A bit of knitting here, a bit of crochet there.

Hello! I had that frazzled Friday feeling, but as soon as I sat down to say hello to you, I felt invigorated, and lighter. Lovely, just how it should be, it's very easy to just let the pressure of work sit on and squash me. I feel like a soda bottle that has been shaken up, and the cap released, and a great big whoosh of "I'm just going to take a break" defiance has been released. It is so important to take good breaks isn't it?

I'm reaching the end of the illustrations for the mole book I've been working on for the past six months or so. There is a lot of pressure to have them all completed, so my time here is even more precious and welcome. It feels like I've re-painted most of the spreads in the book on this project. The finished picture books you see on shelves in shops and libraries can be the result of much constructing and de-constructing. I'm always relieved when I hear that great artists have to throw away work they've done, because then I don't feel it's just me being rubbish at what I do, by having to re-do art work.

I've been doing some colour swatches for the Sarah London crochet scarf pattern I'm working on for you. I can be very indecisive about colours, which might seem strange as I love colour, and use it quite boldly. It always takes on a huge importance.

It occurred to me when I was crocheting the multi-coloured swatch, that there are a lot of ends to sew in. The more rows using different colours, the more sewing in of ends there will be. It's the one drawback of this pattern which is fast to crochet, but slowed down by sewing in ends of a multitude of different colours. Making the scarf striped, with two rows of the same colour, makes for a lot less sewing in of ends. And I know how some people feel about sewing in ends.

I've familiarised myself with the pattern now, and can now get on with the step-by-step pattern for you. I know that some of you are interested in having the charts for the fair isle patterns I did in my dress, and that's also on my little list of things to do.

And here's my stripy dress! It's progressing from being a mini dress, to a comfortable just-below-the knee-length-so-I-don't-feel self-conscious-when-I-sit -down-dress.

I've gone from persevering with knitting this dress out of not wanting to waste the knitting I had already done, to "oh, I quite like this!"

The stripes have stopped me going bonkers with boredom when I work on this. And another thing, I'm training myself to not look at my knitting whilst working on it. I really, really want to be one of those knitters who can sit and read a book or watch t.v. whilst knitting, I think they're amazing, knitters who can do that. I'm learning the dark art of 'feeling' my way with it. I'd love to be able to knit 'continental' style, which is basically high speed knitting. When someone tried to teach me how to do it, every fibre of my being felt it was unnatural. I 'throw' my yarn, which is very ponderous and laborious, but I feel very at home with that style, and after all, it's not a race is it?

I'll be working to finish the mole book this weekend, but there will also be crochet and knitting time here-and-there. Definitely!

Oh, and those two colours I've gone for in the crochet scarf - I LOVE them, it's such a shame no computer monitor will ever show just how beautiful they are together. The orange is 'DK 100%wool in Bright Orange, number 290' by Biggan Design, and the other colour is 'Cashsoft Baby DK, Rowan RYC, in colour no.804'. These two colours together make my mouth water. 

Well I must be off now, things to do and all that. Cheerio, have a good weekend. Love Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Pattygloria]

This scarf is looking very beautiful!!Nice combination of those two colours, orange and mocha. I like Colour, and I use it quite boldly too. However, sometimes less is more. I'm looking forward for this and the Fair Isle pattern. Thank you for sharing!
Gloriaxxx

[Jacqueline]

I was trying to work out how to make the stripes on the crochet scarf, but I will just have to wait until you put up your tutorial. I like scarves and think I may have a go at a multi-coloured one, slightly out of my comfort zone, but yours looks so good. Have a good weekend.

[Gill]

I love the look of the Sarah London scarf - is it easy enough for a novice to tackle?? (a novice who hates sewing in ends I might add!)
Your stripy dress looks gorgeous - along with your fairisle I'm almost tempted to learn to knit!
Gill xx

[Alice @ Crochet with Raymond]

Hello Vanessa!
I'm loving the new dress... I can imagine you lookinf all 1960's in it with red high heels and a french twist, can't wait to see it finished! Coooool!
I love the way you so daringly photographed it next to your paints... I would have ruined it for sure!
Lots of love to you for your weekend!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
And some big pats and love to Ellie and Douglas too!

[Carole]

Hi Vanessa,
I just love the scarf and can`t wait for the pattern, no pressure.Also looking forward to the new mole book.
You have a good weekend too
Love Carole from Rossendale
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Vintage Squirrel Katie]

How fab is the dress looking?! Totally love your colour combinations, Vanessa.

[cristina]

Olá...sou sua seguidora..gostaria de saber como se faz o ponto do primeiro trabalho cro-scraf horizontal...agradeço sua atençao...abraços

[Jordan 1]

I was wondering what is up with that weird gravatar??? I know 5am is early and I'm not looking my best at that hour, but I hope I don't look like this! I might however make that face if I'm asked to do 100 pushups.

[Planet Penny]

That dress is going to be what my dad used to call a 'bobby-dazzler'! It is tricky choosing colours to put next to one another isn't it? When I was making my big blanket although every square used all the colours the effect and the feeling for each one was completely different. I worked my ends in as I went, not finishing off one colour completely, looping in the next colour and then working the next few stitches over the two ends. I don't know if it would work with the stitch you are using on the scarf but it cut down on huge amounts of finishing off!
love Pennyx

[maggie]

Without wishing to sound like your Granny, I should think that by the time you have been knitting for as many years as I have, which is about fifty on and off (good grief, is it really?) you will be able to watch TV at the same time. I have never read and knitted, I prefer to give my whole attention to a book, but knitting with the television on is something I love to do.
And sewing in ends is as boring as sewing granny squares together to my mind, but unavoidable if you like colours in your work.

[Siobhan]

I was dreading sewing in all the ends of my blanket but to my surprise I liked it so much that it took me less time than I thought! It just felt extra specially 'mine' tidying all those ends away. Weird. Most people wouldn't contemplate your fair isle dress because of all those ends to contend with but the end result was so worth it. Love your new scarf - grey is my neutral of choice and I think it really enhances other colours. Love the little colour samples too. Was in M & S the other day and several of their big posters were show-casing a fair isle scarf, grey with pinks. It looked rather nice but obviously not the 'real' thing.I don't think I could knit without paying full attention but wouldn't it be nice to multi-task? (even just to watch as opposed to listen to the TV). It's so interesting knowing some of how the book illustrations end up on the page. Isn't it funny (or not actually) how most of our stresses come from the pressures others put on us? To rise above all of that while managing to keep on being creative must be so tricky. But you know, you always deliver and you are nearly there now. I love your stripey dress - I am very intrigued by it and how you have made it your own. I'm glad you are liking it again!

[Helen]

I love your delicious stripey knitting and crochet! Good luck finishing the mole book - I hope it will soon be done!
Helen x

[alisonb2]

Thanks for saying that you have to sometimes start again with your art work. I have my first book to illustrate and it is a bit daunting as I want to do justice to the words that have been written. Do you do page plans? The crochet and the knitting are great too!

[Jess]

I can see from your palettes you surround yourself with colour - just like me! :o)Your knitting is gorgeous. xx

[Penelope]

Oooooh I can't wait for the pattern for the scarf, it looks so effective and stunning colours too xox

[Emily]

Love the colors in the scarf! Ends are my bane! I'm crocheting a zig zag throw and I make it a point to stop every 5 color changes and weave in the ends so I won't go crazy at the end.

[Trina]

Very beautiful colors. So inspiring.

[Julie]

lovely colours, I love that pairing with the orange. And there'll be much excitement here with the news that there'll be a new mole book in the offing - do you know roughly when it might be published, just so I can manage expectations and contain the excitement just a little! Hope you did have a good weekend and got to enjoy a break as well as doing all the work. We had Amelia's third birthday so there were lots of presents, lots of playing, lots of baking and then a lovely day with friends and a party and lots of cake eating yesterday - it was a wonderful weekend, but quite tiring too so we are enjoying taking it easy today and blog visiting !

[Rachel]

Those swatches are beautiful... brilliant color combinations!

[Barbara]

Wonderful photos, Vanessa, I love ALL the swatches! Please look after yourself, don't work too hard ... happy stripey knitting!

[A Thrifty Mrs]

Love that scarf! And lucky you with that weather. We're having a time of it with wind and rain.

[Ros]

Did you put the pattern for the scarf on your blog I can't find it? Ros

[karen]

this is such a gorgeous pattern. I'm just toying with learning to crochet and this is certainby inspiring me, thank you ;-)