Noro Nono Now Done!

Thanks for everyone's comments on the scarf and Easter eggs. Holly, yes you're right. It is the Ukranians who decorate their eggs to look like miniature mosaics. Apparently, the way they do it is to trace the design on uncooked eggs which are then dipped at various stages in different vegetable dyes. Only a small part of the egg is coloured at a time whilst the rest of the egg is masked with beeswax or cotton tape. A labour of love I think. Personally, I don't have the patience nor the artistic ability to go all out on the Easter egg decoration though I suspect Acrylik and one or two others might.

Now, for your amusement, we have a spot the difference contest. Here are my eggs after oiling on Sunday evening. I was pleased with how lovely and shiny they looked but the effect is somewhat spoiled in the photo as the patterns get mixed up with the light reflection. However, apart from the fact that the photo below shows the eggs oiled, can you spot the other difference?


Let's just say that one doesn't always need little people about for things to happen that you would expect to happen when small people are around! Rain, I'm really sorry to hear about your little nephew breaking his arm and hope it heals quickly. Just remember that children are usually very resilient but I know it's always a worry when something like that happens.

At long last the Noro jumper (which almost became a Nono jumper) is finished. When the jumper has been given to its recipient, I hope to get a photo of him wearing it. The pattern is Fitzgerald from Noro Knits and it's knitted in Silk Garden.

Noro Fitzgerald front

Noro Fitzgerald back

I wasn't too happy with my usual cast off (chain bind-off) for the 2x2 rib collar and wanted to do the tubular bind-off for double rib as described in Montse Stanley's excellent "Knitter's Handbook". However, the written instructions and diagrams for the tubular bind off for double rib were far too onerous looking for my rushed state at the time (particularly as the first sentence reads "For masters of tubular bind-off on one needle!) so I resorted to the decrease bind off which according to Montse Stanley is much better than chain for ribbings but not as good as tubular. In practice, it proved to be a definite improvement and I was quite pleased with the result although I've now added tubular bind-off to my list of techniques to learn.

Noro Fitzgerald collar showing decrease bind-off

My beads arrived from Earth Faire and they're beautiful! They're all size 6.0 and from left to right we have Raspberry Lined Crystal, Silver Lined Crystal, Amethyst Lined Crystal, Pink Lined Crystal and Metallic Rain.


I've chosen the pink lined crystal for the butterfly pattern beaded jacket I'm designing for the Charity Craft Fair and, now I've got some of my WsIP out of the way, I'll be able to concentrate more on that. On the charity knitting front, I already have quite a few scarves, etc, to donate to the Craft Fair's knitting stall and I've knitted another cotton face cloth (below).


I plan to do a few of these which will be put into baskets with hand made soaps and such like similar to the one I made for MIL for Mothers' Day. Mary-Lou has also been knitting for the Craft Fair and has been busy killing two birds with one stone by destashing and making a few loopa boas.

Last night, I couldn't resist playing with the beads a little and so decided to make an amulet bag as I've seen them on several people's blogs including these lovely ones made by Acrylik. The ones I've seen though have been knitted using this pattern which requires dpns and I really couldn't face trying to fathom dpns last night so I knitted it flat using my own made up pattern and used orange Rowan Handknit Cotton in recognition of Project Spectrum's April' colours. The beads are Earth Faire's Metallic Rain.

Project Spectrum Amulet Bag knitted in Rowan Handknit Cotton with metallic rain beads knitted in from Earth Faire.

The energy of the orange alone seemed a bit too riotous so I did the cord in blue for balance and to add some colour energy for calm and tranquility. If anyone would like this amulet bag with a piece of citrine placed inside, please let me know. If more than one person would like it, I'll write everyone's names down on bits of paper and draw one.

It's been duly noted that the tubular bind-off for double rib and knitting with dpns are the next techniques I need to learn. That's what I love about knitting. The challenges are endless.