tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30608733159214834072012-01-08T13:45:13.895+01:00Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.comBlogger711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-59313849427834893342010-01-11T22:04:00.009+01:002010-01-14T23:54:49.726+01:00

I had the holiday of my dreams this New Year's. A crocheter's dream! I was allowed to teach 2 groups of utterly delightful fibrephiles. I was treated like royalty and generally made much of.Mostly I coughed at them. I think I might have shown them how to do lined jacquard, between hacking attacks. The day after arriving in Toronto I developed a hideous cold, which I suppose I then shared with

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-62351642718023426732010-01-11T00:22:00.004+01:002010-01-11T22:00:13.042+01:00

Namely, Ontario and snow. These are my sister's Ontario mittens.What a pretty design! I didn't actually design it, as a matter of fact. It was inspired by a pair of mittens by a brilliant Swedish Raveler called EvaL8, actually her name is Eva-Lotta and I suspect that if you say "EvaL8" in Swedish it sounds like "Eva-Lotta". Here are her "Svantar" mittens on her blog.I have to say it again: these

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-7743006857365756722009-12-27T12:38:00.021+01:002009-12-27T23:35:48.424+01:00

They look like mittens, right? But what they really are, is little ovens for fingers. If you have cold fingers, make these. Hidden within, unsuspected by all, is a thick, warm and indescribably soft lining.There are very few things that make me wish to live in Toronto again. But these mittens are definitely one of them. Here there is no call for wearing mittens of any kind, and much less these

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-23440253092228415862009-09-02T13:41:00.003+02:002009-09-02T14:02:42.642+02:00

Fine, I'm a rock star. I have to admit it. Remember the Gryphon For Gryphon Cowl? Well, Gryphon in her modesty changed the name to Cloister Cowl, made up ten (ten) kits at 60$ apiece and posted them for sale on her website The Sanguine Gryphon, at 8pm on Aug.31st.At 8:05 PM they were all sold out!!!!!! No no no, I say, this is obviously a mistake, a server error. Would that it were true! I went

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-17823187863614101342009-08-31T14:59:00.002+02:002009-08-31T15:36:04.503+02:00

My mother knitted this little frock for my own DS when he was born 17 years ago. I'm pretty sure she designed it herself, she was a whiz. It's knitted side-to-side using short rows. I loved it and as you can see it is still much stained with milk and baby mush. It was so easy to put on the little guy. It goes on from the front, then crosses over at the back with one strap passing through a

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-11394560609114195582009-07-21T10:38:00.004+02:002009-07-21T12:18:24.723+02:00

Scheherazaad, thank you for providing the title for this post! Scheherazaad, my friend on Ravelry, commented on this vest as follows: "Congratulations. You will eventually fully clothe this troubador." In my lively imagination, I am the troubador of course, and I get to wear all this stuff.The point is, after what - 2 years? The Secret Project is no longer a Secret. This is it.It's published in

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-45052524096462435192009-03-16T09:56:00.009+01:002009-03-16T10:44:48.689+01:00

I also managed to finish another project without a deadline. This one took me about 6 months. It's the pattern for the Cloister fingerless gloves, and I uploaded it to my Ravelry pattern store yesterday. The charts are cool, look:I made 2 more pairs, for the purpose of writing this pattern. One pair for Iolanda, who teaches violin at my school and is also my academic secretary and great friend.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-43985669488027120762009-03-16T08:57:00.006+01:002009-03-16T09:53:40.877+01:00

I'm so sorry I've been away from this blog for so long. I've been crocheting like one possessed all this time, but the bulk of it is top secret. I don't think I'll ever get used to this not being able to share my pretties with the whole world.But not all of it is top secret. I finished Gryphon for Gryphon. What, after 3 months? Didn't you get that yarn back in October, for Chrissake? Well, the

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-80379142685664589642008-11-21T10:34:00.005+01:002008-11-21T11:05:36.499+01:00

I'm not sure how the wondrous Camanomade manages to be so wondrous. She created this awesome book which boasts about 30 fabulous patterns and articles. My Veritas, Equitas fingerless gloves have the honour to be in there. And somehow she has given us all permission to sell our own patterns individually as well. I was very loth to do this for a long time. To me it seems this practice can only hurt

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-13048095796292679402008-11-05T20:02:00.005+01:002008-11-05T20:25:36.055+01:00

They're both done at last and I'm thrilled with them. They are such a perfect fit! One day I'll try to write a pattern for them. I have to say that this is the most difficult project I've done to date. The fingers are very fiddly to make. But worth every fiddle!Now that my hands are warm, I'm ready to start making the Gryphon Cowl out of that awesome liquid gold yarn from the Sanguine Gryphon. I

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-36269565942183045302008-10-31T15:09:00.006+01:002008-10-31T15:25:35.254+01:00

Comparable only to the aroma of baking bread. My Gaia DK from Sanguine Gryphon arrived. No photograph can capture the magic of this yarn. Touching it is like kissing the top of a baby's head. The colours are infinitely complex, deep and compelling. And it shines like gemstones. O come, let us adore it!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-12530571171482758232008-10-22T13:51:00.004+02:002008-10-22T14:01:01.049+02:00

I am over-the-moon in love with this glove! It has fingers! And they fit PERFECTLY! And it's pretty, and soft, and green! Don't laugh guys, but I've been working on this for months. I've tested 4 or 5 different methods for making fingers and thumbs with jacquard before achieving this. Sideways, backwards, intarsia, jacquard, fingers-first, cuff-up...and the winner is: cuff-up, intarsia.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-41422704429170830092008-10-11T14:33:00.003+02:002008-10-12T11:25:01.288+02:00

Well, this is the pattern for people who have no time to invent patterns.1. Ch 108, join to form a ring. (or however many sts goes over your head comfortably)2. Work whatever motifs take your fancy.3. Fasten off.And there you go, a Cowl. I got the graphics from this great book, Celtic Charted Designs by Co Spinhoven. Also a must-have for people with no time left to think.Before I leave you,

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-32950525922043406782008-09-11T13:02:00.005+02:002008-09-11T13:20:10.826+02:00

Here's the finished cowl, and I've christened it "Gryphon" after Sanguine Gryphon Yarns. If all goes well, I'll soon be making it again out of her incredible Gaia in silk/cashmere. And then if everything continues to go well, she'll be selling the pattern and kit on her site! I'm so impatient to get started, and having hissy fits every time the postman fails to bring my samples. This is such an

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-16172346211227922692008-08-31T15:35:00.005+02:002008-08-31T15:49:40.511+02:00

Tomorrow I start work, and so this is it. School starts in 2 weeks and things will go very badly for yours truly if all is not in place on the 15th. I'd better not even think about crochet. I have to finish this today or forever hold my peace.I've made a couple of other things which will have to remain a secret until further notice, but this cowl is a prototype for many more, I hope. I love it

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-25205919784061736992008-08-25T18:12:00.012+02:002008-08-26T00:27:28.443+02:00

I was in the cloister of Santa Anna in Barcelona the other day at dusk. I love these gloves, but I promise the cloister of Santa Anna is more beautiful.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-12499139961100102292008-08-02T15:24:00.003+02:002008-08-02T20:47:57.128+02:00

So here I am in bright, bleached Spain, but my mind is still filled with images of Georgian Bay: dark river, lichens and mosses in a thousand greens, blueberry bushes and the sweet smell of forest. And a whole month of crochet time ahead of me! Joy! I've started working on patterns for mittens to send off for submission, but this is not one of them. This is a laboratory of experiments, some of

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-59873096481124266462008-07-25T18:17:00.013+02:002008-07-28T17:21:31.273+02:00

That was so fun. I have a great sister. I keep mentioning my Mom and how extraordinary she was, but did I mention that I have an equally extraordinary sister? All the women in my family are awesome. Brilliant, beautiful, creative...extreme cooks, artists and gardeners . We invented the Stash Expedition decades ago, and although our mother has been gone for 15 years, we're still keeping the faith.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-30102407227965795272008-07-09T17:16:00.005+02:002008-07-09T18:18:27.237+02:00

Now then, would anyone like to make Laracroft really and truly angry? It's not easy, but if you have what it takes, I will show you how. Are you armed with righteous fervor? Have you girded your loins with disciplinary zeal? Are you wielding your rod, and not afraid to use it? Then come along, for there is the Queen's work to be done.Where are we going, you ask? To PicasaWeb, also sometimes

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-20467362306737307712008-07-05T13:03:00.003+02:002008-07-05T14:28:55.203+02:00

It's not for nothing that we Tapestry Crocheters love Sriyana. Personally, I would lay down my life for her. She won my heart the first time I saw this:How to win the heart of Laracroft: beauty, geometry, thoughtfulness and phenomenal technique. How to further win the heart of Laracroft:With a light heart - of the kind that makes Portraits of Hens - and phenomenal technique. I hope you all

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-50086806882730630362008-07-04T18:13:00.002+02:002008-07-04T18:26:33.215+02:00

Did I mention that I love holidays? I finished up at work on Tuesday at 2pm, and by 3pm I was working on this secret project again, on hold since Easter. This is the life. A little food, a little walking, all the rest is crochet. I can hear my sister's admonishing voice: "Have you crocheted yourself a cocoon then, dear?" Hah. She's just jealous.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-48857953865323003762008-06-07T15:54:00.006+02:002008-06-07T17:25:08.643+02:00

Arrows is finished and I'm in love with it. It was so interesting to make, and the Malabrigo was so soft, the colours so dark and intense, that I'm considering making another one just like it. But no: one more week and I'll be free to work on my own stuff again, which I miss terribly.But wait! I've been tagged by Skamama! That was over a week ago, so here goes:The rules; Each player answers the

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-41117784334720622962008-05-25T13:25:00.005+02:002008-05-25T19:35:56.026+02:00

By a thread. But Lord, what a thread! This is Malabrigo Lace in the VAA colourway. It's so perfect.Life these days is simply horrid. Yes, it's just my old whinge about this job and its attendant stomachaches. What is a musician doing waging war against local politicians? Like this has something to do with me? The world of local politics is revolting, boring, shocking, and under normal

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-31733707790568939912008-04-19T14:11:00.008+02:002008-04-20T12:36:46.627+02:00

This design for baby moccasins by Sylvia Schuchardt is just delightful. It's available on her Etsy store. But:How do you block a bootie? Being of inventive mind, I just devised this method:1. Cut a bootie-sized potato in half lengthwise.2. Shape cut half of potato to desired shape of bootie sole.3. Cut top of potato to desired shape of bootie upper.4. Insert potato in plastic bag. Important: do

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-56477397565290219962008-04-12T18:27:00.005+02:002008-04-13T17:28:16.984+02:00

Good. Now I can wash the other ones.Actually, I have a sinking feeling about these. My best friend Meng has threatened to confiscate them for her own use, and I'm seeing Meng this evening. Which is why I had to take this picture one-handed and not wait till tomorrow when Mr.Croft could do some proper ones. If I do manage to hold onto them, I'll add more pics tomorrow.And here they are. Farewell,

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-1232437310894487662008-04-09T00:44:00.006+02:002008-04-09T01:31:02.046+02:00

Today the Spring issue of Black Purl magazine came out, and the pattern for Vaasa is in there, free for anyone with the courage to try it! There's a pretty melange cardigan by "LaVonne" Angela Best(seeing my name beside hers was worth the whole dpn ordeal!), and one of Wanda Blount's (funkycrochetdiva on ravelry) very funky hats. (Carol Ventura has a blog post about this fantastically creative

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-13026064977757115812008-04-05T01:57:00.005+02:002008-04-09T01:37:13.753+02:00

So I need a pair of Veritas, Equitas gloves to wear with jeans. I've been wearing the green ones practically every day, and they're now filthy dirty from driving while eating sunflower seeds. Anyways, I can't wait to have these done so I can finally wash the first ones. The thought of living for a couple of days without them is unthinkable. In passing, I'm rechecking the pattern for mistakes, and

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-65493303737192157512008-03-13T21:42:00.003+01:002008-03-13T21:59:51.191+01:00

These are FO at last! No more knitting for awhile, thank you very much! This weekend I hope to send in the pattern.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-44746497572819192402008-03-11T15:12:00.007+01:002008-03-13T21:59:25.966+01:00

The Spring preview of Interweave Crochet is up! I'm in it! If anyone wants to see Troubador Socks no.3: Chretien de Troyes, there they are. Alongside some truly lovely patterns: I'm in very good company. Congratulations to all of us!I tried to write this post yesterday but I was sick as a dog and off to work as well so it turned out rather gloomy. Today I can really celebrate!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-60905370272691933172008-03-10T00:18:00.005+01:002008-03-10T14:40:10.284+01:00

Remember The Sweater? It's still hibernating. I need my Mum. She could do anything. Given a sewing machine, she could have Saved the World if necessary. Not me, I can't sew and I don't have a machine and I don't trust myself to steek that sweater without her. But then I got this great gig. Black Purl magazine was looking for a pattern using both crochet and knit, and she contacted Carol Ventura

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-69812839852062239172008-02-27T13:18:00.021+01:002008-03-04T10:11:29.338+01:00

In the last week or so I've been honoured to within an inch of my life. First I got a rave review in Lime&Violet! Crochetcompulsiv crept up behind me and wrote about me without telling me about it. She calls it "stealth admiration", so I'm warning all you crocheters that she is on the move and nobody is safe. Then I received an over-the-top compliment from Kathy Merrick, the brilliant designer of

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-71294169933933414162008-02-18T12:14:00.017+01:002008-04-09T01:37:44.597+02:00

All Done! Yesterday Mr. Croft and I went for a walk and he took great pictures for me, so I'm posting them all.I'm so in love with these buttons I found! Actually, they're cufflinks. Miniature turk's-head knot cufflinks. And now, I get to wear them!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-65981540404838244132008-02-12T15:09:00.000+01:002008-02-12T15:15:06.132+01:00

SEX, as anyone knows, is the best known cure for the existential malaise that arises from excessive dealings with politicians. Being a victim of said malaise, I felt in need of a cure, and hey: I'm cured! Double-cured. Yarn and a swift!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-81851216918387702332008-02-11T14:08:00.001+01:002008-04-09T01:38:04.368+02:00

That's the name of an exquisite 12th-century song I'm listening to, and also the name of this new FO. These are for submission to the CLF (Crochet Liberation Front) book, but I get to keep them! And I get to post pics to my blog! (Thank you Camanomade!) Well, not really FO: they need to be laced up, trimmed and ends woven in.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-74659914075230918342008-02-01T12:47:00.000+01:002008-02-01T13:20:44.347+01:00

This gorgeous gal is the concertmistress of my orchestra. She made the mistake of admiring the hat I made for my niece: now she has to be seen in the one I made for her! Actually, she looks totally awesome in it I must say. It's a pleasure to make stuff for her, a privilege to conduct her and a delight to play with her. Maite is a grace to my blog and my life.Now this wee mite is also a guitarist

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-54893408844144761222008-01-29T11:03:00.000+01:002008-02-01T14:30:52.151+01:00

I've been blogged! Twice!Now that I do not crochet, other than my weekend swatch sessions, I seem to be attracting attention as a crocheter. Ah, the irony of it all.Carol Ventura, Patron Saint of Tapestry Crochet, featured me on her awesome blog! And then Amy O'neill Houck did one too! I am very proud indeed. However, at the moment it's like they're talking about another person."Time goes by:

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-77217805396885277022008-01-12T15:44:00.000+01:002008-01-12T15:54:39.357+01:00

Lookit what I got! My GUANTAZO! Aren't they amazing?These were made by Azaharania who lives in Sevilla. Azaharania, you are so awesome! These are just what I like best: Nordic, complex, and Red!And look what else she sent me:Soap, and a candle, pretty tissues and a lovely card written in English that's frankly better than mine.Gracias Azaharania eres la mejor! No me los quito ni para cocinar!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-36726043848700381942008-01-06T22:04:00.000+01:002008-01-06T22:18:48.724+01:00

Blech. Back to work day after tomorrow which means No More Crochet for Lara Croft. Anyways, here's what else I did and finished for today's deadline Jan. 6th Three Kings:Stone Path Hat by Lisa Naskrent, from Interweave Crochet Winter 2007. This has been my first attempt at crochet cables. I found it terribly difficult at first, but finally figured it out about halfway down. DS actually likes it!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-48342099921362229212008-01-02T11:04:00.000+01:002008-01-06T22:23:00.843+01:00

Oh, holidays! I was born for holidays! After a week off work I actually have the mental bandwidth to post to my blog! Well, that's one excuse: the other is of course Ravelry, which is the fiber lover's new DRUG, extremely addictive.Despite the annoyance of having to actually work ugh and worse still, think about work problems even when not working, I have been crocheting. Just enough to stay sane

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-64189355124938282342007-10-29T10:32:00.000+01:002007-10-29T13:36:02.236+01:00

Ack. It's like this: Correos de España lost my yarn from Interweave. So I STILL don't have it, so as you can well imagine I am a nervous wreck. So finally I have given up waiting and started on a new project, and here it is, still in the 6 million test runs stage. The "A" is for Ann, my stepmother.The cuff is done in a new and utterly impossible technique which me and some girls from Ravelry have

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-23854651680392599572007-10-06T22:00:00.000+02:002007-10-07T00:04:31.588+02:00

It's not like I've stopped crocheting, on the contrary I've been at it furiously since my last post. Only I'm not allowed to show you what I'm doing until it comes out in Interweave Crochet in Spring 2008! Wa-hoo!It's been an exciting couple of weeks, writing and receiving emails from the amazing Kim Werker and feeling myself to be a Very Important Person indeed. She helps to decide on the yarns

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-35898379495755397232007-10-02T10:46:00.000+02:002007-10-02T11:37:30.454+02:00

Blechh. Here's me, Lara Croft of crochet fame, so worried about stupid, unwoolly and unworthy issues that I can't muster up the wherewithal to post to my blog, despite the fact that I have much blogworthy news. This Leader of Men thing is not all it's cracked up to be. Distinctly Unwoolly.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-70256825825366332862007-09-24T12:51:00.000+02:002007-09-24T13:20:50.343+02:00

Dlhj oioasd oio??? Voij nikjsp kpo o aoisj, noi djuuu!!!! translation: I just got a letter from Kim Werker. So you will excuse my squeaky voice and garbled language. She's gonna publish my Troubador Socks in Interweave Crochet. I feel like I just inhaled 60 helium balloons. Unworthy, but happy!!!!!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-45567718704047727802007-09-22T22:50:00.000+02:002007-09-23T00:04:25.624+02:00

Excuse: I hurt my wrist. So I made a tensor bandage. And then I just kept on going, without much idea of a pattern. Next ones will have a pattern though.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-69847208673670290772007-09-17T11:53:00.001+02:002007-09-17T14:15:12.947+02:00

This is insane. I hardly have time to crochet these days. I like doing 5 or 6 test runs before making anything pretty, but that's a luxury I don't seem to have these days. So my dear, I wish I could have made your birthday present a bit classier, but you'll have to be satisfied with this thing.Meanwhile on the Administrative front, I have been reading books on "Management". You wouldn't believe

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-13964890383757882112007-09-04T12:18:00.000+02:002007-09-04T15:47:41.016+02:00

And there I was hoping to become a professional Crochet Consultant. Turns out I'll be directing the conservatory where I work. These arrived today: namely, 10-inch long dpn's for knitting rounds in groups of 3, a project which Luz and I were hoping to try out with the girls from BK.Picture from the Finnish Craft Museum Now that I have this new job, I'm pessimistic about my

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-61593698061422738572007-09-02T19:44:00.000+02:002007-09-02T20:38:32.064+02:00

And that's it, the whole knitted section, thank God. I have paid my dues, and I have proven to myself that I can knit. I can knit while watching CSI. I can knit with 2 strands, and even with 3 strands. Well, actually that last bit is not entirely true. 3 strands is not my strong point, as this nifty photo (yay for my iMac) of the reverse side demonstrates: And the best part is, after

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-35210336963190940822007-08-31T10:21:00.000+02:002007-08-31T10:31:40.740+02:00

Maybe 6 more rows of this infernal knitting and I'll be back in the light: crocheting! Thank heaven. Sorry it looks a bit crumpled, that's because it is a bit crumpled. Well, at the present rate the DH should have this by Xmas 2009.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-31288498624925824202007-08-30T10:44:00.000+02:002007-08-30T11:16:18.653+02:00

Luz, what have you done? This was like giving Gollum his precioussssss. Now I have to make more Troubador Socks. Indeed, Troubador mittens, Troubador bags, Troubador vests, Troubador Beer Cozies. I'll run out of 12th century composers before I run out of inspiration from this incredible text. And now here's one for you: the textile collection at the Cluny Museum in Paris. Talk about colourways!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-51279358176273628122007-08-29T00:42:00.000+02:002007-08-30T11:13:29.205+02:00

The Encyclopedia I mentioned in yesterday's post, "Ouvrages des Dames" By Therése de Dillmont (1846-1890) is available online on this page in the English version, via the Gutenberg Project. The first file is the Table of Contents. I find the Crochet section fascinating.Have to try these!

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-21557864722413246922007-08-27T23:38:00.000+02:002007-08-29T16:39:58.289+02:00

The finest people in Barcelona are knitters and crocheters. That is the only possible conclusion one can reach after attending the meetup I attended today. Today I: Met an amazing knitter, Luz, designer of the most beautiful jacket known to man. Was given an octopus with orange eyes, item coveted by me for weeks. Proving that you don't have to be at all normal to be a part of this

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-67091044408627377122007-08-25T19:23:00.000+02:002007-08-25T20:54:29.048+02:00

My beloved Agent Scully, an exquisite white ibook, died the other day. She had been ailing for awhile and we all realized that sooner or later she was going to croak. Which she did: actually she shrieked, waking the neighbors and myself, sending me rushing out of bed to see if the aliens were murdering one of my cats. It was the hard drive which had gotten jammed and was trying desperately to

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-18189760508362393312007-08-25T18:58:00.000+02:002007-08-25T19:22:46.898+02:00

Some inner astrolabe of mine has just looped around and everything is shifting. No more 12th-century polyphony: Léonin & Pérotin have fallen silent after filling my summer with austere and archaic inspiration, and what's sounding now is Stravinsky, for pleasure, and Paraguayan Harps, for work. Yep. Work....one of the spheres in the aforementioned astrolabe is zapping me with reminders of all I

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-68595248882679010832007-08-21T09:47:00.000+02:002007-08-21T17:17:23.890+02:00

Went to the beach.Had Fideuà.Made Troubador Socks.But now I have to start getting ready for the coming season, which means that there will be be considerably less crochet, no socks and not much blog. It's been fun though. The up side of the experience has been seeing how many people visit my blog and knowing that it's being useful to so many crocheters around the world. That is really a thrill.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-13849726830018335242007-08-10T20:07:00.000+02:002007-08-10T20:23:26.173+02:00

This is certainly getting closer. Only problem is, this was supposed to be a Troubador Sock, or rather a Trouvère sock, and somehow it got to looking like a Santa Claus sock. No matter, I can always hang it off the mantelpiece on Christmas Eve.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-90525915486725137422007-08-06T21:25:00.000+02:002007-08-07T12:16:39.715+02:00

I can't believe it. Tejemanejes, the Spanish online knit magazine, are going to PUBLISH (omgomg) these very Troubador Socks in their next issue! In celebration of which I have decided to give them their very own Name, since Troubador Socks Number 1 is less than romantic. No, like roses each sock deserves its Name, and this sock is hereby named after that most excellent troubador, Bernart de

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-819479116172760712007-08-05T16:22:00.000+02:002007-08-05T16:32:04.366+02:00

These are all tests, and all, so far, failed. But once I get it, these will be the World FamousTROUBADOR SOCKS NO. 2!I am now in the design stage known as Complete Obsession (yay for summer holidays!) which is why I haven't written anything here all week.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-71327754038509219182007-07-30T13:06:00.000+02:002007-07-31T02:21:29.223+02:00

My Opal Hundertwasser yarn has arrived! This promises to be a good week. Tomorrow I start designing more Troubador Socks using this stuff.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-5724596420912168462007-07-29T10:37:00.000+02:002007-07-29T11:12:30.704+02:00

Race Relations. United Nations.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-36408160661933646132007-07-27T21:00:00.000+02:002007-07-27T21:19:50.383+02:00

And this is it. Bunny. Pompom tail. Frankly, I don't think Juanma will allow it in the house.These patterns, "Forest Friends", are shareware (I think that's what it's called): they're free, however the person who posted them asks for a small and voluntary donation, which is fair and well worth it. The patterns were written by her mother in 1981, and are beautiful, with hand drawings and photos in

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-58015492418418421852007-07-26T11:01:00.000+02:002007-07-26T11:48:44.796+02:00

Will this knitting never end?Now I know why the Korsnäs girls do these knitted sections in trios. The level of tedium is dangerous for one person alone. On the other hand, I have to admit it's very pretty.I just joined a great online group called Crochet Partners, and now my mailbox is brimming with crocheters from around the world. I entirely approve of this group: the posting rules are very

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-44493904721117621792007-07-24T18:22:00.000+02:002007-07-24T20:28:09.449+02:00

This is the most urgent of all posts, and I'm sure it will be helpful to people like me who have searched the net for this information, unsuccessfully, for years. Here it is, and like Barcelona Knits, I will keep on adding to it every time I find a new store. I think we should all do this: we all live in different neighborhoods and frequent different parts of town. Between all of us crafters in

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-53115899104283525762007-07-22T13:46:00.000+02:002007-07-24T20:39:26.308+02:00

Sneaking in a bit of crochet, a break from all this knitting. These are for Gemma and Juanma who are having a baby soon. The patterns are from this great page: The Crochet Works. I plan to make the Mouse and the Rabbit as well.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-37357818362470402242007-07-21T09:08:00.000+02:002007-07-22T10:58:38.295+02:00

News flash! I've been offered a course! I'm gonna be a crochet instructor! Here in Barcelona our most exciting YS is a tiny little place in the Gothic Quarter called Persones Llanes. It may be small, but the young couple who run it have spearheaded Barcelona's knitting revival, and made available to us all the fibres we didn't used to be able to get anywhere in the city, province, or country.

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-428348735918559382007-07-20T09:49:00.000+02:002007-07-24T20:37:58.077+02:00

I may have been exaggerating when I said that I don't know how to knit. Now I remember that I do know how to knit, I had an excellent teacher in my mother. It's just that when I'm crocheting, the thought of knitting intimidates me to the point of panic. So I apologize for misleading information.I had to rip out 4 rows when I realized I was reading the pattern wrong. Not fun.In Korsnäs, women sit

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-50326246787219489102007-07-17T11:24:00.001+02:002007-07-24T20:37:06.894+02:00

Well, knitting is not really very hard, even with 2 colours. It's not that it's difficult, that's not it. It's just, well, not very exciting somehow. Now why is it that I find crochet so compelling and knitting so bland? I find myself grumbling "all this poking about with pointy sticks.." But I think it's not the pointiness of the sticks, rather it's the pokiness of the stitch. In you poke, out

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-63464074350995398802007-07-15T12:25:00.001+02:002007-07-24T20:35:47.717+02:00

While we're on the topic of Korsnäs tapestry crochet, (upon which topic we will continue to be forever), this is another FO using Ktc. The "fairisle" pattern is from this page and the design of the bag is mine, which is why it's a bit strange. Never mind, I use it anyways.And this is the DH's Museum sweater as of last night. One more row and we switch to knitting for the middle section. It's a

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-34303275739821475072007-07-14T15:09:00.000+02:002007-07-24T20:43:38.773+02:00

So there I was flat out on my back for weeks with nothing to do. So this is what I did: got out the old crochet hook and whatever yarn I had from years back when my son was a baby, and designed me a log cabin afghan. I spent my days on the bed, buried in yarn, and did this. It was so much fun that I almost considered injuring myself again. My friends contributed to this by bringing me wool from

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-63666954211108506402007-07-12T12:18:00.001+02:002007-07-24T20:31:34.974+02:00

Here they are, Troubador Socks in their new home, ie the feet of my best friend Meng. Seeing them on her I realized that these actually work as socks, the kind you wear in your shoes or boots, albeit in winter. Which is uncommon for a crocheted sock. We crochet lovers wind up making a lot of bedsocks, slipper socks, footwarmers footies etc. But the tapestry crochet gives a compact,

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-12584238327643796162007-07-11T12:06:00.000+02:002007-07-24T20:32:21.959+02:00

Now that I've gotten to be such a whiz at this, here's another post, a picture of what I'm working on now. This is the very sweater on the Ostrobothnian Museum's (see link below) textile page! It's also pictured in full on the frontispiece of Marketta Luutonen's amazing book (see link below) so with the help of a magnifying glass I'm lifting the pattern. I wish I could scan the photo and

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060873315921483407.post-48633092993993555662007-07-11T12:01:00.000+02:002007-07-24T20:30:40.495+02:00

Well, this is it: my blog, if I manage to figure out how it's done. I have recently come to realize that I have become an internet parasite. I can no longer count the number of ideas I've picked up from everybody's wonderful knitting and crochet blogs. So, now that I've actually designed my Very Own Pattern, I suppose there's no excuse for not posting it for you all to share. And since everybody

Lara Crofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206351181570075600noreply@blogger.com0