This blog is starting to be a bit boring colour-wise : yet more plum and lime pics today ! ;-)

Here's the progress on a wee crochet cardi in the Phildar Licorne I swatched for last time. It's meant to be part of "baby shower set" pattern. I know, a crochet pattern !! I'm making some progress, for once a crochet project that I think might deserve an actual pattern...


Then I got more food-colouring this morning. And I'm much more satisfied with the results this time !

I especially love the lime boucle yarn at top right. And the plumish one just beside (used to be a boring grey). & The green-grape-red at the bottom left says it wants to become a pair of jaywalkers..! :-D
I also threw in the washing machine the cotton hanks along with a couple sheets to dye in lime (!), but the result is a bit dissapointing, too light and nearly yellow. Guess I'll have to redo it.

Oh. And chez Plum was offline pretty much all sunday and monday due to hosting problems. Sorry about that. We should switch to a more reliable hosting company soon anyway. All my emails from that period of time also dissapeared. So in case someone sent me an email sometime this week-end, would you mind sending it again..? Thanks.

This morning, I decided I'd have a wee dying party. Prepared all my hanks and then went to look for the gear. But the food-colouring was nowhere to be found. I resolved to using the Kool-aid I got in a swap a while ago (just wouldn't use it, the stuff smells so good !!).
BUT I hadn't realised it wouldn't work with cotton... And most hanks were cotton.
So here's my lame results for this morning. And to think all the lovely lime dye went down the drain in the rinse...! But I'll keep looking. Or buy more (food-colouring, not yarn !!). And I'll probably re-dye these babies. Needs more lime green in there...

Just to show I HAVE been knitting, a progress pic on the lime cardi. Will soon be done with the second front.


And finally, a crochet swatch with the magnifiscent Licorne from Phildar (I'm usually not crazy about their yarn, but this one is gorgeous).

Following the article in the latest issue of Crochet me, I played with front and back loops; On far left is regular dc, far right is dc in front loop. Probably doesn't show that well but dc in ft lp is gorgeous, very drapey, so much more suited for a garment. I'm starting on a wee project with it right now...

Haven't had much success yet with my swap offer. Really, anyone ? Up to 1 kg of french yarn for just a skein or two in return ?! (can you tell I REALLY want to get rid of it...)

Not that I haven't touched the needles / hooks, there's just not enough progress yet to show.. Need to finish the first front of the lime cardi. I've also started swatching for a Knitty submission (!)
And I've started crocheting a needle case with the pink yarn. But I kept trying/frogging/trying again..and my grand'ma was like "unraveling AGAIN?!!". Yeah, till it's the right shape ! So there's not much done yet.

Btw, thanks for all the nice comments on my crate here and on Crafster. I'm so glad if that inspires others.. :-D If anybody's interested, I wrote a note about how I made it there.

Otherwise, 2 things. First, who wants to help reduce my stash ? I'd particularly want to get rid of this, this, this and this. Seeing the price of shipping from France I'd rather send big lots (as in, same price till 1 kg !) so basically you could have several lots for the same "price" (& have tons more not listed too) Don't want much for it but good stuff. Like one or two skeins (partial skeins ok) of Manos, KSH, Kureyon/Silkgarden, Malabrigo's colonia 140, Mission falls cotton 1824, Koigu Kppm in color p623... or whatever.
You can have any of the patterns as well ... I just want to make room for yarn I'll really use. ;-)

And second, concerning the chezPlum patterns : I’d really like to see your pics of shrugs, totes or chokers! First ones will get a free pattern of your choice.

So here's my new "WIP crate"..! It was a bit of a process to find the right way to finish the handles and all, but I'm quite happy with the result. It's just perfect for its intended use, fits the shelves just right, & ... I find it pretty ! Even Laurent said it looked nice when he saw it all done yesterday night. (the "seams" on the sides really make a difference to give it a more structured look)

Also, I'm happy that I found such a good use for all this very scratchy yarn. I used up all the red, and still have lotsa pink. Which I think I'll make some round bucket-thingy with. I also need a basket for my knitting needles. Just have to decide on the shape.
... But Hey, I've been stashbusting again !!! And yet more satisfying, to a good use ! ;-)

Then this morning (day off, prune at childcare) I went to the bookstore. Looking for a book about linguistics. They didn't have it in stock. BUT there was the freshly published french edition of Nicky Epstein's "Knitting on the edge". And I had this 10 Euros voucher. What's a girl to do ?!!! So I got me a new book. Shhhh ! But it's such an amazing reference book. I know I'll be coming back to it over and over...

And I'll get the linguistics book from the library (As soon as I can borrow again that is!) Let's say it's all about priorities.. ;-)

EDIT: ...and hey, did you see ? There in the sidebar !! I just made a button for chezPlum !! Actually, I just cut it up from what shall one day, when laurent's not too busy (is that ever going to happen, who am I trying to fool ?), .. should become the new template for my site. It's sooo nice sometimes I can't wait but well...
Oh. And the usual stuff: steal my button, not my bandwidth.. ;-) (= save it to your own server)

... The Pattern for the Chokers is up !! It's a real quick knit with just enough challenge to keep it interesting (talking mostly about the slanted lace one, not much challenge in the cabled one actually...) But basically, if you can make an Isabeau purse, you can make a Felicie choker. And the added bonus is, one hank of Synchronicity is enough to try your hand at both options, with the optional flowers !

I did get some knitting/crochetting time during that week away, and my "box" is nearly finished. I just need to add a finishing touch before I take a pic of it.
So instead, I'll bore you with holiday pictures... ;-)


I just love the second one ... "Have a relaxing time with Torino !" As you can see, we had tons of snow. Massive snow dumps, the boys even went onto the roof to clear the snow. With my giganourmous belly (actually maybe not that much, but getting really annoying in terms of mobility. And there's still 3 months to go !!!) I only did some walking and nordic ski, but it was good to be outside on the mountain. Prune had the best time with the sledge and igloo and snowmen. Her daddy even made her baby snowmen so she could take them with her in the sledge and give them kisses and hugs...

Oh, and btw, Maylin said she can sell the recycled silk for 5 euros /100g plus postage(that's from France). Pretty cheap, hey ? I think I might need more !! If any of you is interested I'll give you her email.

Hoo hoo ..!! Look what was waiting for me in the mailbox tonight : 3 hanks of recycled sari silk from the awesomest Maylin !!

She just saw it in my wishlist and sent me some. How nice is that, I tell you !!!
Don't know yet what I'll use it for but it's so beautiful and luminous ! And so much softer than what I feared from the comments I had read on it !! This stuff is just gorgeous. I know it will "talk" to me very soon and tell me what it wants to become... Thank you so much again Maylin !!!

I'm just back from 2 days in Grenoble visiting the family. Did get the second tomato finished well in time for my nephew. I made this one a little sign that says "Je t'ai a l'oeil" ("got an eye on you"=beware, I'm watching you) and on the other side "Mon oeil !" ("my eye"= "my ass !).
..Had its little success, the stepdad even said he needed one for his car !!

And tomorrow we're off again, this time for a whole week to the family cabin. It's snowing like crazy, Yeah !! (mind you, personally I'm only going to do a bit of nordic ski again this year..)

So no post next week. ;-) But I'm taking along the lime spring cardi and the red "box"... hopefully I'll have at least an FO to show when I get back.

And in chez Plum news ... the pattern for the chokers is ready but I don't want to put it up now and then be away for 10 days, just in case. So it'll wait till we get back.
However, I did put online a tutorial for the single-crochet seam used in the patterns for the Isabeau bags (to join sides and handles). I wanted to do that forever, I'm glad I finally did. Hope it's helpful.

..Okay, see you guys in 10 days. I'll miss you ! ;-)