Saturday, February 25, 2012

The Rows Are So Long on Multnomah

I have completed the garter section and chose to do the 265 stitches instead of 229 as recommended by lala from the knitgirllls. This has worked well so far as the skein I have has around 500m. Very generous.

I plan to extend the feather and fan portion too if I need to as I want to use as much yarn as possible. As it is now, the rows are so long. So unbelievably long! But that's ok, because I'm loving the color repeats they really are beautiful.

A day for washing fleece

Today is going to be a scorcher, and I have a fleece to wash, so I have decided to hobble around and wash as much of it as I can. It is a very light brown fleece, perfect for over dyeing in my opinion, but unfortunately, very dirty!

The fleece is greasy, and as soon as I put it in water, the water turned brown. Going to be interesting to see the finished color. I still have a few fleeces I'm waiting to pick up, but as I can't drive very far at the moment I'll have to wait.

I also have a gorgeous alpaca fleece that needs a clean, but it does seem to be in great condition, just a little dusty.

The alpaca is in the basket, the wool is being soaked.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Cece is growing beautifully

After ripping out yesterday, I cast on again and knit frantically to at least regain the ground I had lost. I have now finished one ball of the patons fireside and have started the second ball.

Absolutely loving it! The color is gorgeous, the pattern is easy to memories and quite comforting to knit. I am so glad I finally cast this on for myself, and that I ripped out the bigger size. I feel really good about this size, I'm hoping it will fit perfectly.

I will knit about 6-6.5 inches before I start the shaping, this should give me the added length I require. I am definitely doing 3/4 length sleeves.

Can't wait to see it grow!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Casting on for Cece

A few days ago I cast on Cece. I calculated how to lengthen it including shaping and was ready to go. Today I frogged it. I realized I want my Cece to be an open cardigan and there is no reason for the circumference of the cardigan to be as big ad the circumference of my body. It won't stay open properly that way.

I was also concerned about yarn quantity. I have 12 balls of patons fireside I got given, and I have never seen it in shops so I don't know how old it is, or even if I could find more in the same Colorway. This is particularly concerning as I am knitting the 3/4 sleeves and want an extra 5 inches in length. I think I'll be fine, but not if I widen the length of the body.

So I'm starting again. I am knitting the 38" as I have seen a few people mentioning it blocks bigger on ravelry. The good news is I enjoy the lace pattern as I had finished a repeat before I frogged it!

(The color of the balls is more accurate than the color of the knitting.)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Treating Myself to Pimpelliese

I needed something for me, especially after a day like today, so I pulled out my Pimpelliese. A really nice free pattern by Christine Ebers. It is a triangular scarf with a similar construction to the baktus, once you have half a skein left, start decreasing.

This pattern has gorgeous lacy triangles knit into the border as you go, easy enough to remember, but still so pretty you can't help look at them. I think I have 5 completed.

I'm knitting it out of the Moda Vera fern, but in the green Colorway. Love it do much so far. The colors are making me so happy! I'm using 3.75mm needles and although they are only birch, they work well enough.

Can 't wait to see this grow!

I have a DVT

A little off topic, but not really as I will have more time to knit. I have had severe leg pain for the last few days and today the ultrasound discovered I have a blood clot, also known as deep vein thrombosis. Considering my only risk factor is the pill, this is very unexpected.

I have to have daily injections for a few days, followed by regular blood tests. I also have medication to take and my doctor wants me to see a hematologist, because considering my age and lack of risk factors, they feel a specialist is warranted.

This is very scary. I have to keep an eye out for chest pain or shortness of breath in case the clot travels to my lungs. I've been crying most of this morning, but think I have now reached a level of acceptance.

If nothing else, I plan to knit. Lots.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Casting on Chloe's Multnomah

Chloe requested a shawl, a big shawl she can completely wrap herself in. She also requested a cardigan knit out of Moda Vera fern. A new 50/50 wool acrylic blend with some gorgeous color changes and a little fuzz. But the yarn is a fingering weight, a fine fingering weight and I was not going to knit a cardigan out of it. But a shawl? Sure!

I searched on ravelry for shawl patterns that were simple enough to show off the color gradients in the yarn, but also with a little interest so I don't get bored. The first choice was the Multnomah. A simple pattern, the body in garter stitch and the edging in lace. The garter stitch shows off the colors wonderfully.

In my fit of startitis I have a few more cast on to talk about.......soon.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

FO - Deep Purple Libby

Chloe's deep purple Libby is finished, sewn up, buttons on, just needs a wash and a block. Good news is it fits Chloe well, and she loves my choice of buttons.

As much as I resent the amount of time it takes to assemble a sweater, I found the sewing up of Libby to be enjoyable. Certainly not something I want to do often, but assembling a knitted garment once in a while is kind of fun.

The completion of Libby has resulted in the casting on of numerous new projects, so far one pair of socks, three shawls and soon a cardigan for me. The main emphasis is color at the moment, and the cardigan will be lace, so the pattern will be creating the interest. Did not knit as much as I wanted this weekend, but at least it felt productive.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Libby is getting Boring!

I have almost finished the second sleeve of Libby, and I'm very relieved. It is getting boring. All the stockinette and solid color is starting to get to me. As soon as I have finished the second sleeve I will soak all the pieces and block them for the ease of seeing them together. Then I knit the neckband and we are done.

I'm not sure what's next, but I'm thinking cece for me. I think the lace will be just what I need. I also have some bright socks on the needles, and a shawl, the multnoma.

For now the end is in sight and for ghat I am grateful.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

I Want to Dye!

I went to the market last weekend and was saddened to see no independent dyers of wool, fibre or yarn. There was a little old lady stall full off acrylics and offering to finish your knitting for you, but that wasn't what I was looking for.

I know have this overwhelming desire to start dyeing and become an indie dyer myself. I have already found places go buy bulk and I have so many ideas, I just need to save the start up money. I find myself thinking about it all day long! Planning colorways and different products to use, but it's only early days!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Nearly Quit Spinning Yesterday

Yesterday was a bad day for spinning. I kept loosing control and the yarn would break. Even lost the end for a while. It was getting to the point where I wondered why I was wasting my time spinning when I had do much knitting to do.

Today changed it all though. I decided to give spinning another go today and what do you know? I was spinning beautifully. For whatever reason yesterday was just a bad spinning day.

I hope I can still spin well tomorrow.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Libby is Progressing Nicely

So far I have completed the back and left front of Chloe's Libby. I am about to cast on for the right front. I am pleased with how it is working out so far, in particular I think the flair that the cardigan has will be really cute.

I have realized a slight color difference with one of the skeins, because I bought them on sale, a few of the balls were a different dye lot. I am pretty sure it will be unnoticeable once fully assembled. At least I hope so.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

FO - January 2012 Socks

I finished my January 2012 socks, a little over schedule now that it's February. I really enjoyed doing the heel flap again, the socks fit perfectly, and I live how they look. Definitely a win in my opinion.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Spinning the Sky

I was so excited today, thought I had finished spinning all the fleece from my eBay purchase in december 2010. Only to realize I'd only finished the lighter fleece, I still have the black to spin.

But I had promised myself that when I finished what was in the bag I could spin some colored roving, and I wasn't going to deprive myself.

I'm using www.kathysfibres.com fine merino in the Colorway Sky. It is 100g and so soft. I have split the roving multiple times so I have a basket full of small balls of thin roving. I have decided that I want the three shades of blue to all combine for a Varigated yarn when finished. I was going to aim for a gradiated skein, but decided that the blending of three shades of the one color would bd beautiful.

I had a few problems as I began spinning, getting the tension right, my hands and treading speed. Because the merino is so fine I have had to slow down a lot otherwise it would spin too fine and break. But I'm in a rhythm now. I still haven't decided if I want 2 ply or Navajo ply, either way, I'm sure the sky is destined to be a shawl.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Ripping Back Libby

After knitting through an entire ball of Moda Vera 100% pure wool, I realized I had misread the pattern for the decrease row. The Libby pattern reads for 2 decreases each side of the back of the cardigan, to be repeated until so many stitches remain. I misread the pattern to read the decreases were repeated across the row, every 10 stitches. I did not like the look of the fabric and that's when I realized my error.

Proof that we all can make mistakes, even silly ones, and sometimes all it takes is a bit of brain fog from feeling unwell and taking pain killers!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Casting On Libby

Today I cast on Libby, a free pattern on ravelry for girls aged 10-12. Perfect for Chloe. It is so hard to find patterns in that size, after all her chest circumference is 27". The small or extra small in most patterns is usually 30-32" and then has ease. They would be way too big for her.

But this pattern is simple, has a nice little flair at the bottom but doesn't look too 'little girl' or too 'grown up'. I'm going to have to cast on something in lace as well as I'm already having withdrawals, and as Libby is a stockinette cardigan, I'll need some back up for sure. So I don't die of boredom of course.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

FO - Nathan's blue inca

Staying home yesterday with a sick child gave me hours to knit. I decided to finish off Nathan's blue inca sweater. I knit it using the percentage system, Nathan requested a hoodie and a pocket, so he got one. He won't try it on coz it's too hot, but it looks like it'll fit.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Knitting on Ishbel is finished

Last night my little boy was sick. Throwing up. And I sat up for a good portion of the night watching over him and knitting. And now the Ishbel is finished, well almost. I don't consider lace finished until it is blocked.

I hope to block later today and have it ready for when I see Alicia next. Must admit I'm impressed with how quickly it knit up. I know some of that can be attributed to the fact that I can now read charts easily. They have finally blocked for me which is a bonus considering there were five different charts in this pattern.