One thing at a time

This week there are two finished objects, and one new project. I'm pacing myself, working away one at a time at the projects in the unfinished pile, the Work in Progress's that have slipped to the bottom of the queue. Doing so has resulted in one finished project, the linen lace edge that was started at Knit Camp way back in May. I cast off Friday, woven in ends yesterday and blocked today. The next project in the queue is the Hope-he-never-needs-this hat, which is finished, but not blocked. And within a month there is a secret swap project needed ... so I'd best queue that one up next. I have the pattern, and the yarn, and all I have to do is knit it ... and such things don't knit themsleves.

 So here is the lace edge all done. At knit camp 2012 we were presented with two options, to knit the lace and then stitch it to a hemmed circle of linen or to hem a circle of linen using blanket or buttonhole stitch and then crotchet an edge that could be picked up and knitted on on to. I liked the idea of when something is done it is done, with no seaming or sewing - so I went with knitting on my lace as I went.

 Once knit I the lace needed blocking, although there is something charming about the deep relief of the leaves - especially when viewed from the wrong side. Mid way through working the edge I had steam ironed it, as it is linen, just to see the effect.

 First I drew a circle in chalk on my blocking board that I thought would be the right size to block to, but I underestimated and had to draw a slightly larger circle. Then I pinned the quarter points, the eight points, then all the points in between.

 
One of my favorite subjects at high school was one called 'Technical Drawing'. I loved it, we spent our time learning how to draw with great accuracy and detail all sorts of things. Plans, elevations, perspective views, unfolded or 'developmental' explanations, exploded views. I loved the large sheets of heavy white paper, the use of special pencils, and scale rulers, and the sort of planning and understanding that had to happen before one started drawing. I liked that the final drawing was a graphic representation of something. Most of all I liked the tools, the specialist little boxes of drawing equipment like this extending compass, or circle maker. I've kept all of that, in its little rounded wooden box, and love any excuse to drag it out and use it. Yes I could have used a plate ... but why when I have tools like this?

At this stage it looked pretty good .. until smallest cub said "what is this?" and pointed at a few teeny tiny loose loops. She was helping me pin out the points, Little cub has a keen interest in blocking, I think it may be her favorite process. I must admit that I am always slightly in awe at how simple washing and stretching can open out the lace pattern so cleanly and clearly. Whomever discovered that technique deserves some sort of knitting honor.

Argh, there was a dropped stitch, three loose loops, which I've secured with a few pins, and once the lace is try I'll secure them by weaving a thread through them and secure it neatly. No one will ever no, expect, me, little cub and all of you.

Take care, we have a fantastic frost outside this morning, the kind that leaves the road white and sparkly, so I'll be staying safe in side and warm most of the day, but the sky is blue and the sun is shining so it will warm up slightly.
na Stella

Banjo-Helen - the blanket is done

and there is a new wip (work in progress) to report. Last weekend was the Annual Knitters study group camp, and as usual I didn't take a camera - but others did so you can catch up on a little detail here at Shoebox Sally's blog. I'm in the first photo, way down the end of the table - next to Pam, and Lorna our local knit guru is the one standing at the far left right next to Pam. All in all there were fifteen of us and we knit lace, narrow lace trimings. Some of us with more forethought than others, mine has been rethought.

 But first things first, the Banjo-Helen baby blanket is done, blocked out to 42" from side to side and relaxed to 39". I have come to expect that - some relaxation over the few days after the blocking is released, as the knitting finds its own shape and size. Here the blanket is in the last of today's daylight, at around 5pm ... it was either that or lug it to work and photograph it during the daylight hours. Given that we had snow on the hills forcast for today, which translated into sleet and rain on the lower parts of town and work - that seemed a tad extreme. Yo-yo as usual turned up to supervise. I'm rather pleased with this, its a large soft, squishy blanket with an interesting centre and a nice chunky lace edge. Details, handspun blanket knit on 5mm needles, edge on 4mm,  a modified version of KnitSpots Rosebuddie, knit without any roses between the corners, and omitting the lace band before the edging. I suspect I could knit this again and again -  the corner increases are rather lovely. I've knit this before, in pink handspun, and I suspect I'll knit this again before too long, just one of those patterns that is worth returning to.

 So Knit Camp, the project was lace edges, in linen or cotton, as used on fabric. There were several variations available to chose from, and this wee one with the leaves caught my fancy. We were presented with two options, to knit the lace, then to attach it to a circle of linen, or to finish the edge of the linen and then knit the lace onto the finished edge. Me being me, I decided to knit my lace onto the edge as I worked the lace. I was using 2mm needles, and liked it well enough, but now I'm home I think the lace is a tad open and I'd like to knit it on smaller needles, so I've switched to 1.75mm to see what effect that has. The last leaf is knit on the smaller needles - and I think I prefer that gauge. Its firmer,  less floppy and the pattern cleaner, sharper.

Here is a close up of the edge, first I thread marked my circle on the linen, then I marked a second line 4mm inside the circle - also with thread. I then worked blanket stitch over the two guide threads. Once I'd completely worked around the circle, I took my small sharp scissors and trimmed away the fabric outside the blanket stitch. I then used a teeny tiny crochet hook to single crochet around the blanket stitch. This crochet chain provides the loop that I pick up and knit(purl actually) together with the last stitch on the lace edging. My linen choice was limited to pink or green, what I had at hand, whilst the local shops had only white and shades of cream linen .... ideally I'd be working the edge in a yarn that was the same tone or shade as the fabric.

and no, I am not usually a lace doily kind of person, but I have got a linen lace basket liner that I use for serving baking. Knit from the same green yarn - these two projects together will make a nice set of cloths for the table. Imagine this under a plate of warm scones, or muffins.

Yum ... and I'd best go, its now nearly 7pm and I'm sure I could be useful in the kitchen as dinner is readied.

na Stella