Blaise asked for a backpack similar to the Punk Rock Backpack from Stitch and Bitch she wasn't happy with either of the motifs and gave me her Aranzi Aranzo pencilcase to copy, so here it is so far, I have knitted the front and back (the pink whipstitching is holding the opening closed, as it will have a zipper inserted) the intarsia for the monkey wasn't bad at all, it goes quickly because it is interesting. He needs to have his eyes embroidered on, we had decided on little plastic eyes, but when I put them they freaked us both out - evil toy monkey eyes!
she also wants me to embroider the book title - she hasn't decided, but it will be either "The ascent of Man" or "Planet of the Apes".
I received a knitting machine, ribber and associated bits and peices yesteday, unfortunately most of it has to stay packed up as there just isn't room here, I can't wait to have my own room! I also have scored a garter carriage and wonderful new knitting machine, and loads of accessories, but they are in NZ and will have to stay with my parents until we know where we are going to be living next year.It is a bit like waiting for Christmas, I know what I'm getting but can't touch it!!!
So, back to the stuff that arrived yesterday, there was a huge box of books and pamphlets - patterns from the '70s and '80s, treasure! and the gold? well next to the punchcard dictionaries, which are amazing compilations of fairisle and lace patterns, there are a few Japanese machine knitting pattern books - AmimonoVogue from 1982, they are wonderful - the Japanese did not seem to succumb to the intarsia batwing styles so prevalent in the '80s - there are a lot of tidy twinsets with interesting detailing, I can actually see myself making a few garments - and thats where we come to the second wonder of japanese machine knitting mags - the instructions are all diagrams - so it is easy to decipher the pattern.
love the Nana and Grandad bodywarmers!
I am tempted to commit Amigarumi
