Snowy Early Spring

These are my new etsy favorites. They aren't very spring appropriate but it was supposed to snow today, right? I love to knit and I love Scandinavian fair isle knit patterns and textured cables and these amazing pieces of art have to do with that!! The two deer trophies on the left side are both by an artist named Rachel Denny and the Christmas Lynx on the right is by a London artist named Sandra Dieckmann. I hope you will enjoy my finds! Happy April Fools Day.

Winter Tams

 

I lost my favorite beret on the day before thanksgiving so I decided to make a new favorite. I spent my winter making them, I made three in total. Above are the last two I made, the first isn't here because I didn't like the way it turned out so I unraveled it. Here they are, right before Spring. The first one is a Dandelion Yellow Bobble Tam and looks like it was made to match that sweater (but it was just a coincidence). The second is a Papaya and Pumpkin Cable Tam, made out of the same home spun yarn as the Papaya Shrug I'm wearing. Also in that photo, I'm wearing the Brass Jungle Gym Locket.

I need 36 hours in each day!

I've put this scarf by Franki Morello here to me is a reminder that I want to make cabled and fair isle knitted, woven looking black and white and colorful infinity scarfs for next winter. I have too many arts and crafts project ideas and not enough time to execute them. Sound familiar?

I need a new backpack

Korean Bag by Hang Loose





















I found this backpack from hang loose
today on a blog called accessories (all about accessories obviously). This company is from Korea and the website is in Korean and has a picture of Bob Dylan in the top right corner of the banner.
They also have some amazing woven scarfs.

































































pendleton for nike















Pendleton has also made woven nike sneakers which look pretty cool but unfortunately I don't support nike.
via accessories.

Miharayasuhiro FW11 Knit bag





















I love this! It inspires me to knit one too! via accessories.

Fair Isle Knitting

These are some knit items that I made and designed years ago, either as Christmas presents or for myself. They are knit using the fair isle technique, which is a method of knitting using where stitches are knit alternately in various colors, with the unused colours stranded across the back of the work.

This is two colored fair isle knitting (usually fair isle knitting refers to multiple colors). I modified a Norwegian star pattern to make these matching hat and mittens.

I completely made these up as I went along following another sock pattern to make the heel and toe. I made 2 other pairs of fair isle socks in different colors and with different patterns, once again made up as I went along.






















This sweater is not completely fair isle. The part that is fair isle is the row of purple sailboats at the top.

Etsy Update: Knit and Pearl, Silver and Gold

Originally I designed this shoulder shrug for myself to hide my tattoo when I was tour guiding at the Vatican, but I made it too small so I started over and made a bigger one. When I finished I realized I had enough yarn left over to finish the small one that I had started so here it is and it'll be in the shop tomorrow. It has a leaf lace pattern and I nosegay pattern which is formed by making cables and bobbles.



















































These are chain scarf/necklaces. The double as both! As you can see there is a silver a gold and a green one of all different lengths and sizes. The silver and gold ones are in the shop and the green one will be there the day after tomorrow.
The silver and gold brings a childhood memory to mind...the singing and talking snowman in Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer.

I Heart Skirts with Pockets

I made a bunch of skirts and dresses with pockets because I love pockets because I love having a place to put my i pod while I'm on the bus.














































I'm going to use this amazing fabric to make another skirt in the style above.














I have plans to make another skirt like this with seersucker


















Kangaroo-pocket tunic, pattern from Vogue Knitting Holiday 2008 #30.
Yarn, hand spun by my mother, Lucinda Reichley
Earrings, Purple Martin Fleather Hoop Earrings by Il Gatto Selvatico (me).

Painting With Yarn: Etsy Update

I love using a knitting technique called intarsia to make pictures and designs. (It is similar to fair isle knitting which I love to).
To do this, I start by making a design and drawing or tracing it onto graft paper and then I plot it out and decide which color goes where. This is my chart that I follow when I knit.
I've made a number of sweaters and bags using intarsia.

The Eraser Head Felted Multi-purpose Bag


















For the Indie Free Spirits Team Challenge (to make a piece inspired by an indie film). I chose, Eraser Head by David Lynch. After I knitted this bag I felted it by washing it in the washing machine with plenty of soap and on HOT HOT. Some times this happens by accident to our sweaters if we forget to wash them on 'delicate' that's why they shrink.

Female Trouble Felted Make-up Bag



























This bag has also been felted using the 'washing machine' technique described above.


Two Cats Purse
















I wanted a felted bag with cats on it (because I love cats) so I made it! This bag is what started my idea of making felted bags and purses. This bag is not for sale but you can email me penelope.reichley@gmail.com or convo me on etsy to arrange to have one like this custom made. You can also purchase the PDF of this pattern if you email or convo me.



















This bag was inspired by this painting.

Unicorn Sweater


















The fist sweater I ever made (the unicorn was a little too small, live and learn).

Buffalo Sweater


















Matterials:
















100% hand spun wool, great for felting!












100% Peruvian wool, great for felting!

For costume made knit wear or to purchase the PDF of any of the pattern above visit my shop and convo me.

Prudent Vatican City Tour Guide Outfits

Last Summer I was working as a Vatican Museums and City Tour Guide and the dress code was very strict. Every thing from shoulders to knees had to be covered and if you had a tattoo that had to be covered as well. Since I have a mid sleeve tattoo that had to be covered so I designed a prudent Vatican City tour guide dress with pockets for myself. It covers everything that needs to be covered and has a 1960's inspired look with a slightly bubbled skirt, but since it has to be long enough to cover the knees it is a bit hard to walk in...you waddle like a penguin, so I'm considering shortening it now that I'm not a tour guide any more.


















I also designed for myself a shoulder shrug that covers my tattoo so that I could throw this on on top of a chemise when I arrived at that Vatican City. However it is made of merino wool so it is too hot for summer but it works for fall and spring. It is 40's/ 50's inspired and the pattern is a mixture of a leaf pattern and the nosegay pattern.
The yarn is very special because it is hand-spun by my mother, Lucinda Reichley, who is a very talented yarn maker and knitter.

































To purchase the PDF of this shoulder shrug pattern or to order a custom made knit wear visit
Il Gatto Selvatico and convo me, or email me penelope.reichley@gmail.com, I'll be happy to do it.