Sunday 14 August 2011

....Intarsia........

......These last few days i have been trying to master the art of Intarsia.....i have this dream that one day i shall be able to knit fairisle garments and lots of wonderful colourful blocks and motifs.....but i new that there was no way of conquering this rather tricky skill without starting at the bottom..........so i got myself a book (like you do) and had a go at Intarsia......................
For you who don't know what this is, it a form of knitting motifs without carrying the yarn across the back of the fabric, in this method you are twisting the yarn upwards as opposed to across..........let me show you.......................

....This is a pocket that i cut out of an old Amano cardigan sometime ago and crocheted around the edge of it to just make a simple mat......and it just so happened that this motif was done in Intarsia..............

.....this is the back, and the yarn goes round the outside edge of the motif instead of across......

......here's the cardigan i cut it out from.....

....can you see the swan motif still attached to the cargy, i also did the same with the other motifs too......this was actually the left overs of a previous project that i did with this cardigan.......do you want to see........................


.....this is the bag that i made from the cardigan.........the cardy had a lot of pictures on it but it was all a bit too busy for me so i completely chopped it up and made it into something more useful......a bag...
...........here's the back view......

......i love this bag, and i have used it a lot.....its all lined inside too.....

.......anyway back to Intarsia......
.......There is another thing when knitting motifs...........all the different colours you use get in an abominable knot..........so.....you need to use bobbins.........these still get a bit tangled up and i very nearly flung my knitting across the room a few times......but i persevered and here's my attempt......

.....not brilliant by a long shot....but i shall keep trying until i can knit one of these with a bit more speed and less mistakes.......i don't generally make mistakes when i am knitting but with all the bobbins and stuff hanging down the back of the piece i couldn't help but drop the odd stitch or get a knot in another.....

......If you fancy getting in knots with yarn...here's the book that i highly recommend to do this......

.....this is a very inspiring book and Nicki has a lovely blog site too.....

.......Anyhoo... that's all from me for today.....and who knows maybe in about seventy years time i might be able to show you something i have knitted in fairisle...x.x.x

.....Pixie...x


4 comments:

  1. soooo pleased you commented on my blog- as now ive found yours and its so beautifully enchanting and your crafty makes inspire me x

    on one of your previous posting showing your back room in your home just left me 'blissful' - its such a lovely home you have- your art and creations- such lovely things ;0)

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  2. Hi Pixie
    Thanks so much for your kind comments on my blog and for following me. It's great to meet another Julie fan. Will be posting my latest addition this week :) I love the lampshade at the bottom of your page. Did you make it ?
    xxx

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  3. Wow you clever girl! Your bag is amazing - what a brilliant idea. And your knitting is even more amazing! I am in awe of anyone who can knit as it is definitely tricky for me. I love your stripey sock pic hon. I thought of you this morning when I was getting socks out of the draw and remembered your comment about wearing one stripey and one spotty!! Definitely good to have entertaining socks even if they are tucked away inside boots today. It's snowing here - it never snows here - so I am even more happy to have my cheerful socks on!!! Have a fab week hon.

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  4. What a fabulous bag!!! As a cardi it was way overboard but the bag looks brilliant :-) Well done on the intarsia too, it is a bit of a fiddle but worth it. I'll never get good enough for fair isle though....

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