skein

Ella Funt baby cardigan

My final Ravellenic Games knitting!

I thnk I should mention that these were taken in a hurry just before leaving for work this morning. I have tried to steam them a bit (on a hand towel as I couldn't be bothered to get the ironing board out!) but it needs a good wash as I managed to dunk it into my tea at some stage!

Pattern:  Ella Funt

Started:  August 1st

Finished:  August 12th

Yarn:  Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, in pink (4 balls), white, and oddments of a dark grey-blue, turquoise and purple.

Needles:  3mm and 2.5mm for the borders.

Mods:  Winged it with the sleeves as the schematic and written instructions give different sleeve lengths, astounding with over 400 projects on ravelry!

I frogged the front borders and reknitted them.  The pattern has garter stitch borders, but the stretch and the button placement meant that they  gaped terribly around the yoke.  And looked odd as the neckband, bottom and cuffs are all 2x2 ribbing.  

It looks MUCH better with 2x2 ribbed front borders.   I decreased the button spacing and used a 3 stitch one row buttonhole instead of the smaller yo k2tog (the only available buttons I had were a bit big for this smaller buttonhole).  Those elephants are cute though and I'cd certainly do this again, just keep in mind my mods. 

Ravellenic Games Snowflake DK Baby Bonnet

Phew!  Not doing as well as I thought with this Ravellenic Games Knitting!  

On Monday I knitted the crown, with just a few rows to do on Tuesday evening.  Well.  Tuesday evening I CAST OFF.   Then saw a strand of yarn on the wrong side and tried to tink back.  Ended up pulling the needles out and frogging back,  but of course this meant that stitches dropped.  Nothing to it.  Tink back.  Thus Tuesday evening, when I should have finished, and Wednesday evening, when I should have been getting a move on with Ella Funt, I tinked.   Finally, on Thursday evening I finished.  

 

I've taken two whole days, and four evenings to finish a baby bonnet, sized newborn!  MInd you I have knitted the equivalent of two newborn baby bonnets! 

I'm pleased to say that this has been entered five events (thankfully!) - baby, hat, double knitting, stash and colourwork.  That's eight medals so far (once I post to the finishing line of the events)

 

Pattern:  Snowflake DK Baby Bonnet

Started: 4th August

Finished: 9th August

Needles: 2mm and 3mm (went down a size as I'm a sloppy Double Knitter

Yarn:  Wollmeise superwash in natural and True Love.

Mods: added two rows to the brim as I was worried about it being too small.  My knitting is such that if I want stitch tension it's at the expense of row tension. 

Now usually I would give this a little steam press to even out the knitting, or a wash, but as it was finished late last night and I wanted to blog and post to ravelry you are seeing the knitting as it came off the needles, warts and all.  Still pleased though!  

One side 

The other side

Comments:  I love this pattern. You're busy all the way through, with various techniques.  Starting with I-Cord, tubular cast on (optiona) and then double knitting.  The tension square is a practice piece for all three elements.

Despite the tinking and reknitting, it's a fun knit, as are all of the Lucy Neatby patterns I've knitted.    And I am still amazed at Double Knitting.  I just love it!  I have a few pairs of mittens, a hat and a few scarves in the queue!

 

Ravellenic Games - Double Knit Baby Bonnet

I have hit a sticking point with Ella Funt.  Happily knitting away on the first sleeve, and I do a quick check on the sleeve row count, as per instructions.  

There's an inch of ribbing before starting the st st and increasing sections.  Increasing is done on the 10th round 1x, 8th round 3x and 10th round 4x.  By my reckoning that's 74 rows at 8.5sts per inch = 8.7".  Adding on the inch of ribbing makes it 9.7".  But the written instructions have you knitting until the sleeve measures 8" from cast on,  yet the schematic shows the length as 9.5".   This is the third size, and the fourth is out too.  I've left a message with the designer via ravelry.  What stumps me is that there are 239 projects but no-one has mentioned this.  If I don't hear I shall look at other patterns and wing it.  

Meanwhile, thie one thing I certainly do want to use the Ravellenics for is to try my hand at more double knitting.  I've only tried this once, loved the result,  but am a bit intimidated by the whole process. It's not difficult, but you do need to concentrate, watching that the yarns are on the correct side each time and being careful not to purl the next knit and purl stitch, as they bunch up together on the needle.  

Saturday I cast on the Snowflake DK Baby Bonnet by Lucy Neatby.  You start off with I-cords, then you do a new to me tubular cast on,  joining the icords.  This was fiddly (the cast on) and I had a few attempts, kept snaking around the needle, and I was so tight I couldn't move the stitches up to the point!  But it has turned out well.  I followed the intructions blindly!  A colour change though, I loved it in the darkish blue and cream (both Wollmeise) but Chris said that as it's for a girl I might want to do a girly shade, especially as it's for a new born.  I don't think it matters that much .... but still. This is another Wollmeise colour, called True Love, a deep pink. Not as brown as it looks here. 

At the end of Saturday I had only managed this amount of knitting

As it's double knitting, you've got to see the other side too

Sunday morning went well. Indeed, Sunday afternoon went well, until I thought I'd tidy up a messy stitch, started dropping the stitch down, accidently dropped the opposite stitch down too, got into a tangled mess, started tinking and that meant more dropped stitches.  It took me until 6pm to get back to where I was mid afternoon.  But, glad that I stuck with it, as i've now done that first bit and only have the back of the bonnet to do now.

This may be the evening knitting for a few days.  At least I'll be decreasing down in number rather than increasing!  

Ravellenic Games catch up

The most important bit - I have two medals!  I'm on the Podium for both the Mitten Medley and the Colourwork Cross Country!  (Along with lots and lots of other ravthletes).

I've fallen into the ditch with the Sheep Yoke Cardigan (which is in Colourwork Cross Country, Baby Dressage and Sweater Triathlon) but I may haul myself out in the next week and desperately try to finish.

Meanwhile, I've entered a few more events with this Ella Funt Cardigan - Colourwork, Baby and Sweater again.  I may run out of yarn, so have ordered another ball just in case. It will be a different dye lot though, so fingers crossed it might only be needed for the borders.

It's a bottom up seamless design. You cast on for the body, knit to armholes, knit two sleeves, join for the yoke, knit two inches plain, then start the yoke pattern. I intend knitting the background in cream to save on pink yarn and because I like that look.  

It's not as pink as this, colour is called something like Old Rose.  I'm nearly finished with the body and ready to cast on for a sleeve.  The size I'm knitting is a 12-18 month size, but it's so large that I'm hoping that it will fit my soon to be four year old great niece!  24-25" chest.  We'll see when it's off the needles.

I love knitting things where the best bit is at the end, or where I'm decreasing rather than increasing - and this pattern does that. I have that lovely yoke to knit at the end not the beginning.  It's made me think that I may knit the sheep yoke this way - do the plain borring stuff first and the yoke last.  My decreases are always so much better looking than my increasses, and working with acrylic (the Sheep Yoke) means that holes show; the holes don't dissapear as they do with spirngy wool.

 This weekend, with daylight, lts of energy (for knitting) and no alcohol in my system I intend starting Lucy Neatby's baby bonnet, a double knit project. I really, really REALLY want to to knit this for the Ravellenic Games.  I've only knitted some mitts this way and they took forever. Just hope I can do it in a week!

Elsie baby cardigan and Scalloped Lace Baby Cap

Two more finished baby things, get 'em in quick whilst the weather is cool enough to wear them and they're small enough for a quick knit!

Both are knitted in some stashed Louisa Harding Kashmir dk yarn.  I wanted to try it out as I have a pack of pink and two packs of dark blue!  In the ball it looks floppy, a bit like Debbie Bliss's Cashmerino, but it knits up ok. I once knitted a striped jumper in some Rowan cashsoft, and loose stitches at seams seemed (to me) to stay a bit stretched out.  I think this would happen with this yarn too, so should I knit up an adult sized garment I'd probably try to go for a seamless one. 

Scalloped Lace Baby Cap is a dk pattern, one size for a birth - 9 month size.

Well I'm not convinced that this would fit a 9 month baby.  The lace is stretchy (and I could have kntited it with a bigger needle) but I think it will be too shallow.  Never mind, if it's too small for a 3month baby it will fit a dolly later on!

Needles: 3.75mm and under half a ball of yarn.

 Very easy pattern, written and charted. 

Should I knit it again I'd add another 12 row pattern repeat before decreasing. 

Matching garment is Elsie.  Now this is a dk weight pattern, but the tension and needle size are more suited to a worsted weight than a dk weight.  Tension is 20st and 25 rows to 4" on 4.5mm needles.  I didn't want a loose knit cardigan, so opted for 4mm.  At my tension I was getting 21st sand 28 rows to 4". 

For the 3 months size I followed instructions for the 6 month size (which is pretty similar to the 3 months anyway) and just added extra rows to get the length.  No diagram, but measurements are given in the charts.

Mods:

4 buttonholes instead of 3.

First buttonhole was placed on the 4th row from cast on, rather than the 3rd row (which was a WS row, and I like doing them on RS rows, just habit!)

Used smaller needle for the garter stitch borders, including the cast on and neck border.

There's an optional crochet eging, which I think adds a bit of interest to an otherwise plain cardigan (and dead easy).

This should keep Polena going for a few months!

Seamless Baby Kimono

Whilst Deco is in the naughty corner, I've been busy knitting baby things, for baby Polena in Moscow.  She's 3 months old and both mum and grandma wanted more hand knits after the Small Things cardigan.

It is NOT as vibrant as this!  The pink is a deeper, ruby colour.  I set my camera to phtograph on the vibrant setting!  Not very good first thing in the morning, when I'm late for the train itno work!

Here's the first, the Seamless Baby Kimono.

Started/finished: March 11th to March 14th, again, just three evenings!

Needles: 4.5mm, 3.5mm (for the garter stitch borders)

Yarn: DIC Classy, a pink colour (but ruby pink) and purple, 104g in total, less than one skein,

Mods: none, except changing needle size.

This is another great pattern.  You have the option of garter sttich or moss stitch bands, tapered or straigth sleeves, button holes (for two buttons, with the garter bands) or button loop (for one button, moss stitch bands).  There are I-cord ties for the inner fastening. 

I also love my DIC Classy.  I bought mine from Stash in Putney, sadly closed now (not Stash Fine Yarns in Chester!).  I am reduced to odd skeins now, but it is such a great yarn to knit baby things with. I love the saturated colours and the springy yarn.  I have some left, mainly blues and greens, with a bit of purple and a bit of pink, could make a reverse kimono I suppose!

The Seamless Kimono for baby is done ...

well, nearly done.

It's such a great knit, and goes quickly.  The knitting was finished in three evenings, and that includes two work evenings, when I didn't get home until 8pm, and didn't actually pick up the knitting till after 9pm.

I need to darn in ends and sew on buttons.  Buttons have been bought on ebay.  Hope they match the colours! Then it needs a wash to flatten out the rolling hem.

What next for baby Pollena?  I am thinking of using the mauve Louisa Harding Kashmir dk, and will investigate the patterns I have lined up. It's going to be seamless, whichever pattern I choose, so much better.  Who wants big seams on little garments?  Top contender is the Elsie cardigan.  It's top down, simple and has 3/4 sleeves so quite summery, suits this summery yarn.  I

 

As for other knitting. it's going rather slowly.    I've just not knitted much this month (in comparison to usual!).  It's past the halfway mark for March and I am slacking!  Out of eight goals I've managed just one so far.  I'd better get a move on.  Hoping to finsih my pink socks this weekend, and  reach the armholes of Deco.  AND start Elsie!   

 

 

 

A few new things on the needles

Nothing fantastic.  Just some plain commuting socks and a baby garment.

The socks were started on 4th March.  The only decision I had to make was which yarn to use.  The pattern is my usual one for plain socks - top down, 3x1 ribbing on the leg and a plain foot.

The yarn is Lana Grossa Meilenweit Colortweed,  a mix of greens - not quite as blue as in this photo. 

The second new project took a little more planning.  Five hours on ravelry planning, to be exact!   Such a long time choosing yarn and pattern for such a little garment! 

First of all I chose the yarns. Well, short-listed the yarns.  Four different weights, 4ply, sport, dk and worsted.  That meant four different search criteria on ravelry, and then browsing through all of the projects and yarns. That's what took up so much time!

I wanted to knit two baby cardigans this month and so I went for the thicker worsted and dk weight yarns.  Starting with the worsted first, this is the Seamless Kimono, by the same designer as Small Things, which is an ideal baby gift.   This is Dream in Color Classy.  I've a ball of pink and one of purple.   I've opted for the textured middle, just in case I run out of pink!

 

It's going quickly (which is more than I can say for Deco) and I've onother few inches before starting the bottom border. 

I don't have anything planned for he dk weight cardigan, better start planning that one now!

 

Small Things in blue

Another Small Things.  Loe this baby cardigan pattern!


Pattern:  Small Things

Started and finished:  11th - 19th December

Yarn:  Artesano Superwash Merino in baby blue.  Another favourite yarn for babies.

Needles: 3.75mm, using 3.25mm for cuffs and bottom border.

Size: 3 months.  This pattern is written for a slightly thicker yarn, so this is slightly smaller than an actual 3 month size. 

 

 

This will most likely be the last thing that I knit in 2011.  I have three wips on the go - the bee keepers quiet, a bit neglected during the pre Christmas knitting rush, and two new things which I cast on over Christmas and Boxing Day.  I'm hoping to get a blog post in with thier progress photos soon.  Pleased with both!

Baby Ensemble

Hat, cardigan and bootees all done!

Bootees:

Pattern: Baby Jane Booties

Started and finished: 3rd December

Needles and yarn: 3.5mm needles, 30g Artisan Superwash Merino in Baby Pink.

Mods:  This is knitted from the cast on at centre sole up. I provisionally cast on the stitches, and grafted them together when finished, meaning no seam. 

A lovely pattern, only two ends which is what I like in small projects!

Hat:

Pattern: Poppy

Started/Finished: 3rd/4th December

Needles and yarn: 3.75mm and 3mm for the brim, 80g of Artesano Superwash Merino, Baby Pink

Mods:  This is knitted on two needles, and the brim is worked in rows on a circular (to help with knitting), with an extra number of stitches cast on at the end, making a little flap which is sewn down with a button.  Well I just knitted it all in the round, and didn't add the flap bit or buttons. Stil cute!

 

And the cardigan:

Pattern: Small Things Sweater

Start/Finish: 30th November to 4th December

Yarn and Needles: 3.75mm and 3.25mm (for garter borders), Artesano Merino Superwash, 212g, Baby Pink.

Mods: Mixed and matched the sleeve instructions, so I used the tapered sleeve instructions with the straight sleeve garter cuff.

Very pleased with these. I really like this yarn for baby/child knitting!

They'll be winging their way over to Moscow next week!