Also Intarsia

As I perused the world-wide-web last week to get some idea of the feelings already out there about intarsia (knitting), I learned that intarsia is also known (possibly more commonly known) as a woodworking technique where different colors of wood are inlaid together.  I think that it would be correct to say that intarsia in woodworking predated intarsia in knitting.

This photo shows an example from the early 15th century.  It is at the Collegio della Mercanzia in Perugia, Italy.

Here is a more contemporary example.

I also found intarsia done in stone.

This is an intarsia portrait made in stone.  It is entitled "Mr. Lizzadro" and it is a portrait of the collector behind the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art.  At the musem website I learned that they are in Elmhurst, Illinois and that "Lapidary is the art of cutting and polishing stone."

I liked learning all of this.

In the Wikipedia article titled "Intarsia" (which covers woodworking intarsia and mentions intarsia done in stone) I learned, "It is thought that the word 'intarsia' is derived from the Latin word 'interserere' which means 'to insert'."

The Wikipedia article titled "Intarsia (knitting)" begins with this two sentence paragraph:  "Intarsia is a knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. As with the woodworking technique of the same name, fields of different colours and materials appear to be inlaid in one another, but are in fact all separate pieces, fit together like a jigsaw puzzle."

Intarsia is an art and a craft that may be worked in various media...

Photo credits:
Collegio della Mercanzia:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/debbcollins/3939907401/
Wolf Intarsia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wolf-Intarsia-md.jpg
Mr. Lizzadro:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/suttonhoo22/4419221718/

Finishing Your #77 Dream

I took several very many photos as I finished my second #77 Dream Hat, thinking that posting them on my blog might help some knitters with their finishing.

This hat is a ‘dream’ to knit, even if you have only a little bit of lace knitting experience.  You work the 8-row Fan Lace Chart three times, and the 24-row Decreasing Fan Lace Chart just one time…cut your yarn, draw it through the remaining stitches, and the hat-knitting is done.  The earflaps are smaller than two little swatches…16 stitches by 2½ inches.

As the pattern says, (when binding off the earflaps), “Leave yarn tail long enough for sewing earflap to body of hat; weave in cast-on tail.”  Please see the pattern for locating the earflaps on hat, pin if desired, and, “Sew each earflap to inside with hem stitch.”

I would then work the needle and yarn to a point under the hat scallop (the next picture is from the outside of hat) and make a stitch or two through hat scallop and ear flap.

My next step was a hand-washing and air-drying to block the hat.  This step is optional, but I find that almost all of my knitting benefits from it.

I grew up in a crafty family.  At one time I had a little kit for making pom-poms in different sizes with instructions on how to put them together to make little animals and such.  I remember making many little yellow chicks.  But I no longer have my childhood pom-pom makers, and now whenever I need to make a pom-pom, I just use cardboard.  I suggest that the pom-pom be made approx. 3” in dia.

You might already own a 3” pom-pom maker, or buy one in a craft store; but you can also make your pom-pom using cardboard.  Just cut a piece of cardboard to about 3¼” x 5”.  Then wrap the yarn around the cardboard about 90 times.

Slip the bundle of yarn off of the cardboard.  Cut a length of yarn about 18” long and tie the bundle in the middle.

Tie it tightly and turn it over and tie it again.

Begin cutting all of the loops open.

The pom-pom will need quite a lot of trimming.  Start by cutting any long strands of yarn and then continue to snip all around until it is nice and round.

Using the tie ends attach pom-pom with a crochet hook or needle.

With a needle, stitch through the pom-pom a couple times using each strand of the pom-pom tie ends, and with the yarn end from drawing up the stitches at top of your hat (if you did not weave it in yet).  All of these strands may then be woven inside the hat or pulled out through the center of pom-pom and trimmed.

For the ties: “Cut 12 pieces of yarn approx. 24” long.”

“Using a crochet hook, draw 3 strands of yarn through each of the two central knit sts at the bottom point of one earflap.”

“Adjust so that all strands hang evenly.”

“Divide these 12 strands into 3 groups of 4, and braid for approx. 7”.  Tie ends loosely.”

“Thread tapestry ndl with a new piece of yarn about 18” long.  About 5” below bottom of earflap, take a stitch through the braid, leaving a tail long enough to become part of the tassel.”

“Take several more sts through braid to secure.”

“Now wrap the yarn 7-8 times around the braid to completely cover the sts … Insert needle through wraps from above, and bring down through center of tassel.”

“Untie the knot holding the braid and unbraid ends up to the wrap yarns … Trim all ends even to about 1½“.

“Repeat with remaining strands of yarn and other earflap.”

Perhaps this was too many photos!  I hope that you enjoy making your own #77 Dream!

What Else Am I Working On?

This post will have no talk of top-down sweaters!  (I will, of course, continue to work on them.  I will even share some finished photos.  But, for now, enough said about my "Top-Down Immersion".)

I am in the beginning stages of designing a cowl for a new Fair Isle class to be offered at Gosh Yarn It! this fall.  Two-handed stranded Fair Isle will always be near the tippy-top of my list of favorite things to teach.  Shown is a bag I designed, which I have used several times for Fair Isle classes (since April 2009).

I created a variation of the bag last fall.  But this is 2011, and it is time to come up with a new design for teaching these skills!  Both the bag shown, and the new cowl are knit in the round.  There are many rows in the above bag that have short floats, but there are also some rows that have long enough floats to practice 'weaving in' or 'catching' the yarn not in use.  The cowl I have planned will also have both of these kinds of rows, but with a more distinct separation.  I will share more on the cowl soon, so please stay tuned.

Next up is a Linen Top, which I knit the front and back for, but will add to its length with crochet.  This is a photo of the first piece after blocking.

I have a project page for this top on Ravelry with much more information.  I wish I could spend more time on it, but those fall classes will be coming up before I know it.

And now for something completely different.  I am making a second "Turkish Bead Crochet" bracelet.  I made the first bracelet during a class at Beadweaver's, a local (and online) bead and jewelry shop.  The lovely and creative instructor, Jane, has taken some knitting classes of mine, and I wanted to take one of her beading classes.  It was so much fun!  My first bracelet is more beautiful in person than in the photo.

For my second bracelet, I am using many of the leftover beads, and the same cord.  The main difference is that the first used 6mm Swarovski Bicones in a 'Pacific Opal' color, and the second has 6 mm Fire Polished Rounds in 'Champagne T Luster'.

One of the best thing about these bracelets, is that I can make one in about an hour and a half.  Even though I NEED to be working on fall class samples, I do not feel guilty about taking a little pick-me-up break with these.

Midweek Meditation -- The Bag and the Magnet

 "In all object making, that aspect which relates to its conceptual interpretation is art, that which relates the object to an intended purpose is design, and the quality of its execution is craft."  -- Hella Basu

I must warn you, gentile reader, that I am likely to repeat this quote.  I came across it about a year ago.  I copied it and printed it; and it has been held by a magnet (depicting a sunflower painting by Van Gogh) on my refrigerator ever since.
I like knowing that other people (besides myself) think about such things.
I am not really saying that the designer bag is "art".  But together with the quote, it gives me something to think about.  (And then there is the magnet...)