skein

Knitting revisited - In Dreams shawl

One of my current Mystery KALs involves beads, and it's reminded me of another Mystery KAL from 2011 which involved beads.  It nearly killed me, all of  those beads! It's the In Dreams shawl. 

I had been to a knitting group and one of the knitters Fiona (hi!) had brought hers along. It was gorgeous, and I immediately went home, bought th pattern and cat on.  

From April to June 2011 I diligently worked on this. It's knitted in Wollmeise Lace yarn in bright red.  I  used a million red beads.  The beads were added with a tiny crochet hook.  I'd bought cehap beads = irregular holes.  Some were too tiny to fit through the crochet hook. By the time I'd finished I was truly over beads, and I've lost a couple of the tiniest hooks I had!   

The lace pattern is not one for tinking or frogging, should you drop a stitch. Many an evening I'd be trying to reknit a section!  

It is a beautiful shawl and the beads lend it weight. A real pity that the beads just don't show up in the photos!

ravelry link here, blog link here. 

Knitting revisited - Boreal

 

Apparantly it's Children in Need Wear your Christmas Jumper Day today.  So here's mine.  It's Boreal. I didn't actually knit it for Christmas, but started it on Chritmas day in 2011.

Knitted in Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride Worsted, it's both a quick knit and a warm one!  I'm pretty certain that it's knitted bottom up, so the best bit (the yoke) is knitted last when motivation might be flagging. 

ravelry link here, blog link here. 

Knitting revisited - Reindeer Games socks

It's December!  I can revisit something which I associate with Christmas!

It's the Reindeer Game socks.  

A few years ago I was a member of Red Bird Knits sock club. I think that we received something every other month.  And as usualy, I soon lost the plot, and had a stack of sock kits waiting ot be knitted up.  

I finally tackled this one, determined that it would be finished for Christmas day. I started them on 9th and finished them on 19th December 2009.  Put them away and wore them as housesocks on Christmas morning.   Too thick for boots, but lovely and warm (stranded!) for slipper socks.  

ravelry link here, blog link here. 

Knitting revisited - Arabian Nights Blanket

Time for another blanket.  It's the second Debbie Abrahams Mystery Blanket, Arabian nights.

Knitted over the course of 2009, it's knitted in Rowan's Cotton Glace, with a little bit of Cashcotton and 4ply cotton in there too. 

A selection of squares.  Beads, sequins (a pain!), texture, colour.  

   

Enough variation to keep me occupied each month.  Coming together into a fabulous blanket. 

 

ravelry link here, blog post here. 

Knitting revisited - Koigu Gypsy shawl

The weather is a little colder today, so I thought I'd blog another shawl.

It's the Gypsy shawl, knitted in TEN DAYS in January 2010,  I used the called for yarn, Koigu, think I bought it from Stash in Putney.  A pleasure to knit, with its easy lace pattern.  

Now I don't normally do a fringe, especially when it's cutting lengths of Koigu!  But it's a great shawl, love the koigu and it's great to wrap around your shoulders, though I:ll never be able to carry off wearing a fringed shawl!

Notes to self:

1) when I get home, get the shawl from the shawl box and wear it.

2) when I get home, get the Koigu stash out and think about that Linen scarf I wanted to knit. 

ravelry link here, blog link here. 

Knitting revisited - Hall of Fire Tam

This week it's a hat, the Hall of Fire Tam, another Renaissance Dyeing.  I do love a kit!

Knitted in February 2012, this is a fairly recent knit.

Their Organic Poll Dorset is brilliant for colourwork.  You know how usually, with stranded knitting, a good wash or press evens out the fabric?  Well with this yarn it's pretty even before blocking.  I'm thinking that another little kit might be on the horizon for knitting over Chrsitasm.

Love the colours too!

Ravelry link here, blog link here.

Knitting revisited - Picnic blanket

I've had no time to blog this week, so let's just say that NaBloPoMo (or whatever) is out of the window for November, I've just about found time to squeeeze in this post!

This week, on a damp and gloomy November day, I've chosen a blanket, but not the warm, snuggly blankets, this one is knitted in Rowan Denim!  It's the Picnic Blanket.

 

Started in September 2007 and finished in December 2008, it was a lot of knitting. I spread it out over the months, so as not to get too disheartened or bored. and allowing myself time to knit other things.  I am not a monogamous knitter. 

 

This blanket obviously uses a lot of yarn, and it's Rowan, not the cheapest around.  I loved the blanket, but  probably wouldn't have knitted it in the yarn specified if I didn't already have some Denim stash from Libertys sales or discount evenings.  The rest was bought in bits and bobs over the months, so it didn't feel as costly as it would have had I bought the yarn in one go.  My outlook is that the time I spend knitting is far more cost effective (and I have something to show for it) than the same number of hours spent in the pub!

This was a present for Mr.C., for the boat.   I don't think that it was intentional, but it was finished a few days before his birthday. It covers up the horrible seating covers, and still looks good after all of these years.  I LOVED taking it to the laundrette, putting it in a big machine on a hot wash, and then in the big tumble drier!

ravelry link here, blog post here.

Knitting revisited - Textured Shawl

This week I looked through my shawl projects.  I thoguth I might choose a Hazel Carter pattern, as I've knitted and enjoyed several of her patterns, but turns out only one is on ravelry or the blog!  So which to choose now then?  Currently I prefer (when I eventually get around to knitting more) plainer shawls, possibly with subtle colour stripes, rather than full on lace shawls, though I have done my fair share over the years.  

I've chosen Textured Shawl, which is more of a recipe than an out and out pattern. A imple pattern, easy enough to have as carry along knitting, and although it's not as fancy as a lace ashawl I enjoyed the knitting and the wearing and the look of this simple shawl.

Coincidentally I started this on October 22nd 2010!  The yarn is Old Maiden Aunt, Alpaca/Silk sport-dk weight.  A pleasure to knit with and it goes so well with this pattern, in this shade, Midnight.  

Ravelry link here, blog post here. 

Knitting revisited - Grey Cables Cardigan

I never think about what I'm going to blog about. I sign in, then go to ravelry and my projects, and start typing in a keyword to see what comes up.  This week I typed 'cables' and this was one of the things which popped up, Grey Cables cardigan.

Knitted in October 2009, using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran.  

Now for the confession.  I can't remember knitting this at all!  According to ravelry, it was fun to knit!  I also can't locate it.  I certainly haven't worn it to death, I remember theose garments!  I shall have to have a hunt. I'm wondering if it's at the boat...

ravelry link here, blog link here.  

Knitting revisited - Urban Troubadour

This week it's Urban Troubadour, a kit from Renaissance Dyers.  I've knitted the matching gauntlets, a hat and a pair of mitts too. love this yarn for stranded knitting.

Jill and I knitted this together, we both bought the same design at the same timee (unintentionally, though there might have been a discussion of the company which made us boht go and look a the website!).  We also both used circulars which were a bit small in length, so that the knitting was scrunched up.  Lucky me, I managed to join it in a round without twisting,  Poor Jill though had a moebius strip!  She cut and darned it together!

Did I mention that I like this wool? I'm sorely tempted to treat mysefl for Christmas.  There's something about a kit...

Ravelry link here, blog post here.