skein

Another not very productive week of knitting

Knitting has been foiled again!  A bad back (now much better) has thwarted any attempt to pick up the knitting and do some actual knitting.  Most people find knitting calms and relaxes them, soothes them when they're poorly.  Me, I can't knit when ill, anxious or stressed.   My bad back was only a little poorly, but enough to put me off knitting.

So my May goals will not be met.  The hat and baby garment are not cast on,  the May socks are only half completed and Flagstone will not be finished in four evenings!  I have been working on this though, and have completed the body.

Mr C looked a bit worried when I held it up to show him; he thought I had unintentional big holes on the front and hadn't noticed...

I've sleeves, pocket backs and front borders to knit now.  

I finished the body Saturday early evening, and then wasted the rest of the evening, Sunday morning and most of the afternoon messing around on ravelry, trying to decide which crochet pattern to use for a bedside table cover.

My origianl idea (because this is a circular table) was a circle ripple pattern.  I'm determined to use my Rowan 4ply cotton stash.  I've kept hold of this for ages, thinking I could make a lovely striped top or a cute baby cardigan, waiting for the right project.  Not any longer, it will be used!  

A little foray into quick crochet dishcloths for a few hours - using the remnants from my Handknit dk cotton remnants. Unsuccessful. 

Back to ravelry.  I also have some lemon Patons 4ply cotton, reserved for baby blankets but never used.  My second idea is to sue this as a background and maybe crochet squares.   I'm not too sure I'd like a round ripple blanket.   I love circles though, and thought about circles make into squares using the lemon.  But in the end I've gone for the pattern which half of ravelry seems to have crocheted, the Flowers in the Snow, except mine will be Flowers in the Sun! 

This pattern is dead easy.  It's just trebles and chains, and is easily memorised.   And I like the join as you go idea, I know after crocheting a large number of squares I'll put off finsihng if there's lots of seaming to do.  

My Plan is to crochet a lot of circles and join them after I've done a few.  It's gong to take HUNDREDS  of these blighters to make a blanket, as it's 4ply and they're small. Well, maybe a few hundred.  I'll be able to tell once I start joining htem.  I was thining of crocheting about 20 circles at a time,  then adding the last round.  Maybe having a crochet day or a few evenings a week.  

The colours I have aren't that inspiring, but I'm hoping the light lemon will lighten up the overall blanket.  First square completed, and about four circles crocheted in hte evening. 

Flagstone progress - and a new project!

I've not worked much on Flagstone.  I'm past the patterned bit and it's just stocking stitch now, pretty boring.  I'm now 6" into the body, just about to start increasing after waist shaping. 

 

And a new wip!  I finished two pairs of mitts and cast on - a shawl. First one this year.  I've gone for a simple garter stitch shawl, in two colours, blue and pink, not my usual colours at all.

 

The blue is from IKL sock club, the pink was won in a competition on the SKA ravelry board.   

The beginnings of Different Lines:

I fully intended to start a crochet blanket for my table (in some stashed Rowan 4ply cotton) but relaly fancied a shawl, despite the weather forcast being Good and Sunny and Warm this week. 

 

Not one but two pairs of finished mitts.

Due to some over exertion in lifting boxes and bins of yarn I have a bad back. This has meant that I'm disinclined to do much knitting or start new projects so I've taken the opportunity to  finish off these two pairs of mitts.

My first pair are knitted, and are the fourth pair this year. 

Pattern:  Koigu Wristers

Yarn: Shelridge Farm Soft Touch Ultra, 42g

Needles: 2.25mm

A very easy mitts pattern, and I'M SO GLAD TO USE UP THIS YARN!    It was hanging arond in the stash, I'm not particular to these colour and had tried many times to knit socks iwht it.  Still have a ball and a bit to use but I've made a start!

Second pair of mitts, my fifth for the year and my first pair of crochet mitts.

   

Pattern: Oxidise

Hook: 3mm

Yarn: Manos Silk Blend, 52g, olive mix

Mods: had to do a dc around thumb slit as my cast on chains were terrible!  

I have actually crocheted THREE pairs of mitts, as the second one was a lot smaller than the frist!  I had changed hooks but not the size of the hook, who would have thought such a little change would have such a drastic result!  It's either down to the hook head, which seems smaller on the second hoook, or the way I am gripping the hook and tightenting up a lot.  I really wanted to tighten up with the second hook, not so with the first.  Odd.  .

This pattern is dead easy. It's really just a rectangle seamed, leaving room for a a thumb when sewing up.  I fully intended doing a little thumb but was a bit fed up after doing three, so just did a row of dc to tidy it up.    Manos is lovely to crochet with, by the way.   A very easy pattern.  Next time I might look for one worked in the round, with gusset shaping.  Or make up one, I like plain crochet, and can do increases! 

 

Introducing the next garment

I've started my next garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  It's from the latest Twist Collective (as if I don't have enough patterns to choose from).

Flagstone, a top down, sport weight cardigan.   I'm using stash yarn again, this time it's Louisa Harding's Aimee, a cotton cashmere blend. 

To get tension I've gone down to a 3mm needle.  In my book this makes this garment a 4ply one.  It's at times like this I wish I was three stone lighter! 

I'm past the divide for armholes bit and am now working the body. In fact I'm on the waist shaping (though alas not at the waist yet!)/

Shame on me, I didn't take any photos all weekend, except for one just after reaching the armhole, couldn't even be bothered to go outside (in the rain) to get some sort of daylight photo.  So here's the indoor mobile shot. the colour is slightly deeper, less washed out than this.   It's all scrunched up because I am using a 60cm circular.  Good job it's thin yarn!

I still have this mad urge to crochet, and spent a good time over the weekend crocheting a second crochet mitt - only to find it was significantly smaller than the first one!  I blame it on using a different crochet hook.  Same size, but the head of the second hook seemed more compact.  The mitts are in the naughty corner for a while, but I shall have another go in a week or two.

And.... Tunisian crochet!  I ordered a cheap set of hooks (as I wasn't too sure what size to buy)  but have realised that I don't like them this long, a bit like straight knitting needles.  I kept banging my chair arm as I was wiggling them around.   Not to be put off I've found patterns where you don't need the long hooks and might have a go at one of these.  I'll try to finish a few things off first, this could be quite addictive!   I'm not a huge fan of the Seventies type crochet, with big holes and clunky stitches, but I do like plainer crochet, either with a regular pattern of little holes or just plain trebles or half trebles.  I think Tunisian crochet might also fit the bill.  Trying very hard not to start anything!  

 

 

Lorna's Laces Glenwood socks

Just a quick pair of socks, using my rather extensive supply of Shepherd sock!  I fancied a Springlike colour, and this fitsl the bill.

Started March 31st, finished April 30th, usig 2.25mm needles.  My fourth pair of the year

These will definitely be for me, I made a right cock up on one of the heel short wors, so many loose stitches, and I think I may have dropped a few!  I had to darn in the holes!  I blame it on the wine I was drnking at the time, not a great idea to attempt short rows when drunk. and on the commute home!

 

 

 

Ormond

My fourth garment for IntSweMoDo2012

Pattern: Ormond

Started: April 9th

Finished: April 29th

Yarn: Jaeger Roma in a summery pink colour, 10 balls.

Needles: 3.75mm, 3.50mm

 

Mods:  As you can see, short sleeves!  I ran out of yarn and ended up doing above the elbwo short sleeves, casting on eight more stitches (as I was working on a fatter bit of arm).  

The pattern's waist shaping is produced by changing to smaller needles.  As I was already starting with a size smaller,  I didn't fancy dropping down to 3.50mm, then 3.25mm, so I stuck to dropping down to 3.50mm for the whole of the waist shaping.  To tell the truth I can't see much difference, and the pattern is a ribbed pattern anyway, which draws in. 

The body is worked in one piece up to the start of the armholes, then fronts and back are worked separately.  Sleeves are knitted in the round and set in.  Front borders are worked as you go.  NO BUTTONS!  This is meant to be an open cardigan, fine by me!


Overall a lovely knit.  I liked the patttern, despite frogging repeatedly to get maximum yarn usage.  The yarn was great to knit with too, such a shame it's discontinued.  

 

Roll on summer! 

 

Deco

At last, I've finished! 

My third garment for IntSweMoDo2012.

 Pattern: Deco

Started: March 4th

Finished: April 29th

Yarn: Elann Highland Sport, Aubergine (not purple, more brown). 8.34 skeins.

Needles: 2.75 and 3mm

 

This is worked bottom up in one piece to the armholes, back and fronts worked separately.  Sleeves are worked top down, picking up stitches and working short rows to shape the sleeve cap.  Wide front borders and a collar complete the knitting.

 

Mods: Added about 2" in length, though you wouldn't notice, as it's a snug fit and draws up in length!

Started Deco front pattern at the same stage as would be if I hadn't lengthened it.  

Knitted less rows for armhole shaping as my row tension was out.  This meant that I piked up less sts for the sleeve cap (in fact did the tiniest size!) and worked few short rows, but I liek a snug fit around this area, it certainly makes a change from baggy sleeve caps!  As the garment is snug anyway it would have looked a bit silly if I had roomy sleeve caps.

Knitted half an inch more Deco cuffs, due to snug fit. I can unravel if I need to.

Worked buttonholes instead of lining with ribbon and having press studs and fake buttons.

 

A detailed, enjoyable pattern.  My second Kate Davies pattern this year! 

Not much knitting done these past three evenings

This is it.

There's this danger time,when I am between projects, when I get sucked into ravelry and my stash.  I have spent the past three evenings trying to start a wip!

This is some variegated sock yarn, too variegated to show up patterns, and also no nylon (I gave up knitting socks without nylon several years ago, was fed up with them wearing out however tightly I knit).   It has been wound up and restarted several times.  I was convinced it was to be a pair of crocheted mitts, but after several attempts I have had to give up.  Small hook  + variegated yarn = impossible crochet.  

In the end I've gone for a very simple knitting pattern - koigu wristers.  It won't matter if there are splotches of colour! 

My plain sock is not frogged, just on hold.  I'm thinking of reusing the yarn as a pair of mitts.  I'll leave it alone this weekend and see how I feel about it next week. 

On my ravelry searches I've become a little obsessed with crocheted mitts.  I have no idea which is a good or bad crcohet pattern, so I've just been looking at popular ones which appeal to me.  I cast on (now what is the word in crochet?) my first pair last ngiht,b ut think they will be abandoned, not stretchy enough (it's wool cotton).  I stil have the bag of dk yarns out thoguh, might start another pair over our long weekend!

In the process of hunting for mitts, I've found some rather lovely shawls.  In the hope that this is a skill I can master I've ordered some cheap tunisian crochet hooks.   I have one in my stash, and that's a knitpro one with a long cable, so if I do take to it I can tunisian crochet a blanket!  I know it's been around for years, but the only crochet I did in the seventies were long sleeveless waistcoats make out of granny squares!

 

April Knitting and May knitting goals

Sometimes I have months where I think I've accomplished lots of knitting, but haven't ticked many of my monthly knitting goals.  This was such a month.  Only seven things on the list (one was only to blog!) but I've managed just three of the goals.   So, which ones are done?

 

April:

Blog:

1) Green socks.  Done! 

Finish:

2) Deco cardigan, my third for IntSweMoDo2012.  Nearly done!  I have finished all of the knitting, sewn in all of the ends (except a few, I always leave a few to do at the very end), and find buttons.  So I am thinking that this is a done thing rather than a fail thing.    

(not purple!!)

Start and finish:

3) Fourth pair of socks.  Done!  Lorna's Laces in Glenwood,  Not blogged yet. 

4) Fourth garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  Nearly done!  The knitting part is finsihed, just have to sew back neck down, set in sleeves and darn in ends,  No buttons required on this one!

5) Fourth hat. Done! 

6) Fourth pair of fingerless mitts. Fail!  Not even cast on. 

7) Fourth Other.  Fail, Not even cast on!

So.  Two fails,  trhee successes and two nearly theres.   It meant tha thtis morning I had to rummage around in the stash to find some sock yarn so that I can start something for the commute.  Not enough time to sit down and see if tehr was a mitts pattern to cast on!

 

I feel quite pleased, getting Deco and Ormond nearly finished.  It means free needles for the next garment for IntSweMoDo2012/

 

I haven't managed to do all of my monthly knitting goals in 2012, and, frankly, i'm a bit bored of saying 'one hat, one pair of socks, one pair of mitts, one Other',  It'sm my fault, setting a challenge of knitting 12 knits for heads, body, hands, feet and Other.   I fancy a change, and think I shall concentrate on a few things from the same category for May.   I do need to keep up with the garments though!

May knitting goals:

Finish and blog:

1) Deco, my third garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  Just buttons!

2) Ormond, my fourth garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  Set in sleeves, sew down collar and ends. 

3) Lorna's Laces Glenwood socks.  No finishing required, apart from a bit of the old steam iron.

Start and finish:

4) My fifth garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  NO IDEA whaich one to do!  From stash though.  I want to knit something navy, but then my choice is either 4ply Jaeger Sienna Cotton, or dk Jaeger Albany.  If I want an aran weight, I have some pinkish Rowan Cotton Jeans, or possibly I could go green, lots of nice green cotton yarn!  Or yarn which I bought for a specific caridgan?  These decisions might have to wait until the weekend when I can do another stash rummage!

5) A hat. Nothing planned, but there are a few catching my eye on ravelry.  WoollyWormhead ahd a kal for May, looks lovely...

6) FINGERLESS MITTS!!  There is a kal on a ravelry group, and I am aiming to join, if I can find some worsted weight yarns in the stash.

7) More  mitts.  It's been af ew months since I last knitted any. Now is the time to knuckle down. :)

8)  Plain socks,  good commuter and carry-along knitting.  I have cast on (just) this morning, some Opan Surprise.  Probably for the gift box.

9) Can't quite make up my mind (but want to make it a 10 item list!) .  Maybe soem more mitts or wirsters.

Start:

9)  Wait for it ....   Crochet!  I have fancied doing some for  a few weeks.  I'm not an intuitive crocheter.  I can't seem to follow instructions, can't count the stitches, but every so often I fancy doing some.  I have a very loose idea to crochet a tablecloth for my bedside table,  I have lots of Rowan 4ply cotton in quite fresh colours, and found a pack of lemon 4ply cotton in the stash which I shall never use.  That's at least a day's worth of ravelry surfing!

I love a challenge!