ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

The Wedding Present Throw

Garter Stitch throw.

Yarns – many reds, blacks and silver/greys. I used various mohair, 100% wool, wool mixes, fun faux fur fibres, etc.

Pattern Colour sequence:

They really are connected – these two – the V & A and the wedding present throw.

You might be able to tell that this is now a large throw, and it is very warm when I am knitting it as it covers my lap and down to the floor. Fortunately I am now decreasing one stitch on every row – so it will soon be done.

Then we have to plan a trip to London to deliver it, and then visit the knit fashion collection at the V & A. It means we have to work out when we could go, and book a time to view the collection which is not on public view. When I tried last year they needed more than 6 weeks notice of my intention to view and they were so overflowing with bookings and so on they couldn’t actually accept my booking – even though I tried to give more than the required 6 weeks notice.

This will have to be third time lucky. I tried about 19 years ago – and without the internet and no way of knowing from New Zealand that a booking to view was required I arrived at the Victoria and Albert Museum and found that it was not possible to view the knit collection as I hadn’t booked. I had come all the way from New Zealand, had 2 days in London specifically to view the collection and I couldn’t see it.

I tried last year and contacted them via the website outside of the 6 week notice required and I still wasn’t able to make that all important booking for the period that we had arranged to be in London.

It seems one has to book the V & A first and then make all other bookings as cheaply as possible – if possible. Uncomplicated bookings like trains, air travel, accommodation, and maybe some knitterly designery event as I aimed for in 2010.

Hope I make it this time as it is unlikely that we will be back in Europe again.

But I will deliver the wedding present throw to the couple in London.

I did start it a while back, a long while back. It is now about 6 feet or 2 metres along the 2 sides of the triangle. Soon I shall start to reduce one side of it to create a rectangle of some ridiculous proportion.

Circular needles are a wonderful thing as they enable me to create this throw in one piece. The knitting sits in my lap and is not heavy on the arms. There will be some ends to sew in but no seams. Perfect.

I am glad it is not summer though – it helps to keep me warm while I knit now that it flows down over my legs – could not create such a piece in the summer.

I am also glad to be able to use up all sorts of odd pieces of yarn as they (the young couple) who have seen my orange / silver / black /brown / reds rug and are happy to have their rug created with many yarns and shades of the chosen red / black / silver/grey. When completed it will look and feel great.

Original post here.

It is knitted in garter stitch on the diagonal – increasing 1 stitch at the beginning of every row using Yarn Over 2 stitches in from the edge. When I am happy with the length of one side I will begin the decreases.

We were in Switzerland for Christmas and Best Beloved and I slept under the bed spread / rug I created for our son and his partner for Christmas 2010. It was wonderfuly light and so warm – so think this one will be the same.

Mohair & faux fur throw - for king size bed

You see we are having house guests (son and family), they are arriving from Switzerland on Sunday. Should I be preparing our small Dutch house for the influx, or should I just knit – which is what I feel doing? I am knitting capelets, I have 2 more on the needles right now as well as that shadow knitting bag (still not completed) and the red socks that I owe son and Best Beloved – that old IOU, you remember it, don’t you?

I bought son some New Zealand merino socks whilst in New Zealand recently, as a salve for my conscience – such tardiness I am expressing with regard to the knitting of socks. I didn’t discover the new “Red Socks” campaign that was held in New Zealand on July 2nd (while I was there), until today when researching “Red Socks” yet again.

Darn, I could have bought son and Best Beloved Red Socks and not have to consider knitting those all elusive socks for them myself.

And then there is the cardigan for Angelica, the poncho/capelet for Elaine, pattern for gorgeous waistcoat, and a vest for….. Damm – I would much rather knit.

Today is a cool 21c which is a remarkable temperature to be working on knitting, designing and writing. Crosby Stills & Nash are singing loudly. All is good, I have had a great coffee. I have found the connector plug to attach to my iron’s plug so that it can work here in the Netherlands. The big problem is that it wants me to hold it to do the ironing. Will son and family care if the pillow cases are ironed or not? Probably not.

While in New Zealand, I posted to myself, here in the Netherlands some more of my yarn stash – I need to sort it, work out where to store (hide) it. Well maybe I don’t need to hide it anymore – Best Beloved knows how much yarn I have . Well I think he has a general idea that there is enough yarn to knit for the lifetime of a fanatic – trouble is I have the yarn, but am running out of lifetime, having reached nearly middle age as you can tell having just raced to 63 whilst in New Zealand.

Thing is – house guests for 2 weeks – I have to be able to knit while they are here, or I will forget how, maybe (they say you forget things as you age, so maybe I am forgetting things, I just can’t remember if that is so).

So I think I will sort yarns to knit the wedding gift that I have mentioned in earlier posts. Once the yarns are sorted, it will be a doddle to knit. I don’t have to write anything down for it, I just knit.

That could be a perfect solution, sort yarns today, and then prepare somewhat for the guests.

Too bad about the ironing

I am to create a mohair throw as a wedding gift for a young couple based in London.

Whatever I create with this lovely brief – it will have fabulous fabulous colours, and being created with lots of mohair this throw will also have a rich silky and luxurious feel. So very perfect as a wedding gift. The colour plan includes red, black, and silver or grey – depending on the yarns I find. I may include some wool and faux fur sections – if the colours are so absolutely right.

I have not been asked to create any specific design, nor have I been asked to be formal in my colour use. Yippee!

What to do?

Looking for the yarns will be the first step.

I am going to New Zealand in 3 weeks – maybe I will source some yarns there.