Crochet

Baskets 4 Life Exhibit

| Verónica

While in Copenhagen, we went to the observation deck of the Rundetaarn. The Round Tower houses one of Europe’s oldest functioning observatories. From the observation deck, we could see the spires of the churches and rooftops of buildings across the city. Rather than stairs, you walk up the winding spiral path to the top. Walking down was much more fun!

Halfway down the tower, there is a large loft space for the museum shop and which serves as a venue for exhibitions. On the day we visited, the loft space was taken over with baskets – large and small baskets woven by hand using many different materials. It was an exhibit of Baskets 4 Life, a collective of ten Danish women who weave the baskets. According to their website, the purpose of the project is to highlight the need for baskets instead of plastic bags and to “break existing norms in relation to the appearance of baskets and the use of materials in making them.” As part of their mission, the group has started producing the baskets in Africa to create a source of employment and income for women. You can read more about the project at Baskets4Life.dk.

Here is a sampling of some of the beautiful baskets on display. My favorite is the crocheted one.

{Click on any image for a full-screen view.}

T-Shirt Yarn

| Verónica

This is what I have been up to lately. Rather than toss out old t-shirts or convert them to rags, I decided to give t-shirt yarn a try.

The white, blue and gray ones are my husband’s old t-shirts.

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This colorful yarn came from a tie-dye t-shirt my son made in summer camp and never wore. He thought it was pretty cool that I made yarn from it.

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The plan is to crochet a round cotton throw rug. I don’t have quite enough yarn but I’m getting there.

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There are many how-to videos on the web for making yarn out of t-shirts. I liked these step-by-step instructions the best from Let Birds Fly. This video tutorial from Knit Picks shows you how to join the ends of t-shirt yarn.

Autumn

| Verónica

After the humid heat of summer, autumn ushers in cooler days and bursts of color.

Just in time for the cool weather, I made up this chunky cabled hat from the Wooli yarn in my stash using this pattern (sans pompom).

Here it is in progress. The top two photos taken with my phone are fuzzier than I would like but I had to show the circular work in progress. I chuckled as I thought of Obey Crochet and hook’s smug comment about how many needles it takes to make a circle.

A close-up.

Here are some gratuitous pictures of mums and the last gardenias blooming in the garden. Those oranges, yellows and ochres brighten up our doorstep.
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Aaah, autumn.

Nangellini’s in Philadelphia

| Verónica

As many knitters do, I like to buy yarn from places I visit. More than a postcard, it helps me remember a certain place. When possible, I buy local – fibers from local farms, hand-spun, locally-dyed yarns. In a short Sunday afternoon, I made a beeline to Nangellini’s on the hip and quirky South Street in Philly. These are my souvenirs.

Super Something Hand Spun, by Nancy’s Custom Spinning (that would be Nancy, the owner). Made from strands of Merino and a Merino, Mohair, Silk combo plied together; 90 yards, 146 grams, 5.14 ounces. Nancy has a special bartering arrangement with a local dyer. Nancy spins, the dyer dyes and they each keep half of the fiber.

Nangellini’s Best.Batts.Ever are made from fine fibers including Merino, Mohair and Silk with a little Firestar for that hint of sparkle.

This is Nancy, owner, spinner, knitter and overall cool person. She explained that “Nangellini” was a childhood endearment her father used for her. When I asked if I could snap a photo, she agreed and grabbed that skein of hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn for the occasion. (I almost bought that skein). If I lived in Philly, my needles and I would hang out at Nangellini’s.

My memories of Philadelphia will include Independence Hall where the Constitution of the United States was signed, the Liberty Bell with its famous crack, workshops on leadership at the Wharton School at UPenn, a visit to Gettysburg, and yarn from Nangellini’s.