for more snow, the Owl mitts are done, really done, finished, with thumbs and ends woven in and blocked and nearly dry! Can't be any more done that that! There has been other knitting, the greener than green baby blanket grows and I've been playing with books.
Thursday night I finished knitting the third mitten ... for those who have been tagging along, the first mitten was a reject, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was way to large, a result of my complete beginner-ness at double knitting. As I worked my tension settled and tightened .. and so subsequent mittens were smaller than the first. The second reason to reject it was the motif wasn't quite round enough for me, the bear was a little horizontal - so I decided to try some Owls. I had enough yarn to finish two more mittens, so rather than frog first I left it - and planned to knit two more - hence I now have three double knit mittens.
One of the other changes I made was to use a tubular cast on for mittens two and three. The pattern called for casting on and then increasing to get the stitches for the inside, that is the finish on the underneath mitten. While that looked nice enough I really prefer the seamless quality of the tubular cast on.
So early this morning, before breakfast even I blocked these, fulling them a little to thicken them up. As the 2nd and 3rd mittens were slightly different in size, but not as different at the first mitten - fulling seemed a good solution. Winter mittens need to be thick and warm anyway - and fulling achieves that. For any one wondering - fulling is the textile term for knitting that is felted. And not a moment to soon ... today we have snow again, this is the second or third snow fall of the morning, with more predicted.
The next baby blanket has been growing. Every time I see this out of the corner of my eye ... I can't help think how light this green is. Not light in a pale sense but light is a sense that the green glows a little like the sun is shining on it. I've finished 2 of the 4 repeats for the central section, and I'm feeling brave enough to work the main body without markers. I have 360m - and the pattern calls for much much more than that. My plan is to to work maybe three repeats of the center section, and then move straight to the bee border, then on to the edge ......
Last week I made a book, 100 sheets (200 pages), coptic bound. That book has gone to a new home, but this week I found myself making more. Two more books were assembled yesterday, one with blank pages, and the other using Rhodia 5mm grid paper. that one will be a perfect knitting project book. All the paper I have used is 'fountain pen friendly', which means that the paper is of a good quality and the ink behaves nicely. Nicely - in the fountain pen world means no feathering, and no bleed thru to the other side of the paper. I have plans to make two more books today ... sometimes when the mood strikes, its best not to fight it. I've even headed out and bought HP premium paper as recommended on the Fountain Pen Network and more card to use for the boards. Besides Bear was looking at these with potential for ownership and use. I realized I didn't want to give these ones up, rather I was keen to make some more. So some of today's production may be for him.
Thursday night I finished knitting the third mitten ... for those who have been tagging along, the first mitten was a reject, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was way to large, a result of my complete beginner-ness at double knitting. As I worked my tension settled and tightened .. and so subsequent mittens were smaller than the first. The second reason to reject it was the motif wasn't quite round enough for me, the bear was a little horizontal - so I decided to try some Owls. I had enough yarn to finish two more mittens, so rather than frog first I left it - and planned to knit two more - hence I now have three double knit mittens.
One of the other changes I made was to use a tubular cast on for mittens two and three. The pattern called for casting on and then increasing to get the stitches for the inside, that is the finish on the underneath mitten. While that looked nice enough I really prefer the seamless quality of the tubular cast on.
So early this morning, before breakfast even I blocked these, fulling them a little to thicken them up. As the 2nd and 3rd mittens were slightly different in size, but not as different at the first mitten - fulling seemed a good solution. Winter mittens need to be thick and warm anyway - and fulling achieves that. For any one wondering - fulling is the textile term for knitting that is felted. And not a moment to soon ... today we have snow again, this is the second or third snow fall of the morning, with more predicted.
The next baby blanket has been growing. Every time I see this out of the corner of my eye ... I can't help think how light this green is. Not light in a pale sense but light is a sense that the green glows a little like the sun is shining on it. I've finished 2 of the 4 repeats for the central section, and I'm feeling brave enough to work the main body without markers. I have 360m - and the pattern calls for much much more than that. My plan is to to work maybe three repeats of the center section, and then move straight to the bee border, then on to the edge ......
Last week I made a book, 100 sheets (200 pages), coptic bound. That book has gone to a new home, but this week I found myself making more. Two more books were assembled yesterday, one with blank pages, and the other using Rhodia 5mm grid paper. that one will be a perfect knitting project book. All the paper I have used is 'fountain pen friendly', which means that the paper is of a good quality and the ink behaves nicely. Nicely - in the fountain pen world means no feathering, and no bleed thru to the other side of the paper. I have plans to make two more books today ... sometimes when the mood strikes, its best not to fight it. I've even headed out and bought HP premium paper as recommended on the Fountain Pen Network and more card to use for the boards. Besides Bear was looking at these with potential for ownership and use. I realized I didn't want to give these ones up, rather I was keen to make some more. So some of today's production may be for him.
4 comments:
The mittens look lovely! Very timely indeed, considering the weather at the moment (0.5C a few minutes ago where you live!). I hope they are dry soon!
I do like the green of the shawl - very cheerful and "light".
You are also so clever to make the lovely books. Is there no end to your talents?
I love the mittens. Worth persevering with after the first one, and your casting on looks really good. They almost persuade me that I should try double knitting myself...
Everything you touch turns out marvellous. I am so partial to your books! Am up to page 20 already. Thank You sweet Stella, thank you!!!!!
The mittens are fantastic. How wise to make three! As it is the ending of summer here in New England, thoughts are, indeed, turning to cold and snowy times.
I have just begun to read your blog and am fascinated by the references to fountain pens. Can you offer a suggestions for someone who would like to go back to a pen after many years of rollerballs and felt tips? I am willing to spend a bit, but not in the vintage and extranagant range. Would like a quality pen that will be a pleasure for years to come.
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