Sunday, June 10, 2007
JANE GETS IT TOGETHER AT LAST: KITS!
Amber&Onyx Kit
This is the thing: I have been long plagued with the logistics of providing the exact yarns for my designs in kit form. Though I love to unwind, I'd rather do so by knitting, designing, writing and dreaming up inspirational excursions rather than by literally unwinding and rewinding hank after hank of yarn for each kit. Many different yarns equals mucho unwinding and I've decided I'm ill-suited for the task.
Amber & Onyx Wrap, rear view, shows the myriad of yarns at play
So, I trawled for a solution until it came to me in the form of Jackie Glider, a bead-loving, yarn-loving Californian. Jackie is my perfect kit partner because Jackie loves yarn like no other person I have yet to meet. She's been busy gathering the exact yarns and beads for my designs, rewinding each hank into knit-ready balls, and composing said balls into beautiful kits complete with everything needed to get your fingers knitting. Want beads but would rather not tromp the world looking for amber or pearls? Jackie's done the foraging and, believe me, she takes her job very seriously.She has amber and onyx for the Amber&Onyx shawl and real green turquoise for the Field of Dreams top, to name only two.
So, each kit comes with an optional bead package according to the design recommendations with pattern included, of course. And, since these kits will be mailed from California, custom issues and higher postage costs are eliminated for my American customers (Canadian customers, please contact me directly). Along with Amber&Onyx, pictured above, the Florentine Scarf Lace, below, is also available with more to come. For pricing and other details, click here: http://www.janethornley.com/blog/index.php/site/Kits/
The Florentine Scarf Lace Kit
Florentine Scarf Lace: a pattern from the Knitaly Book
The Florentine Scarf Lace (a hybrid scarf+necklace) is a lovely cross-seasonal piece of adornment sutiable for weddings, festive feasts, garden parties or any occasion where a woman wishes to look effortlessly stunning with a single piece of adornment. The original, shown above, is fashioned with a mixture of luxe hand-dyed silk and ribbon yarns in shades of black, gold and cream. The golden dangles at the throat panel and ends could easily be changed to the more subdued luster of black pearls. Though it would cost a great deal for anyone to purchase the full skieins to compose a similiar scarf lace, with a kit you won't have to. A kit saves you the tedious footwork of hunting and gathering while giving you the best chance to duplicate the effect of the original design.
Think the pattern looks difficult? It isn't. The complex look is due to the mixtures of stitches and textures, not the need for stitch gymnastics. If you can knit and purl, you can work this scarf. Though a piece of lace knitting makes up the original design, the patterns provides options for alternative routes.
Included in the Scarf Lace Kit besides the pattern:
- Hand-dyed ribbon and yarn including Tilli Tomas 'Burnt Pepper' black silk with tiny copper beads threaded throughout,
- Judi&Co ribbon in the shade of frothy cream,
- a thick silken ribbon of lusterous coffe&cream hue,
- a black Tili Tomas Nile shantung silk ribbon, Trendsetter threaded gold and black yarn and
- another Tilli silk in a parchment shade plus black Mikado tape.
- An optional bead package is also available.
The kit is available for $165 US plus shipping with the bead package extra and can be ordered directly from Jackie at Twoojzs@aol.com . Jackie has a range of beads available for you to select for both the neck feature and the two ends, including real onyx, amber and gold-toned coin and black pearls.
Posted by Jane on 06/10 at 08:32 AM
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Saturday, June 02, 2007
WHEN TORONTO CALLS…
I say 'Hold on, let me do that 'R' word...'
An urban garden tucked between Toronto skyscrapers
Here's the thing: I love to travel (noticed that, didn't you?), so much so that when friends began cheering me on to the '3 R's' of Retirement, which I think means 'Rest, Relaxation and Recreation', my husband claimed all those R's rolled into one big one for me: R for RESERVATION, preferably on a plane or at a hotel. Guilty as charged. Nothing excites me more than the wind on my face and knitting in my bags. I couldn't let a month go by without going somewhere so, when the Marie Josette Wearable Art Gallery in Toronto invited me to display a few pieces in their gallery, I just had to go up and meet them personally, didn't ? Well, didn't I??
Lettuce Knit...
I also did two knitting workshops at Lettuce Knit, a little yarn store tucked into the arty alternative neighbourhood of Kensingston Market and a frequent yarn-bingeing haunt of that star knitter/writer, Stephanie McPhee. In fact, on Friday night my workshop went back-to-back with the Yarn Harlot's book signing extravaganza on Bloor Street.
On Friday night, I lead 'Color Confidential' and on the next, 'Free Range Knitting' with each workshop filled with enthusiastic knitting adventurers. The color workshop features hunting and gathering among the well-laden shelves, questing after the most delicious color combinations for free range knitting projects and, of course, we all bought plenty of yarn (note how I never way 'too much yarn'—no oxymorons for me). Free Range knitting encapsulates the basic tenets of my knitting beliefs --knit free and prosper--while creating a shrug from the cuff up. Beautiful things were born that evening. Thanks everyone—you were great!
Lettuce Knit...on the steps on a hot spring evening
A wayside pause in the color-gathering journey
When I finally visited Marie Josette's http://www.mariejosette.com/index.html in Toronto's Distillery district on Saturday morning, I was amazed and impressed by the weaving and creative design behind this imaginative duo, Marie Payne and Joisette Luyckx. Marie weaves the most intricate, lushious fabrics which Josette then fashions into unique, beautifully-finished, one-of-a-kind garments. This is true art to wear. Everywhere you look, some new beauty catches the eye. Proudly resided over by Marie's loom, the gallery is alive with intriquing wraps, shawls, scarves, jackets and more. Now that the design duo are encouraging other Canadian artists to display their works as well, purses, felted pieces, intricate thread work are also being added. Oh, and my knitwear, too.
The Gallery poses..
Josette models my Seashell Capelet
Marie experiments with weaving unique fibers and Joisette interprets them into fresh designs.
Glorious detailing of gorgeous weaving...
Posted by Jane on 06/02 at 06:39 AM
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From the entry 'Wild, Mysterious Australia'.
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| By Christine Jones on 2008 12 28 |
