Test - Which type of knitter are you?

With which size of needles do you like more to knit?

1.The thicker, the better

2.The thinner, the better

3.It depends, according to the knitting project.

You knit mostly for… 

1.To make beautiful things 

2.To enjoy and occupy myself with beautiful yarns

3.To create beautiful things, using beautiful yarns.

During knitting… 

1. the human eye, cannot conceive the movement of your needles, so fast you knit

2. you do not allow to be pressed and you knit with enjoyment row after row, because at last you want to enjoy your hobby 

3. the speed of the knitting depends a lot on the project

Your first thought for the phrase “second sleeve”   

1. Oh my God. NO. Another one?

2. how great, another one!

3. a knitter should do, what a knitter should do

During the making of a project, then… 

1.you measure every 3 minutes, if your woolly has reached the regular length

2.you measure every 3 minutes, if you can still continue knitting

3.you measure, when you remember it

The sewing of the wooly is for you….

1. your terror and fear

2. part of my hobby

3. a necessary villain, when one wants to have a wearable piece. 

Results

More 1s.

Congratulations! You are one of evident “process knitter”. You knit to knit, in order to relax and to have beautiful yarns “round your fingers”. And it is completely unimportant, when you will finish the project, and if it will be ever finished. This will be supposed to make you thoughtful only then, when the number of half-finished pieces is so much big, and you cannot anymore decide with which you continue.

More 2s. 

Congratulations! You are one of evident “result knitter”. For you is only in effect the result-not the procedure. You knit always, often with horrible speed and are horribly productive. I envy you- because you have a genuine occasion, to really knit all these beautiful models.

More 3s.

Congratulations! You are a mixed type. You have the best from both 2 types! You like to knit, you are glad for the new piece, you enjoy however and the procedure of the creation. More cannot anyone ask from his hobby – unless of course, one will request you to knit black, simple socks. In Size 47. -

the knitted wedding

I found these photos of the knitted wedding in Cas toff, the knitting club for boys and girls. Cast Off knitting club was established in 2000. It's aims are to promote the art of knitting as a healthy, contemporary and creative pastime, through the establishment of a club dedicated to the craft. Follow the link to read more about Castoff and see more photos.

The bride wears knitted wedding dress, the groom knitted scarf and hat, almost all guests are dressed with woollies and everything in this ceremony is knitted, from the flowers, the decor, up to the dishes and the wedding cake!

Εarth Hour!!!

As seen at  Νοvely Jewels:

What is the Earth Hour...

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.
WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour.
In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote.
Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from.
VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community.
A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet.
Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.
We all have a vote, and every single vote counts.
Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

The Joys and Ploys of Contemporary Knitting" by Nicholas Forrest

by Νickolas Forrest, at blog.absolutearts.com, 4/2/2009

The age old craft of knitting has recently begun to make a come back, but not in the same form or with the same purposes that we are all familiar with. Gone are the days of tea cosies, boring scarves and hideous jumpers that just oozed functionality and practicality, a new age of knitting has dawned. What was once considered an old-fashioned way to pass the time has now become a fashionable and trendy artistic medium as well as a new form of social activity.

Even some of the Hollywood a-list have begun clicking the needles with Kate Moss, Julie Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Madonna, Russell Crowe and Geri Halliwell having all discovered the joys of knitting which is sure to raise the profile of the craft even more.

There are so many weird and wonderful things going on in the the most intriguing of which are the practices of a group of artists that have been given the term "guerilla knitters". Now before you start imagining knitted camo wearing soldiers jumping out of Apache helicopters attached to a stealth length of yarn packing rocket propelled knitting needle launches, "guerilla knitters" are basically the graffiti artists of the textile world. Nothing is safe from the wool warriors and needle ninjas who practice their moves under the cover of darkness giving everything from bike racks to trees to public sculptures the knitters touch. One of the great things about knitted graffiti is that it does everything that painted graffiti does except for damage other people's property, genius!!

With so many colours and types of yarn available, an endless number of ways it can be used and a contemporary art culture that embraces the unusual and unique, it is not surprising that artist's have begun using the humble yarn to express themselves. As well as giving artists something new to experiment with knitting has also, strangely enough, given rise to a whole new form of political activism that centres around the use of the activity of knitting as a form of expression. According to the glittyknittykitty website Knittivism is:

1. a doctrine emphasising vigorous or militant knitting activity, e.g. the use of knitting in mass demonstrations, urban interventions, in controversial, unusual or challenging ways, esp political, causes.

2. the systematic use of knitting for political ends. knittivist n and adj

Although the objects being created by knitters are absolutely fantastic there is more to knitting than the finished product. The process of creating such a work of art is as integral to the work as the end product because it is the actual process of creation that gives each work a history and a soul. Each stitch represents a moment in time which could correspond with any number of different events, thoughts, feelings and emotions thus making each knitted piece an emotionally and spiritually loaded object.

So much of the art being produced these days is bland, clinical and just plain boring which prevents people from connecting with and interacting with the artist and their work. The materials used in knitting are tactile, textural and raw which makes knitted works all the more appealing, characterful and evocative, the opposite of the bland, clinical and boring works being produced. Instead of being detached from the viewer, most knitted works of art invite and allow the viewer to experience, interact and connect with each work.

I just love the whole concept of knitting both as an artform and as a leisure activity and have no doubt that this addictive activity will continue to gain momentum so you had all better get knitting now so you don't get left behind. Trust me, you'll love it.

I’m so excited

Do you remember this shrug I had in my shop? It was bought from a girl from the U.S. to wear it in her wedding last autumn! I was in big agony if it would be delivered on time for the wedding, but fortunately Lindsey received it the last day before leaving for the wedding and she was very happy with it! A couple of days ago, she sent me this beautiful picture! Look how pretty she is and how sweet it looks on her!!! Thank you so much for the picture Lindsey :)

But my excitement is double! In the new issue of Vivalamoda there is an article (Queen of the cards) with photo shoot of European creations. Isis from paperflower had the great idea to feature in the magazine: a EST photo shoot. The idea was members who wanted to collaborate to send one or two items to Isis to photograph on a model. The participants were:

Loni - avaloni.etsy.com , Andreia - aracnedesigns.etsy.com, Evelyn - sumikoshop.etsy.com , Moira - paleolochic.etsy.com , Εve - creationsbyeve.etsy. com , Mette - TheBroochBoutique.etsy.com, Roberta - tostoini.etsy.com , Greet - fleurfatale.etsy.com , Claudia - deepindigo.etsy.com , Sabine - queenBlingerie.etsy.com

Take a look at the great job Isis did:

Thank you Gilbea and Isis!

Go here to read the full magazine!

Lace

Lace is an openwork fabric, patterned with open holes in the work, made by machine or by hand. The holes can be formed via removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was not made until the late 15th and early 16th centuries. A true lace is created when a thread is looped, twisted or braided to other threads independently from a backing fabric.
Originally linen, silk, gold, or silver threads were used. Now lace is often made with cotton thread. Manufactured lace may be made of synthetic fiber. A few modern artists make lace with a fine copper or silver wire instead of thread.

Types of Lace

There are many types of lace, defined by how they are made. These include:

Needle lace; made using a needle and thread. This is the most flexible of the lace-making arts. While some types can be made more quickly than the finest of bobbin laces, others are very time-consuming. Some purists regard Needle lace as the height of lace-making. The finest antique needle laces were [made] from a very fine thread that is not manufactured today.

Cutwork, or whitework; lace constructed by removing threads from a woven background, and the remaining threads wrapped or filled with embroidery.

Bobbin Lace; as the name suggests, made with bobbins and a pillow. The bobbins, turned from wood, bone or plastic, hold threads which are woven together and held in place with pins stuck in the pattern on the pillow. The pillow contains straw, preferably oat Straw or other materials such as sawdust, insulation styrofoam or ethafoam. Also known as Bone-lace. Chantilly lace is a type of bobbin lace.

Tape lace; makes the tape in the lace as it is worked, or uses a machine- or hand-made textile strip formed into a design, then joined and embellished with needle or bobbin lace.

Knotted lace; including Macramé and Tatting. Tatted lace is made with a shuttle or a tatting needle.

Crocheted lace; including Irish crochet, pineapple crochet, and filet crochet.

Knitted lace; including Shetland lace, such as the "wedding ring shawl", a lace shawl so fine that it can be pulled through a wedding ring.

Machine-made; any style of lace created or replicated using mechanical means.

History of lace

References to lace are made in the Bible in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 28:28, King James Version). Lace was used by clergy of the early Catholic Church as part of vestments in religious ceremonies, but did not come into widespread use until the 16th century.The popularity of lace increased rapidly and the cottage industry of lace making spread throughout Europe to most European countries. Countries like Finland (city of Rauma), Slovenia (city of Idrija), Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Russia, Spain, Turkey and others all have their own unique artistic heritage expressed through lace.

In North America in the 19th century, lace making was spread to the Native American tribes through missionaries.

Also, St. John Francis Regis helped many country girls stay away from the cities by establishing them in the lacemaking and embroidery trade, which is why he became the Patron Saint of lace-making.

Information  from Wikipedia

Modern creations with lace:

Gorgeous creations with lace in Etsy:

From left to right: Malam,Paperstreet, Garterlady, Littlesparrownest, LaCamelot, OnTheInside, WolandandMoon, SassafrazzDezigns, Tcbooutboot, Dollymolly, Loveheylola, Kambriel, YourWayEmbroidery, MySacredHeart, Tortillagirl

Two bags I made with flet and lace: