Tuesday 15 September 2009

Filling the gaps

As I read around cyberspace I find my blog is lacking certain things.
One of these things is knitting.
So in an attempt to keep up I thought I'd show you my knitting.
Yes..I can knit.
I can crochet.
But I don't anymore. Sweaters are too hot and I can't do socks.


A long time ago I crocheted a suit..yes a suit..which was in a womens magazine being modeled by Twiggy.

(EXCITED UPDATE! I found it )








Thats how long ago it was.
I was at school. Every week I would walk to the woolshop and haberdashers 'uptown' to buy another ball of Twilleys Health Vest Cotton so I could crochet another few dozen rows of beautiful Shell crochet.
The skirt was a triumph but needed lining.
I crocheted the right front of the jacket and two sleeves then I did the back and finally the left front.
Of course the tension at the time of the right front was entirely different from that when I came to the left front so when I came to stitch it up it didn't quite match.
End of story.
I crocheted a beret for almost everyone I knew.
I crocheted a white floppy hat for myself at college and a tank top made from black granny squares.

Then crochet and I said au revoir.

I did quite a bit of knitting in my early twenties, and then much later I discovered Rowan yarns and using a pattern from their 1989(?) book I tackled patterned knitting.
Intarsia?


It was a moderate success and I loved it.

A big baggy sweater that I wore on my holiday to St Martins Isles of Scilly
Here I am with my little boys by the Daymark.


Unfortunately the sweater grew with me.
It seems to have shrunk upwards and spread out sideways.
A bit like me.
I wouldn't dream of throwing it away.
Or wearing it.

Another thing that seems to be missing from my blog is toes.
So here you are.

26 comments:

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Great way to fill in the gaps! Crochet seems to be the latest thing to enjoy a comeback and I think bargello is coming back too. I did both, back in the day.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Ooh, love the Twiggy suit! Do you still have it? It looks very modern somehow.

Yes, I am besotted with knitting at the moment. Having just learned last year, I'm currently knitting constantly. I fear I am becoming Miss Marple way before my time!

arlee said...

I don't mind crochet, but i shall NEVER knit. :} No one wants 40 foot scarves with woggles, snarbles and holes.

Jan said...

you are so funny!

Daisie said...

I love the jumper! We have lots of items (handmade and otherwise) that we no longer wear but won't part with, sad really. Maybe it should be a cushion now?
xxx

katie said...

Oh! the day mark! i stood by that with my kids in 1993!! possibly wearing a hand knit of amazing complexity also - must go and dig out the photos!

menopausalmusing said...

Lovely, lovely post..... Find myself looking at all my paints and brushes all the time... I used to paint and draw all the time... seem to use this thing these days. That intarsia jumper was a corker, and it made a fantastic photo against the stripey architecture. By the way, something else is missing from your blog (and mine!)... Cath Kidston!! Ha! Ha! x

ju-north said...

That's what you call peep toes ....

Ann Christy said...

I hate to say it Jackie but I think I crocheted that same suit - or certainly one very like it. I was knitter too - still am actually and spinner and weaver on occasion. Thanks for the link about the Harris tweed I have missed the programmes but will catch up with them on the iplayer.
Love the Sweater - very stylish!!!!

Maggi said...

Love the Twiggy suit - I seem to remember that one from some deep distant memory.

WendyCarole said...

Love your post. I had a black crocheted dress (can't remember where from) but I do remember my mum made me an emerald green shift to wear underneath it.

I can't crochet I guess up because my left handedness couldn't work it out. But I do knit, but only bear jumpers nowadats

Mary Welsh Hubbard said...

I hate HATE crochet. Knitting - I love - especially knitting socks and gloves.

Gina said...

Lovely trip down memory lane... I crocheted a dress in a very similar shell pattern. I confess I used to wear it.

*jean* said...

ooo that was too funny!! things missing from my blog....they're missing from mine as well...ooo except i think i did do a shoe photo once....ooo well, no knitting though...that photo of you & your boys is adorable!

Heather said...

I'm no good at crochet though have made a bag, but enjoy knitting. However, no young mums want to hand wash baby clothes these days and I look like a hippo in anything I've knitted! I love that sweater you made. I knitted myself a dress once and liked it, but that was about 40 years ago!!

A time to dance said...

Dont suppose you still have the patterns for the berets, Polly wears then all the time and I promised I would learn to make her one. Love H

Linda Vincent said...

Hello Jackie....so glad to see you've filled in those missing bits. Especially the toes. (???)
I love my new word for the day.......'intarsia'. Fabulous.

Would love to see you in the Twiggy suit...
XX

Julie said...

Your jumper is absolutley gorgeous! What a pretty design! I agree, it would make a wonderful cushion if you could bear to do that to it. I'm definitely not going to join in the knitting or crochet fest. I knitted loads of scarves a couple of winters ago but it killed my hands and arms. Never again! Very enjoyable post :o)

Soggibottom said...

Great, fantastic looking toe x x x

alice c said...

Toes! Shriek! I am diving for cover - I can'r believe that you did that with no warning at all.

Karen said...

toes?? where?? I honestly can't see them. your jumper is amazing, I love the picture.

Victoria said...

I adore this post! (Twiggy was all the rage when I was a little girl and I coveted my cousins Twiggy doll like mad.) I use to crochet a lot, too... I did a sweater here and there but never a whole suit! Your knitting skills are very impressive, (mine are lacking considerably) and what a wonderfully cool photo of you and your two boys! (What is that giant striped thing behind you) As for the toes... where??? I don't see them!

Kim said...

Eeek, I don't knit and I hate my toes, should I go ahead and delete my blog?? You are too funny, keep at it!
Kim xx

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

Lurrvvvvly knitting. Funny how we (I) used to knit everything in sight once upon a time and despite a knitting revival and the most wonderful and desirable yarns around I cannot get motivated to knit from a pattern any more. I still have piles of patterns that I like the look of, but I never seem to be able to match the pattern to a yarn I like and have it come out the right size!

Dee said...

Hi
By any chance do you recall what ply the Health Vest Cotton was? I've acquired a pattern so I can knit a string vest, but it doesn't say what ply the yarn is... I'm trying to get back into knitting, but fear I'll either end up with a baby vest or one for a giant if I don't get the ply right...

Thanks for your help.

Jackie said...

Dianne: I've just looked up 'Twilleys Stalite' which was on the pattern and it says it knits as 4 ply. Thats all I can tell you. I hope this helps.



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