skein

Baby Kimono

The Baby Kimono from Mason Dixon Knitting

Knitted with one skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted, which is a superwash yarn, so great for babies.

I've just got to sew the ribbon on - I'll wait and see if it's a boy or girl first, I think. 

I made a couple of adjustments to the pattern (just small ones!)

It's knitted from the bottom back upwards in one piece.  When I reached the point where you divide for the neck I didn't start increasing for the sloped fronts as directed, but knitted straight, with no front shaping, for about an inch.  I also didn't cast off for the sleeve shaping in steps, but knitted short rows then cast on all the sleeve seam stitches in one go. If I were to knit this again, I'd also cast on the whole sleeve length in one go and short row for the sleeve shaping.   

And just because I thought my number of wips was getting perilously close to being less than five, I cast on for a few things.

This has been lying around since our trip to Get Knitted a few months ago.
It's a Noni Carpet bag.  I think it's going to be bright!

Knitted in cascade 220 purchased from Get Knitted.

I've also, as predicted, succumbed to the Lizard Afghan.  Only one square, to see how it knits up!  This first square was knitted from oddballs, though all of the same colour.  This might be an interesting blanket to knit in plain yarn, using an assortment of colours.
Isn't it marvellous?  The bubbly look should disappear on blocking.

RIP

Henley
April 2006 - September 2006

The final straw

Same shade, different dye lot.  I had to re-check the shade numbers, as these are so different in colour.  Henley was one ball short of being finished, but frankly I couldn't be bothered to hunt around for a more dyelot that was closer to the mine, so the whole thing was frogged.  One more thing off the needles.

Leapin' Lizard
I've been trying to avoid looking at the Noro stash, it would be too tempting to look and not start the LL blanket.  However someone at work has asked me to knit (for the office teapot) a teacosy.  They don't want a traditional teacosy, which is placed over the whole teapot to keep the tea warm. They want one which looks just like the Kureyon Cozy! Which meant getting out the kureyon yarn. Fait accompli.

Good job the Henley's frogged.  It leaves space for a Leapin' Lizard this weekend.

And the scarf winner is

The Maple Leaves scarf by Heartstrings, in Handmaiden Seasilk!

The good news is that this scarf grows quite quickly, the patterns simple, the yarn's delicious.

The bad news is that the yarn is a @!**!@ pain when it unravels.  I spent the entire evening last night trying to unravel the tangle.  Six hours, and it's still not untangled.  Once I publish this post I'm going to spend the rest of my lunch hour unravelling.

Doesn't the colour look different?  I'm sure it's down to office lighting and light coloured desks.  It's the wildflower shade, and fairly subdued in this yarn.  That knot is what I'm about to detangle.

Leapin' Lizards!
I've joined the Leapin' Lizards KAL.  What a fantastic project to use up noro stash!  I love the one shade Noro blanket, but will go for the one knitted in blocks, so that I can use up oddballs.  I daren't go and look through the Noro stash just yet, it's too tempting, and I want to finish off a few things first.  It's nearly impossible not to cast on, especially when I read the blog and see the squares.  I must stick to my guns though, and try to finish off a few things by the end of the month before I start anything else.
I've yarn and patterns for at least half a dozen things waiting in the wings. And Ally Pally. Cripes.

Scarves

Yes, I'm now thinking about scarves, specifically for my exchange pal in the International Scarf Exchange.  A load of people have already started their scarves, and indeed, quite a few seem to have finished. Me?  I'm swatching scarves.  So far I have two (but in the past half an hour I've thought of another couple of patterns/yarns) and I'd like your opinion please about the two scarves.

My pal didn't have colour preferences and wanted lace. She lives in a place that has chilly winters, but I'm not necessarily thinking of a scarf for cold weather, though scarf #1 should be fairly warm due to the mohair content.

Scarf #1
The yarn is Artyarns Silk Rhapsody, a dream to knit with. The pattern is basic: a net type section followed by garter stitch rows.

Turquoise with blue.

Scarf #2 is knitted in Fleece Artist Seasilk, and is a more dressy scarf.
Pattern is Heartstrings Maple Leaf pattern.

Now which one should I go with?  I tried to add a blogpoll, but the ones that I usually use are down, so if you have any preferences please comment. Maybe my scarf pal will comment?? 

On a roll

Another FO!  This is the Dale baby cardigan.  As Nic said when she looked through a few of the Dale pattern books, lovely patterns but you need 5 yrs notice!   

Unblocked and very scary looking!

Blocked (well steamed actually, I'll give these a wash just before I give them to the mother in waiting)
Back view

Looking marginally better, the the yoke draws in quite a bit. I'm sure that with a baby inside the cardigan it will look miles better!

Front view

I bought the pattern books and yarn from Kirtland's Yarn Barn.
Yarn: Dale Baby Ull
Pattern book #142

I foresee a few more baby Dales in my future, just not now. That 32st/4" is quite time consuming!

Flower basket shawl!

Washing

Five months worth of dirt!

Blocking

Posing on the weeds

Posing on the bushes

And on the lawn

Posturing with Chris

Started: April
Finished: September
Pattern: Fibertrends Flower basket shawl, small shawl size.
Yarn: Jamieson's Ultra, a 2ply lambswool/shetland mix.

And if you think this is a long time in the making, go and see Fiona's blog for a nine month project which is far, far lovelier than this shawl!

I'm now working on the Swallowtail shawl from the Fall 06 Interweave Knits magazine.  I've finished the first pattern, and am now on the second pattern, the one with nupps and corresponding p5togethers. Those p5tog are horrible!  I'm using wooden needles, which don't have the best points.  I've resorted to a 2.25mm dpn for those p5tog, also dropping the yarnovers just before and after the 5 sts, so that I have more yarn to play with for those 5 stitches. Thank goodness it's a small shawl!

Flower basket shawl update

Five months in the knitting, and finally off the needles!  This shawl very nearly morphed into UFO status several times. This project has been a struggle right from the beginning for me. I don't know why; the pattern is great, the yarn (Jamieson's Ultra) is great - maybe it's because I've recentlly completed a shawl in this yarn AND I've already knitted the Falling Leaves shawl, which is another one with a repetative pattern.

Proof positive that it's finished; I just need to block the thing now.  I love seeing the transformation of lace once it's blocked, but the blocking itself remains a yucky process for me - all that pinning out.  Soon!

Next on the shawl list is the Swallowtail shawl from Fall 06 IK. I've already started this one, and am halfway through the first pattern repeat, dreading the nupps! Yvonne's finished her, let's badger her for photos!

And the winner is...

a draw!  No-one guessed the exact amount, but we have Fiona and Karen guessing either side of the correct answer, 258.  A parcel will be winging its way to both of you shortly!

August knitting.
A lot of my August knitting involved finishing off the stuff I started for our summer holidays! And there's still stuff on needles from July and earlier, so I don't feel as if I've accomplished much knitting this month.

Fleece Artist toe up socks

The Koigu socks

The purple beaded Project Spectrum socks

The baby hat and slip on bootees (cute!)

And finally, the baby blanket.

My September knitting list:
Finish the fixation socks (should be easy; dk ankle socks!)
Finish the LL socks in Argyle colour
Finish Flower basket shawl
Hunt some Debbie Bliss Denim yarn to finish Henley
Finish the Debbie Bliss silk shrug
Finish Swallowtail shawl (no pics yet, early days)
Finish the Dale baby cardigan

This is a tall order!
I'm only going to start something new if

1) it's a gift (and I have to knit a pair of socks for Chris's father's 80th b'day next month)

or

2) it's quick and will be finished in a few days

or

3) I finish two wips.

I want a clean(ish) slate for October and garment/Chritsmas knitting time!

Oh, and whilst I'm on about October, Bev is hosting an October birthday swap!  Any October birthday people please join up!  It's a pity that my birthday's in January!