So, I'm currently working my way through my stash - as per my resolutions. I feel like I'm making reasonably good progress - the variety of cheap DK wool is being used up in baby hats (Watermelon and Pumpkin) and blankets - one seriously garish penguin and bumblebee blanket and a rainbow striped offering. I will post piccies soon.
So, while I'm knitting, I'm working out how to use up the other wool. The gorgeous Twilley Freedom Spirit (blue) will go in some sort of cardigan for my Mam. It will either be a short sleeved cardi or I'm quite taken with "Accordian" (www.knitty.com) though there seems to be some gaps in the pattern. E.g. needle sizes are listed in the materials but not in the pattern - "CO 'x number' of stitches". To which size needles? Nevermind, I'm sure I can work something out.
The Wendy Aran that I bought for "Katrine" (Rowan Classic Weekend), I've gone right off. However, rather than Ebay it or charity shop it, I think I can make some baby/toddler size "Accordians" for several little boys I know. That's going to be a LOT of "Accordians"...hmm.
And then, at some point I have some fab DB Cathay to knit up for ME!! And some more Wendy Aran to make "Paisley" (Rowan Classic Weekend) for ME. And I want to make "Tychus" (www.knitty.com) for the BF and "Samus" (www.knitty.com) for my Mam, and then there are the socks. It's all beginning to spiral. And I'm sure I have another bag of wool that I've forgotten what's in there.
The WIPs pile is getting bigger and the intended WIPs are looming (in a good way).
Basically, I don't think I need to buy any more wool before June! I'm trying to decide whether this is a good thing!
Friday, 12 January 2007
Thursday, 11 January 2007
I've been tagged - By Kai
Here are the rules:
THE RULES:Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”
Here we go...
1. I love the smell of bacon butties but I don't actually like eating them - the gorgeous aroma is let down by the taste.
2. I was once knocked over by Jimmy Saville - he was running during the Great North Walk...that's "Great North WALK".
3. Erm, I once bumped into my brother and didn't recognise him...*hangs head in shame*.
4. My two little toes are deformed. They're sort of a right angles to my toes so the soles of my little toes touch the sides of the next toe.
5. Eating apples makes me hungrier than I was before I ate them.
6. I can't roll my tongue at all.
So... I'm tagging....
HelenM (sheephappens.blogspot.com)
Amelie (knittingbadger.blogspot.com)
Cazza (middlearthknitter.blogspot.com)
Ygmraes (allknittingnosleeping.blogspot.com)
Kryptonite Kay (www.seventybyheart.net)
Magenta (moreaboutmagenta.blogspot.com)
All lovely blogs, by the way.
THE RULES:Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”
Here we go...
1. I love the smell of bacon butties but I don't actually like eating them - the gorgeous aroma is let down by the taste.
2. I was once knocked over by Jimmy Saville - he was running during the Great North Walk...that's "Great North WALK".
3. Erm, I once bumped into my brother and didn't recognise him...*hangs head in shame*.
4. My two little toes are deformed. They're sort of a right angles to my toes so the soles of my little toes touch the sides of the next toe.
5. Eating apples makes me hungrier than I was before I ate them.
6. I can't roll my tongue at all.
So... I'm tagging....
HelenM (sheephappens.blogspot.com)
Amelie (knittingbadger.blogspot.com)
Cazza (middlearthknitter.blogspot.com)
Ygmraes (allknittingnosleeping.blogspot.com)
Kryptonite Kay (www.seventybyheart.net)
Magenta (moreaboutmagenta.blogspot.com)
All lovely blogs, by the way.
Hmm, bobbling socks
I've been wearing the lovely socks I made for myself - they really feel much better than shop bought. However, I'm thinking that perhaps Colinette Jitterbug ain't practical for my daily life.
I usually have a three mile walk each way, in and out of work. (Parking varies from nightmare to non-existent and with traffic, it takes the same amount of time to get the bus as walk. Seriously).
After this type of treatment, the Opal socks are FINE...but my lovely Colinette Jitterbugs are looking a trifle sad around the heel. The yarn has bobbled quite badly. Maybe I should just treat myself to Jitterbug sock days when I'm not at work? I love the yarn and the colours *drools* but Opal seems to be more hardwearing for the day-to-day grind.
I haven't finished my Regia socks yet so they haven't had a trial run yet. :-)
I usually have a three mile walk each way, in and out of work. (Parking varies from nightmare to non-existent and with traffic, it takes the same amount of time to get the bus as walk. Seriously).
After this type of treatment, the Opal socks are FINE...but my lovely Colinette Jitterbugs are looking a trifle sad around the heel. The yarn has bobbled quite badly. Maybe I should just treat myself to Jitterbug sock days when I'm not at work? I love the yarn and the colours *drools* but Opal seems to be more hardwearing for the day-to-day grind.
I haven't finished my Regia socks yet so they haven't had a trial run yet. :-)
Thursday, 4 January 2007
Watermelon hat
Inspired by Yarnharlot (http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2006/06/01/things_that_can_be_yours.html), I decided to have a bash at a watermelon hat. I had seen her pattern several months ago, but after a glass of wine last night, I couldn't be bothered to actually look for the site.
So, I just cast on 60 stitches in double knit to straight needles and knitted away, changing colours and decreasing where appropriate. The "seeds" were swiss-darned to the finished hat. I think my finished product looks remarkably similar to Yarnharlot's but then I guess a watermelon is a watermelon is a watermelon!
So, I just cast on 60 stitches in double knit to straight needles and knitted away, changing colours and decreasing where appropriate. The "seeds" were swiss-darned to the finished hat. I think my finished product looks remarkably similar to Yarnharlot's but then I guess a watermelon is a watermelon is a watermelon!
Wednesday, 3 January 2007
Pumpkin Hat
I made a strawberry hat and a tomato hat for my nephew a few months ago, and since then I've been mulling over whether to have a bash at "designing" my own fruit hats.
Buoyed up by several glasses of wine last night, I decided to have a go. And here is a Pumpkin Hat that would fit a 0-3mth old baby. The pumkin flesh effect was achieved by using a wide rib pattern and it seems to have worked quite well.
The tendrils and leaves which you can see (ish) below were just done by knitting one or two stitches in a chain (tendrils) and casting on and reducing stitches in sequence (leaves).
The tendrils could really be longer but it depends on preference.
Despite some intoxication (three glasses of wine), this was really easy to make. I'm now working on a watermelon hat, inspired by someone else's blog (NB must find that link).
I'll post instructions soon.
Buoyed up by several glasses of wine last night, I decided to have a go. And here is a Pumpkin Hat that would fit a 0-3mth old baby. The pumkin flesh effect was achieved by using a wide rib pattern and it seems to have worked quite well.
The tendrils and leaves which you can see (ish) below were just done by knitting one or two stitches in a chain (tendrils) and casting on and reducing stitches in sequence (leaves).
The tendrils could really be longer but it depends on preference.
Despite some intoxication (three glasses of wine), this was really easy to make. I'm now working on a watermelon hat, inspired by someone else's blog (NB must find that link).
I'll post instructions soon.
Update on the Secret Jumper
Well, I finished it...by the skin of my teeth and with a small amount of fudging. If you remember, this pattern was "Leo" from www.knitty.com.
I didn'tcompletely follow the instructions for shaping the neck as it seemed that the pattern would be lost, so this is the first part of the fudging. I created pearl-islands in the garter-sea as that seemed to reduced the loss of the actual pattern.
Second fudging came with the collar. The pattern states that the collar should be made by picking up from the neck line with a circular needle. However, like a muppet, I had cast-off too tightly, so fudging was achieved by casting on 145 stitches to straight needles and keeping the original pattern. This was then sewed to the jumper... 48 hours before the BF was to be given it.
And here is the finished result... complete with a catalogue pose.
It also emerged that he hadn't for one second suspected a jumper. He had thought I was making him a black hat! Grey jumper, black hat - I can see why he would be confused.
I didn'tcompletely follow the instructions for shaping the neck as it seemed that the pattern would be lost, so this is the first part of the fudging. I created pearl-islands in the garter-sea as that seemed to reduced the loss of the actual pattern.
Second fudging came with the collar. The pattern states that the collar should be made by picking up from the neck line with a circular needle. However, like a muppet, I had cast-off too tightly, so fudging was achieved by casting on 145 stitches to straight needles and keeping the original pattern. This was then sewed to the jumper... 48 hours before the BF was to be given it.
And here is the finished result... complete with a catalogue pose.
It also emerged that he hadn't for one second suspected a jumper. He had thought I was making him a black hat! Grey jumper, black hat - I can see why he would be confused.
Happy New Year!
I have the luxury of two and a half weeks off work and have had lots of time to indulge in knitting and reading. It has been tremendous. So here are a couple of things I have finished in the last few days.
Below are the first socks I've made for MYSELF! They're Opal Rainforest - Snake and I absolutely loved this yarn and the colour...
until...
I finished these. (Apologies for the blurry picture. The BF took it).
These are Colinette Jitterbug - Popsicle. Apparently, it's 4-ply but it feels slightly thicker but the colourway is just so vivid. It's like knitting with jewels, so poor old "Snake" seems to have faded into obscurity.
Here's a close-up to show you what I mean.
And I was so taken with the loveliness of this yarn to knit with, that I forgot to shape the heel on the second sock. I knitted the heel flap and went straight to making the gusset without reducing the heel flap stitches from 30 to 18. I was half way along the foot before I realised why the sock was so shapeless. Doh!
Below are the first socks I've made for MYSELF! They're Opal Rainforest - Snake and I absolutely loved this yarn and the colour...
until...
I finished these. (Apologies for the blurry picture. The BF took it).
These are Colinette Jitterbug - Popsicle. Apparently, it's 4-ply but it feels slightly thicker but the colourway is just so vivid. It's like knitting with jewels, so poor old "Snake" seems to have faded into obscurity.
Here's a close-up to show you what I mean.
And I was so taken with the loveliness of this yarn to knit with, that I forgot to shape the heel on the second sock. I knitted the heel flap and went straight to making the gusset without reducing the heel flap stitches from 30 to 18. I was half way along the foot before I realised why the sock was so shapeless. Doh!
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