skein

Quick Sand cardigan

I decided to keep it, and am so pleased that I did!  

 

This is Quick Sand, a seamless top down open cardigan. 

When I knit in mindless stocking stitch, I tend to loosen up on the old tension, so I usually go down in either needle or pattern size, which is what I did here. But my tension didn't really loosen up!  So it's a little small.  If you look at the other projects, you'll see that they have more front drape. I don't, but it's actually really easy to wear as is. 

I like the fit in the shoulders and arms.  No falling off the shoulders! The back is shaped, though the stitch count remains the same - you are increasing and decreasing to give drape.  You can see this here (it does not have a pointy hem!!!)

Considering how many cardigans have failed because of the dreaded Curl, I'm shocked that I really like this cardigan with no bands. it curls but it doesn't matter!   I'm even thinking of knitting the DK version!  

:)

 

Wraptastic shawl

And another one skein shawl!  Wraptastic, knitted in The Knittery Merino/cashmere sock. 

I origianlly started on 4mm needles,but restarted on 4.5mm needles, and prefer the more open lace border. I dind't even block this out much, just washed it, and laid it flat on the bed to dry.  Very easy knit too, with short rows to shape, in the middle of the garter stitch section, so no picking up wraps!

How long does it take for a cotton cardigan to dry?

Friday I tried on Quick Sand, and rather like it.  It's too small (it's designed to drape over the bust, mine hands beside!) but I like the close fitting sleeves and shoulder. It has no borders to speak of and hence curls madly, but that dosn't bother me (probably because it's an open cardigan) So not like me!  I washed it on Saturday and it's still drying! I'd forgotton just how lond it takes to dry cotton garments.  The yarn is a Stylecraft silk cotton blend and is very easy on the hands, drpes nicely and is cheap. I'm waiting to see how it dries and wears, but fingers crossed it might be my new favourite summer aran weight cotton.

I spent Saturday in front of the TV, watching old films, and finsished Wraptastic. It's still damp from a wet blcok, but looks like I'll be getting photos next weekend.

I'm keeping up with the Shetland Trader's MKAl.  Clue one,w ith the first skein of yarn, is done, but is 1.5 repeats shorter than the smallest sized shawl.  Clue two, which involved knitted a wide garter ribbed border, used up all of hte second skein.  I reduced stitch count and row cout to accommodate the smaller size of clue one. Just hope the third skein holds out! It's cashmere, such a delight to knit with.  

I'm plucking up courage to knit another cardigan, wtih my old stashed Linen Drape. What a contrast to cashmere!  I'm even thinking of the fine version of Quick Sands. It's just so easy to knit! I gritted my teeth and knitted a small tension square. Now to prepare myself to knitting with string!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three shawls

I still have shawl mojo, despite having to frog Booknits MKAL!

This was the state of play on Friday evening.  Bear in mind that I had a lazy weekend, plenty of knitting time...

1) My May emergency knitting, using a sock blank.  It's So I Gather.

I'm using a Countess Ablaze Sock Blank.  This is the tame bit!  I haven't worked on this over the weekend, because I want to keep up or finish the other two shawls.

2) Wraptastic.  Friday evening it looked like this:

This is at the end of the first section, and then it's short rows to shape the centre of the shawl.  Friday  worked several repeats of the short rows. Sunday evening I picked it up again and couldn't find a longer 4mm needle that I liked. And thought it might look nicer using a 4.5mm needle (of which I have plenty in longer lengths), so I frogged!  I've only knitted a few inches, but much prefer the more open, lacy border.

3_ Shetland Trader MKAL.  

Oh dear. 

I've chosen Skein Queen cashmere to knit this with. It's grogeous. Three colours. Plenty of yardage. I even weighed the skeins  

But something has gone awry.  I've ran out of the first colour with 18 more long rows to go!  I'm sooo disappointed. I'll probably be able to manage nearly another two rows, but will have to join in the second colour before the end of the row.  

I've slept on it.  I love this yarn. I love this pattern in this yarn. So, what about waiting for clue two, see if I can knit an extra small shawl size, more like a scarf@  

Clue two is out, and I think that I can downsize it. It's a bit risky, what with being a MKAL, but I'm sure I can fudge the numbers for the next clue.  So I'm going to carry on. If I run out of the second skein I'll probably have to restart, as the third colour is much darker. But I'm so enjoying the knitting that I'll carry on for the moment.

 

 

 

 

May knitting and June knitting plans

Let's just say that May was a massive FAIL in terms of knitting!

I think that I was a bit too optimistic after April's successes.

1) Blog Naiada shawl. Done!

2) Blog Puerperium cardigan, Done!

3) Finish Niagara vowl for Stitchnerd's and SKD's KAL.  Done!

4) Finish Quick Sands Cardigan.  Done!  But see June goals,,,,

5) Start and keep up with Boo Knits MKAL.  FAIL! And this is the reason why I didn't do as much knitting, spent 17 days working on this before frogging!

6) Start another shawl for Stitchnerd snad SKD KAL.  Fail!  Too much stime working on the Booknits disaster!

7) Start another cardigan. Hmmm. I have started a jumper but am not that enthused about it. It's pastel sripes, trying to use up yarn, and I don't really like it.  

Let's move on to June!

1) Finish or Frog Quick Sands.  It's too small!  I knitted a small tension square, just to see how I knit with this yarn (a cotton/silk blend). As usual, I'm a loose knitter, and from past experience I loosen up even more when knitting mindless long rows of stocking stitch.,  I chose to knit size M1 far too small for me, but thought it would knit up to a size M2 with my loose tension  I ought to have measured again after I'd done a bit of knitting. Worst case scenario - go up a size as I approach the division for the sleeves and body.  I'm happy with a smaller size shoulders and upper arms.  OF COURSE I DID NOT MEASURE!  I didn't even try on the garment as I knitted down the body and sleeves as I'd put the sleeve sts on a short piece of yarn and couldn't get my arms in properly ( I was away, but hey, I could've replaced the short yarn wiht a bit of longer yarn!)

I can wear as is, but the fronts don't hang towards the centre of my body, more like the armpits! 

2) Stitchnerds June KAL is Wraptastic. It's on the needles and apart form getting my yarn all tangled last night, SHOULD BE a straightforward knit.

3) I have not had enough of shawls, nor MKALs and have joined The Shetland Trader's MKAL!  This is also going smoothly at the moment. 

4) Another Stitchnerds Shawl. This time it's So I gGather.  This was emergency knitting whilst away last weekend.  I grabbed a sock blank as I was going out of the door *ust in case* and did indeed cast on.  It might not be finished this month, but it's not going to languish as an FO. The sock balnk is a Countess Ablaze sock blank, full of splashes and apparent bits that look tie dyed!   Who knows how it will knit up as a shawl!

5) A baby cardigan. This is for my work colleague who is on maternity leave early July, so needs to get done.  I have some cotton sport in a citrus colour.

6) Either the striped jumper already cast on or a new garment.  I have literally only knitted a few inches and can't make up my mind. I need to look in daylihgt. I usually don't do stripes, but this is a good way of using up the yarn.

 

I'm sticking to only six thing sthis month!