White + Rose

I love Ruth Cross' designs. The use of lambswool in muted colours and stag/ox horn buttons give the pieces a lovely rustic effect. There are individual patterns sold on the web shop, along with ready-made and made-to-order garments and accessories. I decided upon the hot water bottle cover. The only patterns available as of currently are for home. If you'd like to knit one for yourself, you can purchase the pattern at  http://www.ruthcross.com/ I planned to make this during my mid-year break, so I had something to look forward to after my exams. It has been a while since I've knitted anything - my last project was the chunky scarf. I picked up the same yarn used in their sample (Rowan Big Wool in Concrete 061) because I love the colour. I find it distinctive in that I see a hint of beige within the grey. Actually, I just went along with the whole colour way and chose a similar coloured ribbon too. This was not the easiest pattern to knit with - especially with...

For fellow comic readers, the news is already out. For readers who might be interested in reading comics: there's going to be a new look for Batgirl - the reboot of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl. With the new costume, it's not a complete reboot and it'll kick off in issue #35. I think it's generally positive reception for the costume design. It's not overly sexualised and it actually looks like something I would wear, and perhaps a lot of girls would too (if we're crime-fighting heroines). Original article here There's some fan art out there of the new Batgirl costume. I love Artgerm's work on the magazine cover. Mostly because Babs doesn't look like she's a teenager here. I'm still trying to get my head around going "back" in time. It's also very detailed that I almost thought it was a photograph: Original link here I've only recently plunged into the world of comics but I've got mixed feelings about this ...

Debbie Bliss released this pattern a while ago and I thought I'd pick it up. It can be found  here.  Although it is called a turban, it's definitely not one - it's a bandeau. It's a fairly simple pattern to knit and you can easily decorate it with a brooch or a decorative button. Bandeaus aren't my kind of accessory but I thought this was a beautiful pattern - simple and easy. Yarn and needles  Fibra Natura Inca in Ecru (43034) - 100% wool This pattern is suitable for a beginner. The knitting is very basic, consisting only of the moss stitch and stockinette. It's a nice alternative for beginners - if you don't want to knit a scarf, you could have a go at this. Knitting in progress - moss stitch My yarn isn't the correct weight for this project but I thought I'd increase the size of the needles and weight of the yarn and reduce the number of stitches. So instead of the 4.5mm needles suggested in this pattern, I used a 6mm needle (la...

My copy of The Night Circus UK/Australian edition of The Night Circus The Night Circus is written by Erin Morgenstern. It was a book I happened to pick up in the beginning of my travels in the US back in Christmas 2011 and into the new year for 2012. It's a phantasmagorical novel featuring a travelling circus that only opens at night. Two magicians who had been groomed to be opponents in a "competition" happen to fall in love. Most of the cover is black and white because the circus in the book is completely monochrome, except for the rêveurs (the circus fans) who wear items of red so others can identify them.  I thought this novel was cleverly written and the descriptions of the circus were so intricate, I felt like I was almost there. There are a couple of allusions to Shakespeare's works - particularly Romeo and Juliet and  Hamlet . Some of themes in this book are heavy and philosophical, so it would be understood better by maturer readers. It is not wr...

Backpacks have been trendy for a while. I don't think it's so classy for a woman to be wearing a backpack but it's good for casual settings where you're out and about and have to carry a lot of stuff. My sister (being more of a tomboy) has been hunting for a trendy backpack so I thought I'd make a list of the trendiest backpacks here. She wanted a backpack that was nice to carry around during a day out but large enough to carry her books and other things for uni. 1. Herschel Bags  This is perhaps the most popular backpack around for university students, namely the Heritage style but I've seen a few Pop Quiz and Settlement bags being carried around. Herschel is a Canadian brand and is readily available for consumers in Sydney as they're being stocked in General Pants and Glue stores. Settlement Pop Quiz Heritage My sister prefers the Little America design and I think it suits her more. Now if only I could find a green one like this... (her ...