Leaving on a plane in 3 hours

I am, off to KAN(knit August nights) in Napier, traveling with K and M, meeting F, and M and S, and many many others, . This week has been a lot of sorting and planning and not much knitting that is blog worthy. Blog worthy? Yes not blog worthy, swatches without reason except to show how, or be ready to show how, swatches in thick yarn, thick for me, so knitting on 4mm needles! I know, you can all laugh, but I like my 2.25- 3.25 mm needles. I seem happiest With the small quick movements that knitting with fine yarn and small needles uses. I like fine gauge knits.

Swatches

This is the sum total of the knitting since the weekend, one giant fish, two swatches .... Together with plans and diagrams and class notes. This was not all my own doing, Although I knit these swatches, Morag from Vintage Purls has been coordinating the class paperwork. Good thing to, as she found several typos in my content and repaired them for me, I Am constantly reminded how lucky I am to have such have clever and kind friends. In this pile are two kinds of button holes, three kinds of edges, three kinds of cast on, decreases and increases, and potential for all sorts of little finishes to be added, worked and tweaked.

Nearly all packed

So far my suitcase is full, I seem to have every hand knit I've ever made and still own with me as a teaching sample. Imagine if I knit with thicker yarns, the suitcase would be a giant one andnid have to pay excess baggage. I think everything I need is in there. A few years ago I managed to pack, then repack and travel with no undies other than the ones I was wearing. Easily fixed, with a trip to the supermarket for one of those ugly but useful multipacks. After that I realized that I could cope with whatever drama travel brought me. I have checked that I have enough 'smalls', plenty of knitting knitting(socks and fish), and contact lens solution, all the important things really.

Take care, if you are travelling check you have the essentials, like smalls and a big empty bag to put things like yarn that might be purchased into.

Na Stella

PS: smalls are what undies were called, in days gone by, by older well brought up women who were far too polite to use common and vulgar names like undies, knickers (or worse).

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Finished project and new project

My largest lace shawl to date is finished, all done. The ends are woven in, there were only two, one at the beginning and one at the end. The lace is blocked and open and dried, luckily before today's rain. the loose stitch that was spotted was isolated and woven in as neatly as I could, trying to match the pattern. With that project done, and off the needles there was all the excitement of choosing a new project, and I had fun this week. I dithered over which of two projects should be next, swatching and swatching for one, and then put that aside as I couldn't decide what to do and started another.

Deciduous shawl blocked, and finished,

Here is the shawl, and its statistics, Pattern is Deciduous Lace Shawl by Evelyn Clarke,  knit in Touch Yarns Lace  Kid Merino 2 ply. The yarn is hand dyed deep brown-green but has hints of purple here and there. I started January 1st 2012, finished April 16th 2012. I have no idea how some people knit 12 shawls in a year ... no idea at all. Finished blocked measurement = 64” across tip to tip and 33” from start to center tip, I probably blocked it larger but it has relaxed a little. I read that some people leave lace blocking for three days - to remove the potential for such a relaxation. I  didn't do that this time, but might next time. I love how shear the lace is now and the small leaf pattern really has a three dimensional effect- looking almost like small bubbles or stones. 

Deciduous shawl - the tapered ends

The corners blocked out nicely, I initially worried that the stocking stitch lace that framed the shawl would result in curling. I contacted two Ravelers who had knit this ... and both said that curling was not a problem so I trusted in the pattern and finished it as suggested. To date there has been no curl. The final edge is a simple crochet cast off, with loops. That makes the shawl fairly easy to block, sliding blocking rods through each loops and pinning the shawl out flat and symmetrical.

Claire cardigan - integrating the crochet and the knitting.

With the shawl off the needles I started looking for a new project. I have two cardigan sets of sock yarn sitting ready to knit a cardigan with. One in steel grey and one in burnt orange. I fell in love with the Clair cardigan listed on Ravelry, but sadly wasn't able to buy the pattern, I did track down someone who had knit it and traded for their copy of the pattern. Something about the cardigan just appealed. The shape is very much like a store bought cardigan I wear with dresses, and I loved the lace detail around the collar. When the pattern arrived I realized that what I had thought was lace worked as part of the cardigan was a crochet over layer, almost like a flat collar stitched onto the cardigan after it was knit. I wondered if the lace could be integrated into the cardigan and started to play. That of course meant updating my basic crochet skills using Youtube and other online tutorials so I could make sense of the charted crochet design. I also was attempting to reguage the cardigan from sport weight yarn to sock weight yarn. I worked the crochet on a 3mm hook, and worked at picking up and knitting from the edge, and it worked. I've swatched the raglan shaping on 2.75mm needles , and a 2x2 rib on 2.5mm needle. I'm also planning to swatch on 3mm and 3.5mm just to see what guage I like best. 

3mm and 2mm sampling of crochet lace in sock yarn

The Clair cardigan is bottom up, and knit in pieces, but I plan to knit mine top down and seamless. Given the cardigan isn't particularly high necked I thought the crotchet lace was a little bold, would take up to much of the shoulder and look odd unless I had a dress with an even lower neckline underneath it. So I've re-swatched the lace on a 2mm needle, and I like this better, its firmer and denser in a good way. I'm also looking for a result where the crochet stitches are the same scale and size as the knit stitches. The crotchet on 2mm swatch is smaller and  forms a more dramatic curve - so I've stalled as I think about how to make it less curved.  I'm using odds and ends of pale sock yarn - the same brand of yarn the cardigan will be in, which is nice, I can swatch and swatch and have lots to swatch with.

My Dirty Rainbow yarn

With my highly modified version of the Clair cardigan in the Thinking-chair, while I ponder my next move I started my second project for the week. Now there is more than one Helen in my world, there is embroidery Helen, and lace knitting Helen. Both those Helens knit but one is known for her embroidery, then there is Banjo Helen, who works with Bear and also is a knitter, but has started to play the Banjo. Banjo-Helen is having a baby and is moving to Wanaka - and it is cold there in the winter, it snows. I love to knit baby blankets, and handpspinning seems the right material for a brand new baby that a family has spend 9 months making and will be living where the snow lies on the ground there is skiing. That leads me to my second new project for the week, a slightly modified version of Knitspots Rosebuddie, this time knit in three different worsted weight handspun yarns. The first yarn I've called My dirty Rainbow, as it was intended to be a rainbow but seemed dirty in a good warm way.

Banjo Helen - the baby blanket, warm and thick,

As the colour changes are vibrant I'm omitting the rosebuds on the body of the blanket, but working the lace corner increases as charted. Right now I've incorporated 100 grams of woolen spun merino, followed by 100 grams of Pitt Island Merino from a spinning swap some years back, and now I'm working on the final burnt orange border. This is in orange Romney. I love the way the corner increases are worked in this blanket, and plan to start the final edge as per the pattern soon.

Once Banjo-Helen's blanket is done I think I might be ready for another play with the Clair cardigan pattern. I'm on leave this week but haven't done anywhere as much as I planned.  I used to worry about that but now just  accept that I will always plan to do more than I have time for. I've made lots of starts, there is a dress for little cub and a dress for me - both half sewn, and two new projects, and we have had visitors several time and will again. It has been a good holiday ...and today I have cut a deal with both cubs. If they tidy their rooms properly, clear and sweep under their  beds and the rooms surfaces are clear and clean, with most of their  things away in the right places ... we will head of to town and go to a movie. I won't be able to knit in the movie, but tonight is knit night and I'll knit more there.

Take care
na Stella

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 new socks get a start on the needles

Well yes, two socks but only one pair, but this time I am knitting two at once. First up some correspondence, then there is an update on the Garter ribbed cardigan, and I'm swatching. I'm still spinning a little more merino - but my replacement Merino Alpaca arrived - and it is as nice as last time. Lets hope I don't ruin it again this time.

Thank-you for all the nice comments - KathyR, thank you I have followed up the auction link, and hope to score the advanced spinning book by lunchtime Monday. Sarah - great suggestion, the Scroll socks are now on my hit list. The repeat looks similar in structure to Pomatomus which was really fun to knit. Choosing a new sock is so hard - there are so many on my 'next' list, and at least another dozen on my 'after that' list. Knitting Linguist - I dithered at the end between Embossed leaves and Merino Lace - in the end it was Merino Lace - but only because I thought that the lace would be less challenging if I was out and about knitting.

Knitting two socks at once, or Merino Lace socks from Interweaves favorite sock book, but not merino yarn. The yarn is St Ives in soft grey, from the Local Knit World, but originates in Brittan.

So - two socks at once, on 2 circs, a new method for me. I have to admit it took 2 nights to cast on and get started - just having the two cast ons split between the two needles in the same/right direction was a spatial challenge in its self. The first few cm's were rough, the little tubes keep flipping inside out and its hard to work out where you are going and where you have been. Still I'm past the rib section, which is really a mix of narrow lace and wide ribbing, and just starting the leg section. Knitting two at once, is fine, but progress seems slow, predictably as it is split between the two socks, they grow half as fast as expected. A very nice pattern so far, the different lace gets added in stages, so you can work out the rhythm of each before adding a new one. I do like the lace when it is opened out, and might have to make some sock blockers for this pair to do them justice.


Swatching - some teal 4 ply or fingering, from the Milton Woolen Mill. Not quite sure where I am going with this, but I do want some more little slim cardigans, and this is a great weight and colour. I have tentative plans to knit something with set in sleeves, following up on the knit to fit workshop with Barbara Paley a few weeks ago. So far I have just knit a swatch in different needle sizes, and played with some linen stitch variations. I do have some of this yarn in white - so a colour work band could be a possibility. Honestly - my head is not there right now, so it was just playing with the yarn more than swatching with a purpose.


And the garter ribbed cardigan - grows very slowly, very slowly a few rows at a time, still as we head into summer - Bear won't need it for a while.

And I'm spinning the merino - in practice for the Bean sprout Merino Alpaca that arrived during the week. You know - the replacement for my mucked up earlier attempt at spinning the stuff.

Take care - don't over spend for Christmas, and make sure you all have enough dark chocolate stashed for those moments when only dark chocolate will do.

Right slanting decreases on trial

Today - Brother Amos, I've turned the heel, things are going so well I'm playing with different decreases, I'm swatching some of my own handspun. And finally a book report, that is a report on books that have come thru my letter box recently.



So I finally sat down and had some focussed quality time with Brother Amos, the sock and I are now on good terms, so much so the heel is turned, and I have only 2 lace repeats to finish the leg section and bind of in i-cord. Sadly I have had to forgo my lovely harmony wooden knit picks circs, and am now back to plain old Innox circs, as the leg is shaped by increasing a needle size every repeat. The Innox needles I'm using now do have a smoother join than the ones I started this sock on and gave up in dispear with, but the cord is twisty and stiff. I expect many of those who dislike circs for socks, and prefer dpns, were like me, struggling with low quality, stiff, lumpy circs, while our encouraging friends had smooth slippery circs with un-kinked cords. For lace socks, circulars do make things much easier. I will shout my self some new knitpics in the new year. Once you have tasted quality it is hard to go back to cheap and nasty.




Last post I told you all about introducing a sytk into this pattern, replacing the older style ssk. I also mentioned how at that stage I hadn't seen any real difference. Suzanne, messaged me to say that twisting the stitch resulting from the decrease in the next row might help, so I tried that. For the first leg repeat, I sytk'd all the left leaning decreases, and in the next row, knit thru the back to twist that decrease stitch and then K2tog the left ones. It resulted in this - the left leaning bit (the right leaning bit is next to a set of of m1's), a very nice line of straight stitches, with no twisting around. What I have not been able to find in a quick search is any 'hints' on line to twist the stitch backwards in the next row to straighten out a line of Right leaning decreases.


Then I realised I hadn't really given the new immigrant sytk an opportunity to show me what it could do on its own, so this repeat I am just sytk. I know one should test these things in a swatch, not in the second sock, but I'm impatient. Given these will be under jeans, under boots or hidden inside hi-top chucks, well, whatever I do in the leg will be just fine. So this is where I am up to, right now it looks twisty, but I will continue till the end of this repeat before deciding which method to use to finish the sock.



I've knit up some of my white 3 ply corridale homespun, seems really weird to be knitting yarn I made, surreal almost. And thankfully when I knit it up, the knitting was square, not trapezoid like the commercial Alapa swatch a few posts ago. You can't believe how happy that made me. After the Alpaca spiral incident - well that was a fear, what if I couldn't spin yarn that knit up nice? That was an even bigger fear than the "what if I don't want to knit what I spin?" fear. So this swatch, 12 wraps per inch, I knit up on 3.75mm needles and was fairly happy, but look =>


Rowing out, can you spot that rowing out in the first section of the swatch? It is more obvious on the wrong side. That hasn't happened in ages, I blame the thickness of the yarn. I know how much to compensate my purl and knit stitches for fine yarns when I knit flat, but obviously not for heavier yarns. I tried a few rows tightening the knit stitches, my standard fix - but it didn't work. So I switched to knitting combined, which fixed the problem but resulted in a much tighter gauge, so I knit on with larger 4.5mm needles. Then thinking I should swatch for something, I swatched Brioche stitch for a EZ style watch-hat for Poppy. I found some good on line instructions for bi-colour Brioche in the round, and for knitting different methods of Brioche. All my EZ books suggest Brioche is better worked flat, much arder to work in the round but the instructions i've found on line seem clear. I'm as yet unclear of the difference bewteen the 'knit into the stitch below' and the 'yarn over whist slipping stitches' and if they end up looking the same, the sound like they would be the same structurally.


And here, I've been following KathyR's advice to keep some of my unplied and unwashed spinning to use in guiding me towards better consistency. As part of that I clipped a little section of the yarn after plying but before washing, look it does puff up! I guess in time I will learn to 'see' how the yarn will be after setting in hot water not the yarn I have just spun.

And books, Well I have obtained a copy of Twined Knitting, a Swedish Folkcraft Technique, by Birgitta Dandanell-Ulla Danielsson, well 2 copies actually. An embarassing internet hic-up - which I am sure happens more often than we like to admit. What I don't like is that one copy is a de-stashed copy from the Oshkosh public library. Legally I might add, but I now know that knitters in Oshkosh can not access that copy because the library decided it was 'old' and out of date, and sold it off to make room for newer and probably non knitting books. I spoke to a librarian friend here, an she knows of this library phenomenon, and regularly takes out all the old knitting books from our local public library so they have a record of use, I think I will join her in this. I also ordered Sheila McGregors Traditional Scandinavian Knitting, because when you buy from Amazon they helpfully say "people who bought that book also liked this one", and some times they are just so good at guessing what I want that I give in. All of these were second hand. And, yes embarrassingly there is more, I sometimes think this blog should be renamed, "knit-shop-frog' because I seem to spend as much time posting about knitting as about shopping for knitting related items. So there are one more book still to come, both from Fishpond (new zealands version of amazon - with much cheaper shipping for me), Mary Thomas's book of knitting patterns, This book is vinatge, circ 1947> I stumbled onto an online discussion of 'good' knitting books on Ravelry's Knittech where knitters were raving about Mary Thomas Knitting, which I have, I have both her Embroidery and the knitting book by Mary Thomas, a legacy of a crafty MIL. I suggested that there were much better books than MT knitting, only to discover they were singing praises of MT Knitting patterns book, so off I went to obtain one. Then Vintage Purls (local knitter) brought one to knit night to show me, and so now my own copy is winging it way to me.

Take care
Stell

Well that was interesting!

I'm back, and unfortunately plowing thru a pile of ironing, a combination of my fiber snobbery (cellulose fabrics feel so good to wear but they crease), and Bear and Grand-dad spending the weekend hedge cutting - not keeping up with the domestic chores. Still, I'm not complaining. Today I've got a workshop report (made me think), a shopping report (inevitable), and a new project starts and finishes. I have made some minor progress on the Andean hat, but it is a photo rich post, so more about that next time, and nothing to report on my Bro Amos socks. Plus a great bit thank you to all of you who said nice things about Fannigan, I'm 'chuffed' (is that a unique NZ word, do you all understand it?) that you took time to stop and admire and let me know. Now - what can I do with those lighter clasps that are now spare?

So - workshop, Knit to fit with Barbara Paley (scroll down). Two other knitters and I headed of late Friday, to a weekend of knitterly girly things, we had a historic beautiful cottage booked in Clyde, and the weather could not have been better. I do recommend this workshop if you ever get the chance. The workshop was held at Touch Yarns, a wondrous place. Since discovering EZ and the magic of EPS, I have knit the round and seamless shaped sweaters but Barbara took us thru the basics of recognizing what a straight arm scye and fitted shoulder line could do for a less than ideal body and suggested that there were some significant fitting benefits of knitting a sweater in sections. Now I teach pattern-making and we use standard measurement charts, the very ones that result in all those poorly fitted garments you all buy, but Barbara pointed out for many people a custom fitted sweater can provide a much better look than standard measurements. Barbara, was lovely, and managed to communicate clearly the intricacies of drawing sweater sections, then making patterns to fit ourselves, including sleeves to a group of 'novice' pattern makers very well. Here you can see some of my workings, complete with sleeve diagram.


So - can I give up knitting sweaters in the round? I'm not sure, Barbara felt the resistance at 'our end of the table', Lorna, Pam and I want to knit in the round, and on day two Barbara had us practice seaming, short rowing and decorative deceasing. I think she thought we knit in the round to avoid seams, but hey - we like the concept of shaping all in one. Here you can see my mattress stitch sampler - sewn in red yarn, but apart from the seam 'bump' really truly invisible on the right side (also shown). I've mattress stitched before - but it was nice to practice under an experts eye. And a matching 'top of shoulder' seam sample as well. Can you spot my little mistake, I'm so used to slipping the first stitch to make a neat chain edge I found it really hard to knit the first and last stitch - so some times I got a little confused about that. To answer my own question - will I knit in the round, yes probably, but will work set in sleeves or strap shoulders rather than raglans perhaps?




I did have one other problem, I knit my gauge and seam swatches for the workshop in my Alpaca, Eki Riva and it spirals, I'm not sure if you can spot it in my samples - but there is some definite left leaning going on there. Bother, I have a sweater lot of this stuff, and it was not cheap. According to a very good source - the spirality means I have to knit in a texture with equally balanced knits and purls, to correct for it. Double bother, I had been planning a little cardigan with a lace leaf lower boarder, and stst all over. Well that was before Barbaras workshop and now I realise that those kind of details need to be up around my face, not around my wider bits. Any way - you can see the lean much clearer here. I've clearly got some thinking to do on this one, before i cast on.




Now with the workshop being held at Touch yarns, the temptation was to much, two 9am-4pm day classes surrounded by soft beautifully naturally and hand dyed coloured yarns. I gave in, quite simply and straight forwardly, there was no reason or point in fighting any more. If I drove home - well I knew I'd be back within weeks to buy anyway. So what did I buy? Well, since you asked, from left to right:

• 3 skeins of worsted weight Possum merino, super soft - enough for a little cardigan for me, or more probably a little sweater for Toby. That boy has a real soft spot for super soft things, and why not indulge him?
• 800g of super fine pale green merino, for moi, sport weight
• 100g of sock weight super fine (21 micron!)merino, for socks, for moi, or poppy, who really knows with stash.

I confess my stash enhancement started even earlier, on the way to Clyde, on Friday, we passed thru Lawrence, where a weaver known to my travel buddies, has a shop studio. We stopped and talked, and in her oddments basket I found 2 balls of Patons Super Chenille, for a rock bottom price. I've been looking for some since seeing Chenille wash cloths in Tara Jon Mannings Mindful Knitting. One of which is already a wash cloth, garter stitch, 4mm needles, 40 sts, cast off earlier today, it was a good car knitting project. I'm still to knit up the green. This was to be a baby gift, a super soft chenille wash cloth amongst some luxury baby and mom items, but Poppy discovered how soft it was, and it has gone to bed with her as a snuggly! Toby will want the other one when it is knit.




And spinning, well - great news, I've organised a beginner spinner workshop for 5 friends and I in Feb 2008. The workshop is to be taught by Betty Kelly, and you can see the caliber of her work here by being included in an Interweave Press Project. Betty is held in high esteem throughout Otago and further afield, and is charging only a nominal fee. I almost can't wait.

And the visiting knitter, Emily was great, very easy to be with, we had two nights of knitting, I let her play on my new wheel (see I am a nice person!) and I took her to knit night to meet the others, but she has gone now to greater NZ. Good luck with the travels Em, safe trip home!

Just me and my 2nd sleeve, ... and some badges ...

So, today I'll show you sleeve number 2, progress on the garter rib jersey, the badges I think I've earned, and finally I muse about the impact of Ravelry on knitting web activity. And no - I'm still waiting for my invite.



Sleeve number 2, well on its way, last night there was a little frogging, I discovered I was out by 3 stitches in my 'dot' placement on one needle 4 rows below, and initially thought I could tink down to each erroneous stitch and knit back up. It soon became clear that frogging back 4 rows as going to be quicker, neater and save my sanity, so I did.




I usually knit Fannigan at night, when I have time to focus on the colour work, and snatch 10-20 minutes in the morning and while dinner is cooking to knit on garter rib jersey at other times of the day. But despite not knitting a lot on the garter rib I am making progress, see 9" already!
















And these - well I've awarded myself 3 of Brenda's badges.

1. The “Proselytize Knitting” Badge - A requirement for all Knitting Scouts, the recipient must do his or her bit to present knitting in a positive light, whilst at the same time avoiding all references to “hipness”, grandmothers, and yoga.
   
   I've earned it because I have a knitting blog, knit in public, knit gifts for non knitters and proudly wear my knitting, as my sleeve!
   
2. The “I Will Impress You With My Math Prowess” Badge - The recipient is a whiz at substituting yarns and calculating gauge, can space increases and decreases evenly and is fully comfortable with the basic math encountered in all knitting projects.
   
   I've earned it because I usually use my own patterns and usually try and find the math reasoning behind the patterns of others.
   
3. The “MacGyver” Badge (Level Two) - The recipient must demonstrate clever use of a knitting tool in a non-knitting-related scenario. For instance, recipient has used a strand of Regia Bamboo to slice cheese, or repaired a small appliance with a metal knitting needle.
   
   - Earrings reformed into stitch markers and using toy rings as stitch markers a few posts back

and lastly (and no I'm not going to admit publicly to doing what it takes to earn the badges for knitting things with no practical purpose or under the influence ...well maybe coldrex?).






... and Ravelry, I feel almost uncomfortable saying this, but it is a thought that has been nagging away for quite some time. My favorite knitting forum, actually my only knitting forum (but thats because it is the easiest to use) seems very quite, and for a few weeks my knit-blog-sphere seems less active, yet is full of comments about how much time/fun/friends people are having behind the closed doors of Ravelry. Now I'm not a gated community kind of gal, and I'm very into non-discrimination - I've been quite vocal and proactive in getting my wee special boy into a Montessori classroom despite a principles reluctance, but right now while Ravelry is still beta, and invite only - well .... is it me or are the spaces away from Ravelry quieter just recently. Of course there are 183,000 hits when you Google 'ravelry knitting', and there are by my count 10496 people in, and 18832 people waiting ... thats a lot of knitters! 29,328! Still there should still be 18,832 knitters outside to play and knit with me?

Today I am

• You signed up on July 2, 2007
• You are #12039 on the list.
• 1543 people are ahead of you in line.
• 17289 people are behind you in line.
• 35% of the list has been invited so far

and another chart - less stripey this time

Today - A newer and improved chart, a plan for a 30% smaller Fair Isle baby blanket, and finally more than enough fish to enlarge the fish afghan blanket.

Off to the Frog pond we went with the baby blankie which was I think started perhaps a little prematurely, all 3 cm of it. Why did I frog?, it was a bit stipy, and not very subtle, as found in when knitted, and going to be far to big, so I'm still playing in Photoshop.

So how is this? Comments please, but first let me explain what I was trying to do. To reduce the appearance of stripes, sorry - that so sounds like a beauty commercial - "to reduce the appearance of fine lines ...", I used all the pale blue and purples in the background, then dotted the stronger and contrasty colours around. This evolved over an evenings play, so there is not a lot of depth yet, but given I've been playing for over a week - well it seems to be coming together quicker now. I'm liking this one. Already as I write this post I can see some errors, some little things to play further with.


And progress on the fish afghan, up to 97 fish, as a cricketer would say - nearing a century! This is one of the less attractive photos of my knitted fish, its dark out, and the halogen dining room light is not good, not good at all for photographing knitted fish at all. As we near mid winter in Dunedin, it is darkish until around 8:30 am, darkens back again from 5ish. Its only for a few months, but there is something cold and tiring about leaving for work in the dark and arriving home in the dusk. So 97 Fish, that makes my 12x6 fish blanket ready to get another row of 12 and a column of 7, using 19 fish, and leaving me 6 fish for the next round of additions - tonights project. There is very incremental the growth to this blanket, as mentioned before - a lot like slow food, or maybe it is organic in its original sense, growing naturally .....When I laid out these fish for the photo - I couldnt help imagining how to join them in this pattern, maybe into a hat. Imagine knitted in sea greens and blues, and with wave shapes knitted between? or crocheted, I've been listening to Brenda Dayne of course. Episode 48 I think, mixing crochet and knitting sucessfully.

Swatching a mini blanket

Today - I give in to reason and test a facing edge finish in preparation for steeking, and another pair of socks off the needles. I've also been shopping, to Clifton wool-n-things, home of economical naturally coloured wool for some new projects .

And this is where I am up to with the fair isle baby blanket, the pattern repeat in two colour ways, making 12 stitch 40 row total repeat. Knit the left side first then the right side of the chart. Again I've been playing in photoshop. This is the real knitted version below, some colours do seem a little brighter in the photo - some like the yellow brighter in the chart. The final version of the chart is knitted from the light blue garter row up, the bits below that were me playing with colourways.

Marina asked a really intelligent question, "... but why wouldn't you knit it in the round with a steek?". Well I wanted to, but this is super wash, superwash crepe, in a weight called 5ply in new zealand. Thats some where between fingering and sport. Being superwash the steek would need a facing or something. I did a steeked jersey for Poppy last year in this same yarn, and the arm hole steeks were thick, very thick.



I was worried about the bulk of a steek at the edges. I would need a knitted facing, plus the steek so three layers. Would that be be to thick and take to long to dry in a baby blanket. Any way with nothing to loose and faced with darning in so many yarn ends with every colour change I knited a facing over the edge of a swatch to see how it would go. It went well,
I picked up stitch for stitch across the ends, and 3 in 4 stitches along each side. At the corners I increased one either side of a central stitch every 2nd row, worked a purl row for the turn, and decreased one either side of a central stitch every 2nd row again. I tried a few methods of stitching the facing down, but kitchener was the best - and took the longest. No cast off, just sewing or weaving down the live stitches. At present the swatch is soaking in a little warm water, then I will towel dry and block. Then I just need to work out the gauge and calculate the number of stitches required for the blanket. Don't you love that 'just', this is just the begining, once I've done the steek and the maths, the real knitting begins.

Socks : So here in the south of the southern hemisphere, in our under insulated houses, with single glazing - it can be cold. We don't get much snow, but winter mornings usually bring a good frost. The best part is that by 10am, the same conditions that brought us ice, also bring wonderfully clear and sunny days.
But for those hours without strong sunlight it can be cold. Nacked feet need warm socks.

We have not had many or perhaps any frosts yet this year, but they will come, and when they do Toby is now ready - so here is Toby in his latest socks, a litte big, I knitted these nearly 1cm to long, knowing how boys feet grow.


Details : Regia stripe, knit on 2mm dpns, using a modified widdershins pattern, ribbed instep and leg, stst sole, slipped stitch heel. No idea what guage is, if I remember I will measure once washed. Started 26th April, finished sock one 13 May, and sock two on the 1st of June. 5 weeks for the pair, but were not my only project. I went to a lace weekend and knit the body of my Fana cardigan over the same time.

The new wool, well two skeins of white sport or DK yarn for a knitting workshop I'm off to next weekend. Following on from the lace workshop we are having a two session knit a mini Gansey workshop for which I need dk yarn. Not having any in my stash it was a good time to buy some, and I plan to dye the extra and knit some Fibre trends clogs. I also got an extra skein of the same batch of yarn for Chris's jersey - which seems to be even further down the 'to do' list. Total cost for the 3 200g skeins was $NZ25.5 or $US19, which must be good value in any currency. And I also went away with a small cone of singles yarn, to see how it knit up. A free trial as they usually sell it for weaving, and didn't know what it knits like, but won't be getting any more. I am thinking of buying what they have left as it might be as close to a shetland yarn as I am likely to get locally and the price is fabulous. Stash enhancement - just when the knitterverse is stash busting. But thats me - almost always out of step.

Birthday party & new WIP alert !

Today is Poppy's 5th birthday party, and she work up to find this waiting on the table. Pink cake, her name, purple flowers, green mushrooms and two little ponies wearing party hats having a party on top! When you are about to be five, it can't get much better! We are cutting it latter at the party. Despite that this is a knitting blog, so we do have knitting content - a new sponsored project with swatching, fana cardigan update, and sock progress.



So, I'm a spoilt knitter, Friday I caught up with a visiting out of town friend, meet her poppets (2, boy + girl both under 3), had lunch, and went shopping together for yarn for a fair isle baby blanket. Gills baby no3 is due August, and she brought along two books for inspiration. A Celtic Debbie Bliss and a Vogue 1930's-1980's book. The Vogue for colour inspiration, the DB for the fair isle blanket idea and sizes. I'd offered to knit something, and that's what the BSJ was for, but am quite ready to take on a fair isle blanket. This is the swatch, where I'm playing with the mix of colours, there are 12 colours, all lovely soft muted pastel shades.

Feels like I'm spoilt, totally spoilt, with the knitters equivalent of a sponsor, some one who indulges my yarn habit, and has provided a complete set of yummy soft fine wool for a new project. I will get lots of purling practice with fair isle - as its all knit flat not in the round as I do in laziness. I pretend its better, and it does give a more even knit, but it could be also said to be purl avoidance aka EZ. I also discovered in working the chart, knitting in the round makes it easier than woking 'backwards' on every second row. Gillian thought of a brushed napped cotton fleece liner, I wonder about double fair isle aka helen of troy's pot holders. Scroll down - I can't seem to link to the pot holder posts directly. I'm tempted to adjust the fair isle chart a little, as it has repeated single rows of colour leaving the colour work yarns at the wrong end to knit (or purl with) in the next row. I've already drawn the chart up larger using knitters graph paper, at 150% of full knitted gauge, and drawn in the colours. The base fair isle has 20 rows, of 6 colours and then the 20 rows are repeated with the 6 colours re-allocated or mixed up as it were. There is a 12 stitch repeat, but like the Bohus - the rows often don't have any relation ship to the colour work below or above them. Gill settled on 12 colours, so a wee few decisions to make. There will have to be a purl fair isle video soon.


Fana, well still knitting, and still by day she is beautiful, but by night - yuck. I'm around 4 cm from the underarm point - so was planning to put the body aside and make the sleeves very soon anyway. I guess thats all on hold now as I get a feel for the fair isle blanket as that has a birth-date. Some how dead-line seems wrong wrong wrong when discussing baby arrivals. KathyR asked it I would wear it most during the day or at night. Mostly during the day - Fana was planned for a work and jeans kinda cardigan, over dark teeshirts and such. This image is pretty true colourwise, and not Christmassy at all - even with the stars.

I'm in the middle of the heel of Toby's Regia stripe sock, I had briefly thought about using diamante for this one - but in one of my few wise moments decided that he really should have a matched pair. We are pretending that the toes are matched. Despite his mums desire to instantly learn about and use Diamante shaping to change the shaping in a 2nd sock of a pair is a really mean trick to play on some one. Diamante has a different structure to Widdershins, there is an extension after the gusset increases - so the fit will be different, and you probably could feel that.

BSJ - c.1968 and still surprises!

Today, new toys, BSJ nearly there, a visual guide to folding her up, and that was indeed a surprise, Frog report, fish afghan storage and lack of progress, and all go for the merino silk Fana cardigan.


Baby surprise jacket- BSJ - is still on the needles, and I'm in knitting heaven. A set of Knitpics Options arrived just after the last post - and they are sublime. Smooth, sharp, slippery, light, no kinks, I can't imagine any way they could be better. So how did a knitter so far from the US score a set?


Well I pulled favours from Bear, who works in engineering roading design, for a firm who 'does' contract design and planning for housing subdivisions in California. Usually that would mean a trip to Norco once a year, but none are on the horizon, so he asked a collegue 'over there' to act as a shipping agent.



Only thing was we forgot to specify shipping method, and they decided to ship air mail, amazing - 2 days there to here. Costwise - eeekkk. Lets just not talk about the pros/cons and knitting tool air mile controversy. I'm brown bagging lunches for a wee while yet till finances recover. You can now buy Knit pics from Australia, but only the delux kit, and strangely that works out about the same $.



I switched BSJ over to the knitpics and seemed to wizz along - those tips really let you dig into a K3 tog, and avoid doing a 's1k2tog pass slip stitch over'. I always seem to stretch out the slipped stitch, so the k3 tog gives a better finish.
In fact I wizzed so fast, and was intially so confused about the shaping that I missed an increase 10 row and had to frog back around a third of the jacket. Not big deal, it made me understand the importance of the shaping more.

She is nearly finished, I think yarn projects are like ships, nearly always she's. And this is how she folds and flips to make a cute as a button garter stitched sripped baby jacket. That Elizabeth Zimmerman was one clever lady.



I've got two more ridges then a row of button holes, and three more ridges and cast off and done. I want to make another, and another, and another - bring on some babies.


Fish - well they are in safe hibernation, here in my left over yarn drawer. After BSJ is complete I will complete the remaining 13 fish and start stitching. Not entirely sure if an edge is needed, depends on the finished size. I now plan to edge it with more fish only if it is to small to do anything useful with, current thinking is a baby car seat blanket.

And I swatched a practice for a Fana cardigan in the Dawn merino silk, execpt for real she will be navy and red, not grey. I know corrugated rib is not traditional, but I am liking that bit voth the doing and the result. There are some stars still to do, and the swatch needs washing to check the relaxed guage, but over all pretty good, a nice weight, and feel to the yarn. On 2.5mm in the round it goes pretty fast, and has a nice feel. Fana cardigans are knit in the round steeked and the edges finished with a band of woven fabric, I'll have to do a hunt but am wondering about using a fine merino machine knit, like tee shirting or slightly heavier to give this one a more modern feel? Comments? All dependent on finding the perfect colour match - or am I game to try dying wool fabric? I wonder ...