Today, finally some real progress on Fannigan to report, Brother Amos' sock 1 nears completion, and I reuse household stuff to aid my spinning.
First, Fannigan, finally a progress report. Hilary asked me to remind her just what colours Fannigan really is. Well, as you noticed. apparently a really difficult colour to photograph accurately. My best description would be dark blue based red and petrol blue, the close up image here is pretty accurate. Some times when I see some of the photos, I panic and wonder if I have created a Christmas themed red and green cardie from a sit-com holiday special. If it turns out like that Eeeeek!
So far I have exhausted the front raglan decreases, but continued with half the decreases along the neck edge. I am starting to think I will need to raise the back neck after all my theoretical musings in the last few posts, and so will need some short rows, I will see how much I can eat away off the sleeves with decreases first. If I can eat almost all the sleeve stitches away, I won't need to short row. Thats the steek, the little center section between the stitch markers, with every third row 1x1 colour work. Here is an image of the top of Fannigan, to give a little context. The neckline won't be this small, as there is around 25 cm cast off across the front below the 2nd steek, which forms much of the front neckline. Still don't know what I am doing with the steeked edges after I finish.
... and Brother Amos, goes well as you can see. The original pattern calls for 2.5mm and 3.25 mm needles. I wanted a firmer gauge than the original 30 sts per 4inches, so
have used 2mm for the toe, 2.25mm needles for the foot, heel and lower calf, I've now switched to using 2.75mm, for one repeat, but will change to 3mm for the last repeat just to make sure they fit, and maybe 3.25 for the i-cord? My unwashed gauge ended up being 8.5spi on 2.25mm on the stocking stitch of the sole. so 34 spi.
I have toyed with threading on a circular and trying on. But usually think of that once its close to bedtime and I'm comfortable on the couch, so it hasn't happened but I should do that. I am pleased there isn't much difference in the appearance of the pattern between smaller and larger needles, that was a worry.
And spinning, yes the Ashford is still in the box, and I'm marking time with the spindle. I wound off a spindle full a week or so ago, onto a spare dowel. The project I have to write up, and that will fuel an abstract due December is not getting as much time as it should, so Ashford remains in the box till thats done. Last I attempted to ply singles I had wound the singles off into a ball and I had problems with feeding, twisting and generally kinking up when I tried to ply. I thought a more bobbin like arrangement might be easier to control so I wound the last full spindle off onto a dowel core. I've now filled a second spindle full and am in process of winding that off. Much of what I read suggests singles are easier to deal with if left to 'rest' overnight, so rest they will.
Do you like the new 'bobbin' holder I'm using. In a former life this basket held play-doh utensils. I spotted the basket on a shelf behind Bear at breakfast this morning over coffee after pancakes. We spurge on Sundays, not sure if its a reward for making it thru another week, or a treat before the next week descends, could be both. We try and use Montessori principles here, my kids play with a small assortment of toys although they have many many toys its one thing at a time, and tidy it up before starting something new, it kinda works. To help with that, we have most of the playthings stored by type in separate baskets on book-case shelves, the clean up is faster and neater, and this was in the bookcase in the dining room. The circular holes in this basket looked just perfect for not only storing spindle bobbins, and winding off or plying, but the basket looked great for lying fiber to be spun in as well. Don't worry - the play-doh stuff is safe in a different basket, but at 5 and 8, we might be on to air dry clay, and 'propper' fired clay at art school. Play-doh (both the bought and home made kinds) might have had its day.
First, Fannigan, finally a progress report. Hilary asked me to remind her just what colours Fannigan really is. Well, as you noticed. apparently a really difficult colour to photograph accurately. My best description would be dark blue based red and petrol blue, the close up image here is pretty accurate. Some times when I see some of the photos, I panic and wonder if I have created a Christmas themed red and green cardie from a sit-com holiday special. If it turns out like that Eeeeek!
So far I have exhausted the front raglan decreases, but continued with half the decreases along the neck edge. I am starting to think I will need to raise the back neck after all my theoretical musings in the last few posts, and so will need some short rows, I will see how much I can eat away off the sleeves with decreases first. If I can eat almost all the sleeve stitches away, I won't need to short row. Thats the steek, the little center section between the stitch markers, with every third row 1x1 colour work. Here is an image of the top of Fannigan, to give a little context. The neckline won't be this small, as there is around 25 cm cast off across the front below the 2nd steek, which forms much of the front neckline. Still don't know what I am doing with the steeked edges after I finish.
... and Brother Amos, goes well as you can see. The original pattern calls for 2.5mm and 3.25 mm needles. I wanted a firmer gauge than the original 30 sts per 4inches, so
have used 2mm for the toe, 2.25mm needles for the foot, heel and lower calf, I've now switched to using 2.75mm, for one repeat, but will change to 3mm for the last repeat just to make sure they fit, and maybe 3.25 for the i-cord? My unwashed gauge ended up being 8.5spi on 2.25mm on the stocking stitch of the sole. so 34 spi.
I have toyed with threading on a circular and trying on. But usually think of that once its close to bedtime and I'm comfortable on the couch, so it hasn't happened but I should do that. I am pleased there isn't much difference in the appearance of the pattern between smaller and larger needles, that was a worry.
And spinning, yes the Ashford is still in the box, and I'm marking time with the spindle. I wound off a spindle full a week or so ago, onto a spare dowel. The project I have to write up, and that will fuel an abstract due December is not getting as much time as it should, so Ashford remains in the box till thats done. Last I attempted to ply singles I had wound the singles off into a ball and I had problems with feeding, twisting and generally kinking up when I tried to ply. I thought a more bobbin like arrangement might be easier to control so I wound the last full spindle off onto a dowel core. I've now filled a second spindle full and am in process of winding that off. Much of what I read suggests singles are easier to deal with if left to 'rest' overnight, so rest they will.
Do you like the new 'bobbin' holder I'm using. In a former life this basket held play-doh utensils. I spotted the basket on a shelf behind Bear at breakfast this morning over coffee after pancakes. We spurge on Sundays, not sure if its a reward for making it thru another week, or a treat before the next week descends, could be both. We try and use Montessori principles here, my kids play with a small assortment of toys although they have many many toys its one thing at a time, and tidy it up before starting something new, it kinda works. To help with that, we have most of the playthings stored by type in separate baskets on book-case shelves, the clean up is faster and neater, and this was in the bookcase in the dining room. The circular holes in this basket looked just perfect for not only storing spindle bobbins, and winding off or plying, but the basket looked great for lying fiber to be spun in as well. Don't worry - the play-doh stuff is safe in a different basket, but at 5 and 8, we might be on to air dry clay, and 'propper' fired clay at art school. Play-doh (both the bought and home made kinds) might have had its day.
1 comment:
The sweater is looking lovely, and not at all too Christmas-y. I can't wait to see the steek cutting happen (I'm clearly obsessed with steeks lately, as my steek-cutting on Kauni looms ever closer). I know what you mean about the trying on -- every evening, once I've settled on the couch to knit, I think I should try on Kauni to be sure it fits right, but by then it's WAY too much trouble to get scrap yarn, thread it through and try it on, and another day goes by.
I love the basket technique with kids' toys; both of my girls go to a Montessori school, and we've tried to stick to the one-at-a-time theory as well; sometimes it works better than others... :)
Thanks for the comment on the socks I'm knitting; I'm glad I'm not the only one with an enduring fondness for dpns -- it's worth trying two circs, though, if only for the experience. If you do, let me know what you think! Good luck with your abstract writing (I sympathize; I have one due for the end of the month -- for a conference in Wellington, actually!).
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