Titus Who?

Sorry, not Titus Welliver, star of Bosch, but Titus Andronicus, eponymous hero (tragic division) of one of Shakespeare's least produced plays.

TITUS: Hark, villains! I will grind your bones to dust, … and make two past(r)ies of your shameful heads (Titus Andronicus, Act V, Scene iv).

I've always liked an underdog, so for my first pattern for Defarge Does Shakespeare I  took this world-class gorefest as my inspiration for Titus A's Awful Nice Pie, a crocheted coaster set, with the pasty-shaped container doubling as a wine coaster.

You can, of course, work up the coasters your team colors as a nice little hostess gift, or crochet the covered box to hold trinkets.

Crochet it with a thicker yarn and a larger hook and it becomes a nice felted bowl.

Yarn:  Noro Kureyon

But you may know someone who adores Halloween and prefers "awful" to "nice" any day.  The version embellished with body parts is just the thing.

Include a surprise inside:  internal organ wine charms.

See all the patterns in Defarge Does Shakespeare.

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If you are on ravelry, and this made you laugh, please go favorite my design or any of the other Defarge Does Shakespeare patterns that catch your eye.

Defarge Does Shakespeare

Yes, she really does.

Shakespeare's birthday is fast approaching and so is the release date of Volume 3 in the What Would Madame Defarge Knit series:  Defarge Does Shakespeare.

The book is not only for crafters.  While it includes knitting and crochet patterns, it also features personal essays on Shakespeare's plays and poetry written by the designers.  There are black and white illustrations as well as full-color photos of all the projects.

See all the patterns in Defarge Does Shakespeare.

Pre-order the book, digital and/or print format.

Sign up for the newsletter.

If you are on ravelry please go favorite any or all of the 29  Defarge Does Shakespeare patterns.

I have two patterns in the book, one comic and one glamorous, because none of us is all just one thing, not even Tamora, Queen of the Goths.  Although those who know me would definitely peg me as more silly than slinky, I do enjoy a little bling now and again.  I'll be posting about both patterns, as well as some other highlights in the book, later this week.

Finished and Free

Officially, spring is less than a month away.  Actually, we have at least two more months of wintry weather.  That means it's not too late to add to your supply of thick, warm neckwear.

Fisher Hill is an infinity scarf that is long enough to wear doubled.  For a quicker project, crochet a single loop instead.  Make it taller if you like.  Use a bright spring color.  Laugh at the cold, windy weather.

You can download the free pattern here:  Fisher Hill

Last Minute

File this away for "Night before Christmas and no gifts in the house."  Or for "Polar Vortex coming and no scarf on the shelf."

Stock up on big thick yarn and a big fat crochet hook and be ready to produce something impressive in a very short time.

The very thing for time travel.

I've tweaked the prototype of my crocheted version of Clare's Outlander cowl and you can download the pattern right now:  Out of Time Cowl.  For free.

Express Finish

Expressway

(crocheted infinity scarf)

Big. Quick. Cozy. Quick.  Stylish. Quick. Minimal Finishing. Very Easy. 

Did I say quick? It's crocheted in the round with bulky yarn held double and a very large hook.

Long enough to wear doubled.  

I wrote it up.  You can find it free on ravelry.

I've been on a mission to finish up most of my languishing works in progress, but it was tempting to use the yarn I had left from a sweater for an instant gratification project.  You can blame me for the 70 degree weather we've been having around Boston this week, since, in addition to finishing this scarf, I bought a new winter coat.

Lady Who? FO

Lady Mendl Crocheted Cowl

Lady Mendl (also known as Elsie de Wolfe), and the name of a new crochet pattern, free on ravelry. There are more pictures on the pattern page.

Inspiration comes from many places. I loved the stitch pattern for the crocheted cowl, and in trying to find a name, I concentrated on the color possibilities. I toyed with names like "Homecoming Queen" and "Choo-Choo, Rah-Rah" because I could see it being worked up in team colors and worn to a football game.

Then I started focusing on the overall shape of the stitches which looked like a lattice or a trellis. In looking at trellis images I came across a familiar name:  Elsie de Wolfe. Fascinating life, but one thing she did was introduce treillage as indoor decor. Married to a sir, she was also known as Lady Mendl.

She loved her accessories (and foofy dogs), and if these photos are any indication, she also loved bold patterns. 

Good dressing is largely a question of detail 
and accessories   

 --Elsie de Wolfe.

Lady Mendl Kicks Up Her Heels

To see what else is new in the world of FO (Finished Objects) visit Tami's Amis and click the links to the busy crafters' blogs.

Can't Get FO Satisfaction

Two small finished items this week: prototypes for a neck warmer/scarf pattern. Two sizes, both are one-skein projects.

When something is as simple as this, every detail counts, and there is one more go around until I'm satisfied with the border.

Not exactly rocket science, but taxing enough for my ever-dwindling brain cells.

Look for one more version, plus pattern in a week or two.

Look for many more finished projects at Tami's Amis FO Friday.

Friday = FO + FP

Finished the object and finished the pattern. The pattern is free, downloadable on ravelry.

In the Midnight Hour 

(a crocheted moebius wrap)


Pattern includes line by line instructions, a chart of the stitch pattern, and short tutorial on the moebius join.

Use any light laceweight yarn.  The sample is worked up in Spirit Trail Fiberworks Decima, 70% merino, 30% silk.

Could also be worked at with fingering weight at a larger gauge for a heftier wrap.



Really pleased with this. Started in March 2012(!)and resurrected it in March 2013. Finished the work in May 2013 and the pattern just this week. Hope to work faster next time as I'm no spring chicken and those WIP's and PIP's (Pattern in Progress) are mounting up.

A visit to Tami's Amis is your portal to a weekly celebration of Finished Objects in various crafts.

100% FO...

100% cashmere. What else do I need to say?

Unembellished and abbreviated version of my Ms. Prynne design.  Mods are detailed on my ravelry project page.

A lot more crafters have 100%F projects this week--you can find links to them at Tami's Amis Blog.

FO Friday

Does a book count?

It's alive! What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit? Have you knit any good reads lately? 

See the designs.

My essay Intrepid Lady Detectives and cowl pattern, The Lady is a Ninja, inspired by Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White, are among the more than twenty news designs and essays.

Thrilled to be included in such an accomplished collection.

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