Beaker Button Blog

The Spitfire knitters were out in force today, to bring a little Easter cheer to Andover.  We've been working hard since our last Viking adventure , on a secret (I'm sorry, but if we told you we'd have to kill you) project for the Autumn.  But we thought we'd take a little time out to make bunnies, chicks and eggs as presents for people.  We hung them on the bridge in Andover, not far from the Vikings (I'm obviously drawn to the place).  They all have little tags urging people to take them home and it was lovely that as we were hanging them up a very nice lady came and took one.  We left our little creations to their fate and went to do all the boring stuff you have to do, like banking.  I did spot a small boy and his Mum (I'm guessing here) having a good look at them all, and hopefully choosing one each, and when I drove past about ten minutes later there were some obvious gaps, so hopefully they are going to good homes.  If you pick one up and find y...

I spent a very enjoyable day on Monday in the shop with some dear friends, being taught how to make Torchon lace by another dear friend.  I started the day in complete bewilderment, with no idea what was expected of me or what I was going to do.  I've never made anything like lace before.  Basically you use bobbins wound with thread or in our case yarn, a large straw, foam or polystyrene covered cushion and lots of pins.  You weave the bobbins in set patterns to create stitches, the pins hold the threads in place where necessary.  Sue, our teacher, gave us dotted paper which is the pattern you work to.  I took to it like a duck to water.  For some reason the whole process felt completely logical once I'd got started.  Mind you, I couldn't explain it to anyone else, but give me time.  I've added a couple of photos below to show you what I did.  Beaker Button will hopefully be adding this class to our workshop program very shortly, a...

I have just had the most amazing experience with Alex.  He has proved himself a dab hand at blending a batt.  He has the most extraordinary eye for colour, as you can see from the blended and spun wool below.  I wish I'd taken a photo of his batt before I began spinning it.  The yarn round my neck has just been spun.  I have since set it with hot water and hung it to dry.  I wanted to spin a single, partly because the finished article is to be felted and partly to see what happens to knitted singles. I started knitting the ball after dinner and had worked several rows.  As it was his batt I offered to show Alex how to knit it.  He sat down, watched me twice, let me guide him twice, then made his first stitch.  He ran from the room to tell his Dad he'd knitted his first stitch, then cam back for more.  The second stitch he pulled the right hand needle out.  After that he got it, more or less perfectly.  I'm am gob...

My Poor baby is off sick today, temperature, sore throat etc.  This means we are having a duvet day.  We are currently watching films on TV and he's trying not to whinge.  I'm about to make lunch for us both but I wanted to share my finished alpaca sock.  We started stocking this gorgeous alpaca from Petlake Alpaca 's last month and I've enjoyed knitting it so much that it is now my favourite yarn.  I even decided to branch out and design my own sock using it.  It's so soft and smooth and beautiful to work with.  I'm going to knit a smaller size now in brown, then I'm going to play with a Fair Isle sock design.  How brave am I!!!

As promised, an update on how our Fair Trade mitten knit went, mostly in photos.  We had a great time (and in true Spitfire Knitter tradition ate far too much cake!).  We made 12 pairs between us on the day and took four home to finish so altogether there were 16 pairs, two of which have sold already.  Helen from Fayre's Fair is donating the money to her chosen Fair Trade charity when they're sold. Hope you enjoy our selection of photos from the day. Kaye's first pair (she did two altogether) Bunny ears! Hard at work not so hard at work Fair trade coffee kept us going Manos Classica is sooo lovely to work with Sue's concentration face Heidi taking a break after finishing her first pair Our efforts on the day Kaye and Mum working from each end of the same ball.  Very spaghetti 

I have been having a whale of a time with my Fair Isle project.  I'm finding that knitting with two strands in your hand is easier than I thought it would be, and there is a little frisson of interest every time you have to change colour (yes I know I need to get out more). I've even experimented with having the wool in either hand although I find that my left handed knitting technique leaves a lot to be desired and the tension is tighter for the left knitted stitches.  At the moment I prefer holding the wool in my right hand with the first colour over my index finger (this is the purling finger for me in rib) and the second over my middle finger.  My tension appears even and all is looking good.  And then, 10 rows in, I realise that the twist in the work isn't the normal twist you get when there are only a few rows on the needle.  It is in fact a twist!  I am knitting the Mobius Fair Isle Slipover.  After much deliberation, and swearing...

This is a brief post but I wanted to show you all the fabulous yarn that my friend Natalia made.  She bought a wheel from another friend recently and asked me to show her how to use it.  I say show her how to use it because you don't really teach Natalia, you show her and she teaches herself.  Usually with a lot of comment!  I was very impressed with her work here and her dedication to her new hobby.  Long may it continue. preparing the fibres spinning away (very fast, can't get her to slow down) finished silk/merino mix