finished - officially but ...... and then there is the nice surprise

Today - I've got good news which resulted in a bit of a disappointment, then a nice surprise. So lets start with the surprise. In December I signed up for the post Christmas gift exchange on Knitters Review. My exchange partner was the lovely Rena, aka Highdesertrose, who sent me this amazing stash enhancement with two sorts of sock yarn, and accessories. Tea, biscuits, Libris stickers, and needle huggers in the shape of cute little sweaters.

Rena also sent me new sock needles by Lanternmoon, which are just exquisite. It was so nice to get the package today, a prefect day for it as by mid afternoon I needed a bit of a lift. I only hope that the package I sent was as delightful for Rena as this was for me.

.... and yes the project monotony ... ops monogamy (little Freudian slip there) worked and the garter ribbed sweater is finished - sort of. I had a day or two of mild panic when I asked Bear to try it on after knit night on Thursday and it was tight, firm and far to small. I checked the maths and it was all correct, but the sweater was small and tight. Remembering that the swatch bloomed magnificently when washed, I pinned my hopes on that same bloom to solve the fit problem with this sweater.


Fast forward to today, I finished up the saddle neck shaping, and cast off. Even though I was planning to pick up and knit a collar, I cast off the neck edge to give stability and stop it stretching later when in use.

I'm always impressed by the simple yet effective shaping EZ came up with for this sweater, I do like the way the back neck is raised by reversing the saddle decrease lines. Here is a peek before the collar was added.



Today was wash and block day, and yes - Bears sweater grew sideways as it relaxed by a full 10 cm(4")! The sweater now fits sideways - what a relief - but it is much to short. No - it didn't forsake length for width - it is the same length I knitted it to, but more about that later.

First lets just enjoy the saddle shaped shoulders which do fit well, and the steek, my first in 'sticky yarn', but my forth steek or thereabouts. All my previous steeks have been in merino or superwash. This sticky yarn made the steek even more secure, but just in case, I worked two rows of machine stitching before cutting.





After cutting the steek edge was very stable. That is one bonus of using sticky yarn.



I picked up 3 in 4 stitches around the steek, on needles one size smaller (so 4mm not 5mm), and one stitch for every cast off stitch around the neck, and garter knit four rows. Then I cast off along the steeked edges and continued the garter around to make a small collar. I cast off the top edge of the collar with a 3 stitch i-cord cast off. Finally I catch stitched/ herringbone stitched the cut steek edge down. This probably wasn't needed, as the steek seemed stable, but should tame any little fluffy cut ends that emerge after the next wash.




So after all that, I have a finished sweater that is 6-10 cm (3-4" to short). How did that happen you ask? Well I asked also. Turns out EZ sweater shaping has quite a high arm hole, with a short distance from shoulder to under arm. I based the measurements for this knit on a commercial sweater that Bear wears a lot, and measured from arm hole to hem. We have all read or heard that advice - measure a sweater that fits well and use those measurements to shape your hand knit sweaters so they will fit properly.

Bad move, bad bad move. The measured sweater has a much longer yoke, from arm hole to shoulder - a full 6cm (3") longer. Bother! It never occurred to me to check the overall length of the sweater, and without knowing how much shorter EZ yoke was I couldn't have allowed for this earlier. I hang my head in shame - I should know better. I do now.

I have a few history of fisherman's sweater books around the house, and did try to convince Bear that it was traditional to wear sweaters short - but Bear wasn't buying that argument in any way, shape or form. He was very polite about it, pointed out it wasn't pre 1900 Europe but 2008 NZ. He did retreat to the lounge with one of my library books for a closer look, but didn't change his mind, so the sweater needs to be longer to be worn by Bear. Besides -he has ordered pewter clasps for it and they will be here soon.

So I think it best to split the sweater just below the under arm and knit an extension bit and graft it back together. 3-4 days knitting max. My other solution is to cut, pick up and knit down a stocking stitch lower section that is longer - boring and probably more knitting. I can't knit down in the the garter rib, the sweater was knit bottom up and and the rib wouldn't match if I added a section knit top down, so it would have to be plain stst. All I can say is it must be love (of Bear or knitting or both?) to contemplate this kind of fix. My third solution is to gift this to a similar girthed but shorter Bear (don't know any - do you?), and knit a new one for my Bear - but I want to knit pretty things - so that option is a very last resort.

If any of you have any other suggestions - please do say, although I plan on cutting and picking up tonight - just to get it out of the way. Do return soon for the predictable horrific pictures of this newly knit sweater cut apart at its very middle.

Stella (the apparently ditsy blond knitter)

monogamous knitting

Oh how I would have liked to title this one something else, but no - right now I am just knitting one thing, the garter ribbed cardigan for Bear, so Project Monogamy is where I am at. Spinning doesn't count, right? We are just talking about the knitting here today, with a small spinning update, and a mini book review and update section

It should be boring, but because I am knitting only this progress seems quick. Not only that - but because it is quick, well, it changes, there I was knitting the second sleeve, then quick smart, I was slotting both sleeves into place with the body. One inch of knitting latter and the yoke decreases started leaning towards the body, a mere 10 rounds latter and the decreases switched and started eating up the sleeve stitches. It just keeps changing, and yet it stays the same, one row K2P1, next row K, repeat many many times. If I get really bored, I have the not merino lace socks to retreat to, and I could graft the underarms before I finish knitting.

I'm using EZ's saddle shoulder shaping, and I do like the way she calls the decreases 'eating' up the stitches, they really do get eaten. The shaping is detailed in the Knitting Workshop, in the 7 seamless sweater shapings chapter. I have used this shaping before, for my PB Cabled Zippie cardigan.

The Saddle shoulder provides a nice balance between KITR (Knit-In-The-Round) and the formality and flattering fit that comes from having arm hole seams. At the knit-to-fit workshop, raglans were described as giving the body a 'frown', something that stuck. It was suggested raglans suggested more shoulder slope than most people had, so tended to make people appear more slouched or round than they actually were. Further it was claimed raglan lines drew the eye down away from the face, much like frown lines draw the eye down the face, and smiles are said to draw the eye up to the eye. It was even suggested that the raglan line mimicked a frown or sad face and that it wasn't flattering. I know that Raglans can emphasize a large bust, right now I'm rambling - because Bear most definitely doesn't have a large bust or a small one, and this sweater is for him. But Bear is rounded, so the vertical lines of this sweater shaping are selected to flatter and correct for his roundness.


Here is a closer look at the shaping, This will probably be a jersey with a neck opening closed with pewter clasps rather than a cardigan. We are keeping out options open right now. I could also steek the front open and put in a zip.

Right now my only allowed fiber distraction is spinning more merino, white, 2 out of 3 bobbins filled, nearly ready to 3 ply. I got a few new books this past week, PGR Spinning in the old way, and N & J Fournier's In sheeps clothing : a hand spinners guide to wool. And Knitting School: A complete course, an English translation of an Italian technique book (Thanks Suzanne for telling me about this one). This one has rather special hand drawn illustrations in great detail of all the steps of the various techniques covered. Spinning the old way is about using the High Whorl Spindle, and I finally mastered how to use it by rolling it down my thigh - PGR claims using a high whorl spindle is as efficient for production spinning as a wheel. I'm not sure about that but she explains her nomadic life and non-material attitude as reasons for preferring the spindle to the wheel. In Sheeps clothing, is a little over my head for now, but in time, as I learn to relate breeds to fleece/fiber and yarn characteristics, it should prove useful.

So now I am just waiting for Knitting for Anarchists, Knit to fit, Vogue Knitting The Ultimate Sock Book, and The Art of Fair Isle Knitting: History, Technique, Color & Patterns, which I sucumed to only this morning. In a thread on Ravelry - it was said to have a good section on various ways to hold the yarn for colour work. Somthing I am interested in. I'm also waiting for the rest of my christmas presents, Kelly is bring me a knitpicks package and some more addi turbos back for me from the states. But she won't be here until next month.

last post 2007, progress and FO report

its the end of the year, or more rightly put, the end of another year. So ... I finally have some progress to show on the garter ribbed cardigan, and my not Merino socks still grow slowly. To round things off for the year- I've added a list of 2007 FO's to end this post, I can't believe I finished knitting 25 projects! Some were small, and one was a rework of a dud project, but 25! This year - I blogged a lot more (108) than the previous year(24), and finally I felt ready to give back to the internet-knit community, both in tutorials and in give aways. I have made several knit-friends, local and internationally, and those friendships all have a special place in my life, thank you. So back to regular post content ...

Look a sleeve, this one went relatively quickly, about 3-4 days, I put off casting on a larger cuff for a while, then just did it. I want this jersey out of the way, so I can start something exiting and new in nice yarn. Only one more sleeve and the yoke/collar to go. This one is knit in naturally coloured yarn from Clifton wool'n'things, and it is washes up beautifully soft. Being naturally coloured it has an inherent heather texture to the brown colouring, with grey marled, speckled and freckled. But - its sticky and drags thru my fingers. Perhaps I should wash a skein some time to see if it makes it nicer to work with. I'm wary of starting to wash the skeins to knit into this jersey - what if the gauge changes, and I have to start over?

The rejected sleeve, the one that was so firmly fitted, well I didn't frog it, I meshed together the open end with a crochet closure, and knit two I-cord straps, and now Curley Bear has a back pack. Small things - small minds, not sure if that refers to my daughters delight at the new toy for her toy, or me and my penchant for using up duds in such a way. Still there is a kind of pleasure in being able to make children happy with small gifts like this.




And 'not' Merino Lace socks, I have well and truly turned the heel on both socks, and decreased all but one stitch of the gusset away. One more decrease round - and then continue straight on to the toe. This sock has the chevron lace continue right down the heel section, which makes for a stretchy fit sock. It is a nice look, a heel matching rather than slip stitch, but I've only knit one other like that - so I'm unsure how this form of heel lasts in comparison to a slip stitch one.



So 2007 - what did I accomplish?
Well I learned to spin, or rather I began the long and fun process of learning to spin, first on a spindle and then on a wheel. I also started dying yarn using food colours. I went to a lace weekend workshop - and while I don't knit lots of lace (yet) I'm working up my lace skills on small things like Pomatomus and Merino lace socks. I acquired a table loom, and thought I would like weaving - but I didn't. Knitting wise - my 25 finished projects for the year were in order of being knitted,

1. Lost Kanga jersey for Toby (this was lost by March never to be seen again)
2. Pink Merino Sweater for Curley Bear, i-pod cover, and a felted bowl
3. Socks - Widdershins for me (and a dolls blanket for the dolls house)
4. Wash cloth - yellow and blue
5. Wash cloth - black and white
6. Socks - Widdershins for Poppy
7. Toby's hat, to match the Lost Kanga Jersey
8. Widdershins for Bear
9. Mittens for Poppy using food dyed yarn
10. Mohair lined mittens for Toby using food dyed yarn
11. BSJ (Baby Surprise Jacket) for my friends 3rd Baby (she called him Toby!)
12. Fannigan, a silk merino colour work steeked cardigan for me
13. Socks ribbed Regia for Toby
14. Blanket - Fair Isle Baby , for my friends 3rd Baby (special baby - 2 things)
15. Socks Pomatomus for me, in Tekking pro Natura with 25% Bamboo fiber
16. Fiber Trends Felted Clogs for me, I knit these then food colour dyed them
17. Socks Hedge row for me
18. Wash cloth Green
19. Crochet hats for both Poppy and Curley bear
20. Socks Brother Amos for me
21. Gansey for Curley Bear (knitter study group project)
22. Hand spun brioche ribbed hat for Poppy (I spun the yarn for this !)
23. Ccatta Andean hat with ear flaps (another knitter study group project and I dyed the yarn for this!)
24. I re-worked the lower edge of my cabled zippie cardigan, shorter
25. Curley's back pack - in this post

Wips - things remaining to finish

1. 50% of a cardigan for Bear, body and one sleeve.
2. by the end of 2007 I have sewed 91 fish into the fish afghan blanket - still a WIP.

So - 2008, I'm not one to make resolutions, life is pretty good, so no real need for major change. This next year we will refurbish the aged kitchen, laundry, electric and water system in our house. I will need the relaxation of knitting to get thru that, and I will spin more, There are some important people around me who have some trials to get thru, I want to knit special things for them- take care of them in a kind way, so some socks or scarves for others in 2008. I will finished the garter ribbed cardigan before I start any major new project.

May the new year bring only good things,
Stella

Two at a time and yes more DIY,

Today - look at me I'm turning two heels at once, my merino 3 ply worked, I knit part of the garter ribbed cardigans sleeve only to find it is to small and needs up sizing, and I've made my own dpns! Christmas was good, we caught up with lots of distant relatives by phone, the Welly(wellington) ones have sold their house (good news), the Auckland ones tell me my Nana is frail and going to be 94 soon, all agree she has had a good innings. She is fairly confused, and thinks I am my mum, and my sister is my daughter, and my aunt is - -oh far to hard to explain. We love her, and she is very old. My dad had a great day with my brothers 'in-laws' family. We didn't over eat and we had a tv free day by negotiation - and it worked great. We had hot sunny weather, and the small bears rode around and around and around and around for much of the morning on their bikes, then it rained. I goofed the Big Bears present ... the scrumpled bag of coffee beans I thought was in the hopper of the coffee bean grinder, well, that turned out to be a rather too realistic photo of a scrumpled bag of coffee beans, and me - I got 6 (count em - 6) bars of luxury dark chocolate - yes mummy was very happy. I am a simple bear at heart.


First the socks, the not Merino Lace socks by Anne Woodbury (from Interweave - 25 favorite socks), I've started the heel and all goes well. There was a small hicup where you are to move the first 3 stitches on needle one to needle two so isolating the 30 stitches on which to work the heel flap. Moving the 3 stitches from the front to the back needle on the first sock was easy. To move the same 3 stitches on the second sock required removing the first sock from both circulars, and putting it to one side while the 3 stitches were transfered from front to back needle, then replacing the first sock onto both circulars. I chickened out, I put the 3 stitches on a paper clip, and kept going, it works. I guess I could have slid it from one circular to the other - but hey, my brain was tired.


I've been reading Anne Feild's beyond basic spinning book, it is full of exciting exercises to develop working spinning knowledge. I've just read them, not yet done the practices, but I did glean this little tip, to use embroidery skein holders to make little records of singles, plied yarns and washed plied yarns. The bonus is the embroidery cards are really really cheap, and are pre cut with notches one inch wide. Extra bonus - was I already had them in the embroidery drawer from an earlier life. Perfect for counting wraps. The last few days I have been finishing spinning the singles, and plying the merino. I got 41 wpi on the singles, 21 wpi on the 3 ply, and 20 wpi on the washed 3 ply. The hardest thing is to let them all rest for a day after each step, for them to settle and not be so springy. I guess over time, if I keep records - well I will be a thinking spinner and will learn something. I now have one skein 318m long, 20 wpi, white 22 micron merino. 318m of this yarn is apparently all that will fit on my bobbin when I ply. I want to spin a little more the same and then dye it - perhaps blue, rust, purple ... ?


Bears garter ribbed cardigan. Two items of note to report. First the sleeve, I cast on and knit this much Christmas eve. I increased evenly around the sleeve. Several sweaters ago I wondered why sleeve increases were placed at the under-arm seam, especially when knitting in the round. Arms don't get wider there, well mine don't. I decided on Poppy's pink-mint merino to increase evenly around the sleeve and liked the shaping I got. I've done that to most sweaters since - except Fannigan. I had Bear try the sleeve on and ..... ummmm, ... well he informs me that men don't usually wear their sweater sleeves so fitted. Translated that means, pleases can I re-knit the sleeve looser. I reworked the math, and realized that I am sizing this cardigan based on measurements of a purchased sweater he likes not according to EPS. I've put the sleeve aside, and probably won't frog this one, I have so much of this yarn, I will just cast on anew with more stitches, and trust EPS.

I also discovered that I had knit the body 'wrong', the garter ribbed cardigan which the sweater is based on should be in a K3p1 rib, and I have worked a K2p1 rib. Bother - but it stays as is. Besides - K2P1 fits in with the k2p1 rib at the cuff and hem better, no sudden jarring mismatch as the rib pattern changes.


The second thing I discovered when knitting the sleeves for the garter ribbed cardigan, is how much I have grown unaccustomed to metal dpns. Once I loved them, I have an entire set lovingly stored in my knitting storage. What I didn't have was wood or bamboo dpns in size 5mm, my set went up to 4.5mm.

Now I like wood, it is warm, light and comfortable. Metal is not. Wooden dpns are hard to get in Dunedin, the lys stocks a few in sock sizes, and I can order them on-line from 'up north' or over seas, but that takes time. Knowing this I attempted knitting heroics - I made my own dpns. For $2.78 at the local hardware store I found 1.8 meters of 6 mm dowel. I cut this into lengths and sanded it until it fitted the 5mm space on my needle sizer. I then pencil sharpened the tips and sanded more until I made a nice pointy knitting needle shape. You can see they are a little blunter than the metal Inox dpn. It was not plain sailing. First I attempted to sand a section of dowel 80 cm long, but it snapped. So I cut it into needle sized lengths. I also discovered 6mm dowel, was larger than 6mm - more like 7mm - do you think wood workers notice that? They did have 4mm down which I didn't buy, maybe I should have? Next time I would take my needle sizer with me. What do I mean next time? I'm not sure there will be a next time.
Take care
S

Back on track, lots of updates, and a new video

Today, I take risks with my knitting, I've got a video showing how I pick up stitches, some colour work swatching, and progress on a hibernating project, I'm putting my first spinning and plying efforts on display to the world, I dig up an old skill for show and tell, and my 'polish' recipe as requested especially for KathyR


So first up, I sat down a few days ago to pick up the band / facing stitches on Fannigan, and Bear asked if I wanted a wine, mmm wine and knitting mmm? .... wine and knitting fine gauge? ... wine and picking up up stitches at 8.5 spi on 2mm circs .... "oh why not I replied". So here is my dicing with danger, drinking and picking up stitches at the same time - which I am sure is both illegal or encouraged some where in the world. So how do I pick up stitches, well I use a crochet hook, and a long circular needle thus ...


but I imagine most people pick up stitches like this, but I find that is fiddly for a few reasons, it seems harder for continental, because I like a firmer gauge which makes hooking the stitches through with a knitting pin more difficult, and I am using a larger needle. Why - so the first row of picked up stitches will be loose enough for me to pick up the loops on the back and knit them into a facing to cover the steek. It all went very well, but is on hold while I wait for some much longer 2mm Addi Turbo's from Kangaroo to arrive. I just hope that I made the right call, in dropping from a 2.5mm needle for the body, to a 2mm for the facing, I have picked up stitch for stitch, not 3 in 4 ... I'll let you know.


And, Andean knitting workshop this Saturday, yeah!, Instructions were to bring lots of fine gauge yarn, in colours (got that - remember that weekend spend dying a few weeks ago), and appropriate needles. Well - to work out "appropriate" one has to swatch, so I swatch on 2mm needles, and it seems fine, then - I thought "perhaps I should work out some colour combinations in advance" -- well what do you know, I've got a mini colour work blanket. And all in the flat, so colour work was done in the flat, including purling! Maybe I need the tee shirt "feel the fear and purl anyway"? And the really good news is I washed it and soaked it and the colour didn't run - always a fear with dark blue with white, and especially so for a novice dyer like myself.



And here is the almost forgotten or hibernating Garter rib cardie for Bear, back on the needles for a short spell while I worked out what to do with Fannigan's steek.I've worked about 30 cm of the 40 cm required for the body and I am still liking the garter rib. One row K3P1, next row K. I also like the inside, a rustic nubby texture - there are possibilities there for other garments methinks, or this one if Bear like it. I'm not liking the yarn so much, its sticky, and drags ... but it was cheap, and is soft when washed.

And this little nubbly and lumpy and uneven yarn is my first 'baby' born of the spinning wheel, all 90m. I'm told that I need to keep this as a reference point or latter.


And this is my finally using the white roving I bought with the wheel from Ashfords, Corridale for beginners?. When I switched from spinning the coarse sticky brown fibre to this, it nearly slipped out of my paws, but 2 days latter and I'm much more happy with my yarn. I've set the traveller up as a double drive, for aesthetic reasons, I thought the scotch tension 'looked' messy, and because I read once on a knitters review thread and in the Ashford book that double drives produce a firmer more even yarn which is what I want to knit with. Oh the things we do when we don't know what we should do.



Tatting - Before I was a knitter, well I've knit since I was 8 or so, but only in the last 4 or 5 years have I been a "thinking knitter", I had other fiber crafts. I sewed. and tailored and draped garments, I patch-worked, I made porcelain dolls, and I tatted edgings for reproductions of historical doll clothes. The pen is for scale. This is a tatted lace edging, abandoned some years ago - probably interrupted by my PhD, I put a lot of my previous life on hold to finish that within the scholarship period. Some how after a 3 year 'hobby' break, I picked up new hobbies, but recently chatting with lace-lunatic Suzanne aka Magpie (who kindly shipped me knitpics harmony circs to work brother Amos sock 2 on and a set of gorgeous stitch markers for CB's sock architecture book - pictures next time) we've been discussing Tatting. A very portable activity.


So Polish, I'm sure this recipe isn't copyrighted, its pretty generic, and I've got several variations in several old and new woodwork and housekeeping naturally books, one book even credits it to Queen Victoria who apparently liked the smell! Like the woman made polish and used it!

1. 1 cup bees wax
2. 10 cups fresh lavender flowers, or half a cup lemon peel or few drops essential oil
3. 4 cups linseed oil (thats a litre bottle) or olive oil if using on food safe bowls and boards, even sweet almond oil - in short any oil you fancy.

Heat the wax and the lavender flowers or lemon peel gently, in a double boiler or metal bowl over a pan of simmering water. When melted add the oil carefully, stir for 3 minutes, pour into clean tins or warm jars (not plastic), straining out the flowers thru muslin. Leave to set.
To use rub in with a soft cloth, leave 30 minutes and polish of any excess with a clean cloth. Store covered or it forms a skin on the surface. The linseed smell is quite 'pungent' at first but in a month or two the polish smell softens and the lemon or lavender or orange comes thru. You can use immediately. Apply two coats to raw wood and refresh yearly with one coat.

We make a batch every now and then and it lasts us 3-4 years, and that includes giving away at least one jar. It refreshes old varnished wood items nicely, but not polyurethane'd items. And I don't think the quantities are to exact, if you want a softer polish use more oil, and for harder more wax ...

The last blog before 2007

and whats on the needles, well ongoing with the Kangaroo jersey for my Toby, aged 7. I have been lazy with updating the blog, lazy or busy, not sure which. Just the blog has been lower down the priority list than finishing study, christmas baking, wrapping prezzies, tidying up ... getting on top of the washing.

Don't you just love that saying, who in their right mind would want to get on top of a pile of dirty washing?

Progress photos, Toby is here testing the kangaroo pocket, and it works, kind of boring knitting, but what the boy (and his dad want). But first the background work behind the kanga jersey. I completed the swatch a while ago, scanned it with a measure tape, washed and dry it and scanned it again with a measure tape for scale. I have done this with the last few swatches, and it provides a great record and counting teechnique for gauge. I print it out at between 100 & 200% and the stitches are easily countable, I can tick each stitch off and use the measure tape as a scale to find 10 cm or 2 inches or whatever.

Here is what came out of that. I measured a top that fit Toby, and used gauge to work out my stitch count for various parts of the jersey. I did a bit of math, just planning and working. Then I did a bit of sketching of what could be. I know that most 'designers' would sketch first, but I do lean towards the maker side of design. So before any thinking about how 'it' can be I have already quantified some limits, like the width of this jersey, the proportions, sleeve lengths, and such. so mine is a made jersey, no developmental leaps in this one. The next two pages in my work book show playing and planning how the shape and stripes can be, and the pocket. I really wanted to knit it in the round as much as possible, not to sew it in. It took me a lot of over thinking to work out a very simple solution was th best and most straightforward. Sometimes I can be brainy-stupid like that.

So my design, cast on half required stitches, plus 4, garter for a few rows, 2x2 rib for 12 rows, garter for a few more rows. this is the hem for the front, repeat to get the hem for the back. that gives me a narrow yet 'manly' gansey type hem. To join these two hems I overlaped the last 4 stitches of the front with the first 4 of the back, and knit one stitch from front together with one from the back. This technique reduces the pull of stress on that join stitch, repeat for the other vent. I put a stitch marker at the mid join mark.



Then I knit abut 4 cm straight in the round, to give the pocket some depth. I didn't want small toys nd collectable cards falling out. Starting the pocket flap, about 7 cm in from the side seam, in this case 30 stitches in, and kniting back and forth, stocking stitch. I wanted slanted openings, I drew vertical ones but like the look of the slant on the sketches. less boxy maybe? to achieve that slant on the knit rows I knit the first 2 stitches tog, and the last 2 tog, ssk'ing the last two to make them lean in the right way. I continued until this slanted edge looked wide enough to let a hand with a toy in easily. I strung these stiches on a yarn holder and broke the knitting yarn free.
To make the inside lower bag of the pocket, I picked up and knit stitches on the inside of the hem, the top of the garter edge. I picked up across the width of the pocket plus 3 extra each side, so the inside flap was 6 stitches wider overall. I knit back and forth until the inside flap was the same height as where i had started the pocket flap, and then joined this into the body stitches. I used the same technique of overlaping the extra 3 stitches behind the first and last 3 of the body stitches. Knitting two together.



I then knit the body until it meet up with the top of the flap, and this took ages. It repeadedly seemed like one more row would be enough and then, once done, still another row was required. I knit across the top of the pocket, knitting the pocket flap stitches into place with the body stitches. And above you have Toby demonstrating that there is a working pocket in the kangaroo jersey. I have now completed a few more rounds and have sewn the little open lower edge of the pocket lining into place. This last photo shows that little line of almost invisable seaming.

For us this holiday season brings travel, we are off to visit distant relatives this year, which involes a plane and lots of exitement from our two small people. But not any space to update or check blogs or mails so bog until the new year. My fav podcast cast-on is off air until Brenda is better, so i am sending get well wishes her way.

stella