Vine Lace and other Funny Knots
So this knitting thing, it is so addictive. I did finish those wrist-warmers:
But I didn’t stop there! I kept on going with a hat, which was distressingly tricky for me. I had to start over about 10 times, and the yarn was quite happy to tear or snag while frogging the project, so I grew increasingly distressed with each failed attempt. Finally, I set my needles down, and just as I was about to fall asleep that night, defeated, I had a moment of clarity, and realized the large, glaring mistake I had made in the pattern. It was easily fixed and finished a few days later:
To be honest, the hat doesn’t fit the way I want, so although I’m proud of finishing the beast, I’m much more excited about the next hat I made:
Back view of the vine lace pattern
Two things:
- This was made with half of a 50p skein of yarn I found in a charity shop. Score! I’m not sure what to do with the rest of the yarn, but I could easily make a second hat with another, equally intriguing pattern.
- These pictures are before I ‘blocked’ the object, e.g. shaped it, so the vine lace pattern isn’t terribly apparent. However, I sort of like the gentle waviness of the hat, so I didn’t change it too much.
Between knitting and class and orchestra, I’m quite a busy little vet student. Today, I woke up to an inch of fresh snow on the sidewalks, and the trees and fields were gorgeous out at school. The sun was shining, and inside Easter Bush I was so warm, it was an all-around pleasant feeling. As the days get longer and the classes and tons of information pile up, I hope I still get a chance to enjoy how beautiful winter in Edinburgh can be.
Category: Vivre ma vie, knittykeen
February 3rd, 2010 at 6:49 pm
hey! I saw you wearing that hat the other day, and had a fleeting thought that you might have made it, but then I concluded that it looked way too good to be anything other than store-bought. Thus, I am jealous of your knitting skills, it’s a really gorgeous hat!
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Wow, thanks! I know it’s full of flaws, but luckily the lace is so complicated, it’s hard to tell.
it was also really easy to make! http://laurennell.com/knit/?p=16
February 4th, 2010 at 1:29 am
Love the hat!! I picked up on cross-stitching but its nowhere near beautiful or complicated as your knitting skills. I’d most def buy your hats and wrist warmers. Ever thought of making a knitted sack for cell phones with a cute tie wrap?
February 4th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Hey, thanks! The hat’s really not that complicated, it just took a lot of patience. I’ve never made a cell phone case yet, but it might be a good way to use up left over yarn, so I’ll have to add that to my (ever-increasing) project list.
February 5th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Hey quick question, when you first moved to Edin, did you live in university accommodations or did you find a place outside the Uni. I’m moving there in Aug but I’m bringing my dog with me so I can’t live in Uni housing. I know the whole hassle of the banks where to open a bank account u need a perm residence, but renting a flat you need a bank account. ugh. Any advice will greatly be appreciated! Thanks!
February 5th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Hello again,
I lived in University dorms for the first 5 weeks of the GEP session, then a university apartment for the rest of first year. It was a nice was to establish myself in Edinburgh before finding a good flat in the right place for the right rent. Some of other students stayed in the dorms for the first 5 weeks and looked for housing during that time.
Edinburgh’s a funny city, because rooms/flats are only advertised about a month before they’re free, and they want you to move in fast. So, looking for housing right now may not yield great results, since flats available in August/September won’t be advertised until the summer. Having a pet will only make it more difficult, I’m afraid. Another girl in my year left her dog at home with her husband until November, found a flat, and then when he moved to the UK he brought their dog along. I imagine they made things much less stressful for her.
As for the bank thing…Lloyds TSB lets you apply for an account online, then they mail some paper to the address you give. You bring the paperwork into a branch, and they use it as proof of residence. Makes it a bit easier.
http://edinburgh.gumtree.com is like craigslist, by the way. Worth looking at housing there.
Good luck!