My crochet has gone all Lady Gaga

Back from the UK and my start at Marie Antoinette
has unfortunately gone all Lady Gaga.

It started off very Basque like, very Antoinette
(not in colour choice , but style)
My 80's colour choice was inspired by the sound track to the film.

LADY GAGA

This much happened on my very bouncy plane trip home.

I arrived back to Stockholm 8pm after taking a car, bus, plane train then tube followed by tram if only I had not been to tired to take a boat trip then I really would have indeed got in all modes of transport in one day.

Feeling a little Gaga...... yes I was.;-(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Gaga

All crochet and all in one piece.
It reminds me of one of those 80's Lycra swimming costumes.

What I am supposed to be making...........stitch up close below.

I'm crocheting in both directions. And really if I complete this as a Gaga not much more fabric/yarn will be needed.

Trying to find a picture of her clothed quiet a difficulty.

Never enough MARMITE


Marmite in my house is gold dust. You can buy this form the English shop in Stockholm if you want to be completely ripped off. Or you can rely on friends and family, but we have been here a while and now most seem to forget.

Forget my family's addiction to the brown stuff and I'm not one to ask.

Another issue of Marmite the regular shop brought is in glass jar so a big issue to popping in your suit case, imagine that all over you clothes.........

Gemma to the rescue.......

Gem told me of a place that sold it in a massive plastic pot.........
Urban myth........proof is in the picture.

Now we are ok until it's time to leave;-)

£1 shop ducks



All these for a £1, a bargain that could not be missed, funny thing was that they would not fit in my suit case. So they went as hand luggage along with my new bed linen and sheet in the same bag as my lady gaga crochet, the security check must have smiled when he saw that little lot come through on his monitor.

Crochet Packaging Dress Finished!

These are the final picture's, it's still in the making.

It's actually the completing, completion.

The finishing touches, if you like. And yes I am very happy that it's completed.

I started this in Oct, I have worked on lots of projects along the way but
I think that this is defiantly one of my longest projects.

6 months of hard work.

http://knits-and-pearls.blogspot.com/2009/10/crochet-and-vegetable-packaging.html

This was the stitch for the edging.

It's a strong stitch so I used it to enhance and enforce the neck line.

Also to re-enforce the side seam.

I added yet another rectangle panel to the front of the dress.

Just to add layers.

I felt that it needed a little bit more attention at the front as the back is so detailed.

The sleeves, Oj Oj Oj where a big issue.

I had to add the sleeves last and they really just hung.

I was not sure one I had the bright idea to attach them in whole pieces.

I tried to-do the edging with different fancy stitches,didn't work then turn ups.

With no success...........but then a little light bulb pinged inside my head.

I used a piece of paper so I had a straight edge and then using sharp scissors, I cut across at an angel.

Thus creating a pointed sleeve.

Sleeve cut.

Below I just stitched three layers using a 2'5 hook. Basically a tidy little edge that showed of the angel of the sleeve.

Nothing more nothing less, the turquoises blue is really set off by the red.

I have not really explained this in my YouTube title, but this is part one. It's actaully the making of the dress.

In 6 months of work, I have accumulated a lot of photo documentation so I figured it was well worth the double YouTube.

The making to follow, I figure why rush it now;-)

No Flying Home Today!

A nice morning in Stockholm, with a clear gray sky?

No sight of any planes, unfortunately for 1000's

It was my turn today, to be mad. Volcano's.......

HOME SWEET HOME

Or not in my case.........(l,m,o,l)
Rubbish at text speak last moan out loud

Fixed my O, completed my re-do

Agian I'm going home.

Today actually I was supposed to return to the UK with my daughter, to visit Gemma.

She is due a baby and I wanted to see her before it's born/pregnant, another dear friend of mine had twins and I never got to see her and it really upset me, after when it was to late todo anything!.

It hit me, that I missed something so major, a photo just does not cut the mustard.

Home

But not just this home visit, actaully going home for good.

By July 4th we leave.......again I type loosely as this was supposed to happen a year ago. So when the trucks pack I will no its for real.

But anyway enough time spent on that, it's sad and strange I am a wonderer but four years is home, but Sweden isn't home. Only the traveller among us would understand, leaving your home country is a strange thing to do.(my opinion)

Not learning the language as it was short term even stupider;-(

Even stranger, the international mix of the Expatriate life, what you should, shouldn't do.......with who and whom.
(Big can of worms, I think that Ill save for a book some day not a lot to-do with knitting and Art)

Stockholm

The artist I have become, a reader(Always magazine B4 Stockholm)
Tonne's (kelton-ism) of new and wonderful experiences, new fiends, new contacts.

A few beep ones along the way, life can not all be a bed of roses. Mind you it would be nice to sleep in a bed of rose petals,the smell the feeling, but at some point a run away thorn would get you.

In today's case a volcano, I'm moaning again!.

Enough said

Here is some of the latest re-do art, as I have been on a bit of a mission sorting the mass amount of art that I have accumulated,

(Spring clean, re-reading sketch, re-do unfinished and basically changing things)

This a big task, but fun realising how much my style has changed and become.

Something quiet sexy about a man who can sow........

Or maybe that's just me!, I thought that I would post this photo, not to annoy my other half but that I am pretty proud that I taught him to sow. A video would be better as the picture as they say does not have a 1000 words and if it did most would be swears as he pricked his finger more times than stitches that where sowed. But as they say practice makes perfect.

My Knitted Rock graffiti is still in place.

It really looks like part of the scenery.

It has totally blended in with its surroundings, the perfect place.

http://theknittingforartexhibition.blogspot.com/2009/10/knitted-rocks.html

http://theknittingforartexhibition.blogspot.com/2010/01/knitted-rock-re-visited-snow-covering.html

Marie Antoinette Obsession and crochet of course.

Obsessed?

Just a little, currently I have been mentioning the film alot,
you may have observed my love of.......

The Colours/cakes.

The Basques.

The dresses, the accessories.

The decoration

The scenery

The palace.

The baby blue converse

Basically.......

The whole kit and Ka-boodle
(not quiet sure of that meaning, explanation anyone?)

I have been watching the film, a good few times,

New dress research purposes of cousre...........

Watching the film over, made me fall in love with the sound track.
(I use that term to a little to easily)

From Classical to Adam and the Ants a must have.

Ebay £6.49 double cd, cute booklet.

And then hooked on the truth and how the queen is portrayed in the film.

And the basic history lesson, never really paying much attention at school.

I needed to buy the biography, of cousre!.

And so far the film is pretty much in keeping of the truth.
1p from Amazon £3.50 postage (bargain)

My train sketch.

And two trips so far, to the Nordiska museum.

http://www.nordiskamuseet.se/

300 years of fashion exhibition.

http://www.nordiskamuseet.se/Publication.asp?publicationid=12335&cat=148&topmenu=148

Research for the petticoat

That I will have to construct before I even begin the dress.

Basically strap two baskets to the hips of my mannequin, actaully I may have to construct some hips, my kate is a little flat in all departments.

Unlike her curvy owner.;-)

One of my sketch and collages.

Crochet packaging.

Left side fixed.

Right side fixed.

The back, almost fixed.

It's turning in to a rather large jigsaw

That I have to find and fit the right pieces.

And then crochet them into place.

Rasmus below is totally bored by the whole process.

As am I ;-)

Cake and Crochet

Its been years since I had the pleasure of a Black forest gateau, in the Uk a still frozen in the middle, Sarah lee from ice-lands would always be the key dessert at my child hood party's.

You know the sort(well hopefully you don't) Aunties fallen over drunk, nan's asleep in the chair your uncles have been fighting on the lawn for hours and the teenage children had consumed a large amount of cider(illegally). Those where the days!!!! Not........;-(

Time have change no longer living in the Geto aka Council Estate Britain, more in-tune with a latte and pastry, the snobbery.(oj oj oj)

My sister in-law invited us to celebrate my brothers birthday and she also remembered these days, and on her mention of a nostalgic gateau , it took me back, way back and not really sure to things I wanted to remember. Also the fact, not really sure I ever actually like the tasteless still frozen gateau.

The new me an Emma cherry forest gateau, convert;-).

Happy Birthday Slimy 36

Above and below my sisters(in law) art in the presence of a cake.

Crochet packaging dress in water colour.

I'm defiantly winning with this project but it taking its time.

Looking pretty effective, I like the world map colour and my canvas
in the back ground.

I really like to look in photos and see the things that you where not taking the picture of.

The things that you just managed to capture.

That moment in time.

The mint waist band is managing to take the weight well, so far so good.

I have been a quiet blogger this week ;-(

Here's one of the reasons why, my uni cousre is taking it toll. Brief one, its on track but my month dead line was Friday so I'm just a little behind schedule.

Its tough it has been a while, and just dotting the i's and crossing the T's is tough. Plan, prepare, justify and organise.

It's coming together, Its just taking a wee bit longer.

Front, textile sample of the chair scene above.

Back, just a few ends! it's all made in one piece

Using lots of different stitches to justify the texture of each chair break in the photo.

This is Sample Two nearly completed, only one more to make;-)

Easter Graffiti

It will be next Easter at my current pace;-(

Or I can cheat and the chicks will become ducks;-)
Now that sounds like a plan.........
Hopefully this week coming , I'll get to it.

Easter Monday Snow!

Unbelievably Easter Monday Snow!

At 730 I woke up to this.........

And believe me there is a whole lot more now, it has only just stopped falling.

Saturday afternoon it was shorts and T shirt weather, well plus 10(ish) to me that was heaven , no more onion layers. And yes I put shorts on;-).

Patio stuff out,pot plants planted and relax.

Come Monday it's back, shocking. Over my snowed in stress..............

I will continue my post

Easter Chicks

Easter knit Graffiti.

Little chicks (Monet has a production line)
(one day past official deadline but better late than never)

These are made for the yarn graffiti pole project. I decided to crochet Ten and then make Ten chains, that I will just tie like a ribbon around the other posts.

As to crochet twenty, was just a little to many(over achievement) to complete in the time needed.

Dog blanket disaster

Saturday the The Story begins.

Well actually Rasmus's puppy blankie.

Rich fixed the bikes, the snow had melted and we where going to hit the bike ways.
Stockholm is pretty well linked up by a good amount of walking paths and bikes ways, very Cool.

He asked in true man style did we have any old cloths, messy hands bike fixing!, you know the sort old rags.

Rasmus has a cupboard of old duvets and towels as you can imagine, fluffy wetWhen the snow melts the dog walk is almost military in preparation, rugstowels all ready for the return as he will be soaked. dog.

Totally filthy, fur full of grit, that will get shaken all over the hall way.

Any how the cloths, lots I told him to just rip up and old towel. In this cupboard there was one blanket that meant something to me and the kids. I had a patch work phase, phase a loose term.

I made a little square blanket that was pretty much a disaster, much harder than it looked an too precision for me, I'm more random than controlled.

But it was puppy size, and yep (Oh no!) you guessed it!

Rasmus's from 8 weeks, HE CUT THAT UP!

aaaaahhhhhhh its only stuff but Oj Oj Oj the kids shocked. He was really apologeticreally I just had to laugh. Because out of all the torn towels, he picked the padded hand made bright blanket. and

My kids where sad;-( bad Dad.

Puppy Rasmus now two and a bit.

Packaging dress gets sleeves attached.

Each sleeve in one piece, I used some of the fruit packaging and then stitched the top and added it to the recent arm holes that I created.



This dress is the 1st that I have made in reverse, when I think about it. I usually always have the top done and then work on the skirt part.

But this time I had a frame work, I had pinned where what to the mannequin. But initially had not thought about the sleeves.



I had thought about the top part of the sleeve and attaching was hard on the mannequin, one you need height two stammerer.

But I need to think how I can pull the bottom of the sleeve in as they seem stiff and stuck out.

Still a WIP but defiantly getting closer to completion.