sugar, spice & stardust x

BOO!!!

Happy Hallowe'en!

Cast-offs, an exhibition

" 'Cast-offs' is an innovative knitting project developed as part of a major series of events, art projects and exhibitions taking place in the city to mark 200 years since the legal end of the transatlantic slave trade.

Nearly 600 knitters have created hundreds of children's jumpers which artist Chris Biddlecombe has built into a striking installation on show in the city's Kirk of St Nicholas.

The 600 knitted garments align with the approximate number of children kidnapped from the North East between 1740 and 1746. The location of the installation is highly appropriate, given that St Nicholas is the benefactor of children, patron of sea-farers and the protector of the poor.

Between 1600 and 1800, around 12 million men, women and children were transported from Africa to produce crops on plantations in America and the Caribbean. This project has highlighted a lesser-known aspect of forced labour in the 18th century where Scottish children were abducted and shipped to the American Colonies - specifically Aberdeen and the surrounding area.

Drawing a fascinating link between the African Slave Trade and issues of contemporary slavery is the story of Aberdeenshire teenager Peter Williamson, who was kidnapped in Aberdeen harbour and transported to Philadelphia, where he was sold into slavery. After writing a book that exposed the scandal of slave trading, he later returned to the city and sued the Provost, four Bailies and the Dean of Guild for their collusion in his kidnapping.

When the installation is viewed, the jerseys form a collaged composition of text fragments, forgotten messages, lost initials and stolen words. Each knitter's written or drawn response accompanies the installation on garment labels.

When it is finally deconstructed the individual jumpers will form part of an international effort with Feed the Children UK, to combat contemporary child slavery, clothing babies born to young girls abducted in Uganda and closing this unique 'knitting circle'."

This is the jumper I knitted for the exhibition. Each knitter was given the same pattern and some were given a letter to include on the front panel of the jumper. I have used the lovely rowan wool cotton that my KCS2 pal included in my package, I know I was meant to knit something for my wee boy with it, but this was a great idea & cause and I'm glad that a child who needs it will enjoy this jumper, (My Boo did get to sport it for the photos though!).




How fab do they all look hanging in the Kirk?!



There's my 'S' at the end of the first 'meets'.

One of the phrases, 'Is anyone listening'.

try this here!

Feltabulous!

So I've been meaning to make these for a while, I found the pattern and instructions on the Martha Stewart site...too much crafty goodness there, I get into a panic when I search it because I can't possibly think when I'll have enough time to fit everything that I want to do in! One step at a time though, (pardon the pun!), so I have started with the felted booties as an addition to my gift for Tilly. I'm relatively pleased with how they turned out, they could be neater and slightly better shaped but I think that will take some practice and some tweaking of the making up process, in the meantime I think they will perhaps make MummyKitty cry tomorrow (not my intention, I only intend to impart happiness on others, but MK will still be full of hormonal type emotions and crying is probably inevitable!)


I added some stitched detailing courtesy of my lovely Pfaff Creative 7570, I am in love with this machine, it can do so much!


...and I found this lovely printed ribbon in my local craft shop, Dorrie Doodle, and couldn't resist it. It has found it's way into nearly every part of Miss Tilly's pressi so far! If you can't quite make it out it says "sweet baby girl" in an old typewrite font along the ribbon, too cute!


...and this was what happened to felted bootie mach1. I thought the size of pattern I had printed may be slightly on the small side, and despite reassurances from my mother and my friend, it was indeed teeny-tiny! So it has become an adornment on the gift bag! Waste not want not...

Baudelaire - Les Fleurs du mal in pattern

So here are my Baudelaire socks, a work in progress, albeit slow progress because I seem to have no time to sit down and relax and enjoy working up the pattern (though I enjoy it all the more when I do find some time!). I am knitting them up in lovely Rowan Bamboo Soft in Moonstone and Cream, which is probably making them knit up that little bit bigger, but they are destined to be the most luxurious bed socks ever! This is my first pair of socks for myself and so it's a learning curve regarding gauge and sizing, but it's all good! The yarn was originally meant for a knitted garter for myself and my upcoming nuptials, but I couldn't find the perfect pattern and was desperate to start knitting the yarn up regardless because it's SOOOOOOO soft! I will find another yarn for my garter, and a nice lace pattern for said garter soon....any suggestions welcome!! Thanks x


"un nouveau frisson" indeed!

A gift for Tilly

So I noticed that I have been too busy with wedding-type-things to post any FO's, and as this professes to be a blog mainly about knitting-type-stuff I thought I better get some knitting news posted!

So here it is, my Debbie Bliss Eyelet Vest knit, not in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, but in Rowan Soft Lux instead. It's beautifully sparkly and I must say I'm pretty pleased with the outcome.

I am very much hoping to meet the beautiful little lady who this will belong to at the weekend. Matilda is her name and she is just over one whole month old now, bless her baby cashmerino socks!

...and just to prove that Scotland does in fact see the sun every once in a while, here is a lovely pic of the vest with sunny flowery shadows cast upon it in an arty-type-styley

...a close-up of the lovely chocolate coloured ribbon that contrasts nicely with the 'ciel' yarn

...and a close-up of the lovely pearl detail button on the back of the vest.

I love this pattern, it's a quick knit, but enjoyable and satisfying, will def be making another one for girl baby no. 2 due to another friend in June

...and finally a pic of the pretty fuschia bush in the scottish sun just because!