The absence of notes here has been down to working on iPhone and iPad and therefore I have not had the benefits of a keyboard or a screen that I don’t have to squint to view…

The main green base was one of the skeins in the Goody Bag provided by Sparkle Duck and dyed especially for the retreat. I bought two more (from experience of the previous retreat, my designs seem to escalate and eat wool at a capacious rate… Sophus kindly brought extras to the meet.

I am using a basic basket stitch chart and citation
and knitting the two “wings” separately stitch instructions I knitted until I used approximately 1 1/4 skeins in each one (allowing some left over for making up and any embellishments my mind required).

The centre panel, I started working on at the same time as the (bat) wings.

I was in Wales, therefore Red as in the dragon seemed appropriate.

I scoured all the pattern books to hand for some inspiration and Vine seemed an appropriate one, considering the amount of Red Wine consumed…

Two creative issues to consider though…

1. Did I want the wool a similar texture or contrasting - I decided I wanted something heavily textured and in wool - rather than the delicious silk and wool I had already scored in a green.
2. That decided, the Red seemed a really “in your face” colour combination with the green, rather than the more subtle green mix - which because of its weight - would hang the centre panel I thought.

But then horror of horrors, a few pattern rows in, it became clear that the pattern was wrong.. and had mistakes in it.

Even the great minds of Amy and Brenda were not able to fathom it out what was actually intended, so I tried and erred with methods of leaf making - aided and abetted by a fellow conspirator who pointed out in nature nothing is identical - and neither therefore are my vine leaves…

Squeaky Elliot

SparkleDuckSophus