Wednesday, November 30, 2011

February Lace

I began the lace, then split for the sleeves on Monday. It seems like the cardigan will fit, but I think I need a few more inches in length to truly be able to tell. I'm thrilled with how it's going, love the way it looks and have memorized the lace repeat already.

I think I will be working in the sleeves soon, to make sure that I will have enough yarn to make my February lady sweater the length I want. I still have about 5 50g balls left. It should be enough. I feel like I'm getting some knitting mojo back, for a while it wasn't exciting me much, even though the obsession barely wavered. And with this cardigan, the passion is coming back, I think I will need to have lace on my needles more often!

Monday, November 28, 2011

February Lady Sweater

I have cast on for the February Lady Sweater, actually, I cast on on Saturday. I spent all day knitting on it and really enjoying it. Until yesterday, when I got to the yarn over increase row. This was when I started to worry about the size of the cardigan, I don't want it to be too swingy. But not too fitted either.

Then I got stuck on the length of the yoke. It was way too short if I decided to do the lace where recommended, even though the pattern says to knit garter until the fabric nearly touches under the arms. I'm having a lot of trouble figuring that out as I can 't get it to sit right. But I think I'm there now, so I'm going to start the lace tonight.

I'm using Cleckheaton 100% wool in a navy blue color, and I'm liking how it's coming out so far. I just really hope it fits nicely.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

FO - Brambles Hat

The Brambles hat is finished, ends woven in, but not blocked yet, and not sure if I will either. Very happy with how it came out, but I probably could've knit it on 4.5mm needles instead. Fits well but I was expecting it to be slouchier. I know blocking can fix this, but I don't want it to have the beret style shaping to it.

The pattern is wonderfully eritrean, easy to follow and a very quick knit. Highly recommended . The yarn was really nice to knit with as well, soft and squishy and it feels very warm knit up.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Loving Brambles

This afternoon has been spent working on my brambles hat, and loving it. It's been a long time since I had a pattern with cables and texture in it, it has been so engrossing knitting it up and seeing the pattern develop. The yarn is working up into a lovely, thick and soft fabric and I know this hat is going to be so nice and warm. Pity the weather is warming up.

I have finished the body of the hat and am ready to start the crown decreases. I plan to try to finish it tomorrow, soak it and block it, probably with a plate. We'll see.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Pretty Little Facecloth

About a year ago now, I purchased a lot of cotton yarn on sale at Spotlight. It is called "Bella Baby - Evelyn". The yarn is 100% cotton, and predominately white, with a single ply of color blended in, for a very pretty and muted color.

I finally decided to start knitting it up, and I wanted facecloths. So I found the pattern, "grandmothers favorite dishcloth" and did a slight variation due to the fact that the yarn I'm using is a fingering weight rather than a worsted.

So I'm knitting my cloth up on 3.25mm needles and my midpoint to change to decreases was 60 stitches. I'm very happy with the size and the texture, it is nice and soft and fine, perfect for the face. I'm sure there will be many more to come.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Beginning Brambles

I have been eyeing the Brambles pattern from Knitty for a very long time now. As I have multiple stockinette projects on the needles I decided what better time to start a new hat, than now. I plan to knit the longest version, I like as much slouch as possible. I'm looking forward to knitting the pattern, it looks very interesting and like a lot of fun.

I'm using Cleckheaton perfect day 8ply wool. It's a 70% merino 30% alpaca blend, completely natural with no dyes used in the coloring. The yarn is a lovely light brown/grey color and so soft. Definitely going to be an enjoyable knit.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

FO: One Row Alpaca Scarf

I don't think I've mentioned it before, but I was given 2 skeins of a handspun alpaca blend yarn in a really nice green with flecks of blue from katinspace at an s'n'b. She had purchased it for herself and decided the colors weren't her, and lucky for me, they were mine!

I decided to knit up the One Row Scarf pattern by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. I needed a scarf and I loved that this pattern is reversible, easy to memories and can use up every last inch of the yarn.

I plan to knit this scarf again, probably with a gradient handspun yarn, in fact I think I know the one I want to spin for it .........

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

First afterthought heel

I have completed my first afterthought heel, although as you can see it was not done after the sock was knit. I didn't want to risk making the sock too short, so I decided to knit the heel after a few inches of the foot.

I also admit I was too impatient to wait, I wanted to see how the heel would fit. I love it! The fit is really comfortable and the sock is a lot easier to put on. I love how the stripes continue on, and even though I know the socks will be fraternal, I still look forward to knitting it.

My new favourite heel I think!

Monday, November 14, 2011

FO - Travelling Woman

I have finished, blocked and weaves in the ends of my xs travelling woman. I love the pattern, it was very enjoyable to knit and I may have to knit myself a bigger version, or perhaps my mum.

I am still completely in love with my handspun, the color, the fineness (for me) and the softness. It knit up beautifully if I do say so myself.

A big surprise was how much yarn I had left, I'm wondering whether my calculations were accurate for length. All I did was measure the length of the unwound skein, multiply it by 2, then multiply it by however many lengths of yarn there were. A bit primitive I know, but all I've got for now.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

FO: Variegated Monkeys

I have finished my variegated monkey socks, actually I finished them last week, but i hadn't had time to take pictures. They do seem to fit well, as long as I'm cool. If I'm hot my feet swell and they get a bit small.

I absolutely love the color and I really enjoyed the pattern. But I don't think they will be on my needles again, was a bit bored with them by the end.

On my needles at the moment is my traveling woman shawlette which I'm pretty much knitting on exclusively, and loving it!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Muddy Baktus

When I went to the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show back in July, I purchased Mountain Mist Merino/Bamboo top which you can see here. It is a gorgeous top, I adore the colors and the bamboo/ merino blend was unbelieveably soft. As soon as my Mum saw the top she wanted me to spin it up for her. So I did.
I'm not sure how much I like the finish product, it is definately growing on my. I had never spun anything quite so colorful before, and I just spun it. No color seperation, no attempt at any control, just spinning. It was really pretty as a single, and one I made it a 2 ply, the colors muddied together til you were left with what you can see above, an interesting color with no obvious or distinct colors. At first I hated it, although now it has kinda grown on me.

The way it looks below appealed to me, and my sense of color. But I gave it to my mum. I knit the baktus scarf. But because of my spinning, which I mostly blame on not having spun for a long time and the fibre I was spinning, the finished product was closer to a worsted weight and certainly inconsistant. 
I did not enjoy spinning the blend, I found it very slippery, very difficult to control and it kept breaking on me. I struggled to get any consistancy within the fibre, and the thick and thin spots were as if it was a first spinning project. I think I will stick to animal fibres for my spinning. After all why spin it if you don't enjoy it? But the fibre was beautiful, and soft and I wish I had enjoyed it more. But I guess it's all part of the learning experience.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Beginning my travels

I have begun my traveling woman shawl in xs fingering weight. Very happy with the results so far. My handspun is knitting up beautifully. Can't wait to begin the lace charts!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Cashmere Bush Shawl

When I went to Bendigo Sheep and Wool show in July, I managed to find and buy a gorgeous fingering weight skein of an 80% merino, 20% cashmere blend in stunning reds, from a brightish red, through to a depp maroon and crimsons. I decided to knit up a shawl with it, because honestly, what else do you do with a cashmere blend?

So I decided on the Bush Shawl by Carlotta Cecchi. It is a very simple design, which is what I was aiming for because I didn't want the colors to get lost in something complicated. I also chose this pattern because I figured it would be relatively easy to continue on past the end of the pattern so I could use up as much of the yarn as possible. It was quite a large skein, I think around 450 meters. I was able to do about an extra 6 repeats of the lace pattern rows, which I'm glad I did, because I finished up with barely any yarn left at all.


Unfortunately I could not get a photo that showed off the true beauty and depth of the colors, but you get the idea. I would definately recommend this pattern for any project that you want to show off the yarn, with enough patterning to keep your interest.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Time to try an afterthought heel?

I cast on for a new sock a few days ago, just a basic stockinette sock. But I'm wondering if it's time to try an afterthought heel? Part of me is a little apprehensive after my toe-up disaster, they were the most uncomfortable socks ever. But I do like the idea that other than adding a small piece of scrap yarn, I can knit mindlessly for a very long time.

I think I might give it a try, still have a few inches to go before I need to decide.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Gorgeous Green Handspun

I finished spinning up the roving I bought from the spinning guild at Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show. It is the most beautiful green, the roving consisting of dark greens, Kelly greens, teal and jade. Rather than splitting the colors up, I just spun them as they came.

The skein has turned out beautiful and pictures don't do it justice. I think it is the most gorgeous green I have seen, with the color variations giving the wool a lot of depth and personality.

I spun it on a faster speed than usual and managed to make each single a lot finer than usual. In the end, the merino became a 2 ply fingering weight at about 300m. I still have a small quantity on the bobbin, but not enough to do anything with.

I think this skein will grow up to be a small traveling woman shawl. I know it will definitely be a shawl, it is so soft and pretty it must be worn close.

Maybe I'll cast on tomorrow.......