skein

Hitchhiker Beyone progress

Last time I mentioned this project I had had four attempts,  This is my SIXTH attempt.

Saturday I was merrily knitting away with a sparkly sock blank - when I realised that I'd run out of yarn.  And it was going so well!

The pattern has you increasing four sts every pattern repeat until you've used approximately 33% of your yarn. Then you start the second section, where you are decreasing two sts every pattern repea ó
t. You start off with just a few stitches and end with just a few, so if you're running out of yarn you've either got to decrease rapidly to a point or cast off with a blunt edge.  Not ideal.

So I cass on again on Sunday. I couldn't bear to re-knti with the same yarn, and went stash diving.  I'm using a Knitting Goddess UK scrapball.  Not even bothering to cut the knots and Magic Knot them, as they seem really secure - I'm just trimming the ends. Garter stitch hides the bumps quite well. 

I'm trying not to work on this too cllose to bedtime, that's when I drop stitches,. butt here are a few bits where I've knitted two together or dropped the loop!

A quick indoor photo, at the 33% stage

 

Ten years ago August - Vested Interest

Vested Interest - a striped baby.child vest which I knitted in Rowan's Cotton DK.

This was from a wonderful book called Monkey Suits. If it's still in print ou shuld check it out.

Nothing on the needles

I'm still not being productive :)

I have been knitting, but as of last night I've frogged the two WIPs I had on the go.  The sock had to be abandoned when the ball of yarn became entangled. The fourth Hitchiker Beyond scarf was also frogged. 

Number 1 - didn't care for the yarn choice

Number 2 - realised that I'd chucked so much of the yarn tangle away that the scarf would be too small

Number 3 - dropped a stitch (fairly early on) and decided that I'd tink back rather than pick up in garter stitch, but the yarn was too hairy and each edge was too difficult to unpick without distorting and stretching th yarn, so froggd

Number 4 - frogged (near the beginning). This was last night's knitting. Unfortunately it's Zauberball, in one of those dreadful balls which collapse and get into a mess (a reason I stopped using some of Debbie Bliss's yarns, absolutely hate those flat balls of yarn).  When I tried to hand wind it into a non-collapsible ball the damn yarn kept tangling and I've lost quite a bit of it,  I threw it in the bin, but MrC looked a bt upset as it's some he bought me a few years ago, so I've retrieved it and will use it with contrasting yarn for something else.

So I have been knitting, but frogging!

I'm not currently inspired by any pattern. I think it's that I feel Summer is coming to an end, so I don't want to knit a cotton summr cardigan (and have put away the cotton yarns I'd picked out for summer knitting) yet I'm not ready to get all Autumnal!

That's why I've been looking at one skein shawls and socks. Whilst I wait for inspiration.

I still want to knit something like Confetti a 4ply weight A-line striped jumper.  I'm also thinking of a big shawl - they seem really popular on ravelry. There are plenty of striped shawls which would make great stashbusting of the single skeins stash. 

Meanwhile, I am determined to churn out a Hitchhiker whilst I think of the next project.  I thoguth that I'd knitted one years ago, but can't find it on ravelry. I swear I knitted a green one!  I've bought the variation where the points are on the two shorter sides, with few stitches to cast on and cast off.

so, if nothing grabs my attention before the weekend I'll be casting on another Hitchhiker!

Ten years ago August - Autumn Leaves Cardigan

Remember when Kauni first hit ravelry? Those long colour runs. And knitting with two balls to give an mpressive looking colourwork garment?

This is Autumn Leaves. Knit in the round and steeked. 

The pattern was a bit skimpy and it took me a whiole to get used to it, bu the resulting FO was lovely.

I still have a small Kauni stash, thoguh it'll be for either big shawls or outer garments. Far too scratchy for next to skin wear!

Quick Sand III

I'm still not knitting. I've frogged teh shawls I'd started, and only  have 1/5 of a sock on the needles.

Now I've had Quicksand III finished for weeks, but only got around to getting some photos taken this past weekend.

 

This is Styelcraft's Malabar in aran weight. I really like this yarn. It's machine washable and easy on the hands.  Once finished I darned in ends and gave it to MrC to throw in the wash (he does the laundry).  He even put it on the sweater dryer roughly laid out flat!

So he took photos, and then told me there was a large hole in the back!   I hadn't noticed it and hadn't really had a look at the dried cardigan. Turns out it's a drippped stitch right in the centre back :(  It looked as if I've dropped a stitch whilst knitting,  It didn't ladder, just stayed as a dropped stitch, but I suppose the washing and manhandling caused it to drop a few rows and make a hole,  I've hooked it back up and just have to secure it.  Luckily I also found an end not cut off!!

There is a xhance I might make a fourth. I have some Summer Tweed and I really enjoy wearing it...

Ten years ago August - Bee Fields Shawl

As I'm not knitting much I thought that I'd continue with this each week.

And it's easier to select by start date rather than end date.

August was the month before I joined ravelry.  I can remember being very excited at the idea of a knitting communitu/  Before ravelry it was mainly knitting lists such as KnitU and Knitlist and lots of Yahoo Groups.  As soon as I could I joined the waitlist to join.

Anyway, here's the Bee Fields Shawl.  I sent away to the US for the actual yarn - Wooly Wonka Fibers Merino Laceweight - in the days when you had it posted from a US supplier.  It's the actual yarn and colour in the original pattern.

This took me four months to knit - I was obviously busy with lots of WIPs!