skein

March knitting and April goals

A bit early, I know, but I can't see me accomplishing any more knitting this month as I'm out gallivanting tonight.

How did I do?

March goals

knitting Clubs:

1) finish plain Christmas Congo socks for Chris. Done!

2) knit March squares for Mystery Blanket.  Done!

NaKniSweMoDo projects:

3) finish Bog Jacket,  garment 2 (of 12). Done!

4) finish Ingenue, garment 3. finish Twist (change of plan) - not done. Though I'm on the last sleeve and collar (which I would have finished last night if I hadn't misread the instructions and thought I had to do four repeats before changing to a bigger needle).

 5) start garment 4.  Done!  I've not blogged about this yet, but I started (again) Ingenue on Sunday.  I've nearly finished the collar.  Here's a photo from Sunday - the yarn is cotton angora and is not as bright red as this, though it is bright!

 

Clickable, so you can see the very simple stitch pattern. It's going to be turned down, which is why it's so long. I'm aiming to knit one more repeat than called for, so that I have an odd number of repeats and the turning edge will be a bit more defined with purl bumps.

ravelry knitalongs:

6) another combinatin of SKA and SolidSocks March knitalongs.  Solidsocks colour is green this month, and for SKA challenge I'll either do lace or Cat Bordhi - probably the latter, as I want to try a pattern from her sock book.  Done!  Though I scrapped Cat  Bordhi and went with Knitspot's Tesserae socks.

other knitting and stuff:

7) knit Chris a pair of felted moccasins to replace his worn out ones. Done!

8) knit 2 novelty scarves. Done!

9) block, take photos and blog about a shawlette which I finished last week. Done!

10) Start and finish a smaller project.  Done!  I chose to finish some felted clogs which I found in the felting yarn box.

A very good knitting month! Those felted clogs and moccasins are great stashbusters and mean that this month I've knitted 22 balls of yarn (whole balls, not partials). Only Twist not completed, though most is knit.

Now for April I think I'll go back to seven goals, though they are quite big goals.

April goals

knitting Clubs:

1) Knit my Socktopus socks. This is a six pair, annual sock club. The first package should have been sent out in December, and then roughly alternate months, but the December package turned into a January package, and the second sock club offering is now April. I wonder if there'll be a catch up and we'll get two in one go??  That would be fun, but might throw my knitting goals out of the window!

2) knit April squares for Mystery Blanket.  No new squares but some variations.

NaKniSweMoDo projects:

3) finish Twist, garment 3 of 12

4) finish Ingenue, garment 4

5) start garment 5

ravelry knitalongs:

6) another combinatin of SKA and SolidSocks April knitalongs.  Solidsocks colour is  purple and for SKA challenge it's knee socks (probably not!) or under-appreciated socks - any pattern which has 15 projects or less, and has been published before February 09. Mind you, as soon as thousands of SKA knitters discover a pattern it will suddenly become popular!

other knitting and stuff:

7) Seriousy think about a crochet blanket.  I have one  which I started several months ago, but it's just lying there, unloved.  I may do crochet squares! My main problem is the ends and sewing them up, can I bear to do this?  Which is why a giant granny square appeals more. Then again, that will become wieldy after a while, so maybe squares are the way to go?

Looks like another busy month for knitting!

Tesserae socks

These are my SolidSocks March knitalong. The colour was green, one of my current favourites.

Pattern: Tesserae by Anne Hanson
Needles: 2.25mm
Yarn: Ranco solids
Started: 21st March
Finished: 28th March

That second sock took me just a day! 

For colour:

For texture:

It's a lovely pattern.  A variation on basketweave, and very simple but effective. 

This means I have just two things to do for March, but sadly I know I won't get them both done.  One is to start another garment for NaKniSweMoDo (love that word!) which I'm going to do today, but the other one, to finish Twist, won't happen. I still have a sleeve and all the edgings to do, as well as sew it up.  I will be so close as well!  
Off for a wonderful afternoon watching dvds and knitting.

Twist progress

Still not finished.  This is my third garment for NaKniSweMoDo and my plans are to have it finished in March, with #4 on the needles as we go into April.

To join the back we now have fronts and a sleeve.

Both of these photos were taken before I left for work, in a rush as I was running late, so they're a little blurred.

The true colour is maroon - similar to this photo, it's amazing the difference.

This weekend I'm going to try to finish my second green sock, and try to make good progress on Twist. That's a lot of knitting!  No knitting tonight, so I'll have to fit my knitting in between weekend housework (not that I do much!).

Tesserae socks

This month's SolidSocks colour is green.  My initial thoughts were to merge my knitalongs for SolidSocks and SKA.  SKA's theme this month is either lace, a mystery lace knitalong or any Cat Bordhi pattern.

First attempt - lace knitting.  My yarn, Ranco solid, didn't look good in lace.
Second attempt - Cat Bordhi pattern from her New Pathways sock book.  By the time I'd flipped from pattern to back of the book to find the toe, to front of the book to find the cast on, I'd had enough. This book might be a gem - lots of original ideas - but every time I've tried a pattern I've been too frustrated to  carry on. I need books with less padding and tighter editing.  The diagrams confuse me. The terminology irritates me (can't see the reason behind renaming stitches as mother/daughter/granddaughter, and renaming increases with silly names).  I'm getting to be a grumpy old woman in my middle age! it's such a shame as I love several patterns in this book. One day ...
Third attempt - texture, a pattern by Anne Hanson called Tesserae.  A great pattern with a very simple repeat.  When the sock's stretched out the pattern is a little like basketweave, but I just love it on the needles.  I knitted the leg in an evening.

This flashless indoor shot shows off the texture.

and this one shows off the colour.

Exactly right for the yarn.

I'm a bit behind this week.  My plans were to finish this sock and finish both fronts of Twist.  I'm on the second front, just about to start the armhole decreases.  I'll do that tonight.  Then it's Twist's sleeves. Have I ever mentioned that I don't like knitting sleeves?  I think it's because they increase in stitches rather than decease, and that I'm liable to forget to do the increases regularly.

NaKniSweMoDo garment 3 progress

It's Twist, by Chicknits. Ravelry link here.

This is the third attempt at garment #3.  The first two attempts didn't work out.  It's the second attempt with the yarn. This was originally going to be for Ingenue, but the tension was a bit too small. I didn't like it on larger needles.  Even with Twist I may have to stretch it out a bit (or lose some weight!)

It's a cherry burgundy, not this bright red!  I wonder if it's the early morning light? I've taken advantage of it a couple of times this week, it's so fantastic being able to take photos before I leave for work. Looks a bit blurred, though, probably down to my bleary early morning eyes!

 

Great pattern for beginner cablers.  Just enough cable to keep you occupied, with lots of st st. I'm managing to read my book whilst knitting this.

I'm hoping to finish the fronts this weekend - left front is half done.  Mind you, I want to cast on some socks too...

Christmas Conga socks

This is the seventh March goal finished.

Pattern: My own - top down, heel flap and gusset, ribbed leg. 68 stitches on leg, 64 for heel.
Needles: 2.25mm dpns
Started: 9th February (or thereabouts)
Finished: 18th March.
Knitted for Chris, who loved this colour as soon as he saw it!

I nearly didn't have an FO last night.  I finished the socks, put them on the sock blockers ready to photograph before leaving for work this morning, only to find:

See?  The toe is 90 degrees out! 
I stayed up extra late to knit another one, took photos before I left for work (that'll change next week with BST)

The colour's slightly off , I think it's the early morning light!  The colour is probably more accurate here, but you can see why Chris loves the colour!

This is the seventh, of ten, March knitting goals completed.

I have one pair of socks to start and finish - I wanted to knit in green a Cat Bordhi pattern (so the socks would be jointly part of SolidSocks and SKA on ravelry).

I have Twist to finish.  I've not blogged about this yet, primarily because it's burgundy yarn and I need daylight to take photos, but I've finished the back and am now on the left front.  If I want to finish this in March my plan is to have the fronts finished by the weekend, and the sleeves knitted in the remaining 9 days. 

I want to start garment #4 for NaKniSweMoDo - I'll have another go at Ingenue, this time in red cotton angora. I already have the rest of the year sorted in my head!

Felted Moccasins and Clogs

Two more things off the March knitting list.  One was coincidental. I  wanted to round up my March list to 10 things to do, so #10 was to knit something small. When I went hunting for the yarn for the felted moccasins I found a half finished felted clog,  which I'd started and not finished last year.  So this became the something small. 

Such quick knits. The moccasins took a day to knit, the remaining felted clog an evening.

Pattern: Felted moccasins from  Felted Knits

Started: 14th March
Finished: 14th March
Needles:8mm
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted. 

These are a hotch potch of colours, as I wnated to use up the odd balls of yarn.

Pattern: Felted clogs by Fibertrends
Started:  First clog worked last year
Finished: 9th March
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted
Needles:8mm

Here's me saying I wouldn't wear orange!  I've orange and blue felted clogs and am sitting here writing this post in a bright orange top!

The felting might not be done for a while - I need to pop to the laundrette and take advantage of their tumble dryers.  But the knitting is done.

I have four more things to do for March. Two of these four are pretty quick to accomplish - finish Chris's plain socks, which will be done next week on the commute, and start garment #4. I'm going to attempt Ingenue again, this time in some red cotton angora.
The other two will be a rush- start and finish some green socks for SolidSocks on ravelry, and finish Twist, which I've not blogged about yet. And I'm only halfway up the back!

Mystery Blanket March squares

Another thing crossed off this month's list.   Excuse the photos, they weren't blocked and curled madly.

Repeat square, repeat colour. 
Square 8, one of my favourites - beads, bobbles, button and not too much intarsia.

Square 10.  Don't mind the simple fairisle, but the ends get to me. This time I carried some up the back and wove some more in whilst knitting, so there's much less to do.

Repeat pattern, new colours.
Square 9

Beads, bobbles, cables.  I like knitting this one.  I think I prefer the other colours though (gold beads and that vintage gold coloured yarn).

Square 11

Beads, intarsia (simple) and a bit of swiss darning. This is another square I like.  Think I prefer the other colours (green instead of old gold; blue beads instead of mauve).  The chart was a pita, hardly any variation between orange and old gold colours, in artificial light.

New pattern
Last but not least!
This square was pretty easy, but the sequins were a nightmare! 

Square 1. 
Threading sequins onto yarn - no problem.  That arose when I tried to knit with them!  The sequins were all pushed together, and really, really liked pairing up. Not great clumps of sequins, just two or three at a time.  They're a bit scraggy here - I ddin't realise that they weren't all lying the same direction when I took the photo.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this one evolves.  So far, I love the colours and the patterns.   I think we've probably got a few more new squares, but obviously, as the months progress, we'll have more repeats and less new patterns. 

A couple of novelty scarves

My least favourite yarns are novelty, chunky and acrylic.  Yet here we have, not one, but two, scarves knitted in a novelty acrylic yarn. 

PomPom scarves.
Weirdly addictive.

You only knit with the thin bit of yarn between the pompoms, two stitches in each space.

Pattern: ballband (loosely, I cast on 12 sts but didn't read the instrcutions)
Yarn: PomPom yarn
Started: 21st February (pink scarf)
Finsished: 5th March (purple scarf)
Needles:4.5mm (though the instructions on the purple band said 3.5-4mm)

This is worked with 12 stitches.  I cast on and cast off with only one stitch between pompoms, but did the scarf knitting with 2 sts between pompoms.

The yarn is very acrylic and very soft.  A lot of people oohed and aahed over the scarf.  It felt a bit like a fleece (the sort you wear, not a sheep's fleece!).

One scarf was quite enough but as these are for my nieces, I needed to knit two.  A very quick knit, when I set my mind to it I knitted practically the whole purple scarf in an evening.

Yarn was purchased at The Yarn House in Caterham.  We go there a few times a year, and have a wonderful time.  This time we went for the opening of Faberdashery, lots of haberdashery things, and Amy Butler fabrics and patterns.  Oh, and tClothkit patterns!  Even I was tempted (and I do not sew).  Loads of fabulous buttons, and ribbons.  Do check it out!

This makes 3 (of 10) March projects completed.  I hope to knit on my Mystery Blanket squares, finish the plain socks, and knit some felted clogs this week, bringing my totals up to 6.  I had a text yesterday morning at 7am to tell me that there was no power at all at work, so I (hopefully) packed lots of knitting and my ipod touch charger, but alas, the power was restored when I arrived an hour later, so not a day's knitting as hoped!

Bog Jacket!

Picture heavy post!

We took these photos then realised it wasn't hanging symmetrically!  So ignore the lower right side - the fronts are the same length and the edge doesn't curl in!
Pattern: Bog Jacket by EZ in Knitting Around
Started: Jan 27th
Finished: March 7th (but we had 3 weeks waiting for yellow and orange yarn!)
Needles 5.5mm
Modifications: the pattern allows for various extra adjustments which I took full advantage of!
 - shoulder shaping, so it's less kimono like.

Extra stitches cast on so the sleeves are full length rather than mid length, with short rows to taper them a little bit.

Disaster!  The sleeves were at least 3" too long!  So I had to cut the cuff, and unravel to the correct length.  Horrible job. Even worse were the ends - at least 90 each cuff!  As I'd worked short rows some of the ends were pretty short as well. Urgh.  I sucked it all up and darned them in yesterday.  Not my favourite job. By the end I was just weaving them in for about 4cm.  They're ok, but double thickness now!

Buttons - Chris decided on orange buttons sewn on in yellow.  I thought this might be another sticking point, but amongst my vast button stash I found some buttons, right size and right colour.  The button holes are hidden in the attached i-cord - you just don't attach it for a stitch (or three, but I chose one). There's a little black on the buttons too.

A few more modelled shots! Chris had a lot of say in the design - length (wanted shorter than average), width (wanted close fitting), stripe colour and buttons.  I was a bit doubtful about a few of these elements but it does look good now it's finished. 

Apart from messing up the sleeve length, this has been a great knit. If I were to knit it again, I'd go for shorter sleeves (I could always add a garter cuff), and narrower sleeves, not 25% of the total number of stitches, and I'd remember to drop a stitch each side to create fake side seams!