Colinette Cushions: February 2004 Archives

Current Progress on the Mahjong Cushion

I'm still working on the Majhong Cushion. It makes me happy and has no brain strenuous things going on in it. However, I am thinking that it might not end up a cushion. Instead, I might frame it and use it as wall art in my living room. I think if I did one from each cushion pattern (Mahjong, Snakes and Ladders and Checkers) it would make for a very neat decorative trio.

I am worried about 2 things if I used it as a pillow:

1) My cats would lay on it and it would become a fur covered mess.
2) My cats would claw at it and the pretty Giotto would get shredded.

My mention of Audrey yesterday generated a reasonable amount of interest. I hear that Morgan and Elisabeth beat me to the punch on starting a knit-a-long for Audrey. No matter, everyone can still share in the fun. So find yourself some Calmer (or something else you like) and get on board. Rowan rates this pattern as a "one skein" pattern, so there's no fear necessary.

Still no finished pants, but I'm only a couple of inches away from the waistline. Will I be taking these acrylic masterpieces to the KIP tonight? You never know! But if you're in town and feeling like knitting, be sure to look us up at Letizia's tomorrw between 7 and 9 pm. The address is on the image in the bar on the right hand side of my page!

Ah, Wednesday again, and I'm humming along, fortified with a healthy dose of Rioja and a meal that I can only describe as "Italian Tapas" from a new restaurant that we tried called avec. It was loud and fun and a great place for our date night.

A Bit Farther on Mahjong

I am making slow, but steady progress on my Mahjong cushion. I use this project to relax after I get home from work and while I listen to The World. Gotta love streaming internet news.

The lovely blue masking tape has made this project much nicer to work on. The Giotto still catches on things (it's the nature of the yarn) but much less so that before.

Kidsilk Haze in "Chill"

My Kidsilk Haze arrived today from Colourway. Hard to believe that such a tiny package can contain so much yardage! There's 229 yards on each one of those little balls. I liked the color when I saw it on line, but like it even better now that it is sitting here in front of me. "Chill" is mostly lavender, but with grey tones. The only real question is whether I will start the lacy jacket or Birch first. Probably the jacket, which, I hope will be a nice addition to my late winter/early spring wardrobe.

Tomorrow night is the KIP at Letizia's on Division at 7 pm! If you're around, do come and knit with us!

I'm two timing my knitting projects. Given my weakness for Giotto, new hobbies and new projects in general, I decided I wanted to get started on my needlepoint Colinette cushion kit.

The Start of the Mahjong Cushion, Opal Colorway

When I first saw these kits online, I figured that they must be created using one of Colinette's finer weight yarns. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I found a small box filled with Giotto in three different colors. Even better, the tiny skeins provided had also already been clipped into usable pieces.

The instructions are simple and the project is simple, but the result is complex because of the yarn. Color and texture change in each stitch. The area I've worked so far is a composite of two colors. Here's a little closeup that show's off the Giotto and the texture:

Mahjong Swatch

I think this project will come together rather slowly. For one, I don't have a lot of patience with untangling yarn or detatching it from where it catches on the canvas. For another, the canvas has a very rough edge, and I can't find a way to work that's comfortable and doesn't scratch my wrists as I work. Probably it would be a good idea if I got some masking tape to cover the edges with. Finally, this is pretty repetetive stuff. And, as I've mentioned before. I've got the attention span of a two year old.

Now back to Banff for a little while...