Today, I'm knitting ear flaps, which are harder than they look, I've got the basic Ccatta hat to show inside and out, I've started my learning sock in practice for a fully fledged attempted on the something from Cat B's New sock architecture book, and a much improved Brioche video.
My Ccatta Andean hat looks finished, and it is or could be, but these hats have ear flaps, knit in two pieces. That was the subject of Saturdays knit workshop, the ear flaps, and given the instructions are all text and I'm more of a picture based kind of learner - I was glad to go and get some pointers.
So, the inner side of the hat, I love how some colour work patterns result in an almost damsk patterning on the wrong side. This is one of the ones that forms a pretty pattern.
The ear flaps, harder to do than I expected, firstly - Its a good idea to not pick up around the Punta's as instructed, but around the base of the puntas. Its near impossible to get it sitting flat other wise. Secondly - Knit at the same guage as the hat was worked, sounds simmple - but harder to do than I expected. With both knit and purl rows, and colour changes every 2 stitches - well my tension took a little wayward break. This is ear flap number 4, numbers 1-3 were knit and frogged within minutes of being knit. What went wrong? Well gauge - I had serious gauge issues, and the colour work didn't help -the first 3 looked loose and lumpy - number 4 was much improved. These are not complete ear flaps, you also knit a boarder of tiny Punta's and purl colour blocks to match the hat edge and stitch join these to the knitted triange ear flaps.
And so the sock, the leraning sock, I'm learning how to knit a sock a new way, the Cat Bordhi way, and she strongly suggests we knit two learning socks first. What I have learned in my life is that practice is usually a good thing, so I'm knitting the learning socks. Besides there are 3 babies due next year at work - so little footsie covers will be useful as gifts.
And a new pink and clearer Brioche in the round video, I think I was a little to aplogetic about the fuzzy camera work on my last one. the first U-tube message begged me to get a new camera and improve the quality. Well - those that know me would remember I had been saving for a new camera to replace the aging Minolta. And I had sampled the camera of my dreams only to find it wasn't really the camera of my dreams so I bought a spinning wheel instead. What I didn't like about he SLR Pentax was that you had to look thru the viewfinder not use the LCD screen, and a macro lens would set me back as much as the camera would. Today I borrowed a rather new ZLR Sony camera from work, thinking it would be better, but no, it was worse. The sony refused to focus any wear near as close as my old Minolta. Reality - there are technical difficulties with focus and depth of focus when making close up images, irregardless of the camera. Short story - Bear my camera guy, found that if he got really close, the focus was much more consistent. Result = new Brioche in the round video.
Brioche in the round, first knit on slightly larger than usual needles, use an even number of stitches, knit a single rib set up row (k1p1). The pink thing I am knitting - I thought it might be a hat for Poppy, but it was to small - in reality it was just stunt knitting for the camera. The piece has been frogged, the yarn and needles all put away.
My Ccatta Andean hat looks finished, and it is or could be, but these hats have ear flaps, knit in two pieces. That was the subject of Saturdays knit workshop, the ear flaps, and given the instructions are all text and I'm more of a picture based kind of learner - I was glad to go and get some pointers.
So, the inner side of the hat, I love how some colour work patterns result in an almost damsk patterning on the wrong side. This is one of the ones that forms a pretty pattern.
The ear flaps, harder to do than I expected, firstly - Its a good idea to not pick up around the Punta's as instructed, but around the base of the puntas. Its near impossible to get it sitting flat other wise. Secondly - Knit at the same guage as the hat was worked, sounds simmple - but harder to do than I expected. With both knit and purl rows, and colour changes every 2 stitches - well my tension took a little wayward break. This is ear flap number 4, numbers 1-3 were knit and frogged within minutes of being knit. What went wrong? Well gauge - I had serious gauge issues, and the colour work didn't help -the first 3 looked loose and lumpy - number 4 was much improved. These are not complete ear flaps, you also knit a boarder of tiny Punta's and purl colour blocks to match the hat edge and stitch join these to the knitted triange ear flaps.
And so the sock, the leraning sock, I'm learning how to knit a sock a new way, the Cat Bordhi way, and she strongly suggests we knit two learning socks first. What I have learned in my life is that practice is usually a good thing, so I'm knitting the learning socks. Besides there are 3 babies due next year at work - so little footsie covers will be useful as gifts.
And a new pink and clearer Brioche in the round video, I think I was a little to aplogetic about the fuzzy camera work on my last one. the first U-tube message begged me to get a new camera and improve the quality. Well - those that know me would remember I had been saving for a new camera to replace the aging Minolta. And I had sampled the camera of my dreams only to find it wasn't really the camera of my dreams so I bought a spinning wheel instead. What I didn't like about he SLR Pentax was that you had to look thru the viewfinder not use the LCD screen, and a macro lens would set me back as much as the camera would. Today I borrowed a rather new ZLR Sony camera from work, thinking it would be better, but no, it was worse. The sony refused to focus any wear near as close as my old Minolta. Reality - there are technical difficulties with focus and depth of focus when making close up images, irregardless of the camera. Short story - Bear my camera guy, found that if he got really close, the focus was much more consistent. Result = new Brioche in the round video.
Brioche in the round, first knit on slightly larger than usual needles, use an even number of stitches, knit a single rib set up row (k1p1). The pink thing I am knitting - I thought it might be a hat for Poppy, but it was to small - in reality it was just stunt knitting for the camera. The piece has been frogged, the yarn and needles all put away.
5 comments:
That hat is amazing -- the inside is just as gorgeous as the outside. And the colors you dyed are just perfect for a piece like this. Those earflaps look like a real bear, though -- I'm dying to see how it all looks together! You'll have to let us know what you think of Cat Bordhi's new book; I keep thinking about getting it, but it's a big investment and I've had so much on my plate that I've been holding off. But then I go to the store and look at it again... Maybe I'll put it on my Christmas list.
That hat is simply gorgeous!
That hat is GORGEOUS. Love the pattern and the colors! I'd like to try it but without the ear flaps!
Thanks for your lovely comments! Is that hat must be a figment of my imagination? Can someone really spin yarn and then knit it into such an amazing object?!?! Oh, wait. It's a Stella project! Of course you can:) Your projects are always so fabulous!
Jealous as always...
Great hat and what beautiful work you are doing on it! Yes, the earflaps do seem rather involved, though, but worth it in the long run. It was really good to catch up with you at the Show. I've put my email address on my blog's sidebar if you would like to contact me re the Festival speakers. I'm very interested in some you described!
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