The homeward stretch, nearly there ....

... the shrug is nearly done, I've completed both sleeves, with thumb holes, and picked up around the body opening. So - a video, now I suspect most of you can work out how to do this, but I'm still exited by owning my very own Addi-Turbo-Cro-Needle, and not having to pay $USA50 shipping to get it (Thanks Kelly), so I'm showing off. The baby blanket moves along, more rosy yellow garter rows (but no photos today). I'm thinking about the new Knitty, some little cardigans and sweaters are tempting and might solve my decision dilemma for the alpaca, and some interesting socks with linen stitch heels (Gryphon Perkins - An American in China socks), or migrating cables (Rebekkah Kerner's Salto).

Here is my Poppy admiring the thumb hole in the first sleeve. Thumb-holes are pretty cool when you are 5, and I think pretty smart for the knitting mum. I knit for 1" past the wrist, knit the rib flat with slipped stitch edges for another inch, and then in the round for another inch. I increased in each stitch before casting off the old fashioned way, a chain bind of using a crochet hook. The increase was to keep it stretchy, and I like the flare it added.

But I had to explain on knit-night why I added them, when asked why I would want to rib an extra 3" onto any sleeve? Well the extra 3 inches of sleeve should last and keep the shrug fitting while she grows for the next 2 years. I'm expecting her to get taller and longer, not particularly wider across the shoulders. Yes they will get grubby, but wrist edges on kids clothes get grubby anyway. This shrug is sized 6-8, and she is only 5.75, well a tall 5.75 so maybe a 6? I'll just stitch the thumb hole closed and - there it is, new sleeve length instantly.


Right now I'm working on the ribbing, which meant using my newly arrived back with Kelly from the US Addi-Turbo-Cro-needle. This little baby has a hook at one end and a long circular needle cable then a knitting needle at the other end. In theory you hook up the stitches you require with the hook end, slide them to the other end and knit them right off onto the needle you plan to knit with. In practice - it works, much easier than my previous method of hooking up stitches with a crochet hook and sliding them onto a waiting circular needle.


Now I think I have found a way to store higher quality movies and make them available, here is a direct link to a slightly clearer version. And below - the embedded blogger version (blogger lowers the quality - which is ok, I accept that, after all - blogger is free). Let me know if its worth me uploading the higher quality versions, and I'll upload all the previous ones as well.

So here it is nearly done, ribbing well underway, and yes - one cuff does look smaller, but its not, the other just has been tried on more. By Poppy, by me, by me again to show some one it fits me, by Bear for fun ... hopefully after a wash and wear they will again match in size. Or we could all take turns wearing it for a while ....?

Take care
Stella