Kureyon cotton shawl

This is the cover shawl from VK's shawls book and was designed by Linda Cyr. I used Kureyon cotton which worked out well and added 3 buttons and closed up for sort of sleeves.

cotton aran- Willough

This is from "Knitting the new classics" and I used the yarn called for, Willough which is a nice light worsted cotton. I made a lot of cable mistakes though because it was knit during the summer war.

back home

I had 2 months of vacation and then once home I got very busy with my projects so only now I'm ready to start blogging again. The first 3 weeks were spent for my second year at Missenden Abbey in England and I had two weeks of courses. Tambour beading and goldwork embroidery. Next year I'd like to continue with both teachers but I think she'll be teaching cabuchons instead of the tambour which is fine with me.

After that I had 3 weeks in Tiberias at a nice hotel spa which was also my second time. I'd love to return. Holiday Inn right next to the Tiberias spa facilities. Just gorgeous with the mountains all around.

I've completed several summer knitting projects which I will get up pretty soon and also got into my crewel embroidery and more beading.
The picture here shows two bracelets in peyote stitch using beads from Bo-Gal (Japanese beads) and two nice sets of earrings that dangle which I love.

more earrings

I suddenly realized I need to change my jewelry every day at Missenden Abbey next week. So in a rush first of all I made these 4 pair of earrings. The blue set is done in brick stitch, next to it is herringbone and then tubular brick. The end one is 2 needle cross weaving. All just done according to my own simple design.

dangle earrings

Brick stitch from the Carol Taylor book. I may have to redo the first one but the second one came out well. I really like them.

earrings, bracelet and necklace

This was a good learning experience for me. The beads are shaped round like pearls. First I used square stitch for the bracelet but was not pleased. Then I backstitched the small silver beads for embellishment. Next the necklace based on cross weaving using a metal instead of needle and thread. The earrings are done the same way.

Spiral herringbone earrings

This makes a set with the bracelet although I used smaller Japanese beads.

Spiral herringbone bracelet

I enjoyed doing this bracelet and also like wearing it. The beads are too large for earrings though. Beading is great during wars especially if it's not too difficult. I had to rip out half of an aran that I had already made before because I was watching the tv news and just couldn't concentrate.

Taylor and amulet bags

I'm working my way slowly through Enid Taylor's great book on making amulet bags.I made one in reds and it was promptly grabbed by a woman who insisted it was hers! This is the second one. Both were in brick stitch but next I want to do peyote stitch bags as they're faster. I also used her earring pattern which goes with this bag nicely.

Diaange raglan

Another fast raglan using yarn bought in Tokyo. This is Diakeito yarn called Diaange and it took 9 -40 gram balls. It's 90% wool and perhaps something like alpaca or whatever. It's very light to wear but also warm. I paid $60 two years ago for the yarn with one ball remaining. My first impression of the yarn was not good as I could see a core with yarns coming from that but I think it was only when the red colors were being used. After a while I decided I liked it anyway but I wouldn't buy it again.
The yarn works up nicely as a raglan with self striping. I'm standing in my new kitchen.

Diadomina

This raglan uses Diadomina yarn I brought back from the far east. It's light to wear and warm and I use the Jacqueline Fee book on raglans.

poncho

My daughter gave me her digital camera which is super so here is a poncho I finished not long ago from the Edi Eckman poncho book. Made in Kureyon and an easy knit to do.

Japanese bead books

I'm listing here information about the new beadbooks I just ordered from Amazon.jp. If you enter the ISBN # on their search page, the book will come up and also the prices in yen so I won't give them here but I will add a bit more about the author and what I think now about the book. Obviously you can also find these books in Japanese bookstores but it's just easiest for me to use Amazon.jp. Also most of these books ordered from Amazon had reader comments giving them 5 stars.
Here goes:
1)Brilliant beads jewellery for celebrations by Yoko. ISBN 4408626937 c2004
necklaces, bracelets, hairpins, wedding crown, etc.
2)Beads accessory by Uta Ohno. c2001 ISBN4091033792 includes crocheted items with beads.
3)Graceful beads jewelry by Takako Akaki and Megumi Yamanaka, c2003 ISBN 4277471811
necklaces, brooches, earrings, rings, cell phone straps, purses, eyeglass chain / 82 projects.
4)Perle veneziane c2002. ISBN4529037479 Czech and Austrian beads showcased. In addition to usual stuff, several nice watches.highly recommend this one.
5)Bohemian beads c2003 ISBN4529038572 There are 65 projects and it is just gorgeous. Includes all kinds plus watch bands, cell phone straps and has nice pictures of the industry and the beads used. also high recommendation for this one.

That was my most recent order. Now the previous order:
1) 100 beads jewelry New York style by Mika tsukamoto, c2003 ISBN4529038394
100 projects with lots of "pin work" using jump rings, eyepins, etc. Plenty of all sorts of projects.
2)Fairy bead jewelry by Mika Tsukamoto, c2004 ISBN406211982X
46 projects. Some of the projects illustrated in color and others only in black and white which is harder to follow.
3) author is Kyo Kyuchin, c2005.ISBN4277472001. Lots of "pinwork", some crochet. very nice.
4)My dream of bead jewelry New York style by Mika Tsukamoto, c2004
ISBN4529040364.91 projects.Lots of "pinwork" and some antique style items.
5) author Yumiko Akutagawa, c2003 ISBN4062117916 "Pinwork" projects. very pretty.
6)Victorian style beads jewelry by Mika Tsukamoto, c2002 ISBN4529036928
antique looking, "pinwork", bridal pieces. very lovely. 62 projects.

I bought a bead book in Tokyo before I started to bead:
Beads lesson book by IIjima Midori c2003. ISBN407239310X This book has more photos showing how to do the various projects but none of them are very nice looking.

And one book I bought in Singapore called:
Bead embroidery by Takeko Kuriyama c2003. ISBN4579109740 Regular bead embroidery with lovely photos and good illustrated instructions. If you do this work, this is a really nice book to own. Doesn't go into tambour beading.

One pointer: all of the books have information on how to do the jewelry and also illustrate the tools and beads needed and most also give the size of the beads and some even show the beads in different colors on the chart with a key so you really can figure out what goes where. This work is not the American/English beadweaving but more of the French kind of work but using either the nylon without a needle or the wire. Needles are not used.

peyote bracelet

This bracelet uses a "mix" of beads. I did it in peyote stitch but have enough to do it in another stitch. I needed to add some decoration on the sides to hide the thread.

amulet bag

This amulet bag was in the Fitzgerald book on brick stitch which I've been working through lately. I learned that brick stitch isn't that easy for one thing. I made some changes mainly in the type of beads I used. I didn't have Egyptian gold pieces.

Brick stitch bracelet

This bracelet is from t he Diane Fitzgerald brick stitch book. I've started working my way through my book collection and this book is the first one up. I'm doing her amulet bag now. I had some problems understanding the bracelet instructions so I had to reread the book first. She uses terms like "stack" which are her own and also I felt at first a bit lost in the instructions but eventually it all made sense.

filigree bracelet set

My own creation using what I learned in bead class.

Ankle bracelet

Ankle bracelet and if it's too heavy, I can always make it a regular one.

I put together a lot of earrings yesterday from the silver I brought back from Bangkok on my trip out there. Also finished an earring in delica blue and gold (thanks to Tami for helping me with them) and the bracelet was just put together with some of my first bead purchases after I complained to Tami that I didn't know what to do with them. I used a gold chain and put the beads on eye pins. It was fun to make and even my sister likes it!

zigzag

This afghan by Linda Taylor can be found in Heirloom afghans to knit and crochet by Leinhauser and Weiss. What I like about it is that you begin with Tunisian stitch and since the pattern only calls for 15 stitches, it can be done with a regular length crochet hook. It's made in 6 long strips which are easily hooked together and for such a big afghan, there aren't that many ends to sew in either. A really good stashbuster for me. The brown is Tunisian and the others are a regular crochet pattern. I also hope to make more from this book which is better than most of them.

America

Thanks to Dixie Ackerman, I have made this lovely peyote stitched wavy flag. The one on the left uses size 9 beads and on the right Delicas.

vintage

Just finished this one for homework assignment. Kind of unusual. Anyone like it?

loomwork

I'm getting better now with the loom. This is my widest bracelet so far and I'm using size 8 Czech beads which I really like. To finish the warps, I'm using a big eye needle because the warps are a thick polyester yarn I bought in Cape Town and it splits. I'm weaving them in and out of the warp threads and doing one halfhitch knot and then cutting with a new scissars by Fiskar which is supposed to be good for Fireline but also good on this.
I do have something I could have applied over the warps and pasted on, but felt that sewing in is really the best way.

Dallas "Perkins"

This is from Yorkshire Fable and is by Sarah Dallas. The pattern came out in 2003 and that's when I bought the yarn too. So only 3 years to fo isn't bad. Rowan Yorkshire tweed dk is the yarn. I enjoyed knitting with it and I think it'll be great to wear also. Not too warm. I didn't know until the end if this one would fit. It was that big a problem. First of all I decided to knit the body in one piece so I'd have less ends to sew in. But I wasn't sure of my gauge because of the crochet added after the knitting. So I knit up an entire sleeve first and added the crochet to get the right gauge. I had to make changes then in the pattern as my gauge wasn't the pattern's. However unlike the fairisle vest below, the buttonhole section was great to do and I found nice buttons as well. However, I hope never to knit such a complicated sweater again. Just too much fiddling and uncertainty for me.

One of the big problems was the bottom section in a lacey stitch which is supposed to be sewn on at the end. I didn't do that which was a mistake because I got a nasty ridge between that and the rest of the sweater so I added a line of embroidery chain stitch to hide it. The crocheting at the end pulls out the gauge a lot so I was correct in making a sleeve first or else it never would have been finished. Whew!

Topping Yellowknife vest

I nearly finished this vest last year and finally just now found buttons and put them on. The big problem was the buttonhole section because the directions called for two layers in st st folded over so how do you do the buttonholes? I knew of the Neatby method and figured that would do but since I didn't have it I ended up figuring out my own technique. I have to say I got better as I went along!
The yarn is J&S and I think the pattern and colors are gorgeous. There were no mistakes. However if I were to redo it, I would definitely do a different buttonhole without the double layer.
I feel this fairisle vest is one of the loveliest I've ever made. You can find the kit at Wool and Wicker .