Saturday, July 28, 2012

Week #27 - Finger Knittin' Good

note: please excuse my photos, I am without camera this week... feels like I'm missing a finger, which incidentally I am, as I also literally down the use of one finger!

Since the moment I was introduced to finger knitting I have absolutely adored the idea and the simplicity of it... but to be honest, I've never known what to do with the endless strands of chunky cables it produces! My lovely friend Nico over at Ophelia Button makes some gorgeous finger-knit scarves and accessories but I've never quite worked out how I can turn this:


into something worthwhile...

that is until a nice chat and crafty catch up with Sam of Ministry of Craft turned me on to this tutorial for a finger knit cushion.


"Ooooh! Ahhhhh!" you say? Well yes, the only downside is that I've made about a bajillon (real number) cushions this year, but the fact that I've somehow managed to avoid ANY knitting patterns trumped that and despite missing one of four crucial things needed for finger knittings (a finger) I bravely pushed forward using my wrong hand and created my finger knit cables.

But, of course... It wouldn't be a Lazy Crafternoons project if I didn't put my own little spin on it... so I thought to myself: If I can use finger knit cables to create a striped cushion, couldn't I also use finger knit cushions to create a woven cushion? and the answer was "yes!".

 I followed the tutorial exactly, only I attached just one colour of knitting in 12 stripes horizonally across the cushion, and then knit and secured 12 separate cables in my contrasting colours.  I had a bit of fun trialling different patterns... have a look and see what I ended up with.

All my strips laid out

checker board look

chevron styles

i'm not sure what to call this
After playing with a number of designs I settled on the above, and then sewed up either side of the cushion to secure the black cables before completing the tutorial in the same way.  I finished the project with an envelope back.


Later this week this item will go up for auction for Macmillan Cancer Support as I continue my fundraiser... please check back for auction details if you'd like to get your hands on this item!

2 comments:

  1. I like the idea of weaving them together! I've not done any finger knitting, although I know a few people who started and taught their kids too. I don't think they knew what to do with it all, so cushions sounds like a good idea! I guess maybe they could be woven into a rug too if you did enough?
    Hope your finger is better soon!

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  2. What a clever wheeze.....
    After this you'll be ready for a proper weaving loom :-)
    [suggestion: drop the word verif]

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