in my Etsy shop.

I started this piece with the key from the handcuffs I bought at a novelty store as a teenager. As I was working on it, I was remembering owning them; how risqué I felt buying them (I was pretty sheltered), and how audacious I felt wearing them to a show, cuffed with my goth boyfriend, when I was 17. At that time of my life, I used to wear them as jewelry (both on one wrist).

When I had one half of the necklace done, I showed it to Zak. He liked it, but I thought it might be a bit boring. I was trying to think of how to make the second half more interesting but still compatible with the first half, when Zak thought of adding the awesome cherub.

This necklace is the first one that's been a collaborative effort. It seems appropriate that we make at least one together, as the shop name derives from the name we made years ago from our combined last names (Moore and Greant). It also seems appropriate that both its appearance and its contents make me reflect on what I used to think I knew about love, and what I know now.



Diary 4

One thing that's been interesting about selling necklaces is that my choices are influenced by what sells. The 4 necklaces that have sold in my Etsy shop have been built around keys. I like the keys, but admittedly I'm more motivated to keep using them than I would be if they weren't selling, or if the other necklaces were selling as well.

I've been making things as long as I can remember, but this is the first time that I've really tried to sell anything I make. I've resisted selling in the past for a number of reasons, and this has been one of them: I generally just want to explore my ideas without worrying about whether things will sell.

On the other hand, having a parameter provided can often inspire great creative problem-solving solutions. Maybe using keys (not always, but often) can do the same thing for me.

I've now bought more keys. I'll be interested to see where they take me.

Mograh Open for Business!

This summer, during those months when I was neglecting my blog (more than usual), I started making beaded necklaces.

I've been enjoying learning how to use beads. Stringing beads on a length of wire is a very different way of organizing visual information from desiging a garment, or composing a painting. It's been more challenging than I had expected to come up with interesting and pleasing pieces, and I feel like I learn something new with each piece. I have yet to feel like I'm really innovating at all, but I've made some things I'm proud of.



One thing I particularly like about beading is that it's possible to make something satisfying and lovely in less than a million hours. I'll likely never knit for money, but beading is fast and interesting enough to do that I am happy to sell necklaces. And so without further ado, I present my Etsy shop!

Please check it out and let me know what you think. I'm quite excited and would love feedback.