Just a quick update today, one photo three projects, but first a heads up about a very special fibre event to look out for in 2012.
First up the knitting event, Unwind, March 9, 10 and 11 2012, New Zealand. Special because finally us locals have a knit event close to home (thanks Morag) - which means more spending on classes and fibre and less on travel to get there. The site is live, registration is open and teachers and traders include New Zealands finest (IMO)! I'm teaching two classes, Norwegian Steeking and Coptic bookbinding ... and hoping to get into James Persian Poppy's class. Kaffe Fassett's Poppy's has been on my want-to-knit list for simply ages and Jame's class will give me the push to finally commit to finding yarn and casting on.
So that excitement over, and back to talking about my knitting - look two socks on the go and a washcloth that snuck its way onto my needles. Oh I was totally aware of the washcloth happening, at the last KSG class there was discussion that the next class would be on smocking. Now smocking I know, and knitting I know, and I am sort of aware of a kind of knitting that looks like smocking so I thought I'd do a little bit of investigation. Of course that kind of thing almost always results in me wanting to just try the technique a little bit.
So, here we have a wash cloth, which is smocked, using the technique shown in this video by Audknits.The technique looked fun and it is - I suspect I might include this in a cardigan at some time soon, around the cuffs and hem and yoke ......What I have learned is this is fun, easy, surprisingly simple and pulls the knitting in amazingly, this is a 50 stitch washcloth and it behaves more like a 30 stitch washcloth. When I use this in a cardigan there will have to be be significant swatching to make sure it fits.
Also in the photo are the two current socks on the needles, first up the Ice Sock and then behind that the Tardis Bigger on the Inside sock. The Ice sock has kept me frogging, mostly as I keep being distracted by other knitting like the smocking and forgetting that the traveling stitches are not twisted. I spend one entire evening knitting merrily away twisting all the traveling stitches and not looking closely enough at my work to notice that what I was doing was different to what I had done before. The darker blue sock, Tardis Bigger on the Inside is looking good and is a good mindless knit. Both are nearing the point of starting gusset stitches so I'll have to so some sort of estimations to workout just how many and where ..... time to haul out my workbooks and see what I usually do. Might even be time to work out a semi standard set of guidelines for knitting socks for socks of any size- so I don't end up back in the workbooks working it out each time. Mostly my socks are influenced by things I read about how different people make socks and a fair few keeper techniques gleaned from socks knit in the past. The most interesting find recently is this idea by Maia Spins, which was posted in 2007 but which I have only just thought now to search for. I'm keen to try that kind of flap extension with a slipped stitch heel, there is something neat about how the gusset stitches run vertical not horizontal.
Take care - knit or spin some, or at least read about fibre ...and investigate Unwind - even if just to temp yourself a little and dream.
na Stella
So that excitement over, and back to talking about my knitting - look two socks on the go and a washcloth that snuck its way onto my needles. Oh I was totally aware of the washcloth happening, at the last KSG class there was discussion that the next class would be on smocking. Now smocking I know, and knitting I know, and I am sort of aware of a kind of knitting that looks like smocking so I thought I'd do a little bit of investigation. Of course that kind of thing almost always results in me wanting to just try the technique a little bit.
Also in the photo are the two current socks on the needles, first up the Ice Sock and then behind that the Tardis Bigger on the Inside sock. The Ice sock has kept me frogging, mostly as I keep being distracted by other knitting like the smocking and forgetting that the traveling stitches are not twisted. I spend one entire evening knitting merrily away twisting all the traveling stitches and not looking closely enough at my work to notice that what I was doing was different to what I had done before. The darker blue sock, Tardis Bigger on the Inside is looking good and is a good mindless knit. Both are nearing the point of starting gusset stitches so I'll have to so some sort of estimations to workout just how many and where ..... time to haul out my workbooks and see what I usually do. Might even be time to work out a semi standard set of guidelines for knitting socks for socks of any size- so I don't end up back in the workbooks working it out each time. Mostly my socks are influenced by things I read about how different people make socks and a fair few keeper techniques gleaned from socks knit in the past. The most interesting find recently is this idea by Maia Spins, which was posted in 2007 but which I have only just thought now to search for. I'm keen to try that kind of flap extension with a slipped stitch heel, there is something neat about how the gusset stitches run vertical not horizontal.
Take care - knit or spin some, or at least read about fibre ...and investigate Unwind - even if just to temp yourself a little and dream.
na Stella
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